Author: John Dodgin

Saturday the 17th of July saw the first round of the all-new Great Northern Crit Series supported by Wheelbase taking placing under blue skies and high temperatures at the Salt Ayre circuit on the banks of the River Lune in Lancaster.

The Great Northern Crit Series is a new National B Crit Series across the North of England boasting a men’s and women’s race with equal prize money and equal race distances as well as a 3/4 Cat support race. This top new crit series is a Loftus Tours Production organised by one of our long-serving Wheelbase Cabtech Castelli team riders – Tyla Loftus; we are proud to support the series and are excited to see some top racing in the next few weeks and months.

Round one saw a special extra incentive for race success – PIES! Thanks to our fellow race sponsor Geo Middlemiss & Son butchers for providing the podium pies!

The Women’s National B saw plenty of attacking throughout the race, but with no break sticking until the end we were treated to a bunch sprint which saw Lucy Lee take the win from Samantha Stuart in second place with Flora Knight sprinting strongly to take the final place on the podium.

The Men’s National B race was frenetic from the start with multiple attacks going from the gun. Eventually a group of 6 strong riders was established and this held until the end of the race when Leon Mazzone took the win in a sprint from the select breakaway group. Thomas Mitchell took the second place with Ashley Marshall rounding out the podium for his Geo Middlemiss & Son pie!

The 3/4 Cat support race supported by Middlemiss & Son Butchers was fast paced from the get-go and saw multiple attacks from the bunch until Ryan Coulton managed to stay away before being joined by a super-strong Jake Makin who would eventually go on to take the win.

Special thanks to Ellen Isherwood for capturing the event with her awesome photos! Check them out below…

The Women’s race was fast and frenetic…

Ryan Middlemiss strings out the bunch…

The Women’s National B race took place in sweltering conditions…

Logan Maclean in action after his comeback from serious injury and racing strongly…

Stu Reid puts the power down out of the corners…

Logan Maclean rode strongly in the National B race…

Gemma Sargent throwing her bike over the line for 4th place in the Women’s National B race…

Stu Reid checking to see if he’s escaped the pack…

 

Written by Johnny Dodgin

Photos by Ellen Isherwood

 

Race Results

Wheelbase Women’s Nat B Series

1. Lucy Lee Team LDN – Brother UK (2nd Cat)
2. Samantha Stuart Crimson Orientation Marketing (2nd Cat)
3. Flora Knight Loughborough Lightning – TRG (2nd Cat)
4. Gemma Sargent Saint Piran WRT (2nd Cat)
5. Savannah Morgan Isorex NoAqua Ladies Cycling T (3rd Cat)
6. Olivia French SKODA DSI Cycling Academy (3rd Cat)
7. Amy Gornall Pro-Noctis – Redchilli Bikes (2nd Cat)
8.  Nicola Soden Datalynx-Parenesis Cycling (2nd Cat)
9. Isla Rush AWOL Worx Galliard (3rd Cat)
10. Rebecca Rimmington (3rd Cat)
11. Gabrielle Duckworth Datalynx-Parenesis Cycling (3rd Cat)
12. Jane Hellewell Datalynx-Parenesis Cycling (2nd Cat)
13. Daisy Barnes Brother U.K – Cycle Team On Form (3rd Cat)
14. Issy McKinnon Team 22 (3rd Cat)
15. Iona Sewell Datalynx-Parenesis Cycling (2nd Cat)

Wheelbase Men’s Nat B Series

1. Leon Mazzone Crimson Orientation Marketing (2nd Cat)
2. Thomas Mitchell Birkenhead North End CC (1st Cat)
3. Ashley Marshall (2nd Cat)
4. Conor McKinnon Dolan Ellesse Race Team (2nd Cat)
5. Joe Coukham Prologue Racing Team (2nd Cat)
6. George Peden Team PB Performance (2nd Cat)
7. Tom Cullen Otley CC (2nd Cat)
8. Jack Crook Dolan Ellesse Race Team (1st Cat)
9. Chris Sherriffs Crimson Orientation Marketing (Elite)
10. Louis Moore Vanelli-Project Go (2nd Cat)
11. Matti Dobbins RT23 (1st Cat)
12. Craig Rogers Cambridge University CC (2nd Cat)
13. Tom Lowe (1st Cat)
14. Jamie Mackenzie META Bike Division (2nd Cat)
15. David Hill Giant-Kendal RT (2nd Cat)
16. Tarn Fynn Manchester Bicycle Club (2nd Cat)
17. Jordan Hill ASFRA Racing Team (1st Cat)
18. Gregor McArthur Vanelli-Project Go (2nd Cat)
19. Simon Wilson Ribble Weldtite Pro Cycling (Elite)
20. Sam Kettlewell TS Racing (2nd Cat)
21. Logan Maclean Wheelbase CabTech Castelli (1st Cat)
22. Joseph Wilson Cog Set Papyrus Racing Club (3rd Cat)
23. Matthew Dobbing Cleveland Whls RT/Catley Lakeman RT (1st Cat)
24. Mark Jagger Lifting Gear Prod- CyclesInMotion (2nd Cat)
25. Corey Whiteford Lanark Race Team (A Cat)
26. Richard Evans Birkenhead North End CC (2nd Cat)
27. Alistair Thomas Crimson Orientation Marketing (1st Cat)
28. Sam Lashley Wheelbase CabTech Castelli (2nd Cat)
29. Declan Hudson Dolan Ellesse Race Team (1st Cat)
30. Chris Thomas CCCR (2nd Cat)
31. Stuart Reid Wheelbase CabTech Castelli (3rd Cat)
32. Oliver Huszar Crimson Orientation Marketing (1st Cat)

Geo Middlemiss & Sons 3/4 Support Race

1. Jake Makin Windle Race Team (3rd Cat)
2. Ryan Coulton Better Cycling (4th Cat)
3. Russell McLean Beacon Wheelers (3rd Cat)
4. John Bardsley Cog Set Papyrus Racing Club (A Cat)
5. Sonny Miles-Currey (4th Cat)
6. David Jackson Chorley Cycling Club (3rd Cat)
7. Jonathan-James Foster-Smith (4th Cat)
8. Leon Barnes CCCR (3rd Cat)
9. Harry Hunt Otley CC (3rd Cat)
10. Thomas McCann (3rd Cat)
11. Matthew Maguire JRC-Shutt-Ridley Race Team (3rd Cat)
12. Keith Law Lakes RC (4th Cat)
13. Ricardo Torrao Inflite-Dynamic Rides Race Team (3rd Cat)
14. Thomas Minns Giant-Kendal RT (3rd Cat)
15. John Bolton Chorley Cycling Club (4th Cat)
16. Archie Duckworth Green Jersey CC (3rd Cat)
17. William Dykes Cog Set Papyrus Racing Club (3rd Cat)
18. Simon Mulholland Hoppers Rollers (3rd Cat)
19. Tom Lees JRC-Shutt-Ridley Race Team (3rd Cat)
20. Ryan Middlemiss Wheelbase CabTech Castelli (3rd Cat)

CHAPEAU to Mark Donovan!

