Cycling Plus UK 02.2022

Bespoked – Harrogate

Avalanche
Cycles

––– Avalanche was founded
in the summer of 2018, born
from the common passion
of Laurent Beurriand and
Marie Kervella, industrial
designers by profession.
From their Paris studio they
produce bikes that they hope
will fulfil a lifetime of
adventures, on or off road.
This funky gravel bike is
made from Columbus Spirit
steel tubing, with Ingrid 1X
cranks and sports one of their
eye-catching personalised
paint jobs.

Alfano
Frameworks

––– Pete from Alfano will
repair, service or build your
dream bike from scratch. This
Reynolds 953 steel frame is a
pretty classic “all day-er” and,
with the frame left bare, it
leaves Pete’s lovely frame
filleting open to view. Being
Leicester’s Campagnolo pro
shop, 10-speed Record
titanium was an easy choice.
The bars, stem and seatpost
are by Whisky and the wheels
are Campagnolo Record hubs
on Ambrosio Nemesis rims
with tubular tyres.

BIKERADAR.COM FEBRUARY 2022 51

Cicli Barco

––– Cicli Barco is very keen to
show everyone what it can do
when building bikes for itself
as opposed to putting them
together for other high-end
brands. This Columbus
XCr steel/carbon frame has an
incredibly neat front end,
which prompted more than
one visitor to the stand to ask
why they hadn’t put cables
onto the bike for the show.
The “paint job” on the metal
frame parts is in fact a dye on
brushed steel so the finish is
visible behind the colour: the
best of both worlds indeed.

52 FEBRUARY 2022 BIKERADAR.COM

Bespoked – Harrogate

Cinelli

––– Having just one hand-built
Italian steel bike in this feature
would’ve been sensible, but
let’s indulge ourselves.
Cinelli’s Nemo Tig Gravel has
longer chainstays than the
road version, clearance for
40c tyres and mounts for all
your (fast) bikepacking needs.
Superb welding, as you’d
expect from this legendary
brand, and a Columbus
Futura Gravel fork keep things
heading where you want
them. Campagnolo’s Ekar
gravel groupset is the only
conceivable choice.

Hope

––– TT bikes don’t get a lot of
representation at Bespoked,
but this Hope HB.TT concept
bike fits the remit of
showcasing ground- breaking
design down to a tee(tee). The
process of taking their HB.T
bike from the Tokyo Olympic
track races to the road has
taken longer than planned,
but time triallists may be
thankful for the extra time
that lockdown gave the team.
This prototype has a 100 per
cent win rate as Ethan Vernon
won the Coalville Wheelers
19.8 TT in August.

BIKERADAR.COM FEBRUARY 2022 53

Bespoked – Harrogate Lord Cycles

Reilly ––– This fillet brazed,
Cycleworks Columbus Spirit steel frame is
designed to withstand the
––– The return of Bespoked slightly rough nature of
was bittersweet for Reilly as the mid-Wales lanes (and
co-founder Mark Reilly therefore the rest of the UK)
passed away in March 2021. and keep up with “the carbon
Bespoked is about the people boys” when things get a bit
as well as bikes, so attendees quicker. It’s an all-day bike
shared memories of Mark and with fully lined, stainless
could appreciate his legacy. steel internal cable routing
This new Reilly frame is the to keep things looking clean
striking titanium T964D, and simple.
which features an investment
cast (a type of mould) head
tube, seat cluster and BB shell,
integrated bars and headset,
and internal cable routing.

54 FEBRUARY 2022 BIKERADAR.COM

SEE THE ROAD AHEAD.

Learn more about the stage-winning
Karoo 2 at Hammerhead.io

Chris Froome,
4x Tour de France Winner

Sturdy Cycles

––– There wasn’t an award for
“Bike of the Show” this year
but, if there had been, Tom
Sturdy’s titanium creation
may well have been the
overall winner. This model is
the Fiadh, capable of a fast
pace but, with the potential of
36mm rubber, it’s good for an
all-day ride. Tom’s mix of
3D-printed parts and
function-led design results
in a stunning machine. It’s
pictured with SRAM parts,
but Tom also creates his own
cranks and chainsets in his
made-to-measure approach.

56 FEBRUARY 2022 BIKERADAR.COM

Spoon Pimp your bike! THE NEXT-
Customs GENERATION
If you’re not in the market for a CYCLING
––– As Andy from Spoon custom-built bike right now, you COMPUTER
Customs puts it, he “ran away could always jazz up an existing
to the mountains, stayed, and machine to add a bit of fun Karoo 2 brings advanced
started a bike company.” routing and powerful training
The results of this enviable Spray.Bike features to your handlebars
lifestyle choice are the on a stunning, full-color,
products of Spoon Customs. ––– Ever wanted your very own touchscreen display.
His bike models are named custom paint job? Spray.Bike could
for the Alpine climbs that allow you to do it yourself for just
Andy found himself living £20-ish per frame. Spray.Bike paint
near and the Vars Disc is no is a dry, matte powder coating that
different. This carbon frame - doesn’t drip, dribble or misbehave
all of their carbon frames, in in any way and gives a deep, thick
fact – can be finely tuned to layer with just a single coat. Over 60
the specifications of each colours in eight collections give you
rider, according to their size, a huge range of options that can be
shape and the type of riding used on steel, aluminium and carbon
that they do. It all helps you to parts. All this has inspired us to scour
feel as comfortable as possible second-hand bike shops for likely
out on the road. frames that could do with a repaint.

Hammerhead Karoo 2

Wizard Works

––– Harry and Veronica represent an
awful lot of the best things about a
show like Bespoked. Friendly and
passionate about all things cycling,
they have an approach that’s ethical,
sustainable and collaborative. If you
need bags for adventures, Wizard’s
functional, funky and flexible
collection is well worth taking a look
at. In fact, if you can’t find a bag that
suits your ride, I’ll eat my casquette.

EATING DISORDERS

58 FEBRUARY 2022 BIKERADAR.COM

THIN

OF
THE
WEDGE

Words Mark Bailey
Illustrations Jo Burt

BIKERADAR.COM FEBRUARY 2022 59

EATING DISORDERS

Many pro cyclists are suffering in silence with eating
disorders – and a worrying number of amateur riders
are too. We examine cycling’s hidden health crisis -
and explain how to protect yourself from danger

Former Slovenian pro Jani Brajkovič raced at the Tour can smell them. And the really bad thing is that you
de France, the Vuelta and the Giro, but in private he was know they know about you too. And that’s a very
battling a series of harrowing eating disorders. As a uncomfortable situation.”
bulimic, Brajkovič would routinely make himself sick
after eating. He also suffered with orthorexia – an In his youth, Brajkovič had spells during which he
obsession with healthy food – which meant he couldn’t would eat only one type of food, such as bread and Nutella,
permit himself even a crumb of cake. But Brajkovic is but his problems exploded during his first years in the
not alone: a recent study in the Journal of Eating Disorders high-pressure arena of pro cycling, around 2004-06.
found that a significant 17.1 per cent of cyclists experience “When I started to have expectations from the outside
disordered eating. world – and from myself – things went really sideways,”
he says. “Food is important for performance, so you’re
“It might sound unreal, but during my career I was with walking a thin line. It’s soon hard to say whether you are
the best teams - Discovery Channel, RadioShack, Astana, eating for performance or you have an eating disorder.”
Bahrain and UHC (United Healthcare), and in every team,
if there are 30 riders, there are at least five or six riders that Quest for control
have the same problem,” reveals 37-year-old Brajkovič.
“After spending a few hours with them, or doing your first His bulimia was driven by a desperate search for control
race, you figure it out. When you’re suffering yourself, you over his body. “Ice cream is a sort of liquid and therefore
easy to throw up, so I would eat a litre of ice cream and
then throw up,” he says. “In the beginning, you’re excited
because you think: ‘I can control my food. I can eat what I
want and then I can throw up’. But with time you realise
you’re not in control. The food controls you.”

Brajkovič won the 2010 Criterium du Dauphine and
finished ninth at the 2012 Tour de France, but for years he
was fraying at the seams. “At the 2012 Tour de France I was
fine for a month but I was anxious and suffering. When I
got home, I threw up. Your family is suffering because your
day is structured around food: I have to eat this much and
then go to the toilet and do my thing. I always prolonged
training, so instead of three hours I would do six, just to
stay away from food. You finish training, you eat and
you throw up. Every day is the same. It’s misery. I tried
everything and nothing worked. A few years ago, I realised
this is probably going to kill me.”

An eating disorder cost Italian pro Davide Cimolai, who
now races for Israel Start-Up Nation, the first few years of
his career. The 32-year-old blames the ignorant advice
of old-fashioned coaches and the grim culture of self-
starvation in the pro peloton. “At amateur level, I won
races easily, but when I tried to follow my teammates, to
eat the same food as them, I had no energy,” he explains.
“Every day I felt tired. I knew this was not good. I needed
one person with experience to explain to me: ‘Hey Davide,
this is wrong, it is better to do it like this.’ But I had to learn

Left 1%)"1"0 0""* 1, % 3" -"/0,+ )&1&"0 1% 1 /"
- /1& 2) /)6 -/,+" 1, !"3"),-&+$ " 1&+$ !&0,/!"/0

60 FEBRUARY 2022 BIKERADAR.COM

EATING DISORDERS

Left A pro cyclist may
),,( 02-"/ 1 0 1%"6

")" / 1" 1%"&/ ) 1"01
3& 1,/6U 21 4%, (+,40
&# 1%"6O/" "5-"/&"+ &+$
*2 % )"00 %" )1%6
&++"/ 12/*,&)[

what I know now by myself. At amateur level, the
mentality is old and what I see is crazy. You can’t do long
training then eat only jam or salad.”

Molly Weaver, a former British pro who raced for Team
Liv-Plantur and Trek-Drops, also suffered with bulimia.
“When I moved to a new team, the pressure to be light
was a lot greater,” explains the 27-year-old, who is now
retraining as a paramedic but still races at amateur level
for Epic Cycles. “I’d been pigeon-holed as a climber, which
I didn’t really see myself as. I was more of a classics rider
build but, if I lost weight, I could climb with the best. So
that’s what they wanted me to do. But the problem is that
weight is an incredibly measurable thing. You can weigh
yourself every day, and if you think lighter is better, it’s
very black and white. If you lost weight, you’d get instant
gratification. And it very quickly spirals into a fixation.”

She believes that cycling has a serious cultural problem,
with skinniness celebrated by coaches, in clothing adverts,
on social media and among fellow cyclists. “I’ve never
been on a team where there haven’t been others with an
eating disorder and, even with the blatantly obvious ones,
it was almost seen as success,” she explains. “And you are
also celebrating them because that is the culture. Even that
feeling of going to bed hungry, and somehow getting to
sleep, is something you would feel really proud of.”

The thin RED-S line

But the consequences of eating disorders are grave. RED-S
(Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport) is a dangerous
condition in which low calorie intake leads to menstrual-
cycle disruption, low bone density, impaired immunity
and heart issues. “A lot of female riders don’t have their
period and that’s not even mentioned, and almost seen as
good,” says Weaver. “And because you’re under-fuelling,
you’re just hungry all the time.”

