incycle 17

F R E D W H I T TO N C H A L L E N G E | E N D U R O W O R L D S E R I E S | N F TO I N YO R K S H I R E | F O R T W I L L I A M | DAV I D E F O R M O LO

SUMMER ISSUE 17

s we have all come to expect there has been no shortage of activity here at Saddleback this last 3 months!

Internally we have just moved to the latest version of the SAP operating system that powers our business and in so doing we have upgraded our warehouse management system at the same time. We have also added a second warehouse location for a number of our accessory brands, all of which will allow us to increase our capacity and significantly improve the speed of booking stock in and processing your orders.

Externally as you will see in this latest issue of incycle we are well into event season and our team have been travelling the country supporting riders and athletes alike as they use and promote our brands. Many of you have joined them at these events and we hope that you enjoyed it as much as we did.

Most exciting of all though is that after years of discussions we have just secured the exclusive UK distribution of the iconic Italian shoe brand Sidi. As you can imagine we are tremendously excited about the size of this opportunity.

No other brand has the history, professional endorsement or consumer desirability of Sidi and given how well this complements Castelli we are extremely confident we can give it the presence it deserves. We will be officially launching the 2016 product range at our house show in September, with stock due into our warehouse at the same time.

With the long anticipated introduction of our 3 new business and media websites due imminently as well as entering trade show season. There is no doubt the next 3 months will be equally as memorable.

Thank you as always for all your support!

ANDY WIGMORE MANAGING DIRECTOR

DESIGN [email protected]

CONTRIBUTORS GEORGE ACTON, EMILY CARR, NICK COX, JESS GREAVES, ROSS GRIMMETT, HUGO JOHNSON, ASH MATTHEWS, ANDY WIGMORE.

PHOTOGRAPHERS STEVE BEHR, NICK COX, JERED GRUBER, SVEN MARTIN, SLIPSTREAM SPORTS.

SADDLEBACK LTD UNIT 10 EASTER COURT, WOODWARD AVENUE, YATE, BRISTOL BS37 5YS

ONLINE saddlebackb2b.co.uk | facebook.com/saddleback | twitter.com/Saddleback_Ltd | instagram.com/Saddleback_Ltd

COVER ROCACORBA, SPAIN

PHOTOGRAPHER JERED GRUBER

06

16 THE GALLERY

14 NEWS

16 EVENTS

22 FRESH PRODUCE

28 THE OFFICE

32 BEST SELLERS

34 YORKSHIRE GRIT

38 DOWNHILL WORLD CUP

42 DAVIDE FORMOLO

48 MEDIA COVERAGE

50 COMING SOON

JOSH BRYCELAND GIVING IT THE BEANS AT ROUND 1 OF THE DOWNHILL WORLD CUP

LOURDES,FRANCE

07

DAVIDE FORMOLO CANNONDALE-GARMIN PRO CYCLING TEAMWINNER OF STAGE 4 AT THE GIRO D’ITALIA

PHOTOGRAPHER SLIPSTREAM SPORTS

T H E G A L L E R Y

DANIEL TEKLEHAIMANOT MTN QHUBEKAMTN QHUBEKA WIN FIRST WORLD TOUR JERSEY AT CRITÉRIUM DU DAUPHINÉ

PHOTOGRAPHER STIEHL PHOTOGRAPHY

T H E G A L L E R Y

GREG MINNAAR SANTA CRUZ SYNDICATE/ENVE ATHLETEWINNER OF THE DH WORLD CUP ROUND 2 AT FORT WILLIAM

PHOTOGRAPHER SVEN MARTIN

T H E G A L L E R Y

SEAN BELL SANTA CRUZ/ENVE RIDERENDURO WORLD SERIES AT TWEED VALLEY

PHOTOGRAPHER SVEN MARTIN

T H E G A L L E R Y

CHRISKING

NFTO SHOP

HOME SWEET HOME

SMITH GOGGLES

Back in April the Bespoke Bike Show was running in Bristol, it’s the UK handmade bicycle show. Chris King weren’t just exhibiting but could be seen on a number of the bikes on show. With Chris King being the best in industry for hubs and headsets it was no surprise the number of bikes using it and that Chris King himself flew in from the USA to attend. So it was awesome that he decided to pop in to Saddleback headquarters and pay us a visit and hang out with our Chris King brand manager Ash. NICK COX

Tucked away in the town of Hereford is one of the coolest bike shops you’ll ever step into. Whilst at the moment details are classified, you can expect it to be full of our brands that team NFTO use. Along with quality graphics/displays designed and fitted by us here at Saddleback, it’s going to be a flagship shop for us and the best place to purchase NFTO replica kit and the latest Castelli lines along with Stages, Enve and Felt. NICK COX

It’s getting very cramped in the warehouse at the moment. With our brands growing and new ones coming on board (turn to the last page) we’ve decided it’s time to pack our bags and move somewhere bigger. Plans are currently being made for a purpose built new office and warehouse. We continue to grow every year and this will give us the room for this to continue. In the meantime there’s a petition for any empty space in the new warehouse to be converted to a basketball court. Unfortunately at the moment there’s only one signature on it. NICK COX

Smith goggles are some of the best you can get, yeah they work well and never mist up, but for you shallow lot, most importantly they look awesome. The new 2016 colours are no exception to this, whether you want strong solid colours, stars or a tropical print you won’t be disappointed. With the best mountain bike athletes in the world wearing them, pull a pair on and pretend you’re Brandon Semenuk or Aaron Gwin. Prices range from £34.99 to £59.99 so be sure to order yours and meet the rising demand of the enduro discipline that is growing at a rapid rate or the continued growth of the downhill mountain bike market. NICK COX

THE KING

VISITS

BRAND VISIT

NEW SHOP

NEW OFFICE

NEW LINES

TEAMSADDLEBACK’SSCOTTMEARS

So, Fort William is always a weekend I look forward to on the World Cup circuit and this one was no different. We had heard a few rumours of poor weather for the weekend but when I arrived there Thursday it was cracking the pavements sunshine! Sure enough though first practise day came around and hell had opened up. Mass storms wind and rain but we cracked on day one. Day two was cancelled, so all was to play for, come Sunday. I was on the track at 6,30 Sunday morning with only an hour to practise I squeezed two runs in. Man the track was ruined. The woods was a quagmire and there was rain holes like I don’t know what! Qualifying I just scraped through and finals a drop in the treacherous woods cost me dearly. 56th world placing in the end but what could of been! That gives me all my UCI points however for next season so there was something achieved! Cheers SCOTT MEARS

SCOTTMEARSTEAM SADDLEBACK

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NEWS

PEOPLEINSPIRED

FOR MORE NEWS HEAD OVER TO WWW.SADDLEBACK.CO.UK

NFTO SHOP

SMITH GOGGLES

A bike is a sum of its parts but custom inspiration usually has a little something else to the mix. This bike is a nod to the combination of skills from people behind the scenes that have inspired and helped me this year:James Lowsley-Willams - Pro with NFTO and whose enthusiasm opened the gates at Chavenage House to make LoveCrossed a reality. Saddleback were an incredible support and a fine bunch of guys committed to fantastic products. Ted James a total master tube smith, lathe slave, endurance welder and a killer turn of the pedal. Patrick Adams, the man who hassled us to do the race right at the beginning. Thanks to Phil Taylor the curator of Bespoked Bike Show. Looking forward to getting it dirty now! TANGWYN ANDREWS CUSTOM

BUILD

LOVECROSSED CUSTOM CX BIKE

Frame: Reynolds 853. HT, BB, Dropouts made by builder. Fork: ENVE CX discWheels: ENVE xc tubular/King R45 disc hubs/Challenge Baby LimusFinishing kit: ENVE composites/Chris King/ArundelSaddle: Astute Skyline VTRunning Gear: Rotor 3D/SRAM cx1Brakes: TRP Spyre slcCustom Paint: @doktorbobbyCustom Decals: Nick Cox

DUTCHGEORGE

On the 1st August 2015 I shall be setting off on a 7 day cycle ride from Bristol (UK) to Amsterdam (Holland) a total of 471 miles with my fellow rowing squad. 18 of us in total from the ‘City of Bristol Rowing Club’ will set off staying overnight at hostels as we pedal our way over the English channel and into mainland Europe. The trip will be challenging but passing through great cities such as Antwerp & Rotterdam will make the ride that much more enjoyable. With a support van in tow the only thing to push us every day will be a sweet taste of a European beer as we enter the Dutch city, Amsterdam.