Local lad Mark Donovan of Penrith, Cumbria has just completed his first Tour De France finishing a brilliant 45th place overall, as the second-placed Brit only 4 places behind former Tour De France winner Geraint Thomas and ahead of 4 time winner of the Tour De France Chris Froome. As Mark is only 22 years old he is part of the separate Under 23 category and finished in a brilliant 8th place in this race within a race.

We want to extend our huge congratulations to Mark who has previously competed as part of the WHEELBASE racing team, representing us as a Junior on the gruelling Cyclocross circuit.

Racing for the DSM professional squad Mark rode a really strong race at the Tour De France getting in various stage breakaways and making himself seen at the front of the race. Mark’s most successful day on the Tour came on stage 15 from Céret to Andorra la Vella where he rode strongly in the breakaway during one of the most arduous days of the race climbing multiple mountains to finish in a fantastic 14th place on the stage.

Mark is the 2nd Cumbrian to complete a Grand Tour with our other Cumbrian World Tour professional James Knox of Deceuninck-Quick-Step recently completing the Giro D’Italia in May.

Mark had a really tough build up to the race, with his mother passing away only a month before the start of the Tour De France; in interviews at the end of the race he acknowledged that the Tour was made all the tougher because of this with Mark dedicating his achievement to her.

In his first ever Tour De France Mark really showed his qualities, racing with a mature head and a focus on finishing strongly towards the end of the race.

Massive well done to Mark, we know how hard he has worked to be able to race successfully at the highest level of the sport in the Tour De France. In what must have been a really emotional personal journey Mark has excelled himself. Chapeau Mark!

Photos by Chris Auld

Coming up on Tuesday the 20th of July – the 5th and final round of the popular Wheelbase Lakeland Lanequest series, and this one’s a special one! To mark the 25th year of running Lanequest events Carol McNeill who started it all way back in 1995 will be re-running the original event…

Celebrating 25 Years! – The Lakeland Lanequest series has gone from strength-to-strength assisted by WHEELBASE, The UK’s largest cycle store.

The philosophy of Lakeland Lanequest is to provide a series of fun and challenging cycle-orienteering events on 6 consecutive Tuesday evenings through June and July. The events are designed to be very inclusive and aimed at all abilities, on all styles of bikes, all ages and families. This year for the first time there’s an e-Bike category too! Following on from the 2020 hiatus caused by the Coronavirus pandemic the return of the Wheelbase Lakeland Lanequest series has proved really popular so far this year; why not join us for this special final round?!

Harking back to the very first event back in 1995 Round 5 will be taking on the same terrain and this means it’s a mix of road and off-road terrain. The off-road sections are very gentle and you’ll have no problem riding them on a normal road-going bike, however you could also ride the route on your mountain bike, gravel bike or even an e-bike as Lanequest now have an e-bike category!

After the ride there will be a prize presentation by Wheelbase and each competitor taking part in this final series will receive a special commemorative prize courtesy of us!

It’s a party! There will be music (and dancing) with local Staveley band LUKKIE performing too. 

ROUND 5 – TUESDAY 20TH JULY, MANOR HOUSE, OXEN PARK, LA12 8HG

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

LAKELAND LANEQUEST 2021

ROUND 5 – TUESDAY 20TH JULY

Click here for more info

Click here for results.

Want to go on an adventure? Fed up of the same out-and-back loops that you ride week in, week out? How about loading up your bike with everything you need to take on multiple-day rides, heading out further than you would, straight from your front door to explore new places that have been on your bucket list for ages. The Tour De Fer 10 represents Genesis’ vision of affordable escapism; a pure-bred touring bicycle designed and constructed specifically to carry you and your cycle-touring equipment efficiently and in comfort, letting you plan that epic adventure in confidence; the only thing left to consider is which stunning location you’re going to set up camp at.

The Tour De Fer 10 represents Genesis’ vision of affordable escapism…

At just £1,399.99 the Genesis Tour De Fer 10 is a great starter option if you’re curious about cycle-touring and want to begin taking on regular on-bike adventures. The design brief for Genesis was simple – put together a robust, reliable and sensibly geared touring bike that includes everything required to carry light loads and negotiate challenging terrain; they’ve managed to strike the perfect balance between hitting that accessible price point without cutting corners when it comes to frame materials, construction techniques and their chosen componentry.

If you have ambitions to start cycle-touring the Genesis Tour De Fer 10 is a great starter option…

Made from Genesis Mjolnir seamless double-butted chromoly the authentically crafted frame and fork is a throw-back to the romantic old days of handmade steel touring bicycles but also includes all of the modern aspects of bike design and manufacture that have contributed to making cycling more enjoyable. A lightweight Aheadset headset system, cable-activated mechanical disc brakes and an efficient Shimano Sora drivetrain with a huge spread of gears made up of a triple 50/39/30T chainset and a 9-speed 11/32T cassette means that while this bike looks like a retro classic it’s actually bang-up-to-date and will make your riding experience that much more fun, encouraging you to strike out further into the wilderness.

This classic-looking touring bike features plenty of contemporary tech…

A typical touring bike not only has the job of carrying you over mixed, unpredictable terrain it’s got to be able to carry a fair amount of luggage too; with this in mind Genesis have spec’d a pair of tough, reliable touring wheels with a 36 spoke count front and rear for a stronger wheelset. Carrying a load means your bike isn’t as light and agile as it would be without luggage, this means you’ll invariably hit more potholes and rough terrain without the ability to make sudden changes of direction. All that means you need a great pair of tyres that are wide enough to cushion you and your bike from the extra forces encountered on a fully laden touring bike; Genesis have fitted durable 37c Schwalbe Marathon tyres, a popular choice amongst experienced cycle-tourist thanks to their tough, puncture resistant tyre compound, fast-rolling capacity and extra cushioning.

