Robert Thorpe Lifestyle – pedalnorth

Cycling in Greece – History in every pedal stroke

Pedalnorth Website — Mon, 30 Mar 2026 13:38:56 +0000

Cycling in Greece – History in every pedal stroke

Introducing the 2026 UCI ΔΕΗ Tour of Hellas

In terms of the sporting world, Greece needs no introduction – after all, they gave us the Olympics. Remember, that unrivalled gathering of athletes that brought us an epic road race in Paris in 2024, and which subsequently gave a new and more exciting format to the final stage of the Tour de France. However, Greece isn’t just historically influential in global sport; it also hosts an epic annual UCI stage race – the ΔΕΗ Tour of Hellas – which in May 2026 will be leading some of the world’s top cycling teams and riders around the unique landscapes and unparalleled history and culture of this foundational cradle of Western civilization.

Yes, Greece is a place where sports and culture have woven a tapestry of excellence for thousands of years, and which ought to be on the bucket list of every cycling fan and cycling tourist. The 2026 ΔΕΗ Tour of Hellas is your opportunity to take some of the world’s finest scenes of ancient history, as the riders sweep through timeless landscapes in pursuit of their own epic palmares.

Why Tour of the Hellas

If you haven’t heard of the ΔΕΗ Tour of Hellas, then you need a brief guide and focus on the history of Greece – for Hellas in simple terms is the native terms for Greece. It was originally used to refer to all lands inhabited by the Hellenes (Greeks) – those people descended from the mythological figure Hellenas. The ΔΕΗ Tour of Hellas is your opportunity to join us here and to explore a wealth of Greek history and culture, over 5 days of action and some of world’s best cycle racing, between 6th and 10th May 2026.

No other global cycling event takes in surroundings with such a wealth of historical sights, as the best cyclists in the pro peloton race between stages such as Karpenissi to Larissa, the capital and largest city of the Thessaly region in Greece and known as the coffee capital of Greece. We all know that coffee and cycling go together like Greece and history, and so we’d love to share our cafe culture with you, in Larissa at the end of stage 2!

Larissa is a place which gave us Achilles and Hippocrates – the father of medicine – and which on the 7th May, 2026 will give us the opening sprint finish to our epic cycle race, as the peloton climb the Pindus Mountains before dropping onto the lush green plains of mainland Greece, surrounded by historical sights and scenes at every twist and turn in the road.

This opening stage of the 2026 ΔΕΗ Tour of Hellas is a cycling tourism dream too, and route that many will want to return to and ride themselves. And yet, this is simply the opener of a world class UCI cycling stage race, filled with some of the most beautiful cycling landscapes in Europe, as the riders challenge themselves over 5 epic days of world-class racing, towards Athens.

Hellas Tour history

As well as having a greater wealth of history than any other western civilisation – being permanently fixed at the top of the history Premier League, to coin a sporting phrase – the history of this constantly developing UCI stage race is inspiring. It began life in 1968, inspired by leading world cycling events elsewhere, and was titled as being the ‘Tour of Ancient Monuments’, beginning in Athens and taking riders – as it does today – on a literal tour of the cultural heritage of the country.

It became a part of the UCI Europe Tour event in 2005, elevating its status, and a hiatus between 2012 and 2022, the Tour was started up once more, in 2022 under its current format, as a UCI 2:1 race, the ‘ΔΕΗ Tour of Hellas’, drawing on its unrivalled history and landscapes to attract the top teams in Europe and elsewhere.

Cycling sport in Greece and cycle tourism

For a mainland European nation, Greece is more accessible than many people think, and it’s cycling tourism potential is vast. It has the infrastructure, the roads, the world-leading experience of hosting tourists from across the globe, and some of the most iconic historic monuments in the world, such as the Parthenon, on Athens’ Acropolis, and temples elsewhere such as the first ancient theatre of Larissa, constructed at the beginning of the 3rd century BC, and which will be a feature at the end of stage 2 on the 2026 ΔΕΗ Tour of Hellas.

Yes, with its unrivalled cultural heritage and history, alongside being a top European destination for tourism, Greece is waiting to welcome cycle tourists, before, during and after the racing in early May. You can ride on the same roads as the world’s top teams and take in the sights and hospitality of Hellas and the Hellenes people.

Enjoy a festival of cycling and culture at the ΔΕΗ Tour of Hellas

Ιt’s always good to have something special to plan for and to look forward to. Travelling and exploring go hand in hand with cycling, and the ΔΕΗ Tour of Hellas aims to promote all that Greece has to offer as a destination for everyone.

During the ΔΕΗ Tour of Hellas in May 2026, they will be creating events in the cities that will be hosting the stages, introducing and promoting the sport of cycling among the communities and creating a cycling legacy. Furthermore, several key activities will take place before, after and during the race to promote the values of the International ΔΕΗ Tour of Hellas, the wider and inclusive culture of cycling, and the same spirit of fair play that the Greek forefathers gave to the world through the Olympic Games.

Accept an invitation to Hellas cycling in 2026

Ancient Greece and Athens gave the world the meaning of democracy, while also fostering strong communities (polis) through shared culture, language, and a shared purpose. And, in doing so, Hellas created a lasting and timeless legacy of collective action and fraternity that has shaped the spirit of belonging around the world.

The people at the Hellas Tour would like to welcome you to join us and the international cycling community in May 2026 for the UCI ΔΕΗ Tour of Hellas, and let them share the history, culture, hospitality and this world-class cycling event with you! And, who knows – you may want to come back afterwards for a ride through world history!

Click the link below to read more about this excting and special UCI stage race, and maybe take yourself on a ride through history at the same time!

Visit the Tour of Hellas website

Is Ekoi the listening brand in world cycling

Pedalnorth Website — Sat, 14 Mar 2026 10:26:02 +0000

Is Ekoi the listening brand in global cycling?

Jean-Christophe: Bucking the trend in the cycling industry since 2008

Before we start to talk about Ekoi, let’s focus on the cycling industry per se. It’s broken and a minor repair will no longer fix the issue. You can pour as much sealant into the punctures as you like – but, unless you start listening to the consumer… really listening, then you are not going to resolve the issues that are facing the industry. A simple tyre change also won’t help. Instead, pressing pause and engaging with the consumer will possibly begin in educating the industry on where the problems lie – and at heart, they’re fundamentally simple. Stop, look, listen, engage and then deliver.

However, whilst all of this has been going on – and indeed, long before it all started – there has been a company based in the south of France, quietly changing the way in which they (and indeed cycling) operates in that important space between consumer, pro cycling and brand. Yes, Ekoi, started by the passionate French cyclist and businessman, Jean Christophe in 2001, has been a burning beacon of hope for the cycling industry, and for kit-hungry cyclists around the world looking for comfort, performance, quality, style and price-point all operating in perfect harmony. Unfortunately, the coordination of those 5 simple elements have been as rare as a rocking horse winning the Prix de d’Arc de Triomphe. Unless of course, you look deeply at Ekoi and begin to break down how Jean Christophe has been thinking and operating his brand for nearly 20 years – which is when he introduced their revolutionary B2C model, in 2008, and began to change the cycle clothing and accessories industry forever, in a visionary and positive way.

Feeding the cycling child within us all

At heart, we are all that small child still inside of us – and Jean Christophe understands this as a cyclist himself. Do you remember, walking to school and stopping by the bike shop window to look at that blue Peugeot, road bike in the window and dreaming of it for Christmas. We still do this today, if we can admit to it – we frequently buy with our eyes. We watch the pro peloton and dream of our own cycling glory as choose our kit: the same helmets, the same sunglasses, jerseys and cycling shoes – and, if possible, the same bikes. We want to ride in groups with our friends, and to form our own team and pelotons.

What stops us in our tracks however is the price point; and why – well, because so many elements are now involved in the process of getting that simple cycling jersey to you. And they are all adding their own slice of the cake – meaning that the price of that jersey is usually beyond reach. Yes, the average cyclist still dreams and wants to wear a great jersey, of the type worn by the leading riders; but they also have to feed their families, and the dog and the cat – and the kids need those new training shoes for school…. and the list of impact factors goes on, whilst the main protagonists within the cycling industry continue to try to sell their over-priced offerings to 5% of the top egos on 2-wheels! Then, when their limiting strategy fails to deliver results, they wonder where it all went wrong. Conversely, Ekoi have always thought differently – which is why they resonate with me and with team here at Pedalnorth.

Delivering with passion creates proactivity

It was in 2008 that Jean Christophe developed and moved the young Ekoi brand forward, with his visionary direct to consumer, web business model and product strategy. It was still the infant days of online and in particular, online sales. However, in its first year of operation it achieved a 50K Euro turnover, with cycling sunglasses being the predominant product at that time. By cutting out the largely unnecessary and oft irrelevant links of distributors, outside marketing, and retail margins, Ekoi were able to design, make, market and sell the products themselves; and through their direct engagement strategy, they could also understand exactly what the cyclist was looking for – rapidly converting this into new product development which met the needs of the kit hungry cycling consumer.

Let’s not forget two critical aspects of those 5 key elements we mentioned earlier: style and price point. As a French company, Ekoi has style within its DNA. It’s as French as red wine and cheese. Personally, wherever I’m travelling to, a Bordeaux is always first choice of wine for me with dinner – nobody does style like the French. Then, price point; as mentioned, Jean Christophe had by 2008 been operating for 7 years and had learnt a lot about the heavy baggage that frequently attaches itself to the cycling industry. And so, he cut it away and developed Ekoi.com as the portal where his infant brand could grow alongside the cycling consumer, producing the products that they actually wanted, at the right price and at the right time. As cycling grew globally, so did Ekoi; by engaging closely with clubs and cyclists and designing and delivering the right products – products that consumers were directly asking them for.

