Alfa Romeo Reveals The 4C Bike

Italian carmanufacture Alfa Romeo has created a special type of bike to celebrate their new 4C sportscar. It got some neat details as any usual Italian car or bike, with the frame being a reversed "4" and a not so normal handlebar, being shaped as a "C", which makes it the Alfa Romeo 4C bike.

The weight of the bike will be 6,8 kg withouth pedals, and prices starts at a little more than 3000 euro's.

Written by René

Read more: http://www.cyclingtipsonline.com/news/alfa-romeo-bike/

Merida Scultura Comp 905 Test

When Merida makes a bike, they mass produce it for the riders who don't want to lose an arm and a leg before they get on their bike. The Scultura Comp 905 is no exception, and has become rather popular in the last twelve months, at least amongst the cyclists I ride with. This didn't happen by mistake, though, since it is a nice bike for its price. 

On the road
I've been riding the Scultura Comp 905 since July last year, after crashing my previous alloy Merida. I was already familiar with the brand, and even though I didn't have a lot to spend, I knew I wanted an upgrade from a heavier bike. For $2,599AUD, the Scultura Comp 905 offers an upgrade to an entry level carbon frame, as well as Shimano Ultegra gearing. Whilst Merida claims the RRP is $2,599, I have only ever seen this bike in stores with a price tag of $2,000 new, so I know that a bargain is available out there.

The wheels are the same entry level Fulcrum wheels as are on the Merida Ride 93, just that they have matching decals as the bikes colour scheme. They are aluminium, shallow rims, and will quickly leave you wanting a new set of wheels, especially if you want deep dish rims. But hey, for an entry level carbon bike with Ultegra gearing, you'd be looking at a near entry level pro bike with new wheels. At that price, you can't get everything, but that is a lot you already get.
   

The white handlebar tape that comes with the bike, is fancy, with the holes in the pattern. I admit, this was one of the reasons I originally liked the bike. Looks are everything for me. The handlebar tape is comfortable at first use, however, this handlebar tape does wear quickly, partly due to the design, and partly due to the colour. I recommend replacing it with a black handlebar tape of your choosing, since it doesn't wear anywhere near as fast as white.

Moving on, the seat fits with the design of the bike, but from other users, I have heard that it isn't as comfortable as other seats on the market. Personally, I just suck it up because I can't afford much else, and any seat is comfortable than none, however seats with a hint of black in them do make the mostly white standard design appear to be a sleek, speed machine.

The tyres are also matching to the colour scheme, with two red stripes running down the middle of the tyre. You will find that the standard tyres sold on the bike also wear quickly. I recommend replacing these with Schwalbe's. Schwalbe tyres last FOREVER, and whats more, they have a design very similar to the original tyres on the bike, just with slightly narrower red stripes, and different branding on the side. More on these Schwalbe tyres in another review.

The Verdict

In summary, the Scultura Comp 905 is a great entry level carbon bike, that also offers better gears than most other carbon bikes at the same price. It is very popular, having already seen at least a dozen of them on the road, not including my own. If you don't like fitting in with the bunch, you're looking at the wrong bike for you. But it's very popular, so maybe we're all onto something good by choosing this bike. It may be the Toyota compared to a Ferrari, but who is to say Toyota doesn't know how to make nice cars too? Merida has certainly made a nice bike that is available to us with shallower pockets.

My rating: 8/10
Specs: http://www.merida.com.au/2013-bikes/road/scultura-comp-905.htm

Written by Kieren Barnett 

Vittoria Zaffiro Pro Test

If you are using a hometrainer in the winterseason or on a rainy day, you probably have experienced how a normal roadbike tire is destroyed in a matter of 1000 km on such one. This is due to the high temperatures and resistance the wheel is experiencing. Therefore, you will need a reartire meant for only to be used on a hometrainer. Vittoria Zaffiro Pro is one of these hometrainer-tires, and I have been testing it on my Elite Mag Speed Alu hometrainer. They have been equipped since 2011, so this is the second Scandinavian winter coming up for this tire.

