Incycle 27

T H E E N V E W AY INTO THE WILD ON 3T’S EXPLORO FRED WHITTON 2018 PREVIEW CASTELLI SPRING/SUMMER 2018 INSIDE ALCHEMY

I S S U E 2 7 | £ 7. 9 5 INSIDE THE WORLD OF ELITE PERFORMANCE CYCLING BROUGHT TO YOU BY SADDLEBACK

T H E E N V E W AY V E R O N I Q U E A N D K AT Y JOE’S ROAD TO RECOVERY T R OY L E E D E S I G N S 2 0 1 8 INSIDE ALCHEMY

I S S U E 2 7 | £ 7. 9 5 INSIDE THE WORLD OF ELITE PERFORMANCE CYCLING BROUGHT TO YOU BY SADDLEBACK

I N CYC L E BY SA D D L E BAC K

Whether at work or play, passion for cycling runs through everything we do at Saddleback. During our nine-to-five, we’re lucky enough to work with the world’s best elite performance brands. Meanwhile, mornings, evenings, weekends and lunch hours are devoted to riding for number-crunching performance, stay-fast fitness or just to soak up the exhilarating feeling of the great outdoors.

Incycle magazine is the result of that complete dedication to cycling and our expression of love for the sport. It’s our goal to share content that brings you closer to riding, encapsulating everything that gets our hearts pumping from the exhausted jubilation of conquering a col to the pulserocketing thrill of taming a tough downhill run and everything in between. We hope you enjoy it.

3 T C YC L I N G / A LC H E M Y B I C YC L E CO. / C A S T E L L I C YC L I N G C H R I S K I N G / E N V E / I N T E N S E C YC L E S / S I D I / S I LC A S TA G E S C YC L I N G / T R OY L E E D E S I G N S

CONTRIBUTORS

EDITOR IN CHIEF / DESIGN NICK COX

EDITOR

TOM BALLARD

SENIOR WRITER DANIEL OAKSHOTT

CONTRIBUTORS

TOM BALLARD, NICK COX, DECLAN DEEHAN, ROSS GRIMMETT, LENNY KARSMAKERS, RICHARD MARDLE, RIC MCLAUGHLIN, DANIEL OAKSHOTT, BEN PLENGE, BENJAMIN SHARP, JOEL SMITH, ALEX TURNER, JAMIE WILKINS

PHOTOGRAPHERS

BETTINI, NICK COX, KAT GEORGUDIS, NATHAN HUGHES, SVEN MARTIN, IAN MATTESON, CALLUM PHILPOTT, JOBY SESSIONS, TIM DE WAELE

PRINTED BY

APPLE COLOUR, BRISTOL UK, ON RECYCLED PAPER

SPECIAL CONTRIBUTORS

JAMIE WILKINS

The ENVE staff writer takes us behind the scenes of the US carbon fibre gurus.

RIC McLAUGHLIN

Friend of the pros, MTB journalist Ric travels the world to cover the sport’s biggest races.

BEN PLENGE

BEN SHARP

Former Team USA cycling coach, Benjamin’s the man when it comes to training with a power meter.

Owner of MTBStrength Factory, Ben is our go-to off-road fitness expert.

JOBY SESSIONS

Pro photographer Joby shot Fresh Produce, Style Guide and the 3T Exploro feature.

I N C YC L E .CO. U K | S A D D L E B AC K .CO. U K S A D D L E B A C K L I M I T E D 1 2 A P O L L O P A R K , A R M S T R O N G W AY, YA T E , B R I S T O L B S 3 7 5 A H

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CALLUM PHILPOTT

Saddleback’s Videographer and photographer shot the Katy and Veronique feature.

EDITOR’S WELCOME

I SS UE 27 2 01 8 INSIDE THE WORLD OF ROAD AND MOUNTAIN BIKING BROUGHT TO YOU BY SADDLEBACK

Welcome to issue 27. It’s an issue that, in search of the perfect shot, has seen us start a fire in some woods, shove locals out of the way, rummage around some docks, break through layers of ice and snow and travel to the depths of Wales. I reckon it was worth it, so have a look through this issue and gorge yourself on some great imagery and lose yourself in the insightful words of our contributors.

It’s always a challenge to put together great content for the issue that comes out just after winter. We’re usually all sick of the cold weather, and this year the promise of spring still seems especially far off given that heavy snowfall pretty much ruined March. It’s only the brave/crazy few that still keep going rather than turning to a hibernation of hearty heavy food accompanied with lots of TV. Hats off to those who put the rest of us to shame during these dark months.

So, let’s put the bad habits and lack of riding behind us and get inspired to ride again with this new issue of incycle. Whether you climb and descend mountains on or off the road there’s plenty here to whet your appetite. The sun is coming, we promise – get ready.

N I C K COX E D I TO R - I N - C H I E F / D E S I G N

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CONTENTS

ON THE FRONT COVER

Cody Kelley – Enve athlete Photographer: Ian Matteson Laguna Beach, CA Megan Porteous – Enve athlete Photographer: Ian Matteson Monte Christo, Utah BACK COVER QUOTE

Sarah Lehman – CEO Enve Composites

08 P O R T F O L I O

42 S T Y L E G U I D E

58 T H E E N V E WAY

104 S TA F F R I D E

TAKING THE COLORADO ROUGH WITH THE JAPANESE SMOOTH: OUR FAVOURITE RECENT CYCLING IMAGES

WE GO URBAN EXPLORING WITH THE LATEST FROM THE 2018 COLLECTIONS

BY CASTELLI AND TROY LEE DESIGNS

INTENSE RACING UK TEAM MEMBER JOE BREEDEN’S RECOVERY-ASSISTING ‘DREAM BUILD’ 3T EXPLORO

18 N E W S R O U N D U P

50 T E C H

DEDICATED TO HANDCRAFTING THE FINEST CARBON COMPONENTS, ENVE IS A BREED APART. JAMIE WILKINS EXPLORES WHAT MAKES IT SO SPECIAL

ALCHEMY EWS TEAM LAUNCHED, PEATY SHARES SOME WISDOM, SIDI

INSTALLING ENVE’S STRONG, LIGHT AND VERSATILE SEATPOST –

70 E X P L O R O A D V E N T U R E

RICHARD, DECLAN, NICK AND TOM TALK SELF-CONSCIOUS CYCLING NONSENSE

SCORES WITH THE SHARK, AND MORE

WE SHOW YOU HOW

20 FRED WHITTON 2018

52 F O O D

LEAVE BRISTOL BEHIND FOR A WEEKEND ROAMING BRIDLEWAYS ABOARD THEIR 3T EXPLOROS

THE UK’S TOUGHEST SPORTIVE JUST GOT EVEN TOUGHER. TOM BALLARD PREVIEWS THE FRED’S EXQUISITE PAIN

COFFEE STOPS ARE PART OF CYCLING’S DNA, AND BISCOTTI ARE PART OF THAT RITUAL. HERE’S HOW TO MAKE THEM

24 F O R T B I L L P R E V I E W

54 T R A I N I N G

THE WORLD CUP TRANSFORMS A HIGHLAND TOWN INTO A MOUNTAIN CARNIVAL. NICK COX CAN’T WAIT

IT’S SPRING – TIME TO TARGET YOUR SESSIONS PROPERLY. PLUS EXERCISES FOR BUILDING SPRINT CAPABILITIES

DANIEL OAKSHOTT AND FRIENDS

80 K AT Y & V E R O N I Q U E MOUNTAIN BIKING IS IN FLUX. RIC MCLAUGHLIN MEETS A YOUNG RIDER ON THE UP AND A RETURNING VETERAN TO FIND OUT MORE

90 J O E ’ S R E C O V E R Y RIC MCLAUGHLIN CHATS TO INTENSE RACING UK’S JOE BREEDEN ABOUT HIS JOURNEY BACK FROM SERIOUS INJURY

28 B E S P O K E D 2 0 1 8 ROSS GRIMMETT LOOKS FORWARD TO THE UK’S PREMIER HANDBUILT SHOW, FOR WHICH CHRIS KING WILL RETURN

96 I N S I D E A L C H E M Y ALCHEMY’S JOEL SMITH LEADS US THROUGH THE COMPANY’S MAGICAL CONSTRUCTION PROCESS, WHICH CREATES CYCLING GOLD

32 F R E S H P R O D U C E HOT, NEW AND BEAUTIFUL BIKES AND GEAR FROM OUR ROAD AND MOUNTAIN BIKING PARTNERS

38 T O P F I V E TLD’S CRAIG ‘STIKMAN’ GLASPELL PICKS SOME PERSONAL FAVOURITES FROM THE CALI FIRM’S BACK CATALOGUE

39 AT H L E T E S U C C E S S INTENSE RACING UK TEAM RIDERS HIT PORTUGAL FOR A PRE-SEASON RACE

40 T W E N T Y Q U E S T I O N S LENNY KARSMAKERS, TLD’S EUROPEAN SALES DIRECTOR, SPILLS THE BEANS

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106 S TA F F C O L U M N S IN THIS ISSUE’S STAFF RAMBLINGS

108 I N S TA G R A M S A SELECTION OF BEAUTIFUL SQUARE PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY OF SADDLEBACK’S BRAND PARTNERS

109 F I N A L T H O U G H T GRAVEL RIDING CONJURES MEMORIES OF THE MOUNTAIN BIKING WE ONCE KNEW, SAYS ENVE’S JAMIE WILKINS

110 N E X T I S S U E A QUICK TEASE OF WHAT TO EXPECT IN OUR NEXT ISSUE – OUT IN JULY

PORT FOLIO

LUKE ROWE SUMMER IS COMING, BE PREPARED PHOTO: CASTELLI

PORT FOLIO

LOGAN JAMES AND DYLAN STUCKI RIDING KENNEBEC PASS, COLORADO PHOTO: IAN MATTESON

PORT FOLIO

3T EXPLORO EXPLORERS RIDING THE SUPER FOREST ROAD, MOUNT TSURUGI, JAPAN PHOTO: MARC GASCH

PORT FOLIO

JACK MOIR INTENSE FACTORY RACING TRAINING CAMP PHOTO: NATHAN HUGES

PORT FOLIO

TEAM KATUSHA RIDING IN THE NEW SIDI KATUSHA LTD EDITION SHOE PHOTO: TIM DE WAELE

THE NEWS

NEWSROUNDUP NEW TLD LID

FULL FACE FOR EVERYONE

FRED WHITTON

DEALER DAYS

ROUTE CHANGE

IRUK

HOUSE SHOW CHANGES

As if the Fred Whitton Challenge wasn’t tough enough, there’s a new 25% climb after Wrynose on the 2018 route (see p20 for more).

We’re taking a fresh approach to the 2018 Saddleback House Show, with discipline-specific days, ride-outs and a focus on fun. Dates TBC.

MORGAN TYRRELL

The Intense Racing UK team has added Morgan Tyrrell to its roster.

2018 will be Morgan’s first year riding junior DH competition.

PHOTO: IAN MATTESON

The 2018 Troy Lee Designs range is out now and includes the brand new D3 Fiberlite helmet – making fullface protection more accessible.

JANUARY - MARCH 2018

EWS TEAM

ALCHEMY FACTORY RACING LAUNCHED Alchemy Bicycle Company has made the leap into the professional enduro scene with the launch of Alchemy Factory Racing this season. Headlined by Anneke Beerten and Cody Kelley, the team will be taking on the entire 2018 Enduro World Series race calendar – of which the Chile and Colombia legs will have taken place by the time you read this.

A native of the Netherlands, Beerten finished up 15th overall in the 2017 EWS series. Now based in Southern California’s sunnier climes, her long list of racing accomplishments includes two BMX and three four-cross World Championship titles.

Born and raised near the Wasatch mountains in Salt Lake City, Utah, Kelley’s long blonde hair is as hard to miss as his effortless riding style. Kelley was the 2017 Scott Enduro Series champion and took 13th at EWS Aspen last year.

This dynamic duo have picked Alchemy’s rangetopping Arktos as their go-to ride. Ready to take on the world’s best, the full-suspension 27.5in bike boasts 152mm travel up front and exclusive Sine Suspension designed by the industry guru David Earle out the back. The result is a low-weight build with stunning uphill efficiency and staggering downhill performance.

“From my first ride, I was completely comfortable on the Arktos,” says Kelley. “It’s stiff, stable yet nimble, and really allows me to ride at my limit.

The suspension system impresses me too. The Arktos pedals so well, but can also absorb a monster impact. It’s the best of both worlds.

“When I first started talking with Alchemy, my biggest question was, ‘What about the bike?’” says Beerten. “At this point in my career, I need

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a bike that I can win on – and the Arktos is that bike. It simply does everything so well. It’s hard for me to imagine a bike that is better suited for my riding style.”

With Alchemy Factory Racing also teaming up with ENVE and Chris King, both riders will benefit from racing on the best hoops and hubs in the business. That includes ENVE’s new endurofocused M7, which boast the brand’s Protective Rim Strip technology and will be raced in competition for the first time.

“We’re excited as a team to have all the benefits of ENVE’s products in our pursuit of the EWS schedule,” adds Kelley. “Having that instant acceleration out of the corners and unsurpassed damping and control from the cockpit offer what I believe is a real competitive advantage.”

PHOTO: SVEN MARTIN

THE NEWS

LEGEND UP CLOSE

Long-time Troy Lee Designs and Chris King ambassador and downhill legend Steve Peat is heading on the road this autumn for a series of Bikes and Beers talks around the UK. At each intimate talk, Peaty will be opening up about all aspects of his career – from his beginnings as a plumber, to the bikes that he’s ridden to so many incredible results, the World Cup races themselves, the after parties and his long pursuit of World Championship glory.

Peaty will be taking some of his favourite custom-painted TLD helmets along to each talk, giving the audience a chance to see some of Troy’s handiwork up close.

The Bikes and Beers tour will visit 21 venues around the country, beginning in Malvern on 16 October and finishing up in Cheltenham on 23 November. Tickets will be limited, so head to speakersfromtheedge.com/theatre-tours/2018/steve-peat to find your local venue and book your places.

PHOTO: BETTINI

PEATY EMBARKS UPON BIKES AND BEERS UK TOUR RACING

SIDI SCORES AT MILAN-SAN REMO Sidi can pen another prestigious entry to its latest volume of palmares thanks to the astonishing performance of Vincenzo Nibali at Milan-San Remo.

Following up on his victory at Il Lombardia last autumn, Nibali capitalised on seven hours of calm by storming away from the pack with 5km to go. The gutsy, full-gas move was pure Shark of Messina and saw Nibali take control of the race while the sprinters’ trains looked at one another to respond.

Staying away against the odds and the late-charging swell of the fast finishers behind him, Nibali crossed the line in his Sidi Shots to add a third Monument victory to his accolades.

The Italian rider can also bask in glory of being the first of his countrymen to triumph at La Primavera since Pippo Pozzato took the win in 2006.

