Innholdsfortegnelse for May-June 2025 i Bicycling Australia

Life can feel pretty serious these days. Rules and regulations. Do’s and don’ts. Conspiracies and counter-conspiracies. (And don’t get me started on sock height.) Sometimes it seems we’ve lost the simple joy of being fallible, unique, human. Everything is so, darn, black and white. Unless, of course, you’re Italian. In which case, life is rosa. Maglia Rosa. The Italians have always been wired a little differently. Which is precisely why it’s such a breath of fresh Dolomiti air when the Giro rolls around each May. For an outsider looking in, there’s less order, structure and control, along with more shouting, gesturing and general chaos. Strange things tend to happen, and keep happening. Yet somehow it all works out in the end. Like the oh-so-peculiar Venice time trial in 1978 featuring…

At this time of year, should we reduce our riding loads or even, dare I say, add another form of exercise into the mix? It’s a bit controversial but hear me out. I’m a strong advocate of mixing things irrespective of what time of year it is; not only is it mentally refreshing, it will make you a better rider. Between your weekly group rides, try changing your routine. I can just see the reaction from your WhatsApp ride group when you post at 6 pm the night before your ride that you are out as you will be attending a reformer Pilates class! One of the drawbacks of a long summer of riding is the lack of attention you have likely given to your body. Many of us neglect…

Italy, Belgium, or France? Many will argue the toss on the question of where road cycling’s true heartland is, and fair enough – they all strike a strong and unique claim to that mantle. Yet, there’s no avoiding the fact that Italy is the glamorous one; a passionate, sometimes boisterous, bold, and bright, even prodigal land when it comes to cycling. Call it flair, call it style; it’s impossible to pin down its exact and fine essence, and yet it runs through just about everything Italian, including cycling. From its flamboyant and silky-smooth bike racers of past and present to the classically clashing and sometimes borderline garish race kit they strut – only Italians can pull off such stuff. Italian bikes and parts have always inherently taken on this approach,…

As disc brakes become increasingly popular on road bikes, home mechanics need to know how to maintain them and require specific tools to do so. In a bike retailer workshop, you might find six different tools to do the job the BBB DiscDoctor does, but in a home workshop, a multi-tool can be a great option. The DiscDoctor covers six functions that home mechanics may need in their workshop. We put each of them to the test in a home workshop on several disc brake bikes and found each function simple and effective to use. Rotor wear gauge The gauge features five different slots that accommodate the most popular brands of disc brake rotors, and it effectively confirmed that the rotors we tested were still the correct thickness. Brake pad…

There are plenty of options available for cycling eyewear, making it difficult to decide, and many, like the good-looking Koo Hype, are an investment. Koo is an Italian brand and the sister company to Kask. It was launched by Kask in 2016, with the name inspired by “Kask Optics.” When I first picked up the Koo Hype glasses, I thought the angular shape was a little unattractive, but my first impression was unfounded because when I put them on, I realised they were shaped that way for a reason. The design somehow fits the human face and provides an impressive amount of coverage from the sun and obstacles. I was also concerned that the unisex fit would be too big for me, as I often wear narrow-fit cycling glasses. However,…

Orbea e-gravel bike The Orbea Denna is an eRoad with gravel-adapted assistance, superior traction in the loosest terrain, and range for the longest routes. In building the new model, Orbea combined the expertise it had gained from the Orbea Gain eRoad and Terra gravel models. It includes gravel-specific assistance to aid riders up the steepest climbs, traction on the loosest surfaces and range to take on long rides. Like the Terra gravel bike, the Denna has generous tyre clearance up to 50mm and a frame designed for a smooth ride. The new Denna includes two pre-configured modes – Gravel and Gravel+ – designed for different conditions. Gravel mode is optimised for smoother surfaces where it’s easier to maintain a higher cadence, allowing riders to use the cassette’s wide range and…

Could I have under-estimated the Italians when they said “it’s mostly downhill” on a trip that would take me from the edge of the Dolomites to Lake Garda? Maybe. And on gravel too, and anyone who knows me well knows that I do not ride well on gravel. Could I have saved myself some embarrassment by choosing the road option on this route instead of gravel? Maybe. Do I regret it? Absolutely not. Such are the emotions you tend to go through when cycling in Italy, especially in regions where it isn’t typically featured on the mainstream cyclists’ itineraries. This year, both men's and women’s Giro will feature the lesser visited north-eastern part of Italy, and it’s time to shine a spotlight on the regions of Trentino, Friuli Venezia Giulia,…

From 20 to 22 June 2025, Everleigh’s Carriageworks will play host to SPOKEN, a bike show featuring the world’s leading bicycle, apparel and component brands. It’s the first time SPOKEN, formerly known as the renowned Handmade Bicycle Show, has been held in Sydney. It was previously held at Melbourne’s Seaworks. The organisers describe SPOKEN as an opportunity to savour the bicycle’s design and innovation, performance, community, and culture. SPOKEN was first held in 2018 as The Handmade Bicycle Show and gradually grew to include a wider range of bicycles, accessories, parts, apparel and more. This year marks another change with the move from Melbourne to Sydney, reaching even more bicycling enthusiasts. The idea for SPOKEN came from the need for Australian bike and frame builders to promote their wares and…

