Author: John Dodgin

 

The Wheelbase BIG DEMO Weekend returned to our Lake District store for 2022 and was bigger and better than ever, with all of our top brands being represented within a huge fleet of demo bikes; we had the newest mountain bikes and eMTBs from Trek, Cannondale, Scott, Focus, Nukeproof, Mondraker, Whyte, Kona and Yeti.

The BIG DEMO weekend was a chance for riders to get a feel for the latest tech and shred on some of the most exciting new bikes, with each group expertly guided by the Cycle Active guiding team on some of the most iconic trails in the south Lake District. With so many of the world’s hottest bikes in one place we took the opportunity to shoot some of the event’s most sought-after mountain bikes and eMTBs…

 

Scott Patron eRide 910 2022

We were super-keen to take a better look at the all-new Scott Patron eRide 910 and to take it out for a ride on some of the most challenging trails in the South Lakes. This big travel eMTB boasts 160mm of front and rear suspension travel, a powerful Bosch Performance CX motor and an efficient 750Wh PowerTube internal battery for a considerably longer range. Cast your eyes of the bike’s chassis and you’ll be excused for any confusion regarding the location of the bike’s rear suspension; Scott have cleverly stowed the rear shock within the frame. There’s a lot of tech to squeeze into the Patron eRide but the Swiss brand have done a brilliant job here, with that long 750Wh battery stored in the downtube alongside the Bosch motor which has been rotated from its typical position to keep the bike’s geometry sweet and the centre of gravity as low as possible.

Scott Patron eRide 910 2022 RRP £6,349.00

 

Scott Patron eRide 910 2022 RRP £6,349.00

 

Legendary mountain bike industry stalwart and YouTube reviewer Guy Kesteven test-rode the Patron at our Big Demo weekend. Check it out!…

 

Yeti 160E T1 2022

The YETI 160E T1 was easily one of the most popular eMTBs at the Big Demo Weekend. Silverfish only had a small amount of these bike available at the event and they were definitely one of the most prized bikes for riders to get their leg over during the weekend. There’s plenty of great tech on this eMTB which Yeti took their time in developing and on its release YETI billed it as the first truly race-focused eMTB with the 160E T1 built specifically to meet the demands of Enduro racing. To find out lots more including the motor spec and clever suspension configuration read our detailed product launch feature HERE.

Yeti 160E T1 2022 RRP £11,899.00

 

Cannondale Jekyll 1 2022

We were stoked to see that Cannondale had brought a good number of the Jekyll 1 long-travel enduro mountain bike with them to our Big Demo Weekend. Aimed at super-fast Enduro racers and trail riders who love to push the boundaries and conquer steep, tight, technical singletrack and wide-open super-fast tracks peppered with high-speed berms and huge gap jumps the Jekyll 1 features 170mm of suspension travel upfront complimented by a plush 165mm of rear travel. Riders were coming back off the hills to Wheelbase HQ with huge grins on their faces having taken the Jekyll down some of our rockiest, most challenging local trails. To read a full review of the Cannondale Jekyll 1 click HERE.

Cannondale Jekyll 1 2022 RRP £6,750.00

 

Mondraker Raze Carbon RR 2022

Whilst there was a huge appetite for eMTBs at our Big Demo Weekend with the majority of favoured mountain bikes featuring some sort of pedal-assist motor there was still a lot of interest around some key ‘acoustic’ non-motor mountain bikes during the event. One such bike was the Mondraker Raze Carbon RR; the Raze is one of the most recent arrivals at Wheelbase and we had a number of our staff queuing up to ride this bike after the event too. Talking to some of them on their return to Wheelbase HQ the general message was that this was an extremely versatile trail bike which is able to hit that illusive sweet spot of being an efficient climber with a spritely feel on the uphills while also being very capable when the trails point downhill. Mondraker have very kindly left a Raze with us for a long term test, so watch this space for a detailed Fast Bike Friday feature coming very soon.

Mondraker Raze Carbon RR 2022 RRP £6,799.00

 

Mondraker Raze Carbon RR 2022 RRP £6,799.00

 

Focus JAM2 7.0 2022

German brand Focus were well represented at the Wheelbase Big Demo Weekend with the JAM2 7.0 eMTB being one of their most popular bikes. With 150mm of suspension and a powerful, efficient Shimano EP8 motor the JAM2 7.0 has been unashamedly been built for the sole aim of having more fun on your mountain bike. The feedback from riders as they headed back into the Wheelbase HQ yard was the proof in the pudding – smiles were wide and tales of speedy ascents and even speedier descents down some of our most technical, rocky downhill trails were being traded with enthusiasm. Take a more detailed look at the Focus JAM2 7.0 HERE.

Focus Jam2 6.9 2022 RRP £7,499.00

 

Focus Jam2 6.9 2022 RRP £7,499.00

 

Focus JAM2 6.9 2022

The Focus JAM2 6.9 was another popular eMTB from the Focus demo fleet. The JAM2 6.9 features a powerful Bosch Performance CX Gen 4 motor and a 625Wh battery compared to the Shimano Steps motor and larger 720Wh battery seen on the JAM2 7.0 There was no shortage of riders waiting to take this agile trail bike out onto the hills which features 150mm of plush suspension travel front and rear.

Focus Jam2 6.9 2022 RRP £5,399.00

 

Focus Jam2 6.9 2022 RRP £5,399.00

 

Nukeproof Megawatt 297 Elite 2022

There was plenty of talk about the Nukeproof Megawatt 297 Elite eMTB in the Wheelbase Big Demo area, with this being the first time for many of us – both staff and customers to really see the bike in the flesh. Even better, for the chosen few lucky enough to get a ride booked on the Megawatt there was a chance to get a real feel for how this amazingly capable eMTB rides. The ‘acoustic’ Mega has already got a huge fan base thanks to its long travel ‘super-enduro’ suspension and geometry configuration; the addition of a powerful Shimano Steps motor makes this sort of bike even more versatile and accessible when it comes to longer, more intrepid rides. For a detailed look at the Megawatt click HERE.

Nukeproof Megawatt 297 Elite 2022 RRP £5,999.99

 

Nukeproof Megawatt 297 Elite 2022 RRP £5,999.99

 

Whyte E-180 S 2022

British brand Whyte are always a favourite amongst our Big Demo Weekend riders. With a solid reputation for building mountain bikes specifically designed for typical UK trails and conditions their eMTBs and mountain bikes excel on such terrain and always garner positive feedback when our event attendees return to Wheelbase HQ. The Whyte E-180 S boasts a long-travel chassis with stable geometry and low centre of gravity thanks to the Bosch Performance Line CX motor being cleverly positioned, eliminating any potential for negative handling.

Whyte E-180 S 2022 RRP £6,399.00

 

Whyte E-180 S 2022 RRP £6,399.00

 

Guy Kesteven’s cherry-pick of the best demo bikes…

We were lucky enough to have MTB industry journo and prolific YouTuber Guy Kesteven in attendance for the whole of the Big Demo Weekend 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’s renowned for his straight up Yorkshire honesty based on over two decades of relentless, all weather, head to head test riding making him the ideal candidate for a no-nonsense run through some of the best bikes at our Demo Weekend…

 

Trek Rail 9.9 XX1 AXS 2022

Rubbish video about a brilliant bike! Is Trek’s fully SRAM Wizz and Wireless AXS gear equipped new Rail 9.9 the Ultimate Hi Tech E-MTB? I tested it at the Wheelbase Demo Weekend and was massively impressed as you’ll see. Apologies for the failing GoPro battery that kept cutting the video clips short but I’m definitely going to try and get this bike back for a proper video. Hopefully at the Hamsterley Wheelbase Demo so see you there for that.

 

We’d like to thank all of our fantastic brands for supplying us with the world’s best bikes for two days of testing on some of the Lake District’s most enjoyable trails. Missed the event? Check out our video below to see all the action from the Wheelbase Big Demo Weekend 2022.

Check out our BIG DEMO Weekend video…

 

Written by Johnny Dodgin

Photos by James Vincent

Video by DMTWO Media

 

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…

 

Here at Wheelbase Lake District we’re celebrating a fantastic weekend and reflecting on two successful days of demo riding for over 200 visitors to our BIG DEMO WEEKEND 2022.