GIRO 18

NEW MAGLIA ROSA REVEALED Castelli has launched its new Giro d’Italia leaders jerseys, putting the Italian brand back in pink after a 26-year interval.

Steve Smith, Castelli brand manager, said: “It’s not just a jersey; it is a highly cherished object that represents the ultimate goal for a cyclist in Italy and in the world. And it’s not just fabric; it is a symbol of the sweat that is required to win it, and it is an honour that elevates the lowliest of riders, even just for a day.”

Castelli has added several design flourishes to recognise the importance of the jersey’s legacy. These include a golden zipper in the shape of the race’s famous trophy, a relief print of the jersey’s classification name and a rubberised Giro d’Italia logo on the arms.

As well as the Maglia Rosa, Castelli will also be providing blue, cyclamen and white jerseys – for mountains, points and young-rider classifications – all of which will be available to buy for riders seeking to pay homage to the great Grand Tour.

FOR THE LATEST NEWS HEAD OVER TO WWW.SADDLEBACK.CO.UK

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EVENT PREVIEW

FRED WHITTON 2018 With yet another dastardly climb added to this year’s event, we look forward to the even-tougher Saddleback Fred Whitton Challenge WORDS TOM BALLARD PHOTOS NICK COX

As the long winter finally succumbs to spring, the sportive season is suddenly upon us and the Saddleback Fred Whitton Challenge seems almost impossibly close once again. For those riders seeking to truly test their mettle against the most infamously difficult sportive of them all, the time is ripe for long hilly rides and a prescription dose of panic-induced training as the big day looms near.

The Lake District isn’t exactly a hidden gem, but those who haven’t visited recently would do well to remind themselves of the area’s stunning vistas, shimmering bodies of water and arresting rock formations, all of which are visible during The Fred’s arduous journey. It’s the personal struggle of self-inflicted human suffering in a landscape of epic scale that sets the event apart.

Those wondering whether the event’s reputation as the UK’s toughest is entirely warranted probably haven’t attempted to scale the staggering steepness of Hardknott and Wrynose with 100 cramp-inducing miles already in the legs.

Those who have will appreciate exactly what this year’s contingent of riders is up against.

As the name suggests, it truly is a challenge and one that gets underway pretty sharpish from the event start in Grasmere. After heading through Ambleside and skirting the edge of Windermere, the climb up Kirkstone Pass begins at 9km in. For the 1,700-odd riders, it’s decision time – conserve for the tough day ahead or throw caution to the wind and hope the legs will hold up later. If you’re not completely sure of your leg strength, the prudent course is to find the granny gear, ignore the early enthusiastic racing of other riders and edge your way to the 454m summit – the day’s highest point.

And it seems that there is no shortage of riders who are up for tasting the punishment. The number of ballot entries went up by 20% for this year’s edition, reaffirming the Fred Whitton’s bucket-list credentials and furthering its almost mythical status as the granddaddy of UK sportives.

The view from the top of Kirkstone is truly remarkable; the road snaking away to the valley floor below. It’ll be eyes firmly back on the road for the heart-in-the-mouth descent though, where it’s all too easy to pick up frightening speed before the twisty, stone wall-lined corners.

After following the shoreline of Ullswater, Matterdale End is up next, coming at about 32km into the route. It’s a solid test that tops out at 343m and sees the gradient tip into double figures for the first time – though the

The event’s popularity isn’t too much of a surprise – after all, the satisfaction, and bragging rights, of getting around the course are only enhanced by the promise of low temperatures, rainfall, battering headwinds and broken road surfaces.

On the other hand, there’s no denying that for every tortuous turn of the crank, there’s spectacular natural beauty on offer for those still able to appreciate it.

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11% max is but a taster of what’s to come later.

After shaking the legs out on the fastest section of the course – the smooth A66, which boasts fabulous views of Blencathra, Saddleback’s namesake – the route shoots though Keswick, then alongside Derwent Water before depositing riders at the foot of Honister Pass. Things begin gently enough at the 65km mark, but a couple of kilometres later and the cracked, rutted road will soon force many riders to walk as the gradient hits 10% and only gets relentlessly steeper from there, ramping beyond 16% over the next k. It’s here that the enormity of the task ahead really sets in – you’re not even halfway there and the climbing’s only going to get tougher.

of the Fred Whitton’s most infamous climbs, it’s a short, sharp shock to the system that tenderises the legs and shouldn’t be forgotten on the day.

At 150km, Hardknott Pass fills the horizon: 2km long and with 300m of ascent, it’s a solid wall rising from the valley floor. The slim ribbon of cracked tarmac leads the way upwards past warning signs of 30% gradients, then the trees drop away to the view of riders strung out in an agonising battle of man and machine versus a crippling average gradient of 13.5%. It’s at this point that, every year, a zombie-like procession of shoe-holding riders wear their socks thin on the rough ground pushing to the top, the pain compounded by the distance already covered. Anyone who stays on their bike throughout deserves a hearty, non-ironic ‘Chapeau’.

There’s no relaxing over the top either; the steep, narrow descent down to Buttermere is one of the route’s most treacherous – as attested to by the annual collection of delaminated rims visible at the aid station here. Soon after Buttermere village, there’s a sharp right up Newlands, another tester that gets steeper up to the summit. Meanwhile, the descent offers sprawling layered views of the surrounding fells as the road cuts through the landscape.

The views from the top of Hardknott’s 393m summit are undoubtedly beautiful, but to the cyclist who’s already braved nearly 3,000m of vertical ascent, the panorama’s majesty is marred by the zig-zagging final ascent of Wrynose Pass ahead. While not as toothy as Hardknott – it maxes out at a paltry 16% – all momentum from the preceding (and dangerously narrow) downhill plunge is quickly lost on the climb’s early slopes. Coming so soon after the UK’s most celebrated leg-burster, it’s perhaps one hill too many.

Whinlatter Pass kicks in at around the 88km mark, the roadside becoming festooned with the rich woodland of the Whinlatter Forest Park for the 4km climb, which after all that’s come before (and is still awaiting the legs), is a fairly-steady respite averaging 6.5%. The long descent is a time for reflection: the halfway point has been passed and 1,840m of climbing conquered – facts that could be cause for celebration or despair depending on your physical and mental state.

Once upon a time, it was also the shortest route home.

For the 2018 edition, however, the route deviates in typically sadistic fashion by taking a left up Blea Tarn road and past another 25% sign. The 2.5km climb adds another 125m to your overall elevation gain and is followed by a wit-testing downward plummet: narrow, steeper than the way up, lined with rocks and featuring a double S-bend that riders must negotiate before kinking right over a cattlegrid.

A gradual uphill past Loweswater takes you onto Cold Fell. Exposed to the elements and plagued by a perennial headwind, the road meanders into the distance, disrupting your riding rhythms with ups and downs of varying steepness. The summit looks out over Sellafield and offers a peek of the sea if the typically dreary weather clears.

After that ordeal, things do get easier. Grasmere is almost within reach and the distance left begins to seem manageable – though every upwards metre on the far from pan-flat roads will feel like an unnecessary, and very personal, insult.

Following the downhill run to Calder Bridge, the aid station here offers sustenance to the thinning army of pallid cyclists who’ve made it this far. It’s tempting to tarry here a while rather than contemplate the upcoming battle against the atrociously tough pairing of Hardknott and Wrynose. Before that, though, there’s the little spike up Irton Pike. Usually missing from the list

And then, finally, it’s back to Grasmere and the mouth-watering prospect of saying so-long to the bike and hello to some well-deserved food and drink, all while basking in the satisfaction that you’ve conquered The Fred. It’s a buzz that lasts and makes so many riders sign up year after year. After all, it wouldn’t mean anything if it weren’t such a challenge.

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FORT WILLIAM 2018 One day to get there, one day to get home, and in the middle a sandwich of racing, midges, partying, rain, sunshine and everything bike WORDS NICK COX PHOTOS NATHAN HUGHES / NICK COX

Every year the fastest riders in the world of mountain biking congregate in a small town in the West Highlands of Scotland. Fort William bursts into life, with the local pubs packed full of people speaking, in an array of languages, about the same topic – race day.

A lot of this pressure and motivation can be laid at the feet of the crowd. Considered as being the finest of the World Cup circuit, there are endless spectators peppered all over the mountain willing every rider to give it their all. From chainsaws to cowbells, at some point of the track the noise is almost deafening. The atmosphere becomes more electric as you descend down the mountain to the finish area.

The distant rumbles of the huge crowd waiting at the bottom draw you inexorably down the mountain.

Fort William has seen many high points, from 2005, when Peaty lifted his Orange above his head, to 2013, the year the Athertons won it all. It has always been one of the hardest proving grounds for any rider, but more so for the UK riders who see it as their duty to win at home. That desperation to win in front of the home crowd has led to some of the most spectacular crashes. Manon Carpenter’s tumble descending the wall after the ‘Scotland’ arch comes to mind.

Standing at the bottom of the mountain watching the riders come in, we looked on in horror as bits of her helmet flew off and she rolled down the steep drop. Thankfully she was OK, but such incidents are testament to how hard riders push at Fort William.

Once you cross the line, with the race behind you having managed to make it down the toughest physical course on the circuit, you are bathed in the cheers of the 20,000-strong crowd. Of course, everyone wants to win and claim the top prize, but here the crowd’s welcome to you is a prize in itself.

The famous ‘hot seat’ rarely stays still – riders fight to keep it then, almost inevitably, have to surrender it when some ‘secret seconds’ come into play. Emotions

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run strong and, when the final rider crosses the line, the occupant of the hot seat deservedly has the glory.

This is race day, and what a day it is. Come rain or shine you’re unlikely to find another place containing as many people so passionate about mountain bikes.

We will be there this year exhibiting the latest from Troy Lee Designs, ENVE, Intense and Chris King – which if you look closely enough you will see on the track courtesy of the Intense Racing UK and Intense Factory Racing teams. What better showcase is there for the quality of our brands than to be thrown down the Nevis Range by some of the fastest racers going? Watch how the ENVE wheels stand up to the abuse, how smoothly the Intense M29 soaks up the spine-numbing rocky surface and how good the Troy Lee kit looks flying through the air.

But it’s not all about race day. The mountain carnival is in town all weekend. The ability to get up close to pro riders and pit crews gives spectators real insight into what goes into a team, and its preparations.

Exhibitors with the latest and best products, meanwhile, are present for you to feast eyes on.

So be sure to come visit our stand to see these amazing brands and also have a chance to meet the racers, walk away with raffle prizes and chat to us about all things bikes.

All the best mountain bike brands are on show, so you can drool over what you would love to purchase next. Bike shops are on hand to tempt you with more beautiful products, and there is also a food tent, in which you can find food such as haggis and hog roast – and a bar. It truly is a family-friendly party atmosphere the whole weekend… even if it rains.

For more information about the event, schedule, travel and places to stay go to: www.nevisrange.co.uk/event/uci-world-cup-2018

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BESPOKED 2018 Another year has rolled around – meaning it’s time, once again, to look forward to the UK’s premier handbuilt bicycle show WORDS ROSS GRIMMETT PHOTOS NICK COX

Time certainly flies in the world of bikes. It seems as if preparation for Bespoked 2017 was just a couple of months ago – but already the 2018 show is looming.

On the Saturday evening we have traditionally hosted a big sit-down meal, somewhere hidden away in Bristol. Us Saddleback guys sit down with our guests from the USA and, along with UK press representatives and builders, we get chance to mull over what we have seen across the show so far, and discuss the standouts for each of us.

Last time out we were very lucky to have Chris King and product manager Jay Sycip over from King HQ in Portland, Oregon. They manned the booth with us, and it was impressive to witness them sharing their knowledge and passion with all who stopped by. Watching people walk past, look at our backdrop images, then realise the man in the photos was the same one behind the work bench was brilliant. The whispers and nudges between mates of, “That’s actually Chris King, isn’t it?” was fun to see and hear.

We also got chance, pre-show on the Sunday morning last year, to take Chris and Jay to a classic car rally that was happening in Bristol. The guys pored over the older VW models and other such rarities, things that they don’t often get to see over in North America. Turns out Chris has a massive soft spot for the timber-framed 1953 Morris Traveller – one of which he has owned since his college days.

For Jay, meanwhile, it was all about the 80s Porsches.

After the show, chatting with Chris, his love of the Bespoked show that Tessa and Phil and their team put together was obvious and sincere. Echoing the closing words of his talk at the 2017 event, he spoke of being won over by the quality and passion of

Three excellent days were had by all in 2017, with us getting to talk first-hand with the hundreds of people who came by our booth to check out our displays and to chat to Chris himself. Being able to spend some quality time with the builders and exhibitors at the show, with whom we had worked with to supply products for their show bikes, was also great.

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the UK builders, and with the public’s enthusiasm and understanding of the handmade bicycle scene.

hand, there will be no questions we can’t collectively answer – and people do love to try to test him.

We will also be running several promotions on the booth this year that, taking advantage of the workshop we will be building, the owners of King products will hopefully be eager to take part in.

First, we’ll be inviting show attendees to look at the King products they may have at home, and try to rustle up the oldest examples in the UK. The most aged (verified by serial number) brought to the booth over the show, will win the modern equivalent of their original treasured King item.

Second, the first five people per day to bring in any King component to us, will have it serviced at the show and reassembled and set up by Mr King.

Surely that’s a photo opportunity that people who love King components won’t want to miss out on.

While on the photo theme, the third thing happening each day on the booth will be the chance to come take a selfie with Chris and post it online with the hashtag #ChrisKingBuzz. The best picture and caption combo posted over the duration of the show will be picked by Chris, and the lucky winner will bag themselves a headset and BB of their choice, to revive their bike after the long British winter.

After the show is packed down, Chris will stay on with us for a week and hit the road visiting dealers across the country. There’ll be opportunities to catch us as we work up the country into Scotland, on the scheduled weeklong tour. Either way, we hope to see as many of you as possible at Bespoked 2018.

He is not wrong. We have watched keenly as the UK’s public’s love, for bikes and components made by people who care as much about them as the prospective new owner is going to, has matured.

The clamour each year for booth space at the show is a tribute to the importance that Bespoked has taken on over the last seven years. It’s a fixture in the UK cycling calendar we all look forward to and, from the accents heard at the show, Bespoked’s reach is as close to global as you can get now. Its location within Isambard Kingdom Brunel’s Grade 1 listed Old Station building, adjacent to the modern-day Temple Meads station, is ideal for visitors, while the architecture and feel of the old engine shed fit hand in glove with the craft ethos exhibited within.

This year we have Chris visiting us and the show again. He’s tending the stand, and has also been invited to take part in our ‘Talk Series’ once again. No doubt Mr King will repeat his hold of the room, relaying his wealth of knowledge on the design and construction of bicycle components to the assembled audience. Saturday evening’s table is also already booked, and we are looking forward to putting the cycling world to rights with him, while comparing notes on the details we spot at the show.

