We’ve put together a wide range of selected bikes for our FLASH SUMMER SALE! This is your chance to bag yourself a bargain and save up to 30% on road bikes, gravel bikes, mountain bikes, leisure bikes and kids bikes. You can see all of our Flash Summer Sale bikes HERE and we’ve also cherry-picked some of our best deals below…
Find more deals in here in our FLASH SUMMER SALE
The all-new Cervelo S5 aero road bike officially launches today! In what will go down in cycling industry history as one of the worst-kept secrets we can finally talk about this cutting-edge bike which has been hiding in plain sight since the Spring Classics. Piloted by Wout Van Aert, Primoz Roglic and Jonas Vingegaard from the victorious Jumbo Visma professional cycling team throughout the season, the all-new Cervelo S5 has more than proved itself already in the most demanding road races in the world including this year’s exciting edition of the Tour De France which has just come to a close in Paris.
With a whole new set of rules signed off by the UCI cycling governing body which focused on what’s permissible when it comes to aerodynamics and frame design Cervelo were able to revisit their iconic S5 to further refine a bike which already stood out as an incredibly unique-looking road machine created specifically to cut through the air more efficiently than its competitors. So what’s new with this next-gen S5? Let’s take a closer look….
We’ve put together a wide range of selected bikes for our FLASH SUMMER SALE! This is your chance to bag yourself a bargain and save up to 30% on road bikes, gravel bikes, mountain bikes, leisure bikes and kids bikes. You can see all of our Flash Summer Sale bikes HERE and we’ve also cherry-picked some of our best deals below…
Find more deals in here in our FLASH SUMMER SALE
Here at Wheelbase, we’re sticklers for bike cleanliness, and for a number of very good reasons, however, when we reinforce the importance of keeping your bike clean to new cyclists we often get asked how exactly do you do this effectively. With this in mind we thought we’d put together a comprehensive guide for you to follow step-by-step to help ensure your cleaning skills are up to industry standard!
Now, even the most dedicated cyclist wishes that washing their bike was as simple as splashing it with a hose, throwing some suds over it, rinsing it off and then shoving it back in its rightful place. Sadly this really isn’t the case; so let’s break it down into a step-by-step cleaning routine which I have developed over time and which may help you in the future…
Follow these simple steps and you’ll be able to establish a simple and effective bike cleaning routine.
Step 1 – My first important task is to always remove my electrical items such as lights and my Garmin or Wahoo. Yes, most of these items are waterproof, however we don’t want them to be given a considerable wash, do we?!
Remove all your digital tech and electronic accessories before you begin!
Step 2 – This is a good one, and I find this step really beneficial especially in the winter; I like to rinse my bike off first, with the garden hose. Never use a jet wash, unless of course it’s a bike-specific one such as the Muc-Off Pressure Washer. Traditional, non-bike-specific jet washes run at a higher pressure which tends to push grease out of bearings and we need to keep the grease inside the wheel hubs, bottom bracket and headset so that everything runs smoothly. Rinsing the bike before you do a thorough clean also ensures that you won’t be rubbing in all the big, gritty lumpy stuff around your nice shiny bike.
An initial rinse all over the bike is a great starting point.
Step 3 – Once rinsed I then like to apply Muc-Off bike cleaner; this is an industry go-to when it comes to bike cleanliness & maintenance and it’s a product we are always recommending to our customers. We keep plentiful amounts of Muc-Off bike cleaner in stock at all our stores and endorse liberally covering your bike in the pink stuff, ensuring both sides of the bike are covered along with wheels and everything in between.
Step 4 – Once I’ve let the Muc-Off bike cleaner do its magic I take my small soft brush and I start working it over the frame, saddle, and handlebars. I always leave parts like the underside of the down tube and the wheels and tyres until last as I don’t want to be dragging the dirt back over the cleaner parts of the bike.
Liberally cover your bike in Muc-Off Bike Cleaner for the best results.
Step 5 – Once Satisfied that I have done a proficient job in scrubbing my bike clean I then set to thoroughly rinsing the bike with the hose; getting rid of the grit, grime and soap suds.
Another quick hose-down before beginning on the bike’s drivetrain.
Step 6 – This is a really important part of the process – degreasing and cleaning your drivetrain. I start off spraying Muc-Off Drivetrain Cleaner on the chainrings, cassette and chain and leave this for a few minutes for it to soak in. I then take the little brush from my Muc-Off brush set and I scrub my cassette from all angles, once satisfied I then take my Muc-Off chain cleaning tool and put that to work. This is best done in a portable work stand if you have one as it allows you to pedal the bike freely, helping to ensure that you don’t miss a single spot on your entire drivetrain. Once you’re satisfied that the drivetrain is completely clean, rinse off the entire groupset, and repeat if necessary. It’s important to note that you should always avoid getting any drivetrain cleaner near your hydraulic disc brake calipers or brake pads. Some of the chemicals are abrasive and can contaminate your brake pads causing them to make terrible screeching sounds and may affect your bike’s braking capacity; if in doubt check your own cleaning product’s guidelines before using.
Using a good drivetrain cleaner will remove all of the built up grease and grime.
A good bike cleaning brush will help to remove stubborn dirt from fiddly areas of the drivetrain.
Once the drivetrain cleaner has taken affect you can rinse of the loose dirt and grime.
It’s great to see the shine coming back to your drivetrain; regular cleaning will keep your components functioning more efficiently.
Step 7 – Now that your bike and drivetrain are squeaky clean, DRY YOUR BIKE. This is such a simple step that often gets missed. Leaving your bike wet even on stainless parts will inevitably cause surface rust, so drying is essential. I dry my handlebars, shifters, saddle and everything in between apart from my groupset first with either an old towel or microfibre cloth. I then dry my groupset with a different one so there’s no cross-contamination and If there’s any residue left on the chain or cassette I’m not wiping that back all over my bike.
Step 8 – Once my bike is bone dry I then re-apply lubricant to my chain. Depending on the weather I’ll use Muc-Off wet or dry lube. It’s as simple as this – wet lube for wet weather, dry lube for dry weather! Wet lube doesn’t wash off quite as easily and is more resilient to moisture in bad weather. Dry lube is excellent for dry and sunny days on your bike and will not pick up dirt and dust like a wet lube tends to do. Adopting this practice always means that you can just hop on your bike at a moment’s notice and go and ride. Beneficial if you’re asking me!
