BikeRadar.com

Cyclist recovering after being hit by motorist who later tweeted #bloodycyclists

Sam Dansie — Tue, 21 May 2013 09:39:00 GMT

A sportive rider knocked off his bike by a motorist who allegedly went on Twitter to say she had right of way because she pays 'road tax’ says he is lucky to be alive.

Toby Hockley was knocked of his bike during the Boudicca Sportive in Norfolk on Sunday, allegedly by Emma Way who didn’t stop and later tweeted: ‘Definitely knocked a cyclist off his bike earlier – I have right of way he doesn’t even pay road tax! #bloodycyclists’. Her account was later deleted.

Hockley, aged 29 and a freelance chef from Norwich today told BBC Norfolk: “A car came tearing round the blind corner and narrowly missed a cyclist in front of me.

“She came on to my side of the road, I took the wing mirror off and I went flying off my bike into a hedge. She hit me hard, really hard. I am lucky to be alive. But I managed to get out of the hedge and stand up.”

Hockley escaped with a nettle rash and bruising. He added: “I'm not angry, I would just like it known that her stupid comment that I don't pay road tax is not an excuse to treat cyclists like second-class citizens.”

The assertion Way pays ‘road tax’ is wrong. The government website states the tax disc is Vehicle Excise Duty, and rates are based on the car’s engine size, fuel type and carbon dioxide emissions.

The incident happened on a narrow lane five miles from the end of the sportive, in a village called Snetterton.

Norfolk Police say they have identified the parties involved and are investigating.

Orbea Orca Bronze 2013 – just in

Warren Rossiter — Tue, 21 May 2013 09:00:00 GMT

Spain's biggest bike brand, Orbea, have a uniquely simple approach to their road range. Consisting of just three models, it starts with the aluminium Aqua, steps up to the Onix, and stops at the Orca. There are 21 variants of the Orca, starting with the Bronze (£1,889/US$2,499) and rising up to the Gold level GDi2 at £8,199/US$9,999.

The Orca Bronze 105 (£1,979/US$2,499) has an overall weight of 8.5kg (18.7lb), suggesting a reasonably light frame. The chassis itself blends bold structural lines and neatly crafted touches; the seat tube junction is angular, while the box-section angular seatstays create an unusual look. In contrast to the futuristic styling, straight external cable routing is in place of the current fashion for hiding wiring wherever possible.

The Orca's dimensions are straight-down-the-middle, parallel 73-degree angles and it has a wheelbase of less than a metre. We expect the straight blades of the carbon fork to keep the steering precise.

Gearing is taken care of by Shimano 105 kit, and Orbea Pro brakes have been tasked with bringing things to a halt. This particular bike is equipped with a Shimano R500 wheelset and Vittoria Rubino Pro tyres, but there are different options available through the Orbea website.

Orbea have opted for a 3T cockpit, including the brilliant Ergonova bar

There will be a full review of the Orbea Orca Bronze 105 in Cycling Plus issue 277, on sale 25 June.

4ZA Cirrus Pro bar/stem – in brief review

Warren Rossiter — Tue, 21 May 2013 09:00:00 GMT

Belgian component brand 4ZA’s top-of-the-range handlebar/stem combination offers a low weight, great standard drop bar with a nicely contoured shape. The semi-flattened top is comfortable to hold and the neat cable-run channels complete a well-thought-out design.

The neatly produced stem is similarly no-fuss, just a very well made, optimal performer that offers a competitive weight for not much cash. Sadly, the same can’t be said of the bar’s price, but in its favour is the fact it’s surprisingly stiff for such a light model.

It also does a very good job of reducing high-frequency vibrations from poor road surfaces, so it’s a shame it’s so pricey.

This article was originally published in Cycling Plus magazine, available on Apple Newsstand and Zinio.

Marin Rift Zone XC8 29er review

Seb Rogers — Tue, 21 May 2013 07:00:00 GMT

There are four bikes in Marin’s Rift Zone range. They span a wide price range – from a relatively wallet-friendly £1,700/US$1,999.99 to a don’t-tell-the-other-half £3,500/US$5,099.99 – but share a few things in common: 29er wheels and 100mm (3.9in) of travel at each end are the obvious links, but they also boast exactly the same 6061 aluminium chassis.

The XC8 occupies the rung just below the top. With its blend of XT transmission and Fox shocks, is it the right blend of performance and value?

Ride & handling: Puts the fun back into big wheel territory

Despite the fact that it’s all but impossible to walk into a bike shop now without being greeted by rows of big-wheeled bikes, there’s still a fair bit of resistance to the idea from many riders. The good news is that bikes like the Rift Zone prove there’s no need to worry. Once you’re on board and riding you’ll forget the wheels are around 3in bigger in diameter than ‘normal’ ones.

Actually, scratch that. You won’t worry about it, but you’ll certainly notice it. In a good way. Because the Marin takes all the good bits of 29er wheels – smooth rolling, mostly – and leaves the bad bits – sluggardly handling, principally – behind.

Partly this is down to a wheelset that minimises the inherent rotating mass disadvantage that all big wheels have over the 26in alternative. The Rift Zone accelerates and climbs better than its near-13kg (29lb) weight might suggest, though it’s not in the same league as a race bike. But that’s okay, because it’s not trying to be a race bike.

It’s also absolutely sorted in terms of geometry, with a willingly plantable front end that’s as much fun to chuck around as most of the smaller wheeled, longer travel alternatives. It’s hard to overstate just how important an agile front end is to the overall feel of a big-wheeler. By getting this bit right, Marin have given the Rift Zone a big ol’ dose of fun.

The final link in the ‘big wheels good’ chain is Marin’s tweaked Quad Link system, which seems better suited to the 100mm of the Rift Zone than longer travelled bikes elsewhere in the Marin range.

Fox’s CTD does a good job of controlling the setup’s inherent small-bump plush, while the steep rising rate at the upper end of the travel is delivered so progressively it never feels like an issue.

Perhaps the biggest compliment we can give is that it helped us clear a rock-filled gulley that’s defeated us for years. Racers might want something lighter, but for us it’s a reminder that big wheels can do trail fun too.

Frame & equipment: On the heavy side but solid spec

Although Marin’s long-running, compact Quad Link suspension design has its fans, it took up an awful lot of space inside the bike’s main triangle – leaving nowhere to put a water bottle. More seriously for Marin’s designers, it didn’t work too well with bigger wheels.

So the new, reworked Quad Link puts everything in a, well, more ‘normal’ position. It all works in pretty much the same way as before, with a rear axle path that maximises small bump responsiveness, and a rising rate that ramps up sharply near the limit of the shock’s travel (although a bit less sharply than before). It just doesn’t look different from all the other full sussers out there any more. Depending on your perspective, that might be a good thing… Or not.

New for 2013, Marin’s adoption of a 142x12mm rear end adds a claimed 15 percent stiffness to the swingarm and, in the process, cures one of our niggles with the new design (that it was a tad flexy in the rough). Tucking the rear brake calliper away inside the stays is a neat touch, there’s space to run the cable for a remote dropper post under the top tube and Marin’s lifetime bearing warranty still holds.

Swallowing rocks whole and spitting them out in bite-size chunks is handled by a pair of Fox’s CTD shocks – a Float at the rear and a 32 in 29er trim up front. No complaints there, though we find that unless there’s a bar-mounted remote we tend to leave CTD shocks on ‘trail’ setting by default.

A 3x10 transmission might be old hat now, but we’ll take Shimano XT’s solid reliability and unerring smooth shifts over just about anything else on the market. Without spending silly money you simply can’t buy better.

Formula discs make a refreshing change from the Avid norm, while light Easton wheels shod with fast-rolling Continental rubber work well in all but very wet conditions. It’s all good stuff.

This article was originally published in Mountain Biking UK magazine, available on Apple Newsstand and Zinio.

