BikeRadar.com

Colnago celebrates 80th birthday with limited edition bike

Cyclingnews.com — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 17:12:00 GMT

This article originally appeared on Cyclingnews.com (click over to see the full gallery).

Ernesto Colnago is 80 today and has celebrated his birthday with a special limited edition bike that is set to become a collector's item.

The special bike is called the C59 Ottanta – which means eighty in Italian and has a gold finish. It was inspired by the iconic Colnago bikes of the past that were used so successfully by so many legendary professional riders and loved by thousands of cyclists around the world.

The C59 Ottanta has Master-like arabesque lug decorations and Ernesto Colnago’s signature, yet is made from the best possible carbon fibre and fitted with Campagnolo Super Record EPS 11s electronic components.

Colnago is known for its iconic ace of clubs logo but the C59 Ottanta has a special head badge: the original ‘Eagle and Arrow’ logo that was created in 1954 inspired by a headline in the local newspaper that described Colnago as fast as an arrow when he won a race.

Just 80 examples of this very special limited edition bike will be made and 20 have already been snapped up by collectors around the world.

Ernesto Colnago

Despite turning 80, Colnago was busy in his office in Cambiago, preferring to work than celebrate his birthday. He is still the first to arrive at the Colnago offices, just across the street from his home, and is always the last to leave. Most people are happily retired at 80 but Colnago does not intend to retire just yet.

“My 80th birthday is an intermediate sprint, it’s the not the finish of my race. I still love to work and create new bikes. I don’t want a cake or a big party, the special bike is my way of sharing my birthday,” he said.

Detours cycling bags – First look

BikeRadar US — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 16:00:00 GMT

Detours, based in Seattle, Washington, have been producing seat bags, panniers and cycling packs since 2005. Their main feature? Resistance to wet weather.

One product in particular from their 2012 line drew our attention – the Coffee Bag. This is a 100cu in/1.6l roll-top waterproof bag with a two-point attachment system meant to fit behind your seat or on your top tube. Detours also suggest using it as a dry bag inside a pannier, and it even fits in a bottle cage. We see it as perfect for a tourer, townie, or any other bike that begs for a bag with a truly unique style.

Detours offer their Coffee Bag in five 'blends', each with its own logo: California, The Highway 1 blend; Washington, The Evergreen blend; Minnesota, The 10,000 lake blend; Maine, The Lighthouse blend; and Colorado, The Mile High blend. The bags cost US$24 each.

The Georgetown Dry pannier is also named after a Seattle neighborhood. In this case, said locale is a gritty industrial center, according to Detours, who describe the bag as a workhorse for wet climates. The 850cu in/13.6l bag has a roll-top closure under the top flap, which is adopted from classic river dry bags. In addition to the waterproof main compartment, there's a water resistant front zip pocket. The Georgetown is built from Detours’ Repel fabric and sports a robust four-point attachment system. It carries a price of $105, and comes in one color, black.

The Georgetown Dry panier

Sodo, named after another Seattle neighborhood, is a top-access handlebar bag with a cover built using Detours’ Repel waterproof fabric; note that the main body is a standard coated nylon. The 830cu in/13.8l bag has two padded pockets with zipper closures and a quick-release handlebar mount. The top flap sports a waterproof, see-through map sleeve, while a removable shoulder strap turns the Sodo into an off-bike tote. Detours offer black and ‘ground herringbone’ color options; the bag costs $75.

The Sodo handlebar bag

Dahon Vector X27H review

Cycling Plus — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 16:00:00 GMT

If you mix a small-wheeled folding bike with an entry-level road bike, either through a miracle of genetics or a lucky mashing together with a large hammer, you end up with something like the Dahon Vector.

It’s a folding bike with a focus on speed and gear ratios. A kind of road bike with little wheels and lots of gears. It’s a… well, therein lies the problem with this bike. What's it meant to be and who's it for?

As a folder it’s compromised by having the bar sticking out when folded. As a fast road bike it’s not too stable at speed, and sprinting standing up is interesting, to say the least. It’s one of those ‘because we can’ bikes, but once you get used to riding it, it turns into a ‘we’re glad they did’ bike.

Once you’re familiar with it, the Vector is a wonderful bike to ride, but it does take a little getting used to if you come from a road bike background. For starters, it’s nowhere near as laterally stiff as a road bike, so standing up on the pedals rewards you with a slightly mushy and rather twangy feeling as the bike whips around a bit.

The trick is to pedal at a lower cadence and be smooth, that way you can take advantage of the acceleration offered by the small wheels, and stay on a tight line without risking wandering out into the traffic. Descending is a little different too, until you become accustomed to the ride.

This article was originally published in Cycling Plus magazine.

Cornwall Festival of Sport looks to Glastonbury for inspiration

John Whitney in Bath, UK — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 15:41:00 GMT

The organisers of the Wiggle Dragon Ride, Etape Cymru and the Cycletta series Participate Sport have unveiled their latest event - a three-day multi-sport festival.

Billed as the Glastonbury of mass participation sport, The Festival of Sport Cornwall will be held from 14-16 September in Mount’s Bay and include sportives, triathlons, beach running and open water swimming. The sportive will include 100km (£35) and 150km (£39) distances and staples such as feed stations, timing, mechanical support and medals. The rides, along with the Cornwall edition of the women only Cycletta series, will take place on the Saturday morning (15 September) and take in coastal roads through Lands End, Cape Cornwall and Penzance. Either entry gives you access to beach sports and a festival ground pass (normally £20).

On the triathlon front, there are three distances - Middle (£175), Olympic (£95) and Sprint (£79) - all taking place on the Sunday morning. You can also team up and split the legs between two or three people, with prices rising to £250, £175 and £150 respectively. Again, entry will give you access to the festival.

Festival goers can expect live music and entertainment, food from Jamie Oliver’s Fabulous Feasts catering company and beer from local brewery St Austell’s. As with most festivals, accommodation will be in the form of tents, with shower facilities provided. Other highlights include former professional athletes on hand to share their sporting experiences in a series of seminars.

Nick Rusling, CEO of Participate Sport, told BikeRadar that the Festival of Sport was an opportunity for people to satisfy their appetite for more than one sporting challenge in a relaxing, social atmosphere in the stunning surrounds of West Cornwall and St Michael’s Mount.

