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77 Articles

THE FUTURE OF THE WORLD IS AT STAKE – and cycling is the answer. // WE’RE AT A CROSSROADS IN OUR HUMAN EVOLUTION, AND WE NEED TO GRAB THIS CHANCE TO MAKE THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE. We need to ride our bikes everywhere! To work, to the shops, to friends (when we can!) and to school. // THE WORLD IS ALREADY AHEAD OF US. Major metropoles are turning city centres into car-free zones, having realised the humble bicycle is the solution to all these new-age catastrophes – Covid-19, the environment, traffic jams, stress… // BECOME AN ADVOCATE. Spread the word. Buy someone a bike, or lend them one of yours. Let them see what’s possible with a chain and two wheels. If you own a business, challenge and incentivise…

THE FUTURE OF THE WORLD IS AT STAKE – and cycling is the answer. // WE’RE AT A CROSSROADS IN OUR HUMAN EVOLUTION, AND WE NEED TO GRAB THIS CHANCE TO MAKE THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE. We need to ride our bikes everywhere! To work, to the shops, to friends (when we can!) and to school. // THE WORLD IS ALREADY AHEAD OF US. Major metropoles are turning city centres into car-free zones, having realised the humble bicycle is the solution to all these new-age catastrophes – Covid-19, the environment, traffic jams, stress… // BECOME AN ADVOCATE. Spread the word. Buy someone a bike, or lend them one of yours. Let them see what’s possible with a chain and two wheels. If you own a business, challenge and incentivise…

IN-SPRUITION The Braamfontein Spruit is Jozi’s most famous mountain-bike trail. Slap bang in the middle of SA’s biggest city, ‘The Spruit’ stretches for 37km over municipal land from Rivonia to Emmerentia, and is an easily accessible green belt amid the hustle and bustle. But with city funds lacking, it has been up to organisations such as Jozi Trails to maintain the routes. See how you can help at jozitrails.co.za. When I began riding – not counting the time as a child but starting from when I discovered a life’s passion, in 1981 in my first year of high school – I was desperate and eager and nuts to inhale the lore of cycling so I could immediately align my life with the sacred tenets that had always been true and always…

AUTHOR SELENE YEAGER

CREDENTIALS CERTIFIED COACH, CERTIFIED PERSONAL TRAINER, PRO-LICENSED MOUNTAIN-BIKE & GRAVEL RACER MAINTAIN MUSCLE RIDERS GET HUNG UP ON NUMBERS ON THE SCALE. WHAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT IS STAYING STRONG. MY SECRETS FOR LONGEVITY IN CYCLING RIDE ALL THE THINGS – MOUNTAIN, 'CROSS, GRAVEL, AND ROAD ALL ENGAGE YOUR MIND AND MUSCLES DIFFERENTLY. FIND THE FUN WHEN MY TRAINING MOJO IS LOW, I ASK, ‘HOW CAN I MAKE THIS FUN?’ SOMETIMES IT’S AS SIMPLE AS REVERSING MY USUAL ROUTES. DON’T OVERCOMPLICATE IT EAT GOOD FOOD, GET GOOD SLEEP, AND BE GRATEFUL FOR EVERY RIDE. HEED THE NIGGLES AS SOON AS I FEEL THE SLIGHTEST TWINGE, I ADDRESS IT. MASSAGE, YOGA, AND FOAM ROLLING KEEP ME OFF THE INJURED LIST.…

AUTHOR SELENE YEAGER

IN-SPRUITION The Braamfontein Spruit is Jozi’s most famous mountain-bike trail. Slap bang in the middle of SA’s biggest city, ‘The Spruit’ stretches for 37km over municipal land from Rivonia to Emmerentia, and is an easily accessible green belt amid the hustle and bustle. But with city funds lacking, it has been up to organisations such as Jozi Trails to maintain the routes. See how you can help at jozitrails.co.za. When I began riding – not counting the time as a child but starting from when I discovered a life’s passion, in 1981 in my first year of high school – I was desperate and eager and nuts to inhale the lore of cycling so I could immediately align my life with the sacred tenets that had always been true and…

THE GET-FIT-AND-FAST-IN-A-HURRY TRAINING PLAN

S#IT HAPPENS. ONE minute it’s July, and you have all the time in the world to get ready for those summertime rides and races. The next minute, you’re pedalling past the last of the spring flowers wondering where the off-season went. Don’t panic. Unless you’re prepping for Le Tour, you still have plenty of time to ramp up your training and build speed and endurance, even on a tight time budget. Here’s exactly what to do to get into shape fast. STRESS THE SYSTEMS // Stress gets a bad rap, but in the right doses, it’s actually good for you. That’s what training is, after all: stress. It’s the practice of pushing your body past its current state and forcing it to adapt so those higher intensities become your new normal. Once…

THE GET-FIT-AND-FAST-IN-A-HURRY TRAINING PLAN

THE GET-FIT-AND-FAST-IN-A-HURRY TRAINING PLAN

S#IT HAPPENS. ONE minute it’s July, and you have all the time in the world to get ready for those summertime rides and races. The next minute, you’re pedalling past the last of the spring flowers wondering where the off-season went. Don’t panic. Unless you’re prepping for Le Tour, you still have plenty of time to ramp up your training and build speed and endurance, even on a tight time budget. Here’s exactly what to do to get into shape fast. STRESS THE SYSTEMS // Stress gets a bad rap, but in the right doses, it’s actually good for you. That’s what training is, after all: stress. It’s the practice of pushing your body past its current state and forcing it to adapt so those higher intensities become your new…

THE GET-FIT-AND-FAST-IN-A-HURRY TRAINING PLAN

NEW GEAR TO GET YOU MOTIVATED

1 / POLAR H10 BLUETOOTH/ ANT+ HEART RATE SENSOR / R1 499 Nail your intensity – high and low – with a heart-rate monitor like the H10 from Polar, which uses both ANT+ and Bluetooth to transmit to pretty much any fitness app, bike computer, smartwatch, or gym equipment. 2 / GARMIN FĒNIX 6X PRO WATCH / R14 999 This one device tracks all your workouts on and off the bike; doubles as a bike computer; auto-syncs with apps like Strava and TrainingPeaks; and records sleep and stress data, which you can easily access – with other health stats – in the Garmin Connect app. 3 / CAST IRON KETTLEBELL WEIGHT / R200 - R1 000 Available in weights ranging from 4kg to 20kg.…

NEW GEAR TO GET YOU MOTIVATED

AUTHOR SELENE YEAGER

CREDENTIALS CERTIFIED COACH, CERTIFIED PERSONAL TRAINER, PRO-LICENSED MOUNTAIN-BIKE & GRAVEL RACER MAINTAIN MUSCLE RIDERS GET HUNG UP ON NUMBERS ON THE SCALE. WHAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT IS STAYING STRONG. MY SECRETS FOR LONGEVITY IN CYCLING RIDE ALL THE THINGS – MOUNTAIN, 'CROSS, GRAVEL, AND ROAD ALL ENGAGE YOUR MIND AND MUSCLES DIFFERENTLY. FIND THE FUN WHEN MY TRAINING MOJO IS LOW, I ASK, ‘HOW CAN I MAKE THIS FUN?’ SOMETIMES IT’S AS SIMPLE AS REVERSING MY USUAL ROUTES. DON’T OVERCOMPLICATE IT EAT GOOD FOOD, GET GOOD SLEEP, AND BE GRATEFUL FOR EVERY RIDE. HEED THE NIGGLES AS SOON AS I FEEL THE SLIGHTEST TWINGE, I ADDRESS IT. MASSAGE, YOGA, AND FOAM ROLLING KEEP ME OFF THE INJURED LIST.…