AngryAsian: Tire makers - spell out exactly what you're selling

James Huang — Tue, 21 May 2013 04:12:00 GMT

Stated tire sizes can be notoriously random, with one company's "2.3-inch" or "23mm" sometimes differing significantly from identically badged tires from another brand – and possibly neither measuring true to size. Occasionally, there are even inconsistencies within a brand. I can't magically make every hot stamp adhere to reality but I do have a solution – state the rim width at which they measure the labeled size.

Predicting the width of tubulars is relatively simple. After all, they have almost perfectly circular cross-sections so if you know the circumference of the casing (in this case, its width before stitching), you can calculate the diameter – easy as π.

Clinchers are trickier. While the cross-section is still nominally circular when inflated, the tire itself only comprises part of the circumference. Plus, the internal bead-to-bead width can vary wildly from rim to rim with drastic effects. For example, a "700x23mm" road tire could measure 21mm on one rim but 25mm on another.

Hutchinson's old Intensive Road Tubeless tire was marked 28mm, but was actually much narrower

Unfortunately, rim widths are becoming more divergent, not less – and it's critical to note that we're talking internal width here, not external. For example, Mavic's latest Cosmic Carbone 40 C clinchers have an internal width of just 15mm while HED's new Ardennes Plus extrusion is nearly 20mm across – a full 33 percent wider. Likewise, Easton's supposed "all-mountain" Haven Carbon rims are 21mm wide while Syntace now has its 'MX' series of wheels with widths up to 33.5mm – nearly twice that of Mavic's current Crossmax SLR.

Tire makers therefore base stated measurements on the rim dimension they think a rider will use. It seems they have a 50/50 chance of getting it right — and a 50/50 chance of having a satisfied customer.

The fix is conceptually easy: just add another number to the label.

Adding a little more information wouldn't cost much, but it would add a lot

Bontrager and WTB once attempted to institute a more informative label ("XX/YY") several years with the "XX" designating the maximum tread width and the "YY" denoting the maximum casing width. In this way, buyers could theoretically get a better idea of how a tire might behave on the trail.

It was a good effort but one that ultimately didn't catch on.

Instead, I propose that the additional number should be the internal rim width on which the printed tire size is based, such as "700x23(19)" or "27.5x2.25(22)" and so on. This shouldn't be terribly onerous to do. After all, manufacturers should already be basing claimed tire widths on a certain rim width. And they are certainly already printing information on the side of the tires.

Riders would still have to incorporate a slight correction factor depending on their own rim width, which means they'd have to know what it is in the first place. But this would provide a more realistic guideline for how a tire will end up in the real world. In other words, win-win.

I spoke with Keith Bontrager about the tire labeling issue and he suggested that tire companies would also possibly have to readjust their sizing protocols to better reflect modern usage.

"The older version of the tire size protocol was IRC's thing," he said, referring to IRC Tire. "The tires were installed on very wide rims, inflated to 60psi, left that way for 24 hours, topped back up to 60psi and then the casing was measured. If it was a 2.1", it would be within a millimeter of that in that state. Casings stretch when they are new so the high initial pressure and time were useful. The tire was much closer to its final dimensional state afterwards. Recall that 10 years ago there were no high-end rims at that width, and no one rode with 60psi off-road. Tires that were 'on size' when measured were too small on a 17mm rim at 30psi."

Bontrager said printing the internal-rim width would be good, "if everyone wants to do it right. You'll need a pressure spec (one MTB and one road?) to make it real accurate. But it would be good to get all the suppliers on the same page."

The dDstandard tool is useful for calculating how wide a tire will be on your rim

In other words, there's hope. But companies would have to get together and agree to some sort of testing standard. While that certainly wouldn't be easy, everyone would benefit, including riders, product managers, dealers, and nearly everyone else in the bicycle industry.

In the meantime, you can use something like the dDstandard tool developed by the folks at DirectDimension.org and sold by Wheel Fanatyk to get a pretty accurate prediction of how wide a tire will be on your rim.

But what to do if a company decides to adopt that naming convention and still can't get it right? Well in that case, it'd be time to serve up a slice of humble π instead.

James Huang has been writing about bicycle tech since 2005 but also has more than 14 years of experience as a shop mechanic. In that time he's seen plenty of fantastic gear and technology but also a lot of things that have just flat-out pissed him off. You can follow the 'Angry Asian' on Twitter at @angryasian.

Giant AnyRoad availability expands to the US and beyond

James Huang — Mon, 20 May 2013 22:26:00 GMT

Remember our recent rant on road riding vs. road racing bikes? In select Asian markets, Giant has been testing the concept of a widely available and highly versatile adventure road bike range called the AnyRoad. Thanks to the very favorable sales figures, the company is now expanding the availability to the United States and a few European countries, but not the United Kingdom.

The swoopy, aluminum-framed AnyRoad doesn't resemble conventional road bikes – and for riders who might be new to riding on the road, that may very well be a good thing. Present and accounted for are the typical drop bars, 700c wheels and double cranksets. But there's more than ample room for high-volume 32mm tires through the rear stays and carbon fork, the wide-range gearing is better suited to casual riders, and the ultra-tall head tube offers positioning even more upright than typical 'endurance' bikes.

AnyRoad's head tube is even taller than most upright endurance bikes

Handling definitely sticks to the more stable end of the spectrum with rangy 429mm chain stays, head tube angles between 70.5 and 72 degrees depending on size, and long wheelbases that span from 1003-1062mm.

Standard front and rear disc brakes provide more confident all-weather stopping performance than typical rim calipers, too, while supplemental top-mount levers should ease fears of not having the hands on the brakes all the time.

Despite the bike's humble intentions, Giant also looks to have done a good job of injecting some style into the AnyRoad frame. The very low-slung frame looks sleek and offers heaps of standover clearance, it still looks reasonably high-tech to general consumers without being intimidating, and there are also neat details like the hidden seatpost binder bolt.

Giant is putting the AnyRoad on the road to the United States and other markets

Giant USA is still finalizing details for the AnyRoad debut but Andrew Juskaitis, Giaint's global senior product marketing manager, confirmed to BikeRadar that it's definitely coming – and soon. Giant will also sell the AnyRoad in Australia, Benelux, Canada, China, Germany, Japan, Korea, Poland and Taiwan.

"We are going to take in one model of AnyRoad (not 100 percent sure which model) as a 'test' of the North American market," Juskaitis said. "So yes, the United States will see this bike in the fall of 2013."

Scapin Morgan – first look

Josh Patterson — Mon, 20 May 2013 18:56:00 GMT

Scapin is set to introduce the Morgan, a carbon cross-country full suspension mountain bike designed around 650b (27.5in) wheels.

According to Scapin, the Morgan has been in development for three years. It’s the Italian bicycle brand’s first full suspension model and features 100mm of rear suspension travel. The Morgan is able to accommodate 100-120mm suspension forks.

The carbon monocoque frame is constructed using T700 high modulus carbon fiber. Titanium fasteners are used for all the suspension hardware. The claimed weight for a medium frame is 3.9lb (1,770g).

The frame has internal cable routing for the front and rear derailleur cables, with an externally-routed brake line running along the underside of the downtube for ease of servicing. The company claims the ‘through the top tube’ shock placement makes it easier to adjust the shock while riding and shields it from dirt and other contaminants.

The shock is tucked into a split in the top tube

Other frame features include a 12x142mm thru-axle, BB92 bottom bracket, direct mount front derailleur, and post-mount disc brake tabs.

The complete bike shown here has a claimed weight of just under 22lb (10kg) and is priced at £6,399

The Morgan is available in small, medium and large sizes. All three frame sizes share 70.5-degree head tube angles, 73-degree seat tube angles and 17.3in (438mm) chainstays. Price range for the Morgan is £4,000 to £7,500.

In North America Scapin is distributed by Stage Race. Pricing and availability for North American consumers is to be determined.

Man rides off waterfall, plus other best bits from BikeRadar videos

BikeRadar — Mon, 20 May 2013 15:36:00 GMT

The BikeRadar video team have been hard at it for two years, and today they’re celebrating the upload of their 500th YouTube vid with a collection of snippets from the annals.

