Crank oct 2016 digi

India’s only lifestyle bicycle magazine

Volume 4 Issue 9

KARENG / 2016 / 68421

Rs. 100/-

October 2016

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lusive M e Exc

ar tner aP di

TESTED: MERIDA BIG 7 AND SCOTT GRAVEL MONTRA TOUR OF ARAVALLI’S SIGMA BIKE TRANSALP

Official a n

Inside

Cycling Federation of India

world’s #1 bicycle manufacturer

Ride Life.

Ride Giant. bikes | Service | Gears Flagship Stores:

Bengaluru : 961, HAL II Stage. 100 ft road, 12th Main Road, Opp. Lakme Salon, Indiranagar, Bengaluru 560 008, Karnataka, India.

Tel: +91-8494-920-000 | Email: bengaluru@starkennbikes.com

Pune: Showroom 1 & 2, Sangam Projects, Nr. Sangam Bridge, Opp. Air India O�ce, Next to RTO, Shivajinagar, Pune - 411 001, Maharashtra, India.

Tel: +91-020-67208720 | Email: pune@starkennbikes.com

Mumbai: Mohini Tower, Ground Floor, Plot 761, 5th Road, Nr. Khar (W) Railway Station, Khar West, O� S.V Road, Bandra, Mumbai - 400 052, Maharashtra, India.

Tel: + 022 2600 9600 Email: mumbai@starkennbikes.com

New Delhi :26, Main Market Kolkata: No.14, Lodhi Colony, Commerce House, 2A, New Delhi – 110 003.

O� Bentinck Street, Delhi, India Kolkata - 700 013, Phone number: +91 999 959 6790 | West Bengal, India.| Email id: Tel: + 070440 30370 delhi@starkennbikes.com Email: kolkata@starkennbikes.com

Test Ride a Giant at your nearest dealer. SMS GIANT <space> TEST RIDE <space> CITY to 54646.

Also available at leading bike outlets in Bangalore, Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad, Pune, Ahmedabad, Chandigarh & 40 other cities

Website: StarkennBikes.com info@starkennbikes.com / StarkennBikes @starkennbikes

InThisIssue CFINews With Determined Ambitions

IndustryNews Giant-Starkenn teams up with Fortune India, Avon Cyclogreen, EuroBike 2016 ‘Tis the season for new bikes

ProCycling BBCH Trail Affaire An Alpine Trip - The BikeTransalp

HealthWise

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The Handy Guide

ShowCase Tested - Merida Big 7 500 2017 Tested - Scott Speedster Gravel 2017

PlanetSaddle Racing the scenic route: The Montra Tour of the Aravallis

WorkBayWatch

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20 21

Make your MTB faster

CityTalk

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Stunts on the ghats

CrankActive A hop, skip and jump are definitely not what’s needed here

ToyCentral IceToolz Pedal+Chain Wrench & Detachable Pedals

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Editor’sNote

The CRANK with ProCycle Team Managing Editor and Publisher Vikram K Limsay Invitee editor Onkar Singh, Secretary General, CFI Content Sub-Editor Varenya Vijaykumar Oceania Contributing Editor Cam Whiting Contributing Editor Joseph Anish India North Bureau Ashish Sood Creative and Design N. Chandru Contact editdeskcrank@procycle.in subscribecrank@procycle.in advertisecrank@procycle.in Expert Test Team Ritwik Burman Ignatius Chen Issue Contributors Dr. Bharat K Kadadi All Rights Reserved By ProCycle and Sports India Pvt. Ltd. Corporate Office and Showroom 226, 1st Main Road, Service Road Domlur 2nd Stage, Indira Nagar Bangalore – 560071 Tel: 080 41161902, +91 95380 66695 Website www.procycle.in Follow us on Facebook: @CrankwithProCycle https://www.facebook.com/CrankwithProCycle/ Cover Hero Action Team Hero MTB Himalaya Back Cover Top Angle Printed By Print 2 Last Solutions

Dear Readers The rains are almost over and like we mentioned last time the beautiful Indian cycling season is on. Tours, rallies, competitions, bakefair’s and generally people taking to their wheels…theres cycling in the air everywhere. The bikefair season began with the annual pilgrimage that is Eurobike. Lots of Indian presence this time.

2017 models have started coming in and our ride test experts have gotten busy. We put a Merida Big 7 through its paces in some pretty rough terrain and also the Scott Gravel Cyclocross. Read all about it. We at Crank feel Cyclocross has much potential that is untapped. Hope brands take note and bring in more models and a wider price range.

As always we are happy to bring cycling news to you from across the country. We bring you news this time from the Bangalore Bicycle Championships, the beautiful tour of Aravalli’s and from the temple town of Varanasi. There’s this bunch of talented and stoked youngsters doing super BMX tricks on the banks of the Ganges.

We all of them well We have a report from the beautiful Bike Transalp. Kudos to the Himalayan guys to tie up a reverse deal with them. Hope you all ride at more such exciting destinations around the world.

There is much happening at Crank in the background. And all because of feedback and support from you. Keep it coming…

Till we meet again Ciao & #Getoutandride Vikram K Limsay Managing Editor and Publisher

CFINews 2017

With determined ambitions India’s women march to success

Team at WCC Korea satellite

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he Cycling Federation of India has recently facilitated the travel of two cyclists, Ms. Deborah of Andaman & Nicobar and Ms. Kezia Varghese of Kerala and one coach Mr. Chandran Chettiar to the World Cycling Centre – Korea Satellite, Korea. The 7-week long training session was an endeavor from the federation to provide international exposure and competitive training to its cyclists and future Olympians.

