Author: Sean Leckey

Trek’s fastest climbing bike has been refined with aero tubes shapes to make it faster, everywhere.

Aero matters for climbing, and the all-new Emonda’s aero tube shapes saves seconds on all gradients – 18 seconds per hour at an 8% gradient and a staggering 60 seconds per hour on the flats. Traditionally, adding aero tube shapes will make a bike heavier – but not with an all-new OCLV 800 on the Emonda SLR.

OCLV 800 carbon

OCLV 800 is the result of a multi-year process aimed at creating Trek’s strongest and lightest carbon ever. The new material is 30% stronger than anything used before, allowing the manufacturer to use less material in high-stress areas of the frame. The finished product: a sub-700 g frame.

The Emonda SL uses a more cost-effective lightweight 500 series OCLV carbon, making it a great option for those priced-out by the SLR range.

The Emonda launches alongside the new Aeolus RSL 37 wheels and Aeolus RSL Bar/Stem Combo, bringing the ultimate balance of weight and aero to the complete system.

Both the Emonda SLR and SL feature the identical frame shapes for identical aerodynamic performance. They both have a T47 BB for the ultimate in performance and serviceability. Cables are almost totally hidden, but still route externally to the bars, making service easy. Lastly, an H1.5 fit means that performance riders of every gender will find a powerful and aerodynamic position on Emonda.

The Emonda SL and SLR are now in stock and available to order online.

Explore the roads less travelled with the all-new Topstone Lefty – a dual suspension, go-anywhere, ride anything gravel bike from Cannondale.

High-volume 650b wheels and 30mm of front and rear travel are the standout features of Cannondale’s re-imagined 2021 version of the Topstone Carbon.

The original Topstone carbon, launched last year, came equipped with Cannondale’s revolutionary Kingpin suspension system which offers 30mm travel at the rear. The new version matches the 30mm rear travel with 30mm travel up front in the form of a gravel-specific Lefty Oliver suspension fork. Inspired by Cannondale’s Lefty Ocho mountain bike fork, the Lefty Oliver was first seen a few years ago on Cannondale’s original Slate gravel bike. Now even more refined and integrated, Lefty Oliver front-suspension is back on the all-new Topstone Carbon to take gravel riding to the next level.

Key features;

• KingPin Suspension – Revolutionary, super-light suspension that lets you ride harder on dirt and more smoothly on pavement. Better control. Better traction. Better comfort. Nothing sacrificed.
• Lefty Oliver – The ultimate built-for-gravel suspension fork. With 30mm of smooth, bump-taming suspension and an incredibly stiff, precise-handling structure, this lightweight fork lets you push it harder, and ride smoother than ever.
• It’s Easier to Go Harder – Refined geometry and rider position deliver an experience that’s stable, composed and comfortable without losing that spark. Go further, ride longer, charge harder.
• The Last Detail – We thought of everything. Big tire clearance. Tons of gear and storage mounts. Rear Speed Release thruaxle, Internal dropper post compatibility. In short, the works.

Everyone remembers their first bike – that first ride and that feeling of freedom. From early-years balance bikes to trail-ready mountain bikes, kids’ bikes are all about building confidence and having fun.

Equipped with child friendly components, wheels and size specific frames, there are bikes for kids of all ages – from toddlers through to teenage riders.

Unlike adult bikes, where sizing is determined by seat tube length, kids bikes are sized by their wheel size. The table below will act as a general guide for sizing based on a child’s age and height and will determine which size is most suitable.

Kids Bike Size Guide

Balance Bikes and 12″ Wheels (Age 2 – 4 years)

Suitable for riders up to 4 years old, balance bikes are the gateway to life on two wheels for the youngest riders. Balance bikes don’t come with pedals or gears and are propelled and stopped with the rider’s feet, reducing the number of things a child needs to think about when they take to two wheels. Taking away the complications of a drivetrain system allows the toddler to focus solely on learning how to balance and steer the bike.