Watch the video below if you want to have a snoop around the Cervélos in the Garmin-Sharp mechanics’ area, drool over some super-cool bike tech and see someone ride a mountain bike off a waterfall…

Please install Adobe Flash player to view this content

The gear testing, rider interviewing, trail blazing, product explaining videos – uploaded to the dedicated BikeRadar YouTube channel (almost) every day – have attracted more than 10m views and nearly 40,000 subscribers.

So to be kept up to date with the best bike product news, analysis and star interviews with the likes of Chris Hoy, Chris Boardman and athletes of the Tour de France, subscribe now.

BikeRadar Deals of the Week – Road Bikes

BikeRadar — Mon, 20 May 2013 15:00:00 GMT

BikeRadar's weekly round-up of great online deals from our recommended retailers could save you both time and money.

If you just want to get to the bargains, skip to the end of the article to see the deals listed as Quick Links.

Otherwise, read on for more details including pictures, BikeRadar reviews and your opinions wherever possible – so you can make sure you're fully in the picture before parting with your hard-earned cash.

Some of these offers won't last forever though, so be quick if you want to bag yourself a bargain.

1. Raleigh Avanti Carbon Comp Bike (2010) – Buy Now from Winstanleys Bikes for £999.99 and save 44 percent

What the manufacturer says:

"The Raleigh Avanti Carbon Comp is a popluar bike riders who relish the challenge of road riding and testing their fitness. Get the advantages in performance from the Avanti custom designed carbon frame without the expense of a top-level groupset. Coupled with the carbon frame are the Avanti custom designed direct response carbon forks ensuring a balanced ride. Quality is maintained throughout with the inclusion of Shimano CN-500 chainset, Shimano FC-5600 cranks, Xero CXR-330 wheelset and Continental Ultra Race tyres."

2. Pinarello FP2 105 (2011) – Buy Now from Wiggle for £1,299.35 and save 35 percent

What the manufacturer says:

"The full-carbon frame is powerful, the down tube is massive and the bottom bracket, heart and fulcrum of this triangle, is unyielding to the power you'll unleash when you stand on the pedals. The distinctive features are all there: the Onda fork will guide you safely through the most demanding curves. 24HM carbon with 12K finish. The frame is available in six colours and seven sizes. Components include a Shimano 105 groupset, Shimano WH500 wheelset and MOST Ewiva tyres."

3. Ghost EBS Lector Race (2011) – Buy Now from Chain Reaction for £1,235.00 and save 35 percent

"Comfort and quality of ride underpin the Ghost Race Lector. Built on the Race HM carbon frame and matched with CG carbon front forks results in a cycle that offers a lightweight and smooth ride. Gearing is provided by Shimano Ultegra chainset that utilises a Shimano Ultegra compact crankset set. The bike rolls on an Easton Aero wheelset wrapped up in Schwalbe Ultremo tyres. Brakes are Tektro R 741. A bike perfectly suited for beginner to intermediate cyclists."

Quick Links:

Raleigh Avanti Carbon Comp Bike (2010) – Buy Now from Winstanleys Bikes for £999.99 and save 44 percent
Pinarello FP2 105 (2011) – Buy Now from Wiggle for £1,299.35 and save 35 percent
Ghost EBS Lector Race (2011) – Buy Now from Chain Reaction for £1235.00 and save 35 percent

Offers courtesy of: Wiggle, Chain Reaction Cycles and Winstanleys Bikes

Subscription Offer:

Cycling Plus – Buy Now from myfavouritemagazines.co.uk for as little as £45.99 (£3.54/issue) and save 21 percent

Cycling Plus is for anyone who appreciates the all-out effort of racing, the freedom of touring or the cut-and-thrust of commuting. Read more & subscribe.

BikeRadar Deals of the Week – Mountain Bikes

BikeRadar — Mon, 20 May 2013 15:00:00 GMT

BikeRadar's weekly round-up of great online deals from our recommended retailers could save you both time and money.

If you just want to get to the bargains, skip to the end of the article to see the deals listed as Quick Links.

1. Sunn Shamann S1 (2011) – Buy Now from Chain Reaction for £1,572 and save 45 percent

What the manufacturer says:

"The Shamann S1 is the full suspension bike of the XC lineup. The Shamann Alpha frame geometry has been designed to give an efficient balance of traction, acceleration and long distance comfort to make the perfect marathon bike. The RockShox Monarch RT3 shock absorber provides a highly progressive 100mm of rear travel. The front-end is comprised of RockShox SID RLT forks also with 100mm travel. SRAM 2x10 transmissions allow for a lighter and more efficient shifting system. Add to this SRAM X9 pedals, UN Premium 600-0 SL wheels and Hutchinson Python tyres for a bike that mixes performance with riding pleasure."

2. Saracen Zen 1 Bike (2010) – Buy Now from Winstanleys Bikes for £449.99 and save 47 percent

What the manufacturer says:

"The Zens are 100% UK specific aggressive trail screamers, ready to take on whatever you throw at them. The lightweight frame uses a triple butted 6061 alloy tubeset designed specifically for longer travel forks and the mud clearance on the rear of the frame is class-leading. Also featuring RockShox Tora 289 U-Turn forks with 85-130 mm travel, Shimano HG50 9-speed cassette, Quad Sting Pro hydraulic disc brakes and Continental Mountain King tyres, these long-travel hardcore trail bikes were designed to take UK trail riding to the next level."

3. GT Zaskar Carbon Expert (2011) – Buy Now from Wiggle for £ 1429.99 and save 35 percent

What the manufacturer says:

"Classy carbon hardtail that won't let you down. The Zaskar Carbon Expert is full of top class components that compliment the Foc-Ultra Carbon frame well. Proven RockShox Recon Solo Air forks are fitted to soak up punishing ground along with SRAM S1400 chainset ensuring a solid drive over varied terrain. Formula RX brakes with 160mm rotor both front and rear provide plenty of stopping power. Crankbros Cobalt 2 flat handlebars and seat stem as well as DT Swiss wheelset and Maxxis Aspen tyres round off a bike that can handle any terrain."

Quick Links:

Sunn Shamann S1 (2011) – Buy Now from Chain Reaction for £1,572 and save 45 percent
Saracen Zen 1 Bike (2010) – Buy Now from Winstanleys Bikes for £449.99 and save 47 percent
GT Zaskar Carbon Expert (2011) – Buy Now from Wiggle for £ 1429.99 and save 35 percent

Offers courtesy of: Wiggle, Chain Reaction Cycles and Winstanleys Bikes

Subscription offer:

What Mountain Bike – Buy Now from myfavouritemagazines.co.uk for as little as £41.99 (£3.23/issue) and save 23 percent

The essential magazine to consult before you spend your cash on any mountain biking equipment. Read more & subscribe.

Compression clothing could affect perceived recovery

Sam Dansie — Mon, 20 May 2013 13:09:00 GMT

New research published in the latest European Journal of Applied Physiology casts doubts on the physiological benefits of compression clothing – often used by cyclists to aid training – but has found an improvement in athletes’ perceived recovery.

Researchers in Australia tested eight highly trained field hockey players and measured blood lactate, inflammation levels and perceived recovery. The athletes were put through two match simulations, four weeks apart. After one simulation the players wore compression shorts, and after the other loose trousers, for 24 hours post exercise.

The researchers regularly blood tested the athletes for lactate and inflammation indictors, and noted that levels were “signifacantly elevated” after both matches. However, the compression shorts appeared to make little difference relative to the loose trousers.

Researchers also questioned the athletes on perceived recovery and noted a significant improvement, and reduced muscle soreness.

Compression clothing such as socks and shorts is a favourite of athletes because it's believed to aid recovery by boosting blood flow and flushing toxins out of hard-working muscles. Its physiological effectiveness has always been subject to debate.

Earlier this year, researchers from the Department of Sport Science at the University of Wuppertal, Germany, conducted a review of original academic research papers and found little improvement in athletic performance related to compression wear.

