Cycling Plus

From conception, my book The Midlife Cyclist was built on several pillars, including: that in any other century in history most of us would never have made it out of our 40s, never mind 50s and 60s; that we are the first generation in history to test

In principle it’s easy. Just ride in the same direction until you get back where you started. A Round The World. Adventurers’ websites are breezily optimistic (‘Just go!’) but the reality is more involved (dirt roads, dodgy borders, illness, war, wea

Ireland-based custom carbon builder FiftyOne Bikes had made headlines before creating custom bikes for stars like former world heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua and UFC MMA legend Conor McGregor. The brand also produces this rather special gravel b

I wasn’t expecting to find myself running away from angry station staff at Euston station just to board a train with a bicycle, but if me and my friend Claire hadn’t broken the rules, we would have faced several hours’ wait and the ruination of our w

Madeira has shed its blue rinse reputation to become a hiking, trail running and mountain biking honeypot. But dropped-bar cycling? It won’t be usurping the Canaries and Majorca in the cycling escape popularity stakes just yet, but our January visit

If you’d like one bike to cope with several uses, there are a few fundamental details to think about… BIKE COMPANIES HAVE BECOME very good at creating very competent bikes for very specific needs, and that’s a good thing. Having the right bike for yo

One of the most popular – and unlikely – reality shows of 2022 was Netflix’s Is it Cake? Here, master bakers presented a series of everyday items such as handbags and sewing machines. Contestants had to guess which one was the ostentatious cake creat

THEY MIGHT COST ALMOST THE same, but beyond their price tags, these three bikes diverge considerably. If you could define levels of adventurousness, then there would be a virtual tie for most rugged, between Surly’s Straggler and Ribble’s CGR AL, wit

Age 23 From London Team Bahrain-Victorious Rider type All-rounder/Classics Wants to win Tour of Flanders/Paris-Roubaix Cycling heroes Bradley Wiggins & Mark Cavendish Best result 2nd, 2022 Tour de France stage Fun fact He has a growing Lego collectio

“Sportives are like Viennetta,” says Richard Best, the boss of Iconic Cycling Events, an organiser of sportives and corporate rides across the UK. It’s a curious comparison to explain the state of play in the UK events market, but I’m going with it.

THE LIKES OF RESTRAP AND ORTLIEB make wonderful and durable solutions for multi-day bikepacking. And yet, no matter how well they stick two-coated nylon fingers up to pesky brambles, relentless mud and the wet stuff falling from the sky, they do come

BEST ON TEST £169.99 A handy eye shield gives speedy looks THE INTERCITY MIPS has ebikes in mind, incorporating an eye shield, and more coverage at the back than traditional road helmets. A MIPS slip plane inside the helmet can slide relative to your

If you’re looking to ride your bike faster, then aerodynamic drag is typically the biggest thing holding you back. Upgrading to a dedicated aero road bike can come with a significant price tag, though. Fortunately, there are plenty of other bits of k

● WITH ITS WORLD CHAMPION stripes on the sides, shapely ash-wood handle and crest-stamped footplate, the Pista Plus from Silca is a work of pneumatic art. The price reflects that, at more than the next three most costly pumps in this test combined. P

But where are we today in spring 2023? The winds of seemingly ever-increasing price rises appear to be sweeping over our shores, but recent price drops by Canyon and Specialized may point towards calmer seas. Are these isolated instances, or does it

Stonehenge. Avebury. Long Barrows. Crop circles. White Horses. There’s something weird about Wiltshire. Must be those open plains and chalk slopes: a blank canvas to send messages to the gods. Or, as some would have it, extra-terrestrials to us. Brit

The bicycle chain is one of the key components on your pride and joy but, unlike the latest deep-rim carbon wheels or blood-glucose monitoring tool, it rarely receives attention. It’s an anomaly a team from Malaysia set to redress by investigating ho

Soup is a fantastic option for a work-day lunch or post-ride meal. These homemade options are packed with around half of your five-a-day, good levels of unrefined carbohydrate for sustained energy, and fibre to keep you feeling fuller for longer. The

A couple of years ago, while being interviewed on ‘The Longevity Forum’ podcast, I mentioned that, in my early 60s, I’d simply decided to lose weight and never be overweight again. The interviewer asked how I was able to concentrate my mind to do thi

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We’ve already delivered you the latest aero kit suggestions (page 12), insights from the fastest young riders (page 38) and the ultimate wind-tunnel wins (p78) this issue. But, bar investing in all sorts of kit, what can you do in your training to ma

● “One way to avoid being slowed down on a windy day is to shelter behind another rider,” says cycling coach Ruth Eyles. “If the wind’s head-on then ride very close (but safely) behind the rider in front. Make sure the other rider knows you’re there

Jamie Webb of Brighton Sports Therapy This breathing exercise will send more oxygen to your muscles, help you exercise longer and create more space for the flexibility required for a dynamic position. It’s weight training for your diaphragm. Lie on y

“During Lockdown I bought a hybrid bike and started riding to escape the mental pressures of the pandemic. I enjoyed building up the miles – until my bike got stolen.” “So, I upgraded to a road bike and then I saw an opportunity to take part in Tour

Location Inverness, Scottish Highlands Next date 23 April 2023 Distances 106km (66 miles) Price Only charity spaces left Etape Loch Ness is Scotland’s largest closed-road cycle sportive offering the chance to cycle 106km (66 miles) around the famous

It’s fairly unusual that bike races get cancelled, but the first stage of O Gran Camiño was, put simply, unrideable. Just 20km from the finish line in Galicia, a snowstorm of epic proportions blew in, and as the heavy flakes started to settle on the