Cyclingnews Tech Home Reviews

Specialized S-Works Roubaix SL4 review

Peter Hymas — Mon, 13 May 2013 14:47:53 GMT

Set aside your notions of the Specialized S-Works Roubaix SL4 being some cushy doctor/lawyer machine. While the geometry and positioning says "endurance bike", the rest of the bike screams "race me", with a rigid backbone, an impressively low weight, and a ride quality that's likely firmer than you expect – for better or worse. Ride & handling: Smooth yet firm Specialized has hardened up its flagship Roubaix considerably for this year, setting aside its previous Barcalounger-like ...

Scott Scale 700 RC Swisspower - First ride review

Peter Hymas — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 17:52:44 GMT

Nino Schurter (Scott-Swisspower) has been tearing up the World Cup circuit for more than a year on a new Scott Scale carbon fiber hardtail with 27.5-inch wheels. Scott has now announced the consumer release of that same bike – in extremely limited quantities – and BikeRadar brings you an exclusive first hand preview. If you like your speed served up with a healthy side of agility, your time may have come – especially if you've been interested in a Scott 29er but couldn't come to ...

TRP HY/RD road disc brakes - First ride review

Peter Hymas — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 19:01:18 GMT

TRP announced its clever HY/RD cable-hydraulic hybrid road and cyclo-cross disc brakes calipers earlier this year – and we've been riding a production set on home soil since the Taipei Cycle Show in an exclusive early preview. So far they're mostly living up to their lofty performance claims with excellent power and control, good lever feel, and much better heat capacity than we expected. SRAM has already announced its full-hydraulic road/CX brake options (with Shimano expected to follow suit ...

Specialized S-Works Road shoes - long-term review

Peter Hymas — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 21:25:17 GMT

Specialized wandered into dangerous territory this year, replacing its much-loved S-Works Road shoe for an entirely new model that's supposedly better suited to the company's professional racers. We've been riding a set since September 2012, and as long as you can wrap your head around the polarizing aesthetics you'll probably find it a worthy successor. If the old version was luxurious, the new S-Works is perhaps best described as purpose-built, with seemingly no excess material. Last year's thicker ...

Trek Madone 6-Series long term review

Peter Hymas — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 21:24:30 GMT

Trek cooked up a radical redesign of its workhorse Madone 6-Series road chassis last year, infusing a healthy dose of aero ingredients borrowed from its groundbreaking Speed Concept TT/tri bike. As expected, the aero claims are eye opening: 25 watts of saved energy at 40km/h compared to the previous Madone – nearly two minutes per hour. We can't verify those figures ourselves without hitting the wind tunnel – and they certainly can't be felt while out on the road – but what we ...

Specialized CruX Pro Carbon review

Peter Hymas — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 21:23:45 GMT

Specialized's long awaited carbon fiber CruX builds upon the lessons learned from the alloy version, with new-school, low-slung geometry well suited to North American courses. That it's lighter and more responsive than the alloy CruX is no surprise, but what we didn't expect was the impressive smoothness. The only things keeping this from being a top-shelf package right out of the gate are the so-so wheels and disappointingly narrow tires. Ride & handling: Light, snappy, and quick handling but ...

Garmin Edge 510 GPS cycle computer - first ride review

Peter Hymas — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 21:22:07 GMT

The new Garmin Edge 510 isn't so much a step up from the likable Edge 500 as it is a 'lite' version of the Edge 800 and new Edge 810 . While lacking that flagship's mapping and navigational functions, the new mid-sized Edge 510 adds a full-color touchscreen, a major satellite system upgrade, a complete redesign of the interface, and a slick smartphone connectivity package that can not only upload your rides when you're done but even download critical alerts while you're on the go. Watch the video ...

Garmin Edge 810 GPS cycle computer - first ride review

Peter Hymas — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 21:21:26 GMT

Garmin has finally unveiled the new Edge 810 GPS-enabled cycle computer – the long-awaited successor to its flagship Edge 800 . Although it looks virtually identical from the outside, it's not until you delve into the new user interface that you begin to appreciate its more simplified operation. The addition of Bluetooth and new Garmin smartphone apps enhances the Garmin 810's capabilities even further, and will likely keep Garmin at the top of the GPS heap. Watch the video below for our first ...

