Year: 2021

Launched today! Introducing the all-new Nukeproof MegaWatt! Yes, that’s right Nukeproof have taken their World beating Mega Enduro bike and turbo-charged it with Shimano’s excellent Steps EP8 motor and today they’ve launched not one, but three new e-bikes – the Nukeproof MegaWatt 297 Comp, Elite and Factory models.

Given the huge amounts of development on E-MTB’s over the past few years and considering almost all major brands (and a lot of the smaller ones) now have a wide choice of e-mountain bikes in their range it was becoming rather noticeable that Nukeproof hadn’t yet joined the E-MTB party. Nukeproof have not brushed over this fact in their own product launch blurb, stating that they’re a brand who pride themselves on moving carefully from model iteration to model iteration making small incremental improvements as they do so.

Launched today! The Nukeproof MegaWatt is here!…

Waiting until they were confident that the market had matured and that the e-bike motors and battery lives were at a point where Nukeproof were happy to begin to develop their own E-MTB’s the brand began to develop their own bikes. But where to start? For them the answer was obvious – the iconic Nukeproof Mega – their multiple Enduro World Series winning bike; they took the opportunity to develop the new MagaWatt alongside the latest iteration of the Mega, ensuring that their E-MTBs retain all of the performance capabilities of the ‘acoustic’ Mega including its fantastic bike-handling and confident ride quality thanks to its progressive gravity-focused geometry and sensitive suspension configuration.

Nukeproof wanted to ensure that they worked the very best motor and battery partner from the world of E-MTBs and were confident that the Shimano Steps drive system and in particular their latest EP8 motor is more than capable of meeting the demands of aggressive, gravity-focused E-Mountain Biking; going back to our earlier comment regarding Nukeproof waiting for the E-MTB market to mature they felt that now was the time to jump in and work with Shimano knowing that they are able to not only provide leading-edge technology but also have the infrastructure in place to support bike retailers and customers alike when it comes to support during ownership.

Read our detailed product feature about the Shimano Steps EP8 Motor here.

All the fun of a conventional Mega with the added assistance of a powerful EP8 motor to get you back to the top…

You may have already noticed something quite distinctive about the new MegaWatt? Or perhaps the models names have given it away? Yes, that’s right, the MegaWatt is a ‘mullet’ bike – a mixed wheel size bike. This is a growing trend with more and more gravity-focused Enduro bikes featuring this sort of setup; it makes sense on an E-MTB too having a smaller, more compact rear end with shorter chainstays that can be easily manhandled through the tightest downhill singletrack turns while the larger front wheel rolls over rocks and roots more efficiently. There’s real merit too in the theory that the 27.5” wheel outback deals better with the extra forces put through it via the powerful Shimano motor.

All three MegaWatt models feature 170mm of plush rear suspension travel with shocks that have been tuned to balance out the extra forces incurred from the EP8 motor and additional weight of the E-MTB’s drive system; with some clever engineering this means that the bikes feel super supple at the top whilst being progressive and supportive through the entirety of their travel. Nukeproof make a point of explaining that they’ve tweaked the Anti Squat too so that the bike behaves as it should on the downhills before assisting you back to the top in an efficient rider-friendly way – remember, regardless of the motor you still have to pedal!

When it comes to the chassis Nukeproof have designed and constructed a hydroformed 6061 aluminium frame that mirrors the best aspects of its alloy Nukeproof Mega sibling but also features a one-piece cast bottom bracket shell engineered specifically to house the Shimano Steps EP8 motor. Housing the battery in the downtube Nukeproof have managed to engineer in strength and rigidity while still allowing easy access to the battery for charging or transporting. As we’ve already mentioned, the all-new MegaWatt is offered in three specifications Comp, Elite or Factory; the Factory and Elite models use a 630WH battery, while the Comp model uses a slightly smaller 504WH battery, all batteries are from Shimano.

The MegaWatt 297 Comp (RRP £4,999.99) features Shimano’s EP8 motor and a 504WH battery…

A Rockshox Zebb can handle the demands of aggressive, gravity-focused E-MTBing…

Rear shocks have been tuned to handle the extra forces encountered on an E-MTB…

Nukeproof did their homework, bided their time and went with Shimano for their E-MTB drive system…

The MegaWatt Comp features a Shimano Deore groupset…

That compact Shimano Steps EP8 motor sits nice and low, keeping your centre of gravity low and the bike feeling stable at speed…

The ‘297’ in the MegaWatt 297 model name is a clue – this is a mixed wheel size Enduro bike…

The MegaWatt 297 Elite (RRP £5,999.99) sits in the middle of the range and features a larger 630WH battery…

Long, low, slack. This may be an E-MTB but the MegaWatt is still very-much aimed at hardcore Enduro riding…

The MegaWatt 297 Factory (RRP £6,999.99) model features Kashima coated shocks and a Shimano XT drivetrain…

The MegaWatt is built for flat-out speed downhill and efficient pedalling assistance back to the top of your favourite run…

Ok, so we had to wait, but it was worth it! Nukeproof have carefully sat back and watched how the E-MTB market developed and took their time to consider how the technology available could be best used. It wasn’t all together surprising to see them then take that technology and apply it to one of the most successful and influential Enduro bikes on the scene – the Mega. The MegaWatt should be bags of fun – a Mega with an engine, designed to help you get even more time out of your riding; there’s no more need to stand around waiting for an uplift. Once you’ve blasted down your favourite black run just turn and burn back up the hill with the help of that powerful, efficient Shimano Steps EP8 motor.

