It was the first big climb of the day. Earlier on we’d spotted it on the map of Dorset – a chevron marking a particularly steep section. As the road began to rise, a 17% road sign announced the gradient we were going to have to attempt. I looked up ahead to what really seemed like a wall and wondered if I’d be able to get up this one. It would have been tough on my light skittish road bike, but here I was loaded down with 30 kilos on the back of my touring bike.
Read MoreA Tour de France Winner on a Steel Bike?
It’s been 22 years since the Tour de France was won on a steel bike. But because of the great advances made in recent years, might we see steel overcome carbon in the world’s greatest bike race soon? For many it would hark back to a romantic and nostalgic era of the likes of Hinault and Merckx winning great races on elegant, beautiful bikes that offered both comfort and durability. Sam Lawson of Genesis Bikes thinks that, “We’re not a million miles off.”
Read MoreBike Knowledge is Power!
Many of us are embarrassed to admit it but, despite many years on the bike, our basic maintenance skills aren’t quite up to scratch. I have to confess to struggling when putting a tyre back onto a wheel with numb fingers after a puncture on the roadside. More than once I’ve reverted to using a tyre lever to get that last bit over the rim. Shocking, I know, and I’ve suffered numerous pinch punctures afterwards as a result. And, as for gear indexing and replacing brakes, I’m ashamed to say that I’ve usually left this for the bike shop pros.
Read More