Equipped with 10 or 12″ wheels, a balance bike such as the Trek Kickster or Specialized Hotwalk will be the perfect platform for a toddler to get to grips with moving around on two wheels.

14 and 16″ Wheels (Age 3 – 6 years)

After mastering the balance bike and aged between 3 to 6 years old it’s now time for your child to make the step up to a first pedal bike. At this stage kids’ bikes begin to resemble adult’s bike with the introduction of gears, pedals and brakes. The gearing on these bikes tends to feature a single speed setup for simplicity and ease of use. The majority of bikes for children of this age are designed as multi purpose bikes with features allowing for riding on tarmac as well as light off-road use such as bridleways and canal paths.

The Cube Cubie 160 and Frog 48 come spec’d with 16″ wheels and are available in an array of eye-catching colours with a host of child-friendly features.

20″ Wheels (Age 5 – 8 years)

Welcome to the world of gears and the potential to explore further on two wheels. Kids’ 20″ wheeled bikes open up new avenues for a child to explore with confidence inspiring frames and features that tailor bikes to a more specific style of riding. Bikes will come equipped with features such as front suspension for more comfort and the ability to ride off-road trails. A wider range of gears will give the rider more scope to tackle varied terrain both on and off-road.

For the aspiring mountain biker there’s the Cannondale Kids Trail 20 or Trek Roscoe 20, both built around high quality frames that will last and equipped with reliable components and wide tyres for taking on easy forest trails.

24″ Wheels (Age 7 – 10 years)

The final step before a child becomes a teenager and starts the transition towards adult bikes. Bikes equipped with larger 24″ wheels take on many trickle down features from a manufacturers range of adult bikes and become more specific to the different types of riding. Off-road bikes will feature front suspension, wider, treaded tyres and favourable gearing for tackling gnarly terrain. Whereas bikes that focus on paved riding and bridleways resemble adult hybrid bikes with narrower tyres and a rigid front fork.

Available in two colour options, the Cannondale Kids Quick 24 is perfect for building confidence on cycle paths and bridleways. For young mountain bikers there’s the Cube Acid 240 Disc, equipped with disc brakes and wide-ranging gears this is a great option for building skills on the trails.

26″ & 27.5″ Wheels (Age 10 years and above)

As children become young teenagers their options open up even more and bikes become more specialised. A 24″ bike offers much of the same tech, features and benefits of an adult bike but built around a slightly smaller wheel size. The gear system will be similarly optimised for either road or off-road riding and frame geometry will be filtered down for smaller riders. Road bikes of this size feature drop handlebars and a wide range of gears and 24″ mountain bikes will be equipped with front and sometimes rear suspension along with gears ready for steep inclines and technical descents.

A 24″ wheel road bike such as the Frog Road 67 is perfect for the budding roadie and features child-specific handlebars and shorter cranks with a spin-friendly 34T chainring. For youngsters looking to do some serious off-road riding there’s the Whyte 405, a scaled-down version of Whyte’s trail adult mountain bikes, which will inspired confidence  and build skills on forest trails and singletrack.

Introducing the Spring Summer collection from Castelli

The Italian brand’s new clothing range maintains their classic race ethos while exploring some new avenues.

The core products within the new Castelli clothing range are designed to provide the ultimate in top quality, performance race apparel. Working closely with Team Ineos (formerly Team Sky) over the past few years has provided the Italian brand with insight and experience for producing kit to meet the demands of World Tour racing.

Features of this pro-level race wear are evident throughout the entire range as well as some brand-new products designed to meet the demands of the riders looking to venture away from the tarmac and onto the gravel roads. In recent years professional road racing has embraced this increasingly popular trend and taken to roads less-travelled – take last year’s Tour de France finish atop La Planche des Belles Filles, Chris Froome’s blistering attack on the Colle Delle Finestre at the 2018 Giro or the epic one-day classic in Tuscany, Strade Bianche.

We’ve picked out a few key items from the SS20 range to give a taste of the quality and innovation present in the latest Castelli collection.

