Table of contents for April 2024 in Cycling Plus

WELCOME… Leisurely rides where you take the train home (p40). A full-throttle 160km gran fondo in Mexico (p48). Gravel riding with Lios bikes in Hampshire (p74) and a teeth-rattling sportive on the British cobbles of Calderdale (p80). The Cycling Plus team have been busy this issue taking on an array of two-wheeled challenges, which showcase the wealth of wheel widths and tyre treads open to the drop-bar cyclist in 2024. And, yes, it was me who played the editor card and bagged the Mexican adventure. Those tacos won’t eat themselves, after all…. Enjoy the edition and, as always, keep us posted on your own riding adventures. Your experts John Whitney Deputy editor Lee-on-the-Solent was John’s destination this month, visiting Lios bikes to get fitted up for a gravel custom ride…

Shimano GRX ● Shimano launched its first gravel- and adventure-specific groupset, GRX, in 2019, which featured new ergonomically shaped hoods and levers, disc brakes and wide-range gearing. This was later than its main industry rival SRAM released theirs, but Shimano GRX is now a very popular groupset. The latest 12-speed incarnation of GRX includes super-wide-ranging 10-45t and 10-51t cassettes. BSA bottom bracket ● In spite of the myriad standards of bottom bracket these days, the most common BB is still probably the old-school BSA – named after Birmingham Small Arms, which shows just how old the standard is. To make matters worse, it also goes by the name BS threaded, BSC, ISO, British, Euro and possibly other monikers. Simples. The shell’s inner diameter is 1.37in with a 24 TPI thread.…

Weight 9.64kg (53cm) Frame Aluminium Fork Carbon Gears Shimano 105 11-speed (11-34t, 50/34t) Brakes Shimano 105 hydraulic disc, 160mm rotors Wheels Cube RA 1.9 Aero Disc Finishing kit Cube Performance SLX stem, Cube Compact Race bar, Cube Performance 27.2mm seatpost, Natural Fit Nuance saddle, Continental Ultra Sport 3 SL tyres In spite of a price that undercuts much of the opposition, Cube has managed to spec a complete Shimano 105 hydraulic groupset (albeit the older 11-speed version). You can also fit mudguards, though the frame is limited to 28mm tyres, but that’s the only real issue I found with the bike. It flies on the flat, is nippy on hills, quick and nimble on descents and, in spite of its quite narrow rubber, comfort is impeccable. And while the geometry is…

• “Cycling is so good for time-crunched parents,” says Broadbent. “You can exercise easily, whenever you want. Even 30 minutes is positive for health. It could be a social catch-up ride with friends, or a solo indoor ride on Zwift.” Strengths Your lack of time is a challenge, but it also focuses the mind: having to fit in exercise around childcare duties makes a flexible sport such as cycling your perfect exercise solution. “It’s hard for new parents to do large-volume training or stick to fixed class schedules,” says Walker. “But cycling is flexible for whenever you get a break.” Making progress “To get fit and lose weight, you can reduce your energy intake, or increase your exercise – or ideally do both,” says Walker. “When reducing energy intake, just…

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“The all-carbon hub flanges have channels that lock in v-shaped In-Tension spokes” • Australian-made Partington R-Series wheels are claimed to be the lightest tubeless-compatible clincher wheelset in the world. With a claimed weight of just 1,160g for a disc wheelset, our test set tipped the scales at 664g for the rear and 554g for the front (including valves) so were ready to roll at 1,218g. This is remarkably light for proper aerodynamic wheels combining a 39mm deep, 26.5mm (21mm internal) front rim and a 44mm deep, 26.5mm (21mm internal) rear. Partington build their wheels very differently to the norm. The all-carbon hubs forgo traditional flanges with spoke holes. Instead, the hub flanges have channels that lock in the unique v-shaped In-Tension spokes. Each carbon spoke effectively creates two spokes by…

£50 – £95 Which pair works best in the wet and cold? 01 DHB Aeron Lab All Winter Polartec £50 Sizes XS–XXL Colours Black ● These are brilliant: they’re impressively warm, offer great wind protection and don’t overheat your hands. Polartec’s Power Shield membrane combines windproofing, breathability and water resistance, along with plenty of stretch, which contributes to the good fit. The Polartec Alpha insulation lines the top of the glove from wrist to fingertips. This highly lofted fleece allows air to circulate, which helps ensure the gloves don’t get clammy, even when you’re working hard. A thinner palm means you don’t lose much feel on the handlebar (but the smoothness gives less grip on muddy gravel rides). In heavy rain, the water-resistant membrane was eventually breached, but my hands…

