Year: 2021

Check out this very special race bike from Cube! For Fast Bike Friday this week we’re taking a look at something a little different – the Reaction C:62 Rookie is a full-on, race-ready carbon fibre cross country mountain bike that just happens to have been shrunk down to child-friendly proportions. Over the past few years, following on from the successes of cyclists such as Bradley Wiggins and Geraint Thomas at the Tour De France and Olympics cycling has really grown in the UK with a significant increase of enthusiasts in nearly all age groups. Part of this growth has seen a large number of child-focused cycling clubs hosting training sessions and races across all children’s age categories with support from some very hard-working cycling coaches.

The Cube Reaction C:62 Rookie will help your young racer excel

Nowadays it’s not unusual to see children following a very clear and successful progression route from their early years through to more competitive junior races as they grow and develop their skills and fitness; with safety at the forefront of everyone’s minds it makes sense that during their early years children are encouraged to race off-road in cyclocross and mountain bike events, away from the potential dangers of the road and on courses that are tailored specifically to their own skills levels. So there’s plenty of cycling-mad families out there attending some great events where each member of the family gets their chance to race, including the kids! If your child loves to race off-road then the high-spec Reaction C:62 Rookie is a fantastic option and if you’re savvy you may be able to pass the bike on to siblings and see this bike being raced for a number of years within the family.

The super-light C:62 Monocoque Carbon frame and Manitou Markhor TS Air suspension fork makes a race-ready chassis

The Reaction C:62 Rookie is available in two sizes 13.5” and 15”. The two bike size options feature different sized wheels to help match the proportions of the bike with the 13.5” option (pictured here) spec’d with 27.5” wheels and the slightly larger 15” option featuring 29” wheels – the typical standard on full-sized cross country mountain bikes. As the model name suggests the Reaction C:62 Rookie’s frame is crafted from exactly the same premium C:62 carbon as Cube’s adult race bikes and boasts the same features as you’d expect on any World Cup cross country mountain biker’s bike. A high-spec Sram NX Eagle 1×12 groupset gives every possible gear ratio your child could need, enabling them to get over even the steepest, loosest mid-race climbs; there’s a simple single 32T chainring upfront matched with a wide ratio 11-50T cassette out back with the one-by configuration being particularly child-friendly. There’s only one gear shifter to use so there’s less chance of your child fluffing their gear changes in the heat of the moment.

With a Sram NX Eagle drivetrain and a Manitou suspension fork with a lockout the Reaction C:62 Rookie is built to perform

Cube have spec’d the Reaction C:62 Rookie with a pair of Manitou Markhor suspension forks which have been specially tuned to better suit the lower weight of children so that they behave in exactly the same way that a good adult-sized suspension fork would – supple for small impacts and progressive through their travel to handle big hits without bottoming out. The Reaction C:62 Rookie is so fast and light that it needs a good pair of anchors to slow it down in a hurry; when race courses get technical and your child needs to slow quickly and in control the Magura MT Thirty hydraulic disc brakes have all the power and modulation for controlled braking on unpredictable terrain.

With a light, fast-rolling pair of Answer Atac AM wheels (sized 27.5” on the bike pictured) shod with Schwalbe Racing Ray and Schwalbe Racing Ralph cross-country MTB tyres fitted front and rear respectively. These 2.25” tyres feature tread profiles that strike that magic balance between being fast-rolling on hardpacked surfaces and providing ample grip on loose, loamy surfaces even when they’re negotiating tight, off-camber turns.

OK so some may think the Reaction C:62 Rookie is a little niche, it’s probably fair to say that your child will grow out of the bike fairly quickly, particularly if you’re putting them on the smaller 13.5” option, but as we’ve already highlighted, if you’re a cycling-mad family who have more than one child you’ll be able to utilise the C:62 Rookie as a race bike for more than one sibling, with the bike taking on competitive duties for a good number of years. It goes without saying that this bike will really enhance your child’s riding and enjoyment of mountain biking; with such a light carbon frame, capable suspension fork and a simple, reliable, precise-shifting SRAM groupset all that’s left is for your child to ride in confidence, pushing their skills level and fitness further because they’ll want to be on the bike for longer.

The Reaction C:62 Rookie is versatile enough for long days mountain biking with family, fast gravel rides and of course for race day!

The Cube Reaction C:62 Rookie is available in-store and online now.

 

Full Specification:

• Frame: C:62 Monocoque Advanced Twin Mold Technology, ARG2, Tapered Headtube, PressFit Boost BB, Integrated Cable Routing, Boost 148, Dropper Post Ready
• Fork: Manitou Markhor TS Air, Tapered, 100mm, Remote Lockout
• Shifter: Sram NX Eagle Trigger
• Rear Derailleur: Sram NX Eagle, 12-Speed
• Cassette : Sram XG-1230 Eagle, 11-50T
• Chainset: Sram Stylo Eagle, 32T, Boost, 170mm
• Brakes: Magura MT Thirty, Front 2-Piston/Rear 2-Piston, Hydr. Disc Brake (180/160)
• Wheelset: Front – Answer Atac MA, 28/28 Spokes, QR, Tubeless Ready
• Wheelset: Rear – Answer Atac MA, 28 Spokes, 12x148mm, Tubeless Ready
• Front Tyre: Schwalbe Racing Ray, Super Race, Addix Speedgrip, Kevlar, 27.5 X 2.25
• Rear Tyre: Schwalbe Racing Ralph, Super Race, Addix Speedgrip, Kevlar, 27.5 X 2.25
• Stem: Newmen Evolution 318.4, 31.8mm
• Handlebar: CUBE Flat Race Bar, 680mm
• Seat Post: CUBE Prolight, 27.2mm
• Saddle: Natural Fit Venec Lite

 

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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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…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

15% OFF FOX BRANDED CAR SEATS NOW!

