Incycle 20

SPRING ISSUE 20

I N T E N S E C YC L E S | T H E A LC H E M I ST | J O S H ’ S S I LC A | SA D D L E B AC K ’ S WO R L DTO U R | F R E D W H I T TO N C H A L L E N G E

RIDER FERNANADO MARCOS CARLÚS PRODUCT ROTOR REX 1.1 WITH QX1, ENVE M70 WHEELSET AND INTENSE TRACER 275 PHOTOGRAPHER DAVID PONCE LOCATION SIERRA DE GUADARRAMA, MADRID

ith winter behind us and the new racing season underway, there is a lot to be positive about regarding cycling in the UK. This is, after all, an Olympic year and given that planet’s biggest sporting event follows the end of the Tour de France, it is certain to keep cycling in the public spotlight.

Considering the success that this additional media focus has brought much of the industry over these past eight years, contributing to cycling’s unabated rise in popularity, we continue to take every opportunity to invest in the growth of our business and the brands that we represent.

In this past few months alone we have re-launched our company website, saddleback.co.uk, which now compliments the B2B site that went live towards the end of last year. One nice feature is an enrichment tool that allows authorised retailers to enhance how their own store is presented in the stockist locator. Approved images and text can be added that will help the consumer have even more confidence in the expert service you provide.

The first few months of 2016 have been especially busy for us. I have been delighted to see us agree the exclusive UK and Ireland distribution of four more market-leading brands. In January we added Rotor, in February Alchemy, in March Intense and in April we have just added the full line of Chris King. All of these brands need no introduction and each have phenomenal reputations in our market. Our job is to do what Saddleback does best and give them the creative attention and public awareness they deserve with the support of like-minded retailers.

In order to continue to promote our road brands domestically, we have further strengthened our association with the NFTO UCI Continental pro cycling team. For the third season in a row we are pleased to support them with Castelli race and casual clothing, Enve wheels and cockpits, Stages poer meters, Arundel cages and tape, Astute saddles and, new for 2016, Sidi shoes too!

On the mountain side we are working ever closer with BikePark Wales, whose amazing set up makes them the perfect demo centre for many of our brands and are in discussions with a host of athletes for our new mountain team.

Both in the UK and abroad, this season is going to be a spectacular show for cycling and our brands – and Saddleback will be there every step of the way.

ANDY WIGMORE MANAGING DIRECTOR

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ISSUE 1 MARCH 2013

ISSUE 2 APRIL 2013

ISSUE 3 MAY 2013

ISSUE 4 JUNE 2013

ISSUE 5 JULY 2013

ISSUE 6 AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2013

ISSUE 7 OCTOBER 2013

ISSUE 8 WINTER 2014

ISSUE 9 FEBRUARY 2014

ISSUE 10 MARCH 2014

ISSUE 11 APRIL/MAY 2014

ISSUE 12 JUNE 2014

ISSUE 13 JULY 2014

ISSUE 14 AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2014

ISSUE 15 OCTOBER 2014

ISSUE 16 SPRING 2015

ISSUE 17 SUMMER 2015

ISSUE 18 AUTUMN 2015

ISSUE 19 WINTER 2015

ISSUE 20 SPRING 2016

ISSUE 20 FRED WHITTON COVER SPECIAL 2016

“Thanks to Andy’s vision for the project, incycle has evolved from a six-page leaflet into a content-packed 76-page magazine that’s the envy of the industry. Over two years, incycle has become a touchstone for Saddleback’s leading brand presentation and a constant source of pride for both the company and myself.” NICK COX HEAD OF CREATIVE SADDLEBACK

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SADDLEBACK LTD UNIT 10 EASTER COURT, WOODWARD AVENUE, YATE, BRISTOL BS37 5YS ONLINE saddlebackb2b.co.uk | facebook.com/saddleback | twitter.com/Saddleback_Ltd | instagram.com/Saddleback_Ltd

DESIGN / EDITOR NICK.COX@SADDLEBACK.CO.UK FEATURES EDITOR TOM BALLARD CONTRIBUTORS MARTIN ASTLEY, EMILY CARR, SCOTT CHALMERS, NICK COX, JESS GREAVES, ROSS GRIMMETT, ASH MATTHEWS, CARL PRATT, ANDY WIGMORE. PHOTOGRAPHERS NICK COX, STEVE FLEMMING, MARK JARVIS, IAN MATTESON, JOBY SESSIONS, GRAHAM WATSON.

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TURNTOPAGE46 08 THE GALLERY 18 NEWS 24 EVENTS 30 FRESH PRODUCE

38 THE OFFICE 42 POINT OF SALE 44 BESTSELLERS 46 SADDLEBACK GETS INTENSE

52 FRED WHITTON 56 THE ALCHEMIST 62 SADDLEBACK’S WORLDTOUR 68 JOSH POERTNER’S SILCA

72 MEDIA COVERAGE 74 TEN QUESTIONS 76 INSTAGRAMS 77 STAFF RIDES

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THEGALLERY BORIS HRUSOVSKY, ROTOR COMPONENTS SIERRA DE GUADARRAMA PHOTOGRAPHER DAVID PONCE

THEGALLERY CANNONDALE PROCYCLING, CASTELLI STAGE 4 OF THE 2016 TOUR DE SAN LUIS PHOTOGRAPHER GRAHAM WATSON

THEGALLERY INTENSE RACE TEAM, INTENSE TEST RIDING THE NEW SPIDER 275 C PHOTOGRAPHER INTENSE CYCLES

THEGALLERY TESTING THE NEW 7.8 DISC WHEELS, ENVE ANTELOPE ISLAND, UTAH PHOTOGRAPHER IAN MATTESON

THEGALLERY ROAD RACERS, CHRIS KING ROWENA, OREGON PHOTOGRAPHER THE KING GROUP

NEWS

NEW BRAND

LEGENDARY MTB BRAND BOOSTS OFF-ROAD PORTFOLIO

INTENSESADDLEBACK Following a recent visit to Intense’s hometown of Temecula, California, the Saddleback team is thrilled to announce that we are now the brand’s exclusive UK distributor, bringing complete bikes and framesets to the UK market. The addition of Intense to the Saddleback portfolio also marks our commitment to grow the MTB side of the business and become as powerful a player in elite off-road products as we are in the road sphere.

“Intense was the number-one name on our list of desired MTB brands so we couldn’t be happier that they have chosen to work with us,” said Intense UK brand manager, Martin Astley. “Intense’s history, prestige and the incredible performance of its bikes make the brand a perfect fit for Saddleback. We join forces at a key moment in the evolution of the Intense brand; the new Spider 275C launched at the start of April is an indication of what’s to come in the next few months and we are very much looking forward to sharing the new range with dealers and the public during 2016 and beyond.”

Intense holds a unique place in the bike industry as an authentic, focused, high-end MTB brand run by enthusiasts who truly understand riders. The company remains true to the ideals set out by company founder and designer Jeff Steber, who changed the mountain biking landscape forever in 1994 with the M1, the first downhill-specific full-suspension mountain bike. Shaun

Palmer’s 1996 World Championship silver established the brand as the most important name in downhill while the M1 was also re-badged and ridden by the world’s best riders, including Greg Minnaar in his 2003 worlds win.

As the sport has evolved, so has Intense, bringing in new designs in the trail and enduro categories and complementing its in-house aluminium manufacturing with Asian carbon expertise in 2011. As the move to carbon continues, Steber’s ownership of the design process ensures that the resulting bikes gain the performance benefits of this must-have material while retaining the character and design hallmarks that have made Intense so popular with mountain bikers around the world for over 20 years. Today the brand boasts a range of platforms covering light trail through to DH race.

Saddleback and Intense join forces at a very important point in the journey of both companies. Intense has made significant investment in new technology which will bring several new models to market over the next 12 months, the first of which is the all new Spider 275C launched on 1 April. For Saddleback, the addition of Intense is a clear indication of intent to build a portfolio of premium mountain bike names that complement long term partners Enve and Chris King to match our industry-leading road presence with brands such as Castelli, Sidi, Stages and Rotor. TO M B ALLARD

“Intense was the number-one name on our list of desired MTB brands so we couldn’t be happier that they have chosen to work with us. Intense’s history, prestige and the incredible performance of its bikes make the brand a perfect fit for Saddleback.” MARTIN ASTLEY

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NEWS

ARGYLE ARMADA TOPS POLL

CASTELLIWINS Castelli’s Cannondale Pro Cycling kit was voted best WorldTour jersey of 2016 at the end of January by readers of Cyclingnews.com, the world’s biggest cycling website. The bright green Argyle design gained 1,554 votes, beating popular outfits from Team Sky and Katusha Cycling.

At launch, the kit was hailed for its combination of Slipstream Sports’ Argyle Armada motif and striking use of Cannondale’s corporate green for greater visibility in the peloton. See page 62 for more on Saddleback’s brands in the WorldTour.

ROTOR SPANISH LEGEND TEAMS WITH ROTOR

CEDRICGRACIA Downhill legend and enduro star Cédric Gracia has teamed up with Rotor for 2016, both as a brand ambassador, racing with the Spanish products around the world, and to inform and influence the development of the brand’s MTB lines.

The Spanish star, who rides for Santa Cruz, is best known for his gravity career, which saw him notch up a wealth of wins and podium finishes in downhill, 4X and dual slalom as well as his fearless Red Bull Rampage victory in 2003. After breaking his femur and pelvis during a practice run at the Val Di Sole DH World Cup in 2012, the Spanish star turned to enduro racing in 2014.

“Cédric is currently involved in the development and testing of new Rotor mountain bike products that will soon see the light of day,” says Rotor’s global marketing manager, Chris Tarlton. “Cédric will be a fantastic ambassador for Rotor, and having his input in the development process of our new enduro product ensures that we keep designing technologically-innovative and cutting-edge components. In the meantime he’s riding REX cranks, QX1 chainrings, and INpower power meters.”

Gracia has already been furnished with

CG

specially customized Rotor INpower cranks bearing his initials in order to bring more visibility to the Rotor brand in the MTB world. With its technology held in the axle, INpower offers the perfect fitness tracking tool along with the durability needed to take on the rocks, drops and mud that are part of every mountain biker’s everyday life.

The 38-year old has also devoted plenty of time to sharing his huge experience with the next generation through CG Fun Camps, which take place all over the world. “I wanted to give back a bit to the sport and I wanted to do something that the new generation is looking at and saying, ‘I want to ride like that, it looks fun,’” says Gracia. “As a racer, I wanted as well to give back more to my sponsors in terms of publicity without having to go through a boss to get the green light!”

With Gracia on board, Rotor is putting more focus on its MTB offerings, with plenty of exciting developments set to debut this year. Gracia himself will be setting up camps in Scotland this May; Italy in June; and Sweden and Bulgaria in July. There are also plans for camps in Canada, Slovenia, Norway and the USA. TO M B ALLARD

“Cédric will be a fantastic ambassador for Rotor, and having his input in the development process of our new enduro product ensures that we keep designing technologically-innovative and cutting-edge components.” CHRIS TARLTON ROTOR

PEATY’S SEASON

DHWORLDCUP It’s that time of year again when I begin to get really excited. All the rumours have been answered and the downhill elite have chosen their teams.

There’s been alot of movement this year, especially surrounding the big names in the race scene.

We’ve seen the likes of the Atherton’s and Aaron Gwin make big changes in teams and sponsorship.

What does this all mean? A truly unpredictable season lies ahead. Yes the top riders will I’m sure be at their usual awe-inspiring best, but who can say with any certainty who’s going to claim the throne? I can’t wait to see how the new teams and bikes perform, but lets not forget the biggest story, Peaty’s last season! One of the greatest of all time will hang up his race bike after this season, the man who inspired a whole generation in the UK to ride bikes and have fun doing so. He’ll be seeing out his last season rolling Enve wheels along with full Enve cockpit with the rest of the Santa Cruz Syndicate. One more podium Peaty! NI CK COX

FOR MORE NEWS HEAD OVER TO WWW.SADDLEBACK.CO.UK

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NEWS

BRAND VISIT

UNO AND 2INPOWER UNVEILED IN SPAIN

ROTORLAUNCH In early April, Rotor put on a huge event amidst the mountains above Madrid to officially launch two of the brand’s most important products – the hydraulic Uno groupset and dual-sided 2INpower power meter.

First shown publicly at Eurobike 2015, the Uno groupset has actually been six years in the making and one of Rotor’s biggest ever projects. It’s representative of everything the engineering-focused company has striven for since its beginnings: improving the experience of riders.

Uno aims to take the best of mechanical and electronic shifting systems to create something different and exclusive. From the electronic side, Uno was designed to have very direct, precise shifting, smooth activation and smart cabling resistant to bends and friction. Rotor was also keen to ensure a more tactile, mechanical touch to the shifting and maintain a low weight while also adding disc and hydraulic rim brake options.

Rotor’s experience in making and selling over one million cross-brand compatible chainrings has seen the company gain a wealth of experience in shifting performance while the brand has teamed up with Magura for its braking systems, a company with a century of hydraulics expertise.

Seeking pro feedback, Rotor furnished pro squads Team Dimension Data and Cervelo-Bigla with Uno groupsets last November. With typical insensitivity to the tech on their bikes, the teams pushed Uno hard and their feedback has meant more tweaks to the groupset over the last three months.

