Table of contents for Autumn 2025 in Cycling Plus

WELCOME… As you enter middle age – and beyond – it’s a lot harder to stay in shape. Not just because the years take their toll on your body, but because there are more demands on your time, whether that’s children (or grandchildren), a stressful job, never-ending housework and gardening to do, a heaving social calendar (sadly not, in my case!) or all of the above. Mark Bailey’s description of a “brutal sense of physical decline” (p46) certainly rings true. Thankfully, he’s got some great, hard-won tips for reversing that midlife health slump. One thing Mark doesn’t cover is finding the motivation to get out on your bike. This is where an upgrade or two can sometimes help – though they don’t always pay off, as we recount on p55.…

Western consumers have grown used to the idea that few of the products we use are manufactured at home. Indeed, ‘we don’t make things anymore’ is a refrain (or a lament) often heard in discussions of where we are politically. Purportedly, Italian bikes such as the Colnago V5Rs and Pinarello Dogma F are designed in Italy, but their frames are made in Taiwan or China. It’s a similar story with major North American brands including Specialized, Trek, Cannondale and Cervélo. The designs are unique to their brands, and I’m not looking to denigrate the efforts that go into developing them. But, in many cases, the manufacturing techniques barely differ. It’s valid to interrogate the value proposition when you’re paying significantly more for something with a ‘prestige’ name on the down…

£320 Race-proven but not perfect Weight: 265g (M) Sizes: M/52-58cm, L/59-62cm Colours: Black Matt, White Matt, Cherry Burst, Ultraviolet, Blueberry Fade (tested) The Italian brand’s latest aero helmet takes subtle design cues from time-trial and triathlon helmets and is claimed to outperform the brand’s own Utopia Y aero helmet in terms of both aerodynamics and ventilation. It uses a truncated teardrop shape and subtle ear covers to help reduce drag. Worn in the WorldTour by the likes of Geraint Thomas and his Ineos Grenadiers teammates, it was claimed by Kask at its launch to be 19% better ventilated and 35% more aerodynamic than the best aero helmets out there. The Nirvana is closer to a classic aero road helmet than the TT-specific Lazer Victor KinetiCore and aggressive hybrid models such…

JACK LUKE OSCAR HUCKLE WARREN ROSSITER LIAM CAHILL TOM MARVIN Who doesn’t love buying new bits and bobs for their pride and joy? Whether it’s the promise of performance gains, the thought of your rides being even more enjoyable than they already are or, at the very least, gaining some style points and kudos on the Sunday ride, it’s all part of being a cyclist. Unfortunately, however, not all upgrades are created equal or live up to expectations, with many destined for the spare parts drawer or eBay. On the following pages, we reveal some of the worst road and gravel upgrades we’ve bought, to act as a reminder to you to consider if it’s worth taking the risk before you pop what looks like a bargain new part into…

The Kudo is the lightest and best ventilated of Fizik’s new road helmets, with a rounded, low-volume design, an airy feel and a highly adjustable fit. However, the somewhat scratchy straps and a clip-in rear light that needs to be more secure detract from its performance, especially considering its stratospheric cost. Standing out This is a sleek-looking lid, especially in the bronze colourway of my test sample. The light matt finish, contrasting mid-tone and high-gloss metallic insert at the rear make for a premium appearance. Looks aside, the in-moulded shell provides coverage throughout the whole of the helmet, adding optimal protection to the expanded polystyrene core. At 337.2g for the size-large sample I tested (including light), the Kudo is a lightweight helmet, although not as light as the Lazer Z1…

£54.99 Brand new mixed-terrain rubber Sizes 700c x 40, 45 and 50mm Colours Black or brown sidewalls (50mm in black only) Weight 596g (50mm) Part of Vittoria’s recently overhauled gravel tyre range, the Terreno T50 is designed as a “one-tyre-fits all” solution. The middle of the V-shaped centre tread is said to provide grip when rolling, while the outer part grips when braking or cornering. There are also two lines of taller lugs on the tyre’s shoulders for “enhanced control and confidence” when leaning, plus to help clear debris. Between these and the centre tread are midsized ‘transition lugs’. The tyre uses the brand’s ‘Endurance’ nylon to boost strength in its 100TPI (threads per inch) casing, and the sidewalls are reinforced for puncture resistance and stability at low pressures. There’s…

Trusted content Here at Cycling Plus, we take great pride in producing high-quality articles. We do this by rooting out credible research from respected institutions, interviewing top experts in their field and using our own hard-won expertise when it’s relevant. Your Experts Charlie Allenby Boost your ride Charlie looks into the latest advice on what to do if you bang your head while riding Will Soffe Workshop manager & writer Read our in-house mechanic Will’s five easy steps to adjusting your front derailleur Warren Rossiter Senior technical editor Pro-only bikes would help make cycling better for everyone, argues Woz…