AUTHOR

SELENE YEAGER

AUTHOR MATT PHILLIPS

CYCLING PHILOSOPHY BICYCLES ARE AMAZING HARDEST RIDE EVER GETTING LOST IN ITALY ON THE WAY BACK TO MY HOTEL AFTER FINISHING A 180KM GRAN FONDO FAVOURITE PIECE OF GEAR PERFECTLY TUNED SUSPENSION CREDENTIALS I’VE BEEN DOING THIS A LONG TIME GO-TO BIKE MOSAIC RS-1 (ROAD), EVIL OFFERING (MOUNTAIN), CERVÉLO ÁSPERO (GRAVEL) BEST RIDE EVER MY FIRST OUTDOOR RIDE AFTER RECOVERING FROM A BROKEN TIBIA…

AUTHOR MATT PHILLIPS

TO GET WAAAY OUT THERE – LIKE, REALLY OUT THERE – YOU NEED A SUPERBIKE

I'VE HAD THIS ITCH LATELY TO HOP onto a bike loaded with camping gear and ride way out there. Every time I see bikepacking images, I envision being on a ridgeline, far from everything and everyone, watching the sunrise as I pack up my campsite before setting out for another amazing day on the bike. I know I’m not alone in this desire. Most cyclists I speak to love adventure, and most see multi-day bike trips as a romantic endeavour they’d love to experience. But while ‘touring’ bikes – the ones we picture crossing the country on paved roads – have been around longer than any of us have been riding, these days more and more people are looking to take their adventures off-road, away from cars. It’s the main…

TO GET WAAAY OUT THERE – LIKE, REALLY OUT THERE – YOU NEED A SUPERBIKE

NEW GEAR TO GET YOU MOTIVATED

1 / POLAR H10 BLUETOOTH/ ANT+ HEART RATE SENSOR / R1 499 Nail your intensity – high and low – with a heart-rate monitor like the H10 from Polar, which uses both ANT+ and Bluetooth to transmit to pretty much any fitness app, bike computer, smartwatch, or gym equipment. 2 / GARMIN FĒNIX 6X PRO WATCH / R14 999 This one device tracks all your workouts on and off the bike; doubles as a bike computer; auto-syncs with apps like Strava and TrainingPeaks; and records sleep and stress data, which you can easily access – with other health stats – in the Garmin Connect app. 3 / CAST IRON KETTLEBELL WEIGHT / R200 - R1 000 Available in weights ranging from…

NEW GEAR TO GET YOU MOTIVATED

TO GET WAAAY OUT THERE – LIKE, REALLY OUT THERE – YOU NEED A SUPERBIKE

I'VE HAD THIS ITCH LATELY TO HOP onto a bike loaded with camping gear and ride way out there. Every time I see bikepacking images, I envision being on a ridgeline, far from everything and everyone, watching the sunrise as I pack up my campsite before setting out for another amazing day on the bike. I know I’m not alone in this desire. Most cyclists I speak to love adventure, and most see multi-day bike trips as a romantic endeavour they’d love to experience. But while ‘touring’ bikes – the ones we picture crossing the country on paved roads – have been around longer than any of us have been riding, these days more and more people are looking to take their adventures off-road, away from cars. It’s the main…

TO GET WAAAY OUT THERE – LIKE, REALLY OUT THERE – YOU NEED A SUPERBIKE

FRAME BAGS THAT CARRY (ALMOST) EVERYTHING

1 / APIDURA BACKCOUNTRY FRAME BAG / R1 390-R1 450 Haul food and gear, and keep your goods close, with room left over in the front triangle for water bottles. Comes in 3, 4.5, and 5.3-litre sizes. 2 / REVELATE RANGER FRAME BAG / R2 499-R2 795 This waterproof frame bag has a hydration reservoir hose port and two external pockets. Comes in 6, 7.3, 8.6 and 10-litre sizes. 3 / APIDURA RACING FRAME PACK / R1 690 With multiple and adjustable attachments, this pack fits into many of your bike’s nooks. Comes in 2.4 and 4-litre sizes.…

AUTHOR MATT PHILLIPS

CYCLING PHILOSOPHY BICYCLES ARE AMAZING HARDEST RIDE EVER GETTING LOST IN ITALY ON THE WAY BACK TO MY HOTEL AFTER FINISHING A 180KM GRAN FONDO FAVOURITE PIECE OF GEAR PERFECTLY TUNED SUSPENSION CREDENTIALS I’VE BEEN DOING THIS A LONG TIME GO-TO BIKE MOSAIC RS-1 (ROAD), EVIL OFFERING (MOUNTAIN), CERVÉLO ÁSPERO (GRAVEL) BEST RIDE EVER MY FIRST OUTDOOR RIDE AFTER RECOVERING FROM A BROKEN TIBIA…

AUTHOR

MATT PHILLIPS

WHY WE ARE RIDERS

THE ENGLISH AND German and Spanish and maybe Korean conversations around me hushed as the heavily tattooed Spanish man with the physique of a climber jovially shouted, “Vamos!” and the clackety chorus of 50 riders clipping in ensued as we followed him. We rolled out of the hotel parking lot and onto the streets of Palma. This compact, large-calved rider led us through the rows of brightly-coloured houses, past a café baking fragrant bread, through smooth avenues lined with palm trees, and up a winding alleyway crowded with bright purple bougainvillea bushes and tiny balconies laced with laundry. Eventually, we were out beyond the buildings and among the hills of olive trees and vineyards. The landscape became rocky, and then rolling, and we were whipping, rushing, swooping, flying in the churning,…

WHY WE ARE RIDERS

FRAME BAGS THAT CARRY (ALMOST) EVERYTHING

1 / APIDURA BACKCOUNTRY FRAME BAG / R1 390-R1 450 Haul food and gear, and keep your goods close, with room left over in the front triangle for water bottles. Comes in 3, 4.5, and 5.3-litre sizes. 2 / REVELATE RANGER FRAME BAG / R2 499-R2 795 This waterproof frame bag has a hydration reservoir hose port and two external pockets. Comes in 6, 7.3, 8.6 and 10-litre sizes. 3 / APIDURA RACING FRAME PACK / R1 690 With multiple and adjustable attachments, this pack fits into many of your bike’s nooks. Comes in 2.4 and 4-litre sizes.…

3 GREAT BIKE-TOUR OUTFITS IN SOUTH AFRICA

DAYTRIPPERS From morning rides into Cape Point to week-long road and mountain-bike tours, catering for all budgets and speeds. DAYTRIPPERS.CO.ZA VIVID BIKE CO Gravel bike, MTB and e-bike tours, off-the-shelf or fully customised, and big on incorporating local culture, connections and flavours in every tour. VIVIDBIKECO.COM DETOUR TRAILS Fatbikes in Moz, Sani Pass (both ways), and bespoke forays into Lesotho and around KZN – Detour's focus is on real riding and good times. DETOURTRAILS.CO.ZA…

