Bike News Round-up: Latest Gear & Events
Lezyne"s new helmet mount will be compatible with all their LED lights (Lezyne)
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Every week, we’ll be compiling a round-up of news that"s caught our eye over the preceding seven days but hasn"t been covered on BikeRadar. From the latest product news to details of routes and events, we’ll be bringing you short snippets of information in one handy article.
Product newsLezyne launch new helmet mount
Lezyne have developed a new helmet mount for their lights, which has just gone into production and will be available from February. It combines an aluminium base with a composite pivoting cradle. A Velcro strap holds the mount to the helmet and a rubber pad on the underside provides grip and protection. It"s compatible with all their LED lights and will retail for £16.99 from UK distributors Upgrade Bikes. [Full details: Lezyne]
BBB unveil DiscStop pad
BBB say their new DiscStop brake pads are ready to go out of the box, with no bedding-in needed. There"s a choice of organic (£9.95) or sintered compounds (£12.95), and they"re compatible with almost every braking system on the planet. UK distribution is via Windwave.
DT Swiss switch distribution
DT Swiss have made some changes to their UK distribution network. Hotlines are now the people to go to for wheelsets, forks, shocks and accessories, while Madison will handle spokes, nipples, hubs and rims. Pace Cycles will deal with all warranty issues.
Decade-Europe unite with Unit Clothing
Decade-Europe will distribute Unit clothing from February. Founded by Australian Paul Everest in his parents" garage in 2002, the brand are now known worldwide as producers of casual threads for mountain bike, BMX and motocross riders.
Moseley bows to Deity
World Cup downhill champion Tracy Moseley, who recently struck out on her own with the launch of T-Mo Racing, will use Deity components in 2012, including their Blacklabel (pictured below) and Dirty30 handlebars. Moseley, who"s planning to return to her multi-discipline roots, will collaborate with the American company on a signature enduro bar for 2013. They"re also working on new standard and direct-mount stems, which will be launched this spring.
GreenEDGE unveil team bikes from Scott
New Aussie pro road team GreenEDGE began the 2012 season on home soil at the Tour Down Under, where they unveiled the Scott bikes and kit they"ll be rocking this year. The team"s green colour isn"t as prevalent on the Foil as it is on the Plasma, but we like the look of both. The Vanish helmet completes the Scott-made equipment list.
Scott Plasma
Dreambike auction cranks up
The CrankBrothers" Dreambike auction is in full swing, to date raising $19,227 for the Wheels 4 Life charity – enough to buy 192 bikes for people in third world countries. The latest bike under the hammer, a Scott Genius LT, went out the door for $3,200 – almost $2k under the estimated value. The bike"s new owner lives just round the corner from CrankBrothers HQ, so he was able to collect it in person from Wheels 4 Life founder and trials legend Hans Rey. [Full details: CrankBrothers]
Routes, races & ridesNew gravity enduro series for the UK
Enduro 1 are organising a new three-round gravity enduro race series in southern England. The X-Fusion Suspension All Mountain Enduro Race Series will kick off at the Forest of Dean in Gloucestershire on 22 April, before heading to Salisbury Plain, Wiltshire on 17 June and Longmoor, Hampshire on 7 October. Organisers say the series is "aimed at encouraging the average trail rider who"s new to racing to enter a competition relevant to their style of riding and bike, yet has classes to cater for the more experienced rider/racer". More details can be found at www.enduro1.co.uk.
Wiggle boards Mountain Mayhem
Mountain Mayhem, the UK"s original 24-hour mountain bike enduro, has a new title sponsor for 2012 in the shape of online retailers Wiggle. More than 2,000 riders of all abilities will take on the terrain of Eastnor Castle Deer Park in Herefordshire from the 22-24 June, with entries being accepted from midnight on 29 February. More information can be found on the event website, although you"ll have to wait until it goes live at the end of this month.
