In the road bike market, you may have noticed that nearly every manufacturer is offering bikes with compact double crankset, ie road cranks with a 110mm chainring bolt-circle typically mounting a 50 and 34 tooth chainring combination. Bike companies have toted the compact double as the ideal way to gain most of the benefits of a triple crank (namely better low range gearing) while having a better chainline and lower weight. This is mainly true, but before you decide that the compact double crank is right for you, you should understand its real advantages for you as a user as well as the motivations bike companies have for selling it to you.  read more »

I swear, if one more person emails me a link to that high school kid who built a wooden bike, I am going to lose my mind.
For the lucky ones among you who haven’t yet received this email chain, an online woodworking newsletter has an article about Marco Facciola, a 16-year-old kid who built a [...]

The ultimate for bike maintenance - The Blubike/Super-B combo has all you need to clean and maintain your bike dring the hard wearing winter months. The SUPER-B 96500 is a top quality bike toolkit at an amazing price. Every tool is custom designed to do its intended job and then manufactured to precise tolerances. SUPER-B tools are intended for home mechanics and durable enough for professional use. SUPER-B 96500 includes: 1 - PEDAL REMOVER 15X16MM,15X17MM 1 - CHAIN WHIP (To hold cassette while loosening locking ring) 1 - 8MM HEX KEY+1/2 DR ADAPTOR 1 - L HANDLE 4 - 25L BITS SIZE:PHILLIPS:1/2; SLOTTED:5/7;W/HOLDER 3 - 1/4 DR. SOCKET SIZE: 8/9/10MM 1   - HG CASSETTE LOCK RING SOCKET 1 - B.B. TOOL (Shimano internal bearing type) 1 - BB LOCK RING TOOL 1 - TOOL FOR BOTTOM BRACKET CUP 2 - HUB CONE SPANNER 13X14 AND 15X16MM 1 - HEAD SET WRENCH 30X32X36X40MM 1 - TUBE REPAIR KIT 1 - OPEN-ENDED WRENCH 8X10MM 1 - 6" ADJUSTABLE WRENCH 1 - SCHRADER TYRE GAUGE 1 - SLOTTED 3X75MM SCREWDRIVER 6 - HEX KEY 2/2.5/3/4/5/6MM W/HOLDER 3 - PLASTIC TIRE LEVER 1 - CHAIN RIVET EXTRACTOR 1 - COTTERLESS CRANK TOOL 1 - SPOKE WRENCH The Blubike Cleaning Kit includes all of the essential accessories needed to keep your bike looking great, it will even smell nice too. Brush, scrub and soak your bike to bring it up looking almost like new. The kit comes all included within the large plastic bucket with sealable lid to keep all of the contents organised and fluids contained. The kit includes 1 x Bucket with Lid, Blue 1 x Wash Sponge 1 x Spray bottle of Bike Cleaner Fluid 500ml 1 x Bio Chain Cleaner fluid, 250ml 1 x 10.40 High Tech Wet chain lubricant, 75ml 1 x Chain Machine with rotating brushes 1 x Cassette Cleaning Tool  1 x Bike Cleaning Brush 1 x Tube repair kit What's in the bucket?  read more »

Built up the Trek Project One Madone over the weekend with SRAM Force. Earlier this year, the DA parts from the Madone had been dispersed to the Hotspur and Modal and I’ve been wanting to test SRAM. The summary report...DL Byron

Built up the Trek Project One Madone over the weekend with SRAM Force . Earlier this year, the DA parts from the Madone had been dispersed to the Hotspur and Modal and I’ve been wanting to test SRAM. The summary report is “very good” with these observations Solid — there’s no “light action” of any sort on SRAM. It shifts similar to Campy way back in the 90s. You not only feel a shift, but hear it, and know it occurred without a cable shift indicator to tell you so. I also appreciate another group that opens up the cockpit by running the cables along the bar. Loud — carbon derailleur cages, with carbon wheels, on a carbon bike is loud. The drivetrain ironically sounds like a fishing reel . Responsive — I’ve never shifted from the big ring to the little and back faster. Wham it’s there and same thing with the rear. I figured out the DoubleTap shifting in about 17 seconds. I did periodically grab the brake lever while shifting and I also a few times wanted to shift a button with my thumb like Campy. Cable actuation and all the engineering didn’t matter much to me, but I did wonder what was happening between my index finger and brain to figure out that a short tap meant a rapid upshift and a longer double-click meant a downshift. I didn’t really have to think about it is the point. It just works.  read more »

A recurring painDear Lennard,I'm writing because I just read the shoe review in the VeloNews Buyer's Guide, and you mention in there that you use a custom orthotic. I was happy to see that the Shimano SH R300's I just purchased got high marks, but I am still having issues with my right foot even with the new shoes. I got the new shoes because I was having the problem with my four-year-old Northwave Evolutions. After 20-30 minutes of riding, outside or on the trainer, the ball of my right foot becomes numb, and the numbness spreads into my toes. On longer rides this escalates into cramping in the foot, and even spreads into my lower leg on occasion.  read more »

It is a beautiful Spring day here in New York. Id like to say that its days like this that make New York a wonderful place in which to live, but thats simply not true. Its still the same hive of irritabilityit just happens to be enjoying some nice weather. If anything, the sun and warmth just bring the abject nature of our existence here into sharper relief. Sure, some people become joyful and appreciative when Spring begins, but Im not one of them. It happens every year, and its my right to simply expect it. Its not like the Universe is doing me a favor or anything. Gushing about the Springtime is like paying for something that costs a buck with a hundred dollar bill and getting all excited when you get $99 back. Big deal.  read more »

Shimano Ultegra SL Clincher Wheel Sets complete with 24mm aerodynamic profile AL-6061 alloy rims.  read more »

• Asymmetric rear rim designed to increase rear wheel rigidity
• Oversize 15mm front axle
• 10-speed only rear hub
• 1696g per pair
  

Shimano 105 Clincher Wheel Sets including a offset rear rim designed to increase rear wheel rigidity.  read more »

• 24mm aerodynamic profile AL-6061 alloy rims
• 8-, 9- or 10-speed rear hub
• 1763g per pair