Category: News

Readers’ Rig: Colossi XCR

From the woods of Hong Kong, Pez fan Ed sent us in this story of his custom Colossi XCR that has clocked up miles in a number of different countries and has even had a respray or two…it’s Readers’ Rigs time from South East Asia!Name: Ed CluerLocation: Lantau Island, Hong KongBike: Colossi XCRGroupset: Campagnolo Chorus 11Wheels: Corima 45mm / Zipp 303 / Record with Ambrosio NemesisPedals: Dura AceSaddle: Brooks CambiumOther: Thomson / Deda finishing kitWeight: around 8.5kgWhen did you buy it?The frame was originally built to my custom spec. after visiting the Colossi factory in Shenzhen, China, back in 2010 and has been through a few iterations since. This is the second re-spray / repair.What made you choose this bike?After…

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Beat the Heat – Are Ice Vests Effective?

Even here in Canada, eventually hot summer weather will come. One strategy popular with athletes for reducing heat stress before or during competitions are ice vests. How effective are they?For endurance sports, the evidence is clear and unequivocal that performance is impaired with higher ambient temperatures. Its also reduced in cold temperatures or with a drop in core temperature. Data generally points to an inverted-U relationship, where performance is optimal at a moderate temperature, but becomes progressively reduced above or below this optimal range.This optimal temperature might be lower than we think, with a classic study from my post-doc lab at U Aberdeen finding that cycling tolerance time at a constant hard effort was longest at 11C, similarly reduced at…

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Gear Break: 25% Off Primal, Orange Seal, Campagnolo Clothing, Brooks Saddles, Zwift & The SE Bikes Bumpboxx!

Gear Break: Primal: 25% off sitewide, tubeless made easy with Orange Seal, Campagnolo: New arrivals – Men’s collection, Brooks England roll out new take care sustainability initiative, Zwift is a safe and inclusive place for all and introducing the SE Bikes Bumpboxx!Primal: 25% Off Sitewide!Now through Monday! Extra 25% off SITEWIDE and free domestic 2-day shipping on orders over $ 50! Use code FAF25 at checkout to redeem. Offer valid now through 5/30/22 at 11:59PM MST. Offer does not apply to custom orders. Cannot be combined with other discounts. Order must be placed by 1:00PM MST to guarantee same day shipping. Tubeless Made Easy With Orange SealSealants | From $ 8.79Orange Seal offers three varieties of tire sealant: Regular, Endurance…

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GIRO’22: The Third Rest Day Rant

Giro Rest Day Rant: Ed Hood looks back over the last six stunning days of the 2022 Giro d’Italia: Stage 10 through to stage 15, from Pescara in the South to Cogne in the Alps. With the mountains on the Giro horizon, the race is on…Here comes the big Giro climbs# You can see the ‘First Rest Day Rant’ HERE and the ‘Second Rest Day Rant’ HERE. #Watch the most comprehensive live & ad-free coverage of the Giro d’Italia 2022 on GCN+. Go deeper and get interactive with live polls & quizzes, plus rider profiles, race updates, results & more plus stream original and exclusive cycling documentaries. Watch it all with GCN+ on any device.STAGE 10:Like Jennifer Paige said in…

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GIRO’22 BREAKDOWN: Heading Into The High Mountains!

Race Breakdown: As the 2022 Giro d’Italia heads into the decisive third week and the high mountains, Spencer Martin dissects ‘what we know about the Giro dItalias GC picture’. How have the GC riders lost and gained time in the Italian Grand Tour so far. Giro mountains – Here we come!– This article is an excerpt from the Beyond the Peloton newsletter. Sign up here for full access. –Watch the most comprehensive live & ad-free coverage of the Giro d’Italia 2022 on GCN+. Go deeper and get interactive with live polls & quizzes, plus rider profiles, race updates, results & more plus stream original and exclusive cycling documentaries. Watch it all with GCN+ on any device.What We Know About the…

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PEZ Bookshelf: Pantani Was A God

Don’t be misled by the title of this excellent book. Pantana Was A God is not a panegyric, a worshipful recounting of the life of the last pro cyclist to win the Giro d’Italia and the Tour de France in the same year. It is two books in one – a masterful look at the great stages where Pantani triumphed, and brief remembrances by those who knew him personally. Sadly, the inherent possibility of his successes, unlikely as his background made them, seems to have been greater than that of his end.Fifteen years ago, on Valentine’s Day, the body of Marco Pantani was found in a room in an inexpensive resort hotel in Rimini. Cause of death was cardiac arrest…

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‘Mullet’ Mitch Docker Talks Career & Podcasts

Rider Interview: A hair style and a moustache might be your trade mark, but there is much more to Mitch Docker as his 14 years in the pro peloton attest. Ed Hood caught up wit the now podcaster to hear about his career and life now back ‘Down Under’.A selection of Docker stylesI owe this interview to my dog, Seoras. On the weekends I take him for big walks and have started listening to podcasts as we enjoy The Fife Coastal Path and the mighty River Forth.My favourite listen is, Life in the Peloton hosted by the man with the mullet, tache and natty choice in head wear Mitch Docker. I go way back with Mitch, to June 2010 when…

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PEZ Picks 4 Great GIRO NEGRONI Bars

The best negroni bars in Italy are often discovered by accident, or when you least expect it. Early on in my career chasing the modern Giro d’Italia I began logging the best negronis, bars, and ristoranti as my travels took me to all corners of Italy. Here are 4 of the best negroni bars, places to eat and stay at the Giro.# The ‘Pez’ looks back at his trip to the 2019 Giro d’Italia. #Stage 1: Bologna – San Luca TTThe opening stage of the Giro d’Italia is an 8.2km individual time trial from the very center of Bologna to the top of the San Luca climb. This is handy because the adjacent Piazza Maggiore is also an excellent place…

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