So Welshman Stevie Williams won the Tour Down Under. If, like me, you missed it because it takes place in the middle of the European night, then this may come as something of a surprise. But a wonderful one. It’s quite a big deal, this race, despite the fact that it slips a little under the radar outside of its passionate host nation. It’s a hard race to win, and for this rider in particular, the victory will mean the world. Williams has been through a lot of setbacks and injuries over the last couple of years, but the signs that he is hitting his stride (as well as changing as a rider) have been there for a little over a year now. This transformation started with his first WorldTour…

2024 marks the start of the second licensing cycle for UCI Women’s WorldTour teams (the first running from 2020 until 2023). A total of 15 licences have been allocated for this cycle, which runs for two seasons (2024/2025). In all 16 teams applied, with two Continental teams graduating to fully-fledged WorldTour teams: AG Insurance-Soudal Quick-Step and Ceratizit-WNT Pro Cycling Team. The Continental team to miss out were Spanish team Laboral Kutxa-Fundacion Euskadi, with sporting criteria the deciding factor (they finished lower in the rankings than the other two teams). As well as sporting criteria, licences are also contingent on teams proving their commitment to meeting certain ethical, financial, administrative, organisational and sporting standards, including minimum salaries and benefits such as maternity leave. TEAM SD WORX-PROTIME Nationality Netherlands Established 2010 Manager…

Weight 9.53kg (54cm) Frame Aluminium Fork Carbon Gears Shimano 105 11-speed (11-34t, 50/34t) Brakes Shimano 105 hydraulic disc, 160mm rotors Wheels DT Swiss R470 DB, 28h, tubeless-ready Finishing kit Fizik Aliante Delta saddle, Vittoria Zaffiro Pro Bright Black 700x30c tyres, all Cannondale 3 6061 Alloy: stem, Compact handlebar and seatpost Cannondale big up their top-line aluminium Synapse as a smooth-rolling, fast-riding machine that thrives on the road and beyond. It comes with a nearly complete Shimano 105 hydraulic groupset, branded wheels, tyres and saddle and clearance for widish tyres and mudguards, not to mention loads of fittings for bottles, luggage and the like. It’s a nicely finished and well-put-together machine. Much like the Cube, it’s aluminium with a full-carbon fork, and the cabling is internally routed. Unlike the Cube, however, there…

• Many former runners and other athletes get into cycling after an enforced injury layoff. “Low-impact cycling offers a great way to channel your energy again and benefit your body and mind,” says cycling physio and bike fitter Bianca Broadbent. Serving up new kit and adventures, cycling will reignite your sporting spark. Strengths “Former runners, swimmers and rowers are excellently placed to cycle,” says Broadbent. “Many respiratory and muscular skills cross over to endurance cycling. And any competitiveness and determination helps. Look at Lucy Charles-Barclay, an ex-swimmer who is now Ironman World Champion.” Making progress You may have good base fitness, but start with long, slow bike miles to develop your technique and muscle strength. Over time, inject some variety. “There is a tendency for ex-athletes to stick in a…

• “New bike commuters come from many backgrounds: some hoping to get fit for other sports, others just to be more active or save money,” says Broadbent. But all are rewarded with a brilliantly fun, flexible and frequent exercise regime. Strengths Your biggest strength is the motivational buzz of trying a new activity, so keep surfing that high. “Many commuters start cycling to work and realise they love it and want more,” says Broadbent. But if you get a dip in motivation, consider riding with friends at weekends too. “You might enjoy commuting alone but joining a club will add social fun and new skills.” Making progress Begin by riding on quieter roads at weekends to build up your skills, fitness and confidence before riding in midweek traffic. “Ride with…

The Testers Matthew Baird Editor Matt is CP’s editor and has been testing Lycra, helmets and shoes since 2008 John Whitney Deputy editor John’s been on the mag since issue 290, so it’s fair to say he knows his stuff about bikes… Will Poole Workshop manager Our Cytech Level 3-qualified mechanic, Will, spends most of his spare time riding Rob Slade Content editor Working for 220 Triathlon mag, Rob’s often out testing kit and training on his bike…

Scott RC Pro Warm Gore-Tex Windstopper £209.99 Gore-Tex-infused jacket with weather-beating powers • It’s the battle of the mid-season jackets this month. Scott formed back in 1958 and, although they’re not ubiquitous on the UK roads, I hugely rate their clothing, their RC Pro short-sleeve jersey a particular long-term favourite. The Gore-Tex Wind stoppe rinfused RC Pro jacket is aimed at dry and windy conditions, ticking the boxes for spring, autumn and early/late winter riding in the UK, but you’ll need something thicker for the depths of mid winter. Comfort comes Available in black, yellow or the green tested here, the RC Pro is a classy contender, its raceleaning fit sitting close – but not too close – to the body, helped by a silicone bottom hem gripper that stops…

