This autumn I tested 2 sets of tyres from the Pirelli Scorpion™ MTB range which were born from Pirelli’s experience and know how in the world of off-road competitions. As you’d expect from this iconic Italian brand, the rubber compound used for the Scorpion™ MTB range is the product of intense research and development that […]
Everybody in cycling seems to talk devices these days. Strava has become a pain, yes a pain, Garmin is a close run second and there are a plephora of other devices that cyclists seem lost … literally without. I’m no technophobe, but I do believe that you should first learn to use a map and compass, and in truth, with great devices like Quad Lock which allows you to pop you mobile phone onto the handlebars, Google Maps simply can’t be beaten – or can it;)
What if we had something like a big compass, something very simple but very effective…
When I first saw the Beeline, what impressed me was the simplicity and design. It reminded me of an old fashion prismatic compass in modern form and essentially this is how it operates. You fasten it across your handlebars with the tough rubber case and strapping, set up the app on your phone and you’re away. You can set yourself a route very quickly, tapping away on the app and mapping it out, then watch as the large illuminated pointer directs you.
As you progress your ride the arrow moves as you approach corners – big wow here, as it really helped on the winding roads of the Yorkshire Dales – and it moves either left or right as you approach junctions! You simply cannot get lost with the Beeline. Several times on a ride I would delete the route and then simply set it again and test it for accuracy and it never let me down.
Wondering how well the Beeline would perform with a mountain bike, I took it into the hills and simply set a ‘beeline’, which allows you the freedom to roam at will, simply pointing to your ultimate direction and telling you how far away it is. Once again this awesome device acted like a compass needle, giving me ultimate confidence to ride freely.
The Beeline is also super tough and rugged, being made of so few parts and being stylishly well made. it’s actually a very beautiful item of kit, simple and stylish – definitely a classic design. The only thing left for me was to hand it overto the I.T. crowd – yes! Having a couple of geek friends who work in I.T. and cycle seemed the ideal test. These guys know tech and would certainly know if the Beeline has merit, so it was off to Sheldon and Co. for this interesting device.
Despite working in IT, I am not easily swung or won over by gadgets as I find many create a hassle to my life, instead of making thinks easier. When you threw me the Beeline to try I was a little excited but also a tad sceptical. Its tiny!
1. The App.
This is so easy and user friendly to use and navigate around. Once downloaded onto my iPhone, the App is clear, bright and engaging, with simple steps to either find a location or to download a route via GPX. This in the past has proved to be a bit of a nightmare with some applications but Beeline handled this with ease. With this being the bulk of my riding, I shall be testing this method. The event is the Tour De Aky. A 106.6 mile group ride from Scarborough to Leeds in memory of a popular fallen colleague who sadly took his own life whilst suffering from Mental Health issues. The route uses major and minor roads across Yorkshire and will factor in several publicity stops. Should be a cracking test.
2. The device
At first glance it seems almost impossible that something so small can be effective. I have shied away from other GPS devices other than my IPhone because every time we go out in a group, someone always has issues. Be it a late call at a junction or a delayed signal. Perhaps I am also a little old school too. I like to know my route in my head and I confess to using a map to do this. I need to get out more.
The case is robust and cleverly designed to wrap back on itself and feels tough to the touch. I would think this will last for a while. The Beeline sits snuggly within the case and can only go in one way so you’ll never have it sat off centre. The screen is simple and old school with its display. The light works very well too. Pairing initially didn’t work as I tried to pair directly to the iPhone. The second attempt worked as I did it via the app first. This checked the firmware etc before connecting.
My Route has been downloaded onto the App and is clear and easy to read. I have followed the instructions to join with my Strava account which again was a breeze compared to my Garmin. A quick test of the route start sees the Beeline fire into life and sync straight away. Bodes well for its first outing.
Ride day.
No issues fitting the device to the bike and I use aero bars too. Started the route via the app and the Beeline easily fired into life with a clear arrow to point the way. Scrolling across gave me the speed data and the light shined brightly, lighting up the display. The weather was horrendous with cold rain lashing down but the Beeline took it on the chin and kept pointing the way.
The first 6 miles I simply followed the arrow and watched for the marker to count down to the next turn. It seems weird not having a map and I’m generally untrusting of these sort of devices but it really is simple and very easy. Unfortunately that’s where the fun stopped. We had to change route slightly because of a diversion near Filey. It was only a couple of street and we were back on course, however where a normal navigation system would re-route, the Beeline just wanted me to turn back around and complete the course as per gpx. This meant for the next 45 miles it just pointed me backwards. Frustrating as it was going well. At the first major stop off at York I decided to stop the route, clear it down and start again from this point. It fired back up and worked perfectly again. I am a happy cyclist again. As we were biking with 80 others it gave me the chance to show off the Beeline and check out what the competition is. The size and clarity did seem to impress others, as does the price.
