The Bicycle Club

Having your bike stolen is a truly devastating experience, and not just because of the financial difficulties involved in buying a new bike, or claiming insurance. Although cases of bicycle theft were falling in the years 2017 – 2020, this number rose dramatically during the first Covid 19 lockdown in April. An increase in cycling meant an increase in thefts. It’s estimated that close to 115,000 were stolen in the first year of Covid in the UK. For many of us, bikes are very personal and beloved things. Naturally, we want to keep them safe. There are various things you can do to protect your bike from theft, but the first and most obvious one is to get a decent…

In 2017 Briton Mark Beaumont smashed the record for cycling around the globe, completing the circumnavigation in less than 80 days. This epic journey is the subject of an excellent two-part documentary on GCN+, Around the World in 80 Days, but GCN+ has recently released a prequel to that. In preparation for his attempt, the cyclist undertook a test of himself and his team to see if the record would be possible and if all the systems they had worked out would function. He felt if they could work together for two weeks and he could maintain record pace for that time, there was a chance at the sub-80 mark later in the year. The documentary Around Britain is about…

Wondering where to start to buy a bicycle? It’s not complicated if you have a clear idea of what you want, have a budget, know what size frame suits your measurement, and know that it’s available for you to collect or to receive delivery of. If you’re disciplined enough to save money, and have a specific model in mind before the day that your piggy bank is brimming, I doff my cap to you. Most of us are in a perpetual whirlwind of advertising, dreams and reality-avoidance, biting at upgrade offers and being drawn in by new models, or the promise of new components. But when is the best time to buy a bicycle? We’ll try to put some context…

There are now so many disciplines and subdisciplines of off-road cycling that it’s almost impossible to design one shoe to suit all purposes. However, the Bontrager GR2 comes close to that happy medium.Highlights:Balance of durability and comfort for all-day gravel and bikepacking adventuresWell thought-out details (lace holders, heel loop, heavy-duty scuff guards on toes and heel).Toe studs compatible for CX. Considerations:Very roomy and high toe box.Thick material & minimalist holes may make things heated in summer. Overall:A highly versatile and well thought-out shoe that can be used for most off-road uses.Ones idea for an ideal off-road shoe varies greatly depending on your intended use for the shoe. Are you gunning for CX or MTB XC racing needing stiffness and the capability for…

Finding the best bike saddles for commuting is important. Apart from being uncomfortable, an ill-fitting saddle can also cause lower back problems, and can even give you a poor posture. Saddles that are too narrow don’t support the pelvis or bone structure, whereas an overly wide saddle causes the dreaded chafing. That’s not to mention saddle sores, and a range of other rarer problems including nerve damage to the perineum. The problem is even worse on the commute, which necessarily means you’ll be on your bike every day. A poorly fitted or poorly designed saddle will wreak havoc with your body, leaving you feeling tired before you’ve even reached the office. Finding the best bike saddle for commuting can seem…

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…

Even the best bike lock cannot guarantee your bicycle will be waiting when you return to it. Over 100,000 were stolen per year in England and Wales from 2002 to 2021. As cycling becomes more popular as a commuting alternative, a marketplace for stolen models is created.  Thieves will look for the quickest and quietest way to take a bicycle. Find areas with CCTV, or near areas with security patrols. Check the area around you – abandoned single wheels are evidence of a popular area for bike thieves. Build in some time to your commute to find the safest spot. Find something immovable that you can legally attach it to. Attach the frame and wheels where possible. Avoid placing the…

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…