The team blue riders gained a lot of experience and new insights by training with the riders from Korea, Malaysia, Thailand & Hong Kong. The riders also participated in the local events to improve their timing, their tactical attacks and to gain a better understanding of the opposing teams’ strategy.

This exposure was a deliberately planned one, keeping in mind the preparation for the upcoming Track Asia Cup 2016, where Ms. Deborah is a strong contender for the time trial and sprint events.

The team sprint event where she will combine with Kezia, another reason why they were sent together. The training would ensure they would both perform at their peak as well as sync up well as a team against opponents. They will fight to retain the title they gained in the last edition of the Track Asia Cup. During the training session for the riders, a UCI level – II coaching camp was also organized by the Korea Cycling Federation. Mr. Chandran Chettiar, the coach who accompanied them participated in the camp and has completed the UCI Level – II Coaching course successfully. The course he has completed will help him in his role as a coach for the Indian cycling teams. He has been actively associated with the Indian Cycling team, which is currently being trained at New Delhi in preparation of Track Asia Cup 2016.

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CRANK with ProCycle OCTOBER 15TH, 2016

IndustryNews Giant-Starkenn teams up with Fortune India Starkenn Sports Pvt Award winners Ltd has partnered once again with Fortune India for its Next 500 2016 Award. The award is aimed at ranking and celebrating India’s most promising mid-sized companies.

Commenting on this association Pravin Patil, MD & CEO, Starkenn Sports Pvt. Ltd said, “It is our privilege to be associated with the prestigious Fortune India Next 500 for the second season. We are glad to see such an amazing concept to award the growing companies. As a brand, Starkenn Sports epitomizes highest quality and we will always support and promote companies who have the same value system like ours.

Within this we also see a further opportunity to engage with our customer target groups across the country and introduce them to the benefits of cycling. I want to see our country moving towards a healthier, greener and cleaner future by taking up cycling and corporate leaders will certainly help us push the pedal. In the future I would love to see cycling organizations created by these winners.

Both Fortune and Starkenn stand for innovation, new approaches and uncompromising quality. We look forward to more such successful associations with them.”

Avon Cyclogreen Avon Cycles Limited Dignitaries with Chief Guest recently organized the Cyclogreen Rally. This is the third edition of the rally aimed at promote cycling and encourage people to march towards a greener tomorrow. The rally was organized along with Navbharat Times, on the 16th of August in Ludhiana. The rally targeted newspaper vendors exclusively, to highlight their vital role in society. The rally began at 6:30 AM at Golf Club and ended at the 1090 Intersection.

There were more than 700 participants. The Chief Guest for the event was Mr. Navneet Sehgal, Principal Secretary Information Department, U.P. Also present at the event were Mr. P.S. Gill, Sales Manager, Avon Cycles Limited and Mr. Madan Agarwal of Midland Lucknow. The the rally was a huge success and the 12 winners were rewarded with brand new Avon cycles. The Chief Guest, Mr. Sehgal, was honoured with a new Avon Cyclux GTX, gifted by Mr. P.S. Gill and Mr Madan Agarwal. The rally ended on a happy note along with a short speech by Mr. Sehgal.

EuroBike 2016 The premier bike fest of the world EuroBike 2016 kicked off on the 31st of August and ended on 4th of September. The 25th Eurobike registered presence of an estimated 42000 trade visitors and around 34000 bike fans.

Over a 100 countries participated and the turnout made the show an immense success. Hero Cycles was a notable exhibitor from India this year. There was a heightened Indian presence as trade visitors this year. Perhaps mirroring the growing interest in cycling in India. The event is used by manufacturers to showcase new technologies and trends as well as new releases.

Team launch by SCOTT at TDF Screening In keeping with its tradition to celebrate the best in class in cycling with their customers, Scott sports organized a live screening of the recently concluded TDF in Mumbai on the 17th July. Bike enthusiasts enthusiastically followed the on screen action and rooted for their favourites. “We are very happy to witness so many cycling enthusiasts today” mentioned Mr Jaymin Shah, Country Head. On this occasion Scott sports revealed two new road teams christened the SCOTT BikeShark Team. The teams’ six riders will be seen on the latest top-of–the-line Scott Foil & Scott Addict road bikes- the same bikes as the Pro-Tour Scott riders choose to race with. The team consists of riders Dhiren Bontra, Arun Raj, Aditya Jain, Akshay Moye, Meherzad Irani and Sohil Mulani with Mr Paramjeet Singh Bhumrah as team mentor The team will represent SCOTT Sports India in all the cycling events nationally and internationally. In related development SCOTT also announced the formation of their New Young Mountain Bike Team. The team comprises two skilled riders from Manipur, Nameirakpam Chingkheinganba’ SCOTT young team (Nganba) and Thangsabam Chinglensana (Thoiba). The team is being managed and mentored by Noren Cycles and will soon will be seen on the latest models SCALE & SPARK. SCOTT Bikeshark team

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CRANK with ProCycle OCTOBER 15TH, 2016

NorthQuest Challenge Ladakh 2016 is a first-of-its-kind 50 kilometres competitive MTB cycling event that not only tests the physical endurance levels of the participants but also challenges their will-power as they ride through some of the most challenging terrains in the world.