Dietitian Renee McGregor – an expert in eating
disorders – says that under-fuelling is a serious issue.
“When there is not enough energy in the system, the body
will prioritise movement and down-regulate the metabolic
response,” she explains. “This means processes like
digestion, immune and bone health and hormones all get
depressed and in some cases completely supressed. And
when hormones get down-regulated, this has a direct
effect on adaptation from training. Less serotonin is also
absorbed into the brain, so this starts to impact mood.”

Women face additional problems. “The effects are the
same as with a male cyclist, but will probably show up a lot
earlier as the female body is much more sensitive due to its
role in reproduction,” explains McGregor. “Menstruation
gets affected fairly early on. Initially it might just become

BIKERADAR.COM FEBRUARY 2022 61

EATING DISORDERS

“If you have a rider with an eating Might there be something in the mindset of athletes
– both amateur and professional – that makes them
disorder and he is performing, vulnerable to eating disorders? Studies suggest athletes
have a 20 per cent higher risk of eating disorders than the
that is fine. But when he stops wider population. “Athletes do tend to be a certain type
of personality,” says McGregor. “They are usually focused,
performing, he is out” determined, motivated, perfectionist, compulsive,
obsessive and self-critical. While some of these traits are
lighter or a bit erratic, but eventually it will stop. This is helpful, many are not, and they have to be managed.
a sign the body is under stress and won’t benefit from When you put this personality type into a competitive
training. But more importantly, it is hugely vulnerable to environment, without any support or understanding
injury, low mood, poor digestion and lowered immunity.” on how to manage expectations, these traits can
become dysfunctional.”
But eating disorders are not limited to the pro cycling
arena. McGregor has noticed an increasing number of Education, education, education
amateur riders approaching her for help. “There has
probably been an increase in awareness regarding eating If performance pressures, body-image issues, cultural
disorders, in both professional and amateur cyclists, which ‘norms’, misinformation and personality traits can be
means more are becoming aware that their behaviours potential triggers for eating disorders, what are the
are dysfunctional,” she says. solutions? McGregor believes that the key is self-
education. “Healthy eating for a cyclist means that you eat
Whether competing in category races or just striving to enough to meet your energy needs,” she insists. “Our
excel on club runs, amateur cyclists can quickly become society is obsessed with moving more and eating less, but
obsessed with their power-to-weight ratio. “I’ve seen a lot this doesn’t fit with how the body physiologically works.
of amateur riders where it starts as a hobby, but all the joy Humans are hard-wired to prefer to achieve energy
gets sucked out of it because they are so obsessed with balance and to be in a slight positive energy balance.”
their weight and numbers,” says Weaver.
It is also vital to zero in on the underlying issues.
Sam Woodfield was one of those riders. A muscular “An eating disorder is a mental illness with biological
personal trainer, Woodfield caught the cycling bug in 2015 consequences,” she explains. “It isn’t about food or body
and was soon chiselling off every unwanted kilo. Within weight. But these are the media that people use to deny
a year, he had moved to Thailand and was competing in uncomfortable and difficult emotions. A common notion
high-profile races. “I was told: ‘you’ve got an engine but is that they are not enough or doing enough. Food
you need to lose weight’,” recalls Woodfield, 30. “It was becomes the focus because it is something they can project
all about getting the weight down because the power will onto and use to contain their difficult emotions.”
rise. I remember lots of long, fasted rides for three to four
hours. I’d ride until I bonked. And I’d try to push the day Jani Brajkovič, who says he is now in a “good place” after
out as long as possible without eating. That was the years of self-education and therapy, agrees that the issue
anorexia. Then the orthorexia started. I had to eat super- usually stems from childhood trauma, external pressure,
clean food, gluten-free and dairy-free, and cut out food or a lack of self-worth. “A lot of cyclists have been told that
groups. If I ‘failed’ a session, I wouldn’t eat, or I’d just have they’re never going to have success, that they are not
a protein shake or salad because I didn’t deserve food.” working hard enough, and it makes you think: I am
nothing,” he says. “So we always try to prove ourselves.”
Woodfield, who has now regained his optimal weight,
is concerned about the way amateur riders try to ape pro Brajkovič also wants to see a cultural shift within
riders’ habits, whether real or exaggerated. “I see a rider cycling. In 2019, he tested positive for the stimulant
put a photo of two eggs, an avocado and salad on an methylhexanamine, which he says came from a
Instagram photo from a Tour de France rest day, but you contaminated meal replacement shake he took to
don’t see his bowl of pasta or porridge at the side because
it is just mind games (with their rivals),” he says. “Or you
see photos of Bradley Wiggins looking miniscule at the
Tour. He had to work so hard. He had no life. These guys
are only at that weight for four to five weeks. They are
lifted onto the team bus. Their protein shakes are shaken
for them. They are genetically insane and have everything
done for them. You can try and live like that but it will be
horrible because you don’t have all the support, the blood
tests and the doctors looking after you.”

Woodfield’s own eating disorder cost him his job and
his relationship of four years. “Essentially, the eating
disorder broke up the relationship,” he admits. “And I had
to stop work because I got so ill. I couldn’t walk upstairs.”

62 FEBRUARY 2022 BIKERADAR.COM

Below Some ex-pro EATING DISORDERS
cyclists are speaking
out about their eating “A recent study in the Journal
disorders to try to of Eating Disorders found
change the culture and 17.1% of cyclists experience
make sure riders fuel disordered eating”
1%"*0")3"0 02# &"+1)6
help with his bulimia. The UCI accepted his use was
unintentional and reduced his ban to 10 months. But
he remains angry at the lack of support. He says team
nutritionists are often badly informed, team doctors do
not always respect a rider’s medical privacy, and coaches
routinely fail in their duty of care: “For them, it is easy to
fix the problem: if you have a rider with an eating disorder
and he is performing, that is fine. But when he stops
performing, he is out.”

By speaking about their problems, riders like Brajkovič
and Cimolai are trying to help the next generation find a
healthier equilibrium. “I now know that with one plate of
pasta, I go stronger,” says Cimolai. “It is important to find
balance. Cycling is my passion. Cycling is my work. But
cycling is not my life.”

Sam Woodfield now runs the UpShift Nutrition Racing
Team, which proudly prioritises the wellbeing of its riders,
and supports the #TRAINBRAVE campaign, backed by
Renee McGregor, which aims to educate athletes about
eating disorders. “If it helps one person, it’s worth it,” he
says. “There’s more to cycling than being super-light. I’m
heavier now, but I’ve gone from a 330 watt FTP (functional
threshold power) to 425 watts for 20 minutes, 470 watts for
10 and just short of 500 watts for five minutes. If I lose
three kilos, I’ll lose power and struggle to get through a
day of work. So why do it?”

Molly Weaver says cyclists should work with their
natural body shape. “If you ride your bike and enjoy it,
you’ll fall where is right for you,” she insists. “Just celebrate
being the body type you are. A lot of classics-style riders,
who are bigger and eat healthily, perform better than the
ones who are fixated on every gram. It’s about saying: ‘I
love cycling, but I’m also getting fit as a by-product’. Not
everything needs a goal other than pure enjoyment.”

BIKERADAR.COM FEBRUARY 2022 63

OUTOFTHE
ORDINARY

Why your next bike purchase should
be from the Basque trailblazers

THREE BIKES THRUSTING FORWARD

WHY YOU WANT…

ORBEA
ORCA AERO

Orbea may have
long since departed
the gun-making
business, but the Orca
Aero is a modern and
desirable weapon
of choice for speed
merchants everywhere.
If the bike’s visuals ooze
power, its ride reveals
solutions to the once
intractable balance
of slick aerodynamics,
high stiffness and low
weight. With the Orca
Aero, you can have it all.

64 FEBRUARY 2022 BIKERADAR.COM

ADVERTISING FEATURE

rbea has a rich history marketing manager Lee Williams. “Most Orbea allows you to try before you buy

O It was born way back in of our consumers have mixed elevation, Few brands still allow you to test a bike out
1840 and only nine
companies in the whole road surfaces and variable weather before purchase, but you can at Orbea.
of Spain go back further.
It’s a company that has conditions, but our bikes are what they are Bikes are stocked at over 150 stores across
continually reinvented itself to move with
the times and, long before it began to because of the Basque Country. We get the the UK and Ireland and a select number of
produce race-winning bikes, this Basque
company actually made guns. This chance to test our bikes in widely varying these are designated ‘Genius Distributors’,
continued up until the end of World War 1,
when overproduction in this sector saw conditions and geography to really refine who allow you to demo bikes.
Orbea transition into the machine-tools
business. By the late 1930s, it added the end product.”
bicycles to its repertoire. Over 80 years
later, bikes are still its business. Orbea makes it easy to buy the right bike

Orbea bikes are forged in tough terrain Orbea is a worker-owned co-operative The already-mentioned Rider Connect
Any cycling fan who has pedalled in
Orbea’s Basque Country backyard will “There are very few workers at Orbea that and MyO customisation tools make buying
be familiar with how challenging a place
it is to ride. Gradients are steep, conditions don’t ride bikes and 99 per cent of them the right Orbea a hassle-free experience.
are highly changeable and surfaces
sometimes mixed. That’s why, when the are on Orbea bikes,” says Williams. Every Rider Connect allows potential buyers to
Orbea team is in its last phases of research
and development on new projects, they co-operative member helps to make connect digitally with stores to check bike
know that real-life situations are
crucial. “We are very fortunate with the decisions that decide the company’s availability closest to them, as well as
geographical beauty that surrounds our
Orbea HQ in Mallabia,” says Orbea’s UK destiny, which makes their rides and reserve bikes that are fresh off the

WHY YOU WANT… lunchtime spins an opportunity for production line. It also allows them to

ORBEA creating ideas that can quickly be adopted choose their bike online at Orbea.com and
GAIN
by the business. Ideas such as Rider collect at their nearest store. MyO allows
The Gain’s added
power exists to Connect, MyO and a lifetime warranty riders to customise their new bike with
improve your rides,
not dominate them. on bike frames, all of which we’ll come to over a million different combinations of
The end result is an
extremely lightweight later in this article, have sprung from such colours, graphics and components and
and rideable ebike, with
the artificial power rides. They are ideas generated by people build something truly unique to them.
merely supplementing
the work from your who live and breathe cycling, in their
legs for a supremely
satisfying experience. professional and personal lives. This Orbea is in it for the long haul

family ethos extends to you, the buyer, “At Orbea we anticipate that many

too, and the #weareorbea consumers are making a long-

community brings Orbea WE SAY... term commitment to change or
riders together to share rides, continue their lifestyle when
adventures and inspiration. The company is purchasing a new bicycle,”
says Williams. “For that
continually looking to

push boundaries, reason we test our products

whether on the road, beyond the industry

dirt or gravel standards to enable us to
offer to our consumers a

lifetime warranty on all our

frames. We are with you for life!”