Helmets came on board, then jerseys, bibs and socks, and the cycling clubs of France and elsewhere ate it all up, knowing the performance and quality of the product as they rode against the weather, seeing the ‘Côte blanc des feuilles’ and knowing that their reasonably priced Ekoi cycling jersey would weather the coming storm – and it has, quite literally!

With many in the world tour pro peloton now clothed in Ekoi products – sunglasses, helmets, clothing, cycling shoes – this visionary French brand continues to innovate and excel as they seek new areas and new ways to create the products being asked for by the growing global cycling community. And at their heart, working under the same principles that Jean Christophe laid down, are engineers, artisans, designers, former and current world-leading riders, all working together to create cycling dreams for everyone who feels inspired to ride a bike! Ekoi translated should mean ‘passion’, as it is this that flows outwardly from their base on the Cote D’Azur, and into the cycling clubs and cafes across Europe and beyond – and which has done since those early online days of September 2008, when their story began to emerge within the e-commerce space, way ahead of its time.

Re-inventing the B2C model

Having been active within the grassroots cycling community from their beginnings, Ekoi still operates closely on engagement. It’s that seemingly simple, but often difficult to get right, principle of observation and analysis. If done correctly, it should determine your strategy; and for Ekoi and Jean Christophe, it led in 2010 to a more defined and wholly web-focused approach, where Ekoi would be the B in the B2C model; designing, creating and delivering products based on the continual feedback from consumers, and by that all-important engagement with cyclists, clubs and a growing VIP client list. Aggressive pricing was based around them cutting away unnecessary retail margins, and it supported realistic club discounts and led to product expansion that was based solely on customer demand – a demand that was arrived at through two-way communication, and not meaningless marketing forums.

Add to this, the advent of Ekoi on the World Tour scene, where sunglasses were the first product taken on board on tested by the world’s best cyclists. Those dreaming club riders could now share the same products – as I did myself – as Ekoi catered for every cyclist in the pyramid of hierarchy, not simply the top 5% at the elite end. However, and it is a very big however, so take a breath please…

Ekoi products are engineered and designed in France, and that process involves input and testing by many of the best riders in the world; so that you can be sure when you pull on a Marion Rousse jersey by Ekoi, that Marion would wear it herself – because she does, and she helped to design the full range. No, Ekoi isn’t a lower level of expectation and quality; it’s quite the opposite – it’s the very best in terms of those key elements: comfort, performance, quality, style, all at the right price point.

Innovation & excellence for a brighter future

Talking with Jean Christophe – and Céline Vandenbroucke, their lead on PR, press, pro cycling and partnerships – they tell me about recent developments, alongside plans for the future. In 2025, Ekoi released their own cycling shoe and pedal development – the pW8 – which increases the shoe platform and power transfer opportunities, by re-inventing the contact area between shoe and pedal. Tested by members of the pro peloton, it delivers the performance gains and allows the foot to remain stable in rotation.

They’ve also been hard at work investing in engineering within French manufacturing, talking with cyclists about carbon wheels that were previously out of reach of the average cyclist. These locally assembled high-performance carbon wheels are a result of countless hours of research and testing, drawing on the expertise that already lay within French cycle wheel manufacturing – and included close liaison with their current and former pro peloton riders. In-house testing is important to Jean Christophe, as is having the position as the leading French brand within cycling – which they now are and which has been hard earned.

In-house testing listens and learns and adapts as the product develops, and it ensures that changes match needs; that the end-product is world-class, whilst remaining an affordable purchase for the majority, and not simply the minority.

Products are looked at, researched and developed alongside their support for some of the world’s best cycling teams. Currently, Ekoi equip and work with: Lotto-Intermarche; Astana; and also, NSN at World Tour level, allowing the brand to continue to call upon the expertise of the best riders in the world, before sharing the results with everyday cyclists as world-leading products.
Getting ahead takes technology & passion in equal measure

Their latest aero road helmet is one of the lightest and most efficient on the market, tried and tested by some of the world’s best riders. The EKOÏ Racing R-AERO helmet is a gamechanger in the aero helmet world because it perfectly combines speed, ventilation, and comfort. Developed with CFD technology, its profile was optimized in a wind tunnel with the clear goal of minimizing aerodynamic drag. An in-depth study in a simulated thermal environment, showed a heat transfer coefficient (ability to shed heat) higher than many ultra-vented helmets designed for climbing. The result: maximum versatility and optimal efficiency, whether in fast races, triathlon, or on mid- and high-mountain rides, even in scorching heat. It’s the helmet that was worn by Ekoi sponsored teams at the 2025 Tour de France, and the R-AERO stands out as the helmet built to win at high speed and at altitude.

Yes, from humble beginnings, Ekoi is a world-leader in so many areas, and yet still focuses on listening, looking and engaging with ordinary cyclists alongside the pro peloton, so that the products they develop meet the actual needs of the cycling community – at every level.

The future’s bright – so wear some Ekoi sunglasses!

With a bright future ahead and even more products in development, Ekoi’s list of collaborations reads like a ‘who’s who’ of world cycling: Fabio Aru, Julian Absalon, Phillipe Gilbert, Marion Rousse, Rudy Von Berg, Nicholas Roche and others. Riders across all forms of cycle sport continue to add to the palmares for this now iconic French brand, sharing the same passion that Jean Christophe used to develop Ekoi into one of the top cycling brands in the world. Innovation and excellence are often talked about in cycling; however, when this is merged with drive, intelligence and freedom of thought, and it is fuelled by passion and a healthy dose of French flair, then it is simply unstoppable.

Ultimately, none of us know what the future holds, but we can help to direct it and to meet the needs of those riding in that direction. Ekoi have been doing this since 2001, and their continued success within the world of cycling is a testament to the people behind the brand and their adherence to being different; to being the best, and in helping and encouraging others to be their best versions, too.

Talking with Celine and Jean Christophe has been exciting and yes, inspiring for me, as we shared our joint passion for cycle sport and for doing things differently – for doing things right! Ekoi won’t add sealant to the puncture that the cycling industry is currently suffering from. No, they’ll literally re-invent the wheel – and I can’t wait to be there when they do!

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Ladies Cycling Blog – and The Development of ladies Cycling

Pedalnorth Website — Sun, 22 Feb 2026 14:42:11 +0000

The Growth & Development of Women’s Cycling

To the best of our knowledge, the population of most countries is a 50:50 split; and yet, when you go into most bike shops, you see one or two rails for women… if you are lucky, and endless rails of men’s clothing. In terms of the pro peloton, many women’s teams still struggle with financing and support; and worse still, talented women cyclists are abused, insulted and sexually attacked online, simply because they choose to look stylish, fit and good on a bike. Yes, how on earth can a woman who also happens to beaesthetically beautiful – as all people are in some way – ride up the Tourmalet 2 days running and still smile – that’s despite the fact that the female athlete in this case was a world-class triathlete in her sporting career. Unfortunately though, she chose to look, well… feminine and stylish. By all accounts this attracts unnecessary and sexist comments from too many men online, who quite frankly need to check the mirror first of all… and possibly their search history. Male arrogance and sexism isn’t a cycling skill, I’m afraid; and nor will wives and partners thank you for bullying women athletes online, simply for looking good.

Here at Pedalnorth, we’ve also witness so-called respected members of the cycling industry make sexist remarks about women athletes, simply because they chose to wear pink cycling shorts on a climb in Spain. The woman concerned was depicted simply riding up an alpine pass and concentrating on the climb. It was summer and the temperatures in the valley were hot – hence the shorts. After all, women deserve to tan their legs whilst they cycle, don’t they?

Now please, with the greatest of respect – actually, with no respect to such comments – how can this sort of behaviour and failure to recognise and support women as athletes still be acceptable in 2026? It simply shouldn’t be acceptable, and men now need to wake up and smell the coffee, and then realise that if you want your partner to look good when you go to dinner, to the cinema, to the theatre or elsewhere, they reserve the right to also look good when cycling.

Leading the way to a feminine future

Let’s cut to the chase and accept that cycling has been unbalanced for far too long; and yes, that’s a polite way of saying that cycling has been sexist in too many areas, and that women in cycling deserve more acceptance for who they are – women. It’s only in recent years that women’s bikes had their own place within many many world-leading brands. Ladies, or women’s cycling clubs are one of the fastest developing areas within the global cycle industry. Failing to recognise the growth and potential of women’s cycling development is a failure to place your own cycling brand in the best position to maximise growth in the changing global cycling community. ‘Pink it and shrink it’ is no longer acceptable. Yes, women are finally a central part of the global cycling scene, and women’s cycling blogs are taking a hold, as online portals for the very best information for women in cycling.

As a website, we’ve always operated on the premise that the best and hardest working writers will always get the most support and recognition. We’ve constantly championed and promoted women’s cycling blogs, and tried to lead the way in bringing women’s cycling products to the fore, too. Ultimately, cycling is a sport for everyone, and yet it’s only in recent years that any form of equality has been achieved – and there’s still a long way to go.

Here’s a few key stats for around cycling growth for women:

Key Growth Statistics & Participation

Cycling is the sixth most popular sport for women in England, growing at over 9% in the last five years.
Women’s cycling participation has increased by nearly 20% since 2019.
In the UK, female race license holders increased by 72%.
Female membership in Cycling UK grew from 22% to 25% between 2022 and 2025.
Women made up 23% of new Zwift subscribers in 2025, up from 18% in 2022.

TV has a role to play, as the more women’s races that are televised and publicised, the greater the increase of women cyclists will be:

69% of women surveyed said watching the Tour de France Femmes inspired them to ride.
The average Women’s World Tour team budget has doubled since 2022 to approximately €4.67 million.
Tour de France Femmes social media followers reached 2.6 million in 2024, with a 61% rise in video content engagement.

