Author: John Dodgin

 

We’d like to introduce you to UDOG, our newest shoe brand here at Wheelbase! Why UDOG I hear you ask. Because this stylish Italian cycling shoe brand is not only new to Wheelbase it’s new to the world of cycling; put simply they’re the Underdogs, ready to steal victory and win the hearts of cyclists around the world, hence the name UDOG. Created by a team of passionate cyclists who set out to improve every ride, UDOG was born from a lifelong love of cycling in Vento, Italy, a region with an authentic connection to Italian fashion and cycling culture.

New Italian brand UDOG is set to make waves in the world of cycling.

 

UDOG was founded by Alberto Fonte in 2021; this passionate, lifelong road cyclist can boast a pretty impressive background within the Italian cycling industry, having previously worked as Brand Manager at fi’zi:k and as Sales & Marketing Manager at Pinarello bikes and Kask helmets. An avid and competitive cyclist Alberto Fonte has a true love of the sport and all its cycling disciplines. After 15 years in the cycling industry Fonte teamed up with his friend and former business manager at fi’zi:k and Crankbrothers, Antonio Gerolimetto, to create this new and unique cycling brand – UDOG.

UDOG may be a new name, but behind the scenes the brand is driven by individuals already well-established in the cycling industry.

 

In sport the Underdog expression references a competitor who is typically expected to lose but somehow comes through to steal victory and win the hearts of the fans. Underdogs know how to work hard. With a laser-focused drive to succeed any of us can achieve our goals in cycling and in life; the exciting new Italian brand UDOG symbolises this ethos.

UDOG cycling shoes mix the latest shoe technology with classic Italian styling.

 

UDOG shoes are born out of a lifelong passion for all forms of cycling.

 

Tensione Road Shoes

UDOG have released two new road cycling shoes as part of their brand launch. The Tensione features an interesting new design and construction concept which sees the shoe wrapping the rider’s foot from bottom to top for a superior fit, helping to improve comfort and increasing pedalling efficiency.

 

The Tensione features a unique closure system.

 

The all-new UDOG Tensione has been painstakingly designed and developed by UDOG owner Alberto Fonte; influenced by Fonte’s wealth of performance footwear knowledge and expertise the Tensione is an extremely high-quality road cycling shoe that is not only brilliantly functional but can boast classic Italian styling too.

This stripped-back road cycling shoe features classic, minimalist Italian styling.

 

The Tensione’s one piece upper is made from durable 3D tech mesh which is light, soft and breathable too; with comfort being the top priority within UDOG’s design brief the Tensione is shaped to provide a deep heel cup and a generous toe box. Keeping overall weight low this premium cycling shoe is intentionally minimalist, with all plastic and metal hardware eliminated to cut weight and reduce unwanted pressure points at the same time.

Available in white or black colour options the Tensione is light and breathable.

 

The UDOG Tensione incorporates their patented dynamic system called the Tension Wrap System (TWS) which hugs the metatarsal area of your feet, from instep to bridge for an optimum fit. Constructed with durable TPU laminated straps which wrap the insole from one side of the shoe to the other the TWS system works in unison with UDOG’s hybrid lace-up configuration, giving 18 points of contact between the foot and soft shoe upper, securely holding your foot during each complete pedal stroke.

The Tensione features UDOG’s unique Tension Wrap System (TWS) which hugs the metatarsal area of your feet.

 

So why use traditional lacing rather than ratchets or dials as their chosen closure system? UDOG explains that they opted for lace-ups for a number of reasons – laces create an even distribution of pressure across the top of the foot, they offer a more understated, classic-looking aesthetic and, most significantly, they are more comfortable and lighter.  Fonte’s experience tells him that traditional laces tend to loosen while pedalling; UDOG’s TWS system uses proprietary laces which are flatter in construction to help create a better, more secure knot for a dependable, secure closure that will stand up to even the longest endurance road rides.

Years of industry experience told UDOG to use a lace-up closure system.

 

The UDOG Tensione features a super-stiff carbon-nylon outsole which includes a small ventilation channel for enhanced breathability in hotter conditions as well as integrated rubber heel and toe caps to help protect the outsole and help you walk when you’re off the bike. The UDOG’s outsole includes a large metatarsal platform to accommodate cleat engagement with generous amounts of adjustability engineered in, allowing you to fine tune the position of your cleats.

The Tensione features some clever technical innovations packaged up into a stripped-back, classic-looking shoe.

 

UDOG Tensione Road Shoes RRP £130.00

Key Features:

• Hybrid lace-up closure system
• Tension Wrap System – TWS
• Generous toe box & deep heel cup
• Composite carbon-nylon outsole
• Minimalist design – less material, less weight
• Lightweight – 245g in size 42
• 15 sizes from 38 to 46 full sizes, gender neutral
• Colours – Pure Black or Arctic White

 

Cima Road Shoes

UDOG’s second shoe which has been released at the same time as the Tensione as part of the Italian brand’s launch is the great-looking Cima. So what’s the Cima’s unique selling point? It’s got to be that super-sophisticated upper featuring UDOG’s knit technology which helps to form an extremely lightweight, supportive, breathable but waterproof road cycling shoe.

UDOG have really utilised modern knit technology in the Cima’s upper.

 

The Cima’s upper features a seamless one-piece engineered knit construction, eliminating all plastic and metal components for a noticeably light shoe without any potential for pressure points on your foot. With minimal stitching the Cima includes small TPU layers in key areas to help increase support, enhance the effectiveness of the closure system and offers protection from the  elements.

The premium Cima road cycling shoe is super-light and stripped of all metals and plastics.

 

UDOG’s sophisticated knit technique featured in the Cima’s construction creates a super-soft sock-like material which adapts to any foot shape and every fit. Each portion of the shoe’s upper has a different technical knit pattern to help ensure that each area is as comfortable and form-fitting as possible. With every inch of the upper carefully considered in the design and construction process the CIMA uses a tight-knit construction in the medial arch area to provide dynamic support and a more breathable construction in the toe box.

The white colour option easily shows the sophisticated knit pattern involved in their construction.

 

Just like the Tensione, UDOG’s Cima road shoe features a lace-up closure system, tapping into some great performance benefits including the distribution of pressure being more even across the top of the foot for greater comfort and reduced overall weight. Then there’s the obvious aesthetic quality of the Cima; it’s a great looking shoe thanks to that simple, stripped-back construction and sophisticated Italian styling. With some traditional laces being prone to loosening UDOG have spent time sourcing special propriety laces which are flatter in construction to help create a better knot helping to ensure that fit stays constant and secure regardless of the duration of your ride. There’s three specific options for lacing patterns too thanks to the Cima’s unique upper eyelet construction allowing you to adapt the fit to your own foot shape.

UDOG really believe in using lace-up closure systems for a secure, comfortable fit.

