Month: July 2021

This week for our Fast Bike Friday feature we’re back on the gravel! Initially, walking around the Wheelbase shop floor the Cube Nuroad C:62 SL gravel bike may not catch the eye; there’s no garish colour scheme or quirky frame features designed to isolate you from rough terrain like you might see from other brands. But stop and take a minute to cast your eye over the Nuroad C:62 SL and you’ll soon realise this is a really premium gravel bike with a great carbon chassis, a fantastic SRAM eTap AXS wireless groupset and super-light carbon wheelset. And then there’s that paint job; what you thought was just a matte black finish actually includes some stunning iridescent glitter details.

Blink and you might miss it, but the Cube Nuroad C:62 SL is a premium gravel bike packed full of biking bling…

The Cube Nuroad C:62 SL frameset is fully constructed from carbon fibre using their C:62 carbon technology with ATM (Advanced Twin Mold) construction; to decrease overall weight Cube’s ATM construction technique minimises imprecise overlaps of carbon fibre in the monocoque building process; the end result is a lighter overall frame weight.

Cube’s ATM construction technique helps decrease overall weight…

Look close up and there’s some stunning iridescent glitter paint details…

As we’ve already mentioned the Nuroad C:62 SL doesn’t feature any overt, gimmicky features to isolate the rider from rough terrain, however the overall construction and frame geometry DO add compliance to the ride quality of this gravel bike; with a slim 27.2mm carbon seatpost and dropped seatstays Cube have definitely engineered some comfort into the Nuroad C:62 SL. It’s great to see that there’s tons of tyre clearance on this gravel bike even with wide 45mm tyres fitted and you may also notice the dropped chainstay on the driveside of the bike – a clever way of building in enough clearance for the bike’s chainset and fat rear tyre; it also means that Cube have been able to keep the year triangle nice and short making the bike sharp and responsive. This superlight frame also features internal cable routing, flat-mounts for disc brakes and bolt-on-bosses for mudguards or a rear pannier rack.

A slim 27.2mm carbon seatpost and dropped seatstays adds noticeable compliance and comfort to your ride… 

The Cube C:62 fork features a 1 1/8″ – 1 1/4″ tapered steerer tube for increased stiffness and steering precision…

The matching carbon fork also uses Cube’s C:62 Technology and features flat mounts for discs as well as bolt-on-bosses for a mudguard…

We’ve enthused over the SRAM Force eTap AXS wireless groupset during previous Fast Bike Friday features thanks to its simple, intuitive-to-use functionality. One of the best things about SRAM groupset componentry is that they’re interchangeable between groupsets; they’re even interchangeable between components designed for road and mountain biking. This is where Cube have really utilised this quirk, mixing SRAM Force eTap AXS road components with SRAM XX1 Eagle AXS mountain bike components; the XX1 Eagle wireless rear derailleur combined with a wide-ratio 10-50T mountain bike cassette works brilliantly with SRAM’s 12-speed road shifters. With this clever setup Cube have been able to provide an even wider range of gear ratios that you’d normally find on a typical gravel bike making the Nuroad C:62 SL really versatile when it comes to being able to negotiate anything from the steepest, loosest off-road climbs to the smoothest, fastest on-road sections. With a single 42T chainring upfront the groupset is a simple setup that provides crisp, precise wireless gear shifts while the narrow/wide tooth profile on the chainring combined with a fluid clutch in the rear derailleur means that your chain stays located and secure even when the terrain gets rough.

Cube’s mix-and-match approach when it comes to SRAM’s groupset components means you get a huge range of gear ratios…

The light, stiff carbon Sram Force D1 DUB chainset with 42T chainring is a work of art…

Mixing SRAM road and mountain bike components is a clever move, giving a very broad range of gear ratios…

SRAM’s XX1 Eagle AXS wireless 12-speed rear derailleur with a fluid clutch provides slick gear shifting…

SRAM’s Force eTap AXS wireless gear shifters and hydraulic brake levers are simple and intuitive to use…

The ergonomic levers work well off-road giving your hands a secure hold even over rough terrain…

Disc braking on the Nuroad C:62 SL is provided by SRAM Force, with neat flat-mount disc brake calipers located neatly within the rear triangle and on the rear of the fork. The disc brake rotors are 160mm diameter on both the front and the rear and provide plenty of braking power even in wetter, more unpredictable off-road riding conditions. The Force levers feel good with just the right amount of lever pull allowing you to modulate your braking so that you’re always in control.

SRAM Force disc brake calipers and rotors work really well together providing ample braking power in any conditions…

The Cube Nuroad C:62 SL really is a premium-spec’d gravel bike and an important part of that spec is the wheelset; to help ensure that this gravel bike is super-light AND super-fast on road and off road Cube have included a pair of fast-rolling carbon Newmen Evolution SL X.R.25 gravel-specific wheels. These wheels feature tubeless-ready carbon rims with a nice rim width (25mm inner and 29.5 outer) which gives your tyre a slightly more square profile to put more of your tyre in contact the ground while helping to prevent pinch flats.

