Gear

British-based Intrepid Apparel have been creating really well thought-out riding kit for some time. The slightly stretchy polyester of this jersey feels pleasant against the skin, wicking away sweat well and giving a good balance between breathability and windproofing. It does err on the side of warmth and on hot days can be a bit much, though the thinner fabric under the arms helps. 

It can be used as an outer layer through at least three British seasons, and the sleeves are baggy enough to be rolled up without falling right back down or cutting off blood flow to your arms. 

The fit is excellent, giving enough freedom to move without leaving excessive amounts of fabric to catch or irritate if worn under a jacket. The V-neck collar is soft and the cuffs have thumb loops. We’re really impressed with the zipped wrist pocket, which is ideal for carrying bank notes, lift passes and other lightweight items. 

At the back there’s a neat zipped side-entry pocket with an internal pouch to hold a phone tightly, plus a neat carabiner to secure your keys. None of it interferes with a pack when the pocket’s empty.

The stitching and fabric have held up well to regular use, though unplanned visits to the brambles have pulled the odd thread, and the white fabric’s starting to stain in places. The black version is probably a better bet if you have to put up with filthy conditions a lot.

This article was originally published in What Mountain Bike magazine, available on Apple Newsstand and Zinio.

The rather bright, affordable Superstar Highline 780-40 bar comes in just about every colour known to man, so if hue-matching is your thing you’ll be in your element here. 

Unsurprisingly, the 780-40 has a 40mm rise and is 780mm wide. If you want to trim it down there are cut marks, but they don’t denote widths. Setup is a doddle thanks to the centre lines, which help with getting the bar centred and rolled to the desired angle.

The 6-degree upsweep and 8-degree backsweep create a comfortable feel, and the 40mm rise is ideal if you’re looking to raise your front end for riding steep stuff.

This article was originally published in Mountain Biking UK magazine, available on Apple Newsstand and Zinio.

Bianchi’s new £1,500/US$2,000 carbon bike has already been selling well, and filling up waiting lists where stocks have sold out, so we thought we’d see what all the fuss was about. 

As far as we know it’s the only road bike that shares its name with an Alfred Hitchcock film, though we’d quite fancy a Frenzy, and Psycho would surely make a great name for a BMX bike, and North by Northwest a great tourer. But will the Vertigo leave you Spellbound?

It forms part of Bianchi’s more comfort-orientated C2C (Coast to Coast) range, with slightly lengthened chainstays for greater stability, the top tube shortened a little and the head tube elevated to create a more upright, back-friendly riding position. 

But the geometry isn’t that extreme, our 54cm model having only slightly relaxed 72.5-degree seat tube and 72-degree head angles. That doesn’t mean this is one for dawdling on, though. It has a 1 1/8in steerer, oversize tube profiles, an impressively large bottom bracket junction and chunky chainstays. Sportive friendly? Yes. But it doesn’t mean you can’t put the hammer down.

The wheel and tyre combination is pretty much what you’d expect on a bike of this price, and is one of the main areas where costs have been trimmed. We’d certainly replace the budget Hutchinson Equinox training tyres when they expire, and the R500 wheels themselves are pretty weighty, forming a hefty percentage of the bike’s overall mass. But, being Shimano, they’re well made and tough enough for British roads. The design, with cup and cone hubs and non-bladed spokes, is a doddle for the DIY-minded home mechanic.

Head badge of honour: Bianchi started making bikes back in 1885

Shimano 105 is also par for the course, and, as with many bikes at this price, most of your hard-earned cash is going into the very well-finished frame with full internal cable routing. 

Costs are cut with Shimano’s non-series R565 chainset, training tyres and own-brand kit, the Vertigo having a Bianchi-branded Reparto Corse bar, stem, seatpost and brakes. But apart from the wheels – easy to upgrade later – that’s not necessarily a bad thing. The chainset will add a few grams, while the rest of the kit does the job well enough.

We certainly put its cartridge calliper brakes to the test. On a far too narrow, high-speed descent we found ourselves face to face with a taxi. We don’t know who was more surprised – driver or rider – but we scrubbed speed rapidly and safely, squeezing past slowly. 

As for comfort, we even rode a few miles of muddy, rutted and gravelly towpath without issue, the bike tracking perfectly, as it did downhill, and staying pleasingly comfortable.

Shimano’s R565 chainset is a step down from the 105 groupset

When the going turns upwards the Vertigo is stately rather than sprightly, the overall weight fighting against gravity on the climbs. But the 28-tooth sprocket and compact chainset mean you can stay in the saddle even when you hit steeper slopes, waiting for the thrill of the bike’s excellent descending abilities when you crest the peak and gravity’s your friend once more.

While you really do need better wheels to make the most of its frame, with the Vertigo you’ll be getting a bike from a marque with more history than Giant, Specialized and Trek combined, and one that’s well designed for long days out if not the hustle and bustle of competition. There are even some subtle celeste green touches on the frame and kit – if you look hard.

This article was originally published in Cycling Plus magazine, available on Apple Newsstand and Zinio.

First off, for a top-of-the-range helmet and in spite of its name, the Lazer Sport Helium isn’t helium-light, our medium size model weighing 299g, considerably more than the claimed 260g.

Secondly, when you’re wearing it you really don’t notice those 39g – or the 100g or so extra it carries compared with today’s lightest lids. What you do notice is its airy feel, thanks to its 19 large vents, well shaped to channel air over your head, and the first-rate fit. And that weight serves a purpose: to ensure it has the strength to secure the American CPSC standard, arguably more stringent than Europe’s CE mark.

The Helium offers a very generous amount of vertical adjustment, while the all-round adjustment is better than just about any other helmet out there. The Rollsys retention system is easily adjusted with one hand using a small wheel at the back. The result is a fit that is secure and snug without being constricting. That it’s made in four sizes helps further in achieving the correct fit, and the XL is a boon for the literally big-headed rider. 

As with many modern helmets, there is a composite ‘skeleton’ (or ‘Rigidity Brace System’ in Lazer-speak) for added crash protection. Different densities of foam are used elsewhere in the Helium’s construction – denser where it’s most needed – and there’s a neatly installed extra layer of shell over most of the helmet’s inner lip, reducing accidental damage from knocks. 