The addition of that EP8 motor just means more time to shred!…

The all-new Nukeproof Megawatt e-bikes are available in-store and online now! Watch this space…

 

Written by Johnny Dodgin

Photos – Nukeproof’s own

 

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Tuesday the 22nd of June saw the return of the Wheelbase Lakeland Lanequest series! On a glorious June summer evening Wheelbase hosted the first round of this popular series at our Staveley HQ. All events are designed to be very inclusive and aimed at all abilities, on all styles of bikes, all ages and families; this year for the first time there’s an e-Bike category too!

Round 1 saw cyclists of all ages and abilities taking to the quiet country lanes of the South Lakes to navigate the designated route and reach as many checkpoints as possible during this challenging cycle-orienteering event. With over 100 entrants made up of solo riders, generation pairs and adult pairs the event saw Tom Gibbs win the solo men, Helen Jackson win the solo women, Gary & Fergus Thomason win the generation pairs and Ben Proctor & Adam Perry win the adult pairs category.

Congratulations and well done to everyone who took part and a special thanks to everyone involved in the smooth running of Round 1.

All proceeds from Round 1 go to the Wheels For All Kendal charity.

Be sure to check out our great photos of Round 1 below!…

Click here for all Round 1 results

WHY NOT GIVE ROUND 2 A GO!!

ROUND 2 – TUESDAY 29TH JUNE Station Inn, Oxenholme, LA9 7RF

For further enquiries please email: lanequestHQ@yahoo.co.uk

Lakeland Lanequest 2021

Click here for more info

 

Wheelbase Lakeland Lanequest Round 1, Staveley, 22nd June

Wheelbase Lakeland Lanequest Round 1, Staveley, 22nd June

Wheelbase Lakeland Lanequest Round 1, Staveley, 22nd June

Wheelbase Lakeland Lanequest Round 1, Staveley, 22nd June

Wheelbase Lakeland Lanequest Round 1, Staveley, 22nd June

Wheelbase Lakeland Lanequest Round 1, Staveley, 22nd June

Wheelbase Lakeland Lanequest Round 1, Staveley, 22nd June

Wheelbase Lakeland Lanequest Round 1, Staveley, 22nd June

Wheelbase Lakeland Lanequest Round 1, Staveley, 22nd June

More details on Round 2 of the Wheelbase Lakeland Lanequest HERE

 

Written by Johnny Dodgin

All photos by James Vincent

 

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Allez le Tour! The greatest bicycle race in the world is here once again; celebrate with your little Tour De France fan and help them start their own amazing cycling career onboard a special-edition Frog Tour De France Kid’s bike. Frog are renowned for their fantastic range of kid’s bikes which have been built around every stage of a child’s development to help ensure that your children have an enjoyable and easy cycling experience from their very earliest age. Get them on a bike where everything is set up to make their riding safe and fun and who knows? Perhaps they’ll grow up to be a Tour De France winner themselves!

Frog bikes have officially teamed up with ASO – the organisers of the Tour De France to bring a splash of the iconic yellow to their bikes, taken from the Tour’s distinctive yellow jersey. Clément Monteil of the ASO said ‘Frog Bikes were the obvious choice for a collaboration to develop a range of Tour de France™ kids’ bikes. We were impressed with the research and attention to detail that has gone into the lightweight bikes. Frog Bikes also share our values regarding our commitment to the future of cycling, children and the planet. We are looking forward to seeing lots of children riding around on the new range.’

 

Frog 40 Tour De France Kid’s Bike

The Frog 40 Tour De France Kid’s Bike makes an excellent ‘first proper bike’ for your child. After they’ve mastered a balance bike and have gained confidence and strength they’re ready to start pedalling and exploring with you further afield. The Frog 40 is great option for 3 to 4 year olds with an average inside leg of 40cm. With a wheel size of 14” we love the Frog 40 because…

• It features a lightweight, sturdy alloy frame so it’s easy to manoeuvre and it’s nice and light when you have to carry it
• The front and rear Tektro brakes with easy to reach brake levers will suit small hands giving your child greater control and increased confidence.
• It includes patented Frog child-specific cranks for easier pedalling
• There’s a free 5 year warranty on frame and forks

 

Frog Tadpole Plus Tour De France Kid’s Balance Bike

The Tadpole Plus balance bike makes a great introduction to cycling, helping your child to gradually learn how to balance on a bike without having to worry about pedals and pedalling. In no time at all they’ll be automatically lifting their feet once they’ve gained some speed by pushing themselves along and will be balancing without even realising it. The Tadpole Plus features a child-sized brake to help them keep in control and there’s even a steering lock to stop your child twisting the bars suddenly and taking a big fall. The Tadpole Plus is suitable for children aged 3 and 4 with an average inside leg of 38cm. With a wheel size of 14” we love the Frog Tadpole Plus because…