All of the components on the Tour De Fer 10 have been chosen with durability and load-carrying-capacity in mind…

The Genesis Tour De Fer 10 comes fitted with a rear pannier rack for short-to-mid length cycle touring trips; the front fork also features bolt-on-bosses enabling you to retrofit a front pannier rack too when you need to carry even more luggage, say for example, to take on an epic two week adventure touring Europe or similar. Genesis have spec’d full-length mudguards on the Tour De Fer 10 too because, as we all know, the weather can be really unpredictable regardless of the time of year!

So the Tour De Fer 10 is a fantastic machine designed to introduce you to the world of cycle touring and is built ready to take you on some great pedal-powered journeys; however, if you’re trying to rationalise buying a bike like this it’s worth noting that just such a machine also makes a brilliant daily commuter too. This setup can easily handle trips to and from work with the laptop in your rear pannier bag and those full mudguards protecting you from road spray on your way to the office.

The Genesis Tour De Fer 10 is a really versatile machine…

The Genesis Tour De Fer 10 is available in-store and online now.

Full Specification:

• Frame: Genesis Mjolnir seamless double-butted chromoly
• Fork: Genesis full Chromoly
• Shifters: Shimano Sora ST-R3030 3×9-Speed
• Rear Derailleur: Shimano Sora RD-R3000 9-Speed
• Front Derailleur : Shimano Sora FD-R3030
• Cassette : Shimano CS-HG400-9 11/32T 9-Speed
• Chainset: Shimano FC-R3030 50/39/30T 3-Speed
• Chain: KMC X9
• Bottom Bracket: Shimano BB-ES300
• Pedals: NW-91K With Cage
• Brakes: PROMAX DSK-717RA Mechanical Disc
• Wheelset: Front – KT-K08 Hub, Jalco XCD22 Rim
• Wheelset: Rear – KT-K08 Hub, Jalco XCD22 Rim
• Front Tyre: Schwalbe Marathon 700x37c
• Rear Tyre: Schwalbe Marathon 700x37c
• Stem: Genesis Alloy, 31.8mm, -6 deg, 100mm
• Headset: PT-1606 EC34 Upper / EC34 Lower
• Handlebar: Genesis Alloy
• Handlebar Tape: Genesis
• Seat Post: Genesis Alloy 27.2mm
• Saddle: Genesis

 

Written by Johnny Dodgin

Photos by James Vincent

 

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It’s Fast Bike Friday! Today we’re taking a closer look at the Specialized Tarmac SL7 Expert road bike, a super-slick carbon aero road bike that also happens to climb like a demon. This mechanical Shimano Ultegra-equipped SL7 Expert is race-ready straight out of the box and features a pair of Specialized Roval carbon wheels too making this bike a fantastic option for someone looking for a modern, disc-brake-equipped, aerodynamic all-rounder that excels on the hills but can cut it at that pan-flat weekly crit too.

The Specialized Tarmac has been around for a long time in many different guises, however the latest SL7 model was only launched last July. 2020 was an odd year for many reasons! With the global Coronavirus pandemic impacting the bike industry and professional bike racing many brands pushed back important launch days, but not Specialized. Looking at the calendar it was clear that Specialized originally planned to launch the all-new Tarmac SL7 at the Tour De France, but with the Grand Tour being postponed until September this wasn’t possible and Specialized pushed on with the launch allowing retailers and customers alike to get their hands on the new model before the pros.

The Tarmac SL7 is a super-light climbing machine which also happens to be particularly aerodynamic…

Over the past decade we saw a trend for leading bike brands to develop an out-an-out aero road bike that typically sat alongside a super-light climbing bike aimed at dancing up mountains in record time and possibly a third option focused more around endurance and comfort all within their wide range of road bikes. Specialized were one such bike brand, with their previous Tarmac SL6 providing the most climbing efficiency, their Roubaix focused on endurance and comfort and their Venge model boasting the most aero-efficient chassis within their range.

All that changed last July with the launch of the SL7 with Specialized claiming that this new bike was almost as aerodynamically efficient at their Venge while being so light and responsive that it was their best climbing bike to date too. Specialized product manager Cam Piper said “This is one bike to rule them all, putting an end to the idea of a climbing bike and an aero bike. That idea is simply old fashioned. We have the technical ability to create a bike that’s as aero as rules allow and as light as rules allow in a single package. Anything else would be forcing riders to make a compromise on race day, and we just weren’t okay with that anymore. Asking riders to pick between two different bikes is so 2019!” Specialized went on to explain how the all-new Tarmac SL7 was so effective that it allowed Julian Alaphilippe to win with his attacking, climbing style and Peter Sagan to take victories in powerful, aero-efficient style. A year on from launch we’d have to agree, with Alaphilippe since taking multiple wins including the World Championships and Sagan winning stages and the points jersey in the Giro D’Italia onboard the versatile Tarmac SL7. Now they can add to that illustrious list with Mark Cavendish returning to form at this year’s Tour De France, taking four stage victories so far and equalling Eddy Merckx’s record of 34 Tour De France stage wins within his career (at time of writing; there may be more to come?!).

In the comeback story of the year Mark Cavendish has already piloted the Tarmac SL7 to four Tour De France sprint wins at time of writing…

Professional racers and keen amateurs alike have long recognized the Specialized dynasty of previous Tarmac models for their balanced, confidence-inspiring handling. The SL7 is no different; with endless hours of testing and feedback from men’s and women’s professional cycling teams SD Worx, Deceuninck-Quick-Step and Bora-Hansgrohe this bike has been tuned to be not only aero-efficient and super-responsive on the uphills but is renowned for its notable comfort even after long training and racing hours in the saddle. Point the Tarmac SL7 downhill and that finely-tuned frame geometry, sophisticated carbon construction and those powerful but easy to modulate disc brakes come together to give a truly confidence-inspiring ride, keeping you in control even when you’re under pressure in a mid-race move.

When you cast your eyes over the following few images of the Tarmac’s frame and forks it’s clear to see just how much effort Specialized have put into making the new-gen SL7 as aerodynamically efficient as possible. Taking everything they learned from the Venge the Specialized engineers have taken integration to the next level to create a clean, clutter-free cockpit which has also been developed to be user-friendly when it comes to working on and maintaining the bike. With improved routing it’s possible to work with any configuration – mechanical shifting, Di2 cables, traditional stems and round bars so whatever your preference you’ll be able to fine-tune your cockpit with the minimum of fuss and time in the workshop.

The Tarmac SL7 is heavily influenced by its Tarmac predecessors and is refined with feedback from the leading pro cycling teams… 

Truncated aerodynamically-profiled frame tubes make the Tarmac SL7 super-efficient at cutting through the air… 

Thin -profile, dropped seatsays are well-proven in the wind tunnel and within real world racing!