 

The Cima features UDOG’s clever Pocket Tongue System (PTS), their clever way of storing the excess lace ends once tied. Combined with the upper’s elastic bridge the system provides an internal pocket for the knotted laces which then folds under the elastic bridge to form an integrated aero cover for a clean, dynamic look which also helps to eliminate the potential for laces getting caught in your bike’s drivetrain.

UDOG’s clever Pocket Tongue System (PTS) keeps lace loops neatly tucked away.

 

A good road cycling shoe is only as good as its outsole; to be efficient and able to transfer all of your pedalling input through your bike’s drivetrain your shoe’s outsole needs to be super-stiff. The UDOG Cima features a carbon composite outsole with a stiffness index of 11 to help you race hard and fast; it includes a cool directional ventilation channel to help stop your feet from overheating in warmer riding conditions and includes integrated rubber heel and toe caps for durability and to help you walk more easily when you’re off the bike. The UDOG’s Cima outsole also includes a large metatarsal platform to accommodate cleat engagement with generous amounts of adjustability engineered in, allowing you to fine tune the position of your cleats.

UDOG chose the Cima product name for good reason; the Italian word Cima translated into English means ‘summit’ or ‘mountain-top’. We think that’s rather fitting for a shoe that’s so light and simple. Super-stiff, comfortable, breathable and fast drying the all-new UDOG Cima is both brilliantly functional and super-stylish.

The Cima may look simple and somewhat traditional, but there’s plenty of tech behind this premium cycling shoe’s design.

 

UDOG Cima Road Shoes RRP £220.00

Key Features:

• Knit technology – one-piece engineered knit
• Pocket Tongue System – PTS
• Generous toe box & deep heel cup
• High carbon composite outsole – stiffness index 11
• Minimalist design – less material, less weight
• Lightweight – 240g in size 42
• 15 sizes, from 38 to 46, full sizes, gender neutral

 

Written by Johnny Dodgin

 

Have you seen our Fast Bike Friday 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 Friday Blogs too!

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Our regular Fast Bike Friday feature is focusing in on the super-sleek Teammachine SLR01 Five Ultegra Di2 road bike, regarded as the ‘all-rounder’ within BMC’s extensive fleet of road bikes. The stunning Teammachine road bike shouts out cool design and precision Swiss engineering with a beautifully shaped frame-profile featuring an aerodynamic fully integrated cockpit which includes an aero stem with internal cable routing.

This newest iteration of the BMC Teammachine SLR01 has evolved following years of product development and refinement, all influenced by the constant performance demands of pro-cycling which BMC have part of for successive race seasons. The Teammachine SLR, has won every major title that a bike can win including Monuments, World Championships, Olympic Games and the Tour de France with Australian pro cyclist Cadel Evans; most recently the Teammachine SLR01 has been piloted to numerous race wins by the French Ag2R Citroen pro-cycling team.

The Teammachine SLR01 (right) can be seen in the most demanding pro road races, piloted by the AG2R Citroen team.

 

BMC describe the Teammachine sub-range of bikes as the ultimate lightweight race bikes in their collection which do everything very well, excelling on the climbs. Alternatively their Timemachine Road bike is their out-and-out aero road bike which is ideal for fast flat road races where aerodynamic gains can make all the difference. The third option when it comes to BMC road bikes is their Roadmachine branded as their ‘One Bike Collection’ built for all-day adventures and featuring a frame that promises more compliance, putting the rider in a comfortable, neutral riding position.

So who is the Teammachine for? Well, if you’re looking for a modern disc-brake-equipped high-performance road bike which is super-lightweight and flies up the hills while remaining aerodynamically efficient then the BMC Teammachine is the perfect option for you. Want to understand more about the Timemachine Road and the Roadmachine road bike options? Check out our full breakdown of the BMC road bike range HERE.

The Teammachine’s angular tube profiles are unique to BMC making their road bikes instantly recognisable within the bunch.

 

The Swiss designers and engineers take their job seriously, there’s no flamboyant, unnecessary additions to the design process here, the BMC Teammachine is a brilliant example of the ‘form follows function’ principle. If you’re unfamiliar with the term, the principle is this – ‘an object’s shape should primarily relate to its intended function or purpose’. We think the BMC road bikes have nailed this. While those angular and truncated frame tube profiles look great, they also serve a really important purpose too, making the Teammachine more aerodynamically efficient. It seems that BMC have arrived at the same conclusion as almost all other road bike brands and have included dropped seatstays that, with some clever engineering and sensitive carbon layup are not only more aerodynamically efficient but provide the rider with enhanced levels of comfort in the saddle too.

The Teammachine SLR01 features a fully-integrated front end for superior aero-efficiency and a clean, uncluttered look.

 

With all of the cables routed through an integrated BMC stem and into the frame and fork the SLR01 boast some impressive aerodynamic stats.

 

Developed through Computational Fluid Dynamics (FLD) and wind-tunnel testing each angle has been sculpted to cut cut through the air with less drag.

 

The Teammachine SLR01’s dropped seatstays give two significant benefits – increased aerodynamics and enhanced comfort in the saddle.

 

Swiss design and precision engineering means the BMC Teammachine SLR01 boasts stunning styling and faultless functionality.

 

UCI approved for competition; you’ll see the French pro team AG2R Citroen piloting the Teammachine in the mountains of the Tour De France.

 

As the Teammachine SLR01 Five Ultegra Di2’s model name suggests, this BMC features Shimano all-new 12-speed electronic Ultegra Di2 groupset. This new cutting-edge groupset was launched in Autumn of 2021 and it’s taken a few months for us to see it starting to appear on complete bikes. It was launched alongside its super-bling Dura Ace cousin and basically mirrors all of the brilliant functionality of that groupset only made with slightly more affordable materials and consequently carrying a small but almost negligible weight gain.

When it launched there were two significant headliners for both groupsets. Firstly the Japanese brand had made the leap to a 12-speed drivetrain, just as their nearest component-manufacturing equivalents SRAM and Campagnolo had done previously. Secondly the new electronic groupset was wireless (kind of) like their SRAM equivalents. I say kind of because the new Ultegra Di2 electronic groupset actually features a ‘semi-wireless’ system; it’s a sort of ‘best of both worlds’ approach which benefits from having wireless shifters eliminating the requirement to route the wires through the handlebar into the frame.

As the model name suggests, this Teammachine SLR01 comes spec’d with Shimano’s all-new 12-speed Ultegra R8100 Di2 groupset.

 

This wireless cockpit which looks so clean and simple on the Teammachine, is paired with a wired portion within the rear of the frame linking the front and rear derailleur and connected to an internal battery that powers them both; Shimano state that this solution guarantees longer run times thanks to a more efficient central source of power, compared say, to totally wireless front and rear derailleurs which require their own battery power source located on the mechs themselves (as seen on the SRAM system).

The new-gen Shimano Ultegra R8100 Di2 electronic rear derailleur is even neater and more compact than its predecessor.