SCORPIONWHEELS

With our new member Darren joining us here at Saddleback to look after all things Servizo Corse we were a van short. With our main Castelli man, Rich Mardle, getting a new van Darren was given Rich’s. It’s all very complicated, but it meant we had two vans, one needing it’s graphics refreshing and the other needing a new design. With some crayons and a roll of paper at the ready we came up with some new designs. So the next time you’re out and about keep your eyes peeled for some seriously cool looking Castelli vans with scorpions so big they could eclipse the sun.

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NEWS

18

SADDLEBACK EVENTS

FREDWHITTON2015It’s grim up north? Not when the annual Fred Whitton Challenge takes place. To date, the UK’s toughest sportive has raised over £800,000 with £1million mark in sight.Another year and our support of the Fred Whitton Challenge continues. Every May we venture north with vans, tents, banners, race tape, tools, spare bike parts and staff eager to be part of what is an amazing cause and an incredible feat of endurance and strength. The Fred Whitton has been labelled by many as the toughest sportive in the UK, after seeing the weather, climbs and

distance they are called to do, it’s easy to see how it has been labelled this. This year saw an increase in rider capacity and a real hope that the £1million mark, of money raised to date, could be not just achieved but smashed. 2,500 riders set off on a cold, wet and windy Sunday morning (well it is the Lake District) to tackle the 112 mile ultimate test. With the proceeds going to MacMillan

ROUND UP

Cancer Support, all of us here at Saddleback are truly honoured to be part of such a great cause. If you’ve never done it, it’s a must ride with the claim of bragging rights to those who climbed and didn’t walk up Hardknott pass. A pass that boasts 390 metres of climbing with gradients in excess of 35%. It will return next year, the question is, are you brave enough to take it on. NICK COX

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SADDLEBACK EVENTS

ABOVE FROM START TO FINISH, THE FRED WHITTON CHALLENGE,- AN INSPIRING MIX OF RIDERS WITH DIFFERENT ABILITIES AND BACKGROUNDS ALL

COMING TOGETHER TO TAME THE LAKE DISTRICT AND RAISE MONEY FOR MACMILLAN CANCER SUPPORT.

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FORTWILLIAMWetter than Wet Wet Wet on a rainy day at the bottom of the sea.For some of us here in the office whose blood runs thick with all things mountain bike this is the biggest show on earth. Our annual adventure north along the never ending grey straight road soon turns to the beautiful winding roads through the Glencoe valley and past the many lochs of Scotland to Fort William. A small quiet town that turns to the centre of the world as 20,000 plus people descend upon it to burst it at the seams. It’s all because of one run down a mountain. That single run that makes or breaks a rider’s season. With Peaty sidelined with injury, our expectation of an Enve athlete doing well was placed upon

ROUND UP

SADDLEBACK EVENTS

Greg Minnaar and Josh Bryceland. With the weather being the worst it has been for many years, Friday’s practice became about survival. Unfortunately for Josh it became all about a crash that would effect his ability to perform at his highest level. For Greg it became a quiet calculated re-introduction to a course he has won many a time. Saturday being a complete wash out and heavy winds meant the qualifying and practice was cancelled. With huge crowds nowhere to go other than the pit area, our Enve stand became the place to visit with free gifts, raffles, chill out sofa area, cold beer and us; staff from Saddleback loving

nothing more than talking about how good Enve is. Sunday was packed with practice, qualifying and racing all in a tightly packed sandwich. Perfect for the spectator as many found their plot of land on the mountain to watch a full day of riders flying down. After crashes, restarts and more crashes the victor was Greg Minnaar. We were on cloud nine that an Enve athlete had once again proved the level and speed that these products can be pushed to. All that was left to do was pack up and head over to the Red Bull party to let our hair down with the pro riders and our friends from the cycling industry. NICK COX

SADDLEBACK EVENTS

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EWSPEEBLESThe biggest enduro show on earth rolls up in Scotland for round 3 of The Enduro World SeriesWow, after the long drive north from Bristol, setting up the ENVE dome tent on Peebles village green, it didn’t seem a year since we were here doing the same thing. Familiar team tents and impressive trucks were already in their places, with pit areas setup and in use. It had the same exciting feel as last year, the relaxed anticipation that something big was due to happen in Peebles over the next few days. After practicing the stages that would be raced on the Saturday and Sunday, in varying versions of Scottish weather, some of the nerves were calmed a little as the unknown was now known. Returning to the event village after day 1’s racing, I could not have had a better day out on the bike. In hind sight I probably rode the stages more than I raced them, but I loved every metre of them and the company of the other racers as we covered the nearly 50km and 1500m of climbing. Back in the event village and at home back under the ENVE dome, whilst talking to all the racers and riders that fill the stands lining the village green, there were rumours circulating that Sunday’s day 2 of racing would be cut short due to impending adverse weather conditions. Closing down the village that evening, the wind was rattling down the River Tweed and it looked like the rumours may be right. Sure enough Sunday brought rain and very strong winds and

ROUND UP

an email from the organisers explaining that 2 of the 4 stages were cut from the race for safety reasons. The ENVE stage was the first the racers had to complete, and was a steep techy and rooty beast that had taken on a ton of the overnight rain and had made the heaviest and thickest mud imaginable. Trying to carry every ounce of speed, to fight the dreaded mud clogging, was the aim of the stage. After the next and final stage, which was also the longest and had open sections that exposed you to 30+mph side winds, the shelter at the bottom was reward in itself, let alone the beer you were presented with having completed 70+km of racing and 2400m of climbing over the course of the weekend. As ever it was a wonderful event for spectators and racers alike, and the entire Tweed Love festival should be on every mountain bikers hit list! ROSS GRIMMETT

The Saddleback Dealer Show is just around the corner, be sure to sign up to join us for a preview of the latest products and a few suprises too; 8th, 9th, 10th September.Every September there’s an air of anticipation and excitement here in the Saddleback office. Months of planning goes into the Dealer Show. Very much a joint effort from all staff members to achieve what we consider is one of the

best shows you’ll attend. With a large amount of 2016 products on display from all our brands, you don’t want to miss out. With plenty of free coffee, cake and meals made fresh, our tradition of making sure everyone is well

fed and watered continues. Here at Saddleback the Dealer Show is very important to us and it gives you, the dealer, an insight into our company, the brands that we love and the real passion of the staff for all things two wheeled. NICK COX

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SADDLEBACK EVENTS

LAST YEARS DEMO RIDES IN THE SURROUNDING CONTRYSIDE WERE A GREAT SUCCESS

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FRESH PRODUCE

Enve have wanted this product for years. They’ve scrapped more prototypes of the ENVE Mountain Stem than any other product in ENVE history. Why? Because they have high performance expectations of this product and it had to be just right. Enve believed they could create a sub 100 gram carbon fiber stem capable of addressing all mountain applications and Enve are proud to say that they’ve done it.

ENVESTEM

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FRESH PRODUCE

A water bottle cage is perhaps the most under-appreciated component on a bike. Enve’s is designed to hold your water bottle no matter the terrain or application. It’s light, durable, and offers easy side and vertical entry.

ENVEACCESSORIES

Enve have created a clean and integrated solution to mounting a Garmin GPS cycling computer without

having to clamp it to our handlebars. The ENVE Computer Mount is only compatible with Garmin

style mounts and the ENVE Road Stem.

