Cycling Plus

There’s a hill south of Bristol that looms over my rides. While it’s hardly Ventoux, Limeburn Hill just feels relentless, sinister even. Whether it is, to misquote Indiana Jones, both the years and the mileage, it never gets any easier for me. Hopefu

Brits are world-beaters at queuing and waiting in line to begin the Dartmoor Classic sportive in June, early in the morning in a less than clement Newton Abbot Racecourse, brought all our skills to bear. After so long without sportives, it was held a

As a resident of Bristol, one thing that’s hard to ignore is the increasing prevalence of e-scooters. Bristol, like many other cities and towns across the country, is taking part in government-sanctioned trials of rental e-scooters of up to 12 months

Reigning Tour de France champion Tadej Pogacar wore the prototype of this shoe to victory in the 2020 TdF. For 2021 DMT has brought this ultra-lightweight race shoe out as a limited edition to celebrate this year’s La Grande Boucle. The KR TDF’s desi

If space on your bar is at a premium, or you like to run a bar bag, Bar Fly’s Stem Cap replacing mount system is a good solution. This 24.7g alloy mount replaces a standard stem cap and it comes with fittings for Garmin, Wahoo, Polar, Mio, Magellan,

North Norfolk’s rolling countryside east of King’s Lynn offers some of England’s loveliest day-riding. Enjoy postcard villages, beaches, stately home grounds, holy shrines and castles. It’s all on virtually car-free smooth lanes (or gravel jewel the

I cycled through Egypt this week. Not the country; it’s a hamlet west of Bradford. Sadly there’s no sign, so I couldn’t pose for a jokey Twitter post: ‘You can tell it’s not that Egypt because of the mist, freezing rain and gales. Or as we call it in

Basso was founded 44 years ago by Alcide Basso, the brother of Marino Basso – one of the greatest sprinters of his generation, a road world champion in 1972 and winner of six Tour de France stages. Those early days in the 1970s saw the company making

If you’ve had a sandwich in Sandwich, a scone in Scone and cheddar in Cheddar, complete the set with a fry up in Fryup. Yorkshire Cycle Hub is one of Britain’s most spectacularly situated bike cafes: the patio tables overlook Great Fryup Dale, and wh

Our four test bikes cover a very hard-fought price range. They’re all road bikes with a leaning towards endurance rather than super-fast riding, though one of these machines has slightly more racy aspirations. Three of our quartet have disc brakes an

Yorkshire’s king of the well-priced road bike has put together a straightforward triple-butted aluminium commuter-plus bike based around a SRAM Apex single-ring setup, thruaxles and mechanical disc brakes – in the form of the rarely seen dual-piston

The phrase ‘keep it simple, stupid’ has become a cliché for good reason: there’s a lot to be said for stripping things down to the basics. And that’s just what Planet X has done with its London Road, which it describes as “the do-it-all super bike… j

This new Orbea demonstrates how difficult it now is for the bike industry when it comes to offering the value we’ve become accustomed to. Orbea’s Avant H60-D is one of many bikes that suffered a price rise between the time we started and finished tes

Back in 1992 a little-known furniture maker rode a carbon dream bike to Olympic individual pursuit gold. In 2021 the name of that rider adorns the SLR 8.9, one of the two least expensive carbon road bikes you can buy, along with Vitus’s disc-braked,

The most expensive of our quartet isn’t carbon. It’s not aluminium. It’s constructed from a substance that has served bike manufacturers since the 19th century. Yep, we’re talking steel, in this case a handcrafted Reynolds 725 frame. But it’s not a c

There were no poor bikes among our quartet though in the case of three of the four, value has slipped over the last year. Our least expensive bike, however, proved to be a revelation and great value. If you’re looking for a commuter bike on a budget,

When Egan Bernal won the 2019 Tour de France at the tender age of 22, he became the youngest Tour winner in 110 years. He appeared to be a once-in-a-generation talent, but with the emergence since of Tadej Pogaĉar (an even younger Tour winner last se

It is no surprise that top pro cyclists now perform regular yoga routines. Cycling poses some unique biomechanical challenges for your body, nearly all of which can be overcome with the help of a regular yoga workout. That’s why you’ll find everyone

The best thing about testing for a living is that I get to experience a wide variety of bikes, which broadens my cycling horizons beyond my first love of pure road riding. This month I’ve tested one of the best-equipped commuting bikes around from Ca

When it comes to commuting bikes, a lot of brands are happy to settle on a bike that just ‘does the job’. The result is a plethora of uninspiring commuting workhorses that aren’t going to fire up anyone’s enthusiasm for riding to work on a grey day.

