Year: 2020

For those missing competitive cycling, Zwift are rolling out a series of virtual races

The Zwift Classics are returning to keep riders race-tuned during the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. Many countries throughout Europe have banned outdoor riding altogether and while we can still ride outside here in the UK, all British Cycling races have been postponed until the end of June at the earliest.

For those of a competitive disposition, Zwift races begin on April 5th and members will have four days to complete each race. Ahead of general release each race will launch with an invitational Pro-Am event which will be live-streamed on Zwift’s own YouTube channel. So for viewers looking to get their race-fix you can tune in and follow the action live.

Six unique races will take place in a different Zwift world throughout London, Richmond, Watopia, Bologna, Yorkshire and Crit City. The opening race is the Yorkshire Grand Prix, featuring roads used on last year’s Road Race World Championships course. Riders must register on Zwift Power ahead of the series and join the appropriate category.

More information can be found on the Zwift website.

 

The best MTB films to watch while staying in

Staying in to watch a great mountain bike film is the next best thing to riding trails yourself. There’s a strong chance that when you’re not actually on the bike you’re thinking about being on the bike, or watching someone else ride.

Trek have collated some of their favourite mountain bike films to help you stay stoked for our collective return to the trails.

 

 

Going in: New Release

Going In delivers an unfiltered look at life beyond the bike for Trek MTB athletes as they experience the lows and highs of training, racing, and living for the sport they love.

 

 

Return to Earth

The cinematic masterpiece from Anthill Films, which is now on Amazon Prime, reminds us of the importance of living in the moment. If you’ve got a soul, this film will get you ready to shred.

 

 

unReal

Anthill Films overturns everything you thought you knew about mountain biking in this mind-blowing feature for dreamers and rule breakers.

 

 

Not2Bad

A second dose of the best of freestyle mountain biking, featuring the epic Spanish countryside and full Trek C3 Project crew.

 

 

 

Presenting MBUK’s Enduro Bike of the Year for 2020 – the Whyte G-170C RS

The G-170C RS took the crown ahead of 9 of the other best enduro bikes on the market, coming out on top as it ‘consistently delivered a confident ride but always managed to keep things fun and lively.’

The RS uses the same highly developed frame as the Works bike, as used by the International EWS race team. The 29er wheels contribute to this bike being one of the fastest Whyte has ever produced.

This bike is ready for anything you want to throw at it, from hard-core trail riding to EWS Enduro racing. With its open front triangle design it is possible to fit various options of rear shock including coil shocks and still carry a full size water bottle. The G-170 platform is designed around the Whyte’s performance-enhancing Optimised Trail Offset geometry which also features the most compact seat-tubes possible on all sizes – meaning riders can choose the size with the reach they prefer, and simply adjust the seat-post to fit.

The Whyte G-170C RS is in stock and available to order online now with free home delivery and 0% finance.

Read the full review over on Bike Radar.

Cannondale SuperSix EVO – Bike of the Year 2020

Cycling Plus has published its BOTY edition and the magazine has declared the Cannondale SuperSix Evo Disc Ultegra as its overall winner and Bike of the Year for 2020. The flagship race bike from the American brand was given a major reinvention for 2020 and the all-new SuperSix is already building on the overwhelming success of its predecessor.

The ‘old’ SuperSix Evo will go down as a classic race machine, an icon of modern cycling – its classically rounded tube shapes, aggressive geometry and superior handling all made for a great looking race bike that rode like a dream. And although the rounded tube shapes have made way for a more aerodynamically advanced frame design, the newest iteration of the SuperSix Evo retains that superior handling and still rides just like the ‘Evo of old.

After four years of extensive testing and research the new SuperSix Evo is the product of a long-term process. The tube shapes have been redesigned, cabling has gone internal and comfort has been improved. It’s still a pure road bike, designed for racing and flying up climbs – it’s the lightest disc brake road bike Cannondale has ever produced. Increased tyre clearance and a revised geometry have improved comfort without compromising on race performance.