The result is ultra-smooth and precise shifting partnered with incredible braking modulation and stopping power across both rim and disc brake

options, each of which now has a specific lever rather than a work-for-both compromise. On top of that, it’s the lightest disc compatible groupset in the world. Initial release will be in very limited numbers, with greater availability rolling out towards the end of the year.

2INpower (pronounced ‘twin-power’ by its creators) has also been in testing within the pro ranks for some time, with over 250,000 miles already ridden. The system expands on the regular INpower by adding four strain gauges to measure flexion in the driveside crankarm. Added to the nondriveside torsion measurement in the axle and the collection of 500 data points per crank revolution, 2INpower offers incredibly accurate left-right leg metrics including balance, pedal smoothness and torque efficiency along with the robust performance that’s become INpower’s calling card.

“2INpower allows greater analytics of your pedalling technique for greater efficiency on the bike. This, coupled with the superb stiffness to weight ratio of 2INpower, adds another dimension to Rotor’s power line up,” says UK brand manager Dan Duguid.

The built-in rechargeable battery lasts for around 250-hours and will take around 300 charges before deteriorating – that’s five hours of riding per day for 41 years! With the driveside crank and axle now integrated for clean, wired electronic communication, the non-driveside arm is held with a simple DTT bolt while the chunkier design of the crankset as a whole makes it stiffer than 3D+. ANT+ remains while Rotor has also added Bluetooth compatibility for app-based firmware updates and metrics due before the end of the year.

“Uno’s unique hydraulic system is an engineering masterpiece providing the lightest disc brake groupset on the market, which has an incredibly smooth and precise performance mated in a low maintenance design.” DAN DUGUID, ROTOR BRAND MANAGER

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NEWS

BRAND CHRIS KING CHOOSES SADDLEBACK

EXPANSION

CHRISKING The Saddleback team is proud to announce the expansion of our partnership with Chris King Precision Components to become the exclusive home of the brand’s full product line-up in the UK. Following years of sterling work with Chris King, Mark Pearce at Evolution Imports has decided to step away from distribution of the brand and we are thrilled that Chris King has come directly to Saddleback with the opportunity to take on the mantle of brand representation in the UK and expand beyond the hubs market.

“Over the past five years, we have enjoyed a very positive OEM relationship with Chris King Precision Components and have always felt that given the opportunity, they would be a great fit to our overall brand strategy,” says Saddleback founder and managing director, Andy Wigmore. “We are delighted that we have been afforded this opportunity to build on the good work that Mark Pearce has done over all these years and look forward to taking the brand to the next level. Given our recent announcements about adding Intense and Alchemy to our brand line up, this addition couldn’t have come at a better time.”

Saddleback’s experience with Chris King as an Enve wheel partner since

2011 has only served to increase our collective respect for this incredible brand, which is certainly one of the most esteemed names in the cycling world.

Our blooming partnership with the Portland, Oregon-based company means we’ll be able to offer the fruits of over 40 years of industry-leading innovation including hubs, headsets and bottom brackets, as well as supporting Chris King’s legendary warranties in the UK. Thanks to our increasing warehouse space, Saddleback will be holding a full inventory of the gorgeously anodised range in all colours, along with all the spares needed to keep your Chris King components running smooth for years to come.

We are looking forward to reaffirming our commitment to marketing activities with the brand in order to step up Chris King exposure on these shores. In addition to increased media coverage and Chris King presence at sponsored events, one particularly exciting avenue is the addition of Chris King hardware to Alchemy build kits, the two high-end American brands being the perfect match for one another. We are also investigating additional upgrade packages with our other partners and will continue to pair Enve with Chris King’s sumptuously smooth, ultra-reliable hubs.

FOR MORE NEWS HEAD OVER TO WWW.SADDLEBACK.CO.UK

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NEWS

NEW

PRODUCT

IN-HOUSE BRAND PRESENTATION

NEWSHOWROOM AERO MEETS DISC POWER

ENVEDISC Enve has launched its new SES 5.6 Disc and SES 7.8 Disc clincher wheelsets, which bring together ultra aerodynamic performance and disc-brake power.

In typical Enve style, the US-brand has developed the new disc versions from scratch, the designs undergoing extensive in-frame aero development at the Mercedes AMG Petronas Wind-tunnel through Enve’s partnership with renowned aerodynamicist Simon Smart.

Through redeveloping the rims without the structural constraints of a braking surface, the Enve team has managed to achieve aerodynamic performance that matches or improves on the brand’s rim brake models.

“Eliminating the design constraints of a braking surface allowed us to take a liberal approach to what is possible with rim shapes and structure,” says Enve VP of R&D, Scott Nielson. “We tested several dozen shape concepts and found the best improvements we could make were subtle changes to the curvature of the sidewall through the brake track.”

With the heat build-up of a carbon braking surface no longer a consideration, rim weights could be reduced for lower rotational inertia and a more responsive and compliant wheel. The disc versions of the 7.8 rim come in at 125g lighter than the rim brake models while maintaining the same levels of impact resistance and stiffness.

The new wheels have benefitted from previous SES developments with the front rims being wider and shallower to minimise the trade-off between drag reduction and variable crosswind stability while the rear rims are slightly deeper and narrower for maximum drag reduction.

The wheels also have differing shapes, as Simon Smart explains: “With the first generation SES wheels, both the front and back rims have the same rim shape from front to back. By further manipulating the rim shapes to perform in their given air-flow fields, front of the bike versus back of the bike, we can make wheels more efficient, stable, and responsive.”

The elimination of heat on the rim surface also ensures a better interface for tubeless tyres, which offers road riders hugely improved puncture resistance, while the wheels have been aerodynamically optimised for 25mm tyres.

“Eliminating the design constraints of a braking surface allowed us to take a liberal approach to what is possible with rim shapes and structure.” SCOTT NIELSON

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While we’re awaiting completion of our new 20,000 square foot headquarters, we’ve expanded into a second unit in close proximity to our current home in order to increase warehouse space and streamline marketing stock.

The new unit has also enabled us to create a new luxury showroom space, complete with false walls, additional lighting and fully branded POS. “Our team’s usual flair for presentation has been utilised to create a highclass showroom feel in perfect harmony with our prestigious brands,” says Saddleback founder, Andy Wigmore. TO M B ALLARD

AWARD ARKTOS WINS BIG IN SACRAMENTO

WINNING

ALCHEMYNAHBS Alchemy was once again triumphant at the North American Handmade Bicycle Show (NAHBS) this year, scooping two of the event’s most coveted awards for its new Arktos full-suspension mountain bike. The in-house designed and built carbon fibre masterpiece took the gongs for Best Mountain Bike and People’s Choice at the 11th edition of NAHBS, this year held in Sacramento, California.

Over the last decade, NAHBS has become established as the world’s premier handmade bike show, courting a congregation of passionate frame builders and artisan painters from all over the world. Alchemy is one of the show’s most popular brands with the Arion having previously won awards for Best Carbon Frame and Best Carbon Construction in 2012 and 2013. TO M BALLARD

NEWS

TEAM VISIT

WOMEN’S TEAM GETS ROTOR BOOST

TEAMWNT Rotor-supported Team WNT had its 2016 launch at the start of February and brand manager Dan Duguid was on hand to talk the riders of the Tour-Series contending team through the benefits of Q-Rings and INpower.

Rotor CEO José Manuel was also in attendance at the team launch in Lancashire, adding his support to the 2016 line-up, which includes Lydia Boylan, Sam Burman, Becca Carter, Corrine Clarke, Natalie Grinczer, Keira McVitty, Bex Rimmington, Jo Tindley and Hannah Walker.

Sponsored by WNT, the company that supplies Rotor with its tooling, the elite club team is entering its third season with the Tour Series as a major goal.

“In 2016 we want to win the team event at the Tour Series,” says team manager, Marcus Nainby. “It’s going to be hard but we’ve got some great riders. Jo Tindley; she’s proper aggressive when she’s on it. She broke her ankle six weeks before the Tour Series last year, but this year she’s really up for it and wants to win the sprint jersey too. We’ve got some new riders too. Corrine Clarke only did her first season last year and was still getting top 30s in the Tour Series, Hannah Walker will be back on it this year and Lydia Boylan just wants to win everything – she’s got the Irish National jersey too, which will really boost her.”

In addition to the Tour Series, the team’s 2016 calendar includes the Tour de Yorkshire as well as a host of continental events such as Energiewacht Tour in Holland, Thüringer Rundfart in Germany and the Ladies Tour of Norway.

“We want to come out of this year known in Europe, hopefully pick a

few European riders up and see what the future brings,” says Nainby. “UCI registration is something I’d like to do in the future. To be fair though, I don’t want to be a UCI-registered team – I want to be a WorldTour team.”

Following the launch, Jo, Hannah, Sam, Corrine, Keira, Becca and Natalie joined Dan, Ross and Tom at Saddleback HQ to find their perfect Q-Ring setup. We set the riders some tough intervals and used Rotor’s INpower software, which analyses the optimum angle for Q-Rings in real time, to find the right Optimum Chainring Angle (OCP). Tom and Dan then analysed the results and Ross made adjustments to the Q-Rings where needed.

“I felt really privileged to have the help and knowledge of Dan, Tom and Ross from Saddleback assisting me find my optimum position for my Rotor Q-Rings,” says Hannah Walker. “I was really reluctant to try the Q-Rings when I heard I had the opportunity to race and train with them in 2016. However, after using them for a few weeks, they feel fantastic. I thought there’d be a drastic change to my pedalling style and to the feel of riding my bike, but the Q-Rings just make my pedal stroke feel smoother and effortless.”

“Knowing you’ve got the right OCP is a real confidence booster and takes away so much of the trepidation people sometimes feel when transitioning to Q-Rings,” says Dan. “It was fantastic to test the team and we’re looking forward to seeing them riding Rotor in the Tour Series and Tour de Yorkshire this season.” TO M B ALLARD

“I felt really privileged to have the help and knowledge of Dan, Tom and Ross from Saddleback assisting me find my optimum position for my Rotor Q-Rings. I was really reluctant to try the Q-Rings when I heard I had the opportunity to race and train with them in 2016. However, after using them for a few weeks, they feel fantastic.” HANNAH WALKER TEAM WNT FOR MORE NEWS HEAD OVER TO WWW.SADDLEBACK.CO.UK

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SADDLEBACK EVENTS

RIGHT MARTIN ASTLEY’S ENVEEQUIPPED BPW SPECIAL BELOW NEW BRAND ALCHEMY JOINED US AT CORE

COREBIKE

Saddleback returns to Whittlebury Hall with high-end displays and a pair of new brands As Whittlebury Hall closes its doors to the UK cycling trade for another year, Saddleback can look back on a hugely successful 2016 Core Bike show.

The combination of an opulent setting and trade-only status creates a uniquely inviting atmosphere for thousands of industry visitors over four days of brand perusing and schmoozing.

Naturally, we enhanced the experience for our dealers by outfitting the voluminous Astons suite with false walls and bespoke displays for each brand under our care; transforming the space into an oasis of Italian innovation, American artistry and Spanish sophistication.

With the backdrop painstakingly completed late on Saturday night, the fittingly high-end stage was set for show doors opening on Sunday morning, where the Saddleback team was waiting to reveal our newest partners.

The big surprise of the show was the unveiling of Alchemy Bicycle Co. as a new bike brand for us following the engagement of an exclusive UK distribution agreement. Born in Austin, Texas, in 2008 and now based in the thriving cycling hub of Denver, Colorado, this youthful framebuilder has developed a strong reputation for exquisite carbon, titanium and stainless steel bicycles in the United States and is teaming with Saddleback to bring the brand’s unique qualities to the high-end UK market.

Founder Ryan Cannizzaro and sales manager Ming Tan made the trip from Denver to launch

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SADDLEBACK EVENTS

“Core Bike is a great opportunity to find out what the UK’s cycling distribution industry has coming up for the season – and we can take great pride in once again being head and shoulders above the rest in terms of brand presentation.” MARTIN ASTLEY MARKETING MANAGER SADDLEBACK Alchemy at Core Bike, the partnership with Saddleback representing the brand’s first foray outside the US. Ryan gave insight into the company’s history and its goals of growing into the MTB sector with the launch of the new Arktos full suspension bike. He also explained the importance of the Techne-craft construction process; expertly wrapping perfectly mitred and aligned tubes with carbon to minutely tailor ride characteristics.

On the stand we had a fully built-up Eros titanium road bike, the Arktos prototype and three beautiful framesets: Helios – high-end racing carbon; Xanthus – round tubed mountain flattener; and Skylla – classic stainless steel.

Core Bike also provided the ideal platform to officially launch our distribution of Rotor to the UK trade. The Spanish brand’s area of our suite included a wide selection of chainrings, cranksets, power meters and bottom brackets, highlighting the breadth and quality of Rotor’s extensive range.

The centrepiece of the custom-built stand was a Rotor Uno, INpower and QXL equipped bike hooked up to a stationary trainer and Rotor’s INpower user software.

The combination of the chance to engage first

hand with Rotor’s fully hydraulic groupset, along with the opportunity to check pedal smoothness and be prescribed individual Q-Ring orientation, proved wildly popular, with swathes of showgoers jumping aboard the Astute-topped seatpost to have a go. The set-up’s popularity and practicality also highlighted the great potential for similar in-store installations in promoting the benefits of Rotor’s various product lines.