We also like the small red rear LED in the Rollsys adjuster, the easy-to-use buckles, and the fact that the colour of the straps matches the helmet. 

One of the world’s oldest helmet-makers have produced another high quality helmet, with numerous optional extras including an insect-deflecting mesh, winter-weight pads and a waterproof ‘Aeroshell’. 

As we said, its extra mass, while not quite princess and the pea, isn’t something you notice. But what you can’t miss is its decidedly heavyweight price. We’d certainly recommend the Helium for its performance, adjustability, fit, size and 11-colour range – including a very shouty fluoro yellow – but it is an expensive option.

This article was originally published in Cycling Plus magazine, available on Apple Newsstand and Zinio.

Weighing a mere 3g more than their Ultegra siblings, the 105s look like amazing value for the money. And sporting the same attractive shape as the Ultegras, a finish colour matched to the 105 groupset, and retaining the stainless steel protective plate, they are far from being an inferior choice. 

The standard cleat also offers 3 degrees of float, and though it doesn’t glide the way some do, the design does withstand café stops better than many. 

Despite their wide contact area, the 105s’ low profile design helps when pedalling through corners, and although they are heavier than some of the competition, the all-metal construction means they’re built to last.

This article was originally published in Cycling Plus magazine, available on Apple Newsstand and Zinio.

We’ve tested a couple of versions of Norco’s 26in-wheeled Sight, and always came away impressed – it’s one of our favourite bikes, taking 2012’s What Mountain Bike Trail Bike of the Year honours and a hard-fought fifth in this year’s test. Norco have entered the 27.5in game early with their Killer-B range, of which this is the cheapest Sight. 

Ride & handling: Extra rollability and great handling

At 14.4kg (31.7lb) it’s quite a lot of bike to start hauling around – the suspension is taut and punchy enough to stomp up short rises without too much trouble, but you quite quickly run out of momentum, so low-gear twiddling is the order of the day when faced with any sort of sustained climb. The 24/38T front chainring combined with an 11-36 cassette means low gears are certainly available to help out.

Having had to work on the climbs you will no doubt be expecting some payback on the descents, and the Sight is ready to deliver. The 27.5in RockShox fork has slightly longer offset than the 26in version – that is, the axle is held further forward of the fork leg – and a slightly shorter offset than the 29in model has, which compensates for the reduced trail that otherwise results from a bigger wheel. 

That does its bit in creating poised yet agile handling that’s every bit as inspiring as from the 26er. The bonus is the improved rolling of 27.5in wheels; it’s not as marked a difference as going from 26in to 29in, but there is a difference and you will notice it – bumps just don’t take out as much speed as a 26er-attuned mind expects. Meanwhile, it’s noticeably easier to slice around in tight corners and down quick-reaction lines full of holes and rocks than a 29er. 

The 2.35in Kenda Nevegals are seriously big boots too, which helps them (and the rims) survive the inevitable onslaught. 

Frame & equipment: On the heavy side, with blunt-feeling rear suspension

Despite sharing a name with the 26in-wheeled Sight, the Killer-B is actually quite a different bike. Norco have put in a lot more work than just simply stretching the back a bit to make room for a slightly bigger wheel. 

The fundamentals of the two designs are the same – a four-bar back end, curvy tubes punching hard into a big tapered head tube, and an up-to-date, stiff and secure 142x12mm rear axle – but the B has bigger bones and a lower-slung stance. Neat touches such as the forged clevis-style pivots and anodised bearing caps show that Norco have made a real effort. 

So is the Killer-B the killer spec? Well… Spend the same money on a 26in-wheeled Sight and you get a lighter, better-equipped bike – crucially, the 26in bike has a Fox shock rather than the X-Fusion unit here. X-Fusion kit has come on massively in recent years, but this entry-level O2 unit tends to make landings harsher than they ought to be with 140mm of travel. 

The unwilling shock takes the edge off what’s otherwise a really good bike – we suspect that the more expensive versions, with Fox shocks and less weight – will be formidable.

This article was originally published in What Mountain Bike magazine, available on Apple Newsstand and Zinio.

The new BioLogic Bluetooth Smart heart rate strap works easily with the latest iPhone models and Android mobiles, but it burns through batteries at an unacceptably fast rate. We would only get  seven hours from each of two new CR2030 batteries we tried. This is a far cry from the 200-hour life BioLogic claims.

The promise of Bluetooth heart rate data is great: you can use your smartphone as a cycling computer with GPS, heart rate and even power information. Using the BioLogic straps with an iPhone 5 and both the Strava and Wahoo Fitness apps, we found the strap to pair quickly and reliably for a steady HR signal. 

Unfortunately, the BioLogic strap isn't very user friendly, as it requires changing batteries far too often. The body of the unit is larger than standard ANT+ heart rate straps as well.

If battery life could be improved, the BioLogic strap could be a handy way to add HR data to rides recorded on your phone. As is, however, we can't recommend this product.

BioLogic Bluetooth Smart heart rate strap

The half-zip Ghost Whisperer anorak weighs 52g, feels like tissue paper and scrunches up inside a clenched fist. If it weren’t for the light rustling you wouldn’t know you had it on. And it’s windproof and water resistant. It is remarkably strong. With everyday use we’ve been subjecting it to, the Ripstop fabric is showing no signs of wear. 

In light rain showers the jacket keeps you dry, but it’s only specced as water resistant and the seams aren’t sealed. This backs up its credentials as an emergency jacket, ideal for stashing on an ultra-light ride setup, or if you’re just dashing out for an hour or two. 

The windproof qualities mean that, even if you do get damp, the fabric keeps you sheltered from windchill. You need a long sleeve top underneath then, to keep the thin fabric off your skin.

One slight criticism for cycling is the length of the arms – we found ours slightly short when reaching for the bar. 

The Ghost Whisperer packs down to a tiny size

This article was originally published in What Mountain Bike magazine, available on Apple Newsstand and Zinio.

Co-created five years ago by Andreas Walser, one of Europe’s top custom aero frame-builders, can the minimal-profile Focus Izalco Chrono 2.0 20-G still slice its way through the air and the competition?

Ride & handling: Naturally aggressive and unforgivingly stiff

In its default ‘no spacers under the elbow pads’ setup, it’s a long drop down to the extensions, putting stress on shoulders and neck straight away if you’re not naturally limber. 