Newmen Evolution SL X.R.25 gravel-specific carbon wheels help give the Nuroad C:62 SL its spritely, lively feel…

Wide rims change the profile of your tyres to put more of your tyre in contact the ground while helping to prevent pinch flats…

The Newmen Evolution SL X.R.25 gravel-specific wheels feature hubs with durable double-sealed bearings and super-secure thru-axles – 12×100 on the front and 12x142mm on the rear, this helps to stiffen up the junction between wheels and frame/fork for enhanced steering response and ensure perfect alignment between the disc brake calipers and rotors.

Newmen alloy hubs are durable and gravel-ready thanks to their double-sealed bearings…

 

Cube have spec’d a pair of tubeless-ready WTB Riddler TCS gravel tyres with a nice wide 700x45C size to help make your gravel rides more comfortable and your bike handling more controlled thanks to their fatter size and larger contact area with the ground. Despite their 45mm width these tyres are fast-rolling and work well in nearly all circumstances; with a blocky low central tread pattern you won’t be working against your tyres when pedalling on smooth terrain and when you do swing off the tarmac and drop into your favourite local trails the Riddler TCS tyres provide ample grip on loose off-road tracks. The tread pattern on the outer edges of these capable gravel tyres is larger with a more raised tread profile to provide extra grip on tight, loose turns.

With a blocky low central tread pattern you won’t be working against your tyres when pedalling on smooth terrain…

A more raised tread profile on the outer edges of the Riddlers provide extra grip on tight, loose turns…

A Cube alloy stem with a lightweight Easton EC70 AX carbon handlebar make up the comfortable, compliant cockpit…

Even the Natural Fit Nuance SLT Road saddle features carbon, with the rails helping to add even more comfort to your ride…

The Cube Nuroad C:62 SL really is a top of the range carbon gravel bike featuring a multitude of the very best componentry available; there are no corners cut here. With a superb frameset that’s been designed to be stiff and responsive while still being comfortable thanks to some clever engineering and manufacturing techniques, a fantastic carbon wheelset from Newmen and some super-light carbon finishing kit this bike is clearly built to perform. Last but most certainly not least there’s that brilliant electronic wireless groupset from SRAM which has been cleverly tweaked by Cube to include Sram’s wireless XX1 Eagle AXS 12-speed rear derailleur and huge 10-50T mountain bike cassette to give a greater spread of gear ratios and really open up the versatility of the bike helping you to excel on all terrains; perfect for when you’re taking on all-day-epics mixing fast road sections with technical off-road gravel and trail sections.

Nothing has been compromised here, every detail on the Nuroad C:62 SL is top-spec…

Click the link below for a full walk around of the Cube Nuroad C:62 SL…

The Cube Nuroad C:62 SL is available in-store and online now.

Full Specification:

• Frame: CUBE C:62 Advanced Twin Mold, Internal Cable Routing, Flat Mount Disc, Fender/Rack Option, 12x142mm, AXH
• Fork: CUBE C:62 Technology, 1 1/8″ – 1 1/4″ Tapered, Flat Mount Disc, Fender & Lowrider Mounts, Internal Light Cable Option, 12x100mm
• Shifters: Sram Force eTap AXS
• Rear Derailleur: Sram XX1 Eagle AXS, 12-Speed
• Cassette : Sram XG-1299 Eagle Rainbow, 10-50T
• Chainset: Sram Force D1 DUB, Carbon, 42T
• Brakes: Sram Force eTap AXS (160F/160R)
• Wheelset: Front – Newmen Advanced SL X.R.25, Carbon
• Wheelset: Rear – Newmen Advanced SL X.R.25, Carbon
• Front Tyre: WTB Riddler TCS 700x45C
• Rear Tyre: WTB Riddler TCS 700x45C
• Stem: CUBE Performance Stem SL, 31.8mm
• Handlebar: Easton EC70 AX Gravel, Carbon
• Handlebar Tape: CUBE Grip Control
• Seat Post: Newmen Advanced, Carbon, 27.2mm
• Saddle: Natural Fit Nuance SLT Road Carbon

 

Written by Johnny Dodgin

Photos by James Vincent

 

Want to see more fast bikes? You can now see all of our featured bikes in one place over on Pinterest where you’ll find links to each of our Fast Bike Friday Blogs too!

Click the link below and search our archive…

We’ve got new bikes coming into stock every day at WHEELBASE, here’s just a selection of some of our latest arrivals from the World’s best brands…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

WHEELBASE Lake District

Position: STOCK ACCOUNTANT

Location: Wheelbase HQ, Staveley, The Lake District, LA8 9LR

We are looking for a highly motivated and experienced individual to join our Finance Team as an Inventory Accountant. Reporting to the Finance Director you will be responsible for maintaining complete and accurate stock records as well as working with our buying team to ensure flow of goods in as required by the business.

• The role will involve both analytical work and review of our stock programme as well as logistical planning for physical stock movements and stock takes.
• You will execute company processes to ensure products are ordered, received, stored and delivered safely and accurately.
• Attend functional and company meetings as required and support other departments in order to meet business objectives.
• Assist with other ad hoc queries, and analysis as required, prioritising work effectively to ensure that these queries are responded to on a timely basis.
• Occasionally as is required work extra hours to meet business deadlines.
• The role will require some travel at times and work on some weekend/public holidays during, periodic stock counts and year end.

