Bike Radar

Only you can decide what balance of carbs, protein and fat you need from your energy snacks and nutrition products, but here's a quick round-up of the latest options to hit our desks.

Gatorade

The American firm has made its presence felt in the pro cycling ranks in recent times thanks to the sponsorship of Team Sky and links to British Cycling. Their G Series is separated into before, during and after products, and into standard, Fit and Pro categories, depending on your level. Being the "high-performance" cyclists we are at BikeRadar, Gatorade dropped by to show us samples of the Pro range.

Let's start with pre-training. The Prime is a caffeine free, orange/berry/lime flavoured blend of carbs (83 kcal per 100ml) and B vitamins, in 118ml ready-made pouches that should be consumed 15 minutes before competition or training. As with all their products, they are available from online retailers such as Wiggle and Chain Reaction Cycles for £1.49 each or on their website in the US for $2.29 each or $41.22 per 20.

Once you're riding, the Perform powder will be your weapon of choice. The 350g tub (£8.99/$28.99 for 907g in US) comes in fruit punch, orange and lemon-lime flavours and packs in 125 kcal per 35g/500ml serving. Recovery is taken care of by the 500ml berry/orange Recover protein drink, which tastes much like the energy drink (think Ribena) but is slightly heavier on the stomach. It contains 16.5g protein/125 kcal per serving. The drinks are also available as packs shown above containing one of each product, together with varying degrees of British Cycling membership, from around £60.

Multipower

Be warned - Multipower's caffeine/guarana pre-training Red Kick drink is not for the faint hearted. If you can get past the rotten flavour (chemical, almost), this stuff is rocket fuel. We sneakily quaffed a 500ml bottle before a recent round of Rollapaluza roller racing at Bristol whilst everyone else was hitting the ale and it more than did the trick, powering us to an unexpected place in the finals. Each bottle only contains 81 kcal, but it's the incredible 160mg caffeine and 1000mg taurine that's its biggest selling point. You can pick up 24 bottles for £40.56 direct from their website. 

Elsewhere, the Energy Charge is stimulant-free but no less potent for it. Each 500ml bottle (£40.56 per 24) contains an off-the-chart 70g carbs, with 271kcal per serving. Given the strength, they're not ideal road ride fodder and we found them more difficult to get down than a lighter drink. They come in orange, tropical and wild berry flavours and are definitely for the mountain bikers only. The 55g Protein Shake proudly exclaims how much of the muscle building stuff it packs into its 500ml bottle. Available in strawberry, chocolate and vanilla, they are low in fat but hard to get down - 55g of protein is a lot. A pack of 12 costs £39.60 and are perhaps the reserve of track sprinters.

Kinetica

Irish firm Kinetica possess a huge range of products specific to a wide variety of sports, but the two we had our eye on were the Energy Gel (60g) and the 100% Recovery powder. The gel also comes in berry and tropical flavours, but our cola sample tasted like the ice pops we used to eat as kids. It's less viscous than most which makes it easy ingestible and contains 20g carbs/80 kcal per serving. They are available through their website for £36 per box of 24.

The Recovery powder is a strange one, continuing the trend of non-milky post-ride protein drinks. We find such drinks struggle to strike the right balance between a milky drink and a fruit drink, with the taste suffering as a result. The recovery drink contains whey protein, and comes in blackcurrant and orange/mango flavours. Each 75g serving is mixed with water to produce 267 kcal (41g carbs/24.8g protein) and retails for £24.99 per box of 10.

High5

The first of two products from High5 is the citrus IsoGel Plus gel (60ml), which is more drink than traditional gel. It contains 25g carbs, 105 kcal and a dose of caffeine. RRP is £24.75 per 25. The Zero Electrolyte tablets continues the growing trend of zero calorie electrolyte drinks, with research quoted by High5 suggesting such drinks burn 41 percent more fat than carbohydrate drinks during workouts. Each tube (£6.98) contains 20 tablets, with one tablet making each drink. Flavours include neutral, citrus, berry and cherry-orange. 

Another product in a new sachet packaging is the Xtreme Energy Source drink, and is surely competing with Multipower's Red Kick in the most potent stakes. Each 50g serving contains 188 kcal, 47g carbs and 150mg caffeine, costing £13.99 per 12. It's ideal as a boost later in a ride, or if you're in need of a boost after work in evening rides. A word of warning, though; don't over do it too late in the day or you'll find a good night's sleep elusive. Similarly, don't be tempted to have it too early in a long ride or you could set yourself up for a caffeine crash. From experience we'd say keep it to within 60-90 minutes before the end.

Maxifuel

The sister company to the muscle building nutrition firm Maximuscle, Maxifuel takes care of the endurance side of things. Their Viper Active energy range comes in a number of forms, including powder, gel, powder sachets and capsules. The 35g, 135 kcal powder sachets (£19.99 per 20), in orange and raspberry flavours, contain carbs (30.9g) and electrolytes for hydration and immune support. If gels are your thing, the 70g, 101 kcal lemon/lime and raspberry sachets contain 25g carbs and cost £35.99 per 24.

Viper Active sachet, Viper Boost capsules & Viper Active gel

Neither of the gels above contain caffeine, which might make the Viper Boost capsules appealing if that's your thing. They're pretty potent and really perked the BikeRadar office after the post-lunch slump. Each two capsule serving contains 100mg caffeine, 50mg guarana and 744mg L-Carnitine, and cost £19.99 per 30.

For most serious cyclists, a 6.8-mile ride is a warm up, but for northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin riders that distance may create unbridgeable gap in a popular multiuse trail system. Four suburb communities are unable to acquire the federal “rail-to-trail” funds that would be necessary to complete part of the Skokie Valley Trail System.

This isn’t just a case of one section of trail left incomplete, rather, the gap creates a “missing link” in a greater trail system with the potential to connect Wisconsin with the Chicago area, and even beyond. The Skokie Valley Trail, which is a multi-use system for walkers, joggers, and cyclists, extends north where it meets with another trail that heads to Kenosha, Wisconsin.

To the south, organizers are hoping the trail could use land leased from the Union Pacific railroad to connect the system to Chicago. “The proposed trail would complete a vital north-south gap in the regional trail network,” Barb Cornew, north suburban coordinator told BikeRadar. “Currently people who bike have access to the North Channel Trail and the Green Bay Trail running north to south, however these two trails are not connected.”

At present the missing gap spans 6.8 miles through Skokie Valley in Cook County. It’s this area that has the potential to connect the villages of Northbrook, Glencoe, Northfield, Wilmette, and Glenview, which have a combined population of more than 125,000.  This would also link to the existing Skokie Valley Trail in Lake County, and could provide a new 28-mile transportation opportunity connecting Waukegan to the city of Chicago. “The Skokie Valley Trail would be a multi-use facility,” added Cornew. “Whether using the trail for exercise or transportation, the trail would create a safe space for residents and visitors alike.”

Word came in November that a federal grant request for US$6.8 million was denied, and local community leaders can’t cover the costs. Transportation enhancements, which are the largest funding sources for bicycle trails in the United States, were also eliminated from the transportation-funding bill currently running through the House of Representatives. The result is that the nearly 7-mile “hole” in the system. “I think the thing that really stands out that anybody can identify with and is close to connecting to the massive system to the south,” Eric Oberg, the manager of trail development for Rails-to-Trails Conservancy told BikeRadar. This is supremely disappointing, he added, because of the potential this short span offers the greater system. “We think this could create a huge uncut trail system for bicycle tourism or for weekend bike trips.”