In the ever-evolving world of cycling, the Chapter2 Rira is one of the latest models aiming to hit that elusive Goldilocks balance of cycling dynamics. Chapter2, a Kiwi company co-founded by Neil and Mike Pryde in 2017, designs its frames in New Zealand and has carved out a niche through a strong focus on customisation and individualisation. With the Rira—meaning “to be strong” in Maori—Chapter2 seeks to elevate the riding experience by blending performance, comfort, and style. Of course, the well-known risk of being a Jack (or Jill) of all trades is mastering none. Yet, to its credit, the Rira excels in multiple design areas, making it a truly impressive all-rounder. Design and build quality The Chapter2 Rira is built using high-quality Toray T1100 carbon. Without getting too deep into…

Nestling discretely between your bottle cage and downtube, AlterLock is a sleek Japanese-designed bike alarm with an integrated location tracker that provides alerts direct to your smartphone. Now into its third generation there’s a variety of alarm and motion sensitivity settings with a maximum volume of 95dB and alarm durations ranging from five to 60 seconds. Importantly, these can only be deactivated via the AlterLock app. Without access to your account, potential thieves can’t change them. The unit itself is compact and unobtrusive (167mm x 28mm x 9mm) weighing just 50 grams. It also has a solid IP66 ingress rating and claimed battery life of three months between charges. How it works Should your bike be moved whilst in ‘Lock’ mode, the AlterLock sounds an initial warning to get the…

‘Stashable’ on-bike solutions for tools and spares have been around for a while, with varying degrees of success. Granite Design’s Stash tool systems were released a few years ago, and their Stash RCX fork steerer-housed multi-tool has also grown in popularity with gravel and road riders. What’s it all about? Is it simply a novelty gadget or an ingenious piece of sublime design? First up – why? I have a bunch of multi-tools around, but for each, I have to either sacrifice space for extra tubes or tyre levers in my seat pack or add a small frame/bar bag. Hence, a micro and minimalist tool system stashed out of sight but accessible on the bike made sense (I don’t have a bike with a hidden frame compartment). Initially, I had…

I grew up in a household where the only sports we ever watched were AFL and cricket, and it was, of course, only men’s sport on TV! As a result, I was never interested in following sports and only ever focused on them every four years when the Olympic Games were featured prominently on our living room TV. It was quite a transformation when I discovered the joys of road cycling about 16 years ago and concurrently started watching the professionals race. During those years, women’s professional road cycling has experienced exponential growth. Back then, the only women’s cycling on TV was the Olympic and Commonwealth Games, and World Champs. The rest was all men’s racing, and although I thoroughly enjoyed it, and still do, I wished the women could…

Thank you, Classics. It’s been wonderful. But now, with the antipasto done, the first of the season’s main courses is about to be served. Specifically, it’s time to cast our rosa coloured glasses towards the small Balkan nation of Albania, which will host the Grand Partenza for the first time in Giro d’Italia history, beginning on Friday, 9 May. “It’s like a fairytale for us,” gushed Albanian Prime Minister, Edi Rama when the decision was finally confirmed by Giro organisers, RCS, back in January. “We are a blessed territory, where in a small space there is everything. They will be spectacular stages which will show off a beautiful part of our country, like in a film.” Rama may well be right. But one thing this year’s ‘film’ won’t feature is…

Talk us through helping Durbo at the Nationals Until I attacked, we were really trying to shut the race down, and I think all of us believed that Durbo would be able to hold on for the win. I was feeling really strong, but I also knew if I could get away solo and catch him over the top, we’d be able to stay away. As soon as I got to him, I said hold the wheel, and we’ll get you this win. He was double leg cramping, and he was hurting. Once you heard that crowd on that final climb, it took him to the finish. The way the race played out, there was never another option in my head of not trying to help Durbo get that win.…

Over the past decade, road bike brakes have transitioned from rim brakes to disc brakes, with the latter now almost completely dominating current bike offerings. There are a few rim brake models still available on the market, but you have to hunt around. To gather a variety of views, we spoke with Shimano, the leading component manufacturer. We also sought the views of two leading bike manufacturers, Cervélo and Trek. We rounded this out with a chat with a pro team Equipment Manager and veteran rider of Israel-Premier Tech. Disc brakes are not new. They were first introduced in the 1970s when they were used on cars and motorbikes. This was followed by disc brakes on mountain bikes in the late 1990s. It wasn’t until the mid-2010s that they were…

I first started using Peak Design products in early 2023 when I reviewed several of their mobile accessories for Bicycling Australia. I quickly became a fan of the brand and could see the quality of the products. While not cheap, why protect your $1,500+ phone with cheap accessories? In my 2023 review, I discussed the quality and durability of the products, which I had been using for only several months. I’ve now been using many of them for nearly two years and have had the opportunity to test their longevity thoroughly. Everyday mobile case While not just a bike accessory, the Peak Design Everyday Case works with the two bike mounts that I’ll mention later. The phone case is a super-sleek accessory with a 2.4mm profile and a rubberised outer…

“It's quite disturbing that there were stories written in the documentary that weren't there. For me, the series is focused on commotion." —Visma–Lease a Bike rider Wout van Aert, June 22, 2023 So … the producers of Tour de France: Unchained have decided to hang up their cameras. “After three seasons, we are naturally coming to an end of this cycle. We're very proud of the work we've done and the public response to the documentary series, which has allowed us to offer a fresh take on this legendary competition," read a Netflix statement in February this year. "Netflix France will continue to explore new territories in the world of sport. We have several exciting projects in development that will enable us to tell unique stories in other sporting disciplines.”…