Rotor’s international customer service manager, Boris Hrusovsky, was on hand to talk through the range with dealers and chat about all things technical, from Q-Ring compatibility to INpower set-ups and Optimum Chainring Angle testing.

Boris was soon joined by Rotor global sales director José Luis Sanz and marketing manager Chris Tarlton, who explained the brand’s ongoing world-wide push and the exciting involvement with Team Dimension Data in 2016.

The extensive Castelli area of the suite always draws in the sartorially savvy and this year was no exception. Key spring-summer 2016 lines were on show including the Perfetto Light jersey – a lighterweight version of the Gabba; the Aero Race 4.1 jersey – Castelli’s fastest yet; and the sumptuously

luxurious Mondiale bib shorts. We also showed off new items from David Millar’s Chpt.III marque as well as Castelli’s growing luggage collection.

For those into unclipping and lacing up, the new Free Tri collection – as worn by three-time Ironman World Champion Mirinda Carfrae – was also on show complete with new two-piece suit joining system and more pockets for on-the-go nutrition storage.

Castelli maestro Steve Smith also flew in from Italy to talk about the brand’s latest designs and technology including the new Linea Pelle skincare range, which has just launched following two years’ intensive development with professional riders and skincare experts.

Our Castelli Servizio Corse manager, Darren Gumm, was also at the show, highlighting the many benefits of Castelli custom kit including the fully sublimated printing; multiple designs across different garment types in the same order; and the sheer reliability of a programme backed by Castelli’s five factories.

With the recent launch of Stages’ own carbon crankarm power meter, and the imminent arrival of Campagnolo models, there was plenty of

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SADDLEBACK EVENTS

“Rotor’s tech-heavy image can sometimes obscure the pure joy of using the brand’s products, so it was incredibly important to engage people with the brand on a practical, emotional level. The exclusive use of the Uno-equipped bike ensured just that.” DAN DUGUID ROTOR BRAND MANAGER SADDLEBACK interest at the Stages display. Dealers were keen to find out about the clever multiple spindle solution of the former, which enables maximum SRAM compatibility, while there was much drooling over the ultra-clean Campagnolo integration – sure to be a hit with aficionados of the Italian brand.

Stages’ cracking of the carbon conundrum has been in the works for some time, the nature of the composite materials and the effect of temperature on carbon proving tricky obstacles to overcome. Of course, the Stages team was more than up for the challenge and years of development have resulted in the same consistent, accurate power measurement and automatic temperature compensation as its aluminium models.

Stages’ marketing manager, Dave Walker, flew in from Boulder to explain the intricacies of measuring carbon deflection, the ease of changing spindles and the huge appetite for the most inconspicuous Campagnolo-compatible power meter ever seen. Dave was also on hand to chat through the myriad real-world benefits that feature across all Stages’ power meters, highlighting Stages’ advanced technology and user friendliness.

As well as the carbon arms, dealers also got another chance to compare the new Gen2 housing

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to its predecessor, the new model being 28 per cent slimmer with a 17 per cent reduction in frontal area as well as a 200 per cent increase in the strength of the battery door connection. The Gen2 meters were first used by Team Sky in 2015, with Chris Froome using a stock Dura-Ace Stages meter to help him on his way to a historic second victory in the Tour de France.

Enve’s Ken Bloomer was another on-hand expert, the European brand manager showing off the company’s latest innovations including the new moulded-in braking surface and Enve carbon hubs seen on the Tour de France stage winning SES 2.2 wheelset and the SES 7.8 aero wheels – Enve’s fastest creations yet.

We were also shouting about the new Enve demo programme, which is now rolling out across the UK: riders who test any M-series wheelset at Enve’s European Demo Centre – BikePark Wales – will be furnished with a £70 voucher to spend at their local Enve dealer.

2016 marked Sidi’s first Core Bike outing with Saddleback and we had a full range on show – creatively displayed in the shape of the Sidi vortex logo. Sidi’s unmistakable quality was evident to the many visitors who stopped by to see these Italian

masterpieces up close; the incomparable finish of the top-end Wire Carbon and Drako Carbon shoes showing why so many champions have chosen Sidi over the last 40 years.

Speaking of champions, we were also privileged to show off the actual shoes of double Tour winner Chris Froome, four-time XC world champ Nino Schurter and multiple rainbow-jersey winner Tony Martin, which drew many a photograph from passersby. We also took the opportunity to display the new limited edition Chris Froome-inspired blue Wire Carbons, another favourite with the crowds and available to order now.

Following our launch of Astute at last year’s show, Core Bike 2016 provided us with another opportunity to get the word out about the brand – telling the story of the young company’s commitment to 100 per cent made-in-Italy saddles and the most innovative construction methods in the industry. The show was the first time for many dealers to see the six new saddles the company has added for 2016: the rounder Star for roadies; Mud for off-roaders; Time for TT specialists; Sea for triathletes; Rush for track riders; and the IBD-only SkyLab, which offers retailers an exceptional value carbon-railed, made-in-Italy saddle. TO M B ALLARD

SADDLEBACK EVENTS

LEFT MIDDLE SIDI AND CASTELLI PROVED TO BE AN INCREDIBLY POPULAR ITALIAN PAIRING AT THE SHOW BELOW OUR ROTOR DISPLAY INCLUDED THE BRAND NEW ROTOR UNO HYDRAULIC GROUPSET

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SADDLEBACK EVENTS

LOVECROSSED Scott Chalmers takes two steps up the podium for the second running of this unique CX race LoveCrossed returned to Chavenage House on 31 January, with the usually peaceful grounds of the 16th century estate giving way to the furiously muddy madness of cyclocross racing. 2016 winner Scott Chalmers takes us through this year’s event.

“2016 was the second running of the LoveCrossed cyclocross race in the grounds of Chavenage House, near Tetbury in Gloucestershire,” says Scott. “This race couldn’t be more local to me – about a three-mile jaunt to the start line – and after last year’s inaugural event, where I placed third, I had some unfinished business. Back again, with improvements to the course, a much bigger turnout and recent rain to make conditions hard, it was going to be tough!

“Race day came and after a cool start, the sun came out and it turned into a lovely day. There was a lot going on in and around the course with

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plenty of hard fought racing and lots of spectators enjoying the racing, food, drink and trade stands, where many were looking at the tasty new kit available from Saddleback.

“Managing to get a good warm up in and with the weather getting nice and unseasonably warm, I was ready to try and get a few more steps up that podium come race time. A really good entry for the senior men’s race and a second row start meant for a close, fast and furious first lap. With the flag dropping and the field sprinting off into the first section, I managed to get a half decent start and had a very closely fought first lap with the likes of my old teammate and former Saddleback dude, Scot ‘One T’ Easter.

“With One T’s mech snapping on the first very muddy section I moved up into second position and got into my rhythm, eventually catching

early leader James Thompson. I then put a good few digs in and a lot of pressure on during the now long running section and managed to get a gap. I got my head down and found myself with a comfortable lead on the now very tough, very muddy course and had time to enjoy the last lap and hit the finishing straight to pop a victory wheelie. It would have been rude not to, coming in under the Castelli finish line banner!

“After a getting changed and warm, everyone piled into the big hall of the house to watch the UCI Cyclocross World Championship race live on the big screen, which made for a good end to the day. The podium presentation crowned all of the category winners, rounding off a cracking day. It was really cool to get the win and put on a good show for the Saddleback team and finish off my ’cross season. Roll on next year!” SCOT T CHALME RS

SADDLEBACK EVENTS

BEACHBATTLE Ice cream, deckchairs and donkey rides not included – the Saddleback team enjoy a day by the seaside at Battle on the Beach, a unique, mixed terrain race on the beautiful Pembrokeshire coast Battle on the Beach 2016 provided another spectacular challenge as everyone from elites on custom beach racers to fatbike tandem riders took on the unique event held in Pembrey Country Park in South Wales.

Saddleback was supporting Battle on the Beach with Sidi, showing the Italian brand’s shoes at our stand and providing prizes. Meanwhile our senior brand manager and NFTO pro, Richard Mardle, and sponsored rider, Scott Chalmers, were also taking part in the race, giving us an extra reason to cheer on the sandy, muddy action.

With the 12-noon start being dictated by the tide, there was plenty of time before the off to for the buzzing atmosphere to build into a nervous frenzy. The 850 starters slowly made their way to the holding pen on the soft sand between dunes and hard-packed beach, the mass start already a hallmark of this race in only its third year.

As riders chatted excitedly, positioning themselves for the start, the sight of hardtails, fatbikes, cyclocrossers, singlespeeds and the odd full-sus and tandem signalled the inclusive nature of the event across all riding disciplines, even if Lycra was the wardrobe of choice.

Rich and Scott made their way into the front group that also contained Beach Racing World Champion Richard Jansen and teammate Bram Imming, the Dutch pair the ones to watch at their specialist discipline.

At midday, the tape was lifted and the carnage started, some running, some riding onto the harder sand as the elite riders spearheaded the

charge along the beach, the rest of the field flooding out to begin behind them. Following a sprint onto the beach that saw them gain a few bike lengths on the competition, the Dutchmen were relentless in attacking the group over this crucial section. Every time the chasers caught back on, off went another injection of pace in spite of the exposure to the coastal winds.

“There was a headwind all up the beach, but no-one was prepared to risk it,” says Rich, who was riding his full-suspension mountain bike. “I thought, ‘Do I go hard now and potentially pay for it later, or hold back and hope it comes together?’

I covered one attack, but just as I brought it back together another rider went off. It was just like road racing. Then the other Dutch guy went and we didn’t see them again!”

A crash near the front sent a few riders hard to the sand but Jansen and Imming pushed on to build a decisive lead. Meanwhile, the 800-or-so riders behind tackled the tough 5km straight, skinny tyres giving an advantage at this stage, though a short-lived one. The conclusion of the beach section meant a right-hand turn up and over the soft dunes into the forest, the loose sand causing all but the fattest of tyres to sink, meaning an uphill push or carry onto the start of the trails.

The forest terrain was varied enough to favour each bike type at different points, with tight turns, steep loose downhills and enormous muddy puddles to negotiate. All the while, riders had to cope with the to-and-fro of passing and being passed by others, not to mention frequent

manoeuvring around fellow competitors who’d taken a tumble or put a foot down. Each lap finished on a short stretch of tarmac, before riders took on another wooded section that led back to the beach on laps two and three.

At the pointy end, the Dutchmen were well away while Rich worked hard in a group behind the leading duo, weaving through the crowds to lap many of the other riders. Meanwhile, Scott Chalmers was finding it tough going in the post ’cross season and dropped down the field.

After riding together for over 90 minutes, the Dutch teammates closed on the finish with an 80-second lead. There was no contest for the win though; the pair zipped up their jerseys and Jansen cruised over the line in front of Imming to take victory in 1:35:08. Benjamin Wadey, who had managed to push ahead of the rest of the group, took the final podium spot in 1:36:29. Rich was in the next group, taking a solid eighth place in 1:37:57 while Scott, battling heavy legs, finished in 1:50:46 putting him in 31st.

“For me, it brought the fun back into mountain biking events with a mix of bikes and a mix of people all there to enjoy something that’s just a bit different from other races,” says Richard.

The rest of the field filtered in over the next couple of hours, as the grey skies gave way to sun and riders of all shapes and abilities completed the gruelling, yet extremely satisfying course to earn their finisher’s medals. The sell-out event will take place again next year, with entries going on sale on 1 January. TO M B ALLARD

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FRESH PRODUCE

SIDIKATUSHA Along with the launch of Katusha’s striking new kit design came the news that the team will be wearing matching Sidi shoes in 2016. These special Sidi Wire Carbons weren’t made on the production line though, the rich burgundy and white colour collision was achieved through old fashioned handmade construction. However, following incredible feedback from the launch of the 2016 Katusha team, you’ll soon be able to put your order in for this beautiful version of Sidi’s top-level shoe.

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FRESH PRODUCE

SILCAHXONE Silca doesn’t do anything by halves, so it’s no surprise the Indianapolis-based brand’s take on hex keys is nothing short of gorgeously practical. Each tool is made from S2 Tool Steel, coated in thin-dense chrome for the hardest possible finish to resist rounding. The keys are then spray coated with a polymer finish that retains its grip under oily fingertips while the bright red colouring makes them easy to spot in a messy workshop. The HX-One’s CNC-machined beech box securely houses the eight keys and also comes with Silca’s proprietary 17-4 magnetic adapter, transforming the 6mm key into a quarter-inch socket drive for use with the supplied screwdriver and Torx bits.

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FRESH PRODUCE

ENVE7.8 Redefining aerodynamic speed, the totally new Smart Enve System 7.8 wheels are the US company’s fastest yet. By combining a 71mm deep, 29mm wide front rim with an 80mm deep, 27.5mm wide rear rim, Enve has managed to outdo the benchmarks set by its groundbreaking SES 8.9 wheelset while improving stability too.

The 7.8s also feature Enve’s new carbon brake track, which offers massively improved stopping power, even in the wet.