The gap in the trail system may deter some bike commuters and recreational riders

Oberg notes that those who take such bicycle tourism trips could likely be turned off by the gap, but also says that the real losers are the causal riders who might not feel comfortable on city streets. “It is only six miles but it is connecting a hundred miles, and this has a great potential as a commuter route from the Northern suburbs to the city,” Oberg said. “It might not mean much to very confident riders who will have no problem taking city streets and connecting to the next trail, but this system is really mean for the people who aren’t as confident on the streets.”

Local riders have long touted the main benefit of the Skokie Trail to be its straight shot to the city, whereas other local trails wind and take riders out of the way. While that might be a pleasant way to spend a weekend, for those commuters the straight shot would have been a real benefit, and now commuters will have to hit the streets instead.

The question now is whether this gap will detour those casual commuters thinking about biking. “It could have been a way to convince people that they could use bikes,” said Oberg, who still hopes that eventually the system can be completed. “It is a small gap to fill in one heck of a system.”

Genesis Bikes were showing off their 2012 range at this week's iceBike* show, hosted by UK distributors Madison, but given that we'd already been given a sneak peek at those bikes back in the summer, what caught our eye were seven new prototypes.

Covering the full gamut of road, mountain and cyclo-cross, these bikes were all resplendent in the black, blue and orange of the new 'Guild' development programme. This is Genesis's equivalent of Orange's Strange project or SRAM's BlackBox, the idea being, why not promote the fact you're working on new ideas, rather than shrouding the process in secrecy – in this case with a distinctive paintjob and matching riding kit.

On the road side, they were showing a very tasty looking titanium version of the Equlibrium. The prototype uses the same geometry as the steel bike but is manufactured from proprietary 3Al\2.5v tubing.

Described as a "hard riding sportive bike for more aggressive riders" it's been designed to have a very stiff front end courtesy of an XX44 head tube and fat down tube. Out back, shaped and ovalised stays add vertical compliance for comfort. The frameset, which includes a headset and a tapered-steerer carbon fork with mudguard eyelets, is expected to cost around £1,500, with a complete bike equipped with Shimano 105 likely to cost £2,200.

If your budget won't stretch that far, the Volant may be more up your street. This entry-level alloy road bike is a replacement for the Aether. It's been designed from scratch by new Genesis designer Dom Thomas, who's deliberately avoided using hydroformed tubes in order to achieve a clean, simple look.

The top and down tubes are triple butted to save weight, the XX44 head tube allows you to run a straight- or tapered-steerer fork, and geometry is more race- than sportive-orientated. Three models will be available, all with a carbon fork. Prices are likely to be around £650 with Shimano 2300, £800 with Sora and £1,000 with 10-speed Tiagra.

Bridging the gap between the road and mountain prototypes is the Fugio. This 'cross racer combines a frame made from Reynolds 853 chromoly with a tapered fork made by US carbon specialists Whisky Parts Co. A frame, fork and headset package will be available for £800, with a complete bike equipped with Shimano 105 for £1,700.

All four of the mountain prototypes are 29ers. The High Latitude is a 29er version of the Latitude trail hardtail and comes in three variants – one geared, one designed to be run singlespeed and one based around a Shimano Alfine geared hub. A prototype frame made from Reynolds 853 and with a 1-1/8in head tube was on display at iceBike but Dom told BikeRadar that initial production bikes and frames will all be Reynolds 520, with an XX44 head tube.

The High Latitude is based around an 80-100mm fork and has a 69.5° head angle. The frame will cost £300, with either horizontal or vertical dropouts, with complete bike prices ranging from £1,000 to £1,700. Availability is slated for the summer.

Finally, there's also a prototype entry-level 29er, the Mantle. This is made from 6069 alloy, with triple-butted main tubes and a bent seat tube for improved wheel/tyre clearance – Genesis say there's room for up to a 2.35in. It's designed to be used with an 80 or 100mm fork; with the latter it has a 68.5° head angle.

An XX44 head tube up front allows use of a tapered-steerer fork for improved steering precision. Three models will be available, ranging from the £750 Mantle 10 to the £1,300 Mantle 30, with Shimano SLX kit and a RockShox Recon Gold fork.

If you can't wait that long, the new Fortitude range of 29ers, which we checked out earlier this year at The London Bike Show, should be hitting shops within weeks. The bikes were designed around a rigid fork, because Dom reckoned it was important to get the basics right without having to worry about suspension.

Genesis's first foray into big wheels is available as a singlespeed (£850), with an Alfine hub and rack mounts (£1,500), or a 1x10 drivetrain (£1,250). Apparently, all the contact points (grips, saddle) are in the same position as on a 26in-wheeled mountain bike.

Other bikes that caught our eye were the Day One Disc 'cross bike (£800, available from April), which we first saw back in the summer, and the CDF, a lower priced (£900) version of the popular Croix de Fer, designed to come in below the UK's £1,000 Cycle to Work tax incentive threshold.

This uses Reynolds 525 tubing instead of 725 and Shimano Sora not Tiagra but shares the same proven geometry, mechanical disc brakes and classic good looks. It's due to hit shops by the end of the month.

More pictures to follow...

This article was originally published on Cyclingnews.com.

Having initially promised that the road races at the London 2012 Olympics would be one of the few events that the general public would be able to watch free of charge and without tickets, the organisers have announced plans to charge fans who want to watch on the key vantage point of Box Hill, provoking widespread criticism.

Anyone now wanting to watch on Box Hill, which the riders will race past numerous times, will need a ticket. The London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) have stated that the decision has been made in order to protect the stretch of land, which is a designated area of outstanding natural beauty, from overcrowding. But Baroness Doocey, who is the Chair of the Olympic Committee at the London Assembly, told British radio station LBC 97.3 that she would be questioning LOCOG and the government about it.

"I'm very unhappy about it,” she said. “We were promised cycling was going to be free - and I think for them to go back on that promise now is totally wrong. I'm going to ask them to seriously reconsider that decision. I think it’s completely and utterly wrong.

"They are saying they need to restrict access, but there are many ways to do that. They don't need to charge people for it. I can't think of any reason that would justify charging for something that was promised to the public as: ‘Don't worry, if you haven't got a ticket there are lots of events you can see free like the marathon and cycling’. You can't then go back and say ‘well actually, some of it is free and some you'll have to pay for’.”

Concluding BikeRadar's round-up of the 2012 Fisher Expo is a 'best of the rest' look at some of our highlights from the St Albans show, including DZR's SPD-compatible trainers, downhill helmets from Bluegrass and Troy Lee and a state-of-the-art virtual reality trainer from Tacx.

DZR

San Francisco-based DZR specialise in casual shoes that are equally at home when used as a trail or urban cycling shoe. With soles stiff enough to make them effective when pedalling hard, all models shown in the gallery feature their Variable Flex Shank nylon midsole, which aims to strike a balance between power transfer when pedalling and flexibility for walking. Each also contains a rubber insert on the sole that can be removed to reveal an SPD/Time/Crank Brothers/Frogs compatible cleat, while commuting credentials are boosted by a reflective badges. View the gallery for pricing info.