Daniel McConnell wins opening round of cross-country world cup

BikeRadar — Mon, 20 May 2013 11:43:00 GMT

Rank outsider Daniel McConnell (Trek Factory Racing) won the first men’s UCI cross-country world cup of 2013 yesterday, in Albstadt, Germany. He’s the first Australian rider to have done so since Cadel Evans, in 2000. The opening event also saw the women’s elite race won by a resurgent Eva Lechner (Colnago-Südtirol), and featured the eliminator, back for a second season.

McConnell took a dramatic and unexpected win in the flagship men’s cross-country event on a treacherously slippery course, picking his way past six riders on the final lap. Sergio Gutierrez (Wild Wolf Trek Pro Racing) and Olympic XC gold medallist Jaroslav Kulhavy (Specialized Racing XC) rounded off the podium, in second and third places respectively.

Australian champion McConnell, who only had one world cup top 20 on his palmarès before yesterday, said he was surprised by his triumph. “I did not expect this,” he admitted. “I came into this looking for a solid top 15, so it’s unbelievable.”

Full results and report - Cyclingnews

Elite women’s event

Eva Lechner took the ladies’ marquee event by the scruff of the neck and stayed close to the front all day. She won a tough, rain-soaked finale against Maja Wloszczowska (Giant Pro XC) and Katrin Leumann (Ghost Factory Racing).

It was Lechner’s first world cup win since 2010 after a difficult, injury plagued 2012. She said afterwards: “I'm so happy to be back up here after the last season. I can't describe it in words.”

Full results and report - Cyclingnews

Eliminator race

The eliminator returned to the calendar after its first outing last year. The men’s race was won by Austrian Daniel Federspiel (Ötztal Scott Racing) and the women’s by Alexandra Engen (Ghost Factory Racing). They became the first riders to win eliminator rainbow stripes.

A victorious Alexandra Engen

The spectator-friendly event starts with a time trial around a tight, obstacle-filled urban course. The top 32 riders progress to the knockouts. In each heat, a quartet of riders hit the 700m circuit, with the top two progressing up the rounds until just four riders are left to contest the final.

The next cross-country/eliminator world cup round takes place in Czechoslovakia this weekend.

For full coverage of the MTB world cup, visit Cyclingnews.com.


Elite men cross-country
1 Daniel McConnell (Aus) Trek Factory Racing	1:42:36
2 Sergio Mantecon Gutierrez (Spa) Wild Wolf Trek Pro Racing	0:00:02
3 Jaroslav Kulhavy (Cze) Specialized Racing Xc	0:00:13

Elite women cross-country
1 Eva Lechner (Ita) Team Colnago Sudtirol	1:33:52
2 Maja Wloszczowska (Pol) Giant Pro XC Team	0:00:08
3 Katrin Leumann (Swi) Ghost Factory Racing Team	0:00:16

Elite women eliminator
1 Alexandra Engen (Swe) Ghost Factory Racing Team
2 Kathrin Stirnemann (Swi) Sabine Spitz Haibike Pro Team
3 Nadine Rieder (Ger) Topeak Ergon Racing Team

Elite men eliminator
1 Daniel Federspiel (Aut) Ötztal Scott Racing Team
2 Thomas Litscher (Swi) Multivan Merida Biking Team
3 Miha Halzer (Slo)

U23 men cross-country
1 Markus Schulte-Luenzum (Ger) Focus XC Team	1:21:16
2 Jens Schuermans (Bel) Versluys Team	0:00:17
3 Michiel Van Der Heijden (Ned) Giant Pro XC Team	0:00:33

U23 women cross-country
1 Rebecca Henderson (Aus) Trek Factory Racing	1:05:56
2 Jenny Rissveds (Swe)	0:00:48
3 Yana Belomoyna (Ukr) Superior Brentjens Mountainbike Racing Team	0:01:02

Junior women cross-country
1 Greta Weithaler (Ita) Italy	0:52:43
2 Malene Degn (Den) Denmark	0:00:04
3 Kate Courtney (USA) United States Of America	0:00:34

Junior men cross-country
1 Raphael Gay (Fra) Creuse Oxygene	1:11:02
2 Philipp Bertsch (Ger) Germany
3 Neilo Perrin-Ganier (Fra) France	0:00:01

Pipedream Skookum 29er – just in

Seb Rogers — Mon, 20 May 2013 11:22:00 GMT

We've just got our hands on a titanium 29er from Pipedream Cycle – it's called the Skookum and is a singlespeed, belt drive hardtail retailing for £2,699, or £1,175 for the frame only.

Belt drives aren't new in terms of technology; they use the same principles and manufacturing techniques that car cam belts employ. But with chain-driven transmissions being the dominant force when it comes to two wheels, a belt drive makes for an interesting bike.

The titanium frame is intriguing because, for obvious reasons, you can’t split a belt to fit it round the chainstay. Therefore, you need to be able to separate the frame – temporarily – so the belt can be fitted. That's why the Skookum's chassis features a threaded coupling part-way up the driveside seatstay. A tool is supplied to loosen or tighten the coupling – once unscrewed, the frame can spring apart just enough to pop the belt in or out.

The driveside seatstay comes apart here

The Skookum is essentially the same as the well established, 26in-wheeled Pipedream Sirius hardtail, but with 29in wheels and a shorter fork travel – it’s designed to work with an 80-100mm fork, in this case a 100mm X-Fusion Slide 29 air unit. The wheels are Halo Vapours wrapped in the same brand's Choir Master tyres, stopped by Hope Tech Evo X2 brakes.

You can spec a variety of other options, including an eccentric bottom bracket and cable routing for a geared Shimano or Rohloff hub. It can be built with a standard chain transmission, too. Our test model's 44mm head tube, belt coupling and sliding dropouts pushed the bare frame price from £989 to £1,175.

Gusset parts make up the cockpit

Pipedream's belt drive of choice is the Gates Carbon Drive 22T singlespeed. Claimed weight for a typical Gates belt is under 100g, against more than 200g for a chain.

To stop the belt slipping off, Pipedream’s setup uses the CenterTrack system, with a single central raised ridge on the sprocket and chainring that mates with a slot running the length of the belt. Cranks are Truvativ X9s, with Gusset providing the bar, stem, and saddle. The dropper seatpost is by X-Fusion.

A full review of the Pipedream Skookum is coming up in issue 149 of What Mountain Bike, on sale 4 June. For more information on Pipedream bikes see www.pipedreamcycles.com.

B'Twin 7 XC bib shorts review

What Mountain Bike — Mon, 20 May 2013 11:00:00 GMT

B’Twin are the house brand of the Decathlon chain of sporting goods shops, and these bibs offer many features of more expensive shorts at a fraction of the price.

The mesh and Lycra-edged straps are a cooling highlight, although the seam between the back and front isn’t stitched flat and can rub. The multi-panel construction means the fit is very good, although again the lack of flatlock seams across the back can be felt under a pack from time to time and the sizing is very European – the medium size fitting tighter than most smalls.

The multi-thickness chamois with gel inserts does a sterling job of cutting out shocks from the saddle, though we found it bunched a bit at the nose and was noticeably sweatier than others.

This article was originally published in What Mountain Bike magazine, available on Apple Newsstand and Zinio.

Mavic Cosmic Carbone CXR 60 T - first ride review

Jeff Jones — Mon, 20 May 2013 10:46:00 GMT

The Mavic Cosmic Carbone CXR series of wheels – aimed at road racers, time triallists and triathletes – represents a step forward in aerodynamics for the French manufacturers. We had a chance to test ride a set of CXR 60 Ts, the tubular versions of the 60mm deep wheels that Mavic launched in Geneva recently.

The 75km undulating group ride around Lac du Bourget near Aix-les-Bains, France, was a wet and relatively windless affair – hardly ideal for testing the stability characteristics of the wheels, which we hope to do at a later date. With that in mind, here are our first impressions of Mavic's latest aero wheels.

Ride & handling: Fast, but we need more wind!