Save 15% on Fox Car Seat Covers / RRP £45.00 / NOW £38.25

OK, it’s time to face up to it; we’re already in August with September knocking on the door and Autumn in the not too distant future. It won’t be long until the temperatures drop and the rain becomes a more regular riding companion than it has been recently. Whether you’re a seasoned cyclocross competitor taking on another winter-long campaign or a keen mountain biker who isn’t willing to compromise on time spent on the bike, the filthy, muddy riding conditions are inevitably going to be a constant throughout autumn and winter.

Even if you’re well prepared with a towel and change of clothes for after your ride, keeping the interior of your car clean when you jump in after a muddy ride is pretty much impossible. If you’re not well prepared then a trip home in your car wearing muddy kit is pretty much guaranteed to make a mess of your car seat. We’ve got the answer! Our Fox car seat covers are waterproof with adjustable webbing to enable you to fit them to any car or van seat and include the iconic Fox head logo embroidered into the cover so you can show everyone your passion for riding.

 

Written by Johnny Dodgin

Photos by James Vincent

 

Have you seen our weekly Fast Bike Friday feature? You can see bikes like the Pinarello dogma and more every Friday. Missed some of our best 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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GARMIN RALLY XC100 SINGLE-SENSING POWER METER

Cycling continues to be influenced by digital technology, with everything from wireless transmissions to suspension lockouts, GPS bike computers and of course power meters all rapidly developing when it comes to functionality, user-friendliness and affordability. With more and more gravel biking events taking place around the world and with somewhat of a rebirth when it comes to the popularity of cross country mountain bike racing there is an increasing amount of serious cyclists moving over to the off-road cycling disciplines and it’s this type of cyclist who is bringing their scientific approach to training and competing with them. Garmin have seen this trend develop and in response have launched the Garmin Rally XC100 power meter pedal, designed specifically for measuring power on your off-road bike, regardless of whether you’re riding a gravel or mountain bike.

As a more diverse group of cyclists move over to the off-road cycling disciplines they bring with them the need for training data by measuring power off-road

Needless to say, riding off-road brings its own challenges when it comes digital componentry being able to handle wet, dirty, gritty conditions along with the inevitable knocks incurred from riding on the very edges of control. Thankfully Garmin Rally XC100 power meter pedals have undergone rigorous testing to ensure that they remain reliable when it comes to data measurement and are durable enough to handle the conditions encountered when riding off-road. With the sensors housed inside the body of the pedal it’s quick and easy to install them on your bike just like any other pedal; swapping them from bike to bike is quick and easy.

Garmin Rally XC100 Single-Sensing Power Meter Pedals RRP £619.00

The Garmin Rally XC100 power meter pedal provides reliable readings by precisely measuring your cadence and the forces detected on the left pedal, the power meter then doubles the value to provide a figure for power. Incidentally this single-sensing power meter can be upgraded later to a dual-sensing system and, perhaps more significantly the transferable spindle can be installed in Rally RK road or Rally RS road pedal body kits (each sold separately) to enable you to move from gravel, mountain bike or cyclocross over to road. Although this may be a bit too much of a faff for some it’s nice to see that Garmin have engineered this versatility into there power meter pedal system.

Garmin Rally XC100 Single-Sensing Power Meter Pedals RRP £619.00

Battery life is really efficient for the Rally XC100 power meter with up to 120 hours of life when powered by LR44 batteries. You can pair the Rally XC100 pedals with your Garmin Edge cycling computer and they are also compatible with the Garmin Connect App making data uploads and software updates quick and easy. If you’re training inside on a Tacx smart trainer then you can pair up the pedal to the Tacx Training App; Rally XC100 brings your power data to third-party apps too including all the key players you’d expect – Strava, TrainingPeaks, TrainerRoad and more.

GARMIN RALLY RS100 SINGLE-SENSING POWER METER

As well as developing their power meter technology and applying it to a pedal designed to be used in off-road cycling disciplines Garmin have also produced a road-going version using the same technology. Needless to say the RS100 road pedals boast a similar reputation for being durable, lightweight and precise when it comes to the collection of meaningful power data. Just like the XC100 the RS100 houses the sensors securely within the body of the left pedal, meaning pedal changes from one road bike to another are quick and easy with no requirement to attach separate sensors to your bike as you may have to with rival power meter systems.

