With multiple race wins including the Tour de France, it’s safe to say that the Colnago V3RS was a very successful bike, so making the next generation was no mean feat! So how have Colnago made the new V4RS better, and what does Tadej Pogačar think of it? Manon and Ollie have been given an exclusive first ride of Colnago’s all-out racing bike, and tell you everything you need to know about it.
From BikeRadar.com
Finding cycling gifts for the two-wheeled enthusiast in your life just got a lot simpler
If your loved-one is into cycling, you’re probably aware that it’s a dangerously acquisitive sport. Shiny new things power the average rider almost as much as the joy of getting out on the bike.
But whether you’ve already reached the stage of having a ‘pain cave’ in your home or are buying for a budding young road or mountain cyclist, you’re on to a winner with cycling-related gifts.
We’ve trawled the web and asked the BikeRadar team to bring you a bunch of our favourite presents for cyclists.
We’ve got ideas for someone who loves bikes but is impossible to shop for, frivolous gifts for those who seemingly have everything, novelty cycling presents that are a little bit silly, and even some for more serious moments such as fixing punctures at the side of the road.
From CyclingNews.com
The UCI have once again updated their pesky rules, and Ollie and Alex have taken a deep dive into them. New handlebar limits, helmet size regulations and more are in store for the pros in 2023, but can they be cheated? We discuss this, plus all the usual Tech Show segments!
From CylingNews.com
A new patent suggests a rear mech is in the works with increased ground clearance and improved wide ratio compatibility
There have been countless innovations to the rear derailleur over the years. These have included compatibility with an ever-increasing number of sprockets, the introduction of indexed shifting, STI levers, clutches, the addition of electronics, and the recent shift to wireless to name just a few. Despite this, the basic form has remained largely unchanged from the original parallelogram design pioneered by Tullio Campagnolo in 1949.
Soon, that could all be about to change, as a recent patent application from market leaders Shimano suggests the brand is looking to reinvent the design.
Within the application, Shimano states: “While a bicycle travels on uneven terrain, it is possible for the chain guide of the rear derailleur to hit rocks, ground and so on. Therefore, it is preferable to increase a distance between the chain guide of the rear derailleur and a road surface.”
(Image credit: USPTO)
From USA.Streetsblog.org
new initiative aims to put thousands of purpose-built transportation bikes in the hands of people in underserved countries — and in the process, sparking a conversation about the role of bike design itself in making green mobility accessible.
Throughout the month of December, U.S. bike manufacturer Trek has announced it’s matching up to $500,000 in donations for World Bicycle Relief, an organization that provide residents of communities with minimal roadway and transit infrastructure with bikes specifically designed to meet their daily needs. Founded in 2005, the group has distributed more than 635,000 cycles to date in towns throughout Colombia, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe, which their team estimates has enhanced the mobility of more than three million people, since the bikes are shared by a family of five people on average.
That success, though, might not be as profound without the right bike: namely, the Buffalo bicycle, which Trek helped the group to design. And while that super-sturdy vehicle was built specifically to handle dirt roads and heavy loads that residents of auto-centric countries would be more likely to transport by car, some of the group’s supporters have wondered whether vehicles like it might have a place in U.S. communities, too — and how their absence affects Americans’ likelihood to ride.
“People in the U.S. ask me all the time, ‘Can I buy this bike?'” said Eric Bjorling, Trek’s brand director.
We’ve seen that a road bike can beat a time trial bike from the 80’s, and even the iconic Lotus 110, but what about something from this Millennium? Si and Ollie are back with a retro vs modern this time taking on Jan Ullrich’s famous TT bike from 2002. This bike even made Lance Armstrong worried, but will it scare Si and Ollie on their modern superbike?
Eighth for World Champion Tom Pidcock after a slow start
Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck) returned from a knee and shoulder injury sustained in a crash at the previous day’s Superprestige Boom to secure a solo victory at the UCI World Cup in Antwerp on Sunday.
A highly-anticipated round of the top-tier series saw Wout Van Aert (Jumbo-Visma) return to cyclocross with a blistering opening lap. Still, Van der Poel quickly caught and passed his rival, dominating the race to take a solo win.
“Antwerp is a race that I really like, and I think today was also technical, and finally, I felt OK,” Van der Poel said in a post-race interview, noting that he felt a bit sore following the crash in Boom but that it did not affect his race.
“I felt good. I got a good gap and then maintained it, so I’m pretty happy today.”
Photo by Tom Photo Cycling on Unsplash
From CyclingNews.com
An aero gravel suspension fork, thru-axle batteries and solar-powered mudguards
When it comes to being a market leader in a segment, constant innovation is necessary in order to maintain that position. If you’re standing still, you’re moving backwards – the old adage goes.
Each innovation will begin as a simple idea, and as that concept goes through the various steps of becoming a reality, brands seek to protect their idea with a patent – or a series thereof.
Thanks to various free online patent-viewing resources, this provides the general public with a glimpse into the minds of our favourite brands; and a veritable treasure trove of concepts, ideas, and cool new future tech.
One brand in a market-leading position is American groupset manufacturer, Sram. While younger than its main rival, Shimano, and with a smaller share of the overall groupset market, Sram is just as entrenched in performance-level road and mountain bike groupsets, and has firmly cemented itself as one of the ‘Big Three’; the third position being occupied by Campagnolo.
When you’re riding in a group, it’s important that you know what you’re doing to keep you and your fellow riders safe and happy. Pointing out warning signs, taking turns on the front and not braking suddenly are all key rules to follow on group bike rides. Manon & Hank explain the etiquette of group cycling so you know what you should and should not do on your rides!