There’s also a lot of road surface rattle and thump coming through the normally smooth-feeling saddle and cantilevered carbon arm rests. This means that, even if you raise the pad position, this is a machine for athletes prepared to sacrifice comfort as long as they cut some seconds.

The Focus has one of the lowest, flat-backed ride positions we’ve tested. Whether we were punching through the wind on point or trying to draft another tester, it was obviously a very efficient bike. The minimal fork and top tube also make it impressively impervious to gusts of wind, even with 80mm wheels fitted.

It’s definitely a machine best suited to sustained-speed courses rather than more variable or vertically-rich races, though. The high complete bike weight means more effort when accelerating and climbing and, as it carries a lot of that weight in the frame, it’s never going to be a great altitude hunter. The broad-armed FSA cranks also felt softer underfoot than we expected, giving dull rather than dynamic power delivery out of the saddle. 

If you’re looking for an extremely efficient and naturally fast flat-course bike then you should definitely consider the Chrono. The heavy, harsh frame is all about work, not play, though.

Frame & equipment: Digital shifting speed, heavy frame and cranks

Five years might seem a long time, but Andreas Walser has always been ahead of the game – hence the long list of top pro racers riding his frames stickered up under another name.

Focus are now under the same owner umbrella as Cervélo, and shared wind tunnel time shows that the Walser design is comparable with the legendary P3C in front of the fan.

The razor sharp, skinny-legged, straight-steerer fork plugged into a sucked-in-centre head tube creates a minimal front profile. Ultra-thin, sharp-edged tube profiles from the down tube to the wheel-wrapping seat tube and deep-bladed seatstays show Walser’s intent to slice through the air, rather than smoothly shape it. While the stem sits proud and the side-pull brakes are conventionally mounted, the flush seat clamp is a much-copied drag reducer and the frame is fully Di2 compatible.

There are only three frame sizes and the seat angle is more TT than tri. Keeping such a narrow frame stiff in terms of steering and power delivery also makes it surprisingly heavy, despite its slim lines.

Apart from Walser’s work, the big sell with the Chrono 2.0 is the Shimano Ultegra Di2 shifting – and it's amazingly smooth and fast once you learn which button does what. 

However, you’re only getting the electric shifters on the extensions, not a second set on the brake levers. This removes the biggest advantage of Di2 on an aero bike – with no post-/pre-corner or climbing shift facility, it’s merely a refinement of conventional cable shifting rather than the revolutionary ‘any gear, any time’ upgrade it could be.

The broad-armed Vision chainset is a heavy piece, although the full-size rings and close-ratio rear block are totally appropriate. The skinny Vision base bars feel cheap compared with the rest of the kit and can twang a bit out of the saddle, but the composite arm rest extensions are great. Less flexible riders will need to add the optional spacers under the arms for a higher ride position.

The Fulcrum semi-aero wheels with Continental tyres are dependably smooth rollers. As much as we normally like the Fizik Aliante Tri, the Chrono’s firm ride feel means a really soft-nosed saddle might be a smart upgrade to ward off numbness. We’re dubious about any significant aero advantage from the side-pull TRP brakes, and they feel spongier under braking than conventional dual-pivots.

This article was originally published in Triathlon Plus magazine, available on Zinio.

When the Syntace Racelite Carbon CDR handlebar debuted we were massively impressed with its comfort-giving flex, which is still apparent, but the competition has got much closer. We still love the distinctive rearward sweep, and the clever radius to the compact drop allowed our big-handed testers to get a decent grip. 

The F149 stem has more substance than the lighter offerings from Syntace and, combined with what is a very light bar, makes for a great, balanced setup. If comfort is a priority and you’ve got deep pockets there is little to beat this pairing.

This article was originally published in Cycling Plus magazine, available on Apple Newsstand and Zinio.

The Tallboy 2 is the successor to the original Santa Cruz Tallboy, a pioneering 100mm 29er and consistent bestseller for the US company since its launch back in 2009. Quite understandably, Santa Cruz haven't strayed far from the DNA of the original bike, and we think you'll be glad of that.

Riders familiar with the Tallboy will feel right at home on the second version. That's because all geometry is identical to that of the older bike. The Tallboy is no longer out of reach for the vertically challenged, either, the addition of a size Small making it work for those at and slightly above the 5ft mark. If you're really a tall boy then you'll have to plump for a carbon version, though – the XXL size will not be produced in aluminium.

Ride & handling: Big wheel stability plus short travel agility

We trialled the Tallboy 2 in Braemar, Scotland. It proved to be the ideal natural testing ground to exploit its talents. Gruelling climbs were scaled efficiently through a combination of a flex-free rear end and bob-shrugging VPP suspension action. As soon as the trail flattens, riders will realise why Santa Cruz stuck with the original bike's geometry – for a 29er it's an ever-agile and keen machine.

The Tallboy 2 is a bit of a hooligan on the descents. Crank some momentum into the bike and the stability and rollover capability of those large hoops really comes into play. 

As soon as gravity is on your side then it's easy to forget that this is a 4in cross-country bike, the only occasional reminder coming in the form of the 70.2-degree head angle. Keep your weight back and carry on, let the revised suspension ratio deal with the terrain, and recalibrate what you thought was possible on an XC bike. 

Keep those cranks level…

It almost feels as though you can't tell the new Tallboy what it can and cannot do – personify the Tallboy and it would need a restraining order to keep it from scrapping with the new Santa Cruz Solo trail bike.

In a similar way to the Solo, the Tallboy 2 uses a slammed bottom bracket height, a smidge over 13in for our XL test bike. Once you adjust this figure to accomodate for the suspension sag, you realise that the Tallboy is a bit of a ground-hugger; gulley runs and rock gardens caught us out a few times. It didn't take long to adjust for the lack of clearance, though. We found ourselves pumping with level cranks rather than risking grounding out.

Suspension at both ends comes from Fox's CTD line, the 120mm Float 32 CTD fork doing an impressive job of matching the efficient and inspiring feel from the back of the bike. We found it best in Trail mode, though – the Descend setting tended to dive a little too much for our liking.

Frame & equipment: An evolution

A size Large carbon version of the new frame tips the scales at 4.9lb (2.2kg) – that's a quarter of a pound lighter than the first-generation bike, while the aluminium version manages to shave a third of a pound.