Our test rig was a Cervelo S5 with Shimano Dura-Ace Di2, and we were wearing light winter kit with a long sleeve jersey, gilet and knee warmers. We only mention this because it was hard to tell whether the aero benefits of the bike were cancelled out by the bulkier clothing.

Our Cervelo S5 test rig

Our Mavic CXR 60 test ride started at a sedate pace, led out by top triathlete Frederik Van Lierde. At 19mph (30km/h) in a group with not much wind blowing across us, the wheels felt perfectly manageable and it was easy to maintain that pace. The only incident of note came when five riders crashed on a set of slippery and angled train tracks. We were told this was an improvement on last year, when nine cyclists came down in similar conditions.

We did tackle some short climbs with not-too-steep gradients. Here, the effects of gravity started to come into play and the wheels' claimed weight of 1,600g per pair didn't do them a lot of favours. Aerodynamics are still important when climbing, however, and we didn't feel bogged down in any way.

Where they really shine is on longer descents and flatter sections, where they held their speed very well – a good sign that the aero properties were working as they should. We were most impressed when we put in a solo effort at threshold for a few kilometres on the flat, pleasantly surprised to be bowling along at a sustainable 44-45km/h. On normal wheels we'd typically be at 40-41km/h.

Testing the Mavic CXR 60 Ts around Lac du Bourget, near Aix-les-Bains, France

We weren't able to test the wheels in the wind, unfortunately, and we'd definitely like to do this before making a call on stability. On the plus side, there was little movement when trucks passed us going the opposite way. We've ridden wheels where we were blown across the road by this in otherwise low wind conditions.

We have tested the deeper CXR 80s in the wind, though. We found those to be better than expected in crosswinds – they certainly moved around but they didn't scare us. That said, they wouldn't be our wheel of choice for all conditions.

We were able to test braking with the CXR 60s quite often, and this was surprisingly good. The carbon brake tracks don't have the Mavic Exalith treatment used on the clincher versions, nor do they have the new surface used on the CC40s. But when they were combined with Mavic pads (made by Swisstop) we didn't have to perform much rim cleaning and there was no grab from the brakes. Nevertheless, we hope Mavic will improve this aspect with their newer technology in future.

We found the lateral stiffness of the wheels to be lacking a little, and noticed a small amount of rear brake rub when the brakes were close set. It wasn't just in our wheels – we detected it in other riders' too. This is another area for improvement, albeit a small one.

Tyre performance: Aero wins over rolling resistance

Mavic's Yksion GripLink and PowerLink tyres have a special tread pattern to help reduce drag

Mavic's new aero wheelsets are designed to run with the company's Yksion tyres and CX01 blades for best aero performance, which is why they're dubbed WTS (Wheel Tyre System).

The tyres, blades and rim combine into one shape that's been designed to be more aero at the leading and trailing edges than normal profile tyres. The tyres even incorporate a tread pattern – not for grip but to introduce a small amount of turbulence at the top of the tyre, which supposedly helps keep the air attached over the tyre-rim for longer. That's desirable in order to reduce drag.

Aero properties aside, the Yksion GripLink (front) and PowerLink (rear) tubulars did a decent enough job on the road. We experienced no problems with grip on the wet Tarmac and it would be unfair to blame the tyres for the train track incident.

We didn't feel they had the zing of a faster-rolling set of tubulars, and from what little data we have, the rolling resistance of these tyres isn't that great. They are, however, designed for racing on all road surfaces in all conditions, so grip and feel are of more importance.

We've weighed a set of Yksion GripLink and PowerLink tubulars at 236g apiece; slightly higher than the claimed weight of 230g but there was a little glue residue. They have a claimed carcass TPI (threads per inch) count of 210, which is high, but that doesn't always translate into low rolling resistance. The tyres certainly don't feel that supple.

Materials & construction

The 60mm deep, 27mm wide rims are made from 3K carbon fibre

The rims on the CXR 60 Ts are constructed from 3K carbon fibre. They're 60mm deep on the front and rear and feature a 27mm-wide rim bed with special grooves for the CX01 blades – make sure your forks and brakes can accommodate this before buying a set, as some setups don't.

As the trend towards wider rims continues, we've no doubt that this will be factored into the design of frames, particularly time trial frames with integrated brakes. If you don't use Yksion tyres then Mavic recommend trying 23mm tubulars to better fit the rim profile.

The rims are non-eyeleted and drilled with 16 holes for front spokes and 20 for the rear. The front wheel is laced radially while the rear uses a two-cross pattern on the driveside and radial on the non-driveside.

Mavic haven't done anything new with their hubs and spokes in the CXR 60 wheelset, despite testing various flange shapes and widths for their aerodynamic properties.

In the end, they opted for the same dimensions as they use on their other wheels, for practicality and stiffness. Given the narrow diameter of the carbon fibre hub shell, we'd be hard pressed to see how this could be improved. The axles and flanges are made from aluminium while the bearings are steel.

The Cosmic Carbone CXR 60 T wheelsets are priced at £2000/€2,200/US$TBC, which includes Yksion tubulars, CX01 blades, quick-releases, CXR-specific brake pads, valve extenders, an adjustment wrench, a manual and a pair of wheelbags. Not a bad deal all up, given the competition.

A positive first impression

We enjoyed our first ride on the Mavic Cosmic Carbone CXR 60 Ts. Their high-speed performance impressed us and we look forward to putting some more time on them (or the clinchers) in windier conditions.

RaceFace 2x10 Turbine chainset review

Matt Legg-Bagg — Mon, 20 May 2013 09:00:00 GMT

RaceFace’s top line Turbine range is aimed at bridging the gap between trail and cross-country race, with a group of components that home in on low weight as much as strength.

The Turbine cranks have changed little for 2013. The arms are cold forged then machined to remove excess weight and create the stiff I-Beam profile. Weighing 820g with bottom bracket, they are slightly heavier than the cheaper Shimano XT equivalent but are stiff and well made. If you want a lighter setup, there’s a Turbine SL with a titanium axle, but they cost £120 more.

The cranks fit in the opposite way to Shimano with the chromoly axle connected to the non-drive arm, and a machined spline keeping it all tight. A single bolt on the driveside holds it all together. Available in 26/38 and 28/40 teeth, the anodised chainrings are tough and last well. There are double bashguard and triple ring options with a standard 104mm BCD.

An external bottom bracket is included and uses the same installation tools as Shimano. The bottom bracket’s bearings are housed in a titanium coated shell with improved seals, and come with spacers to perfect chainline.

RaceFace has press-fit and BB30 conversions too, and crank lengths between 170mm and 180mm. The shape of the arms lends itself to rub damage so a good wrap with heli tape is advised, but they’re stiff and smooth, with sharp shifting.

This article was originally published in What Mountain Bike magazine, available on Apple Newsstand and Zinio.

Raleigh Revenio 1 – first ride review

Cycling Plus — Mon, 20 May 2013 07:00:00 GMT

Raleigh have raised their game in the last few years, with their carbon race bikes performing well in the Cycling Plus Bike of the Year tests and a pro team once more bearing the company name. But bikes like this are Raleigh’s bread and butter. It’s a crowded market, though, and they’ll be tussling with Trek, Specialized and Giant among others.

The Revenio is designed for long-distance comfort, with a taller head tube and a shortened top tube, but our 56cm was far from short and we were still slightly stretched. You might want to consider going down a size.

Its weight is spot on for the price and the ride itself is reassuringly neutral – pretty much ideal for days racking up long miles. The carbon fork – good on a £550 machine – and the flattened and curved seatstays also do a very good job of smoothing out road buzz even with an oversize seatpost. Hit a big bump and, as with any aluminium frame, you’re going to feel it, but for a budget road bike comfort is excellent, aided by a quality seat.

The Ponza saddle is quite narrow but has well placed and not overly deep padding, and its black-and-white stripes perfectly echo the top tube. Very neat. Raleigh have put thought into the cabling too, rubber protectors – with Raleigh logos – protecting the head tube. And as with ever more budget bikes, there’s internal brake routing through the top tube.