Women can be stylish when cycling… it’s their right

The demand for women’s community focused cycle events is high, with events like Limitlass and La Femme both selling out rapidly. Women’s cycling requires a different approach in so many ways.

It’s not simply that our women’s cycling jerseys and bib shorts need to be designed and cut differently; or that our cycling shoes need to be designed for women’s feet, taking account for our different build and physiology. It’s not simply that we want and yes need bikes that are designed and built for us. What is is, is the simple fact that women have fought hard for recognition within society; at work, at leisure, within families, and within sport generally. Women in cycling simply want a feminine future that is on a a par with the attention given to men’s cycling.

Did you know that it wasn’t until the year 2000 that women had their first ever world cyclocross champion. Yes, only 26 years ago, despite the history and longevity of the cyclocross discipline. It was Hanka Kupfernagel of Germany who was the first women’s elite cyclocross world champion, winning that inaugural UCI Cyclo-cross World Championship in 2000, held in Sint-Michielsgestel, Netherlands.

In terms of road cycling, it was 1958 and Reims, France, that marked the official introduction of the women’s road race to the UCI championship program – being won by Elsy Jacobs from Luxembourg. The context of this becomes apparent when you consider that the men had a world championship race in 1927 at the Nürburgring in Germany, where Alfredo Binda won.

Strictly female cycling information

Considering all of this, alongside the regular insults thrown at women wearing lycra cycling clothing, it’s time for a change. It’s time for men to accept that women can and do ride bikes. It’s time to accept that women have disposable incomes and want to purchase cycle clothing and bikes designed for them. It’s time for men to realise that the women being insulted , abused, attacked for looking feminine is somebodies daughter, mother, partner – a human being, and deserve respect, not insults. Women who choose to be mothers, deserve respect and decency from the cycling industry; not to be thrown aside as riders, writers, creators, simply because they no longer fit the mold.

Men need challenging by men when they insult or attack women cyclists, and those men with their own pregnant looking builds should realise that it’s not that hard to beat them up a hill on a bike, and that simply fitting a lighter cassette won’t help their own performance. If only they took as much care about themselves, as they do attacking real women athletes, whose only crime is riding, exercising and taking care of themselves.

Ladies, or women’s cycling, whichever way you refer it, is still the fastest growth area within the global cycling community. It’s an area of cycling where performance, style and quality always ride in perfect harmony; and yet is an area where true recognition is still in waiting. For us here at Pedalnorth, led by Nadezhda Pavlova and with talented athletes and writers such as Diane Vilarem, Fatima Berton, Kristi Kuldkepp and Teodora Sabina, this dynamic area of the Pedalnorth website continues to lead the way in showcasing the uniqueness and the lifestyle within women’s cycling, by bringing you the very best women’s cycling blogs in the world – on the world’s best cycling lifestyle and culture website!

Today is the time to join the women’s cycling revolution, and to continue to challenge this long unequal status quo. Women cyclists are already here and we’re riding fast, we’re looking stylish and leading the way across the vast and hopefully growing inclusivity within the varied and interesting global cycling community!

Women’s Cycling Blogs

2026 Spring-Summer Cycle Clothing Collection from ALÉ

Pedalnorth Website — Wed, 28 Jan 2026 14:18:27 +0000

New ALÉ Spring-Summer 2026 Collection

A collection that blends technological innovation, cutting-edge materials and contemporary design, created to experience cycling with freedom, comfort and personal style.

As the cycling seasons begins once more, and we start to look ahead to warmer spring days and short sleeved jerseys, Italian brand Alé has unveiled its new Spring–Summer 2026 cycling apparel collection. This latest range from their world-leading design team, celebrates the warm season with a distinctive balance of technical performance, functionality and modern style. It’s a range for the complete cyclist, bringing the Alé experience to all riders, from professionals to passionate enthusiasts.

Alé’s DNA is rooted in the fusion of functionality, design and textile engineering. Each garment supports the cyclist on a journey that is both physical and emotional, where comfort, innovation and aesthetics coexist in perfect harmony. Clean lines and carefully engineered details, and meticulously selected fabrics define a collection designed for those who experience cycling as a personal and authentic expression.

SS26 Collection – inspirational themes

The Spring–Summer 2026 collection is built around several creative universes and themes:

• Pure Essentialism – Clean, no-frills garments designed for riders who want only what truly matters, with no compromises.

• Cosmic Horizons – Celestial colour palettes and space-inspired textures turn every ride into a visual experience, where each shade evokes a journey toward new sensations.

• Energy & Dynamism – Vibrant tones and bold designs that convey speed, adrenaline and freedom, expressing the most instinctive and passionate side of cycling.

• Urban Style – Metropolitan vibes that merge performance and contemporary aesthetics, created for cyclists who live the city with a sporty, distinctive attitude.

• Reinterpreted Heritage – A tribute to cycling’s history, reimagined through modern fabrics and contemporary cuts, preserving the elegance of tradition without sacrificing functionality.

The five macro clothing collection families for 2026

As always, the Alé SS 2026 collection is structured around five main product lines:

• R-EV1 – The capsule collection representing the pinnacle of Alé innovation: advanced technologies, cutting-edge materials and design developed in the brand’s research center.

• PR.E – Creativity and performance inspired by the professional peloton. Garments designed for riders who want to combine technical excellence, colour, style and originality on every ride.

• PRAGMA – Essential, comfortable and practical. A range of durable, refined pieces where quality and craftsmanship are guaranteed by Alé’s long-standing expertise.

• OFF-ROAD GRAVEL – Designed for gravel and mountain biking, a robust and functional collection engineered to tackle off-road terrain with comfort and protection.

• TRIATHLON – Built for triathlon challenges. Ultra-high-performance materials, advanced aerodynamics and maximum breathability for every leg: swim, bike and run.

Together, these lines form the Alé Spring–Summer 2026 catalogue, a comprehensive offering for every type of cyclist, from elite athletes to leisure riders.

Garment engineering and technical performance

At the heart of the collection lies Alé’s commitment to seamlessly integrating technology, materials and design to deliver high performance in all riding conditions. Highly breathable, lightweight and elastic fabrics are combined with advanced construction techniques aimed at reducing friction and improving aerodynamics, while seams and hems are optimized to follow the body’s natural movement without interfering with pedalling efficiency.

Bib straps are anatomically shaped and crossed to distribute pressure evenly, ergonomic cam-lock zippers ensure ease of use and safety while riding, and reflective details enhance visibility in low-light conditions. Selected fabrics feature textures and microstructures engineered to increase stability and grip on the saddle, while advanced body-mapping technology allows each garment to adapt to different areas of the body, improving fit and comfort on long rides.

Every element of the collection is designed to maximize performance without compromising style, making the garments suitable for professional cyclists, dedicated amateurs and everyday riders alike, on the road or off-road. The combination of innovative materials, technical construction and attention to detail defines a versatile, high-performance and comfortable collection, engineered to support every ride with confidence and freedom.

It’s all ready and waiting for eager, style-conscious cyclists, and will no doubt light up the tarmac and trails this cycling season. We’ll be testing out a few selected items from this extensive tapestry of cycling style, with detailed reviews coming to our website, soon.

Visit the ALE Website

Who make the best carbon bikes in the world

Pedalnorth Website — Sat, 10 Jan 2026 16:11:05 +0000

Who make the best carbon bikes in the world

Road and off-road – where does innovation & excellence come as standard

We recently looked at who makes the best carbon road bike in the world. However, for many cyclists, and especially those addicted to N+1, the wider question is: ‘who makes the best carbon bikes in the world – on road and trail? Is the best bike in the world a road bike, a gravel bike or a mountain bike? That’s a far deeper question, and it relies on us speaking with numerous people, such as Guy Kesteven – the tester man – who knows more about mountain bikes than you can shake a stick. Now, in northern English slang, that’s a whole lot of information.

During 2025, Guy tested many incredible mountain bikes, and one of his favourites was the splendidly engineered race machine from Orbea, the Oiz M-Team. Taking a cue from Guy and adding our own thoughts, the Orbea brand has to be up there, as one of the brands making the best carbon bikes in the world – especially for trail riders. In terms of the Orbea Oiz itself, it’s a lightweight, aggressive geometry and nimble handling trail hugger that wants to fly along the tracks. Add to this the quality of the finishing and the components used by Orbea – along with the size of Guy’s grin factor – and you’ve got a competitor for the best mountain bike. Having used Orbea mountain bikes for many years myself, their quality is renowned; and it’s a brand that has been around for many years, with a rich history of developing high-quality and high-performance mountain bikes (and other bikes) since 1847, when the Orbea brothers opened a small workshop in the heart of the Basque country.

Today, they still design and assemble their frames in this area, whilst their frame manufacturing relies on the expertise in the Far East. Their meticulous attention to detail is legendary, and their latest bikes continue to share this adherence to innovation. The Orbea Oiz is simply a bike that looks quite beautiful, and which rides like an unleashed beast, wanting to devour the trails that you test yourself on.

The Road to Gravel

When we talk about the best gravel bike in the world however, other small artisan brands come to mind. Yes, there’s already a pattern emerging here, as these smaller brands tend to focus on the quality, performance and comfort of their bikes, rather than simply feeding the mass market. And unsurprisingly it’s brands such as 3T and TIME who forge ahead in the context of building the best carbon gravel bikes in the world. Breaking down the gravel biking sector in its constituent parts as it continues to evolve – gravel adventure, gravel leisure and gravel race – it’s around gravel adventure that 3T excel, with bikes such as their 3T Exploro Italia leading the way on innovation, quality and performance. However, when we look closely at the growing gravel leisure sector, we see the TIME ADHX45 taking the lead on the road to gravel arena, as probably the best carbon framed gravel leisure bike in the world.