WHY WE ARE RIDERS

THE ENGLISH AND German and Spanish and maybe Korean conversations around me hushed as the heavily tattooed Spanish man with the physique of a climber jovially shouted, “Vamos!” and the clackety chorus of 50 riders clipping in ensued as we followed him. We rolled out of the hotel parking lot and onto the streets of Palma. This compact, large-calved rider led us through the rows of brightly-coloured houses, past a café baking fragrant bread, through smooth avenues lined with palm trees, and up a winding alleyway crowded with bright purple bougainvillea bushes and tiny balconies laced with laundry. Eventually, we were out beyond the buildings and among the hills of olive trees and vineyards. The landscape became rocky, and then rolling, and we were whipping, rushing, swooping, flying in the…

WHY WE ARE RIDERS

AUTHOR RILEY MISSEL

CREDENTIALS RIDER, RACER, DAFFODIL JUDGE HARDEST RIDE EVER A GROUP RIDE WITH MY FRIEND RIGHT AFTER WE WENT TO A HUGE BRUNCH BUFFET. BAD IDEA. BEST RIDE EVER RIDING HALFWAY ACROSS THE COUNTRY WITH MY BEST FRIENDS! DEFINITELY SOME OF MY FAVOURITE DAYS ON THE BIKE. FAVOURITE PIECE OF GEAR HELMETS WITH PONYTAIL HOLES GO-TO BIKE CAAD 10 SOUL ROUTE THE TAIL OF THE DRAGON (318 TURNS IN 18KM) CYCLING PHILOSOPHY THE GREATNESS OF A RIDE IS MEASURED BY HOW MANY DOGS YOU PAT ALONG THE WAY.…

AUTHOR
RILEY MISSEL

BEING FAST IS POINTLESS. I WOULD KNOW.

I SPENT MOST OF MY TWENTIES sweating on a bicycle, with the singular focus of being fast. I went to university, joined the cycling club, never went to watch any other sport, and I can count the number of beers I drank on one hand. I joined a small pro team after I graduated, spent weeks at a time on the road staying at host houses or sleeping in my car, and it all made sense because it was my job. I was climbing the sacred ladder of sport for competition and glory, and eventually I made it to the WorldTour. That justified all the parties I skipped and pizza I didn’t eat (pizza was an off-season food). I stopped racing at the end of 2016, and now I make a…

BEING FAST IS POINTLESS. I WOULD KNOW.

3 GREAT BIKE-TOUR OUTFITS IN SOUTH AFRICA

DAYTRIPPERS From morning rides into Cape Point to week-long road and mountain-bike tours, catering for all budgets and speeds. DAYTRIPPERS.CO.ZA VIVID BIKE CO Gravel bike, MTB and e-bike tours, off-the-shelf or fully customised, and big on incorporating local culture, connections and flavours in every tour. VIVIDBIKECO.COM DETOUR TRAILS Fatbikes in Moz, Sani Pass (both ways), and bespoke forays into Lesotho and around KZN – Detour's focus is on real riding and good times. DETOURTRAILS.CO.ZA…

ICE LEGS / Even if it’s all just for fun, you still need to recover. Cold therapy is a simple and scientifically proven method of helping muscles recover faster. Few riders can afford their own cryotherapy chamber; ice baths are just another form of torture (and who really keeps that much ice at home?); and bags of frozen peas just don’t seem to cut it. Phil Gaimon created Ice Legs for the everyday cyclist looking for a better solution. They come in two sizes, and each sleeve has six removable ice packs for coverage from your upper thigh to your lower calf. Plus they’re hands-free, so you can do better things with your time – like plan your next weekend adventure. Or eat pizza.…

Like many quasi-racing cyclists in South Africa, I gave up on CSA a long time ago. I love cycling, and I love testing myself against my peers; but having a headmaster with a big stick dictating where and when I can and can’t race? No thanks. CSA’s perceived misdemeanours are legion. Bloated official trips to representative cycling events abroad, for which athletes have recently had to pay not only their own travel expenses, but even for their national riding kit. Cyclists being fined and banned from racing for riding events that CSA hasn’t sanctioned, even when those events could not be governed by CSA’s own rules (Bicycling has been privy to an alarmingly arrogant exchange between the former General Manager and an established event owner who dared to question the federation). Rumours of…

BEING FAST IS POINTLESS. I WOULD KNOW.

I SPENT MOST OF MY TWENTIES sweating on a bicycle, with the singular focus of being fast. I went to university, joined the cycling club, never went to watch any other sport, and I can count the number of beers I drank on one hand. I joined a small pro team after I graduated, spent weeks at a time on the road staying at host houses or sleeping in my car, and it all made sense because it was my job. I was climbing the sacred ladder of sport for competition and glory, and eventually I made it to the WorldTour. That justified all the parties I skipped and pizza I didn’t eat (pizza was an off-season food). I stopped racing at the end of 2016, and now I make…

BEING FAST IS POINTLESS. I WOULD KNOW.

ICE LEGS / Even if it’s all just for fun, you still need to recover. Cold therapy is a simple and scientifically proven method of helping muscles recover faster. Few riders can afford their own cryotherapy chamber; ice baths are just another form of torture (and who really keeps that much ice at home?); and bags of frozen peas just don’t seem to cut it. Phil Gaimon created Ice Legs for the everyday cyclist looking for a better solution. They come in two sizes, and each sleeve has six removable ice packs for coverage from your upper thigh to your lower calf. Plus they’re hands-free, so you can do better things with your time – like plan your next weekend adventure. Or eat pizza.…

The abstract to Austin’s marketing thesis reads: “The business model of CyclingSA has come under pressure during the past decade, with a financial model not being sustainable to meet the expectations of development and performance, as there is a decline in membership, and its relevance as a governing body is being questioned. “The federation has isolated itself as an autocratic administrative body with no partners, and has been unsuccessful in implementing changes to become a strong non-profit sporting organisation.” If the draft document Austin and her executive drew up to lobby government for reasonable time to exercise through lockdown is anything to go by, the depth of understanding and forward thinking will surely have impressed the jaundiced civil servants whose desk it crossed, as it did us. For the first time in years,…

Like many quasi-racing cyclists in South Africa, I gave up on CSA a long time ago. I love cycling, and I love testing myself against my peers; but having a headmaster with a big stick dictating where and when I can and can’t race? No thanks. CSA’s perceived misdemeanours are legion. Bloated official trips to representative cycling events abroad, for which athletes have recently had to pay not only their own travel expenses, but even for their national riding kit. Cyclists being fined and banned from racing for riding events that CSA hasn’t sanctioned, even when those events could not be governed by CSA’s own rules (Bicycling has been privy to an alarmingly arrogant exchange between the former General Manager and an established event owner who dared to question the…

The abstract to Austin’s marketing thesis reads: “The business model of CyclingSA has come under pressure during the past decade, with a financial model not being sustainable to meet the expectations of development and performance, as there is a decline in membership, and its relevance as a governing body is being questioned. “The federation has isolated itself as an autocratic administrative body with no partners, and has been unsuccessful in implementing changes to become a strong non-profit sporting organisation.” If the draft document Austin and her executive drew up to lobby government for reasonable time to exercise through lockdown is anything to go by, the depth of understanding and forward thinking will surely have impressed the jaundiced civil servants whose desk it crossed, as it did us. For the first…