The RS100 power meter pedal option has been designed for road bike use and includes the same user-friendly features as the XC100 off-road version

Just as we’ve describe above when looking at the Rally XC100 pedal, the same versatile features apply to the RS100 – the spindle is transferable between pedal bodies so you could potentially swap the power meter portion out into the Rally XC100 pedal body. You can also upgrade the single-sensing power meter into a dual sensing system. The Rally RS100 power meter pedals are compatible with Garmin Edge cycling computers and you can pair them with your Garmin Connect App making data uploads and software updates quick and easy. If you’re training inside on a Tacx smart trainer then you can pair up the pedal to the Tacx Training App; the Rally RS100 brings your power data to third-party apps too including all the key players you’d expect – Strava, TrainingPeaks, TrainerRoad and more.

Garmin Rally RS100 Single-Sensing Power Meter RRP £579.99

Garmin Rally RS100 Single-Sensing Power Meter RRP £579.99

 

Written by Johnny Dodgin

 

Have you seen our weekly Fast Bike Friday feature? You can see bikes like the Pinarello dogma and more every Friday. Missed some of our best 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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This week for Fast Bike Friday we’re taking a look at a truly versatile bike-packing, adventure and gravel bike from quirky Canadian bike brand Kona – the Kona Libre is a drop-bar-bike that comes pretty close to fitting the ‘one bike does all’ job description.

For those of you who aren’t already familiar with the Libre model it’s worth pointing out that for a while now Kona have included a carbon version of this bike in their range. The carbon Libre gravel adventure bike has been popular with riders looking for a light, spritely bike that’s capable of setting a fast pace off-road, but which can also carry a useful amount of bike-packing luggage when they want to head further afield on an epic multi-day adventure. With the carbon version proving popular with adventurous gravel fans around the world it was only a matter of time until Kona responded to the masses asking for a more affordable alloy option – introducing the all-new aluminium Kona Libre.

With a lightweight alloy frame and a compliant carbon fork the Libre feels spritely

The Kona Libre boasts a superlight 6061 butted aluminium frame with thru-axles and flat mounts for disc brakes; the frame is stiff and responsive, behaving like a fast gravel bike on and off road when not laden with copious amounts of bike-packing luggage. To complement that speedy frame Kona have spec’d a pair of their compliant Carbon Verso forks to add a little more comfort on rough roads and gravel tracks. Both the frame and forks sport multiple bolt-on-bosses to allow you to load up the bike for longer trips and multi-day adventures. That’s what’s great about the Libre – its versatility; you could easily use this bike as a workhorse commuter during the week, race a challenging gravel event at the weekend, carrying the minimum of gear for a fast finishing time, or kit it out with all of your bike-packing luggage and head out from your front door on a touring adventure to those places you’ve always wanted to ride.

The Libre’s alloy frame features multiple bolt-on bosses allowing you to carry as much or as little bike-packing equipment as you like

With a stiff oversized alloy headtube and a lightweight carbon fork steering is fast and responsive

The Kona Libre’s frame boasts liberal clearance for nice wide 45c wide tyres

The Kona Verso full carbon fork features multiple bolt-on bosses for your personal bike-packing luggage setup

When it comes to the drivetrain Kona have sensibly spec’d the easy-to-use, functional, no-nonsense SRAM Apex groupset. Consisting of a single 40T chainring upfront combined with a wide-ratio 11-42T cassette on the rear to provide you with all the gearing you’ll need in every gravel-biking scenario you can think of – uphill on loose gravel tracks, downhill on smooth stretches of tarmac road and everything else in between you’ll never struggle to find the right gear for the job. Being pioneers of the 1X setup it goes without saying that SRAM have engineered in extra security when it comes to chain retention with the single ring sporting a narrow / wide tooth profile and the rear derailleur featuring a clutch mech to keep the chain tight and prevent it from unshipping on rough terrain.

A simple SRAM Apex 1x drivetrain is simple, functional and provides all the gear ratios you need to conquer any terrain or gradient

Gear selection is made using a simple 11-speed shifter integrated into the right brake lever. If you’ve not used SRAM before it may take a moment to get used to the gear-changing-action, with only one lever moving the chain up and down the rear cassette; this is done by pressing the lever inward. Pressing it further in towards the centre of the bars moves the derailleur up the cassette while a lighter touch, pressing the lever not so far towards the centre of the bars brings the rear derailleur back down the block. It sounds complicated! But in practice it’s very simple and quickly feels intuitive; even moving between this and Shimano or Campagnolo’s alternative systems on other bikes is easy once you’re used to it.

A single SRAM Apex mechanical gear shifter and brake lever is simple and instinctive to use

When disc-brake-equipped cyclocross and gravel bikes first appeared it was pretty common to see them sporting mechanical disc brakes rather than a hydraulic option. This made sense at the time as it allowed cyclists to use their existing mechanical gear and brake levers with not so much layout on new equipment. At the time these mechanical disc brakes were a bit of compromise due to the way they worked, typically only featuring one moving piston in the caliper rather two which could make adjusting the spacing between the brake and the rotor frustrating and not always perfect. Happily things moved on pretty quickly and braking brands such as TRP developed double side mechanical brake calipers which behave much more like good hydraulic options. Kona have spec’d just such a mechanical disc brake on the Libre; the dual piston TRP Spyre C’s are recognised for their superior braking power and easy set up. In a move to keep the Libre within a more affordable price bracket Kona have done well to fit these capable mechanical disc brakes.