The newly crowned bike of the year is available in a choice of two colourways and we have both options in stock and ready to dispatch. Place your order online now before these highly sought after bikes sell out.

Read the extensive review at – https://www.bikeradar.com/reviews/bikes/road-bikes/cannondale-supersix-evo-carbon-disc-ultegra-review/

 

Presenting our 2020 Elite Road Race Team

Now in our 14th consecutive season, we are the UK’s longest running elite road team. This success we attribute to a true passion for racing, hugely supportive long-term sponsors, great riders and staff with realistic objectives – Unite. Fight. Believe.

After the sunshine of a winter training camp in Calpe, Southern Spain our riders met on the rugged landscape of Kirkstone Pass, just 5 miles from our Wheelbase Lake District store for a group ride and some hill climb burn-ups. Photos by James Vincent and video coming soon from Pete Archer.

The Team Bike

Cannondale SystemSix Ultegra 2020

Cannondale launched their all-new SystemSix around the time of last year’s Tour de France after more than three and a half years of development and testing. The bike was unveiled to widespread acclaim, with EF Education rider Alex Howes describing the SystemSix as ‘the fastest bike’ he’s ever ridden – “In races I feel like I’m cheating. It’s an absolute weapon. The stiffness while sprinting is next level yet it handles just as well as the SuperSix Evo. Cannondale nailed it.”

As an elite road race team our riders are always looking to go faster than the opposition and in pursuit of speed we have chosen the SystemSix as the team bike for 2020. The Ultegra build, decked out with some custom Wheelbase graphics looks fast and rides even faster.

Key Features:

Frame: Ballistec carbon

Fork: Ballistec carbon

Wheels: Vision SC55 Carbon Clincher

Crankset: Cannondale Hollowgram w/ OPI SpideRing 52/36

Gears: Shimano Ultegra, 52/36 – 11-30

Brakes: Shimano Ultegra hydraulic disc

Finishing kit: Vision Metron 4D Flat UD Carbon handlebars, Hollowgram 60 KNOT Carbon seatpost, ProLogo Dimension saddle

Find out just how fast this bike is in our launch post.

Huge Savings on a range of Pinarello Gan gravel and road framesets

The Gan range of bikes have been designed to provide you with a more comfort-focused platform while still benefiting from performance-focused engineering and classic Italian styling synonymous with the Pinarello brand.

Wheelbase customers love the Gan bikes for their mix of enhanced comfort in the saddle and a spritely, responsive feel when you put the power down. This has been achieved with a clever T600 grade carbon construction and Pinarello’s signature Asymmetric profile.

Last night our Wheelbase Yorkshire store in Ilkley hosted the Tacx Hill Climb Challenge, with a Tacx Flux S Trainer up for grabs.

Tacx goodie bags were given out to all those who attended the open event which involved a timed virtual hill climb ridden on one of the Tacx smart trainers. The fastest time set on the night was by Sam Lashley, who completed the 349m in a rapid 45 seconds, holding an average power of 651 watts and two seconds ahead of second placed Ben Granger.

About the climb

Gold Hill in Shaftesbury is one of the most iconic and well known hill climbs in England, made famous by Ridley Scott’s 1973 Hovis Bread advert. Although only 349m long, the course packs a great deal of punch – easing you in with a steady tarmac section before ramping up when the cobbles hit.

The latest Tacx smart trainers are in stock and available to buy from our stores and online.

 

Celebrating 25 years of Tuesday Evenings in June, the 2020 WHEELBASE Lakeland Lanequest series will be something a little different…

Running each Tuesday evening from 2nd June through to 7th July, the opening event will start from Wheelbase, Staveley – usually the final event location.

Overall league positions will this year be determined from the best 4 of the first 5 events, and overall series prizes and “Cut the Cake” will be presented after event 6.

This 6th and final event will be a special “one-off fun and party event” Lanequest from our first ever venue, The Manor House, Oxen Park- with a re-run of the FIRST EVER Lanequest from 14th June 1995!