What both these brands share however, isn’t just an adherence to excellence; it’s innovation and the constant desire to keep pushing the boundaries of what is possible in carbon bicycle frame engineering. TIME, based in their European factory near Bratislava have developed and refined the Braided Carbon Structure (BCS) technique of weaving seamless carbon socks that provide the ultimate in lightness and strength, and which are seen by many as being the best carbon bike frames in the world. Utilising internal and external molds to ensure perfect frame composition with their Resin Transfer Molding (RTM), TIME carbon bike frames – on road and gravel – are simply works of engineering art that ride as well as they look.

Gravel adventure requires ultimate engineering

From their own small factory close to the Italian lakes and mountains, 3T have been creating iconic cycling parts and framesets since 1961. Like TIME, their own team of artisans have focused on developing techniques that ensure a 3T carbon frameset is ready for anything. Like the BCS technique, but also different in many ways, 3T use their own technique of Filament Winding (FWT).  Instead of sheets of carbon cut in different shapes and applied on a core, filament winding uses a yarn is spun that is spun onto a core to create a carbon shape. By changing the speeds of the winder, you can change the angle of the yarn on the core. This FWT allows to put each strand of fibre exactly where you want it. Having been at the forefront of the gravel adventure rise, 3T continue to make exceptional carbon framesets such as the 3T Extrema Italia at their home in Italy. And so, we have to rightly ask the question: do they make the best carbon bikes in the world?

Well, in terms of gravel adventure – possibly so. However, it’s time to consider the gravel leisure sector, and that’s a whole new ball game.

Riding the road to innovation & excellence

Going back to TIME and their own industry -leading BCS technique, their forte has always been in designing and creating innovative carbon road bike framesets. Are they the ultimate in carbon bikes for the connoisseur – yes, they very likely are in our humble opinion. When it comes to looking at who makes the best carbon bikes in the world, then TIME must be on the list and towards the top. Every aspect of their process has always been geared towards creating carbon bikes that stand head and shoulders above the rest in quality, performance, comfort and responsiveness. When you buy a TIME carbon frameset, you buy into a lifestyle and culture that exudes excellence. They also allow you to decide on what components your bike should have, so that the TIME bike you ride is your own unique bike.

Ultimately, we all want our own dream bike, and TIME make this possible for everyone. And, whilst they don’t make mountain bikes, as Orbea and the skilled designers and engineers from the Basque region of Spain, TIME do continue to innovate. They never stand still in their pursuit of quality and performance. Launching the TIME SCYLON in 2025, it took the brand to even greater levels of carbon engineering, with TIME testing and using new fibres within their BCS technique, to create an even lighter and stronger carbon road bike. And so I guess, and from a personal perspective ultimately; the best carbon bikes in the world are made by TIME in their factory, tucked away beneath the mountains and rolling hills of Slovakia – and all of us should aspire to ride a TIME machine into our own cycling future.

Fundamentally though, if you’re looking for a carbon mountain bike brand that stands tall above the others, then Orbea should most certainly be on your list. And, when it comes to gravel adventure, then using the 3T Extrema Italia is always going to be a good decision. We do however have to narrow down the final point though, and because of their continued adherence to excellence, their innovation and quality of ride, TIME is always going to be a bike to dream about.

Why… well, because we believe that they make the world’s best carbon bikes, with a passion that is reflected in every quite beautiful frameset.

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What is the best carbon road bike in the world

Pedalnorth Website — Wed, 07 Jan 2026 12:13:53 +0000

What is the best carbon road bike frame in the world?

TIME to find out

by Robert Thorpe & Nadezhda Pavlova

It’s a complex question, I know, as there are so many carbon bike frame manufacturers out there in the world. Many of them are based in the Far East, where they’ve become world experts at creating high-performance, high-quality carbon frames using techniques such as monocoque, which involves the layering of pre-peg carbon sheets around a mold and using an inflatable bladder for a seamless structure. However, in truth, that’s a rudimentary, old-fashioned and simplistic way of producing a frame these days. It helps the larger multinational brands to produce in volume, yes; but does it produce the most innovative, strong, light, responsive and performance orientated frameset – probably not.

Some brands use the Holo Core methods, where foam cores are removed after curing framesets. However, in certain corners of Europe, brands such as TIME and 3T are creating woven carbon framesets, using their own developed techniques, such as TIME with its Braided Carbon Structures (BCS) and Resin Transfer Molding (RTM).

Braided Carbon Structures

Braided Carbon Structure is a technique that involves the weaving of multiple different fibres into complex bi-directional ‘socks.’ These carbon woven tubes are easy to tune with different materials, dependent on what is required from each individual bike model, and how tests have been carried out to determine which works best. TIME for instance, who have perfected the BCS technique over more than 20 years, currently chose from 16 filaments to perfectly tailor their layups.

Using the Braided Carbon Structure technique, from their artisan factory near Bratislava in eastern Europe, this iconic cycling brand has refined a process that allows something that is unheard of in the cycling world: continuous, unbroken fibres that run the full length of a carbon frameset structure. Think about this for one moment; not layered pieces of carbon cloth, but one long, unbroken and seamless sock of woven fibres. It’s easy to imagine the integrity of many layers of uninterrupted woven fibres running through a steerer tube and being integrated into a fork crown, and even down the fork legs with minimal overlapping joints. Contrast this technique with the industry standard prepreg layup where the edge of every carbon sheet is a potential weakness, and you begin to get the answer to that question posed at the start: what is the best carbon road bike frame in the world?

TIME SCYLON – probably the most beautiful carbon road bike in the world

The answer, for us here at Pedalnorth at least, is easy to determine. When you see a TIME SCYLON frameset being finished by the craftsmen and women in Slovakia, then the answer is this: TIME design and create the best carbon bikes in the world. They produce works of engineering art – not in huge numbers, because that would dilute things. They take their time to ensure that a TIME road bike looks as good as it rides – which is exceptional. The TIME SCYLON -the bike of choice for our editor and colleague, Nadezhda, is probably the most responsive and comfortable high-performance road bike in the world.

TIME engineers spent almost 2 years agonizing over every detail of the 2025 SCYLON release. Producing the best aero bike in the world does literally take TIME… pardon the pun. These artisans and engineering gurus wanted to ensure that the balancing of these key elements: aerodynamics, weight, responsiveness and comfort whilst challenging, was ultimately given the detail required if they were to produce the world’s best bike in its class.

When you are working to increase stiffness and tube sizes, it can also increase weight, whilst narrowing frontal areas for that all-important aero shaping can affect overall performance and ride quality. This needed a detailed focus, with absolutey nothing left on the table 2 years later. The result is a bike that glides along the road and produces the ultimate experience in cycling – a perfect balance between performance and pleasure.

Resin Transfer Molding (RTM)

Part of the reason that TIME bikes are so beautifully constructed is how they use Resin Transfer Molding. Having developed molds that are external and internal to the finished frameset, TIME can be sure that the frameset being produced, looks and acts as well on the inside as it does on the outside. It’s also the best way to minimize defects in the composite structure. By injecting resin under high pressure between rigid external and internal molds, air pockets are pushed out, and voids between layers are eliminated. Resin can only flow where the precise molds – internal and external – allow and only assume the shapes that are intended, meaning that the RTM quality is extremely high-tolerance, uniform and consistent yielding a beautiful near-finished product.

The wax inside of each frameset as it is being produced by TIME, which helps to keep the shape and structure so smooth and perfect, is also recycled after each process. Whilst no bike manufacturing process can be totally green, small things count; and this element of recycling and re-use is good to see, whilst also adding to the process that makes a TIME frameset a work of cycling art.

Conversely, brands that use pre-preg bags can suffer from instances where the bags create resin pooling and allow wrinkling of fibre layers inside of the structure. For TIME, taking time to think about how they can produce the world’s most precise carbon road bike frameset is important.

Every TIME bike is an ambassador for the quality and performance that they’ve become renowned for since 1987.

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An adherence to excellence

TIME focuses on an adherence to innovation and excellence. They’re a small but dedicated group of creatives, always seeking out new techniques and testing new weaves, to ensure that a TIME bike frame has the perfect balance between lightness, strength, performance and comfort. The finished carbon weave also looks so good that you can have a TIME frameset that allows the look of the carbon itself to be seen – not hidden away under layers of paint. Yes, of course, they do paint framesets – and they do so quite beautifully. However, when you buy a TIME road bike, you buy into the quality and engineering excellence that has been creating these timeless pieces of cycling art since 1987. And, they continue to look at new ways to increase the strength, lightness and performance of their carbon bikes, by trialing new weaves using Kevlar and Dyneema within the BCS socks. On a weight for weight basis, Dyneema® is 15 times stronger than steel wire. Light Weight: Size for size, a rope made with Dyneema® is 8 times lighter than steel wire rope.Testing how and where to use this within the TIME framesets means that they can create some of the strongest carbon bike frames ever.

Ultimately, for Tony Karklins and his team of artisans, it means that TIME never stands still.

And so, if you’re looking for the ultimate bike for your own cycling lifestyle. One that matches your riding and ambition. A bike that allows you to ride in harmony with the bike itself and feel like one on the road, then maybe you need to take TIME for a new journey of discovery. Look at TIME and their current range of the world’s best carbon road bikes – the SCYLON and the current Alp D’Huez for climbers.

At the end of it all, the simple fact is this: the best carbon road bikes aren’t made in huge multinational factories in the Far East. They’re designed, crafted and created in a small corner of Slovakia – by TIME.

Now, pardon the pun, but isn’t it time that you took a closer look?

Click the link below and take a journey through TIME in 2026!