WHY YOU WANT… Orbea goes a long way back, but it’s
always looking forward
ORBEA The company is continually looking to
TERRA push boundaries, whether on the road,
dirt or gravel. Williams looks to the Gain
Gravel riding can electric road bike, launched in 2017, as an
be anything you example. “At the time there was virtually
want it to be if your nothing in the market like it,” he says.
bike has control, speed “Everything else had big motors and
and comfort. Not a batteries that weighed a lot and were
repurposed road awful to pedal without a battery. So we
bike or low-calorie created a 12kg bike that didn’t look or feel
mountain bike, the like your standard ebike. The bike was a
Orbea Terra is designed game changer for both our company and
from the ground up – the cycling industry, as many other
and designed to do manufacturers released their own bikes
anything you ask of it. in this new category.”

DISCOVER MORE
AT ORBEA.COM

BIKERADAR.COM FEBRUARY 2022 65

chainreactioncycles.com

EDITED BY
WARREN ROSSITER,
SENIOR TECHNICAL EDITOR

THIS ISSUE…

NEW BIKES

Cervélo R5 Force AX5 ................................................ p68
Felt FR Advanced 105 Disc ..........................................p72
Bike test – LeMond Prolog........................................ p96

NEW GEAR

Kask Wasabi WG11 helmet ..........................................p74
DexShell vs Castelli overshoes..................................p76
Quoc Mono II shoes.....................................................p78
SunGod Airas glasses................................................ p80
Gloworm X2 Adventure Lightset (G2.0)..................... p82
7mesh gravel outfit ..................................................p84
Shootout – Lightweight winter gloves..................... p86
Buyer’s Guide – Winter jackets ................................ p88

KASK WASABI WG11
HELMET P74

SUNGOD AIRAS
GLASSES P80

QUOC MONO II
SHOES P78

BIKERADAR.COM FEBRUARY 2022 67

This is everything
a modern, race-
orientated road
bike should be

68 FEBRUARY 2022 BIKERADAR.COM

Swift &
stable

Cervélo R5
Force AXS

£8599 Lightened, tightened
and smoothed-out racer

’ve been lucky enough to be at

I every launch of Cervélo’s four
R5 iterations, and this bike has

remained pretty much undiluted
from the original winning

formula of 2011. It started as a lightweight, all-

round race bike with expertly manipulated

carbon-fibre, then came the pro-ride stiffness

with a smattering of aerodynamics thrown in,

but the designers have kept it away from the

limitations of an out-and-out aero-road bike,

allowing the company’s S-Series bikes to cover

that niche. All this means that you still have a

traditional-looking frameset based around a

two-triangle diamond. In fact, put this new R5

alongside the original and it’s a case of spot the

difference rather than see the differences.

I’ve always liked the R5’s

balance of lightness, great

SPECIFICATIONS handling and stiffness, but the
2017 third-generation model
WEIGHT 7.54kg didn’t quite live up to those first
(58cm) impressions on smooth Italian

FRAME Carbon

FORK Carbon mountain roads when I got it
GEARS SRAM Force back to the rough and rutted
AXS (48/35, 10-33) tarmac of home. While it still
BRAKES SRAM Force retained the lively agility that
hydraulic discs defines the R5, I found its front
WHEELS Reserve end overdid the stiffness, making
34/37mm tubeless

carbon rims on DT it a chattery experience on poor
Swiss 370 hubs roads. It seems Cervélo and its
FINISHING KIT team riders concurred as the
Cervélo HB13 carbon brief for this new bike was to
handlebar, Cervélo drop weight, improve the aero
ST31 carbon stem, and, most importantly, bring
Cervélo SP24 carbon

seatpost, ProLogo more comfort to the front end.
Scratch M5 PAS Nack Cervélo has achieved this by
applying R&D from its brilliant
143mm saddle, Caledonia endurance bike and
Vittoria Corsa TLR Aspéro gravel machine. The
G2.0 25c tyres, SRAM solution? To lower the stiffness of
Force/Quarq chainset
power meter, Cervélo

Faceplate front the headtube to 45 per cent of the
computer/accessory stiffness of the bottom bracket
mount, Cervélo rear (the BB is where your power,
accessory mount and most of your weight, goes

BIKERADAR.COM FEBRUARY 2022 69

The frame It’s useful
shape is to have a
very similar to crank-based
previous R5s power meter

A carbon
bar and
stem hide the
brake hoses

through). There is also more compliance in the makes it a titan among race bikes: the compelling
fork, though Cervélo is keen to point out that the mix of low weight and fast handling, with a
fork has kept the same lateral stiffness. stiffness that produces an overwhelmingly
efficient pedalling response. It’s one of the best
Built for speed bikes I’ve tested in recent times on climbs, and
now there’s a layer of smoothness to the front
The speed-friendly geometry of the R5 has end for speedy descents.

always been a highlight, and thankfully it’s been Classy spec

left well alone, bar adding a few millimetres All these factors are enhanced by some great
component choices. The Vittoria Corsa TLR
to the BB height to adjust for the trend towards G2.0 tyres are superb, the linear tread making a
distinct zip noise when running fast in a straight
larger-volume tyres (the older R5 was designed line, but it’s in the corners where the graphene-
infused compound seems to stretch like gum and
around 23mm race tyres, rather than the more provide some truly epic levels of grip even in the
damp, slimy conditions of a British autumn.
current 25 or 28mm). So the R5 still has its
The new HB13 carbon bar, combined with a
73-degree head and seat angles, a low stack slick carbon stem, offers hidden full integration
for the brake hoses and, being a wireless SRAM-
(597mm on my 58cm test bike) and a long reach equipped bike, there are no wires to worry about
either. It makes the R5 a very clean-looking
(398mm on the 58cm). This gives it a sporty ride The Scratch M5 saddle has a machine. The hose routing is cleverly open on
PAS pressure-relief channel the underside of the bar at the stem, making it
position, but not so slammed as to be wearing an easy bike to break down to pack for travel. I
The Vittoria Corsa TLR G2.0 love the shape of the bar with its deeper-than-
after hours in the saddle. tyres have excellent grip compact drop and winged tops, plus it’s clad with
super-quality tacky tape too.
HIGHS Cervélo has also managed
to shave 130g from the frame, Contact points can often make or break a
Sublime handling, which it claims weighs a very bike. Cervélo has it right with the cockpit and
supple smoothness, respectable 703g, plus it has pairing its D-shaped compliant carbon post and
added a new 329g fork. A new ProLogo’s comfortable Scratch M5 saddle with its
light weight

LOWS stem, bar and integrated design,
along with aero tweaks, also
Not the best value combine to reduce drag by 25g
out there compared to the old model. How

BUY IF... does all this play out on the road?
In short, it’s a resolute success
You want a stunning on all levels. I was worried this
example of a modern latest R5 would go down the
race bike and are aero/dropped seatstays route,
prepared to pay big so I’m happy it has kept what

for the pleasure

70 FEBRUARY 2022 BIKERADAR.COM

It’s devastatingly fast
both uphill and down
and handles with
assured swiftness

PAS pressure-relief channel. The 143mm width SRAM’s Force AXS, often by SRAM’s Quarq brand. It gives this bike a real PHOTOGRAPHY RUSSELL BURTON WORDS WARREN ROSSITER
may not suit everyone, but it works for me and, overlooked, is a great setup sense of being a total package that you won’t need
if not, it’s a premium saddle that you’d have no to add anything to.
trouble selling on. It’s a very clean-looking bike,
with no wires or cables on view There are certain bikes that define their genre,
The wheels are from Reserve, and boast and this R5 is a true example of everything a
an interesting design. The rims are different, modern, race-orientated road bike should be.
not just in height (like Enve), where the front It’s devastatingly fast both uphill and down,
is 34mm deep and the rear 37mm, but also in handles with assured swiftness with not a trace
width. The front internally measures 22.6mm of instability, and it’s more than comfortable
and the rear 21.6mm. That sizes up the brilliant enough to see you through day after day of long,
tyres, which are nominally 25mm, to 29.2mm for hard miles without leaving you prematurely
the front and 28mm at the rear. In fact, this R5 beaten. It absolutely belongs in the same
can now take a 34mm tyre, but I can’t imagine exalted company as Giant’s TCR Advanced
you’ll need that unless you’re doing miles over SL 0, Cannondale’s SuperSix Evo Hi-Mod,
Belgian cobbles. The rims are built up onto DT Merida’s Scultura Team as well as legends like
Swiss 370 hubs, which aren’t the highest-grade Specialized’s Tarmac SL6 and Trek’s Émonda
DT hubs, but they’re pretty bulletproof. Reserve SLR. However, the £8599 price tag for a bike
offers these wheels aftermarket in a premium with a second-tier (albeit excellent) groupset,
package with DT’s flyweight 180 hubs for 1300g a and wheels with pro-level rims and enthusiast-
pair, but the R5s will be closer to 1600g with their level hubs, is a concern. The awesome Scultura
more modest hubs. Team with new semi-wireless Dura Ace Di2,
power meter and proven pro-Tour Vision wheels
SRAM’s Force AXS is often overlooked in the costs £7750 – £850 less – while the SuperSix Evo
Chicago brands’ wireless range, as it’s not as light Hi-Mod with Ultegra Di2 is cheaper still at £7250
or premium as the pro-level Red or as bargain- (though without a power meter).
priced as Rival AXS, but it is a great setup. The
intuitive SRAM shifting – right hand harder, left THE VERDICT
hand easier, together shift the front mech – is
ever present as is the superb integration with the A superlative machine in every
excellent AXS app with its automation settings respect bar value
and huge levels of analysis. Where the R5 scores
again is with the inclusion of the reliable and
accurate crank-based power meter, designed

BIKERADAR.COM FEBRUARY 2022 71

Rapid response

Felt FR Advanced 105 Disc

£2249 All-round carbon race machine

elt’s three-model road bike line-up It’s unusual to see a new bike together with a resin that contains tiny particles
without internal cable routing of carbon for added strength. This strength is then
F consists of the aerodynamically bolstered even more with the use of Textreme
focused AR (CP381); the endurance carbon. This creates a much more uniform and
smoothy that is the VR (CP383); compact weave than traditional carbon fibre
and the FR, the brand’s racing all- weaves and it also has far superior strength-to-
rounder with a lightweight chassis that maxes on weight properties and better impact strength.
stiffness and fast handling. The frame looks
decidedly classic and its diamond shape is a breath This frame design originally debuted around
of fresh air. This mechanical 105 version has 2017 and it has aged well, apart from its minimal
external gear-cable routing, something I’ve not tyre clearance (just 28mm). You’d need to be
seen on a new bike in many a year. If you opt for an careful if you upgrade to a more modern, wider
electronic drivetrain, the wires run internally. rim than the Devox RDS.A.1. These simple and
This entry-level model’s frame is lightweight well-put-together wheels are based around a
(under 900g) and shares the same tech as the 23mm-deep alloy rim with a 19mm internal
flagship bikes in the FR range. Both the frame and width. The rims are tubeless ready but are fitted
fork are made with Felt’s own UHC (ultra hybrid here with Vittoria’s workhorse Rubino IV tyres
carbon), which combines three fibres that each in 25mm width.
have useful properties such as elasticity, rigidity
and impact resistance. These fibres are bonded In-house brand partner Devox provides the
lion’s share of the FR’s build, with a four-bolt alloy
The frame looks decidedly stem, compact drop alloy bar (nothing integrated
classic and its diamond here) and a nicely finished carbon seatpost. The
shape is a breath of fresh post is topped by Prologo’s excellent Dimension
air. It even has external saddle with its smart, short shape, pressure-relief
gear-cable routing channel and padding just where it’s needed.