New Joker sportive has tricks up its sleeve
Ever looked at the cobbled hill in the classic Hovis TV advert and thought, "I fancy riding that"? Well, now"s your chance. The Joker is a new season-opening UK sportive held on April Fool"s Day that throws up a number of options, such as Joker Challenges (extra miles, hills and hurdles as a test of your mettle) and Fools" Choices (detours that"ll cut your distance but send you up and down stretches of cobbles and other non-tarmacked roads) – one of which is the iconic Gold Hill in Shaftesbury. If that hasn"t left you intrigued, the organisers" promise of a few more tricks up the Joker"s sleeve surely will. Head over to the event website for more info.
If you take the worst of what the Joker throws at you, expect to ride around 150km
Wight Riviera Sportive
Closed-road cycling events are in vogue these days and they"ve now made their way to the Isle of Wight in the English Channel. The Wight Riviera Sportive on 20 May is the headline event of a wider festival of cycling on the island and is unique in that it offers a 25km traffic-free lead-out loop, which passes back across the start line before starting afresh as an open road ride. This is the Isle of Wight, though, so even open roads are hardly chock full of traffic. Three routes are available – 154km (£38), 116km (£36) and 62km (£36) – with entry open now at the event website.
Legs of Mann
You’ll need to bring some strong pins with you for the Legs of Mann, an event on the Isle of Mann aimed at experienced mountain bikers that mixes enduro, cross-country and marathon racing with a dose of wilderness riding. Competitive timed sections will be interspersed with non-competitive liaison sections. Some 47 competitors took to the start line for the first event in 2011 and with just 15 completing the course, you know you’ll be in for a tough few days. It"ll be held on the weekend of 28/29 April and will include a whopping 133km of riding, with 3,500m of climbing (and descent). It"s run by the Manx Mountain Bike Club and you can find more details here.
From the same club comes the Legs of Mann 100, a 100-mile (15,000ft ascent) off-road event on 29 July that blends an Isle of Man end-to-end with a trailquest. All competitors start with a foot in the sea at the far north of the island, make a short run for their bikes and proceed to the far south in a gruelling, strength-sapping ride. It"s another wilderness event on natural trails, with none of the signage or food stops of other events. While there will be marshals and signs at certain points, your chief source of direction will be GPS data provided by the organisers. Click here for more details.
Van Rd trails
Local riders have signed a 10-year agreement with Forestry Commission Wales to manage the dirt jumps and trails in Van Road, Caerphilly. The Van Rd Trails Group say the deal is the culmination of two years of talks. Work will begin shortly on the construction of new jumps and trails that’ll open in early summer. "I grew up riding the trails and they were one of the first places I really started to develop as a rider," said local rider and junior downhill world champion Manon Carpenter. "I don"t think I"d be as good a rider today without them or competing internationally at World Cups, so I"m really looking forward to having the trails back in Caerphilly."
Bike News Round-up: Latest Gear & Events
The new Saracen Myst Team, available soon (Madison)
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This news round-up is a compilation of stories that have caught our eye in recent days but haven"t been covered on BikeRadar. From the latest product news to details of routes and events, we’ll be bringing you short snippets of information in one handy article.
Product & team news2012 Saracen bikes now online
The 2012 Saracen website is now live, featuring the British brand"s full catalogue of mountain and urban bikes, plus news from the Madison-Saracen downhill team. Technical advice, an online shop and a blog will be added soon.
MS Mondraker Team gears up for 2012
A new downhill outfit will be contesting the UCI World Cup series in 2012 – the MS Mondraker Team. It’s the result of a union between Austria’s MS Evil Racing and the Mondraker Factory Team, which wound up following the retirement of three-time world champion Fabien Barel. The team will comprise Brook MacDonald, Damien Spagnolo, Markus Pekoll and Emmeline Ragot, and will ride the Mondraker Summum.
“The team is very sad that we had to let some of our riders go but also happy about the new riders Damien and Emmeline, and about Brook and Markus to still be with us,” said MS-Racing owner Markus Stöckl. “Each of them is a great rider and has a cool personality, so we"re looking forward to some successful and fun race weekends.”