Visit the TIME website

Reasons to buy a new bike in 2026

Pedalnorth Website — Sat, 03 Jan 2026 22:15:57 +0000

Reasons to buy a new bike in 2026

Ultimately, because life isn’t a dress rehearsal

by Robert & Nadezhda

Despite the fact that Bikeradar seemed to go off-grid this week and shoot itself in the foot, there are still many good reasons for buying a new bike in 2026. I won’t go into the reasons that Bikeradar gave not to do so; rather, I’ll try to celebrate cycling culture and lifestyle, whilst reminding you about the value of great local bike shops. Independent bike retailers like my own options locally: Bikemonger, Chevin Cycles, Moonglu and Paceline – some of the very best – who have supported you (and me) in times of need, and who now need your support in return. I’ll remind you about those positive endorphins released by cycling, and the current chaotic state of the world, whilst cycling and retail therapy combined is a great release from this turmoil.

Yes, cycling is currently in a somewhat diabolical state of affairs. In truth, large parts of it it needs sending to Dignitas and to be allowed to fade away peacefully in its current format; to heal itself properly and to try to work through where the ailments begin. We are all in need a rewrite, and one that values the local bike shop more, the local bike club more, and the general consumer. One that starts to operate more freely without the false promises of too many distributors and marketing people over too many years, who too frequently speak with forked tongues, adding costs for brands without adding real value to their inclusion. Thankfully, there are a few good distributors, and a few unbelievably good and ethical marketing agencies – usually, in our experience, small and based in Italy but with a powerful impact for their size. It’s a sad indictment on the current model though, that these are in the minority. Many brands now deal with matters themselves – and it’s easy to see why they feel better able to do so.

However, in the main the cycling industry has been damaged by its own failures and a degree arrogance in some quarters, alongside the obvious outside impact factors and a stupid adherence to false logic. Yes, the whole situation is a total mess, and the industry still has too many false influencers – both men and women – who believe that marketing is best served by an addiction to ambassadors who spend too much time sticking their bums out and looking aimlessly like simpletons into a cloudless sky, whilst trying to sell bikes to clearly more intelligent people… and failing, whilst not even selling or saving their own sanity. There’s a failure to realise the harm that this does to women’s cycling in particular – and to those genuine content creators who operate in that space where too many women have worked too hard for too long without recognition.

Ironically, the bike and kit sales don’t increase through such marketing – nor through the false platitudes and cheesy phrases – but the voyeurs do get a regular supply of free material to view, whilst women cyclists still have to fight hard for parity from an industry that still too frequently shows it’s adherence to the ‘pink it and shrink it’ mentality that was once deeply ingrained within its dna. Women in particular, want more from bikes and cycling in 2026, and they are finally beginning to get that recognition and acceptance as a valuable customer base. Could it be that 2026 may just be the year for this to really take a hold.

So you see, the cycling industry is in turmoil and they need you to buy bikes – but press pause before rushing in and look at the vast opportunities that this current envionment has created for you, the consumer.

Express yourself and your free spirit

Add to this calamity that the shelves and corners of many bike shops are only just being started to be cleared of space to allow for a meaningful selection of women’s cycling product, then you can see why women in particular have been reluctant to support mant brands. After all, why would women want to buy themselves women’s specific clothing or cycling shoes, or indeed, a bike! How many bike brands produce extra small frames for women. Sell these small frames as framesets that alow you to build up the bike with the correct size components. It’s too common to see extra small bikes with the wrong size handlebars on them. Yes, cycling is slowly beginning to change – but only at the pace of Donald Trump filling in the New York Times crossword puzzle. The answer – go out and buy that special frameset that fits you and build that bike, taking the advantage of lower prices for components.

Frankly, the cycling industry is in a real mess and – for fear of repeating myself here – they desperately need you to buy a new bike, even if the large multinational brands continually fail to understand that the global economic climate has forced you the consumer to concentrate more on feeding your families. However, the life we lead is no dress rehearsal, and we need something to be cheerful about in all of this global chaos. It’s a time of economic uncertainty, yes. And that does impact greatly on life in general, but it should also make us more determined to stay focused, fit and healthy through cycling. It should make us realise that now is the time to go out all guns blazing, and treat ourselves to a great bike – not something ordinary.

Orbea from Northern Spain continue to make some of the best mountain bikes and trails bikes in the world – and prices are now more reasonable than they’ve been for years. This band of cooperative workers don’t mess around with pointless innovations, and the bikes are simply built to produce performance and smiles for the rider. Their Orbea Oiz continues to be a great option for those riders seeking fast paced off-road adventures under your own steam.

This period of uncertainty does make current prices hard to beat, and many global brands are accepting that times have to change regarding pricing. As I say, now is a great time to seek out that new cycling challenge, to get fit, or simply to relax away from work with friends, by asking that cycling ride on a new bike and sharing a few more coffees. It’s a time to set your spirit free and stay active away from work and the chaos of it all. Staying fit and healthy is key these dyas, when finances can be so burdensome. Taking yourself riding is good both physically and mentally and will ensure that you remain focused in this curent chaos. That has to be a good reason for buying a new bike – health. Take to the trails and set yoursef free on one of the great bikes from brands such as Orbea.

Ultimately, we need to celebrate our life and to seek new adventures – and riding a bike is a great way to find adventure and is at heart just such great fun, after all! It brings an element of brightness to the cloudy skies that often trouble the world – and right now we all that light – including you.

Sharing the burden, whilst taking advantage

The cycling industry is awash with bikes at the moment. They made too many and sold too few. The larger brands have warehouses filled with stock, and offers have never been so good for medium-ranged bikes. At the higher end of the cycling spectrum, the technological innovations have leapt like Salmon, upstream and away from the competition. Braided carbon structures with a quality unmatched by carbon lay-ups, are now affordable, as brands such as TIME offer framesets that allow you build your own custom bike, re-using that grouset, that wheelset and that superb seatpost you love. Carbon technology doesn’t get any better than TIME, and in terms of other aspects, your current groupsets and wheels are going to be good for many years to come.

Yes, you’ve diligently replaced your cassette, chain and chainrings with regularity. You know that the groupset was equal to that of a TdF winner only 5 years before, and so why not re-use it on the world’s finest high-performance carbon frameset for far less than the cost of a full bike from some frankly meaningless brand that only wants you to choose and off-the-peg option and pay more for the privilege of an ill-fitting bike, without your favourite components.

No, remember what I said: the industry needs your support right now; so, haggle and turn elsewhere if you have to. Turn to that world-leading frameset option and build that dream machine by re-using and recycling parts and wheelsets, and be green and eco-friendly whilst allowing yourself the opportunity to ride one of the best bikes in the world, for far less than you thought possible. Yes, brands that sell the very best carbon framesets will last you longer and will give a better return of investment in cost and comfort, and you get to reuse key elements of your old bike in the process – so buy that SCYLON frameset and smile like a kid again!

The dichotomy of supporting an industry that hasn’t supported you

Yes, it’s true; the cycling industry hasn’t always been a good bed fellow to cyclists. There’s a dichotomy in the fact that I’m asking you to support the industry now, by buying new bikes, whilst also telling you how it hasn’t really been on your side that well in the past – especially not for women. However, cycling is a way of life for many of us, and without the local bike shop you’d be left floundering when your bike needs fixing. You’d be left alone when the cycling cafe attached to shop closes down. And, you’ll be aghast when the online shops start to push up prices becausee they can, as they no longer have local competition to worry about.

That club that was attached to the local shop may stop operating and organising rides and trips. Those summer evenings and weekend jaunts into the hills and elsewhere. You’ll be limited in so many ways, and bereft as you realise what you’ve lost. Cycling shops are closing at a terrible rate across Europe, and without them, the cycling consumer willlose a wealth of expertise and assistance that cannot be replicated online. Local knowledge and advice will be gone. That wise head that told you to pause and simply upgrade the wheelset of the groupset or the frameset, rather than the whole bike.

Ultimately I guess, buying a new bike is a spiritual thing and not a necessity. We do it because we can and because it feels absolutely bloody marvellous to sit astride a beautifully engineered piece of cycling art such as the TIME SCYLON. Not because it makes financial sense – which it often won’t. Neither does having children, but they’re also an unmatched element of joy in life that I couldn’t imagine being without.

Ultimately… because we can!

And so, as we enter 2026, forget about the fact that a few idiotic men are creating global chaos and destroying lives – for just one moment. Think about the fact that you deserve to smile, to ride into new adventures and to feel the freedom and joy of cycling on a very beautifully engineered piece of carbon engineering, and then sharing the finest carrot cake with freinds. Imagine taking to the hills and riding classic routes with friends, such as the Nidderdale Loop on your new Orbea mountain bike, then enjoying the views before heading to the Cafe on the Square in nearby Masham – does life get any better. I think not!

Get to that local bike shop and argue a deal to buy that dream frameset, and ride the bloody hell out it and keep smiling, despite the chaos all around you. And why, because ultimately cycling is a way of life, and people such as TIME in particular make such wonderful road bikes, that it would ultimately be a crime if we didn’t help to bring these creations to life on our local roads!

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Using a gravel bike as a winter road bike

Pedalnorth Website — Tue, 18 Nov 2025 14:19:31 +0000

Using a gravel bike as a winter road bike

Buying a bike for multiple uses

Choosing a gravel bike as a winter road bike can be a sensible solution to an annual problem for keen cyclists. Winter cycling brings on a whole spectrum of challenges and problems to overcome – especially for road cyclists. Wherever you ride, at some time in the year the weather will change and become either cold, wet or icy… or all three in one day! Cycling on winter roads can be a challenge; especially for high end and technically delicate carbon road bikes with expensive groupsets and gears, and with narrow wheels and semi-slick cycling tyres. Winter cycling roads here in the Yorkshire Dales are often covered with field debris, mud, deep water – and then, the ice and snow comes!

Add to this, road surfaces with grit and salt scattered across them, and this then attacking your bike gears – the chain and the cassette – and your wheel hubs and bottom brackets, and every bolt on your very expensive new carbon bike also being attacked by the dreaded and damaging road salt! Did I mention the risk of slipping on the ice and cracking your carbon frame! And yet, as cyclists in winter, we wrap ourselves up in Klimatik clothing by brands such as Ale, and we add mudguards to the bike and use lights even for day time riding… and we hope and pray!