Yes, finally after a COVID-19 induced break in 2021 the legendary BIG DEMO mountain bike and eMTB event was back and was better than ever for customers attending the event as well as our hard working colleagues from the very best brands available. 2022 saw a huge fleet of demo bikes to ride from Trek, Cannondale, Scott, Focus, Nukeproof, Mondraker, Whyte, Kona and Yeti.

The big demo weekend was a chance for riders to get a feel for the latest tech and shred on some of the most exciting new mountain bikes and eMTBs; with each group ride guided by fully-qualified, certified mountain bike guides from the Cycle Active team our customers got to take their dream bikes out onto some of the most iconic trails in the south Lake District before heading back to Wheelbase HQ for refreshments and a quick bike change before heading out again for more fun!

We’d like to thank all of you who attended, our fantastic brands for supplying us with the world’s best bikes and the guides for getting everyone around the challenging trails safely. 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 March next year!

Wheelbase Northeast also be hosting a mountain bike demo day in Hamsterley Forest next month on April 23rd; more info to follow.

Check out our BIG DEMO Weekend video…

 

Over 130 mountain bikes and eMTBs from the best brands racked up and ready for a busy day of demo riding.

 

Wheelbase Lake District helped over 200 riders sample the very latest tech over the weekend.

 

A quick and slick turnaround between rides gave our customers the chance to test a wide range of mountain bikes and eMTBs.

 

The Cannondale Jekyll 1 was one of the most sought-after bikes in the Cannondale demo fleet.

 

Riders had the chance to test ride the Trek Rail long-travel eMTB.

 

That iconic colour can mean one thing – Yeti were in the house with a large fleet of high-spec trail bikes as well as a couple of their new 160E eMTB’s.

 

Steve from Cannondale was on hand to help set up each bike, ready for the next rider.

 

Legendary Mountain Bike tester and prolific YouTuber Guy Kesteven was with us for both days; look out for his excellent videos from the event!

 

Josh from Scott Sports was kept busy setting up the much-sought-after Scott Patron eRIDE 910 eMTB.

 

There were plenty of riders keen to ride Focus’ powerful big travel Sam2 6.9 eMTB.

 

Each bike was quickly and expertly set up to suit each rider individually. 

 

UK brand Whyte bikes are always popular with riders looking for a bike which has been specifically developed with UK riding in mind.

 

Each group of riders was categorised by ability and was guided by a fully qualified, certified mountain bike guide.

 

Riders sign in before heading out onto some of the best trails in the South Lake District.

 

Guy Kesteven heads out on a stunning Mondraker Crafty eMTB.

 

Smiles were wide as riders headed out onto some of the best trails around, directly from our Lake District store.

 

Despite the rain our local trails drain quickly and ride well regardless of the weather.

 

There were some super-fun downhill trails to ride on our most technically-demanding routes.

 

Jon Chalmers of Cycle Active helped his team provide expert ride guidance throughout the weekend.

 

What goes up most come down, FAST!

 

Lucy from Cycle Active shows us how it’s done.

 

As riders returned to Wheelbase Lake District our staff were on hand to listen to their feedback on their ride.

 

Adam, Manager of our wheelbase Darlington store made the trip over to the Lakes to help host the event.

 

A packed day of riding called for a super-organised bike wash setup.

 

There was plenty of Muc-Off used over the two days to keep all of the stunning bikes looking fresh.

 

Wheelbase’s Operations Director Toby Dalton led by example and spent the whole weekend grafting on the bike wash.

 

UK MTB legend Nick Craig from Scott Sports was on hand all weekend to talk through the range of brilliant Scott mountain bikes and eMTBs.

 

More happy customers return from their guided ride in the South Lakes.

 

It wasn’t just the humans having a great time; there were plenty of very content dogs in attendance too.

 

Thanks for coming! See you all again next year!

 

Written by Johnny Dodgin

Photos by James Vincent

Video by DMTWO Media

 

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…

 

 

Garmin’s wide range of products come together to give you an enhanced cycling experience; over the years the brand have cleverly integrated all of their tech to work together as a whole, bringing you a wealth of information and features that can improve your performance on the bike as well as helping you to explore new rides with confidence while increasing your visibility to motorists and helping you to be more aware of what’s going on around you. I was recently joined by Adam Cooper from Garmin UK for a winter ride in the Lake District and took the opportunity to discuss the wealth of Navigation functions on the Garmin Edge 1030 Plus GPS computer, the versatility and training benefits of the Garmin Rally RK200 power meter pedals and run through the brilliant Garmin Varia RTL515 radar system which has been designed to help you ride with more confidence on the open road.

 

Click the link above to watch the video.

 

So Adam what would you cherry-pick as your top 3 functions on the Edge 1030 Plus?

For me it would be Navigation, Performance Training and also its connectivity with the Garmin Varia RTL515 Radar taillight.

The navigation function sounds interesting, what sort of thing can you do with that?

The 1030 Plus device comes pre-loaded with Garmin TopoActive Europe maps. With the Garmin connect App you’re able to pre-navigate yourself a route, transfer it onto the device and then follow the route you’ve planned on the 1030 Plus device.

So, I’m heading off to somewhere I’ve not ridden before, do I just pre-programme it on the App or on the 1030 Plus head unit?

As well as pre-programming it on the App you can also ask the head unit to give you a popularity-based route, selecting the most cycling-friendly route, taken from billions of miles of Garmin ride data already uploaded, with the 1030 Plus head unit selecting a suitable round trip back to your start location.

So once I’ve headed out onto unfamiliar roads how exactly do use the navigation function?

On the 1030 Plus you’ll click on the navigation folder and select your course, from there you’ll get turn by turn navigation. Also on the 1030 Plus is a function we call ClimbPro and what this does is provide users with visibility of the climb ahead.

So moving on from the Garmin 1030 Plus head unit down to the Rally power meter pedals, what’s the unique feature of those?

The most significant feature of the Rally power meter pedals is their transferability between bike to bike, with different pedal body options available meaning you can swap between your road bike to your mountain bike or gravel bike with relative ease. All your power data is transferred to the 1030 Plus head unit via ANT+® or Bluetooth® including current power, average power, left/right balance, seated vs standing and power phase which gives you a clear look at where you’re producing power in your pedal stroke.

I’ve been hearing a lot about the Garmin Varia Radar system and have recently had the chance to use it myself; what a gamechanger it is, can you explain how works?

The Radar will effectively provide the rider with eyes behind them, and the way it does that is the Radar system will pick up traffic approaching from the rear and display it on the Garmin head unit and you’ll be able to see the traffic approaching.

Yes, I’ve found it brilliant, it’s a really confidence-inspiring bit of kit; within a couple of rides it just becomes second nature to quickly glance down to the display when there’s an audio and visual signal.

It’s great for the rider who benefits from this audio and visual alert system letting them know what’s going on behind them but it’s also really helpful for the driver who’s approaching you; as the driver gets closer to you the Radar light will react and change its pattern to alert them. The Radar taillight is visible to drivers from up to a mile away.

 

NAVIGATION

The Garmin Edge 1030 Plus boasts a raft of navigation features to help make your riding feel more spontaneous and take some of the mental barriers of exploring new areas away. There’s multiple options when it comes to navigation and/or planning a ride including Garmin’s Trendline Popularity Routing function, which cleverly takes data from the billions of miles recorded on their devices by other cyclists and selects the most popular bike-friendly routes available.

Key Features:

• Ride-Specific Mapping
• Trendline Popularity Routing
• ClimbPro
• Trailforks App
• Forksight Mode
• Turn-By-Turn Directions
• Back to Start
• Create More Courses
• Nutrition and Hydration Alerts

 

Ride-Specific Mapping – The large colour display of the Garmin Edge 1030 Plus is clear and easy to read even when you’re riding hard. With Garmin’s Ride-Specific Mapping the 1030 Plus will tailor the map specifically to the type of riding you’re doing; regardless of whether you’re riding mountain, gravel or road you’ll be seeing key map information based on that particular ride type.

 

Trendline Popularity Routing – This function is a particular favourite of ours here at Wheelbase; if you’re planning a ride in a new area there’s no better way of finding the best cycling routes than tapping into local knowledge. With billions of miles of ride data already uploaded, the Edge1030 Plus will be able to identify the best on and off-road routes available wherever you’re headed.