DON’T LIMIT YOUR CHALLENGES, CHALLENGE YOUR LIMITS! COME EXPERIENCE THE WORLD’S HIGHEST ALTITUDE ACCREDITED MTB RACE

‘Tis the season for new bikes Taichung Bike Week

As cycling consumers around the globe begin to see new season bicycles arriving in stores, bike brands are already beginning to order parts for the bikes those same consumers might want to buy next year.

Welcome to the strange world of the bicycle industry product cycle. Every year, several major industry events are held where suppliers, brands, distributors, retailers and consumers are able to meet - rarely all at the same time - to discuss new model-year (MY) product.

Taichung Bike Week, held in late October this year, is the first industry event positioned around the ‘calendar year plus two’ principle. This means product managers (the people responsible for bicycle specification) begin ordering parts for MY2018 bicycles at the end of 2016 calendar year. Huh? 2018 in 2016? Who’s running this baffling product cycle? As Chris Carlson, senior industrial designer for Trek, stated in a company presentation several years ago it’s those pesky salespeople: “We operate mostly on sales-driven timelines which means we don’t set when our products are done like many other consumer product companies. When the sales force says we need a product, we work to get the best product to them in that timeline.”

It seems like every brand wants to be firstto-market with new bikes, which means the production cycle continues to creep forward. September/October used to be the first in-store month for new model-year (MY) bicycles, but this has since progressed forward to April in some countries!

This usually happens in entry-level and midrange categories, where saleability is not necessarily dependent on new model year

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CRANK with ProCycle OCTOBER 15TH, 2016

When: October 2016 Participants: Bicycle brands, component suppliers, media (access limited) Target group: Product managers

Taipei Cycle Show When: March 2017 Participants: Bicycle brands, component suppliers, media, distributors, retailers Target group: Wholesale and retail buyers Cam Whiting

Oceania Contributing Editor parts. For example, it would be unthinkable for a brand to release a $10,000 MY2018 road bicycle in April 2017 with a MY2017 groupset, when the MY2018 version of that groupset is available a few months later.

However, a brand could release a $1,000 MY2018 road bicycle (that may just be a ‘graphically refreshed’ MY2017 version) in April 2017 with MY2017 parts and enjoy terrific sales as a result of perceived ‘newness’ and higher in-store margin.

Steve Fenton and Katerina Rejchrtova, the duo behind Taichung Bike Week, previously explained that product cycle progression impacts everyone – even Bike Week itself has moved forward by several weeks in recent years: “The product cycle is slightly different in Europe than in the USA, but it is driven by the bicycle producers, not the components producers; they just follow the timeline given by the bike producers.”

So when do we get to see next year’s (MY2018) creations? Well, depends on who you are and, for consumers, where you live:

Brand-Specific Launches When: March-September 2017 (depending on brand’s product cycle) Participants: Media (access may be limited), distributors, retailers, sometimes even consumers Target group: Wholesale and retail buyers

Eurobike When: September 2017 Participants: Bicycle brands, media, distributors, retailers, consumers Target group: Retailers, consumers November is an especially confusing time to be a consumer. Take this year as an example: do you buy a discounted MY2016 bike, the new MY2017 version, or wait 7-8 months for MY2018? Additionally, if an importer (distributor) over-ordered MY2016 bikes, they may be clearing MY2016 bikes whilst selling new MY2017 bikes and placing orders for MY2018.

Ultimately, whilst it all seems irrational, it’s good news for consumers: early adopters have their cravings sated while buyers not concerned with model years can find bargains. I believe that’s what you call a ‘win-win’.

Startup grid

ProCycling

BBCH Trail Affaire

T

he lazy and picturesque Avathi village near Nandi Hills with its many hillocks and temples came alive with some serious shredding on 21st August 2016. It was the day in the calendar of Bangalore Bicycle Championships (BBCH) season hosting their most awaited XCO race. Like every time the committed team of volunteers managed to rise up to design a course with reasonably challenging technical and flat sections that appeal to both, new comers and proriders who use the race as practice field to grind their skill. Crank knows a lot goes into the course design as diligent volunteers do the marking a full day in advance.

Kudos to the team of Marghoob Hassan, Khurram NK and Sunil Nanjappa. This race saw 14 Elite, 27 Amateur, 4 Women & 2 Under 18 participants. A good attendance for a technical course.

In the words of Craig Rains a regular on the riding circuit and a big patron of competitive bicycle racing in India, “the course had it all from short punchy climbs, flowing fast dual tracks and technical descents...even a few water (mud) crossings to spice it up!” The five laps riding up the short punchy temple road where riders were instructed to stay on the left the road to add that “off-road element” followed by a descent down the temple hill. The elites flagged off first with Kiran Kumar Raju opening a quick gap on the climb followed by Craig, Vivek & Thomas. Craig hit the flat on the down run and the positions changed. It was fun, challenging and gruelling and a test on lungs. The jury is still out on tubeless when you get flatted on a course like this. No amount of CO2 cartridges will prevent you from grazing the rim before finish.