The workhorse tyres are the only Shimano’s 105 groupset is quite simply superb.
part we’d consider upgrading The shift quality matches its more expensive
mechanical siblings, and the feel of the brakes
is pretty much indistinguishable from Ultegra.
The only downside is that you don’t get the

72 FEBRUARY 2022 BIKERADAR.COM

In-house The FR
brand excels on
Devox provide the climbs with
the cockpit its light chassis

The 105
groupset
performs
flawlessly

slick, temperature-controlling Ice Tech rotors HIGHS end comfort – the bike has a bit of buzz up front SPECIFICATIONS PHOTOGRAPHY RUSSELL BURTON WORDS WARREN ROSSITER
of the more expensive groups, but the steel 105 on poor surfaces like chip seal or frost-damaged
rotors do a great job and only gave the slightest Wonderfully quick tarmac. At the back, however, it’s a very different WEIGHT 8.7kg
murmur after a long series of braking while I was handling; great- story. The skinny, flattened seatstays combined (L/56cm)
descending on a particularly wet ride. value package with a quality carbon seatpost and excellent FRAME UHC +
saddle make the rear end feel smooth.
The 52/36 chainset and wide 11-30 cassette suit LOWS Textreme carbon
the FR’s sporty intentions without being under- Over the past couple of years, huge pressures FORK UHC + Textreme
geared when the road veers sharply uphill. In Narrow tyre have been put on bike pricing. Shipping shortages
fact, it’s when things get steep that the FR really clearances; and big cost increases, parts shortages, supply- carbon
shines. Despite its modest overall weight, the FR middling tyres chain issues and import woes have all influenced GEARS Shimano 105
is a superb climbing companion, and the feathery bike brands’ bottom line. So it’s good to see the
chassis, steep angles and short wheelbase all add BUY IF... FR Advanced is competitively priced. Yes, I’d be 11-speed
up to a bike that’s very responsive to your efforts. tempted to upgrade the tyres at some point to (52/36, 11-30)
This is down to some very racy numbers in the You want a fast- something that better suits the responsive chassis BRAKES Shimano 105
bike’s geometry. My large test bike had steep handling, race-ready than the hardy but dull Rubinos, but overall it’s a hydraulic disc
73.5-degree head and seat angles and a short very sharp riding machine. WHEELS Devox RDS.A1
wheelbase of 986mm. These, along with a low chassis packed FINISHING KIT
stack of just 572mm and long reach of 394mm, with potential at The FR design may be showing its age a little Vittoria Rubino IV
produce a long and low ride position. compared to the latest race bikes and their 25c tyres, Devox
a good price generous tyre clearances. However, the bike is DBar.A1, Devox
The steep head angle combined with a short fork stiff, responsive and rapid and I couldn’t want StemR.A2, Devox
offset of 43mm (47mm on smaller sizes to avoid for more when it comes to a competitive bike at a carbon Post.C2,
toe overlap) produces a low 56mm trail figure (the competitive price. Prologo Dimension
smaller the trail, the faster the handling). The
FR’s speedy responses feel almost telepathically THE VERDICT saddle
quick. It’s a bike you want to be on when the
going gets technical, flicking around potholes, Great value racy machine with
smashing into corners at speed or threading a classic frame design
through traffic. The stiffness in the chassis helps
the FR’s sharpness, but you do lose a bit of front-

BIKERADAR.COM FEBRUARY 2022 73

01

MOST WANTED

KASK WASABI WG11
£269 All-weather helmet with aero elements

ask’s latest addition to its premium also typically classy Kask stuff with the hard outer 02
shell wrapping around every part of the EPS foam
K road helmet range is something of core, which helps protect it against accidental WE SAY...
an outlier. At the top end of the list, knocks and drops.
If you have the budget
you’ll find the superbly airy and Weighing 318.3g for a size large, the Wasabi isn’t for a performance
very light Protone WG11 along with the lightest lid around, but that’s not the point. I’ve winter helmet, this is
found that on early morning rides on frosty days a great choice
the aero-optimised Utopia WG11. The Wasabi I start out with the vent closed to retain warmth,
which is brilliant, then, as the sun brings on the
certainly isn’t as light and airy as the Protone, nor thaw, I can open the front vents. It means I can ride
more often without having to wear an under-hat
is it quite as aerodynamically efficient as the or cap. Closing the vent in the rain works too, but,
due to the smooth front of the helmet, lots of drips
Utopia, yet it’s pricier than both. So what’s special fell onto my glasses. A mini-peak add-on, a bit like
you get on Kask’s Moebius urban helmet (CP387),
about it? would be useful.

The Wasabi is designed for colder days and Kask is one of the few premium brands not to
use MIPS slip plane tech in their helmets; instead
winter rides and, to that end, there’s a central it uses the WG11 test protocol as the basis for its
designs. This is a new, tougher test for bicycle and
sliding channel which, when you push it equestrian helmets to address the rotational forces
you may experience in a crash because research
forwards, reduces the two forward-facing vents to shows you’re more likely to land at an angle than
straight-on. Kask’s WG11 helmets are designed to
a single high-set vent. Kask claims this increases move with the impact and not against it, and Kask
claims they work even better than MIPS to help
your head temperature by a degree and a half, and reduce the jarring rotational forces that can cause
more serious head and brain injuries.
it was noticeably warmer than a standard helmet
Overall, the Wasabi is a smart design. I hadn’t
when I tried it. This cosiness is also helped by the considered a winter-specific helmet before, but
this fills a need (no matter how niche) very, very
soft merino-wool-based pads that sit above the well. Whether you think you need a premium
helmet just for the winter is another matter.
2.5cm-deep brow pad. These include a large 7.5cm Warren Rossiter

wide x 5.5cm-deep pad with strip pads across the

crown of the helmet. This does reduce the volume

of the helmet a little, though, which meant I was

on the limit of the comfy, faux-leather straps.

The Wasabi is still pretty aero though, thanks

to the minimal vents. Even in the

fully open position, it only adds

HIGHS a watt in drag to its impressive

Great quality, fit and slippery shape and Kask says it’s

comfort in the cold close aerodynamically to its aero-

LOWS road, pro-issue Utopia.
Fit wise, it’s classic Kask:
Pricey for a winter-
only helmet a slightly rounded shape and
compact overall size. The finish is

74 FEBRUARY 2022 BIKERADAR.COM

ALSO CONSIDER...

03 TWO IN ONE

SLIDING VENT FULL SHELL DESIGN REAR VENTS Lazer Z1 MIPS +
Aeroshell
01 The sliding mid- 02 The outer shell 03 Even though it’s £189.99 + £19.99
section allows you extends right designed to keep
to close the lower underneath, keeping you warmer, it has six Lazer’s classic Z1
front-facing vents to the vulnerable EPS large exhaust vents, combines minimal
keep your head warm foam core safe from so you don’t cook weight with full MIPs
in cold conditions. accidental damage. when working hard. protection and a huge
number of vents for
optimal cooling in the
summer months. You
can also buy a clip-on
hardshell called the
‘Aeroshell’ which, yes,
is supposed to improve
aerodynamics, but we
find the best use of it is
on freezing days or in
stormy conditions!

ORIGINAL AERO

Giro Synthe
MIPS II £179.99

Giro’s Synthe was one
of the first low-volume
aero road helmets. Its
combination of superb
cooling, great fit and
aero advantage made
it a winner. This latest
iteration brings the
extra protection of
MIPS (multi-directional
impact-protection
system) which provides
a low-friction layer
between shell and liner.
On impact, the shell can
rotate independently,
helping absorb some of
the crash force.

BIKERADAR.COM FEBRUARY 2022 75

WE SAY...

For regular winter
riding, the easy-on,
warm and durable
DexShells are an

ideal choice

HEAD TO HEAD: OVERSHOES

DEXSHELL HEAVY DUTY CASTELLI PIOGGIA 3

£37 £65

Construction overshoes hold their shape, Construction smaller heel opening from
but had enough stretch to let
DexShell’s heavy-duty you pull them in to place first Pioggia means rain in Italian, fouling the heel a little. Their
overshoes are made from four time. The cleat and heel
neoprene panels, joined with openings are a good size and and Castelli has tried hard to generous stretch makes them
flat-lock stitching. The rear perfectly positioned, and the
panel on each side is a little heel loop is useful. keep your feet dry with these. easy to zip up and fasten, and
more robust, to resist the
additional stresses from Protection The two-panel shoecovers once properly positioned, their
pulling the overshoe on and
fastening the zip. The sole has The ankle cuff is snug, are made from stretchy, low bulk and foot-hugging
two openings with reinforced without being tight, so there’s
elastic edges, and abrasion- no gap for cold or spray to waterproof PU-coated fabric profile is flatteringly aero.
resistant fabric around the enter. Neoprene insulates
toe and mid-sole areas well, and the DexShells offer that has a micro-fleece lining.
for durability. The zip is instant, sustained warmth
waterproof, with a reflective and wind protection. They The central and lower toe Protection
strip on each side, plus there’s resist spray and light rain
a reflective logo at the front, well, but prolonged wet will seams are taped, the ankle The ankle cuff seals well and
and the ankle cuff has a wide saturate them. Add that to
elastic band with an internal the inevitable water soaking cuff has a silicone gripper at works with the waterproof PU
silicone gripper and rubbery down your tight and you’ll
Velcro strap. the top plus a wrapover Velcro coating to keep spray and rain
eventually get wet feet.
strap, and the rear zipper is at bay. However, even with

waterproof, with reflective the thin micro-fleece lining,

strips on each side. The one- these overshoes rely more on

piece sole is a tough, one-way- retaining generated heat than

stretch rubberised fabric that creating it. They’ll keep your

has two holes with reinforced feet dry longer than average,

elastic edges. but water always finds a way

in so you’ll be glad of the

Fit windproofing.

Thanks to typical

Fit HIGHS Verdict Italian sizing, we HIGHS Verdict
needed a size larger
Our size-large No-nonsense, well- These overshoes are than usual. They Good wet-weather A stylish and highly
overshoes were a great made overshoes built warm and durable plus protection; great protective shoecover,
fit for size 45 shoes and their generous sole
quick to put on. The for warmth openings should help needed a little fiddling low-profile fit which fits superbly
robust toe and mid- prevent you damaging
sole areas gave enough LOWS the material when to position the cleat LOWS and sheds rain
stiffness to help the walking around. opening correctly, effectively, so long
There’s no escaping though, and we found Heel opening is a as you look after its
moist feet in rain it impossible to keep little small and could fairly delicate upper.
the fabric around the Robin Wilmott
invite damage

76 FEBRUARY 2022 BIKERADAR.COM

LIGHT IT UP
LEDS FOR EVERY ADVENTURE

ENGINEERED VISIBILITY

The culmination of over a decade in precision engineering, our LED collection is now more refined
than ever before. No matter your riding style, we’ve got a bike light tailored for your needs.