 

ClimbPro – The ClimbPro feature on the 1030 Plus helps you to manage your efforts on any climb. As you ride you’ll be able to see key information on the display like the remaining ascent and the gradient coming up ahead of you. This is a great feature which really comes into play when you’re climbing on roads or trails you’ve never ridden before and you’re really trying to pace your efforts or maybe preparing to attack and drop your riding partners; knowledge is power as they say!

 

Trailforks App – The clarity of the large-sized Edge 1030 Plus display lends itself really well to the unique demands of ridding hard off-road; with a maximum focus required on the trail ahead of you there’s a minimum amount of time to take in the information on the display. With off-road riding in mind Garmin have partnered with Trailforks, the off-road-specific navigation app to give you the most accurate information on trail conditions.

 

Forksight Mode – Another useful feature when you’re riding with your Edge 1030 Plus off-road is Forksight Mode; when you’re using the Trailforks app this mode automatically displays upcoming forks in the trail to help you understand exactly where you are on the trail.

 

Turn-By-Turn-Directions – If you’re navigating unfamiliar roads or are trying to make your way through a busy, built up environment the Garmin Edge 1030 Plus will guide you with turn-by-turn directions and alerts that notify you of upcoming turns.

 

Back to Start – At any time in your ride you can return back to your starting point. Let’s just say you’ve over-estimated how far you were able to ride and needed to get back to your starting point in a hurry. By simply swiping down from the top of the screen at any time during your ride and selecting ‘Back to Start’ the device will navigate you back via the shortest bike-friendly route.

 

Create More Courses – There’s never been more ways to create courses on the Garmin Edge 1030 Plus; if you need to inject some new life into your regular local rides why not spend some time planning new routes on the Garmin Connect App, Strava or Komoot before syncing them to your device.

 

Nutrition and Hydration Alerts – You can set Smart Eat and Drink Alerts to notify you to eat or drink at strategic intervals based on the data from the current ride conditions. The smart alert function estimates when you need to eat or drink based on the temperature, elevation gain, speed, duration and heart rate and power data (when using the Edge 1030 Plus with a heart rate monitor and/or power meter.

 

RALLY RK200 POWER METER PEDALS

When we talked to Garmin UK’s Adam Cooper about the Rally RK200 power meter pedals the biggest message, when it came to their ‘unique selling point’ was just how versatile these pedals were. If you’re an avid user of a power meter, training and racing to power to be a more efficient racer then you may well find yourself moving from one type of bike to another, for example road bike to time-trial bike, or road bike to gravel bike or even a mountain bike. First off, by housing the power meter in a pedal rather than a bicycle crank changes are quick and convenient between bikes rather than having to swap out power meters housed in the cranks for example.

Garmin don’t stop there though; with riders swapping between road and mountain bikes the issue of needing a completely different shoe and pedal system for off-road riding rears its head. With this mind Garmin developed their power meter pedals to feature a transferable spindle (the part which actually contains the power meter) so it can be installed within the Rally RK (Look KEO compatible) and Rally RS (Shimano SPD-SL compatible) road pedals or the Rally XC (Shimano SPD) mountain bike pedals (sold separately). Garmin UK have kindly supplied me with the Rally XC pedal bodies along with the Rally RK200’s I’m currently using, so I’m looking forward to swapping them out in the coming weeks and running them on my MTB.

Key Features:

• Dual-sensing power meter taking accurate left/right data
• Rally RK200 installs like any other pedal and is easy to swap from bike to bike
• Transferable spindle allowing you to swap pedal bodies for road and/or off-road rides (sold separately)
• Edge® cycling computer compatibility makes software updates and data uploads easy
• Sync data to your favourite apps for even more analysis and data sharing
• Measures left/right balance
• Seated vs standing recorded
• Up 120 hours of battery life
• Measures average power
• Measures power phase
• Measures total power
• Measures cadence

Garmin Rally RK200 power meter pedals are dual-sensing (left & right pedal data)

Garmin Rally RK200 power meter pedals are compatible with Look Keo cleats.

With transferable spindles you’re able to swap the Garmin road pedal bodies for these XC mountain bike versions (sold separately).

 

VARIA RTL515 RADAR

As I’ve already mentioned earlier in this feature, I’ve been using the Garmin Edge 1030 Plus GPS computer in unison with the RK200 power meter pedals and Garmin’s clever Varia RTL515 rear light and radar system for a few months. In conversation with Adam from Garmin UK (see video) he highlighted just how effective this piece of tech is and after using the Varia for a while now I can wholeheartedly agree.

With the Varia RTL515 paired via Bluetooth to my Edge 1030 Plus head unit I was quickly able to tune into this extra piece of information on my handlebars. Within a couple of rides it became second nature to quickly glance down to the display whenever there was an audio signal from the head unit. Looking down at the display I would see that the edges of the display had turned red and a small white dot on the right hand side of the screen would creep upwards exactly in sync with the vehicle approaching me from behind until it had safely passed me whereupon the head unit’s screen edges would turn green.

The Varia RTL515 signals to the Edge 1030 head unit, with the edges of the screen turning red and a small white dot moving upwards on the right.

 

In certain riding scenarios it proved really helpful and confidence inspiring to have that extra level of information on my handlebars, without the need to crane my neck and look over my shoulder to see what was going on behind me. On one occasion when I was riding hard on long, flat roads with high winds whipping around me I was completely unable to hear what was going on behind me; the first I was aware of vehicles approaching me was when the Edge 1030 Plus head unit signalled. It’s impressively accurate too, with the display showing multiple white dots approaching at the same time if there was a group of cars waiting to overtake me.

Once the vehicle has safely passed you, your screen edges temporarily turn green.

 

On the whole I also found that drivers seemed to be more considerate when I was using the Varia RTL515 rear light & radar system and there’s a solid bit of science behind the reason why this might be happening. As well as the Radar alerting you the rider to oncoming traffic from behind the Varia RTL515 rear light also reacts, changing to a distinct flashing pattern and change in tone (brighter) as the vehicle approaches. Tests have shown that bicycle lights with an alternating flashing pattern are better at attracting the attention of drivers; factor in that the Radar rear light also reacts to vehicles in real time and it’s fair to say that drivers are reacting to this change and slowing down to overtake when it’s safe to do so. There’s plenty of warning for them too with the Varia RTL515 rear light being visible to drivers up to a mile away. If you like the sound of this clever piece of kit but don’t own a Garmin head unit, fear not, you can pair the Varia RTL515 with your smartphone to increase your awareness with visual signals and vibration alerts, so this really is a confidence-inspiring tool that can be used by anyone.

The Garmin Varia RTL 515’s rear light is visible to motorists up to a mile away.

 

As a vehicle approaches from behind the Varia RTL515’s flashing pattern changes to alert the driver.

 

Key Features:

• Daylight visibility up to 1 mile.
• Small and easy to mount.
• Provides visual and audible alerts for vehicles approaching from behind up to 140 metres away.
• Battery Life: 16 hours of battery life in day flash mode.
• Peloton Mode: Provides a low-intensity flash that is kind to other cyclists’ eyes when riding in a group.
• Compatibility: Works with Garmin Edge bike computer or compatible smartphones.

The Garmin Varia RTL Radar rear light is compact but super-bright, even in daylight hours.