The professionally conducted BBCH event calendar with mix of five road and five MTB events through the year offers riders to test their skills against the rest and goes a long way in making Bangalore as the Bicycling capital of the country. Three more races to go for the season. For more information you can access www.bbch.in Place Name

Team Name

Time

Elite 1 2

None Peloton Academy

1:07:34 1:18:38

Amateur 1 Umesh 2 Vishwesh Sangarya 3 Azzy

Ghost-Sangam Procycling None Ministri Racing

1:01:01 1:04:36 1:05:42

U-18 1

Ghost-Sangam Procycling

51:57:47

None

1:04:40

Kiran Kumar Raju Vivek Radhakrishnan

Rishabh

Women 1 Samira Abraham

The Details of Prize money is enclosed. Total 4,91,000

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CRANK with ProCycle OCTOBER 15TH, 2016

Temple climb

Elite Bonhomie

Traversing breathtaking views

An Alpine Trip The BikeTransalp

Recently, the 2016 Bike TRANSALP powered by Sigma kicked off with a bang in Austria. Organized continuously for nearly two decades this annual event has gained reputation as being the oldest MTB stage race in the world. This year’s race saw heightened participation with more than 800 riders participating from 40 countries. The 7-stage race took riders across the Alps covering a total distance of 520 km and a climb of a massive 17700 meters Registering India’s presence this year and for the first time were two teams, one from the Himalayan Adventure Sports & Tourism Promotion Association (HASTPA) represented by Ashish Sood and Hinrich Fuchs and the other from Hero Cycles represented by Devender Thakur and Shiven. Management support was provided

by Mohit Sood (President HASTPA) and Marco Schreiber was the team tech support.

Ashish Sood CRANK’s contributing editor from North, is also the director of HASTPA and the Team Manager of the Hero Action Team. HASTPA organizes the MTB Himalaya and through a reverse arrangement with bike Transalp mutual invitations were extended to cross promote Asian and European MTB riding Take-off

The race was flagged off in the Austrian Alps and the finish line was the famous Town of Arco (Lake Garda) in Italy.

Of the 832 riders that competed only 681 finished which included both the Indian teams. Both teams successfully finished the race with the Hero Action Team grabbing the 61st position in the Men’s rankings and the HASTPA team finishing 111th. CRANK congratulates them for the effort as the race is also reputed as one of the toughest in Europe. The Hero Action Team also won the attack jersey (Best attacking team) for one day earned a podium position in the maiden attempt. Momentous indeed that the Tri-color was raised! Heartwarming.

“I feel on top of the world after being the 3rd Indian to finish the Bike Transalp just behind my teammates. I might not have been the fastest at the race but the world now knows that India has arrived on the world map of Mountain Biking. It was the proudest moment of my life to wave the tricolour at the finish” said Ashish.

Similar emotions were echoed by Devender. “To be with the best and to start a race with the best in the world was within itself a dream come true. There is a lot to be learnt here and we will come back stronger next time. It has been an unbelievable experience - The skill level of riders here is much higher to ours but we will train more for next year”, he said CRANK feels that with some of the best and of course the highest mountain ranges in the world present in the Indian subcontinent there is an opportunity to match the reputation of mountain bike racing in other parts of the world right here in our backyard. Hopefully MTB Himalaya will be the one.

Way to go HASTPA.

CRANK with ProCycle OCTOBER 15TH, 2016

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HealthWise

THE HANDY GUIDE

Dr Bharath K Kadadi, Consultant Hand and Upper Limb Surgeon, Bangalore Hand Centre

O

ne of the most common overuse injuries involve a cyclist’s hands and wrists. Cycling gloves can alleviate a lot of the shockrelated pain associated with riding but there are instances in which cycling gloves provide little or no protection. Common causes of cycling related wrist and hand pain have been listed.

Handlebar Palsy: Experienced as numbness or tingling in the ring and little fingers, handlebar palsy is a result of putting too much pressure on the ulnar nerve for an extended period of time. This can happen when a cyclist holds his hands down in the drops for too long, either compressing the nerve or over-extending it.

Handlebar palsy can last for weeks or even months, but it’s rarely a serious condition. To combat pain, try angling the seat away from the handlebars. Having your seat angled too far down can cause you to slide forward, forcing you to compensate by pushing back against the handlebars.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome: Carpal tunnel syndrome is experienced as an overall weakness of the hand and a tingling sensation along the thumb, pointer, middle, and ring fingers. The condition results from applying pressure on the median nerve in the carpal tunnel, which can happen when a cyclist grips the top handlebars tightly for a long period of time. Developing carpal tunnel pain can be a sign that your handlebars are situated too low, forcing you to bear your weight up with your hands. To remedy the situation, try raising your handlebars. Don’t ignore these symptoms. Seek professional help when required.

Generalized Soreness: Unfocused pain

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CRANK with ProCycle OCTOBER 15TH, 2016

and general cramping can be brought on by a bumpy ride. An excessively jarring ride could indicate that your tires are over-inflated and therefore not absorbing a sufficient amount of shock. To fix this, check your tire pressure, and be sure to adjust it downward if you know you’re going to be riding over particularly rough terrain.

Alternatively, sore hands could be a sign that you’re gripping the handlebars too tightly. This happens often with beginning riders who aren’t yet comfortable in the saddle. Nervousness goes away as you gain confidence, but in the meantime, make a conscious effort to loosen your grip. Try flexing your hands and shaking them out every so often in order to release tension.

Prevention Strategies With a few prevention strategies, you can minimize the amount of soreness you experience and ward off unwanted overuse injuries. To prevent sore hands, it’s important to move the hands around during a ride.