The thing is that the Beeline does require you to stop, go to the app and press your destination in again from your current location, unless of course you’re riding with it in simple ‘beeline’ mode, where the arrow will always point to final destination. Lots of devices can be like this, but it would improve things if the Beeline was able to auto re-route.
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Robert Thorpe2019-11-17 19:39:232019-11-17 20:40:24Beeline Navigation Device
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Robert Thorpe2019-09-07 13:48:472019-09-07 13:57:03Bike Build - BB and Groupset
Part 3 of our bike build series deals with adding the groupset elements such as: crankset, front derailleur, rear derailleur and chain. It’s a critical element that needs to be done properly or you’ll end up with long term issues.
Our bike build is now at the stage where the groupset can be fitted and the whole thing begins to look like a bike that we can soon ride. Fitting the bottom bracket is critical and requires certain tools that bike shops such as Fulford have and also know how to use properly. An incorrectly fitted bottom bracket will cause untold issues and so it’s well worth having this aspect of your build done professionally.
Tools are not the only thing that the bike shop will know about. They’ll hopefully also use the right adhesive primer and retaining compound, stopping movement but also ensuring that you can remove things when the time comes for replacement. We used a standard Shimano PF30 bottom bracket, a widely used system with a 68mm shell width and 30mm axle. It really is critical to eliminate any slipping from here in order to avoid that common noise of poorly fitted units.
This is where using the right primer and retaining compound is key. Compound and primer in place, Rich from Fulford simply pressed the unit into the frame using the bearing cup press tool and his years of experience to know when it was securely in place. Thankfully, once the bottom bracket is secure, fitting the crank is usually simplicity itself and you can move on knowing that one of the trickiest issues is dealt with. With some cranks you may need an adapter, but we kept things simple on our build, with Shimano throughout.
1. Before fitting the crankset, grease the spindle surface on the drive side crank arm and put it through the bb housing so that it protrudes out of the other side.
2. Next, apply grease or anti-seize to the threads of the left arm pinch bolts.
3. Position the drive side crank arm in the 6 o clock position and the left side crank arm in the 12 o clock position. Press the arm onto the spindle just using hand pressure and tighten , making sure that the stop plate is engaged over pinch bolt threads after the crank is installed.
4. You then need to apply some anti-seize to the threads of the crank cap before threading it into the spindle.
5. Tighten the pinch bolts on the cranks, alternating each half turn to tighten equally, making sure of the correct torque. Use the Feedback Sports Torque kit to help you out here and follow the Shimano torque settings. Check the crank arms for play and you’re all done.
Time to move onto the front and rear mech units and once again, we’ve kept things to Shimano Ultegra components. Tools needed for this are:
1. Set of Allen keys
2. Phillips screwdriver
3. Chain Tool
4. Cable cutters and pliers
The Feedback Sports mechanic kit has these within it and they’re truly well-made tools that will last you a lifetime and worth the money.
Our Shimano front mech uses a braze on mount, which features a small nub with an internal thread to which you put the mounting bolt. In lots of cases the mount will be fitted to the frame already and the derailleur will simply bolt on to it. However, we needed to fit a mount and in these instances you will need to make sure that you get the correct mount for your frame, as the band clamps do come in various sizes such as 34.9mm, 31.8mm and 28.6mm. With our mount fitted to the frame correctly it was a case of bolting on the derailleur.
Placing the front mech against the braze-on, fasten the bolt and hand tighten it so that you can move and adjust the derailleur as it is fitted. Set the correct height by looking at the mech from the side. You should get the outer case of the unit between 1 and 3 mm of the outer chainring, keeping it parallel with the outer chainring before tightening it all up. To attach the cable, pull the cable through behind the bolt and clamp and pull it around the bolt until it is tight. Then tighten the crimp bolt, but not too much as you will need to make some adjustments as you set up the gearing. With the rear wheel fitted into the bike it’s time to fit the chain.
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Robert Thorpe2019-09-07 13:48:472019-09-07 13:57:03Bike Build - BB and Groupset
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Robert Thorpe2019-06-01 14:03:362019-09-07 13:59:34Bike Build - Handlebars and Cables
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Robert Thorpe2019-05-28 18:32:512019-09-07 13:58:28Build your road bike 1
Whether or not you’re heading out into the mountains locally, or taking a bikecation abroad, travelling with your bike is far more frequent these days. We think that it’s important to get it right, and give your bike the best chance for staying looked after.