As the man who oversaw the creation of the Etapes Caledonia and Hibernia during his time as managing director of IMG's mass participation sports division, he’s aware that people entering sportives also had interests in other endurance events.

"It's a chance for newcomers to try out a sport for the first time and for experienced cyclists, triathletes and runners to take part in a world class event in an enjoyable end-of-season challenge in a magnificent part of the country", he said.

As the events don't overlap, festival goers will be able to try out as many as they're capable of. Early indications suggest this is what is happening, with a number of sportive entrants also signing up to the triathlon, as solo competitors or as part of a team. Rusling is hoping to attract around 3,000 people to compete across the weekend and up to 6,000 to the festival as a whole. For more information, visit the event website.

Prologo Nago Evo X10 TS saddle review

Justin Loretz, What Mountain Bike — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 14:00:00 GMT

The Nago Evo X10 is Prologo’s cross-country/marathon saddle. Prologo have a couple of shapes that they use across their saddle range – the Nago is a ‘semi-round’ saddle, making it slightly flatter from side to side than its ‘round’ brothers. It’s not as flat as some though.

Across the broad nose of the Nago is Prologo’s Slide Control system – a row of moulded, textured crescents designed to help you perch on the nose without sliding around. They’re well judged, being prominent enough to deliver a bit of bum traction but not so sticky-out as to annoy.

Similar ridges are found on the corners, although here they’re more for abrasion resistance. Thin padding and titanium rails (an X10 Nack is also available, with braided carbon rails) contribute to a low weight, but the Nago is more than just a race saddle. It's not cheap though.

This article was originally published in Mountain Biking UK magazine.

DHB RC Carbon road shoes review

Cycling Plus — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 12:00:00 GMT

With a full-carbon sole, these shoes seem excellent value at less than £90. Supple synthetic leather uppers and a well-shaped tongue (fastened by a ratchet system and two Velcro straps), plus an externally reinforced heel, make for a very secure, if rather tight, fit.

The carbon sole chipped before we got on the bike. It's ultra-stiff, with excellent power delivery, but let down by the insole. This felt quite thin and was non-perforated, which negates any cooling effect of the sole air vent. Still, with the cash saved buying the shoes you could afford to replace the insoles.

This article was originally published in Cycling Plus magazine.

Race Face Turbine stem review

Mike Davis, What Mountain Bike — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 10:00:00 GMT

The Turbine is Race Face’s top-of-the-range stem and it looks every inch a ﬂagship. Machined from 7075 aluminium there’s more than a hint of the Thomson about the Turbine. It’s certainly every bit as sleek.

Twin opposing bolts at the back grip the steerer evenly, while the sides of the steerer clamp are drilled out to save weight. You shouldn't have any worries about steerer length due to the low 40mm stack height.

Moving forward, the extension is an efﬁcient round cross-section with a variable wall thickness, putting material where it’s most needed. Up front is the bar clamp, with a windowed and relieved faceplate interlocking with the stem body when tightened. This takes some of the loads away from the bolts themselves. It’s ﬂippable, too.

The most obvious bonus of the Turbine is its low weight – 124g for our 70mm test sample. You’d expect a stem that light to be a little ﬂexy, but not a bit of it. A relatively wide bar clamp and intelligent use of material make the Turbine a conﬁdent ally on pretty much everything short of riding off buildings.

This article was originally published in What Mountain Bike magazine.

Overade folding helmet – First look

Matt Pacocha US editor, in Boulder, USA — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 09:50:00 GMT

The Overade folding helmet is the product of a collaboration between engineer Philippe Arrouart and Patrick Jouffret of French design firm Agence 360, a company who've previously worked on Look's Kéo Blade pedal and 920/986 cross-country bikes.

According to the agency's Julien Primard, the lid is aimed at people using public bike hire schemes, and other urban cyclists. “This creation is the result of an observation," he told BikeRadar via email. “Very few users of self-service bicycle use a helmet.

“In urban areas, the main obstacle to the wearing of a bicycle helmet is that it becomes cumbersome after use. Thanks to its folding system, Overade can easily store in a small bag while providing comfort and a level of protection like a standard bicycle helmet.”

Overade is meant to fold and fit in a bag or purse, perfect for those who frequently use bike-share

The helmet started life as a design project, with working prototypes first emerging in 2010. It's now been decided to put it into production, for sale later this year. There's no word yet on price, release date or US/UK availability. There'll be a single, unisex model.

Overade say the lid will adhere to the same safety standards as a non-folding helmet. “The fact that it folds must be an advantage and not affect the design,” said Primard. It's already received design awards from the City of Paris (Grands Prix de l'Innovation 2010) and French industrial body APCI (Etoile de l'Observeur du Design 2012).

Super bike: Zerode G-1 downhill bike

Ric McLaughlin, Mountain Biking UK — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 09:35:00 GMT

A tiny New Zealand outfit are taking on something just about every big bike brand has considered, prototyped and then shelved – the internal gearbox bike. It’s been one of the holy grails of bike design for a while. Just as we were starting to accept that it would stay in the realms of fantasy, along came Zerode and the G-1.

Cutting edge

The performance benefits of an internal gearbox are numerous and easy to understand. For a start, the gears and the parts used to shift them are packed away in a weatherproof housing. Mud and water can’t get at them, wear is reduced and there are no fragile bits of metal to snag and break on rocks. Shifting is smooth and consistent – smashing in another cog under maximum exertion over the finishing line will feel exactly the same as your first shifts of the day rolling around the car park.

The downsides of previous designs have been weight and a loss of pedalling feel as the directness of the traditional setup is lost. But that’s not the case here. An eight-speed Shimano Alfine touring hub is the heart of the gearbox. It’s a sealed unit, which weighs the same as the sum of the parts it replaces. Positioned snugly above the shock in the mainframe, the gearbox moves the weight of the transmission from its traditional position at the end of the chainstays to the front triangle.

As a result, Zerode have increased the sprung weight (the rider, frame…) and reduced the unsprung weight (the rear wheel, brake…) so the back end is more sensitive over obstacles. This in turn offers greater suspension performance throughout the G-1's huge 235mm (9.25in) of travel. Moving the weight inboard also improves handling. The main mass of the bike is centralised and where you want it for the best manoeuvrability – between your knees.