PROUDLY DISTRIBUTED BY UPGRADE BIKES LTD | UPGRADEBIKES.CO.UK | 01403 711 611 | WWW.LEZYNE.COM
UPGRADE ARE PROUD TO SUPPORT THE NATIONAL #BIKEISBEST CAMPAIGN

WE SAY...

Stiff and superbly
comfortable,
top-quality
race shoes

UPGRADE

QUOC MONO II

£270 Stylish high-performance road shoes

uoc (abbreviated from Quoc spray soaking your feet. The uni-directional BENCHMARK...
carbon sole is one of the reasons for the shoes’
Q Pham) is the eponymous cycling low weight. It boasts a classy-looking smooth
footwear brand founded by the graphite finish and, rather than being a flat
sheet of carbon, its curved shape creates a
British designer back in 2009. natural footbed, while the raised inner offers a
Originally concentrating on great arch support and a very stable pedalling
platform. Etched graphics that aid cleat fitting
urban and classic shoe designs, more recently are a smart touch, and the chunky bonded heel
and rubber toe bumpers help to protect the sole.
he’s branched out into gravel and road race Giant Surge Pro
Stiffness is ample and the equal of other race £274.99
shoes, in the shape of the Night Lace-up, the shoes. The single toe vent is mesh lined and
stopped the front of my feet from overheating, The Surge Pros look
Mono and the improved Mono II, which is though it’s fair to say that when it comes to pretty standard with a
summer rides, these are considerably warmer seamless Microtex
available in black or white. than shoes with breathable knitted uppers. upper and Boa dials,
but the ExoBeam sole’s
The Mono IIs have a tough PU Microtex upper The new Mono IIs are a very, very well- carbon forefoot is wider
designed shoe. Typically for Quoc Pham, they than most before
in a two-piece construction with a wrapover are both stylish and understated, and they also slimming to create a
have a natural and supportive fit. They’re high- spine between forefoot
tongue, inspired by Quoc Pham’s excellent quality shoes that are ideal for all but the very and heel. The sole
hottest days and they remained comfortable naturally supports your
Gran Tourer gravel shoe. The closures may look over day-long rides. The dials let you adjust fit foot and the broader
superbly but they’re chunkier than the Boa wrap of the upper feels
like slightly bulkier Boas but are actually equivalents and, while it’s not a deal-breaker, free while offering great
they don’t have the same premium feel of the stiffness and stability.
Quoc’s own design. They work well – small latest Boa Li2 dials found on similarly priced At 564g (a pair) for size
race shoes. Warren Rossiter 45s, they’re light too.
adjustments are easy to make and spare dials

are available. The construction quality of the

uppers is excellent with the

padded heel inner a highlight,

HIGHS holding your foot snugly in

Sublime fit; great place when you’re really

styling; superb putting down the power.
outsole; lightweight The 523.8g per pair weight is

LOWS good for size 45 shoes, especially
for a year-round option, as the
Non-Boa dials; not fairly closed upper does a
for hot days decent job of stopping rain and

78 FEBRUARY 2022 BIKERADAR.COM

PLAN FOR
EXPECT ADVENTURE

FIND, PLAN, AND SHARE YOUR ADVENTURES WITH KOMOOT

03

WE SAY...

Superb lenses
and customisable

looks are a
winning combo

01 8KO LENSES

LENS FRAME LOOKS 02 8KO lenses are
made of 2mm
01 The high-quality, 02 The frame is made 03 You can choose thick co-nylon, claimed
8KO lens is shaped from a material your preferred to be lighter and
so it stays close to called Infinite lens, frame colour, stronger than standard
your face, right across that consists of logo colour and polycarbonate lenses.
its width, for better 100 per cent temple tips at no 8KO also scores
peripheral vision. recycled materials. extra cost. higher for optical
clarity in independent
CUTTING EDGE tests, plus they have
anti-fog treatment
SUNGOD AIRAS on the inside and a
hydrophobic coating
£215 Lightweight, customisable glasses on the outer surface.
8KO is used in all
hese are Sungod’s lightest riding Add in an impressive lifetime guarantee that ALSO CONSIDER... Sungod’s performance
states if you break your glasses, Sungod will lenses, which come
T shades to date, at a featherweight repair them for free, and these glasses are in eight tints and two
27g for the frameless option. They relatively kind to the planet. Iris photochromic
options. Zero-Frame
look pretty sharp, too, thanks to Frameless designs, while giving a great field of Airas with a standard
the retro shield lens shape with its view, can be a little loose fitting on rough roads, 8KO lens start from
but the Airas are better than most in that regard. £130, bottom-frame
modern silhouette. I’m also impressed that you While they wouldn’t be my first choice, they do options start at £155
stay put over cobbles and around town, but for and photochromic lens
can choose everything from the frames and gravel I’d reach for something a little stiffer, options start at £170.
although you can choose a bottom frame option.
lenses to the logo and temple-tip colours. Don’t Rudy Project
The lens has a lot of spring in its curved wrap Cutline £152.99
panic, though, this doesn’t mean months of that, when combined with the hinged arms and
textured temple tips, provides a tensioned grip on Another shield-style
waiting for your new shades – my pair came your head. The soft nosepiece (choose from four design, the 36g
sizes) does most of the work to keep the glasses in Cutlines come with
within 48 hours of placing my online order. place and comfortable, so take your time in a choice of four
getting the right fit before you set out on a photochromic lenses
We all know that decent lenses are the most serious ride. and are designed for
maximum venting. Just
important thing when you’re flying down a long, My test pair came custom spec with a smoke press a button to swap
8KO Iris photochromic lens and kit to switch lenses. These glasses
dappled descent or puffing your way up a never- from a frameless design to one with lower-frame have removable top
protection (as pictured), costing £215 (including and bottom frame
ending hill in the glaring sun, and the Iris case, nosepieces, lower frame, nose bridge and ‘bumpers’ and a
cleaning bag). Too pricey? You can snap up a superbly tuneable fit
photochromic lens I tried was excellent (easily a more basic spec from £130. Warren Rossiter with highly adjustable
arms and nosepiece.
match for more established

brands such as Oakley or Rudy

HIGHS Project). The 65mm-deep lens
offers superb clarity and is rapid
Lens clarity;

awesome guarantee; to darken and lighten as the

great fit ambient light changes.

LOWS It’s great to hear that the
frames and bag are made from
Options can ramp fully recycled materials and the
up the price packaging is all recyclable too.

80 FEBRUARY 2022 BIKERADAR.COM

This is Space.
This is Wales.

Discover our epic skies.
visitwales.com

ALSO CONSIDER...

WE SAY... STREETS AHEAD

Your trusty friend on Lupine SL Nano AF
gravel routes at night. £272

Double them up for A high-quality light also
mega wattage! with a separate battery
and remote, this has a
UPGRADE similarly powerful beam
to the X2 with an even
GLOWORM X2 (G2.0) spread. It’s designed for
road use so it has a
£235 Top-notch trail light distinct spot beam and
defined top line and
he second iteration of the this one is at least slim, robust and has curved periphery, meaning it
rubber pads that cushion the fit and help anchor doesn’t dazzle
T dependable Gloworm X2 delivers it in place. oncoming traffic. If you
a powerful 2000 lumens, which want the same look and
Before riding, we used the app to customise construction quality as
should be enough to light your the output of each of the modes: choose the the X2, but don’t need
way, even on the darkest of gravel power percentage that you want to run and it the height and spread
shows the run time at that power. It’s simple of an off-road beam,
routes. It has four modes (high, mid, low, but effective, and we set low at 20 per cent, this is one to consider.
medium at 50 per cent and high at 100 per cent.
flashing), each of which can be customised, and The beam quality is excellent in all the modes, CLEVER STUFF
giving an even spread with no stepping and a
you can easily cycle through them using the nice, gradual fade at the edges. The reach on full Garmin Varia
power is exceptional, lighting the periphery and UT800 £150
remote button. The separate battery pack that up to the tree canopy.
This ‘smart’ light is
houses the 10,000mAH lithium battery has The remote has two buttons, the second of designed to pair with
which can be synced with another Gloworm – the Garmin Edge. Do
protective rubber bumpers while the cable, with we know committed night riders on the gravel this and you hardly
path less travelled who run one on the bar and need to think about it.
its neat T-shaped connection, is waterproof (the one on the helmet. That’s a lot of light. Set it to auto, switch it
on and it will adjust to
light has a high IP67 waterproof rating). The X2’s construction is superb. It’s robust, the ambient light. As it
with an app that’s both simple and intuitive. In gets darker, the light
The clamp mount is fixed in seconds with an short, it’s all the light you need and none of the gets brighter; go faster
complication you don’t. And while we love an and the beam gets
integral quick-release lever and its offset design integrated battery, the potential to extend the stronger with more
X2 system could win us over. Russell Burton reach. The beam
allows for central positioning pattern has a strong
central spot but an even
on the bar. The remote attaches spread that’s wide (and
high) enough for unlit
HIGHS using a silicone stretch band country lanes.
and we chose to position it
Beam quality;

customisation right on the drops so any beam

options; bar changes only took the flex of a
remote; app thumb. We don’t love the extra

LOWS heft of a separate battery pack
(the whole thing weighs 497g
Separate battery including the battery), but

82 FEBRUARY 2022 BIKERADAR.COM

The world’s best riding advice

BikeRadar is your premier source for news and reviews of bikes and cycling kit.
Whether you’re a beginner or a former pro, a roadie or a mountain biker,
ZH SULGH RXUVHOYHV LQ R HULQJ \RX WKH ZRUOGȇV EHVW ULGLQJ DGYLFH

bikeradar.com

UPGRADE WE SAY...

7MESH GRAVEL OUTFIT Well designed and
well made clothing
£100 7Mesh Farside shorts that’s worth the
£130 7Mesh Cypress hybrid vest
£130 7Mesh Ashlu jersey investment

Tough gravel and road kit from Canada Foundation Boxer
Briefs £45
eadquartered in Squamish in
A boxer-style liner with
H British Columbia, Canada, with a low-profile chamois
Vancouver to the south and the that is especially good
for rides heavy on the
ski/MTB resort of Whistler to social. The slim pad
the north, 7Mesh is perfectly doesn’t overheat or
make itself felt off the
situated to take inspiration from the riding in its bike but has comfort
where it counts.
immediate environment. And that comes across

in the clothing it produces. As a brand 7Mesh has

a reputation for using highly specialised

materials that are impeccably cut to follow the

lines of your body when you’re riding and so

allow freedom of movement. This quality and

attention to detail doesn’t come cheap, but once

tried it’s the kind of performance you value in

the long term. This gravel trio has proved to be

no exception.

Usefully, the Farside shorts are available in

two lengths (we tested the longer knee-length

version). The fit is slim but thanks to their cut

and slight stretch they don’t bind or ride up.