The suspension has been tweaked slightly. Pivot points have been relocated, while the VPP linkage has been tuned to offer improved pedalling efficiency as well as a slightly more linear feel throughout the 100mm of travel. 

Meanwhile, the alloy pivot hardware has been extensively reworked, with an innovative sealing system to ensure durability in the toughest of environments. The new hardware is also extremely simple and quick to remove from the bike, ideal for the home mechanic to overhaul. Santa Cruz never rush to accept new standards, either, so the Tallboy sticks with a tried-and-tested 73mm threaded bottom bracket shell along with IS brake mounts.

Both the carbon and aluminium bikes are now compatible with direct-mount front mechs, and Santa Cruz have even developed a trick snap-on rubber chainstay protector to help keep things quiet and chip free.

Santa Cruz Tallboy 2 Carbon

Our test bike was kitted out with a premium build, including a Shimano XTR triple setup and matching stoppers, plus ENVE's stunning carbon 29 XC wheelset. The result was a sub-25lb (11.3kg) superbike, but with a price tag to match – US$9,717 (UK complete prices are to be confirmed, but a carbon frame retails at £2,499). 

The only disappointment came in the form of Maxxis' Ikon tyres. Despite offering quick rolling and decent levels of grip, the thin construction left us puncture prone. Meanwhile, for a similar experience that's kinder on the wallet, the aluminium frameset of the Tallboy 2 starts at £1,749/US$1,950.

The Tallboy 2 is more of a facelift than an all-new development but, critically, Santa Cruz have kept all the right things. The Mk2 Tallboy is a lighter, stiffer and more complete package than its predecessor. Best of all, it's available to more riders than ever. If it doesn't stay a bestseller we'll be surprised.

Test spec

• Fork: Fox 32 Float 29 CTD Kashima, 120mm
• Shock: Fox Float CTD Kashima
• Drivetrain: Shimano XTR 3x10
• Wheelset: Enve 29 XC Carbon
• Brakes: Shimano XTR
• Handlebar: Easton Havoc Carbon
• Stem: Easton EA70
• Seatpost: RockShox Reverb Stealth
• Saddle: WTB Silverado SLT
• Tyres: Maxxis Ikon 29x2.2in

FSA’s latest super-light hollow carbon crank arms now come in a universal four-arm spider configuration for habitual chainring changers – most of the K-Force Light range uses the company’s three-arm 386 chainset design that, while stiffer, is actually 50g heavier than the impressively light 576g conventional chainring setup here. 

This one lets you choose replacement rings from SRAM, Shimano, Middleburn, Praxis and so on. There’s nothing wrong with the FSA rings, though, with compact 39/27T or 42/27T ring and bashguard options. Shifting is fine even if you’re digging deep on a climb, too. Underfoot stiffness from the broad hollow carbon arms and oversized alloy BB30 splined axle is more than good enough for the race brigade. 

The captured 10mm Hex bolt makes installation easy, but make sure you take up any bearing slack with the preload collar rather than accidentally crushing them when installing. Apart from that, we’ve had great long-term results with FSA’s ceramic bearings in BB30 formats.

This article was originally published in Mountain Biking UK magazine, available on Apple Newsstand and Zinio.

Ridley’s Dean RS landed last year, and riding it back to back with other bikes, for a grouptest, really proves its distinctive but seemingly very effective aerodynamics, and its composed comfort and handling character.

Ride & handling: Light, responsive and with fatigue-reducing comfort

Whatever the wheels, the Ridley makes a positive impression straight away. The front end might be radical but the default riding position feels anything but. Arms fall easily into the Deda pads and the MicroSHIFT tip levers feel light and precise as you click through the gears. We were shifting noticeably faster than we have done on some other bikes as we got up to speed.

The low weight of the bike combines with impressive power delivery to give it real pop. Whether we were pushing up the revs or attacking climbs on rolling courses, it always felt eager and enthusiastic, rubbing the other bikes’ noses in its responsiveness. Once you’ve got it up to speed it holds onto it really well, not least because the handling is excellent. 

The deep fork and shallow-section rear tubes mean there’s a definite forward bias to its aerodynamic balance, giving secure and surefooted front end placement at any speed. It’s a good job too, as the slab-sided T100 wheels on the more pricey version snatch and gust badly even in light winds, to the point where we didn’t trust them not to wipe out our photographer on one extremely windy test day.

In calm conditions they cleave the air nicely, though, for an unstoppable, PB-smashing feel – and they’re a reasonable price when bought as part of the package. Top-quality Italian tub tyres add speed as well as a surprisingly smooth glide on such deep wheels, and even the Fulcrum options get premium Continental clinchers.

The frame and fork are both surprisingly forgiving for such a naturally fast and power-efficient bike, which makes the Ridley a pleasure to ride rather than a place to sit and suffer.

The unique F-Splitfork and drooped-nose head tube create a clean front end

The bars and saddle are welcoming from the first mile, until you hop off and pad into the transition zone. Just make sure you do most of your braking with the front when you arrive as, like most cam assisted brakes, the rear one is decidedly spongy and the Dean is likely to be travelling faster than you expect.

Combining obvious and more subtle aerodynamic innovations with solid power delivery creates a forgiving ride character. Add to that an excellent specification for the money and the Ridley Dean RS is a standout ride.

Frame & equipment: Excellent default ride position and good-value wheels

The fork and front end get things off to a thought-provoking start. The F-Splitfork puts two thin blades one behind the other in a staggered arrangement that’s designed to pull airflow away from the turbulence created by the spinning spokes.

The heavily shaped, back-sloped head tube extends down over the front of the fork, covering the mounting hole needed for the rear-mounted U-brake for a claimed front end drag reduction of 6.4 percent. 

In other places, though, smoothness is deliberately disturbed with strips of rough textured tape added at strategic areas. The idea is to create a tiny amount of turbulence in the surface airflow, which smooths the overall airstream (Ridley claim a 3.6 percent drag decrease). Control cables feed into the down and top tubes to keep things clean.

The rest of the frame uses relatively conventional aerodynamics, with an ovalised down tube and the merest hint of a wheel-hugging cutout in the aero seat tube. A single-bolt sliding rail saddle clamp adjusts the effective seat angle, while a deep twin-bolt collar keeps your saddle height secure.