Bluegrass

Formed last year as a "gravity" offshoot of Italian helmet firm MET, Bluegrass' range expansion continues apace in 2012. On the full face front, the Intox (£84.99) is brand new this season, weighing a claimed 950g (medium) and, as ever with their helmets, catching the eye. It's available in the "Babe Orange/Cyan" below, plus yellow, red and black graphic options. Sizes range from 52-54, 54-56, 56-58 and 58-60cm.

Bluegrass Intox

The Explicit (£109.99/900g - medium) gets graphic updates for 2012, now available in green, orange, white and black. It has a fibre glass shell and full removable and washable internal padding. The range topping Brave (£134.99/900g - medium size) comes with orange, blue, green and Megavalanche graphic options.

Troy Lee Designs

Sticking with downhill lids, here are some more options in TLD's new D3 Carbon range following our look at the Pinstripe Blue version last year. The Zap CF Orange and Zap CF Yellow versions, like that one, costs £425.99/$450.

Zap CF Yellow

Tacx

We may be heading into the time of year where you can do it for real, but for a few months anyway, the Tacx Genius Multiplayer T2000 (£1,349.99) virtual reality turbo trainer allows you to ride up and down your favourite Alpine slopes and Northern Classic routes without leaving your front door.

It's their flagship model, and asides from the obvious visual aids such as the computer game-like virtual reality world and actual videos of European routes, it offers a more realistic riding experience than a standard trainer can offer. This includes BlackTrack, a turntable for the front wheel connected wirelessly to your PC which allows you to steer in the virtual reality setting. More ingenious is the motor brake, which simulates gradients between +/-20 percent, so whether it's brutal inclines or swooping descents, the rear wheel is driven by the brake to make it feel like the real thing.

The trainer works with ANT+ technology, so you can use your own power, heart rate and cadence meters, and needs to be plugged into the mains to be used. It comes complete with cadence sensor, heart rate belt, training films, software, trainer tyre, mat, bag and sweat cover - all you need is a computer. And if you're connected to the web, you can compete against others in races. Check our video below from last summer's Eurobike trade show for a closer look.

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Airace

Taiwanese pump firm Airace were showing off several new products. First up is the Turbo CO2 Mini Pump, which comes in mountain and road versions. Both allow manual hand pumping, but also come with a C02 canister for rapid inflation. 

Turbo Road CO2 Mini Pump

The mountain pump (£29.99) comes in black and titanium options, is compatible with Schrader and Presta valves, and inflates to a maxiumum 80 psi (5.5 bar). The road pump (£29.99) is lighter, comes in white and titanium, compatible with Presta and Dunlop valves and inflates to 120 psi (8 bar).

A little more heavy duty is the Speed F2 G frame and floor pump (£32.99) a hand pump with retractable hose that turns it into a mini floor pump. It inflates to a maximum pressure of 140 psi (10 bar), has an alloy barrel and works with Presta, Schrader or Dunlop valves. 

Carrera Sport

A number of design features are present on all Carrera Sport's sunglasses we saw at the Fisher Expo, with just the lens changing the price. These include a novel nose piece which can be adjusted not only on a horizontal plane but a vertical one too. All lenses are interchangeable and come in a variety of shapes to suit your style. There's also the option of adding an optical adaptor inside for those who need optical correction but can't wear contact lenses. The ear pieces are very pliable, allowing you to mould them to get the perfect fit.

This C-TF02 Photo model costs £159.99 and comes with a single pair of photochromic lenses

The new Zegho sunglasses from Assos caused quite a stir in the BikeRadar office when they arrived in late January, with their huge bug-eyed Carl Zeiss lenses, radical design and astronomical pricetag.

Continuing our new unboxing series, Cycling Plus Editor Rob Spedding gets up close and personal with the shades. From the flash outer box, the luxurious, plush white leather casing and the out-there shapes of the Zeghos themselves, there's no doubt they're aimed at the aspirational road cyclist looking to stand out from a humdrum crowd.

The Zegho range (pronounced 'Zay-go') is available now, via Yellow in the UK. Prices start at £299.99 ($399) for the Amplify model, rising to £309.99 ($429) for the Werksmannschaft and £319.99 (US$469) for the Noire. All models are hand made in Italy, one-size-fits-all and offer 100 percent UV protection and water repellence. For more details, check out Assos.com.

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Fans of Sky Sports' football show Soccer AM will know its former presenter Tim Lovejoy is a mad keen sports fan. With his devotion to football and his beloved Chelsea FC, sport is a key part of his life.

By his own admission though, cycling has never been on his radar. At all. So when World Champion and Right to Play ambassador Mark Cavendish appeared on his BBC show Something for the Weekend and goaded him into taking part in the sports development charity's annual 300-mile ride from Liege to London, the cyclephobic Lovejoy skeptically agreed.

With the time ticking on to the 30 June tour, we caught up with him at Sigma Sport's store in Kingston Upon Thames, Surrey as he made his tentative first steps in his quest to get in shape for the epic event. This is the first in a multi-part series, so stay tuned for more in the coming weeks.

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To get involved with the Liege-London ride, go to www.righttoplay.org.uk/cycle

The opening day of the Fisher Expo, the annual trade show hosted by UK distributor Fisher Outdoor Leisure, gave us a first look at an all-new new bike brand - Eastway.

Designed in-house by the St Albans-based distributor, the name derives from the cycle track that now lies under the vast London Olympic Park. The bikes are aimed at all types of cyclist, whether you're a road or 'cross racer,  commuter or city rider. The brand will be launched officially later this summer, with bikes available to buy from June or July. For now, here are a couple of models that caught our eye.

Eastway RD 1.0 D

The D in the RD 1.0 stands for disc brake, a sight rarer than hen's teeth on a carbon road bike (the Volagi Liscio is another example). The Avid BB7 Road Mechanical brakes are complemented by a respectable mix of SRAM Force and Rival as the front and rear derailleur, with Eastway's own components making up the cockpit. 

Rear brake cabling is external on the over side of the top tube which might not please everyone, though all derailleur cabling is internal. It'll retail for £1,950 all up when it's made available to the public in late June/July.

Eastway CX 1.0

Disc brakes are much more common on cyclo-cross bikes, such as this carbon CX 1.0. Like the RD 1.0D, it has Avid's BB7 road model, and looks much like its road brethren. Clearances are obviously much larger to fit the chunky Schwalbe Rocket Ron Evo tyres, with a much smaller big ring to suit 'cross terrain. Again all cockpit components are Eastway's own alloy parts, while the groupset is entirely SRAM's third tier Rival. It'll retail a shade over the road bike price for £2,000.

Check back to BikeRadar tomorrow for much more from the show.

Hosts Great Britain topped the medal table in the fourth round of the UCI Track Cycling World Cup, which was staged in the Olympic velodrome in London between Thursday and Sunday.

The Brits won five gold medals of the 14 that were on offer, also picking up a silver and two bronzes to take their total to eight. Close rivals Australia finished second with seven medals: two golds, three silvers and one bronze, while Germany won two golds, two silvers and a bronze to finish third on the table with five medals.

