Cyclingnews Tech Home Reviews

Zipp 145SL stem

Cycling News — Sun, 08 May 2011 20:56:36 GMT

It's certainly not cheap, but this carbon fibre masterpiece will beef up and beautify any cockpit. We’re often worried about the integrity of carbon gear, but Zipp’s stem is created from no fewer than 50 separate pieces of carefully hand-wrapped carbon fibre. The six titanium bolts for the faceplate and rear steerer clamp are sourced from the same supplier as Ducati’s Moto GP programme too. The result is an impressively light (136g in 100mm) oversized diameter thin-walled shaft ...

Louis Garneau Vorttice aero helmet

Cycling News — Sun, 08 May 2011 20:55:15 GMT

The popularity of aero helmets has exploded in the past couple of years, and manufacturers like Louis Garneau have started adding all manner of innovations to stay ahead of the competition. With the Vorttice they’ve used dimples at the front so that on-rushing air sticks closely to the helmet. There are also raised lines on the top (called the Vortex Generator) which are designed to accelerate air over the back, plus an Evacuation Channel to send air through the helmet and out the back to ...

American Classic 420 Aero 3 road wheelset

Cycling News — Sat, 07 May 2011 18:36:27 GMT

With their unique looks, the American Classics earned admiring comments. The rear wheel’s three-spoke lacing groups are the most eye-catching feature. They combine a radial pattern on the left with three-cross on the right. American Classic claim that with the larger right-hand hub ﬂange this balances spoke tension for all spokes, increasing stiffness and strength. The 34mm deep rim is said to be the lightest rim of its type, and the weight, even with 24 aero spokes, suggests this could be ...

Suunto T6C Computer + GPS Pod review

Cycling News — Sat, 07 May 2011 18:35:56 GMT

Suunto's top GPS and heart-rate linked T6C isn’t cheap, but it’s the ultimate multisport computer for those serious enough to benefit. This watch straps easily and securely onto most bars if you don’t want it on your wrist. The GPS sensor then drops into your pocket or the supplied arm strap to provide 3D speed/distance data on bike or run. The Comfort Belt HR strap is reliable and very comfortable, and there’s even a dedicated swim recording heart rate strap for triathletes ...

Felt F2 review

Cycling News — Fri, 08 Apr 2011 07:46:47 GMT

The F2 is the second-tier model in Felt's revamped F-series of road bikes. The upgrades have been worth the wait, with enormous improvements in pedaling stiffness and handling precision while retaining – or even improving upon – the old flagship's comfort, weight, and ride quality. And, despite a rise in production costs, the F2 still represents surprisingly reasonable value relative to other Shimano Dura-Ace Di2-equipped bikes. Ride & handling: Magical feel with rock-solid pedaling ...

Boardman Road Pro Carbon

Cycling News — Tue, 05 Apr 2011 20:29:23 GMT

Helped by their high street distribution via Halfords in the UK, Boardman Bikes have made quite a name for themselves in just a few years. They're not standing still in 2011 . This year they're sponsoring a professional road team, are looking to move into international markets and have introduced some new bikes, including this, their first aero road bike. Typically for a Boardman bike, the price is exceptionally competitive, your £1,800 landing you a carbon fibre frame, tapered carbon fork ...

Time RXI road shoes

Cycling News — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 21:58:29 GMT

The RXIs are definitely try-before-you-buy shoes and they really divided our testers. Some couldn’t get on with the weight, and found the shape didn’t work for them, others found them very comfortable and were prepared to put up with the mass to get a fit that suited. Choose the RXIs if you like a shallow heel, a large toe box and soft uppers, but if you prefer to be held really firmly, look elsewhere. Testers who disliked the fit did find that some heat moulding with a hairdryer improved ...

Specialized Henge saddle

Cycling News — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 21:07:48 GMT

When it comes to contact points, Specialized’s big thing is Body Geometry. The idea is to use science to measure things and design products to suit. In the case of saddles, Specialized’s boffins have decided that blood flow through the arteries that pass between your sit bones is something worth maintaining. They do, after all, supply the family jewels, and while we’re not aware of any proven link between reduced blood flow and permanent damage to something important, not starving ...

Trek Top Fuel 9.9 SSL review

Cycling News — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 20:41:22 GMT

The Top Fuel 9.9 SSL is a replica of the bike that was ridden to victory by Trek World Racing's Mathias Flueckinger in the 2010 U23 World Cup and World Championships. It's certainly superlight, but after three months of testing, we came away somewhat disappointed. We found two issues: the rear suspension doesn’t produce the pedaling performance expected from a cutting-edge cross-country rocketship and the front end of the bike feels soft, to the point of affecting handling. Ride & handling: ...

First Ride Review: Specialized Epic Comp Carbon 29

Peter Hymas — Tue, 22 Mar 2011 04:02:45 GMT

The Specialized Epic Comp Carbon 29 is an excellent companion for those fast, all-day cross-country trail outings when you've got a lot of ground to cover and little time to do it. The proven four-bar rear suspension design lends 100mm of smooth travel while the corresponding Brain auto-lockout shock ensures it only moves when it should, the carbon fiber front triangle saves some weight and adds handling precision over an equivalent aluminum structure, and fast-rolling 29" wheels simply devour ...

First ride review: Bontrager Oracle helmet

Barry Ryan — Thu, 20 Jan 2011 14:38:26 GMT

The Leopard Trek team's new Bontrager Oracle helmets aren't set for public release until later this summer but we've already managed to rack up a couple hundred kilometers on an early production sample during the team training camp in Palma de Mallorca. While the weight sits at the heavier end of the spectrum, Bontrager has gotten the rest pretty much spot-on with excellent ventilation, a tidy profile and keen aesthetics, excellent overall comfort, and a new retention system that's easy to adjust ...