 

 

GARMIN EDGE 1030 PLUS GPS COMPUTER

Full Specification:

General:

• In-Ride power compatible (via Garmin charge battery pack, not included)
• Dimensions: 58 x 114 x 19mm
• Touchscreen
• Colour Display
• Display Size: 3.5” (88.9mm) diagonal
• Display Resolution: 282 x 470 pixels
• Weight: 124 grams
• Battery Type: Rechargeable Lithium-Ion
• Battery Life: 24 hrs
• Battery Save Mode Included
• Water Rating: IPX7

Maps & Memory:

• Ability to Add Maps
• Basemap
• Storage & Power Capacity: 32 GB Internal Memory
• Waypoints/Favourites/Locations: 200
• Navigation Routes: 100 Courses
• History: Up to 200 Hours

Sensors:

• GPS (Global Positioning System)
• Glonass (Global Navigation Satellite System)
• Galileo (Satellite Navigation)
• Barometric Alimeter
• Accelerometer
• Ambient Light Sensor

Daily Smart Features:

• Connectivity: Bluetooth, ANT+
• Connect IQ (Downloadable watch faces, data fields, widgets and Apps)
• Smart Notifications
• Text Response / Reject Phone Call with Text (Android Only)
• Weather
• Virb Camera Remote
• Smartphone Compatibility: iPhone, Android

Safety & Tracking Features:

• Livetrack
• Group Livetrack
• Rider-to-Rider Messaging
• Incident Detection
• Assistance
• Bike Alarm
• Weather Alerts
• Inreach Compatible

Activity Tracking Features:

• Calories Burned

Training, Planning and Analysis Features:

• Customisable Screen(s)
• Auto Pause
• Interval Training
• Advanced Workouts
• Downloadable Training Plans
• Daily Workout Suggestions
• Auto Lap
• VO2 Max (Run)
• Training Effect (Aerobic)
• Recovery Advisor
• Virtual Partner
• Race an Activity
• Segments
• Auto Scroll
• Physio TrueUp (keeps physiological data in sync between devices)
• Physiological Measurements (requires heart rate strap and power meter)

Outdoor Recreation:

• ClimbPro Ascent Planner

Cycling Features:

• Alerts (triggers alarm when you reach goals including time, distance, heart rate or calories)
• Courses
• On-device Course Creator
• Garmin Cycle Map (routable cycling-specific street map)
• Cycling Dynamics Compatible
• MTB Dynamics
• Integrated Trailforks Trail Data
• Power Meter Compatible
• Compatible with Varia Radar (rear-facing Radar)
• Compatible with Varia Lights

Connectivity:

• Edge Remote
• Varia Remote
• ANT+ Electronic Shifting
• Shimano Di2 Synchro Shift Integration
• Smart Trainer Control

In the Box:

Standard (Device Only):

• Edge 1030 Plus
• Mounts (standard and flush out-front)
• USB Cable
• Tether

Bundle:

• Edge 1030 Plus
• HRM-Dual
• Cadence Sensor
• Speed Sensor
• Mounts (standard and flush out-front)
• USB Cable
• Tether

 

GARMIN RALLY RK200 DUAL-SENSING POWER METER

Full Specification:

• Weight: 326 g
• Water resistance.: IXP7
• Cleat type: KEO
• Q-factor: 53 mm (55 mm with provided 2 mm washer)
• Stack height: 12.2 mm

In The Box:

• Rally RK200 pedals
• Cleat hardware
• 55 mm Q-factor washers

General Garmin Rally Dual-Sensing Power Meter Specification:

• Battery type: LR44/SR44 (x4) or CR1/3N (x2)
• Battery life: up to 120 hours
• Maximum rider weight: 105 kg
• Accuracy: +/- 1%
• Field calibration
• Adjustable release tension
• Measurement location: spindle
• Communication: ANT+® and Bluetooth®

 

 

GARMIN VARIA RTL515 RADAR TAIL LIGHT

Full Specification:

• Dimensions: 98.6 x 19.7 x 39.6 mm
• Weight: 71.0 g
• Modes: solid, peloton, night flash, day flash
• Lumens: 20 solid, 8 peloton, 29 night flash, 65 day flash
• Battery life: 6 hours solid, 8 hours peloton, 6 hours night flash, 16 hours day flash
• ANT+®: Yes
• BLE: Yes
• Water rating: IPX7
• Viewing angle: 220 degrees

 

Written by Johnny Dodgin

Digital Media Production by Dave MacFarlane

 

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 Garmin Edge 1030 Plus GPS cycling computer is absolutely jam packed with useful functions to help you mold your cycling into a more enjoyable, rewarding and productive experience. You may want to explore new, unfamiliar roads or off-road terrain in which case the navigation functions will really give you confidence to take on new adventures. Perhaps you want to communicate better with your ride group or record and share rides to build up a better riding scene in your area? Concerned about your safety out on the road? The Edge 1030 Plus can alert you to traffic approaching from behind as well as provide live tracking for your nearest and dearest and even send out an alert in the event of an accident. Most significantly you may want to improve your cycling performance and begin to train in a more focused and constructive way. The multitude of performance monitoring and training functions on the Garmin Edge 1030 Plus all come together to form a complete ‘virtual coach’ on your handlebars, helping you to be more precise with your training.

In this feature we’ll take a closer look at some of the key training functions on the Edge 1030 Plus and with the help of Adam Cooper from Garmin UK we’ll highlight some of the best ways you can train effectively with the Garmin Edge 1030 Plus. What better way to get your head round the functionality of this clever bit of tech than to head out on a ride with Adam around the grippy roads of the Lake District before asking him to run through some of the most useful features.

 

Click the link above to watch the video.

 

Hi Adam, I’ve heard a lot about the training functions on the Garmin 1030 Plus and the accompanying Garmin Connect App; how could I get the most out of these features?

Depending on what you want to train towards the device and the app will recommend a number of appropriate training plans and if you already have your own coach there’s compatibility through Garmin IQ to use external training Apps such as Training Peaks. On the device there’s something called ‘The Daily Suggested Workout’ which is actually based around your training load, so it’s always recommending variable and engaging training sessions.

So these Daily Suggested Workouts – are they compatible with Indoor Smart Trainers too?

Yes; because Daily Suggested Workouts are power orientated the Smart Trainer and the Garmin Edge 1030 head unit can communicate with each other via Bluetooth; by selecting a previous activity on the Edge 1030 Plus and setting the Smart Trainer to ‘erg mode’ you’ll be able to replicate the resistance that was originally felt when training outside in real world conditions. You’ll get the required intensity for a suggested workout with a  feeling of continuity between your outdoor and indoor training.

I’m a time-pushed cyclist and every opportunity I get to ride needs to be structured, enabling me to get as much out of it as possible when it comes to focused training. How can the Garmin Edge 1030 Plus help me?

It really can! If you’re struggling to find time to do structured training the Edge 1030 Plus and the accompanying Garmin Connect App will help you start to structure your training and become more effective at building up strength, speed and endurance, helping you to customise your training around Power, Heart Rate or Cadence parameters, whatever works best for you.

I’m a bit of a data nerd, I like Strava, I’m motivated by performance, are there any functions on the Edge 1030 Plus that will help me stay competitive and focused on improvement? I don’t always have someone to train with to help increase the pace, what would you suggest?

I’d suggest our ‘Race a Previous Activity’ function, which is almost like having a ghost rider; so you can see yourself from a previous ride and you’ll compete against that performance. By going head to head you’ll be able to measure your improvement as you glance down to the device and see whether you’re behind or ahead in real time. If you’re a Strava Premium customer you can also star certain segments and motivate yourself by targeting that segment to compete for the KOM, comparing your own performance to all other cyclist who have ridden it. The Edge 1030 Plus will notify you of your previous best as you approach the segment and then you can attack!

 

The Garmin Edge 1030 Plus is a fantastic training tool and can be used as a ‘virtual coach’ to really help keep you focused on quality workouts; after a small amount of time you’ll be able to tailor it to specifically suit your cycling ambitions and it’s a great motivator too! We’ve highlighted all of the most useful training functions on the Garmin Edge 1030 Plus below.

Key Features:

• Training Plans (with Garmin Connect training plans)
• Segments
• Race a Previous Activity
• Workouts
• Interval  Workouts
• Indoor Training
• Dynamic Performance Monitoring

Training Plans – Using the Garmin Connect App on your smartphone you can set up a training plan to suit you and your performance targets before sending it to the Edge 1030 Plus device. Once the training plan has synced with your device you simply scroll through the calendar and select the appropriate day to view or begin the workout.

 

Segments – Using Segments on the Edge 1030 Plus helps to keep your training and general riding more engaging by being able to race a segment, trying to match or exceed your own or other people’s performances. After sending segments from your Garmin Connect App to the 1030 Plus device you can enable prompts so that when your path crosses an enabled Segment you can race it, with the Segment data screen automatically appearing and another message appearing when the Segment is complete.

 

Race a Previous Activity – Similar to racing a Segment, you can race an entire previous activity by selecting a previously recorded activity from the Ride History on your device or by selecting a Saved Course which has previously been downloaded from Garmin Connect.

 

Workouts – If you take a little time you can put together customised workouts on the Garmin Connect App before transferring them to the Edge 1030 Plus. These workouts can include goals for specific distances, times, calories burned or even target heart rate zones where the device beeps and displays a message when you exceed or drop below that zone. When you begin your chosen workout the 1030 Plus will display each step of the workout, any specific target that has been set and the current workout data. When you’re riding hard and not 100% focused on the display you’ll still hear an audible alarm when you’re about to finish a workout.