Responsibilities and duties:

• Assist with forward order planning and just time in time orders and deliveries to support business requirements.
• Check order confirmations and back order reports.
• Investigate and resolve supplier order and invoice queries in a timely manner.
• Provide feedback to senior management team on any material issues that arise.
• Issue weekly out of stock risk lines and maintain mins and max levels across all stores for key products.
• Ability to identify areas of aged and slow-moving stock and suggest actions to improve this.
• Maintain supplier information and price books in the inventory management system. Including regular reviews for updates in RRP, trade price and margins.
• Assist with reconciling inventory from EPOS to the general ledger.
• Complete all required store to store transactions in an accurate and timely manner within the inventory management system.  Control all movements of stock transfers between locations and arrange as required.
• Loading and unloading vehicles in a safe, accurate and timely manner.
• Responsible for delivering a robust stocktaking programme for the retail business.
• Complete cyclical stock counts in an accurate manner ensuring the results are recorded in the inventory management system.
• Undertake analysis of stocktaking data, report on discrepancies found and assist with implementation of further stock control measures required.
• Maintain accurate stock records, carry out regular audit of data held and keep records to support these reviews.

Knowledge and skills:

• Ability to work under pressure, within tight deadlines, with flexible approach to working hours and a motivated team player.
• Ability to establish strong working relationships and engagement with a wide variety of internal and external stakeholders.
• Problem-solving ability.
• IT Skills required and knowledge of stock systems would be preferable.
• Experience of advanced excel skills required.
• Experience in retail audit/perpetual stocktaking within a retail environment would be preferable.
• Driving Licence.

Location: Wheelbase HQ, Staveley, Kendal, Cumbria LA8 9LR UK. Only 15mins from the M6 motorway and 10mins from Lake Windermere. 5mins walk to Staveley train station.

Salary: We offer a competitive salary, dependent on experience.

Hours: Monday to Friday, with hours negotiable.

Additional benefits:

• Our HQ is Staveley is surrounded by hills and you’ll have one of the best commutes to work in the country
• We have a very generous staff purchase scheme which will help fuel your passion for cycling
• You will qualify for our staff cycle to work scheme after you have been with us for 6 months
• We hold regular staff rides and social events.

How to apply: please send your CV and a covering letter to: Jobs@Wheelbase.co.uk

Closing date: Thursday 15th of July 2021

 

WHEELBASE Lake District

SALES ASSISTANTS – FULL TIME AND PART TIME POSITIONS AVAILABLE

LOCATION: STAVELEY LA8 9LR

We are currently looking for the right applicants to join our ever-growing Store Sales Team at our Lake District super store in Staveley.
In a busy and exciting environment, we strive to deliver outstanding service to our customers. Providing the latest products from the leading brands across all disciplines of our sport – mountain, road, electric, leisure, kids and adventure.

ABOUT THE JOB:

• To offer first-class customer service to all of our store customers at the UK’s largest cycle store.
• Provide advice, assistance and expertise within any of our store departments; mountain, road, electric, leisure, kids and adventure.
• Work closely with your Store Sales Team to create a positive, exciting and engaging retail environment.
• The role is fast paced, varied and testing.

YOU WILL BE REQUIRED TO:

• Engage with customers, from meeting and greeting to asking questions, listening and understanding their needs.
• Be a team player in our busy retail environment and have a passion for cycling
• Develop your product knowledge across mountain, road, electric, leisure, kids and adventure bikes, clothing and accessories.
• Manage orders and deliver within time frames.

ABOUT YOU:

• Passionate about cycling
• Confident, outgoing, polite and helpful
• Willingness to develop inter-personal skills and product knowledge
• Proactive
• Team player
• Good organisational skills
• Be able to work under pressure

NOTE: PLEASE STATE FULL TIME OR PART TIME PREFERENCE ON APPLICATION

SALARY: We offer a competitive salary based on ability and experience
PLEASE SEND YOUR C.V. AND COVER LETTER TO: jobs@wheelbase.co.uk
Closing date: Sunday 11 July 2021

 

WHEELBASE Yorkshire

SALES ASSISTANT – PART TIME – SATURDAY OR SUNDAY

LOCATION: ILKLEY LS29 9EW

We are currently looking for the right applicants to join our ever-growing Store Sales Team at our Yorkshire store in Ilkley.
In a busy and exciting environment, we strive to deliver outstanding service to our customers. Providing the latest products from the leading brands across all disciplines of our sport – mountain, road, electric, leisure, kids and adventure.

ABOUT THE JOB:

• To offer first-class customer service to all of our store customers at the UK’s largest cycle store.
• Provide advice, assistance and expertise within any of our store departments; mountain, road, electric, leisure, kids and adventure.
• Work closely with your Store Sales Team to create a positive, exciting and engaging retail environment.
• The role is fast paced, varied and testing.

YOU WILL BE REQUIRED TO:

• Engage with customers, from meeting and greeting to asking questions, listening and understanding their needs.
• Be a team player in our busy retail environment and have a passion for cycling
• Develop your product knowledge across mountain, road, electric, leisure, kids and adventure bikes, clothing and accessories.
• Manage orders and deliver within time frames.