 

Crisp, precise digital gear selections are made by the newly shaped wireless ergonomic 12-speed shifters.

 

Those who have already used the new Ultegra R8100 D2 shifters have remarked on the comfortable feel of the shifters with their taller hoods. 

 

Just like the rear derailleur, the Shimano Ultegra Di2 front derailleur has become more compact and helps to increase clearance for larger tyres.

 

The 12-speed Shimano Ultegra R8100 Di2 groupset spec’d on the Teammachine SLR01 Five Ultegra Di2 features the sort of gear ratios that you’d expect for a road bike which is focused on performance and racing. Upfront that all-new, hot-looking Ultegra chainset features 52-36T chainrings combined with a close-ratio 12-speed cassette out back with the spread of gears going from 11 teeth to 30 teeth. That addition of an extra cog in the rear cassette helps to make the jumps from each gear ratio smoother and more efficient, especially in a racing scenario when you’re trying to stay on top of your gear.

The Shimano Ultegra R8100 chainset has been re-sculpted and boasts a clean look.

 

Shimano have spent some considerable time on developing the new Ultegra R8100 hydraulic brakes and they are noticeably more compact than their predecessors. This completely new design addresses some small issues that were identified on the previous versions; while there was never an issue with the amount of braking power generated they could be a little noisy and difficult to setup. The new Ultegra calipers feature a decreased weight and increased rigidity while a greater amount of pad clearance (10% more) guarantees a much quieter ride.

Shimano Ultegra flat-mount disc calipers look neat and minimal but provide powerful braking in all riding conditions.

 

The Teammachine SLR01 Five Ultegra Di2 comes spec’d with a pair of super-fast, lightweight carbon CRD-351 tubeless-ready disc-brake wheels. The development of modern road bikes and the universal move to disc brakes has seen a change in attitude towards how we all run our road bike tyres. Wider rim profiles and increased spacing between wheel and frame have opened up the possibility of running wider road tyres at lower pressures; while this bike comes fitted with fast-rolling but grippy 25mm Vittoria Corsa tyres there’s clearance for 28mm tyres and they’ll sit nicely on those wide CRD carbon rims. Being tubeless-ready you’ll be able to run lower tyre pressures for improved grip and enhanced comfort once set up tubeless.

The Teammachine SLR01 Five Ultegra Di2 comes spec’d with a light and spritely pair of CRD carbon wheels.

 

Those fast-rolling CRD wheels come shod with 25mm wide Vittoria Corsa tyres which provide plenty of grip on all road surfaces.

 

With its short nose, large cut-out portion and 140mm width the Fizik Argo Vento R5 saddle will suit most cyclists.

 

Thanks to its short profile and stubby nose this saddle is comfortable even when you’re down in the drops putting the power down. 

 

BMC have blended a traditional, round-profile handlebar with their aero integrated stem giving you comfort and speed in equal measure.

 

The BMC Teammachine SLR01 Five Ultegra Di2 road bike has been brilliantly designed and engineered to be aerodynamically efficient, uncluttered and fully-integrated for enhanced performance at race speeds. With a stiff, responsive, lightweight frame the Teammachine SLR01 Five lets you dance uphill but not at the expense of comfort, with just the right amount of compliance engineered into the frame through clever tube profiling and carbon layup for a comfortable ride even when you’re spending hours in the saddle. The other major talking point on this particular bike is the all-new Shimano Ultegra R8100 Di2 electronic groupset; typically of Shimano the differences aren’t immediately obvious, reflecting Shimano’s measured approach to product development where function leads the way and gimmickry is not a consideration. Rest assured though this new 12-speed electronic groupset marks a real step forward in terms of flawless function and user-friendly benefits, particularly in the heat of a race.

Cutting edge with classic looks, BMC have nailed it with the Teammachine SLR01 Five Ultegra Di2

 

BMC Teammachine SLR01 Five Ultegra Di2 RRP £6,650.00

Full Specification:

• Frame: Teammachine SLR 01 Premium Carbon with Aerocore Design
• Fork: Teammachine SLR 01 Premium Carbon
• Shifters: Shimano Ultegra R8100 Di2
• Rear Derailleur: Shimano Ultegra R8100 Di2 12xSpeed
• Cassette : Shimano Ultegra 11-30T 12xSpeed
• Chainset: Shimano Ultegra R8100 52-36T
• Chain: Shimano Ultegra 12xSpeed
• Brakes: Shimano Ultegra R8100
• Brake Rotors: 160mm front/140mm rear
• Rims: CRD-351 Carbon, Tubeless ready, 35mm wide
• Hubs: CRD-351
• Tyres: Vittoria Corsa, 25 mm (max tyre clearance 30mm)
• Stem: BMC ICS2 – Integrated Cockpit Design
• Handlebar: BMC RAB 02, Ergo Top Shape, Compact Bend
• Seat Post: Teammachine SLR01 Premium Carbon D-Shaped, 15mm Offset
• Saddle: Fizik Argo Vento R5 (140mm wide)
• Extras: Aerocore bottle cages

 

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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Last weekend saw the Dirty Reiver gravel race return to its rightful place on the calendar following the impact of Covid-19 over the last couple of years. The Dirty Reiver 200 (200km) is an off-road cycling challenge based on the Gravel Grinder format found predominantly in the mid-west of America where gravel racing was really born. In the last 5 years the popularity of the versatile gravel bike and associated races all over the globe have really boomed; now all of the biggest, most influential bike brands produce large and diverse ranges of gravel bikes reflecting the huge growth of this cycling discipline. Previous podium finisher Giles Drake, racing for our Wheelbase Cabtech Castelli team returned to the race with good form following a rigorous training schedule to see if he could take the win; we’ll let him pick up the story from here…

Photo credit: Man Down Media

 

I feel the Reiver is the only gravel event in the UK that truly embraces the ideals which gravel racing was born out of and that’s not surprising when you think about the logistics of putting together a route that spans hundreds of kilometres, primarily on gravel. Enter Kielder Forest, an extremely remote forest in western Northumberland, just a couple of miles from the Scottish border. It’s hosted numerous daft events over the years including the Kielder 100 mile mountain bike race; we’ll be returning too in August for the National Marathon Champions. The Dirty Reiver is extremely popular, sells out almost instantly so you know it must be pretty epic if it’s managed to convince best part of a thousand people to line up at 7:30am for 200 brutal Kilometres of gravel racing.

Photo credit: Adam Walton

 

So let’s consider bike setup; the biggest concern with bike setup for a 200km course with very few bail-out points is reliability. So I went with what I know, my Cannondale SuperSix Evo CX cross bike. Following a busy National Trophy cyclocross season through the winter the SuperSix EVO CX needed a couple of modifications to meet the demands of the Reiver. The addition of a couple of bottle cages, a mountain bike cassette to give me a better gear range and some Schwalbe G-One Allround 40mm gravel-specific tyres to add some comfort were the only changes needed for this versatile bike.