Crud Roadracer Mk2

Cycling News — Wed, 17 Nov 2010 06:22:55 GMT

Aimed at racing steeds with neither the clearance nor the bosses for standard mudguards, the Roadracer Mk2 – an updated version of Crud’s original – is a sleek but practical way of protecting you from winter grime. Like their predecessors, they have ingenious brushes that keep the sides from rubbing, but they also have strengthened brake bridges, a wider section next to the drivetrain and longer tailpieces – available separately as spares, which you can ﬁt retrospectively ...

Van Dessel Full Tilt Boogie

Cycling News — Fri, 12 Nov 2010 04:23:26 GMT

Van Dessel have a cult following, especially when it comes to American cyclo-cross. Proprietor Edwin Bull has Belgian ancestry, and he calls on this to successfully meld an old-world aesthetic with a new-school 'cross geometry that works well on US courses. The Full Tilt Boogie is the brand's latest cyclo-cross flagship, notable for its tube-to-tube carbon construction. It proved fast, comfortable, light (17.08lb) and durable, and we enjoyed our time on it. However, it’s pricey compared to ...

Malvern Star Oppy C7

Cycling News — Wed, 10 Nov 2010 04:28:16 GMT

Renowned former professional rider Phil Anderson fronted the television ads for reborn Australian bike company Malvern Star during last year's Tour de France and his claim that the Oppy C7 road racer could be ridden professionally is a grand endorsement coming from someone who has won stages in both the Tour de France and Giro d'Italia as well as the Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré overall. Depending on the needs of the rider who purchases it, this bike may be suited ...

iBike Aero computer

Cycling News — Fri, 05 Nov 2010 05:27:34 GMT

The iBike Aero from VeloComp aims to provide a lightweight, simple to use and cheap alternative to direct power measurement while maintaining comparable accuracy. At $799.00 for the Aero model reviewed here, only Polar’s chain-tension based system comes close to matching it in price. iBike uses speed data from an ANT+ sensor (in our case, via a CycleOps PowerTap hub) together with atmospheric pressure, acceleration and wind speed measurements gathered by onboard sensors to calculate the power ...

TRP CX 9 cyclo-cross brakes

Cycling News — Wed, 03 Nov 2010 04:22:02 GMT

Let's get one thing out in the open straight away: riding a cyclo-cross bike doesn't automatically mean having to deal with inadequate brakes, and careening uncontrollably into a tight corner isn't an inherent part of the sport. Case in point is TRP's CX 9 linear pull brakes. In contrast to nearly all conventional 'cross cantilevers – especially Euro-style wide-profile ones – the CX 9's no-profile, high-leverage design offers extraordinary levels of stopping power. In fact, the difference ...

Focus Mares CX 2

Cycling News — Tue, 02 Nov 2010 06:23:11 GMT

Focus have followed a winning formula for their Mares CX cyclo-cross machine: grab the best chassis in your range, hang a collection of competition-worthy but financially sensible parts on it, and then slap a reasonable price tag on the whole lot. And what a fantastic chassis it is, too, offering up an excellent balance of weight, stiffness, and ride quality. Ride & handling: Excellent balance of light weight, stiffness, and ride quality Once the whistle blows and that critical first ...

Specialized CruX Pro Carbon

Cycling News — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 21:24:40 GMT

Specialized's CruX Pro Carbon cyclo-cross flagship is a new model for 2011, but the carbon frame is essentially the old S-Works Tricross with a few minor tweaks and an updated look – and similar pros and cons. Frame & handling: Supremely comfortable, but more languid than snappy Ride comfort on rough terrain is remarkably plush, even with the stock clinchers inflated to a more training-friendly 50psi. Whether that's due to Specialized's Zertz elastomeric dampers in the seatstays and fork ...

Specialized CruX Pro Carbon

Cycling News — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 21:24:40 GMT

Blackburn Atom 4.0 computer

Cycling News — Sat, 21 Aug 2010 01:17:08 GMT

The angular Atom has a sharp, uncluttered appearance, and its large, two-part buttoned central ridge gives a positive feel for gloved ﬁngers. Fitting is very simple: a choice of rubber bungees strap the unit to the handlebar or stem, with two cable ties for securing the wireless sensor. Setting it up was also easy, though we questioned the usefulness of the adjustable screen contrast. Functions include current, average and max speed, odometer, trip, clock and ride time – all cycled through ...

Blackburn Atom 4.0 computer

Cycling News — Sat, 21 Aug 2010 01:17:08 GMT

Shimano 105 2011 groupset

Cycling News — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 04:41:25 GMT

The 2011 version of Shimano’s everyman groupset has features including under-tape gear cabling and a new brake block compound. But it’s cheaper than before, so has shaving the price shaved performance? Shimano 105 has always resembled its pricier groupset sibling Ultegra, without too much of a weight or performance penalty for its lower price. The new 105 – 5700 series – as opposed to 5600 – is closer still, despite Shimano increasing the price gap by making the new ...

Shimano 105 2011 groupset

Cycling News — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 04:41:25 GMT

RavX Beta X carbon bottle cage

Cycling News — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 03:57:49 GMT

American company RavX isn’t among the most well-known manufacturers when it comes to bottle cages, yet its Beta X model competes handsomely in the full-carbon bottle cage market. With an actual weight of 26 grams, the Beta X’s weight is comparable to that of Blackburn ’s Design Camber and the Arundel Mandible Bottle Cage. At around £36, nobody would accuse the Beta X of being cheap, but its average for the genre. The Beta X performed flawlessly throughout our test. While ...

RavX Beta X carbon bottle cage

Cycling News — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 03:57:49 GMT