I’ve always admired the Revolt. I like that Giant has blended elements from its superb Defy endurance bike and the racy TCX cyclocross machine to create a composed, yet wonderfully exciting gravel machine that’s a very capable all-rounder. The star o

The unique selling point to Vaast’s well-priced gravel bikes is the material that’s being used to build them. Fellow American company Allite produces a magnesium-alloyed tubeset called Super Magnesium (well you wouldn’t expect false modesty from a US

Shoes promising unrivalled support Fizik’s Venta Stabilita Carbon shoes work using the latest version of its Dynamic Arch Support (2.0), which combines a wired tension setup that uses Boa dials that are attached to a zero-stretch ribbon anchored to t

£146.99 Riding to work on flat pedals is the most convenient foot-to-bike interface but their pins and grips can make short shrift of expensive trainer soles, so I’d recommend a pair of bike-specific flat shoes every time. DMT’s FK1 is part of its En

Urban helmet approved for ebikes American company Bern has a strong reputation for designing good-quality helmets for snow and water sports, skateboarding and BMX. The Hudson, however, is aimed at commuters and in this, its latest guise, it’s been be

Gravel-specific saddle The idea of ‘gravel’ specific often means an olive green colourway, or a bit of camouflage in the finishing. Thankfully that’s not the case with Fizik’s Terra Argo. Fizik has taken its popular Argo short saddle back to the draw

Waxed canvas carry-alls Altura’s new Heritage panniers are part of a range of luggage that includes a rack bag, bar bag and backpack, as well as a smaller pannier. All are made from waxed canvas, a waterproof material with a history dating back centu

Aero makeover for the cockpit The latest road bikes with their aero-optimisation and integrated cockpits are all well and (expensively) good, but if your bike doesn’t come with everything integrated making things more aero is a tougher call. Aero spe

The real sports casual? Scott’s clothing range offers everything from pro-peloton-ready Lycra through to casual commuter wear. But what does it offer for gravel riding? The Hybrid RC Pro bib shorts feature a quality endurance pad from Elastic Interfa

Bye bye thermal jackets and central heating, hello the short-sleeve cycling jersey and the waft of barbecues… summer has at last arrived in the UK, and for it you’ll need a cycling outfit that can tackle riding in the heat. Alongside breathable bib s

A thrifty find or false economy? SIZES S-XXL WEIGHT 168g COLOURS Orange, Blue WOMEN’S VERSION Blue, Turquoise Bargain buy or a false economy? Halfords have long had credit in the bank with me due to my still-beloved Carrera TdF road bike from 2008, b

Does this racer excel? SIZES S-XXL WEIGHT 139g COLOURS Red, Ice Blue, Navy Blue, Dark Green, Coral Pink WOMEN’S VERSIONS Red, Blue Spend a tenner more than the Altura Airstream and you enter the world of a 18 per cent elastane (at last!), meshed fabr

A pro-level jersey for £60? SIZES S-XXL, plus Relaxed Fit WEIGHT 143g COLOURS Rust Red, Black, White, Blue WOMEN’S VERSIONS Coral, White Endura’s broad 2021 range hits that sweet spot of cutting-edge tech and affordable outfits, and the snappily-titl

Is the RoadRace ace? SIZES S-XXL WEIGHT 136g COLOURS Red, Blue, Black WOMEN’S VERSION N/A On paper, the RoadRace from Madison ticks the jersey boxes with mesh panels for ventilation, a garage for thwarting rubbing from the zipper, a neat, zipped pock

Time to become a race warrior? SIZES XS-XXXL WEIGHT 135g COLOURS Mulitple WOMEN’S VERSION Multiple Stolen Goat, as ever, will divide opinion on the aesthetic front, but I think it pulls it off with this Japanese-influenced design that’ll suit the Tok

The one worth waiting for? SIZES S-2XL WEIGHT 175g COLOURS Iceberg Horizon, Bright Red, True Spruce WOMEN’S VERSIONS Black Blur, Midnight Transition Sometimes you get what you pay for, and that happily applies to the jerseys on test from Giro and Sco

Feeling supersonic? SIZES S-XXL WEIGHT 115g COLOURS Black/Drift Purple WOMEN’S VERSION RC Contessa The RC Pro is the most expensive jersey here but, as the name suggests, it feels like the classiest in the collection, a pro-level jersey at a sub-£100

For all that we prize our metal bikes and laud the resurgence of premium aluminium, the lure of carbon has never really waned. Affordable carbon bikes as we once knew them seem to be in decline however, between the rise of disc brakes, rampant worldw

As if the chance to save 30 per cent and to have every issue of Cycling Plus delivered direct to your door wasn’t enough of an incentive, this issue we’re also giving new subscribers a great gift – a Lezyne Pocket Drive Mini Pump. Worth ?25, this com

In a bid to gain a greater understanding of how core body temperature can impact on cycling, a number of pro teams are trialling new tech to monitor each rider’s thermoregulation. Deceuninck–Quick-Step is among the teams leading the trials and it tes

This is a perfect pre-ride breakfast choice that’s all about fuelling the gas tank! Alternatively, it can be enjoyed as a post-ride recovery option, with the added protein used to support and aid recovery ready for your next training session. It’s al

With the sun finally making its belated appearance this summer, it was time to ride. I have a regular 60km route that I do and since April 2020, I have cycled just over 4000 kilometres. Give me a break, I’m 85. In all that time, across all that dista