Also, the waistband is grown on rather than

fixed, which means there’s no bulky seam. It’s a

small detail but it adds to the comfort. The

lightweight nylon/elastane material wicks well

and has a water-resistant DWR finish. As well as

two hand pockets there’s a zipped back pocket,

angled so that you don’t sit on the contents.

The Ashlu Merino is a lightweight 89 per cent

wool jersey that’s soft and smooth, cool enough

for summer yet warm enough for autumn and PERFECT PARTNER

spring too. The fabric contains just enough

nylon to make it durable too. What really makes

the Ashlu stand out, though, is its innovative

and generous pocket system that floats off the

jersey. With three rear sections and two zipped

side pockets, its polyester construction stops the

contents pulling the jersey out of shape.

The Cypress Vest (or gilet) completes a high-

quality line-up. Packing easily into one of the

jersey pockets, it has a Gore windproof DWR-

treated front and stretch back for a close fit. This

is the one you’ll start the ride with, tuck away

when you warm up then pull

back out for cooler descents.

HIGHS Long zipped side vents allow

Versatile and easy access to jersey pockets.

comfortable combo Each item is great on its own,

LOWS worn together they are pretty
much perfect. Hence the very
You’ll probably unusual hat-trick of high marks.
want it all Russell Burton

84 FEBRUARY 2022 BIKERADAR.COM

PI sena.com

The Universal Bluetooth
Intercom For Your Helmet

Bluetooth 4.1
2-Way HD
Intercom 0,25 mi
Smartphone connectivity

SIX OF THE BEST...

LIGHTWEIGHT WINTER GLOVES

£24.99-£54.99 Bid farewell to freezing fingers

01 02 CASTELLI TUTTO NANO
GLOVE £45

COLOURS BLACK
SIZES XS, S, M, L, XL, XXL

By far the lightest-weight gloves here, 03
these Castellis have a close-fitting,
almost second skin-like feel to them. Their
super-stretchy Nano-Flex 3G fabric is the
same that Castelli uses on its arm and leg
warmers and it has a soft fleece lining. They
kept my hands warm down to 8-10°C and in
light rain their nano-treated surface helps
water to bead and keep your hands dry, but
in heavier rain they’ll be overcome in about
30 minutes, although they’ll still keep your
hands warm unless it’s very cold. Silicone
palm prints offer all-weather grip, but after
a bit of use and washing, some of the print’s
peeling away. These lightweight 44g gloves
are also better suited to spring and autumn
rather than winter.

01 MADISON ZENITH DWR 03 CHROME MIDWEIGHT
4-SEASON GLOVE £24.99 02 CYCLE GLOVE £47

COLOURS BLACK, BLUE COLOURS BLACK, OLIVE/BLACK
SIZES S, M, L, XL, XXL SIZES S, M, L, XL

Madison’s Zeniths feel like a The Chromes are the most traditionally
lightweight glove, but they have a styled glove here, with a shorter cuff,
neoprene-like stretch and are lined with a double-skin construction and a warm
soft and comfortable brushed fleece. The thermal lining. It’s a design more suited to
unpadded palms are suede-like soft with leisure and commuter cycling when you’re
silicone grippers and there are touchscreen- likely to be wearing a non-riding winter coat.
compatible tips on the index and middle The fit is excellent, the fingers are long, and
fingers. Their close-fitting, pre-shaped Chrome’s comprehensive online sizing guide
design means no bunching or wrinkles at the ensures you can find the right fit. Their 70D
palm and well-placed seams keep them ripstop nylon backs keep water at bay as
comfortable. They have a DWR (Durable rain beads on the surface, allowing you to
Water Repellent) coating that keeps spray shake them dry. They have minimal padding,
and light rain out for an hour or so before thumb and fingertips that are touchscreen-
wetting out, but even then they kept my compatible and subtle reflective details. The
hands warm down to about 7°C. These warmest gloves on test, the Chromes would
wouldn’t be my first choice for freezing be my choice for commuting with a heavier
rides, but I reach for these comfortable, winter jacket.
well-priced gloves on cold, wet days.

86 FEBRUARY 2022 BIKERADAR.COM

SIX OF THE BEST...

WE SAY...

Pearl Izumi strike
the right balance
between warmth and
handlebar feel

05 SPORTFUL NO RAIN
GLOVE £50

COLOURS BLACK, BLUE
SIZES XS, S, M, L, XL, XXL

Sportful’s No Rain name is a bit of a
misnomer as these gloves don’t stop
rain soaking the material. Rain initially beads
on the surface so you can shake it off, but
the fabric wets out in an hour. However, even

04 when wet they stay warm, with the tightly

woven outer and soft fleecy liner keeping
the chill out and the warmth in. The
extended cuff ensures there are no gaps
between the glove and jersey, and grip from
the full silicone print on the unpadded palm
is excellent. These work best above freezing
but the second skin-like fit means sizing is
crucial. Get the sizing right, though, and
these are ideal for cool damp days.

04 ALTURA POLARTEC 05 06 PEARL IZUMI AMFIB LITE
WATERPROOF GLOVE £50 GLOVE £54.99

COLOURS BLACK COLOURS BLACK
SIZES XS, S, M, L, XL, XXL SIZES XS, S, M, L, XL, XXL

Altura’s new Polartecs combine a These have all the usual winter glove
tough neoprene-like exterior with features – thermal padded insulation,
a waterproof membrane sandwiched water-resistant outer and a long, adjustable
between the outer and a thermal lining. This cuff – but Pearl has pared them back as
waffle-like fleece lining traps air, keeping much as possible, while still maintaining
your hands warm but without them getting their cold-combatting qualities. The 60g
sweaty. They’re bulky compared with Primaloft Gold insulation has little bulk, the
the Castelli and Sportful gloves, but are soft and supple synthetic leather palm is
impressively waterproof and the adjustable unlined so you have a good connection to
mid-length cuff works well with close-fitting the handlebar, and the thumb and index
sleeves. The silicone print provides great fingertips are touchscreen-friendly. These
grip in the wet but, though the fingertips are great gloves for cold and damp morning
worked well with a Garmin 1030, they rides, keeping your hands warm but not
struggled with an iPhone. The sizing is also sweaty. They do wet out after a couple of
a little off, resulting in the palm fabric hours in full-on rain, but I haven’t tried many
bunching. A shame, as these are both warm gloves of this weight that last longer in
and waterproof. adverse conditions. A great all-rounder.

BIKERADAR.COM FEBRUARY 2022 87

JACKETS
A bike jacket is an essential buy for endurance
rides in the wind, rain and chills this winter.
But what should you look for? We test 12

nless you want to riding pleasure. Pure commuters YOUR TESTERS
can probably get away with a
U spend the winter looser cut but, for endurance rides, MATT BAIRD & JOHN WHITNEY
on Zwift, it’s time to you should minimise flapping in
head outdoors and the wind for both warmth and CYCLING PLUS EDITOR & DEPUTY EDITOR
face the elements. In aerodynamic reasons, so we’d
the United Kingdom, that’ll result in advise a close and slim fit. That fit, CP staffers Matt and John happily
battling temperatures that drop to however, needs to be large enough took on this test of winter jackets,
a mid-winter average of 3.7°C. Add to squeeze a base layer and, if either commuting or regularly escaping
in a further windchill drop of up to needed, a mid-layer underneath. into the Mendip Hills throughout autumn
8°C and watching Seinfeld instead We realise this is sometimes and winter to access the jackets’ wind,
of those Sunday morning rides easier said than done, which is rain and sunshine credentials. Deputy
seems more appealing by the week. why trying before you buy is editor John handled the £99-150
Alongside quality bib-longs, a recommended (as is a decent collection, while editor Matt rated the
baselayer, gloves, decent socks returns policy), especially as £159-270 contenders. Both are now
and overshoes, a key solution sizing can vary markedly awaiting some quality physio time.
for successful winter riding is a between the manufacturers.
windproof bike jacket for deflecting
those chilly blasts of air. And ideally Other things to look for are the
one that features water resistance. type and location of the pockets,
As usual, the overall fit is vital to from zipped to internal and rear.
maximise its effectiveness and your The texture of the collar is also
important, as is the effectiveness
The overall fit is vital of the front zipper and the ability to
to maximise its adjust it up or down with one hand
effectiveness and while on the move. And, finally,
your riding pleasure aesthetics also play a role, as, if
you’re anything like us, you’ll end
up wearing yours on the school run,
to work and to the Royal Oak...

88 FEBRUARY 2022 BIKERADAR.COM

BUYER’S GUIDE: JACKETS

FIVE THINGS TO CONSIDER

01 02

BEING SEEN WATER RESISTANT

The colour scheme of A good windproof
jackets has become jacket should prevent
less noir and more water ingress, but
safety centric, but
also look for added the favourable
hi-vis and reflective breathability
elements, often found compared to a
on the hem, seams hardshell jacket
means full
and/or pockets. waterproofing
is unlikely.

03

SLEEVES

Ensure these are
long and secure
enough to prevent
draughts entering.
The cuffs should sit
neatly alongside your
bike gloves but not
be too tight if you
want to read a
sports watch.

04

POCKETS

Rear pockets can
be open, zipped or
both. Ideally, one will
be waterproof. The
key is that they’re
accessible, especially
if they contain
on-the-fly essentials.
A zipped chest pocket
is also welcome.

05

DROPPED TAIL

Bike jackets feature
a slightly longer rear
to prevent draughts,

especially when
you’re down on the
drops. They also

help to deflect
road detritus.

BIKERADAR.COM FEBRUARY 2022 89

NEED TO KNOW

Insider info on the tech behind a winter bike jacket

– how much air it will let escape. This is

01 given a rating of 5k, 10k, 15k or 20k [with
20K being the most effective]. To ensure
the breathability of the membrane
performs efficiently, we also add a DWR
to the face side (outside) of the fabric
which helps the rain droplets bead, and
fall from the jacket so they don’t penetrate
the top layer of fabric and stop the jacket
being as breathable.”

COMPLEXITY BREATHABILITY STORAGE

0  1 Being a bike jacket is a complex 0  2 Waterproofing and water-resistant 0  3 Cash, card, keys, phone, jelly
job. It needs to keep out the cold treatments have often been the babies, peanut butter sandwich,
without making you overheat, and enemy of breathability in a cycling multi-tool, spare pump, banana,
it should prevent rain from getting jacket, but that’s improved flapjack… if you’re anything like
in but not stop sweat evaporating out. It’s recently and bike jackets are no longer the us, your pockets will be bulging when you
a tricky proposition, even with the advent glorified bin bags of old. But where have exit the house. Happily, most bike jackets
of today’s advanced fabrics. Suffice to say, the technological leaps been made? can accommodate moving buffets, but
coming up with a suitable solution means increasingly important for us is a zipped
a winter bike jacket is as high-tech as any “This is mainly through the addition and waterproof pocket that’s big enough
other cycling clothing item. Scratch beneath of the DWR (durable water-repellent to stash a smart phone.
the surface and you quickly find yourself coating), which allows the surface fabric
in a world of hydrophilic polyurethane and the membrane to perform at their best A waterproof phone case is a smart
coatings and ePTFE membranes with by not letting the rain water ‘wet out’ the addition to your bike-jacket purchase for
billions of micropores per square inch. jacket and clog up the air permeability,” added protection and ease of mind, but
states Amy Spencer, design and it’s worth messaging the brand’s online
But why do they need to be so complex development manager for Altura. “This customer support if you’re worried that
when all they’re doing is being a barrier membrane also has a breathability rating your mobile – hello the iPhone 12 Pro Max
between you and the elements? The – may be too big as a pocket companion.
answer to that is you, or more specifically, 02
the heat and sweat you generate while WATERPROOFING
riding. Cold and wet weather can not only
make you miserable, it can affect your 0  4 The key remits of the softshell
performance. But so can getting too hot jackets on test are to provide
and soaking in sweat, which means a warmth and windproofing, but
cycling jacket and the fabrics it’s made there’s also water-resistant tech
from need to work like an elaborate at play. Most of the 12 jackets will survive a
one-way system. They need to be porous shower (see more in the specific reviews),
and gas permeable from the inside out
but non-porous and impermeable from
the outside in.