Five frame sizes make it easy to find an accurate fit. High-modulus carbon fibre construction and direct-mounted headset bearings mean it’s an impressively light frame, although that’s slightly offset by the heavy fork.

Overall weight is relatively – impressive considering the all-alloy cockpit, mixed Shimano Ultegra/105 spec and Rotor 3DF cranks that prioritise stiffness compared with the lighter 3D+ version.

Rotor cranks look good and give a solid foothold

Deeply hooked base bars keep hands feeling secure on descents, the pad position makes it easy to find a comfortable tuck and the curved Selle San Marco TT saddle is a great place to rest your rump even when rolled right forward.

There are two wheel options to choose from: this 1312B has smooth-rolling but not particularly aero Fulcrum Racing 4 wheels at £2,920; and the 1312A comes with 100mm-deep Cirrus tubulars for £3,665. Due to some difficult weather, we ended up testing both.

This article was originally published in Triathlon Plus magazine, available on Zinio.

Scott’s Leap sunglasses are their best sports model to date, bearing an uncanny resemblance to the Oakley Radars – which is no bad thing in our view. 

The fit is exceptionally good, with the twin-radius curved arms giving a perfect three-point fit while the soft rubber nosepiece means there’s no bounce at all no matter how rough the ride gets. Helmet strap compatibility is spot on too. 

The lens gives a clear, unobstructed view, they sit high enough that the brow frame doesn’t hamper head-down visibility on the bike, and they’re ideal for more upright riding. 

We would have liked a slightly softer, narrower rubber nosepiece to fine-tune the distance between face and glasses a bit more, but overall we really liked wearing the Leaps.

This article was originally published in Cycling Plus magazine, available on Apple Newsstand and Zinio.

With a broad 23.5mm outer rim section at the edge of a rounded section, the 3T Accelero 40 Pro wheels create a broader, more stable base and a flatter sided profile to any tyre. 

The spokes are triple butted - 18 up front and 24 at the rear - with brass nipples to counter corrosion, but the rims aren’t tubeless ready. The Pros also use a full alloy 37mm-deep rim, and they’re heavy at 1,803g.

The weight is obvious as soon as you try to kick the wheels into overdrive. They’ll get there if you’re patient, but trying to hurry them faster than their natural acceleration is a waste of breath. There’s an obvious rhythmic pulse from the wheels at lower revs/higher power outputs but no distracting power or steering flex when pushing hard.

The rounded profile takes some torquing up to speed, but once you’re there the extra momentum adds a definite flywheel effect to help you hold it. There’s a trace of stubbornness in the steering but it doesn’t get noticeably worse as speeds increase. 

Gusting wind doesn’t worry them unduly either, and they’re reliably obedient even on the twistiest descents. 

This article was originally published in Cycling Plus magazine, available on Apple Newsstand and Zinio.

GT divide their hardtail bikes into ‘XC’ and ‘Trail’ sectors. There’s actually not much to separate them in basic design and function terms but the Zaskars fall into the slightly lighter and nimbler XC category. Three carbon-framed options sit at the top of the range, while the Comp is the middle alu framed offering. 

Ride & handling: Lively in all respects

On the trail, the first thing you notice is that this is a more lively bike than a lot of other big-wheelers. Its stiff frame, reasonable weight and steep head angle (72 degrees) have a lot to do with this. Together, they create a more lively ride character than on other 29ers at this price. 

The steering feels almost nervous initially, but confidence grows quickly because bigger wheels actually have a slightly dulling effect on steering geometry, adding confidence at both low and high speeds.

Comfort suffers a bit, partly because the saddle is not a particularly comfy one and partly because the geometry setup places you well forward with more weight on your arms. 

The upside of this is that it creates a ride posture that helps sustain a powerful pedal action and, as your confidence grows in the handling, the sat-forward posture creates a tendency to work the fork hard. 

The Zaskar promotes an aggressive ride stance that should suit riders looking to take part in competitive events, but this doesn’t exclude it from being a great all-rounder.

Frame & equipment: Good gear ratios and controlled suspension

GT have faithfully stuck with their triple triangle frame design roots. If nothing else it makes the mainframe and rear triangle more compact, and presumably stiffer because of that, although with the new generation of hydroformed tube shapes it’s hard to know whether this gives them a real advantage over frame designs from rival brands. But it’s certainly a talking point, and one that comes without obvious downsides. 

Mud clearance around the rear tyre and crotch clearance over the top tube are both excellent and, while we rarely have a problem with down tube gear cable routing, the GT’s inner cables run into outers under the bottom bracket, so are prone to down tube spray collecting in the outers.

A few other small details are worth a mention. We like the wraparound quick-release seat clamp and the short tapered (1.125in to 1.5in) head tube and fork steerer, which add extra stability to the front end, making it futureproof and, with its integrated headset, prevent the lanky front end that some big-wheelers suffer from. 

The RockShox Recon fork comes with 100mm (3.9in) of plush, well-controlled travel, a cable lockout lever on the bar and a rebound damping adjustment knob under the right-hand leg. The fork is air- rather than coil-sprung so adjustments for rider weight and ride feel preferences are simple, but if you don’t have a shock pump, you’ll need to buy one. 

With SRAM’s 11- to 36-tooth 10-speed cassette out back, most riders out there will be happy with the 24/38 rings up front. Running a double up front keeps the chain lines nicely efficient throughout the gear range and, while the cranks are admittedly a fairly low-budget offering, they do come with an integral axle and SRAM’s GXP external bearing bottom bracket setup. 

The X5 shifters and front mech and X7 rear mech are relatively low budget for this price point too, but they perform superbly and have probably allowed GT to fit a much better fork than would otherwise have been the case. 

The wheels, featuring in-house-brand hubs and decent Alex MD19 rims, are tightly built and relatively light. The Maxxis Aspen 2.1in treads have a low-profile knob design that rolls fast and hooks up well in dry conditions, but slides around a bit in the mud. 

Avid’s Elixir 1 brakes are best described simply as adequate, with a well modulated lever feel from new (their long-term durability reputation, however, is not exactly glowing). All the finishing parts are decent in quality and well matched to the character of the bike. The wide, flat handlebar and Easton stem can be either raised or lowered by anything up to 5cm.  

This article was originally published in Mountain Biking UK magazine, available on Apple Newsstand and Zinio.