Photo credit: Giles Drake

 

So there we were, dealing with the chilly start to an otherwise incredibly pleasant April morning. Over the years the Reiver has become more and more competitive, going from the “getting round” mentality to “how quick” and this year was no different. Naming a couple of the guys looking to be competitive this year, there was returning 2021 champion Harold Evans at the front of my mind along with Sule Kangangi who was most-definitely in the running too; he recently raced the gruelling Cape Epic mountain bike stage race in south Africa and was posting training selfies with world tour pro Lachlan Morton, reflecting his fitness levels simply by the sort of company he was keeping.

Photo credit: Adam Walton

 

From the start of this 200km race a pretty sizeable group of around 30 riders was quickly established and with a brutal easterly headwind we all settled in, exercising caution and staying together to protect ourselves from the wind. I was happy with this informal arrangement, with others helping to share the work and using it as an opportunity to save my legs until later in the race when I would be able to finish strongly. As time went on I began to think that the group was a little too big and that there were too many free rides so at the 70km point with a lengthy climb ahead of us I made a move to thin the group out.

Photo credit: Adam Walton

 

Not attacking but upping the pace, without turning round, I could sense that I’d distanced everyone, so I carried on pushing. Towards the top of the climb I turned around, surprised to see the group in pieces and Harold & Sule trying to bridge across to me. I wasn’t overly happy with the idea of 130km in a “breakaway” but Harold saw it as the opportunity he was looking for and as he reached me, he was all about riding to consolidate his position. So I went with the flow and the three of us set about building our lead over the chasing group.

Photo credit: Adam Walton

 

We worked well together, trading turns and ticking off the kilometres until the 140km point where we all appeared strong and content with the situation as it was. In such a small group you can always tell when people are suffering and for the next 30km we all had visibly bad moments, mine coming closer to the 170km point and this was the point Harold correctly identified as his time to attack us. When Harold took off Sule made no attempt to follow and I couldn’t do anything either; Harold was out of sight almost instantly! Sule & I attempted to ride Harold back but I think we both realised we were now running on fumes.

Photo credit: Adam Walton

 

Another 5 or 10km ticked by, another climb and I could sense Sule was struggling so I kept the pace high to the top. A quick glance behind confirmed it was now just me; I didn’t really have any realistic ideas of being able to catch up to Harold so I just focused on riding at a consistent pace. Crossing the Dam was a welcome point as I knew I was the home stretch. Ahead of me lay the last 20km consisting of 5km of climbing, 5km of down & a final 10km amble along the reservoir paths and I’d be done. If I’m being honest it’s been a while since I was as relieved as I was on Saturday to cross the finish line! Clocking a time of 6 hours, 49 minutes, completely empty, full of energy gels & carb drink and on the verge of throwing up I’d taken second place at this uniquely demanding gravel race.

2^nd place was bittersweet; so close again but I’d missed out on the win. I will make my excuses… I had a cold all week which stopped me preparing exactly as I’d like to and something was very wrong with my nutritional strategy… but on the whole, I was really happy with my ride. For 5.5 hours I was strong and in a happy place, confident I had the beating of all around me! Ultimately it didn’t work out this year but I’ll be back next year…

Photo credit: Adam Walton

 

…Thanks Giles! And congratulations on a fantastic result at the UK’s premier gravel race, placing an amazing 2nd overall in a time of 6 hours, 49 minutes. Elsewhere our super-versatile racer Lucy Bell who is usually happy to line up for any kind of off-road adventure struggled with a rare bad day; deciding to cut her ride short Lucy changed tack and completed the shorter 65km option. She eventually placed 67th overall with a time of 3 hours, 22 minutes and was 2nd in the women’s 30-39 age group category.

A small number of staff from Wheelbase head office were competing too and in the lead up to the race there was plenty of posturing and banter as certain members of the group sized each other up. There was some panicked buying of new equipment in an effort to ensure that all marginal gains would be achieved and this ‘race within a race’ between staff kept the conversation in the office firmly focused on the Dirty Reiver in the run up to the event. Ultimately Ollie would take the ‘win’ with an impressive time of 8 hours and 50 minutes placing him 93rd overall and 17th in the 20-29 age category. Charlie did well too, finishing in 9 hours and 21 minutes for 149th place overall and 28th in the 20-29 age category; an appeal from Ollie to the race organisers to penalise Charlie by at least an hour for his terrible striped arm warmers unfortunately went unheard. Our Wheelbase in-house gravel guru Adam finished in 10 hours and 51 minutes placing 333rd overall and 82nd in the 30-39 age category; a veteran of the Dirty Reiver Adam approached this addition with a relaxed attitude and stopped plenty of times to snap some great pics – thanks for loan of them for this report Adam!

Despite official complaints citing offensive arm-warmers Charlie’s Reiver result was allowed to stand. Photo Credit: Sport Sunday

 

Results

Giles Drake, Wheelbase Cabtech Castelli, 200km, 6hrs 49mins, 2nd Overall

Lucy Bell, Wheelbase Cabtech Castelli, 65km, 3hrs 22mins, 67th Overall, 2nd Female 30-39 Age Group

Ollie, Wheelbase Office, 200km, 8hrs 50mins, 93rd Overall, 17th 20-29 Age Group

Charlie, Wheelbase Office, 200km, 9hrs 21mins, 149th Overall, 28th 20-29 Age Group

Adam, Wheelbase Office, 200km, 10hrs, 51mins, 333rd Overall, 82nd 30-39 Age Group

 

Bike Check

Giles Drake used his versatile Cannondale SuperSix EVO CX team to take on the Dirty Reiver this year. After a successful season of racing cyclocross on the bike a small amount of changes to the spec for this event proved that Cannondale’s specialist race bike is ready for the most challenging gravel races too.

Read our full review of the bike HERE.

Taking place on Saturday 14th May, 2022, the Wheelbase Road & Gravel Demo Day returns with an impressive range of road and gravel bikes from some of the world’s best brands.

Join us in the Lake District National Park for our Wheelbase Road & Gravel Bike Demo Day and enjoy riding your dream road or gravel bike! Wheelbase Lake District will be hosting a full day of riding, with a fleet of dream bikes from Pinarello, Cannondale and BMC. Each demo ride will be around an hour long and 20-25km distance, and will be guided by riders with expert local knowledge. Each loop takes in some of the best roads and gravel lanes in the South Lakes, straight from the door of our Wheelbase HQ in Staveley, Nr. Kendal.

You can now book your dream ride online, selecting each bike that you want to test ride during each time-slot available, with rides going out at 9.30am, 11.00am, 12.30pm, 2.00pm and 3.30pm.

The CiCLE Classic International, 25th April

The Wheelbase Cabtech Castelli team headed to Rutland and Melton in the East Midlands for the infamous CiCLE Classic International road race on Sunday the 24^th of April. This grueling race is the UK’s only international single day road race which always attracts a super-competitive field of the very best road racers from the UK and beyond.