In conclusion, regularly sticking with this sort of cleaning routine will almost certainly extend the lifetime of your bike and all its moving components, not to mention keep heads turning, because to be completely honest, everyone loves a clean bike!
Clean and ready for more gravel-bound fun, my Focus Atlas 6.8 is always well-maintained.
Written by Andrew Barlow
Photos by Andrew Barlow
Have you seen our Fast Bike feature? 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 Feature Blogs too!
Click the link below and search our archive…
Elite road racing came to Lancaster with Round 3 of the British Cycling National Road Series taking place on Sunday the 17th of July. The popular Lancaster Grand Prix is considered to be Wheelbase Cabtech Castelli’s ‘home race’ being just half an hour down the M6 from Wheelbase HQ in the south of the Lake District. The city of Lancaster has a really healthy cycling scene and this important road race is well supported by the local cycling clubs as well as having the local council firmly behind the race, meaning that a ‘proper day out’ is made out of the event, with a full day’s entertainment at the start and finish line which is located in the stunning Williamson Park in the shadow of the iconic Williamson Memorial which looks out over the city below.
Matt Fox looking cool, calm and collected before the race, despite the heat! Photo: Ellen Isherwood
Tom Merry was ready to compete in the hottest race of the year. Photo: Ellen Isherwood.
With temperatures climbing up to 28 degrees the race circuit hosted plenty of roadside spectators, who were enjoying the fantastic weather, sitting in the sun while cheering on the racers who were passing by in full flight. It goes without saying that the riders were somewhat less comfortable and as the day of racing progressed it became clear that keeping as cool as possible, staying on top hydration and ensuring electrolytes were regularly replaced, was going to be as important as the unusual mid-race strategizing. Special mention goes to the family who had rigged up their jet wash to produce a fine spray over the riders as they passed through a residential area on the course, it’s safe to say that every race finisher appreciated that gesture!
Logan Maclean, back from a short stint of training in the French Alps, came into the Lancaster GP with good form. Photo Ellen Isherwood
It’s time to pin on the numbers and get racing! Photo: Ellen Isherwood
The men’s race rolled out of Williamson Park at 2pm just as temperatures reached the high point of the day; dense crowds who were enjoying a cracking day in the park cheered the racers off as they embarked on 10 grueling laps of a circuit that would be difficult enough on a cooler day. This testing circuit includes short sharp climbs, long exposed high-speed roads that are susceptible to strong winds and fast, sweeping descents. It’s a fairly short loop and due to the repetitive and technical nature of the course there’s very little opportunity to feed or take on drink as riders are either sprinting uphill or negotiating fast, unpredictable descents. It was obvious from the get-go that struggling to stay hydrated and suitably fueled on such an attritional day was going to affect the outcome of the race.
Wheelbase Cabtech Castelli Director Sprotif Stu Reid would be in the team car, guiding with team tactics. Photo: Ellen Isherwood
Matti Dobbins ensured he was well-hydrated before the race. Photo: Ellen Isherwood
Wheelbase Cabtech Castelli were able to field a complete team, which came as a relief following the recent rider health issues, as the whole peloton continues to feel the affects of Covid. After strong showing from a reduced team at the Stockton GP it was good to go into this race with a full squad, although a number of our riders had already raced hard on Friday evening at a round of the National Circuit Series in Barnsley which saw our riders at the front of the race with Callum Thornley taking an excellent 5th place and Matt Fox taking 12th place; this would mean that there would be some fatigued legs going into the Lancaster GP, however confidence was high.
Dave Duggan had made the long trip from Aberdeenshire to represent Wheelbase on our home roads. Photo: Ellen Isherwood
Callum Thornley came to the Lancaster GP on an amazing run of form, with his most recent result being 5th at the Barnsley Criterium. Photo: Ellen Isherwood
Out onto the fast, unrelenting circuit the peloton of 140 riders stayed tightly packed for the majority of the first lap, taking in the main climb together before the first moves of the day were made. On lap two the race quickly became animated and we were stoked to see our young Scottish lad Logan Maclean had made it into a breakaway group of 6 riders who quickly carved a 30 second lead on the chasing bunch. The nature of this demanding circuit was always going to shape the outcome of the race and true to form the chasing bunch began to break up into smaller packs as the hilly roads stretched them out and gaps between riders failed to be closed.
Logan Maclean makes the decisive breakaway of the race. Photo: Ellen Isherwood
Tightly packed, the chasing bunch stay together on the main climb of the circuit. Photo: Ellen Isherwood
The chasing group very quickly began to fragment behind the breakaway. Photo: Ellen Isherwood
Standing on the roadside it was clear just how difficult the racing conditions were, with the heat bouncing off the road and riders looking very uncomfortable early in the race. The feed area was kept busy each lap, with team helpers passing out electrolytes to consume and water to douse over themselves. Roadside helpers employed lots of clever ways to help keep their riders cool, including passing out ice bags for riders to stick down the back of their jerseys. As the chasing groups continued to break apart Logan’s leading group of six riders was joined by another five riders, this helped the individuals in the break pace their efforts a little better between turns of the front to help hold the pace.
The heat was bouncing off the road throughout the race. Photo: Ellen Isherwood
Callum Thornley throws his Cannondale SuperSix Evo around the tight turns of this technical circuit. Photo: Ellen Isherwood
Tom Merry found himself in an ever-decreasing group of riders, as more and more racers succumbed to the heat. Photo: Ellen Isherwood
As the race hit its mid-point temperatures topped out at 30 degrees and the Wheelbase Cabtech Castelli team was scattered throughout the reduced, fragmented field; each of our riders was in a personal battle to stay suitably hydrated but the struggle was considerable. Meanwhile in the team car our Director Sportif Stu Reid and Team Manager Toby Dalton were helping to ensure that Logan was staying well-fueled and was drinking plenty of fluids, although as they drew level with him to do so, the salt deposits on his kit was evidence of just how demanding this race had become.