This time around we will also be turning half of our booth into a functioning workshop, complete with truing jigs and the full King service tools. The latest colours and models in the King family will be out on the counter for people to handle. With Chris on

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WORDS: DANIEL OAKSHOTT ALL PHOTOS: JOBY SESSIONS

FRESH PRODUCE

ENVE M SERIES

Each new M Series rim is more impact-resistant. Starting with an energy-absorbing rim section and culminating in patented anti-flat sidewall construction, these are some seriously tough wheels. By employing two unique rim and tyre protection technologies you can now ride the lines you want, at speed, with full confidence. Without the fear of flats or damaged rims, you will find focus and flow in demanding situations.

Removing tyre pressure limitations, you’ll find maximum traction, rolling efficiency, and even more speed.

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FRESH PRODUCE

TROY LEE DESIGNS MOTO SHORT The Moto shorts put TLD on the map in the bike scene many years ago – this classic features TLD Motocross pant DNA but for 2018 they receive a complete, ground-up overhaul. Keeping the looser fit and longerlength silhouette to this classic pair of shorts, the design team went to work to give whole new life to the legend. Moto is the most robust trail short, with superior functionality. The reigning champ from the past, Moto shorts are set to once again reign supreme as kings of the bike park in 2018.

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FRESH PRODUCE

CASTELLI IDRO PRO JACKET Light, packable, highly breathable, durably waterproof and aero fitting – this is the first piece that brings all those features together into a jacket designed for the cyclist who has to (or chooses to) ride in any weather conditions. When Gore-Tex introduced its Shakedry technology two seasons ago, Castelli immediately saw the opportunity to make waterproof jackets lighter than ever. Then, Castelli tested it – and realised that it can now also make them more breathable than ever.

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FRESH PRODUCE

SILCA BORSA AMERICANO This is the ultimate limited-edition storage solution for your everyday riding essentials. Made from upcycled inner tubes and wetsuit neoprene, the Borsa Americano is designed by Silca and sewn by Colorado-based Ecologic Designs. It features four internal pockets of various sizes to give you plenty of storage options. The main compartment is designed to the dimensions of an iPhone 7+ but it’s up to you what you want to carry.

This bag is less structured than other Silca bags, so you can pack it however you like for minimal bulk and size.

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FRESH PRODUCE

CHRIS KING ISO AB BOOST HUB The ISO AB is specifically for Boost disc spacing forks with 110x15mm Boost or 110x20mm Boost axles. Using the larger diameter hub shell bearing, the ISO AB is designed to tackle rough terrain and handle aggressive disciplines such as downhill and enduro. In an evolving landscape of axle specifications, we are confident that the Boost disc location is here to stay. With the ISO AB hub your wheel will be futureproof and ready to convert to the new 110x20mm axle with a simple insert swap, should that spec expand beyond downhill forks in the coming years.

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FRESH PRODUCE

STAGES DURA-ACE LR Stages Power LR is built on to a Shimano Dura-Ace R9100 crankset, placed on both the drive and non-drive sides of the crank in order to independently measure a rider’s left and right legs. Stages Power has carried Team Sky to three consecutive Tour de France victories, plus many more world and national championships. If you believe racing provides the world’s best product proving ground, then Stages Power is proven as the world’s best power meter. The LR Dura-Ace is available in a variety of crank lengths and chainring setups.

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TOP FIVE

TOP FIVE Troy Lee Designs’ global category manager for bicycle, Craig ‘Stikman’ Glaspell, looks back at some of his favourite products to have come out of the Californian company 3

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D2 HELMET

D3 HELMET

A1 HELMET

SKYLINE SHORTS

RAID GUARDS

Like its predecessor, the Daytona, this model really changed everything for fullface action sports helmets.

Sort of like the Intense M1, every top pro was running the D2 – even if you were sponsored by other brands, you rode the D2. The safety innovations, the styling, and the graphics were all unprecedented. The D2 really took a niche market of helmets and made it a valid category. I won’t soon forget my Sam Hill D2 replica.

I know it seems like a nobrainer, but I mean, come on – the D3 upon its arrival was another life-changer. First seen on Hill, Peaty and Zink at some mid-season World Cups, with an official launch party at Whistler 2008, this helmet woke everyone up yet again with new innovations in safety, style and speed.

It has been the go-to for a decade and, despite many newcomers trying to dethrone the king of full-face, the D3 still reigns. Every year I am lucky enough to get a new model, and covet it like my most prized possession.

It took a long time for TLD fans to get what they have been wanting for a decade or more, but when the A1 trail helmet launched in 2012 the world rejoiced at a whole new level of comfort and safety. A trail lid that fit snug like a dirt jumper, but with adjustability and ventilation and fast lines, the A1 is heralded as the most comfortable helmet-ever – and I have to agree.

Talk about an ongoing staple, a must-have. The Skyline short was one of our first stabs at a mountain bike short, and quickly grew to be our number one seller.

I remember my first set of Skylines, before I worked at TLD, I was surprised “those moto guys” could make such a good pedalling short!

It has had revisions every year, but for 2018, with its new Bluesign approved and Coolmax fabric, it’s on to its best incarnation yet.

These are something that happened on my watch, and after years of using other pads for the big gravity/park days I had been on Troy to bring something serious to the table. The Raid guards were developed with our athletes, super comfortable, D3O and I think are the best DH pad we’ve made. I am also keen to pedal in them, they aren’t just made for a five-minute run.

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AT H L E T E S U C C E S S

ATHLETE SUCCESS

INTENSE RACING UK TEAM MANAGER AND ELITE RIDER OLLY MORRIS TAKES NEW TEAM JUNIOR RIDER MORGAN TYRELL TO PORTUGAL FOR A PRE-SEASON WARM-UP Blue skies in Portugal on 8 March saw our boys take on the second round of the Portugal Cup in Sao Bras de Alportel.

Morgan’s first big race on the Intense M16 saw him on the podium in third – a great pre-season boost. Olly gained UCI points for a top-10 in Elite, slotting into 7th place with his pace getting noticeably quicker from the start of 2018.

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TWENTY QUESTIONS

LENNY KARSMAKERS Troy Lee Designs’ tri-loving European sales director chats sibling rivalry, Nutella, hot and sweaty interval training and the dangers of high winds 1. Who is Lenny Karsmakers?

An active lady who appreciates the little things in life and tries to be aware of each day on this precious planet. I was born on 9 December 1980 in a small village called Waalre, in the Netherlands. I have seen quite a bit of the world and also lived in different countries, but since a couple years ago I’ve been back in the village where I was born, which I love as it balances out the sometimes pretty busy work, travel, training schedule.

10. What piece of Troy Lee kit couldn’t you live without?

The Ace gloves, which I use for both running and cycling, are absolutely the best gloves on this planet – and I could not do without my A2 helmet for riding in the woods. The fit of the TLD clothing and helmets is so incredibly good, it is a shame I cant wear baggy shorts at triathlon… therefore I rely on Castelli tri kit to race in since I started triathlon.

11. What’s the fastest you’ve ever been on a bike?

I clocked once 90kph on a downhill in Austria – it was a long road with not so many curves and hardly any traffic. It was pretty cool; however, I am also quite careful on the bike normally because there are way too many accidents involving road cyclists.

2. How did you find your way into the cycle industry?

My family comes from a motocross and BMX background. My dad used to be a professional motocross rider and afterwards was in the distribution business importing motorcycle and BMX parts and accessories. So I have been going to races all my life and also went riding BMX with my brother and his friends on the local track (he did not want the little sister to join, but I was pretty stubborn already then!). After graduating from university, I decided my first job should be abroad, so I worked for a company in Italy and this is where I first went to the downhill World Cups and other cycling events.

12. What training session do you always look forward to?

In the wintertimes I like doing interval training indoors – hard and sweaty. In the summer I love riding when it is hot, my body really goes well when it is warm. And I look forward to training together with Stephan, my husband.

Right now I am spending quite some time in the swimming pool as I am working on improving my technique. Five years ago I was scared of the water and had never done freestyle swimming before, which means that I have some catching up to do. Apparently if you learn to swim properly as a kid, it is like learning how to ride a bike – you will always have an advantage, especially with swimming where technique is everything.

3. How would you describe yourself as an athlete?

My passion nowadays is triathlon, but in my teen years I played a lot of tennis.

The sport taught me discipline and since I was not the most talented player, I trained a lot, put my head down and managed to get myself on a decent level.

For triathlon training you require dedication, good planning and balance, which is not always easy in a busy job, but I plan early morning swim or run sessions and evenings on the bike. I am not very good with the cold so in the winter I will do most of my cycling training indoors on the MyCycling indoor trainer. In competition I am the type that can perform well under pressure, although I get quite nervous when a race is coming up, once it is ‘go’ time I put the head down and at same time also try to enjoy the experience and surroundings (if the pain is not too bad yet).

13. Who’s your cycling hero/heroine?

Tom Dumoulin. I feel he is only at the beginning of his already impressive career. Dumoulin is an all-round really strong cyclist, plus he is a smart guy – when you see his interviews he is always sharp and well-spoken.

14. Which is your favourite season for cycling?

Hot summers!

4. What inspires you to ride your bike?

The freedom to be out there in the nature, whether it is mountains or the flat lands in the Netherlands. I am lucky that my husband is a cyclist as well so the majority of our holidays and weekends are planned around riding our bikes. Cycling really gives me a feeling of living in the present, in the now – depending on my mood, it can be a moment of clearing the mind (when I am a little stressed out) but also a time to think about topics that keep me busy.

15. What can you do better than anyone else you know?

In terms of sports or in general? I am a pretty good multi-tasker – maybe that is also the reason why I picked up triathlon, because I can do three things at the same time. Oh, and I make the best no-sugar banana bread in the world.

16. Are you a data junkie or prefer to ride by feel?

My husband is a sport scientist so I have to say data junkie, otherwise I will get in trouble. I normally record all my training on my Suunto watch and he evaluates it in TrainingPeaks, as he also does my training schedules. Also recently I got a new power meter, so more and more data is implemented, no more excuses! But cycling or running on feeling I also do, because it is just nice to sometimes be in the moment and enjoy the training, surroundings and being with like-minded friends. This feeds the soul, which is really important in the busy life I live.

5. What’s your proudest moment in cycling?

My second place in my age group at the 2017 Ironman 70.3 in Luxembourg.

I had an awesome bike split and afterwards I realised that I maybe could still have pushed a little harder.

6. What’s the scariest thing that’s ever happened to you on a bike?

Some years ago my husband and I were in South Africa for cycling and the wind around Cape Town can get quite hectic – one specific day it was super windy and I was taken out by a wind gust, literally got blown off my bike. Still have a nice ‘memory’ on my leg from it…

17. What’s your all-time favourite movie?

Into the Wild. Incredible movie and story – I’ve watched it many times and makes me cry each time.

7. Where’s your favourite place in the world to ride and why?

Tough one, as there are so many nice places to cycle. I love riding mountains, so the Alps are definately one of my favourites, but also Lanzarote and South Africa (Stellenbosch) are incredible cycling locations. That said, nothing can beat the feeling you have when you hit the top of an epic climb like, for example, the Stelvio pass.

18. If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?

I wish sometimes that I could stress less about things, and have a little less self-doubt. In the end though, I am pretty well standing my ‘man’ in this male-dominated industry.

19. What’s your ultimate post-ride meal?

My all-time guilty pleasure, especially after a ride, is a slice of fresh sourdough bread with a thick layer of Nutella. Not the most healthy, so I try not to have it very often, but after a four-hour ride it can’t harm too much, right?

8. What’s the best thing about your job?

Since Troy Lee Designs covers both bike and moto, I get to be involved in the two sports I love and have grown up with. It is great to work and share the passion for the sport with people in our industry. My colleagues at TLD are great, and working with the team back in the US is a privilege.

20. When you’re not on your bike, out running or in the pool, where’s your favourite place to be?

At home, cooking for family or friends and with my dog sitting next to me, begging for a food treat – and then afterwards drink a glass of wine and have some good food together.

9. What’s your all-time favourite bike?

My current Specialized Shiv triathlon bike. I even decided to give her a name – she is called Lizzy.

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STYLE GUIDE

WORDS TOM BALLARD PICS JOBY SESSIONS

STYLE GUIDE

We go on an urban exploration with the latest from the 2018 collections

by Castelli and Troy Lee Designs This season TLD maintains its loud yet undeniably stylish colourways – perfect for making an impression on the trail – while understated jersey prints complemented by bright flashes of neon, or stealthy black, are also on trend.

Castelli’s latest prints offer simple geometric shapes that pull jersey, shorts and socks into a full-kit look: perfect style if you’re not into the pro-team scene. Castelli’s traditional block colours also return, complete with matching trim on shorts for a classic scorpion look on the bike and at the cafe. Whatever your sartorial leanings, everyone goes with a beautiful pair of white Sidi Shots – finishing off the wardrobe of the true cyclist.

ALL PRICES UK RRP INCLUSIVE OF VAT

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STYLE GUIDE

CASTELLI FREE AERO RACE 4.1 JERSEY £95 / FREE AERO RACE KIT BIBSHORT £140 / FREE KIT SOCK £15 / SIDI SHOT £350 TLD MENS A1 CLASSIC MIPS HELMET £120 / SKYLINE CHECKER LS JERSEY £60 / MOTO SHORT £100 / AIR GLOVE £32 / RAID KNEE GUARDS £120 TLD WOMENS A2 DECOY HELMET £150 / RUCKUS JERSEY £55 / RUCKUS SHORT £95 / 5450 LONG KNEE GUARDS £75 / ACE GLOVE £35

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STYLE GUIDE

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STYLE GUIDE

CASTELLI PODIO DOPPIO JERSEY £70 / VOLO BIBSHORT £90 / PRO MESH SLEEVELESS £58 / ROSSO CORSA SOCK £15 / SIDI SHOT £350 TLD MENS D3 COMPOSITE CORONA £300 / SPRINT LS JERSEY £50 / SPRINT PANT £115 TLD WOMENS A1 CLASSIC HELMET £120 / SKYLINE SS JERSEY £50 / SKYLINE SHORT £65 / 5450 LONG KNEE GUARDS £75 / ACE GLOVE £35

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STYLE GUIDE

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STYLE GUIDE

CASTELLI FLUSSO JERSEY £80 / PERFETTO VEST £115 / FREE AERO RACE KIT BIBSHORT £140 / FREE KIT SOCK £15 /SIDI SHOT £350 TLD MENS A2 HELMET £150 / ACE 2.0 SS JERSEY £70 / ACE 2.0 SHORT £90 TLD WOMENS A2 PINSTRIPE HELMET £150 / RUCKUS JERSEY £55 / RUCKUS SHORT £95 / 5450 LONG KNEE GUARDS £75

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STYLE GUIDE

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STYLE GUIDE

CASTELLI VOLATA 2 JERSEY £95 / VOLO BIBSHORT £90 / ROSSO CORSA SOCK £15 /SIDI SHOT £350 TLD MENS A2 DECOY HELMET £150 / RUCKUS JERSEY £55 / RUCKUS SHORT £95 / RAID KNEE GUARDS £120 TLD WOMENS A2 PINSTRIPE HELMET £150 / RUCKUS JERSEY £55 / RUCKUS SHORT £95 / 5450 LONG KNEE GUARDS £75

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TECH ROSS GRIMMETT | TECHNICAL PRODUCT SPECIALIST

INSTALLING AN ENVE SEATPOST WHATEVER YOUR CYCLING DISCIPLINE, AN ENVE SEATPOST IS A SOLID CHOICE. HERE’S HOW TO FIT ONE PROPERLY

1 Unbolt the front pair of wedges from the seatpost head and set them down on your workspace, following the order and locations in which they were removed.