Mechanical disc brakes help to keep the overall price of the Libre down, these Spyre C options are renowned for their outstanding performance

The disc brake setup is neat and tidy thanks to those flat mounts

When it comes to the wheelset Kona have spec’d a pair of durable, fast-rolling, gravel-specific wheels which feature sealed bearing Formula thru-axle hubs laced to WTB KOM Light Team i25 TCS 2.0 rims. These wheels will stand up to the rigours of unpredictable gravel adventures and can handle the additional weight of bike-packing equipment too; while they’re built to stand up to the demands of mixed terrain riding they’re not overly heavy and accelerate quickly, holding their speed when you’re heads down ticking of long miles on fast, smooth stretches of tarmac. Tyre choice is all-important when it comes to gravel bikes, with the best performing tyres being able to roll fast on smoother terrain while still providing ample grip when off-road surfaces get more loose and unpredictable. The Libre comes fitted with a pair of 700x45c WTB Riddler TCS gravel tyres; these fast rolling tyres feature a minimal, shallow tread pattern in the centre of the tyre and a more pronounced, blocky tread pattern on the outer edges, perfect for the ever-changing terrain and riding conditions.

Formula thru-axle hubs laced to WTB KOM Light Team i25 TCS 2.0 rims, fitted with WTB Riddler TCS 45c tyres are tough and fast-rolling

Finishing kit is from Kona with alloy handle bars, stem and seatpost

A WTB Volt saddle with custom Kona branding is comfortable and will stand up to the rigors of gravel riding

The Kona Libre is a really versatile, sensibly priced gravel bike made to excel in lots of different riding scenarios; a bike for the demands of the daily commute to and from work? A bike for the winter months when riding conditions are wet and unpredictable? A lightweight gravel racer ready for competition? Or a pure bike-packing workhorse loaded up and ready to take you off on multi-day riding adventures? The Kona Libre really can do it all. With a lightweight alloy frame full of bolt-on bosses, a compliant carbon fork and a really simple, brilliantly functional SRAM groupset set the Libre is a no-nonsense gravel bike that will help make your riding more fun and more diverse.

Fully laden with bike-packing equipment the Libre is a reliable workhorse; ridden without bags the Libre feels agile and alive

The Kona Libre is available in-store and online now. RRP £1,699.00

 

Full Specification:

• Frame: Kona 6061 Aluminum Butted
• Fork: Kona Verso Full Carbon Flat Mount Disc
• Shifters: SRAM Apex 11-Speed
• Rear Derailleur: SRAM Apex 11-Speed
• Cassette : SRAM PG1130 11-42t 11-Speed
• Chainset: SRAM Apex 40T
• Brakes: TRP Spyre C Mechanical Disc
• Rotors: Front – TRP TR160 160mm / Rear TRP TR160 160mm
• Wheelset: Front – Formula 100x12mm Hub, WTB KOM Light Team i25 TCS 2.0 Rim
• Wheelset: Rear – Formula 142x12mm Hub, WTB KOM Light Team i25 TCS 2.0 Rim
• Front Tyre: WTB Riddler TCS 700x45c
• Rear Tyre: WTB Riddler TCS 700x45c
• Stem: Kona Road Alloy
• Handlebar: Kona Road Alloy
• Handlebar Tape: Kona Cork Tape
• Seat Post: Kona Thumb Alloy
• Saddle: WTB Volt

 

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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Wheelbase’s gravel gang head out to one of the UK’s premier gravel biking events…

Whilst Wheelbase may be better known for its road racing team, some staff members prefer to ride gravel roads and rough singletrack on their drop bar bikes. Driven by this, three Wheelbase Lake District staff members joined a South Lakes posse and headed to mid-Wales for Grinduro 2021. Set this year amongst the looming forested Dyfi Valley, Machynlleth was the perfect location for this year’s event. With the Redbull Hardline running in the valley the same weekend, the tone was definitely set for fun times and shreddy riding! Grinduro is an event that puts party first and race second, but don’t let photos of cool guys and gals wearing Hawaiian shirts and sipping beer fool you into thinking it is easy. With four timed stages (plus a bonus hill climb) running in an MTB Enduro format on terrain usually reserved for full-suspension bikes, completing the 40 mile event was far from trivial.

Wheelbase’s Tech Support fella Adam in full flight… (photo courtesy of Dan Monaghan)

Our fears of rain and thunderstorms were alleviated on Saturday morning as we rose bright and early to clear skies and temperatures that were noticeably cooler than the scorching days we had been enjoying in the days preceding the event. Breakfast and coffee was on the house for race day and Kendal-based coffee van Elliot’s were brewing top quality flat whites for bleary eyed graveleurs with American pancakes being served up by the caterers.