A seat post should be installed, easily adjusted and perform, period. For this reason Enve made one that

is lightweight, easily adjusted, strong and comfortable, equally at home on the trail as it is on the road.

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FRESH PRODUCE

The new saddle bag collection from Castelli boasts a water and stain

resistant material construction with adjustable hook and loop attachment

straps. Internal storage pockets and reflective accents make this one of the

best looking and functional bags out there. The larger size saddle bag also comes with an external pump sleeve.

CASTELLIBAGS

The Free Aero Race Bibshort has been the number one selling short for the past

few years. This year every detail, and every component have been redesigned, obsessesed over and tested until Castelli

were satisfied. Key updates inlcude the new seat pad, the bib strap construction, the

waistband construction, all new fabrics and pattern work that went through so many

alterations Castelli lost count.

CASTELLIAERO

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FRESH PRODUCE

CHRIS KING HUB

ENVE M70 SERIES RIM

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FRESH PRODUCE

ENVE MOUNTAIN STEM 40MM

ENVE GREG MINNAAR BAR

CHRIS KING HUB

ENVE M70 SERIES RIM

One of the best mountain bike race photographers in the world and the source of our awesome Enve shots, Sven Martin shares with us his fully loaded Enve Santa Cruz Nomad. With custom gold graphics and some beautiful finishing touches when we

caught up with Sven at Fort William he seemed pretty happy with his choice of Enve components to compliment the Nomad’s build.

ENVEGOLD

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FRESH PRODUCE

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THE OFFICE

WHO IS HUGO? A lover not a fighter.

WHERE DO YOU LIVE? Bristol.

WHAT’S YOUR JOB TITLE? Warehouse Operative. WHAT DO YOU DO? I get frightened by my colleagues on a daily basis. HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN AT SADDLEBACK? About 10 months. WORST JOB YOU EVER HAD? Well every one before this one, obviously. BEST PLACE TO RIDE? Majorca. FAVOURITE BIKE PRODUCT? Shimano AM-45 shoes ‘cos they keep my feet warm. WHAT MAKES YOU ANGRY? Low quality things. WHAT MAKES YOU HAPPY? High quality things.

WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE SAYING? When life gives you lemons, get some tequila BEST BIT OF ADVICE YOU COULD GIVE? Don’t park next to the only other car in the carpark. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO NOW? Jess Greaves. HOW WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE REMEMBERED? As a man who always felt epic.

SHOPFOCUS

DIGITALINCYCLE

Bepsoke recently opened a new store in Canary Wharf, where money grows on trees, so we thought we’d pay them a visit and show some Castelli love. Along with the new Castelli freestanding display units we also decorated the slat wall that houses the chosen Castelli lines in the shop window. Be sure to head down and have a look, I don’t think we’ve ever produced a scorpion this big! NICK COX

BESPOKE CYCLINGLower Mall -2, Crossrail Place, Canary Wharf, London,E14 5ARwww.bespokecycling.com

Here at Saddleback we care about the environment, let’s face it if we ruin it where will we ride? So you can read and download the latest issue of Incycle from the link below. Missed an issue? Head to the same link and download the back catalogue of any Incycle since its birth.www.issuu.com/saddleback

THIS MONTH WE MEET TEAM MEMBER HUGO, THE MOST SCARED MAN IN THE WAREHOUSE.

MEET THE TEAM

YOU WILL NEEDDependant upon your bike:3mm allen key, 4mm allen key, T25 Torx key

When cleaning your bike, and checking over the bolts etc, do remember to check the rear derailleur hanger bolts especially on the hangers that use a secondary retaining bolt. We see a lot of bikes with these bolts loose and shifting is certainly compromised because of it.

ROSS GRIMMETT SENIOR MECHANICEVERY ISSUE WE WILL BRING YOU INSIDER TECH TIPS FROM OUR CHIEF MECHANIC ROSS

LOOSEYGOOSEYTECHTIPS

This photo was taken at the best chinese resturant, sorry the only chinese resturant, in Fort William. As good/gloopy as the food was with plenty of it too, the wine took centre stage. The label is almost a perfect description of Charles (pictured) “rich and spicy” and quality “A+” and leads us to believe that maybe Charles, who has found a new love in mountain biking, has a sideline in making wine. Would we be surprised if he had a vineyard? No, we definitely wouldn’t be. NICK COX

CHARLES OR WINE?

INSIDE THE OFFICE

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THE OFFICE

OUR DOWNHILL WORLD CUP FORT WILLIAM TRIP IN NUMBERS

OFFICE IN NUMBERS

947

48

5(1)

8000

3

1645

18

1

miles, the round trip to the hotel from Saddleback HQ

mph, the speed of the wind on friday night

sets of Enve bars given out as raffle prizes

pounds worth of free gifts we threw into the crowd

set of Enve wheels used by Jackson Frew with some of the best decals we’ve seen.

members of staff on hand at the Enve stand, one of us raced!

pallets used for our display

stickers given out to members of the public

“Having the jersey is a great opportunity to show off our team before the Tour de France and puts some light on our campaign to raise 5000 bicycles this year.”DANIEL TEKLEHAIMANOT TEAM MTN QHUBEKA RIDER

EMILY CARR BRAND MANAGERSMITH OPTICS PIVLOCK ASANARRP £100

One for the girls… Perfect for smaller faces, a truly excellent balance of value and performance. 4 colourways are available, but I’ll be going for the white frame with the excellent violet lens for the strong UK summer sun (!). All frames come with 3 lenses that offer superb coverage and protection in all conditions with a simple and swift change system. Having ridden the Pivlock V2’s all year and loved them, I can’t wait to get my hands on these and give them a go.

SUMMERLOVINGSTAFFPICKS

Over the last few months we’ve seen a host of new products released from the guys at Enve, they’ve been working hard to not only boost their current range, but also fill a few gaps with some nice finishing touches for our bikes. The new SES 4.5’s introduce a new refined rim profile designed to offer better acceleration, cornering and impact resistance, with a little extra weight saving too. An update to the road components sees the classic bars, stems and seatposts move to a black on black finish that many have been asking for, for some time. For the mountain side, the bars have been given a fresh new look to tie in with the newly added MTN stem. The Sweep and Riser bars have grown from 740 to 760mm and a high riser DH bar has been added to the mix too after feedback from the syndicate team. I’m sure we’ll see more releases before the year is out... ASH MATTHEWS

THIS YEAR HAS SEEN A WAVE OF NEW PRODUCTS FROM ENVE, WITH MORE TO COME?

ENVE INSIDER

THE NEW SES 4.5’S IN ACTION AFTER RIGOROUS TESTING AND DEVELOPMENT.

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This photo shows that there was no such thing as private space or boundaries when it came to our trip to Fort William. Not only were we cooped up in a van togther for what seemed a life time we also shared rooms across the hall from each other. We all became very close, so whilst Ross skulked off to the toilets we all thought it was the perfect time to remind him there’s no alone and get one of the best photos of the weekend. Needless to say Ross is now sporting the emotional scars of the intrusion but Ash, Charles and myself definitely think it was worth it. NICK COX

THE OFFICE

NO PRIVATE SPACE TO BE FOUND AT FORT WILLIAM

INSIDE THE OFFICE Finally being back on my bike after injury has had me thinking about upgrading my summer training bike to get myself ready for the season of races ahead. For me, this Enve bar is number one on the list. Comfortable riding on both the hoods and the drops, light, stiff and a great looking piece of kit. Perfect aerodynamics and comfortable fit, I will have no excuse for any poor bike handling on lunchtime rides…..