• It features a lightweight, sturdy alloy frame so it’s easy to manoeuvre and it’s nice and light when you have to carry it
• There’s a Tektro rear brake with a child-sized brake lever for tiny hands to brake safely
• It features a safety steering lock to prevent oversteering and hard falls
• There’s a quick-release seat post (no tools required) for easy saddle height adjustment on the go
• It includes a free 5 year warranty on the frame and forks
• Frog have included a bell

 

Frog Tadpole Kid’s Tour De France Balance Bike

The Frog Tadpole makes the perfect first bike for your toddler! Small and light enough to have in the home as well as being suited to riding outdoors, you’ll find that your toddler is naturally drawn to the Tadpole and will want to get on and go. In their own time they’ll quickly learn to propel themselves along by pushing with their feet and before you know it they’ll be automatically lifting their feet and balancing as they roll. The Frog Tadpole balance bike suits 2 and 3 year old children with an average inside leg of 31cm. With a wheel size of 12” we love the Tadpole because…

• It features a lightweight, sturdy alloy frame so it’s easy to manoeuvre and it’s nice and light when you have to carry it
• Frog have included a tiny brake lever and rear brake to help your child stay in control
• There’s a safety steering lock to prevent oversteering which can cause sudden falls
• Frog use a quick-release seat post for easy saddle height adjustment as your child grows and develops
• The Tadpole includes a free 5 year warranty on the frame and forks
• Frog have included a bell

WHEELBASE DEMO – STAVELEY, LAKE DISTRICT. SATURDAY 17th JULY

Come and join us to test ride the Dogma F12 and the Prince Disk, two fantastic models from the Pinarello range of Bicycles.

The Pinarello team will operate demo rides throughout the day on the 17th of July 2021 between 10:00am – 4:00pm. We’ll be joined by former professional cyclist Russ Downing, Brand Ambassador for Pinarello who has raced internationally for Team Sky amongst other top-level road racing teams.

All Demo rides will be guided in groups of 5 people, with a ride duration of 50 minutes on the following routes:

Route One – CLICK HERE

Route Two – CLICK HERE

During these challenging times, we are working hard to offer a positive and safe riding experience. The Event will comply with all government guidelines and be COVID safe for both staff and customers.

We will take extra steps to ensure the highest levels of sanitation and safety:

• Staff use of gloves during preparation and handover of each bicycle
• Muc-Off Anti-Bacterial spray used on all bicycles prior to each ride
• Bicycle cleaning wipes and hand wipes used throughout the day
• Pre-booking in groups of no more than 6 riders
• Hand sanitiser provided for all staff and customers
• Staff and customers to use masks and always comply with social distancing rules

We will ensure that we do everything we can to provide a safe and enjoyable environment for everyone.

Now more than ever, we are reminded of the power of bikes to help keep us in good physical and mental health.

Book your bike(s) and time(s) now, to avoid disappointment!….

 

 

Tomorrow – Saturday the 26th of June sees the return of the challenging #JENNRIDE two day Bike Packing event starting at Wheelbase in Staveley…

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! Thanks to all of his hard work behind the scenes we can again look forward to two days of bike packing adventures on 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.

The start of the #JENNRIDE in 2019 saw great mix of intrepid bike packers…

In memory of Jenn Hill the event will again be 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.

The #JENNRIDE is a great opportunity to ride the Lakes with friends AND make new ones along the way… 

Based predominately in the South Lakes the route changes every year to showcase the trails we have available in the Lake District. Participants ride adapted mountain bikes of all shapes and sizes (including a tandem at the previous edition!) carrying everything they need to ride, stay fuelled-up on food and camp for the night. The nature of the route gives you riders opportunity to maybe miss a loop here and there if they’re struggling with the vibe of the event being very friendly and informal; it’s got a great cycling-community-vibe to it! The route is given out as a GPX so there are no marshals on course and no sag wagon.

Riders carry everything they need to take on the 100 mile, two day off-road adventure…

First thing Saturday morning riders will head out onto the designated route; the 100 mile route should not be underestimated as it traverses some of the finest scenery and most challenging terrain in the South Lakes.

We were blessed with great weather for the 2021 event, fingers crossed we get the same this year!…

#JENNRIDE event organiser Rich Munro with Mountain Biking legend Nick Craig who rode with his wife Sarah Craig in the 2019 event…

You’ll see all kinds of bike packing setups at the start of the #JENNRIDE…

We were particularly impressed with this ‘dream team’ setup in the 2019 #JENNRIDE…

 

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.

We’ll be reporting back on how the 2021 #JENNRIDE went and will be showcasing some of this year’s bike packing setups in an upcoming feature, good luck to all participants!

 

Written by Johnny Dodgin

2019 #JENNRIDE photos by Dan Monaghan

 

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

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Have you heard the news? Cross Country Mountain Bikes are cool again! After an almost 25 year hiatus there suddenly seems to be a lot of attention on international Cross Country mountain bike racing and the innovation and technology being put into modern XC bikes, with the mountain bike media sitting up, taking notice and giving more air time and column inches to this discipline of mountain biking. There’s a number of factors that have rejuvenated the sport and brought it to the attention of a wider audience; firstly there’s the fact that the race courses have become more technical than ever, with some really demanding sections in each race helping to influence the results – races really can now be lost on the descents as much as on the climbs. In response to this riders have really upped their game, spending a fair chunk of their training time focused on technical riding and skills improvement.