The Wheelbase Cabtech Castelli team car sponsored by PV Dobson was on hand to support our racers. Photo: Ellen Isherwood
Logan continued to race smart while focusing on staying hydrated and keeping as cool as possible. Photo: Ellen Isherwood
Dave Duggan racing hard on the technical descent. Photo: Ellen Isherwood
In the latter half of the race a quick head count of the Wheelbase Cabtech Castelli team revealed that Logan Maclean and our Aussie kid Matt Fox were our only remaining representatives in a race which was seeing an ever-depleting field of riders. Logan was still positioned in that front group, riding intelligently by contributing to the pace while also conserving as much energy as possible on the tough climbs and long exposed stretches of road. Meanwhile Matt was positioned in what was left of the chasing bunch, thinking of his overall position and the potential for team points and our Wheelbase Cabtech Castelli standing in the rankings.
Matt Fox digging deep to finish this tough race. Photo: Ellen Isherwood
Logan continued to race intelligentially and dose his efforts in the breakaway group. Photo: Ellen Isherwood
In the final two laps of the race the lead group inevitably began to break up with riders beginning to fatigue and simply focus on going the distance rather than racing for the win. At this point our focus moved towards Logan finishing as highly up the results as possible and credit to the lad he ensured he kept well-fueled and hydrated, measuring his efforts before the final approach back into the glorious finishing line venue in Williamson Park. Upfront Robert Scott from the WiV Sungod team took the win after riding away from that small remaining group of riders. Shortly after the riders from the original break came over the line with Wheelbase Cabtech Castelli’s Logan Maclean taking an excellent 12th place; this result cannot be underplayed and is a reflection of just how talented this young rider is, taking a high placing by racing intelligently throughout the most grueling race of the year. Matt Fox stayed with the remains of the chasing group and took a great 17th place, proving once again that he’s capable of going the distance and finishing high up in National level road races. With 140 starters and only 34 finishers these results speak for themselves, with our hard-working duo proving that Scottish tenacity and Aussie grit are powerful weapons against adversity!
Logan Maclean would finish in an excellent 12th place after being in the break for almost the entirety of the race. Photo: Ellen Isherwood
As our Wheelbase riders succumbed to the difficult racing conditions they stayed at the side of the road to cheer on their teammates. Photo: Ellen Isherwood
We’re incredibly proud of how the whole team performed at the Lancaster Grand Prix; it’s a real credit to the team that once each rider was overcome by the conditions they stuck around to assist at the feed area, helping the remaining Wheelbase Cabtech Castelli riders stay fully hydrated. Special thanks to all of the team behind the scenes involved in keeping our team riders racing and thanks to our young squad for representing us so well on our home roads.
Callum Thornley stays roadside to help out his teammates. Photo: Ellen Isherwood
A HUGE thanks to everyone involved in the Wheelbase Cabtech Castelli team. Photo: Ellen Isherwood
Written by Johnny Dodgin
All photos by Ellen Isherwood
Have you seen our Fast Bike feature? 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 Feature Blogs too!
Click the link below and search our archive…
Sunday the 17th of July is the day that Elite Road Racing comes to the city of Lancaster for Round 3 of the British Cycling National Road Series. Back for another year following a fantastic edition in 2021, the Lancaster Grand Prix sees an action-packed day of racing with both the elite men and the elite women competing on a tough & hilly circuit on the outskirts of Lancaster. With racers crossing the finishing line in the beautiful Williamson Park underneath the iconic Williamson Memorial the start and finishing area makes an excellent venue to spend the day watching the race live on the big screen while enjoying family entertainment throughout the day including a bouncy castle, face painting, live music, extreme mountain biking displays, barbecue, licensed bar and more.
The 2021 edition of the Lancaster GP saw Wheelbase Cabtech Castelli’s Finn Crocket join the winning move of the day.
Here at Wheelbase HQ we consider the Lancaster Grand Prix as our ‘local’ national elite race, with the action taking place 30 minutes down the M6 in a cycling-mad city that can boast a healthy racing and riding scene and which has brought many talented racers to Wheelbase Cabtech Castelli over the years. We’ll be fielding a team of seven of racers at the Lancaster GP with our squad coming into the race having tasted a healthy amount of racing success over the past few weeks leading up to the most important race on Wheelbase Cabtech Castelli’s race-calendar.
Former Wheelbase team rider Finn Crocket took a brilliant podium spot for us last year at the Lancaster Grand Prix.
The previous round of the British Cycling National Road Series held just two weeks ago on the 3rd of July saw a reduced Wheelbase squad take on the super-fast Stockton GP in the North East of England. With Covid affecting our original team line-up we eventually fielded just three riders who duly stepped up to the challenge, positioning our talented young lad Callum Thornley in the break of the day. With a much larger team ready to race at the Lancaster GP we’ve been able to put together a competitive mix of young racing talent and valuable road racing experience and we’re going into this grueling race with high hopes for Wheelbase Cabtech Castelli.
Wheelbase Cabtech Castelli Team Racing the Lancaster GP:
The Wheelbase Cabtech Castelli Team have tasted success recently and are ready to perform at their ‘local’ National Road Race.
As someone who lives in Lancaster and has trained on these roads for years I (Johnny – your feature writer) can confirm that the Lancaster Grand Prix race circuit is a particularly grueling loop consisting of short sharp climbs, long exposed high-speed roads that are susceptible to strong winds and fast, sweeping descents. It’s a fairly short loop which will see the women’s race taking on 6 laps with the men taking on 10 laps; due to repetitive the nature of the course there’s very little opportunity to feed or take on drink as riders will either be sprinting uphill or negotiating fast, unpredictable descents. The circuit will no-doubt grind the racers down with the strongest riders naturally coming to the front of the race as the course begins to do the damage. With one last explosive climb back into Lancaster before a technical run-in to Williamson Park, the winner who crosses the line first under the shadow of Williamson Monument will prove themselves to be a truly complete rider capable of climbing brilliantly, sprinting strongly and descending confidently.
If you’re in the area make sure you join us for a great day of racing and entertainment and please, give our Wheelbase Cabtech Castelli lads a cheer!
