Bikes Etc Magazine March 2019

Whether you’ve cycled all winter or are thinking about saddling up again after a bit of a break, you’ll doubtless want 2019 to be your best cycling year ever. And if that’s the case, you’re going to want to have the best cycling gear to wear while doing it. Which is why we’ve teamed up with Aussie Grit Apparel, a brand from Down Under spearheaded by F1 driver Mark Webber, that’s dedicated to producing top-notch clothing for outdoor training. And this month, Aussie Grit is offering one lucky reader the chance to win one of its superb ‘flint’ bike shell jackets worth £199. This highly versatile garment is made from a strong yet lightweight Singsoft 3-layer shell fabric that’s staggeringly waterproof and highly breathable. Ergonomically designed to allow freedom of…

‘When you’ve going through a bad patch, you’ve got to tell yourself it won’t last.’ So said the late Mike Hall, the ultra-endurance rider perhaps best known for having cycled around the world in 91 days. It’s a great thought to have in your mind whenever you’re doing anything on a bike (or indeed life) that’s causing your teeth to grind. By complete coincidence, Mike’s legacy can be found scattered throughout this edition of the magazine. In a tenuous way, it can be found in our feature on page 46 about how to ride through bad weather – something Mike would have known about more than most. Then on page 32, there’s our interview with the extraordinary Jenny Graham, holder of record and for whom Mike was a source of…

WHAT IS IT? Pinching elements from across the Italian bike maker’s line-up, the Bianchi Oltre is a versatile Grand Tour racer that’s designed to shrug-off both drag and fatigue. Using the brand’s Countervail system, this sees viscoelastic material embedded between the layers of carbon fibre with the intention of cancelling out high-frequency vibrations from the road. Recently updated to feature disc brakes, the bike’s geometry remains largely unchanged. Having racked up wins beneath riders from the LottoNL-Jumbo squad it’s the latest in a very long line of winners from the famous Italian marque. WHY IS BIANCHI SO FAMOUS? Founded in Italy in 1885, F.I.V. Edoardo Bianchi S.p.A, better known as Bianchi, is the world’s oldest existing bike maker, having pioneered the use of equal-sized wheels and pneumatic tyres over 100…

Got feet? You’ll be wanting some shoes, then. These new models from Adidas should appeal to Colnago fans, having been designed in collaboration with the famous Italian brand to match its bikes. Two styles are available, the modern Kamanda, and the classic Trimm Star. Originally released in 1985 as light training shoes, the updated Trimm Star sports a recycled sole that mimics the tan-wall on a retro racing tyre. Elsewhere its styling takes inspiration from Ernesto Colnago’s classic steel Master C racing bike and its Giuseppe Saronni designed paint job. On the insole is the rider’s head logo from the Master C’s top tube, while the three classic Adidas stripes are rendered in the metallic red synonymous with the Italian brand. Stylish enough to get the nod from mods and…

Fourteen years since the Continental Grand Prix 4000 became most racers go-to tyre, Germany’s premier rubber fiends have cooked up a fresh new tread, the Grand Prix 5000. And the big news is that for the first time in the brand’s history, there’s a tubeless version, too. Available in sizes from 23 to 32c and designed for fast general riding and all-out racing, they feature the brand’s Black Chilli compound rubber and a Vectran breaker belt to fend off punctures. Continental also claims the new version rolls 12% faster, is 20% more puncture-resistant, and weighs 10 grams less than its predecessor. Numbers with the potential to sharpen up even the tardiest of wheelsets. Initial reviews have been positive, with independent rolling-resistance tests showing reductions flying beyond even the makers’ claims.…

Japanese components giant Shimano certainly seem to see the future of cycling as e-bike shaped. Not only has it pioneered the development of its own e-bike drive unit, the increasingly ubiquitous Shimano STEPS system, but it’s now launched an integrated app to connect to it. The E-TUBE RIDE app, as Shimano is calling it, can be used to connect to all STEPS e-bike drive units, including the MTB-orientated E8000 and E7000, and the city/trekking and commuter E6100 and E5000 systems. The App hosts a number of functions and can display a slew of keyriding metrics including speed, distance, torque level, time of day, automatic gear shifting, as well as distance to your destination. It’ll also give you plenty of feedback about how your bike is bearing up, offering display warnings…