The Vega is noticeably slender in appearance, and the fit is fairly narrow too, although there’s a reasonable amount of room in the toe box. 

The upper is the usual mix of synthetic leather and mesh, although the broad tongue means a lot of the mesh is effectively a double layer, so they’re not too draughty. There’s no shortage of protection from rocks, with armoured sections around the toe and heel, which incorporate reflective detailing. 

A low-cut upper and generally slimline profile ensure lots of freedom of movement, although if you’re a habitual ankle-basher a shoe with a bit more meat might be a better choice. 

The shoe features a Vibram sole and a fair amount of forefoot flex. It’s one of the comfier shoes for extended walking, but we experienced a bit of heel lift when off the bike. Most of that flexibility lies ahead of the cleat mounts, and with the bolt-in covers removed and cleats fitted the Vega pedals well. 

The oval cleat pocket becomes quite narrow at the back, which limits sideways cleat adjustment. 

This article was originally published in What Mountain Bike magazine, available on Apple Newsstand and Zinio.

Twenty-five years is a long time in mountain biking, so Italian brake manufacturers Formula chose to celebrate by making just 600 pairs of these specially finished and anodised brakes.

The one piece forged calliper uses 24mm pistons, but with minor tweaks for 2013. Improved piston retraction reduces rubbing and there’s angled hose routing for better clearance. The top loading pads are easy to fit.

As with all current Formula brakes they use radial levers; the master piston sits perpendicular to the bar and forms both the body and the clamp, so they can run on either side. A complete 180mm front brake weighs 397g. 

There’s tool-free reach and bite point adjustment for the lever, but riders who like to run levers so they sit close to the bar and bite even closer found it hard to get a position that worked. 

If you dial both adjusters all the way in for a close bite point and minimal lever throw, the lever can actually connect with the body itself, stopping you braking any harder. Less extreme setups were fine, though the large hook on the lever end split opinion again.

The feel is markedly different from both Avid and Shimano, with a less vicious initial bite that progresses into serious stopping power with plenty of feel. The glossy, gunmetal-style finish certainly looks the part, and the general quality of construction is top notch. 

This article was originally published in What Mountain Bike magazine, available on Apple Newsstand and Zinio.

Launched last month, the 1.1 sits at the top of the five-bike Fuji Norcom Straight line-up. The bikes are designed to be highly adjustable – in fact, Fuji say they offer more positioning variations than any other high-end TT or triathlon bikes out there. So, does the 1.1 deliver?

Ride & handling: Set to fit, and Di2 goodness

We only had a single one-hour ride aboard the Norcom Straight 1.1, so we can't speak to the long-term comfort. But we can say that, after a few minutes of wrenching, we were able to adjust the cockpit and saddle exactly to our liking, and were quite cosy for the time in the saddle. That's certainly not always the case for such machines. 

You can read more about the various adjustment options in our original news story. One thing isn't adjustable, however: the Oval 960 base bar and extensions are fixed at the same angle. 

So while you can adjust the length and rotation of the extensions separately, to tip them up you have to tip up the base bar, or vice versa. This wasn't an issue for us, but certainly could be for someone who likes to run the extension at an upward angle while keeping the base bar flat. The frame is certainly stiff, both laterally and vertically.

Shimano Di2 is a killer group for time trial and triathlon. Being able to shift from both the cowhorns and the extensions makes standard extensions-only shifting feel quite inferior. Likewise, a front derailleur that autotrims to the movement of the rear derailleur is a welcome change from having to manually adjust - especially when riding on the cowhorns from a stop, through a turn or up a steep hill.

The proprietary stem sits flush with the top tube - in terms of height and width

Speaking of steep hills, the 1.1 comes with a Shimano 9070 Dura-Ace 54/42 crankset - a big meaty option for flat courses, but perhaps not the best for all riders on all courses. (The 1.3 has an Ultegra Di2 53/39; the 2.3 has a 52/36 and the 2.5 has a 50/34. A correlation between spending power and pedaling power may not exist, but it appears Fuji feels that way.)

While most companies are often quick to make claims about the aerodynamic gains of their bikes - 9 percent faster than last year, 15 percent faster than the competition - the fact is that you the rider make up the bulk of the aerodynamic drag, which is about 70 to 80 percent according to most educated estimates. 

The Oval 981 wheels are fast. While only a wind tunnel could tell you how they compare against something like Zipp 808s, we can tell you that they're certainly quicker than any of the standard box-section training wheels that come with many time trial/triathlon bikes these days. 

While crosswinds generated a side pressure, it was never an uncomfortable feeling while on the extensions, perhaps due to the heavily rounded spoke beds. The braking was decent, but we only tried it in the dry.

And, speaking of braking, Fuji has tucked the brake calipers out of the wind with a pair of TRP aero TTV calipers. The side-pull brakes offer usable power and work with standard road pads.

Frame & equipment: Adjustable setup and decent value

With the new Fuji Norcom Straight, it was refreshing to hear the time trial/triathlon bike pitched as "the most adjustable superbike" on the market. Is that true? Who knows, but we did find the bike to be highly adjustable - and therefore fast and comfortable. Plus, it's relatively good value with Dura-Ace Di2 and deep (81mm), ready-to-race carbon clinchers.

Coming in five sizes and five models, the Norcom Straight runs the gamut from a US$2,299/£1,850 model to the US$7,499/£6,300 1.1 model we tested. 

The Oval seatpost features enough fore-aft adjustment to effectively alter the seat tube angle between 74 and 81 degrees

Although far from inexpensive, the Norcom Straight 1.1 is notable in that it offers Shimano's best electronic shifting group and deep carbon wheels at a price far less than many top-end TT/tri bikes. Let us provide two examples. One, Cervélo's top P5 Six bike is US$10,000, and while it comes with Di2, it also features US$499 training wheels - not the Gucci Cosmic Carbones shown on its website. And two, the US$6,600 Specialized Shiv Pro Ultegra Di2 comes with Shimano's second-tier electronic group and DT Axis 2.0 training wheels (probably about $300 a set).

Granted, Fuji specs its Oval house-brand 981 carbon clincher here, which at 1,800g isn't the world's lightest. But it's still a perfectly raceable deep carbon wheelset that you can train on. For those who don't want to buy a bike - and then a multi-thousand-dollar aero wheelset - this is a good package.

