Disc brakes have invaded the road bike market over the past three years. Unlike the high tech mountain bike equivalents, most road bikes are fitted with undersized 140-160 mm rotors and cable operated calipers. Hydraulic systems are now available from both SRAM and Shimano, but they are very expensive and typically fitted on high end…
The last time I posted an article, I was in the process of entering the Fred Whitton Challenge and trying to get back in my pants. I am pleased to announce progress on both fronts: I have indeed won the lottery and got a place in the Fred and I have indeed dropped 16 pounds,…
A few months went by and a lot of things have changed. We no longer live in London, I have a new and more demanding/exciting job and I haven’t built a wheel since August. I have a much nicer space to work on bikes and wheels, but I have far less time than I used…
Having been a convert to road tubeless for well over a year now, I frustratingly look at the road and cyclocross tyre market for the next big thing to happen. IRC make lovely tyres which are impossible to find in Europe, Hutchinson’s tyres are too expensive for anyone who is not a City banker and…
Coming down the north “face” of Fleet Moss at 100 Km/h takes some faith, but coming down at any speed with 50 Km/h gusts of wind that try to splatter you on the side of the mountain takes some balls! And balls were needed last sunday at the Etape du Dales. Buttertubs was just as…
I have been riding road tubeless tyres over the past 8-9 months and I have been extremely happy with them. When you ride the fastest tyre you have ridden, with all the desirable qualities such as grip and comfort AND it has sealed all the 5 punctures out of 5 picked up on all sorts…
Early spring is a time of the year when we start looking out of the window for challenges, yet most of the traditional Giro and Tour de France monster climbs are still closed for snow. Classic climbs like the Col du Galibier or Passo dello Stelvio don’t open until late May or even late June.…
Since I converted to tubeless tyres, I have been on the hunt for the perfect rim with a brake track, the one that ticks all the boxes. While Archetype ticks most boxes (wide, excellent quality, reasonable price, all drillings available, looking good, decent weight), it’s not a tubeless specific rim and it does not come…
To my surprise, there is still a lot of confusion about the different types of tyres you can fit on your bicycle, so I thought of writing a simple guide with pros and cons for the benefits of those who still feel a bit perplexed. There are currently three types of pneumatic tyre on the…
When Campagnolo went 11 speed what seems ages ago, it was seen as one too many cogs, but when Shimano moved the all range of their road group sets to 11 speed last autumn, that basically meant the days of 10 speed drivetrains are over. So, what to do? Stay on 9 speed, like I…