ABOUT YOU:

• Passionate about cycling
• Confident, outgoing, polite and helpful
• Willingness to develop inter-personal skills and product knowledge
• Proactive
• Team player
• Good organisational skills
• Be able to work under pressure

SALARY: We offer a competitive salary based on ability and experience
PLEASE SEND YOUR C.V. AND COVER LETTER TO: jobs@wheelbase.co.uk
CLOSING DATE: Sunday 11 July2021

 

WHEELBASE North East

SALES ASSISTANT – PART TIME – SUNDAY

LOCATION: Darlington  DL3 7LB

We are currently looking for the right applicants to join our ever-growing Store Sales Team at our Yorkshire store in Ilkley.
In a busy and exciting environment, we strive to deliver outstanding service to our customers. Providing the latest products from the leading brands across all disciplines of our sport – mountain, road, electric, leisure, kids and adventure.

ABOUT THE JOB:

• To offer first-class customer service to all of our store customers at the UK’s largest cycle store.
• Provide advice, assistance and expertise within any of our store departments; mountain, road, electric, leisure, kids and adventure.
• Work closely with your Store Sales Team to create a positive, exciting and engaging retail environment.
• The role is fast paced, varied and testing.

YOU WILL BE REQUIRED TO:

• Engage with customers, from meeting and greeting to asking questions, listening and understanding their needs.
• Be a team player in our busy retail environment and have a passion for cycling
• Develop your product knowledge across mountain, road, electric, leisure, kids and adventure bikes, clothing and accessories.
• Manage orders and deliver within time frames.

ABOUT YOU:

• Passionate about cycling
• Confident, outgoing, polite and helpful
• Willingness to develop inter-personal skills and product knowledge
• Proactive
• Team player
• Good organisational skills
• Be able to work under pressure

SALARY: We offer a competitive salary based on ability and experience
PLEASE SEND YOUR C.V. AND COVER LETTER TO: jobs@wheelbase.co.uk
Closing date: Sunday 11 July 2021

This week our Fast Bike Friday feature is taking a closer look at the Teammachine SLR01 One LTD – BMC’s stunning all-round road bike which is a lightweight & spritely climber that also happens to be brilliantly aerodynamic with a beautifully shaped frame-profile featuring a fully integrated cockpit that includes an aero bar & stem combo and internal cable routing. Sitting very near the top of the Teammachine SLR range the SLR01 One LTD is packed full of cutting-edge technology; while the aerodynamic fully-integrated frame and fork stands out for all its innovation and aesthetic qualities there’s also SRAM’s brilliant 12-Speed wireless Red eTap AXS groupset and some fantastically lightweight, aero carbon wheels from Zipp.

This newest iteration of the BMC Teammachine SLR is born out of over ten years of evolution and racing experience at the highest levels of professional road racing. As you’d expect, the constant performance demands of pro-cycling have pushed the BMC designers and engineers to continuously innovate and refine their highest-performing road bikes to gain every competitive edge possible; the Teammachine SLR represents that rich racing and testing heritage. The Teammachine SLR, has won every major title that a bike can win including Monuments, World Championships, Olympic Games and the Tour de France with Australian pro cyclist Cadel Evans; most recently another plucky Australian Ben O’Connor of the AG2R Citroen team took an impressive solo victory at the mountain-top finish in Tignes in the 2021 Tour De France onboard his Teammachine SLR01.

Ben O’Connor took an impressive solo mountain-top win onboard his BMC Teammachine at the 2021 Tour De France…

Let’s take a minute to give the Teammachine a little context within the larger BMC road bike range; BMC describe the Teammachine as the ultimate lightweight race bike, a road bike that does everything very well and excels on the climbs. The BMC Timemachine Road is their out-and-out aero road bike which is ideal for fast flat road races where aerodynamic gains can make all the difference; the Roadmachine is their ‘One Bike Collection’ a true all-rounder built for all-day adventures with a frame that’s been developed to provide more compliance putting the rider in a comfortable, neutral position. So if you’re looking for a modern disc-brake-equipped high-performance road bike that is super-lightweight and flies up the hills but is aerodynamically efficient too and puts you in a nice racey position then the BMC Teammachine is the perfect option for you, helping you to dance up the climbs and efficiently cut through the air during daring breakaways. Want to find out more about the Timemachine Road and the Roadmachine? You can see a full breakdown of the BMC road range in our recent Brand spotlight here.

There’s a really uniform look to all of BMC’s carbon road bikes in their range, and it’s quite a unique look too; that clean, uncluttered, angular silhouette is striking and catches the eye straight away. We’ve got a number of BMC road bikes on our shop floors at the moment, including the Teammachine and they garner a lot of attention simply because of their good looks. We’re big fans here; there’s a similar aesthetic feel to the design-continuity of Apple products; take away that large logo on the downtube and we’d still be able to tell it’s a Swiss-made BMC.

It’s not just about good looks though, the BMC Teammachine is a brilliant example of the ‘form follows function’ principle which states that an object’s shape should primarily relate to its intended function or purpose. All of those great looking angular and truncated aerofoil frame tubing profiles help to make the Teammachine more aerodynamically efficient, as do those dropped seatstays and that fully-integrated cockpit. With some clever engineering and sensitive carbon layup the BMC designers have not only created an aero-efficient frame and fork, they’ve produced a super-light stiff chassis that excels when the roads point upwards.