Sprinter Sir Chris Hoy was the standout performer for Team GB, winning both the individual sprint and keirin, as well as teaming up with Ross Edgar and Jason Kenny to take bronze in the team sprint. Although Hoy won his events well, he gave the strong impression that there was more to come before the Olympics.

Sir Chris Hoy looking ominous ... and is that an Alpina Carbon Sprint track bar?

In Britain's womens' sprinting stakes, Victoria Pendleton succeeded where Hoy failed, pairing with Jess Varnish to win the women's team sprint against Australia in a world record time of 32.754. Pendleton, however, was unable to back up in her individual events, finishing fourth in the individual sprint and fifth in the keirin. A similar fate befell her Australian rival Anna Meares, who ended with a silver in the team and individual sprints and sixth place in the keirin. Both riders struggled to back up for every race, a likely sign of a heavy training programme.

In the endurance events, Team GB came away with a mixed bag of medals. Their biggest disappointment was not beating Australia in the final of the men's 4000m team pursuit on Sunday. The clash was dubbed The Ashes of the Track World Cup, mimicking the rivalry between the two countries in cricket.

Australia fly to victory in the men's 4000m team pursuit

Australia drew first blood on Thursday, with their team of Jack Bobridge, Rohan Dennis, Alexander Edmondson and Michael Hepburn qualifying fastest in 3:57.885. Team GB's Steven Burke, Ed Clancy, Peter Kennaugh and Geraint Thomas were half a second slower in 3:58.446, setting things up for a close final on Sunday.

In the final the hosts had the upper hand at the 1000m mark, clocking 1:02.586 to Australia's 1:02.625, but then the tables gradually turned. Australia, spearheaded by the impressive Jack Bobridge, rode the second kilometre in 56.462 seconds to take the lead by 0.7sec. From then on they increased their advantage to finish in 3:54.615 (the second fastest time ever) to GB's 3:56.330. Both teams will improve before the Olympics and the race is on for the first team to go sub-3:50.

The British women's 3000m team pursuit squad fared better than the men, with Jo Rowsell (who also won gold in the individual pursuit), Dani King and Laura Trott defeating Canada in the gold medal final. The Brits clocked 3:18.148, setting another world record in this relatively new discipline in women's track racing.

In the omniums, which comprise six different endurance and sprint events raced over the course of two days, the take home message is that there isn't a clear favourite for the Olympics. Colombia's Juan Esteban Arango won the men's omnium, thanks largely to his consistency on his own against the clock: he won the individual pursuit and placed second in the flying lap, points race and kilo time trial. He managed fifth in the elimination and ninth in the scratch race to finish a clear winner overall ahead of Ho Sung Cho (Hong Kong) and Zach Bell (Canada). Home crowd hopes were with Ben Swift, who raised the roof when he won the scratch race and finished third in the elimination, but clearly lacked the speed required for the flying lap and kilo and ended sixth overall.

Sarah Hammer (USA) won the women's omnium

The women's omnium saw USA take its only gold medal of the meet with Sarah Hammer triumphing overall. Hammer didn't manage to win any of the events but was the most consistent performer - marginally more so than Australian Annette Edmondson, who finished with the same number of points as Hammer. Third went to Britain's Laura Trott, who won both the 500m time trial and the elimination race, finished second in the individual pursuit and flying lap but had a poor ride in the points race and finished 17th. That cost her the top spot overall but should give her encouragement for the Olympics.

The London meet concluded the fourth round of this season's Track Cycling World Cup. The next stop is the World Championships in Australia between 4-8 April, where it's expected that Australia will claw back some of the gold medals they lost to GB and other nations in London. But all nations have their eyes on the big prize, the track cycling at the London Olympics from 2-7 August. The pressure to perform there is the highest, not just for personal glory and national pride, but also for determining funding for the future, such is the value of Olympic gold medals compared to everything else.

Did you go to the Track World Cup in London? What did you think? Please let us know in the comments section below.

On a grey Saturday morning in Greenwich, London this weekend, nine hopeful riders set out on the World Cycle Racing Grand Tour, hoping to break the Guinness World Record for circumnavigation of the globe by bike.

This 'mass' start at the home of the meridian marked the event as something greater than yet one more rider throwing everything he or she has at the record, making it instead the first ever round the world bicycle race.

Greenwich park was buzzing, as a decent crowd of spectators gathered to see the departure of the riders, clustered at the starting line for 9am on a date specifically selected such that the winning rider would be returning around the start of the Olympics. The riders competing in this rider-organised event, are Mike Hall, Jason Woodhouse, Sean Conway, Simon Hutchinson, Stephen Philips, Martin Walker, Kyle Hewitt, Stuart Lansdale, Richard Dunnett. A 10th rider, Paul Ashely-Unett is himself attempting a record breaking ride, starting instead on February 15th from the Isle of Man.

And they're off in the World Cycle Racing Grand Tour!

Seeing nine cyclists together, all hoping to break a round the world record, showed just how diverse and personal each approach to the task at hand is. Some, such as Mike Hall and Sean Conway are riding super light, with minimal equipment, relying instead on their fitness and speed to get them through, while others, like Kyle Hewitt, Stuart Lansdale and Stephen Philips have gone for a more traditional approach, carrying much more in the way of supplies, but hoping that this means fewer stops. The one thing every rider shared, though, was an air of trepidation and pre-race anxiety, not helped by last minute hitches such as having left a passport in the library photocopier the night before, in the case of one rider, and all manner of accommodation problems and mechanical issues for more than one.

All ten riders are carrying SPOT satellite trackers which, in addition to being a safety measure, means that live race coverage is available on the website created for the event www.worldcycleracing.com. Currently, Sean Conway seems to have covered the most ground, but it’s virtually impossible to have an accurate idea of who is “winning” given the various different routes involved. Some are starting travelling east while others have headed west. Guinness only stipulate that 18,000 miles must be travelled and two antipodal points passed.

Sean is also the only rider to be aiming to visit six of the seven continents, making his route more complex than most. With three months or so of riding ahead of all of them, even if they are to break the current record of 106 days, it’s a tough call to say who will make it back to Greenwich first.

This article originally appeared on Cyclingnews.com.

Team IG-Sigma Sport unveiled their squad for 2012 at IG Markets HQ in London today, with new signing Dan Lloyd taking centre stage. Lloyd joins the British Continental outfit after three years with World Tour teams, initially with Cervelo Test Team and latterly with Garmin Cervelo. He joins another new signing, 29-year-old Namibian Dan Craven, who arrives fresh from a three year stint with Rapha Condor Sharp.

Elsewhere on the 12-man roster is GB track cyclist Steven Burke, absent from proceedings as he prepares for this weekend's World Cup round at the new London Olympic velodrome. The line-up is completed by Simon Richardson, Tom Murray, Steve Lampier, Tom Last, Simon Gaywood, Wouter Sybrandy, Jake Hales, Peter Hawkins and Andrew Griffiths.

Dan Lloyd, Simon Richardson, Dan Craven and Wouter Sybrandy pose with the team bike, a Specialized Tarmac SL4

The team, formerly known as Sigma Sport-Specialized, brings IG Markets onboard as a title sponsor for 2012. The financial trading company entered the pro cycling world last year with links to Team Sky, The Tour of Britain, RIDE24 and the London Nocturne, and they see this two-year deal as a natural progression in their association with the sport. Specialized have taken a step back, but will still provide bikes in the shape of the Tarmac SL4. Other equipment suppliers include Campagnolo, who provide the mechanical Super Record groupset, and 3T.