Rewards scheme for Wattbike fans
After seeing word-of-mouth sales skyrocket, Wattbike have introduced a rewards scheme for UK customers who recommend their stationary trainers to friends, family or colleagues. Rewards range from Rapha gift vouchers to free products from Castelli, Bont and Sunnto.
Routes, races & ridesHampshire trail builders issue rallying call
Volunteers are needed at Queen Elizabeth Country Park in Hampshire for trail building duties. An additional 1.5km has been added to the orange-graded mountain bike trail since June, with the guys behind the development hoping to add the same again, as well as improvements to what’s there already, before reopening it as a red trail this summer.
To make the plans reality, they need extra manpower. Trail building weekends will take place on 28/29 January, 25/26 February and 24/25 March, and they"re reaching out to mountain bikers to help. To get involved, email qectrailbuilding@yahoo.co.uk, tweet @eldiablobrewery or visit QECP Trail Builders on Facebook.
Proposers of Dorset bike park look to shore up support
A coastal bike park complete with skills area and pump track could be built in Chewton Bunny, Dorset – providing local residents don"t come out in force against it. Funding for South Shore bike park is already in place but its future depends on the outcome of a public consultation that ends next week.
The process is being carried out by post, which fans of the park think plays into the hands of its opponents, described on the Pro Elbows blog as "that particular breed of elderly local with nothing better to do than complain about stuff". Christchurch Borough Council are accepting response forms, downloadable here, until 3 February. For more information on the plans, click here.
Dragon Double
Given that the Wiggle Dragon Ride and Etape Cymru are both based in Wales and organised by the same company, it"s no surprise to see entry to the sportives being offered as an all-in-one "Dragon Double" package. Priced at £100, a limited number are available here from 9am on Wednesday until 5pm on 31 January, or until they sell out.
Bike News Round-up: Latest Gear & Events
Victoria Pendleton (Halfords)
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From the latest product news to details of routes and events, our news round-up is a collection of short snippets of information in one handy article.
Today we bring you a preview of Victoria Pendleton"s new range of women"s bikes, word on the arrival of Pacific Cycles in the UK, new bikes from Grupetto Italia, Dan Lloyd"s new team and more.
Product newsVictoria Pendleton & Halfords team up for women"s cycle range
Pendleton on location this week (courtesy of Halfords" Twitter page)
Not content with teaming up with one Olympian in Chris Boardman, UK retailer Halfords are working with Victoria Pendleton to sell her new line of women"s bikes. The three-strong range is designed for those who want to make cycling part of their daily lives, whether that’s for pleasure, town or city riding. The bikes, Somerby (£299.99), Brooke (£299.99) and Dalby (£349.99) will be available in 16” or 18” frame sizes, and will go on sale from 22 March.
Cycle Surgery expands operations
Cycle Surgery has announced it will open a new store in Wandsworth, London this March. The 2,500 sq ft shop, open seven days a week, will stock bikes from Trek, Giant, Brompton and Ridgeback, equipment from Endura, Giro and Mavic, as well as a workshop with Cytech qualified mechanics.
Pacific Cycles reach UK shores
Pacific Cycles are opening a new European office in London, bringing their full size folding bikes to the UK for the first time through retailers Firebox and Fudges Cycle Store. One of the highlights of their range is the aluminium, 26" wheeled iF Mode city bike (£1,699), aimed at commuters who want the convenience of a folding bike but who have been previously put off by small wheels. It also folds in a way that allows you to drag it along on its wheels rather than having to carry it.
Three new Grupetto Italia bikes for 2012
Mottarone SL
Grupetto Italia have unveiled three new bikes for 2012; two carbon models in the Mottarone SL (from £2,500) and the Mergozzo CL (from £1,550), and the steel CS Maggiore (from £1,350). The bikes are available to view at their showroom in Amersham, Buckinghamshire and via their website, and offer a free fitting service with all purchases.
Routes, racing & ridesDan Lloyd signs for Team IG-Sigma Sport
British pro Daniel Lloyd has been signed by UK based Team IG-Sigma Sport. Lloyd, who rode for Garmin-Cervelo last year, was contemplating retirement when he wasn"t re-signed by the powerhouse squad. However he was persuaded to keep racing on the domestic scene by his friend Ian Whittingham at Sigma Sport.