An internal seatclamp adjusted at the top tube / down tube junction helps keep the frame’s profile super-aero…

Unlike some other brands Specialized have ensured that any adjustments required to the cockpit position are as user-friendly as possible…  

Seen from the front it’s clear how aero-efficient the fully-integrated cockpit is…

The Specialized Tarmac SL7 Expert features Shimano’s mechanical Ultegra 11-speed groupset. This no-nonsense drivetrain is well-proven and ultra-reliable with a light-action feel to each and every gear shift. The 11-speed Ultegra Disc R8020 mechanical levers with hydraulic brakes are nice and ergonomic fitting comfortably in your hands when you’re riding on the hoods and are compact regardless of the fact that they are housing a hydraulic master cylinder. When it comes to gear ratios Specialized have spec’d a more race-focused 52/36T chainset up front matched with an 11/30T 11-speed rear cassette; while not as low as a 50/34T x 11/32T option you might find on some less racey bikes there’s still plenty of capacity when it comes to having the right gear choice for tough hilly climbs or flat-out high-speed flatter terrain.

Specialized have spec’d an 11-speed Ultegra groupset and gone for more race-focused gear ratios compared to other road bikes available…

The 11-speed Shimano Ultegra rear derailleur provides crisp, precise gear shifts…

The Ultegra front derailleur provides immediate gear changes which are secure even when you’re changing gears out of the saddle…

The Ultegra chainset is super-stiff and light, featuring 52/36T chainrings…

The profile of the 11-speed Ultegra Disc R8020 levers feel good in your hands… 

It’s pretty amazing how quickly disc brake technology on road bikes has been developed and refined, with hydraulic disc brakes on mid to high-end road bikes now being the norm. We’ve quickly moved from obsessing about them and how they affect the bike in terms of weight and performance to simply expecting them on road bikes like the SL7 Expert; this is testament to just how much work component manufacturers such as Shimano and bike brands such as Specialized have put into making disc brakes really perform on road bikes. A few years back road bikes with disc brakes meant some sort of compromise on the overall weight of the bike, this is no longer a concern thanks to some clever engineering in the manufacture of the disc-specific carbon frames, refinement of hydraulic brake technology and further developments in disc-brake-specific wheel technology. The Tarmac SL7 features Shimano’s neat Ultegra flat-mount disc brake calipers with finned brake pads to help cool them on long descents; levers, calipers and rotors work in unison to provide powerful, consistent, easy-to-modulate braking in all conditions and on wet or dry roads.

Shimano’s Ultegra flat-mount disc brake calipers are compact, neat and powerful…

Specialized have spec’d a pair of super-light, stiff and fast-rolling Roval C 38 disc carbon, tubeless-ready wheels with a versatile rim depth of 38mm providing an aero advantage on fast, flat stretches of road but still light and spritely enough to perform really well on the climbs. With a modern 21mm rim width these wheels comfortably accommodate tyres that are 25-28mm wide helping to create a tyre profile with a greater surface area for enhanced grip on any road surface. Setting up the Roval C 38 wheels tubeless is worth the effort too, decreasing rolling resistance and providing dependable puncture protection.

The versatile Roval C 38 carbon tubeless-ready wheels add areo-advantage on fast, flat roads and feel spritely on the climbs…

The Roval C 38 wheels feature dependable DT Swiss sealed-bearing hubs…

Thru-axle DT Swiss hubs provide a secure interface with the Tarmac SL7 frame and provide perfect alignment with the disc brake rotors…

Specialized spec their own-brand finishing kit with the integrated bar and stem being aero and adjustable to suit individual preferences…

Specialized’s Body Geometry Power Expert saddle features titanium rails and a modern, short profile that will suit most riders…

With a large cut out and a short, stubby profile Specialized’s Body Geometry principles provide a super-comfy saddle…

The Specialized Tarmac SL7 Expert really is the complete package when it comes to pulling a bike out of the box, ready to race. Featuring a versatile frameset that’s both aerodynamically efficient and spritely on the climbs the Tarmac SL7 really benefits from its rich racing heritage and the development work that Specialized have done over the past few decades with some of the best professional cyclists in the world. Factor in an ultra-reliable Shimano Ultegra 11-speed mechanical groupset, powerful hydraulic disc brakes and those classy, performance-enhancing Roval C 38 carbon wheels and the SL7 Expert is just waiting to be ridden hard at your local crit series, chain gang or simply for the ‘win’ on the road-sign-sprint during your next social group ride.

The Specialized Tarmac SL7 Expert is a truly versatile machine with a rich racing heritage…

The Specialized Tarmac SL7 Expert is available in-store and online now…

Full Specification:

• Frame: Tarmac SL7 FACT 10r Carbon, Rider First Engineered™, Win Tunnel Engineered, Clean Routing, Threaded BB, 12x142mm thru-axle, flat-mount disc
• Fork: FACT Carbon, 12x100mm thru-axle, flat-mount disc
• Shifters: Shimano Ultegra Disc R8020 11-speed
• Rear Derailleur: Shimano Ultegra R8000, braze-on
• Front Derailleur : Shimano Ultegra R8000, Shadow Design, 11-speed
• Cassette : Shimano Ultegra R8000, 11-speed, 11-30t
• Chainset: Shimano Ultegra R8000, HollowTech 2
• Brakes: Shimano Ultegra, Hydraulic disc
• Wheelset: Front – Roval C 38 Disc, carbon, tubeless-ready, 38mm depth, 24h
• Wheelset: Rear – Roval C 38 Disc, carbon, tubeless-ready, 38mm depth, 24h
• Front Tyre: S-Works Turbo, 120 TPI, folding bead, BlackBelt protection, 700x26mm
• Rear Tyre: S-Works Turbo, 120 TPI, folding bead, BlackBelt protection, 700x26mm
• Stem: Tarmac integrated stem, 6-degree
• Handlebar: Specialized Expert Shallow Drop, alloy, 125mm drop x 75mm reach
• Seat Post: S-Works Tarmac Carbon seat post, FACT Carbon, 20mm offset
• Saddle: Body Geometry Power Expert, titanium rails
• Tape: Supacaz Super Sticky Kush

 

Written by Johnny Dodgin

Photos by James Vincent

 

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

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We’ve got new bikes coming into stock every day at WHEELBASE, here’s just a selection of some of our latest arrivals from the World’s best brands…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