Testing

Look wise, they are completely red, which is due to the rubber being extra good for a hometrainer, but if you take it on real roads; you will find yourself punctured within a few km. They have absolutely no punctureresistance at all, so only use them on the hometrainer. Therefore, it can be a bit of a trouble if you only have one pair of wheels, and have to switch from your rear roadtire to the hometrainer-tires and back again before hitting the roads. However, believe me, in the end that is the best thing you can do. Hometrainers just kills normal roadtires. Therefore, if your fronttire is black or anything other than red, don’t worry, nobody will ever see your different tire colors.

I tried using my Continental Ultra Sport on the Elite Speed Mag Alu hometrainer, but that story did not last long, until the tire was close to been eaten up totally by the rollers. But the Vittoria’s are looking just as new as when I bought them. They are really taking the punches from the hometrainer great. The black/grey stuff on the tires on the picture below, is just powder from the cylinder of the hometrainer. A quick clean, and the tires looks good as new.

On the hometrainer is does a great job. It is silent and the grip is fine. Only on the highest resistance on the hometrainer I can make it do wheelspin if I accelerate, so it is more or less not a problem at all. I really cannot find anything bad about the Vittoria’s, they are doing a great job all around.

The verdict

The Vittoria Zaffiro Pro is a great tire for use on a hometrainer. It has a good grip, endurance, and is silent, so it will only help giving you a better experience on the hometrainer. In addition, it does not wear on your rear wheel’s roadtire, which means, that the extra money you spend on the hometrainer-tires now, you will have “earned” back again later. I simply see no reason not to buy a pair of tires for your hometrainer, and the Vittoria Zaffiro Pro will definitely be a good choice.

Written by René

Read more: http://www.cyclingtipsonline.com/news/vittoria-zaffiro-pro-review/

Elite Mag Speed Alu Hometrainer Test

For many, winter is equal with snow and therefore it is not safe to go out riding on a road bike. Others just do not like the cold weather often combined with a lot of wind, which is far from unusual on that part of the season in a lot of places around the world. The answer for those who can agree with the things above will often be a hometrainer or joining a gym. In the long run though, a hometrainer will be the least expensive by a big margin, so why not go for that? Here you have several opportunities. Some are cheap and basic, others are expensive, giving you the opportunity to ride up a virtual Alpe d’Huez via your TV, or compete against other riders on their expensive hometrainers on a given course or mountain.

The one I have been testing is the basic Elite Mag Speed Alu from Elite. It costs around 150 euro’s in the stores, and therefore does not have the possibility to plug it in your TV and ride up any mountains. No, it is just a standard hometrainer for those who does not need anything else. Along with it, you do get a training DVD with different exercises and a bottle, plus a sweatabsorber to install on your seatpost and handlebar. It is actually quite important since sweat is destructive for the paint, and you are gonna sweat A LOT more on a hometrainer than outdoor due to that there is no wind to cool you down.

Testing

I have been testing the Elite Mag Speed for 3 winters so far, with durations to maximum 1½ hours. It has been equipped with a Vittoria Zaffiro Pro reartire specially made for use on a hometrainer. It can give you 5 different resistance values, where 1 is equal to tailwind or downhill, and 5 is equal to either strong headwind or a tough climb. To simulate normal training speed (30 km/h +/-) I have been using the 2^nd level. For intervals I went a bit higher on the resistance level. The roller and the tires had a great grip with each other’s, and only under heavy accelerations in the higher resistance levels, was I able to create any wheelspin.

For me, the motivation of it is lacking. I find it “fun” in the first 5 minutes, and after that I try looking around in the room for something to think about. I started missing the fields passing by in the side along with the wind bursting at your face. A way to solve this for me though, was listening to music and/or watch a tv-program I like. I will not recommend programs which demands much attention, but just something where the pictures changes all the time so you have something different to look at all the time. I was actually missing a feature being able to achieve anything, like climbing Alpe d’Huez, or battleing against a 25-year-old Italian online on Mount Ventoux.

