May seems alright doesn’t it? Pinch punch and all that. Whether you’re sunbathing, lighting up the barbecue or none of the above, you’ve got plenty of reading to catch up on from Cyclist this week.
If you’re not already subscribed to the magazine, the latest issue arrived in stores both digital and physical this week – find that here – and James interviewed TV’s Guy Martin for the latest episode of the podcast yesterday – find that here.
On the .co.uk it’s been all go. We began the week with some fantastic pictures by Matt Grayson from the men’s CiCLE Classic last weekend; then we popped down to the launch of Ineos Grenadiers’ new Netcompany Ineos era, which is all based around AI, but how exactly?
There has been a lot of tech news this week too, with Zwift buying its main competitor Rouvy; Campagnolo releasing 13-speed Record; BMC modernising the Kaius gravel race bike; Factor adding an ultra-racing gravel bike to its repertoire; and Guava bringing out a gravel race bike without aero claims.
We’re also looking forward to La Vuelta Femenina starting this weekend, check out our preview here, and keep your eyes open for our official predictions coming soon.
We’ve finished the week with a great interview with Amy and Kyle Hudson, who set off today in their mission to become the fastest couple to cycle round the world.
Now you’ve consumed all of that content, here’s some more.
Hunt 36 Carbon Wide Aero wheels
Rim brakes eh? Not so dead after all. While these aren’t a new release, the reality is that most people are still riding rim brake bikes and ‘most people’ includes me.
So when it was time to hang up my trusty Hunt Race Aero Wide wheels, I went back to Hunt for an upgrade and now I’m about to fit these 36 Carbon Wide Aero wheels to my 2020 rim brake Giant TCR.
They’re, unsurprisingly, lightweight at 1,417g, have a 19mm internal and 27mm external rim width for grip and aero benefits, and, as you can tell from the name, have 36mm deep carbon rims. They also feature Hunt’s Sprint hubs, which have a 7.5° engagement angle and a 48t ratchet, as well as aero spokes.
I’m about to be ripping up and down the hills of North London on my commutes.
Quoc M Pro Lace shoes
Laces look better than dials. Fact. Laces are more aero than dials. Also fact. So now Quoc has released lace versions of its popular and very good M Pro road shoes, what more needs to be said? Not much, but I’ll add more anyway.
They share the same unidirectional carbon fibre sole and TPU laminated mesh upper as the M3 Pro shoes, though are 5g heavier, with a claimed weight of 245g, but that’s counteracted by the superior aerodynamics of a lace-up system.
Quoc supplies all its shoes with arch inserts to help get your fit right, and the M3 Pro Lace shoes have a vibration-damping insole to help with comfort and relieving pressure.
And they come with this rather nice musette.
Oquo RP50 LTD wheels
This section has been lovingly written and photographed by Laurence Kilpatrick.
Wheelmaker Oquo is part of the same Basque-based cooperative business as Orbea. It is seeking to step out from the frame maker’s shadow with a new range of wheelsets, of which the RP50 LTD is one model.
‘We already have an aero wheelset for smooth roads,’ says Oquo’s Álvaro Mañé. ‘Our goal here was to create a wheel that still has strong aerodynamic efficiency but is also optimised for rougher roads and gravel racing.’
The RP50’s 25mm internal rim width aims to allow riders to run wider tubeless tyres at lower pressures, while the rim’s blunt and wide rim profile is said to improve stability in crosswinds. Oquo has foregrounded safety and compatibility by fitting a mini hook design at the bead seat.
‘This makes the tyre easier to seat and provides security for the tyre bead but still gives us the aerodynamic benefits of a flatter transition from rim to tyre,’ he says. ‘The drawbacks are that it’s slightly heavier than a hookless design and more complex to manufacture, but these are small in comparison to the advantages.’
Oquo uses Zipp hubs in its less premium wheelsets but its own new 45t ratchet Oquo Q10 hub in the LTD line. The push-fit design can be serviced without tools and the aggressively machined hub body uses 7075 aluminium, a grade that’s said to be stronger and more durable than most steel.
What we’re into this week: Noah Kahan
Folk pop superstar Noah Kahan released his new album The Great Divide last Friday and it is a confirmed whopper. Kahan’s previous album Stick Season catapulted him to global success, so the pressure was on to deliver more of the same standard of sad bops.
In the buildup toThe Great Divide he also released a Netflix documentary Noah Kahan: Out of Body, which gave an inside look on his rise, struggles, home, Vermont, family (his dad, Josh, was a frequent Ironman competitor before a crash on a training ride left him with a traumatic brain injury), and body dysmorphia. It’s incredibly moving, adds some context to his lyrics and gives fans far more intimate access to an artist than they normally get.
Thankfully, after a week of listening, I can confirm that The Great Divide is another classic in the making. It might not have the viral hit like ‘Stick Season’ but there are plenty of earworms, harmonies and great lyrics to make it a worthy listen for anyone.