5 Flip the lower cradle around in your hands to reveal the other etching.

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3

Repeat the process for the remaining rear pair of wedges.

Note, on both sets of wedges, the O-rings installed on the bolt threads, to retain the bolts within the wedges – which make reassembly a much easier process.

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The final part to take from the post is the upper cradle. The easiest way to do this is to rotate it anticlockwise until it is nearly vertical, at which point it will then slide out. The upper cradle in your post is designed to accept regular 7mm round rails. In your seatpost’s box is an alternative cradle, which accepts 7x10mm oval carbon rails.

Choose the upper cradle you require for your favourite saddle, and then grab your fibre grip compound.

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4 Turn the lower cradle slightly anticlockwise, and slide it out of the seatpost, noting note the laser etching on it. The etching you choose to be at the front of the post, is the etching that describes the range of adjustment you have elected for. There are two options, 0 to 18 degrees, with the alternative orientation providing you with 9 to 27 degrees.

8 Apply a small amount of fibre grip compound to the surface within the seatpost head, between the 9 o’clock and 3 o’clock positions.

PHOTOS: NICK COX

The seatpost ENVE produces is so strong, yet so light, that both our road and downhill athletes race and rely on it. At first glance, its unique clamping system may appear fiddly to install – but once your saddle is properly fitted, it can resist the heaviest of CX remounts on the way out of the pits.

TECH What you will need 1. Quality grease 2. Fibre grip compound 3. 4mm Allen key 4. Torque wrench 5. Clean rag

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11 Next, take your lower cradle (double check its orientation is correct for your chosen angle), and lightly grease the outermost triangular surfaces, as per the image.

Lubricating these faces enables the paired wedges to slide smoothly and symmetrically against them as the bolts are tightened down.

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Install your chosen upper cradle into the post, (reversing the actions of step 6), then install the saddle by sliding the rear of the it over the top of the seatpost. We do it this way because this is the point where the rails are furthest apart. This is much easier than trying to wrestle the saddle down onto the post.

Tilt the saddle back into the horizontal position, which brings the upper cradle with it, into the horizontal position.

Slide the now greased lower cradle down into the seatpost, in your chosen orientation.

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Now take the front pair of wedges you removed in step 1. Lightly grease the bolt threads and under the head of the bolt, and also lightly grease both of the wedges’ uppermost 45-degree sloped faces.

Do the same with the rear pair of wedges. Install both pairs of wedges, lightly tightening each bolt until they gently snug down, with roughly the same amount of turns on each bolt.

Slowly alternate your torque wrench (set to the required 5.5Nm) between the two bolts to bring each bolt a little closer to its final torque.

With the post installed in your frame, you will see that as the wedges begin to slowly tighten down they will influence the saddle’s angle. Tightening the front pair of wedges will raise the nose of the saddle and vice versa. Work between the two bolts (tightening and loosening each to obtain your chosen saddle angle). Once you are happy with the saddle’s tilt, work again with your torque wrench in order to bring both bolts evenly up to the 5.5Nm recommended torque value.

N.B. If you cannot achieve the tilt on the saddle you require, go back to step 11, reinstall the lower cradle clamp in its alternative position and run through the reassembly steps again.

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FOOD DECLAN DEEHAN | MARKETING MANAGER & EX-CHEF

EASY BISCOTTI BISCUITS

PHOTOS: JOBY SESSIONS

THE COFFEE STOP IS PART OF CYCLING’S DNA – AND BISCOTTI IS A KEY ELEMENT. HERE’S HOW TO MAKE IT

INGREDIENTS

DIRECTIONS

• 500G PLAIN FLOUR, SIEVED

Regardless of what level of rider you are, everyone appreciates a coffee stop – usually incorporating something sweet to re-align the senses. For me it’s normally one break in the middle and another post-ride. Hey, I’ve earned them!

STEP 1

But that needn’t always mean hitting the cafe. Here is my take on a biscotti biscuit for that postride snack break at home. Biscotti means ‘twice baked’, and that’s the secret to getting a crunchy outside with luxurious fruit and nut filled goodness inside. The biscotti is up there with the best as far as dipping biscuits go, so is worth the effort.

STEP 2

• 400G CASTER SUGAR (YOU CAN GO UP TO 500G IF YOU HAVE A REALLY SWEET TOOTH) • 1 TSP BAKING POWDER • 25G GROUND ALMONDS • 5 EGGS • 300G MIXED NUTS • 100G CHOPPED DATES • 100G DRIED APRICOTS • 100G SULTANAS • 1 VANILLA POD • ZEST OF 1 LEMON

Whisk the eggs, sugar and vanilla pod together.

Mix half your nut and fruit mix into the egg mix and set aside.

Mix flour, ground almonds and baking powder together.

Fold your flour mix into your egg mix.

Mix in the remaining nut and fruit mix.

Add zest of one lemon and we are nearly ready for the first bake.

Roll your mix out on a floured surface to roughly 2cm thick.

Split the mix into two greaseproof-lined trays and using wet hands pat it down evenly.

Bake in a preheated oven at 160C for 30 mins, then remove from to cool.

Once cool cut into 1cm thick lengths (traditionally diagonal) and return to the oven at 140C for a further 25 to 30 mins.

Oh, and mine’s a macchiato please.

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FOOD

TRAIN BENJAMIN SHARP | STAGES POWER EDUCATION EXPERT

NOW IS THE TIME WINTER IS OVER. IT’S TIME TO BEGIN TAILORING TRAINING FOR YOUR SPECIFIC EVENTS

IT’S OFFICIALLY SPRING IN THE NORTHERN HEMISPHERE. MY LAST SUBMISSION TALKED AT LENGTH ABOUT THE MERITS OF TRAINING INDOORS, AND THE SUGGESTIONS I GAVE FOR INDOOR TRAINING SHOULD HAVE BEEN HELPFUL FOR JUST ABOUT ANY ENDURANCE CYCLING ATHLETE, NO MATTER THEIR GOALS OR OBJECTIVES.

Now though, as the days get longer, the weather starts to be a bit more predictable, and races and rides don’t seem so far away, it’s time to start tailoring training towards your specific goals. Below I have compiled some of my favourite workouts for various disciplines. As a general rule, it’s good to do these two or three times a week, assuming there might be a group ride opportunity on another day each week as well as an easy recovery ride and a day completely off the bike.

Each week, you might consider either extending the duration of each interval or the number of repetitions in the name of making a progression.

Before any of the following workouts, be sure to get a solid warmup. An example could be, 15-30 minutes of low intensity riding, building up to endurance/tempo with 3x1 minute fast cadence (100-120 rpm) drills. Also, allow time for a reasonable cool-down after the workout. If you don’t have hard training scheduled for the next day, an easy 10-15 minutes in Zone 1 (below 60% of threshold power) is suggested. If you have hard training scheduled for the next day, do a 20 minute Zone 1 cool-down that includes at least five minutes of Zone 3/tempo (80-90% of threshold power) at 70-80 rpm.

TIME TRIAL

The UK is known for producing some phenomenal time trial specialists. As an American, in my mind, I imagine there is a 10-miler every day of the week in every town. While I realise time-trialling may not quite be that prevalent, there’s no denying that TTs are a big part of the cycling culture. Below are a couple of workouts that should help any time-triallist in their quest to set a new PB. Ideally these workouts are performed on the TT bike in the aero skis.

Under/over intervals. 3x5/3. That’s 3x repetitions of 5 mins of tempo (80-90% of threshold power) followed immediately by 3 mins above threshold (101-103% of threshold power). There is no recovery between the three repetitions. Instead, at the conclusion of each of the 3 min efforts, you will go immediately back into the ‘under’ or tempo intensity until the entire under/ over cycle has been completed three times. This workout is great for teaching the body to tolerate lactate and work efficiently just below then just above threshold. If your speciality is time trials that are 10 miles or shorter, you might bump the intensity just a bit, especially for the tempo, aiming more for 85-95%. Twenty-five-mile specialists should stick with the prescribed intensities. For both groups, as you progress from week to week, you may add to the number of repetitions and/or the durations.

TT intervals. 4 x 4 (4). These are a mainstay in VO2 power development, the energy system that is critical to success when time-trialling. They are also a real gut check workout. To execute, these are 4x repetitions of 4 mins ‘on’ with 4 mins of Recovery/Zone 1 between each of the intervals. The ‘on’ is performed

at Zone 5/VO2 or 105-120% of threshold power. Cadence is self-selected but probably 90-110 rpm. My best recommendation is to build into these efforts and start each repetition conservatively. You should be completely drained at the end of each interval.

Maximise your recovery between efforts to assure that you get the most out of each interval. If, on the later intervals you find that you’re not able to average your power in the correct zone, you should consider extending the duration of your recovery interval. Whether you’ve extended the recovery duration or not, if your average power within an ‘on’ interval dips below the prescribed zone, stop the interval. Continuing at a less-than-desired intensity will only mean that you are training at a reduced capacity and not getting the desired training effect, with all of the fatigue. In this case, it’s better to reduce the duration to maintain the intensity. Provided you are getting other quality training in during the week, for most people, doing VO2 intervals two times per week will be adequate.

CRITERIUM + TRAIL RIDING

Before I got my first power meter, I had raced and trained with a heart-rate monitor for many years. What I had grown accustomed to seeing in my heart rate files was very different from what I saw once I saw power data. In most criteriums, my heart rate would reach a high level early in the race then pretty much stay ‘pegged’ for much of the race. This led me to mistakenly train for criteriums by riding at a high, steady pace with a constantly high heart race.

However, power data told a much different story. What I saw with power data was hundreds of micro bursts or sprints throughout a 60-minute race. Even if I was in a breakaway effort, the output changed constantly, even though my heart rate didn’t reflect those changes. To prepare for criteriums and even group rides requires mimicking this same series of burst efforts. For our trail riders out there, either of these workouts will be very beneficial.

Criterium intervals. Warm up + 20 mins of 15/15 + cool down. After the aforementioned warm-up, on flat to slightly rolling terrain, shift into a moderate gear (53x15 or so) to begin the effort. Sprint full gas from the seated position for 15 secs. At the end of the 15 secs, recover by pedalling very easy or coasting. Repeat the 15/15 intervals for 20 mins. As you progress through the weeks, you can extend by 5 mins at a time until you get close to the duration of your criteriums. Be sure to allow 15-20 mins of easy riding at the end of the intervals for your cool-down.

Micro intervals. Warm up + 20 x 30/30 micro intervals + cool down. This is a go-to workout for me and my athletes as we prepare for any sort of mass start riding or racing. Similar to the criterium intervals above, this simulates the ‘on/ off ’ nature of riding/racing in a large group. The ‘on’ portion of the interval is performed at Zone 5/VO2 (105-120% of threshold power) and the ‘off ’ portion of each interval is performed at Zone 3/tempo (76-90% of threshold power).

These intervals are relentless and require some mental focus. I suggest you choose your gearing so that you are doing the Zone 5, ‘on’ portion at about 110 rpm, then stay in the same gear for the tempo portion. This will mean that you are accelerating the gear every minute to go from tempo the VO2 power. Ideally, these are done flat to slightly rolling terrain. The acceleration from tempo to VO2 power is subtle, try hard not to overshoot the power. Most

TRAIN

athletes will find the tempo portion is the more challenging part of the exercise as the temptation is to go all the way down to recovery. Resist, and stay on the power. Progressing for these can take place multiple ways. You could extend the duration of the micro intervals by 5 mins. Or, extend the duration of the ‘on’ to 40 secs or shorten the duration of the tempo to 15 secs. You could also try these intervals at the end of a longer ride or throw in a tempo interval on completion of the micro intervals. The possibilities of pain are endless with this one!

Below is a screenshot from Stages Link, of an example of a power file recorded during a criterium. Heart rate is graphed in red and power is graphed in green. Note how volatile the power values are, with lots of accelerations and decelerations compared with the relatively constant heart rate values.

• How long (ride time) do you estimate the first segment of the fondo to be?

• How long will the first timed segment be?

• What kind of terrain will that segment cover? Hilly? Flat? Downhill?

• How long will it take to ride from the first segment to the second?

• How long will the second segment be?

• And so on and so on, through to the end of the gran fondo…

Fondo fun simulation. Warm up as mentioned above. Then mimic your fondo route. For the ‘segments’, suggested power is going to depend on the estimated duration of each segment. Refer to the table below for recommendations. Try to choose terrain for your practice fondo that aligns itself with the terrain you will encounter on your scheduled gran fondo.

For the periods between the planned segments, you should ride at a casual pace, with the top of your endurance zone (about 75% of threshold power) as your upper limit. Further, practise the skills on the bike you might need, to complete a successful gran fondo. For example, work on being able to put on and remove a light jacket without getting off the bike. Also, practice eating while on the bike. These opportunities provide a great chance to dial in your race/ride day nutrition, and see what works for you.

ESTIMATED SEGMENT DURATION

GRAN FONDO

A common feature of gran fondos (or sportives for you UK-dwellers) is to have timed segments in the middle of the ride. Only these pre-announced portions of the route count for the ride rankings. Frequently these segments are a climb but occasionally they can be a flatter section or even a road that trends downhill. To prepare for these ‘races within a ride’, I suggest the ‘Fondo fun’ workout below. To truly train specifically for an upcoming fondo, I suggest you do some research to be able to answer the following questions:

1 – 5 minutes 8 – 20 minutes 20 minutes – 1 hour >1 hour

% OF THRESHOLD

120 - 110 108 - 105 100 <100

As you get closer to the ‘race season’ it’s important to adjust your training so that it gets closer to replicating the demands of your specific event.

The workouts above will benefit most riders but honing in on the specific demands of your event and tailoring your training to meet those specific demands will go a long way to paving the way to success.

THE NEWS

TRAIN BEN PLENGE | MTB STRENGTH FACTORY

BUILDING A BIG SPRINT BEING ABLE TO SPRINT POWERFULLY DOESN’T JUST MAKE YOU FEEL GREAT – IT CAN HELP YOU WIN RACES, AND ANYONE CAN IMPROVE. HERE WE SHARE SOME TIPS FOR WORKING TOWARDS YOUR POTENTIAL

WHO DOESN’T WANT TO BE ABLE TO SPRINT THEIR BIKE LIKE SIR CHRIS HOY?