RECOVERYROAD

FORGOTHOWTORIDE

So after my last column, it has been a few months of ups and downs! Spring training was all going to plan, and with the weather starting to pick up I was feeling very good about the upcoming season. That is until a black Labrador called Bear decided to end a training ride by throwing himself under my wheels and to the tarmac. One broken collarbone later, and the reassessment began. From not even being able to brush my hair 8 weeks ago, I was chuffed to complete 95 miles of the Dragon Ride on 7th June – something I thought impossible a while back. So it’s onwards and upwards – IM has been deferred from Switzerland to Mallorca on 26th September, wetsuit has been dug out and events have been pencilled back in. Long Course Weekend, IM 70.3 UK, Saddleback Sodbury Sportive, Ironman…bring them on. EMILY CARR

Some of you might think from reading the title to my column I might have had some sort of injury, thankfully no. The last three months of my life have been all consumed by the renovation of the new house my wife and I recently purchased. Now with the end in sight my sparkling clean Nomad has been adorned with some new Enve products in case it wasn’t sexy enough already. So with the house pretty much completed there remains one thing in the way, can I still ride a mountain bike? My fitness has been ok with my road bike commuting and quick lunch time spins but has my mountain bike ability dried up? One thing is certain, next issue you’ll hear the truth about how I’ve been getting on. If all fails then at least my bike will look good even if the rider isn’t. I’m hoping the new Enve stem and bar will give me some Minnaar skill and speed. NICK COX

After being forced to do a superman over her handle bars by a loose dog, Emily is back - watch out!

It’s been a long three months of not riding my mountain bike, I think I’ve forgotten what to do.

EMILY CARR BRAND MANAGERENVE SES ROAD BARRRP £350

HOTHANDLING

THEN NOW

STAFFPICKS

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YOU WILL NEED*A pick tool and a blow torch

When installing tubeless valves through freshly applied adhesive rim tape, instead of pushing the valve through the tape or cutting a cross for the valve to pass through, heat up a pick tool and melt the through the tape. Melt a circular hole that is just under the diameter of the valve. This helps the rubber part of the valve to seal absolutely solidly against the tape and the rim bed, and lessens the chance of the tape splitting. All about the details!

1. CONDOR 753 – CUSTOM BUILT 22 wins and 400 points in a season before they started giving them away with Kellogg’s packs. Delivered just in time for my 21st birthday along with a set of Pete Matthews TDF special wheels it was a sub 19lb work of art for 1994.

2. SALSA A LA CARTEThe one bike I regret selling as it was built with all manner of exotic components. Prototype Middleburn chainset, cut down MA40 rims on Pace hubs, Pace RC35 forks, Renthal bars and a full XTR groupset.

3. MARIN TEAM TITANIUM A lightweight ride that got me safely through the only ever MTB Tour of Britain.

4. CYFAC NERVETour winning pedigree shone through on this bike, never the stiffest or lightest but the handling was sublime

5. FELT AR FRD DI2 Stiff and very fast, the Textreme pattern makes it stand out from the crowd. Teamed with Dura Ace Di2 and Enve wheels and finishing kit it is the ultimate weapon of choice.

“It was a tricky race and it hasn’t been an easy week with the rain making things physically tough on all the riders, but I managed to push through today. It was a great result and definitely one I will remember.” GREG MINNAAR ENVE ATHLETE

DIRTYDOWNHILLLlangollen BDS, the steepest, most technical track on the National circuit always draws a big crowd and attracts some of the worlds fastest racers! Practice on Saturday was a mess with riders crashing left, right and centre. The track was dry and loose making it hard to slow down for the corners. Rain overnight meant Sunday was a greasy affair. I crashed near the top in my seeding run and crashed 3 times in race run! Just managed to sneak onto the podium in 5th place behind Veronique Sandler from NZ and Casey Brown from Canada, I was just happy to finish the weekend alive!

Onto Ft William World Cup and I was a bit nervous having only ever raced the National on that track. Another hard weekend with the weather being so windy and rainy. Friday practice was cut short and Saturday practice was cancelled due to the winds being too high to run the gondola! Early start on Sunday for Qualifying runs and 4 hard pedalstrokes out of the gate I got blown off the track by the wind! Speed tucking the top section just not to get blown off the track, I crashed in the woods and ended up 25th. I was gutted as I was aiming for a top 20 but it’s all a good learning curve for me being my 2nd ever World Cup DH. Excited for the next National at Bala in North Wales!

OUR OPERATIONS MANAGER JOHN WAGER SHARES WITH US THE TOP FIVE BIKES HE HAS EVER OWNED

TOP FIVE

JESS GREAVES FROM OUR WAREHOUSE ON HOW HER SEASON IS GOING SO FAR.

TALES FROM THE DH CIRCUIT

IF BATMAN HAD A ROAD BIKE,

JOHN’S FELT AR FRD

ROSS GRIMMETT SENIOR MECHANICEVERY ISSUE WE WILL BRING YOU INSIDER TECH TIPS FROM OUR CHIEF MECHANIC ROSS

MELTINGDETAILSTECHTIPS

*ONLY TO BE UNDERTAKEN BY A QUALIFIED MECHANIC

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BEST SELLERS

ASTUTESKYLINE PILARGA

VT TITANIUMRRP £125

SMITH OPTICSFUEL V.1 MAX RRP £39.99

ENVEM SERIES 70/30

RRP £850

BESTSELLERSThe last three months have seen the introduction of our new brand Astute saddles. With growing quantities being sold it proves that the Italian hand made saddle brand is going to be good one. Also the Enve M-Series rims are still selling well with the 650B M70’s being the

most popular, proving the continual growth of long travel trail bkes in the industry. However there’s no surprises, with Castelli armwarmers, Chris King R45 and Stages Ultegra continuing to sell by the boat loads. Contact your local Rep for more details and how to order.

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BEST SELLERS

CASTELLINANOFLEX

ARMWARMERSRRP £30

CHRIS KINGR45 FRONT HUB

RRP £210

STAGESULTEGRA 6800

RRP £699

APRIL 2015 - JUNE 2015

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NFTO finished off Stage 3 of the Tour de Yorkshire with a rider on the podium and a very happy team all around. They came into the event wanting to race hard, make their presence felt and obviously get a result where possible. And they felt that they nearly achieved the goal, and did as much as they could, especially considering a few bits of bad luck along the way. After taking the most aggressive Prize on Stage 1 with Eddie Dunbar (which was re-awarded after he finished the day in hospital and couldn’t start stage 2). Followed by a professional performance on Stage 2 with all the boys contributing to the chase, riding the front alongside the World Tour teams bringing back the break, they just unfortunately had a bit of bad luck in the end, so it was very important they kept this momentum into Stage 3, Wakefield Leeds. Wakefield is the hometown of the team owner John Wood, so they wanted to race and make him proud. From the gun they were in the action with Steele getting into the original break of 15 people.

NFTO show determination and gritted teeth as they tackle the Tour of Yorkshire.

YORKSHIRE AGGRESSION

YORKSHIREAGGRESSION

38

Speaking to Ian Bibby after the race he explained what happened. “It was a grippy and hard day. NFTO want to be known for being aggressive and we were missing Eddie, and it was meant to be his day, so the best plan was to attack. The first hour was pretty brutal and a split of 15 went away just because it was so hard” said Bibby “I jumped across to the group that had Steele in it, with Tommy Voeckler! By the time we got away, the legs were gone. The first couple of days I haven’t really felt myself, probably the worst I have felt all year so I gave it a good go today.”

Steele recapped how the smaller break went post race, “Team Sky had three guys in the break, but they were not happy with Voeckler there for GC obviously, so they wanted 5 guys to go from that split. Bibby was doing a lot of work, and I was covering as well and almost got unstuck at one stage getting into a break that looked like it was going to stick and I begun to panic as I was starting to get dropped. Bibby came across at that stage, and it went up a rise and he counter attacked. That was it then, as the 5 guys went so he was able to sit in that break and go for the KOM’s – as the original plan had been to take that jersey.”

“Bibby successfully took the first 3 of the KOM’s for the day, before his legs started to wear out. Unfortunately in the break with him was the Cofidis rider, which had been in the break in Stage 2; otherwise Bibby would’ve been able to take the KOM jersey for the day.”