These use stainless steel rather than chromoly axles, losing 15g and improving long-term looks. 

The cleats too are lighter, but otherwise they share the Chromoly’s dual-sided entry, float that’s adjustable from 0 to 15 degrees, and the possibility of independently adjusting fore-aft, sideways and rotational foot positions without affecting the other settings. 

Even though we’re uneasy having the small float adjustment screws and locking mechanism at ground level, Speedplays are superbly ergonomic, if quirky, on the bike, but they demand care off it.

This article was originally published in Cycling Plus magazine, available on Apple Newsstand and Zinio.

It has an odd name, but the Skekane is a veritable Sherpa for any rider who likes to be well equipped and has no pockets. 

The tough aluminium rack is versatile – and configurable in several ways – with room for two bottle cages, a pair of CO₂ cartridges with an inflator, spare tube, levers and a mini pump. You can even hang a seatpack below it too for extra capacity. 

The rack, mounting hardware and two generous Velcro straps together weigh just 144g, but that’s of little relevance if you plan to fully load it. It mounts to just about any saddle rails and, although it marked our carbon ones, it remained utterly stable throughout. 

Despite being around 10cm behind the saddle, the bottles were reasonably easy to reach and replace with practice, and the whole setup is hidden from the wind to reduce drag if aerodynamics are important to you.

This article was originally published in Triathlon Plus magazine, available on Zinio.

After the exciting introduction of the 150mm Santa Cruz Bronson, it looked as though the US company were content with an already packed line-up. So when they announced a further addition to their range we were struggling to work out the gap they were trying to fill. Step in the Solo, a 5in travel, 27.5in wheel trail bike developed from what Santa Cruz say they learned while creating the Bronson.

Ride & handling: Rare balance of fun and efficiency, just watch those pedals

The VPP rear end of the Santa Cruz Solo is particularly efficient, resisting bob admirably in all situations. Fox's CTD rear shock allows for further efficiency gains at the flick of a switch (in Trail mode), the trade-off being the usual drop in small bump compliance. With Climb mode enabled the rear end of the bike demonstrates its immense stiffness. For the majority of riders, the most limiting factors on this bike's uphill ability will be their lungs and legs.

The linkage combines both a rising and falling rate action to provide impressive traction and control without a penalty on your pedalling. As with all VPP bikes, it's sensitive to set up. We experimented with pressures a little mid-ride before getting things dialled. Soon we were comfortably getting the full travel of the bike, feeding inspiring traction through all contact points without feeling any harsh bottoming or aggressive ramp-up.

Up front, the 130mm Fox 32 Float CTD fork did a great job of pairing with the rear of the bike. Its relatively skinny chassis never felt overwhelmed, although steering accuracy was certainly aided by ENVE's superlight and stiff 27.5in carbon hoops. 

The fork did tend to dive a little too much for our liking in the Descend setting, occasionally making the bike feel steeper than its 68-degree head angle would suggest. We preferred the front end in Trail mode, the extra low-speed compression keeping the angles as intended.

Stiff, light and extremely bright

The Solo's geometry results in an agile, keen feel, with great overall balance and a real talent when it comes to changing direction quickly. We had to be conscious of that bottom bracket height, though – our test pedals came away with a few scars. We see this as a trait rather than a problem, as it's simply the price to pay once you realise the agility and handling potential of the Solo.

Riders looking for a revolutionary 650b ride might want to close this page now – the '27.5in wheel' element of the Solo became apparent after a few hours in the saddle, but isn't something most riders will pick up on immediately. 

Expect the ride of a 26in-wheeled bike, plus a little more stability and roll-over. It's always easy to pop the front of the bike and generally play around, too – there's no doubt that the Solo is more fun than a 29er in this respect.

The impressive suspension action delivered through the light and tight chassis means the last thing on your mind is the size of the wheels. The Solo just gets on with it.

It's the perfect companion for exploring the unknown, and manages to shine regardless of whether gravity is on your side or not. If you haven't had a chance to check out the Solo's promotional video then perhaps you should. For us, it encaptures what the bike is all about…

Frame & equipment: Tight and light, with proven suspension and superb detailing

Riders familiar with Santa Cruz's current line-up will inevitably be drawing comparisons between the Solo and the current Blur TRC. Some of the figures are close, yes, but not the same – this isn't simply a Blur TRC with 27.5in hoops.

Compared with the Bronson, the Solo is stanced lower and shorter. The head angle is also one degree steeper, with slightly shorter chainstays and a bottom bracket drop of half an inch.

The 142mm rear end of the Solo holds its derailleur hanger in place using a fuss-free single bolt; that's just one of many small but practical touches that make this bike very friendly to work on. 

Another relief for the home mechanic comes in the form of the alloy pivot hardware. Designed with muck in mind, it features an innovative sealing system that promises durability in the toughest of environments.

Bucking the press-fit trend, the Solo sticks to a 73mm threaded bottom bracket. ISCG 05 tabs are standard and each frame gets two bottle mounts regardless of the size. Along with a nifty snap-on chainstay protector, Santa Cruz have also added rubberised down tube protection – it's nothing that will fight off rock strikes but should keep things looking pretty should you take a rough uplift.

The Fox CTD shock offers useful and convenient compression adjustment, but the Solo climbs well in any setting

Our test bike came with all the options ticked. That meant a Shimano XTR single drivetrain (not pictured), matching stoppers from the XTR line, and ENVE's extravagant but superb 650b carbon hoops. An Easton Havoc carbon bars was also in place, providing ample width with comfortable angles. 

We didn't have scales to hand but Santa Cruz claim a figure of just over 25lb (11kg) for the test build. Familiar traction was provided by Maxxis' fast rolling Ardent tyres.

The Solo Carbon is available in various build kits. Prices start at £4,399/US$4,199 but start ticking off those extras and the figure can almost double. Four sizes are on offer, ranging from S to XL. An aluminium version of the Solo is also available now – full alu builds start at £3,599/US$3,299 while a frameset is £1,799 – saving £800 over the carbon frame's retail price.