Imagine the feeling of smashing the pedals as you put 2000-plus watts through the cranks and surge forwards, ahead of your mates or competitors.

It doesn’t just give you a great feeling; it’s also a potential race-winner. While big-sprint capability has a large genetic component, it is possible to work to get closer to your genetic potential with proper training in the gym and on the bike.

For the purposes of this article we will focus on the max-effort sprint, though once you have improved your max sprint you will probably want

EXERCISES ON THE BIKE

EXAMPLE MAX EFFORT SPRINT SESSION

• Warm up spin: 12 mins in zone 2.

• Sprint for 5 sec at 60%.

• 2 min easy spin.

• Repeat previous two steps at 70, 80 and 90%.

• Then 5x5 second max sprints from a standing start with 5 mins recovery in between.

• Spin down for 10-15 min.

to work on your sprint endurance and sprint repeat capabilities as well. Sprint training takes a different approach to other types of training, and a lot of people struggle to get their heads around the long rest periods and perceived lack of exertion compared with VO2 max work, for instance.

You will need to train with maximal force on and off the bike and then take long recovery periods of five or more minutes to recover fully before going again. Sprint training requires maximum aggression and full commitment and you will need to be relatively fresh to make the most gains, otherwise you will simply tire yourself out – and not get any quicker.

THE NEWS

TRAIN

OFF THE BIKE

DEADLIFT WITH TRAP BAR OR OLYMPIC BAR

• It is best to get professional coaching for deadlifting, but focus on generating whole body tension and keeping your core braced throughout.

• For 6-8 weeks, work on developing your maximal strength with 3x3 reps at around 80-90% of your maximum, with 4 mins recovery in between each set.

• Then use 40-50% of your maximum weight for 3 sets of 5 explosive reps for the next 6-8 weeks. 4 minutes recovery.

BOX JUMP

HEIGHT DOESN’T MATTER, JUST JUMP AS HIGH AS YOU CAN!

• Push the hips back to load the hamstring and glutes with tension before springing up and fully extending your whole body.

• Land on the box and stand up straight away, then step down.

• Always complete sub-maximal warm-up sets first.

• Then complete 3x 6 max effort box jumps, with 4 mins recovery in between sets.

T H E E N V E W AY

THE ENVE WAY

DEDICATED TO HANDCRAFTING NOTHING BUT THE FINEST CARBON FIBRE WHEELS AND COMPONENTS, ENVE IS A BREED APART. WE EXPLORE WHAT MAKES THIS U.S. BRAND SO SPECIAL WORDS JAMIE WILKINS PICTURES IAN MATTESON / ENVE

AT ENVE, THE ‘WHY’ MATTERS. IT’S THE STORY BEHIND HOW ITS PRODUCTS COME INTO BEING, WHO THEY’RE FOR, AND HOW THEY ARE WHAT THEY ARE.

That story is a little different to most because ENVE is unlike any other brand in cycling.

There is no lower tier or entry-level product, no bandwagon jumping, no decision taken that isn’t driven by authenticity and a commitment to engineering excellence.

SES 4.5 AR wheelset, the flared SES Aero Road Handlebar, and the Protective Rim Strip fitted to the new M7 and M9 gravity mountain bike wheels are all examples of a highly talented and creative team of design engineers given licence to operate without constraint.

The most powerful reason for this drive is simple.

Everyone at ENVE loves cycling – the design team, the senior management, the technicians, the bean counters – so the ride experience is sacred and improving it is the only goal. It means the team can empathise with customers, anticipate what they need, and be pioneers in the industry. In short, if it says ENVE on it, then it’s the best it can be. Here’s how that happens.

The 4.5 AR was conceived when ENVE engineers joined Team Dimension Data on a training camp ahead of the cobbled Classics races in 2015. The team wanted to run 30mm tubulars for the rough pavé but the engineers knew that such wide tyres would seriously compromise aerodynamics on rims designed to integrate with 25s. With the advent of disc brakes removing the width limitation of a rim caliper, the solution was to make a 30mm-wide rim to match the tyre. Wind tunnel testing showed

FREE THINKING & PROBLEM SOLVING

A glance back at ENVE output over the last five years reveals a pattern of radical products that seemingly came out of the blue. The super-wide

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“ENVE PRODUCTS ARE ALL LIGHT BUT THEY’RE NOT MADE FOR, OR

BY WEIGHT WEENIES. STRENGTH AND RELIABILITY ARE GIVENS. ENVE IS A MANUFACTURER OF, ABOVE ALL, CONFIDENCE” it to be much faster than expected, almost on par with the regular 4.5 fitted with 25s, yet with vastly improved comfort and rolling resistance. Problem solved. The benefits were then extended to all riders with a tubeless version, adding practicality and puncture resistance to speed and comfort to make a trailblazing, mile-munching, all-road wheelset.

CONFIDENCE INCLUDED

ENVE design isn’t single-minded; it doesn’t chase headlines. It focuses on the real world.

Compromised products can’t elevate the ride experience, only diminish it. A super-fast wheel is no good if it’s unrideable when the wind blows; a super-light anything is useless if it can only be used on smooth roads by 55kg riders. ENVE products are all light within their respective categories, but they’re not made for (or by) weight weenies.

Strength and reliability are givens. ENVE is a manufacturer of, above all, confidence.

The Protective Rim Strip is an even bigger leap – a true game-changer, to borrow that muchabused expression. Pinch-flats suck and so do heavy, ride-numbing tyre inserts that do little to prevent them. The Protective Rim Strip fits over the whole of the rim and works in several ways to prevent pinch-flats: it absorbs impact energy, it has a wide bead that won’t cut the sidewall of a tyre, and it completely seals the air chamber so even if you damage a rim (which is extremely hard to do) it won’t lose air. It’s a simple solution in itself; the difficult part, and the reason only a wheel manufacturer could do this, is that the strip extends the bead seat diameter, so the rims have to be slightly smaller in order to fit standard size tyres.

You can now shred downhill on your preferred tyres and pressures with total confidence, knowing pinch-flats are virtually banished. Problem solved.

Hammering rock gardens without a care on M Series wheels is one example of ENVE confidence in action. Perhaps the most telling manifestation, though, is the second-generation SES rim shape, which helps you go faster by giving you total confidence in the stability of your wheels in all wind conditions. If your front wheel twitches in the wind to the point of unnerving you, first your power drops instantly and then your position is compromised as you sit up in search of more control. On SES wheels, all you feel is some side pressure but your line doesn’t change, your bar doesn’t move and you never flinch. The first time you experience it, it’s a revelation. You can run your deepest, fastest wheels for every race, even when it’s windy, without any concern that a gust will grab at your front wheel. A more relaxed racer saves energy, holds a better position (whether road, TT or triathlon), and goes faster. It’s a virtuous circle.

There’s a bravery, a boldness, to ENVE design, too. Back in 2010, the accepted wisdom was that downhill mountain bike racing was simply too brutal for carbon fibre wheels, stems and handlebars. ENVE thought otherwise and set about proving it by joining forces with the legendary Santa Cruz Syndicate to develop prototypes. Wasting no time, the team won straight out of the gate at the opening round of the year, the first World Cup DH win for carbon rims. Over the following seasons, ENVEs were also the first carbon 27.5in and 29in rims to win World Cups, and the first to win World Championships. What’s more, the wheels were far more durable from the outset – in 2009 the team had replaced 180 alloy rims; it was just 53 carbon rims in ENVE’s first year and 11 the year after. Carbon fibre rims now dominate in downhill racing as they do in cross-country, and ENVE’s DH story continues to be written with Intense Factory Racing.

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By contrast, the current trend for one-piece cockpits represents narrow thinking. Yes, there’s an easy few watts of drag to be saved (by the best designed of them, at least), but that’s outweighed by the sacrifices in adjustability and personal choice.

You can’t opt for a different stem length or angle, you can’t rotate the bar to your preferred position, and usually the stem length and bar width can’t be chosen separately, so a 13cm stem comes fixed to a huge 44cm bar. Take a look at some of the pros whose bikes come with one-piece cockpits from a showroom, and see how many have switched to a separate bar and stem for racing. And even if that one-piece cockpit is absolutely the perfect shape for you, the 5W that it might save is much less than what most riders gain from a superior position on an SES Aero Road Handlebar. The soon-to-be-launched SES Aero Stem – which has already been seen on the bikes of Team Dimension Data – also looks at the big picture for bike and rider aero. It features two steerer clamp shims; one sets the angle to -6 degrees or -17 degrees, the other allows a length adjustment of +/-2.5mm with a fixed -12-degree angle, so you can get your position dialled and enjoy a better, faster ride experience.

Of course, it has a drag-saving shape, too.

The same development work also made the secondgeneration SES line much faster, by focusing on speed where it matters most: on the road.

Aerodynamicist Simon Smart explains: “It was a turning point for us to appreciate how dynamic the wind is and the risk of developing a product for a condition that never exists, such as a steady 15-degree crosswind. Wheels which maintain attached airflow to high angles are irrelevant in the real world as you never experience that condition.”

On a windy day, gusts often push the effective wind angle far past 15 degrees, beyond the point at which any aero wheel can maintain ‘attached’ (smooth and efficient) airflow, but only momentarily. Smart understood that airflow doesn’t reattach at the same wind angle at which it detaches, and often not until the wind has died right down, potentially creating a gulf between aero performance in the wind tunnel and what you actually get on the road. The goal, then, became to design a rim shape that actively encourages early reattachment of airflow after a strong gust and is therefore faster more of the time. It was a whole new approach to aero wheel development and it produced spectacular results for athletes and customers. What’s more, the wheels crushed media group tests.

HANDMADE IN THE USA

Patriotism, community and societal contribution are among the good reasons why ENVE chooses to manufacture in the USA, but they aren’t the main ones. ENVE wheels are handmade in Ogden, Utah, simply because it’s a better way. The new HQ building opened in October 2016 and houses everything in one place: manufacturing, design, testing, marketing, and management. Everyone can talk to each other, production changes can be implemented instantly, and the engineering team is just a few steps away from the R&D and testing labs. The highly skilled technicians who lay the pieces of pre-preg carbon fibre material are trained in-house over a period of four to six months. It’s connected and it’s effective. Once you’ve seen it, the idea of having your sophisticated product made 7,000 miles away seems absurd.

Because the rider accounts for more than 80% of the total drag, positioning is a key consideration of several other products, too. The first thing you notice about the ENVE SES Aero Road Handlebar might be the sleek, efficient profile of the top section, but an even bigger drag saving comes from the position it allows you to achieve with your hands on the horns, which are 5cm narrower than the flared drops to reduce your frontal area. That’s a holistic approach at work.

“ONCE YOU’VE SEEN ENVE HQ, THE IDEA OF MAKING YOUR PRODUCT 7,000 MILES AWAY SEEMS ABSURD”

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“WHAT MATTERS IS GETTING THE PRODUCT THE BEST IT CAN BE. THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS ‘GOOD ENOUGH” Another huge asset, and component of ENVE’s commitment to excellence, is the pair of giant CNC machines that are constantly busy cutting new moulds. ENVE has more than 500 moulds in play at any one time across all its products and the use of each one is tracked. Rim moulds are replaced after 500 uses, and the replacement is automatically ordered after 400 cycles. It’s expensive to do – moulds are machined from huge blocks of billet aluminium – but it ensures that the moulds produce perfect products and never get anywhere close to deteriorating.

This resource also allows the engineering team to be a little indulgent. “If we think of something, instead of just wondering what it would be like, we can make it and try it out,” says Scott Nielson, ENVE’s vice president of R&D. The R&D centre is complemented by the test lab torture chamber, which can replicate a lifetime of hard riding and the worst abuses any product might receive. The weighted drop test machine – nicknamed Ron Burgundy – simulates big impacts on the road or trail and had a particularly important role in developing and proving the pinch-flat preventing technologies of the new M Series wheels.

While the surgical cleanliness and precision of the layup area looks impressive, you would be forgiven for failing to notice what is arguably the most significant facility. The R&D room is hidden away, no doubt deliberately. It’s like a small factory, with a CNC machine, an autoclave for curing carbon fibre, and a well-equipped workshop. It means that ENVE can produce prototypes much faster and more efficiently during the development of a new product, and make as many as it takes. What matters is getting the product the best it can be.

There is no such thing as ‘good enough’.

Once prototypes have passed the lab tests, they’re handed to an internal ride testing team that includes current and former elite-level racers in all disciplines, as well as some staffers who simply love to shred. Between them, they log thousands of miles in all weathers, on the roads and trails they know best, and with variables such as tyre pressures carefully controlled.

RACING IMPROVES THE BREED

Interestingly, so uncompromising is this quest for performance perfection, that aesthetic imperfections are regarded as character – the markings of a truly handmade carbon fibre product. Paint, filler and cosmetic fibre layers are used by some brands to make their rims prettier… and heavier. ENVE rims are straight from the mould: raw beauty, raw performance.

ENVE’s athletes also contribute a great deal to product development. In fact, that’s the primary reason for partnering with top teams such as Intense Factory Racing and Team Dimension Data.

If you’re sceptical, you only have to look to the two seasons ENVE raced the World Cup downhill circuit with Santa Cruz Syndicate on prototype rims before the brand’s first MTB wheels launched in 2012. The exposure and marketing benefits are great, but the purpose is to improve the product.

“Simply changing the angle of one piece of laminate in a rim can completely alter the ride feel,” says chief design engineer Kevin Nelson, “so we iterate until we know we’ve got it right.” Such a commitment to R&D is just a fantasy to many other brands – yet it’s at the core of what ENVE is about.

The ideas flow both ways, too. The 4.5 AR would never have happened had it not been for Team Dimension Data’s influence, and likewise the forthcoming SES Aero Stem, which enables pro riders to get low on bikes with relatively tall head tubes. ENVE delivers for its athletes but always makes sure the solution benefits customers as well. Consequently, the 4.5 AR became a tubelessspecific, multi-surface hero (and is now one of ENVE’s best selling wheelsets) and the Aero Stem can be set to multiple angles in order to help every rider hone their position.

WHAT’S NEXT?

While it might be natural to end a feature by looking to the future, at ENVE “‘What’s next’ is a constant conversation,” according to CEO Sarah Lehman. “We’re not ever satisfied. We’re always looking forward.” It’s a mindset that has propelled ENVE to become, and to remain, one of the most respected and desired brands in cycling.

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EXPLORO ADVENTURE

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INTO THE WILD Three Saddleback musketeers leave Bristol behind for a weekend astride their 3T Exploros, roaming bridleways and sleeping under the stars WORDS DANIEL OAKSHOTT PHOTOS JOBY SESSIONS

Since the beginning of the partnership between Saddleback and 3T, taking a trip into the woods and wilds that surround Bristol has been something many of us in the office have discussed.