UPDATE! He’s done it! Following on from our feature on his ALT TOUR we’re pleased to confirm that Lachlan Morton has successfully completed his challenge! Skip to the bottom of our original report to see his final stats for this gruelling ride…

 

Lachlan Morton of the EF Education NIPPO pro-cycling team is in the process of upstaging the entire field of this year’s Tour De France. Only a few days into a unique cycling challenge Lachlan and his exploits have caught the attention of not only the world’s cycling press but also the wider media as he undertakes the ‘Alt Tour’. So what’s Lachlan up to and what exactly is the Alt Tour? Well first, let’s have a quick Tour De France history lesson…

…We all know the modern Tour De France as a 3 week high-speed race packed full of drama and stunning athletic performances. Packed full of the very best professional cyclists in the world it’s all about flat-out speed and efficiency, with the race being spread over 21 stages each day is in effect a separate race with its own stage winner and a race leader who has the least amount of overall time over the combined stages wearing the iconic Yellow jersey. In a modern Tour riders are ferried to the start of each stage on their team buses and collected at the finish to move on to the next stage start the following day. Depending on the course that’s set around France it’s not unusual to see the riders being transferred 100’s of kilometres between some stages such is the demand for French towns and cities to host a stage start or finish. The modern Tour De France is so demanding when it comes to rider performance the organisers have even factored in two rest days within the three week race.

Lachlan Morton is taking on a unique challenge during this year’s Tour De France…

(Image by EF Education NIPPO)

The Tour De France wasn’t always this way; hark back to the very early days of this gruelling spectacle and the race was very different. The Tour of old featured ultra-long stages made up of distances of more than 200-300 miles, with riders competing self-supported, racing the vast distances while feeding themselves at road-side cafés and repairing their bikes themselves as and when they needed to. These historic Tour De Frances in the early 1900’s saw riders racing through the night to reach the end of each stage and this format of ultra-endurance racing caught the imagination of the French public and made hero’s out of these brave men.

Leap forward over one hundred years and the race has transformed, now being completely different to its earliest incarnation. During that time cycling has diversified and split into so many sub-genres as the sport continues to evolve and new cycling disciplines are born; in the past decade we’ve seen a real resurgence of ultra-endurance cycling events, with gravel bikes playing a large part in the development of this sort of single or multi-stage competition which sees competitors riding vast distances while being completely self-supported, carrying all of their own equipment including camping kit in the case of multi-day adventures.

Lachlan Morton is no stranger to self-supported ultra-endurance bike races…

(Image by EF Education NIPPO)

When it comes to the most gruelling multi-stage adventure races out there one man more than most sticks out – Lachlan Morton is a professional road cyclist who races for the EF Education Nippo team, competing all over the world at the highest level including Grand Tour races such as the Giro D’Italia. With an alternative race calendar between those conventional road races Lachlan has carved a niche for himself by also competing and excelling in such gruelling ultra-endurance events as the GBDURO.

Now Lachlan Morton takes on his greatest cycling challenge yet – racing the Tour De France completely unsupported in an effort to beat the race to the finishing line in Paris. Setting off at the same time as this year’s race departed from Brest in Brittany Lachlan has been riding ultra-long distances each day carrying all of his own gear, camping at the side of the road and stopping at cafés and supermarchés to stay fuelled up for this gruelling challenge. Sounds impressive, but there’s more! Lachlan is not only following the route of this year’s Tour De France but is also riding the transitions between the stages which the Tour’s competitors will be taking by team bus or high speed train. This means that while this year’s total distance is 3,383 kilometres Lachlan’s Alt Tour will be 5,510 kilometres and will take on 65,500 metres of climbing compared to 42,200 metres in the ‘conventional Tour’.

Lachlan’s chosen bike for the Alt Tour is his versatile Cannondale SuperSix Evo Hi-Mod road bike…

(Image by EF Education NIPPO)

Having a wide range of Cannondale bikes to choose from Lachlan has gone for the SuperSix EVO Hi-Mod Disc, the same machine that his teammates will be using to take on the Tour De France, with this super-lightweight bike best suited to the Tour’s gruelling mountain stages. It’s a real indication of just how versatile the Cannondale SuperSix EVO is; while Lachlan could have chosen the more rugged Topstone gravel bike and perhaps compromised a little on flat-out speed in an effort to be more comfortable, he has confidently selected the SuperSix to gain a higher average speed while still being able to carry his full bike-packing luggage and remain comfortable and in control thanks to the bike’s compliant carbon frame with dropped seatstays, versatile spread of Shimano gearing and enhanced braking power thanks to those hydraulic disc brakes.

Lachlan is taking on the Alt Tour onboard a SuperSix EVO Hi-Mod very similar to the version we recently reviewed, click the image below to read more…

(Image by James Vincent)

The Cannondale SuperSix EVO is a fantastic example of a modern carbon race bike that’s a true all-rounder built to excel on all gradients and in all possible road racing scenarios – light and stiff to help you dance up the climbs, just the right amount of aerodynamic tube shaping to help you hold your speed on flat high-speed stretches and precise handling for a ride-feel that is truly confidence inspiring and encourages you to throw the bike into tight corners at the mid-week crit race. Benefitting from a rich racing heritage and all of the design and engineering experience that Cannondale have built up over the years the SuperSix EVO Hi-Mod has taken all the classic elements of the original and brought it bang up to date with all of the key features we’ve very quickly come to expect from a contemporary, premium, disc-equipped-road bike.

Read a full review of the SuperSix Evo Hi-Mod Disc Ultegra HERE

(Image by James Vincent)

Lachlan’s Alt Tour Equipment:

• Bike: Cannondale SuperSix EVO
• Wheels: Vision Metron
• Tyres: Vittoria Corsa
• Saddle: Prologo
• Aero Bars: Vision
• Pedals: Speedplay
• Powermeter: Power2Max
• Minipump: Silca Tattico
• Bike Computer: Garmin Edge 1030
• Bar Bag: Rapha
• Rear Pack: Rapha Waterproof
• Custom Frame Bag: By Tolcat
• GPS Tracker: Followmychallenge

Bike-Packing Luggage Contents:

• Foam sleeping pad
• Sleeping Bag
• Bivy
• Camping Pot
• Camp Burner
• Water Bladder
• Powerbank
• Spare lights and head lights
• Spare jerseys, bib shorts, Rapha puffy jacket, extra rain jackets
• Spare inner tubes & tyres

(Image by EF Education NIPPO)

Lachlan’s Alt Tour is gaining world wide attention right now and it’s great to see such a gruelling challenge capturing the attention of so many people. There’s a really important fund-raising element to the challenge too with his team sponsors EF Education First and Rapha each donating 500 bikes to World Bicycle Relief, a non-profit organisation that provides locally assembled and maintained bicycles built to be rugged and durable in an effort to provide sustainable transport for people to move from villages to towns to gain education and employment.