Wheelbase Cabtech Castelli at the pre-race team presentation. Credit: Joe Cotterril

 

This annual race is referred to as ‘Britain’s Paris-Roubaix’ thanks to its unique mix of fast road sections combined with demanding stretches of farm lanes that feature loose gravel sections, deeply-rutted portions and difficult short, sharp off-road climbs. Contested over 180kms this fast & frenetic race would ask a lot of our young team and our racers lined up with some trepidation; however with experienced team captain Davie Lines alongside them they could be assured that they had some really valuable pre-race knowledge available to them. Similarly our lads could call on the knowledge and experience of our Directeur Sportif Stu Reid who would be in the team car, looking after the riders and keeping them focused on race tactics on the day.

Our young team could call on the race-experience of team captain Davie Lines and Directeur Sportif Stu Reid. Credit: Warren Davies

 

With the race taking place on Sunday the Wheelbase Cabtech Castelli team took the opportunity on Saturday to do a thorough recce of the most important stretches of unmade farm lanes. Simulating the sorts of speeds that would occur on race day our riders hit the sections at full chat with the best technique involving staying in the saddle while powering through in a big gear in an effort to strike a balance between controlling the bike and holding momentum until the next, more forgiving road section. A cursory glance at their social media feed in the build up to the race would confirm that our riders were coming into the CiCLE classic well prepared with Callum Thornley notably spending a lot of training miles on the endless gravel lanes around his home in Scotland.

Saturday’s pre-race recce would help our riders prepare for Sunday’s chaotic racing. Credit: Warren Davies

 

The recce was a chance to adjust equipment to suit the demands of this unique race. Credit: Warren Davies

 

Come Sunday and the team were greeted to dry conditions with a strong easterly wind keeping things chilly; after a good few weeks of dry weather the unmade farm lane portions of the race were going to be dry and loose with that wind whipping up dust and potentially affecting the visibility for riders who were not positioned at the very front of the race. Lining up for Wheelbase Cabtech Castelli we had Davie Lines, Callum Thornley, Logan MacLean and Matti Dobbins. Inevitably the race was fast and unpredictable from the gun; we’ll let Callum take up the story of the CiCLE Classic…

The large field of riders roles out, ready for some fast, frenetic racing. Credit: Joe Cotterril

 

The race was chaos from the outset, the first 30 mins was full of sporadic attacks until the break was finally established. At this point the race behind became a constant fight for position for 70km until the first sector of farm lanes. There were multiple crashes in this early part of the race; unfortunately team captain Davie came down in a major pile up which ended his race. With the remaining team all positioned within the first 40 or so riders we went into the technical off-road sections in full flight; in the confusion another rider from a rival team rode into the back of Logan’s bike breaking a spoke in his wheel and causing it to jam against the frame rendering it unrideable. With Stu in the team car stuck behind earlier crashes the writing was on the wall for Logan too with his race ending there.

Davie Lines and Logan MacLean were to taste misfortune later in the race. Credit: Warren Davies

 

Callum Thornley powers through the dust. Credit: Warren Davies

 

Matti Dobbins was struck by an untimely puncture. Credit: Joe Cotterril

 

Our next rider to taste misfortune was Matti who had picked up a slow rear flat on one of the off-road sectors and was unable to get assistance from the Wheelbase team car before being black flagged by the race commissaire for falling too far behind the race. Our bad run of luck was not unique to us, with 111 riders classed as DNF (did not finish) at the end of the race, reflecting just how demanding this race is on both bike and body. Meanwhile I was dealing with a dropped and jammed chain caused by the unforgiving off-road portions of the race; I managed to chase back on then crashed on the next Sommerberg sector but managed to keep calm and focused, recovering quickly to regain contact with the bunch again. Completely spent as we approached the finish of the race I managed to salvage 29^th place as the lone finisher for Wheelbase Cabtech Castelli. The race was totally splintered by the line with only 52 riders finishing out of  180 starters; it was a great experience racing the CiCLE Classic International and we learnt a lot from this unique UK road race.

Despite the chaos Callum remained composed and was able to stay in contact with the race. Credit: Warren Davies

 

Lone finisher for Wheelbase Cabtech Castelli, Callum took a great 29th place out of 52 finishers; there were 180 starters. Credit: Warren Davies

 

Well done to all of the team riders and staff for working together well throughout the build up and race to represent us so well in front of the large crowds in Rutland and Melton. Special shout out to the eventual race winner – Finn Crockett who previously raced for Wheelbase Cabtech Castelli before being snapped up by a larger team at the end of last year following some great national race results last year. The CiCLE Classic International was a huge result for him. Chapeau Finn!

 

 

The Drummond Trophy (Scotland), 25th April

Elsewhere our Wheelbase Cabtech Castelli team were well represented at the Drummond Trophy road race up in Scotland. With two of our Scottish lads Tom Merry and Tim Shoreman racing in dry conditions against strong headwinds which affected the dynamic of the race. We’re really pleased to say that Tim managed to take the win! Here’s a quick race summary from him…

In windy conditions the bunch largely stayed together on the first lap before a group of around 10 riders got away on the second lap. I put in a big shift in to bridge over to the break in the second lap taking one other rider with me; at this point the bunch eased up and our break disappeared up the road extending the time gap out to 5 minutes thanks, in no small part, to the effects of those strong headwinds.

After sitting in the bunch Tom followed a move on lap three forming a group of 6 riders between the break and the bunch, however this was swallowed up by the bunch with about 2 laps to go. Once Tom’s group was caught by the bunch they sat up again allowing the break that I was in to extend our lead even further. A few riders splintered off the front of the now reduced bunch on the last lap and Tom rolled in as part of the bunch.

Meanwhile the break was working well together until two laps to go when a few attacks saw a number of riders dropped. Around the same time a rider went solo off the front, he would spend about a lap on his own before being caught by the remnants of the break with half a lap to go.  With a number of fruitless attacks on the last lap a group of 7 riders arrived at the finish together for a sprint. Biding my time until the right moment I made sure I was positioned exactly where I needed to be and was able to sprint to the win.

Big congratulations to Tim Shoreman on the win!

Photo credit: Charles Harkin

 

Still basking in the post-event collective glory of our Big Demo Weekend in the Lake District during March it was time for the Wheelbase crew and some of the world’s best Mountain Bike and e-MTB brands to come together again for our Big Demo Day – Hamsterley. This event is a chance for riders based in the North East to test ride the latest tech at a super-fun trail centre and is a great opportunity for riders who missed our larger Lake District event to shred on the latest, greatest mountain bikes.

The Wheelbase Big Demo day had the best mountain bike brands in attendance including Yeti.