As in 1995, the route covers mixed terrain: 75%/25% on/off road, and there will be special prizes afterwards, in addition to the final 2020 overall league winners’ prize giving from events 1-5, and “Cut the Cake” ceremony.

To commemorate our 25th year, longstanding sponsors Wheelbase will be presenting a special commemorative gift to celebrate 25 to everyone who rides this event.

Afterwards we party: a live music band will be playing – so get your dancing shoes on!

 

Lakeland Lanequest 2020

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Road Racing is back and what an opening weekend we had!

The British road racing season started in earnest this past weekend and our Wheelbase Cabtech Castelli lads were at the sharp end of the action across a number of races. On Sunday Wheelbase rider Joe Reilly got his hands in the air at the SBHub Secret Training Grand Prix on the Pimbo circuit in Skelmersdale. Joe was followed closely over the line by another of our riders, with Ben Granger crossing in 5th place.

The results at Pimbo on Sunday were made even more impressive given how the two riders fared in separate races the day before. At Lancaster’s Salt Ayre circuit Ben made the early break alongside 3 other riders and with 45km remaining put in a blistering attack which saw him solo to victory, holding a gap of around 15 seconds to the line. Joe was in action at the 59th Eddie Soens Memorial race in Liverpool where, among a high quality field, he finished in 5th place. Both riders gave their reflections on an extremely successful opening weekend. Chapeau lads.

Joe Reilly:
“Eddie Soens: the first few laps of of Eddie Soens the 15 riders in the Scratch group completed a hard chain gang to close the two and a half minutes to the front groups. Through attrition, attacks and some very pesky crosswinds I made it to the lead breakaway of 7 with 3 Ribble riders. Cat and mouse resumed on the last lap and the bunch were hot on our heals, catching us on the last corner. I was on the shoulder of a Ribble lead-out man as he swung left, forcing me to go out wide and loosing ground to the front leaving me chasing in the sprint but securing 5th.

Pimbo: A fast start made for some great racing and myself and Ben were in the main breakaway of 13 riders. 100km of chaingang and some freezing rain showers were found ourselves in the final few laps, with Ben constantly attacking it gave me to opportunity to sit back, saving my own energy but also managing to disrupt the chase to give him the best chance possible.
It all came together in the last lap It was on for a sprint, with a long straight the finish I knew it would entice people to go early and so used them as leadout men and managed to secure the win.”

Ben Granger:
“At Salt Ayre on Saturday I got in the first move of the race on lap 2, which looked very strong with me and 3 other riders. I didn’t fancy taking these 3 riders to the line so attacked 45km out and solo’d to the finish holding an uncomfortably small gap of 15 seconds to the 3 chasers all the way to the line.

At Pimbo on Sunday, I saw the main break go early which I realised I needed to be in, so did a big effort to quickly bridge across with one other rider, to form the 14 man break including me and Joe. We rode smoothly for 100km and lapped the remains of the bunch before the attacks started. I was fairly aggressive trying to get away late on and covering most of the moves which caused the break to split into two 7’s, with me and Joe both making the front split. Joe comfortably won the sprint to take the win, and I rolled in 5th. A pretty perfect start to the season!”

Photos from Ellen Isherwood and Dan Monaghan.

 

That was some DEMO! Thanks to everyone who came along to our Big Demo Weekend in the Lake District – we had over 150 riders over the course of the weekend test riding 160 of the world’s best mountain bikes from 11 of the industry’s biggest brands!

After a couple of challenging years with the weather the Lake District turned on its charm and gave us glimmers of sunshine mixed amongst the (to be expected) Cumbrian drizzle. Guided by the team from Cycle Active, the riders took to the trails and bridleways of the Kentmere valley, set in the South Eastern corner of the Lake District national park.

We’d like to say a huge thank you to all who attended, to all of our brands for supplying us with the world’s best bikes and to the guides for getting everyone around safely. We can’t wait to do it all again next year!

Photos from Jerry Tatton. Full gallery on our Facebook page