Click the image below to find out more about Lachlan’s challenge and the World Bicycle Relief charity he’s riding for…

(Image by EF Education NIPPO)

To follow Lachlan’s progress with the Alt Tour live tracker, click the image below…

 

UPDATE: July 13.07.21 Click the link below to read more on Lachlan’s amazing achievement…

After setting off from Brittany just over two weeks ago we’re happy to confirm that Lachlan has succeeded in his amazing challenge to complete this year’s Tour De France route AND all of the transfer miles (that the pros who are racing the Tour complete in the team buses or on a plane when it comes to the final transfer from the Pyrenees) beating the Peloton to Paris by six days! After riding for 17 consecutive days, taking on a gruelling route that included climbing the Alps and the Pyrenees mountains, carrying all of his own camping equipment and sleeping as and when he could at the side of the road Lachlan arrived in Paris at 5.30am this morning 13.07.21

Congratulations Lachlan!

Lachlan receives a hero’s welcome in the early hours of Tuesday morning in Paris…

 

Written by Johnny Dodgin

 

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

Click the link below and search our archive…

This week we’re looking at a stunning Trek Project One road bike – the Emonda SLR 9 eTap featuring the team colours of the Trek Segafredo professional cycling team. This lust-worthy ultralight road bike includes SRAM’s flagship electronic wireless groupset, featherweight Bontrager Aeolus RSL 37 carbon wheels and some great finishing kit including Bontrager Aelous RSL carbon integrated aero handle bar and stem.

The Emonda SLR 9 eTap in Project One Trek Segafredo colours…

Launched in the middle of 2020 while the world was coping with the Coronavirus pandemic the all-new Trek Emonda wasn’t revealed in the usual way that Trek typically showcase their flagship road bike. Rather than its debut being assigned to the Tour De France as previous incarnations have, the  Emonda was revealed to the public first, with Trek’s professional riders having to wait until later in the year to prove exactly what this cutting edge road bike could do within road racing at the highest level. Happily when the Tour De France did eventually take place we saw Trek Segafredo professional Richie Porte take a very well deserved 3rd place podium spot in Paris onboard the next-generation Trek Emonda.

More recently, during the 2021 Tour De France Bauke Mollema took an amazing solo victory onboard his beautiful Chroma finish Trek Emonda SLR 9, racing in the foothills of the Pyrenees after attacking the breakaway that he’d been in for the duration of Stage 14. The stunning Chroma finish is now available to the public as part of Trek’s Project One custom paint service, so you could get your own Emonda in this super-cool colour. Learn more about Trek’s Chroma Project One paintjob here.

Bauke Mollema pilots his chrome finish Trek Emonda SLR 9 to a stage win in the 2021 Tour De France…

Bauke Mollema’s Emonda SLR 9 was the perfect tool for the job – superlight on the climbs and super-aero on the flat roads…

This newest iteration of the Emonda saw some significant changes with Trek taking the previous super-popular model and bringing in enhanced aerodynamic frame profiling throughout. The Emonda mixes all of the ultralight properties from the former model and have combined it with a fair share of the aerodynamic benefits seen on their most recent Madone model. The new Emonda features its very own all-new grade of carbon tubing – Trek’s OCLV 800. As explained by Trek during the launch of the Emonda, when carbon tubing is reshaped to produce more aerodynamic profiles the intrinsic strength of each carbon tube can be compromised; to increase strength Trek would have had to increase the overall weight which of course is not a satisfactory design solution. To overcome this issue the Trek designers and engineers created OCLV 800 to give the perfect balance between aerodynamics and light weight; in short they produced a super-aero, responsive AND lightweight road bike that excels on the climbs as well as on the flat. Being ultra-light AND aero Trek claim this is the fastest climbing road bike that they have ever made. That’s a pretty bold claim from the American manufacturers, however, they have a lot of solid science and test results behind them to back up the claim and can show evidence of the bike being more aerodynamic even at the slower speeds encountered when climbing long hills.

Trek developed 800 Series OCLV for the new Emonda…

The Emonda SLR 9 sits at the top of Trek’s Emonda sub-range of road bikes and features exactly the same frame that’s used by the Trek Segafredo professional cycling team. This model features H1.5 geometry, developed with the Trek Segafredo pro cycling team, which puts the rider in the optimal aero racing position while still remaining comfortable on long all-day epic rides. It’s worth pointing out that this is the only change Trek have made, moving from H2 to H1.5. This simply means that the headtube is not quite as tall as on the previous version of the Emonda for a more racey feel. There are no other changes to the geometry of the Emonda frame and rightly so as  it was already sublime in terms of excellent handling; in fact I’ve talked at length about the Emonda’s geometry when we looked at the ALR version last year.

The Emonda SLR 9 features Trek’s H1.5 geometry…

The colours on the Project One custom painted Emonda are absolutely stunning with an iridescent finish on the deep blue portion of the frame which changes tone as it catches the light. As you’d expect from what is essentially a Trek Segafredo team replica bike this custom paint option screams TREK with their logo extending down the full length of the downtube.

This Emonda’s Project One paintjob is something to behold…

The Trek professional cycling team’s co-sponsor Segafredo is represented on the frames top tube…

As we’ve all quickly come to expect from a modern carbon aero-road-bike the Trek Emonda features a very neat, aerodynamic front end with all cables (in this case the only the hydraulic brake hoses, as there are NO gear cables on this bike) neatly routed from the SRAM brake/gear levers, through the aero-profiled integrated bar/stem combo and down into the steering tube of the frame with no exposed cable to create unwanted drag.

Bontrager Aelous RSL carbon integrated aero handle bar and stem and internal cables mean a super-aero front end…

That super-aero, fully integrated headtube, top tube, stem and steerer hides a motivational message…

As well as the aerodynamic Bontrager Aelous RSL carbon integrated aero handle bar Trek have spec’d their super-lightweight Bontrager XXX Full carbon 138mm wide saddle. This truly race-spec, minimal saddle may not be to everyone’s taste but it reflects just how performance-focused the Emonda SLR 9 is.