Ridley X-Fire Disc review

Peter Hymas — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 21:20:44 GMT

A fixture on the North American cyclo-cross scene since its introduction in 2007, the carbon fiber Ridley X-Fire gets updated yet again for the 2012-13 season, with optional disc brake tabs and 135mm rear hub spacing. It isn't the lightest, stiffest, or most comfortable machine we've tested but it's a faithful workhorse well suited to nasty conditions. Ride & handling: Ultra-stable through deep sand but a rough ride Given Ridley's Belgian roots, it's perhaps no surprise that the X-Fire Disc ...

Cannondale SuperX Hi-Mod Disc review

Peter Hymas — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 21:20:03 GMT

"Slow is smooth, smooth is fast…" It's a cheesy quote from a Mark Wahlberg movie (or a Phil Dunphy classic if you're a Modern Family fan) but it's one that suits the Cannondale SuperX Hi-Mod Disc perfectly. Its powerful and highly controllable disc brakes let us enter the corners hotter and more consistently, its incredibly silky ride quality is easier on the body, so you can stay on the gas longer and feel less beat up at the end of the hour, and it's impressively efficient and ...

Shimano Dura-Ace 9000 mechanical groupset review

Peter Hymas — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 21:19:22 GMT

Shimano took a big step with Dura-Ace 7900 , but not necessarily one in the right direction. Fast forward to the new 11-speed, mechanical 9000 group , though, and all is forgiven. It works better, it feels better, it's quieter, it's faster, and it's smoother – it's just plain fantastic. We've only logged a few rides on the new group, but so far every indication is that it's a home run. Ergonomics are on par with Di2, the shifter action has taken a page out of the XTR playbook, every motion ...

Dedacciai Strada Super Cross review

Peter Hymas — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 21:18:42 GMT

Early last year, Dedacciai Strada – the frame division of component maker Dedacciai – charged ahead of the market with its disc-only Super Cross carbon cyclo-cross frameset. It's fast, light, and comfortable, and while it has some bugs to work out it's a good testament to what disc brakes can offer in the right conditions. Ride & handling: Ultra-nimble and smooth in the rough stuff Dedacciai Strada builds the Super Cross like a modern road racer, with relatively small fork blades ...

3T Luteus Team fork review

Peter Hymas — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 21:16:21 GMT

First shown early in 2011, the 3T Luteus was one of the earliest high-end, all-carbon, disc-compatible cyclo-cross forks to debut on the market. As it turns out, it's also one of the best ones available with an impressive stout structure, a good ride quality, and smart disc-specific features that belie its frontrunner status. Disc calipers impart very different forces on a fork than cantilevers and it's here where the Luteus seems to shine the brightest with impressively thorough forethought. Even ...

Felt Edict Nine LTD review

Peter Hymas — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 21:09:13 GMT

Felt's Edict Nine LTD full-suspension 29er flagship certainly looks the part what with its curvaceous carbon fiber frame, menacing visage, and enticing parts spec that practically begs to be raced. But unfortunately, the appeal on paper doesn't translate out on the trail where we found the outdated geometry and surprisingly soft frame to be a letdown on what we otherwise expected to be a cross-country rocket ship. Ride and handling: good rear suspension but the front end is out of sorts The Edict ...

Oakley Radarlock XL glasses review

Peter Hymas — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 21:05:46 GMT

The new Oakley Radarlock XL improves on the standard Radar sunglasses with its clever Switchlock system. As opposed to the old setup where you almost felt like you were about to break the frame during a lens swap, Switchlock makes it a gentler affair that also leaves fewer fingerprints. As the name suggests, our 'XL' test variant shares the same features as the regular Radarlock glasses but with a lens that's a substantial 7mm taller. This lends a little more coverage and protection but for riders ...

Review: Pinarello Dogma 65.1 Think 2

Peter Hymas — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 21:04:55 GMT

Pinarello's new Dogma 65.1 Think 2 flagship may have an awkwardly long name but you forget all about it once you're out on the open road. Despite what has always felt like overwrought hyperbole and hype, it seems the generous praise that has surrounded Sky's curiously curvaceous team-issue rig is all true. Few – if any – superbikes we've ridden in the past can match the Dogma 65.1 Think 2's freakishly improbable combination of ride quality, stiffness, and handling. Ride and handling: ...

SRAM Red 2012 group - long term review

Peter Hymas — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 21:04:13 GMT

We walked away from the launch of SRAM's latest Red group very impressed and now that we've been able to log more time on a production setup, we're happy to report that our initial experience played out long term. This second-generation group brings with it a more refined drivetrain, vastly improved front shifting, stronger braking, and even better ergonomics – not to mention lighter weight, too. Save for personal preferences, there's functionally almost nothing to complain about. Speedier ...