A kinda fun thing to that though, is that the earlier mentioned lack of motivation for riding on longer periods on the hometrainer, actually makes me do a lot more interval training than on normal roads. Therefore, it does give a lot extra strength compared to spending the same amount of time just riding in a steady pace on 80-90% of max heartrate. So I wouldn’t say I don’t get just as much out of the training as doing 3 hours rides on the roads. I think it is equally as good.

But all that depends on the kind of person and how motivated you are. When it is getting close to a new season start, and I know there won’t be long till the snow is away, I am logging a longer time on the hometrainer than I am doing in the early winter. Most people will probably do it the same way, because of a increased motication. But as a training tool, the Elite Mag Speed is great. You save a lot of money compared to a gym center, and you do not have to battle freezing temperatures. I have only been happy getting mine, because I am training a lot more in the wintertime than I would have been doing without it.

A problem I have noticed though was that at higher speeds, would the rollers start to vibrate so much, that it creates a noticeable sound. Therefore, I did try to keep it below that speed to stop it from making the noise. It did not matter what tires I tried, the noise would still occur. It is more or less just a bad balance on the rollers that triggers the vibrations, which maybe won’t occur on all Mag Speed’s.

Verdict

The Elite Mag Speed is a great hometrainer for the person who is just looking for a basic method of training when the weather does not give the best opportunity for going outside doing that. For me though it got quite boring pretty fast, unless I had music to listen to, or a TV-show to watch. Therefore, I will highly recommend doing that if you are going to buy any of the cheaper hometrainers without any fancy features like climbing Alpe d’Huez. Nevertheless, it made my do a lot more trainingsessions than if I had to go out in snow or bad weather, so it has definitely helped me becoming a better rider.

Written by René

Read more: http://www.cyclingtipsonline.com/news/elite-mag-speed-alu-hometrainer-review/

Rotor Q-rings Test

Background

If you have been following cycling the last few years you will have noticed that some riders use chainrings that are not round but oval. The general idea is to have a bigger gear where you can put the most power in the pedals and a lower gear when you have to pass the dead zone. It is not a new idea to make oval chainrings. In the 80'ies Shimano produced the oval Biopace rings. Lately Oval rings have been very successful with Bradley Wiggins and Chris Froome both winning the Tour de France on O-Symmetric chainrings. This test is about another brand of oval chainrings, namely Rotor who makes Q-Rings. I have tested the 53/40 Q-Rings version for Campagnolo for 2 months and in that time I have ridden around 2500km in all kinds of terrain.

Test

Mounting the rings can be a bit tricky as the front derailleur has to be adjusted. The derailleur has to be moved up as the ring has a larger diameter than a normal round chainring. This caused some problems on my bike since it was not possible to get it high enough. It was solved by placing a small ring between the derailleur and the mount. This moved it a bit back so there was enough room for the chainring,

My first impression of riding with the rings was that it felt like the chain broke every time when passing the dead zone. After a few kilometers that feeling subsided and I noticed that my acceleration had increased a lot. It still felt a bit weird and it took several rides before I got really familiar with the rings. Shifting between the rings is even better than on the Stronglight rings I used before. I have not experienced any problems with the chain jumping off the rings, not even when riding a race with very uneven dirt roads. Other than the improved acceleration I have also noticed that I am less tired the day after a hard ride. In my opinion this is the biggest advantage.

The Verdict

I have been very satisfied with the Q-Rings. I am sure I will also get them for my next bike. The price is comparable to that of other high-end chainrings. I think they are worth the money but you have to take your time to get used to them.

Written by Andreas

Read more: http://www.cyclingtipsonline.com/news/rotor-q-rings-test/

Garmin Edge 500 Test

Introduction

This is a long term review of the Garmin Edge 500. I bought it in January 2010 and I have ridden around 35000km with it. The Edge 500 has most of the features of the Edge 800 but without the map and it is much smaller. Installation is just as easy. For more details see the Garmin Edge 800 Review. I bought the bundle version with a heart rate monitor and a speed/cadence sensor, which was installed on my time trial bike but I never used the speed sensor.