Lloyd, 31, thought he was heading for retirement after his contract ended at Garmin Cervelo but told BikeRadar it didn't take much persuasion from Sigma Sport co-owner and close friend Ian Whittingham to put pen to paper. "So many former riders say you should race for as long as you might regret not going on a little longer. So I heeded their advice," he said. "And it's a team that looks like it's going places."

He's thankful for his time racing at the highest level, but with the chance to do so arriving later on in his career, stepping down to Continental level with IG-Sigma Sport isn't the huge grind some may think.

"It's not quite so much the level of the team that's the difference, rather more the level of racing," he said. "Sometimes all those big teams can look very rosy from the outside but when you're on the inside they make the same mistakes as everyone else. I spent a long time in teams like this before my opportunity at Cervelo. It's nice because you get to know all the riders well, because the team's that much smaller."

Given his initial intentions following the end of last season, he says he'll need time to get himself ready for racing again. "I stopped riding a bike for a long time, so it's going to take my a while to get back into my best shape. But it's good that it fits into the team's objectives and my objectives, with the Tour of Britain and nationals coming much later in the season."

His new teammate Craven, who was rapidly acclimatising to the chilly London elements having arrived from his homeland just 24 hours earlier, had another reason to believe he's chosen the right team - the buccaneering racing style of the old Sigma Sport team, and manager Matt Stephens. His successful spell at Rapha Condor Sharp ended at the turn of the year following the decision to turn it into a developmental squad, but Craven believes the racing ethos of his new team manager is a better fit for him than the conservative style of his old boss, John Herety.

Pon Holdings, today, announced that they have acquired Cervélo Cycles after successfully concluding negotiations that began last December.

Cervélo will continue to operate independently, retaining its unique identity, innovation and premium brand positioning.

This is the same strategy Pon employ with their other PBG properties. They also own the Royal Dutch Gazelle brand and the German manufacturer Derby Cycle of which Pon is a major shareholder. "Cervélo is a unique brand that we are very pleased to bring into Pon Bicycle Group [PBG]," said Janus Smalbraak, CEO Pon Holdings, via press-release. “The Canadian based company's state of the art technology and passion for pushing the limits of engineering has captured the imagination of cyclists around the globe. With Cervélo we believe there is great potential for growth and we are looking forward to working with them to achieve these goals."

Cervélo co-founders Phil White and Gerard Vroomen will both remain with the newly formed Pon Bicycle Group.

White will continue in his present role as Cervélo CEO. Vroomen will assume a part-time role as business development manager within PBG, focusing on special projects for the group. "The opportunity for Cervélo within Pon Bicycle Group, is tremendous," said White, continuing CEO, and co-founder Cervélo. "The combination of Pon's considerable resources and expertise and Cervélo's cutting edge technology will make us stronger and more competitive as we continue to engineer the best bikes on the planet."

Cervelo launched the new S5, as their flagship aero road bike last summer

Proving that age is no barrier to cycling, Frenchman Robert Marchand has established a cycling world hour record for riders over 100 years old.

Marchand, who turned 100 a few months ago, completed 24.251km around the velodrome at the World Cycling Centre in Aigle, Switzerland. "But I’m not playing at being a champion," he said. "I just wanted to do something for my 100th birthday."

He rode a standard track bike with no aero equipment for his attempt, his biggest problem being his familiarity with velodrome riding. "I haven’t cycled on a track for 80 years," he said. "You have to get used to the fixed gear! I prefer cycling outside but that is impossible at the moment. I don’t want to catch the flu. So I am short on training."

During his preparation, Marchand was warned not to get his heart rate above 110, a rule that for the most part he obeyed. "I did climb a steep hill not long ago and went up to 134 but it’s best to avoid that," he said. "But I would be very surprised if I had heart attack.

"For the last five years I have decided not to go for rides of more than 100km. There is no point going overboard. I want to keep cycling for some time yet."

He claimed his 'secret' was none other than looking after himself. "I’ve never abused anything. I don’t smoke, I never drank much. The only thing I did in excess was work. I retired at 89 years old!

"But basically, I am like everybody. I am lucky that I haven’t had any major health problems. My advice to anyone, young or old, is to keep moving. I do ‘physical culture’ every day. It works out my whole body and keeps me supple. Some people when they reach 80 years old, start playing cards and they stay immobile. Not me. I’ve never been able to keep still."

Some of us have done it and there’s a good chance you may have done too: driven into the garage forgetting that your roof rack is full of bikes. With spring around the corner – apparently the busiest time of year for bike rack accidents – we’ve decided to take a look at three products designed to warn drivers before disaster strikes.

The phenomenon of driving bikes into overhead obstacles is surprisingly prevalent, according to Bobby Noyes, owner of Boulder, Colorado based Rocky Mounts, who says he sees roughly 40 ‘tear offs’ a year. “Early spring we see a rash of them, around March and April,” he told BikeRadar. “Then they mellow out and you see them intermittently, [throughout the year]."

“It used to be no big deal," he added. "The tray would bend and the handlebars would get a little twisted. It’s like a crash in the Tour; 20 years ago they’d get up and straighten their bars, and now everyone is waving for a new bike. It’s the same with racks; the carbon forks are so fragile that they usually just snap. The forks take the brunt of it but the Ergo levers get wasted [too].”

RackReminder

The latest ‘rack reminder’ is an app for the Apple iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch that costs $1.99 and is called just that, RackReminder. The concept comes from Nate Johnson, cyclist and president of Evolution Media, who has run two expensive bikes into his garage. Spudd Design, a web development firm based in the UK, built the app.

The principle is simple: use your iPhone to plot the position of your garage (or multiple garages) using GPS and the app will warn you when you get within 1,200m of it. After the first warning, the system switches to a simple alarm, which sounds every minute until the app is shut down.

The app is for iOS, currently but an Android version is promised soon

The two biggest drawbacks of the RackReminder app are that you have to remember to turn it on, and it puts added strain on your phone’s battery since it’s constantly monitoring your position.

Johnson has plans for an Android version, and told us that if sales go well, the next step is to build a database of low-clearance hazards. “In the long term, what I really want to do is make it [the app] interface with a web-based database of crowd sourced hazard locations,” he said, mentioning that anything from parking garages to bank teller windows could be plotted to trigger a warning from the app.

Bikes on Roof

The $10 (£6.32) ‘Bikes on Roof’ hangtag is the simplest item in this round-up. It’s a line-of-sight reminder that’s meant to hang from your rear view mirror when you’ve got gear on the roof and comes in a variety of attention grabbing colors.

Bikes On Roof is a simple hangtag

HeadsUp System

At $169.99 the HeadsUp System is the most elaborate, and expensive, of the bunch. Its warning system is made up of a wall mounted LED sign and an in-car alarm, both of which are triggered by transmitting ‘tags’ which are meant to be permanently fixed to your bike. Not only does it ‘know’ if you’ve got bikes on your roof, it also doesn’t need to be turned on or off, making it the most failsafe option.