Race Schedule – Women:
9.00am Ceremonial race start in Williamson’s Park
9.05am Flag drops after neutralised zone
9.05am 6 laps of race circuit (see map below)
11.45am Race finishes in Williamson Park (estimated time)
12.00pm Podium presentation (15 minutes after race finish)
Race Schedule – Men:
14.00pm Ceremonial race start in Williamson’s Park
14.05pm Flag drops after neutralised zone
14.05pm 10 laps of race circuit (see map below)
17.45pm Race finishes in Williamson Park (estimated time)
18.00pm Podium presentation (15 minutes after race finish)
Map of the Lancaster GP race circuit including finishing approach into Williamson’s Park on the last lap.
Written by Johnny Dodgin
Photos by Ellen Esherwood & Simon Wilkinson
Team Portraits by James Vincent
Have you seen our Fast Bike feature? 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 Feature Blogs too!
Click the link below and search our archive…
We recently took delivery of the all-new Grevil F Ekar gravel bike from premium Italian bike brand Pinarello; launched in June this year the next-gen Grevil succeeded the previous model and boasted a number of significant changes to the original, so we were keen to get our hands on one for a detailed look. As soon as the Grevil F arrived at Wheelbase HQ we put it at the top of our technician’s build-list and called up our talented photographer James Vincent on speed dial to get him in to capture this stunning gravel bike in all its glory.
So before we get too deep into this, what are the headliners for the all-new Grevil F and where are the main changes over the original version launched back in 2018? Well, it’s claimed that the Grevil F is even faster thanks to being stiffer and more responsive as well as being even more aerodynamically efficient with clever tube-profiling and the addition of fully-internal brake hoses and gear cables. One of the more subtle changes to the original, but no less significant is the Grevil F’s geometry which has been fine-tuned to offer a more confidence-inspiring ride when you’re really gunning it at speed off-road. Oh, and one other thing, which reflects the growing trend for pushing gravel bikes to their limits off-road – there’s enhanced tyre clearance in the frame and fork allowing you to run 700c tyres up to 50mm wide.
The new Grevil F is stiffer and more aerodynamic than its predecessor, making it a purebred gravel race machine.
In the image below we’ve overlaid an outline of the original Grevil over the new Grevil F for some visual clues to the changes in geometry for this new iteration of Pinarello’s gravel bike. The new frame includes a steeper seat tube angle to help increase rear tyre clearance (the Grevil F’s laidback seatpost still puts you in the desired position on the bike), while upfront the stack has been increased and the reach has been shortened putting you in a slightly more upright, less-racy position. This is a development that may not have come naturally to Pinarello, famed for their unapologetic racing heritage but it’s keeping up with the general trend in gravel bikes and will be a welcome change to most riders.
While we’re focused on the front of the bike it’s worth noting that the head angle has been slackened a little and the fork has an extended rake to help give a more stable feel when you’re riding at speed off-road. The new Grevil F retains its short chainstays to give snappy handling and help create a bike that feels alive on tight, technical singletrack. Another notable difference is the general stand-over height with a slightly lower and differently profiled top tube. However, having highlighted all the geometry changes, the Grevil F still features geometry which is firmly focused on racing, performance and speed rather being a super-laidback gravel bike secretly concealing angles more commonly seen on a mountain bike.
This all-new Grevil F sees some significant changes to frame geometry and tube profiles compared to the first-generation model.
Depending on how much attention you pay to the Italian brand and their range of cutting-edge premium road bikes you may or may not see what Pinarello have done here by replacing the Grevil with the Grevil F model name? Around this time last year Pinarello launched their all-new top of the range Dogma F road bike, which replaced their Dogma F12 at the very top of the performance road bike tree. That new road bike saw a number of changes to the frame and fork when it came to aerodynamics, carbon construction, tube profiles and full integration of components, gear cables and brake hoses. So the addition of the F in the new Grevil’s model name signifies a similar approach to their performance gravel bike; taking a fair chunk of what they learnt in the development of the Dogma F and applying it to the new Grevil F.
Pinarello’s ‘Think Asymmetric’ construction philosophy, which is seen throughout their range of bikes, is applied to the new Grevil F too.
A great example of Pinarello taking some of their well-proven design and construction principles over from the road to gravel is their unique asymmetrical frame configuration that applies to all of their premium bikes. Following the understanding that pedalling and power-input is not exactly the same through both sides of the frame Pinarello have cleverly accommodated those forces with an asymmetric frame that works in balance with the higher forces incurred from the crank and chain pulling on the right side of the bike. This asymmetry is most obvious at the junction between the chainstays and bottom bracket as well as between the top of the seatstays and the top of the seat tube.
The Grevil F’s asymmetric construction is most evident on the seat and chainstays.
For the Grevil F gravel bike Pinarello take things a step further, adding some additional frame manipulation at the seat stays; with a clever mix of carbon layup, using Toray T700 carbon fibre composed of a mix of high modulus and high tensile fibres and using two different connection points for the left and right seat stays at the seat tube Pinarello allows the top tube to absorb impacts from the rear wheel in a more uniform way adding even more compliance and comfort to the ride without affecting the responsiveness and pedalling efficiency of the bike.
Clever carbon layup in the construction process, along with that unique tube profiling gives just the right balance of rigidity and compliance.
This Grevil F comes spec’d with Campagnolo’s single-ring-only Ekar groupset so no need for a front mech; the Grevil F can accommodate one though.
As you’d expect from Pinarello, every detail is carefully considered, including the integrated seat clamp for aero gains.
The Grevil F is unapologetically an out and out gravel race bike.
Nowadays, when it comes to high-end performance-focused bikes it seems that every notable bike brand pays a considerable amount of time and attention to aerodynamics and how their premium bikes perform against the wind. We’ve seen that aero-obsession begin with road bikes before moving onto gravel and now it’s even being applied to some high-performance mountain bikes. It’s fair to say that back in 2018 when the original Grevil launched that Pinarello were well ahead of the curve on that line of development. Four years later and the Italian brand have stepped things up for the new Grevil F; there’s been some fine-tuning to the slim aero-profiled head tube, kinked top tube, truncated down tube and aero seat post. The distinctive curved Onda fork is back in all its glory and it still boasts that unique Fork Flap at the bottom of the left fork leg which is designed to channel air over the relatively un-aero disc brake caliper.