Preventing overheating
and rain, allowing sweat
to evaporate... a jacket
is high-tech clothing

90 FEBRUARY 2022 BIKERADAR.COM

BUYER’S GUIDE: JACKETS

03

A zipped waterproof 04 LIFE CYCLE
pocket that’s big
enough to stash a smart the jacket hits the retail depots. Spencer 06 Following the recommended
phone is important expands on the demands that brands washing instructions will not only
place on the constructions before its retail preserve your jacket’s lifespan
but they lack the fully waterproofing thumbs-up: “Once a fabric is selected, it’s and save you pennies, but will
capabilities of a hardshell jacket. Just tested in a lab to determine its waterproof, help lower your ecological footprint. That
where does the extra rain-thwarting breathability, and spray ratings. Once the heightened environmental awareness is
element come from in the more spring jacket is produced, it’s tested again on shown in the lack of plastic packaging
and autumn-friendly hardshell? the seams for the same performance many of the jackets here arrived in, and
requirements to ensure the seams are at also in some of the material choices on
“For a jacket to be fully waterproof, the the same level as the main fabric. We also display. It’s a movement that’ll only
fabric must have a membrane, described have our fabrics tested for colour fastness intensify, believes Spencer.
as a 2; 2.5; or 3-layer construction,” adds to ensure the colours don’t migrate. We
Spencer. “The membrane makes the then test each item to determine the fibre “Within five years, I’d like to see more
jacket waterproof by creating a barrier composition, and do wash testing to fabrics that are sustainably sourced without
under the surface fabric. This is the part of ensure the jacket stays as good as new, compromising on the level of performance.
the fabric that determines the hydrostatic- wash after wash. For certain jackets, we As a rider, you need to feel comfortable
head rating (waterproof rating) of 5k, 10k, also perform a Martindale test that that you’re protected from the elements,
15k or 20k [as with the breathability rating, determines the durability of the fabric. as well as buying a product where its
the higher the number, the more effective whole life cycle has been considered.”
the waterproofing]. Waterproof jackets “Although lab tests are a great source of
are also made like a non-waterproof jacket information to determine the performance “As a rider, you need to
by stitching panels together. Essentially,a of the fabric, we also test our jackets in be comfortable that
needle punches holes in the membrane, real-world conditions. Lastly, we have a you’re protected from
which then makes that area of the fabric fantastic group of people who test our the elements”
not fully waterproof. So we add taping to products to destruction – they’re out
the inside of the jacket to seal these holes riding in our kit in all weathers to provide
and make the garment fully waterproof.” us with feedback, not only on the
performance of the jacket, but also the
TESTING ease of use, the comfort and the fit.”

0  5 The prices of the jackets on test
here range from £100 to the top-
end £270 offerings, with that RRP
covering the R&D, material costs
and also a lengthy testing process before

BIKERADAR.COM FEBRUARY 2022 91

PROVIZ CLASSIC SOFTSHELL

£99.99

SIZES XS-XXXL COLOURS Red, Black, Blue, Orange, Pink, Yellow

This is more year-round, typical rain jacket, though it

top-layer protection doesn’t pack down small. It’s

against the elements than less of a performance-based

a single-layer thermal garment than many

winter jacket. There’s others tested here

ample rain protection HIGHS and the baggier arms
here but, on its own, in particular on our
it’s not enough; you’d Highly reflective, medium jacket boost
need a warm base layer looser fit could its commuter-y
suit commuters

underneath to enjoy LOWS credentials. So too do
a cold-weather ride. the reflective details,
There’s also more wind Will need additional liberally spread across
protection than your layers in the cold the jacket.

ALTURA MISTRAL

£100

SIZES S-XXL COLOURS Red/black, Black, Navy/lime

The Mistral gets plenty pockets. The medium tested

right. The High Loft inner was a smaller fit than many

fleece has a high insulation-to- others in the test,

weight ratio, so it’s a light so perhaps size up.

jacket considering how Its big drawback is

warm it is. Its water HIGHS the high collar which,
resistance is more than when zipped to the
competitive judged A warm jacket top, puts pressure on
across the test, and the given its weight the throat. Climbing is

lack of a zipped pocket LOWS hard enough without
is tempered by the feeling as if you’ve got
securing top flap that Collar is warm on the wrong side of
runs across all three but interferes Darth Vader...

DHB AERON ALL WINTER SOFTSHELL

£120

SIZES XS-XXL COLOURS Burgundy, Fluro Yellow, Green, Grenadine

The material throughout grip around the waist and

makes for a warm upper tighter cuffs, but an easy

body, bolstered in places stretchiness means the jacket

where it’s needed is more warm embrace

most, across the chest than unwanted bear

and extremities, with a HIGHS hug. It’s billed as an all-
more luxuriant fleece. winter jacket and its
Mixed materials

There are thinner in right places, material fends off rain
panels on your armpits well-placed admirably. A zipped
that work well during zipped pocket fourth pocket on the

tougher intervals. The LOWS side is a nice touch. As
jacket is close fitting, usual with DHB, it’s
boosted by a silicone Nothing obvious terrific value.

92 FEBRUARY 2022 BIKERADAR.COM

BUYER’S GUIDE: JACKETS

LUSSO AQUA REPEL V2

£134.99

SIZES S-XXL COLOURS Blue

With a name like this, uses a thin, lightweight but

you’d be forgiven for warming fabric from Windtex,

thinking that Lusso hails Stormshield, which not only

from a cycling hotbed in keeps out wind but heavy

northern Italy. They’re showers too. So

northern, alright: north HIGHS effective it is at both,
Manchester, just above it’ll probably keep you
the city in Radcliffe. Ticks every box out too, on the road
It’s a region not known that we have enjoying your ride.

for its wall-to-wall LOWS It’s a lightweight,
sunshine, which insulating jacket that
explains the existence Slightly interfering performs like a
of the Aqua Repel V2. It collar, but tolerable heavyweight.

BONTRAGER VELOCIS SUBZERO

£149.99

SIZES XS-XXL COLOURS Battleship Blue (pictured)

This is a shrewd choice and rain fronts by a flap that

for much of what the covers the full-length zip. Fit

British winter can chuck is pleasingly snug, it has three

at you, with 100 per stretchy and secure

cent fleece lining open rear pockets

throughout the jacket HIGHS (plus a smaller zipped
interior and an outer pocket on the right
softshell that beats Performance fit, side). Fluoro finishes on
water protection

the wind easily. It’s an LOWS the pockets and cuffs
excellent performer in add visibility and are
the rain – better than Some may prefer just about in keeping
some rain jackets – and reflective details with the ‘Battleship
is helped on both wind over fluoro finishes Blue’ colour.

SPECIALIZED RBX SOFTSHELL

£150

SIZES S-XXL COLOURS Maroon, Black

Specialized has ticked arms, thinner and more

the warmth and breathable on the flanks and

windproof boxes, but water- arm undersides, plus a high

resistant? The RBX falls short fleece-lined collar, elasticated

on this, against strong wrists and waist

competition. However, HIGHS silicone gripper. The
it’s fleece-lined three rear pockets
throughout the inside, The right materials are open but secure,
with multi-panels of where you need them though there’s no zip.

different materials LOWS This can lose you your
where they need to be; keys, bank card or
resilient windproof on No zipped pocket, even a half star in a
the chest and front of iffy rain resistance magazine grouptest…

93

HUUB CORE 3 PEAKS

£159.99

SIZES S–XXL COLOURS Fluro

Okay, it’s not one for the near freezing temps. Where it

pub, but the Core’s visual does shine is in it’s surprising

assault gave me confidence water-thwarting prowess,

in being seen on the beading rain and

roads. As for on-road surviving a significant

performance, it’s one HIGHS shower before the
of the leaner and racier first signs of ingress.
Visibility;

jackets on test – more precipitation Breathability is aided

for aero than Arctic powers; racey cut by two zipped frontal

riding unless you LOWS compartments, but the
seriously layer up zipped rear pocket is
– and it doesn’t rival the Small zipped pocket; frustratingly small for
Castelli and Santini for not the warmest stashing a phone.

ENDURA PRO SL WATERPROOF

£174.99

SIZES XS-XXL COLOURS Pumpkin, Black

Endura labels this as a aeration, five gargantuan

softshell, but I’d place pockets (two zipped) capable

it into the hard/softshell of carrying a Boxing Day

borderlands occupied buffet, and plenty of

by Rapha. That hardshell reflective elements.

flirtation gives a fully HIGHS There’s a cosy inner
waterproof shell that, collar and brushed
as hard as I tried during Waterproof coating; inner fabric, but I still
Storm Arwen, refused rider-friendly prefer the warmth-
features

entry to precipitation. LOWS enhancing capabilities
Endura’s trove of tricks of Castelli and Santini’s
include two zipped Less warm than fully options for facing lower
vents for underarm softshell jackets single-digit temps.

PEARL IZUMI PRO AMFIB

£199.99

SIZES S-XL COLOURS Black

With an understated top of the class. So what gives

style, lean weight and it the lower score? The context

comfy shell, the Amfib is the of this ‘winter’ test is what,

jacket I’ve returned to with the lean materials

more than any other. making this more

Like Huub, there are HIGHS spring contender than
sneaky powers of water mid-winter wonder.
resistance, with the A stylish, techy Those with bigger
coating preventing all wonder for spring hands than me – i.e.
and autumn rides

but sustained deluges. LOWS everyone – may struggle
Windproofing for such to access the zipped
a lean jacket is great, Lack of visibility and pocket, while hi-vis
while breathability is mid-winter warmth points are dropped.

94 FEBRUARY 2022 BIKERADAR.COM

BUYER’S GUIDE: JACKETS

SANTINI VEGA ABSOLUTE

£239

SIZES XS-3XL COLOURS Yellow/green (pictured)

Unless they’d Suzanne in zipper guard to prevent chilly

mind, the Vega is named air intrusion and a circular

after one of the brightest stars, zipper head that’s ease to grab

aptly, given the hi-vis with thick gloves. The

and reflectivity on ‘secret’ zipped chest

display. So the visibility HIGHS pocket sadly isn’t
boxes are ticked, but waterproof so you’ll
it’s also my top-end Mid-winter need to invest in a
pick for mid-winter protection; top- phone wallet, and the
quality materials

riding due to its dense, LOWS classy cuffs don’t repel
three-layer build and showers like the core
substantial collar. Neat Lacks a waterproof body materials. Think
touches include a pocket; price about sizing up as well.