This saddle is one for the weight weenies…

As this model’s full name suggests Trek have spec’d their flagship bike with SRAM’s flagship eTap electronic, wireless groupset SRAM Red eTap AXS. This groupset is so slick, with wireless technology meaning that there are no cables or wires routed through the frame making for a simple, clean and efficient setup. The shifters contain a simple button-battery to power the shifting signal to both the front and rear derailleurs; at the drivetrain both front and rear mechs include simple rechargeable batteries that are quick and easy to remove and install. Every gear change is positive and precise and operation couldn’t be more simple or intuitive, simply press the right lever to shift down the block and the left lever to move up the block. Press both right and left levers together and the front mech will shift, either from the big ring to the small ring or the small ring to the big ring depending on were your chain is currently sitting. If you want to change how your bike shifts you can customise the settings via the SRAM App to enable you to shift up the block with the right lever and down the block with the left lever.

Positive, precise wireless gear shifting with SRAM Ret eTap AXS…

This is the very same groupset which features on the pro team’s bikes and consists of a 12-Speed drivetrain with SRAM AXS gearing which has effectively shrunk down a conventional drivetrain to slightly smaller ratios to give a wider spread of gears without any significant jump between each ratio. This means that the chainset features a 48 tooth outer ring and a 35 tooth inner ring combined with a 12-speed cassette with a 10-33 tooth spread. The SRAM Red eTap AXS groupset sports a unique chain design with a flat-profiled upper to each chain link, this helps to strengthen the chain which has become slightly slimmer to accommodate the 12 speed drivetrain. The chain design combined with a fluid clutch within the rear mech also means that chain retention is guaranteed.

The simplicity of the wireless rear mech with integrated rechargeable battery is a game-changer…

The SRAM Red eTap AXS front derailleur is simple to operate and guarantees perfect shifting…

Braking is taken care of with SRAM Red eTap AXS hydraulic disc brakes. These are powerful but easy to modulate brakes which keep you in control even in the heat of a frenetic road race regardless of the terrain and road conditions you’re racing in. With flat mounts on the Trek Emonda frame and fork the brake calipers look neat and uncluttered; thru-axles keep everything secure and in place further adding to the stiffness and positive handling of the bike .

Flat-mount SRAM Red eTap AXS hydraulic disc brake calipers are neat and uncluttered…

Another brilliant addition to this top-of-the-range groupset is the SRAM Red AXS power meter integrated into the chainset. This power meter measures right and left leg power balance and power readings are accurate within +/-1.5%

AXS power meter fitted as standard…

The Trek Emonda SLR 9 eTap features a pair of superlight Bontrager Aeolus RSL 37 wheels which have been developed alongside the bike with a focus on excelling on the climbs while still enhancing the aerodynamics of the overall setup. The Carbon rims are tubeless ready with a depth of 37mm and the wheels are shod with a pair of grippy but fast rolling 25mm wide Bontrager R4 320 handmade clincher tyres.

Bontrager Aeolus RSL 37 carbon wheels excel on the climbs…

This Trek Project One Emonda SLR 9 eTap is a great choice for the cyclist who is looking for a contemporary, cutting edge road bike that’s capable of doing it all. This brilliant all-rounder benefits from the years of development and refinement that have preceded it. The Emonda’s geometry is truly confidence inspiring; this bike feels agile without being skittish and is equally at home riding long epic rides in the hills as it is in a sprint finish at your local road race. A stunning paint job, a cutting edge wireless groupset and lightweight finishing kit combined with all of the ‘free speed’ gained from all of the aerodynamic development that has been put into this all-new Emonda means you get a stand-out road bike which is the absolute pinnacle of road bike design and manufacturing.

 

Blog written by Johnny Dodgin

Bike Photos by James Vincent

 

 

A quick heads up! Our Wheelbase North East and Wheelbase Yorkshire stores will closing early at 5.00pm on Friday 9th July and reopening a little later than normal at 9.30am on Saturday 10th July.

Apologies for any inconvenience caused, normal service resumes thereafter!

(Normal opening hours at our Lake District store – closing 5.30pm Friday 9th July, opening 9.00am Saturday 10th July)

This week for our Fast Bike Friday feature we’re back on the gravel! Initially, walking around the Wheelbase shop floor the Cube Nuroad C:62 SL gravel bike may not catch the eye; there’s no garish colour scheme or quirky frame features designed to isolate you from rough terrain like you might see from other brands. But stop and take a minute to cast your eye over the Nuroad C:62 SL and you’ll soon realise this is a really premium gravel bike with a great carbon chassis, a fantastic SRAM eTap AXS wireless groupset and super-light carbon wheelset. And then there’s that paint job; what you thought was just a matte black finish actually includes some stunning iridescent glitter details.

Blink and you might miss it, but the Cube Nuroad C:62 SL is a premium gravel bike packed full of biking bling…

The Cube Nuroad C:62 SL frameset is fully constructed from carbon fibre using their C:62 carbon technology with ATM (Advanced Twin Mold) construction; to decrease overall weight Cube’s ATM construction technique minimises imprecise overlaps of carbon fibre in the monocoque building process; the end result is a lighter overall frame weight.

Cube’s ATM construction technique helps decrease overall weight…

Look close up and there’s some stunning iridescent glitter paint details…

As we’ve already mentioned the Nuroad C:62 SL doesn’t feature any overt, gimmicky features to isolate the rider from rough terrain, however the overall construction and frame geometry DO add compliance to the ride quality of this gravel bike; with a slim 27.2mm carbon seatpost and dropped seatstays Cube have definitely engineered some comfort into the Nuroad C:62 SL. It’s great to see that there’s tons of tyre clearance on this gravel bike even with wide 45mm tyres fitted and you may also notice the dropped chainstay on the driveside of the bike – a clever way of building in enough clearance for the bike’s chainset and fat rear tyre; it also means that Cube have been able to keep the year triangle nice and short making the bike sharp and responsive. This superlight frame also features internal cable routing, flat-mounts for disc brakes and bolt-on-bosses for mudguards or a rear pannier rack.