This next-gen Grevil has been made even more aero-efficient, with internal gear cables and brake hoses running internally through the stem, frame and fork.
Another trend that we’ve seen from rival brands is bikes featuring fully-integrated cockpits, with all gear cables and brake hoses being routed internally through the handlebars, stem, frame and forks on nearly all high-performance road and gravel bikes. We saw it on the Pinarello Dogma F road bike last year so it’s no great surprise that the Italian brand has followed suit with their next-gen Grevil now featuring a fully-integrated cockpit which will be more aerodynamically efficient as well as looking great thanks to a clutter-free cockpit!
Pinarello have included a new version of their iconic Onda fork with its distinctive wavy profile.
There’s one last change worth highlighting when it comes to the Pinarello Grevil F frame and fork; tyre clearance has been significantly increased making the new Grevil even more versatile than it’s predecessor. It is now possible to run 700c diameter wheels with tyres up to 50mm wide or 650b diameter wheels with up to 2.1” tyres. So despite this high-performance gravel bike being firmly focused on speed and covering distance as efficiently as possible you’ll still be able to fit some particularly fat tyres and monster-truck your way through even the roughest, most difficult off-road terrain. Regardless of your preferred tyre size there’s plenty of clearance between tyre, frame and fork which is very welcome in the UK where we’re more often faced with muddy rides rather than dusty ones.
The Grevil F’s Onda fork mirrors design principles seen on Pinarello’s road bikes.
Pinarello’s Fork Flap enhances the fork’s aerodynamics, channeling air over the front disc brake caliper.
It’s a no-brainer for a premium Italian brand like Pinarello to spec their cutting-edge gravel bike with a premium Italian groupset; Campagnolo’s Ekar gravel-specific components are equal-parts elegant and practical. With stunning looks and dependable functionality Ekar came to the gravel party late but arrived with a unique offer – a simple but effective 1X drivetrain consisting of a single chainring upfront combined with a whopping 13-speed wide-ratio cassette for a huge spread of gears capable of meeting the demands of off-road riding as well as faster-paced road riding.
As this bike’s model name suggests the Grevil F features Campagnolo’s brilliant gravel-specific Ekar groupset.
Campagnolo’s 1X drivetrain configuration has its advantages including greater simplicity and mechanical efficiency as well as reduced weight and less possibility of clogging up with mud. Sometimes the downside of just such an approach is the difficulty to provide all the gear ratios you need; Campagnolo’s answer to this is in their versatile rear cassette. Their wide ratio 13-speed cassette almost features two cassettes in one – a close ratio road-style cassette which includes a tiny 9-tooth cog and a larger more gravel/mtb focused cassette that tops out with a large 42T cog to provide a nice low climbing gear.
Ekar’s gravel-friendly versatility comes from the wide-ratio 13-speed rear cassette which gives a huge spread of gears.
To accommodate the huge range of movement across the 13-speed cassette the Ekar rear derailleur mirrors how both the SRAM and Shimano Gravel/MTB rear derailleur equivalents work, with Campagnolo’s 2D parallelogram trajectory giving a nice horizontal movement as the chain moves up and down the cassette. The Ekar rear derailleur includes a one-way clutch in the pulley cage pivot and there’s a locking mechanism in the derailleur’s main pivot to make removal and fitting of the rear wheel easier too.
The Ekar 13-speed rear derailleur has been designed specifically to function with a single chainring and features a clutch mech for added chain security.
The simple, elegant Ekar chainset constructed from unidirectional carbon ties in nicely with Campagnolo’s road-going groupsets and proper fans of the Italian groupset manufacturers will quickly make the visual connection. It’s not all style and no substance though, the simple single chainring configuration is brilliantly functional and keeps your drivetrain light and efficient. The carbon cranks arms and an integrated chainring spider on the drive-side is super-stiff, with Campagnolo’s unique ProTech axle featuring self-aligning Hirth joint semi-axles providing a secure crank and axle configuration which transfers all of your pedalling power through to the rear wheel. Pinarello have spec’d the Grevil F with a 42T chainring which gives you a nice high gear for fast road sections when combined with the tiny 9 tooth cog on the rear cassette or a super-low climbing gear when matched with the 42 tooth cog for a 42/42 gear.
Upfront there’s an efficient single ring chainset which is instantly recognisable as Campagnolo thanks to that distinctive unidirectional carbon construction.
The Ekar gear shifter and hydraulic brake units look very similar to their Campagnolo road groupset equivalents at first glance, however there are some subtle differences which reflect their gravel-focused duties. First off and rather inevitably given the one-by drivetrain setup the left hand unit has been stripped of any gear changing duties with a hydraulic-brake-only configuration. Meanwhile the right hand unit which houses the mechanical gear shifter workings as well as the hydraulic brake, features one distinct difference from their road-going cousins. The inboard shift paddle (for gear shifts down the rear cassette) is c-shaped to allow for better feel and greater security off-road providing an easier, more definite gear shift regardless of whether you’re riding in the drops or on the hoods.
Campagnolo 13-speed Ekar shifters and hydraulic brake levers feel comfortable and secure off-road.
Gear selection is easy and feels solid when changing from the hoods or the drops, with no potential for accidental shifting.
Rounding out the brilliant Italian Ekar groupset from Campagnolo is their powerful Ergopower 2 piston flat-mount disc brake calipers. Developed with premier disc brake manufacturers Magura, the Ekar brakes use mineral oil to provide consistent, dependable braking in all conditions, regardless of whether you’re riding in the wet or in the dry, on road or off-road. That flat-mount configuration keeps the calipers neatly tucked into the rear corner of the frame between the seat stay and chain stay, while upfront, on that Onda fork the 2 piston caliper sits tucked behind the aero fork flap. This means both calipers are a little more aerodynamically positioned out of the wind while also being shielded from any potential knocks in the event of a crash.