“Then when our break exploded on one of the KoM’s, that was also one of the hardest parts of the race for me. The whole day was flat out from the word go and it was all about hanging on

and giving it everything you got. I knew Sky was going to bring the group back though, so I kept on attacking hoping we’d get away before they brought it back and luckily it worked out.”

“The event is just MEGA” exclaimed Dave Povall, “the whole team loves it, it’s just been a pleasure to be in the race”. Post race we spoke to Bibby about the Tour of Yorkshire, “The crowds here I think are the biggest I have ever seen. Once I’d been caught and there were only 25 riders left (showing it had been a really hard day) I then could actually sit up and see the crowds. You don’t notice them so much when you are riding flat out, but you soon realise they were pretty unbelievable. Being on the podium was really cool too after a day of getting dropped and pulling wheelies on the climbs.” After making the day’s breakaway, Ian Bibby walked away with the fan’s most aggressive rider jersey.

“It was disappointing and a shame to lose Eddie on stage 1 because I think he would have shown a lot of people who he is and made a name for himself but he’ll be back in a couple of weeks. It was good to end the three days with a jersey though and I have enjoyed it.

We want to thank all our fans both at home and on the side of the road for their support. We have never experienced crowds of that level and it made a hard 3-day stage race so much easier. As Hank said “I’m not going to be able to climb a hill without thousands of people screaming at me anymore”. It really did rival the crowds at the Tour de France. We really hope the Tour of Yorkshire becomes a permanent fixture on the cycling calendar and we look forward to coming back and racing next year! NFTO

Date of Birth: 22/12/86Hometown: PrestonClub: NFTO Discipline: Road and TrackAge Category: Over 23 Category: Elite National Rank: 23

Ian comes from a background in mountain and cyclo-cross, winning the British championships in 2010, and emerged as an exciting young talent on the national road racing scene. The Preston born rider joins NFTO from Madison Genesis having previously ridden for Motorpoint. Marshalls Pasta and Endura Racing.

IAN BIBBY

ABOVE IAN BIBBY WITH THE FACE OF DETERMINATION AND STRONG RIDING WHICH LED HIM TO BE CROWNED THE MOST AGGRESSIVE RIDER.


39


“Then when our break exploded on one of the KoM’s, that was also one of the hardest parts of the race for me. The whole day was flat out from the word go and it was all about hanging on and giving it everything you got.”IAN BIBBY NFTO

COMMENCE BATTLE

41

COMMENCE BATTLE

42

What an amazing start to the downhill world cup. Round 1 in Lourdes, France seems like an eternity ago back in April. Since then we’ve had two amazing rounds in Fort William and Leogang repsectively. Fort William saw Minnaar win in front of a typically huge crowd, of which some of us here at Saddleback were a part of. It was Minnaar’s 17th World Cup win now only equalled by Peaty’s record. Minnaar now also holds the record for most wins at Fort William after putting over a second into Gwin. The season looks to be unravelling as a battle between Minnaar and Gwin. Both riders are acomplished and have been fighting at the top for many years now. For us here at Saddleback it shows the level at which our brands and products are used. Greg Minnaar being part of the Santa Cruz Syndicate means that he has Enve as one of his main sponsors. He is currently running Enve seatpost, direct mount stem, his own Enve signature bars and what looks to be M-Series M90 wheels, however on closer inspection it looked to be an Enve prototype wheelset that was heavily guarded by his mechanic. Enve use the Santa Cruz Syndicate riders a great deal when it comes to running new developments and designs of their products and what better testing ground, if it’s good for them I’m pretty sure it’ll be good for the masses.

“The chain found its way off the bike about a minute in and then it was kind of like game on.”AARON GWIN SMITH OPTICS ATHLETE

So to Gwin who by his own admission had a mediocre season last year. He came out blazing at Lourdes in round 1 beating Loic Bruni by almost 3 seconds. Could this be a sign of the ‘old’ Gwin back to his true form? Fort William was close, a second on such a long course isn’t as big as you might think. However Minnaar came out on top. Then to round 3 in Leogang, where unless you’ve been under a rock in the bottom of a very deep pit in the middle of nowhere, you have already seen what will go down in history as one of the all time best race wins. No sooner had Gwin pedalled out of the start hut that his chain snapped. After the race Gwin confirmed that the chain fell out of the bike completely 1 minute into his run, the concern of the commentators and crowd was it would be dragged into his wheel creating what would have surely been a huge crash. So his first pedal stroke leaves him with no chain, what would you do? give up? go home with your tail between your legs? Not Gwin, with what seemed to be a superman effort he continued his race run barely touching his brakes. He was going well, the speed trap proved it, but what happened next was unthinkable. As he entered the final arena he was up! Gwin won by 0.045 seconds without a single pedal stroke. Gwin who is a long running Smith Optics athlete of 5 years once again shows the level our products can be pushed to and how they are used everyday in the greatest races on earth. NICK COX

COMMENCE BATTLE

The two fastest downhill riders in the world, who also use our brands, commence battle to be crowned World Cup winner

AARON GWINDate of Birth: 24/12/1987Born: Morongo Valley, California, USAHeight: 1.78mWeight: 75kgCurrent Team: Specialized Racing DH TeamTeam mates: Troy BrosnanSaddleback brand used: Smith OpticsWorld Cup wins: 12

GREG MINNAARDate of Birth: 13/11/81Born: Pietermaritzburg, South AfricaHeight: 1.9mWeight: 87kgCurrent Team: Santa Cruz SyndicateTeam mates: Steve Peat, Josh BrycelandSaddleback brand used: EnveWorld Cup wins: 17

43

ABOVE MINNAAR STANDS TALL ON TOP THE PODIUM AT FORT WILLIAM WITH GWIN IN SECOND, IS THIS SEASON GOING TO BE A TWO HORSE RACE?

COMMENCE BATTLE

44

DAVIDE FORMOLO

Could this twenty two year old Cannondale-Garmin rider be a future Grand Tour winner?

46

“I’m very excited about our 2015 team. We began as a small group with the mission of developing young riders and we have stayed true to that mission year after year”JONATHAN VAUGHTERS CEO SLIPSTREAM SPORTS AND CANNONDALE-GARMIN PRO CYCLING

Slipstream Sports with Castelli shod Cannondale Garmin have a relatively simple mission. Quite simply developing future champions by giving young talent a break in a professional team.

“I’m very excited about our 2015 team. We began as a small group with the mission of developing young riders and we have stayed true to that mission year after year, even as we have grown. 2015 is our youngest group of athletes yet, and it’s also young in that it’s a new team, and we have joined forces with Cannondale,”

said Jonathan Vaughters, CEO, Slipstream Sports and Cannondale-Garmin Pro Cycling.

“That gives us huge opportunities. What you can expect to see is an extremely talented group of young riders who will benefit greatly from the leadership and guidance of more experienced guys like Langeveld, Martin, Hesjedal and Talansky. This is a team that will come into racing with a lot of enthusiasm and spirit, and will rely on teamwork, tactics, perseverance and creativity to give great performances.”

It’s always hard for a new team to gel and start getting results, Cannondale Garmin had a slow start to 2015 but then cometh the hour cometh the man. On Stage 4 of the Giro d Italia Cannondale Garmin and, in particular, Davide Formolo came of age.

The 22 year old riding his first Grand Tour attacked the break at the foot of the final climb. Going over the top with a small lead, he went all out on the descent into town for the finish with a gap of 22 seconds to claim his first professional win

DAVIDE FORMOLO

47

ABOVE NO ONE SAID IT WAS GOING TO BE EASY, DAVIDE LEADING THE FRONT GROUP AT STAGE 4 OF THE GIRO D’ITALIA BEFORE HIS BREAKAWAY

DAVIDE FORMOLO

49

LEFT AND ABOVE CROSSING THE FINISH LINE AT STAGE 4 OF THE GIRO D’ITALIA AND CELEBRATING ON THE PODIUM IN TRUE PRO TOUR STYLE.

and Cannondale Garmin’s first grand tour stage victory. “It feels amazing to win,” said Formolo. “I’m 22-years-old, and I’ve dreamed of this for 22 years. “It was a really hard day because it always up and down and never flat,” added Formolo. “The break always rode very hard except on the descents. It was a very difficult day, but I am so happy with the results for myself and the team.”