The Test

After you turn the Edge 500 on you have to wait a bit before it has connected with the satellites. This may take up to a few minutes. I experienced some problems after around three years of riding with it. It took longer time to connect to the satellites and even after it had connected it did not record any distance when I started riding. The problem was solved by deleting old rides from it. Deleting the rides also made uploading much faster.

It has up to 5 pages where you can choose up to 8 different data fields. Even with 8 data fields on one page you can easily read the numbers. The data fields can easily be set to show anything you like. There are a wide range of data to put in these fields like distance, speed, gradient, altitude, and temperature. If you buy the bundle version you will also get a heart rate monitor and a speed/cadence sensor. The Edge 500 is also equipped with ANT+ which means you can connect a power meter.

On open roads the GPS signal is pretty stable, but if you ride through a tunnel or a dense forest it might get a bit unstable. Therefore the speed might jump a bit. This could probably be solved by using the speed sensor. It does not seem like a big problem to me. It is normally over after a few seconds and it does not seem to affect the distance.

The big question after so many hours of riding is: Does the battery still work? The answer is yes. Even after a 200km ride where it was turned on for 8 hours it was still half full. René experienced some problems with the heart rate monitor for his Edge 800. I have not had any problems with the heart rate monitor that a battery change could not fix.

When you get home you want to analyze your ride. With a Garmin Edge 500 it is easy to upload your ride to a site like Endomondo or Garmin Connect. If you use Linux you have to be aware that Garmin does not provide an official communicator plugin. In linux Mint 15 there is a plugin available from the ”Software Manager” which can also be found here: Garmin plugin for Linux. This plugin works just like the official windows plugin.

The Verdict

If you do not need a map while riding but want a lot of data, the Edge 500 is perfect for you. It is cheaper than the 800 but has almost the same features. The 200 is even cheaper but it lacks a heart rate monitor. Is it worth the money? I would say definitely. It is very durable and stable. It is also easy to change from bike to bike if you have more than one bike and it does not require any settings to be change if you do not use the speed sensor. It is also pretty cool to say that your bike computer uses The Theory of Relativity.

Written by Andreas

Read more: http://www.cyclingtipsonline.com/news/garmin-edge-500-review/

Shimano 105 5700 Test

Shimano is probably the most famous bicycle parts manufacturer there is in. Shimano is one of the three main producers of bicycle parts, the other two brands are SRAM and Campagnolo.

Brand: Shimano

Type: 105 (5700)

Weight: -

Price: +/- € 450 (set of 8)

Specs: Includes: Dual Control levers, crankset, cassette, derailleur (x2), brakes, chain and bottom bracket

NOTE: There a different 105 groupsets available which might include other parts

The Shimano 105 group is the 5^th group of Shimano, only Ultegra and Dura Ace are considered as better Shimano groups. The Shimano 105 group is advised to people who rider over 3000-4000 kilometer a year since the groups below the 105 wear off faster and need to be replaced sooner.

When buying a bike it’s important to know what group set is on the bike. Some shops choose to mount two different groups on one bike. For example a Tiagra crank and a Shimano 105 Group derailleur, why? Because it’s cheaper than to mount a fully 105 Group set. Tiagra isn’t a bad group, but it’s better to know straight away that you buy a bike that contains other group parts. Better than finding out later on, and get disappointed.

Review

After 10.000 kilometers the 105 Group is still working as it should be. The only part that has been replaced is the chain. If you replace the chain once a season you prevent wear on the cassette and crank who are more expensive to replace than a chain (€20). Most people don’t buy complete new groupsets, but just replace the parts that are wear. In my case the chain. My estimation is that I can go up to 20.000 kilometers before I have to replace the more expensive parts of the group as the derailleurs, crank and the cassette.

The 105 Group has matched my expectations. It is a very good group compared to the price you have to pay and it doesn’t wear fast. All part besides the chain easily can do 20.000-25.000 kilometers before they need to be replaced. For a better durability it is advised to replace the chain once every 5.000 kilometer or once a season.