 

Interval Workouts – You can create interval workouts directly on the Garmin Edge 1030 Plus, based on distance and time. By setting a series of rest and repeat intervals on the display and then activating the Interval Workout as you ride you can follow the audio and visual queues to complete a series of demanding intervals such as short sprints within your ride.

 

Indoor Training – You can pair the Garmin Edge 1030 Plus with any indoor ANT+ compatible smart trainer, allowing you to record speed and distance which will be sent to the device from the trainer. By selecting a specific course, activity or workout already stored on your device it’s possible to ride a simulation of your previous ride with the smart trainer’s resistance automatically generated to match the terrain.

 

Dynamic Performance Monitoring – The Garmin Edge 1030 Plus helps you accurately monitor your performance and your body’s response to structured training with each stat at your fingertips. Track VO2 Max, recovery time, training load, training load focus and more.

 

Other Key Features:

The Garmin Edge 1030 Plus is so versatile that, with a bit of time to get used to navigating all of the features included on the device, as well as on the Garmin Connect App you’ll be able to tailor exactly how and when you use the Edge 1030 Plus to suit you and your riding. The way that the Edge 1030 is set up you can easily move from on-road to off-road to indoor training while using the device to bring out the best in your training and racing performance. We’ve already highlighted the most useful features within the training functions, now lets take a quick look at some other key features on the Garmin Edge 1030 Plus.

Key Features:

• Navigation
• Incident Detection
• Livetrack
• Grouptrack
• Group Messaging
• Di2 Compatible
• MTB Dynamics, Grit & Flow

 

Navigation – The Garmin Edge 1030 Plus boasts a multitude of navigation functions which we’ve highlighted in a separate product feature as there’s just so many useful navigation options. For example if you want your riding to feel more spontaneous and you would like to explore new areas Garmin’s ‘Trendline Popularity Routing’ function will help by taking data from the billions of miles recorded on their devices by other cyclists and selecting the most bike-friendly routes available.

 

Incident Detection – The Garmin Edge 1030 Plus features an Incident Detection function which automatically sends your current location to emergency contacts that have previously been imputed into the device in the event of an accident. This useful feature can be enabled or disabled according to your own preference.

 

Livetrack – By using the Livetrack function you can let your friends and family keep track of your location in real time as well as view your full, pre-planned course. With this feature there’s no need to keep stopping your ride to explain your whereabouts and eta for getting home.

 

Grouptrack – With the Grouptrack function you can keep track on all of your riding companions; if your group becomes separated the Garmin Edge 1030 Plus will track up to 50 of your friends in real time. A quick look at the Edge Plus display will indicated where your riding partners are and will help you quickly re-establish the group.

 

Group Messaging – With group messaging you can keep in touch with your ride partners and flag the group when you get left behind or take a wrong turn. No one wants to get separated and miss out on the best mid-ride café stop.

 

Di2 Compatible – If you’re the type of rider who loves their tech and can’t enough data then the Edge 1030 Plus will help you monitor your Shimano Di2 electronic drive train if you have one. Useful mid-ride info on your device display includes Di2 battery life and front and rear gear data.

 

MTB Dynamics, Grit & Flow – The Edge 1030 Plus features Garmin’s own mountain bike-specific metrics to help you measure your off-road cycling performance more accurately. Grit measures the difficulty of the mountain bike trails you’re riding, constantly recording the grade of the trail and the angle of berms and turns. In no time at all you’ll be analysing your off-road rides and will be able to plan future routes to suit your own fitness and riding skills levels; the Garmin Connect App will give you an overall Grit score for each ride and you can view your Grit rating along the trail you’ve ridden; the more difficult the trail, the higher your Grit score will be.

 

Garmin Edge 1030 Plus

Full Specification:

General:

• In-Ride power compatible (via Garmin charge battery pack, not included)
• Dimensions: 58 x 114 x 19mm
• Touchscreen
• Colour Display
• Display Size: 3.5” (88.9mm) diagonal
• Display Resolution: 282 x 470 pixels
• Weight: 124 grams
• Battery Type: Rechargeable Lithium-Ion
• Battery Life: 24 hrs
• Battery Save Mode Included
• Water Rating: IPX7

Maps & Memory:

• Ability to Add Maps
• Basemap
• Storage & Power Capacity: 32 GB Internal Memory
• Waypoints/Favourites/Locations: 200
• Navigation Routes: 100 Courses
• History: Up to 200 Hours

Sensors:

• GPS (Global Positioning System)
• Glonass (Global Navigation Satellite System)
• Galileo (Satellite Navigation)
• Barometric Alimeter
• Accelerometer
• Ambient Light Sensor

Daily Smart Features:

• Connectivity: Bluetooth, ANT+
• Connect IQ (Downloadable watch faces, data fields, widgets and Apps)
• Smart Notifications
• Text Response / Reject Phone Call with Text (Android Only)
• Weather
• Virb Camera Remote
• Smartphone Compatibility: iPhone, Android

Safety & Tracking Features:

• Livetrack
• Group Livetrack
• Rider-to-Rider Messaging
• Incident Detection
• Assistance
• Bike Alarm
• Weather Alerts
• Inreach Compatible

Activity Tracking Features:

• Calories Burned

Training, Planning and Analysis Features:

• Customisable Screen(s)
• Auto Pause
• Interval Training
• Advanced Workouts
• Downloadable Training Plans
• Daily Workout Suggestions
• Auto Lap
• VO2 Max (Run)
• Training Effect (Aerobic)
• Recovery Advisor
• Virtual Partner
• Race an Activity
• Segments
• Auto Scroll
• Physio TrueUp (keeps physiological data in sync between devices)
• Physiological Measurements (requires heart rate strap and power meter)

Outdoor Recreation:

• ClimbPro Ascent Planner

Cycling Features:

• Alerts (triggers alarm when you reach goals including time, distance, heart rate or calories)
• Courses
• On-device Course Creator
• Garmin Cycle Map (routable cycling-specific street map)
• Cycling Dynamics Compatible
• MTB Dynamics
• Integrated Trailforks Trail Data
• Power Meter Compatible
• Compatible with Varia Radar (rear-facing Radar)
• Compatible with Varia Lights

Connectivity:

• Edge Remote
• Varia Remote
• ANT+ Electronic Shifting
• Shimano Di2 Synchro Shift Integration
• Smart Trainer Control

In the Box:

Standard (Device Only):

• Edge 1030 Plus
• Mounts (standard and flush out-front)
• USB Cable
• Tether

Bundle:

• Edge 1030 Plus
• HRM-Dual
• Cadence Sensor
• Speed Sensor
• Mounts (standard and flush out-front)
• USB Cable
• Tether

 

Written by Johnny Dodgin

Digital Media Production by Dave MacFarlane

 

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…

 

 

My name’s Andrew Barlow and recently I’ve been getting into Grav! Yes, typically you can find me onboard a mountain bike, or more specifically an e-MTB, a tool which I utilise when I need to get up into the Lake District fells as quickly and efficiently as possible. As someone who’s time-pushed and working hard in retail my time out on the bike is precious and so my e-MTB gets me out to where I want to be to get the very best landscape shots I can. Besides my obvious enthusiasm for mountain biking I’m a gravel bike convert too and am increasingly finding them to be the perfect bike for a certain type of adventure. Let me explain..

Both of our chosen gravel bikes feature simple but effective 1x single-ring drivetrains.

 

My main reason for gravel riding is predominantly to stay off the beaten track as much as I can; now you could argue that this would be easier on a mountain bike, however when I’m considering multi-day bike-packing trips with large stretches of tarmac or gravel track bridging the gaps between the more remote off-road stretches a gravel bike is arguably a better choice of bike. In reality, when taking on these sort of adventure rides there’s more valleys and glens than unpredictable mountain-top terrain and when you do eventually come back to stretches of tarmac you can put the power down and cover more ground in less time.

A glorious winter’s day in the Lake District calls for a multi-terrain adventure onboard versatile gravel bikes.

 

Not far from our Wheelbase HQ in the south of Lake District we have miles upon miles of bridleway taking you in almost any direction and this is where the versatility of the gravel bike comes into play; regardless of which way we head out, my riding buddies and I can take on bridleways, singletrack, canal towpaths, dirt, mud, woodlands and just generally anything that isn’t tarmac keeping our adventure vibes going.