Time then to look at the type of accessories that can make your daily riding and the longer trips more enjoyable and easier.There’s a lot of kit out there, so we want to just focus on the very best.
We’ll be looking at brands such as Quad Lock, Beeline and others that produce tech to take your riding out to new places. The tech market is always changing and it’s too easy to spend a lot of money on something that will simply not perform as expected. Our aim is to keep it simple and to look for the best and most efficient options for you.
Anyway, take a look below and get yourself kitted out for your own global cycling trip.
Click below to read the reviews
QUAD LOCK PHONE MOUNT
The ideal phone mount system for the all around and adventurous cyclist. This system is stylish and rugged and creates a whole new world of accessibility.
Quad lock is simply awesome. Okay, that’s all you need to know, so I’ll go out riding again.
It truly is that simple. For all the multitude of phone mounts available, we’ve used quad lock on extended cycle tours, allowing us to be guided by google maps, on road bikes as we record Strava and on mountain bikes too. It’s secure and easy to fit and easy to remove on the fly, allowing you to take pictures from your phone easily.
The numerous mounts mean that Quad Lock fits quickly to any bike, with the ‘out front’ mount being super secure and well made. The Mount Pro is a simple system that swaps between bikes seamlessly and quickly due to strong rubber O rings and stays firmly in place on the roughest of trails. Using it on some of the toughest mtb trail centres in the UK, it allowed us to control our GoPro app as we filmed the routes. It’s often difficult when riding when control apps that control other things, but Quad Lock makes it all very simple to access.
The desk mount has also been a useful addition, as we filmed for social media on the phone and whilst using Cycle rollers and watching YouTube – well, why not. Everything from Quad Lock is well thought out, stylishly designed and superbly engineered to last along time. And when the rain starts falling, the crystal clear rain poncho slips neatly over the phone to keep it safe and allows you to keep functioning, even in the rainy Yorkshire Dales and Lake District where we test lots of review products.
Fastening the Quad Lock to your bike is simple and requires just a multi tool. The brand have a variety of spares available on the website for the occasions where you might lose odd pieces. I recently lost a bolt and thankfully their well developed help section on the website told me exactly which size and type of bolt that i needed to replace it.
It’s not often that you can say a product is: tough, ultimately engineered, stylish and performs superbly, but the Quad Lock system does it all extremely well. It’ll look good and last you a long time, so what’s not to like.
Images and article by Larisa Chinces & Robert Thorpe
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Robert Thorpe2019-12-03 19:29:122019-12-03 20:54:16Pirelli Scorpion mtb Tyre
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Robert Thorpe2019-09-07 13:48:472019-09-07 13:57:03Bike Build - BB and Groupset
For the hardest working part of our bodies in cycling, our feet often get a rough ride. We were invited along to the Boardman Centre for some serious foot science and to see how custom foot beds and well fitted shoes can not only help your performance, but will also improve your overall foot health […]
Part 2 of our bike build series deals with fitting the handlebars, shifters and internal cabling. Rich from Fulford Cycles is our technical guide and Feedback Sports are once again supporting the bike bike series with their highly engineered tools.
Adding the handlebars to a bike sounds quite simple, but in truth there’s quite a lot to consider. First of all, if it’s an expensive carbon set of bars, you’ll need a torque set ensure that you don’t over tighten it. Then, it needs to be set right for you ride and this also should considered when using the bar. The width of the bars is crucial and should be balanced against your shoulder width, reducing pain and stress if the shoulders are in the wrong place and causing discomfort when riding. Don’t use bars that are too wide, because it’ll just lead to discomfort and injury longer term. The bars chosen by us are the 3T Ergo Team Comfort with internal routing, adding both to the aero design and the actual comfort, removing that extra bulk feel under the tape.
They’re also a super lightweight and strong set of bars, made from the highest quality carbon, with a super smooth finish too, looking stylish and ready to perform. With cable entry by the shifters and a cable exit point under the center area, they really are the ideal bars for a real bike lover, bringing Italian design and engineering finish to your bike.
Fitting the stem, we’d chosen a 3T Team steam, keeping the continuity of style and performance with this high end Italian brand. When fitting the stem, take your time tightening the bolts in stages and in sequence, so that they’re tightened uniformly. We also have a Feedback Sports Torque kit, with all the necessary fittings for the bike and it’s an ideal tool set accompaniment for making sure that you don’t over tighten and damage these expensive parts 😉
Placing the Ultegra shifters needs to be done carefully too, putting them in the optimum position for you. These 3T bars have graduated lines on them, so that once you get them in place on one side, it’s straightforward to ensure that the other shifter is in exactly the same position. Pulling back the rubber on the shifters is easy and it allows access to the necessary parts for both screws and later cable fitting. Don’t worry about being gentle with the rubber, it’s tough and designed to be pulled around, and it’ll return to place and protect the internal elements of the shifters once you’re done.