In September last year, during the UCI World Championship road race in the UK, Dutch rider Annemiek van Vleuten did something seldom seen in modern pro racing. After breaking clear of the peloton up an early hill called Lofthouse, she rode solo for more than 100km across the Yorkshire moors to take the title. De-saturate the TV, squint your eyes a bit, and she could have been Eddy Merckx in another era entirely. Van Vleuten (37) is no stranger to first place on the podium, having won the time trial world champs in 2017 and 2018, as well as La Course by Le Tour de France in both those years and the Giro Rosa in 2018 and 2019. But this victory was special – just because of the sheer audacity of that…

THE LONG, OPEN ROAD

Close your eyes. Listen. The quiet crunch of gravel under your tyres. The faintest breeze – just enough to carry the scent of a storm, maybe coming your way. Reefs of cloud, stacked above dark mountains. You turn the cranks, moving effortlessly, almost as if you’re not touching the ground. There’s nobody else, just the odd sheep, watching idly as you roll past. Your head is full of wondrous ideas, impossible projects that – out here, under this sky – seem completely possible. You have so much love in your heart, and you can’t wait to share it. You crest a rise and the road rolls out again. It looks like it will never end. But that’s okay, because you don’t want it to end. You dream of distance, of freedom, the curve of the…

THE LONG, OPEN ROAD

I’M ALL FOR LOWER, LONGER, SLACKER MOUNTAIN BIKES, BUT LET’S NOT TAKE IT TOO FAR!

THE EVOLUTION OF the road-race bike has come to a virtual standstill. In contrast, there’s so much new and exciting stuff happening in the rest of the bicycle world. The geometry rules of the mountain bike, for example, are in the midst of a major rewrite, with ‘lower/longer/slacker’ (LLS) being its hottest and most-evolving trend. Like a lot of trends, it’s difficult to pin down where, how, and why LLS got its start. Perhaps the movement towards shorter stems and wider handlebars, the proliferation of dropper posts, ever-changing wheel sizes, and the exploding popularity of bike parks and flow trails (both of which encourage riding at higher speeds than on typical singletrack) have something to do with it. Whatever the reason, almost every new mountain bike that launches is lower, longer,…

I’M ALL FOR LOWER, LONGER, SLACKER MOUNTAIN BIKES, BUT LET’S NOT TAKE IT TOO FAR!

In September last year, during the UCI World Championship road race in the UK, Dutch rider Annemiek van Vleuten did something seldom seen in modern pro racing. After breaking clear of the peloton up an early hill called Lofthouse, she rode solo for more than 100km across the Yorkshire moors to take the title. De-saturate the TV, squint your eyes a bit, and she could have been Eddy Merckx in another era entirely. Van Vleuten (37) is no stranger to first place on the podium, having won the time trial world champs in 2017 and 2018, as well as La Course by Le Tour de France in both those years and the Giro Rosa in 2018 and 2019. But this victory was special – just because of the sheer audacity…

LOCAL BIKE SHOPS ARE COMMUNITY LIFELINES. IT TOOK A GLOBAL PANDEMIC TO REMIND US.

WHEN DID WE move to Amsterdam? I thought to myself, while rolling along my favourite – usually sparsely-travelled – trail, giving wide berth to families of five, teenage siblings, couples on MTBs, and single riders of all ages atop two wheels. My typically quiet back roads resembled something of a small-town L’Eroica as lone riders spun along on skinny-tubed steel bikes with leather saddles and down-tube shifters. But I wasn’t in the Netherlands, or some cool, retro-inspired race. I was in the very current, increasingly frightening modern reality framed by the COVID-19 pandemic. People were using these bikes – new and old – to stay healthy, sane, and connected to the outdoors during extraordinarily isolating times. And we have our local bike shops to thank. Let’s be clear. We haven’t always been so grateful…

LOCAL BIKE SHOPS ARE COMMUNITY LIFELINES. IT TOOK A GLOBAL PANDEMIC TO REMIND US.

THE LONG, OPEN ROAD

Close your eyes. Listen. The quiet crunch of gravel under your tyres. The faintest breeze – just enough to carry the scent of a storm, maybe coming your way. Reefs of cloud, stacked above dark mountains. You turn the cranks, moving effortlessly, almost as if you’re not touching the ground. There’s nobody else, just the odd sheep, watching idly as you roll past. Your head is full of wondrous ideas, impossible projects that – out here, under this sky – seem completely possible. You have so much love in your heart, and you can’t wait to share it. You crest a rise and the road rolls out again. It looks like it will never end. But that’s okay, because you don’t want it to end. You dream of distance, of…

THE LONG, OPEN ROAD

I’M ALL FOR LOWER, LONGER, SLACKER MOUNTAIN BIKES, BUT LET’S NOT TAKE IT TOO FAR!

THE EVOLUTION OF the road-race bike has come to a virtual standstill. In contrast, there’s so much new and exciting stuff happening in the rest of the bicycle world. The geometry rules of the mountain bike, for example, are in the midst of a major rewrite, with ‘lower/longer/slacker’ (LLS) being its hottest and most-evolving trend. Like a lot of trends, it’s difficult to pin down where, how, and why LLS got its start. Perhaps the movement towards shorter stems and wider handlebars, the proliferation of dropper posts, ever-changing wheel sizes, and the exploding popularity of bike parks and flow trails (both of which encourage riding at higher speeds than on typical singletrack) have something to do with it. Whatever the reason, almost every new mountain bike that launches is lower,…

I’M ALL FOR LOWER, LONGER, SLACKER MOUNTAIN BIKES, BUT LET’S NOT TAKE IT TOO FAR!

NO SUCH THING AS OVERKILL.

“Staying open during a global pandemic demands Herculean attention to disinfecting details. For shop owners, that means spending half the day with a bottle of bleach. “Meeting customers at the entrance, spraying the bikes down with sanitising solution before starting the repairs, and spraying them down again before returning them is the new norm, along with telephonic bookings over walk-ins. Deliveries are unpacked and disinfected before they hit the store-front. If that means spraying and wiping down 200 tubes, so be it. “That’s what it’s taking to trade, and to keep everyone as well as possible. “Bikes are a saving grace for a lot of people right now. They certainly are for me. If I can’t go out and get on my bike, I’m not going to have any sanity. Knowing how important it…

THE CLOTHING YOU NEED TO CHEAT WINTER WEATHER

We’re pretty lucky in South Africa when it comes to the weather. Unlike in Europe, where you have to be super-dedicated (or a bit crazy) to ride year-round, our winters are relatively mild. But you still need the right gear if you’re going to enjoy heading out. The Highveld serves up finger-freezing mornings, and rain can arrive out of nowhere in the Western Cape. Here’s a sampling of some of our favourite apparel to handle the wet and the cold. EJANTEE DRIZZLE-PROOF JACKET R380 Jeanette Terblanche is the owner of JanTee Designs – she produces a range of funky outdoor and sports gear from her workshop in Pinelands, Cape Town. Of all her products, this little beauty is our favourite – and most suited to cycling. It’s an inexpensive windbreaker that will also keep you…

THE CLOTHING YOU NEED TO CHEAT WINTER WEATHER

3 FABRIC FEATURES THAT MATTER BETWEEN MAY AND SEPTEMBER

NYLON Nylon is a type of thermoplastic, derived from petroleum, and was first used as an alternative to silk. It’s naturally resilient, water-resistant and stain-resistant, which makes it a great fabric for any outdoor garment that has to withstand nature’s furies. WATER-RESISTANT VS. WATERPROOF The two terms are NOT interchangeable. Fabrics that are water-resistant can fend off rain for only so long until it penetrates – and the harder it’s falling, the sooner it soaks through. Waterproof fabric keeps rain on the outside, where it belongs. TAPED VS. WELDED SEAMS A taped seam uses a stitched nylon cloth with a waterproof rubber backing to make the stitched area watertight. Welded seams avoid stitching altogether. By using glue, and heat-sealing the two edges of the fabric, the garment can be made watertight without the added bulk…

3 FABRIC FEATURES THAT MATTER BETWEEN MAY AND SEPTEMBER

LOCAL BIKE SHOPS ARE COMMUNITY LIFELINES. IT TOOK A GLOBAL PANDEMIC TO REMIND US.