Justifying N+1

As cyclists, we often meet confusion in our families and with our partner, when we try to convince them that each of our bikes is for a different purpose or use. Ultimately, they all have 2 wheels, a saddle and handlebars – so, what makes them different! Where did N+1 originate, and why don’t non-cyclists fully understand that the need to ride in comfort on all surfaces, is only solvable by the addition of yet another bike to your stable!

Thankfully, due to the ascendency of gravel biking, there is a kind of a solution to your winter road bike requirements. Yes, there’s a drop handlebar bike that has a more relaxed geometry, a stronger frame and wider wheels and tyres for you. And, if you buy the right choice of gravel bike, you even get to spec it up yourself and maybe add a double chainset to give you a wider range of gears, helping you to utilise your awesome all-terrain gravel bike as a tarmac munching winter road bike. Yes, making the right choice now in buying your gravel bike, will also give you a great option, as your gravel bike will make a great choice for winter road cycling… and here’s why!

The advantages of using a gravel bike as a winter road bike

The ideal bike for multiple surfaces

Gravel bikes are designed and built in a way that makes them a great option as a winter road bike. Ultimately, these versatile bikes are designed for multiple surfaces – especially road use – allowing you to ride on roads, gravel paths, and even light trails, providing the ultimate in cycling flexibility. Gravel bikes typically have several accessory mounting points, allowing you to easily affix mudguards and racks, keeping that winter cycling road debris at bay, and protecting you and your gear from road spray and debris. Yes, that age-old problem of fixing mudguards that will remain stable on your winter bike, is now easily resolved by using your robust and well engineered gravel bike as your winter road bike option.

Traction and Grip

Traction and grip is all-important in winter, and yes – you can use winter road tyres and ride with lower tyre pressures. However, your tyre size will always be limited on your winter road bike, whilst a gravel bike is designed with the ability to take on several wheel and tyre options. Wider tyres with a deeper and more defined tread pattern will provide better grip on wet, icy, or debris-covered roads, increasing your confidence and assisting with your cycling safety. Running these wider tyres in lower pressures will also add some much need comfort on pot-hole filled and cracked road surfaces.

Bikes such as the TIME ADHX 45 can take a 650B wheel, or a 700C wheel with a 45mm tyre width – now, whilst that’s maybe overkill, using a 35mm gravel tyre with lower pressures will provide you with better grip – and, your winter bike buying is now unnecessary, thanks to your 3-season gravel bike becoming a 4-season road option. And, thanks to the wider gear ranges on your gravel bike, you’ll still be able to comfortably tackle the long and steep hills of the Dales, Lake District, or Italian countryside!

A frame built for strength and versatility

You can of course simply swap your road wheels onto your gravel frame and use winter road tyres, which will ride faster than a gravel bike – if speed is truly important to you. Thankfully, gravel bike frames are more rugged and robust though, and they’re better equipped to take on the rigorous work of a winter road bike, and the dangers that lie around every corner, due to the weather and road conditions.

Looking at the iconic TIME brand – and other high-end gravel bike options – these brands give you the opportunity to spec the frame yourself, with your own choice of gearing and groupset, finishing kit and wheels. TIME also build their ADHX frameset for speed on gravel, leaving the hardcore bikepacking options to other brands such as Surly or 3T. It means that their gravel bikes are perfectly suited for dual usage on roads, and a perfect choice of gravel bike for use as a winter road bike. All that you need to do is to make sure that the gearing is relatable to the roads you generally ride.

Personally, I like a 2×12 gear option on a gravel bike, as the hills around here are steep and unrelenting. I want my gravel bike to be able to ride up with ease, and to allow me the opportunity to speed downhill as fast as possible! When it comes to using a gravel bike as a winter road bike, the 2×12 gravel gearing setup will also perform well as a winter road bike gear choice, giving you that road type feel for gear choice.

Hydraulic disc brakes are more and more common on road bikes. However, if you have to buy a winter bike, this can be an added expense for a bike that you’re likely to use for only a few weeks each year. Thankfully, gravel bikes such as the TIME ADHX 45 come with disc brakes, meaning that when you use this gravel bike as a multi-purpose winter road bike, you’ll still have the very best stopping power to keep you safe. Make sure that you keep the callipers and discs clean though, and help to maximise their performance by maintaining them after every winter ride.

And so, there you have it: taking time to think in detail about your next gravel bike and how it can save you money when it comes to a winter road bike option, will serve you well financially and on the road. Whilst an ‘off-the-peg’ gravel bike always seems tempting – saving you from making too many decisions – by getting a professional bike fit and then building up your own ideal gravel bike, you’ll ensure that you have a gravel bike that fits you perfectly and which will serve you as more than capable winter road bike option. Focusing again on our friends at TIME, the iconic bike brand; they’ve been creating world-leading road bikes for generations and have unrivalled expertise in carbon frame production for road bikes. They’ve used this to pause and think in depth when developing their range of gravel bikes, which are equally as impressive. For all the right reasons, they’re a good starting point in providing you with a dual usage cycling solution.

Technology has made the wide tapestry of cycles even more colourful and varied. However, when finances start to impact – as they do with such modern frequency – spending more on one great bike will often be a more sensible solution that buying two mediocre bikes that will spend months tucked away and unused. Yes, if it sounds as though I’m encouraging you to choose a gravel bike as your next winter road bike, then you’re right on the mark – and you’ll be able to ride off into the summer sunset on too.

It’s Time to Ride – with Time Bikes!

Gravel bike buying guide – choosing a gravel bike for adventure

Pedalnorth Website — Mon, 10 Nov 2025 14:01:24 +0000

Gravel Bike Buying Guide

Choosing a gravel bike for your next adventure!

Gravel bikes are a recent addition to the global cycling scene, but their impact has been meteoric, with the UCI already crowning world champions, and Strade Bianche becoming a modern cycling classic. Events such as ‘Unbound Gravel’ and ‘Barry Roubaix’ over in the USA, and ‘The Gralloch’ and ‘Dirty Reiver’ in the U.K. provide excellent opportunities for adventure and epic gravel bike racing.

For many people, gravel bikes enable you to unleash that spirit of adventure that’s been locked away since childhood. And, as the development of the best gravel bikes continues, the gravel biking scene grows bigger and bigger, with sub-cultures for racing, bikepacking, endurance gravel events such as the Silk Road race, allowing everyone to find their own adventure on 2-wheels! However, when you are looking to buy your first gravel bike, what do you look for? Indeed, what should a gravel bike look like, and how do you choose your own gravel bike and decide between the growing range of gravel bike options.

Critically, we need to know what actually a gravel bike is, and which are the best gravel bike brands. And yet,as innovation continues in this still developing area, the brands that are currently at the top are changing each year. It’s an area of cycling in flux, due simply to still being in its infancy.

Whilst this article isn’t definitive, we want to help you when you’re looking to buy a gravel a bike, by giving you an insight into what a gravel bike is, what defines a gravel bike, and what to look for when choosing the gravel bike that suits you and your own grave bike lifestyle. And so, here’s a brief gravel bike buying guide for you. If you’re ready, it’s time for adventure, and it’stime for us to guide you around how to choose a gravel bike. Yes, it’s time to help you to find out what constitutes the best gravel bike brands in the world currently – and, what is the best gravel bike for you.

Different types of gravel bikes

Before you jump in and buy that discounted bike online, press pause and ask yourself one simple question: what is my intention?

Firstly, consider the gravel style of riding that you’ll be doing. Will you be entering gravel races, or do you want to explore the trails and woodlands, and ride into the mountains and meadows as you set yourself free. In effect, do you need a race-orientated bike or an adventure orientated gravel bike? Once you know this, you then need to decide about the frame material. Carbon is lighter, but do you actually need a carbon frame – they’re usually more expensive and can be over-engineered for some people.

It may be that an alloy framed gravel bike is perfect for you, and that you don’t need to break the bank. Remember, it’s about you and your style of riding – nothing else. Get the basics right, and yes – you will be riding the best possible gravel bike.

Frame material is critical when you are looking at how to choose a gravel bike. Will an aluminium, steel or titanium gravel bike frame be better suited to your adventures and bike packing trips. There’s a big cost difference between aluminium, carbon and titanium, and each performs in a different way… and has a different level of comfort and longivity.

Then, there’s the wheel size to think about – 700c or 650B, the tyre clearance, drivetrain (1x vs. 2x) are just a few starting points. Will you want to add suspension to your gravel bike – yes, I know, it could easily become an original hardtail bike of time gone by! If you’re going to be gravel biking on long haul endurance trips, do you need mounting points on your gravel bike. Thankfully, U.K. based bike pannier system brand, Tailfin, lead the world on bike panniers and bags that fit out your bike – any bike – with a full bikepacking system, without the need for mounting points.

Finally, what’s your gravel bike budget for the bike and accessories – and, think about a bike fit, to ensure that you buy the right size of gravel bike for you! It can be an expensive mistake, if you buy solely with your eyes and find out that your beautiful new gravel bike doesn’t fit you and doesn’t suit your own unique riding needs.

Breaking down gravel bike design

Thankfully for you, leading brands such as TIME sell custom-built gravel bikes and framesets, as well as complete gravel bikes. This allows you to discuss your needs with them or a retailer and have your gravel created to meet your needs. First of all, let’s get this gravel bike buying guide on the road and go through the various elements that make a gravel bike and which will help you in choosing your own.

It’s Time to Ride – with Time Bikes!