CASTELLI ALPHA ROS 2 LIGHT

£250

SIZES S-3XL COLOURS Red, Green, Black, Blue, Silver

We’ve had the Alpha for internal vest ensures that you

a couple of winters now can undo the outer layer when

and we’re still trying to find the temperature or intensity

fault with it. Our lofty increases. If anything,

reverence stems from that ‘Light’ in the title is

the Gore-Tex Infinium HIGHS a misnomer, as we’ve
fabric, which ticks both successfully used
windstopping and Comfort and material this below its 7°C
water-repellence quality; wind- and recommended limit.
water prowess

boxes, the latter aided LOWS Yes, it’s a pricey item,
by the taped seams but we can vouch for
and an aqua-adverse That quality doesn’t its durability and three-
phone pocket. The come cheap season versatility.

RAPHA CLASSIC WINTER

£270

SIZES XS-XXL COLOURS Bright Orange, Black, Blue

Similar to the Endura, the Windproofing is also excellent

Classic exists in a soft and breathability is impressive

and hardshell hybridland, for a harder shell, with the two

thinner than most here chest pockets allowing

but thicker than a ventilation. Where it

classic rain jacket such HIGHS falls behind the Castelli
as Gore’s Shakedry. and Santini is in the
So is it performance A stylish wet and really bracing stuff.
purgatory or perfection? windy weather Rapha, naturally,

option

As a water thwarter, LOWS makes a stylish hi-vis
there’s no better on jacket, but it’s prone to
test and it can survive There are warmer on stains on the rear; painful
serious showers. test; expensive given the price tag.

95

NEW
BEGINNINGS

Professional road-racing legend Greg LeMond is
back in the bike business, not with a WorldTour

machine but a stunning lightweight ebike

WORDS WARREN ROSSITER IMAGES RUSSELL BURTON

96 FEBRUARY 2022 BIKERADAR.COM

BIKE TEST

BIKERADAR.COM FEBRUARY 2022 97

G  regLeMond’sbike-buildingcareer The wide bar helps the steering feel edge aimed at commuters who don’t want to
started when he produced a sharper; the wide tyres are specially compromise speed and handling.
carbon-framed bike back in 1990 made to provide perfect cushioning
and rode his eponymously named It would have been easy for LeMond to make
bike for Team Z in the 1991 Tour. his comeback with a series of race-bred carbon
Eventually LeMond Bicycles became bikes because the LeMond name still carries a
part of the Trek group (reportedly huge amount of kudos among cycling fans, and
netting the Wisconsin company Greg’s sheer talent and impeccable reputation
in excess of $100 million). The as a fierce competitor and innovator is carved in
partnership lasted for 13 years but stone. The tougher route to take is this, making
sadly ended in acrimony, when smart ebikes for a wider range of people. The
Trek seemingly backed the wrong LeMond range so far consists of the Dutch, a bike
horse (Lance Armstrong) in a dispute, after that takes the classic lines of a step-through
Greg was outspokenly critical about the state Dutch roadster and gives it a slick futuristic
of professional road racing, specifically doping. makeover, and the sportier, speedier Prolog that
Since those troubled times, LeMond has been I’ve had the pleasure of testing out. The website
behind a smart trainer (the pro-Tour-team- also lists a bike simply labelled ‘Road’ with a
backing LeMond Revolution trainer) and had a link to private early access, which could be a
partnership with high-end French carbon bike very intriguing development.
maker Time back in 2013, building beautiful and
exclusive models bearing the LeMond name. ON THE ROAD

CARBON FOR DECADES The Prolog’s lightweight and slick integrated
looks are one thing, but I must admit the biggest
A pioneer of carbon fibre back in the ’90s, Greg surprise with the bike is just how dynamically
has continued to be involved with the black stuff competent it feels to ride. I’ve tested a whole
and established LeMond Composites in 2016 at host of flat-barred commuter bikes over the
a $125 million facility in Tennessee. He has now years, both assisted and acoustic. For the most
returned to the bike business with the all-new part, this style of bike takes its influence from
Prolog, a lightweight carbon ebike with a sporty mountain-bike design. That usually means a
relaxed head angle and a much more upright

98 FEBRUARY 2022 BIKERADAR.COM

riding position, making for a relaxed ride with bike’s contact points. Tight-cell foam grips WHO IS
steady steering. The Prolog, however, has a provide ample cushioning and plenty of grip for GREG LEMOND?
much sportier ride. Its head angle is slightly your hands, while the Selle Royal Lift saddle is
relaxed and the stack height is about the same as comfortable whether you’re wearing full civilian Without
you’d expect on a similarly sized endurance bike clothes or padded cycling shorts. The saddle is doubt the
(such as Giant’s Defy or Cannondale’s Synapse); also reinforced with a rear grab handle to help greatest
my large test bike has a 635mm stack. The reach you lift the bike as, although 13 kilos is light for of all time
is long at 420mm, though, putting me very much an ebike, it’s still heavier than many acoustic (GOAT)
in an attacking, more speed-orientated position. flat-bar bikes. among
American
The relaxing of the head angle gives a trail Shimano’s GRX drivetrain is a smart choice professional road racers,
of 77mm (trail is the horizontal measurement with its simple 1x (single chainring) set-up Greg LeMond has three
from the front tyre’s contact patch to where and clutch-equipped rear mech keeping the Tour de France victories
the steering axis meets the ground); a smaller chain in place. The Rapidfire Plus flat-bar road along with two world
trail measure produces a faster-handling bike. shifter seamlessly matches to the GRX mech, titles, two silvers and the
I’d expect around 58-60mm on an endurance and, with Shimano also providing the excellent Dauphiné and Tour de
road bike, so the Prolog should, in theory, have disc brakes, it’s a no-nonsense, slick operation. L’Avenir – plus a host of
more stable handling than a drop-bar bike. LeMond also offers upgrades to the standard high place finishes in an
The reality, however, is the very wide 760mm bike so you can upgrade to a mix of Shimano era when Americans in
bar helps the steering feel sharper, as part of electronic XT Di2 gearing and XT brakes replete European racing were
the one-piece full carbon monocoque cockpit with the Deore XT Di2 system LCD display and an anomaly. His career
with around 100mm of effective stem length. e-tube connectivity to Shimano’s app. was almost ended by
In effect, the Prolog feels stable over rough a shooting accident
stuff, especially over rougher broken surfaces The final piece in the puzzle is Token’s G23AR while hunting, but he
like unmetalled towpaths and cobbles, but the Prime wheelset. These alloy wheels are aimed returned to win the Tour
steering isn’t slow. at gravel riders, so have a wide rim well suited in 1989. After retiring,
to the 38c tyres plus an impressively low weight Greg was the most
The wide 38mm tyres, specially made for at 639g (front) and 784g (rear). Again, here outspoken commentator
LeMond by Panaracer, give the stiff, responsive LeMond offers what must be one of the fanciest on the scourge of
Prolog chassis just the right amount of upgrade options for a wheelset: LeMond carbon performance-enhancing
cushioned comfort. The same is true of the rims (21mm internal width) built onto German drugs in professional
racing. He used his
status as a pioneer
of carbon fibre and
cutting-edge tech to
launch a successful
road-bike brand
(eventually bought by
Trek) and now has a
carbon-fibre production
facility in the US:
LeMond Composites.

BIKERADAR.COM FEBRUARY 2022 99

LEMOND R&D lightweight master Tune’s Kill Hill rear hub There are handy integrated front
and lightweight front-disc hub for a wheelset and rear lights; the Shimano GRX
We talk to one of the design talents that’s significantly lighter than the already drivetrain has a single chainring
behind the new LeMond bikes, lightweight Tokens that come as standard.
Brandon Sincock
HIT THE RANGE
“We wanted to create a series of bikes
that would appeal to a wide range of Mahle’s Ebikemotion powers the Prolog and,
people, not just traditional cyclists. So, the compared to complex mid-mounted ebike
challenge was to sculpt carbon fibre to systems, it’s relatively simple. The oversized
create a clean, inviting design: a bike with rear hub houses a 250W motor that puts out
characteristics such as warmth, simplicity 40Nm of torque. It’s controlled by a single button
and fun. And we wanted to make sure it that’s flush-mounted into the bike’s top tube,
was beautiful as a bike first, electric or not.  called the iWOC controller. Using the iWOC is
easy, with its colour-coded LED ring around
“Clean integration was certainly a the button that shows power modes and gives
conscious decision when developing the you a rough indication of the juice left in the
bike, but it wasn’t inspired by high-end tank. Press to turn it on and the ring shines
race bikes. It was quite the opposite. We white, press and hold and it turns green (low
started with the premise that the market assistance), orange (medium) and red (full
for electric bikes reaches much wider power). The button defaults to show battery level
than the hardcore cycling community, so after you’ve pressed it. White is 75-100%, green
Xxtxhxexxgxoxal was to create something non- 75-50%, orange 50-25%, red 25% and flashing
xxxinxtximxxixdxaxtxinxg, with reduced visual clutter.  red less than 10%.

xxxx xxxx xxxx The LeMond’s iWOC adds another control:
flick through to the orange level and hold the
xxxx x“Txxhxoxsxexxwho know him know that ride button for a second, and the bike fires up its
xxxpxoxsxitxixoxnxaxxnd road feel are a passion front headlight and illuminated seatstays. You
can also control the light operation through
for Greg; he’s been studying cycling the very clever Ebikemotion app which, by the
ergonomics for decades. There’s wisdom
that comes from riding that many miles
on that many bikes, faster than the rest of
us. He advises the geometry for every bike
that’s being developed at LeMond, racing
or comfort. It’s fascinating to hear his
personal experience. Do you know he now
feels that incorrect crank length actually
slowed him in the ’89 Tour? He believes
we should all be on shorter cranks, and it’s
hard to dispute someone with that much
yellow in his wardrobe.

“There’s not a curve, a fastener, a detail
on this bike that Greg hasn’t obsessed
over for the last two years. Greg has a
sincere, almost obsessive, passion for
every aspect of cycling, from materials to
ergonomics, aerodynamics to design. He
travels extensively, looking for ways to
leverage technology from other markets to
improve some aspect of making bikes. He’ll
earnestly debate bottom bracket drop
and ply layup schedules for hours. Greg’s
famously particular about fit and touch
points: we’ve gone through so many
iterations of handlebar sweep and rise
that our 3D printer practically has smoke
coming out of it. The bikes are better for it.

“The design and integration is a result
of viewing these bikes through non-
cyclist’s eyes, approaching it as more of a
product-design challenge than a cycling-
technology one. Regarding cost, a primary
goal is to develop new ways to build with
composites that will change how bikes are
made, as well as to offer the benefits of
carbon fibre at all price points.”

100 FEBRUARY 2022 BIKERADAR.COM