WHEN DID WE move to Amsterdam? I thought to myself, while rolling along my favourite – usually sparsely-travelled – trail, giving wide berth to families of five, teenage siblings, couples on MTBs, and single riders of all ages atop two wheels. My typically quiet back roads resembled something of a small-town L’Eroica as lone riders spun along on skinny-tubed steel bikes with leather saddles and down-tube shifters. But I wasn’t in the Netherlands, or some cool, retro-inspired race. I was in the very current, increasingly frightening modern reality framed by the COVID-19 pandemic. People were using these bikes – new and old – to stay healthy, sane, and connected to the outdoors during extraordinarily isolating times. And we have our local bike shops to thank. Let’s be clear. We haven’t…

LOCAL BIKE SHOPS ARE COMMUNITY LIFELINES. IT TOOK A GLOBAL PANDEMIC TO REMIND US.

The Future is Bike

Paris 650km Lima 300km New York City 64km Bogota 75km Milan 35km Barcelona 21km Imagine a world with fewer cars and more bicycles. Less smog, and more sweat. More ‘whirr’ than ‘Aaargh!’ A world where cycling to work, to the shops, to friends is the norm, and streets are safe, open and free. As the planet tries to find ways to move forward after Covid-19, cycling is starting to be part of the plan, as wider, less cramped streets and reduced crowding in commuter trains and taxis become more crucial. As Winston Churchill famously said: “Never let a good crisis go to waste.” Could our post-Covid world be more cycling-friendly? Definitely. Can South Africa embrace what cities around the world are already planning – kilometres more cycling lanes, and a cycling-centric future? Even UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has actively…

The Future is Bike

AROUND THE WORLD

If it’s bicycles, it must be Belgium... Here’s how some other countries are promoting bike culture. South Africa, are you taking notes? France + The French ecology ministry asked a group that promotes the use of bikes to help officials co-ordinate the creation of temporary cycling paths. Germany + In Berlin, pop-up cycling lanes have been set up to encourage social distancing. + In the state of Baden-Wuerttemberg, home to Daimler-AG, the government is doubling its investment in bike and walking lanes to 58 million Euros. United States + New York announced that it would temporarily open 160km of roads to pedestrians and cyclists — a move that may lead to permanent closure to vehicular traffic. In May, bike shops in NY reported shortages of bikes as demand outstripped supply. + Oakland plans to shut down about 10% of…

AROUND THE WORLD

NO SUCH THING AS OVERKILL.

“Staying open during a global pandemic demands Herculean attention to disinfecting details. For shop owners, that means spending half the day with a bottle of bleach. “Meeting customers at the entrance, spraying the bikes down with sanitising solution before starting the repairs, and spraying them down again before returning them is the new norm, along with telephonic bookings over walk-ins. Deliveries are unpacked and disinfected before they hit the store-front. If that means spraying and wiping down 200 tubes, so be it. “That’s what it’s taking to trade, and to keep everyone as well as possible. “Bikes are a saving grace for a lot of people right now. They certainly are for me. If I can’t go out and get on my bike, I’m not going to have any sanity.…

THE CLOTHING YOU NEED TO CHEAT WINTER WEATHER

We’re pretty lucky in South Africa when it comes to the weather. Unlike in Europe, where you have to be super-dedicated (or a bit crazy) to ride year-round, our winters are relatively mild. But you still need the right gear if you’re going to enjoy heading out. The Highveld serves up finger-freezing mornings, and rain can arrive out of nowhere in the Western Cape. Here’s a sampling of some of our favourite apparel to handle the wet and the cold. EJANTEE DRIZZLE-PROOF JACKET R380 Jeanette Terblanche is the owner of JanTee Designs – she produces a range of funky outdoor and sports gear from her workshop in Pinelands, Cape Town. Of all her products, this little beauty is our favourite – and most suited to cycling. It’s an inexpensive…

THE CLOTHING YOU NEED TO CHEAT WINTER WEATHER

CORONAVIRUS WILL DEAL A SERIOUS BLOW TO PRO CYCLING

BY THE MIDDLE of March, it was apparent that sports couldn’t continue as normal – couldn’t continue at all – during the coronavirus pandemic. But for pro cycling, the warning signs came earlier. As Italy struggled with mounting cases, race organisers called off the highly anticipated Strade Bianche. Meanwhile, Paris-Nice continued with a thinned peloton and an ever-increasing set of restrictions until the promoter, ASO, called a halt one stage shy of the planned finish. The dominoes fell quickly after that, with country after country restricting movement and cancelling races. The Classics, Giro d’Italia, and Tokyo Olympics were rescheduled or called off, even as the ASO scrambled for a way to hold a delayed Tour de France (now set to start 29 August). The result is unprecedented in living memory: unless…

CORONAVIRUS WILL DEAL A SERIOUS BLOW TO PRO CYCLING

3 FABRIC FEATURES THAT MATTER BETWEEN MAY AND SEPTEMBER

NYLON Nylon is a type of thermoplastic, derived from petroleum, and was first used as an alternative to silk. It’s naturally resilient, water-resistant and stain-resistant, which makes it a great fabric for any outdoor garment that has to withstand nature’s furies. WATER-RESISTANT VS. WATERPROOF The two terms are NOT interchangeable. Fabrics that are water-resistant can fend off rain for only so long until it penetrates – and the harder it’s falling, the sooner it soaks through. Waterproof fabric keeps rain on the outside, where it belongs. TAPED VS. WELDED SEAMS A taped seam uses a stitched nylon cloth with a waterproof rubber backing to make the stitched area watertight. Welded seams avoid stitching altogether. By using glue, and heat-sealing the two edges of the fabric, the garment can be made…

3 FABRIC FEATURES THAT MATTER BETWEEN MAY AND SEPTEMBER

The Future is Bike

Paris 650km Lima 300km New York City 64km Bogota 75km Milan 35km Barcelona 21km Imagine a world with fewer cars and more bicycles. Less smog, and more sweat. More ‘whirr’ than ‘Aaargh!’ A world where cycling to work, to the shops, to friends is the norm, and streets are safe, open and free. As the planet tries to find ways to move forward after Covid-19, cycling is starting to be part of the plan, as wider, less cramped streets and reduced crowding in commuter trains and taxis become more crucial. As Winston Churchill famously said: “Never let a good crisis go to waste.” Could our post-Covid world be more cycling-friendly? Definitely. Can South Africa embrace what cities around the world are already planning – kilometres more cycling lanes, and a…