Davide was in the break all day, was it his Castelli SanRemo suit that help him save some energy for the attack and did the super aero 1 piece help him stay away during the descent? These are questions that will never be answered but as Davide and the rest of the Cannondale Garmin team are all too aware, with Castelli, you know you’re getting an unfair advantage.

Davide was wearing the new SanRemo speedsuit, a development of this years 3.0 Speed suit that will be available to the public in early 2016. As with all team clothing development from Castelli once it’s tested and proven in competition the pieces go into the collection for everyone to add a little extra speed to their lives. ADRIAN YATE

“The break always rode very hard except on the descents. It was a very difficult day, but I am so happy with the results for myself and the team.” DAVIDE FORMOLO CANNONDALE-GARMIN PRO CYCLING

DAVIDE FORMOLO

130 Procycling June 2015

Bont Vaypor Classic

£225 ||| $tbc

This isn’t the bandwagon-jumping that you

might think, in the wake of Giro’s Empire;

Bont’s first track shoe used laces. The Vaypor

Classic is built around the same last as the

Vaypor Plus and, of course, uses Bont’s

incredibly stiff and low-stack tub-type carbon

sole. It’s DIY heat-mouldable, too, so you can

find your perfect fit. The laces are waxed to

keep them from slipping and they’re plain on

the reverse side if you prefer a more discreet

style. The Classics weigh 257g each.

www.bont.com

Wishlist

Bont Vaypor S

£270 ||| $439

The key feature of Bont’s new range-topping

Vaypor S is the wrap-over upper design and

the placement of the two Boa dials, which

Bont say is driven by the needs of pro

sprinters. The forward dial closes the upper

over the forefoot; the rear dial is placed to the

side and angled such that tightening it also

pulls the foot back into the heel cup. The

upper has a proprietary Kevlar-like layer

which resists stretch. We weighed this size

45 pair at 504g.

www.bont.com

Mountain Biking uk 109

ENVE M60 29in rims on Chris King hubs

The M60s are supplied with

valves and tape, making it

straightforward to get them set

up tubeless, and the 23mm

internal rim width means you

get a good tyre profile and a

comfortable volume. The deep

rim section means that if you

do get a flat you’ll need a spare

tube with a tall valve – or one of

the valve extenders that ENVE

are planning to supply with the

rims from now on. Our only

other niggle is that you need to

nip up the hub bearings after

every ride until they bed in.

The price tag is staggeringly

high but these stiff, light (ours

weighed 1,670g) and accurate

wheels really elevated the

performance of our 29er test

bike. Pickup from the rear hub

is rapid and consistent and it

doesn’t take long to spin them

up to speed. It’s in steep, high

load turns where they stand

out though, with none of the

vagueness and flex that 29er

wheels can be prone to. Even

pushing them hard at low tyre

pressures (20psi), we had no

burping issues with the

hookless rim. They’ll take a

proper beating too – after

months of hard riding ours are

still running true. Rob

£2,495 Saddleback www.saddleback.co.uk

£60 Paligap www.paligap.cc

The naTive One from Selle San

Marco’s off-road offshoot, Dirty, is a

firm perch. Actually, that’s putting it

mildly – it feels really hard and is

definitely more XC race than

all-mountain plush in terms of

padding. That said, the shape

is extremely comfortable,

with a wide rear section and

a contoured profile that’s

claimed to relieve pressure on

your sit bones. This makes it a

pleasurable place to sit on long

spins despite the firmness of the

surroundings. Weighing in at just

232g, those looking to shed every

available gram will be satisfied,

especially at this price. Selle San

Marco’s legendary build quality is

here in spades too, and all of the tidy

red detailing (three other colours are

available) is still in place after a

couple of beastly months of riding

and washing. Ric

Dirty Native One BlackEdition saddle

The M60s really help a 29er to come to life and they’re light and reliable too, but the price is hard to overlook

▲ For £1,196 leSS try:Ibis 941 £1,299 www.2pure.co.uk

▼ £1,295 leSS try:Roval Traverse Fattie SL £1,200 www.specialized.com

Also tAkeA look At

More gear and kit reviews

b r A n d n e w k i t

132 | July 2015 | CYCLING PLUS

Castelli Free aero raCe 4.0 £90

Pockets 3 Zip length Full

One step below

the Aero

Race 5.0

jersey, the

4.0 is still (a

claimed) 12

watts faster

than a

normal jersey at

25mph. While

race winning

might not be

relevant to

everyone,

energy saving is.

And the Race 4.0 is

comfortable too. Thanks to a mix of

fabrics, in particular the crumpled looking

Nervato fabric at the arm holes, it’s also

one of the best at maintaining form when

unzipped. Unlike some super-slippy

fabrics, the relatively open weave mesh on

the back dries very quickly. A standard hem

construction is an obvious cost saving, but

Giro3 arm grippers are among the best.

ashmei men’s merino

Carbon £95

Pockets 2 + 2 zip Zip length Full

Wool doesn’t

tend to be

associated

with

performance

these days,

but Ashmei

claims to

have stepped up

the fibre’s game

with its merino

carbon blend.

The claim is

that carbon

speeds up

moisture

transpiration, and it certainly seems to

work. What’s more, it doesn’t affect its

odour resistance. The twin large pocket

(and twin small zippered pocket) combo

isn’t ideal, and the fit isn’t as refined as

some more tailored pieces, but nothing in

this test works as well for multiple fast

days in the saddle. It’s better at drying than

standard merino too.

rapha pro team Climber’s £130

Pockets 3 Zip length Full

Like many here,

the Climber’s

jersey came out

of pro team

requests for a

lightweight

jersey for use

on the hottest

days in the

mountains. This

translates into an

open mesh, super-

fast-wicking jersey

which, even when

wet, feels a lot

lighter against the skin

than a standard jersey. It also dries

noticeably faster, but does require you to

wear a gilet more often than a standard

top. We love the reinforcement rubber tabs

either side of the zip, to hold the light

fabric’s form when zipping up – a clear pro

insight that pays off in use. It’s particularly

sheer, but there’s no denying this jersey’s

hot weather performance.

VermarC prima prr

£104.99

From the racing heartland

Pockets 3 + 1 zip Zip length Full

Designed in Belgium, the Prima

proves Vermarc understands the role a

fabric’s orientation plays in both fit and

performance. Multiple fabrics are used,

but two stretch far more in one plane than

another, preventing almost any pocket

sagging even when they’re fully stocked.

Four-way-stretch panels elsewhere keep

things suitably snug for a race fit jersey.

The Think and PR Carbon fabrics also

move sweat away

from the skin very

well, and retain

very little moisture.

With a zippered

security pocket and

headphone port,

Vermarc has every

detail covered.

hiGhsFit, pocket

stability, excellent breathability

loWsLimited colour choice

We saYThis jersey,

designed in the racing heartland of Flanders,

ticks all the performance

boxes

beston test

gear

guide

Sharp contrasts‘Clean, simple colour blocking is integral to the Rapha aesthetic,’ says Emma Green, collections lead designer at Rapha. ‘That said, we always take visibility into account and so give options for those who want to be seen on the road.’ Rapha,

along with several other brands, has looked beyond the trend for fluorescent clothing to combine visibility concerns with kit that looks stylish. So, an agreeable move towards understated colours has emerged, accented with bolder and brighter

flashes. What’s more, Poc argues that the approach is safer too. ‘One of the most important factors affecting visibility is contrast,’ says Poc’s Peter Appleton. ‘Based on environmental factors such as weather, light, nature and time of the day, our contrasting colours offer the highest possible visibility.’ Whether that’s applied to one item of clothing contrasting

another or highlights within a single garment, it represents a more sophisticated and stylish approach to being seen.