Free Aero Race 4 Bibshort

The premium race short in the range as used by the Team Ineos riders and countless roadies around the world. The 4th major iteration of the Free Aero Race short features the updated Progetto X2 Air Seamless seat pad, which offers unparalleled comfort over hours in the saddle. The fabrics used are premium as well, created by Italy’s finest fabric suppliers – the Forza fabric on the inner leg features 38% Lycra content for perfect fit, while the Vortex fabric on the side panels is dimpled for aerodynamics.

Passo Jersey

The ultimate in all-round performance – from weekend racing to long training days, the Passo Jersey is based on the Squadra base model and offers exceptional fit and comfort. The main ProSecco fabric is designed to ensure lightness and is quick drying. while the side panels enhance breathability and the construction of the sleeves give optimised comfort.

Unlimited Bibshort

Designed for exploration and the adventurous riders, the Unlimited Bibshort meets Castelli’s high standards for performance and comfort while adding in a few extra features for riding off-road. The introduction of a brand-new and extremely durable Unlimited Lycra fabric gives improved tear and abrasion resistance while retaining comfort and moisture management. The double-layer side panels on the short are designed to increase protection for those feared yet sometimes unavoidable gravel get-downs, reducing the likelihood that you’ll need to replace the short after such an occurrence. The shorts also feature a convenient side pocket on each leg as well as two mesh pockets on the lower back.

Talento Jersey

Made from quick drying and breathable ProSecco fabric, this lightweight jersey is perfect when combined with a mesh base layer or on its own for spring and summer riding. The eye-catching graphics enhance a technically astute piece of kit – Velocity Rev2 stretch fabric provides unmatched fit and comfort on the sleeves and the drop-tail pocket design places the pockets at the perfect height.

Shop the Castelli Spring Summer 20 range in full online.

Presenting the 2020 MBR Trail Bike of the Year – Nukeproof Reactor 290 Elite

The Reactor took the accolade against some stiff competition in the shop-bought category. Tested against 4 of the other best full-suspension trail bikes from £2.5k, the Reactor’s ‘buttery smooth suspension, reactive 130mm travel..’ and full carbon frame saw it edge ahead of the competitors and take the winners crown.

The 290 Elite model from Nukeproof boasts a full carbon frame and 130mm of travel to make it the perfect weapon for modern trail riding. In stock online and shipping now –https://www.wheelbase.co.uk/product/brands/nukeproof/nukeproof-reactor/nukeproof-reactor-290-elite-2020/

For those missing competitive cycling, Zwift are rolling out a series of virtual races

The Zwift Classics are returning to keep riders race-tuned during the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. Many countries throughout Europe have banned outdoor riding altogether and while we can still ride outside here in the UK, all British Cycling races have been postponed until the end of June at the earliest.

For those of a competitive disposition, Zwift races begin on April 5th and members will have four days to complete each race. Ahead of general release each race will launch with an invitational Pro-Am event which will be live-streamed on Zwift’s own YouTube channel. So for viewers looking to get their race-fix you can tune in and follow the action live.

Six unique races will take place in a different Zwift world throughout London, Richmond, Watopia, Bologna, Yorkshire and Crit City. The opening race is the Yorkshire Grand Prix, featuring roads used on last year’s Road Race World Championships course. Riders must register on Zwift Power ahead of the series and join the appropriate category.

More information can be found on the Zwift website.

Presenting MBUK’s Enduro Bike of the Year for 2020 – the Whyte G-170C RS

The G-170C RS took the crown ahead of 9 of the other best enduro bikes on the market, coming out on top as it ‘consistently delivered a confident ride but always managed to keep things fun and lively.’

The RS uses the same highly developed frame as the Works bike, as used by the International EWS race team. The 29er wheels contribute to this bike being one of the fastest Whyte has ever produced.

This bike is ready for anything you want to throw at it, from hard-core trail riding to EWS Enduro racing. With its open front triangle design it is possible to fit various options of rear shock including coil shocks and still carry a full size water bottle. The G-170 platform is designed around the Whyte’s performance-enhancing Optimised Trail Offset geometry which also features the most compact seat-tubes possible on all sizes – meaning riders can choose the size with the reach they prefer, and simply adjust the seat-post to fit.

