Giant position themselves under athletes of the calibre of current world champion Helen Tucker, with the Trinity the introductory model in Giant’s time-trial range. The ride First impressions aren’t great, as the steering’s twitchy nature becomes apparent. However, once moving in a straight line it’s smooth and, when settled in a good rhythm, it feels […]
Tri-specific bikes are becoming increasingly popular with their purpose-built features and tailored geometry. Quintana Roo are one of the only pure tri bike brands around and for 2009 have unveiled what they say is the bike with the lowest drag coefficient ever. QR even boldly claims that the Cd0.1 can cheat the wind! The Ride […]
Wilier bikes are steeped in history. The Italian outfit have been making frames since 1906 and, at one point shortly after the Second World War, its factory team of 300 were hand producing 200 bikes a day. It currently provides the bikes for the Lampre road cycling team, which includes the 2008 Road Cycling Race […]
Focus bikes became available direct to the UK market in 2006. Through their sole distributor, Wiggle, they have been building their reputation as a manufacturer of quality cycles, ridden by elite athletes such as Stuart Hayes and neo-pro Emma-Kate Lidbury. The Culebro Tria represents the introductory model in the Focus TT range. The ride Things […]
Look has ruled on the road for decades, so it’s about time the company’s influence was felt in the world of tri. Enter the new Look 576 frame. It’s not a TT crossover like many bikes on the market, but a bike designed specifically with tri in mind… The build The Look frame just looks […]
Trek need no introduction whatsoever. Having Lance Armstrong on the books hasn’t just been great for PR, though – it’s also boosted the company’s ability to make quality bikes. And even though Armstrong hung up his tri gear in 1990, all the wind-tunnel testing and development that goes into his own bikes has undoubtedly had […]
Specialized has a gift when it comes to making things look good, and has now applied its magic to this new interpretation of the Roval wheel brand. Specialized has also added its frame-proven E5 Metal Matrix material to the aero-section rims to create a tough hoop that can tackle the worst roads. Hidden-in-the-rim nipples for […]
Designed to take on the cobbled races of northern Europe, these retro-styled rollers are equally ready for your local council’s worst repairs. We’ve heard good reports from big riders who’ve absolutely hammered these wheels and ours remained true even after venturing off-road. The slightly soft spoke tension takes plenty of sting out of rough sections, […]
Forget turning down the Christmas pud – these lightweight Reynolds rollers are a great way to lose weight after Santa’s scarpered. The good news is that there are no ‘special dietary requirements’ for these wheels – just conventional low-calorie menu options right through. The mid-depth aero rims help keep the wheels tight and responsive while […]
These 105 wheels are light and good value, which, coupled with Shimano’s legendary reliability, makes them an ideal winter wheel. The 24mm rims offer a smooth, pliable ride for coping with potholes, and also makes them less prone to gusting than deeper hoops. Placing the nipples of the straight-pull spokes (16 front/24 rear) at the […]
Undoubtedly these Gipimme wheels are very eye-catching, but sadly they wouldn’t be our first choice for winter work. The deep 40mm section, with its widely spaced, paired aero spokes and overall matt-black finish certainly stands out in the crowd, and they hold speed well. However, as the only wheelset here over 2kg, they take some […]
Halo has been making wheels for headcase MTB dirt jumpers and free-ride lunatics for years, so we expected their road wheels to be rugged. The relatively low 25mm rim and symmetrical crossover (therefore longer and springier) spoking all round means they’re also comfortable. The ‘Six Drive’ hubs are straight off their mtb wheels, with an […]
Easton’s second-tier aero set is impressively tough and versatile – if you like particularly stiff set-ups. With a mid-section 29.4mm aero rim, broad-body hubs and tight round spokes in a two-cross driveside/radial offside and front pattern, there’s no sign of deflection or drive loss however hard you kick. They’re impressively light for a low-cost aero […]
Using a mid-depth rim and tight double-butted spokes with Easton’s patented T3 Twin Thread technology makes the Circuit a phenomenally stiff and strong wheelset. They’re made for big riders and bad roads, and our experience doesn’t suggest any different. Despite the strength and stiffness they’re not harsh on rougher sections, and they feel impressively tight […]
The eye-catching orangey/red rims and hubs make these beauties look several times more expensive than they actually are, and may prompt you to check the price several times before believing it. The 24mm deep rims are strong enough to cope with winter roads without feeling as ‘clattery’ stiff as some deeper set-ups, and they still […]
Even though the Topeak is a very slick and stable stand, it still doesn’t quite tick all of our ‘tool’ boxes. That said, coming completely assembled in a balanced carry bag definitely gets it off to a flying start. The wide, quick-release secured tripod base is extremely sturdy and the tall height range (10.5-19cm) will […]
Park has an enviable reputation for bringing industrial-quality workshop gear into your garage. The PCS-11 is certainly sturdy if not as slick as some. For a start it clatters out of the box in bolt-together bits, and even when folded it’s still a big bundle unless you take the head off. The wide-splayed, high-set twin […]
It might look like Russian army surplus but this cheap and cheerful unit is actually bloody good to work with. There’s a bit of bolting it together to be done first, but the finished Y-frame design is rattle free and stable enough to be perfectly safe on flat floors. Mounting the bike is easy: just […]
Tacx’s Cyclespider is stable and nicely made, but a faff to fettle with. Once together, though, it’s light and easy to pack down between uses. You can work either side of the bike or even rotate it completely around, and it’s height-adjustable for tweaking transmission or topside components. A tool tray is included for tools, […]
Minoura’s long-proven workstand is one of the best conventional clamp designs we’ve tested, even if it isn’t the best one they do. It’s not the most stable stand but, as long as the floor is flat and you’re not tinkering with tandems, it should be fine. And even newcomers won’t have any trouble setting it […]
This sawn-off pump is super-portable, but only the astonishingly patient and pectorally blessed will enjoy using it. It’s the shortest pump here, which is lucky as it doesn’t come with a frame mount. But it’s not too heavy at 128g and the twist-lock, twin-valve head is easy to engage. It takes 375 strokes to achieve […]
One of the most expensive mini-pumps around, Blackburn’s AirStik CF is also the easiest to use and the pimpiest. In practical terms, however, there’s nothing that this does that the standard alloy barrelled AirStik (half the price at £19.99 and only 5g more) doesn’t. And at 160g, it’s heavy, too. I was also worried about […]
This stylish retro inflator turned in one of the surprise performances of our tests… but it won’t suit every situation. While weight (104g) and length (23cm) are happily mid-pack, its polished silver and black all-metal construction sets it apart visually. However, the real stand-out feature is that it uses an old school screw-on hose, rather […]
This is a true miniature model of the full-sized Road Master Blaster frame-fit pump, right down to the little tube notches at either end. It’s certainly a cute idea, and at just over 100g and 22.5cm it should stow away unobtrusively. The low-profile bottle cage clip is secure, with a rubber pullover strap for security […]
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