Five Cool Things is on the road this week, as we preview a quintet of new bikes, components and curiosities that we’ll be looking to get hold of and review in full over the coming weeks and months. Let’s dive straight in with a gear shifting solution that is electronic, yet mechanical all at once… Aventon … Read more
Transport secretary Heidi Alexander has pledged to go “hell for leather on active travel”, as the government announced that it will invest £104 million in the National Cycle Network (NCN) over the next four years.The funding, described by Active Travel England as a “record investment” in the NCN (the 12,000-mile-long UK-wide network of signed paths … Read more
Climbing hills is hard, there’s no getting around that. But there are plenty of things you can do to make those long, painful ascents a little easier. Given I recently rode through the Alps and have spent a lot of time riding some seriously big mountains, it seemed like the perfect time to share 10 … Read more
Arguably one of the most impressive moments so far of this year’s Montreal world championships didn’t take place during a race or even involve a bike. After a crash scuppered his hopes of a good result in Monday’s U23 time trial, Irish champion Seth Dunwoody has earned widespread praise for the maturity and perspective he … Read more
One of the big favourites for the junior men’s world time trial championships has been forced to withdraw from this week’s races in Montreal after being struck by a driver who cut across him during a training ride in the Canadian city.Seff Van Kerckhove, who rides for Decathlon CMA CGM’s U19 development team, was expected … Read more
Something we haven’t seen in a while is a new pedal system. With a low stack height, plenty of float options and claims of aerodynamic and efficiency improvements, the Ekoi PW8 CrMo Pedals sound like the Holy Grail, but I’m not sure the benefits are big enough to warrant the swap from an existing design.The … Read more
Cyclists should wear face masks covering their nose and mouth whilst riding on congested roads, an academic has said.The recommendation is due to the heavier breathing caused by cycling, and the subsequently greater inhalation of harmful particulates that could cause damage to several key organs.Jill Belch, a professor of vascular medicine who also co-chairs the … Read more
A seaside council claims they’ve been “very successful” in getting people to walk and cycle, but that the rise has caused a shortfall in their budget.Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP) Council report that parking income is around seven percent below budget targets, despite the deputy leader of the council admitting, “the amount of money we … Read more
Filled with fluid, pistons, and seals, your bike’s brakes are pretty complicated things, and like everything, they’ll need servicing every once in a while, especially as they’re vital safety components. Your brake servicing routine should require more than your usual brake bleed, so here are some things you can do to freshen up your brakes’ … Read more