The Future is Bike

ZEN AND THE ART OF SOCIABLE CYCLING

As if the physical aspect of becoming a cyclist wasn’t daunting enough, there’s a whole statute of unwritten rules and regulations that govern almost every aspect of life on (or near) your bike. Many have been covered by the Velominati, in their glorious reference work The Rules: The Way Of The Cycling Disciple; but even a dip into that venerable tome can be an exercise in humiliation, with in-jokes and inflexibility their only way. Here is the Bicycling way: a collection of simple – and hopefully helpful – guides to navigating your path to cycling bliss. THROUGH-AND-OFF (BUT NOT INTO THE DISTANCE) In bunch riding, one of the most difficult things to learn is how hard to ride on the front. Simply put, don’t go harder when you get to the head…

ZEN AND THE ART OF SOCIABLE CYCLING

So, you’ve bitten the bullet and bought an e-bike.. 1 Take it easy when passing normally-aspirated riders. Slow up, say hello, joke about your shrapnel injury from ‘Nam… anything to break the tension and help the cause. Yes, you can climb at 25 when they’re doing 10; but proving it will just create enemies. Chill and make new friends instead. 2 Don’t dive into the singletrack first if you’re a novice – your bike will have helped you get there ahead of everyone else, but your skills will probably be well behind those of the guys on the regular bikes, and you will get in the way. Which is horrible for all concerned. Let them go first, and follow – it’s the best way to learn! 3 Don’t chip your bike. It’s been…

AROUND THE WORLD

If it’s bicycles, it must be Belgium... Here’s how some other countries are promoting bike culture. South Africa, are you taking notes? France + The French ecology ministry asked a group that promotes the use of bikes to help officials co-ordinate the creation of temporary cycling paths. Germany + In Berlin, pop-up cycling lanes have been set up to encourage social distancing. + In the state of Baden-Wuerttemberg, home to Daimler-AG, the government is doubling its investment in bike and walking lanes to 58 million Euros. United States + New York announced that it would temporarily open 160km of roads to pedestrians and cyclists — a move that may lead to permanent closure to vehicular traffic. In May, bike shops in NY reported shortages of bikes as demand outstripped supply.…

AROUND THE WORLD

CORONAVIRUS WILL DEAL A SERIOUS BLOW TO PRO CYCLING

BY THE MIDDLE of March, it was apparent that sports couldn’t continue as normal – couldn’t continue at all – during the coronavirus pandemic. But for pro cycling, the warning signs came earlier. As Italy struggled with mounting cases, race organisers called off the highly anticipated Strade Bianche. Meanwhile, Paris-Nice continued with a thinned peloton and an ever-increasing set of restrictions until the promoter, ASO, called a halt one stage shy of the planned finish. The dominoes fell quickly after that, with country after country restricting movement and cancelling races. The Classics, Giro d’Italia, and Tokyo Olympics were rescheduled or called off, even as the ASO scrambled for a way to hold a delayed Tour de France (now set to start 29 August). The result is unprecedented in living memory:…

CORONAVIRUS WILL DEAL A SERIOUS BLOW TO PRO CYCLING

THEIR SON’S HEART SAVED HIS LIFE. SO HE RODE 2 295 KM TO MEET THEM.

IT TOOK SEVERAL DRAFTS TO GET THE LETTERS RIGHT. To capture her boy who, just a few short months before, had been so full of life, energy, and love. To distill him into the two-dimensionality of words on paper. Three weeks earlier, the thread that held Christine Cheers’ world together had been ripped clean away, sending her whole life spinning like an off-balance top. On Wednesday, 21 February 2018, someone on the other end of the phone had said the words that bring any parent to their knees: “There’s been an accident.” Her son, 32-year-old Navy flight surgeon James Mazzuchelli, had been injured in a helicopter training mission. If she wanted to see him while he was still alive, she needed to get on the next flight – and she needed to pray. James…

THEIR SON’S HEART SAVED HIS LIFE. SO HE RODE 2 295 KM TO MEET THEM.

WHY CYCLISTS MAKE GOOD ORGAN DONORS

You’ve worked hard for a body that gets nods of approval at your annual check-up. As difficult as it is to think about the circumstances that would lead to donating your organs, your cycling fitness makes you an ideal candidate. If you’re on the fence about signing up (or haven’t got around to it), here’s why being a cyclist increases your chances to help people if the worst happens. 1 YOUR HEART IS STRONG. Dr Anuj Shah, an interventional cardiologist, says he can occasionally tell if a donor was an endurance athlete because of the languid way it will beat when he does an ultrasound assessment to see if it’s a potential match for his patient. 2 YOUR LIVER IS TOPNOTCH. Regular exercise keeps your liver healthy. It’s estimated that between 30…

WHY CYCLISTS MAKE GOOD ORGAN DONORS

ZEN AND THE ART OF SOCIABLE CYCLING

As if the physical aspect of becoming a cyclist wasn’t daunting enough, there’s a whole statute of unwritten rules and regulations that govern almost every aspect of life on (or near) your bike. Many have been covered by the Velominati, in their glorious reference work The Rules: The Way Of The Cycling Disciple; but even a dip into that venerable tome can be an exercise in humiliation, with in-jokes and inflexibility their only way. Here is the Bicycling way: a collection of simple – and hopefully helpful – guides to navigating your path to cycling bliss. THROUGH-AND-OFF (BUT NOT INTO THE DISTANCE) In bunch riding, one of the most difficult things to learn is how hard to ride on the front. Simply put, don’t go harder when you get to…

ZEN AND THE ART OF SOCIABLE CYCLING

So, you’ve bitten the bullet and bought an e-bike.. 1 Take it easy when passing normally-aspirated riders. Slow up, say hello, joke about your shrapnel injury from ‘Nam… anything to break the tension and help the cause. Yes, you can climb at 25 when they’re doing 10; but proving it will just create enemies. Chill and make new friends instead. 2 Don’t dive into the singletrack first if you’re a novice – your bike will have helped you get there ahead of everyone else, but your skills will probably be well behind those of the guys on the regular bikes, and you will get in the way. Which is horrible for all concerned. Let them go first, and follow – it’s the best way to learn! 3 Don’t chip your…

In Defence of Rollers

OBVIOUSLY, YOU NEED ZWIFT, RIGHT? NO, YOU DON'T. JUST GET YOURSELF A SET OF ROLLERS. I tried spinning, for a while. Maybe ten years ago. But the instructor was so popular and the booking system so terrible, there was a real chance of arriving at the gym and not getting a bike. Who the hell wants to be in a gym at 5am, anyway? The smell of stale sweat masked by chorine and detergent, strangers with morning breath… On the rare occasion that I did manage to get a bike, my heart would panic as it went from ‘asleep’ to ‘WTF?!’ in less than a minute; and I’d spend the rest of the session cursing this glorified form of aerobics, while the sun rose outside without me. Then, in the lead-up to a…

In Defence of Rollers

THEIR SON’S HEART SAVED HIS LIFE. SO HE RODE 2 295 KM TO MEET THEM.