Path of least resistance

Zerode weren’t content with ‘just’ producing a gearbox bike though. They also addressed what they saw as a glaring omission of many suspension designs. With the transmission gubbins out back, many manufacturers focus their efforts on achieving a vertical wheel path (where the rear wheel travels up and down). Zerode reckon that hits on the trail rarely come in a linear fashion, instead reasoning that having a more rearward path enables the wheel to flow over obstacles, as opposed to bouncing out of the way.

By reducing the slowing effects of hits, the Zerode can carry more speed. Moving the gearbox inboard added to this improved responsiveness – so much so that the Kiwis claim impact stresses are reduced to the point where you can run lighter wheels. When it comes to geometry, Zerode have decided to keep things long, slack and low. The G-1 has a 64.5-degree head angle, a 355mm (14in) bottom bracket height and will be available in short and long (562 or 602mm) top tube lengths.

Anything is possible

The Zerode G-1 is available as a frameset (comprising frame, Fox DHX RC4 shock, shifter, gearbox, tensioner, rear sprocket, spacer kit and axle) from £2,700, and as a custom build to whatever spec your wallet can handle. They’ve even got an all-mountain version in the pipeline for those who want to take the G-1’s bold performance on all-day jaunts.

It’s hard not to admire the plucky blokes at Zerode – they’ve taken on the perceived rules of downhill frame design, chewed and digested them, and then still decided to chuck them out of the window. Without forward-thinking manufacturers like Zerode making rule-breaking bikes, the market would stagnate. Watch this space to see if their bold promises for the G-1 add up to a ride as revolutionary as they claim. For more details, visit www.zerode.co.nz or www.prestige-cycles.co.uk.

This article was originally published in Mountain Biking UK magazine. The latest issue, #274, is out now and includes a look at dirt jumper Sam Pilgrim's NS Majesty.

Kona MinUte review

Cycling Plus — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 08:00:00 GMT

Cargo bikes are somewhat of a niche to say the least, but with the big brand names all suddenly making them, it’s clear many think that using bicycles for lugging stuff about isn’t only do-able, but worth doing. Kona have made one called the Ute for a while now, and as good as it is, the company thought there was room for a shorter, more bike-like version.

So here we have the mini version, the MinUte, and it’s pretty much perfect, especially considering the asking price. One of the main things about the MinUte is that it rides like a bike and not like a cargo bike. Even when you have a not-inconsiderable amount of weight on the back it rides in a manageable, if somewhat slow, manner.

But there are a few areas where things could be a lot better. One is its 35mm tyres. Although these offer a good turn of speed when pumped up to higher pressures, they're simply not big enough when you load the bike up. It works much better with wider tyres, and there’s plenty of room in the frame and fork to go bigger; we’d go for 37mm at least, but preferably a 1.9 or 2.2in.

The cable operated disc brakes aren’t great either, giving a slightly vague feel and not much bite – though offering the ‘advantage’ of working in an equally average manner in the rain – and you can quickly find their limitations when the MinUte is loaded up.

And loading it up is what this bike is all about. We took it to do the shopping for a family of five, cramming the included panniers to bursting and then filling a box secured to the wooden deck with a motorcycle bungee net. It’s when this kind of weight is stacked on the rear that the bike shows what it’s made of.

It rode straight, never flexing around too much or becoming wayward in the handling department, and the gearing was just about right for making steady progress without needing legs like Chris Hoy.

The wooden deck is very easy to scratch, though, so our suggestion would be to grab an old skateboard deck and, using the standard deck as a template, cut and drill it to fit. That way you get toughness and strength topped off with grip.

This article was originally published in Cycling Plus magazine.

Video: Essential cycle safety gear

BikeRadar UK — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 08:00:00 GMT

Thanks to UK newspaper The Times' Cities fit for cycling campaign, it's hard to get away from cycling safety at the moment in the UK - and rightly so. It's an issue that deserves the attention it's getting and the more that's done to protect cyclists in our towns and cities, the better.

But while the details of how are hammered out, there are a number of essential measures you can take to protect yourself, as explained by Cycling Plus Editor Rob Spedding in the video below. From age old equipment such as helmets and bells to more modern solutions like video cameras, these are our recommendations to help keep you safe on our roads.

Cycling and bike industry grow local economies

Peter Suciu, from Detroit, MI — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 19:00:00 GMT

While many businesses in the US are still trying to recover economically, those in the bicycle industry are seeing the wheels of progress moving again. Two economic studies released last month show strong growth on two wheels, and bicycle advocates suggest this could be part of a larger trend in the US.

It is no surprise that Boulder, Colorado has seen growth in the local economy from the bicycle industry, and according to a report released by Community Cycles, this is well beyond what might be considered a “cottage industry.”

According to the study, Boulder's bicycle-related businesses generated US$52 million in sales and employed 330 full-time personnel in 2010 — with the numbers for 2011 expected to be even higher. More surprising, is the fact that these figures do not include some bicycle related activities. “We did not include events, and as you know there are a number of bicycle related events in Boulder,” said Sue Prant, advocacy director at Community Cycles. She told BikeRadar that with the USA Pro Cycling Challenge heading to Boulder this year that the economic numbers will likely only increase.

Boulder is not the only city seeing the impact that cycling can have on a local economy. In fact, another study shows that the State of Iowa has seen more than a third of a billion dollars in economy activity coming from bicycles last year. Given that Iowa doesn’t have any major manufacturers, the number is quite significant — especially when compared to a 2010 study that found that cycling generated US$1.5 billion for the economy of neighboring Wisconsin, which is home to Trek Bikes.

Trek, located in Waterloo, WI, play a large role in Wisconsin's economy

Whilst parts of the country are seeing little improvement in the economy, bicycle related businesses are aiding efforts to get the economy in gear in the Hawkeye State to a tune of US$1 million a day. “This is most certainly helping Iowa,” says Samuel Lankford, a student at the University of Iowa, who was one of the authors of the Iowa Bicycle Coalition Study that found that cycling had generated US$365 million for the state’s economy. “We have 61 bicycle specific shops in the State of Iowa, a small number by comparison of places like New York State, [but] they sold over US$8 million in bikes last year, $1.9 million in clothing sales, $4.2 million in accessory sales and $3.6 million in repairs. The payroll is nearly $4 million a year for these shops and employment is about seven employees per business.”