The Verdict

I would advise the Shimano 105 Group to everyone who rides up to 10.000 kilometers. If you ride more than 10.000 kilometers a year it might be cheaper to buy the Ultegra or Dura Ace since it has a better durability. Even if you only ride 1.000 kilometers a year I would advise the 105 Group over Sora or Tiagra because it would demand less maintenance and it’s likely you can keep using it during the completely life span of the bike.

Performance 

Durability 

Product for value 

Overall 

Written by Ronald

Read more: http://www.cyclingtipsonline.com/news/shimano-105-5700-review/

Uvex SGL 203 Test

Uvex is a German brand that produces safety and security products. It is also partner of World Tour team Argos-Shimano, which they provide glasses and helmets.

Brand: Uvex

Type: Sgl 203 (2013)

Weight: -

Price: € 39,95

Specs: 100% UV-protection, light transmission 8-18%

If you are looking for some good glasses which aren’t too expensive, Uvex glasses are a good option. Brands as Oakley and Rudy Project are often of better quality but are also pricey. Given the fact that Uvex is partner of a World Tour team it also means the quality of the Uvex products is of a certain standard as well. Probably not the best brand around quality wise but it certainly is from good quality.

Review

It are good glasses that give you a clear view even when it’s very sunny. You can really notice the ‘100% UV-protection’ and the 8-18% light transmission that the product claims to have. The ‘open’ spectacle frame is a really big plus and together with its light weight you won’t notice that you are wearing glasses. The glasses good also be used in daily life. They glasses are available in several colours so you could pick a colour that fits you. A disadvantage of the glasses is that when you are sweating a lot that the drops of sweat are blurring the view. It’s the sweat that drops on your eyebrows that causes the blurriness, when the eyebrows make contact with the glass the sweat gets on the glasses. This is only the case when it’s very hot or when you are making long rides. The glasses can easily been cleaned – during the ride – with some water. The downside of the 8-18% light transmission is that if you are riding in bushy area the view becomes a lot darker.

The Verdict

Good buy if you are looking for good low budget glasses. Pretty big glasses, ‘open’ view and good protection against the sunlight. Disadvantage is the blurry view if you sweat a lot. All in all a good buy and I would advise it to other cyclists.

Performance 

Durability 

Product for value 

Overall 

Written by Ronald

Read more: http://www.cyclingtipsonline.com/news/uvex-sgl-203-review/

Look Keo 2 Max Test

Look is a well known cycling brand. Today I am going to review their Keo 2 Max road clipless pedal

Weighing in at only 131 grams a pedal, these are quite light compared to some of the other pedals provided on the market today. The pedals are constructed with a mixture of carbon and stainless steel, giving them high durability as well as a weight reduction. 

On The Road
It is all good and well to know all of the theory surrounding these pedals, but the real question is, how do they ride?
These pedals perform very well on the road in all conditions. In the past I had malfunctioning with other pedals, especially in sprints or on the track, where a lot of pulling tension is put on the pedals. This however has never happened with my set of Keo 2 Max pedals.

Again emphasising their durability. The cleats which come standard with these pedals do not work on the other Look pedals, which at first was quite disappointing. The upside of this is that it is due to the additional rubber sections on the cleat which ensures grip when walking, which we all know how hard walking with cleats some times can be.
Another note is that the pedals can not be loosened with the standard allen key bicycle tool, but instead requires a larger size of allen key. This means an additional purchase if you do not already own one and also leaves the issue of fixing the bike on the road, should you not have the correct size handy. This is a small inconvenience which I will gladly suffer, knowing that I probably won’t have to remove the pedals any time soon.
 

The verdict

This is really a great quality product worth considering, if you are planning on buying new clipless pedals. It is one of their older products, but I have yet to see a replacement for my set with the same durability and reliability.

Written by Janneman

Read more: http://www.cyclingtipsonline.com/news/look-keo-2-max-road-clipless-pedal/

Schwalbe Ultremo ZX Test

Schwalbe is a well-known brand in cycling. De company started in 1901 and has its headquarter in Germany. Schwalbe is also partner of some World Tour teams, for example Radioshack-Leopard-Trek and AG2R. Besides those World Tour teams there are several pro-continental and continental teams who use Schwalbe tires.