BMC’s angular silhouettes reflect a design-continuity similar to that of Apple products; take away that large logo on the downtube and we’d still be able to tell that it’s a Swiss-made BMC…

A clean, uncluttered front end with no exposed cables for ultimate aero-efficiency…

That cockpit is something to behold – a smooth integration of handle bar, stem, frame and fork with no exposed cables…

Viewed from the front it’s clear there’s very little potential for unwanted drag…

Dropped seatstays are aerodynamic AND add compliance for enhanced comfort…

It’s all about the details – BMC’s Aerocore design principal sees integration of key components, in this case their own bottle cages…

As I’ve already briefly mentioned, the Teammachine SLR01 ONE LTD features SRAM’s brilliant 12 speed wireless Red eTap AXS groupset. Red sits at the top of the Sram groupset tree and is fantastically simple to use with intuitive gear-shifting that can even be customised to suit exactly how you want to use it. With tiny motors on both the front and rear derailleurs which are powered by simple clip-on rechargeable batteries this intuitive wireless gear shifting is activated by ergonomic gear shifters that are powered by small button batteries. Shifting gears up and down the cassette is done by pressing either the left or right shifter; right to move up the block, left to move down the block (or vice-versa if you prefer, remember you can customise them via their App). The front derailleur is activated by pressing both the front and left gear levers together at the same time, shifting from the small ring to the big ring with one activation and then back from the big ring to the small ring the next time you press both gear levers together at the same time. This becomes pretty intuitive pretty quickly!

SRAM’S brilliant Red eTap AXS wireless groupset is fantastically simple to use…

The SRAM Red 12xSpeed rear derailleur provides enhanced chain security thanks to its Orbit fluid clutch…

The front derailleur is activated by pressing both the front and left gear levers together at the same time…

The Red 12-speed wireless groupset features SRAM’s unique approach to gear ratios, created in an effort to decrease the size and weight of the drivetrain while making the jump between each gear ratio smaller for an overall more user-friendly riding experience. For the Teammachine SLR01 One LTD BMC have spec’d a 48T/35T chainset combined with a 10-28T cassette to ensure that you’ll always be able to select the appropriate gear for every riding scenario.

SRAM’s unique gear ratios work well in practice…

The Teammachine SLR01 One LTD comes spec’d with a pair of super-fast, lightweight Zipp 202 Firecrest Tubeless disc-brake carbon wheels. The development of modern road bikes and the universal move to disc brakes has seen a change in attitude towards how we all run our road bike tyres. Wider rim profiles and increased spacing between wheel and frame have opened up the possibility of running wider road tyres at lower pressures; it’s now not uncommon to see pro riders running 28mm wide tyres (while the Teammachine SLR01 One LTD comes spec’d with 25mm tyres it has clearance for 28mm tyres). These tubeless-ready Zipp 202 Firecrest wheels feature a 32mm rim depth for a classic feel and real aero benefits while a 21mm internal width is optimised for use with 28mm wide tyres. When set up tubeless, you’ll be able to run lower tyre pressures for improved grip and enhanced comfort; these Zipp 202s include ZR1 DB hubs which provide great levels of durability.

Tubeless-ready Zipp 202 Firecrest wheels feature a 32mm rim depth for a classic feel and real aero benefits…

ZR1 DB hubs provide great levels of durability…

The BMC Teammachine SLR01 One LTD road bike is a fantastic example of a modern high-performance road bike that has been designed to be one clean, uncluttered fully-integrated unit which is as brilliantly functional as it is good looking. With a stiff, responsive, lightweight frame which also features just the right amount of compliance engineered into it the Teammachine SLR01 One LTD is aero-efficient thanks to that truncated-aerofoil-profiled frame tubing, slippery integrated cockpit and internal brake cables. A couple of years ago I’d have made more of the disc brakes in this feature but, things move on so quickly that this sort of braking technology is now the established norm, we just expect disc-brake-equipped road bikes to be as lightweight and responsive as caliper braked bikes were previously. That SRAM Red eTap AXS wireless groupset is so good to use with its simple, intuitive operation and the Zipp 202 Firecrest carbon tubeless-ready wheels enhance how the bike handles, particularly with the option to run wider 28mm tyres. It’s fair to say that with the Teammachine SLR01 One LTD BMC have hit that sweetspot between stunning looks and flawless functional efficiency.

The Teammachine SLR01 One LTD is as brilliantly functional as it is good looking…

Full Specification:

• Frame: Teammachine SLR 01 Premium Carbon with Aerocore Design
• Fork: Teammachine SLR 01 Premium Carbon with Aerocore Design
• Shifters: SRAM RED eTap AXS HRD
• Rear Derailleur: SRAM RED eTap AXS, 12xSpeed
• Cassette : SRAM RED XG-1290, 10-28T, 12xSpeed
• Chainset: SRAM RED AXS 48/35T
• Brakes: SRAM RED eTap AXS HRD, Centerline XR Rotors (160/160 rotors)
• Wheelset: Zipp 202 Firecrest Carbon Tubeless Disc-Brake
• Front Tyre: Vittoria Corsa, 25 mm
• Rear Tyre: Vittoria Corsa, 25 mm
• Stem: ICS Carbon, One-Piece Full Carbon Cockpit
• Handlebar: ICS Carbon, One-Piece Full Carbon Cockpit
• Seat Post: Teammachine SLR 01 Premium Carbon D-Shape Seatpost
• Saddle: Selle Italia Flite Boost Carbon

 

Written by Johnny Dodgin

Photos by James Vincent

 

Want to see more fast bikes? You can now see all of our featured bikes in one place over on Pinterest where you’ll find links to each of our Fast Bike Friday Blogs too!