The day started with a cruisy ride on the road past the Centre for Alternative Education, before turning off near Corris straight onto a gravel climb for the Zipp hill climb stage. The second stage was a long, undulating hill climb on an open hillside where plenty of ruts and rocks were waiting to catch you off-guard just when you were on the verge of vomiting with exertion. The end of the timed section threw us straight into a steep rocky descent and some exposed singletrack, a taste of things to come. Next up was a feed station put on by the friendly team at Outdoor Provisions who were handing out handmade snack bars and bananas coated in tasty nut butter. This feed station was a great example of how the non-timed transit between stages on Grinduro helped create a fun and friendly atmosphere. Whereas other events tend to be a manic rush just to grab and handful of jelly babies and rush off, people were happy to hang out, chat and check out each other’s bike. The transit to the next stage was a mix of dusty, smooth gravel and mtb trails. Sadly, a rider had a bad get-down on stage three which meant this portion was closed off, so we really hope they are okay.

Wheelbase’s gravel gang enjoyed the mix of fantastic trails and a laidback, sociable vibe at Grinduro Wales…

A final blistering gravel descent back down to ‘Mach’ concluded the morning ride. Meatballs and pasta was served up to riders as we basked in the sun and discussed the morning’s antics whilst waiting to be called up for the afternoon ride. Stage three was a full-gas uphill sprint, where I tried in vain not to get dropped by my compatriots. Once this was out of the way, we traversed up, down and around the open hill side; the stand-out feature being a loose chute that felt at the very limit of what could be descended on a gravel bike.

Wheelbase’s gravel gang discuss the best lines in between stages…

A hellish grassy climb in the now scorching sun paved the way for a wild, white knuckle descent down to the final 4th stage and eventually the finish line. Stage four had been scoped the evening before and there was some trepidation about the rock slabs, tight rooty sections and steep dusty ramps, but caught up in the hype of the event and whisked along by adrenaline, the Wheelbase team and co formed a send-train to race down to the finish.

Despite initial fears of wet weather, riding conditions stayed dry and dusty throughout the weekend…

The format and attitude of Grinduro created a friendly and inclusive vibe, which was really apparent at the awards ceremony. It was great to see all those who were really putting the hammer down get an award. Friend of Wheelbase Emily Wormald just missed out on a spot on the podium, but came an admirable fourth. Wheelbase’s Tech Support Adam came in a respectable 10th. The were some alternative ‘spirit of the event’ awards too with Komoot giving out awards to people who epitomised the attitude of Grinduro, such as the doctor who gave medical support to the poor rider who crashed on stage three, and to someone who had ridden the event despite being very new to cycling. As evening fell a the event’s band the provided the sound track to a great evening of socialising with friendly people. A good time was had all-round! The following morning the nice bunch at Komoot put on a Hangover Ride, which I was reluctantly dragged along on the promise that it would revive me. The ride was of a similar quality, albeit at a slower pace and was a great way to round off the weekend.

Sunday’s Hangover ride gave a whole new meaning to the term ‘Recovery Ride’…

So, should you attend the next Grinduro gravel bike event? Hell yes! Gravel events can be expensive, but Grinduro hosted a proper weekend of super-fun antics along with a proper goody bag, free food and coffee as well as a band and an outstanding route. The event stretched the limits of what’s rideable on a gravel bike and motivated a much discussed question of the perfect bike for the event. An mtb was the common answer, but I think ‘under-biking’ was the theme of the event! I was riding a Cannondale Topstone Carbon shod with semi-slick 35mm tyres which was definitely not the perfect set-up, but was very fun none-the-less. The Kingpin suspension made the bike more compliant than the 35mm tyres would suggest and the OutFront Steering Geometry gave me plenty of confidence in the corners. I was jealous of the plump 650b tyres on Adam’s Trek Crockett, bigger tyres were definitely the better option for Grinduro; I’m already planning my equipment changes for next year!…

 

Written by Jack, Wheelbase Customer Services Team

 

Have you seen our weekly Fast Bike Friday feature? You can see bikes like the Pinarello dogma and more every Friday. Missed some of our best 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…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Launched today – the all-new Trek Roscoe has had an extreme makeover for 2022 and we love it! Trek took the previous-generation Roscoe and gave it more travel, bigger wheels and progressive geometry to reinvent it as a legit hardcore hardtail trail bike; there’s more travel, more models to choose from and even more size options to help you find exactly the right size to suit you and your riding.

Here in the UK within the mountain biking scene we’ve all known for a long time that if you’re looking for a fun ride and enjoy a simple approach to your riding then a hardcore hardtail is the way to go. It seems that the rest of the world is finally catching up on this UK phenomenon with more and more international bike brands developing their own offering. We’re very happy to say that Trek have really hit the spot with their all-new Roscoe; this is a hardtail trail bike that boasts the kind of progressive geometry that we’ve all come to expect from modern trail bikes and have created a bike that is fun, nimble and capable of handling big hits and being ridden aggressively.

