For the last month, six GCN employees, and many of you viewers, have been taking on a commuter challenge. The idea: ride to and from work every day for a month, to see if they could save money, get fitter and happier. Si and Manon caught up with our star volunteers Harriet, Steve, Alice, Harry, Allie & Kai to see how their month of commuting went!
From Road.cc
Shimano’s net sales increased 20.6% from the previous year, while its analysis reported high-end bikes are still in short supply and entry-level ones are now plentiful…
by JACK SEXTY
Shimano, the world’s biggest manufacturer of bicycle components, has reported its summary of financial results for its first nine months of trading in 2022. The Japanese corporation saw a healthy increased sales in 2022 compared to the previous year, yet commented that demand for bicycles (and fishing tackles) “…remained firm, although showing signs of cooling down.”
The last time we did a deeper dive into the chronic shortages and supply chain issues the bike industry was experiencing back in January, a global container shortage crisis and China’s port lockdowns still dominated the conversation; and while China’s zero-Covid policy is still affecting production, Shimano said: “During the first nine months of fiscal year 2022, the pace of global economic recovery slowed primarily because prices soared due to resource and energy supply constraints and rising resource prices caused by the situation in Ukraine, and central banks in various countries took steps to raise interest rates sharply to curb accelerating inflation.”
Shimano reports that “a solid employment environment and rising wages continued to fuel steady personal consumption” in the US despite inflation, and that the lifting of Covid restrictions in Japan led to increased personal spending.
> Your complete guide to Shimano groupsets
Although the financial figures are not broken down by area, Shimano says it is Europe where “consumer sentiment deteriorated due to high inflation and concerns about energy supply, while monetary tightening aimed at curbing inflation increased fears of a recession.”
Image courtesy of Shimano
From FreeThink.com
It transitions from e-trike to boat mode in just five minutes.
Latvian startup has developed an amphibious electric tricycle that will take you from the road to the water to the campsite — if you’re willing to pay a premium for your next recreational vehicle.
The challenge: Between 2013 and 2017, BeTRITON founder Aigars Lauzis bicycled from London to Tokyo to Latvia — an epic, 18,600-mile journey.
But he found himself limited by his touring bike.
“I couldn’t cross water, had very limited room for luggage, and…setting up a stuffy tent again and again can be tiresome,” he said.
The electric tricycle’s cabin can be used as a camper while on the water or land.
The idea: Before his trip was even over, Lauzis — who has a background in urban design — was already developing a new kind of recreational vehicle that would be better suited to life on the road.
Here at GCN we love cycling, but there are days where we are just a bit grumpy out on the bike. But it doesn’t have to be this way! Conor and Manon show you 7 things which make them happier cyclists.
From Cyclingnews.com
There were gasps from the audience in the Palais des Congrès in Paris when the men’s 2023 Tour de France route was unveiled and the severity of the course was confirmed.
The 110th edition of cycling’s biggest race includes just a single 22km hilly time trial in the Alps and mountain stages in all five of France’s mountain ranges on the road between the Grand Départ in the Basque Country and the finish in Paris.
Race director Christian Prudhomme openly admitted that the 2023 Tour route was for the climbers as he revealed the multiple mountain top finishes and steep roads.
The very limited amount of time trialling and preponderance of mountains no doubt pleased French riders Thibaut Pinot, David Gaudu and Romain Bardet. However, Remco Evenepoel, Primoz Roglič and Geraint Thomas are more likely to target the Giro d’Italia, which has three times the amount of time trialling and arguably fewer mountains.
(Image credit: ASO)
From Road.cc
The bike light market can be difficult to navigate with so many brands, so many power outputs, and just so many options. But with the help of Moon lights, we’ve simplified things to make sure you only buy exactly what you need.
Modern bike lights can be so incredibly bright they’re perfectly capable of leaving anybody completely dazzled. But what’s even more dazzling is the sheer range of different options available in the bike light market. How exactly are you supposed to be able to see through the glare of options to find the exact lights that are perfect for you?
The answer, as always, is to break down the options and possibilities into the fundamentals that address one simple question: what exactly do you need the lights for?
For road cyclists, the answer to that question often lies in one of four areas:
Identify which one – or which ones – among that list applies to you, and you’ll be far better prepared to buy the type or types of lights you actually need.
Modern bike lights can be so incredibly bright they’re perfectly capable of leaving anybody completely dazzled. But what’s even more dazzling is the sheer range of different options available in the bike light market. How exactly are you supposed to be able to see through the glare of options to find the exact lights that are perfect for you?
The answer, as always, is to break down the options and possibilities into the fundamentals that address one simple question: what exactly do you need the lights for?
For road cyclists, the answer to that question often lies in one of four areas:
Identify which one – or which ones – among that list applies to you, and you’ll be far better prepared to buy the type or types of lights you actually need.
Image courtesy of MoonSportUsa.com
A few years ago we tested Shimano’s 105 and Dura-Ace mechanical groupsets against each other, and learnt that they were pretty much, in terms of feel, exactly the same. But Shimano has since released new versions of both, and what’s more they’re both Di2 only! So is there any difference? Is Dura-Ace still virtually exactly the same as 105? Alex and Si conduct a series of tests to find out!
From WeLoveCyling.com
By Andrea Champredonde
Like any other activity or community, road cycling has a set of understood rules of the road. You won’t find them printed in an official rulebook. They are insights that come with experience. The longer you’ve been in the sport, the more obvious they are.
If you are new to the sport, it’s an opportunity to learn them the easy way. As a seasoned rider, don’t be shy in politely pointing them out to new cyclists in your entourage. Someone probably took you under their wing, so pay it forward. Some are for safety reasons, others are pure cycling culture.
Cyclists should be self-sufficient on the road. If you get a flat and you don’t have a pump or a spare, a fellow rider will probably bail you out. Lending you a pump is one thing but giving up a spare? Helping you out means they may be left with none. Don’t put other cyclists in this precarious situation, carry a patch kit and a spare tube.
You also need to carry sufficient food and water to complete the ride. Riders that bonk, meaning they run out of gas because of poor fuelling and hydration, slow down to a fraction of their normal pace or worse, suffer a more serious reaction. If a fellow cyclist comes to your rescue by giving you a gel or bar, be gracious and tell them you’ll replace it the next time you see them.
When you flat on your ride and change your tube, don’t leave it as trash on the side of the road. Roll it up and tuck it in your back pocket. Used inter tubes can be put to good use in many useful ways, including being patched for reuse.
Stuff the wrappers and pull tabs from consumed gel and bars into a rear pocket or tuck them under the band of your short leg or sleeve but don’t litter. A used food wrapper can be used to boot a damaged tyre to get you home. If this happens to you, you’ll be happy to have one handy.
Photo by Coen van de Broek on Unsplash
The City of West Hollywood is considering major changes to Fountain. Despite the city council asking staff to study PROTECTED bike lanes on Fountain, and the West Hollywood Transportation Commission also recommending protected bike lanes, WeHo staff has put out a survey with both protected and unprotected bike lanes as an option.
Please take the survey and select Option 1 – physically protected bike lanes – as your preference. The survey has been extended and is now open through November 13!
The route for the 2023 Giro d’Italia has been announced and it looks set to be a thriller. Dan breaks down the route of the first grand tour of the year, which kicks off in the Abruzzo region and ends in Rome. With three time trials, including a brutal mountain TT to Monte Lussari on the penultimate stage, is this a route made for Remco Evenepoel?