Lankford tells BikeRadar that these numbers do not include large sporting good retail and big box store bike sales. “So the total impact of bicycling in Iowa generates US$354 million a year with an employment multiplier that indirectly supports 6,300 jobs statewide,” he said.

Bicycle advocates say these two studies are just a sampling that is part of that larger national trend. “These are important metrics that we’re all looking at,” Mark Wyatt of the Iowa Bicycle Coalition, which released the Iowa study, told BikeRadar. “Metrics like this are going to be even more important going forward.”

Wyatt is just one of several voices who say that the increase in the price of gasoline has resulted in more people commuting by bicycle, but that recreational bicycling is also increasing. And as any cyclist can attest, it starts with the bike. Lankford added, “There are more (people) riding for recreation. They spend money on bikes, bike equipment and clothing, bike repair and bike events. They also spend for recreation on lodging, transporting bikes, and related activities. Riders spend on average $1,200 on bike related expenditures.”

But there is also the issue of biking infrastructure, which will only increase as cycling increases. “We are seeing that even more people would be on bikes [if infrastructure supported it], about 65 percent of the respondents said that they would bike more if there was the bike infrastructure to support it,” said Lankford.

It is very much a “build it and they will come” proposal that the Bruno Maier, vice president of Bikes Belong says could inspire more bike infrastructure. “This information is helping communities justify investments in bicycling,” Maier told BikeRadar. “I expect the number of studies to increase, and I also expect the economic benefits to grow.”

He says this is a growing trend that cities and states are trying and measure overall economic impact of bicycling, including the measuring of bike sales, accessory sales, and repair in addition to event registration, travel, hotels and even tourism.

The issue of course is whether this can be sustained, but say the experts the business bicycling isn’t driven by the same factors as much of the general economy. Bike related businesses do well when things are bad, and do even better when the economy gets rolling. “Even in a bad economy bikes can do well,” said Prant. “People need a cheap way to get around. But when the economy picks up people buy a new bike. It makes the industry somewhat recession proof.”

And Prant says if the infrastructure comes it will give bikes benefits over other forms of transportation. “It is far cheaper to maintain bike lanes and bike paths,” she said. “The more the government invests the more people that have bikes. The infrastructure is therefore more cost effective than roads for cars or even mass transit.”

Bikes Belong’s Maier agrees with that statement and says that these factors also mean that cycling as an industry can sustain growth as well. “Bicycling is a cost effective form of recreation and transportation,” said Maier. “As cities improve bike facilities, so that they are safe and stress-free, more American’s will chose bicycling as an option for transportation and family fun. As energy prices and health costs soar, more American’s will turn towards bicycling as a way to save money and improve their health.

“Communities across the nation are realizing the benefits of bicycling, so I definitely believe this will continue and can be sustained,” he said.

London junctions reviewed for cycle safety

BikeRadar, UK — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 14:46:00 GMT

With cycling safety firmly in the spotlight in the UK thanks to The Times’ Cities fit for cycling campaign, Transport for London (TfL) has confirmed the first of 500 road junctions which will be examined as part of a major review of cycle safety in the capital.

Highbury Corner, St George’s Circus and Tottenham High Road are among those earmarked for review by the summer following an evaluation of criteria such as collision statistics. It will involve all 375 junctions on the Barclays Cycle Superhighways, with Cable Street, Stockwell Gyratory and Grove Road prioritised using customer feedback, safety audits and collision data, though they don’t expect them all to require redesigns.

The move comes in the wake of a spate of cyclist deaths towards the end of last year, which prompted the Mayor of London Boris Johnson to ask the TfL to see if more could be done to improve safety. It's been overseen by a “steering group” made up of a key stakeholders including senior TfL staff, representatives of the main road user groups (freight, motorists, cyclists and pedestrians), plus road safety organisations such as London Cycling Campaign and RoadPeace. They will meet regularly to discuss the progression of the review.

“We are seeing a step-change in both the way that people choose to travel, but also in the way that cyclists are viewed on our streets,” said Mr Johnson. “That is why I firmly believe that we must now start to evolve the means by which we plan and manage our extensive network of roads, and why I have asked TfL to review hundreds of key junctions across the capital to specifically examine safety and provision for cyclists.”

Currently on the agenda are proposals to improve safety at Bow Roundabout, a notorious incident hotspot, with an “early start” for cyclists at green lights among the features of the new design. Subject to agreement, work will begin in April this year so it will be ready in time for the Olympic Games.

Cycle Safety: Views from the public

The Times' campaign began last Thursday (2 February) with a front page lead and has continued to dominate their coverage throughout this week. Their eight-point manifesto, ranging from requiring trucks to be fitted with more safety equipment to devoting more of the Highways Agency budget to building cycling infrastructure, aims to improve cyclist safety across Britain.

As of today, support for the campaign has built to 22,000 pledges, including luminaries from the sport such as Mark Cavendish, Bradley Wiggins and Chris Boardman. It has directly led to the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Cycling securing a three-hour debate on 23 February at Westminster with Government ministers in a bid to secure a motion on cycling safety in Parliament.

MOA Fit-Therm winter gloves review

Warren Rossiter, Cycling Plus — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 14:00:00 GMT

The minimal construction of MOA’s Fit-Therm gloves gives excellent feel on the bike, making it easy to use controls and operate Di2 button shifters or computer/light switches. The textured fingers and palm provide great grip even in the wet.

The lining is super-soft with a fleece-like texture, which makes for good warmth. The outer repels moisture well in all but the heaviest of rain storms, and the whole of the thumb’s upper is a fleece wipe. The only downside is the open slotted cuff – it makes them easy to get on and off but can leave a gap between the gloves and your arm warmers/sleeves.

This article was originally published in Cycling Plus magazine.

Bike news round-up: 3T, Rule Glentress, Kona Odyssey

John Whitney in Bath, UK — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 13:00:00 GMT

From the latest product news to details of routes and events, our news round-up is a collection of short snippets of information in one handy article.