The Trek Roscoe is all-new for 2022 with a number of significant changes making it a super-fun hardtail trail bike

The new Trek Roscoe has more travel, jumping up from 120mm on the previous model to 140mm on the new 2022 model; with a longer-travel suspension fork the Roscoe becomes a more versatile trail-focused bike that’s ready for aggressive riding and the extra demands of high-speed descending on steep, rocky terrain. Big drops, hard landings, rock gardens, the extra capacity of the 140mm travel fork opens up the possibilities of what the Roscoe can handle and simply makes your riding more fun.

There’s an increase in travel for 2022 Roscoe. Up from 120mm to 140mm

Trek’s 2022 Roscoe makes the perfect ‘hardcore hardtail’ for UK riding

It’s impossible to talk about trail bikes without talking about progressive geometry – the buzz words around modern trail bike design; progressive geometry basically means that the chassis of the bike has been designed to excel on the descents, giving a confidence-inspiring ride on tight, steep technical trails as well as fast, wide-open terrain. How is this done? Well to achieve a stable-feeling at speed the Trek designers keep the bottom bracket low and make the top tube longer for an increased reach and more room to move around on the bike without feeling pitched forward and combine this with a shorter stem to keep steering sharp and helping to keep your weight back on steep drops. Trek have slackened the headtube angle on the new Roscoe too moving from a fairly steep 67 degrees to a nice slack 65 degrees; this helps to keep you in control on the steepest descents and really lets that long travel fork go to work.

The all-new Trek Roscoe 2022 boasts all of the modern progressive geometry stats that we would expect from a trail bike like this

Trek’s chief shredder Kade Edwards feels immediately at ease on the all-new Trek Roscoe 2022

Another notable change, again right out of the modern progressive geometry bible is the steeper seat tube angle which really comes into its own when the Roscoe is pointed back uphill. When it comes to riding the bike to the top of your favourite trails the 2022 Roscoe with its 74.7 degree seat tube angle puts you in exactly the right position to be able to pedal efficiently in the saddle with the dropper seatpost up, allowing you to distribute your weight evenly over the front and rear wheels to maintain traction and stay in control even on steep, loose singletrack climbs. Finally it’s worth noting that despite the increase in wheel size from 27.5” to 29” Trek have still managed to make the chainstays 8mm shorter to help give the Roscoe a more agile feel that encourages you to throw the rear wheel around the tightest of mid-trail berms.

The numbers above show where Trek have tweaked the Roscoe’s geometry to be more progressive for 2022

The Trek Roscoe 2022 is a versatile, playful trail bike that can handle mid-trail jumps with ease

For 2022 and beyond Trek have extended the size range of the Roscoe making it easier to choose a size-option to suit you

The 2022 Trek Roscoe’s geometry is confidence-inspiring on steep descents with tight, loose turns

The bigger wheels are the other significant headliner on the all-new 2022 Trek Roscoe hardtail trail bike. Swapping from 27.5” to 29” on all but the smallest extra-small Roscoe size option means that this progressive trail bike encourages you to go big, carrying more speed into and out of tight, technical terrain. As we’ve seen over the past few years every form of mountain biking from cross country racing to downhill and enduro have embraced the larger diameter wheel for their capacity to carry their momentum, handle rougher terrain, reduce fatigue and increase control. Throw in those 2.6” wide tyres and you gain even more control thanks to a larger surface area of the tyre being constantly in contact with the ground through tight turns on unpredictable trails. It’s great to see that Trek have setup the Roscoe’s tyres tubeless already, straight out of the box; if the tyres and rims are tubeless-ready it makes sense to do so and means you’ll be able to get out for your first ride with a little less faff beforehand!

One of the most significant changes to the new Trek Roscoe is wheel size, with 29ers featuring on all but the smallest XS size option

We’re excited about the new Trek Roscoe 2022 at Wheelbase HQ as it’s really going to suit the terrain here in the Lake District

Trek have also included more downtube armour with their dual-density downtube guard and a full-coverage chainstay guard that protects the upper and underside of the chainstay. Internal cable routing is neat and rattle-free and there’s a new design for the bottom bracket shell to allow for neat internal cable routing for the dropper seat post. Also, while we mention the bottom bracket it’s great to see Trek returning to threaded bottom brackets on nearly all of their bikes, making them more user friendly and opening up the possibility of relatively quick servicing for the home mechanic.

Other big improvements on the new 2022 Trek Roscoe include extra frame protection and cable guides

You’ll be able to throw the Trek Roscoe around and rail tight turns thanks to those capable 2.6″ tyres 

Trek have developed a new bottom bracket shell for the new Roscoe to make cable routing for the internal dropper post easier

Kade loves the new Trek Roscoe and you will too

If the tyres and the rims are tubeless ready it makes sense to have them set up that way straight out of the box

Kade Edwards was one of the first people in the world to get his hands on the 2022 Trek Roscoe 8

Long top tube, relaxed head angle, stubby stem; the Trek Roscoe 8 features exactly the progressive geometry we’d expect from this hardcore hardtail

The Trek Remedy 8 features a low-slung top tube with seatpost extension so there’s plenty of room to move around without getting tangled up with the frame

Extra frame protection is a welcome addition as we know we’re going to ride the Roscoe 8 hard