This is the bike that should have potential Bronson customers scratching their heads – trying to choose between the two could be tricky. Still, it sounds like a pretty good problem to have to us…

After the exciting introduction of the 150mm Santa Cruz Bronson, it looked as though the US company were content with an already packed line-up. So when they announced a further addition to their range we were struggling to work out the gap they were trying to fill. Step in the Solo, a 5in travel, 27.5in wheel trail bike developed from what Santa Cruz say they learned while creating the Bronson.

Ride & handling: Rare balance of fun and efficiency, just watch those pedals

The VPP rear end of the Santa Cruz Solo is particularly efficient, resisting bob admirably in all situations. Fox's CTD rear shock allows for further efficiency gains at the flick of a switch (in Trail mode), the trade-off being the usual drop in small bump compliance. With Climb mode enabled the rear end of the bike demonstrates its immense stiffness. For the majority of riders, the most limiting factors on this bike's uphill ability will be their lungs and legs.

The linkage combines both a rising and falling rate action to provide impressive traction and control without a penalty on your pedalling. As with all VPP bikes, it's sensitive to set up. We experimented with pressures a little mid-ride before getting things dialled. Soon we were comfortably getting the full travel of the bike, feeding inspiring traction through all contract points without feeling any harsh bottoming or aggressive ramp-up.

Up front, the 130mm Fox 32 Float CTD fork did a great job of pairing with the rear of the bike. Its relatively skinny chassis never felt overwhelmed, although steering accuracy was certainly aided by ENVE's superlight and stiff 27.5in carbon hoops. 

The fork did tend to dive a little too much for our liking in the Descend setting, occasionally making the bike feel steeper than its 68-degree head angle would suggest. We preferred the front end in Trail mode, the extra low-speed compression keeping the angles as intended.

Stiff, light and extremely bright

The Solo's geometry results in an agile, keen feel, with great overall balance and a real talent when it comes to changing direction quickly. We had to be conscious of that bottom bracket height, though – our test pedals came away with a few scars. We see this as a trait rather than a problem, as it's simply the price to pay once you realise the agility and handling potential of the Solo.

Riders looking for a revolutionary 650b ride might want to close this page now – the '27.5in wheel' element of the Solo became apparent after a few hours in the saddle, but isn't something most riders will pick up on immediately. 

Expect the ride of a 26in-wheeled bike, plus a little more stability and roll-over. It's always easy to pop the front of the bike and generally play around, too – there's no doubt that the Solo is more fun than a 29er in this respect.

The impressive suspension action delivered through the light and tight chassis means the last thing on your mind is the size of the wheels. The Solo just gets on with it.

It's the perfect companion for exploring the unknown, and manages to shine regardless of whether gravity is on your side or not. If you haven't had a chance to check out the Solo's promotional video then perhaps you should. For us, it encaptures what the bike is all about…

Frame & equipment: Tight and light, with proven suspension and superb detailing

Riders familiar with Santa Cruz's current line-up will inevitably be drawing comparisons between the Solo and the current Blur TRC. Some of the figures are close, yes, but not the same – this isn't simply a Blur TRC with 27.5in hoops.

Compared with the Bronson, the Solo is stanced lower and shorter. The head angle is also one degree steeper, with slightly shorter chainstays and a bottom bracket drop of half an inch.

The 142mm rear end of the Solo holds its derailleur hanger in place using a fuss-free single bolt; that's just one of many small but practical touches that make this bike very friendly to work on. 

Another relief for the home mechanic comes in the form of the alloy pivot hardware. Designed with muck in mind, it features an innovative sealing system that promises durability in the toughest of environments.

Bucking the press-fit trend, the Solo sticks to a 73mm threaded bottom bracket. ISCG 05 tabs are standard and each frame gets two bottle mounts regardless of the size. Along with a nifty snap-on chainstay protector, Santa Cruz have also added rubberised down tube protection – it's nothing that will fight off rock strikes but should keep things looking pretty should you take a rough uplift.

The Fox CTD shock offers useful and convenient compression adjustment, but the Solo climbs well in any setting

Our test bike came with all the options ticked. That meant a Shimano XTR single drivetrain (not pictured), matching stoppers from the XTR line, and ENVE's extravagant but superb 650b carbon hoops. An Easton Havoc carbon bars was also in place, providing ample width with comfortable angles. 

We didn't have scales to hand but Santa Cruz claim a figure of just over 25lb (11kg) for the test build. Familiar traction was provided by Maxxis' fast rolling Ardent tyres.

The Solo Carbon is available in various build kits. Prices start at £4,399/US$4,199 but start ticking off those extras and the figure can almost double. Four sizes are on offer, ranging from S to XL. An aluminium version of the Solo is also available now – full alu builds start at £3,599/US$3,299 while a frameset is £1,799 – saving £800 over the carbon frame's retail price.

This is the bike that should have potential Bronson customers scratching their heads – trying to choose between the two could be tricky. Still, it sounds like a pretty good problem to have to us…

The Interval is a simple, loose fitting, casual T-shirt style jersey that’s bang on for trail/all-mountain riding. There are two colours to choose from in the Cut design: bright green and a less in-your-face black option. 

Sizing is on the generous side, though, so you might need to drop a size to get the right fit. The cut and length is good and we never found it to ride up when wearing a pack. The material is pretty tough too, surviving numerous crashes and washes well.  

The 100 percent polyester material helps wick sweat away well and it’s impregnated with an antimicrobial treatment that helps keep things stink- free if you want to wear it more than once before washing.  

We love the neat addition of a microfibre glasses wipe that’s sewn in at the front hem. We’re big fans of the more casual styling combined with the technical construction and good price. 

This article was originally published in Mountain Biking UK magazine, available on Apple Newsstand and Zinio.

Despite their very reasonable price, the Vapour wheels are relatively light and quick to accelerate. The Supadrive rear hub has an ultra fine 120-click freehub, so pickup is as instant as you’ll get. Despite their light weight, flex is palatable for the category. 

It occasionally strayed off line when we were really carving hard or getting pushed around by random rocks, but it was never enough to lose the front end totally. They haven’t dinged or warped yet either.  

The 26mm-wide rim supports decent sized tyres and it’s hooked ready to run tubeless. Tape, valves or rear axle convertors aren’t included and the current adaptors are being redesigned, so it’s worth waiting for the update. Halo hubs have always been very reliable otherwise, though. 

This article was originally published in Mountain Biking UK magazine, available on Apple Newsstand and Zinio.