Another really important factor in the recent success of cross country is the coverage – Redbull have done a brilliant job with their live coverage (available on replay). With an ever growing camera capacity at all races you see every inch of the track and all of the race action; this year there’s even live drone camera footage helping to really immerse you into the action. Race commentary is excellent too and the balance of attention on women’s and men’s racing is completely equal making stars of the best riders in both races.

The Cannondale Scalpel Carbon SE 2 could be described as a ‘downcountry’ mountain bike…

So what’s all this got to do with the Cannondale Scalpel Carbon SE 2 mountain bike that we’re looking at today in our weekly Fast Bike Friday feature? Well, alongside the evolution of the cross country race courses, the skill of the riders and the brilliant race coverage it’s fair to say that in recent times the bikes have really moved on, being able to handle the extra technical demands thanks to an increase in suspension travel, changes to frame geometry, the use of dropper seat posts and wider tyres – the Scalpel Carbon SE 2 is a great example of just such a bike.

The Scalpel’s lightweight BallisTec carbon fibre frame features smooth lines and a stunning orange glitter paintjob…

Not interested in cross country racing? No problem, this sort of mountain bike can be used for so much more than flat-out racing. You may have heard the slightly tongue-in-cheek term ‘Downcountry’ increasingly being used within social riding groups and within the wider mountain bike media. People are generally referring to bikes that were either originally deemed as cross country MTB’s that have been customised to be more capable on the downhills or as a bike that has been spec’d for this sort of riding from the get-go at the design and production stage. The Scalpel SE is just such a bike with a slack and stable 67˚ headtube angle combined with a shorter stem to give you a confidence-inspiring and sharp handling bike; bigger tyres, a dropper post and increased travel – 120mm compared with the 100mm typically found on cross country mountain bikes all help to make the Scalpel more versatile and fun to ride.

That large headtube, downtube & top tube junction is super stiff, helping to keep steering sharp…

The Scalpel SE 2’s lightweight BallisTec carbon frame featuring Cannondale’s FlexPivot design is something to behold, with smooth, sweeping lines and a stunning orange glitter paintjob. As you’d expect from Cannondale, behind this pleasing aesthetic is a considerable list of innovative features included in the design of this light, stiff and fast frame; at the heart of the Scalpel Carbon SE 2’s suspension platform is their patented 4-bar FlexPivot configuration which relies on a clever carbon fibre layup at the chainstays which flexes in unison with the plush RockShox SIDLuxe rear shock as it compresses and does away with the need for another set of pivots at the rear dropouts. The FlexPivot is the key to Scalpel’s incredible suspension performance AND light weight with this carbon portion of the chainstays creating virtual Horst link pivots to provide 120mm of rear suspension travel. Proven over multiple World Cup race seasons this system is incredibly durable and completely maintenance-free.

The RockShox SIDLuxe Select+ rear shock provides 120mm of plush suspension travel…

Jump back in time to only a couple of seasons ago and you’d see that nearly every World Cup cross country racer was still riding bikes with conventional seatposts (not a dropper in sight!) with 100mm of suspension travel front and rear being the established norm. In the present day nearly all racers are riding with dropper seatposts and the move over to 120mm of travel is starting to happen this year with even the most successful, influential racers making the change over to more suspension capacity – it’s another acknowledgement of just how technically demanding cross country racing is becoming. Cannondale have spec’d the Scalpel Carbon SE 2 with a pair of RockShox SID Select suspension forks with a Debonair air shock and 120mm of plush travel; it’s great to see a lightweight XC fork with a little extra capacity on this bike, making it more than ready for the demands of mountain bike marathons, super-techy XC races and for days spent looning around on your local trails.

The 120mm RockShox SID Select suspension fork with Debonair shock can handle more technical race tracks and your favourite trails…

With 120mm of suspension travel front and year the Scalpel Carbon SE 2 perfect for mountain bike marathons, super-techy xc races and for days spent looning around on your local trails…

The Cannondale Scalpel Carbon SE 2 features a simple to use, durable and efficient Sram SX Eagle 12-Speed groupset which stands up really well to the rigors of rowdy riding and frenetic racing. Cannondale have spec’d a Truvativ Stylo 6K DUB crankset upfront with a narrow/wide 34T chainring which will keep your chain securely located even in muddy riding conditions; that said it’s nice to see that Cannondale have also included a small integral chain keeper to ensure there’s no unwanted unshipping of the chain over the rough stuff.

Simple to use and brilliantly functional, the Sram SX Eagle 1X groupset makes gear selection easy even when you’re under pressure and racing flat-out…

A lightweight Truvativ Stylo 6K DUB crankset with single chainring keeps the drivetrain simple and effective…

A 34T chainring keeps the chain located thanks to its narrow/wide tooth profile while extra security is provided by an integrated chain-keeper…

Outback there’s a wide ratio 12-Speed Sram cassette with gears ranging from a tiny 11 tooth cog to a whopping 50 tooth option for when the terrain gets really steep and loose. The 12-Speed Sram SX Eagle rear derailleur provides crisp, precise gear shifts every time regardless of your riding conditions and features a clutch mechanism to help keep the chain tight to prevent chain slap on the bike’s chainstays and add an extra level of security when it comes to keeping the chain located on the front chainring and rear cassette.