Today we bring you the stealth options from 3T, a new enduro race at Glentress, web tracking developments at Australia's Kona Odyssey, the new boss at CTC and more.

Product and team news

3T go under the radar

A new “stealth” colour scheme is now available for 3T’s Team Road and MTB cockpit components for 2012. The Black Series features a matte black finish complemented by a gloss black 3T logo and affects the Ergonova comfort bars, ARX stem, Dorico seatpost, and Rigida Fork in the road range, and the Extendo and Xida bars, Doric seatpost and ARX stem on the mountain side.

Routes, racing & rides

"Official ruler" of Glentress to be crowned

Sunday 27 May will see the crowning of a new king and queen of Scottish trail centre Glentress, thanks to a new enduro race. The King and Queen of the Hill, sponsored by Swedish kit brand POC, is part of the ten day TweedLove cycling festival and will be a serious test of each competitor’s all-round bike skills.

The course will take riders to near the summit of Glentress Forest’s big hill, then right back down again by way of a series of timed races and linking stages. The race also features a huge final descent stage, running from Spooky Wood down to Peebles along a large proportion of natural trails. Riders must include at least one uphill stage included in their overall points score. They must also be savvy in their equipment choice too, with no change of bike or tyres allowed during the race.

Best in show for the Exmoor Beauty

Fashion conscious cyclists will be rewarded for their sartorial elegance in the Exmoor Beauty (22 April) sportive, organisers have announced. The Beauty, the newest event from the organisers of the vicious Exmoor Beast, is designed to ease riders into the new season and this latest quirk is sure to mark it out in a crowded calendar. The Concours-de-Elegance competition will award the top three male and female riders judged to be the sharpest dressers on show with spot prizes.

Live web tracking for Kona Odyssey

Supporters of the Kona Odyssey mountain bike marathon will be able to track race progress from afar in this year’s edition thanks to the introduction of live tracking. It will be applicable to the elite male and female riders in the 100km race in Victoria, Australia, with live splits at the six checkpoints available on the web for all competitors.

CTC appoints new chief executive

UK national cyclists’ organisation CTC has appointed Gordon Seabright as its new chief executive. Seabright, who has a stint as Commercial Director of English Heritage on his CV, replaces Kevin Mayne, who has taken up the post of Director of Development for the European Cyclists’ Federation after 14 years in the hot seat.

Seminars look to inspire cyclists new and old

A new series of motivational seminars designed to get people on their bikes has been launched by Cyclevox. Spoke ‘n Word hopes to help new and seasoned cyclists prepare their body and mind for the season ahead. The first event, Preparing for the Road Ahead, will be presented by Olympic cycling medallist Bryan Steel and cancer survivor James Golding, and take place on Wednesday 29 February at the Frontline Club, London.

Spank Industries gets into bed with Dirt Wars UK

Dirt Jump series Dirt Wars UK has unveiled Spank Industries as the title sponsor for 2012. In just its third season, the five-round series gets under way on 12 May with Adrenaline Alleys Dirt Jumps in Corby, Northamptonshire and winds up on 8 September at Penshurt Off-Road Club in Kent.

Bontrager Race X Lite Carbon riser bar review

Mike Davis, What Mountain Bike — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 12:00:00 GMT

Bontrager are owned by Trek, which gives them access to their OCLV (Optimum Compaction, Low Void) carbon ﬁbre technology. It’s well used in the RXL which, at 182g, is impressively light for its width.

Graduated cut marks extend inwards 40mm at each end for accurate trimming, although they terminate in small print reading “Cut by professional only”. We’d be surprised if a professional did anything other than use a ﬁne-toothed hacksaw and a face mask, though.

There are more handy lines and marks on the RXL too, with a positioning grid on the bulge and a scale on each side near where your controls go to ﬁnally end that ‘wonky brake levers’ misery. Overall ﬁnish is shiny and smooth, to the extent that you’ll probably want to get the friction paste out to mount the bars up. A textured grippy section at the bulge would be a welcome addition.

On the trail the RXL inspires, with a comfy shape and useful blend of solid feel and buzz-reducing trail damping. Inevitably the price is high, but it’s actually signiﬁcantly cheaper than most comparable bars and therefore represents decent value for money.

This article was originally published in What Mountain Bike magazine.

MET Estro helmet review

Warren Rossiter, Cycling Plus — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 10:00:00 GMT

We can’t speak highly enough of the Italian-manufactured Estro's build quality. Its in-moulded shell is beautifully finished, fully covers the rear of the EPS (expanded polystyrene) core and partially covers the front.

Internal sculpting keeps the helmet away from your head to allow air to flow through, and the 19 good-sized vents still leave plenty of material for protection. The vented web straps are securely anchored and the inner cradle cage securely bonded into place. We also appreciate the reflective rear 3M Scotchlite panels.

At 321g (large) the Estro isn't built for light weight, but the quality here means this lid will survive the rigours of day-to-day wear well. Minimal anti-bacterial pads on the crown section combine with a gel brow pad to add comfort.

MET’s inner shape is quite distinct from other helmets on the market. At 212mm long by 178mm wide our large size’s dimensions fit well within what we’d expect. The shape, however, is quite ovalised. We had no problems with the fit but as with any helmet, it’s a case of try before you buy.

The rear cradle – part of a full inner ring – offers three vertical adjustment points. Its quite minimal padding is very well placed, relieving potential pressure points, and inside the front of the Estro is MET's unique soft-touch gel strip, which is among the most comfortable contact points on any helmet we’ve tried. The web straps have substantial adjusters, making it easy to get the fit right even when wearing gloves.

This article was originally published in Cycling Plus magazine.

Charge Duster Eleven review

Seb Rogers, What Mountain Bike — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 08:00:00 GMT

Demonstrating a ﬂagrant disregard for the 'stiffer is better' mantra, Charge’s Duster is an unashamedly retro slant on the classic steel hardtail formula. Built from Tange’s once all-conquering Prestige heat-treated tubeset, its ultra-skinny pipework is there speciﬁcally to make the frame a more comfortable ride.

