To coin a phrase by a famous blond politician, in recent years aluminium bike frames have been ‘levelled up’ by clever engineering sorts to get closer to the weight and strength of carbon. This issue’s main bike test focusses squarely on aluminium, with four of the best bikes in their price range put through their paces.
Elsewhere, we bring you two traction-boosting eGravel bikes from GT and Kinesis that are making off-road adventures more fun, then first ride tests of VanMoof’s S3 urban ebike and the latest iteration of the legendary Genesis Tour de Fer.
In Upgrade we take a look at Zipp 353 NSW wheels, Met Manta MIPS helmet, Gaerne Carbon G.STL shoes and much more, plus there’s a buyer’s guide dedicated to power meters.
In Features, we put the training metric FTP under the microscope and investigate whether we can learn to use it any better, shake a bucket with top cycling fundraisers and learn how they maximise funds, and head to Sweden for three days of penny-farthing racing. And in Big Ride, Nick Busca explores the ferocious hills close to new home in Bude, Cornwall.
In Training Zone, we look at how your sense of smell might unlock endurance gains, the best big ride breakfast recipes, how Christina MacKenzie broke the Land’s End to John o’Groats record and profile the Mallorca 312 gran fondo. This issue’s Masterclass unlocks the secrets of aerodynamics, revealing the changes you can make to go faster.
We’ve got a supplement, too. A big one – 52 pages – dedicated to the world of adventure and gravel, as we delve into the best bikes, equipment and routes.
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