Only a twenty minute pedal from our Wheelbase Lake District store Kentmere Valley is the gateway to bigger off-road adventures.

 

My love of a good pedal-assist bike carriers over from the mountain bike to gravel biking so I was pretty happy to get the opportunity to ride Cannondale’s Topstone Neo SL 1 gravel bike featuring an efficient Mahle ebikemotion X35 250wh motor cleverly built into the hub of the rear wheel. It provides just the right amount of pedal-assist power I need to be able to get more distance and fun out of my limited riding time! I love the feel of the Topstone Neo SL 1 which feels like a turbo-charged go-anywhere road bike just with slacker geometry, wider tyres and a much more generous spread of gears within the drivetrain. The Topstone Neo SL 1 is spec’d with a 1x drivetrain – basically a single chainring upfront combined with a wide-ratio cassette and rear derailleur with a clutch mech that prevents the chain from unshipping on rough terrain. This setup is really well-suited to meeting the demands of riding both on and off-road; that simple drivetrain combined with the Mahle ebikemotion X35 250wh hub motor has helped me conquer even the steepest, most technical off-road terrain.

Blink and you’ll miss it, but the Topstone Neo SL 1 gravel bike is actually a neat e-bike with a rear-hub drive system.

 

A capable gravel bike deserves a gravel-specific groupset. Shimano GRX 800/600 fits the bill.

 

Yes, despite its sleek looks the Topstone Neo SL 1 is a powerful e-gravel bike.

 

Part of Cannondale’s extensive Topstone gravel bike family the Neo SL 1 gives riders some welcome assistance on long adventures.

 

Leaving the roads behind, the hills of the south Lake District start to pull us further into the wilderness.

 

I headed out on an afternoon ride with one of my gravel biking buddies onboard his Cervelo Aspero Apex 1 gravel bike; the Aspero is well-liked within the gravel community thanks to its super-slick carbon frame with aerodynamic tube profiles for ‘free speed’ when the hammer goes down. This one in particular had the most stunning paintjob which my photos don’t really do it justice; shifting from purple through to gold as you move around the bike it’s a true work of art!

The paintjob on the Cervelo Aspero Apex 1 gravel bike is simply stunning.

 

The slight dusting of snow hinted towards more difficult conditions higher up on the fells.

 

Looking across Kentmere Reservoir towards Nan Bield pass. 

 

The dusting of snow further up the Kentmere valley made our local trails look even more stunning than they normally do and as we made our up to the end of this dramatic valley we moved fast and efficiently over a good mix of tarmac and gravel before challenging ourselves on some impromptu deviations onto more technical ascents and descents. This is where a short afternoon ride can quickly turn into something more fun with our gravel bikes soon forcing us to pick cleaner lines and think a little more about how and what we were riding compared to the usual scenario of blatting through rocky terrain onboard our full suspension trail bikes.

The dusting of snow made the south Lake District landscapes even more stunning.

 

Cannondale Topstone Neo SL 1 2022

• 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

 

Cervelo Aspero Apex 1 2022

• Frame: Cervelo All-Carbon, Aspero
• Fork: Cervelo All-Carbon, Aspero
• Crank: SRAM Apex 1 40T
• Rear Cassette: SRAM PG-1130, 11 spd, 11-42
• Rear Derailleur: SRAM Apex 1
• Shifters: SRAM Apex 1 HRD, 11 spd
• Handlebar: Easton EA50 AX Alloy
• Stem: Easton EA50 Alloy
• Headset: FSA IS2 1-1/8 x 1-1/2
• Brakes: SRAM CenterLine 160mm
• Wheels: Alexrims Boondocks-7D, 28h (F), 28h (R), 24mm IW, 6-Bolt, Tubeless Ready
• Tyres: Panaracer Gravel King SK Sport Folding 700×38 60tpi
• Saddle: Cervelo Road Saddle
• Seatpost: Easton EA50 Alloy

 

Written by Andrew Barlow

Photos by Andrew Barlow

 

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…

 

Say hello to the all-new Tesoro Neo X 1, a brand-new release from Cannondale which is a super sporty e-bike commuter from the American brand. At the heart of the Tesoro is a powerful Bosch Performance Line CX motor fuelled by a 750Wh battery which will see off any potential for ‘range-anxiety’ thanks to its brilliant efficiency. Built to handle the demands of the weekly commute thanks to its intelligent spec, when the weekend comes leave your pannier bags at home and head out into the countryside for day-long rides on a single charge.

 

The Headliners:

Power, Range and Sophistication. There’s limitless power from the Tesoro Neo X 1 thanks Bosch’s brilliantly efficient Smart System featuring a long-range 750Wh battery, powerful Performance Line CX motor, LED remote and a large, easy to read Kiox 300 display. Now you can strike out on epic adventures without any worries when it comes to battery life.

Adventure Ready. Cannondale have spec’d a capable SR Suntour XCR34 suspension fork with 100mm of travel to handle those unmade roads that you may want to seek out; while practical additions such as the full mudguards, rear pannier rack, front & rear lights and super-low gearing are all there to enhance the versatility of this adventure e-bike and make your ride more fun.

Fast and Fun. Cannondale have nailed it with a comfortably sportive riding position on the Tesoro Neo X 1 combined with precise handling and a capacity to conquer unpredictable terrain thanks to that 10mm travel suspension fork. Ride the commute in confidence during the week and head out on more adventurous rides at the weekend on this powerful and rugged e-bike.

The powerful Cannondale Tesoro Neo X 1 is particularly rugged, making it a really versatile e-bike.

The Tesoro Neo X 1 is available with a step-thru frame too. 

 

Key Features:

1. Two Frame Options. Cannondale have made the all-new Tesoro Neo X 1 available in two different frame configurations to suit your own riding preferences. A dropped step-thru option gives you more freedom maneuvering in urban areas while those who are more confident may prefer the traditional top tube option.
2. Bosch Smart System. The Cannondale Tesoro Neo X 1 features Bosch’s Smart System consisting of a powerful Performance Line CX e-bike motor, efficient 750Wh battery, Kiox 300 display and eBike Flow app. The system stays fully up to date with ‘over the air’ updates to provide you with a totally connected ride.
3. See and be Seen. Keeping visibility high on their list of priorities the Cannondale designers have included aesthetically integrated lighting in the headtube of the frame and the rear pannier rack.
4. Durable Drivetrain. The Tesoro Neo X 1’s drivetrain has been spec’d to meet the specific demands of a rugged, trekking e-bike which faces daily usage on the commute to and from work.
5. Easy Accessibility. For quick top-up charges Cannondale have located the bike’s charge port high on the frame. The battery is removeable too if you prefer to charge it off the bike.
6. Intellimount Stem. This adjustable stem routes cables internally for a neat look and lets you mount your phone easily and securely too.

 

The Tesoro Neo X 1 is packed full of user-friendly tech.

 

The Tesoro Neo X 1 features Bosch’s Smart System which includes a powerful Performance Line CX motor.

 

The SR Suntour XCR34 suspension fork provides 100mm of plush suspension travel.

 

You can charge that efficient 750Wh battery on or off the bike, whatever your preference.

 

The Tesoro Neo X 1 includes aesthetically integrated lighting in the headtube of the frame and the rear pannier rack.

 

A durable drivetrain with a huge spread of gears adds to the Tesoro’s versatility.

 

Cannondale’s Intellimount stem routes cables internally for a neat look and lets you mount your phone easily and securely too.

 

With a nod to how this bike will be used Cannondale have included an Abus 4650X frame lock.

 

Cannondale Tesoro Neo X 1 geometry.