The team is hoping for a top 10 finish at the Tour of Britain, as well as wins at the Tour Series criteriums and Premier Calendar events this year.
Cheshire Classic future boosted
The Cheshire Classic Women’s Road Race, the opener to the British Cycling National Series, has brought Epic Cycles on board as a new sponsor. The 77km race, won last year by Junior World Champion Lucy Garner, is set for 22 April in Northwich, Cheshire and thanks to the sponsorship, it will now have access to full support from National Escort Group motorcycle marshals and a biking paramedic. It comes as a welcome boost for the sport after recent reports from riders and promoters apparently struggling to find backing for their events.
CTC expands sportive calendar
CTC, the UK"s national cyclists" organisation has added two more dates to their sportive calendar for 2012 - the Swindon Cycle Champions ride on 19 February and the North West Challenge, Manchester on March 18. Entry to the Swindon event is on a buy one get one free basis, so it"ll cost £15 for you and a friend. Both are on top of returning rides from 2011, including Dorset"s Ride to the Pies (25/26 February) and Sheffield"s Phil Liggett on 19 August. Visit the website for entry information.
Bike News Round-up: Latest Gear & Events
Hotlines will be the place to find ControlTech"s new Gale crankset (ControlTech)
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From the latest product news to details of routes and events, our news round-up is a collection of short snippets of information in one handy article.
Today we bring you the new Gale road crankset from ControlTech, Wiggle"s search to sponsor a cycling star, the Sustrans National Cycle Network Android app and more.
Product newsControlTech"s Gale crankset breezes in
ControlTech have released details of their new lightweight Gale crankset, which features UD carbon fibre arms, 7075 chain rings and integrated with BB25. With a claimed weight of 660g, the Gale is comes available in 9/10 speed options, a compact 50/34t chainset and a choice of 170mm, 172.5mm and 175mm crank arms. Pricing and availability are to be confirmed, but UK distributor Hotlines will be the place to find them.
Wiggle launch "X Factor" style athlete search
Ever dreamed of becoming a sponsored athlete? Wiggle is giving ordinary people with a talent and passion for cycling a chance to realise that dream. The 2012 Wiggle Athlete Search is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for cyclists to join Team Wiggle and enjoy the benefits of a full support package for a whole season.
All you need to be is 18 years old or over, with a talent for any biking discipline. You can then head over to the competition website to submit your own application to be in with a chance to win a £1,000 training bike, a £2,000 racing bike, a clothing and equipment including a Team Wiggle kit, plus a discount on any kit from their website.
Sustrans" cycle network app brought to life on Android
UK sustainable transport charity Sustrans has released the Android version of their National Cycle Network phone app. The free app, which was released last May on iPhone and downloaded by over 50,000 people, brings 25,000 miles of cycling routes to your fingertips wherever you are in the UK.
Routes, racing & ridesBMX roadshow aims to stir London interest
Access Sport will host a five-day BMX roadshow in east London during February half-term (13-17) as part of a campaign to promote a new wave of participation in the capital. The events will offer free coaching and are backed by British Cycling and Olympian Shanaze Reade. It"s part of a legacy project that hopes to establish five new BMX clubs and tracks in the five hosting boroughs of this summer"s Games - Greenwich, Hackney, Newham, Tower Hamlets and Waltham Forest. The Olympic Park itself will have an international standard track, and it’s hoped these community-led clubs will link up to it and ensure its use long after the summer is over.
To find out the full schedule and venues, click here.
Jurassic Classic unearthed
The Wiggle Jurassic Classic is a new Devon sportive designed to raise funds and awareness for the Prostate Cancer Charity. The event, set for Sunday 8 July, features 100km/100 mile routes along the stunning East Devon coastline and passes through towns including Budleigh Salterton, Sidmouth and Lyme Regis. Entry costs £28 for both distances, which gets you the usual benefits of food stations, marshals and route signs. Visit the event website for more information.