IT TOOK SEVERAL DRAFTS TO GET THE LETTERS RIGHT. To capture her boy who, just a few short months before, had been so full of life, energy, and love. To distill him into the two-dimensionality of words on paper. Three weeks earlier, the thread that held Christine Cheers’ world together had been ripped clean away, sending her whole life spinning like an off-balance top. On Wednesday, 21 February 2018, someone on the other end of the phone had said the words that bring any parent to their knees: “There’s been an accident.” Her son, 32-year-old Navy flight surgeon James Mazzuchelli, had been injured in a helicopter training mission. If she wanted to see him while he was still alive, she needed to get on the next flight – and she…

THEIR SON’S HEART SAVED HIS LIFE. SO HE RODE 2 295 KM TO MEET THEM.

WHY CYCLISTS MAKE GOOD ORGAN DONORS

You’ve worked hard for a body that gets nods of approval at your annual check-up. As difficult as it is to think about the circumstances that would lead to donating your organs, your cycling fitness makes you an ideal candidate. If you’re on the fence about signing up (or haven’t got around to it), here’s why being a cyclist increases your chances to help people if the worst happens. 1 YOUR HEART IS STRONG. Dr Anuj Shah, an interventional cardiologist, says he can occasionally tell if a donor was an endurance athlete because of the languid way it will beat when he does an ultrasound assessment to see if it’s a potential match for his patient. 2 YOUR LIVER IS TOPNOTCH. Regular exercise keeps your liver healthy. It’s estimated that…

WHY CYCLISTS MAKE GOOD ORGAN DONORS

Stockholm Syndrome

...IT WAS THE MOST FUN I’D HAD IN WEEKS, AND THE HOUR WAS OVER BEFORE IT STARTED HURTING. It wasn’t always like this. I’ve been a serial indoor-trainer buyer for decades. And an equally serial seller of such items, almost invariably in mint condition. My record on a non-smart trainer is probably 45 minutes. There was just no way I could ever get to an hour; boredom and pain and claustrophobia won, every time. That changed when the kind fellas at Wattbike dropped off the new Atom for review, and I pulled the trigger on my $15-a-month Zwift membership. It wasn’t quite love at first pedal stroke, but from the outset, an hour on the bike was more than survivable. The Atom is a thing of beauty, arguably the leader of the pack if you’re…

Stockholm Syndrome

RIDE LIKE A PRO Well, on their bikes, anyway...

SPECIALIZED S-WORKS TARMAC PRICE: R140 000 SPECIALIZED.COM This utterly gorgeous bicycle is the sixth iteration of the S-Works Tarmac, one of the most successful bikes in the pro peloton. Specialized were one of the first manufacturers to introduce a dropped seat-stay design, which is now commonplace among top-level road bikes. The dropped stays increase compliance and improve aerodynamics – something that is further enhanced by a slimmer down tube and bottom bracket – but somehow the extra compliance doesn’t sacrifice anything in the way of road feel, handling or stiffness. And amazingly, despite all the new aero tech borrowed from the Venge, the SL6 Tarmac frame is 20% lighter than the previous version, weighing only about 800g. This is thanks to some stupidly high-quality FACT 12r carbon, the construction and lay-up of which was…

RIDE LIKE A PRO Well, on their bikes, anyway...

In Defence of Rollers

OBVIOUSLY, YOU NEED ZWIFT, RIGHT? NO, YOU DON'T. JUST GET YOURSELF A SET OF ROLLERS. I tried spinning, for a while. Maybe ten years ago. But the instructor was so popular and the booking system so terrible, there was a real chance of arriving at the gym and not getting a bike. Who the hell wants to be in a gym at 5am, anyway? The smell of stale sweat masked by chorine and detergent, strangers with morning breath… On the rare occasion that I did manage to get a bike, my heart would panic as it went from ‘asleep’ to ‘WTF?!’ in less than a minute; and I’d spend the rest of the session cursing this glorified form of aerobics, while the sun rose outside without me. Then, in the…

In Defence of Rollers

Stockholm Syndrome

...IT WAS THE MOST FUN I’D HAD IN WEEKS, AND THE HOUR WAS OVER BEFORE IT STARTED HURTING. It wasn’t always like this. I’ve been a serial indoor-trainer buyer for decades. And an equally serial seller of such items, almost invariably in mint condition. My record on a non-smart trainer is probably 45 minutes. There was just no way I could ever get to an hour; boredom and pain and claustrophobia won, every time. That changed when the kind fellas at Wattbike dropped off the new Atom for review, and I pulled the trigger on my $15-a-month Zwift membership. It wasn’t quite love at first pedal stroke, but from the outset, an hour on the bike was more than survivable. The Atom is a thing of beauty, arguably the leader…

Stockholm Syndrome

TRUNCATED WHAT?

The head tube, down tube, seat tube and integrated seat post of the new TCR are all in the shape of what Giant engineers call a ‘truncated ellipse’ (‘truncated’ as in the trailing edge has been cut off). Some other brands such as Specialized use the same technology, but sometimes refer to it as a ‘truncated airfoil’. Same thing. Where the traditional teardrop tube shape is fastest at zero-degrees yaw (the angle between a cyclist’s direction of motion and the relative wind vector), a truncated ellipse… isn’t. But it is faster when the yaw is offset. For this reason, Giant engineered the TCR’s frame with -15 to +15 degrees of yaw, which it says most closely replicates the yaw angles riders experience in the real world. Another cool fact is that for…

Greg van Avermaet debuted his 2020 race bike at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad in Belgium in February. It’s pimped out with a golden fade paintjob – a nod to his 2016 Olympic road race victory. The other difference to the production bike is the groupset – Team CCC is sponsored by Shimano, so Greg runs a full Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 R9170 groupset, with sprint shifters integrated into the drops. And while some other teams have been experimenting with tubeless tyres, CCC has gone the tried-and-tested tubular route, with 28mm Vittoria Corsas on Cadex 42 tubular wheels.…

RIDE LIKE A PRO Well, on their bikes, anyway...

SPECIALIZED S-WORKS TARMAC PRICE: R140 000 SPECIALIZED.COM This utterly gorgeous bicycle is the sixth iteration of the S-Works Tarmac, one of the most successful bikes in the pro peloton. Specialized were one of the first manufacturers to introduce a dropped seat-stay design, which is now commonplace among top-level road bikes. The dropped stays increase compliance and improve aerodynamics – something that is further enhanced by a slimmer down tube and bottom bracket – but somehow the extra compliance doesn’t sacrifice anything in the way of road feel, handling or stiffness. And amazingly, despite all the new aero tech borrowed from the Venge, the SL6 Tarmac frame is 20% lighter than the previous version, weighing only about 800g. This is thanks to some stupidly high-quality FACT 12r carbon, the construction and…

RIDE LIKE A PRO Well, on their bikes, anyway...

He didn’t get to race it at this year’s Epic; but man, does Nino Schurter’s bike look the part. The custom paint scheme features the colours of the South African flag on the top tube, as well as some stats from his crazily successful career. He runs the same fork, shock and drivetrain you’ll find on the production bike (albeit with a fancier cassette), but his wheels are by DT Swiss, and he’s swapped the standard seat post for a RockShox Reverb AXS dropper, activated by an eTap blip in a slot cut into the left-hand grip. And that 36-tooth chainring? Power!…

TRUNCATED WHAT?