The HeadsUp system is the most elaborate and expensive of the bunch

Back at Rocky Mounts, Noyes told us he doesn’t stock any warning systems as they don’t seem to sell well. Ripping an expensive bike off one’s car roof is a traumatic experience and one that’s never forgotten, thus not often repeated.

He did have a tip for first-time roof rack users, though. “The easiest thing to do is to put a garbage can or cooler [or whatever else found on the garage floor] in front of the door,” he said. “You have to get out of the car to unload the bike anyway, so it [can or cooler] just cues that something [needs to be done]."

BikeRadar's weekly round-up of great online deals from our recommended retailers could save you both time and money.

If you just want to get to the bargains, skip to the end of the article to see the deals listed as Quick Links.

Otherwise, read on for more details including pictures, BikeRadar reviews and your opinions wherever possible – so you can make sure you're fully in the picture before parting with your hard-earned cash.

Some of these offers won't last forever though, so be quick if you want to bag yourself a bargain.

1. Raleigh Avanti Carbon Comp Bike (2010) – Buy Now from Winstanleys Bikes for £999.99 and save 44 percent

What the manufacturer says:

"The Raleigh Avanti Carbon Comp is a popluar bike riders who relish the challenge of road riding and testing their fitness. Get the advantages in performance from the Avanti custom designed carbon frame without the expense of a top-level groupset. Coupled with the carbon frame are the Avanti custom designed direct response carbon forks ensuring a balanced ride. Quality is maintained throughout with the inclusion of Shimano CN-500 chainset, Shimano FC-5600 cranks, Xero CXR-330 wheelset and Continental Ultra Race tyres."

2. Pinarello FP2 105 (2011) – Buy Now from Wiggle for £1,299.35 and save 35 percent

What the manufacturer says:

"The full-carbon frame is powerful, the down tube is massive and the bottom bracket, heart and fulcrum of this triangle, is unyielding to the power you'll unleash when you stand on the pedals. The distinctive features are all there: the Onda fork will guide you safely through the most demanding curves. 24HM carbon with 12K finish. The frame is available in six colours and seven sizes. Components include a Shimano 105 groupset, Shimano WH500 wheelset and MOST Ewiva tyres."

3. Ghost EBS Lector Race (2011) – Buy Now from Chain Reaction for £1,235.00 and save 35 percent

"Comfort and quality of ride underpin the Ghost Race Lector. Built on the Race HM carbon frame and matched with CG carbon front forks results in a cycle that offers a lightweight and smooth ride. Gearing is provided by Shimano Ultegra chainset that utilises a Shimano Ultegra compact crankset set. The bike rolls on an Easton Aero wheelset wrapped up in Schwalbe Ultremo tyres. Brakes are Tektro R 741. A bike perfectly suited for beginner to intermediate cyclists."

Quick Links:

• Raleigh Avanti Carbon Comp Bike (2010) – Buy Now from Winstanleys Bikes for £999.99 and save 44 percent
• Pinarello FP2 105 (2011) – Buy Now from Wiggle for £1,299.35 and save 35 percent
• Ghost EBS Lector Race (2011) – Buy Now from Chain Reaction for £1235.00 and save 35 percent

Offers courtesy of: Wiggle, Chain Reaction Cycles and Winstanleys Bikes 

Subscription Offer:Cycling Plus – Buy Now from myfavouritemagazines.co.uk for as little as £45.99 (£3.54/issue) and save 21 percent

Cycling Plus is for anyone who appreciates the all-out effort of racing, the freedom of touring or the cut-and-thrust of commuting. Read more & subscribe.

Vision are best known for their aero bars but they're aiming to become big players in the road wheel market, too. All of their wheels are designed and assembled in-house. This, the company explained during a refreshingly honest presentation of their 2013 line on the Spanish island of Mallorca, gives them a performance edge and lets them retain ultimate control.

PRA hubs

Literally at the heart of Vision’s new wheels are their new PRA – Preload Reduction Assembly – hubs. In a clever meeting of mechanics and aerodynamics, these have a threaded collar that allows bearing preload to be adjusted with the wheel in place (independently of the quick-release and hub assembly) and also cheats the wind. The result, according to Vision, is a front hub that's 20g lighter and 10 percent faster than the previous generation. The preload adjustment, carried out using a 2mm Allen key, prevents overloading of the wheel bearings, thus increasing lifespan and ensuring smooth rotation. 

The rear hub now boasts a wider stance following feedback from professional riders who asked for more lateral stiffness. By moving the non-driveside flange outwards by 10mm, wheel stiffness has been increased by up to 26 percent. A redesign of the hub internals has banished steel for a totally alloy freehub body, saving 20g and reducing inertia. Super-smooth running is taken care of by four easily replaceable sealed cartridge bearings in the rear hubs and two at the front, all mounted on 17mm diameter axles.

Vision's new PRA hubs are lighter, more aero and build into a stiffer wheel

Metron 81

But enough about the hubs – it was Vision’s new carbon rims that created the biggest stir at their 2013 launch, and after five years of development look well worth the wait. The 88mm deep Metron 90 is succeeded by the 81mm deep Metron 81. In line with current thinking, it has a fairly rounded, foil-profiled rim – 24.5mm at its widest and 23.7mm at the braking surface – and includes the tyre in its overall shape to create a turbulence-reducing whole.

The company ran more than 900 computer simulations with computational fluid dynamics software and then made more than 100 test rim profiles before concluding that this was the fastest. In wind tunnel tests against dozens of competitors' wheels, they found the Metron 81 to be closely competitive with Zipp’s 808 – both had an edge under differing conditions.

Vision's Metron 81s have unidirectional carbon fibre rims with a 3K carbon braking surface

Vision say the advantages of the new rim shape are plentiful. The wider tyre bed makes the tyre more stable and gives a more rounded tread profile, which offers better grip and therefore faster cornering. The rounder rim profile suffers less from side force, making it more stable in crosswinds. Improved construction methods, the shallower rim depth and a reduced internal diameter have brought rim weight down from 600g to 475g, and aerodynamics have been improved, too; the Metron 81 creates 63 percent, or 12 watts, less drag at a 0-15° yaw angle (angle to airflow) then the Metron 90 did at only 10°.

The Metron 81 is available for tubular tyres only, with 18 aero bladed spokes laced in a radial pattern to a carbon hub up front, and 21 at the back in a 2:1 pattern, radial on the non-drive side and crossed twice on the other. Claimed weight is a scant 1,495g, excluding the very satisfying carbon quick-release skewers. Vision say this makes them the lightest wheels in the 70-80mm depth category by 30g. Supplied with the wheels are carbon-specific brake pads, valve extenders and wheel bags. They should appear in the pro peloton from March and make it to general sale later in 2012, with pricing still to be confirmed.

You'll get noticed riding these wheels!

Having heard all about them, we were itching to try the wheels out for ourselves. On a sunny but breezy day near Alcúdia we thought we might be in for a battle, but from the off it was clear how light and stiff the Metron 81s are, and seemingly immune to crosswinds. Acceleration was superb for such a deep rim, and incredibly satisfying too, with the swishing noise of deep hollow carbon and tubular Vittorias egging us on until we could sprint no more.