Keeping your hands in one position can cause them to cramp up. Make sure your bike has been fitted to you and that your tires are inflated properly. Always wear cycling gloves and invest in some handlebar tape. Lastly, never underestimate the power of stretching and rest stops.

Bike fit: A badly fitting bike is often the cause of many aches and pains that you might experience when riding, including hand and wrist pain. If you’re putting too much of your weight through the front of the bike, this can easily result in discomfort throughout your upper body. An excessively high saddle, low bars or a cramped or overly stretched cockpit can all result in poor weight distribution on the bike. Consider having a professional bike fit

Keep it relaxed: Assuming you’ve optimised your position on the bike, you should also try to keep your upper body as relaxed as possible. You obviously need to hold your bars securely but avoid a “death grip”. When climbing in the saddle, you can almost just rest them on the bar-tops.

Bar-tape: Consider a double wrap of bar-tape or gel pads under the tape to give increased protection from road buzz Anatomic bars: Anatomically shaped bars can provide a less stressful position for your hands and wrists, especially when you’re down on the drops. Also, it’s important to ensure that your bars are the correct width.

Regularly shift hand position: On road bars you’ve got at least three different hand positions so, make sure you regularly shift between them, moving from tops, to hoods and drops, adapting to the road, gradient and pace of riding. Even if road conditions and pace remain the same for extended periods, get into the habit of switching you hand position.

Brake set-up: Ensure that your brake hoods and levers are correctly set-up.

Exact positioning comes down largely to personal preference but, if you are experiencing problems with hand or wrist pain, is worth looking at. Also look at reach to the brake levers as this can also cause unnecessary strain to your hands. Many set-ups allow you to adjust the reach using spacers. Mountain bike brake lever set-up is especially important, due to the hard and prolonged braking involved, and you should be looking for your wrists to be straight when in your descending position.

Showcase

TESTED - Merida Big 7 500 2017

C

RANK got an opp0rtunity to get its hands on the Merida Big 7 500 2017 model. Our test ride experts Ignatius Chen Chin Fa & Ritwik Burman put the bike through its paces through as a part of our choreographed bike test drill through some soft and rough terrains. The experts had some nice things to say. The Big 7 500 is a premium entry level hardtail mountain bike priced at INR 69,990 designed specifically for cross country and trail riders. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a great bike for those who are just starting off but want to be serious about their attempt and aiming for Pro. It comes with the standard Big 7 TFS light-weight aluminium frame that is quite stable and robust especially during climbs. The bike handles well and is very manoeuvrable around corners.

The bikeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s cables are routed internally which gives it a clean look. The oversized head tube is strong and feels good when hitting large bumps.

The hydraulic disc brakes are the Shimano M355 with a 180mm rotor in the front and a 160 mm rotor at the back. Though it is one of the more beginner models, the brake works well but it definitely could have used a better set. Specifically, the brakes work well enough for riders maintaining moderate speed but at higher speeds coming to a stop can be a bit challenging, despite the rotors. But definitely more than what you can ask for in this category The drive train is a Shimano series and the hollow crank gives the bike a solid feel. It allows for a clean and efficient translation of power to the wheels from the pedal. There is no flex in the frame hence no unnecessary energy loss. The shifters are the Shimano Deore, at the front and back, allow for clean, hassle free shifting. The front derailleur is a Deore Triple and the rear derailleur is a SLX Shadow. The Deore shifters make the price seriously competitive. Overall the two-way shifters allow quick shifting when aligned properly and there are no issues in shifting during a climb either,

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CRANK with ProCycle OCTOBER 15TH, 2016

Shimano SLX RD

Shimano Deore triple FD

unless you shift wrong. The 2x10 combo is lets you find a good ratio in any terrain.

Used right, this bike will probably let you sail through anything an XC terrain can throw at you.

The RockShox FS30 STK 100mm suspension is an entry level pneumatic suspension. However, it provides good feedback and has an adjustable rebound control that comes with a chart detailing the settings, located on the side of the fork.

The pressure can be adjusted for individual weight. The rebound switch despite having an easy reach lock out, is made of plastic.

Our experts would have preferred a more durable material but we understand the price component challenge that every brand faces. The suspension feels good even while pushing it hard and allows for quick and easy direction changes. The suspension offers an easy rebound which lowers the jarring feeling you get when you hit a rough patch made up of rocks or gravel.

The tyres are a Maxxis Ikon 27.5 2.1 fold, which is one of the better tyres in the market meant for a cross country set-up. A 2.2 would have worked better in this case as the wheels would sink into the softer sections while still giving a gritty run on

loose soil. The spokes are stainless steel.

The hard double wall wheels are a standard in the entire series. A good set at this level

Frame

Big 7 TFS BC

Size

15-17-18.5-20-21.5â&#x20AC;?

Colour

Matt Black(Red/Grey)

The saddle is a Merida sport 5, which is quite comfortable, a bit on the wider side though. The handle bar is a MERIDA pro OS 680 R12. A light rise in the handle bar makes it ideal for XC. The 70mm stem has a 10-degree rise is comfortable and adjustable as well. If needed the stem can be dropped an additional 20mm or just flip the stem.