The head tube, down tube, seat tube and integrated seat post of the new TCR are all in the shape of what Giant engineers call a ‘truncated ellipse’ (‘truncated’ as in the trailing edge has been cut off). Some other brands such as Specialized use the same technology, but sometimes refer to it as a ‘truncated airfoil’. Same thing. Where the traditional teardrop tube shape is fastest at zero-degrees yaw (the angle between a cyclist’s direction of motion and the relative wind vector), a truncated ellipse… isn’t. But it is faster when the yaw is offset. For this reason, Giant engineered the TCR’s frame with -15 to +15 degrees of yaw, which it says most closely replicates the yaw angles riders experience in the real world. Another cool fact is…

Lachlan Morton’s lightweight bike-packing set-up for GBDURO consisted of a Rapha saddlebag, handlebar bag, frame bag and top-tube bag, plus a Garmin 1030 GPS with a Garmin Charge Power Pack beneath the computer mount, which allowed him to sometimes run the GPS for 24 hours straight without having to charge it. His Garmin Varia UT800 Smart light was equally important – it pairs with the computer and adjusts brightness according to speed, to save battery life. Tyre choice is crucial on a crazy race like this. As EF mechanic and alternative racing director Tom Hopper says, “You want something that’s going to roll on the road, but it must also be wide enough so you can run lower pressure and be confident off-road.” Lachlan chose 700x38mm Vittoria Terreno Dry tyres – the…

Greg van Avermaet debuted his 2020 race bike at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad in Belgium in February. It’s pimped out with a golden fade paintjob – a nod to his 2016 Olympic road race victory. The other difference to the production bike is the groupset – Team CCC is sponsored by Shimano, so Greg runs a full Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 R9170 groupset, with sprint shifters integrated into the drops. And while some other teams have been experimenting with tubeless tyres, CCC has gone the tried-and-tested tubular route, with 28mm Vittoria Corsas on Cadex 42 tubular wheels.…

He didn’t get to race it at this year’s Epic; but man, does Nino Schurter’s bike look the part. The custom paint scheme features the colours of the South African flag on the top tube, as well as some stats from his crazily successful career. He runs the same fork, shock and drivetrain you’ll find on the production bike (albeit with a fancier cassette), but his wheels are by DT Swiss, and he’s swapped the standard seat post for a RockShox Reverb AXS dropper, activated by an eTap blip in a slot cut into the left-hand grip. And that 36-tooth chainring? Power!…

Lachlan Morton’s lightweight bike-packing set-up for GBDURO consisted of a Rapha saddlebag, handlebar bag, frame bag and top-tube bag, plus a Garmin 1030 GPS with a Garmin Charge Power Pack beneath the computer mount, which allowed him to sometimes run the GPS for 24 hours straight without having to charge it. His Garmin Varia UT800 Smart light was equally important – it pairs with the computer and adjusts brightness according to speed, to save battery life. Tyre choice is crucial on a crazy race like this. As EF mechanic and alternative racing director Tom Hopper says, “You want something that’s going to roll on the road, but it must also be wide enough so you can run lower pressure and be confident off-road.” Lachlan chose 700x38mm Vittoria Terreno Dry tyres…

The V10 29 is already a long bike; but Greg Minnaar runs his even longer, using bolt-on swingarm extenders. The Syndicate is sponsored by Shimano, so Minnaar’s bike has Saint and XTR components in place of SRAM X01 and Code brakes. He also rides Santa Cruz Reserve DH carbon wheels (widely regarded as the strongest carbon wheels on the market), featuring a 31mm internal rim width and Chris King hubs. And YOU can buy them too! For an extra R50k… It’s interesting to note that Greg is the only Santa Cruz Syndicate rider who uses 29-inch wheels front and rear. Luca Shaw and Loris Vergier both ride ‘mullet’ bikes, with a 29-inch wheel up front and 27.5 inches at the back.…

MVP’S OTHER BIKES

The 25-year-old phenom blitzed his way to superstardom when he sprinted from distance to win last year’s Amstel Gold race, but he also routinely hammers Nino Schurter on the mountain bike, and he’s unbeatable at cyclocross. For CX races, Van der Poel rides a Canyon Inflite CF SLX 9.0. It’s available for mere mortals in team colours with a Shimano Ultegra Di2 groupset and carbon Reynolds Assault LE DB wheels (R79 999). And when MVP’s competing on the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup circuit, he rides the Canyon Lux CF SLX 9.0, which is also available in team colours with Shimano XTR and a Fox 32 Stepcast Factory fork, keeping the weight to an impressive 10.1kg – that’s including a KS LEV CI carbon dropper post (R114 999). Truth be told, MVP is…

HOW TO BE A SOIGNEUR

LET ME EXPLAIN (1) Both. We’re always the first ones up and the last ones down. Depending on the tour or race, your average day can be 16 to 20 hours long. (2) Everyone prefers shaved – a hairy massage is more painful for the client or rider than it is for us, and you need loads more oil for the hair. (3) They are completely different. MTB is easier, I think, as the team dynamics are less – and less demanding. (4) Hardly glamorous! But never really grimy... just hard work. (5) Our job is to do whatever’s needed. But there are some limits… I remember a rider at the Epic asked me to please treat some very bad saddle sores. I’m not that squeamish, thankfully – they cleared up…

HOW TO BE A SOIGNEUR

The V10 29 is already a long bike; but Greg Minnaar runs his even longer, using bolt-on swingarm extenders. The Syndicate is sponsored by Shimano, so Minnaar’s bike has Saint and XTR components in place of SRAM X01 and Code brakes. He also rides Santa Cruz Reserve DH carbon wheels (widely regarded as the strongest carbon wheels on the market), featuring a 31mm internal rim width and Chris King hubs. And YOU can buy them too! For an extra R50k… It’s interesting to note that Greg is the only Santa Cruz Syndicate rider who uses 29-inch wheels front and rear. Luca Shaw and Loris Vergier both ride ‘mullet’ bikes, with a 29-inch wheel up front and 27.5 inches at the back.…

MVP’S OTHER BIKES

The 25-year-old phenom blitzed his way to superstardom when he sprinted from distance to win last year’s Amstel Gold race, but he also routinely hammers Nino Schurter on the mountain bike, and he’s unbeatable at cyclocross. For CX races, Van der Poel rides a Canyon Inflite CF SLX 9.0. It’s available for mere mortals in team colours with a Shimano Ultegra Di2 groupset and carbon Reynolds Assault LE DB wheels (R79 999). And when MVP’s competing on the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup circuit, he rides the Canyon Lux CF SLX 9.0, which is also available in team colours with Shimano XTR and a Fox 32 Stepcast Factory fork, keeping the weight to an impressive 10.1kg – that’s including a KS LEV CI carbon dropper post (R114 999). Truth be…

HOW TO BE A SOIGNEUR

LET ME EXPLAIN (1) Both. We’re always the first ones up and the last ones down. Depending on the tour or race, your average day can be 16 to 20 hours long. (2) Everyone prefers shaved – a hairy massage is more painful for the client or rider than it is for us, and you need loads more oil for the hair. (3) They are completely different. MTB is easier, I think, as the team dynamics are less – and less demanding. (4) Hardly glamorous! But never really grimy... just hard work. (5) Our job is to do whatever’s needed. But there are some limits… I remember a rider at the Epic asked me to please treat some very bad saddle sores. I’m not that squeamish, thankfully – they cleared…

HOW TO BE A
SOIGNEUR

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