 

With over 100 riders in attendance and some crackin’ weather making for dry, fast, flowy riding conditions we had a huge fleet of bikes available to test ride on the marked trails of Hamsterley Forest. 2022 saw a huge fleet of demo bikes to ride from Trek, Ibis, Scott, Focus, Nukeproof, Mondraker, Whyte, Kona and Yeti with each brand bringing their latest full-suspension mountain bikes and e-MTB’s.

The Hamsterley Forest trails were riding sweet thanks to a good run of settled, dry weather.

 

With each attendee pre-booked to ride their dream mountain bike the Wheelbase crew and representatives from each bike brand quickly and efficiently set up the bikes to suit the rider going out on it, adjusting suspension sag and fitting pedals. Our enthusiastic, helpful team of staff enabled riders to spend as much time riding the trails as possible, allowing them to get a really good feel for the bike they were onboard.

UK mountain bike racing legend Nick Craig from Scott Bikes was on-hand to talk riders through the technical aspect of each model.

 

We were lucky enough to have MTB industry journo and prolific YouTuber Guy Kesteven in attendance for the Hamsterley Big Demo day this year. Guy’s been professionally test riding bikes for UK magazines and global websites for 25 years. His channel takes you along for the test rides and technical evaluations of the latest bikes and kit so you can see exactly how they perform and feel on the trail. Guy test rode an Ibis Ripmo AF, a Trek Fuel EX8, Nukeproof Megawatt e-MTB and a Kona Process 134; he’ll be publishing his test videos in the coming days and we’ll be sharing them on our social media too.

Guy Kesteven spent the day riding some awesome new mountain bikes while making review videos for his YouTube channel.

 

We’d like to thank all of you who attended the Big Demo Day, our fantastic brands for supplying us with the world’s best bikes and our hard-working Wheelbase staff for hosting such a successful event. We can’t wait to do it all again next year; if you’ve got FOMO (fear of missing out) then pencil it in your diary for a similar date in April next year! Neil Sturgeon was with us capturing the Big Demo day with his excellent photos, If you were there check out our gallery below and see if you can spot yourself!…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Written by Johnny Dodgin

Photos by Neil Sturgeon

 

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A while back our friends at Cannondale sent over a Topstone Neo SL 1 e-bike gravel bike to put through its paces, allowing us to see how it fared on the unforgiving Lake District gravel as part of a long-term test. Andrew Barlow takes us through this super-efficient hub-driven gravel bike…

Andrew Barlow has been onboard the Cannondale Topstone Neo SL 1 gravel e-bike for a couple of months.

 

The Cannondale Topstone family is rather large, consisting of a range of carbon and aluminium bikes. For those of you who are not familiar with the Topstone family, the Topstone range consists of go anywhere – do it all gravel bikes with large-volume 700c x 42mm tyres helping to give a really plush ride, slacker off-road-friendly geometry with a 71 degree head angle and a shorter, more upright reach helping you to stay comfortable during prolonged hours in the saddle.

The Neo SL 1 gravel e-bike joins an ever-growing family of Cannondale Topstones. 

 

This particular member of the Topstone family is a little different, offering assistance via a small hub-driven motor from Mahle Ebikemotion. This compact Ebikemotion X35+ 250 watt motor combined with an internal Ebikemotion X35 250Wh battery provides a drive that complements your pedalling input for up to 75km between battery charges, a not inconsiderable distance. It’s surprising how this small amount of assistance encourages you to ride further, travelling faster and more efficiently and allowing you to enjoy your mini-adventures that bit more. It’s a confidence boost!

The compact Mahle Ebikemotion X35+ 250 watt hub motor combined with an internal Ebikemotion X35 250Wh battery gives up to 75km range.

 

Over the weeks onboard the Topstone Neo SL 1 I’ve been up hill and down dale; inching up steep single track, over rough & loose bridleway as well as navigating the mean streets of Manchester and beyond on a mixed-terrain adventure.  On every ride I’ve taken great pleasure from putting this capable e-bike through its paces and here’s why…

The Cannondale Topstone Neo SL 1 encourages you to explore further afield thanks to its efficient drive system.

 

Starting with electrics, the Mahle Ebikemotion system is super simple to use; the hub-driven motor is controlled by a simple single-button that’s recessed into the top tube for a sleek, minimalistic look. Named the iWOC One, it turns the system on and off and enables you to cycle through its power modes: turn it on and the LED-lit ring around the button shines white, press and hold and it turns green for low assistance, orange for medium, and red for full assistance. It’s a really simple way of controlling the power assistance of the bike and is a case of set, forget and focus on your ride.

The Mahle Ebikemotion iWOC One control system is simple and easy to use.

 

After spending hours in the saddle, riding some of the most gravel-friendly trails in and around the Lake District and, I’ll admit it, sometimes crossing over into terrain that would be better suited to a hardtail mountain bike I found that the Topstone Neo SL 1 could handle everything thrown at it with a confidence-inspiring ride thanks to that relaxed, stable geometry and neutral riding position. Those wide 42mm tyres come into play too, providing plenty of traction when you’re pointed up the trails and a welcome amount of comfort and control on the downhills.

Surprisingly at home even on technical terrain those 42mm tyres help to provide plenty of control and comfort.

 

One of the Topstone Neo SL 1’s redeeming features which stood out to me was the internal cable routing, giving a simple, clean look and enhancing efficiency when it came to the longevity of gear cable life. Talking of gears, the bike’s gravel-specific Shimano GRX 600 groupset was oh so smooth and reliable, keeping each gear selection crisp and precise. This encouraged me to change gear more often than I might have done further helping me to feel fresher for longer into my rides. With a compact 40T single chainring upfront combined with an 11-42T cassette on the rear there was (almost) every gear I needed regardless of whether I was speeding along on tarmac or taking on steep, tight singletrack climbs. Saying that, I did feel like I could’ve done with a gear or two more on the extremely loose, steep climbs to give me the ability to spin rather than having to dig in and grind away.

The Shimano GRX 600 gravel-specific groupset was oh so smooth and reliable.

 

So, after spending a couple of months putting the Cannondale Topstone Neo SL 1 to work on my local trails and beyond, I’ve come to a conclusion – I feel this bike is the perfect answer for someone who may be commuting over a multitude of different terrains such as canal towpaths or cycle ways. It feels really in its element when you’re exploring the suburbs of the city, moving from tarmac roads and cycle lanes onto local trails and bridleways. The hub-driven motor really picks up your cadence along the flat so you can sit back, relax and really enjoy your ride – perfect getting to and from work with a commuter’s load before swapping out your luggage for bikepacking equipment at the weekend and heading out further afield for a real adventure.

The Topstone Neo SL 1 is a truly versatile gravel e-bike.