Small, compact flat-mount disc brake calipers are deceptively powerful and are ready to scrub off speed in an instant.
The neat Ekar Ergopower 2 disc brake calipers wont interfere with aerodynamics and stay out of the way of potential harm during off-road tumbles.
160mm Ekar disc rotors work brilliantly with the Ekar Ergopower 2 disc brake calipers, providing reliable braking in all riding conditions.
Pinarello have spec’d the Grevil F with a fast-rolling Fulcrum Rapid Red 500 wheelset which strikes that magic balance of being lightweight but strong at the same time, with these durable wheels responding immediately when you put the power down. This well-proven wheelset designed specifically to handle braking forces at the hub features durable sealed bearing hubs that will stand up really well to the demands of gravel riding where grit and grime is always present. The Fulcrum Rapid Red 500 wheels have a nice wide rim profile that in turn gives your tyre sidewalls a nice square (less pinched in) profile, helping to prevent tyre sidewall damage and/or prevent pinch flats.
the Fulcrum Rapid Red 500 wheels will roll fast and hold all that speed the Grevil F generates.
Fulcrum’s hubs are durable and smooth; they’ll stand up well to the rigors of unpredictable gravel riding.
The Fulcrum Rapid Red 500 wheelset is fitted with a pair of Maxxis Rambler EXO TR gravel tyres; Pinarello have played things pretty conservative here with the fairly narrow 40mm options, but gravel tyres this wide will still be more than capable of balancing performance between fast smooth terrain and more unpredictable off-road terrain, providing fast-rolling benefits on the road to your favourite trails before giving you plenty of grip on tight, loose turns when you are pushing the limits of your riding. Giving another clue to how Pinarello see this gravel bike being ridden (fast) the Italian brand have chosen a tyre that features a minimal tread down the central channel to help you hold your speed on fast pedalling sections, with a more pronounced side-knob pattern for greater control on the turns. With wheels and tyres being tubeless-ready you’ll be able to run your Grevil F tubeless and increasingly run your tyres at ever-lower pressures while you find your own limits.
Maxxis Rambler EXO TR tyres will help hold speed on smoother terrain while providing ample grip on loose, unpredictable surfaces.
A 40mm wide tyre with minimal central tread pattern provides a reliable balance of speed and control.
Even with those 40mm wide Maxxis Ramblers there’s plenty of clearance between tyre and frame/fork.
Rounding out the full spec of the Grevil F is a mix of Pinarello’s own components including a gravel-specific MOST Jaguar GR drop handlebar with a 12 degree outward sweep to help increase control when riding off-road in the drops. Seen from the front that outward sweep appears fairly minimal but it’s just enough to enhance your feeling of control as things get really rowdy without feeling over the top when you’re churning along on more predictable terrain. As we’ve highlighted already, the new Grevil is more aero than its predecessor and features an integrated cockpit, so the Tiger Aero Alu TiC stem has been designed specifically to work as part of the junction between the handlebar, stem, headset and frame, with gear cables and brake hoses running through it internally. With the aero-profiled stem and matching headset spacers blending into the headtube of the frame the overall look is seamless and uncluttered. Finally a Pinarello MOST Lynx Aircross FEC saddle featuring alloy rails and a 145mm profile will suit most riders and should keep you comfortable for hours in the saddle when combined with the integrated Pinarello aero seat post.
The Grevil F Ekar comes spec’d with Pinarello’s own MOST Jaguar GR handlebars with a 12 degree outward seep for more control off-road.
The drop and flare of the MOST Jaguar GR handlebars is pretty tame compared to some gravel-specific handlebars.
The MOST Jaguar GR handlebar and MOST Tiger Aero stem neatly route the gear cables and brake hoses through to the frame and fork.
The all-new Pinarello Grevil F is a fantastic race-ready gravel bike which is unapologetically focused towards racing and performance cycling; it’s no surprise really when you consider the premium Italian brand’s rich racing heritage which famously informs every design and construction decision they make. Drill a little deeper than those first impressions though and, as we’ve highlighted, there have been a number of significant changes to the geometry for this second-generation Grevil signaling a slightly more versatile bike that will be a joy to ride away from the race track too. It goes without saying that this is a stunning looking machine and away from all the science behind each design decision that informs the overall look it’s ok to just appreciate it for its pure aesthetic value. An Italian master piece with an equally elegant Campagnolo grouspet is bound to catch the eye and lets face it, bragging rights at the trail head is no bad thing.
With its instantly recognisable silhouette and aero tube profiling that just screams Pinarello you can be confident that the Grevil F Ekar has racing in its DNA.
Pinarello Grevil F Ekar RRP £5,300.00
Full Specification:
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…
Launched today! The all-new Trek Fuel EXe marks a significant moment in the evolution of the e-mountain bike; to the casual track-side observer casting their eyes over this capable trail bike as it blasts past them it really wouldn’t be immediately clear that the Fuel EXe was an e-MTB at all! With a super-compact motor, sleek internal battery housed in a downtube that isn’t much larger than an acoustic bike and an almost inaudible motor they’d be excused for not even recognising the Fuel EXe as an e-mountain bike.
In a veritable sea of big, powerful e-MTBs boasting ever-increasingly powerful motors and longer-range motors it’s not unusual to see each major bike manufacturer topping out their e-MTB range with bikes featuring large 250Wh motors and 750Wh batteries. It’s been a bit of an arms race for the most efficient but powerful e-MTB available and consumers have been encouraged to seek out these sorts of stats when they’re considering joining the e-MTB revolution. There is, however, a movement that is starting to gain momentum where a small number of bicycle manufacturers are starting to re-think their e-MTB range, exploring who is using their current offering and identifying an extra cohort of riders looking for something a little different, leading to the development of a whole new sub-genre of e-mountain bike.
The Fuel EXe’s natural feeling pedal assist is so compact and quiet you might forget it’s there.
Trek have designed the all-new Fuel EXe to perfectly suit that new type of rider coming over to e-mountain bikes; riders looking for an e-MTB that handles more like their own acoustic bike who want a more natural-feeling form of pedal-assistance that doesn’t dominate their riding experience but does give them just the right amount of help they need to climb and cover ground more efficiently.