The UCI should allow the separation of pro-race bikes from mass-market bikes. That way, the pros would enjoy better-suited bikes and so would we. At the minute, even the most dedicated race machine is compromised by the need for it to be a workable bike in the real world. For example, would Specialized have cancelled the Venge Vias if it were built solely for the WorldTour and they hadn’t been influenced by the pushback from shop mechanics saying it took too long to build, eroding profit margins and making it too expensive to maintain for the end user? You don’t see anyone in the design teams of Formula One or MotoGP hand-wringing about practicality over speed. Here in the UK at least, a stripped-down race bike is fun to ride,…

PEGGY KNOX This talented 16-year-old Brit and GSF Talent Award athlete is already a two-time U16 cyclocross national champion and National Trophy Series winner. A member of the Vicious Velo collective, Peggy has also been dominating the U16 London crit scene. One day, she’d like to be world cyclocross champion. You said: “Peggy can do it all. She’s smart, creative, humble – and very fast.” MATTHEW BRENNAN Matthew Brennan burst onto the scene in 2023 when he became the junior world champion in Madison relay and the individual pursuit in New York, setting a new junior record. Now aged 20 and riding for Visma-Lease a Bike, he won Stage 3 of this year’s Tour of Britain, as well as winning the overall, points and young rider classifications at the 2025…

The quest for better midlife health usually begins with a shocking photo. Who is that tired person in the pic? A stressful house move, work challenges and a slide into my 40s had left me feeling old. If you’re a middle-aged cyclist, you’ll probably relate. I was chubbier around the face, with huge bags under my eyes, and I felt physically diminished, with an aching lower back and mental fatigue. A lifetime passion for cycling and exercise meant I was never going to freefall into obesity. But I had a brutal sense of physical decline. Something needed to change. Fast-forward a couple of years to today and I’m fitter, stronger, leaner and more energetic. I relish exercise, the aches are under control and I sleep better. Friends tell me I’m…

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Weight 9.35kg (L) Frame Columbus carbon fibre monocoque Fork Columbus Futura Cross, carbon fibre Groupset SRAM Apex XPLR AXS Wheels Mavic Allroad Disc Tyres Schwalbe G-One All Round Performance RaceGuard, 700c x 38mm Finishing kit Cinelli Allroad Carbon cockpit (42cm/100mm), Cinelli aero carbon seatpost, Prologo Dimension T4.0 saddle The new King Zydeco takes the go-fast design principle of the original and brings some more aerodynamic tube shapes and a reduction in overall weight. In Cinelli’s words, it’s “perfect for UCI gravel races, ultra-distance racing, fast mixedterrain rides and winter training”. That sounds like a one-bike solution to us, and if it lives up to its billing, it could be one of 2025’s best buys. A fine balance Cinelli build the King Zydeco II frame based on their ‘double response system’.…

Gravel tyre choice is a minefield because the perfect option doesn’t exist. What might be a brilliant pick for one environment may be hopeless in another. Here are the top things to keep in mind. 01 Wheel size ● This is the first factor to consider when choosing a set of tyres. While most gravel bikes have 700c wheels, some use the smaller 650b diameter. The main reason for this is to be able to run wider tyres on bikes that have limited frame and fork clearance – older bikes that ran on 700c wheels tended to be less generous on clearance. However, the latest crop of gravel bikes with 700c wheels are maximising on clearance, some offering in excess of 57mm – that’s mountain bike territory! 02 Tyre width ● The…

LIZZIE DEIGNAN One of Britain’s most successful road cyclists, the Otley rider’s career peaked with a stunning ride to win the Worlds in Virginia in 2015. A tireless leader in reshaping women’s fortunes in pro cycling, she retires in 2025 with the sport in rude health. You said: “World champion, Paris-Roubaix and Tour of Flanders winner – what a career!” GARY IMLACH An oft-asked tongue-in-cheek question among cycling fans is this: what does Gary Imlach do for the other 49 weeks of the year? Whatever it is, the three weeks he’s put in at the Tour de France over the past 35 years – presenting for Channel 4 and latterly ITV – has been peerless work. With ITV leaving the sport, his presence will be much missed. You said: “He’s…

BMC say their new Teammachine SLR 01 is 16% lighter than before, while maintaining the same stiffness values. It’s “built for the pure climber”, but borrows from the aero-optimised Teammachine R 01 for “enhanced efficiency”. Gram shaving The Swiss brand have dropped the weight of the Teammachine SLR 01 frameset by 222g compared to the previous generation, through refined tube profiles, a revised carbon fibre layup and new manufacturing techniques. It even has slimmer decals and less paint to save precious grams. Compared to the previous Teammachine SLR 01, the frame is 16% lighter, at a claimed 1,173g; the seatpost is 27% lighter and the fork is 8% lighter. When it comes to complete bikes, the top-spec Teammachine SLR 01 ONE seen here weighs a claimed 6.6kg in a size…