• British brand Quoc’s Escape Road shoe is part of their Taiwanese mountain flora, fauna and fungi-inspired Lalashan collection that also includes the Escape Off-Road shoe (reviewed in issue 411). The Escape Road is adventureorientated and aimed at endurance riders. A durable lightweight and highly malleable polyurethane upper sits on a carbon outsole that’s been designed with more give than the brand’s premium racegrade shoe (the Mono II, £270), balancing stiffness, comfort and flexibility to suit changing terrain and long days out. A replaceable heel bumper should help prolong the life of the shoe. The easy-clean upper’s striking, fungi inspired amber colourway (it’s also available in white and black) has patterned laser-cut ventilation holes across the toe box, down the flanks and through the padded tongue. The upper is low…

First, the good news. Ignore the alarmist hype about artificial intelligence. It is not going to ‘destroy civilisation’. Because climate change will get us first. That said, AI is clearly a big deal. It will affect life profoundly, like other paradigm-shifters such as the motor car, plastic, the internet, disc brakes and the like. AI chatbots such as Microsoft’s ChatGPT and Google’s Bard (and now, Elon Musk’s Grok) are familiar to many. In astoundingly assured English, instantly and free, they answer questions with the slick confidence of a grifter politician. Their immediate distillation of the millions of words on the subject they find online, into text of length and style you specify, is very impressive. But superficially. Because, like a populist politico on telly, it’s vague, boilerplate stuff. Worst of…

It was at once a rare horrible cycling experience, and yet, in some ways, unsurprising. I was riding down Brick Lane one unremarkable winter’s afternoon, when I heard the taxi driver come up behind me. I knew he was going quickly, and I braced myself. Brick Lane is a single-lane, one-way street running three quarters of a mile between Whitechapel and Shoreditch in East London. While often chock full of pedestrians visiting the many restaurants, bars, shops and event spaces along the way it also, incongruously, acts as a shortcut for drivers. As it’s only just wide enough for a single vehicle, safe overtaking is impossible without someone mounting a pavement. Within moments he was just behind my back wheel. I turned and told him to back off. In response…

Weight 10.74kg (M) Frame Aluminium Fork Carbon blades/aluminium steerer Gears Shimano GRX 400/600 10-speed (11-36t, 46/30t) Brakes Shimano GRX Wheels Shimano RS171 DB Finishing kit Forza Stratos 100mm stem, Forza Stratos Gravel handlebar, Forza Stratos 15mm offset 350mm 27.2mm seatpost, Selle Italia Model X saddle, Vittoria Terreno Dry 700x38c tyres This is a bike designed for all sorts of riding, from commuting to gravel, and it certainly looks the part. While the more road-flavoured Cube Attain SLX and Cannondale Synapse 1 will fit fenders, the Kanzo has bags of clearance for big, comfortable tyres plus mudguards. It boasts Shimano’s gravel-specific GRX groupset too, though the Kanzo is 10-speed rather than its rivals’ 11. However, the subcompact chainset and wide-range cassette gives a good spread of gears, including a bottom gear that’s…

“The challenge for older riders is pacing yourself, making sure you enjoy a very gradual increase in volume” • You’re never too old to get into cycling. “Cycling is a wonderful, low-impact sport for all ages, even for people with joint problems,” says Walker. “Benefits range from aerobic fitness to strength, balance and a reduced risk of Type 2 diabetes.” It also fights off sarcopenia (muscle wastage): “Cycling helps you to retain muscle and improves cardiovascular function,” explains Broadbent. Strengths If you are a rider who is retired or semi-retired, your biggest weapon is your free time. “Join local groups and social rides and make the most of the extra daylight hours available to you,” says Walker. Making progress “The challenge for older riders is pacing yourself, making sure you…

Key dates ● The 11th GFNY Cozumel event takes place on Sunday 10 November 2024. Entry starts at $150 (around £118) at gfny.com, which includes the GFNY jersey for race day. Ironman Cozumel is on 24 November. Where to stay ● We jammily stayed at the opulent InterContinental Presidente Hotel Cozumel Resort Spa (ihg.com), with its two swimming pools, four restaurants and own private white sand beach. The pre-event ride with the pros starts here and a bike mechanic service is also available. Prices start at £264 for a double room. The Westin Cozumel and Casa Mexicana are closer to San Miguel town. How to get there ● We flew with British Airways from London to Gatwick to Cancún International Airport (10hrs). Half hourly buses depart here for Playa del…