The 12-speed rear cassette features a massive spread of gears, from 11T to 50T…

There’s more evidence of Cannondale’s focus on developing a progressive cross country bike that can comfortably handle the downhills, when it comes to the brakes they’ve spec’d a larger disc rotor on the front wheel with a 180mm up front compared with a smaller 160mm out back. Powerful Shimano MT500 hydraulic disc brakes quickly and effectively scrub off speed when you need to slow-up rapidly, entering technical trail sections and so on; high speeds are inevitable thanks to those large 29” wheels, superlight frame and 120mm of suspension travel front and rear so it’s nice to see there’s plenty of braking capacity built into the Scalpel Carbon SE 2.

Shimano Deore hydraulic disc brakes combined with a 180mm rotor upfront and a 160mm rotor out back provide plenty of braking power to handle the extra speeds you’ll encounter on this capable 120mm travel bike…

When it comes to wheels Cannondale have spec’d a pair of Stan’s NoTube Crest S1 tubeless-ready rims built onto a pair of durable Shimano Thru Axle Boost hubs. Stan’s was pretty much the pioneer of tubeless tyre setup back in the day and has been influential in the development and refinement of a tubeless tyre setup on mountain bikes so seeing these rims featuring on the Cannondale Scalpel Carbon SE 2 is a real vote of confidence that you’ll be able to run your wheels and tyres tubeless without any significant hassle or reliability issues.

Durable Shimano Deore hubs with centre-lock disc rotor mounts will stand up well to the rigours of rowdy riding…

Fast-rolling Stan’s NoTubes Crest S1 rims and Maxxis tyres are both tubeless ready…

When it comes to tyre choice, again Cannondale’s ambitions for this XC mountain bike are clear; instead of a typical cross country tyre up front, with a minimal tread profile and a fairly narrow width Cannondale have fitted a more capable Maxxis Ardent with a more aggressive tread pattern and a wider 2.40” tyre width to handle the higher forces encountered when you’re ploughing into tight turns at speed. The Ardent will still roll fast and be efficient as it’s not a super-aggressive downhill tyre but it will definitely give you a little more confidence and grip when you’re riding gets a little more rowdy on tight, loose terrain.

Reflecting how they see the Scalpel Carbon SE 2 being used Cannondale have spec’d a wider Ardent tyre upfront with a more aggressive tread profile…

The Maxxis Ardent rolls fast, clears mud quickly and provides enhanced grip in loose corners…

Out back there’s a more xc-orientated Maxxis Reckon Race tyre with a much shallower tyre tread profile to help ensure it’s fast-rolling with just the right amount of grip…

No modern, progressive cross country bike which is designed to meet the demands of the technical race courses that we’re now seeing would be complete without a dropper seatpost. Racing with a dropper post has quickly become the norm as more and more riders come to realise just how much they can alter the handling and agility of the bike on tricky technical descents; the Scalpel Carbon SE 2 features Cannondale’s own DownLow cable-activated dropper seatpost with internal cable routing. With that extra suspension capacity and the more relaxed, stable geometry fitting a dropper to further increase the capability of this bike on the downhills was a no-brainer, it really does complete the package.

No ‘Downcountry’ mountain bike would be complete without a dropper seat post – a Cannondale DownLow dropper takes care of business…

‘Progressive Cross Country’, ‘Downcountry’ or ‘Short Travel Trail Bike’ call it what you want the Scaplel Carbon SE 2 is a superb modern cross country mountain bike that really reflects the way this discipline has developed in recent years and it’s good to see Cannondale with their finger on the pulse. With 120mm of suspension travel, geometry that is stable at speed, capable tyres, larger disc rotors and that dropper seat post this lightweight carbon mountain bike is up to the challenges of a serious race campaign on technical race courses, longer mountain bike marathons and stage races or simply for pushing your riding skills away from the race track when you simply want to fly on the uphills and truly excel on the technical downhills.

What a bike! Superlight, plenty of suspension travel, geometry that’s a little more relaxed – there’s no doubting that more aggressive style cross country mountain bikes have become a thing…

The Cannondale Scalpel Carbon SE 2 is available in-store and online now.

Full Specification:

• Frame: All-New, 120mm travel, BallisTec Carbon, Proportional Response Tuned, FlexPivot Chainstay, PF30-83, Tapered Headtube,Speed Release 12mm thru axle, Ai Offset, Stash compatible
• Rear Shock: RockShox SIDLuxe Select+, 2-Pos mode adjust, adjustable rebound
• Fork: RockShox SID Select, 120mm, Debonair, 15x110mm thru-axle, tapered steerer, 44mm offset
• Head Set: Integrated Sealed Bearing, Tapered
• Shifters: SRAM SX Eagle, 12-speed
• Rear Derailleur: SRAM SX Eagle
• Cassette : SRAM PG-1230, NX Eagle, 11-50, 12-speed
• Bottom Bracket: SRAM DUB PF30 MTB83
• Chainset: Truvativ Stylo 6K DUB, Ai offset, 34T
• Brakes: Shimano MT500 hydraulic disc, 180/160mm RT54 rotors
• Wheelset: Front – Shimano Deore 15×110 Hub, Stan’s NoTubes Crest S1, 32 Hole, Tubeless Ready
• Wheelset: Rear – Shimano Deore 12×148 Hub, Stan’s NoTubes Crest S1, 32 Hole, Tubeless Ready
• Front Tyre: Maxxis Ardent, 29×2.40” EXO Protection, Tubeless Ready
• Rear Tyre: Maxxis Rekon Race, 29×2.25” EXO Protection, Tubeless Ready
• Stem: Cannondale 3, 6061 Alloy, 31.8, 7°
• Handlebar: Cannondale riser, butted 6061 Alloy, 31.8mm, 5° rise, 9° sweep, 760mm
• Seat Post: Cannondale DownLow Dropper, internal routing, 31.6mm
• Saddle: Fabric Scoop Radius Sport, steel rails

 

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!