The Duster is available in a range of specs to suit varying wallet thicknesses, but we only had eyes for the Shimano Alﬁne 11 hub-geared variant. Heavy big-ring mashers, risk takers and long-haul tourers may not be best suited to the Duster Eleven. But for covering large distances swiftly, quietly and in great comfort, it’s a tough act to follow. Fun and capable beyond its quirky spec, it’s worth serious consideration for fast, ﬂuid riders looking for something different to the norm.

Ride & handling: Comfort, sorted handling and stealth-quiet gears make for rapid singletrack progress

With its 100mm-travel (4in) fork, relatively low weight and traditional looks, the Duster Eleven doesn’t offer any radical surprises in the handling department. That's a good thing. The geometry seems a tad slacker in practice than Charge’s claimed numbers, but overall this is a bike that isn’t trying to re-invent the wheel.

It goes where you point it without fuss, pedals up hills eagerly and comes back down them without any nasty surprises. It’s a distillation of more than 30 years of hardtail development. If there wasn’t more to it, it’d be easy to dismiss this bike as an over-priced oddity. For this kind of money you can score a full-suspension bike. Why would you want an anorexic-looking hardtail with weird gears instead?

For two reasons. First, those skinny tubes deliver a ride quality that’s sublime in both comfort and sheer get-up-and-go. The zing of the slender, thin-walled pipework counteracts the extra weight around the rear hub, giving the Duster Eleven a spring to its step that only the very best of the steel and titanium-framed competition can match. Yes, it’s that good.

Second, Shimano’s Alﬁne 11 setup works very well with such a comfortable chassis. Its smooth, stealth-quiet power delivery enables any trail to be tackled at surprising speed and with beguiling ﬂuidity. This is a bike that’ll give most full-sussers a run for their money through fast-changing sections of technical singletrack. Given its retro simplicity, it’s likely to slap a grin on the face of any hardtail aﬁcionado.

Frame: Better suited to long days out than long-distance touring, its light build demands some care and ﬁnesse

Tange Prestige isn’t a name that trips off most riders’ tongues these days, but back in the early ’90s it was a revelation. The heat-treated steel allowed thinner tube walls, lower frame weight and far better ride quality than most other steel tubesets of the time. Twenty years on and it’s as good as it ever was.

Still, the Duster’s deﬁantly slender tubes are visually jarring next to even the comparatively svelte ferrous-framed competition, let alone the aluminium norm. We’ve all become accustomed to bigger diameter pipework over the years and, as a result, the Charge looks positively anorexic.

The twin open-ended gussets at the head tube junction are the only visible concession to modern bike design, adding a dose of protection against damage from hard front-end impacts. Charge tell us that many potential Duster Eleven buyers want to ﬁt racks for long distance touring duties. The fact that the frame’s slender stays don’t have rack mounts should tell you it’s just not built for that kind of heavy-duty, long haul load-lugging.

If you fancy dipping your toes in the murky waters of singlespeeding, the Duster Eleven’s eccentric bottom bracket makes a switch to a single chainring and sprocket straightforward. The off-centre mount makes it easy to take up chain slack, eliminating the need for a separate chain tensioner or horizontal drop-outs. Just bear in mind that this iteration of the Duster frame has cable routing that really only suits hub gear and singlespeed duties.

At £1,600 it’s the same price as the range-topping, SRAM X9-equipped Plus. Although that may seem a bit high for a bike with only 11 gears, the Duster Eleven matches its derailleur-equipped sibling in all the important areas. Truvativ ﬁnishing kit provides comfy and durable contact points, while a RockShox Recon Gold fork gives 100mm of easily adjustable, supple and controllable air-sprung travel.

This article was originally published in What Mountain Bike magazine.

Video: Whyte 146 X - First ride

BikeRadar, UK — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Whyte have given their 146 trail bike an update for 2012, dealing the X version a no-holds-barred, dream bike spec that pushes its potential to the limit.

For sure, this carbon fibre 150mm travel bike, at a touch under £5,000, is expensive. But if you stripped it bare and laid all the components out, the total cost would add up close to that price, even without bringing the frame into the equation. A full first ride review of the Whyte 146 X can be found in the latest issue (274) of MBUK magazine, on sale from today (8 February). In the meantime, check out the footage from the test at the Forest of Dean below.

Contador released by Saxo Bank after doping suspension

Cyclingnews.com — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 22:48:00 GMT

This article originally appeared on Cyclingnews.com

Contract between Contador and Saxo Bank over

Saxo Bank team manager Bjarne Riis has annulled the contract between his team and Alberto Contador following the decision of the Court of Arbitration for Sport to hand him a two-year ban and strip him of the 2010 Tour de France title.

"When Alberto is not able to ... ride for the team, the contract cannot continue. I think that's pretty obvious," Riis said at a press conference in Madrid. Later, he added that he would be happy to work with again Contador in the future.

Contador said in his statements that while the contract is over for now, he would give Saxo Bank the first chance to sign him when he returns to competition on August 5, but that he is now a free agent.

Riis said that while he and the team had hoped for a different outcome of the arbitration, he would not have changed how they'd acted in response.

"We have asked ourselves many times during this case, could we as a team have done things any differently? I really don't think we could have done things differently than what we have done trying to support every one of our riders," Riis said.

Contador had signed a contract with the Saxo Bank team prior to learning of his positive test result for clenbuterol in a sample taken on the second rest day of the 2010 Tour. He was provisionally suspended by the UCI until the Spanish Cycling Federation (RFEC) decided not to punish him for the positive on February 15, 2011.

The CAS announced its decision yesterday, after hearing appeals from the UCI and WADA, to suspend Contador from the time of his notification in August 2011 for two years.

"We inherited this case, and we patiently waited for a decision," Riis said, adding a justification as to why Contador continued to compete despite having the spectre of the UCI and WADA appeals of the decision hanging over him. "All along, we followed the rules and because Alberto was cleared [by the RFEC in early 2011], he was able to ride."

Riis said that, as in the RFEC's decision to allow Contador to race, he and the team have to respect this new decision by the CAS, but vowed to continue to support Contador "one hundred per cent".

He referred to the written CAS decision, saying that the appearance of clenbuterol in Contador's system most likely was the result of a contaminated supplement and "was unlikely to have anything to do with conscious cheating".