Left: Smith Overtake helmet, £200, saddleback.co.uk

This page: Assos SS.milleJersey_evo7, £89.99, assos.com

Salice 006 CRX glasses, £74.95, salice.co.uk

Bont Blitz shoes, £180, saddleback.co.uk

Rapha Pro Team bibshorts, £180, rapha.cc

Raceware Direct Garmin mount, £24.99, racewaredirect.co.uk

POC Raceday Glove, £45, 2pure.co.uk

Enve socks, £15, saddleback.co.uk

Assos T.NeoPro S7 bibshorts, £129.99, assos.com

154 cyclist

Spring style b Gear guide

Understated charm‘Classic style will always have its

place,’ says Ashmei’s founder, Stuart Brooke. ‘On the high street, classic

style dominates and leads the trend, but for some reason sportswear has created its own look that is inspired

by what we now perceive as faster and therefore sporty. These bright colours

and flashy trims can make your general cyclist look uncoordinated

and totally out of fashion.’That’s not to say everything should

therefore be black – although in some cases a black-to-the-floor

wardrobe can make even the most unassuming rider appear stealthy and

mean – but that careful mixing of a choice few muted colours with subtly branded kit can elevate the simple to sophisticated, and the retro to classic.

‘Understated style will therefore last forever,’ Brooke adds. ‘And

the best bit? It also allows athletes to coordinate their gear much

more easily over time.’

Madison RoadRace Long socks, £9.99, madison.co.uk

Ashmei Pro bibshorts, £235, ashmei.com

Vermarc Squadra cap, £8.99, chickencycles.co.uk

Giro Empire Road shoes, £229.99, zyro.co.uk

Adidas Evil Eye Pro glasses, £169.99, adidascycling.com

Lizard Skinz La Sal 1.0 mitts, £29.99, 2pure.co.uk

Top: Castelli Prologo 4 jersey, £75, saddleback.co.uk

Bottom: Le Coq Sportif armwarmers, £35, lecoqsportif.com

Giro Synthe helmet, £199.99, zyro.co.uk

Adidas Adistar jersey, £80, adidascycling.com

Gear guide b Spring style

50

MEDIACOVERAGEHere is a quick taste of some of the magazines our products have appeared in over the last few months. We pride ourselves on making sure products from our brands receive the most coverage possible... here’s the proof.

1

2

3

45

MEDIA COVERAGE

158 I WWW.220TRIATHLON.COM I APRIL 2015

TEST

CENTRE

FINAL VERDICTTime to give the Allen key a rest and decide: which bars had us tucked up comfortably and which proved to be a drag?

USE

R1 AEROBAR£824.99 www.ultimatesportsengineering.com

The bullhorns, or rather bull pods, on USE’s 811g R1 bars are by far the

nicest on any aerobar, not just visually but also in terms of comfort. Their

bulbous ‘speed egg’ shape fts in your palm better than any curved or

swollen tube. Sadly the same can’t be said for the brakes. On paper,

mounting the levers like this seems like a good idea, but in practice pulling

them with your thumb doesn’t generate enough stopping power and their

fat, bladed profle cuts into your fngers when you use your whole hand.

They’re also a faff to set up as you have to disassemble the pod to ft the

cables. That aside, they’re lovely bars. There’s

width/height adjustability in the armrests,

although adjusting reach requires a saw. The

small armrests are fne, although you might

want something bigger for longer rides.

ENVE

SES AERO BAR£1,050.00 www.saddleback.co.uk

The Enve may sit in similar funny-money territory to the Zipp Vuka Stealth,

but it’s an equally serious cockpit. It’s a full-carbon set-up with a huge

amount of adjustability and gives you the option to run your extensions

above or beneath the base bar. It weighs in at a svelte 746g, but it has the

advantage of lacking an integrated stem. Tailoring the extension and arm-

rest position to your needs is easy given the range of height, width and

reach adjustment provided. If you’re looking for a set of bars to spend

extended periods hunched over, you could do a lot worse. The bullhorns get

a grip coating, but it would be nice to have it

on the extensions too. And although you

won’t be spending that much time on them,

the bullhorns do feel a little thin and austere

after you’ve been treated to USE’s pods.

ZIPP

VUKA ALUMINA£193.00 www.fsheroutdoor.co.uk

This is a modular system: a pick’n’mix set-up in which all the parts are sold

separately. You choose whether you want above- or below-the-bar clamps,

the shape and material of the extensions and how many risers you want,

then attach the whole lot, along with the armrests, to your bike. The test

sample came with below-the-bar clamps and ski-bend carbon extensions,

and tipped the scales at 465g, making them the lightest full-length clip-ons

here. Given the range of options, they’re easy to tailor to your positioning

needs, although the Profle T5 Plus bars do an almost equally good job for

nearly half the price. The armrests are great

and, despite being the biggest on the market,

manage to let you use the hoods and the tops

without a problem. The grip coating on the

extension tips is an especially nice touch.

84%

Magnifcent bars. Little armrests may mar long distances

›› VERDICT

88%

Fantastically adjustable – and fantastically expensive

›› VERDICT

90%

Outstanding clip-ons, but twice the price of the T5 Plus

›› VERDICT

IN THE ABSENCE of independent aero data, this test has focused on ease of

set-up, adjustability and ride comfort. And ride comfort is arguably the most

important factor since it doesn’t matter how aerodynamic you are if you’re too

uncomfortable to push the pedals. Remember too, your saddle is as important as

your bars when it comes to putting your position together. Chances are, you’ll

have to bring your saddle forward, tilt the nose down and maybe even run your

seatpost at a different height.

AS FAR AS clip-ons are concerned, Zipp’s Vuka AL bars are very nice and have

loads of positional options, but so do the Profle Design T5 Plus bars. The T5 Plus

bars are a little heavier and lack the riser options, but they manage to give the

Zipps a run for their money in the comfort stakes, despite being half the price.

THE PRO MISSILE Alloy bars are the only spanner in the works for the T5 Plus

set-up. Pro’s bars are the same price, just as adjustable, just as comfortable and

they’re also a little lighter. The only thing they don’t have is the option to

run bar-end shifters with internal routing. It’s a minor issue,

but it’s enough to give the Profle bars the edge here.

IN THE INTEGRATED bar battle, there’s only

one realistic winner: the Profle Design Aeria

AL. The Enve, Zipp and USE bars are all

superb, but you could buy another bike

for the price of them. If someone

else is writing the cheque, by all

means choose one of those. But

if the cash is coming from your

own wallet, get the Profle

Design bars because,

whatever performance gap

there might be between the

Aeria AL and its rivals, it

isn’t £700 wide.

84 | July 2015 | CYCLING PLUS

cycling socks £6.50-£16.99 › Six ways to keep your feet sweet

shootout

castelli FRee X13

£14

With 13cm cuffs, these are tall socks.

The foot is topped with an open weave

mesh split at the mid-foot by an

elasticated support band. The Meryl

Skinlife material contains silver ions

within the fibres that are claimed to

prevent accumulation of bacteria, and

flat seams ensure they’re superbly

comfortable, but not exactly top value.

louis gaRneau couRse

£11.99

LG’s ranGe-toppinG socks blend

Meryl Skinlife and Coolmax fabrics in

their seamless (bar the flatlocked toe)

construction. A mesh section on the

forefoot ensures they stay cool and the

wicking properties of the fabric are

excellent. The heel and toe are

reinforced and the long (5in) double-

ply cuff doesn’t sag, even when wet.

sock guy wool sRiRacha

£10.95

made from sock Guy’s own

Turbowool, a 50/50 blend of merino

wool and polypropylene, these are

more durable than full merino socks

and less likely to shrink. They’re tall,

with a 7.5in cuff, but surprisingly

breathable for what looks like a heavier

weight fabric. They’re soft, with none

of the itchiness you’d expect of wool.