“During lockdown two it came to light that my racing for Brother UK OnForm and Hill Climbs would be postponed until spring. As a single parent of a seven-year-old son, trying to juggle training with the school closures and financial pressures ensured

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Whether you want to power up the steep slopes of the Lake District on the Fred Whitton or conquer the snaking bends of Alpe d’Huez on a weekend getaway, climbing is the most exciting, painful and rewarding part of cycling. But to climb like Slovenian

To glide up climbs like a pro, you first need the right gear ratios. “A 28-tooth lower gear should see you up most climbs,” advises performance coach Phil Paterson. But even some pros use 30-tooth sprockets on mountain stages, so don’t be shy about g

TIME 45 minutes THE BENEFITS High-cadence efforts train you to spin faster on climbs, which is more energy-efficient than grinding uphill in a big gear. Low-cadence efforts prepare you for steeper ascents when your cadence will be slow. “Spending tim

Location Peebles, Scottish Borders Next date 5 September 2021 Distances 120km/88.8km Price From £68 The ‘Touro’ was started by local riders in 2012 and has been growing in reputation ever since. A real riders’ course on closed roads with spectacular

All is well as we crest the hill, smiling in the bright spring Herefordshire sunshine, with green shoots bursting into life around me. Then I look up and see that ancient wall, massive against the sky and yet hulking in shadow, impervious to optimism

I was fortunate enough to have been sent to Italy to commentate on the Giro d’Italia this year. It was a wonderful privilege; one which I was very conscious of throughout the journey from Piedmont to Lombardy via the length and breadth of Italy. On t

DISTANCE 146km/90.5 miles TOTAL ELEVATION 1417m/4650ft GRADE Distance + Malvern Hills = a tough day out DOWNLOAD komoot.com/tour/377354744 We stayed at Lemore Manor, set on 20 acres of grounds near Eardisley. It offers accommodation in the manor hous

We’re in the middle of a commuting and ebike revolution in the UK, with Aviva Insurance reporting that one in three bikes sold over the last year was e-assisted. At the same time, the appetite for using public transport has diminished significantly,

Most ebikes have controls on the handlebar or top tube and some have LCD screens, which make it easier to switch between modes, monitor battery life and see your speed and mileage. Some systems also now offer Bluetooth connectivity and phone apps, so

Mid-mounted system highly regarded for its powerful motor and reliability. The wide range of models from Bosch cover everything from load carrying urban bikes (see the Benno Boost on p20) to celebrated high-performance sports bikes (read about the Ca

220 TRIATHLON SWIM. BIKE. RUN.FASTER! 220 Triathlon is your essential training companion, whether you’re thinking about entering your first race or are a seasoned triathlete looking to maximise your performance. Each month we feature training advice

£4599.99 Versatile super-utility machine With the Boost, Benno has aimed to create a cargo bike that rides like a regular ebike, so you can use it to replace the car. Load-carrying ability is impressive at 200kg (rider and cargo). The rear rack alone

£2300 For the city and beyond The Lyfe aims to provide a relaxed ride. It’s powered by Mahle’s ebikemotion drive unit, which is based around a 250W rear-hub motor combined with a slim, integrated 250Wh (watthour) battery in the down tube. The idea is

£2299 Funky, functional around-town assistance Cube’s take on urban transport is somewhat different to the average e-assist hybrid. Instead of the traditional 700c - or 29er - wheel size, Cube has opted for 20-inch BMXsized wheels and designed the bi

£1395 Updated for 2021 I tested the original MiRider One in 2020 (issue 370) and came away impressed, giving it four out of five. The beauty of the One’s design – which is retained for 2021 – is its adjustability. The telescopic bar/steerer and teles

Ribble has a full range of ebikes based around Mahle’s ebikemotion system. This uses a slimline internal battery and a rear-hub motor and links up to a clever app to give you total control over available power. The Fully Loaded edition has full mudgu

Our two electric gravel bikes have very different prices, but both are designed to make life easier when you venture off road. The Britishdesigned Cairn E-Adventure (£2989) has Fazua’s Evation 250W drive system, while Cannondale’s three-times-the-pri

£9199 Top-end steed that blurs the boundaries between bike and ebike Scott’s four-strong e-road range is topped by this 10.9kg Premium model. This flagship machine has components that wouldn’t look out of place on a pro-Tour bike, with its carbon fra

I’m 73 now and riding with the White Mountain cycling club in Crete, I found I couldn’t keep up on the hills. This was frustrating for me and unfair to the others, who would have to keep waiting. And living in the foothills, Ribble’s gravel ebike let

The 12.1kg Cannondale takes the absolute best of what the SuperSix EVO has to offer in terms of its race-bike-heaven handling and adds in a light, tuneable and incredibly usable e-assist system from Mahle. Its combination of racy road-bike dynamics,

Wanting to be part of a cycling group was one of the reasons I got the ebike. As a group we’re that bit older – there’s an 84-year-old, three in our seventies and others in their fifties and sixties. Most of them didn’t even know my bike was an ebike