Unfortunately, this level of attention isn’t evident throughout the Revenio, which is suffering a minor identity crisis in places. It’s not serious, but why have eyelets at the rear and then not enough mudguard clearance even with 23mm tyres, and a fork with ample clearance but no eyelets? There are rack mounts, so Raleigh seem to think this is aimed at the all-round recreational rider, and it really would make a good commuter machine.

The welds are practical rather than pretty…

Brakes are typically average and we had a few issues with the wheels. The rear was okay, but the front spokes weren’t tight enough and the wheel was unevenly tensioned too, which would cause spokes to work loose as you ride. Our workshop manager addressed it – as your own bike shop should before selling it – but it’ll be worth checking.

All in all, Raleigh have delivered a good bike with a fine ride and decent kit, and nearly a very good bike, but you do need to get the sizing right to make the most of its taller head tube.

This article was originally published in Cycling Plus magazine, available on Apple Newsstand and Zinio.

Giro 2013 stage 15: Solo win for Giovanni Visconti in the snow

Cyclingnews.com — Sun, 19 May 2013 15:50:00 GMT

This article was originally published on Cyclingnews.com.

Movistar's Giovanni Visconti produced a superb stage-winning performance to claim what was probably the best win of his career as he finished alone in falling snow on the Col du Galibier. Visconti was one of a small group of riders who jumped away near the top of Mont Cenis in the search for mountains points and then increased their advantage on the descent off that climb and the run through the valley to the foot of the Col du Télégraphe. Visconti went clear of the group on the Télégraphe, cleared the summit with a lead of 40 seconds and maintained his advantage all the way up to the finish next to the Marco Pantani monument, 4km below the programmed finish.

"I can't still believe I won in such a mythical climb like this. It's been a really hard year for me and I gave everything in of my heart for this victory," said Visconti.

Giovanni Visconti wins stage 15

"I didn't have any energy left for the finale, so it was my mind that got me through the climb today. It's a honour for me to win in front of the Pantani monument. I was born on January 13 like him, and I'm sure he helped me a bit today. This is the real me, not the rider you saw over the past one and a half years. All my team-mates and the staff were so happy for me because they know what I've gone through. [Movistar manager] Eusebio Unzué was always there supporting me and used to repeat a sentence I tried not to forget: 'The one who is strong will always remain strong.' I kept it in mind for every single metre today.

"This is a proof of sacrifice paying off, giving you a reward sooner or later. I hope this victory will be a turning point in my career, because I'm who goes well when they are confident. I hope I won't be fighting 'only' for national championships, but also for other kinds of races. For the time being, I don't expect anyone will sleep better than me tonight. This one is for my family, my kids. They are my life, my oxygen. I won thanks to them."

Vincenzo Nibali (Astana) easily nullified all attempts to threaten his race lead, finishing in a group with all of his major rivals a minute down on Visconti. A number of riders tried to escape from this group, including Nibali himself at one point, but none of them managed to make an attack stick in the freezing conditions.

Snowy conditions on the Galibier

The icy weather not only resulted in the stage finish being moved several kilometres down the Galibier, but also led to a truce being declared in the peloton until the summit of Mont Cenis was almost in sight. Nearing it, mountains leader Stefano Pirazzi (Bardiani Valvole) and Robinson Chalapud (Colombia) went clear. They were caught on the descent off the climb by a chase group that included Visconti, Pieter Weening (Orica-GreenEdge), Matteo Rabottini (Vini Fantini) and Paolo Longo Borghini (Cannondale).

Their lead rose to almost six minutes as they approached the Col du Télégraphe. Weening tried hard to escape the group on this climb, but Rabottini and Visconti came back up to him. Visconti responded with an attack of his own and pushed his lead out to 42 seconds crossing the Télégraphe.

He sped down into Valloire, which sits in the dip between this pass and the Galibier, then started up the 13km ascent to the snow-shrouded finish. Rabottini made a vain attempt to chase down Visconti, but eventually fell back to the maglia rosa group, which was closing in rapidly behind.

Nibali’s Astana team-mates never looked in danger of losing control of that group. They were happy to let Robert Gesink (Blanco) go clear on the Télégraphe and allow Egoi Martínez (Euskaltel), Robert Kiserlovski (RadioShack) and Sergio Henao (Sky) to join him, holding them at around 30 seconds before steadily reeling them in. Samuel Sánchez (Euskaltel) showed his form is getting better day by day with an attack from 5km out, but he too ended up back with the Astana-led group.

Coming into the final kilometre, four riders did finally manage to slip away from Nibali and his henchmen, among them the two riders battling for the young rider jersey. Rafal Majka (Saxo-Tinkoff) held it, but lost out in the sprint for second on the stage to Carlos Betancur (Ag2r) and for third to Przemyslaw Niemiec (Lampre). The 12 bonus seconds Betancur gained enabled him to leapfrog Majka into the white jersey for stage 16 on Tuesday.

Rapha Long Sleeve Pro Team jersey – in brief review

Rob Banino — Sun, 19 May 2013 11:00:00 GMT

As you’d expect from a garment with Pro and Team in its name, this jersey has a very close cut and the fit is superb. It’s not so skintight that it feels restrictive when you’re riding, but there’s absolutely no spare material left loose to flap about.

The Pro Team is relatively heavy for a spring weight jersey, at 282g pre ride – especially given that it lacks the inner linings of some thicker tops on the market.

After an hour of riding, its weight had increased by 195g but it managed to shed almost a quarter of that after being left to dry for 60 minutes.

This article was originally published in Cycling Plus magazine, available on Apple Newsstand and Zinio.

Orbea Occam H30 – just in

Mike Davis — Sun, 19 May 2013 09:00:00 GMT

The Orbea Occam H30 is a 120mm full-suspension trail bike weighing less than 13kg (28.7lb) for £2,069. It's the cheapest of four Occams, although the distinctions between them are blurred by Orbea's custom options, which allow you to tweak the spec to suit your taste.

At the back, the Occam has a concentric chainstay/seatstay pivot that's very similar to Trek's ABP system. The main swingarm pivot housing and bottom bracket shell are one forged piece, with the seat and down tubes welded to it.

Under the top tube is a Fox Float Evolution CTD shock. There's a forged linkage pivoting off the top tube but it doesn't affect the leverage ratio – it's just there to keep everything stiff and in line.

The chainset is a triple offering from Shimano's Deore line, while an SLX Shadow Plus clutch rear mech is a nice addition and should keep things more taut. Stopping duties are handled by Formula RX brakes, which come as OE equipment. The Occam rolls on a Mavic XM 119 Disc wheelset wrapped in Hutchinson's Cobra Air Light rubber.

The standard H30 has a quick-release on its Fox 32 FLOAT CTD fork, but you can specify a thru-axle when you order. However, the cheapest QR15 upgrade option will add £280 to the price. A 710mm RaceFace Ride bar is matched to a RaceFace stem, resulting in a fairly standard cockpit.

The finish of the Occam H30’s frame is sublime

It’s also worth noting that the 29er version of the Occam is only £30 more for essentially the same spec.

Look out for a full review of the Orbea Occam H30 in issue 149 of What Mountain Bike, on sale Tuesday 4 June. For more information on Orbea products see www.orbea.com.

Whyte T-129 – first ride review

Mike Davis — Sun, 19 May 2013 07:00:00 GMT

Whyte’s pitch for the T-129 is, essentially, a £250 cheaper T-129 S, crowned Trail Bike of the Year 2013 by What Mountain Bike. Given that the S demonstrates just how good a 29er trail bike can be at a very competitive price already, something similar for even less money seems like a winning bet.

But if the £1,999 S is extremely good value, has the T-129 cut too many corners? Fundamentally there’s very little difference between the T-129 and its pricier sibling. The bikes share the frame, which itself shares its layout with the shorter-travel M-109.