 

Cannondale Topstone Neo SL 1 2022

Full Specification:

• Frame: SmartForm C2 Alloy, 135mm bolt-on, tapered headtube, flat mount disc, multiple gear/bottle mounts
• Fork: Full Carbon, 1-1/8″ to 1-1/4″ steerer, 55mm OutFront offset, flat mount disc, internal routing, 12×100 thru axle
• Drive Unit: Mahle ebikemotion X35+ 250W
• Battery: Mahle ebikemotion X35 250Wh
• Charger: Mahle ebikemotion X35
• Display: Mahle ebikemotion iWoc ONE integrated controller
• Crank: Shimano GRX 600, 40T
• Rear Cassette: Shimano SLX, 11-42, 11-speed
• Rear Derailleur: Shimano GRX 812, Shadow RD+
• Shifters: Shimano GRX 600, 1×11
• Handlebar: Cannondale 3, butted 6061 alloy, 16 deg flare drop
• Stem: Cannondale 3, 6061 Alloy, 31.8, 7°
• Handle Bar Tape: Cannondale 3, 6061 Alloy, 31.8, 7°
• Headset: Integrated, 1.5″ lower to 1-1/8″ upper, 25mm Alloy top cap
• Brakes: Shimano GRX hydraulic disc
• Brake Rotors: 160mm RT56 rotors
• Hubs: Front – Formula CRX-512, 12x100mm thru-axle, Rear – EbikeMotion X35
• Rims: Cannondale Disc, double wall, tubeless ready 32h (R) / 28h (F)
• Tyres: WTB Resolute TCS, 700 x 42c, tubeless ready
• Saddle: Fizik Aliante Delta, S-alloy rails
• Seatpost: Promax SP-2032, Alloy, 27.2

 

Written by Andrew Barlow

Photos by Andrew Barlow

 

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Wheelbase Stockton-On-Tees is ready to serve the Teesside cycling community with their brand new store now open in Stockton-on-Tees, a town with a great cycling infrastructure that includes extensive traffic-free cycle paths along the River Tees. With a 5 mile cycle link between Middlesbrough and Stockton-on-Tees commuting in and around Teesside couldn’t be easier or more affordable and with fuel costs increasing by the day there’s never been a better time to leave the car at home.

Stockton-on-Tees is a town with a great cycling infrastructure as well as traffic-free links to Middlesbrough.

 

In 1825 Stockton witnessed an event which marked a new era in travel when George Stephenson’s Stockton & Darlington Railway ran the world’s very first passenger rail service connecting Stockton and Shildon; nearly 200 years later the rapid development of the modern e-Bike has helped to establish a similarly significant moment for travel, sparking a global cycling-revolution by allowing people to travel more efficiently while causing less impact to the environment.

Eagle-eyed commuters may spot public art referencing George Stephenson’s historic Stockton & Darlington Railway.

 

The dedicated Wheelbase Stockton-On-Tees team are ready to equip you with everything you’ll need to travel around Stockton-on-Tees and beyond by e-bike; their range is huge with electric road, mountain, and leisure bikes from the leading e-bike brands. As well as e-Bikes Wheelbase have a large and diverse range of premium bikes with over 200 bikes on the shop floor including mountain bikes, road bikes, gravel and adventure bikes, leisure, commute and family bikes from brands including Cube, Nukeproof, Mondraker, BMC, Focus, Genesis and Frog.

There’s more than 200 bikes in stock at Wheelbase Stockton.

 

Wheelbase Stockton-On-Tees have a huge range of mountain bikes, road bikes, gravel and adventure bikes, leisure, commute and family bikes.

 

As well as providing expert sales advice and guidance for all disciplines of cycling Wheelbase Stockton-On-Tees will support you with the maintenance of your bicycle; whether it’s a simple puncture repair or a full bike service including suspension tuning and hydraulic brake bleeding we’ll be able to help you in our state-of-the-art Park Tool equipped workshop. Staffed by our Workshop Manager and a team of fully-qualified Wheelbase technicians the Wheelbase Stockton workshop will operate seven days a week. Our number one priority is customer service and we want to get you back on two wheels as swiftly and efficiently as possible; all jobs are pre-quoted before work commences and on collection we’ll talk you through all the work undertaken. We pride ourselves on our friendly service and are ready to help you get the most out of your cycling.

Wheelbase Stockton-On-Tees is ready to offer technical help from their state-of-the-art Park Tool equipped workshop.

 

Wheelbase Stockton is part of an exciting new shopping experience within the Stockton-on-Tees Go Outdoors Mega Store; the Wheelbase ‘shop within a shop’ sits alongside other specialist retailers, each with their own dedicated retail space. Stockton-on-Tees Go Outdoors customers will also be able to shop for the very best walking, camping, fishing, climbing and equestrian equipment all under one roof. Investing in a new bike can be life changing; with regular riding you can build up fitness and improve mental well-being; Wheelbase pride themselves on being inclusive retailers who are ready to help EVERYONE get into cycling.

See all of our stores HERE

 

Written by Johnny Dodgin

Photos by James Vincent

(Shop Interior Photos by Wheelbase)

 

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WHEELBASE, home of the UK’s largest cycle store in the Lake District National Park has been at the forefront of the bicycle industry for over 25 years. Living and breathing bikes, we’ve successfully built up our business across the North of England with stores in Cumbria, Yorkshire and the North East. As Wheelbase continues to expand it’s rather fitting that we’ve now opened a flagship store in Coventry, a city which can boast a major bicycle manufacturing history.

Wheelbase Coventry is ready to serve a city with a rich cycling heritage.

 

More than 100 years ago the city of Coventry was regarded as the home of the British cycle industry and for a significant period of time produced more bicycles than anywhere else in the world. A quick spin on your bike in and around Coventry will quickly reveal the city’s rich cycling heritage. Eagle-eyed cyclists may spot the James Starley statue in Greyfriars Green, a tribute to the English inventor and father of the UK bicycle industry, while a visit to the Coventry Transport Museum showcases over 300 bicycles in their permanent collection.

With a huge range of bikes our Wheelbase Coventry team are ready to provide expert advice on all forms of cycling.

 

James Starley’s innovative approach to bicycle manufacturing helped pave the way for the very first mass production of bicycles with his Coventry Machinists Company bringing affordable bicycles to the masses as part of the original ‘cycling revolution’. The UK has seen a similar boom in the popularity of cycling in more recent times with an increasing amount of people making the move from public and private motor transport over to greener pedal-powered options while a rapid growth in technology has also seen the e-bike offer a more accessible route into cycling without some of the potential physical-fitness barriers typically associated with cycling.

Commuting Coventry by e-Bike is an excellent way to travel.

 

Wheelbase Coventry are ready to offer customers a large and diverse range of premium bikes with over 200 bikes on the shop floor including mountain bikes, road bikes, gravel and adventure bikes, leisure, commute and family bikes from the best brands available including Trek, Cannondale, Cube, Whyte, Nukeproof, Yeti and BMC. Wheelbase Coventry’s electric bike range is huge with electric road, mountain, and leisure bikes from the leading e-bike brands; their dedicated team are ready to equip you with everything you’ll need to travel more efficiently around Coventry and beyond by e-bike.