A no-nonsense SRAM Eagle GX 12-speed drivetrain gives you a huge spread of gears for the climbs as well as the descents

There’s ton’s of tyre clearance on the 2022 Trek Roscoe 8 with the bike featuring large-volume 2.6″ tyres

The tough Trek Roscoe 8 is stylish as well as brilliantly functional; that brushed steal Trek logo looks hot

We’re big fans of the threaded bottom bracket; it’s great to see it making a comeback across nearly all of Trek’s bikes

Big rotors and 4-piston calipers are a clue to how Trek expect the all-new Roscoe to be ridden (the production Roscoe 8 features Shimano brakes, not Sram as pictured)

Wide wheel rims and 2.6″ tyres, setup as tubeless straight out of the box are ready to be ridden hard

That nice curved alloy downtube features plenty of protection from flying rocks and the odd high speed get-off

Trek have given the 2022 Roscoe a modern, 29er trail bike makeover and we love it!

 

Brief summary of the new Trek Roscoe 2022 models…

Roscoe 7 £1,350.00

• NEW frame
• Rock Shox Recon Silver 140mm fork
• Shimano Deore 12-speed drivetrain
• Dropper seat post

Roscoe 8 £1,950

• NEW frame
• Rock Shox 35 Gold RL fork
• SRAM GX/NX drivetrain
• Dropper seat post
• Line Comp 30 wheels

Roscoe 9 £2,200.00

• NEW frame
• Fox Rhythm 36 fork
• Shimano SLX/XT drivetrain
• Dropper seat post
• Line Comp 30 wheels

Note: also available – Roscoe 6 at £1,000.00 carries over existing frame from previous generation Roscoe and features 27.5” wheels

We will have the all-new Trek Roscoe in stock at Wheelbase; available to buy in-store or online soon!…

 

Written by Johnny Dodgin

 

Have you seen our weekly Fast Bike Friday feature? You can see bikes like the Pinarello dogma and more every Friday. Missed some of our best 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…

 

 

 

 

 

Congratulations to Wheelbase Cabtech Castelli team rider Dave Duggan who took the Scottish Road Race Championships at the weekend!

Saturday the 24th of July saw the Scottish National Road Race Championships take place at the Bridge of Alford in Aberdeenshire in dry and very hot conditions. This demanding, hilly circuit included the infamous Suie climb each lap with the finish line of the race being positioned at the very top of this arduous climb. Riders had to cope with the excessive heat for the duration of the race, ensuring they stayed fed and watered throughout the race and inevitably dehydration and fatigue definitely played their part in the final result of the day.

The infamous Suie climb influenced the outcome of the Scottish Road Race Championships from early on

The Wheelbase Cabtech Castelli team was well represented at the Scottish Road Race Championships with Davie Lines, Dave Duggan and Finn Crockett all taking the start; With 3 riders very quickly making a break Davie Lines decided he fancied a day up the road and rode strongly to leave the bunch behind to bridge across to the leading group. Davie and his fellow escapees rode strongly up the Suie climb with Finn Crockett covering the front of the remaining bunch; as the lead group began to fade Davie Lines eventually found himself out front alone with a group of 3 riders chasing behind him as the hilly circuit continued to eliminate more and more riders from the sharp end of the race.

Davie Lines and his fellow escapees did well to cope with the heat of the day

Finn Crockett does his bit to monitor the front of what was left of the bunch while Davie was up the road

Davie finds himself isolated in the lead and with all the work to do on his own

It was a brave ride from Davie, but eventually the chasing group proved to much for him to keep at bay and he was caught coming off the climb for the penultimate time. As Gavin Dempster of Torvelo Racing made the catch Wheelbase’s Dave Duggan jumped on his wheel and went on the attack to see if they could make it to the finish after negotiating the brutal Suie climb for one last time.

With Davie Lines caught it was down to Dave Duggan to see if he could hold on to the finish line

Dave Duggan and Gavin Dempster continued to ride strongly on the the last lap with the Suie climb set to decide the race

Dave Duggan remains composed despite the demanding conditions and readies himself for the final chase for the line

As the racers came into view for the last time it was our own Dave Duggan who cleared the crest of the Suie climb with a considerable lead giving him enough time to get in his hands in the air to celebrate his impressive win and take the Scottish Road Race Championships! A delighted Duggan thanked the organisers and officials for putting the race on and said…

“I’m pretty delighted to be honest. It’s been a goal of mine for a long time, but I knew it would be very difficult to achieve, and I was never that sure I was going to achieve it. It was draining from every aspect, the heat and trying to get enough fluids on board, and eat enough food so I was always on the back foot trying to stay fuelled with it being such a long race.”

In the melee for the line behind Davie Lines had recomposed himself and focused on working for teammate Finn Crockett helping to position him for the sprint for the remaining places with the work paying of and seeing Finn place a strong 4^th, just missing out on the Bronze medal. Davie Lines, the most aggressive rider of the day who made a lot of the most important moves rolled in for a strong 13^th place in what was a tremendous day for Dave Duggan and the Wheelbase Team.