Fork

Rock Shox FS 30STK27 SA 100

BB Set

Shimano octalink

B-Lever

Attached

Front Brake

Shimano M355 180 cen

Rear Brake

Shimano M355 160 cen

Chain

KMC X10

Crank set

Shimano M523 octa 40-30-22

Front Derailleur

Shimano Deore triple

Rear Derailleur

Shimano SLX Shadow

Freewheel

Shimano CS-HG50-10 11-36

Handle Bar

MERIDA pro OS 680 R12

All in all, the Merida Big 7 500 is a comfortable and reliable MTB that can definitely take you places. The brand has got the delicate feature and component and price balance just right. For 69990 itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a great buy. We give it an AHT (average head turning factor) of 8 out of 10 in its category

Handle Bar Stem MERIDA Comp OS 6 Head Set

BC OV Neck

Front Hub

Formula Centerlock

Rear Hub

Formula Centerlock cassette

Pedal

XC pro alloy

Rim

Merida Big 7 comp D

Saddle

Merida Sport 5

Seat Post

MERIDA comp SB12 27.2

Front Shifter

Shimano Deore

Rear Shifter

Shimano Deore

Spoke

Black stainless

Tyres

Maxxis Ikon 27.5 2.2 fold

Rockshox suspension Discussing observations

Shimano M 355 rear discbrake Shimano deore shifters

CRANK with ProCycle OCTOBER 15TH, 2016

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Tested

TESTED - SCOTT SPEEDSTER GRAVEL 2017 aniSh

T

his edition we get our hands on a fine example of a rather peculiar bicycle genre, a Cyclocross. The SCOTT Speedster Gravel 2017. It looks like a road bike and you would expect it to behave like one too. But it won’t!

For those who might not know, Cyclocross is an entire discipline of bicycle racing and is one of the toughest sports around. It is held in a Criterium style on a lap made up of mud, sand, gravel and obstacles. It combines the sports of cycling and running. Athletes carry their bicycle on their backs to make it across the obstacles or some of the muddy steep climbs. And that is the reason why Cyclocross bikes resemble road bikes and not mountain bikes. For weight reduction.

The Speedster Gravel has a lot of the makings of a great Cyclocross and follows closely in the footsteps of Scott premier offering for Cyclocross, the Addict. The Speedster Gravel is built on SCOTT’s race pedigree of the Speedster series.

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CRANK with ProCycle OCTOBER 15TH, 2016

Even a 52cms frame looked massive to us, thanks to the chubby 35C tyres that you normally see on hybrids. The 160mm mechanical disc brakes were also a welcome sight for what we were about to put this bicycle through.

Some of the other noteworthy modifications are the wider handle bar drops and of course modifications on the frame to accommodate the fat tyres. We were happy to see the Gravel have the new 10 speed Shimano Tiagra groupset all throughout including the disc brakes.

We can’t praise the colour scheme enough with the reflective bar tape ends and charcoal and red frame decals that are also reflective.

Our test ride of this bicycle took us to outskirts of Bengaluru and beyond. We were in search of back country roads and some fun trails. And find we did them. The Gravel does an amazing job at increasing ride confidence and gaining speeds even on questionable surfaces.

Tiagra FD Tiagra RD 10 spd

For people who are into motorcycle touring, I’m sure you are familiar with what you do when a car or any other big vehicle has slowed down ahead of you to negotiate a road hump. We take our motorcycle outside the tarmac and over through the dust and pebbles and leave the big wheels behind. Most often, you can’t do that on a regular road bike, the SCOTT Gravel does it with utmost efficiency, that you might end up staying with the pebbles more than the tarmac. A Cyclocross race is a display of peak bicycle control and the SCOTT Gravel offers that control to you through the disc brakes and the wider handle bar. It is only up to the rider then to stay upright and keep the bicycle moving.

With the 35C wide tyres, the negotiates a wider range of loose terrain, but the rider has to have the legs to trudge through these terrains or get stuck in the slush with the bicycle. And even in that event, the beautiful alloy frame keeps the bicycle light enough to be lugged around by the top tube across bushes and stepped paths.

The SCOTT Gravel is still fast on tarmac even against carbon road bikes running on 28C tyres. But you will never miss the hum from the tyres that the treads make when cutting through the wind. For the first few rides, that humming noise will stay with you overnight too.

We did see the Speedster Gravel in the light of being an all-terrain touring bicycle. It is fast, light, can negotiate a lot more terrain than your average road bike and is much lighter than your average MTB. Cyclocross could be the future of bicycle touring in India and the Gravel’s price point makes it a great place to start at. If that is indeed the direction Scott wants to take for the Speedster Gravel, we do have a suggestion of including eyelets for luggage mounting solutions on the stays and fork parts of the frame.

Our ride experts feel DULATING AND POTHOLED CITY roads along with the ability to do soft off-road tarmacs is sure to result in a demand for Cyclocross, only people need to experience it and perhaps some cheaper variants will help early adopters The Speedster Gravel is one of the few bikes that leaves you smiling even after weeks of having first ridden it. There are many things you can start doing on this bicycle and one of them could very well be questioning the mediocrity of your existing bicycle Crank gives the SCOTT Speedster Gravel 2017 and AHT (Average Head Turning Factor) of 9 out of 10.