Ride & handling: Involving and rewarding

There’s already a lot of variation in the style and capability of 29er full suspension trail bikes. There isn’t really an accepted, or even common, way of doing things yet, but the Whyte manages to be different to pretty much all of them thanks to its short-rear, long-front and slack geometry.

It’s not immediately obvious that it works. Climb aboard and the front wheel feels way out in front of you, with an extremely light feel through the bar. If your ride starts with a steep climb there’s a good chance those used to more traditional designs will be wandering about the trail trying to hold a line. Shuffling forward and deliberately weighting the front sorts it out, and the T-129’s short head tube and low bar make that pretty easy.

The same is true coming back down the hill – hang too far back and you risk the front washing out, but shift yourself forward to a more central position and work the bar and the T-129 drops into turns with enthusiasm.

The screw-thru axle reduces flex – vital with big wheels

Once in the corner it strikes a fine balance between holding the line you’re on and making mid-corner corrections easy. Some bikes get scary when there’s limited traction, but the T-129 happily slides both ends at once and delivers you to the exit gagging to do the same again in the next turn.

With a short back end the front is significantly more loftable than most big wheelers, although 26in bikes still have an edge here. There’s no getting away from the fact that the back axle is further off the ground, which matters when you’re trying to pivot the rest of the bike around it.

This is one of those bikes that you have to actually ride, rather than sit there, pedal a bit and point the bar in vaguely the right direction. The T-129 demands a little more involvement than that, and repays you in spades.

One thing’s for sure – it doesn’t leave many of those 29er myths, either new ones or old, standing.

Frame & equipment: Daring 29er design with good spec

Gone is the distinctive layout of earlier Whyte full suspension bikes, with a big swingarm arcing on a pair of short links and a shock nestling inside the front triangle. That layout, which Whyte have been using for years, is now only found on the 26in-wheeled 146. Whyte found the previous design lacking when it came to accommodating 29in wheels – to get the stiffness they wanted it was proving too heavy.

In its place is a more conventional four-bar layout, with chainstay pivots, a small linkage at the seat tube and the shock driven directly by the seatstays. You don’t have to be particularly eagle-eyed to spot the similarity to Specialized’s FSR bikes, although there’s no proprietary shock here – the T-129 sports a regular RockShox Monarch RL.

The new layout doesn’t have quite as much mud clearance as the old one, which made a particular point of tyre room. But Whyte have different priorities here, principally concerned with packaging big wheels into a compact, chuckable frame.

One criticism often levelled at 29ers is ‘excessive’ length. Conventional wisdom has it that the chainstays on a 29er frame have to be substantially longer to accommodate the bigger wheel, and if it’s a full suspension bike then they have to be a bit longer again to keep the wheel from swinging into the seat tube.

The short rear, long front combo works brilliantly

With the T-129, Whyte tweak the nose of conventional wisdom and run away laughing, having managed to pull the back axle in to just 430mm from the bottom bracket. That’s very short for a bike like this – most 26in hardtails have chainstays only a few millimetres shorter.

It’s taken plenty of pivot juggling, seat tube cranking and front mech direct-mounting to get the back end this tight. Whyte have even eschewed a currently fashionable BB30 or press-fit bottom bracket on the grounds that a traditional threaded shell has a smaller outside diameter, winning back vital millimetres.

The similarity of the geometry numbers to a 26in bike doesn’t end with the chainstays. Up front you find a 68-degree head angle, which is unusally slack for a 29er. A longer fork offset (how far the axle is ahead of the steering axis) compensates for the bigger front wheel, although with a lengthy top tube and steep seat angle, the T-129 ends up with a particularly long front-centre. Thanks to those short hindquarters, though, the wheelbase remains notably compact.

Topping off the frame are a selection of neat details. There’s a 142x12mm Maxle holding the rear wheel firm, while the post mounts use steel threaded inserts so there’s no worrying about stripping threads in the frame.

Whyte’s unique seatpost quick-release puts in an appearance too – unsurprisingly, the Reverb dropper of the S is absent – with the lever driving a rectangular pad onto the post rather than squeezing up a slot cut into the frame.

Whyte T-129

Like the T-129 S, the T-129 packs an impressive specification for the asking price. Obviously that price is lower, and that’s reflected in most of the components being a notch down, but Whyte have focused their pruning on less fundamental bits.

So, you still get a RockShox Reba fork and Monarch shock – though the shock only has a lockout, and lacks the three-position compression damping of the S – and the same high-quality wheels.

The Whyte-branded hubs are laced to tubeless-ready WTB rims and shod with WTB tyres; a Wolverine front/Nano rear combination that emphasises fast rolling over ultimate grip. The tyres are also tubeless-ready, so conversion is just a rim strip and bottle of sealant away.

The most obvious ‘downgrade’ on the T-129 is the plain seatpost, but then we were impressed to see a Reverb on the sub-£2k S anyway, and at retail prices the Reverb accounts for almost the entire £250 difference between models. Overall weight is practically identical to the S, despite the absence of the heavy Reverb, thanks to the component downgrades elsewhere.

This article was originally published in What Mountain Bike magazine, available on Apple Newsstand and Zinio.

Campagnolo launches Bora Ultra 35 tubulars

Ben Delaney — Sat, 18 May 2013 23:00:00 GMT

At the Campagnolo Gran Fondo New York this weekend, Campagnolo launched the Bora Ultra 35, a new 1,230g wheelset that fills a hole in the Italian company's racing tubular line between the Hyperon climbing wheels and the 50mm aero wheels for flat courses.

Weighing a mere 530g for the front and 700g for the rear yet offering some aerodynamic advantages, Campagnolo claims this is the best all-around wheel for racing.

The Bora Ultra 35 features a diamond-sanded brake track

With a new carbon fiber layup, Campagnolo claims this wheel is stiffer than the Hyperon.

Pricing was not immediately available.

Perhaps most interesting about the new wheels is the braking arrangement. In addition to new, internally designed and produced carbon-specific pads, Campagnolo has a treatment for the carbon brake track that it calls 3Diamont Surface. In its Italian factory, Campagnolo uses a diamond-tipped tool that scrapes off resin, leaving a bare carbon surface for braking. The company claims that this process eliminates impurities that can result from sanding the surface to remove resin. The goal is to improve braking in the dry and wet, not only to make it more positive, but also smoother and more linear.

There are three Bora Ultra 35 models. The top Bora Ultra 35 features CULT ceramic bearings. The Bora Utrra One 35 features USB bearings. And the Bora One 35 CX is for cyclocross. All three use the same rim and all three are tubular only.

The Bora Ultra 35 slots between the Hyperon climbing tubular and the Bora and Bullet 50mm wheels

The rims have what Campagnolo calls 'Rim Dynamic Balance', meaning extra carbon is placed opposite the valve hole to balance out the wheel.

Keen-eyed race fans may have seen these wheels pop up in recent races under the Lampre-Merida pro squad with Campagnolo's Fulcrum label.

Campagnolo already has a 35mm wheel in the line, the Scirocco H35. But that is clincher with an aluminum brake track. The Scirocco weighs a claimed 788g and 937g, front and rear.

At 1,230g for the pair, the Bora Ultra 35 is nearly as hyper-light as Campagnolo's Hyperon Ultra Two tubular, at 536g and 695g front and rear. But this new wheel is stiffer and considerably more aero, said Campagnolo PR manager Joshua Riddle.

The top-level wheel gets CULT ceramic hub bearings

"This is something that our professional riders requested, and it really is the most versatile race wheel in the line-up," Riddle said.

Campagnolo also now has an 11-27 cassette.

Check back soon for a first ride review of the Bora Ultra 35.

New K-Edge Garmin and SRM mounts debut at Tour of California

James Huang — Sat, 18 May 2013 18:00:00 GMT

AceCo debuted a flurry of new K-Edge computer mounts just before the start of the time trial at the Tour of California. Included in the upcoming crop are a new standard Garmin Edge mount, a new TT-specific Garmin Edge mount, and two TT-specific mounts for SRM’s PowerControl heads – all of which will be available around mid-July.