Wheelbase Cabtech Castelli rider Dave Duggan gets his arms in the air and celebrates a fantastic win

Dave was overjoyed with his win following this particularly gruelling edition of the Scottish Road Championships

He’s a grafter! Davie Lines worked solidly to animate the race before slotting into the role of being the perfect teammate

 

Written by Johnny Dodgin

All Photos by Martin Williamson of Velo Veritas. Special thanks to him for the fantastic images of the race and Dave’s win.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jane Reedy is raising money for Cancercare and Cancer Research UK with her BIG 5 CHALLENGE!

Jane Reedy’s Big 5 Challenges:

1. The Cumbria Traverse (30 mile long distance route across the fells from Broughton in Furness to Keswick) completed in mid-April
2. The Frog Whitton (96 mile bike ride over the Cumbria passes and a swim totaling 6 miles) completed 25th July
3. Swimming the length of Coniston (5 miles) mid to late August
4. Cross Bay Walk (Arnside to Kent Bank) 29th August
5. Beach ride on horseback early to mid-September

Jane Reedy, a Lake District local and friend of Wheelbase was diagnosed with a rare and aggressive form of esophageal cancer in March 2016 and her journey to recovery since that dark day has been a truly inspiring story of pure determination with many setbacks along the way. Jane explains… ‘On the 23rd March 2016, I was diagnosed with an advanced, rare and aggressive form of oesophageal cancer. After exploring different treatment options, we opted for an equally aggressive from of treatment to give me the best chance of survival. The odds were against me. However, I did get through a number of cycles of chemo, radiotherapy and major surgery to be here today.’

Jane Reedy (right) completes another Cumbrian fell with support from her friends

Throughout her most difficult  times Jane has been drawn to the great outdoors and her love of the beautiful Cumbrian environment that she lives in, to remain as active as possible for both her physical and mental health. In addition to the cancer diagnosis Jane and her family faced further challenges in 2017 when she was also identified as having the BRCA1 gene, meaning that she had an increased risk of ovarian cancer and breast cancer; sadly Jane’s mother had died of ovarian cancer and it was decided that Jane should have preventative surgeries which unfortunately carried their own complications and repercussions, both mentally and physically.

Jane swimming in Ullswater as part of the ‘Frog Whitton’ challenge

Throughout these incredibly difficult times Jane has remained philosophical about her ‘unchosen challenges’ and has been encouraged to fit as much into her life as possible when it comes to immersing herself in the great outdoors, spending quality time with her friends and family and taking on some really grueling sporting challenges. To give thanks to the all of the people and organisations who have supported her in her treatment and recovery Jane was keen to take on a series of challenges to raise money for Cancercare and Cancer Research UK and her idea of ‘The Big Five Challenge’ was born.

Jane (2nd left) took on the ‘Frog Whitton’ challenge with the support of close friends and family

Jane explains how she came about the idea of the challenge – ‘This year, I aim to complete ‘The Big 5’ as it will be 5 years since my diagnosis and (hopefully) 5 years in September of being in remission which is quite a milestone. During this time, I will have had 5 operations. As it has been pointed out, it might be easier to do 5 tequila shots but I wish to raise £5,000 for these two amazing charities which are close to my heart. I aim to spread some ‘hope’ to those who are going through their own personal ‘unchosen challenges’, develop an understanding of cancer whilst challenging myself with different sports. The Big 5 are ‘chosen challenges’ which I hope to enjoy, share and provide a chance celebrate the past 5 years with my amazing family and friends. I hope that you can support me by donating, following me, or joining me somewhere.’

Jane takes on another one of the very steepest climbs in the Lake District

Jane successfully completed her first of the five challenges back in April when she took on the ‘Cumbria Traverse’ which saw her cross the Cumbrian fells from Broughton Mills to Keswick travelling an amazing 30 miles over extremely gruelling terrain. This past weekend saw her successfully complete her second challenge – the ‘Frog Whitton’ – inspired by the bicycle-mounted Fred Whitton sportive cycling challenge which takes place in the Lake District and raises a lot of money every year, but with a twist – Jane’s challenge didn’t just involve a very-demanding 96 mile bike ride over the most famous Cumbrian passes it also included a very challenging 6 mile open-water swim in Ullswater.

Jane’s friends and family were with her throughout this 2nd challenge to offer encouragement and support; she was joined on the bike and in the water by a group of friends who have trained with Jane and kept her motivated over the last few months as she prepared for her Big Five. We would like to offer our congratulations to Jane for completing the ‘Frog Whitton’ and are excited to see her take on her remaining challenges in the coming few months.

Jane Reedy’s chosen charities:

CancerCare is a unique independent charity dedicated to helping people affected by cancer and other potentially life limiting conditions living in North Lancashire and South Cumbria.

Cancer Research UK is a cancer research and awareness charity in the United Kingdom, formed on 4 February 2002 by the merger of The Cancer Research Campaign and the Imperial Cancer Research Fund. Its aim is to reduce the number of deaths from cancer.

If you have been inspired by Jane’s efforts and would like to make a donation, please click the link below…