Cyclist September 2021

Has there been a fairy tale to match it in the history of cycling? The former king of sprinting loses his powers and is written off by all as a has-been. But providence grants him one more chance… And, boy, did Mark Cavendish grab it. He wasn’t even meant to be at the Tour, but a series of fortunate events (fortunate for Cavendish, at least) saw him get a last-minute call up to the QuickStep squad, whereupon the tired, old Cav we saw in tears at last year’s Gent-Wevelgem was miraculously replaced by the confident, youthful Cav we remember, and the stage wins flooded in like it was 2008 all over again. Not since Greg LeMond returned from a near-fatal shooting accident to win the Tour de France in 1989, or Johan…

Ever since the name first appeared in the mid-80s, ‘Specialissima’ has been reserved for Bianchi’s most traditional bikes. They have always been classic in form – a double diamond construction of round tubes and rim brakes that married light weight and high stiffness with timeless looks. That makes the latest Specialissima somewhat of a departure. The bike has gone disc-only, with fully internal cables and subtle aero styling to bring the design functionally up to date. It now competes with some of the most popular bikes on the market, such as Specialized’s Tarmac, Giant’s TCR and Cannondale’s SuperSix Evo. To make such radical changes is a bold move, especially considering how well-regarded the 2015 Specialissima was. ‘The old Specialissima was conceived to be included in the superlight category,’ says Bianchi product manager…

If you’ve found the pandemic lockdown has helped you save a chunk of cash, then maybe now is the time to blow it all on some new Assos summer kit. The Mille GTO bibshorts go straight in at the very top of the Swiss brand’s range, and your £255 will buy you an all-new insert that features a softer, more ventilated front cup as well as three layers of foam beneath. Each layer is constructed differently and does a slightly different job, but collectively they better manage shock absorption, moisture and breathability. The front panel has also been swapped for a new material called Losanga that works to further alleviate pressure on sensitive areas. Then there’s the new Mille GT jersey, which is now made with Big Dual Tex knit that Assos says…

Yep, that’s nearly half a monkey for a pannier rack, but bear with us, because this is one of those rare pieces of kit that might just justify its whopping pricetag. The main draw here is versatility, or rather uni-versatility. The AeroPack fits any road or gravel bike, with one strut wrapping around the seatpost and the other two attaching to a modified quick release skewer or thru-axle. First installation takes less than two minutes, while subsequent removal or reinstallation takes seconds as there are no bolts to loosen, just sprung clips. The AeroPack comes with the Trunk Top Bag – fully waterproof, roll-top, 20-litre capacity – but if more stowage is your thing the rack is also available with pannier mounts (£289), which accommodate Tailfin’s proprietary pannier bags. Said bags are…

This limited edition of Hutchinson’s Fusion 5 Performance tubeless-ready road tyres boasts a new Gridskin sidewall reinforcement that claims to improve performance and reduce environmental impact. The French brand says the mesh build of its Gridskin ‘isolates external damage’, thus minimising the development of bigger holes and punctures while also improving grip and comfort. Moreover, Hutchinson claims the addition means the process requires less plastic, rubber and manufacturing energy, with the lack of sidewall labels reducing waste further still.…

In the world of aerodynamics, the ‘Rule of 105’ is a commonly accepted guideline to optimise airflow over a wheel/tyre system. The rule suggests that the rim must be at least 105% the width of the tyre if there is to be a chance of it recapturing the airflow from the tyre and smoothing it out. It is believed that the disruption caused by a wide tyre on a narrow rim almost completely undermines the drag-reducing effect of deep rims. Based on this rule, there are only a couple of wheel designs on the market wide enough to optimise the wheel/tyre system for a gravel bike, considering 700c tyres are commonly in the 37-42mm range. In the Discus 45 40 LTD wheel, 3T has ostensibly released the most appropriate example to…