A slim 27.2mm carbon seatpost and dropped seatstays adds noticeable compliance and comfort to your ride… 

The Cube C:62 fork features a 1 1/8″ – 1 1/4″ tapered steerer tube for increased stiffness and steering precision…

The matching carbon fork also uses Cube’s C:62 Technology and features flat mounts for discs as well as bolt-on-bosses for a mudguard…

We’ve enthused over the SRAM Force eTap AXS wireless groupset during previous Fast Bike Friday features thanks to its simple, intuitive-to-use functionality. One of the best things about SRAM groupset componentry is that they’re interchangeable between groupsets; they’re even interchangeable between components designed for road and mountain biking. This is where Cube have really utilised this quirk, mixing SRAM Force eTap AXS road components with SRAM XX1 Eagle AXS mountain bike components; the XX1 Eagle wireless rear derailleur combined with a wide-ratio 10-50T mountain bike cassette works brilliantly with SRAM’s 12-speed road shifters. With this clever setup Cube have been able to provide an even wider range of gear ratios that you’d normally find on a typical gravel bike making the Nuroad C:62 SL really versatile when it comes to being able to negotiate anything from the steepest, loosest off-road climbs to the smoothest, fastest on-road sections. With a single 42T chainring upfront the groupset is a simple setup that provides crisp, precise wireless gear shifts while the narrow/wide tooth profile on the chainring combined with a fluid clutch in the rear derailleur means that your chain stays located and secure even when the terrain gets rough.

Cube’s mix-and-match approach when it comes to SRAM’s groupset components means you get a huge range of gear ratios…

The light, stiff carbon Sram Force D1 DUB chainset with 42T chainring is a work of art…

Mixing SRAM road and mountain bike components is a clever move, giving a very broad range of gear ratios…

SRAM’s XX1 Eagle AXS wireless 12-speed rear derailleur with a fluid clutch provides slick gear shifting…

SRAM’s Force eTap AXS wireless gear shifters and hydraulic brake levers are simple and intuitive to use…

The ergonomic levers work well off-road giving your hands a secure hold even over rough terrain…

Disc braking on the Nuroad C:62 SL is provided by SRAM Force, with neat flat-mount disc brake calipers located neatly within the rear triangle and on the rear of the fork. The disc brake rotors are 160mm diameter on both the front and the rear and provide plenty of braking power even in wetter, more unpredictable off-road riding conditions. The Force levers feel good with just the right amount of lever pull allowing you to modulate your braking so that you’re always in control.

SRAM Force disc brake calipers and rotors work really well together providing ample braking power in any conditions…

The Cube Nuroad C:62 SL really is a premium-spec’d gravel bike and an important part of that spec is the wheelset; to help ensure that this gravel bike is super-light AND super-fast on road and off road Cube have included a pair of fast-rolling carbon Newmen Evolution SL X.R.25 gravel-specific wheels. These wheels feature tubeless-ready carbon rims with a nice rim width (25mm inner and 29.5 outer) which gives your tyre a slightly more square profile to put more of your tyre in contact the ground while helping to prevent pinch flats.

Newmen Evolution SL X.R.25 gravel-specific carbon wheels help give the Nuroad C:62 SL its spritely, lively feel…

Wide rims change the profile of your tyres to put more of your tyre in contact the ground while helping to prevent pinch flats…

The Newmen Evolution SL X.R.25 gravel-specific wheels feature hubs with durable double-sealed bearings and super-secure thru-axles – 12×100 on the front and 12x142mm on the rear, this helps to stiffen up the junction between wheels and frame/fork for enhanced steering response and ensure perfect alignment between the disc brake calipers and rotors.

Newmen alloy hubs are durable and gravel-ready thanks to their double-sealed bearings…

 

Cube have spec’d a pair of tubeless-ready WTB Riddler TCS gravel tyres with a nice wide 700x45C size to help make your gravel rides more comfortable and your bike handling more controlled thanks to their fatter size and larger contact area with the ground. Despite their 45mm width these tyres are fast-rolling and work well in nearly all circumstances; with a blocky low central tread pattern you won’t be working against your tyres when pedalling on smooth terrain and when you do swing off the tarmac and drop into your favourite local trails the Riddler TCS tyres provide ample grip on loose off-road tracks. The tread pattern on the outer edges of these capable gravel tyres is larger with a more raised tread profile to provide extra grip on tight, loose turns.

With a blocky low central tread pattern you won’t be working against your tyres when pedalling on smooth terrain…

A more raised tread profile on the outer edges of the Riddlers provide extra grip on tight, loose turns…

A Cube alloy stem with a lightweight Easton EC70 AX carbon handlebar make up the comfortable, compliant cockpit…

Even the Natural Fit Nuance SLT Road saddle features carbon, with the rails helping to add even more comfort to your ride…

The Cube Nuroad C:62 SL really is a top of the range carbon gravel bike featuring a multitude of the very best componentry available; there are no corners cut here. With a superb frameset that’s been designed to be stiff and responsive while still being comfortable thanks to some clever engineering and manufacturing techniques, a fantastic carbon wheelset from Newmen and some super-light carbon finishing kit this bike is clearly built to perform. Last but most certainly not least there’s that brilliant electronic wireless groupset from SRAM which has been cleverly tweaked by Cube to include Sram’s wireless XX1 Eagle AXS 12-speed rear derailleur and huge 10-50T mountain bike cassette to give a greater spread of gear ratios and really open up the versatility of the bike helping you to excel on all terrains; perfect for when you’re taking on all-day-epics mixing fast road sections with technical off-road gravel and trail sections.

Nothing has been compromised here, every detail on the Nuroad C:62 SL is top-spec…

Click the link below for a full walk around of the Cube Nuroad C:62 SL…

The Cube Nuroad C:62 SL is available in-store and online now.

Full Specification:

• Frame: CUBE C:62 Advanced Twin Mold, Internal Cable Routing, Flat Mount Disc, Fender/Rack Option, 12x142mm, AXH
• Fork: CUBE C:62 Technology, 1 1/8″ – 1 1/4″ Tapered, Flat Mount Disc, Fender & Lowrider Mounts, Internal Light Cable Option, 12x100mm
• Shifters: Sram Force eTap AXS
• Rear Derailleur: Sram XX1 Eagle AXS, 12-Speed
• Cassette : Sram XG-1299 Eagle Rainbow, 10-50T
• Chainset: Sram Force D1 DUB, Carbon, 42T
• Brakes: Sram Force eTap AXS (160F/160R)
• Wheelset: Front – Newmen Advanced SL X.R.25, Carbon
• Wheelset: Rear – Newmen Advanced SL X.R.25, Carbon
• Front Tyre: WTB Riddler TCS 700x45C
• Rear Tyre: WTB Riddler TCS 700x45C
• Stem: CUBE Performance Stem SL, 31.8mm
• Handlebar: Easton EC70 AX Gravel, Carbon
• Handlebar Tape: CUBE Grip Control
• Seat Post: Newmen Advanced, Carbon, 27.2mm
• Saddle: Natural Fit Nuance SLT Road Carbon

 

Written by Johnny Dodgin

Photos by James Vincent

 

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

Click the link below and search our archive…