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FRESH PRODUCE

ASTUTESTARLITE New for 2016, the StarLite is a road saddle with a more rounded seat shape than the company’s Sky series. The new design was developed with feedback from professional cyclists and holds two international patents. Astute’s Top Design System gives the benefits of a central cutaway while actually filling the lowest point of this space to avoid road spray. The central shell (topped with bi-density memory foam) is sandwiched between the cover and lower shell, giving a perfect finish. The StarLite comes with full 3K carbon rails and weighs just 185g while there’s also the StarLine with Titan V titanium rails, coming in at 215g.

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FRESH PRODUCE

STAGESCAMPAGNOLO Having cracked accurate power measurement and temperature compensation on carbon crankarms, Stages has now applied the technology to Campagnolo. In operation, it’s Stages’ usual, easy to use, yet feature-rich genius, but the real coup is that this is the first opportunity for Campagnolo Chorus, Record and Super Record users to add power measurement in a way that doesn’t interfere with the beautifully sculpted lines of their cranksets.

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FRESH PRODUCE

CASTELLIPERFETTO If the Gabba defined a whole new genre of protective clothing, the Perfetto Light perfects it for racing. Sure to be the next widely imitated Castelli garment, the Perfetto Light uses Gore Windstopper 150 fabric on the front and water-shedding Nano Light on the back, meaning it can be packed down into a jersey pocket and is also more comfortable when pushing out big watts in cool weather. Warmer than the Fawesome Vest, cooler than the Gabba, it’s probably the most versatile cycling jersey ever created.

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FRESH PRODUCE

ALCHEMYSKYLLA The Skylla is a stunning example of Alchemy’s peerless metalworking, the perfect synthesis of traditional frame design and the practicalities of stainless steel. Alchemy partners exclusively with KVA for its tubes, the Southern California-based company providing the basis of the Skylla – MS3 stainless steel. This custom tubing boasts twice the tensile strength of titanium while retaining the legendary ride quality of steel, so it gives the brand’s ti frames a run for their money. Painted in this gorgeous, retro-inspired gloss blue by Alchemy’s Ethic Paint Works, the frame arrived just in time for the Core Bike show and has since been built up by our workshop maestro Ross into this Enve-equipped beauty.

ASTUTE SKYCARB VT

ENVE OFFSET SEATPOST

ENVE SES 3.4 RIM

STAGES DURA ACE VREDESTEIN FORTEZZA SENSO

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FRESH PRODUCE

ENVE ROAD STEM

ENVE ROAD BAR

ARUNDEL BAR TAPE

VREDESTEIN FORTEZZA SENSO

ENVE 2.0 FORK

ENVE SES 3.4 RIM

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THE OFFICE

TIME FOR RETIREMENT?

Emily decides to call it a day with one final Ironman With a winter of seemingly constant rain and soul-destroying head winds, there seems to be some sunshine on the distant horizon. Spring is definitely starting to emerge, and all here at Saddleback are dusting off summer bikes for lunchtime rides and after work spins. After promising all my nearest and dearest I was never, ever, going long again, I managed to sign up for my third and last Ironman. Ironman UK takes place in sunny Bolton on 17 July, and this will be my training focus this spring. The lakes re-open at the end of March, and a warm weather training camp (my fiancé keeps trying to call it a ‘honeymoon’ but we both know better) in Mallorca this May should set me up nicely for my training races at TriBristol Olympic and IM 70.3 Staffordshire.

My last hurrah for the season is a 10k swim in August going round and round a lake in Wiltshire...

After this, I’m going to enjoy my retirement pottering around Bristol on my bike! Fingers crossed for a successful and injury-free training period and here’s to some enjoyable racing. E M I LY C A R R

MEET THE TEAM

THIS ISSUE WE MEET ONE OF SADDLEBACK’S NEWEST WAREHOUSE STAFF MEMEBRS, CARL PRATT.

WHO IS CARL? I am one of the newer members to the Saddleback family, and I have to say I love it. Previously, I worked in the leisure industry for over 10 years. I’m a dad of three, and so when I have the time I really enjoy football, music and of course cycling.

WHERE DO YOU LIVE? Staple Hill, Bristol.

WHAT’S YOUR JOB TITLE? Warehouse assistant.

WORST JOB YOU EVER HAD? I worked in a call centre for a charity. The less said about it the better!

FAVOURITE PLACE TO RIDE? Anywhere surrounded by countryside really, but of all the places I have cycled I would have to say Belgium was one of my favourites.

FAVOURITE BIKE INVENTION? Probably the CO2 inflator. It just speeds up the painful process of getting a flat.

WHAT MAKES YOU ANGRY? PUNCTURES!!!

WHAT MAKES YOU HAPPY? Being around my children.

WHAT’S THE #1 MOST PLAYED SONG ON YOUR IPOD? More than likely anything by The Beatles, Oasis or The Stone Roses.

WHAT IS ONE OF YOUR FAVOURITE QUOTES? Be yourself; everyone else is already taken. - Oscar Wilde

DIGITALINCYCLE Here at Saddleback we care about the environment, let’s face it if we ruin it where will we ride? So you can read and download the latest issue of incycle from the link below. Missed an issue? Head to the same link and download the back catalogue of any incycle since its birth. www.issuu.com/saddleback

T EC H TIPS

ALLBUSINESS ROSS GRIMMETT SENIOR MECHANIC EVERY ISSUE WE WILL BRING YOU INSIDER TECH TIPS FROM OUR CHIEF MECHANIC ROSS

WHAT CHORE DO YOU ABSOLUTELY HATE DOING? Not that I ever do it but I’d have to say ironing.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE TIME OF THE YEAR? I wouldn’t say I have a favourite, but if I had to choose I’d say summer. Everyone is so much happier when the sun is shining.

WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE MODE OF TRANSPORTATION? Obviously bicycle.

WHAT’S YOUR LEAST FAVOURITE MODE OF TRANSPORTATION? It’s got to be the bus. Far too many odd smells and strange characters for my liking.

IF YOU COULD CHOOSE TO STAY A CERTAIN AGE FOREVER, WHAT AGE WOULD IT BE? I would have to say 24. Just a great age in my opinion.

IF YOU COULD LEARN TO DO ANYTHING, WHAT WOULD IT BE? Play guitar.

YOU WILL NEED A Smart Phone with a camera.

IF YOU HAD TO CHANGE YOUR FIRST NAME, WHAT WOULD YOU CHANGE IT TO? It’s not my first name that’s really an issue.

If you’re like me and pick up a lot of business cards from the people you meet, or that come to your premises, there are several great apps for your phone that use the camera to scan the card and can then save it to your phone or contacts. Take a look at apps such as Cam Card.

IF YOU COULD MEET ANYONE, LIVING OR DEAD, WHO WOULD YOU MEET? John Lennon or Keith Moon. I think one would be an incredible conversation and the other an incredible hangover.

THE CAM CARD APP AVAILABLE FOR IPHONE AND ANDROID.

WHICH CELEBRITY DO YOU GET MISTAKEN FOR? Not so much these days but Shane Ward.

THE BEST/WORST GIFT YOU’VE EVER GIVEN/RECEIVED? The worst Christmas present I’ve ever received was an elasticated tie... I was seven!

WHAT’S THE BEST BIT OF ADVICE YOU COULD GIVE? When nothing goes right, go left.

HOW WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE REMEMBERED? For being fun to be around.

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THE OFFICE

OFFICE IN NUMBERS WITH THE FRED WHITTON IMMINENT, HERE ARE SOME KEY EVENT STATS

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MILES

8

NAMED CLIMBS

NZEPIC Jess Greaves’ Middle Earth adventure In between moving from the warehouse up to the office at Saddleback, I managed to sneak in a month off work to go to on a New Zealand adventure with my good mate Manon! We hired a camper in Auckland, and over the next 13 days, we drove down to Queenstown via some sweet riding in Rotorura, Rainbow Mountain, Nelson and Whites Bay. It was so cool to explore and check out the variety of awesome trails and landscapes out there, with so much to see that we didn’t have time to cover! We were lucky to meet so many people from the DH World Cup circuit out there, so there was always someone to ride with and show us around. After seeing some classic tourist spots, we made it to Queenstown. This place is kicking off right now with over 40 trails off the Skyline Gondola and more quality trail riding then you can shake a stick at! If you got bored of that then the lake was a lovely shade of blue ready for kayaking, paddle boarding or jet skis. And then there is Gorge Rd dirt jumps – the most perfect dirt jump spot I’ve ever seen!

I was there for two and a half weeks and rode a bike every day except one, where we spent the day off-road buggying with NZ DH National Champ Alanna Columb. I’ve never seen so many girls shredding and loving riding in one place outside of a World Cup before, it was so good to see!

Since I’ve been home, I’ve got straight into working towards my next mountain adventure, it’s gonna take a lot to top that! J E SS G R E AV E S

STA F F P I C KS

TURNINGSTICK JOHN WAGER OPERATIONS MANAGER ENVE SES AERO ROAD BAR 42CM RRP £350

Having ridden ‘standard’ bars in various shapes for a number of years I was initially sceptical of going for something so narrow. Aesthetically they were a perfect match for the Felt AR FRD so I felt compelled to at least give them a try. For the first week or so it felt like they were child size but as I adapted to them and put more miles of training and racing in, they began to feel more normal. Now anything else just feels odd. The reduced frontal area means they’re noticeably faster on any given ride, and they don’t give anything away when sprinting on the drops.

OUR FAVOURITE PRO QUOTE

“Stoked to have been chosen for the show this year. Time to up my training program & go for another title.”

INTENSE RIDER BRIAN LOPES ANNOUNCES ON APRIL 1ST HE IS TO ‘APPEAR’ ON AMERICAN NINJA

999 RIDERS IN 40-49 AGE GROUP

2459 TOTAL ENTRIES

5:56 THE FASTEST RIDER TIME IN 2015

3285 METRES OF CLIMBING

POUNDS RAISED FOR CHARITY

1,000,000 39

THE OFFICE

WHEELSOFFORTUNE Our Enve brand manager Ash puts the new Enve 2.2 wheels through their paces After riding the 3.4 wheelset for the past two years, I was keen to swap them out for a new model. The 2.2s with Enve carbon hubs ticked the box perfectly.

They’re pretty awesome! Let’s start with the carbon hubs – they’re super light, stiff and roll silky smooth. The DT internals and CeramicSpeed bearings just spin and spin and spin. The rims are light, shallow, wide and come with the new moulded brake track. I’ve never had a problem with braking on the previous-gen wheels, but the new surface is ridiculously good. You get a real whizzing sound when braking, which is quite reassuring when you get used to it. Braking is even and smooth with no pulsing or grabbing, which in turn gives you that extra

bit of confidence to whack the anchors on that little bit later than normal. Wet conditions are when you see the biggest benefit: they just work, and well!

The 2.2s pick up speed super quick and feel stable sprinting or climbing, with no flex or brake buzzing. Paired with a 25mm tyre they’re really comfortable and roll fast: I could happily ride these as an everyday set.

One thing to be aware of is that the tyres fit a little tighter on the clincher rims as they’re tubeless ready. So it’s similar to beading an MTB tyre when you first pump them up: a bit of soapy water helps, then just wait for the ping. A new favourite I think! ASH M AT T HEWS

INTENSELYHAPPY Sexy, tough, gentle and athletic all at the same time Editor-designer Nick has given me the privilege of having my own column in incycle with the remit that the content needs to be random, relevant and interesting. I’m pretty sure I can cover the first two but my apologies if I fail on the third criteria.

There is no doubt that my first column needs to focus on our recent acquisition of the Intense brand. For me, as for all of us here at Saddleback, this is huge news. I have personally been a fan of Intense since the mid nineties, lusting after an M1 for most of my teenage years.

At the age of 22 as a youngster living the dream in Whistler, BC, I finally purchased my first Intense, an ex-Maxxis Team M1 complete with Ti Nitride World Cup Boxxers, custom metallic silver and orange paint job and, slightly disappointingly, gripshift. The bike was a revelation to me after years of racing DH on a substandard bike, I had some of the best days of my life on that bike, won my first race on it, sent some of the biggest hucks I’ll likely ever do and had some equally huge bails! That bike embodied everything that was awesome about mountain biking to me, it was sexy, tough, gentle and athletic all at the same time.

With the evolution of enduro racing around 2010 and a realisation that it suited me better than DH (I was getting older) I soon had my eyes on an Intense Tracer as my dream race machine. A few phone calls later and I had my hands on a brand new candy apple red Tracer ready to take out to the MegAvalanche and various other European enduro events. I raced that bike to some great results from 2009 through to 2012 and it still holds a special place as one of the best bikes I have ever owned.

On to the present day and I find myself here at Saddleback working as the marketing manager with a special remit to increase the company’s presence in the mountain bike arena.

Intense was of course right at the top of my desirable list and I am absolutely delighted that we are able to represent this prestigious brand in the UK. Intense are in a great place right now, the recently launched M16C and Spider 275C are an indication of what is to come from the Californian brand over the next 12 months, take my word for it, the future is bright!

The addition of Intense also brings change for me as I transition to a new role as Intense brand manager. I’ve been revelling in the new challenge; working with a brand that is so rich in heritage, with such a strong brand identity is a real pleasure. Watch this space. M ART I N ASTLE Y

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THE OFFICE

TOP FIVE OUR WEBSITE ADMINISTRATOR / MARKETING ASSISTANT, JESS GREAVES, SHARES HER TOP 5 RACES.