Contador maintains innocence regarding doping violation

This article originally appeared on Cyclingnews.com

Alberto Contador and Bjarne Riis

Alberto Contador, accompanied by his spokesman Jacinto Vidarte and Saxo Bank team manager Bjarne Riis, conducted a press conference today in his hometown of Pinto, Spain to discuss Monday's CAS decision in which the Spaniard's positive doping violation from the 2010 Tour de France was upheld.

Contador was banned for two years, backdated to his positive result in 2010, and will be eligible to compete again on August 5, 2012.

"The way I feel right now is deceived," said Contador. "My dreams have collapsed and my morale right now is very confused. There hasn't been one morning when I haven't asked myself how this happened.

"The hardest thing for me is how it's touched my family, people saying I'm guilty and talking of justice and injustice."

Contador continued to stress his innocence and expressed bafflement about the verdict to ban him for doping.

"I can't understand the final verdict," said Contador. "I've gone through everything, spent hours going over things. If there's anything I can do to prove my innocence I'll do it. There are many things that I cannot understand about this decision but for the moment I want to keep them to myself. I'm not an expert."

Contador was effusive in his praise of the support he's received since his positive test came to light in 2010, from family, friends and his team.

"I'd like to express my satisfaction will all the support. It's unbelievable all the support I've had since this has started. There have been months when I couldn't sleep, months where I wanted to stay at home and not ride a bike.

"There are many things I could say, but it's a decision that each of you has to decide on this verdict. This is going to follow me for many, many years."

The Spaniard was critical of the length of time it took for a final decision to be made and remained resolute that he would compete again once his ban expires this August.

"What has happened to me is not something I'd want to happen to anybody," said Contador. "For the good of cycling and sport in general this has to be faster. It cannot last as long as it has. I think it is very important and people need to work on this. I'll keep fighting until the end. The decision is now for the lawyers to look at. We're looking at all possibilities.

"I'm sure of one thing. I want to come back to ride the best races. I'll train clean as I've always done. Right now even though my morale is low I know I'll come back just as strong."

James Island proves no easy ride for South Carolina cyclists

Peter Suciu, from Detroit, MI — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 20:00:00 GMT

The City of Charleston and the South Carolina Department of Transportation have closed the James Island Connector, a truncated segment of Interstate 526, to bicyclists and pedestrians. While not an official bike route, local law enforcement never actively kept cyclists and pedestrians from using the route.

The JIC as it is known locally was constructed 18 years ago, and while lacking a true bike lane, it has been used — as the name suggests — as a connector from the mainland to the island community. While bicyclists and pedestrians were never “encouraged” to use it, the locals say it was more of a turning a “blind eye” approach that actually worked reasonably well, at least until a recent accident that resulted in the death of a 54-year old cyclists last summer.

Now signs are posted that state that those violating the law could face fines and jail time, and according to Tom Bradford of Charleston Moves those signs could make the route more dangerous to riders. “The signs could give the more unruly motorist on the JIC the go ahead that they can do something bad to a cyclist,” Bradford told BikeRadar. “The sense of danger is heightened because of it.”

Local riders admit that the JIC is far from ideal, but there are few alternative options for cyclists to get to James Island. “There really isn't any totally safe route to James Island, the ‘Connector’ represents the safest option to use and the best way to travel between Charleston and James Island, and it is used frequently by cyclists,” says J. Michael Salley, President of Coastal Cyclists of Charleston.

He tells BikeRadar that this new development regarding the ban has already drawn a great deal of attention to the issue. “The cycling community has already begun to mobilize and is currently deciding the best response to this situation,” said Salley. “The Board of the Coastal Cyclists has just recently formed our Advocacy Committee for the sole purpose of responding to these types of issues. This Committee will interface with and fully support the activities of the numerous organizations who work on the advocacy side of the equation.”

Local law enforcement will now enforce the prohibition on the JIC, which leaves essentially no option for local cyclists

For the meantime local cyclists have no option, Bradford says that for many individuals who depend on a bicycle are essentially stranded. The only alternative route for riders is actually the Wappoo Cut Bridge, which Bradford said he wouldn’t ride. He had noted that even as an experienced rider he found the skinny sidewalks very close to traffic as being worse than the JIC.

The irony, according to locals, is that Charleston has made great strides otherwise to become more bicycle friendly. The city currently is currently a League of American Bicyclists Bronze Level City.

There are other problems including infrastructure, according to Salley, but the bigger issue is the perception of cyclists by those who don’t ride. “We need a sort of ‘cultural reorientation’ to change the perceptions and attitudes of the broader community regarding cycling and more importantly, the role that exercise plays in creating a healthier lifestyle for all of us," he said. "Many times, we cyclists are looked upon with a certain degree of scorn and sometimes, animosity. We in the cycling community, realize our obligation to do all that we can to change these perceptions, and we are committed to working toward that end.”

Perhaps with that change, roads won’t be closed and viable routes will be open, said Bradford.

Cannondale Synapse 5 review

Cycling Plus — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 16:00:00 GMT

With Cannondale’s CAAD series bikes taking care of race business, the Synapse family is designed to deliver a smoother, more mileage-friendly ride; the 5 proves that doesn’t have to mean a dull and unresponsive experience.

Highs: Springy and comfortable frame, carbon fork, compact drop cockpit and upright position for long distance comfort, but still delivering decent power
Lows: Pedalling bounce can get intrusive when you’re really hammering, and handling is slightly twitchy
Buy if: You want a clean looking, comfortably sprung yet still usefully responsive and lively feeling bike for longer rides rather than head down hammering

The Synapse 5's tall, integrated-headset head tube sets up a naturally high-rise position regardless of how many spacers are in the stack. It’s also a relatively short reach frame to emphasise sat up comfort rather than flat out aero speed; the shallow drop compact bar means you can still get your head down if you want, but it’s still naturally a lover not a fighter.

The extensive tube working is visually obvious in the lacquered raw alloy finish and it’s equally obvious in the ride too. The tapering top ube, hourglassed, curved and double tapered SAVE seatstays and centrally flattened chainstays add significant amounts of spring and cushioning to the rear end, and the blade-to-round-section carbon fork legs do a similar job up front.

Even though it’s only a carbon wrap over an alloy shaft, the fact that the seatpost is a skinny 27.2mm diameter also adds flex. The result is a genuinely floated and comfortable ride that skims over rough sections and sucks the sting out of potholes.

