The Bicycle Club

With #CXisCOMING the hashtag for many of us and the fall season arriving, its time to start thinking about transitioning out of peak summer cycling form. Should we think about just riding easy during this period, or including a bit of intense work?No ‘cross last year for Dr. StephenCranking up Summer FitnessThanks to my broken/dislocated foot from 2019 and COVID-19 in 2020, that was two years without any racing or competition for me. Luckily for me, I love riding my bike and competition is only one facet of why I love the sport.Even without a competitive goal or club training rides and races, Ive spent this summer working on riding solo pushing my Fitness Signature as high as I could…

Bicycle engineering methods pioneered in the nineteenth century are still used to this day. The double diamond frame is the best example. Pneumatic tyres are another. Close behind is the chain drive system of propulsion. The belt-drive system is an alternative which offers both mechanical and practical differences which may be more suitable for the 21st century pedaler. What is a Belt Drive? The belt drive is a replacement for the traditional chain drive system. A one-piece unit made of synthetic materials, reinforced with carbon fibre with equally spaced teeth, rotates around a ring at the crank and a single sprocket at the rear wheel.  Propulsion comes via rotating the cranks forward as usual. The tension required is picked up…

In the U.S. racing scene, springtime brings stage races and summertime brings criteriums. For 2022, a new U.S. criterium series emerged, the American Criterium Cup, ACC for short, with livestreamed racing from across the country. The ten rounds of the series are existing premier events thatve earned a place on everyones calendars and now knitted into a premier series supported in part by USA Cycling, the sport governing body. Bommarito Audi Gateway Cup, the final round of the ACC series, is a must do series of criteriums held over the Labor Day weekend in early September. As these races have been held since 1985, the locals know the score in cycling terms. They support bike riders invading their city. The…

VanMoof bikes are some of the most popular, stylish and smoothest-riding bikes in the world. They’re also some of the most expensive. Not everybody is willing or even able to invest several thousand dollars in a bike. Fortunately, there are some fantastic budget alternatives for the price-conscious. These spare the wallet without compromising the ride. Why is VanMoof So Popular? VanMoof bikes are popular because they offer an array of cutting-edge technology, supreme ride quality, short charge times, lightweight frames, low maintenance and unparalleled customer support. Many people simply consider these bikes the pinnacle of urban e-cycling. Although VanMoof’s bikes are undoubtedly high end, e-bike technology is advancing quickly and they’re far from the only quality bikes available. It’s perfectly…

The World champs are coming! The Tour of Luxembourg, Grand Prix de Wallonie men and women and the Giro della Toscana Memorial Alfredo Martini. Israel-Premier Tech threatens the UCI – TOP STORY. Rider news: Remco Evenepoel to fly Business Class to the Worlds, Tadej Pogaar to ride the Worlds TT, Lefevere on the Vuelta victory, Mohori on the Rogli crash, Unzu has confidence in Mas, investigation in to Jumbo CEO and Niki Terpstra stops. Team news: Movistar and BikeExchange-Jayco signings. Coffee, coffee, coffee.TOP STORY: Israel-Premier Tech Threatens Lawsuit Against UCIThe promotion/relegation battle in cycling is gradually reaching its climax. A number of WorldTeams are currently engaged in a fierce battle for points. Israel-Premier Tech is struggling with relegation stress. Sylvan…

Historically known for being a country of high engineering quality, it’s no surprise that Britain boasts many bike brands offering a host of different bikes, ranging from hand made steel gravel rigs, to high end folding bikes. But which British bike brands are the best? Are There Any British-Made Bicycles? There are many British made bicycles on the market at present, although you should be aware that you may have to pay a premium for such a product. This higher pricing is predominantly due to hand made items being more time consuming to produce, and therefore having a higher skill and labour cost in comparison to a mass produced bike from overseas. UK Bicycle Manufacturers Within the UK there are…

Young Gun Rider Interview: The Volta a Portugal doesn’t get much recognition outside its home country, but ask anyone who has ridden the Portuguese tour and they will tell you how hard it is and how difficult it is to get a result. Scott McGill not only won two stages, he also brought home the final win in the points classification. Ed Hood caught up with Scott on his return to the US, before he won the Bucks County Classic last weekend.Volta a Portugal stage 6 winThe Volta a Portugal is a race which beyond the national borders doesnt cause much of a stir to cycling pundits and fans. But in Portugal, its huge.Yes, the Volta a Portugal is bigI…

I have been trying to find suitable trousers for cycling for a while. As a utility cyclist, I’ve struggled to get the right balance between practicality and style, especially when riding to work or to meet friends.  So when I had the opportunity to try out Vaela’s cycling jeans, I was very keen to give them a go. Not just because it may mean my trouser search would be over, but also because I can very much relate to their story of “being serially disappointed by the cycle clothes available to women” and “the general difficulties faced by women who wish to ride more easily and more often”.  I appreciate their mission to address this, and also the way they…