DADDYDAYCARE

I’m turning into a creature of the night With the arrival of my third child (yes third!) my weekends have once again become a juggling act of home improvements, nappies, herding children and tidying. Therefore, my riding is going to have to find a new home. So with the clocks changing and the nights getting lighter, the evenings will have to become my weekends for the next few months. With my lights charged and battery packs fixed to every inch of my frame, I dived into the dark unknown.

There’s definitely something to be said about how riding in the dark improves your reaction times and focus. I do find myself sometimes drifting off in my thoughts when riding in the daylight on a route I know well, if you do that at night you’ll end up in a ditch with your mates having a laugh at your expense.

As for the road part of my riding, this will continue to be my commute with an extra loop before getting to work combined with lunch time blasts, which should hopefully keep the pounds off. So my life isn’t completely over, as my friends keep reminding me, I’ve just got to find a way of fitting riding in. I think we all face the same problem about time on the bike with the pressures of other responsibilities in our life, but getting a balance, as my wife will tell you, makes for a much happier husband! N I C K COX

TECH TIPS

1. VAL DI SOLE DH WC 2015 The first time I went to Val Di Sole was in 2011 racing 4X as a junior, I had only recently started racing DH and I remember going to watch the DH race there too. I couldn’t believe the mental track they were racing. It was so steep I couldn’t believe people could actually ride it and live to tell the tale! I remember walking it and the fear just looking at the track!

Fast forward four years and there I was riding it myself. It felt so good to be able to tick that one off as one of the tracks I’d raced at. And the track was actually really fun!

2. LLANGOLLEN NATIONAL CHAMPS 2015 At the start of 2015, I was struggling to get into the groove of racing and had some bad results. Coming into Llangollen I had been riding a lot and after walking the track I was so excited to ride it. The course has loose and steep turns the whole way down with all these cool high lines and I had so much fun smashing turns in practice. Come the race runs, that was probably the most confident I’ve ever felt before a race. Not scared at all, I hit the track so aggressively and ended up in fifth, but it was the closest I’ve ever been to Rachel and Manon, the top two girls in the world.

3. MERIBEL WORLD CUP 2014 My first ever DH World Cup and one of the best tracks I’ve raced yet! I remember being so scared and nervous to race. I messed up my qualifying run, so didn’t make the top 20, but I got to watch my good mate Manon win the World Cup Overall while drinking wine in the French sun with some friends. A good trip!

4. COMBE SYDENHAM BDS 2013 The first race of 2013 for me and it was a washout. I’d only recently finished building my first proper DH bike and has so much fun riding the soaking wet track. I had a nightmare with mechanicals all weekend until race run, I just gave it my all and pedalled so hard to take the win in Senior Women’s category! As I’d only come last at a national before that it felt so good to be standing on top of the podium!

5. FORT WILLIAM 4X WC 2011 Back when I was 17, I used to live for racing 4X. I had recently met the criteria to race a World Cup and decided to just go for it. I sold a load of riding kit to afford to go up there on a shoestring budget. The feeling of being in the gate next to all these amazing riders with a massive crowd and gnarly track was unreal! It felt like such a cool place to be!

BINBASICS ROSS GRIMMETT SENIOR MECHANIC EVERY ISSUE WE WILL BRING YOU INSIDER TECH TIPS FROM OUR CHIEF MECHANIC ROSS

YOU WILL NEED A bin and a drill.

When emptying the workshop bin, the suction of pulling a full black bin bag out of the plastic bin is a right pain! Drill a few holes in the sides of the bin right at the bottom. No more fighting to pull the full bin bag out!

STAFF PICKS

TiFOREVER JOHN WAGER OPERATIONS MANAGER ALCHEMY EROS TI RRP £2900

It’s been a while since I’ve ridden a titanium frame. The last one was a Marin Team Titanium from the mid 90s, so getting a chance to try out the Eros was one I looked forward to. When you’re used to riding lightweight carbon frames you get used to a certain ‘feel’ and it took a couple of weeks to really get reacquainted. I was expecting a certain plushness to the ride but wasn’t expecting the levels of stiffness that went with it. Likewise, the steering was direct without ever feeling too flighty. This was a frame that, with a change of wheels, could be race bike, coffee shop queen or winter mile eater without ever feeling like a jack of all trades. If you ever had to choose one bike then you’d be hard pushed to beat having an Alchemy Eros at its heart.

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THE OFFICE

RIGHT THE CASTELLI SCORPION IS AN IDEAL BACKDROP BELOW STAN’S CYCLES GETS THE SADDLEBACK TREATMENT

PRESENTATIONPASSION Our creative team is never happier than when showing off our brands through carefully designed, bespoke store POS. Here’s how it works...

Creating bespoke POS for a store is a fantastic way to support dealers who put faith in us and commit to our brands, but it’s also a reflection of our desire to have products displayed in a way that befits the most prestigious names in cycling.

Saddleback’s head of creative, Nick Cox, explains how we go about creating in-store brand havens.

“The process starts with a dealer expressing interest in enhanced POS via their rep and after a quick measure up, I create rough visuals of how I envision the fit should look when complete. We try to cover everything from the actual product display to signage, imagery and how we think customers will interact with products within the

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space. In terms of furniture, we source it based on the needs of each individual store, customising to add suitable brand details.

“After the brand managers have looked over the designs to be sure they reflect the values of each brand, everything’s costed and the proposal is submitted to the dealer. It’s usually at this point that store owners get really enthusiastic and decide they want an even bigger Saddleback POS presence!

“Once everyone’s happy, we order all the supplies, get the signage fabricated and ensure we have all the furniture required. The fit itself is the most difficult yet fulfilling thing; you have to think

on your feet a lot – most buildings aren’t exactly square! I work with Ross to tailor the best possible display in the space we have, finishing by dressing all the products in correspondence with brand guidelines.

“We go in wanting to show our brands at their best and always leave having outshone the competition. It’s amazing to see a bare space transformed into a stunning high-end display over the course of a day; there’s a real sense of achievement at the end of it all.”

If you’re a Saddleback dealer interested in improving your store POS, get in touch with your local area rep.

THE OFFICE

“We go in wanting to show our brands at their best and always leave having outshone the competition.

It’s amazing to see a bare space transformed into a stunning high-end display over the course of a day; there’s a real sense of achievement at the end of it all.” NICK COX HEAD OF CREATIVE

WE WORK HARD TO MATCH THE FEEL AND AESTHETICS OF EACH OF OUR BRANDS

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2 ENVE SEATPOST RRP £240

1 ASTUTE STARLITE RRP £170

3 ARUNDEL MANDIBLE RRP £50

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BESTSELLERS

JANUARY - MARCH 2016

As the season rolls on, we’ve seen an upswing in high-end upgrades leaving Saddleback. This quarter’s podium is topped by the stunning Astute StarLite saddle while Enve’s carbon seatpost adds instant sophistication to any bike build and Arundel’s Mandible cage is pure race performance. Sidi’s Wire Carbon shoes and Stages Dura-Ace meters appear to be both the choice of Chris Froome and our customers while Rotor’s BB30 68mm threaded cups have been hugely popular.

Expect to see more Silca Pocket Imperos poking out of jersey pockets too!

7 SILCA POCKET IMPERO PUMP RRP £100

4 SIDI WIRE CARBON RRP £300

6 STAGES DURA ACE RRP £699

5 ROTOR BSA30 BB RRP £45

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SADDLEBACK GETS INTENSE THE ADDITION OF INTENSE CYCLES TO THE SADDLEBACK FAMILY HAS CERTAINLY CAUSED A STIR IN THE OFFICE, BUT WHAT IS IT ABOUT THE CALIFORNIAN BRAND THAT’S MAKING THE MOUNTAIN BIKERS AMONG US SO ECSTATIC?

Intense Cycles is a name that truly resonates with mountain bikers the world over. For over 20 years, the Temecula, California, based company has been at the forefront of the industry thanks to the brand’s commitment to quality, its innovative designs and the outstanding performance of its bikes. The unquenchable passion of the Intense team, led by founder and designer Jeff Steber, has seen Intense grow from a small MTB concern into one of the sport’s most famous names.

To say we’re excited to bring aboard a brand with such history and standing in the MTB world is an understatement. The news has prompted a fit of fanboy reveries within the office, reminiscing about all the best Intense riders and our experiences on the US-brand’s bikes over the years.

For everyone at Saddleback, the chance to contribute to the future of a brand that means so much to us is a real thrill.

The Intense story began in 1993 when Steber built his first frame on his home patio – the three-inch travel Spyder – and continued in earnest with the sport-defining M1 downhill bike. For 2016, the Spider makes its return as a full carbon, ultra versatile trail bike – one that’s already garnered triumphant reviews – while the M-series continues to lead downhill design in the form of the M16. Turn the page to see just why we’re so eager to get the message out about Intense’s latest designs…

M16C

INTENSE BUILT ITS REPUTATION IN WORLD CUP DOWNHILL RACING AND FOR 2016 THE BRAND IS BACK ON THE WORLD CUP CIRCUIT WITH A NEW TEAM AND A NEW FACTORY-SPEC BIKE The team will of course be racing on the latest iteration of the legendary M-series of downhill race machines, the M16C. A thoroughbred race machine, the M16C delivers 240mm of bump-devouring rear travel via the JS-tuned suspension.

Developed alongside the World Cup race team, as well as Intense brand ambassadors and former World Cup racers Chris Kovarik and Shaun Palmer, the M16C sets the new benchmark for downhill race bikes.

THELEGEND The M-series’ pedigree is unquestionable.

When the M1 surfaced from Jeff Steber’s mind in 1994, it was the first downhillspecific full suspension bike – and it revolutionised the sport. Ridden by the Intense team and re-badged by other stars of the 90s, it’s a true original of the sport.

THEFRAME The M16C frame is a work of art. From the slick internal cable routing to chainstay and downtube protection, the sublime moulding and rear fender, every last detail has been considered. The M16C is a long, slack and low machine designed for one thing only, going downhill fast!

THESUSPENSION With 240mm of rear wheel travel, the M16C one of the longest travel DH bikes on the market. It’s not just a number though; the wheel path and shock curve are the result of 20 years of testing by the world’s best riders, resulting in fantastic support and grip in even the most extreme terrain.

“The M16C is a fitting successor to the M-Series throne, a formidable machine that’s capable of everything from bike park laps to full-on downhill racing.

It may not be the absolute lowest and longest DH bike around, but it’ll still take on the steepest tracks without putting up a fuss. That trait, plus the well constructed frame and top notch build kit work together to create a bike that I’d imagine almost any downhill rider would be happy to own. ” MIKE KAZIMER PINKBIKE

THEGEOMETRY The M16C was not designed for a cruise in the park: this bike is aggressive in every way, the slack 63.5-degree head angle, low BB height and roomy cockpit allow for a machine that is designed to tackle steeps with ease, roost the most difficult of turns and boost any jump with confidence.

THEFINISHINGKIT The M16C is available in three builds, our favourite being the Enve-equipped Factory pictured here. Each model comes specced with a dream list of components from the likes of Enve, Fox, Shimano, RockShox, SRAM and Renthal. The M16C is also available as a high-modulus frameset.

THEDETAILS The Factory build comes with SRAM X01 DH; Saint brakes; RockShox Boxxer World Cup fork and Vivid Coil shock; and Enve M90 wheels for £9,999.99. The Pro builds features loses the Enve wheels while the Expert has a Shimano Zee group and Fox Performance Elite suspension.

SPIDER275C

THE SPIDER 275C IS THE FIRST IN A NEW GENERATION OF BIKES TO COME FROM INTENSE OVER THE NEXT 12 MONTHS – AND IT’S A WINNER The Spider is designed to be a fast, playful, lightweight trail bike for those that like to get a little sideways. With an adjustable 115-130mm of sublime rear suspension delivered via the JS-tuned Virtual Pivot Point linkage, paired to either a 130 or 140mm travel fork, the Spider is the ideal UK trail bike.

THEFRAME The Spider 275C’s frame is full carbon with the Factory and Pro build bikes boasting SL high modulus fibres for a 300g saving.

All the Spider 275C frames have Boost 148 x 12mm dropouts to fit the latest Boost wheels, which are stiffer and more stable than their 142mm counterparts.

THESUSPENSION The JS-tuned suspension delivers either 115mm or 130mm of rear wheel travel.

Moving between settings doesn’t affect geometry, but running 115mm creates a more progressive suspension curve, giving the bike a little more pop and a firmer platform for pedalling-heavy rides.

THEDRIVETRAIN While all Spider models come equipped with 1x11 set-ups and 32t chainrings hooked up to the boost hubs at the rear, the frame is also equipped to take a direct-mount front derailleur for those who just can’t give up their front ring shifting.

“Light enough to be raced cross-country, yet capable enough to tackle seriously technical trails. Intense just popped out the proverbial unicorn... this thing is way more fun than it has a right to be.”

VERNON FELTON PINKBIKE

THEGEOMETRY The Spider 275C features trend leading geometry with an extended reach allowing for very centralised weight on the bike and more room to manoeuvre. The Spider also features a very short 419mm chainstay making for a highly flickable and extremely fun ride.