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Launched today! – The Pinarello Dogma F.

We’re pleased to be able to reveal Pinarello’s all-new Dogma F which will be raced at the Tour De France by Team Ineos starting this Saturday the 26th of June in Brest, Brittany. The new Dogma F symbolises the Italian brand’s relentless dedication to mastering the art of building the ultimate race bike with aerodynamics, weight, tube thickness and profiles, geometry and a sensitive selection of carbon materials all playing their role in the creation of this true Italian masterpiece.

So, following on from the Dogma F12 who was expecting to see the launch of the F14? Yes, we admit it, we were! So why no number this time? The idea of Pinarello eliminating the numerical code which has run for seven generations of bike is that over the years the F alone has come to signify the ultimate road bike in their range with the iconic Dogma F going beyond a superficial numerical classification (we suspect there may have also been an awkward clash with the world-renowned fighter jet too!), so from now on read Dogma F, think ultimate Pinarello road race bike.

Following on from the previous Dogma F12 this is the all-new Dogma F…

While other brands may separate their road bikes into sub-ranges of aerodynamic, lightweight, and endurance bikes Pinarello believe that no such distinction should be made; whilst it may be the case that some professional road racers can select a very specific type of road bike to suit the terrain and circumstances they are racing this is not the real world for the majority of us amateur cyclists. With this in mind the Dogma F has been tuned to excel in ALL circumstances creating a road bike that can climb brilliantly, descend confidently and hold its speed on long flat roads equally well, with absolutely no compromises. The Dogma F is such a versatile machine that it’s the only road bike that Team Ineos race on; there’s no need to be swapping bikes between road stages and let’s face it, if that approach is good enough for the world’s most gifted cyclists then it’s good enough for us. As Pinarello describe – ‘Whether you’re an amateur riding for fun or a professional in a grand tour, every time you go out for a ride you come across varying terrain, and even the biggest climbs are only reached by riding across the plains.’

What’s the difference between this and the previous generation F12? There are number of key improvements of which the headlines are…

Key Data

• 265 grams lighter (complete disc frame kit in size 53)
• 12% stiffer at the bottom bracket
• 3.2% more aerodynamic (F rim vs F12 rim)
• 4.8% more aerodynamic (F disc vs F12 disc)
• 1.3 Watts saved at 40 Km/h / 2.6 Watts SAVED at 50 Km/h

It’s interesting to note that Pinarello put bike handling at the very top of their list of design priorities, over and above weight, stating that obsessing over the scales in in the design studio can be distracting and adversely affect the most important properties of the bike out on the road in the real world; more important considerations are comfort and responsiveness, but that said they’ve still managed to shave off some significant weight meaning that the new F is actually 11% lighter than the previous F12. How has this been achieved? With a commitment to innovation and some new cutting-edge production methods including 3D-printing titanium components the seat post, headset, fork and cockpit have all shed weight with a saving of 265 grams compared to the Dogma F12 ; going back to their focus on handling over weight, this new lower weight has been achieved at the same time as an increase in stiffness where it’s needed – the bottom bracket is now 12% stiffer AND aerodynamics have been improved too to save those all-important watts.

While we’re on the subject of weight, for those weight weenies out there you can be confident that, while weight is not Pinarello’s primary focus the new Dogma F is still incredibly light with overall weights still being at the very limits of those infamous UCI weight regulations…

Total bike weight, launch configuration (as pictured), without pedals and bottle cage:

• DOGMA F DISC size 53 – SRAM RED ETAP AXS – DT SWISS ARC1400 = 6.9kg (no pedals)
• A similar build in the rim version would easily be below the UCI weight limit

Despite Pinarello’s focus on handling over weight the new Dogma F is incredibly light…

It’s worth noting that the all-new Dogma F is available in two configurations – disc brake or caliper brake. As we see more and more bike brands phasing out caliper brakes from their ranges it’s good to see Pinarello still providing both options; how much this is to with Team Ineos’ insistence on still racing with caliper brakes is not clear, but it may well be a factor? Regardless, for the purists out there it’s nice to still have that option available.

Tao Geoghegan Hart onboard the rim brake Dogma F…

Let’s be clear, the two bikes – rim and disc have been engineered completely separately; obviously there’s a lot of cross over – they look alike and share almost all of the same design features, however, where it’s appropriate elements of both bikes have been designed and constructed separately to ensure that factors like weight, aerodynamics and stiffness have been refined for both platforms. This is not a case of taking the rim brake version and adapting it to take disc brakes or vice a versa; take the updated ONDA fork as an example – both rim and disc forks were designed from scratch to accommodate the completely different braking systems while enhancing aerodynamics, increasing stiffness and cutting weight.