The weight is no hindrance on climbs either – they come in at less than the benchmark Mavic Ksyrium Elites – and descending, although less nimble than on a shallower rim, was solid due to the wide rims aiding grip, feel and stability. All in all, the Metron 81s are hard to fault and seem like they'd make an ideal wheel for time trials and powerful riders.

Vision's Metron 81 full-carbon wheels upstaging a Colnago

Metron Disc

An unexpected surprise at the 2013 presentation was the asymmetric shape of the new Metron Disc. Unlike Vision's current, conventional, flat disc wheel, the latest one takes a Metron 90 and adds a silicone-bonded fairing to each side to seal in the spokes. On the drive side, the uni-directional carbon fairing follows the spoke path, while on the non-drive side it has a convex bulge. This means that at first look the Metron Disc could pass for a normal disc wheel, but with the advantage that it can be straightened like a standard Metron 90. The only time Vision would need to assist is to replace a broken spoke, when they can remove and replace the fairings to allow the repair. 

Because of the new PRA hub, the latest Metron Disc is stiffer than the previous model, and the faired construction saves 180g, giving an overall weight of 1,100g. When the Metron 90 is replaced by the Metron 81, the disc will be based on that wheel instead, and should come in under 1,000g. When asked if the wheel was UCI legal, Vision said that because the fairings are bonded to the rim and non-removable, the design has already been approved.

The new Metron Disc has an asymmetrical, faired design but is said to be UCI legal

Other wheels

Continuing the carbon party were the Trimax Carbon TC50s, which are 50mm deep and use a 23mm rim. These wheels are built tough, with PRA hubs, 18 front and 21 rear Sapim aero spokes and external nipples for simple maintenance. At 1,450g a set they're still very light, and during pro team testing last year were ridden with a flat tyre over cobbles for some time with no damage. While they have a more conventional aero profile than the 81s, they're still mighty fast tubular-only wheels.

Looking like a great wheel for climbing or the northern Spring Classics, the Trimax Carbon TC24 has an ultralight 24mm deep tubular rim, which is 23mm wide and offers a great platform to make the most of the available grip. With PRA hubs and 20 front and 24 rear aero spokes, the TC24s tip the scales at 1,250g and the 3K carbon used means they're very strong. In use they instantly feel incredibly surefooted because of the wide rims, and the lack of mass makes for very lively, agile wheels that accelerate rapidly.

Vision's Trimax TC24 carbon wheels are incredibly light at 1,250g

Still laterally stiff but offering more comfort than the deeper section rims, the TC24s are very versatile wheels that could also excel at cyclo-cross. They were so much fun that they brought out the hooligan in us, encouraging us to flick the bike left and right, surging, braking and trying to upset them. We couldn’t, but we enjoyed trying.

Crossing the divide between carbon and alloy rims, Vision’s Trimax T42 CSI (Carbon Structural Integration) clinchers are a hybrid, with an alloy rim bonded to a structural unidirectional carbon element to provide the aero shape. Some 42mm deep and 21mm wide, the T42s run on PRA hubs with 18 front and 21 rear aero spokes, and weigh in at 1,720g. Part of the 2012 range, the T42s are firm but not uncomfortable across broken surfaces, handle predictably and are keen to accelerate. On the climbs they performed well, keeping us in touch with more exotic hardware, and refused to be worried by crosswinds. Lateral stiffness was borne out by there being no trace of rub against tightly set brake pads, even when sprinting at full power.

The Trimax T42 CSI has a hybrid alloy/carbon rim construction

Vision’s premium alloy aero wheelset is the Trimax T30. Touted as a time trial or training wheel, its 30mm rim depth and 18.3mm width allows for a variety of uses. With PRA hubs and 20/24 aero spokes, a pair weighs 1,520g. The T30 is available with a tubular rim and would make an ideal wheel for rough roads or winter cyclo-cross racing.

Using a different hub design with only two rear bearings and Shimano-only compatibility, the Team30 is an entry-level 30mm deep alloy rim with 20/24 aero spokes and a CNC machined braking surface. At 1,750g it's a solid training wheel, and is also available in a 650c size. Finally, the new Team27 has a 25mm alloy clincher rim and uses the same hubs as the Team 30, along with 20/24 aero spokes. A weight of 1,950g makes these general, no-frills training wheels.

The Vision Team30 should be a solid training wheel

Other components

Also on show at the launch was the Vision TFA (The Fastest Aerobar) setup, complete with Metron trigger-style aero shifters. Derived from many years of aero bar development, the main bar has a one-piece carbon construction with integrated brake levers, multi position armrests and replaceable carbon extensions. It's UCI legal and is adjustable for differing steerer tube angles. Total weight is 818g, and Vision claim it produces three percent less drag than any of their other aero bars.

The Metron shifters fit on the end of the aero extensions. The trigger allows you to upshift up to three sprockets at once, while down shifts are actuated by a simple press of the button forming the tip of the shifter. At 198g per pair, the Metron shifters are very neat, with their shifting mechanism housed inside the aero extension, and the cable running cleanly through to exit at the rear. They're compatible with 10-speed Shimano drivetrains and with Vision's own Metron derailleurs and cassette. Asked about the possibility of a full road groupset to complement this time trial kit, Vision said it was something they were working on.

Head-on view of Vision's Metron TT trigger shifters and TFA bar setup

Next month, Cycling Plus magazine will reveal the best kept secret in road cycling – their 2012 Bike of the Year. To whet your appetites, we'll be running reviews of some of the contenders here on BikeRadar every day from now until the mag hits shops on 2 March.

This year, the testing team have focused on bikes in the core £1,500 to £2,000 price range (roughly US$2,350-3,150). However, manufacturers were allowed a bit of leeway in case they had a bike that didn't quite fit within those limits but they felt was worthy of contention. 

As a result, the 26 shortlisted bikes range from the £1,399 Pinarello FP Uno ($ TBC) to the £2,199 Forme Thorpe Comp 1.0 (not available in the US). And the reviewers have been impressed. The trickle down of technology means some bikes in this price range now come with Shimano's electronic Ultegra Di2 transmission or SRAM's flagship Red groupset, while others use the same carbon frames as current ProTour machines – although aluminium is by no means obsolete.

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Video promo: Cycling Plus Bike of the year 2012

At the end of the day, it's the ride that's most important, not how good a bike looks on paper. To ensure consistency, each contender has been tested by senior technical editor Warren Rossiter on an 82-mile route through Wiltshire, England. They've then been passed on to other members of our the team for further testing.

"Deciding on our Bike of the Year has been the toughest call to date," says Warren. "There isn’t a dud bike among the 26 we’ve tested. Don’t by any means discount any of these great bikes, especially if you shop around in pursuit of the best price."