Back in 2018, I took the new 3T Strada for a month’s riding in Australia. It was fitted with SRAM’s Force 1 mechanical groupset and I thought the new-fangled 1x11 setup would be all I’d need for road riding. I was wrong. The broad cassette and large single chainring didn’t quite give me the best gearing for all my rides. On the rolling Queensland coastal roads, it was brilliant, but when I got to the much steeper ramps and climbs inland, I struggled with the 50 x 34t bottom gear. What I loved, however, was the simplicity. Getting shot of a front derailleur was a godsend. I didn’t have to worry about any adjustments when setting the bike up in Australia, or that I’d drop the chain when riding. As…

You’ve probably noticed the increasing use of time-trial helmets in road racing. In fact, it’s been one of the most recognisable trends of the past few seasons. But why the sudden penchant for wearing oversized pointy helmets with no vents? Well, the UCI’s technical regulations don’t draw a distinction between ‘time trial’ and ‘aero road’ helmets, so enterprising riders and brands have revived old models and borrowed design cues from TT lids in the hope of finding yet another way to cheat the wind in road races with mass starts. However, all this has led plenty of commenters to declare, “The game’s gone!”, while the UCI recently revealed that they intend to put an end to this trend as part of sweeping revisions to their technical regulations, aimed at combating…

£370 POC’s TT-inspired road lid hits the mark Weight: 355g (M) Sizes: S/50-56cm, M/54-59cm, L/56-61cm Colours: Uranium Black Matt (tested), Pargasite Green Matt, Hydrogen White, Apatite Navy Matt With its TT helmet-inspired design and fluorescent pink colourway, the Procen Air turned heads when it debuted at the 2024 Tour Down Under. It’s since become a favourite of EF Education-EasyPost team riders, and was worn during Ben Healy’s marauding victory on stage 10 of the 2025 Tour de France and during Lachlan Morton’s win at Unbound in 2024. While it shares the Procen TT helmet’s rounded teardrop shape and three large front vents, it’s designed to reduce compromises in ventilation, weight and hearing. The tail is very truncated, for example, while the helmet’s flanks only cover half of your ears and…

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Trusted content Here at Cycling Plus, we take our testing seriously, sending highly experienced cyclists onto the roads and trails to see how each and every item stands up to their scrutiny. The result is independent and honest reviews to help make your next purchases easier. Your Experts Warren Rossiter Senior technical editor Woz tries out a helmet, off-road shoes and speedy gravel bikes this month Oscar Huckle Product tester Oscar helps you choose a set of wide gravel tyres in our Buyer’s Guide…

Reach ● The horizontal distance from the centre of the bottom bracket (BB) to the centre-top of the head tube. If the seat tube angle stays the same, a longer reach lowers your ride position and a shorter reach means you sit more upright. Stack ● This is the vertical distance from the centre of the BB to the top of the head tube. A taller stack puts you in a more upright ride position; a shorter stack gives a lower, racier position. Trail ● Derived from a combination of head angle and fork offset, this measure shows how far the contact point of a bike’s front tyre ‘trails’ behind its steering axis. A small trail figure makes for a fast-handling bike; more trail slows down the steering response. Bottom…

Weight 8.1kg (L) Frame Carbon fibre monocoque Fork Carbon fibre monocoque Groupset SRAM Red XPLR AXS Wheels Miche Graff Aero 48 Carbon Tyres Vittoria Terreno T50, 700c x 50mm Finishing kit Wilier F-Bar carbon cockpit, Wilier Filante Carbon seatpost, Prologo Dimension-AGX T4.0 saddle This version of the Rave SLR has been designed with racing at its core – not that the original model was a slouch when it came to going fast. However, while it’s an excellent racer, there’s more to the new Rave’s bow – a lot more. All the aero The new frameset was developed at Wilier’s Innovation Lab in Italy, using 3D-modelling and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) to optimise the Rave aerodynamically. It’s claimed to save 5.3W over the previous Rave SLR at 35kph. The bike has…

£74.99 A light, grippy race-focused tyre Sizes 700c x 40, 45, 50 and 55mm Colours Black or ‘Transparent’ (tan) sidewalls Weight 617g (50mm) A new addition to Schwalbe’s gravel race tyre line (which has been updated for 2025), the G-One RX Pro uses a new tread pattern, which is claimed to balance speed with performance in rocky and muddy conditions. It sits alongside the all-rounder G-One R Pro and the hard pack orientated G-One RS Pro. With the most aggressive tread pattern of the three, it looks more like a winter tyre than a mixed terrain option at first glance. What Schwalbe describe as their “boomerang-design” centre tread is claimed to offer low rolling resistance, with teardrop-shaped intermediate knobs on either side of the boomerangs, said to improve structural support…

Although you’ll use your front derailleur less than the rear derailleur, ensuring it’s set up correctly will save you the frustration of a dropped chain or chain rub. In this guide, we explain how to adjust your front derailleur in five simple steps. We also cover how to set up electronic front derailleurs. Set the derailleur position First, set the lateral (side to side) position of the front derailleur on the seat tube. Loosen the fixing bolt and adjust the cage until it’s parallel to the chainrings when looking from above. Next, set the height of the derailleur. Shift into the largest chainring and the outside edge of the cage should sit 2-3mm above the teeth. Adjust the lower limit screw There will be two limit screws (A) on the…