Take a look at our top trending stories from this week, covering the latest road bikes, tech, pro racing and more in the cycling industry.

TUBELESS TRICK OR TREAT A BEGINNER’S GUIDE

CONTINUE READING

 

AMY PIETERS TAKES FIRST STEPS AFTER COMA

In the pantheon of stupid things said about the bike industry, some of the more stupid have been the response to disc brakes becoming standard equipment on road bikes. The silliest has been the conspiracy theory that disc brakes have only became a thing because the bike industry wanted to sell more bikes. Selling more bikes—um, is there a problem with that?!

Even though RBA has been accused of being in on the nefarious plot (because we can sell more magazines), we’re still not sure what exactly is wrong with the bike industry trying to sell more bikes. Curious, too, is how the comeuppance of disc brakes is any more an insidious sales ploy than the arrival of carbon fiber or electronic drivetrains?! 

MORE INFO

 

THE WIDE WORLD OF ROADIES

We run into a lot of two-wheel aficionados around Southern California, and over the years there are a select few who seem to turn up at just about every event we attend. Phil Tinstman is one of them. Tinstman has made two wheels his life. Back in the day we first rubbed shoulders with Phil when both he and his sister were pro downhill mountain bike racers in the mid to late ’90s. And then there was the time a few years ago on the Campagnolo Christmas charity ride when he was staying at the front of the very fast group pedaling down the Pacific Coast Highway on a tandem, with his young son as the stoker and towing a trailer bike with his young daughter aboard. Yeah, that’s Phil Tinstman!

MORE INFO

 

CAN YOU CHARGE YOUR SHIFTING TOO MUCH?

Q: Hello, I recently upgraded my bike with electronic shifting and—wow!—what a change. The shifting is perfect, but I worry that I will run out of battery. I have been charging it every ride. Is this bad to do, and what are your recommendations?

A: Glad to hear you love your new purchase and upgrade. Electronic shifting is excellent, but as you pointed out, there is a possibility of having a flat battery and being stranded in one gear. Just ask assistant editor David, who made this mistake at the 2018 DK200.

In reality, David suffered his battery fate because of a few mistakes. The most obvious is trust without verification. The process is pretty simple for the everyday rider who isn’t swapping parts around and making last-minute changes. Charge them when they tell you to or when there is about 25 percent left.

The batteries used in our cycling components suffer from the same limitations as most other rechargeable batteries. They have a total number of charge cycles before they lose total-use duration. The number of charge cycles doesn’t matter how full or empty the battery is. In short, If you charge them after every ride, the battery will not last as long as if you use the majority of the stored energy, then charge them.

MORE INFO

 

COLBRELLI FORCED TO RETIRE

Italy’s 2021 Paris-Roubaix victor Sonny Colbrelli said on Sunday he is sad to have to retire but grateful to have been given a “second chance” after suffering cardio-respiratory arrest in March. The 32-year-old Bahrain Victorious rider collapsed after finishing second in the first stage of the Tour of Catalunya on March 21 and underwent a successful operation 10 days later. However, having had a defibrillator fitted, the decision has been taken for him to cease competitive riding.

“It’s my life that I want to be grateful for, a life I risked losing and which gave me a second chance,” he said in a statement.

“That of being here today, to remember that I came out of the Hell of the North (Paris-Roubaix) as a winner, and I did it in a legendary way, which will remain in history and that I will be able to continue to tell my children.”

Colbrelli — who retires with 34 victories to his name — said thoughts of prolonging his life with his family and friends overrode any regrets he would have.

READ MORE

 

THE NOSCO RIDE RETURNS – NOVEMBER 3

If there is one SoCal ride that we never miss, it’s the Mike Nosco Memorial Ride.  Is it hard? Yes. Are there easier routes to take than the full route? Yes. Are the roads among the most beautiful and challenging in all of Southern California? Yes. Will you regret taking a day off of work to come and be part of a loving community that’s dedicated to improving the lives of friends and family who could use our help? Absolutely not.

Epic climbs, scenic views of the Pacific, festive sag stops,  good food afterward and solid dose of two-wheeled community – those are the ingredients of the Mike Nosco Ride. November 3 is the day.

Thanks to the tireless, and we really mean tireless efforts of local cycling fan Jack Nosco, the MNMR has been going on for over a decade and raising money for people with medical needs that are beyond their grasp.  This is a ride that is guaranteed to remind you of the importance we can all play in bettering each other’s lives. See you there.

SEE MORE

BIKE OF THE WEEK: ARGONAUT GR3

At the core of the new GR3 is the GravelFirst geometry. The ability to custom make and tune every bike to address the physiology, ride style and preferred terrain. Road bike geometry hasn’t changed much in 20 years. Cross bike geometry hasn’t changed much in the last 15 years. Gravel geometry has changed a lot in the last five years and often in divergent ways.

READ MORE