With spring dawning after a bitter few weeks, it seemed like the perfect moment to transform these passing office conversations into a reality.

The starting location for the day’s adventure is a stretch of woodland on the edge of Backwell, eight miles from Bristol city centre, where we immediately begin descending along a bridleway towards an opening that gifts us our first incredible views of the day.

The tight tunnel of trees that we’ve been following opens up to show us the village of Backwell sprawled out in front of us, with fine views beyond across the waters of the Bristol Channel, sparkling in the low sun with the huge rolling hills of Wales right on the horizon. We soak it up for a few minutes before dipping back into the woodland and continuing on our journey.

The Exploro experience is all about riding off-road as well as on it – but as fast as possible – so with our route determined, Ash, Ross and I strap some Apidura bags onto our bikes, load the van and head off in search of whatever adventure we can find.

8:30AM As the door of the van glides open and the chill of the morning air slides in to greet us, an expression that says, ‘What on earth are we doing?’ crosses all of our faces. But as soon as we pull out the Exploros from the back of the van and swing our legs over them, it’s safe to say that the apprehension quickly fades to excitement.

10:55AM The gentle bridleways soon give way to our first challenging terrain of the day – in the form of a some wet, rocky descents. Despite our drop bars and slick tyres, and the full loads we’re carrying aboard our Exploros, there isn’t a single moment during which the bikes feel as if they are struggling.

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‘What goes down must come up’ may not be the common turn of phrase, but it’s all too often true of riding bikes. After enjoying the fun of the descents, we come to the same rocky, muddy terrain, but this time heading back up and out of the valley.

1:30PM With the scent of the wild garlic still in our nostrils, we roll stealthily up alongside an old cottage nestled in the woods, find a sturdy branch of a nearby fallen tree to rest upon, and reach for the coffee.

The Exploro’s 1x is a tried and tested setup offroad, and doesn’t let us down. Despite a bit of rattling around, the bikes eat up the bridleway and before long we’re back on the smooth stuff.

With the rumble of the Jetboil heating water in the background, we sit for a few moments in silence taking in the view – not only the beautiful woodland surroundings, but the three Exploros lined up in front of us. It’s hard to think of another bike designed for riding mixed terrain that looks as good. It’s not all looks either – the wind-tunnel testing behind the design of the bike has ensured its speed in a real-world scenario, something the morning’s riding has more than proved to us.

1:10PM We shoot out of the stretch of woodland and get onto our first section of blacktop, which predictably means that our riding pace picks up comfortably. Arguably the most incredible thing about the Exploro is that it’s so easy to convince yourself you’re riding a true aero-road bike when belting along on the tarmac, yet the transition from the smooth to the rough is seamless.

1:35PM As the water reaches its boiling point, we snap out of our collective Exploro-induced trance and turn our thoughts firmly back onto the coffee and food that will fuel the rest of the day’s ride.

Soup, salads and sandwiches are wolfed down, followed by the finest beverage around – coffee brewed outdoors and served in an enamel mug.

As our bodies warm up and we start shedding outer layers, talk inevitably turns towards lunch.

The morning’s riding may be to blame for the hunger we’re all feeling, but it increases tenfold as we dip down towards a second stretch of woodland and follow a section of winding singletrack – which cuts through a sea of wild garlic.

We pack everything into the Apidura bags adorning our bikes, complete a final check to ensure we leave

“ Arguably the most incredible thing about the Exploro is that it’s so easy to convince yourself you’re riding a true aero-road bike when belting along on the tarmac, yet the transition from the smooth to the rough stuff is seamless ”

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no trace of our being in the clearing, then it’s back on the bikes. We’d spotted the ruin of an old lime kiln on a map of the local area, which we’d decided to aim for – for no particular reason than that it sounded like a cool place to stop for another breather.

location for the night. On a previous ride, Ross discovered a great section of technical, flowy singletrack that follows another quarry – which we decide we absolutely have to hit before calling it a night – so we agree to head in that direction while keeping an eye out for somewhere to stop over.

2:50PM After a short hike-a-bike up a set of stairs to the summit of a hill, we find ourselves speeding along a narrow, gentle-but-rooty climb with an expanse of woodland over our left shoulders. To our right a rickety old chain-link fence is all that separates us from a sheer drop of at least 50ft (15m) into a huge disused quarry. As we roll onwards through the beautiful countryside, it’s rewarding to observe nature already taking back the quarry, with the greens of life encroaching on its greys and browns.

5:40PM With the evening really starting to draw in, we reach the start of our must-ride singletrack – and it certainly doesn’t disappoint. While some sections are a test to say the least, especially for a rider of my skill level, all three of us are amazed at how capably the fully-loaded Exploros take all we throw at them in their stride. Indeed, Ash and Ross manage to conquer some trail sections I’d probably struggle with on a mountain bike.

4:35PM As the hours and miles pass, the day begins to grow cooler, but as we roll into the vicinity of the old lime kiln we’ve barely noticed the drop in temperature – though it soon becomes apparent once we dismount.

Riding such a fun, capable and fast bike through tricky terrain is more than enough distraction.

6:00PM We head along a bridleway that opens up from a narrow tree-tunnel into an expanse of fields with incredible views across Bristol. Seeing the hustle and bustle from a distance, safe in the knowledge we’ll be camping out in nature, sets us all at peace.

As a murder of crows in the field up ahead takes to the skies, momentarily turning our view into a mass of black wings and a cacophony of caws, we turn

We decide to sit down in the ruined lime kiln, fuel up on snacks and a drink, and plan our camping

“ With the evening drawing in, we reach the start of our must-ride singletrack. While some sections are a test to say the least, especially for a rider of my skill level, all three of us are amazed at how capably the fully-loaded Exploros take all we throw at them in their stride ”

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tails and head back towards a fork in the bridleway leading to the area we’re hoping to pass the night in.

of the evening is unwavering – from how good the Exploro looks, to how impressed we are with how easily it’s eaten up the wet, rooty climbs – basically, anything Exploro!

6:45PM With the last of the day’s light ebbing away, we find the spot we’ve been searching for. It’s the ruin of an old outbuilding – only two sides are still standing, but it makes a perfect shelter from the gathering wind. We throw our bikes against the wall, prepare the ground and get to work building a fire.

We’ve barely even hit the halfway point of our adventure, but we’re already discussing places we’ve spotted on OS maps and Google Earth that looked like ideal locations for the next one, and wondering how soon we can get back out riding.

A short while later, we’re sitting in silence, replaying the day’s adventure in our heads and staring into the dancing flames. While it goes unspoken, it’s safe to say we’re all feeling the unique contentment that comes from a day of riding bikes in a beautiful location with great company, with a night under the stars to look forward to.

As you may have gathered, the Exploro makes it hard to imagine riding another bike – or indeed doing anything other than hopping between woodlands and forests and sleeping out under open skies or beneath the canopies of trees.

8:30PM We add one last log to the fire, providing us with a final burst of warmth as we climb into our bivvy bags to drift off, the sounds of the woodland night enveloping our senses.

7:05PM After some dinner whipped up on the stove (which, predictably, barely touches the sides), the flask comes out and the clatter of enamel mugs ring out to toast the day’s adventure. A shudder of satisfied pleasure goes around the group as the drink warms us from the inside while the heat of the fire does the rest.

The theme of the conversation for the remainder

The day’s riding has not only guaranteed that my body is ready to sleep; its pleasures have ensured that my mind is full of excitement about the prospect of doing it all again tomorrow…

“ We’ve barely even hit the halfway point of our adventure, but we’re already discussing places we’ve spotted on OS maps and Google Earth that look like ideal locations for the next one – and wondering how soon we can get back out riding ”

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DUA

LITY MOUNTAIN BIKING IS IN A STATE OF FLUX. RACERS STILL CLAMOUR FOR THE SUPPORT AND DEALS THAT WILL HELP THEM TAKE THEIR RIDING TO A NEW LEVEL, WHILE A NEW GENERATION OF SOCIAL MEDIA-SAVVY RIDERS LOOK ELSEWHERE FOR GAINS. WE SAT DOWN WITH A YOUNG RIDER ON THE UP AND A VETERAN ON HER WAY BACK TO THE SPORT SHE LOVES TO FIND OUT MORE

WORDS RIC MCLAUGHLIN PICTURES CALLUM PHILPOTT

DUALITY

THE WIND WHIPS THE RAIN OFF THE PUB’S WINDOWS. THEIR SMALL, SQUARE SECTIONS OF GLASS STREAM WITH WATER TO A POINT THAT IT SEEMS UNLIKELY THEY HAVE EVER BEEN DRY. ON TV, THE FOOTBALL RESULTS SCROLL AND IN THE CORNER, A FRUIT MACHINE BLINKS ITS AMBER AND RED ENTICEMENT.

Such shopped-in distractions have been part of our supposedly social drinking establishments for decades. These days, the addition of Wi-Fi means patrons can in practice avoid contact with any other shelterer from the storm, once they’ve passed the point of ordering a drink. Social media, it seems, was made for moments like this. In a warm corner, away from the damp bombardment of the outside world, we can lose ourselves to the screen.

On Instagram, Veronique Sandler, a Kiwi living in Bristol, has a following of over 45,000. She has built a reputation as a bike riders’ bike rider. Where some ‘lifestyle’ athletes flaunt bikini shots or emotive ‘call to arms’ messages, she gets on with going fast and working hard at things that will enable her to go faster.

If we’re talking about going fast though, few can match Katy Curd. The Forest of Dean native was one of her generation’s most promising downhill riders until two brutal head injuries sustained in quick succession hampered her progress.

RIGHT: Katy carving her way through the snowlittered Forest of Dean

“An MRI scan showed I had clear damage to my brain,” Katy says, explaining her way through one of the impacts she sustained during 2016. Its impact would move quickly beyond the realm of concussion, into something darker.

SPEAKING, BREATHING AND WALKING ALL BECAME A TASK. AS A RESULT OF THE FLUID BUILD-UP I WAS ALSO EXPERIENCING HEADACHES, PAIN, PRESSURE LIKE I’VE NEVER FELT BEFORE – IT WAS SO INTENSE. IT JUST SHUT ME DOWN SOME DAYS AND ALL I COULD DO WAS LIE IN A DARK ROOM KATY

“I had squashed the left ventricle inside my brain, which contains cerebrospinal fluid that is pumped throughout your spine and brain,” she goes on. “As one ventricle was not completely functioning, I ended up with fluid build-up on the back of my brain – causing many issues with functioning in normal day-to-day life. Speaking, breathing and walking all became a task. I was also experiencing headaches, pain, pressure like I’ve never felt before – it was so intense. It just shut me down some days, and all I could do was lie in a dark room.”

It’s a brutal description of an injury that went beyond the physical realm. “I’ve never had to deal with an injury like it before,” Katy says. “Normally, you break a bone, you’re told six weeks or whatever, you get your physio done and you can see and feel improvements and you are back on the bike again,” she continues. “Also, people can see you have an injury – you’re in a sling, or you have a cast on, so it’s obvious – but with a head/brain injury you look completely normal. People can’t see what’s going on, so it almost made me feel embarrassed.”

Cruel endeavours Racing can be a cruel endeavour, and not just in the obvious ways that Katy’s story illustrates. Veronique is no stranger to the start-hut beeps either – some of her first tastes of big-mountain riding came as a member of the travelling circus of ragtag refugees that is the UCI World Cup series. Many, like her, are from the Southern Hemisphere and have followed the path first trodden by iconic racers such as Scott Sharples and Michael Ronning. You work, you save and then you get to Europe and you race your heart out. Survival is a heady mix of cheap vans, butchered bike parts and partying.

“I had some amazing times racing the World Cups, riding with inspirational ladies every weekend, and I loved travelling around Europe riding at all the awesome spots,” Veronique recalls. “However, I always felt awesome during practice sessions and then could never quite get into the flow of things come the race run – and I felt that I never got to show my true potential results wise,” she says.

A direction change seemed necessary so Veronique took the decision to step back from the Big Show – with positive results. “I think deciding to spend 2017 shooting more videos, having fun on the bike and doing races with no pressure was the best thing I could have done for my riding,” she says.

“I felt I gained more bike skills last year than I did in four years of World Cup racing. And I somehow ended up with better race results! I miss certain aspects, such as seeing the girls who ride regularly and riding tracks in unique locations, but I’m travelling just as much, and having more fun sessioning trails and learning tricks, so I’m stoked with my decision.”

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Katy shows buckets of style laced with the flat-out race speed sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s always been known for

Veronique – always one of the most fearless women on the circuit – taking flight

As one rider has moved away from racing, the other has been striving to get back to it. Katy has recently put pen to paper to race for Specialized on board her own programme. After two years out, it’s a huge step back into the deep end.

“The 2017 season was actually a little easier simply because things got worse in terms of pain and symptoms, which made me realise that I needed to focus on my health before I even considered getting back on a bike again,” she admits.

“I still missed it every single day. The goal all the way through the injury was to get back racing again, which gave me the motivation for the hours of rehab and work. I am back racing this year and I cannot wait!” Her face lights up.

“It’s a fresh new start for me with new bikes, new kit and after two years away from the scene I couldn’t be more excited!

I am grateful to be working with some of the best brands out there this year with Specialized bikes, Troy Lee Designs kit and full Hope and Renthal components – I couldn’t ask for a better setup.”

Outside of riding, Katy and her partner Jake (the founder of Sprung Suspension), have also become the custodians of Redhill Extreme, one of the South West of England’s most famous riding spots.

“Redhill is a dream!” beams Katy. “When Jake and I heard it was up for sale, we jumped at the chance because it’s an amazing place to ride, on our doorstep. We now have the opportunity to create what we like in our own field – it’s great to see everyone enjoying the place and it brings back the fun of riding. Jake and I have always been self-employed so running Redhill has almost been plain sailing – the only thing we need more of is time.”

Blurred lines For Veronique, 2018 is lining up to be more of the same with the focus being on riding and growing as a rider. “I’m still getting used to the ‘full-time rider’ lifestyle,” she admits almost apologetically.

“I just ride as much as I possibly can. It’s been all over the place lately – when I’m up north in Sheffield we usually ride in Wharncliffe Woods, which I will never get bored of. I’ve been doing the odd indoor skatepark session lately too, due to having a sweet new jump bike, and a few of us went on a rad trip to La Poma in Barcelona not long ago, which was so scary but so much fun too. When I’m back in Bristol my brother and I will spend the whole weekend around South Wales riding at different spots, and then I’ll do a few sessions there during the week too.”

EVEN IF YOU’RE A FEMALE WORLD CUP RACER, YOU PROBABLY WON’T BE ABLE TO MAKE A LIVING FROM IT UNTIL YOU’RE AROUND THE TOP FIVE MARK. I’D SAY HAVING A SOLID SOCIAL MEDIA PRESENCE AS A FEMALE IS QUITE IMPORTANT, BUT I KNOW IT’S NOT EVERYONE’S VIBE, WHICH IS FINE TOO! VERONIQUE

Social media and the growth of online has facilitated this lifestyle for riders like Veronique.