Frame :

Speedster Gravel Disc / D.Butted 6061 Alloy Gravel Race geometry / Integrated Headtube

Fork :

Speedster Carbon/Alloy Disc 1 1/8” Alloy steerer

Headset :

Integrated Steel Cup

Rear Derailleur : Shimano Tiagra RD-4700-GS

20 Speed Front Derailleur : Shimano Tiagra FD-4700 Shifters :

Shimano Tiagra ST-4700 Dual control 20 Speed

Brakes : Shimano BR-RS305 Black Mech.

Disc160/F and 160/R mm SM-RT54 Rotor Crankset :

Shimano FC-4700 Black Hyperdrive 50x34 T

BB-Set :

Shimano BB-RS500

Handlebar :

Syncros GR2.0 Ergonomic outsweep 31.8mm

Seat :

Syncros FL2.5

Chain :

KMC X10

Cassette :

Shimano CS-HG500 10 Speed 11-32 T

Rims :

Syncros Race 22 Disc 28 Front / 28 Rear

Tires : Schwalbe G-One Performance 700x35C Approx weights in KG : 10.64

Wider handle and drops

160mm Mech Disc Brakes

35C Wide Schwalbe tyres

Lightweight Alloy Tubing Internal Cable Routing

Tiagra Combo brake levers and shifters

Lightweight Alloy fork

Gravel track testing

CRANK with ProCycle OCTOBER 15TH, 2016

19

PlanetSaddle

Racing the scenic route: The Montra Tour of the Aravallis

W

hen you picture a race, the first thing to pop up is definitely not picturesque hills and lush, green fields. The Montra Tour of the Aravallis kicked off on the 31st of August ending on the 4th of September. As the official media partner for the event, Crank is glad to share with its readers the highlights of the race. Crank also had a presence in this race with our own rider, Dr. Meera Velankar who completed the race and placed second in the women’s category.

The ultra-scenic race/tour was organized by the Cyclone Cycling Club in collaboration with Montra.

The brand ambassador for the event was ex-cricketer Jonty Rhodes who mingled with the riders, riding and offering moral support. The invite-only racetour was a test of endurance and stamina with the participants cycling through varied terrain over a distance of around 350 kms and an elevation of approximately 2000 meters. There were around 40 riders who competed in the event out of which 37 finished.

The three competitive categories were Veterans, Non-Veterans and Women.

The four-day, three-stage tour was action packed and filled with excitement. The event kicked off from Hotel Chandrawati Palace

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CRANK with ProCycle OCTOBER 15TH, 2016

on Abu road. Day one saw the riders cover 68 kilometers to the highest point of the Aravalli Range – Gurshikhar – via Mount Abu. The total elevation gain on day one measured close to 1900 metres. The change in scenery, weather conditions and terrain meant that quite a few riders had starting troubles in the form of punctures and other mechanical failures, exhaustion on the climbs, a few injuries as a result of falls etc. Day two saw an intense and long 167 km ride. The ride was to start with a 25 km descent from the Palace Hotel - Bikaner House to the base of Mount Abu and an onward journey to Ranakpur via Swaroopganj, Jaswantgarh, and Sayra. A dense fog meant that 40 kms of the route was scrapped for safety reasons.

Day three saw a gruelling ride from Mana Resorts at Ranakpur to Kumbalgarh Fort and back.

The 110 kilometre distance, an elevation gain of close to 2000 metres, numerous steep climbs with some amounting to a gradient measuring 20% and a competitive segment covering 16 kilometres posed a challenge to many riders.

The tour ended at Mana Resorts with a photo session with each rider positioning themselves and their wares in their favourite poses. An after event prize distribution and party stood as a fitting culmination of the day and the event. The riders left for Ahmedabad the next day.

All participants

Race Results Female category 1. Eva Jyrwa, Ahmedabad 2. Meera Velankar, Bangalore Veteran 1. Marco Hendriks, Rotterdam, Holland 2. Dr Naresh Hundiya, Ahmedabad 3. Chandan Purohit, Ahmedabad Non veteran 1. Kartik Kansara, Ahmedabad 2. Mayank Tripathi, thane 3. Rudra Naik, Chennai

Podium

All round tyres with shallow treads for slightly lose flats

WorkBayWatch

Stock tough tread MTB tyres

Make your MTB faster aniSh

T

of your ride, you can change to any of these tyre options available in the market. Most often than not, you will only have to change out the tyre and the original tubes and wheels can be retained. It is however recommended that you check with your local bicycle store for compatibility before you make any purchases or modifications.

We showcase a few tyre options that will help you lighten out that MTB without sacrificing too much of the comfort and stability.

Depending on the type of terrain you are on for the maximum part

Buying good quality tyres from well established brands will retain your confidence of the braking and handling even after giving up on the chunky treads that your original MTB tyre came with.

Tarmac tyres for majority of solid flat road usage

Tyre with shoulder grips (good loose flats and general purpose road use

his one is for all the commuters who use an MTB and don’t know that they are deliberately slowing themselves down. An MTB as the name suggests is a Multi Terrain Bicycle. It performs well under a multitude of terrains. If you are using one to commute in an urban setting, then you are clearly imparting injustice to the machine and your efforts. The bulk of the frame and the additional friction from the tyres on tarmac is using too much of your effort to finish your commute. Sadistically speaking, that is a great thing. But not too much if you are expected to arrive relevantly fresh at the office.