The Whyte G-170C RS is in stock and available to order online now with free home delivery and 0% finance.

Read the full review over on Bike Radar.

Cannondale SuperSix EVO – Bike of the Year 2020

Cycling Plus has published its BOTY edition and the magazine has declared the Cannondale SuperSix Evo Disc Ultegra as its overall winner and Bike of the Year for 2020. The flagship race bike from the American brand was given a major reinvention for 2020 and the all-new SuperSix is already building on the overwhelming success of its predecessor.

The ‘old’ SuperSix Evo will go down as a classic race machine, an icon of modern cycling – its classically rounded tube shapes, aggressive geometry and superior handling all made for a great looking race bike that rode like a dream. And although the rounded tube shapes have made way for a more aerodynamically advanced frame design, the newest iteration of the SuperSix Evo retains that superior handling and still rides just like the ‘Evo of old.

After four years of extensive testing and research the new SuperSix Evo is the product of a long-term process. The tube shapes have been redesigned, cabling has gone internal and comfort has been improved. It’s still a pure road bike, designed for racing and flying up climbs – it’s the lightest disc brake road bike Cannondale has ever produced. Increased tyre clearance and a revised geometry have improved comfort without compromising on race performance.

The newly crowned bike of the year is available in a choice of two colourways and we have both options in stock and ready to dispatch. Place your order online now before these highly sought after bikes sell out.

Read the extensive review at – https://www.bikeradar.com/reviews/bikes/road-bikes/cannondale-supersix-evo-carbon-disc-ultegra-review/

Presenting our 2020 Elite Road Race Team

Now in our 14th consecutive season, we are the UK’s longest running elite road team. This success we attribute to a true passion for racing, hugely supportive long-term sponsors, great riders and staff with realistic objectives – Unite. Fight. Believe.

After the sunshine of a winter training camp in Calpe, Southern Spain our riders met on the rugged landscape of Kirkstone Pass, just 5 miles from our Wheelbase Lake District store for a group ride and some hill climb burn-ups. Photos by James Vincent and video coming soon from Pete Archer.

The Team Bike

Cannondale SystemSix Ultegra 2020

Cannondale launched their all-new SystemSix around the time of last year’s Tour de France after more than three and a half years of development and testing. The bike was unveiled to widespread acclaim, with EF Education rider Alex Howes describing the SystemSix as ‘the fastest bike’ he’s ever ridden – “In races I feel like I’m cheating. It’s an absolute weapon. The stiffness while sprinting is next level yet it handles just as well as the SuperSix Evo. Cannondale nailed it.”

As an elite road race team our riders are always looking to go faster than the opposition and in pursuit of speed we have chosen the SystemSix as the team bike for 2020. The Ultegra build, decked out with some custom Wheelbase graphics looks fast and rides even faster.

Key Features:

Frame: Ballistec carbon

Fork: Ballistec carbon

Wheels: Vision SC55 Carbon Clincher

Crankset: Cannondale Hollowgram w/ OPI SpideRing 52/36

Gears: Shimano Ultegra, 52/36 – 11-30

Brakes: Shimano Ultegra hydraulic disc

Finishing kit: Vision Metron 4D Flat UD Carbon handlebars, Hollowgram 60 KNOT Carbon seatpost, ProLogo Dimension saddle

Find out just how fast this bike is in our launch post.

Huge Savings on a range of Pinarello Gan gravel and road framesets

The Gan range of bikes have been designed to provide you with a more comfort-focused platform while still benefiting from performance-focused engineering and classic Italian styling synonymous with the Pinarello brand.

Wheelbase customers love the Gan bikes for their mix of enhanced comfort in the saddle and a spritely, responsive feel when you put the power down. This has been achieved with a clever T600 grade carbon construction and Pinarello’s signature Asymmetric profile.