Take a look at the best of our trending stories from this week, April 13th, about the latest road bikes, tech, pro racing and more in the cycling industry.

BEST ROAD AND GRAVEL BIKES OF THE SEA OTTER

Road bikes, gravel bikes, tandems, recumbents, e-bikes… there’s just about every type of bike being ridden and on display at the festival of two wheels that is the Sea Otter Classic. Four days into exploring the grounds of Laguna Seca Raceway for the 2022 edition of the Sea Otter Classic, we’ve found some of the best looking bikes at the show. With just about ever major brand in attendance everyone has had a lot to feast their eyes upon, but here’s a selection of our drop-bar favorites.

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RIDE EROICA CALIFORNIA

The 6th edition of Eroica and Nova Eroica California will be back in Cambria,  April 30 and May 1 2022. Under the warm Central Coast sunshine, the Eroica team has been building new and nurturing old relationships with the surrounding communities to ensure Eroica California 2022 will be the best edition yet.

There is still time remaining to register, so take your chance to experience the best-value Coastal California Eroica Experience. The crashing waves and ocean breeze off the Cambria coast are warming  up as we ride into the Spring season. We wish you all happy and safe riding!

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SHEFFEILD’S BREAKOUT WIN

New York teenager Magnus Sheffield broke away for a solo triumph at the Brabantse Pijl one-day classic, while world champion Julian Alaphilippe crashed after his own team car caused a domino effect of falls. Sheffield, 19, was part of an eight-rider group who had dropped the rest of the field and he made his move two kilometres from the Overijse finish line. The Ineos Grenadiers rider had two teammates in the small, pursuing group who refused to chase leaving the rookie to ease over the final 100m and slowly raise his arms in celebration at an unexpected win.

“It’s unbelievable. When I broke off the front I never expected to win,” Sheffield said.

“I’m a mentally soft type of person and with this awful weather, I mean it was kind of gritty and cold out there,” he said.

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IS BIGGER ANY BETTER?

By Troy Templin

No different from car or motorcycle enthusiasts (and just to paraphrase the most important words of the U.S. Bill of Rights), “We hold these truths to be self-evident that bike geeks like to spend money making their bikes look special.” We all know that for the simple pleasure of just riding a bike just about any entry level build will get us from point A to B just as well as a $12,000 race bike. Ah, but that’s when the importance of both performance and aesthetic enter the fray. A bike that’s 4 pounds lighter with lightweight wheels; quicker, battery-operated shifting; and a host of carbon and titanium parts can definitely enhance the rider’s experience and maybe even… performance.

When it comes to the aesthetic, aka “the bling,” everyone loves to add a touch of personal flair. And from something as simple and inexpensive as colored handlebar tape to flashier custom-built wheels with anodized Chris King hubs, the bike industry is happy to play along. In SoCal especially, there has long existed a weird but entertaining competition to build the most expensive, flashiest bike—a bike, which I would often add, is sometimes, too, a compromised bike. I say “compromised,” because as I often see riders flaunting some new pinnacle hardware, I can tell it’s not the correct fit for them. Sure, it’s new and fancy and probably made in Europe, but is it really serving a purpose to improve ride quality, performance or safety? Most of the time, the answer is simply no; it’s really just there to act as bike-talk fodder for the cafe stop.

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KASK PROTONE ICON FIRST LOOK

While we haven’t gotten a chance to ride with the new Protone Icon, a few weeks ago we did get a sneak peek of the new shell. The Protone has been one of our favorite helmets. Not only for its styling but the very convenient sunglasses docking and ventilation. Plus, we have had some big crashes and the original Protone did its job, so we have always kept it on the must-have list.

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HOW HELMETS ARE BATTLING CONCUSSIONS

The inside of the new Lazer Vento KinetiCore.When it comes to safety gear and road cycling, the helmet is really all we have. The helmet has been around for a long time and for nearly 20 years become the norm. When was the last time you saw a road cyclist without a helmet? Sure we may all do a quick hot lap around the neighborhood or ride to the store without one but when it comes to performance riding we never leave home without it.

In the last 30 years, the level of testing and simply understanding of what happens when we hit our heads has increased so much. In addition to that, technology has made a huge difference, allowing helmets to be more comfortable, lightweight and most importantly effective. In just the last few years a new dimension of head trauma has been the biggest hurdle for helmet companies to battle, oblique impacts (rotational).

Currently, cycling helmets do not have to pass any tests or have certificates in regards to rotational impacts to be sold. Brands have taken it upon themselves to add these sorts of features and safety measures for their customers. It should also be noted that no helmet or technology can guarantee to prevent injury but the helmet is truly our only line of defense when things go wrong. Every crash and impact is unique, so investing in a helmet is important. Here are some of the most asked questions about the subject and the information that Lazer was happy enough to supply.

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