The contenders

• Boardman Team Carbon
• Cannondale CAAD10
• Cannondale SuperSix Apex
• Canyon Ultimate AL 9.0 F8 UDi2
• Cube Agree GTC Race
• Dedacciai Nerissimo
• Felt F5
• Focus Izalco Pro 3.0
• Forme Thorpe Comp 1.0
• Ghost Race Lector Comp
• Giant TCR Advanced 3
• Lapierre Audacio 700
• Mekk 4G Primo SI 5.5
• Onix Aurious
• Pinarello FP Uno
• Pinnacle Evaporite Two
• Planet X RT-57 SRAM Red
• Raleigh SP Race
• Ribble Sportive Racing Ultegra
• Ridley Orion 1204c
• Rose Xeon RS 3100
• Scott CR1 Team
• Specialized Tarmac Elite
• Trek 3.5 Madone
• Van Nicholas Mistral Apex
• Wilier Trestina Izoard XP 105

Italian firm Bianchi are famed for their bikes but also have a huge array of their own components, accessories and clothing. The latest to land on our desk are two pairs of sunglasses, a helmet and a mini pump, all in the traditional Bianchi celeste colour.

Their two-strong optics range is refreshingly budget. For just £45/$73, the Aquila sunnies pack in a polycarbonate frame, three sets of 100 percent UV protection lenses (smoke/clear/yellow) and a hard shell case and pouch. They come in white, black and celeste options. The Falco specs are even cheaper at £35/$57. They have all the features of the Aquilas but without the hard case and come in three celeste-heavy colour combinations.

Bianchi Aquila sunglasses

Their helmet range is manufactured by Belgian firm Lazer and this Sphere lid (£125/$161) is exactly the same as the Lazer Sphere of the same name apart from external Bianchi logos, the liberal use of celeste - and a £25 premium. Features that remain include the Rollsys fit system, 21 vents and a 286g weight for a large size.

Last but not least is the alloy Mini Pump (£16/$29) which is reversible to fit Presta/Schrader valves, can inflate to 160psi/11bar and has a bracket for down/seat tube mounting.

Fizik

Fizik’s heat-mouldable 3D Flex Custom Insole is a collaboration with insole specialists Sidas that allows the Italian firm’s dealers to offer customers optimised shoe fit. In-store, the Podiaflex material is heated using ‘Flash Fit Technology’ which makes the insole malleable enough to be shaped to the contours of the foot.

To get the right shape, weight is concentrated on the ball and arch area with the insole positioned to match the rise of the outsole. It's said to only take a few minutes. These insoles are purely about comfort and are not designed to be correctional for any biomechanical issues. They will be arriving at dealers soon, priced £59.99/$94 per pair.

Vermarc

Vermarc are arguably the biggest cycle clothing brand in Belgium and their new Flanders Classic range is a dedication to the iconic spring classics. With the Ronde van Vlaanderen (Tour of Flanders) taking place at the beginning of April, the range is designed to cover all eventualities in weather, which means you can get bib tights and shorts, winter and mid season jackets, and long and short sleeve jerseys. Here we have the full length zipped Short Sleeve jersey (£49.99/$78). Visit their UK website for more information.

Cycraguard

The latest products from the mudguard specialists Cycraguard are the easy-to-fit commuter-specific Road model. At £29.99/$47, they come in two sizes and colours; 20-28mm and 28-37mm, and black and titanium, in front and rear twinpacks. Highlights of the design include water channels that force water to follow the wheel and back onto the road. They are constructed using CycraFlex composite polymers, which is said to be extremely durable and hard wearing (they have a lifetime warranty to prove it) and have telescopic legs so they'll fit any size wheel. They're available now from UK distributor Madison.

Garmin has announced yet another delay for its much anticipated Vector pedal-based power meter.

"As with any Garmin product it is always our attempt to ensure that it meets the highest standard of quality—such is the case with Vector," Garmin media relations representative Justin McCarthy told BikeRadar. "In doing so, it has taken longer than expected. We are 100-percent committed to bringing this highly anticipated power meter to cycling shops around the world and will be doing so this summer."

Garmin had previously reported that the Vector would be available this March but we had suspicions of another delay earlier this month, when even Garmin-Barracuda team bikes were spotted with branded pedal bodies but no transmitters attached to send power data to head units.

The wait has certainly been excruciating — after all, original developer Metrigear first debuted the Vector concept at the 2009 Interbike trade show — then struggled to bring it to market. Hopes were lifted in late 2010 when GPS device giant Garmin purchased Metrigear outright (along with all of the technology and its employees), but more than a year later, we're unfortunately all still waiting.

That being said, McCarthy insists Vector will be worth the wait. "The Vector power solution combined with one of Garmin’s Edge cycling computers really will bring cycling to a whole new level," he said. "This pedal-based power meter installs in minutes and easily transfers between bikes. Weighing far less than most other power meters on the market, Vector won’t weigh riders down while accurately measuring cadence and total power, as well as independent left and right leg power.

Garmin has designed its Vector power meter around Exustar's Look KeO-compatible pedal design

"We are thrilled to provide users the opportunity to analyze this robust data through Garmin Connect so they too can take their training to new places," he continued. "Gone will be the days of boring workouts and difficult set up and maintenance. Garmin Vector will indeed be a game changer and we can’t wait until riders have it in their hands and under their feet this summer."

The Garmin Vector will be able to display separate left-right power outputs when paired with compatible head units

If only there was a law against such things. It’s statement many a cyclist has uttered after facing an inconsiderate driver. There ought to be a law against honking a horn, yelling obscenities at riders or worst of all driving close as in “buzzing” a cyclist, and now in Berkeley, California an anti-harassment ordinance is on the books.

This news follows 2011’s efforts in Los Angeles, where L.A. City Councilman Bill Rosendahl introduced groundbreaking anti-harassment ordinance for bicyclists, which was the first of its kind in the United States. The ordinance makes it a crime for drivers to threaten cyclists verbally or physically, and allows victims of harassment to sue in civil court without waiting for the city to press criminal charges.

Inspired by Rosendahl’s success, Berkley City Councilman Kriss Worthington, who is described as an avid cyclist, introduced a similar measure in the Bay Area community. He told BikeRadar that local riders came to him with stories of harassment while riding, and they wanted to see what could be done. “The district attorney and the police are really busy with serious issues, and this could give people another way of handling these situations,” said Worthington, who added that he had previously heard about the Los Angeles ordinance.

“One of the people who helped bring this to the city council had lived in Los Angeles and understands why L.A. introduced the ordinance,” added Worthington. “He was able to speak to the council and persuaded them that it was something important to consider.”

What grew out of a complaint from cyclists has become something that local riders see as a move in the right direction. Even if the law isn’t itself easily enforceable, awareness is the key, say riders. “I do know there is a growing regulatory trend intended to curb motorist harassment of bicyclists,” said Ian Moore, transportation planner with the Berkeley Bicycle Club. He told BikeRadar that he believes this “is an interesting idea, but I personally believe that the required public education to raise awareness of such laws is more important element than the law itself.”

Many believe the new ordinance will bring about better education in regards to cyclists' rights to the road

This opinion is also voiced by Jim Brown, communications director of the California Bicycle Coalition who noted that Berkeley essentially adopted language that is identical to that adopted by Los Angeles. “It gives bicyclists a tool that they haven’t had before,” said Brown. “It is hardly the magic bullet to keep drivers who threaten people to stop them from doing so, but it still gives bicyclists a tool for when those events do occur.”

Brown adds that this is just one way to put incidents that simply shouldn’t happen on people’s radar.

And that is the goal of course Worthington; to bring these situations out in the open so that perhaps they don’t continue and when they do to give power back to those who have been harassed. “It seems like it could give riders the tools to address this themselves,” he said