The new standard K-Edge Garmin mount looks to be a significant improvement over the original one. Gone is the complex three-piece machined aluminum layout in favor of a simpler and sleeker two-piece configuration with bottom-entry bolts, a more rounded shape, and an extension that angles more sharply inward so as to almost disappear when a computer is mounted.

AceCo is keeping the old K-Edge mount's standard quarter-turn interface but instead of machining that from aluminum as well, there will now be a bolt-in injection molded plastic insert that yields both a smoother and lighter feel as well as a 'clickier' lock for improved security. In addition, the modular design will allow AceCo to more quickly develop mounts for other computer brands such as CycleOps and CatEye.

"What we've done is gone with a more of a platform concept," said AceCo principal Joe Savola.

Claimed weight is 32g and suggested retail price will be US$49.99. As before, several anodized colors will be available.

AceCo is also nearing completion of its long-awaited time trial/triathlon-specific K-Edge Garmin mount. Time trial and triathlon setups present unique problems in that there's often not enough space in between the extensions for the standard quarter-turn interface to work. AceCo has cleverly gotten around the issue, however.

Instead of rotating the computer head to lock it into place on a stationary mount, the new TT-specific K-Edge Garmin mount uses rotating tabs – simply place the computer head on the mount, reach underneath the mount, and rotate the cradle. Savola admits that side-mounted buttons can be tough to access given the low and tight confines but in fairness, time trial racers and triathletes aren't likely to be flipping through a bunch of menu pages during an event, anyway.

AceCo's prototype was mostly built using a 3D printer but the production version will use a mix of machined aluminum, Delrin, and injection-molded plastic – all of which will be produced in the United States.

Retail price will be rather expensive at US$59 but Savola says it's an unavoidable consequence of the mount's complexity and domestic manufacturing.

Finally, AceCo unveiled two TT-specific mounts for SRM's range of PowerControl computers. The machined aluminum mounts will be offered to fit both standard 22mm-diameter round and Shimano-standard oval extensions. While SRM's newest mounts include a locking tab, AceCo's K-Edge models stick to the older ball-and-spring setup, although Savola insists it's very secure given the tight precision fit.

Savola said the SRM mounts will “tentatively” retail us $59.99.

Giro 2013 stage 14: Santambrogio takes sprint win from Nibali

Cyclingnews.com — Sat, 18 May 2013 16:16:00 GMT

This story originally appeared on Cyclingnews.com

Mauro Santambrogio (Vini Fantini-Selle Italia) won the 14^th stage of the Giro d'Italia, finishing first atop the Jafferau in horrid weather conditions which forced organisers remove the Col di Sestriere from the stage. He finished just ahead of maglia rosa Vincenzo Nibali (Astana), who didn't contest the win. Carlos Betancur (AG2R-La Mondiale) was third, eight seconds later.

The real winner of the day, however, was the weather. It started raining heavily shortly after the stage started, and that was just a harbinger of things to come. Only an hour before the start, organisers announced that the Sestriere was being taken out due to bad weather, and that the riders would ride through the Val di Susa for an additional 12 kilometers on the day. There were variously heavy fog and even snowfall at the finish during the stage.

A break got away early and built up a lead of up to 10 minutes and Astana gave up interest in pursuing early on. Several teams combined in the final climb to catch the remaining two riders who were away, and Nibali jumped late on the Jafferau to further cement his overall lead.

Nibali once again increased his lead, as Cadel Evans (BMC) finished 33 seconds later. That dropped the second-placed Australian to 1:26 down. Sky's Rigoberto Uran stayed in third at 2:46, with Santambrogio directly behind him at 2:47. Robert Gesink (Blanco) lost enough time on the final climb to drop him from the top ten.

How it happened

Four riders didn't take to the start: Daniele Bennati and Karsten Kroon (both Saxo-Tinkoff), Gert Steegmans (OPQS) and Jack Bobridge (Blanco).

As has so often been the case in this Giro, heavy rainfall started shortly after the start of the stage. That didn't stop a group from forming after about 14 kilometers. Egoi Martinez (Euskaltel), Pieter Weening (Orica-GreenEdge), Luca Paolini (Katusha), Peter Stetina (Garmin-Sharp), Daniele Pietropolli (Lampre), Sonny Colbrelli (Bardiani Valvole-CSF Inox) and Matteo Trentin (OPQS) started off together.

However, in an odd coincidence, the three non-Italians all soon crashed apparently due to the wet roads, and fell back, leaving Italians Paolini, Pietropolli, Colbrelli and Trentin in the lead. The foursome proved to be speedy, building up a 7:10 lead by kilometre 50.

A "brutal" crash, as the Gazzetta dello Sport called it, took down Alessandro Vanotti (Astana), Enrico Battaglin (Bardiani Valvole-CSF-Inox) and Robinson Chalapud (Colombia). The first two were forced to leave the race.

The gap only increased, as Astana showed little interest in giving serious chase. After 100km, and with 80km left to go, the time difference was nine minutes.

As the gap grew to nearly 10 minutes, Cannondale, Androni Giacattoli and Sky moved to the head of the field. Their work helped the gap come down only slowly, though. Their efforts finally showed effect on the final climb, as the gap had dropped to 5:35 with 25km remaining.

Trentin suffered on the climb but was able to hold on. However, a puncture at 20km to go, put an end to his slim hold on the group.

Sky led the charge from behind, apparently hoping to launch their new leader Uran to make up time on maglia rosa Nibali.

The closer the finish line climb, the smaller the gap became. A greatly reduced field of 30-40 riders was giving furious chase, with Sky setting a blistering pace. It started getting nip-and-tuck for the three leaders, as the gap hovered around four minutes with 5km to go.

It was not Uran but Henao who was sent up the road for Sky. He was marked by Androni's Diego Rosa, whose teammate Franco Pellizotti had earlier attacked but was unable to sustain his lead.

The fog and mist which had left the finish line returned, of course, in time for the finish. Colbreli was dropped as the finish line – and the maglia rosa group - approached.

The first rider to emerge from the fog with 400 meters to go was Santambrogio, followed closely by Nibali, who had obviously jumped from the chase group. Behind them, a handful of riders including Cadel Evans made their slow way up.

Brief Results

Result
1	Mauro Santambrogio (Ita) Vini Fantini-Selle Italia	4:42:55
2	Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Astana Pro Team
3	Carlos Alberto Betancur Gomez (Col) AG2R La Mondiale	0:00:09
4	Samuel Sanchez Gonzalez (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi	0:00:26
5	Rigoberto Uran Uran (Col) Sky Procycling	0:00:30
6	Cadel Evans (Aus) BMC Racing Team	0:00:33
7	Domenico Pozzovivo (Ita) AG2R La Mondiale
8	Robert Kiserlovski (Cro) RadioShack Leopard
9	Sonny Colbrelli (Ita) Bardiani Valvole-CSF Inox	0:00:55
10	Damiano Caruso (Ita) Cannondale Pro Cycling	0:00:58

Giro 2013 stage 14: Santambrogio takes sprint win from Nibali

Susan Westemeyer — Sat, 18 May 2013 15:57:00 GMT

This story originally appeared on Cyclingnews.com

How it happened

Four riders didn't take to the start: Daniele Bennati and Karsten Kroon (both Saxo-Tinkoff), Gert Steegmans (OPQS) and Jack Bobridge (Blanco).

The gap only increased, as Astana showed little interest in giving serious chase. After 100km, and with 80km left to go, the time difference was nine minutes.

Trentin suffered on the climb but was able to hold on. However, a puncture at 20km to go, put an end to his slim hold on the group.

Sky led the charge from behind, apparently hoping to launch their new leader Uran to make up time on maglia rosa Nibali.

It was not Uran but Henao who was sent up the road for Sky. He was marked by Androni's Diego Rosa, whose teammate Franco Pellizotti had earlier attacked but was unable to sustain his lead.

The fog and mist which had left the finish line returned, of course, in time for the finish. Colbreli was dropped as the finish line – and the maglia rosa group - approached.