When you have the shifters lined up, it’s time for some cable threading. Thankfully 3T send these bars out with plastics cabling linked through, meaning that you can simply attach to it and pull through. Where it can get tricky, near the exit hole, just use the Feedback Sports dual sided pick and tease the cable end through. Once the cable is out from the bars, you’ll need to measure the correct length of cable outer for free movement, before threading the inner into the frame.
Most high end modern frames will have an internal cable run and the Bianchi is no exception, meaning you’ll just need to remove the cap beneath the bottom bracket housing, ensure that the cables exit the frame in the runs on the housing cover and refit it to the frame.
By now, we have a frame, seat post fitted, bars and shifters fitted, and we have cables running down into the frame – it’s starting to look like a bike.
One final tip if you do have cable issues with the internal routing, use a light magnet on the outside of the frame to move and drag the cables along the inside, then simply use the Feedback pick again to grab the cable on exit. Having a small but very bright torch or light can be useful here for seeing into the frame. You can buy kits to help with internal routing, but the magnet works well. When you’re replacing cables later, don’t simply pull out the old cables. Use a special cable link to attach your new cable too. Another good tip is to use an length of old inner cable sleeve, attaching it the old cable and pulling it through, then simply run the new cable through the sleeve before removing the sleeve.
Next time we’ll be fitting the cranks, front and rear mech and joining things up.
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Robert Thorpe2019-06-01 14:03:362019-09-07 13:59:34Bike Build - Handlebars and Cables
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Robert Thorpe2019-05-28 18:32:512019-09-07 13:58:28Build your road bike 1
It’s so easy these days to simply walk into a bike shop and walk out with a new bike. However, once we start riding it, we often then change certain parts: wheels, the seat post, the saddle, the gearing, all parts that are often changed by cyclists. We wanted to show you how easy it can be to put together your own dream machine, with help from the experts at the local bike shop.
Working with industry friends from Feedback Sports, we set up a home workshop and contacted Rich from York based Fulford Cycles. With help from our friends at Vitamina C PR in Italy, we put together a plan with 3T in Italy, Vittoria UK and we got the necessary parts to support the frame we’d chosen. Bianchi was to be our frame of choice, taking their Infinito frame for all day riding and choosing the latest Shimano Ultegra Disc groupset, with a 34 rear cassette for the steep northern hills. We avoided Di2 as we want this to be our main review and touring bike and mechanical groupsets can be fixed anywhere in the world.
3T produce some of the best bikes and finishing kit in the cycling world and we wanted to show how well their bars, stem and seat posts would look on your own frame builds, using the Super Ergo Team Comfort carbon bars with internal routing, the Team Stem and the Zero 25 seatpost. These will keep the weight down perform superbly for our needs and look amazing.
The wheels are Vittoria Elusion disc, which are tubeless ready and will roll well and again be reasonably well suited to riding in the hills on all standards of roads. Time to get building then.
Getting the basics fitted
Once we’d fitted the seatpost, making sure that we didn’t over tighten things, we put the frame onto the stand and got to work. First on was the bottom bracket and we went for a standard Shimano press fit. Whilst we recognise some riders often complain about bb noise from press fit, this is usually related to poor fitting. Making sure that you get the tolerances right and that you use the right grease and adhesives key to avoiding the clicks and creaks. We recommend that you trust the experts at the bike shop with the bb fitting, as it’ll also save you the cost of the necessary tools.
With the bottom bracket fitted, we’re ready to start making things looking like a road bike.
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Robert Thorpe2019-05-28 18:32:512019-09-07 13:58:28Build your road bike 1
This is the first in a series of articles from our Alps editor, Scott (give him a follow on Instagram: physiobikefit) about gear and bikes for bikepacking
Bikepacking is the ideal way to explore by bike, whether by road or trail. The bags are attached to the bike in such a way as to keep the weight centred maintaining the integrity of the bike’s handling and ability to ride the toughest of tracks. Scott will be talking bags and gear over this series of articles, starting with these cockpit bags from Revelate Designs. Read more
Local bike shops have a place in all our histories. Remember that time when your parents took you for the first time, and you looked around at all the bikes on display – wow! With the focus on internet based shopping these days, the local bike shop still has a valuable place in the cycling […]
Crank it Up!