First ride review: NeilPryde BURAsl frame

Peter Hymas — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 20:42:01 GMT

Although veterans of carbon fiber construction in watersports, NeilPryde are quite new to cycling. At PressCamp, BikeRadar took the company's third bike, the forthcoming BURAsl, for a test ride in Utah. It proved to be quite a snappy little climber. Ride & handling: Light and stiff "We didn't set out to design the world's lightest bike," said Mike Pryde, a lifelong cyclist and son of company founder Neil Pryde. "We have three target criteria – high bottom bracket stiffness, ...

Ritchey Break-Away Road Ti/Carbon bike review

Peter Hymas — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 20:41:16 GMT

Travel bikes are oftentimes an exercise in compromises but the Ritchey Break-Away Road Ti/Carbon is different, comprising a sleek, high performance titanium and carbon fiber frame that just happens to fit into a conveniently sized case. We've been traveling regularly with it all spring and logged nearly a dozen days on two continents that we wouldn’t have gotten otherwise – and we haven’t paid a single dollar in baggage fees, either. Given a smart build, it's been good enough to ...

Cervelo P5 – First ride review

Peter Hymas — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 20:40:05 GMT

The Cervélo P5 time trial bike has enjoyed success at this year's Giro d’Italia and Amgen Tour of California, under Garmin-Barracuda. And with the bike still in limited supply – only a dozen exist and only a few Garmin riders used it at the Giro; the others rode P4s – we were grateful to get a chance to test ride the UCI legal version of it in California. There are five key elements to the P5: aerodynamics, ride feel, hydraulic brakes, fully integrated Shimano electronic ...

Scott Spark 29 RC long-term review

Peter Hymas — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 20:39:26 GMT

Scott's first-generation Spark was not only a great race bike but a surprisingly capable trail machine, too, and the addition of 29er wheels on the Spark 29 RC has added fantastic high-speed manners and obstacle-leveling, monster truck-sized rubber. Six months of hard testing have confirmed our initial impressions , though: handling is fantastic but the rear suspension performance feels well behind the times and unfortunately it's not something that's easily rectified. Ride and handling: awesome ...

Video: Trek Domane 6-Series – First ride review

Daniel Benson — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 20:38:52 GMT

This story originally appeared on Bikeradar The IsoSpeed "decoupler" on Trek 's new Domane classics bike breaks new ground in its approach to smoothing out the ride over rough roads. Skeptics dismiss it as being akin to a flexible seatpost (or even a suspension post) integrated into a more expensive and overly complicated frame but after a four-hour ride* including several of Ronde van Vlaanderen 's fabled cobbled climbs, we can emphatically say that it's not what you think – it's ...

Bontrager RL Road shoe review

Peter Hymas — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 20:35:38 GMT

Bontrager shoes continue their upward trajectory with the latest RL Road model and its outstanding inForm Pro last. The fit and feel are excellent, the styling is keenly high-end, and the feature set would be satisfying even at a much higher cost. Spend more if you like but there's certainly not much need. The new inForm Pro last is the heart and soul of the Bontrager RL Road shoes. The heel cup construction is basic but well shaped so it holds on tightly, the upper is appropriately snug and mostly ...

Louis Garneau Glacier RD winter road shoes review

Peter Hymas — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 20:26:34 GMT

Rather than prescribe the usual mix of standard summer shoes and shoe covers to tackle cold and wet winter road rides, Louis Garneau have built-in the insulation and cover on their Glacier RD. The result is a dedicated all-in-one package that's more convenient and offers better protection. Louis Garneau have gotten the protection aspect of the Glacier RD nailed, with a waterproof, vent-free outer cover and effective Thinsulate insulation. Combined with the waterproof zipper and tightly fitting, ...

Lazer Magneto Eyewear System review

Peter Hymas — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 20:25:58 GMT

True innovations are few and far between these days but Lazer has managed just that with its new Magneto Eyewear System. We don't expect it to revolutionize the cycling eyewear market on a grand scale but its unique characteristics will surely find a few fans. Instead of traditional earstems that grip the sides of your head, the Lazer Magneto glasses use curiously truncated temples with embedded magnets that attach to rubber-coated steel add-ons on the matching Lazer Helium helmet – currently ...