THECOCKPIT Due to the longer reach on this new generation geometry, all Spider models come equipped with a 50mm stem and 760mm bars as standard, astute specification choices that offer riders snappy, precise steering and the extra stability provided by a wider bar.

THEDETAILS The Spider 275C is available in Factory, Pro, Expert and Foundation builds and as an SL Frameset. The top-end Factory boasts SRAM XX1 group; Shimano XTR brakes; FOX Performance Elite 34 Float forks and matching shock; and DT Swiss XMC 1200 Spline 275 Boost wheelset for £7,999.99.

FRED WHITTON 08.05.2016 As riders nervously gear up for the UK’s biggest cycling challenge, event director Stuart Emms offers his last minute advice The Fred Whitton Challenge is undoubtedly one of the most iconic cyclosportive events on the UK calendar, its combination of beautiful, almost otherworldly Lake District panoramas and staggeringly difficult climbs sparking excitement in the cycling community that ensures a sell-out event year after year.

It was Fred Whitton’s untimely death from cancer, aged just 50, that catalysed friends and family of the well known and adored Lakes Road Club racing secretary to organise the first memorial event in 1999. In the 15 editions that have since followed, the Fred Whitton has grown from 66 to 2,500 riders and raised over £1million for fantastic causes including Macmillan Cancer Support and local air ambulance and mountain rescue units.

To call the Fred Whitton an honest course is to utterly downplay its shark-toothed profile, quad-burning gradients and white knuckle descents.

Riders will have to tackle 3,285m of ascending and descending over the 112 miles of an anticlockwise route that begins in Grasmere in the heart of the Lake District and takes in the climbs of Kirkstone, Matterdale End, Honister, Newlands, Whinlatter, Cold Fell, Hardknott and Wrynose.

With the event almost upon us, we talk to Fred Whitton event director Stuart Emms, to give you some last minute, practical advice – or early 2017 prep – on how to handle this most physically demanding and technically challenging sportive.

“It’s in the name,” says Stuart. “If it was dead easy and everyone could do it in five hours, it wouldn’t have the same attraction. It’s not a race, there’s no car coming up behind you with a windproof or handing you a bottle or anything like that. It’s a proper tough day out. People need to come prepared for a personal challenge.”

“We’ve got more first time riders than ever, which is fantastic, but I think there’s a naivety. They’ve seen it in the glossy magazines – the continental approach of short sleeves and armwarmers – but it can be grim up here in May!” Much of that preparation comes from event-day kit selection. “You see people setting off in full racing gear at half past six in the morning with lightweight tyres and if you’re chasing a time and you’ve got to fix a puncture, it’s not going to work. You need a different mindset: it’s not a road race, it’s a challenge.

You’re better off putting some decent winter tyres on and getting round without a puncture than putting your 180g time trial tubs on!

“Take a pragmatic approach. Yes, it’s a big event – we make it the best event in the country – but it’s not glorious sunshine on perfect roads in the middle of France. You could end up 40 miles from the start in a lot of discomfort and the performance suffers, the enjoyment suffers.

“We’ve got more first time riders than ever, which is fantastic, but I think there’s a naivety. They’ve seen it in the glossy magazines – the continental approach of short sleeves and armwarmers – but it can be grim up here in May! In this year’s terms and conditions, I’ve put in that everyone brings a long-sleeved windproof as a minimum – and if it’s waterproof all the better.

“It’s just the common sense approach. It’s about being physically fit and practically prepared: your bike’s in good working order; your brake blocks and

rims are in good nick; you’ve got sensible tyres. I’d suggest a baselayer; two jerseys; armwarmers; either three quarters or knee warmers; and lightweight overshoes to keep your feet warm. Also for people who haven’t ridden that distance, use a decent chamois – it might just make a difference.”

Anyone who’s signed up for the Fred Whitton route will no doubt be fearing the infamous Hardknott and Wrynose passes, but it’s some of the lesser known climbs that can cause riders trouble on the day.

“Cold Fell is definitely one that people underestimate. The passes go between the fells on all the known passes and there are big mountains on either side, but when you’re on Cold Fell it’s very exposed, with no escape from the wind. If it’s a north-easterly, you’ll get a tailwind, if it’s the prevailing south westerly you’ll have a block headwind.

“It keeps climbing for quite a way – you can see it in front of you. It’s quite steep at the bottom: you start with a dead straight bit of road up the fellside and everyone thinks it’s alright. Then you get over the cattle grid and you can see the road wandering away from you into the distance. On a decent day, it’s got magnificent views over Sellafield nuclear plant and out to the Isle of Man.

“Irton Pike is another little climb people underestimate because they’re thinking that Hardknott’s coming up. It comes not long after coming over Cold Fell, after the Calder Bridge feed station. You get rolling roads, then Irton Pike kicks up at you. It’s quite short and innocuous looking, but it just catches people by surprise because you’ve got the best part of 85-90 miles in your legs. It can’t be more than three-quarters of a mile long, but it’s just enough demoralise people who aren’t expecting it.”

These incidental leg-sappers just add to the challenge of tackling the remaining climbs, with Hardknott Pass looming up to the sky with over 90 miles already in the legs. “Hardknott is harder at the bottom, you can get a rest in the middle, but then it kicks up again even steeper, but it’s shorter there. I always think, ‘If I can get up the bottom bit, I can get out the top bit!’

It does level out slightly, it’s not flat, but more of a false flat through the middle section, but you can see it coming, and just how steep it is.”

While Wrynose is also an enormous turn-yourself-inside-out challenge, Stuart says riders should be equally concerned with the way down. “It’s not just about the climbs. You need to have your wits about you on the descents.

Especially on the last big descent off Wrynose. People are getting tired and we’ve had one or two nasty accidents there. It’s very steep and twisty at the top, then there’s a sharp left hander over a stone bridge. Then it straightens out, but the road surface is awful and there could be traffic coming. It tightens up again near the bottom, so if you get out of control on the straight, there’s fellside and rocks to your left and rocks and a big drop off to your right: there’s nowhere to go. Every time I’ve done it, I’ve sighed with relief that I’ve got down Wrynose in one piece! If you’re chasing a time, you’re not going to gain it here.”

The Fred Whitton Challenge might be famous for its cruel climbs and death-defying descents, but it’s also set within one of the most gorgeous landscapes in the world. “The views are fantastic. It’s worth looking over your shoulder on the Matterdale End climb up to Dockray. It’s beautiful. It sums up the whole Lake District. There are yachts on Ullswater, high mountains with Helvellyn up to the right and on a good day you can look across to Blencathra, otherwise known as Saddleback – it’s absolutely stunning.

“Just take time to enjoy the views and the Lake District as you ride. If the weather’s good, the whole Lake District is just magnificent.” TO M B ALLARD

THE ALCHEMIST

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THE ALCHEMIST

THE ALCHEMIST W H AT M AG I C H AS SE EN ALCH E M Y BUI LD I TS WAY TO THE TO P I N J U ST E I G H T YEARS? WE AS K I TS FO UND ER As Colorado-based Alchemy Bicycle Co. expands its peerless reputation for handmade frames to the UK, founder Ryan Cannizzaro recounts the brand’s meteoric rise and how the team’s passion for beautifully designed bikes only grows with the company’s fortunes.

I’ve always been an avid cyclist,” says Cannizzaro. “Just getting out on the open road has always been the best part of my day.” This passion for cycling provided ample motivation to steer Cannizzaro towards the niche industry of building high-end bespoke bikes. “Throughout college I toiled on a business plan to start my own bike manufacturing company. Two years after I graduated I was able to open the doors of Alchemy.”

The doors in question were those of a 900 square-foot garage in Austin, Texas, Alchemy’s first home when Cannizzaro minted the brand name. Getting underway with chromoly and titanium designs, Alchemy set out to be a little different from other companies, focusing on the rider benefits of bespoke frame building and establishing a steadfast commitment to made-in-the-USA quality, rather than importing from abroad.

“We know the elevated ride quality of a bespoke bicycle. It was also important to keep our production in the US, as being able to control the production process from start to finish gives our frames a more refined level of craftsmanship.

“We built our brand with no marketing budget; it is simply the way our bikes ride and the consistent quality of our craftsmanship that have built the brand. Many custom builders are focused on the outlandish paint schemes and using crazy standards, and while our in-house painters at Ethic Paint Works can create anything you want, our focus has always been to build dependable bikes that ride even better than they look.”

While the Alchemy’s reputation for creating the finest custom-geometry steel and titanium frames grew, Cannizzaro was mindful of the opportunity that carbon fibre could offer; a chance to show that made-in-the-USA carbon frames could out-ride the biggest mass-produced brands in cycling.

“We’ve always known carbon to be the material that could take us to the next level. However, we didn’t want to be another bike company sourcing cheap carbon frames out of Asia. Creating carbon bikes from the ground up in-house allows us to manipulate the ride qualities of the bike beyond what we can do with other materials.”

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THE ALCHEMIST

The turning point for Alchemy came in September 2010 when Cannizzaro hired industrial designer and composites expert Matt Maczuzak, who had total belief that Alchemy’s carbon frames could be as strong as any player in the world. “We invested heavily in assets knowing Matt could make the best USAmade carbon frames with the right resources,” says Cannizzaro. “It’s still in incredible to me how differently we can build the same frame for two different riders, looking for totally different things in a bike — be it a race bike or an allday adventurer, Matt can engineer a frame to meet either demand. Or both!”

When first moving into carbon, Alchemy cannily teamed up with Enve, whose forks the brand was already speccing on its frames. Initially using Enve’s round tubes, Alchemy was soon providing the Utah-based company with moulds to create its own exclusive custom-designed tubes.

“Alchemy was established just one year after Enve, so our relationship with them was born from the beginning. We became good friends with the lead engineer and founder of Enve, Jason Schiers, and Enve has been a great partner ever since,” says Cannizzaro.

One defining characteristic of Alchemy’s carbon frames is their exquisite ride quality, something Bicycling Magazine’s Bill Strickland described following his testing of the brand’s Helios frame. “I am aware of the road and our motion and all the sensations of the ride in a way that feels more thorough but is at the same time somehow simpler… Alchemy built me a bike that did everything I’d imagined it might—including casting me into those fantastical states of wonder… making me dream of riding more, of riding farther, of riding fresh roads and old roads in new ways…”

The key to this suitably alchemical transition from raw carbon to a stunningly good bike is Alchemy’s Techne-craft manufacturing technique. The whole frame is built on a special jig that maintains the desired geometry and the finished tubes are mitred exactly for perfect tube-to-tube matching which all but eliminates the need for joint filling compound – the culprit for the deadened feeling of many mass produced frames.

Each tube junction is then lovingly wrapped in layers of carbon, laid up to create the customer’s requested ride characteristics. The result is a truly special,

one-off frame and an exceptionally beautiful finished product; the pride of place in any cycling aficionado’s collection.

Alchemy soon became known for its superior carbon frames, the US industry praising the brand for its extraordinary use of carbon fibre. The Arion aero road bike earned the Best Carbon Fiber Frame and Best Carbon Construction awards at the North American Handmade Bicycle Show (NAHBS) in 2012 and 2013, a reflection of the innovation that has seen Alchemy’s reputation soar to the top in so short a space of time.

In October 2012, Cannizzaro moved operations from Austin to the thriving cycling community of Denver, Colorado – “Four seasons, loads of sunshine and the Rocky Mountains,” muses Cannizzaro on the reasoning behind the move. The new 12,000 square-foot headquarters even features its own on-site coffee house – Chroma Café – fuelling the ground-bean cravings of cyclists from far and wide. As part of the move, four families relocated from Texas, while another four – from Massachusetts, New York and New Hampshire – moved to join Alchemy in its new base.

Despite the disparate backgrounds of its staff and the individuality that Alchemy encourages, the brand has become known for its straightforward identity: maintaining a grassroots earthiness far away from the pretension of other brands, while appealing to real connoisseurs of handcrafted bicycles.

“Everyone we recruited was hired to ensure complete control of our supply chain using different expertise from within the group. We use each person’s expertise to reach the end goal,” says Cannizzaro. “The move also meant we were able to bring tube production and paint in-house.”

Indeed, carbon production flourished in this new environment, with everything from CAD tube design to CNC mould cutting, laying up and heat pressing all brought in-house. With this increased production capacity, the brand has also branched out into stock frames. Fitting all but the trickiest customer, stock sizes are ideal for those wanting a handmade frame in a hurry and a boon for retailers, who can hold stock of a handmade frame to fit all.

“It allows us to produce at a faster pace,” says Cannizzaro. “Matt is able to cut carbon and create frame tubes that are pre-mitred for stock sizes, rather

It’s still in incredible to me how differently we can build the same frame for two different riders, looking for totally different things in a bike - be it a race bike or an all-day adventurer, Matt can engineer a frame to meet either demand. Or both!

RIGHT FRAME CUTTING, WELDING, MASKING AND PAINTING – ALL IN-HOUSE AT ALCHEMY

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THE ALCHEMIST

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THE ALCHEMIST

ENVE HAS BEEN AN IMPORTANT PARTNER FOR ALCHEMY SINCE THE COMPANY WAS FOUNDED

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THE ALCHEMIST

THE BRAND NEW ARKTOS FULL-SUSPENSION BIKE IS ALREADY AN AWARD WINNER

We knew to expand into mountain bikes we had to have a product that stood up to our road products... The frames are our most technological to date. They use years and years of experience to make the ultimate mountain bike performance and quality. than need to cut down every tube for a custom frame. We’re able to speed up our production and the end customer saves some money.”