The spectrum of light that bounces from smartphone screens can paint vivid pictures, and allows brands to get behind riders who operate outside of the timed racing disciplines.

“Social media has probably played the biggest part in me being able to ride full time,” says Veronique evenly. “Even if you’re a female World Cup racer, you probably still won’t be able to make a living from it until you’re around the top five mark. I’d say having a solid social media presence as a female is quite important, but I know it’s not everyone’s vibe, which is fine too.”

She adds that in her opinion, male riders have less need to rely on social media if they want to make it as full-time riders. “A lot of the male World Cup racers have relatively small followings and are still making a really good salary from racing,” she points out. “Having a good social media presence is only going to help someone out though, you can’t go wrong with it – it’s all about being creative with it and not selling out.”

But what constitutes ‘selling out’? Amid the blurred lines of sponsorship and social media, Veronique feels there are obvious cut-off points.

“I understand that everyone has their own right to post whatever they want on social media,” she reasons. “But everyone is also entitled to their own opinion, and selling out to me is girls who pose with bikes on Instagram, take suggestive pictures with bikes, and rarely show that they actually ride. There are tons of pages like this with huge followings. These pictures get more attention than great riding photos, but are everything that’s making the industry have less respect and inclusion for women as riders. To gain the respect we deserve in the sport, we need to show that we love getting out there and shredding just as much as the guys.”

LEFT: Speed and finesse are evident at all times when Veronique is riding

The next 12 months will be big for both of these riders. Katy will be shackled to the black and white world of results, and the pressures that that will bring. Veronique, too, will continue to push her personal ceiling as a bike rider. The results won’t always be as quantifiable but will still be there for all to see. Away from the screen, meanwhile, through the pub window, the rain has stopped – and 2018 remains very much outside and up for the taking.

BACK ON THE HORSE

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BACK ON THE HORSE JOE BREEDEN

WORDS RIC MCLAUGHLIN PHOTOS KAT GEORGUDIS

IN INTERNATIONAL DOWNHILL RACING, BEING ONE OF THE BIGGEST TALENTS OF YOUR GENERATION ISN’T ENOUGH. YOU HAVE TO BE READY TO TAKE YOUR LUMPS AND COME BACK FROM THEM EVEN FASTER – A LESSON THAT INTENSE RACING UK’S JOE BREEDEN IS LEARNING THE HARD WAY When you operate at the very highest level of bike handling, as Joe Breeden does, your brain works differently to most other riders. The effortlessly fast style possessed by those paid to race their bikes can be broken down into the minute movements and processes that go into riding the way that they do.

he recalls. “When we had pretty much finished I said I’d try one more trick on the way back down to the centre. And that’s when it all went wrong…”

BREAKING THE CODE

The crash that took Joe out is, like most things these days, available to view on social media – and makes for shocking viewing. At great speed you can see it all get away from him and almost feel that horrible fraction of a second when he realises he’s headed for disaster; that infinitesimal timeframe that changes you from a fit and healthy human being to not much more than a bag of meat, infused with pain.

What appears to the casual observer as an unbroken stream of liquid-like flow and peerless technique is arguably more similar to a line of computer code: every flicker of an electrical charge into a muscle equates to a reaction or a change of trajectory.

When an anomaly occurs in the code, the consequences can be colossal – yet the rider themselves will usually be able to pinpoint exactly where it broke down. Though he probably didn’t need that long, Joe has had a whole winter to work out what went awry on a seemingly anonymous day in the Forest of Dean at the back end of the 2017 race season.

“I was jumping out of a corner, landing on the back wheel into a manual,” he recalls – all pretty matter of fact stuff. “I was holding it for 50m or so to the take-off of the next jump, dropping the front wheel on the top of the take-off and launching this jump 20ft or so, then trying to land on the back wheel into a manual again.”

“We were all just messing about, having a good time on this little section near the bottom and doing some pretty sick stuff,”

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I’VE BROKEN A FAIR FEW BONES IN MY TIME BUT NOTHING HAS COME CLOSE TO THIS – IT’S SHOWN ME A WHOLE OTHER LEVEL OF INJURY, AND THE EXPERIENCE IS VERY DIFFERENT TO A BROKEN COLLARBONE All was going well and then, after dropping the front wheel on top of the take-off of the next – big – jump, Joe leaned back far too much. “At this point, I was heading towards the bike being vertical in midair so I grabbed the rear brake to try and bring the front end back down, but I wasn’t quite central on it,” he says. “This knocked me off balance and sent all my body weight to one side – my natural instinct was to put my left leg out to take the impact of the landing,” he goes on, before pausing for a deep intake of breath.

the crunching coming from my knee was horrific. I remember shouting to the boys, ‘I’ve broken my ankle’.”

Joe’s companions ran straight down and carried him off the hill before the adrenaline wore off and the real pain started to kick in. “They then called an ambulance and from there on I don’t remember a great deal.”

TESTING METTLE

It’s worth reminding ourselves at this point that Joe is not yet 20 years old. There’s an old adage in downhill racing that fast juniors are only ever worth talking about once they’ve come back from that first big injury. In a sport where the speeds are high and the consequences of making a mistake can be even higher, there’s more than a kernel of truth to this. This is the first true test of the youngster from North Wales’ mettle.

Joe landed quite nicely, he says, but the force of the impact shattered his heel into “an uncountable amount of pieces” with the energy also transferring up his leg and splitting his kneecap in two. It’s bloodcurdling stuff – and you can tell it’s taken Joe a couple of run-throughs of the telling to get to this level of simply recounting fact.

“If I hadn’t put my leg out to take the impact I could have landed badly on my back, shoulder or head – God knows what else – so either way it would have been bad,” he reasons.

“I’ve broken a fair few bones in my time but nothing has come close to this,” he admits, flatly. “This has showed me a whole other level of injury and the experience is very different to that of just a broken collarbone or two.”

After the impact, it didn’t take Joe long to realise all was not right.

“I immediately stood up and tried to run, I have no idea why, but I wanted to see that I was alright,” he says. “But straight away, I knew I had done something serious – I’ve never felt a feeling so weird, it felt like I was running on the side of my foot and

Joe is now three months into post-injury recovery and, thankfully, is happy with how he’s healing. The biggest concern the doctors had was how his foot would repair itself, such was the damage caused by the impact. There were a lot of pieces, all of which

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rough and tumble of the nineties. Even riders as young as Joe now consider the bigger implications of everything that surrounds their bubble. Going fast at the track should actually be the easy bit once the physical and mental preparation is taken care of and, despite his relatively tender years, Joe speaks like a seasoned pro in that respect.

needed to knit back together into one cohesive foot. Injuries such as this can affect the rest of an individual’s life, not just how fast they can ride their bike.

“There are still some concerns, but from the X-rays it looks like they are at a minimum and I haven’t had any nasty surprises so far,” he smiles. “Fourteen screws and plates later, I can’t thank my surgeons enough – because without the amazing job they did I would still be in a hell of a mess – it’s pretty mindblowing what they can do.”

“Patience and discipline is key,” he beams when asked if getting back to riding tries his patience. “It’s difficult, but I just have to stay focused on the present and on doing all my daily rehab work the best that I can. It’s boring putting hours of work into all these little, but crucial rehab exercises – I’d much prefer to be giving it some in the gym or out shredding laps with the boys on the DH bike – but it’s part of the process and has to be done.”

Joe remains cautious, and with good reason, but the relief to be out from under the opening stages of recovery, and to be able to at least consider off-road riding again in the not too distant future brings with it smiles.

Injury, Joe points out, is inevitably a huge part of sport and athletes, whom it can make or break, simply need to deal with it as best they can.

“I’ve started walking without my boot and without my crutches,” Joe says. “I’m already cycling gently on the road and I’ve been doing a huge amount of physio and rehab exercises. I hope to get back on the mountain bike in a month or two.”

“Another crash or big impact to my leg now would finish my whole [next competitive European summer] season,” he says. “I won’t be returning until I am strong, safe and competitive – I’m working very closely with my physios and coach, Alan Milway, and with his amazing support alongside my team it shouldn’t be too long until I’m back to full fitness.”

It’s the end of the beginning in many ways – and Joe is in no doubt as to what the most difficult part of the whole process has been up until now. “I’d say the toughest part of this injury so far has to be the two and half weeks I spent in hospital,” he says.

“There were some very challenging and unpleasant experiences during my time there. But I’m pleased to have pulled through it as best as I could, and to have gained the experience of it all. I think it has only benefited me really. It’s a strange thing to say, but I truly believe that.”

Getting back to racing is still a long way away for Joe. But unlike a lot of young juniors who have been laid low by injuries, he seems to have come to terms with that. The impact was severe and after the pain had subsided a lot had changed.

Many things however had also stayed the same or even – like the bones in his foot – been re-galvanised. Joe Breeden will be back, and we’re looking forward to seeing just how fast he can really go.

BURSTING THE BUBBLE

Mountain bike racing as a professional endeavour has progressed light years from the ‘just go as fast as possible, all of the time’

I’M WORKING VERY CLOSELY WITH MY PHYSIOS AND COACH, ALAN MILWAY, AND WITH HIS SUPPORT ALONGSIDE MY TEAM IT SHOULDN’T BE TOO LONG UNTIL I’M BACK TO FULL FITNESS

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TECHNE CRAFT WORDS JOEL SMITH PICS ALCHEMY BICYCLE CO.

ALCHEMYâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S JOEL SMITH LEADS US THROUGH THE MAGICAL CONSTRUCTION P R O C E S S T HAT C R E AT E S CYCLING GOLD

THE CHILL CUTS DEEP ON A FALL MORNING IN DENVER, COLORADO. Breezes snake down from the snow-flecked Rockies, rattling the oranges and reds of the Aspen trees as they pass, and then move onwards, whispering their way to the front-range towns. It’s too cold, some might say, but these are perfect temperatures for working with carbon.

Alchemy’s Will Chambers sets hands to work, criss-crossing precision-cut strips of black gold over a junction between two tubes on an Atlas frame. After a few passes, the junction itself disappears, and two distinct parts meld into one. The process from part to art begins.

In a world where carbon frames are primarily thought of as quick-and-dirty mass-manufactured parts, it’s unusual to have an outlier like Alchemy crafting bikes in this manner. But bucking trends was exactly what Alchemy set out to do when it was founded in 2008.

“When we started with carbon, our focus on ride quality led us to take a very hands-on approach to construction,” says founder and owner Ryan Cannizzaro. “Not only do we design the tooling, determine the layup schedules, and then construct all of the tubes for each frame, but we take a very measured approach to how all of the individual pieces come together into one.”

The end result of this time-consuming and demanding process is a bicycle frame that looks, feels and rides like no other. It’s also a method of working that’s not easily replicated, which is what makes an Alchemy one of the most distinctive and sought-after bikes in the world.

When we started with carbon, our focus on ride quality led us to take a very hands on approach to construction

Left: Creating Alchemy’s frames is labour-intensive and time-consuming – but the effort is worth it

Right: The pursuit of perfection informs Alchemy’s frame-building approach at every stage

A UNIQUE PROCESS

As the adage goes, ‘a whole is just a collection of parts’ – and a carbon bicycle frame is no exception. In this case, the parts are the carbon ‘pre-preg’ sheets that are cut on a state-of-the-art CNC plotter and meticulously combined to create a frame. Depending on the frame model, each piece can be as long as an extended arm or as small as a postage stamp.

A typical frame utilises up to 500 pieces of pre-preg, and it’s the layering process that creates a bike’s feel and ride qualities. By weaving the strands in a specific direction, Alchemy’s engineers deploy a proprietary layup that maximises stiffness, minimises weight and provides the much-heralded Alchemy ride quality. It should be noted that every element at this stage is unique to each frame and is at the very heart of Alchemy’s carbon offerings.

The custom-cut carbon sheets are combined to create either tubes or overwrap, but Alchemy begins each frame with tube construction. The carbon is fitted into custom CNC-machined moulds, each designed to meet the specific requirements for individual carbon fibre tubes. Custom bladders are placed within the carbon sheets and pressure is incrementally increased. This moulding process dictates the shape of the tube and the bladder holds the shape during the baking process.

In the end, this proprietary process is what creates both a structurally and aesthetically sound design. Even at this stage, each tube is subjected to quality control before moving on to the next stage of production. The tubes are then mitred, placed in a frame jig, and then tacked together with high-strength epoxy.

Epoxy is a preliminary process, used simply to tack the tubes together, but it plays no role in the frame’s strength. Alchemy frames do not use epoxy as filler or to make the frame look more cosmetically pleasing.

From the frame jig, the frame heads into finished layup. Each tube intersection is wrapped with unidirectional carbon shapes, again uniquely produced for each frame. The layup procedure adds functional strength and the unique ride quality of each frame, but the cosmetic appeal can’t be denied, which is why Alchemy does not hide the layup during painting, further highlighting Alchemy’s pursuit of perfection.

A typical frame utilises up to 500 pieces of pre-preg, and it’s the layering process that creates a bike’s feel and ride qualities

Left: Alchemy founder Ryan Cannizzaro shows his commitment to the brand’s ‘hands-on’ ethos

As any Alchemy owner will tell you, all of this attention to detail creates what can best be described as functional art

Frames are then bagged and vacuum-formed. Vacuum bagging co-moulds the new structural elements and seamlessly joins the carbon added during the layup process. Next, frames are placed in an oven, where the final stage allows the newly wrapped carbon fibre to properly adhere and cure.

Once the final curing process is complete, small parts such as cable stops and water bottle bosses are added.

PAINTING AND FINISHING

The frame then heads to the paint facility where an initial clear coat is applied and cured, after which the frame is hand-sanded to eliminate even the slightest imperfection. Every Alchemy frame receives two additional layers of clear coat, followed by more hand sanding. This time-consuming procedure levels the frame and properly preps it for final paint. Fillers such as Bondo or epoxy are never used at this point. The clear coat adds minimal weight and adds a layer of protection to the frame.

Adding colour is the final step to completing a frame, and it’s the fine sanding between each layer that results in the rich, complex and nuanced colour schemes achieved by Alchemy’s artists. A final coat of clear over the colour properly spotlights the attention to detail and complexity of each colourway. Many companies hide the carbon fibre, using matte black paints to mask any deficiencies. Alchemy prefers to showcase the carbon’s natural fibres and the craftsmanship that goes into each frame, which should (and does) bear close scrutiny.

As any Alchemy owner will tell you, all of this attention to detail creates what can best be described as functional art. The tubes come together seamlessly, the painted logos almost disappear into the background colours, the tube shapes follow an almost predetermined flow; all of this is what makes an Alchemy an Alchemy, and what continues to make it the choice of the most discerning riders.