There’s more than 200 bikes in stock at Wheelbase Coventry.

 

As well as providing expert sales advice and guidance for all disciplines of cycling Wheelbase Coventry will support you with the maintenance of your bicycle; whether it’s a simple puncture repair or a full bike service including suspension tuning and hydraulic brake bleeding we’ll be able to help you in our state-of-the-art Park Tool equipped workshop. Staffed by our Workshop Manager and a team of fully-qualified Wheelbase technicians the Wheelbase Coventry workshop will operate seven days a week. Our number one priority is customer service and we want to get you back on two wheels as swiftly and efficiently as possible; all jobs are pre-quoted before work commences and on collection we’ll talk you through all the work undertaken. We pride ourselves on our friendly service and are ready to help you get the most out of your cycling.

Wheelbase Coventry is ready to offer technical help from their state-of-the-art Park Tool equipped workshop.

 

Wheelbase Coventry is part of an exciting new shopping experience within the Coventry Go Outdoors Mega Store, the Wheelbase ‘shop within a shop’ sits alongside other specialist retailers, each with their own dedicated retail space. Coventry Go Outdoors customers will also be able to shop for the very best walking, camping, fishing, climbing and equestrian equipment all under one roof. Investing in a new bike can be life changing; with regular riding you can build up fitness and improve mental well-being; Wheelbase pride ourselves on being inclusive retailers who are ready to help EVERYONE get into cycling.

See all of our stores HERE

 

Written by Johnny Dodgin

Photos by James Vincent

(Shop Interior Photos by Wheelbase)

 

Have you seen our Fast Bike Friday 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 Friday Blogs too!

Click the link below and search our archive…

 

The Wheelbase Cabtech Castelli road racing team were well represented at the first round of the all-new Under 23 Men’s National Road Series on Easter Sunday, taking place on a rolling circuit at Upper Denby, West Yorkshire. British Cycling have put together this new five-round race series to help increase racing opportunities for the large amount of talented Under 23 year old riders in the U.K. With our young team built around the under 23 age group we are excited to see this competitive series finally up and running and are looking forward to seeing our racers shine at each round.

The Yorkshire Under 23 Classic was raced by our strong Scottish contingent of Callum Thornley, Matti Dobbins, Logan Maclean and Tim Shoreman along with our new Australian recruit Matt Fox; the lads rode intelligently as a team throughout this frenetic road race which took place on a tight and twisty 13.2km circuit packed full of punchy little climbs that were to provide a perfect launch pad for the multiple attacks that came out of the bunch as soon as the flag dropped.

The young Wheelbase Cabtech Castelli team were quickly riding as one cohesive unit with the teammates taking it in turns to try to break free of the bunch while the others covered the chase; the first hour of the race saw multiple riders from rival teams trying to establish an effective breakaway group and unfortunately our Wheelbase lads missed the break that finally stuck. That small breakaway group had a 40 second lead going into the last lap of the race with eventual race winner Samuel Clark from the Trainsharp Development Team dropping his breakaway companions to take a lone win.

Behind him the rest of the top ten came from a fractured bunch that had been splintered by the collective atrocity of this demanding race; Wheelbase Cabtech Castelli’s Logan Maclean showed his early season form by taking an excellent 6^th place, with his Scottish teammates Callum Thornley and Tim Shoreman also showing well in and just outside the top ten with 10^th and 11^th places respectively.

The Wheelbase Cabtech Castelli team will be fielding a full squad at the upcoming Melton International CiCLE Classic this coming Sunday the 24^th of April. Regarded within the UK road racing scene as ‘The British Paris Roubaix’ the CiCLE Classic is the UK’s only single day International Professional Men’s road race, contested over 180kms on a demanding mix of local farm lanes and rough, unmade farm lanes. This race will ask a lot of our young team both in terms of the unpredictable race route and the level of competition in a quality field of racers. Wheelbase base wishes the team the best of luck and look forward to seeing how they perform; we’ll have an update next week…

A warm, sunny spring morning in Yorkshire provided great conditions for the first round of the Under 23 National Road Series.

 

Some of our young squad warm up on rollers, ready for the inevitable fast start to the race.

 

The large bunch of talented young riders were poised for action early in the race.

 

Team helpers were kept busy in the feed zone during a particularly warm spring morning.

 

Wheelbase Cabtech Castelli’s Callum Thornley was attentive at the front of the bunch.

 

Our Aussie lad Matt Fox stays fueled up for this fast-paced road race.

 

Another smoothly executed bottle hand-up.

 

Wheelbase Cabtech Castelli placed two riders in the top ten.

 

Yorkshire Classic U23, Full Results:

1 Samuel Clark Trainsharp Development Team 2:52.44
2 Toby Barnes Wiv Sungod @21 secs
3 Farley Barber Spirit BSS @34 secs
4 Jameson Blain Embark Bikestrong st
5 James Harrison Manx Viking Wheelers @47secs
6 Logan Maclean Wheelbase Cabtech @49secs
7 George Wood Cycling Sheffield st
8 Edward Morgan Wales Racing Academy @50secs
9 Joesph Rees Embark Bikestrong st
10 Callum Thornley Wheelbase Cabtech @56secs
11 Tim Shoreman Wheelbase Cabtech
12 Jack Rootkin Gray Team Inspired
13 James Ashcroft Nopinz Motip
14 David Hirst Embark Bikestrong
15 Euan Macleod Wiv Sungod
16 Joe Wilson Dolan Ellesse
17 Daniel Barnes Spectra Wiggle
18 Matthew Houlberg Meudon Pedal Heaven
19 John Russell 05/03
20 Matthew Lord Hart Performance
21 Josh Whitehead Wiv Sungod
22 Aaron Freeman Richardson Trek
23 Jacques Coates Team PB Performance
24 Lucas Rowley Tactic Support
25 Aaron King RT23
26 Matthew Warhirst SRCT Muck Off
27 Ben Grainger Zappi RT
28 William Harding Cycling Sheffield
29 Sam Kettlewell TS Racing
30 Samuel Asker Richardson Trek st
31 Adam Mitchell Cycling Sheffield @ 1:38
32 James Alexander Embark Bikestrong
33 Toby Tanfield Retelec-alca
34 Joshua Price Spirit BSS @ 2:52
35 James Hartley Cycling Sheffield st
36 George Radcliffe Identity Racing
37 Jack Ramsbottom Caffi Gruff
38 James Satoor Holohan Coaching RT
39 Ben Bright Coed Llandegla st
40 Matt Fox Wheelbase Cabtech @9:10
41 Liam James Morris Wales Racing Academy st

 

Written by Johnny Dodgin

Photos by Joe Cotterill

 

Have you seen our Fast Bike Friday 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 Friday Blogs too!

Click the link below and search our archive…