Though a large proportion of Alchemy frames are made from carbon, metal also remains a key part of the business and one that Alchemy has recently worked hard to strengthen. “We spent a few years developing our carbon frames. Unfortunately, during that time, we lost some of our metal market share, but all of our retail partners were asking us to reinvigorate our metal line as we did with carbon.

“We took the feedback and completely redesigned our Eros and Chiron frames. We used Matt’s expertise in design and ride characteristics and completely sourced and designed our tubes based on ride quality. We also have one of the best welders and metal fabricators in the industry [Jeff Wager, previously of US custom builders Serotta]. We rely on his expertise to execute Matt’s design. It has worked out extremely well and metal is back on pace.”

Alchemy is also known for the reputation of its painters. Upon the move to Colorado, Shane Haberland moved from Serotta, followed by former colleague Nick Hemendinger when Serotta closed in 2013. More recently, the team recruited Phil Harwood from Independent Fabrications. “With this type of expertise under one roof, we decided to form Ethic Paint Works and make it a part of Ethic Industries,” says Cannizzaro. “We have some of the best painting talent and we might as well offer it to the industry!”

With the rugged backdrop of the Rockies close to Alchemy’s Denver HQ, it was only a matter of time before the mountains called: “We’re in Colorado – the only thing that compares to the road riding is the mountain biking. We knew to expand into mountain bikes we had to have a product that stood up to our road products.”

That meant creating a whole new frame platform; an engineering challenge, but one that the Alchemy team relished. “The frames are our most technological to date. They use years and years of experience to make the ultimate mountain bike performance and quality.”

When it came to the company’s all-important first full-suspension MTB – the Arktos – Alchemy enlisted the help of David Earle in the creation of a new rear suspension platform, a man whose CAD workstation had already produced a host of industry-leading designs including Santa Cruz’s VPP system – found on the original Blur and Nomads as well as the Intense range; Yeti’s ‘Switch’ system; Mountain Cycle’s Turntable linkage to name but a few.

“Our relationship with David Earle was key to establishing our mountain production as a game-changing move. We didn’t want to rely on an existing suspension design. Our exclusive rights to the Sine Suspension by David was key to expanding in the mountain market.”

The new Sine Suspension (a naming nod to the shape of the leverage ratio curve) features variable response throughout the travel to absorb small bumps and maintain climbing traction, helping to prevent mid stroke wallow while permitting the full 150mm travel when needed.

Despite having just begun production, the Arktos has already made a big impression, the beautiful design scooping the People’s Choice and Best Mountain Bike gongs at the 2016 NAHBS show earlier this year.

With Alchemy transferring its high-end carbon expertise to benefit mountain bikers, reinvigorating its metal lines and bolstering its stock carbon collection, the brand is certainly on an upward trajectory, but what does the future hold? For Cannizzaro, the answer is simple: “More bikes, better technology, same craftsmanship!” TO M B ALLARD

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SADDLEBACK’S WORLDTOUR As racing heats up in Europe the Grand Tour season looms, we take a look at how Saddleback’s brands are helping pro teams on the world’s biggest stage With Castelli, Sidi, Enve, Stages and Rotor being just a few of the illustrious marques to have a home at Saddleback, the new season offers the perfect window onto how our brands are represented at the highest level of road racing – the WorldTour.

Having transitioned from MTN-Qhubeka to Team Dimension Data for Qhubeka in 2016, the African squad represents Saddleback’s biggest concentration of brands in the WorldTour, its riders equipped with Enve, Rotor and Sidi.

For this season, the team has bolstered its ranks with some incredible international talent including Mark Cavendish, Mark Renshaw and Bernhard Eisel who join Edvald Boasson Hagen, Tyler Farrar, Steve Cummings and Daniel Teklehaimanot.

One of Enve’s stand-out moments from the whole 2015 season – the US-brand’s first in the WorldTour – was Cummings’ historic victory on Stage 14 of the Tour de France, SES 2.2 wheels helping him to pull away from his French rivals to take the team’s first ever Tour stage win – and on Mandela Day no less. This year, Enve has an increased presence with the team, also supplying the riders with stems, bars and seatposts to give another performance gain. The Team Dimension Data squad will also have a new wheelset in their arsenal – the SES 7.8. Launched last October at the Ironman World Championships, the wheelset is the fastest yet to emerge from Enve’s Utah headquarters thanks to different front to rear curvature as well as depth. It also features the brand’s new molded brake track for superior stopping power.

Team Dimension Data is also supported by Rotor, the team running the Spanish company’s ultra-stiff 3D+ crankset system and the latest 2INpower dual-leg power measurement first spotted in prototype form at the Tour Down Under. More big news for Rotor is that some team riders will also be using the brand’s newest creation – the fully hydraulic UNO groupset,

which features hydraulically-actuated derailleurs as well as rim brakes for more powerful braking and crisp shifting.

Sidi is another Team Dimension Data sponsor, with the majority of riders sporting glossy white Wire Carbon shoes and in the process gaining the brand’s legendary comfort, adjustability and performance. Jaco Venter has already secured the South African National Championship this year while wearing his Sidi shoes.

With Pierre Rolland’s move to the Cannondale Pro Cycling team this season, the US-based team has a real shot at yellow this July. The team will also be unmistakable amid the drab colours of the peloton thanks to luminous green Castelli kit, which also brings the team’s traditional Argyll pattern back in full force. With Rolland having reportedly made huge improvements in terms of aerodynamic positioning, the Italian brand’s speed suits and Aero Race range will be essential in making the most of the Frenchman’s newfound speed.

Castelli brand manager, Steve Smith, says, “In addition to the wind tunnel testing and all the rider feedback we’ve collected over the last year, we’ve spent a lot of time riding the development samples. We’re bringing the benefits to our pro riders, but we’re also bringing the changes to the Castelli collection and the Servizio Corse custom team wear. Our work with the Cannondale team truly does drive innovation through all our products.”

While the bright green colour might’ve seemed a gamble at the time of conception, it’s paid off for both the team and Castelli, with readers of Cyclingnews.com, the world’s biggest cycling website, ranking it number one among 2016 WorldTour uniforms. The kit was also given top marks by Road Cycling UK in its rundown of this season’s WorldTour kits.

Stages remains with Team Sky for 2016, Chris Froome’s 2015

DIMENSIONDATA Saddleback’s most well-represented team, Team Dimension Data is concerned with both top racing results and bringing cycling to those in need thanks to the Qhubeka project.

ENVE BARS ENVE STEM

ROTOR Q RINGS

SIDI SHOES

ENVE WHEELS

CASTELLI PREFETTO VEST

CASTELLI AERORACE 5.1 JERSEY

CASTELLI NANOFLEX ARMWARMERS

CASTELLI AERO RACE SHORTS

CASTELLI PRIMA GLOVE

CASTELLI OMLOOP KNEE WARMER TEAM ONLY

CANNONDALEPROCYCLING Castelli has been with the team that’s now become Cannondale Pro Cycling for many years, the squad giving invaluable feedback that informs Castelli’s leading designs.

CASTELLI WOOL SOCKS

CASTELLI AERO NANO SHOECOVER

TEAMSKY Unquestionably one of the world’s most powerful and successful WorldTour teams, Team Sky’s use of Stages and Chris Froome’s wearing of Sidi is a boon for Saddleback.

Tour de France victory – and the spectacular performance of the whole team – reinforcing the validity of accurate, reliable, singlesided power measurement at the very pinnacle of the sport.

“We took a chance on Stages Cycling in 2014, and we were delighted with the results,” says Carsten Jeppesen, head of technical operations for Team Sky. “We proved their product meets our needs and they offered us great support. Even in the worst conditions this year, the new Stages meter was always reliable, consistent and accurate.”

“For Team Sky, the Stages Power meter is one of our most valuable coaching tools,” adds Tim Kerrison, Team Sky’s head of athlete performance. “And Stages continues to be a great partner that meets the needs of cyclists at all levels – from the amateur enthusiast who wishes to use power data to better inform and refine their training, to catering to what Team Sky needs at the highest level of professional road cycling.”

Last year, Froome rode to victory on a stock Dura-Ace Stages unit – exactly the kind you can buy at your local bike shop – and Team Sky will stick to the same winning formula throughout 2016.

Following in the almost literal footsteps of former Tour greats such as Alberto Contador, Miguel Indurain and Laurent Fignon, Chris Froome will be wearing Sidi again in 2016, dialing up his Wire Carbon shoes this summer to defend his Maillot Jaune.

Teammate and probable Giro d’Italia leader Mikel Landa has also been furnished with his own custom-colour Wire Carbon design for 2016, sparking much debate about whether the Brit or the Italian sports the most desirable cycling chaussures.

Meanwhile, the whole Katusha team, led by stars Joaquim Rodriguez and Alexander Kristoff will also be sporting Sidi Wire Carbons, specially finished with deep burgundy and white uppers to match the Russian squad’s kit (see page 30).

“With his intuition, Dino Signori has revolutionised the world of cycling shoes and achieved extraordinary victories with the best champions of all time,” says Team Katusha general manager, Viatcheslav Ekimov. “It’s an important certainty for us to know that our riders will be able to count on the technology and performance guaranteed by Sidi.”

The shoes have already been first across the line under Kristoff in Qatar and Oman, while Rodriguez’s penchant for gutsy attacking means there’s sure to be plenty of Sidi coverage in Grand Tours this year.

With the UCI stepping up its commitment to women’s cycling with the introduction of a 35-day WorldTour programme in 2016, there will be more media focus on Cervélo-Bigla Pro Cycling, who sport three Saddelback brands. The top women’s team is the first full squad to be riding Rotor UNO in addition to INpower 3D+ cranks. Cervélo–Bigla is also rolling on Enve wheels, crucial tyre pressure accuracy ensured by the team’s mechanics thanks to Silca providing the world’s finest pumps.

These major contracts aside, there are also scatterings of Saddleback brands seen across other teams on the WorldTour circuit. Nacer Bouhanni’s Sidi clad feet have recorded a stage win at Vuelta Andalucia Ruta Ciclistica del Sol while the LampreMerida team has already provided several podium positions on Rotor cranks and INpower meters. TO M B ALLARD

STAGES DURA ACE

JOSH POERTNER

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JOSH POERTNER

ESTABLISHED 99 YEARS AGO IN WARTIME ITALY, SILCA HAS PLENTY OF CYCLING LORE TO ITS NAME AND WHILE AMERICAN OWNER JOSH POERTNER IS CONTINUING TO PEN THAT HISTORY FROM THE BRAND’S NEW HOME IN INDIANAPOLIS, HE FIRST CAME ACROSS THE SILCA MARQUE LIKE THE GENERATIONS OF CYCLISTS BEFORE HIM – IN HIS LOCAL BIKE SHOP.

“I was working in a shop in St Paul, Minneapolis, and the owner, Dan Casebeer, was an ex pro; a real hero of ours and a great guy,” enthuses Josh.

“He would only carry Silca pumps. I said, ‘Dan, I need a floor pump but these Silca SuperPistas are three times the cost of other pumps!’ He told me what he’d tell the customers: ‘There’s two types of pumps: there’s this one and there’s crap. Just buy this one – you’ll never regret it, it’ll last you the rest of your career.’ So I bought it and it’s true; the thing travelled the world with me.”

That was 1990, Josh a young cycling addict without any idea that he’d one day take over the Italian brand and re-launch it as the industry’s finest pump and tool company. Back then, that venerable SuperPista pump – black with a hot pink logo – was just a crucial tool for the aspiring racer.

“It’s performed flawlessly; it’s just sort of old reliable for us. I still use it and my kids use it today to pump up the tyres on their bikes. It’s one of those life lessons that took a long time to learn; I didn’t quite see the value of it when I first bought it. Over time, especially my years of working in bike shops and seeing the regularity with which

pumps are killed in them, you really grow to respect the tool that just always works.”

A decade after buying that first Silca pump, and following a sojourn in Europe as a pro rider, Josh was back home in the Twin Cities, putting his engineering expertise to use for Zipp. It was while there, through the brand’s purchase of Silca disc valve adapters, that he first got to know Silca owner Claudio Sacchi.

“At my first trade show back in 2000, I got to seek out Claudio and learned he was the thirdgeneration owner of the company started by his grandfather. He used to have these amazing picture books of him as a kid with Gimondi and Merckx… you’d flip thorough it and be like, ‘Oh my God, they worked with everybody!’ There was a streak there where they basically had almost every team in Europe.”

Despite Silca owners’ fervent love of their pumps, the proliferation of the cost-orientated, mass produced pump meant that by 2013 the company was in dire straights. Claudio Sacchi’s health was failing and with no-one to take over the business, he searched for a buyer.

“I think that most people probably had the same initial reaction I had, which was, ‘Gosh, a pump company? In this day and age?’ It’s just such a crowded space. Getting off the phone with Claudio that first time, I was definitely thinking, ‘Wow, you’d be insane to buy that company!’”