PRendas coolmaX

£6.50

these cooLmax-infused socks

have a cotton-like softness. They’re

incredibly comfortable and do an

admirable job of wicking moisture

away. They have flat seams at the toe

and a seamless heel so there is nothing

that rubs against your foot even in

tightly fitting shoes. The double-ply

elasticated cuff stays in place too.

giRo hRc team

£16.99

Like others here, Giro also uses

Meryl Skinlife fibres to help wick sweat

and keep odours at bay. What Giro has

done differently is weave the socks in a

honeycomb pattern that creates an

almost compressive feel when worn.

The thin fabric and surefooted fit make

these some of the best around, though

they are somewhat pricey.

enduRa Fs260-PRo

£18.99/2 pairS

endura uses meryL Skinlife,

so the FS260s never get too wiffy. The

thick sole has a comfortable cotton-

like feel, while the open weave tops

wick moisture well and keep your feet

cool. An elastic mid-foot

support band keeps them in

place, and flat seams on toe

and heel mean no irritation.best

on test

Road tested

9 6

10

Bont’s main downfall over the years has been comfort for the masses — not everyone could get on with the harshness of the stiff carbon soles, especially on the original Vaypor. However, with the new Vaypor Sprint, Bont seems to have cracked it, producing a far superior fit. The range-topping S is made from a similar unidirectional carbon and Durolite outer previously seen on the Zero and the

Vaypor Plus, mixing the two designs to offer a sleek look and feel. Two well-placed Boa ratchets held feet in position firmly and allowed for small adjustments on the fly. No effort seemed to be wasted during testing, and they’re light with it — these shoes can’t be faulted. Symon Lewis 230g www.saddleback.co.uk

Endura FS260 Pro Slick Overshoe £22.99

The FS260 Pro Slick Overshoes are designed to offer waterproof protection in a compact package that can be stowed in a jersey pocket. They feature a high-stretch, waterproof PU fabric on the main body, with a rear panel made from Lycra for additional stretch when putting them on. There is also YKK rear zip to aid putting them on and taking them off. In practice they were easy to put on/take off and the water resistance was decent. The low score is due to their durability: the white colour of our test sample quickly scuffed and became cut up — black or grey would no doubt hide the inevitable scuff marks better. Similarly, after one wet, dirty ride, no amount of washing restored the white colour to its initial dazzling prowess. Oliver Bridgewood 94gwww.endura.co.uk

Santini Mesh Short-sleeved Base Layer £44.99

If you don’t currently wear a base layer, and many cyclists don’t, then this excellent offering from Santini is fully recommended. To the non-believers, rest assured that this is much more than a string vest; it is super-comfortable, very light and soft, fitting like a second skin with its seamless construction. It also does an excellent job of wicking sweat and regulating your body temperature. Santini claims that the base layer reflects far infa-red rays back into the skin, enhancing performance and recovery. While this sounds dubious, this base layer is seriously comfortable and has lasted the course of two months’ intense use. Only the high retail price prevents the Santini’s base layer from scoring a perfect 10. Oliver Bridgewood 68g (Size M) www.fisheroutdoor.co.uk

Productof theweek

Bont Vaypor Sroad shoe £270

36 | June 11, 2015 | Cycling Weekly

we SAYTraditional shell

jacket lifted by Italian styling but the fit

won’t suit all

CAStelli Velo

£80

Traditionally Italian

Pockets 0

Italian styling lifts Castelli’s good, if

somewhat traditional, packable jacket.

Windproofing is courtesy of the ripstop

fabric, which combines with a DWR

(durable water repellent) coating to deter

water ingress. There’s ventilation on the

back of the shoulders and neck, though

it’s less breathable than the best jackets,

and the fit was a little loose around the

shoulders and flapped in use on our

slim tester. In spite of being devoid of

pockets, the Velo

packs neatly into

its collar, and we

also like the colour

– an attractive

alternative to

the neon yellows

favoured by some

manufacturers.

HiGHSGreat styling and highly packable

lowSFit won’t suit the slimmest riders

DHB wiSp winDproof

£33

Pockets 0

DHB has built a

well-deserved

reputation

for cycling kit

that delivers

terrific quality

and excellent

value – so we

were a little

surprised

that its Wisp

jacket didn’t

quite live up to

our expectations. On the plus side,

the fabric performs adequately as a wind

and rain barrier, the fleece collar is soft on

your skin and it’s most definitely packable

– fitting into one of the sleeves. But the

shape was less than ideal, and not the race

fit DHB suggests. The sleeves are a little

short, the loose cuffs let cold air in and

overall it felt more like a disposable item

than a jacket to keep for the longer term.

BontrAGer rACe winDSHell

£44.99

Pockets 1

Light, easily

packable

and highly

breathable, the

Race Windshell

is a solid all-

rounder that’s

well made and

keenly priced.

It may not

offer as much

protection as

the very best

shells, but its breathability is first rate. It

also packs easily into its own pocket, the

fabric feels good to the touch and the fit

is pretty decent – though the company’s

American roots are reflected in a cut

slightly broader in the shoulders. This

represents a fine budget buy, though it’s

at its best in warmer conditions, on rides

where breathability trumps the need for

significant protection from the elements.

polAriS rBS pACk Me

£55

Pockets 1

The RBS stands

for Really Bright

Stuff and is

part of Polaris’s

visibility range

of commuter-

focused bike

clothing.

The Pack Me

combines

bold colours

and reflective

elements in a

jacket that really should get you noticed.

It also successfully shrugs off the wind

and offers adequate water resistance. The

fabrics feel good to the touch, well made

and durable, and a generous rear pocket

doubles as a bag for the jacket. Reflecting

its urban flavour, fit is more generous than

some, particularly noticeable riding on the

drops, and overall this is a sound, well-

priced choice for the cycle commuter.

gear

guide

148 | May 2015 | CYCLING PLUS

Photography Danny birD

These are the trends set to dominate the road cycling scene this spring and summer

This year’s

Thing

Everything aeroWelcome to the age of the one-piece. Having spent thousands on aerodynamic frames and wheels, riders are now looking at the least aerodynamic part of the system – themselves. Louis Garneau’s offering (above) is just one of a growing number of top-end skinsuits that significantly reduce drag while accommodating the practical needs of road riding, with pockets and a zippable upper. ‘The Louis Garneau Course delivers that wind cheating advantage, but without compromising on

style, comfort or practicality. It was developed in response to Team Europcar’s needs and demands in the WorldTour,’ says Louis Garneau brand manager Chris Snook. The trend for low drag goes further than skinsuits, though. Aerodynamics is becoming fashionable for all elements of an outfit. ‘We’re seeing an increased use of aero helmets, bikes and clothes in

the pro peloton, where it used to be more niche,’ says Snook. It makes you faster, and it’s starting to look good.

Left: Louis Garneau Course Skin Suit, £239.99, evanscycles.com

Above: Sportful Cycling R&D Speedskin jersey, £90, c3products.com

Lazer Sport Z1 road helmet with Aeroshell, £199.99, madison.co.uk

Castelli Free Aero Race Bib Short, £139.99, saddleback.co.uk

Velotoze Tall Shoe Cover, £14.99, extrauk.co.uk

Castelli Aero Speed gloves, £35, saddleback.co.uk

Rudy Project Hypermask Performance glasses, £219.98, yellow-limited.co.uk

Shimano R321 SPD-SL road shoe, £299.99, madison.co.uk

150 cyclist

Spring style b Gear guide

1. SMITH OPTICS CYCLIST

2.BONT CYCLING PLUS

3. CASTELLI CYCLIST

4. CASTELLI CYCLING PLUS

5. ENVE MBUK

6. ENVE TRI220

7. BONT CYCLING WEEKLY




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