The 25mm Schwalbe tyres are both usefully surefooted for their price and increase comfort too, which helps confidence when cornering. Though the steering geometry is well balanced, the tall, non-tapered fork and ductile overall frame feel don’t produce pin sharp handling when you’re pushing it.

While it might feel softer than some through your gloves and shorts, the Synapse still feels usefully sharp and responsive through the pedals. An average chassis and wheel weight mean it doesn’t leap out of the blocks like a CAAD10, but the BB30 bottom bracket and chunky stays transmit power well enough to keep it enjoyably competitive on summits or village sign sprints.

The springy frame can create a pedal bounce effect if you’re really grunting a gear round, though, and we occasionally had to ‘break step’ to calm it down. Compact gears and a reasonably wide ratio cassette mean you’ll normally have a spinnable ratio to hand and the overall feel is lively, agile and encouraging.

This article was originally published in Cycling Plus magazine.

Scottish Bike Show set for huge expansion in 2012

BikeRadar UK — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 14:00:00 GMT

Twice as many exhibitors have been confirmed for the second Scottish Bike Show compared to this time last year.

It will be again staged at Glasgow’s SECC, from Friday 13 to Sunday 15 April, and has so far attracted over 20 companies, including Upgrade Bikes (distributor of Pivot Cycles and Kinesis) retailers Alpine Bikes and Pedal Power, and Continental.

With the success of last year’s inaugural event, show organisers have moved to add an extra day to proceedings and increase hall space by 1,200 square metres. All three days are open to the public, who’ll be able to buy new bikes and accessories throughout the exhibition hall.

Exhibitors apart, the indoor test track and forest trail will return, with the latter now twice the size and offering a choice of easy, medium and tricky routes to demo the latest mountain bikes on. The BSD Forever crew will again be pulling off stunts in the BMX street park and there's a new addition to the event in the form of the Scottish Bike Show Sportive. There'll be a choice of the challenge route (£21, 65 miles, 1,558m climbing) or a sportive route (£25, 100 miles, 1,797m), taking in the countryside in the area around Loch Lomond. You can view maps and profiles here.

BikeRadar readers can get discounted entry to the show by clicking here. Pricing starts at £8 for adults, £6 for children and £22 for a family of four. For more information on the show, visit the event website.

SDG Bel Air RL Ti saddle review

Mike Davis, What Mountain Bike — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 14:00:00 GMT

The Bel Air is something of a modern classic, with a swoopy shape and distinctive dropped nose that's stood the test of time. Padding is in the mid-range for firmness and a central channel keeps pressure from your parts. Kevlar panels extend down much of the length of the sides to ward off scuffs.

If you're of the opinion that saddles should be plain black then you won't be interested in the range of eight colour schemes that the Bel Air can be had in, but if you want to have a bit of fun with the look of your bike then SDG's camo or snakeskin designs will be right up your street. If you want the classic Bel Air shape for fewer pennies, less expensive titanium alloy and chromoly railed versions are available.

This article was originally published in What Mountain Bike magazine.

Video: Stunts on a carbon road bike

BikeRadar, UK — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 13:00:00 GMT

Taking a leaf out of Martyn Ashton’s book, the guys from Arizona-based Fair Wheel Bikes have been trying to find out how capable a carbon fibre road bike is as a trials machine.

They came up with the idea several years ago but put it on the backburner when they saw our video of Ashton doing something similar in the run-up to BikeRadar Live in 2010. With some time free over Christmas, they felt the time was now ripe to make their own edit.

"Several years ago we posted a brake review on our blog," said Fair Wheel's Jason Woznick. "When talking about raw stopping power we mentioned that we tested this by how hard we had to squeeze the brakes to get up on the front wheel and do a few wheel hops. Someone mentioned that they’d love to see a video of that. We tossed around the idea for a bit and then got sidetracked with other things.

"A year or so later BikeRadar released their video of Martyn Ashton doing something similar on a road bike, so at that point we shelved the idea. I just wasn’t able to completely let the idea go so we waited a year or two from that release and then decided to see what we could come up with. Unfortunately we had only two three-hour sessions over the Christmas break to do the shooting so a lot of what we wanted to do was never included. We’ll save that for the next one."

Riding in the video are former Fair Wheel employee Tony Roth, who has plenty of experience on the road, and his brother Ricky, who'd only ridden a road bike once before. They used NeilPryde Alize frames that were specced as they would be for road riding, except with wider 28c Continental Top Contact tyres.

Woznick said the main companies supplying equipment for the shoot – Shimano, ENVE Composites, NeilPryde and Tune – were fully behind the idea and had no doubts about their kit holding up to the rigors of stunts. Were they right? For the most part, yes.

One pinch flat, a chipped fork (caused by the crash at the end of the video) and a couple of slightly bent chainring teeth aside, there was no damage to speak of, and both bikes are still being used on a daily basis. You can check out the video below:

Courtesy of Fair Wheels Bikes

And to see why they originally shelved their idea, here's our video of Martyn Ashton pushing his Raleigh Avanti Team to its limits on his way to Brands Hatch:

Bike 1 specification

Frame: Neil Pryde Alize, black
Stem: ENVE Composites
Handlebar: ENVE Composites
Brakes: EE Cycleworks
Saddle: Tune Concorde
Cranks: EE Cycleworks
Derailleurs/shifters: Shimano Dura-Ace Di2
Chain: KMC X10SL
Cassette: Shimano Dura-Ace
Wheels: ENVE Composites 45/65 clinchers, Tune hubs, Tune DC 14 skewers
Tires: Continental Top Contact, 28c
Inner tubes: Michelin latex

Bike 2 specification

Frame: Neil Pryde Alize, blue
Stem: PRO (exact model not specified)
Handlebar: PRO (exact model not specified)
Brakes: Shimano Dura-Ace
Saddle: Specialized Toupe
Cranks: Shimano Dura-Ace
Derailleurs/shifters: Shimano Dura-Ace 7900
Chain: Shimano Dura-Ace
Cassette: Shimano Dura-Ace
Wheels: Shimano Dura-Ace C50
Tires: Continental Top Contact, 28c
Inner tubes: Michelin latex