The disc brake version of the Dogma F looks hot! It’s nice to know that a rim brake option is still available though…

The Aerodynamic properties of the Dogma F frameset have been improved significantly from its F12 predecessor. More work focused specifically on the two separate disc and rim brake bikes has improved the aerodynamic performance of both with the Dogma F disc now registering lower aero drag than the rim brake version – 7.3% in fact. Taking advantage of some recent UCI rule changes Pinarello have been able to make the seat tube and seat post narrower with less drag, while new down tube profiling helps improve the aerodynamics of both the downtube and the front bottle and bottle cage in real-world testing.

Just like the best Italian tailors Pinarello are rightly regarded as the craftsmen of the bike building world; ok so it’s not the case now that the most technically advanced frames are made to measure, however Pinarello go a long way to offer a bike-sizing experience which is as close to that as possible. The new Dogma F is available in 11 frame sizes with 16 handlebar sizes and 2 setback options for their seat posts; total up that range of sizing combinations and apparently, according to Pinarello you come out with 352 options! It goes without saying that the buying experience when it comes to your new Pinarello Dogma F will be finely detailed and can be tailored specifically to you when it comes to sizing of the frame and components as well as the groupset. Wheelbase is proud to work with the Pinarello brand and is able to offer the kind of personal shopping experience required to spec your dream road bike within our specialist road department.

Pinarello have improved aerodynamics on the Dogma F…

G and his Ineos teammates will be racing on the all-new Dogma F this weekend at the start of the Tour De France…

Technical Specifications:

Dogma F Disc

• Narrower seat tube and seat post, taking advantage of the UCI rules for 2021 reducing minimum tube width.
• New down tube cross sections improve aerodynamics of both the down tube and front bottle.
• Seat stays use new cross sections to improve interactions with rear wheel and are lowered (especially on disc version) reducing frontal area.
• Development of the fork profile and cross sections to improve interaction with the front wheel on the disc brake version.
• Carbon Toraya T1100 1K Dream Carbon with Nanoalloy Technology
• Asymmetric frame
• Onda Fork Dogma F with ForkFlap
• TiCR (total integrated cable routing)
• 1.5 upper and lower steerer
• Italian thread BB
• Seatclamp Twin Force
• 3D printed titanium top seatclamp
• 3XAir two positions option for the second bottle cage (as of 515 and above)
• FlatBack profile
• UCI approved
• Rad System disc brake
• TA142
• Disc flat mount max 160mm
• Max tire 622x28c
• Weight: 865g Size 530; raw frame (not painted)

Dogma F

• Carbon Toraya T1100 1K Dream Carbon with Nanoalloy Technology
• Asymmetric frame
• Onda fork Dogma F with ForkFlap
• TiCR (total integrated cable routing)
• 1.5 upper and lower steerer
• Italian thread BB
• Seatclamp Twin Force
• 3D printed titanium top seatclamp
• 3XAir two positions option for the second bottle cage (as of 515 and above)
• FlatBack profile
• UCI approved
• Direct mount rim brake
• Max tire 622x28c
• Weight: 860g Size 530; raw frame, not painted

Geometry:

The Pinarello Dogma F spec’d with Campagnolo Super Record groupset and Bora wheels…

The Pinarello Dogma F spec’d with Sram Red eTap AXS groupset and Fulcrum wheels…

The all-new Pinarello Dogma F will be with us in-store within the next few days, our main stock of complete bikes will be available in September which we can take pre-orders for now. Please contact us now for more information…

 

Written by Johnny Dodgin

 

Have you seen our fast bike features? You can now see all of our 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…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Can you believe it?! Yes, it’s that time again; the greatest sporting spectacle on earth is about to get under way on Saturday 26th of July, as the world’s best professional road cyclists prepare to take on the annual Tour De France. It was late last year, taking place in September due to the Coronavirus and this year it’s starting a week early to accommodate the Olympics so we’ve not had as long to wait between tours as we would normally have but that’s done nothing to diminish our excitement for Le Grand Boucle!

As a group of certified bike geeks all of us here at Wheelbase like to pay special attention to the bikes that the pros are riding and are always on the lookout for any new products and developments in technology. All the major bike and equipment brands involved in the biggest bike race in the world are pretty savvy and will no-doubt use the Tour De France to showcase some brand new bikes and equipment. As we all know, as soon as we see that new kit in the Tour it is usually very quickly available to the public too, hence our excitement to see what the pros roll out on from the starting town of Brest in the cycling heartland of Brittany on Saturday.

As well as some new products it will also be the case that many teams will be on bikes and equipment that are already on sale now; what we saw for the first time at the Tour last year has quickly become subsumed within the bike ranges of our favourite brands and are enhancing the riding enjoyment of amateur road cyclists all over the world. With that in mind we thought it would be good to look at some of the ultimate road bikes that will appear in the Tour De France; these stunning bikes have been featured in our weekly ‘Fast Bike Friday’ and OK, in some cases the specifications may be different to the exact bikes ridden by the pros, but they’ve all benefitted significantly from the rigorous testing and product development that takes place as part of each bike brand’s partnership with their chosen Pro Team.

Check out the bikes that will been seen in this year’s Tour De France and click the links to read a full review….