Click the link below and search our archive…

Last Saturday the 26th of June saw the return of the challenging #JENNRIDE two day Bike Packing event starting at Wheelbase in Staveley. It was great to see the event back after a year off due to the Coronavirus!

The #Jennride is a 100 mile off road bike packing charity event in memory of Jenn Hill organised by Wheelbase’s own local postie and well-known Lake District mountain biker Rich Munro! This brilliant bike packing adventure follows a route that takes in all that’s good with the Lake District trails – long off-road climbs, picturesque stretches and super-fun downhill sections.

In memory of Jenn Hill the event was raising money for St Gemma’s Hospice – St. Gemma’s Hospice provides specialist medical and nursing care for people with life threatening illnesses, predominantly cancer, along with support for their families, in the In-Patient Unit, by the community care nurses, in the Day Hospice, or as an Out-Patient.

After a particularly wet Friday spent setting up the event we were relieved to find that come Saturday morning the sun had reappeared and then pretty much stayed out for the duration of the weekend, save for a few hours of darkness during this mid-summer event. Participants rode a really wide range of adapted mountain bikes, carrying everything they needed to ride and camp for the night.

Our talented photographer James Vincent was there to capture this super-social event and we’ve put together a collection of images to help reflect on such a successful event; if you took part, then thanks again for your support and participation. If you didn’t take part this year and are inspired by our photos then please do make sure you enter the 2022 edition, it really is a fantastic event!

 

One of the most interesting aspects of the #JENNRIDE is seeing each participant’s Bike Packing rig and exactly what they choose to carry, here’s some great examples… 

 

About Jenn Hill…

Jenn Hill sadly passed away in October 2015 after a short battle with Cancer. She was well-loved by so many people within the UK mountain biking community and her death touched a lot of people. Her passion for racing and in particular, taking part in gruelling 24 mountain bike events was infectious; adventure was in her heart and she was renowned for being able to take on big challenges on the bike with a focus on racing solo for 24 hours being her speciality. One of Jenn’s greatest achievements within mountain biking was her completion of the Great Divide Race – a 2,500 mile race down the spine of the Rocky Mountains in the USA from the Canadian to the Mexican borders. Aside from racing Jenn had a background working in the bike trade before moving into mountain bike journalism within the small Singletrack Magazine team and eventually becoming the Deputy Editor. Living in Calderdale Jenn would often make the trip up to the Lakes to ride some of her favourite trails and with this in mind we think it’s really fitting that the #JENNRIDE continues to take place here, challenging adventurous bike packers to complete a 100 mile loop in memory of Jenn while raising money for St Gemma’s Hospice.

Thank you to all of the participants who took part in this year’s #JENNRIDE and made it another super-friendly, fun event! We look forward to seeing you all again next year!

 

Written by Johnny Dodgin

All (awesome!) photos by James Vincent

 

Want to start Bike Packing yourself? Not sure where to start when it comes to equipment? Check out our Apidura Bike Packing feature!

Click the link below…

 

This week for our Fast Bike Friday feature we’re taking a look at a truly ‘hardcore hardtail’ – the Ragley Blue Pig. This sort of setup has been a staple of the UK mountain biking scene for many years now with brands like Ragley realising their potential pretty early on compared with the rest of the global MTB community. Yes, for once this was one design and development race where the U.K. was ahead of the pack! A no-nonsense hardtail typically made from steel (sometimes made from alloy) is a fantastic option for the UK riding scene where tracks and trails can be particularly steep, tight and technical; whether you’re threading your way through twisty forested singletrack or are finessing your way down a loose, rocky track packed full of switchbacks in the Lake District this sort of mountain bike just makes sense.

In the U.K. hardcore hardtails just make sense to a lot of riders…

A hardcore hardtail tends to attract a certain type of rider too; for someone who prefers to spend their time out on the trails in all weathers, getting rowdy rather than having to factor in long hours in the workshop swapping out rear suspension bushings and bearings they just make sense. Built to handle abuse, a steel hardtail with all the right frame angles will ride fairly closely in feel to a full-suspension trail bike and stands up well to those moments where you have to bail out quickly only to see your bike tumbling down the hill. Hardtail fans will talk about a more connected feel to their riding with the most gifted of riders amongst us able to carve super-smoothly down some of the most technically demanding trails out there.

