Friday, 31 October 2014
Bevin looking ahead to a big 2015 with Avanti
New Zealander embracing 'allrounder' abilities
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Tour of California offers double the racing for women
Bachochin promises continued support for women's cycling
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Belgium moves forward on blood doping doctor
Case could be transferred to courts this month
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USA Pro Challenge to add multi-day women's race in 2015
Route to be held on parts of the men's course
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2014 Cyclingnews Reader Poll now open!
Vote now and be entered to win Andrew Talansky's Cervélo P5
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News shorts: Lampre case resumes in Mantova
World champ hit by car, Sastre recalls deer hunting in South Africa
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Plymouth Gran Fondo set for spring
Despite the rapid expansion of mass participation cycling events across the UK, the Plymouth Gran Fondo, due to be held on 31 May 2015, will actually be the city's first sportive – and it looks like it should be a cracker.
The Plymouth Gran Fondo will take in scenery around Plymouth, West Devon, Dartmoor and East Cornwall. It is billed as a sportive that will take riders on a tour of stunning waterfront and coastal areas to magnificent historic houses and breath-taking landscapes.
Riders will be able to choose from the 160km Gran Fondo or 60km Piccolo route options. Both events are part of a weekend of cycling in the city, which includes a city-centre road race on the Saturday evening before the main event on Sunday.
Event director, Jim Pascoe of Spike Sports, told BikeRadar : “Plymouth Gran Fondo is going to be the main event in a weekend of cycling around Dartmoor, Devon and Cornwall.
“The idea of the weekend is to showcase the area to riders of all abilities. We have teamed up with Plymouth City Council, the National Trust and Destination Plymouth to ensure that the riding of the highest quality and that there is plenty for friends and family to do.
“The event will have guided leisure rides on traffic-free routes, a road race as well as the three routes on the Gran Fondo. If you get sick of riding, there’s plenty to explore around Plymouth’s historic waterfront, from great bars to the art deco lido!”
The routes feature plenty of quiet lanes weaving through gorgeous countryside
The organisers are warning that the main Gran Fondo route is tough from the off.
Pascoe says: “The route takes in the amazing scenery of the Dartmoor National Park and the Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty in the Tamar Valley and Cornwall. At 100 miles, it offers up over 11,000ft (3,500m) of climbing, providing a challenge for even the most committed rider. Riders will take in the three major climbs at Cornwood, Denham Bridge and Cotehele. It will then head along the spectacular coastal road from Looe to Rame Head, and back across the Tamar Ferry.”
The 60km Piccolo route is described as “a taste of the Gran Fondo but without the heart attack”. It frontloads the climbing, and gives riders a calmer downhill return to Plymouth. The route climbs up to Dartmoor, heads to Buckland Abbey – home of Sir Francis Drake – and then follows Drake's trail back to sea level. There will be pacesetters for this route to help first-timers get through the event and secure their finisher medals.
Visit the Plymouth Gran Fondo website to for more information and to enter.
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Fabric ALM Ultimate carbon saddle review
New brand Fabric aims to look at components and accessories differently – and its innovative ALM saddle is a prime example.
The design is a collaboration between Fabric and Airbus and follows studies into rails that would act like leaf springs, rather than having to engineer flex into the base using holes, cuts or materials of differing density. The ALM originally featured 3D-printed titanium rails, and would have been unfeasibly pricey as a result. But by making the design from carbon, Fabric was able to make it lighter and just as strong – and lop a huge chunk off the price.
- Highs: Slick, slender, light and comfy
- Lows: Price – that’s it
The resulting saddle has those leaf-spring rails and a flexible, aerospace-grade carbon base. This is topped with an ultra-thin layer of PU foam and a textured leather cover that’s vacuum bonded to the hull.
Fabric has also changed how rails fit. Rather than having them plug into the base, the ALM’s rails are integrated with it. This enables Fabric to move the rails further outboard, meaning more of the hull can flex. It also allows the rails to be longer, which increases the size of the clamping area, while weight is a mere 120g.
This would count for nothing if the ALM wasn’t comfortable – but Fabric has delivered. The ALM's smooth lines allow you to move about on the saddle, while the thin layer of textured leather prevents you from sliding around too much. The hull feels rigid with just the right amount of give in the centre. Ride over rougher roads or hit a pothole and you can feel the flex in the leaf-spring rails, which do a remarkable job of cushioning you from bigger blows.
It feels very different to a standard saddle, which relies on padding far more than construction. But we like the way it works, it’s impressively light and there’s one further benefit of the clean, minimalist design – the ALM’s underside is completely free of nooks and crannies, making it incredibly easy to keep clean.
This article was originally published in Cycling Plus magazine, available on Apple Newsstand and Zinio.
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Nys chasing tenth victory at the Koppenbergcross
Cyclo-cross season steps up with big weekend of racing in Belgium
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