Weight 12.2kg (one size) Frame & Fork Hand-brazed steel Gears Brompton wide-range 6-speed drivetrain: internal hub gear and 50t chainring with integrated chainguard Brakes Brompton dual-pivot callipers Wheels Double-wall rim, 28 spokes Finishing kit Brooks C17 Cambium saddle, Schwalbe Marathon Racer 349x35c tyres, Brompton pedals (left-hand folding), mudguards, reflectors, waterproof backpack and pouch • Discovery is always late, the saying goes. And that certainly applied to my 2023, which saw two of my great loves – cycling and music – dominated by 1979, the year Brompton filed its first patent and The Replacements formed in Minneapolis. While a dysfunctional rock band and the ultimate in cycling practicality might seem unlikely bedfellows, both got under my skin to provide a surge of unbridled joy and a skip in my mid-forties stride…

Weight 8.37kg (M) Frame Monocoque carbon Fork Carbon Gears Campagnolo Ekar 13-speed (9-42t, 38t) Brakes Campagnolo Ekar Wheels Campagnolo Levante Finishing kit FS ACR 95mm x -6˚ alloy stem, FSA K-Wing AGX handlebar, Cipollini carbon 27.2mm seatpost, Selle Italia Model X BB FEC saddle, WTB Raddler 700x45mm tyres Like Mario Cipollini, the Italian ex-pro behind the brand, the Ago is a fast, flamboyant performer. Unlike the former racer, however, the bike won’t lose interest part way when its preferred terrain is done. With a lot more off-road capability than the brand’s MCM Allroad, the Ago seeks to tick boxes for the aspiring gravel racer as well as the long-distance explorer. Made as a full monocoque (one-piece frame) carbon unit to improve strength, the Ago has all the hallmarks of a…

Getting there ● The nearest train station is Brighouse, a little under five miles from the start line. Nearby Halifax and Huddersfield are also serviced by trains. 01 Where to stay ● The closest hotel to the start line is Healds Hall in Cleckheaton, a few miles away. Single rooms in this highly rated hotel are currently £75 for May 2024. Next event ● The 2024 Ronde van Calderdale takes place on April 28th 2024. There are two distances: approx 54 miles and 13 cobbled climbs or 74 miles and 14 cobbled climbs. For more information, head to rondevancalderdale.org Kirklees Cycling Academy ● The RVC isn’t run for profit: all funds raised go to the coffers of Kirklees Cycling Academy, which helps aspiring young riders with their racing career. It…

01 Start facing away from a wall in a tabletop position on your hands and knees. Place a blanket under your knees if this is uncomfortable. 02 Step your right foot between your hands. Raise your left foot so that you can place the top of it on the wall with toes pointing upwards. 03 Push your left knee towards the wall to feel a stretch through your quad. The closer your knee is to the wall, the more you’ll feel the stretch. 04 Choose whether to stay in this position with your hands by your right foot, or walk your hands up onto your right thigh and lift your chest up. Tilt your pelvis down and squeeze your glutes. 05 Aim to hold this position for 30 seconds, then…

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1.UWT - Men’s WorldTour one-day 2.UWT - Men’s WorldTour stage race 1.WWT – Women’s WorldTour one-day race 2.WWT – Women’s WorldTour stage race 1.Pro - Men’s/women’s ProSeries one-day 2.Pro - Men’s/women’s ProSeries stage race 1.1/1.2 - Men’s UCI Tour one-day race 2.1/2.2 - Men’s UCI Tour stage race JANUARY FEBRUARY 18-25 FEBRUARY TOUR DU RWANDA 2023 Podium 1 Henok Mulubrhan 2 Walter Calzoni 3 William Lecerf Africa’s biggest men’s stage race takes on extra significance, with next year’s Road World Championships taking place in Rwanda’s capital, Kigali. The 2024 route is intent on enticing top teams, with shorter stages fitting the time of the year and a final stage in Kigali that incorporates the circuit of the Worlds. The race also has team and solo time trials and a summit…

The same 18 teams who held men’s UCI WorldTour (WT) licences in 2023 have got one for 2024. The licence period now runs over threeyear periods, with points accumulated over those seasons and the top 18 teams being awarded a licence for the next three years. So despite Astana-Qazaqstan and Arkéa–Samsic finishing outside the top 18 in 2023, they’ll continue with a WT licence until 2026. A WT licence means the team has to ride all WT races, while those with a ProTeam licence, the next level down, must rely on invites. Exceptions to this rule are the top two 2023 ProTeams, Lotto-Dstny and Israel-Premier Tech, who receive automatic wildcards to the Grand Tours, even if they’re not obliged to accept them. Ranking points are awarded not just in WT…