Made from triple butted 4130 Chromoly the Blue Pig is ready for rowdy riding…

Ragley have been at the forefront of hardcore hardtail development from the very beginning and as that type of aggressive trail riding has evolved so have their bikes. During the past few years Ragley have continued to push the boundaries when it comes to progressive geometry on hardtails, with the Blue Pig now boasting a super-slack 63.75 degree head angle to keep you in control at high speeds and on steep drops. The seat tube angle is fairly steep at 74 degrees making riding back up to the top of your favourite downhill trail that more comfortable and chainstay length is nice and short at 425mm to help you weave the compact backend through tight turns and pull the front wheel up easily to manual through stutter bumps with style and ease (skills allowing!).

That head badge is a work of art! The relaxed 63.7 degree head angle makes a lot of sense too…

Before we go any further it’s worth pointing out that the Blue Pig is Ragley’s 27.5” wheel option; when it comes to hardcore hardtails, you’ll probably be aware that a lot of bike brands are now running the larger 29” wheel on almost all of their trail bikes regardless of whether they’re hardtails or full suspension bikes. The trend for larger 29” wheel makes sense in most cases thanks to their faster rolling capacity; now that manufacturers have refined their geometry to accommodate them they’re a good shout in a lot of cases. However, there’s still a strong argument for a hardtail spec’d with smaller 27.5” wheels; we still have lot’s of riders who want this wheel size for hardcore, aggressive riding and time spent jumping in their favourite bike parks. As a side note Ragley do also produce a 29er option – the Big Wig with the same price and built kit with a steel frame.

The small bridge from the top tube to the seat tube adds strength and allow Ragley to make the frame more compact…

At the heart of the Ragley Blue Pig is the beautifully crafted custom triple butted 4130 Chromoly tubing steel frame. As you’d expect from Ragley this tough chassis features everything you’ll need from a modern hardcore hardtail including internal routing for a dropper seatpost, a 148x12mm boost rear end and ISCG tabs to enable you to run a chain protector should you want to. As well as the slack headtube angle and short seatstays there’s a nice low 305mm bottom bracket to keep your ride stable at speed and there’s bags of tyre clearance in the rear of the frame to let you run a fatter, more durable wheel and tyre combo.

Nice details like the flattened-off chainstay yoke caters for fatter tyres and accommodates the Blue Pig’s drivetrain with no problems… 

There’s a lot of craftmanship that’s gone into this steel hardcore hardtail…

Seatstays are spaced nice and wide for plenty of tyre clearance…

As well as being tough and durable there’s a great ride quality to 4130 Chromoly steel too…

When it comes to a burly suspension fork up front Ragley have spec’d a very capable Rockshox Yari RC with a whopping 150mm of travel; this fork will handle the roughest rooty or rocky terrain you encounter and as long as your legs can keep up (acting as suspension for the rear of the bike) you’ll be able to plough through most situations in confidence and in control. A long-travel fork spec’d on a hardtail sometimes needs some sensitive adjustment to compliment the bike as much as possible. To prevent any potential for fork dive on some of the steepest descents it’s worth playing around with the compression and running the fork a little firmer to balance out the bike as a whole and help prevent any unwanted dive. All said, the combination of the slightly smaller 27.5” wheel and the longer travel 150mm fork makes for a very cable hardcore hardtail.

With 150mm of travel the Rockshox Yari RC will have you floating over rocky and rooty terrain with ease…

150mm on a hardtail is a lot of travel but Ragley have done a great job with their frame geometry to accommodate it…

When it comes to the Blue Pig’s groupset Ragley have gone for a very selective mix-and-match approach, using a mix of Shimano SLX and Deore components. The drivetrain is bang-up-to-date with a 12 speed rear cassette matched with a single 32T chainset upfront; the Deore rear cassette features a huge range of gear ratios from a tiny 10T to a huge 51T so there’s no more excuses for getting off and walking back up to the top of the trail you’re sessioning, this setup will encourage you to stay in the saddle and twiddle back to the top with your mates.

Shimano’s 12-speed groupset gives you all the gears you’ll need, uphill or downhill…

In a clever move Ragley have upgraded from Shimano Deore up to Shimano SLX for the Blue Pig’s rear derailleur and trigger shifter meaning that you get slightly lighter components that are not only more durable but are also more accurate in their gear selection. Shimano’s drivetrains are so good now it’s pretty much a case of fit and forget, you may need to change the gear cable every once in a while but that’s it. Needless to say, the SLX rear derailleur features a clutch mech to help keep your chain tight and securely located on the chainset and rear cassette.

A 12-speed SLX rear derailleur with clutch mech keeps gear selections precise and secure even on the roughest terrain…

Ragley have spec’d a Shimano SLX 12-speed shifter to give you a huge range of gears at your finger tips…

A 32T chainring on a Shimano Deore chainset is spec’d specifically to work with a 12-speed drivetrain…

With a wide ratio cassette there’s very little excuses left for getting off and pushing uphill…

It goes without saying that a hardcore hardtail like the Blue Pig needs a powerful set of disc brakes to help you scrub off speed quickly and effectively when you’re riding on the very edge of control. With this in mind you’ll not be surprised to see 4-piston hydraulic brakes rather than the less powerful 2-pistion options found on more traditional, cross-country-focused hardtails. The Shimano Deore hydraulic brake levers feel great and allow for powerful one finger braking keeping more fingers safely wrapped around the handle bars for added security through the rough stuff. The Deore levers are matched with those Deore 4-piston brake calipers we’ve already mentioned and to ensure maximum bite and braking effectiveness Ragley have included a big ol’ 203mm disc rotor on the front and a slightly smaller but no less effective 180mm rotor on the rear.

