I am of course referring to the 2016
Cycle show in Birmingham’s NEC (National exhibition centre), which though
lacking the outright spectacle of Eurobike, still had plenty on offer.
A nasty bout of food poisoning the
night before and a very fraught commute wasn’t the most auspicious start.
However, I arrived at the NEC on time with trusty Sony NEX CSC, assorted
lenses and some sugary sustenance to keep me from flagging at crucial points.
A few minutes later, Steve Dyster
(Seven Day Cyclist’s co-editor) appeared and we convened for coffee and to
strategise. Piping hot Americano coursing through my veins and colossal croissant consumed; we started with the year’s biggest trend-Gravel/adventure and disc braked road bikes. Most big brands had several models on offer and at various price points.
Of the most enticing to me was this
titanium Boardman and several from Bombtrack; a German brand being introduced
to the UK later this year. A big fan of cyclo crossers and their derivatives, I
was particularly taken with their hook 2 and this drop bar 1x11 mountain bike,
which is arguably the closest I’ve come to my ideal drop bar mountain bike
build.
My passion for this particular breed
was ignited by a “news in brief” piece, in the now defunct “Bicycle” magazine
way back in 1987. This featured a Muddy Fox “Trailblazer”; which sported big
drops, bar end shifters and 26x1.75 tyres. I’ve never seen one in the flesh and
rumour suggests it was a prototype. Fast forward 29 years and I am very keen to
put this Columbus tubed trail beast through its paces.
Through axles have migrated from
motorcycles to mountain bikes and now, disc braked skinny tyre road-biased
builds. Increased front end stiffness is their main appeal over standard quick
releases and there’s little trade-off in terms of removal speed; say when
fixing a flat. We firmly believe that every stable should have a four seasons’
bike as car daily driver.
Enter this favourably priced Radman
Urban. 6061 aluminium frame with stealth black finish and dressed perfectly for
riding in all weathers. Alfine 11speed hub transmission, hub dynamo, hydraulic
disc brakes, full length guards and a four point rack. Drops are my preference
but the sensible flats and gear range are perfect for trailer/tagalong tugging
duties.
With as little jiggling, I reckon
you’d be able to sneak a set of 700x35 spikes in for the harsher months
too…Suffice to say, I was quick to swap business cards and express interest in
testing one. Another quietly popular trend was for hub gears and belt drives.
Belts were all the rage back in 2009/10 but somewhat
divisive.
Clean, maintenance free riding is an
obvious plus but debate always raged about their true efficiency. I have an
open mind and haven’t heard too many horror stories regarding durability.
Critics may cite Kawasaki’s belt final drive on their Z305 motorcycle back in
the mid 80s, which was super smooth but vulnerable to collecting stones and
similar sharps, which would sever it irreparably.
Others would justly pint out that
powerfully built riders turning a cadence of 100/120rpm are hardly comparable
with a high revving four stroke motorcycle. Shand cycles run this on their
Rohloff stoater, which can also be converted at the drop out to run single speed
or traditional derailleur setups. We chatted about frame building practice,
which culminated in an open invitation to stop by their workshops, next time we
were in Livingston.
Fixed and other retro flavours also
lingered, with Condor and Bianchi offering some very nice examples. I’m
strangely taken with the former’s somewhat iconic Pista fixed, although less
endeared to its electroplated finish. The iconic London marque has also taken a
retro theme but given it a contemporary, practical twist. Their Cassico oozes
continental charm with paint and polish but thankfully, those shiny tubes are
stainless, not electroplated.
Their Pista and Paris Path models
were also very appealing to yours truly, although personally I would’ve
preferred mudguard eyelets on a machine following the road/path tradition. The
Fatello was another enticing machine.
A lightweight tourer cum Audax/day bike, its’ made from Columbus spirit tubing, features discs and sufficient clearance for 700x28 and full length guards. £799.99 as a frameset only, should you fancy going a’la carte.
Bike shop shelves literally groan under the weight of bike washes and similar labour saving potions. Most work reasonably well, although I’m always intrigued by something genuinely different.
A lightweight tourer cum Audax/day bike, its’ made from Columbus spirit tubing, features discs and sufficient clearance for 700x28 and full length guards. £799.99 as a frameset only, should you fancy going a’la carte.
Bike shop shelves literally groan under the weight of bike washes and similar labour saving potions. Most work reasonably well, although I’m always intrigued by something genuinely different.
Stopping for a chat with Pro Green MX www.Pro-GreenMX.co.uk provided
just that. Originally devised as a one-off formula for a moto-cross riding
friend, they developed their formulas into three different products.
One for transmission components, another for all-over use and finally a wax polish preserve. We are assured all are devised and brewed in house, contain no salts, or similar nasties and were sent home with a pack to review. Watch this space…
One for transmission components, another for all-over use and finally a wax polish preserve. We are assured all are devised and brewed in house, contain no salts, or similar nasties and were sent home with a pack to review. Watch this space…
Last but not least, being something
of a clothes horse and MAMIL (Middle aged man in Lycra) I was very drawn to
these designs…Well, if the jersey fits….
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