Despite those feelings, the idea began to percolate in Josh’s analytical mind. “That really was the beginning of it for me; connecting those dots. During my time at Zipp, our number one and number three customer service issues were disc adaptors and valve extension frustration.

They leak, they crack. People just hate both of those products because they’re never just plug and play like it feels they should be. So I certainly

went though a period of laying in bed thinking, ‘Well why doesn’t somebody just make a better one that works?’ I think we put those price blinders on ourselves and say it’s got to cost $5 or nobody’s going to buy it. But there’s that element of thinking, ‘Yeah, it only costs that, but it doesn’t work. Wouldn’t you pay a little bit more if it actually worked?’ It just makes sense.

“From a pump perspective, I lived through it at Zipp. When we built the new Zipp building we put in a big workshop for the employees. It was amazing to watch; every couple of months, new pumps would have to come in because you’d kill the old ones. So you think, ‘My God, it’s not like they’re dirt cheap! It’s $110 to $120 pump and it lasts two months? It’s not being used that much!’

“We really had an experience with our wind tunnel pumps. We’d bought the most expensive shiny, silver polished aluminium pumps we could find and thought that at $1,000 an hour, one missed wind tunnel round will pay for all of this stuff. On our next trip, I kid you not, by the end of the first day we had broken both of the pumps!

The aluminium threads in the chuck stripped. It was 40 inflations, screwing on and screwing off, it’s not that much, but it was clearly enough to do the damage. Literally, the end of that first day, we’re driving around San Diego looking for bike shops and we end up buying old Silca brass bell-shaped chucks, getting scissors out and hose clamping!

“The other data point out there was one of the things that we’d learned though the development of the first carbon wheels at Roubaix – the gauge inaccuracy of traditional pumps is very high. To get the cost where people want the cost to be, the gauges are typically plus or minus five per cent accuracy when they’re new and because they’re mechanical, they’re subject to fatigue, so the more you use them, the less accurate they become.

JOSH POERTNER’S SILCA 69

JOSH POERTNER

“THERE WAS A 12PSI DIFFERENCE ACROSS THREE TEAM PUMPS AT THE TARGET PRESSURE OF ABOUT 70PSI. SO DEPENDING ON WHAT YOUR BASELINE PUMP WAS AND WHICH ONE YOU WERE USING LATER, YOU COULD BE A BAR HIGH OR A BAR LOW AND ON COBBLES, THAT’S CATASTROPHIC. THOSE PIECES SLOWLY FELL INTO PLACE OVER A COUPLE OF WEEKS AND SOLIDIFIED IN MY MIND AS A REAL OPPORTUNITY.

The more I began to think through and sketch out all of the things that could be done, which quite honestly really does start out as a frustration list of things somebody needs to solve, eventually I felt strongly that we could make a real business out of not just one or two of these projects but out of putting all of them together and then taking pumps and tools up a level.

“We would be creating a new market within a very old and established market. Because of where the market is today, a place entirely based on cost and price, reversing that and taking it in another direction, and bringing technology and craftsmanship and quality back in can only be done with increasing cost and for sure that was a big risk.”

Risk or not, the prestige and quality of the brand was a tempting proposition and Poertner went ahead, leaving Zipp to transplant Silca from Italy to Indianapolis and dive into the new company’s opportunities and uncertainties.

“The first thing we did after buying the company was make a better disc adaptor,” laughs Josh. “The second thing was to make a better valve extender. Those two products today really do amazingly well for us. The response has been great in that it’s shown I wasn’t the only one!”

While these refined essentials remain important, Silca was, after all, known for its pumps and Josh’s fascination with technology fuelled the desire to create the ultimate version of the floor pump.

“I think in a lot of ways, from doing the research we really came to idolise that 1970s Silca.

That really seemed to be a period where they really were making the best pump in the world and in tremendous quantities, but really doing it with a cost-no-object mindset. Every single piece was custom drawn, custom cast. That period in their design was really about as perfect as it could be for the technology available to them at that time.

“I wanted to capture the design and the style and the craftsmanship of the 70s Silca – and of course, doing that the way we intended, here in the States, there’s just no way we’re going to be cost competitive. I couldn’t make the same pump that my competitor makes today in China for twice the price, it’s just not possible! That in a lot of ways is freeing; to think, ‘OK competing on

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cost is not an option, so we need to make this thing just beyond anything that anyone else has ever imagined.’ So it really became a technological development experiment.

The result of that cost-no-object design experiment was the Super Pista Ultimate, a fusion of stainless steel beauty and leading gauge accuracy which, despite its performance and quality, caused some consternation when it came to price.

“Honestly, that’s one of the hardest things we deal with every day. We were at an event last year and a guy wearing high-end sunglasses was having a fit about the price of the pump and I thought, ‘My God, those are $450 sunglasses that are 28g of injection moulded polycarbonate!’

“Our struggle is that having the mentality to really appreciate what we’re trying to do with the pump only really comes from living through and disposing of a lot of other stuff first. I’ve had a lot of people say things about how ‘overpriced’ we are but we also get a lot of comments from people who say things like, ‘I’ve never regretted spending big on a high-quality tool.’ I think unfortunately for a lot of us, myself included, that’s a lesson that’s a really hard one to learn; the true cost of low cost when it comes to tools.

“We talk a lot about value relative to price.

Great value doesn’t necessarily mean low cost.

A $450 Super Pista Ultimate that functions flawlessly for 25 years and has you covered under warranty for 25 years – that represents a heck of a value.”

Despite belief in that value, Silca isn’t deaf to the clamour of brand aficionados who are just waiting for a more accessible price point – those prayers will be answered very soon.

“We’re actively working on the next, more affordable model, which will bring certain elements of the Ultimate’s technologies down to a price point that a lot more people can afford. For that pump you’ll be able to look and see the direct lineage of the SuperPista and how we’ve stepped away from this material for another material that’s less expensive but still pretty darn good. You can really see the progression.”

So if the Ultimate was all about how to make the best floor pump in the world, how does Josh describe the new project? “It’s all about – ‘how do you make the second best pump in the world?!’”

JOSH POERTNER

“We really came to idolise that 1970s Silca... a period where they really were making the best pump in the world and in tremendous quantities, but really doing it with a cost-no-object mindset. Every single piece was custom drawn, custom cast. That period in their design was really about as perfect as it could be...�

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MEDIA COVERAGE New gear

Assos SS Campionissimo Jersey_evo7

£170, assos.com

hree years ago when Assos unveiled the Campionissimo S7 bibshorts, a national holiday was declared in Switzerland, and the Swiss President himself visited Assos’s San Pietro headquarters to have his Kuku Penthouse measured and fitted. Some or all of that may not be true, but the Campionissimo shorts were a big deal, and now there’s a jersey to match.

The Campionissimo jersey features ‘skinFoil’, a kind of integrated base layer. The mesh layer is intended to wick away sweat and make the jersey cooler on hot summer days, despite adding an extra layer. The back of the jersey uses only mesh-like ‘Type.220’ material to improve cooling.

Assos has reduced seams to a minimum, and the Campionissimo uses as few panels of material as possible. The sleeve and collar are seamless for increased aerodynamic performance, but the fewer stitches and the lack of an elastic collar also do a lot for comfort. The rear pockets have been rethought too, with a compartment for valuables hidden in the central pocket and a subtle reflective patch on the right pocket – a nod to a more understated design ethos than we’re used to with Assos.

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Absolute Black Oval Chainrings

£82, absoluteblack.cc

Silca HX-One Essentials £110, saddleback.co.uk

Using precision tools in the workshop is akin to using high-quality knives in the kitchen – innately satisfying while making life easier. Few items in a cyclist’s toolbox get used as often as allen keys, and Silca’s HX-One set comprises eight (2-10mm) made from high-quality S-2 tool steel and coated with a high-grip polymer, plus Torx and screwdriver bits. They all come in a CNC-machined beechwood box that is a thing of beauty.

While the jury’s still out on oval chainrings, unsurprisingly those who make them will tell you they’re more efficient than round, helping iron out dead-spots in the pedal stroke for increased power and efficiency. Unlike some, these single-piece machined rings only fit one way, so there’s no choice in set-up – which Absolute Black claims is because it’s long since discovered the optimum orientation for the chainrings, meaning you just need to fit and admire their Aztec-like aesthetic.

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WISHLIST

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CYCLIST

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ASTUTE SKYLITE VT £200 The expansive Astute range is new to the UK. Made in Italy, the collection includes models designed for almost every type of riding and body shape.

This Skylite VT has a central cut-out to reduce perineal pressure but with cross spars to preserve the durability of the carbon fibre reinforced shell. It’s generously padded yet weighs just 170g on our scales thanks to the carbon fibre rails. www.astuteitalia.com

118 Procycling / April 2016

MEDIACOVERAGE Here is a quick taste of some of the magazines our products have appeared in over the last few months. We pride ourselves on making sure products from our brands receive the most coverage possible... here’s the proof.

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IN ASSOCIATION WITH

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JANUARY 2016 - MARCH 2016 1. SILCA CYCLIST 2. CASTELLI CYCLING PLUS 3. CASTELLI CYCLING PLUS 4. ASTUTE PROCYCLING

5. STAGES CYCLING PLUS 6. ROTOR CYCLING PLUS 7. ENVE MOUNTAIN BIKING UK 8. SIDI WHAT MOUNTAIN BIKE

9. SIDI CYCLING PLUS 10. ENVE WHAT MOUNTAIN BIKE 11. ROTOR WHAT MOUNTAIN BIKE

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SARAH LEHMAN ENVE’S CEO TAL KS HIGH HEELS, RIDING BOSTON TO NEW YORK AND DRINKING GAMES

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Who is Sarah Lehman?

I’m a mom, entrepreneur, cheerleader, wife…

I’m fiercely competitive…

People who know me well know that I will fall on the sword for them…

I am very active and hate slow walkers…

I wear high heels almost every day…

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How did you find your way into the bike industry?

I came across the cycling industry quite accidentally. My prior life was in biotech and pharma. One day my husband called and asked me to come on board as the CEO of Enve. I believe in serendipity and if you are open to possibilities, the universe has a way in ensuring that you end up where you are meant to be and for me it is definitely Enve.

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Weight weenie, aero geek or off-road junkie?

Since moving to Utah, I have to admit that I like the mountains much better than the road.

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How would you describe yourself as a rider?

My gear is better than my ability.

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What’s your proudest cycling moment?

When I was in college, my boyfriend told me that I wasn’t very fit. So, I got a bike and started training for the Boston to New York Aids ride which is 250 miles in three days. I was just a beginner and training and completing that ride was a big accomplishment. It was the start of my love of cycling… and the end of that relationship.

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Where’s your favourite place in the world to ride?

I started cycling when I lived in Boston and miss those rolling hills of Massachusetts…so peaceful in the morning.

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Who’s your cycling hero / heroine?

Douglas Ryder, founder and principle of Team Dimension Data. I am so inspired by the commitment and passion it must have taken to never give up and establish Africa’s first ever World Cycling Team. I am honoured to have the opportunity to work with him.

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What can you do better than anyone else you know?

I can play quarters better than anyone I know. Yes, quarters as in the beer game.

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What’s your ultimate post-ride meal?

Samuel Adams and a tuna sandwich.

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If you were a piece of Enve gear, what would it be and why?

I’d be an SES 4.5… It’s not too specialized just an all-around awesome wheel – fast, light and durable.

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INSTAGRAMS

@ C A S T E L L I C YC L I N G

@ENVECOMPOSITES

@SIDISPORT

@ A LC H E M Y B I C YC L E S

@ A S T U T E I TA L I A

@CASTELLISERVIZIOCORSE

@CHRISKINGBUZZ

@ S TA G E S C YC L I N G

@SILCA_VELO

BRANDINSTAGRAMS TA K E A LOOK AT SOM E O F TH E L ATE ST I N STAG R A MS F R O M O U R BR A N DS, BE SUR E TO FO L LOW TH E M FO R TH E L ATE ST N E WS , C USTOM P R OD U C TS A N D A L L R O U N D CO O L STU F F.

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STAFFRIDES

THE MOST EXPENSIVE J UMP BIKE IN THE WORLD

SO I’M NOT SURE IF THIS WAS A PREMATURE MID-LIFE CRISIS OR A GOOD IDEA THAT JUST GOT OUT OF HAND, BUT A SIMPLE JUMP BIKE BUILD HAS SOMEHOW TURNED INTO A SUPERBIKE OF SORTS. Since clambering back onto a mountain bike after a few years off, it became very apparent that I had lost 95 per cent of my confidence when it came to getting airborne – resulting in some serious dead sailors and scary front wheel heavy landings. So, I got my hands on a Ticket DJ frame and Pike DJ fork with the thinking that the local skate park was going to be a good place to get the confidence flowing again. Then we threw an Enve M70 Wheelset and High Rise DH Cockpit combo into the mix and next minute I’m riding the sort of bike I spent my youth lusting after. Even so, right now it’s a stretch to pull anything more than an X-Up! O L I H U N TE R

EUROBIKE INSIDEINTENSE NEWPRODUCTS MTBTEAM SADDLEBACKHQ ENVEBESPOKED FORTWILLIAM R O T O R H AW K

INCYCLE 21 - SUMMER ISSUE OUT SEPTEMBER