Compact, powerful Deore hydraulic brake levers cater to controlled one-finger braking…

Powerful 4-piston hydraulic brake calipers scrub speed off quickly and in control…

When it comes to wheels and tryes on the Ragley Blue Pig you’d expect a tough pair of wheels that can handle all of the forces encountered by fast, frenetic riding on really challenging terrain – dropping into rough singletrack at speed, landing flat on jumps or that moment when your rear wheel lifts slightly and slams into a tight berm as you weave your way downhill. This is were the slightly smaller wheels come into their own with a pair of 27.5” Nukeproof Neutrons more than capable of handling all of the rowdy riding that the Blue Pig will no-doubt be subjected to.

Tough 27.5″ Nukeproof Neutron wheels can handle rowdy riding…

We’re not surprised to see a pair of Maxxis Minion DH tyres spec’d on the Blue Pig; with the kind of aggressive riding that Ragley had in mind when they designed and built the bike it’s a bit of a no brainer really. Upfront there’s a nice wide 27.5×2.5” Minion DHF tyre with a super-grippy triple compound tread pattern and EXO+ 120 TPI puncture & sidewall protection. Complementing this tyre on the back is the slightly slimmer 27.5×2.4” Minion DHR with the same triple compound and puncture protection; both tyres are tubeless ready.

That triple compound and aggressive tread pattern gives you plenty of grip and control on everything from slick rocks to loamy singletrack… 

A widely spaced, square profile tread pattern help keep you in control at speed, even in tight, loose turns…

Finishing kit for the Ragley Blue Pig includes the brand’s own alloy handlebar with a 25mm rise at 780mm wide on bike sizes small and medium and 800mm wide on bike sizes large and extra-large. There’s a Brand X Ascend stem and dropper seat post which again is sized proportionally to suit the dimensions of your chosen bike size – 125mm drop for the small, 150mm for the medium and 170mm for the large and extra large bikes. The Ragley lock-on grips are nice and secure and feel good with or without gloves thanks to their soft compound and knurled grip pattern while a Ragley saddle features a comfortable profile, extra protection from scuffs and abrasion on the saddle sides and Ragley’s head badge motif embossed into the saddle surface.

A Brand X Ascend dropper seat post instantly turns the Blue Pig into an even more agile hardcore hardtail…

Ragely’s own-brand saddle is comfortable and hard-wearing and will stand up well to the inevitable scrapes and knocks…

The Ragley Blue Pig is a really versatile hardcore hardtail, the spritely steel chassis is a work of art that’s built to take its fair share of abuse and features all of the modern geometry numbers you’d expect from a bike like this for a stable but agile ride. If you’re looking for a no-nonsense, one-bike-does-it-all machine the Blue Pig is a great option; with the dropper seat post up you can put in the miles, riding a mix of terrains to and from sections of your favourite wooded singletrack. Alternatively the Blue Pig is perfectly suited to a day spent on the really rough stuff, negotiating super-steep, loose and rocky descents in the Lake District; with the dropper down and the saddle out of the way, 150mm of plush suspension travel, fat puncture-proof Maxxis downhill tyres with sidewall protection, wide handlebars and that progressive geometry this Ragley machine is built to meet the demands of this type of riding.

The Ragley Blue Pig is a hardcore hardtail that’s more versatile than it first appears…

The Ragley Blue Pig is available in-store and online now…

Full Specification:

• Frame: Custom triple butted 4130 Chromoly tubing, ISCG 05 tabs, a 44mm head tube, internal dropper routing,148x12mm, boost rear end, 63.75 degree head angle
• Fork: RockShox Yari RC Motion Control, 150mm, Boost, 46mm Offset
• Head Set: Token ZS44/28.6, EC44/40
• Shifters: Shimano SLX SL-M7100 12 Speed
• Rear Derailleur: Shimano SLX RD-M7100
• Cassette : Shimano Deore CS-M6100 10-51T, 12-speed
• Chainset: Shimano Deore FC-M6100, 170mm, 32T
• Brakes: Shimano Deore BR-M6120 4-piston, 203/180mm rotors
• Wheelset: Front – 27.5” Nukeproof Neutron 15×110 Hub
• Wheelset: Rear –27.5” Nukeproof Neutron 12×148 Hub
• Front Tyre: Maxxis Minion DHF 27.5×2.5”, Tubeless Ready, 3C EXO+
• Rear Tyre: Maxxis Minion DHR II, 27.5×2.4” Tubeless Ready 3C EXO+
• Stem: Brand X Ascend 31.6mm, S 125mm drop, M 150mm drop, L/XL 170mm drop
• Handlebar: Ragley Alloy Handlebar, 25mm Rise, S/M 780mm L/XL 800mm
• Seat Post: Brand-X Ascend 31.6mm, S 125mm drop, M 150mm Drop, L/XL 170mm drop
• Saddle: Ragley Tracker

 

Written by Johnny Dodgin

Photos by James Vincent

 

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