Brand: Schwalbe

Type: Ultremo ZX (700x23c)

Weight: 95 grams (per tire)                          

Price: +/- € 30 (per tire)

Specs: Available in several colours

After my first tires were worn out I had to buy new ones. I bought the Schwalbe Ultremo ZX because the reviews where pretty good and it had a good price. There was also a possibility to choose a colour. Besides a good product it is also nice when it looks good, so I bought the red-black tires (one of the 10 possible colours) for the same price as the ‘normal’ black tire. I had no real problems with mounting the Ultremo ZX tires on my Fulcrum Racing 5 wheels besides the normal stiffness of new tires. The tubes that I have used are Continental tubes and low budget Michelin tubes which I’m currently using.

Schwalbe claims that the Ultremo ZX has about 15% lower rolling resistance, longer durability and better puncture protection than the predecessor. Since this was the first time I used the Ultremo ZX I have not been able to test if those claims are correct.

Review

After about 5000 kilometers in 1½ year I have to say I’m pretty happy with the tires. I had to replace my rear tire last year after about 1500 kilometers because it was torn, caused by a sharp branch. The new tire I mounted was also an Ultremo ZX. A remark that I have to make is that I weigh about 90 kilogram and therefore push more weight on the tire than a lighter person, which may cause that the tire wears down faster.

My front tire has done about 5000 kilometers now and my current rear tire 3500 kilometers and I’m still using them. They show some signs of wear and need to be replaced within the next 1000 kilometers to avoid punctures.

In these 5000 respectively 3500 kilometers I have had three punctures – all three at the rear tire – spread over the period all caused by little stones. No punctures on the front wheel and given the fact there is more pressure on the rear tire because of the bodyweight and the fact I’m pretty heavy it might have caused more punctures than with a lighter person.

The performances of the Ultremo ZX have pleased me. It is a fast tire, it is pretty light compared to other tires and the claim of Schwalbe that it has lower rolling resistance than the predecessor might be right. It isn’t only a fast tire, but it also makes you look fast and good. The red tires looks really good on my bike and wheels.

The Verdict

I can recommend these tires to people who don’t ride over 5000 kilometers a year and want some good (looking) and fast tires. If you are looking for durability or if you are riding over 5000 kilometers a year you better look for some more ‘solid’ tires. I’m pretty sure my new tires will be Schwalbe Ultremo ZX.

Performance 

Durability 

Product for value 

Overall 

Written by Ronald

Read more: http://www.cyclingtipsonline.com/news/schwalbe-ultremo-zx-review/

Bulls Harrier 2 Test

Brand: Bulls

Type: Harrier 2 (2011)

Weight: 9,2 kg

Price: +/- € 900 (new price)

Specs: Aluminium, Shimano 105 Group, Carbon Fork

Bulls is brand of ZEG (Zweirad-Einkaufs-Genossenschaft). ZEG is besides a ‘purchasing cooperative’ also producer of some own brands like Pegasus, Bulls and Yazoo. Bulls is known for its relative low price and decent quality which makes it an ideal buy for people who can’t or don’t want to spend too much money on their (first) bike.

There a couple of reasons why I decided to buy a Bulls. First of all I have gathered some information on the internet about several brands and types. After years of mountain biking I wanted a ‘racer’ to hit the roads. I didn’t want to spend too much money on it since I didn’t knew if I would like road racing as much as mountain biking. I decided I would go for a new bike, because you never know if a second hand has some latent defects or might show some signs of wear. I also wanted a Shimano 105 Group because it had many good reviews. After setting a price and demands on group set I had two real options left, Giant or Bulls. Both brands known for their low pricing and decent quality. It is not only the bike that is important but also the right size and adjustment so you can sit comfortable on your bike without getting complaints caused by wrong positioning. So it is important to get some help from a ‘professional’ if you don’t know the right sizes and want to sit comfortable on the bike. Therefore I wanted to go to a bike store and get advice and help about the size and adjusting the bike to my body. There wasn’t a Giant dealer close to my home but there was a Bulls dealer close to my home, so I decided it would be a Bulls.