Gravel bike frame

When you are choosing a gravel bike, as mentioned earlier, understanding the frame options is critical. A gravel bike frame is constructed to be stronger and more robust that a road bike frame. Whilst they may look the same, the gravel bike frame will have a longer wheelbase for stability, a higher headtube for a more relaxed riding position, and a lower bottom bracket – again for stability. The frame tubes are generally larger and shaped to help in absorbing the ride; with seat stays often flattened and curved. Some innovative brands have created area headtubes and front forks, to compensate for the wider tyres, creating super-aero designs. In terms of materials, alloys may be just right for your own gravel bike needs, being cheaper; however, carbon frames will give a lighter and more comfortable ride – especially if you get the right quality of carbon manufacturer.

Not all carbon gravel bike frames are the same though. The carbon layup and construction differs between brands and certainly between price point. The best performing, most comfortable, and the stronger carbon gravel bike frames will use a technique such as braided carbon weaving, using the best high modulus carbon fibres. Braided carbon structure is used by TIME Bikes, weaving the fibres into complex bi-directional ‘socks.’ This process allows TIME to create unique continuous, unbroken fibres that run the full length of a structure – or frame. It’s easy to imagine the integrity of many layers of uninterrupted woven fibres running through a steerer tube and being integrated into a fork crown and even down the fork legs with minimal overlapping joints.

Contrast this with standard prepreg carbon frame layup where the edge of every carbon sheet is a potential weakness. When you’ve chosen your gravel bike frame, you want to ensure that it’s flexible enough to absorb the varying terrain, giving a comfortable ride; stiff and strong enough for you to take on the technical terrain and give you precise handling; and comfortable for all-day riding, even when loaded with bags and panniers. Hopefully, you’re getting an idea already of how important it is to understand all of these issues – hence the need for a useful gravelbike buying guide.

Taking a look at one of the iconic brands with cycling, TIME; with this high-performance and high-quality company you get a carbon frame that is the result of years of innovation and engineering excellence, and which will easily cope with many years of grave bike adventures. TIME stand in the higher echolons of bicycle engineering, with their artisan team having a world-class reputation for making some of the best gravel bikes in the world today, at their production facility in Europe. In our opinion, that’s a good starting point for anyone looking to buy the first gravel bike. You will pay more than some other brands, but you’ll be getting a frame that has had everything well thought through, and which has been tested to the highest standards of engineering, performance and that all important comfort factor.

Gravel bike gearing and chainsets

When you are buying a gravel bike, you really do need to consider the gearing and chainset options. Do you go for a double or single chainset – with a double giving you a slightly better range of gearing options. If you’re riding in a steep area such as the North Yorks Moors, then a double chainset may help you on the mixed-terrain, offering you a wider range with smaller gaps for rides that take you on steep tracks and tarmac, or for racing use. For the more rolling gravel tracks such as the South Downs in the U.K., or riding the white roads of Tuscany, then a single set up will be fine and keep you rolling along smoothly.

An 11-44, 11 or 12 speed cassettes will get you going on just about all terrain, especially when paired with a good 40 or 42 tooth chainring. Each of the main brands – Shimano, Campagnolo and SRAM – produce a selection of groupset options, with Campagnolo being widely recognised as the lightest, with their 1×13 speed Ekar GT groupset. Campagnolo has always been a favourite of mine, and if you do choose a high-end from such at the latest TIME ADHX45, then pairing it up with Campagnolo wouldn’t be a bad choice. Just remember though; get the right crank length for your own needs – which is where a bike fit comes in handy. Buying a high quality branded frameset such as TIME allows you to choose your own ideal groupset. If you are intending on bikepacking though, a mechanical groupset may be a better option when riding remote areas.

Gravel bike wheels and tyres

Choosing gravel bike wheels and tyre sizes is allso crucial, if you want them to match your riding style. Gravel bike wheels and tyres are designed to handle varied terrain, with options for both 700c and 650B sizes, and a wide range of tire widths and tread patterns. A 700c wheelset will give you speed and work well on mixed terrain, whilst a 650B wheelset will give you extra comfort and grip. Tyre choice shouldn’t be about price point solely. Getting the right tyre to match the terrain will keep you safe and make the ride far more enjoyable.

Ultimately, if you’re likely to use your gravel bike on mixed routes, then choose a 700c wheelset. If, however, you’re looking at endurance rides and bikepacking adventures, then consider the 650B option for that extra comfort and stability when loaded with bags and panniers.

For tyre choices, first of all check your frame clearances. Many frames these days allow for either the 700c or 650B wheel. However, each provide a different set of options for tyres themselves:

700C: The most common size, found on the majority of road and gravel bikes.
o Narrower (700×28–35mm): Best for roads and hard-packed gravel, offering speed and efficiency.
o Wider (700×38–45mm): Better for rougher and looser surfaces, providing more comfort and control.
o All-rounders (700×40–42mm): A good compromise for mixed-surface riding
650B: A smaller diameter wheel that allows for wider tyres, often used for more off-road-focused gravel riding.
o Wider (650Bx47–50mm): Ideal for comfort, grip, and tackling rough, technical terrain.

Gravel bike handlebars

Whilst this gravel bike buying guide touches only briefly on each area, it does cover the relevant information to help you in choosing the best gravel bike for you. One often overlooked component for all cyclists is the handlebar. It’s easy to choose a bike off the peg, and then to find that the handlebars are the wrong width, causing pain in the shoulders and lower back. Once again, a good professional bike fit is recommended.

Gravel bikes tend to use drop bars, which at first glance look the same as those for road bikes. However, they’re fundamentally different, as they need to cope with different terrains and different pressures.

Terrain choice in finding your perfect gravel bike

Terrain is a big consideration for gravel bike handlebar choice. For those road cyclists who want the benefit of aerodynamics, narrower handlebars might be better for you. However, if you frequently tackle technical terrain or you want a more upright and comfortable riding position, wider handlebars will give you greater control. and high degree of control, consider wider handlebars. Now for the flared design, commonly seen with gravel bike handlebars.

The flare design is critical for comfort and safety, as it enables wrists and forearms to be clear when riding in the drops and whilst tackling tough terrain. You do still need to ensure though, that the handlebar you choose is the correct width for you. And finally, choose a strong bar, meaning that unless you’re racing, an alloy handlebar will stand up to the rigours of technical tracks and loose terrain far better.

Gravel Bike Buying Guide

Ultimately, gravel biking is going to keep growing in participation, as more and more cyclists look for adventure and take to the trails as an option away from the traffic. It enables and encourages an adventurous spirit and allows you to mix your riding up, taking in roads and tracks in some of the most beautiful parts of Europe. Brands such as TIME Bikes have been innovating for many years, and now produce some of the best engineered gravel bikes in the world. Once you’ve worked through your own needs and requirements, you’ll have a better idea about what to look for yourself in choosing your own first gravel bike.

One thing is for certain though; we all need a little time for adventure – and a gravel bike will help to set your cycling spirit free!

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THE BEST CYCLING ROUTES

Defining Cycling Culture and Style

Pedalnorth Website — Sun, 26 Oct 2025 15:03:05 +0000

Cycling culture and style

Understanding the changing face of cycling

Cycling culture is difficult to define, as there are so many facets to the global cycling community. And, as cycling has developed, particularly in recent years, it’s becoming harder to pin down what cycling culture and style means. In truth, it’s a tapestry of cycling types and styles, all woven together – often loosely – and yet all sharing one central them: seeking adventure and sharing a spirit for life. Whether your cycling lifestyle involves a short spin around town, taking in the coffee stop on the Chicago boardwalk; or a gravel biking epic across the white roads of Tuscany, we’re all part of that global village of cyclists. In truth, the greatest display of modern cycling culture is probably that seen daily within the Netherlands, and nearby in Belgium, where families exist with cycling as a way of life, a way of transport, a way of leisure and of sport. Elsewhere, we tend to add little bits and call ourselves cycling nations… but, are we really?

Pedalnorth always tries to be as organic as possible, evolving with the changing cycling scene – to be representative at least, of a few elements within the tapestry of the global cycling culture. In terms of our own cycling culture and style, this year we’ve taken on new writers from road racing, cyclocross, bikepacking and gravel biking, mountain biking and leisure cycling, and increased our women’s cycling blog area, to better represent the too frequently under-represented area of women’s cycling. We believe that cycling of all genres can sit together on one portal, and that our platform can provide relevant and interesting cycling lifestyle themes, such as our ‘Yoga for cyclists’ project with Diane Vilarem, alongside the bikepacking expeditions that Scott Cornish enjoys and once wrote about for us. We’re constantly reviewing what cycling culture and lifestyle means to us and to our readership. If it involves people having the best time on a bike, then it’s a good starting point for us.

Style too, evolves and changes within cycling as often as High Street fashions. It’s false and unrepresentative to try and focus solely on the urban centres, as London cycling culture can often have little in common with the club rider from the Yorkshire Dales. Converseley, cycling in any single geographical area or genre isn’t a full and accurate representation of cycling culture either – it’s merely a brief glimpse of a particular element.

The role of the cycling industry

A case in point is the recent issues surrounding the iconic Rapha brand within the global cycling culture scene. Whilst this iconic brand took off in London and the south of the U.K., it unfortunately never really made the same impact in the tough and rugged conditions of the northern National Park areas, where riders were more frequently seen in the Italian brands such as Castelli and Ale, or more reasonably priced and stylish home-grown brands. Ultimately, a jersey that costs up to £300 must do something special when the rain is hitting you and the wind is literally tearing at your face.Rapha do make excellent products. However, that special style element isn’t always going to be the tapestry of choice for all riders. In terms of the local bike shop too, they have to purchase multiple jerseys in varying sizes just to sell the size that fits you. Culture and style can come with a price tag.