One of the lightest eMTBs on the market the Fuel EXe handles more regular bike.
While most brands keep chasing more power, higher torque and bigger batteries, Trek have joined the small amount of forward-thinking manufacturers offering this new sort of e-MTB. Where they differ slightly to other brands, however, is the sheer amount of Fuel EXe options available; rather than offering one model with one spec Trek have launched the Fuel EXe as a small range of six bikes, reflecting their ability as the world’s most powerful bike brand to make this sort of important investment while also giving a strong indication of their belief in this new form of e-mountain bike.
At the heart of this new lightweight pedal-assist system is the compact motor from German robotics manufacturer TQ developed in partnership with Trek. The HPR 50 motor is considerably lighter, more compact and quieter than current e-MTB motors; using their patented pin ring transmission which eliminates the need for the sort of gears and belts seen in other e-MTB motors, the HPR 50 motor is super-stealthy both in terms of its looks and lack of audible noise when riding. That small motor has another advantage too; by being so compact it doesn’t interfere with the frame’s geometry or suspension configuration, meaning that Trek didn’t have to make any compromises to how they wanted to design the Fuel EXe. There’s a lot less overall weight at the bottom bracket too so the bike handles much more like your acoustic bike, particularly when you are throwing it around on downhill trails.
Blink and you’ll miss it. This compact motor, around the size of a coke can, doesn’t interfere with the suspension design or frame geometry.
The custom 360Wh internal battery is similarly sleek and compact, sitting within a downtube that boasts dimensions that wouldn’t be out of place on a conventional, non-motored mountain bike. The 360Wh battery provides around 4 hours of ride time and there’s the option to run an additional (sold separately) 160Wh Range Extender which fits in the Fuel EXe’s bottle cages and gives a 40% increase in range. Another key advantage to this new system is charge time; with the internal battery being fully rechargeable within just two hours. Charging typically takes place with the battery still inside the frame of the bike, however the battery can be removed fairly quickly and easily if you need to travel with your bike.
The internal 360Wh battery on the Fuel EXe charges while in the downtube, however the battery is removeable for charging off the bike.
The Fuel EXe’s TQ HPR 50 motor features 3 different assist modes which are selected through a simple toggle button fitted to the left side of the handlebars. Keeping things simple and stripped back Trek have avoided he temptation to fit a large display unit to the bars or stem and instead have integrated a small LED display into the top tube of the carbon frame. This display will help you keep track of battery range and track which mode you’re riding in. This sophisticated e-MTB can be fine-tuned to suit you, your riding style and/or the terrain you typically ride; with Trek’s Central App on your Smartphone you’ll be able to customise motor tuning, activity tracking and real-time range calculations amongst other useful functions.
A simple, stripped-back toggle switch lets you quickly select one of the three motor modes.
The complete range of Fuel EXe bikes feature the same lightweight but durable OCLV Mountain Carbon frame boasting 140mm of rear wheel travel paired with a 150mm fork. Rolling on fast 29” wheels the Fuel EXe’s geometry is fine-tuned to excel downhill AND uphill, providing a stable, confidence-inspiring ride on steep, high-speed descents as well as an efficient pedalling position when you’re headed back up your favourite trail.
A cleverly-engineered LED display is integrated into the Fuel EXe’s top tube and gives you all the info you’ll need.
Use the Trek Central App to customise your Fuel EXe motor to suit your riding.
Fuel EXe Fast Facts
TQ Motor System
Battery
Range Extender
Frame
Parts Compatibility
Trek Fuel EXe 9.9 XX1 AXS RRP £13,250.00
Full Specification:
Trek Fuel EXe 9.9 XTR RRP £11,500.00
Full Specification:
Trek Fuel EXe 9.8 GX AXS RRP £10,300.00
Full Specification:
Trek Fuel EXe 9.8 XT RRP £9,050.00
Full Specification:
Trek Fuel EXe 9.7 RRP £7,650.00
Full Specification:
Trek Fuel EXe 9.5 RRP £5,750.00
Full Specification:
The Fuel EXe e-mtb joins a small but significant industry move towards a whole new genre of e-mountain bike – ‘e-MTB Lite’ if you will, and we like it! To see the biggest bike brand in the world playing a role in taking mountain biking to the next level, with their unique technology from that quiet-and-compact TQ transmission, is really exciting and indicates that this type of e-mountain bike is only going to become more popular and widespread.
Trek’s Fuel EXe marks a significant moment in the evolution of e-mountain bikes.
Written By Johnny Dodgin
All photos by Trek
Have you seen our Fast Bike feature? 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 Feature Blogs too!
Click the link below and search our archive…
The Tour De Staveley made a triumphant return on Saturday the 9th of July under blue skies and blazing July sun following a two year break due to the pandemic. With a packed field of riders keen to explore the quiet lanes of the South Lakes this friendly event took in some challenging climbs with stunning views and was an opportunity for cyclists far and wide to come together and celebrate summer cycling in the sort of riding conditions we spend all winter dreaming about.
The large field of Tour De Staveley entrant enjoyed fantastic mid-summer weather.
Riders head out onto the hilly, challenging South Lakes roads.
This year was the 14th running of the Tour De Staveley and it offered two classic Lakeland routes to choose from, the full Tour De Staveley at 48.5 miles and Le Petit Tour at 28 miles, providing the perfect distance to suit all abilities of rider. Wheelbase’s own homage to the world’s most famous cycle race, Le Tour De France, our Lake District Sportive gave riders a chance to explore some of the best riding on offer and to socialise while enjoying a well-earned Tour De France themed meal at the finish served up by Wilf’s Cafe before catching all the action from the day’s Tour de France stage, playing on the big screen at Hawkshead Brewery.
The Gummers How climb was equal parts grueling and scenic with its stunning vista.
Trees in full leaf provided some much-appreciated shade.
Although the Tour De Staveley is run as a non-competitive event, with the main focus on enjoying a friendly and relaxed ride, we did throw in a spot-prize in the form of a Strava Timed Hill Climb challenge, with times recorded up the grueling climb of Tow Top Hill. Congratulations to our King and Queen of the mountains who will both be receiving Wheelbase Gift Vouchers for their efforts…
King of the Mountains: Laurie Lambeth 4.38
Queen of the Mountains: Helen Jackson 6.52
Laurie Lambeth took the King of the Mountains title.