 

Trek Project One Emonda SLR 9 eTap

Back in January we looked at this stunning Trek Project One road bike – an Emonda SLR 9 eTap featuring the team colours of the Trek Segafredo professional cycling team. This lust-worthy ultralight road bike featured SRAM’s flagship electronic wireless groupset, featherweight Bontrager Aeolus RSL 37 carbon wheels and some great finishing kit including Bontrager Aelous RSL carbon integrated aero handle bar and stem. Launched in the middle of 2020 while the world was coping with the Coronavirus pandemic the all-new Trek Emonda wasn’t revealed in the usual way that Trek typically showcase their flagship road bike. Rather than its debut being assigned to the Tour De France as previous incarnations have, the Emonda was revealed to the public first, with Trek’s professional riders having to wait until later in the year to prove exactly what this cutting edge road bike could do within road racing at the highest level. Happily when last year’s Tour De France did eventually take place in September we saw Trek Segafredo professional Richie Porte take a very well deserved 3rd place podium spot in Paris onboard the next-generation Trek Emonda.

Trek Project One Emonda SLR 9 eTap – Click to read the feature!

 

Cannondale SuperSix EVO Hi-Mod Disc Ultegra

This Cannondale SuperSix EVO Hi-Mod Disc Ultegra road bike just happens to feature exactly the same stunning paintjob found on the SuperSix EVO Hi-Mod bikes that are currently being piloted by the EF-Education Nippo pro-cycling team. Although the spec of the Pro team bikes may be a little different, this is the very same Hi-Mod BallisTec carbon frameset that the team are racing on; during the past few seasons we’ve seen bike brands taking what they’ve learnt in the development of their super-aerodynamic road bikes and using that knowledge to influence how their more general, lightweight climbing road bikes perform. Cannondale are no different in this regard and have produced an ultralight Hi-Mod BallisTec carbon frameset that also happens to have low-drag properties thanks to its highly truncated airfoil tube shapes which offer the same light weight and equal or better stiffness than the traditional round tubes found on the previous generation SuperSix.

Cannondale SuperSix Evo Hi-Mod Disc Ultegra – Click to read the feature!

 

Trek Madone SLR 7 Project One eTap AXS

During its relatively short lifespan the Trek Madone has quickly proven itself as a race-winning bike at the highest levels of international professional road racing; Trek can be very proud of the fact that the Madone has already won the World Road Race Championships, piloted by Trek Segafredo pro rider Mads Pederson. The aerodynamic profile of each tube and of the bike as a whole helps riders onboard the Madone to cut through the air more efficiently; saving small amounts of energy as they race, over long distances these gains in aero-efficiency quickly multiply, leaving racers fresher for the all-important crunch-point of the race.

Trek Madone SLR 7 Project One eTap AXS – Click here to read the feature!

 

BMC Roadmachine 01 Three

Within the extensive range of BMC road bikes the Roadmachine is billed as BMC’s ‘One Bike Collection’, a true all-rounder that’s built for epic all-day rides with a frame developed specifically to offer more compliance and comfort, helping to reduce body fatigue and keep riders feeling fresher for longer. You may not see this particular of model at the Tour as it’s more suited to the rough cobbles of Paris Roubaix, but you never know, depending on rider preference and their need for a more comfortable ride it may feature in the bunch thanks to its enhanced compliance and spritely feel.

BMC Roadmachine 01 Three – Click here to read the feature!

 

Cannondale SystemSix Fat Creations Custom Paint Job

Back in January, for our first Fast Bike Friday feature of the year we took a look at something VERY special! A unique custom build from our road bike department – a Cannondale Systemsix aero road bike complete with a Fat Creations custom paint job. The Systemsix ticks all of the boxes of what is expected from a modern aero road bike; namely an aerodynamically profiled carbon frame, internal brake & gear cables, neat flat-mount disc brakes and fully-integrated handlebar and stem which features internal cables that run seamlessly into the frame, all helping to make this bike efficient at cutting through the wind.

Cannondale SystemSix Fat Creations Custom Paint Job – Click here to read the feature!

 

BMC Teammachine SLR01 LTD

The Teammachine SLR01 One LTD is 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.

BMC Teammachine SLR01 One LTD – Click here to read the feature!

 

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…

7 NEW EVENTS FOR 2021 – Best 5 of 7 to count towards series.

Pre entries only

E-MTB Category – E-Mountain Bikers welcome!

Adventurous Gravel Bikers welcome!

EVENT DATES:

4th July: Wilsons Arms, Torver LA21 8BB – 3 Hrs

24th July: Cross Keys Inn, Tebay CA10 3UY – 5 Hrs (also BMBO National Champs)

25th July: Cross Keys Inn, Tebay CA10 3UY – 3 Hrs (also BMBO National Champs)

5th Sept: Wheelbase, Staveley LA8 9LR – 3 Hrs

19th Sept: Village Hall, High Newton nr Grange Over Sands LA11 6JH – 3 Hrs

3rd Oct: Strickland Arms, Gt Strickland, Penrith CA10 3DF – 4 Hrs

17th Oct: Stickle Barn, Gt Langdale LA22 9JU – 3 Hrs – FINAL PRIZE GIVING!

 

PRIZES COURTESY OF WHEELBASE!