General rule of bicycle tubes is, they have two compatibility checks on them. Firstly, the circumference (26”, 27.5” and 29” or 700 if hybrid or road); the second set of numbers on the tube is the range of width of the tyres that it can accommodate. In general, no tube is ever compatible to only one width of a tyre. They are compatible across a range which is mentioned as 1.75-2.25 etc.

CRANK with ProCycle OCTOBER 15TH, 2016

21

CityTalk

Stunts on the ghats Varanasi stunt riders

T

he idea of dare-defying stunts is a daunting prospect but these cycle stuntmen from Varanasi definitely have a deity on their side. This MTB Freestyle Stunt Riding Team from one of the holiest cities in India might not be the first but they are definitely one of the best. Their story is a rather interesting one. Abhishek Upadhyay and Jai Kumar were cycling aficionados who braved the threat of injury and started experimenting with their bicycles, pulling off some neat stunts with their cycles. It was fun but a lack of proper info led them to YouTube where they discovered a world of interesting new training tutorials. Selfteaching is hard but they endured.

Watching them, a few of the local youngsters around the city took an interest and asked the duo to train them. After a lot of trials and practice, the newcomers became qualified stuntmen in their own right. This led to the creation of Team Varanasi Riders (VRZ) who set out to do something unique. The team started performing regularly at events, eventually gaining a lot of popularity. The team was founded in 2013 and as of now they have 13 riders. The team comprises professional stuntmen Abhishek Upadhyay, Jai Kumar, Himanshu Vishwakarma, Adarsh Rao and Kartikey Verma. Sumit Agrahari, Aman Chaubey and Rohit Pal are riders in training. Finally, the team crew is Vikash Lalwani, Gaurav Pandey and Sumit Vishwakarma.

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CRANK with ProCycle OCTOBER 15TH, 2016

The team does not practice this full-time as of yet, mainly because everyone on the team is either in school or college.

Their youth definitely gives them an added advantage but it also is a disability as they have financial restrictions. The team does not have a coach and all of their learning comes from YouTube videos. The team uses a wide variety of cycle brands including a Hercules Ryder Canyon, a Montra Rock 1.0, a Firefox Bad Attitude and a BTwin Wipe 5. All of their bikes are MTBs because of the durability, comfort and safety they provide, among other aspects.

The team has added its own set of mods to the bike such as wider handlebars for easy leverage, peg holders, wider tyres for better grips, hydraulic brakes for better control over bikes etc. The modifications are in no way easy for them as there is an absence of good mechanics and good spare parts and accessories. The team has no external financial backing but they have found a lot of support in their family and friends. The team charges a fee for their performances which, given the risks, is quite nominal. They definitely feel that the sport could achieve greater heights but since this niche doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t yet have a following in India the task is much harder. We at Crank wish them all the best for their future endeavours and hope to see them scale greater heights.

CRANK with ProCycle OCTOBER 15TH, 2016

23

A Nice Climb!

CrankActive

A staff member demonstrating a climb

Excited Patrons Safety is Important

Staff demonstrate the use of the harness

A hop, skip and jump are definitely not what’s needed here

A

little adventure in life is something everyone needs. This edition of the CrankActive Section brings in a little action to all the adventure enthusiasts out there. We recently visited the Clip ‘n’ Climb centre in Whitefield and it was an interesting visit. The centre allows customers to enjoy climbing and rappelling experiences, for those interested, in a safe and controlled environment. This may not be au naturale but it can definitely help you get good practice for when you do go on a mountaineering adventure. The head of the centre, Vishak Jagadeesh spoke to us and offered us insights about how to make the best use of such a facility and the benefits of the activity.

Though not a professional climber, Vishak is a veteran of the Clip ‘n’ Climb arena and had some insights to share. The Clip

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CRANK with ProCycle OCTOBER 15TH, 2016

‘n’ Climb experience offers no risks as the seasoned staff oversee the process. The centre and the experience definitely can help you train and prepare for an actual climb. The centre is a modular climbing centre which aims to make climbing a fun and accessible activity for everyone.

The process also offers a lot of health benefits. For a first timer, the process can be challenging as it requires a lot of physical strength and stamina. It makes for a thorough physical workout. Someone preparing for a climb in such a manner would definitely feel the positive physical effects. For fitness and health enthusiasts, the climbing process provides a full body work-out and cyclists who are here on an off day would definitely enjoy the climb.

It is a complete cardio and core workout!

Mentally, the experience lets you conquer

your fears, helps you set and achieve goals, relieves stress and increases confidence. It also teaches you perseverance.

The centre does not permit free climbing due to safety reasons, however, if you do want to train for a free climb then the safety harnesses would not really pose a hindrance. This is a really good past-time for cyclists since the activity bolsters endurance and strengthens the core, which is a must for every cyclist. Overall, the experience is definitely worth a try and the effort is definitely worth your time.

This month we bring you a different kind of activity. For all the adventure enthusiasts out there, here’s a fun new thing to try

ToyCentral IceToolz Pedal+Chain Wrench A handy little instrument that lets you dally with your pedals. Tighten, remove and secure your pedals with this handy wrench which also has a nifty little chain wrench at the other end. This little travel companion is priced at INR 975.

MKS Detachable Pedals Designed for the frequent roving cyclist, these pedals make transport & switching easy. No need for pedal wrench for frequet pedal switchers Available in various colours, designs and in various models. The pedals can be used on various bike models as well. A few of the models are of a clip on variety as well. The price of these models ranges between INR 8450 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 12500.

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