S TA F F R I D E S

S TA F F R I D E INTENSE RACING UK RIDER JOE BREEDEN’S RECOVERY AID 3T EXPLORO

Here is my 3T Exploro with an absolute dream build – Enve cockpit and M5 rims, Chris King hubs, Fabric saddle, Maxxis tyres, and finished with a 1x11 Shimano groupset and hydraulic brakes.

Saddleback built this dream bike up for me as a tool to help me with my recovery from my recent foot and knee injury (see page 90). I’ve loved my time riding it so far, and been blown away by how capable it is on and off the road.

It will take me everywhere – no matter the terrain, it will get me through it.

I did a ride on it the other day where the first half involved some really muddy and rocky singletrack, up into snowy mountains. This was followed by a

descent back to the road, and then an icy ride on tarmac back to my car – and on none of this terrain did the bike feel out of its comfort zone. The 2INpower cranks have been a huge benefit to me with my rehab so far – they give me individual left and right power outputs, which is a great help in enabling me train efficiently and regain equal leg strength.

I look forward to getting back to full health and fitness, when I can really push the Exploro to its full potential. This bike really has made my training much more enjoyable and efficient, and I can’t wait for the next ride.

Joe Breeden Intense Racing UK / Saddleback

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FRAME 3T EXPLORO IN LARGE, 142X12MM AXLE HEADSET 3T’S OWN INTEGRATED TAPERED HANDLEBARS ENVE SHORT SHALLOW 44CM GRIPS 3T CORIUS TEAM BAR TAPE STEM ENVE 110MM WHEELS ENVE M525 RIMS ON KING HUBS CASSETTE SHIMANO XT 11–42 CHAINRING ROTOR 42T Q-RING SHIFTER SHIMANO ST-RS685 REAR DERAILLEUR SHIMANO XT M786 SHADOW PLUS BOTTOM BRACKET ROTOR 386 EVO FORKS 3T LUTEUS II LTD WITH THRU-AXLE 100X15MM SADDLE FABRIC SCOOP RADIUS ELITE BRAKES SHIMANO BR-785 CALIPERS WITH 160MM ROTORS TYRES MAXXIS CROSSMARK II REAR / AGGRESSOR FRONT SPECIAL SECRETS JTEK SHIFTMATE ADAPTOR TO LET THE ROAD SHIFTER DRIVE AN MTB REAR MECH

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S TA F F C O L U M N S SADDLEBACK STAFF SHARE THEIR THOUGHTS ON TRAVEL, WORK VS PLAY AND THE ETERNAL QUESTION OF HOW MANY BIKES

DECLAN DEEHAN

NICK COX

RIDES INTENSE CARBINE INTENSE SPIDER

RIDES INTENSE TRACER CANNONDALE CAAD10

MOST-LISTENED SONG RIGHT NOW DUA LIPA BE THE ONE

MOST-LISTENED SONG RIGHT NOW KHALID YOUNG, DUMB AND BROKE

MARKETING MANAGER

HEAD OF CREATIVE

What does it take to get a national MTB team race-ready for the season?

It depends on what you hope to achieve. Regardless of aspirations, sponsorship always grows from commercial roots. Of course, this is eased by the fact that we love this sport and a chance to help young stars achieve their goal is something to be proud of. Once reasoning and that validity of the team are set and agreed, the easy part is done – so now on to the hard work behind the scenes.

A lot goes into putting a competitive team between the tape. There are so many steps for which you need at least an A and a B plan. The backbone to the project is securing a selection of brands to complement each other and showcase your team. This will affect the team vibe, look, coverage, rider interest, rider confidence and commercial appeal of the team. These are integral decisions that all must be made in a tight window running up to and over the winter months.

Helping your partnered brands get maximum exposure of their new products is key. You must ensure your team has the newest parts, but this means being at the mercy of the production schedules. Sourcing the newest products, before consumers, retailers and even media in a timely manner is not an easy task.

Once you have a team package in place that you can use to attract the right riders, it’s time to go shopping. I’m a big fan of ‘go get’ rather than ‘wait, receive and whittle’. Finding athletes who fit the team and understand what’s it’s about is a tough ask. Put the right package together though and you will attract the right riders – and when you do it’s so satisfying. This is a two-way relationship and helping them achieve their goals really does make it worthwhile.

The off season is pivotal, and from a team infrastructure perspective the support is as important then as it is in race season. This can be an incredible time for a rider to gain some me-time, recoup, train, improve physically and mentally and go into a season feeling stronger and faster than ever. However this can also be a dark time for a rider. Work, family life, continued education, injury and finances are all factors that can make it hard to make the necessary improvements to achieve next year’s goals and expectations. Working together through the off season is crucial for both team management and riders.

Next come race schedules. Within a rider contract an expectation of what you want their schedule to be is set; this is the main commercial focus and then the rider will fill the gaps with other events they want to attend for competition or social reasons – both can have a great commercial impact on team objectives.

Having put in the groundwork, you must set a focus and strategy for content creation and social exposure. Telling your riders to post on social media once a week isn’t going to cut it, especially if you have big ambitions. You can keep it basic, follow some core team strengths and evolve these – as long as you have a plan. The current generation are on it with technology, and know how to make themselves social media stars, so with a little nurturing, this can be achieved fairly easily. It’s all about the core team values, having a plan and executing it.

The last thing – and the most important – is to make sure you let the riders have fun. Fun is fast and fast gets results.

I have to admit, I’ve been struggling to figure out what to write about for my column this issue. Two operations on my legs have had me sidelined since early December. Only now have I started to get back to riding my bike and running again, after what has been a difficult few months of no exercise. My wife will testify to the agitated and annoyed person I become when I haven’t exercised for a long period of time – a character trait that I have unfortunately passed onto my son it seems.

So at the time of writing this I have only recently dusted off my road bike and running shoes and begun to rediscover my fitness and burn off the inevitable winter excess, which boredom has exacerbated. Armed with this newfound freedom, I was out on my road bike when I stumbled over a veritable Grand Canyon of road cracks – causing my front wheel to blow out almost instantly.

The snow-ravaged road had claimed my front tyre – almost certainly neither the first nor the last tyre it will destroy – and my enthusiasm was dashed and I began to walk home.

As I began the long walk home I was passed by a cyclist who stopped to see whether I needed assistance, and after explaining that I wasn’t far from home and that I didn’t need him to waste his time, tube and pump on me, he rode off.

No more than a few metres further down the road, a gentleman pulled his car over to see if I was OK and, again, if I needed any help.

It turned out he was on his way home from work – and having realised that my cleats had begun to wear out from walking, I jumped in his car and he then proceeded to then drive me home. Why, you may ask, am I recounting this pretty mundane story? It’s to illustrate the point that we are all in this together.

With so much division reported in the media as existing between cyclists and other road users, this small act of kindness for me restored a little faith in my fellow man. In my time of (minor) need, two people stopped to help, when many wouldn’t have and didn’t. I guess it’s a lesson for us all that when we share the road, we share the road. We can help and support each other, be prepared to give way, act courteously, be considerate and most of all remember we are all human beings and not stereotypes, inconveniences or inanimate bits of metal.

Neither of these kindly people had to stop and help me – but would I have done the same if the situations had been reversed? I’d like to think I would have – but actions speak louder than words. With spring approaching, and more of us than ever out riding bikes on these busy roads, let’s have each other back. To the gentleman who dropped me home – thank you sir.

Back to the wider story behind my ride, my legs are thankfully getting better every day and my fitness is slowly returning. I still have a long way to go and lots of frustration to deal with, but at least I’ve made a start. It makes me think about how difficult some of the athletes in this issue of Incycle, Katy Curd (page 82) and Joe Breeden (page 90) must have found their journeys back from injury.

My situation doesn’t come close to what those guys have been through – so it’s amazing to see them coming out of what I can only guess have been truly challenging times of recovery. Their stories set another positive example to us all.

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TOM BALLARD

RICHARD MARDLE

COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER

BRAND DIRECTOR

RIDES CANNONDALE SLICE, FELT F5, CHARGE PLUG, WHYTE 529

RIDES 3T STRADA, 3T EXPLORO, TREK TOP FUEL, CANNONDALE SUPER SIX EVO

MOST-LISTENED SONG RIGHT NOW FOO FIGHTERS ROPE

MOST-LISTENED SONG RIGHT NOW THE SUGARHILL GANG RAPPERS DELIGHT

With the ‘Beast from the East’ playing merry havoc with the best-laid training plans, and tired of sweeping snowdrifts from the garage door to even access the turbo, my week of training in Spain’s Sierra Nevada mountains couldn’t come quickly enough.

Sat outside a café the other day enjoying the fresh, but mercifully sunny weather and a flat white (ok, and a rather large slice of cake!), another cyclist soon appeared and stood feet away from me eyeing up my gorgeously shiny 3T Strada.

Soon, at stupid-o-clock in the morning and full of a cold-induced cold that was proving impossible to shake, I was accompanying Mrs B and our lovingly packed bikes to the airport. A few hours later we’d swapped zero-degree discomfort for the Spanish coast’s balmy 16-degree warmth. As the baggage carousel ground to a halt and we were left alone beside it, the unfortunate truth became plain: our bikes weren’t there to enjoy the rising temperature with us.

The guy spent a good couple of minutes, hands on hips, taking it in. I just assumed he was simply marvelling at its beauty – the striking lines, the radical design, the clarity of the paintwork. Perhaps, I thought, he had recognised it from the fair amount of airtime it received at the Rouleur Classic. At this point, to my mind, he was clearly a man who appreciated taste and style and innovation.

Despite this less-than-ideal start, and having been assured our bikes would be with us the next day, we were shuttled off to Cycle Sierra Nevada, a cycling camp outfit based in the tiny town (or large village) of Vélez de Benaudalla, which sits in a prime location south of the snow-dusted mountains. Cormac, the manager, showed us to our apartment – complete with sun-drenched roof terrace – and let us know we were the only ones booked on the camp that week.

He looked over, I gave him the official nod – the kind that one cyclist to gives another, representing a confidential sign of mutual respect. Then, he opened his mouth and as soon as he did, I was forced to re-evaluate the situation and wished I could take back the nod.

We waited hopefully, but the bikes didn’t appear the next morning, cueing frantic calls from Mrs B to the airline while I necked Day Nurse capsules and tried to convince myself I was feeling better. Finally, that night: the courier arrived. But alas, there was only one bike aboard! My steed had arrived, ENVE 4.5 wheels nestled snugly in the padded bag, but Mrs B remained sans velo.

“Yes,” I responded, trying to keep from sounding too smug.

“This yours?” he said.

“Trying a bit hard isn’t it?”

Now, those who know me can attest to the fact that I’m a pretty laid-back kind of guy. It’s not often I feel the need to preach, or prove my knowledge or have what you might call an ‘opinion-off ’ with another rider. But today was a different story!

After moping around for a while the next day, we took Cormac up on his offer of a loaner bike and headed uphill. I couldn’t have hoped for a more transformational bike ride. As my quads bit down against the gradient, the anxiety at the missing bike seemed to melt away – to be fair though, I was enjoying my own bike and kit! By the top of the 15km climb, endorphins were running high: this is what cycling’s about. Even Mrs B had a smile on her face.

The missing bike turned up that night having been on something of a tour itself: Gatwick to Malaga, Madrid and Granada before finally being couriered to us.

After breathing a huge sigh of relief, we settled into a fantastic week of riding.

Our plan was to ride enough to ensure DOMS didn’t set in, and we managed it in the 7,000m of climbing that followed. Escorted by our awesome guides, Szymon and Chris, we enjoyed the gorgeous terrain, took in several coffeestops, and made the most of letting stronger legs do the work into headwinds.

Each climb was pure cycling bliss: steady gradients with steeper ramps thrown in; switchbacks giving a moment’s respite or an even sterner test of the legs; the coastal heat giving way to sunny coolth; looking down with satisfaction on the roads we’d covered an hour earlier; and, with every turn of every pedal, an everexpanding view of the horizon. Each upward metre was a joyous reminder of why I love cycling so much and a rejuvenation of my passion for the sport.

After a long discussion on what the 3T Strada is all about, why it only has one chainring up front and how I’ve not been dropped on the race to the café since riding it, his perception of the machine in front of him started to change. He began to acknowledge the change it represents, the innovation, the technical prowess.

He sat down and had a coffee with me and we chatted bikes, adventures and life. I directed him to the Cyclist Magazine Track Days – taking place in London, Castle Combe and York this April and May – which offer the chance to come and try not just our bikes, but others too. This guy hadn’t even considered a new bike purchase this season, but as we parted company, I could sense his excitement and interest.

The catalyst to this was the 3T Strada: a conversation starter for any cyclist, an example of innovation in an often stagnant industry and, quite frankly, the future of road bikes. Despite this, what it all comes down to is that it’s still a bike. Under all the design, technology, and incredible ride feel, it’s still that conduit for escaping the world on two wheels – it just does it faster.

Back in freezing Britain, it’s a feeling I’m clinging to as the sportive season beckons. But as much as I’m looking forward to some of the UK’s finest rides, it’s hard to imagine any giving a bigger buzz than our time in the Sierra Nevada.

We all ride for different reasons – mine are fun, the social element and the exhilaration of speed. I like shiny, I like new and I love an adventure! But whatever your reason for riding and whatever your views on the Strada, there’s one thing that we all share – we ride because we love it.

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FINAL THOUGHT

F I NA L T HOU G H T Gravel riding might be the hot new thing in cycling, but it takes me back to my early teens (in the 90s, ouch) when I’d go mountain biking on a rigid Specialized Rockhopper Comp. Having never seen a shovel, the local singletrack and bridleways weren’t very technical, but the bike wasn’t especially capable either, so they were well suited. They were good times.

Since then, the sport of mountain biking has gone nuts, bikes and courses locked in an arms race. The dirt roads got left behind, any equilibrium between terrain and machine requiring a significantly greater challenge.

Harmonising your bike with the particular part of the Earth’s surface that’s passing beneath its wheels is one cornerstone of a great ride (along with terrain and company and energy), on road or off it. As with your choice of clothing, getting your bike in the right ballpark is good, but achieving perfection is something special, Zen-like, even. It’s having the right gear for that climb, the right wheelset for the topography and the wind, the right tyre, and pressure, and saddle, and all working with a brilliant frameset thriving in its element. When everything comes together, you feel like you could fly.

A dirt road is a fairly simple environment, rideable on road or mountain bikes yet not especially enjoyable on either unless you like fixing punctures or feeling as isolated from the ground as an electricity pylon repairman.

But on a gravel bike, dirt roads are brought back to life, the experience revived by a Goldilocks tyre category and a frame built around it. The search for cycling Zen can be a difficult one for road and mountain bikers alike, especially if you don’t live near mountains, yet it’s never easier to find than when we explore the middle ground.

I’ll admit that I was really sceptical about gravel bikes until I first tried one, on an 80-mile epic through Utah backcountry no less.

What I found was something beautiful, but it wasn’t new.

It was the mountain biking we left behind.

JAM IE WILK INS

E N V E CO N TE N T C REATO R A N D MA N AGER

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