Helen Jackson took the Queen of the Mountains title.
Short course map: http://www.mapmyride.com/gb/kendal-eng/le-petit-tour-of-staveley-2014-short-route-190001754
Long course map: http://www.mapmyride.com/gb/windermere-eng/le-tour-de-staveley-2014-long-course-route-30757232
Riders arrived back at Wheelbase HQ in Staveley to enjoy a post-race get together.
A Tour De France-themed meal at Wilf’s café and live race coverage at Hawkshead Brewery made a great way to end the ride.
Click here to see the Tour De Staveley Facebook album by James Vincent
Click here for photos from our on course photographer Dave Bradshaw of Sport Sunday
Gallery one – out bound
Gallery two – return
Timings from T2 Events here.
A HUGE thank you to everyone who attended and helped make the Tour De Staveley such an enjoyable day of cycling and socialising; thank you to our logistical partners Kendal Cycling Club for assisting in the smooth running of the event. All proceeds from the event will be donated to the Wheels for All charity; the Wheels for All initiative is a nationally recognised program that embraces all children and adults with disabilities and differing needs, to engage in a quality cycling activity. By using specially adapted cycles, the activities are both physically and mentally stimulating and above all fun for everyone involved.
Big thanks to Kendal Cycle Club Wheels for All and all the marshals and helpers – see you again in 2023!
Written by Johnny Dodgin
Feature Photos by James Vincent
Have you seen our Fast Bike feature? 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 Feature Blogs too!
Click the link below and search our archive…
Say hello to the all-new Cannondale Topstone Alloy gravel bike! The previous version of the Topstone Alloy has been a massively popular gravel bike here at Wheelbase, with the small range of alloy gravel bikes proving to be well-loved by a wide range of our customers thanks in most-part to their versatility, durability and relative affordability. We’ve seen a real boom in the use of gravel bikes in the UK and indeed, all around the world, with almost every major bike brand boasting them within their range of bikes and Cannondale have been at the forefront of this movement from the earliest days of gravel riding.
The first-generation Topstone Alloy was incredibly popular and the all-new model is ready to pick up where the original left off.
As you’ll probably know Cannondale recently launched their second-generation Topstone Carbon which featured multiple changes over the previous model, making the bike even more versatile than the original model thanks to changes in its geometry as well as increased tyre-clearance and a wide array of bolt-on-bosses that allowed you to fine-tune your Bikepacking setup to suit any gravel adventure. With this in mind it’s a fair assumption that the all-new Topstone Alloy would inherit some of these improvements, albeit at a more affordable price point…
There’s a number of significant changes to the new Topstone Alloy, making it even more versatile than its predecessor.
The new Cannondale Topstone Alloy features a lightweight but durable chassis consisting of a SmartForm C2 Alloy frame and a compliant carbon fork that helps isolate you from rough surfaces and includes plenty of bolt-on-bosses for mudguards and/or Bikepacking luggage. Both the frame and fork includes the now-industry-standard 12×142 and 12×100 thru-axles and flat mounts for disc calipers; the frame features internal cable routing, a BSA threaded bottom bracket and a multitude of fender, bottle and luggage mounts. There’s an increase to tyre clearance on the new model too allowing you to run front and rear tyres up to 45mm wide.
The next-generation Topstone Alloy features an all-new carbon fork complete with multiple bolt-on-bosses.
When Cannondale launched the Carbon version of this bike in April this year we remarked at how the American bike brand had ensured they’d moved with the times, keeping up with how the gravel bike scene was continuing to evolve and diversify into sub-genres. We’ve seen other brands launch models that are suited to one specific type of gravel riding; for example carbon race machines, utilitarian Bikepacking wagons designed to take on arduous multi-day adventures or fun and agile bikes with relaxed angles and long-reach geometry designed to excel on tight singletrack. Cannondale instead opted to create one gravel bike that excelled in all scenarios and the new alloy version follows exactly the same tack; so when it comes to the new Topstone Alloy think fast, fun and utilitarian in equal measure.
Bikepacking, gravel racing or simply looning around the trails, the Cannondale Topstone Alloy can do it all with ease.
The new Topstone Alloy boasts Cannondale’s OutFront steering geometry which helps to give a confident, stable ride while remaining agile on the tighter stuff. An extra-long fork offset paired with a slack head angle helps to keep the steering light and lively while delivering confidence when you’re riding at full chat through the rough stuff. It’s light and fast enough to line up at any gravel race, regardless of distance or course profile, while those multiple bolt-on-bosses mean you can load this bike up in any way you like and head out on long cycle tours or mid-week sleep outs. Oh and this new version accepts an internally-routed 27.2 dropper seatpost, further adding to the bike’s capacity when your gravel riding gets really rowdy.
Changes to the geometry mean that this latest iteration of the Topstone Alloy is even more agile and confidence-inspiring to ride.
Full Specification:
Full Specification:
Cannondale Topstone 2 RRP £1,800.00
Full Specification:
Full Specification:
Cannondale Topstone 4 RRP £1,200.00
Full Specification:
Cannondale Topstone Alloy Geometry
One of the main reasons the previous-generation Topstone Alloy was so popular was down to its relatively affordable price point. The range meets the needs of riders coming into gravel riding from road cycling OR mountain biking, with an easy to justify price for an additional bike in their fleet, capable of opening up their riding even more. We see mountain bikers coming into gravel because they want to leave the car at home and head out straight from the front door, linking stretches of road and off-road tracks together. Likewise we see roadies getting into gravel as an alternative to riding exclusively on the road; getting away from busy traffic and exploring more unpredictable routes or simply for use as a durable and versatile winter bike option. Factor in that this sort of bike can be used as a daily commuter during the week and it’s really hard to argue against having a Cannondale Topstone Alloy at your disposal.
The all-new Cannondale Topstone Alloy is a durable, versatile and affordable gravel bike option.
Written by Johnny Dodgin
All photos by Cannondale
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…