                        

Review

I’m using the bike now for over 2½ years and it is still going strong. In this period I only have replaced the chain, wheels and tires. I didn’t replace any other parts of the bike. The frame is still in very good shape and doesn’t show any remarks of wear. The only part of the Shimano 105 Group I replaced is the chain which costs about € 20. In this 2½ years I have ridden about 10.000 kilometers and I give it a revise every two months. That’s just to look if the shifting is still fine, to give the chain a bit oil, making sure if the pads are still good and give the bike a small cleaning. It’s about 5-10 minutes work every two months, so you could say it’s a bike with low maintenance. I also give it a big revise twice a season which contains replacing the chain once every season and a big cleaning which doesn’t take more than 30 minutes.

The shifting during the rides is still very smooth and I think I can do another 10.000 kilometers on the bike and the Shimano 105 Group if I try to avoid crashes. The front fork is made out of aluminium and carbon, so it should give more comfort during the ride and less vibration compared to just aluminium or steel. Since this is my first racer I haven’t been able to compare it with aluminium or steel but compared to a mountain bike with suspension I have to say that the comfort during the rides is bigger than I expected on the beginning.

With 9,2 kg it is not the lightest bike there is but if you don’t intend to use this bike for racing you won’t notice the weight. The bike accelerates fast and the handling of the bike is –when you have it adjusted to your body- amazing. It is a bike that can be used for all types of rides. It’s good for recreational rides, tours, cyclo’s (for example Marmotte or Les Trois Ballons) and racing (to a certain level).

The Verdict

The bike hasn’t disappointed me once. If you are looking for a pretty cheap but solid bike, the Bulls Harrier with Shimano 105 Group is an excellent buy. It’s a very comfortable bike that doesn’t need much maintenance. Like I said before, it can be used for all types of rides, from pure recreational till racing.

Performance 

Durability 

Product for value 

Overall 

Written by Ronald

Read more: http://www.cyclingtipsonline.com/news/bulls-harrier-2-review/

Beginners Guide On What Cycling Equipment You Will Need

We have all been there , pacing up and down the isles of our local cycling shop , staring at equipment and fiddling , unsure of whether we need the item that we are holding in our hands or not. The friendly salesman only to happy to give you all of the reasons on why you should empty your wallet , well after reading this it will happen no more. This article is especially for entry level cyclists. 

So what do you need?

* A helmet , definitely a necessity most races state “no helmet , no ride” 

*A spare inner tube, here more is better but nothing a patch kit can’t fix 

*A patch kit and some rubber cement (solution) those in the kit usually run out before the patches. 

* Tyre levers , they are little plastic bars , just ask the salesman. If you are in need two tea spoons will do the job at hand. 

*A multi-tool , as well as allen-keys that fit the screws on the bike. 

*A wrench with which you can remove the pedals and wheels if your bike is not fitted with a quick release system. The same goes for the saddle. 

  -Note that most modern bicycles almost exclusively require allen-keys 

*A bicycle pump , for that flat tyre you fixed with the equipment mentioned earlier 

* Water bottle cages as well as water bottles which fit snugly in the cages. 

*Sunglasses to block out the wind , your beach shades will do , but there are glasses designed just for this purpose , brands like Rudy Project , Oakley , D’arc to name a few. 

*A saddle bag into which you can fit the allen-keys , tyre levers and spare tubes atleast. 

*Gloves , but this is not a must although I would recommend buying a pair
   

If you like DIY you can purchase some additional tools to fix your bike , but especially for a beginner I would recommend taking your bike to a bike shop if it needs mending , bar a puncture and loose bolts of course. I hope this saves you from buying that thing without a name which just gathers dust in future. 

Written by Janneman

Read more: http://www.cyclingtipsonline.com/news/beginners-guide-on-what-cycling-equipment-you-will-need-/