 

Cannondale Tesoro Neo X 1 Step Through RRP £5,000.00

 

Cannondale Tesoro Neo X 1 RRP £5,000.00

 

Full Specification:

• Frame: SmartForm C1 Alloy, step-thru, removable 750Wh downtube battery, integrated front running light, tapered headtube, internal cable routing, 135mm QR hub spacing, IS disc mount, motor protection
• Fork: SR Suntour XCR34, 100mm, coil, boost spacing, offset – 44mm (S) / 51mm (M, L)
• Drive Unit: Bosch Performance Line CX 250W
• Battery: Bosch PowerTube 750Wh
• Display: Bosch Kiox 300 / LED remote
• Charger Bosch 4A
• Rims: WTB STX i30 TCS, 32h, tubeless ready
• Hubs: (F) Shimano MT400, 15x110mm thruaxle, (R) Shimano R600, 32H, QR
• Spokes: Stainless Steel, 14g
• Tyres: Maxxis Pace 29×2.1” 53-622 (M,L) / 27.5×2.1” 53-584 (S)
• Pedals: Cannondale Fitness
• Crank: Bosch Gen4, 38T
• Chain: LinkGlide 10-speed
• Rear Cassette: Shimano Deore LinkGlide, 11-43, 10-speed
• Rear Derailleur: Shimano Deore LinkGlide Shadow RD+
• Shifters: Shimano Deore LinkGlide, 10-speed
• Handlebar: Cannondale Trekking
• Grips: Cannondale Ergo Fitness Dual Density, Lock-on
• Stem: Cannondale Urban Intellimount, internal cable routing, SP-Connect compatible phone mount
• Headset: Integrated Sealed Bearing, Tapered, internal cable routing
• Brakes: Magura CT 2-piston hydraulic disc, MDR-C rotors, 203mm/203mm
• Brake Levers: Magura CT hydraulic disc
• Saddle: Selle Royale Lookin
• Seatpost Parallelogram Suspension Seatpost, 31.6, 300mm (SM), 350mm (MD), 400mm (LG) Sizes SM, MD, LG
• Extras: Integrated headtube running light, Cannondale Urban rear rack (25kg, Racktime compatible), Curana Apollo fenders, Axa Blueline 30 headlight / Blueline taillight), kickstand, Abus 4650X frame lock (key-matched with battery lock)

 

 

Launched today! Wahoo has rolled out their all-new KICKR ROLLR. Yes, that’s right, the market leaders in smart trainer technology have created their very own smart roller. Those of you who are keen pro cycling fans may have spotted pre-market versions of the ROLLR at last year’s World Championship road race where a small selection of Wahoo sponsored pro teams had their riders warming up on these new smart rollers. There was quite a bit of noise around the KICKR ROLLR back then, but Wahoo kept us waiting on a release date through Autumn and Winter, however as of today they are available to us mere-cycling-mortals too! So why would you choose the KICKR ROLLR over one of Wahoo’s existing direct drive smart trainers? Well, it suits certain situations better and will give a more versatile training solution for some people’s circumstances; here’s how…

The KICKR ROLLR gives you all the benefits of a smart trainer without any need to remove your rear wheel.

 

Unlike their direct drive smart trainers the Wahoo KICKR ROLLR doesn’t require you to remove your rear wheel before using it. This means it’s much easier to take bikes on and off, making it better suited to riders wanting to move quickly and as fuss-free as possible from riding outdoors to indoors, or for racers warming up before an event. It also suits a household of cyclists who all want to access the same smart trainer but with no lengthy adjustment process between bikes.

The KICKR ROLLR suits a household of cyclists who want to use a smart trainer with the minimum of setup fuss each time.

 

The KICKR ROLLR accommodates a wide range of frame and tyre sizes via a quick-release adjustable wheelbase clamp; upfront their Safety Tyre Gripper secures the front wheel so that there’s no wheel removal required and your bike stays completely intact ready for a quick exit to the start line. Unlike traditional rollers the KICKR ROLLR provides a stable platform for big out-of-the-saddle efforts thanks to that secure front wheel clamp while the dual rollers give a more natural, singular ride feel compared to a direct drive trainer.

The Safety Tyre Gripper can accommodate tyres up to 2.1″ (53mm) wide.

 

The KICKR ROLLR’s Safety Tyre Gripper secures the front wheel quickly and easily.

 

One of the limits of a traditional set of indoor rollers is the lack of resistance available to replicate a hard session on the road; there’s no such concerns with the Wahoo KICK ROLLR thanks to controlled resistance and connectivity options that provide accurate power measurement and smart trainer control. The KICKR ROLLR seamlessly connects with bike-mounted ANT+ power meters and Wahoo are actually offering a bundle that includes the KICKR ROLLR along with their Wahoo SPEEDPLAY POWRLINK ZERO single-sided power meter pedals to provide you with everything you need for training to power indoors and outdoors.

The Wahoo POWRLINK ZERO pedals are available as part of a bundle deal along with the KICKR ROLLR smart rollers.

 

Quick and easy to fit a complete bike, the KICKR ROLLR is portable for pre-race warm-up sessions.

 

 

Enjoy the natural feel of riding rollers with the added security of the Safety Tyre Gripper configuration.

 

The Wahoo KICKR ROLLR smart bike rollers help bridge the gap between riding indoors and outdoors.

 

Wahoo KICKR ROLLR smart bike rollers RRP £699.99

Wahoo KICKR ROLLR smart bike rollers & Powrlink Zero single-sided power meter pedals bundle: RRP £1,199.99

 

Full Specification:

• Weight: 50 lbs / 22.6 kgs
• Product Dimensions:
  – Width: 31.25” / 79.5cm (front end)
  – Height: 34” / 86.5cm
  – Length: 57.5” – 65” / 146 – 165cm (wheelbase)
• Resistance Type: Electromagnetic
• Accuracy: +/- 1% (of external power meter)
• Connectivity: ANT+ FEC, Bluetooth, Direct Connect
• Max User Weight: 250 lbs / 113 kgs
• Maximum Power Output: 1500 watts
• Flywheel Weight: 10.5 lbs / 4.8 kgs
• Rear Wheel Size: 700c Road

 

Written by Johnny Dodgin

 

Have you seen our weekly 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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The wait is finally over! Launched today – Wahoo’s POWRLINK ZERO pedal-based power meter; the first dual-entry pedal-based power meter for road cyclists POWRLINK is built around the iconic Speedplay Zero pedal platform. There’s two POWRLINK ZERO models available allowing you to choose between a double-sided power meter or single-sided power meter configuration to suit your requirements and budget.

With POWRLINK designed around the hugely popular Speedplay Zero pedal system you’ll benefit from low stack height, easy dual-sided entry and, what they’re most famous for, that generous amount of float which is adjustable between  0-15 degrees.

The Wahoo POWRLINK ZERO is the first dual-entry pedal-based power meter for road cyclists.

 

Wahoo based their power meter design brief around ease of use and versatility; by locating the power meter within the body of their POWRLINK ZERO pedals they’ve made transferring your power meter from one bike to another quick and easy (compared with typical crank-based power meters for example).

Convenient and easy to switch from one bike to another the POWRLINK ZERO pedals are a really versatile power meter option.

 

The POWRLINK ZERO is brilliantly accurate when it comes to measuring power, with Wahoo taking the +/-1% accuracy seen in their KICKR series of smart trainers and applying it to these pedal-based power meters. POWRLINK ZERO uses an internal gyroscope to help compensate for cadence variation to give amore precise power measurement overall. Pedalling cadence data helps you refine your pedalling technique while the double-sided option will provide an insight into your power distribution between your right and left leg.

With the double-sided POWRLINK ZERO option you’ll be able to monitor power distribution between your right and left leg.

 

The single-sided POWRLINK ZERO option will measure your power and accuracy measurement within +1%

 

Wahoo have developed a neat rechargeable solution which clips around the POWRLINK ZERO pedal spindle; the rechargeable battery provides up to 75 hours of ride time while connection to devices is taken care of by ANT+ and Bluetooth. With integration at the front of their minds Wahoo have launched the all-new KICKR ROLLR smart rollers at the same time and are offering the single-sided POWRLINK ZERO pedals with it as part of a special bundle deal; this is another reflection of just how versatile these new pedal-based power meters can be, allowing you to transition your ride from outdoors to indoors.

Wahoo have developed a neat rechargeable solution which clips around the POWRLINK ZERO pedal spindle.

 

The rechargeable battery provides up to 75 hours of ride time.

 

The original Speedplay pedals were always highly regarded for their light weight and the new POWRLINK ZERO pedals don’t weigh much more, with the single-sided (left power measurement only) option weighing only 250 grams. Previously, with other power meters from other brands we’ve seen temperature fluctuations compromising the accuracy of the power readings that are generated; the POWRLINK ZERO pedals cleverly compensate for temperature variations providing precise power measurement in any riding conditions.