And, when the sun has retreated and the cold weather warriors come out to play on the cyclocross race circuit, a £300 jersey just won’t cut it through the mud-strewn courses of Flanders and elsewhere. You need spiked shoes and the heart of a lion to climb the off-camber slopes and descend into the unknown of bike handling gymnastics. No, cyclocross refuses to take prisoners, and that expensive jersey will look just as dark and dirty as one half the price, when the battle is over. Cycling culture isn’t about Instagram poseurs looking aimlessly up into the air and pointing their cycling shoe toes like a somewhat ridiculous trainee catwalk model – men and women. Yes, I’ve seen some utterly ludicrous images of men on bikes, doing their best to look cool and striking the same overly-false and caraicature style pose on every image, in hope that some frankly limited thinking marketing exec will send them a few more jerseys to wear just once, as they continue with their inane act, producing unrepresentative and soulless images of modern social media cycling.

The best photographic representations of cycling culture often come from activity and motion, and those online images that seem to have movement within them. That may be a group of cyclists in the Netherlands using bikes as part of daily life; or it may be a group of friends tackling a climb together in the Yorkshire Dales. It may even be that group of friends at the cafe, or simply smiling naturally together on a ride out. However, social media has distorted the thinking of marketing agencies who confuse voyeurism with promotional success on Instagram in particular, as too often we see those aimless images of cycling statues.

Social media – in too many ways – skews our impression of what cycling culture and style is. Unfortunately, brands have frequently become drunk on it, as they continually throw out samples to aesthetic clothes horses who represent nothing more than their own egos, on an all-to-familiar journey towards false fame and hidden loneliness as just another forgotten Z-lister. This isn’t cycling culture, nor a sub-culture strand of cycling – it’s simply a sad reflection on modern life, where the influencer culture has become badly mixed in with that smaller group of genuinely talented and skilled marketeers within the online and social media world, who truly want to inspire, to encourage and to ride into adventure. And yet, their value and the culture that they portray has become diluted as the cycling industry wrongly aligns them with the pouting mannequins who look aimlessly into an empty sky.

Yes, good content that accurately reflects cycling culture and style costs money, because it costs good writers and good media creators time and effort to produce the content. Content that includes an abundance of knowledge, skill and familiarity with the truth of what cycling culture and lifestyle is… or could be. We need to press pause on the static pouting poseurs and mannequins – men and women – and start valuing those who want to inspire and encourage that spirit of adventure, and not simply influence through a false aesthetic that adds to the distortion of cycling culture and which ultimately harms the bottom line for already struggling cycling brands, desperate to find the pot of gold at the end of the culture rainbow.

The role of clubs in defining cycling culture

Cycling clubs have always been the bedrock of U.K. cycling culture, and indeed, cycling culture throughout the global village. Clubs such as Otley CC in Yorkshire, continue to produce world class riders such as Lizzie Deignan and Tom Pidcock, whilst the nearby town of Ilkley, surrounded by steep hills, has the largest cycling club in the U.K., enabling riders of all ages and all levels to find a group to ride with and to learn about the magic ingredients of cycling culture – the tea and cake stops, the quick bike fixes, and how to improve your performance on the bike as you serve your apprenticeship in the club cycling peloton.

It’s the same in Italy, Spain and France, too – and other European countries – which have a far richer and more vibrant cycling club foundation than the U.K… Clubs form the pattern of their cycling sport agendas, and help to support thriving race series’, feeding the higher tier clubs and teams that in turn feed the UCI with a conveyor belt of world class riders. Belgium is a testing ground for many young riders, who use the country as a base as they begin their journey, with the cold winds of Flanders testing them on winter training rides.

Technology and cycling culture

The online world and the cloud now have its own version of an international cycling culture and lifestyle, as apps such as Zwift, Whoosh, Rouvy and Wahoo allow cyclists around the world to easily interact and race each other from the comfort of their homes. Add to this the rise of gravel biking and those seeking off-road adventures and exploration, as people seek something different, to escape from chaotic and crazy society and world that too frequently seems to be filled with economic woes, wars and environmental destruction. Yes, joining in with the global cycling culture and finding your fix on 2-wheels can be therapeutic – both physically and mentally – adding to the changing face of the global cycling culture.

E-bikes have enabled far more people to enter our global cycling culture. Whether it’s simply a means to extend adventure, add to the adrenaline or for health reasons, E-Bikes are now a common site at trail centres and mountain venues, bringing a new cohort into the outdoors. In the main, pedal assist motors simply allow people to enjoy that aspect of cycling that adds something positive to our lives, and we all need to embrace and accept this new form of cycling culture. Festivals such as the U.K. ‘Ard Rock Endura’ at Swaledale have become the Glastonbury of off-road cycling, attracting riders from across the world, and with E-Bikes easily outnumbering traditional bikes.

No, it’s not always the big trade shows, and certainly not aesthetic and style orientated shows such as Rouleur Live that provide consumers with the best cycling shows in the world. It’s the absolute awesomeness of events such as ‘Ard Rock, Dirty Reiver (gravel), Roc d’Azure and L’Ardéchoise, a large, annual amateur cycling event held in the Ardèche department of France, and bigger than the Tour de France for participation community. These are the events that truly define our varied and simply beautiful global cycling culture. Not the fading menu of old fashioned trade shows, or the over-priced and over-inflated brand fests tucked away in cities, without even a defined cycle parking area, and which simply provides a very small and very expensive stage for the industry peacocks to show off their expensive feathers.

Modern cycling consumers want interactivity and particular vibe. EuroBike is developing this at its Frankfurt venue, but has a way to go still. Consumers want inclusion and action and bikes that can be seen to offer that adventure that so many cyclists are now seeking – at every price point. The aesthetic based trade events simply fail on every level to truly represent the average cyclist who still uses the average bike shop, and who still wants to pay a reasonable price.

Style versus substance

Style is always difficult to define, and it forms a central theme in cycling culture. Back in the day, cycling style was focused for many around their club kit and how they reflected their participation and membership of a defined group. In more modern times, cycling style has been more expressive and exciting, with brands such as Ale, Beihler SYN, Rosti, MAAP, Attaquer, and of course Rapha, redefining what cycling culture, community and style ought to be.

It’s easy to say that the price of jersey isn’t relevant, because it is. There is an invisible price-cap for many peoplle – and yet they still expect style and comfort and performance. Frankly, charging upwards of £250 for a short sleeved cycling jersey is obscene for most cyclists. It’s not supposed to be an iconic item of wearable art. They want a jersey to keep them warm, keep the sun at bay, hold off the wind and look smart as they tackle that tough climb or ride the rolling hills into the valley. Cycling culture is a social thing, a sporting lifestyle… not a competition to display your position in societies economic hierarchy. Let’s leave that to the golf clubs.

In terms of women’s cycling culture, the old-fashioned attitude of ‘Pink it and shrink it’ is no longer acceptable, as brands such as DS Pro and Jelenew have set new standards that balance performance, technicity, comfort, and feminine style in equal measure. Women are finally being allowed to look and feel like women on a bike – whilst sexism does still exist in many areas, including within the professional ranks, where the UCI has only recently grasped the issues. Cycling culture is accepting that women are built differently – funny really, when you consider that they haven’t just evolved with their own particluar form and requirements! The patriarchy has simply taken too long to accept that they might just have been wrong. Women have always been able to hold their own on a bike. However, how many bike shops have you been in and seen only two or three women’s jerseys on sale, whilst there are rows and rows of jerseys for me! Frankly, it’s a disgusting display of openly being sexist and failing to market towards a growing base of cyclists with a disposal income and a willingness to buy cycling products designed specifically for their needs – women!

Personal choice versus chasing personal fame

Ultimately, cycling culture is whatever we want it to be. I love riding with my cousin to the tea rooms at Jervaulx Abbey, returning along the 2014 TdF route. I also like nightriding across the technical trails and hills of Wharfdale on my mountain bike or sharing a city ride with my son in London. Colleagues here at Pedalnorth likewise mix up their riding; with Kristi riding road for a pro team in the summer and changing to cyclocross in the winter. Alex rides mountain bike as a pro in Romania and yet took to the Stelvio recently, along with Teo – albeit then descending the off-road alternative!

And then there is Nadezhda – a bundle of electricity and energy. Nobody here defines the spirit of cycling more, as she travels the world ,seeking new cycling challenges; climbing the Tourmalet not once but twice – 2 days running – before heading to Italy and riding in the early morning darkness, simply to see the sunrise from the top of the Stelvio. That for me is cycling culture. It reminds me of climbing trips in my youth, when we would travel in the early hours, hiking in to the mountains as dawn came, so that we could climb alongside the sunrise and feel the warmth on us as we ascended. Those magical moments are what define cycling culture, and style how we prepare and how we cloth ourselves in a way that outwardly displays our own indiviual spirit and personality. Cycling culture is defined by that seemingly endless stream of young cyclists in the Netherlands, making their way to school. It’s their parents on the cycle commute into work or into town to shop and socialise. It’s Nol Van Loon on a multi-stage gravel adventure on the Silk, Road. It’s Tudor Oprea in Romania, creating the TRIADA festival for off-road riders of all ages and abilities. It’s the Sunday morning club ride to the cafe, or the Thursday night mountain bike ride across the Yorkshire Dales with friends.

Cycling culture is ultimately up to you

Cycling culture is simply that spirit that lives within each of us – once we accept it and set ourselves free in pursuit of adventure! It’s not about the poseur on a bike that’s more expensive than their ability requires, and nor is it solely about the commuter on their £300 bicycle shaped object, wrapped against the morning cold on their way to work. It’s all of these and more, and cycling culture will continue to evolve and change, as new styles enter the global cycling community. Nobody owns it or has a more important place in our culture than anyone else.

Quite simply, cycling culture belongs to you, and it’s yours to define, as you ride in any way and in any direction you choose. It’s a revolution that will never end, and it’s simply quite beautiful, as independent spirits continue to take to 2-wheels and set themselves free.

Pedalnorth.com – where cycling culture & style lives in freedom

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