Wahoo POWRLINK ZERO Double-Sided power meter pedal RRP £849.99

 

Wahoo POWRLINK ZERO Single-Sided power meter pedal RRP £549.99

 

Full Specification:

Double-Sided

• Weight: 276g
• Dimensions: 3.9”x2” / 99mmx51mmx51mm
• Power Measurement: Dual Sided Power Measurement
• Cadence: Yes
• LED Indicators: Yes
• Left/Right Balance: Yes
• Battery Type: Rechargeable Lithium Battery
• Battery Life: 75+ Hours
• Connectivity: Multiple Bluetooth and ANT+
• Accuracy Power Measurement: +1%
• Temperature Compensation: Yes
• Water Resistance: IPX7
• Q-Factor: 55mm (Additional spacers available)
• Stack Height: 13mm
• Compatible Cleats: Speedplay Standard (included) and Easy Tension (sold separately)
• Max Rider Weight: 113.4KG

Single-Sided

• Weight: 250g
• Dimensions: 3.9”x2” / 99mmx51mmx51mm
• Power Measurement: Single (left) Sided Power Measurement
• Cadence: Yes
• LED Indicators: Yes
• Left/Right Balance: No
• Battery Type: Rechargeable Lithium Battery
• Battery Life: 75+ Hours
• Connectivity: Multiple Bluetooth and ANT+
• Accuracy Power Measurement: +1%
• Temperature Compensation: Yes
• Water Resistance: IPX7
• Q-Factor: 55mm (Additional spacers available)
• Stack Height: 13mm
• Compatible Cleats: Speedplay Standard (included) and Easy Tension (sold separately)
• Max Rider Weight: 113.4KG

 

Written by Johnny Dodgin

 

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We’re nearly there folks! It’s lighter in the mornings and the days are beginning to stretch out with dusk being later in the evening already, but beware! As we all know too well, Winter will come along and give us a final kicking in February and March, reminding us who’s boss before Spring arrives and smothers us with warmer air and the blessed relief of the sun upon our skin once again. Our intrepid landscape photographer Andrew Barlow is only too familiar with this cruel twist of fate, particularly here in the Lake District; with this in mind he headed out to put some of the best winter kit to the test…

Winter mountain biking in the Lake District brings its own challenges.

 

It’s that difficult time of the year when it takes more effort and logistical organisation to keep the cranks turning. Having the right choice of kit and the right bike setup can make or break a day in the hills and with temperatures dropping by roughly 1° Celsius for every 100 metres of elevation gained I’ve learned the hard way that getting your clothing right means you can stay in the hills for longer, with more time to capture that cracking landscape shot! I’ve put together a small selection of essential kit and clothing intended to keep the worst of the winter weather at bay.

Riding at elevation in winter means a 1° Celsius drop in temperature for every 100 metres gained.

 

Starting from the bottom up let’s focus on base layers and insulation; I usually work in a layering system to get the best efficiency of staying dry from the inside out. Excuse me if I’m preaching to the converted, but to the uninitiated AVOID cotton! Cotton is lovely in the right scenario, however out on hills, under exertion it’ll quickly pick up body moisture, has no sweat-wicking properties and insulate your body temperature. Switch to a synthetic base layer or better still a natural merino wool layer. Both fabrics wick moisture away from the skin moving it to the outer layer of the fabric keeping you dry and helping you to stay warm.

Winter kit and hardtails – if you’re well-organised mountain biking in the winter can be a really rewarding experience.

 

Over my base layer, I tend to wear some form of synthetic insulation, my main reason for this is that if it were to get wet it still retains 80% of its insulating qualities, keeping you warm! Sticking to synthetic insulation in the UK’s climate is a wise decision with it often being wet and cold; why am I recommending synthetic insulation over natural insulation options? Well, traditional down-filled products do not perform so well in really wet conditions as the down clumps together and sinks to the bottom of the jacket rendering it completely useless when it comes to retaining body heat.

Staying warm and dry is key to an enjoyable winter ride in the Lake District.

 

Now, let’s consider that all-important outer layer, namely waterproofs! The most effective waterproofs for mountain biking in the depths of winter are made from a breathable but protective ‘hydrophobic’ fabric that lets body moisture out but doesn’t let larger drops of water in; those rain drops should simply bead and fall away from the surface of your jacket. Made from a sophisticated form of polyurethane my breathable waterproof jacket will keep my entirety dry regardless of just how many hours of riding I’ve squeezed into those short winter days. The same goes for riding trousers designed specifically for mountain biking – they’ll certainly be more comfortable and protective from the elements on long, wet rides than conventional trousers or dare I say it – the sort of Lycra leggings typically worn back in the day.

A good waterproof jacket designed specifically for mountain biking will protect you from the elements while staying breathable.

 

Mountain bike trousers do a good job of repelling water and protecting you from cold winds.

 

When it comes to gloves the balance between warmth and dexterity is super-important because you’ll need your digits to do very important stuff such as shifting and stopping! Off-road there’s the added factor of crash protection, let’s be honest you need your hands to stay safe and injury-free regardless of temperature. I tend to wear gloves all year round giving me protection no matter what the weather and benefit from the enhanced grip when there’s a tendency to have sweaty hands. Look for a good pair of winter gloves that have been designed specifically for mountain biking, they’ll offer the perfect mix of warmth, crash protection and water-proofing without compromising on dexterity.

Good winter gloves will keep your hands warm and dry without compromising on dexterity.

 

My final essential item for winter riding off-road is a neck gaiter. It may seem a small and insignificant piece of kit but it can aid you in many different ways during cold weather rides. My primary use of a neck gaiter is as a helmet liner, keeping the brain freeze at bay especially on the long descents. The second way is as its name suggests – used as a neck gaiter and when the weather gets really Baltic and I’m braced against the wind on the hilltops I’ll use it to cover my face to protect me from that savage wind-chill. On a particularly cold, wet day in the Lake District, you’ll catch me wearing all of the above to keep that pesky weather at bay!

A neck gaiter is a truly versatile piece of kit that helps shield you from the worst of the weather.

 

Now that we’ve got winter clothing sorted what about your ride? All hail the humble hardtail! Yes, we might all be seduced by the latest super-plush enduro bike but when it comes to mountain biking in the depths of winter it’s hard to argue against a hardcore hardtail. They stand up well to the elements, are easier to maintain and will help sharpen up your bike handling skills too. Here in the Lake District, with every ride featuring unforgiving, steep, rocky, loose terrain we run our hardtails with long-travel forks, wide handle bars, dropper seat posts and 29er wheels fitted with wide tyres and featuring plenty of puncture protection. Winter kit and hardtails – it’s survival mode, but it works!

A hardcore hardtail – the perfect ride for a winter in the Lake District.

 

Written by Andrew Barlow

Photos by Andrew Barlow

 

Have you seen our weekly 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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ENTER ONLINE

Join us on Saturday the 5th of March for the Wheelbase Spring Classic Sportive!

 

Photo by James Vincent

We’ve almost made it through another long winter and are now quickly heading towards Spring; what better to mark the transition into slightly warmer, longer days than joining us for the return of our Wheelbase Spring Classic Sportive.

Starting and finishing at our Wheelbase Lake District store in the village of Staveley in the South Lakes the Spring Classic Sportive takes you through scenic valleys and over hills with stunning vistas. There’s two great courses to choose from with both routes heading south eastwards through Cumbria taking in some very quiet back lanes that you’re probably completely unaware of (unless you’ve done our Sportive before!).

Choose between our shorter 34 mile route or longer 55 mile route to suit you and your own abilities for a really social ride with like-minded cyclists on some the best roads the UK has to offer, taking in the beautiful views of the Howgills, Dent and Barbon.

To keep things interesting we’ve included a timed hill climb up Shacklabank, a tricky little climb which will see our fastest male and female cyclists crowned King and Queen of the Mountain with a £75.00 Wheelbase gift voucher awarded to both winners.

Choose the long route and head further afield but get a bonus refreshments stop before heading back to Staveley for tea, cake and time to check out our huge range of bikes in the UK’s largest cycle store. Saturday the 5th of March is also the date for one of Procycling’s most demanding Spring Classic races – the Strade Bianche race which takes place on the white gravel roads of Tuscany in Italy; we’ll have it on live on the big screen at Wheelbase HQ when you finish the Sportive!

Entries are limited so make sure you get your entry in now!

 

Date: Saturday 5th March
Venue: Wheelbase Lake District, Staveley
Registration: From 08:30
Event Start: From 09:30
Minimum Age to enter: 16
Places available: 250