Innholdsfortegnelse for Summer 2024 i Bicycling

TIM RUTLEDGE, THE CREATOR OF THE REDLINE Conquest and a legend of American cyclocross racing, died of cancer earlier this year. Reading news of his passing made me recall the early days of my career in bicycle product development and reflect on today’s bikes. Redline’s Conquest was groundbreaking. Released in 1994, it was the first widely available cyclocross bike in the United States. With the Conquest, racers didn’t need to chase down a cyclocross-specific frame from Europe or modify a road or touring bike to fit wider tires and cantilever brakes. Redline’s bike fueled a cyclocross boom and got thousands of racers into the sport. Within a few years, cyclocross became “the next big thing,” and every major bike brand began manufacturing’cross bikes and marketing them with sponsored athletes. Most of…

THE RITTE ESPRIT CHANGED MY PERCEPTIONS OF WHAT I want and expect in a road bike. And I think about the Esprit almost every time I pedal a different bike. So many of the things that annoy me about other road bikes, Ritte gets right with this bicycle. Road bike development led us down two distinct evolutionary branches over the past 20 years (and lots of niches and specialization along those branches). Unfortunately, a model like the Esprit cannot exist for many brands. Big brands need rigidly defined race and endurance categories to market and sell bikes. Such is the current landscape of high-end, carbon-fiber road bikes. Race bikes are low, long, and fast. They are lightweight, have skinny tires, and prioritize efficiency over comfort. Race bikes are at the…

A FEW WEEKS AGO, I WAS WALKING AROUND South Philadelphia with a friend when I saw a bike easily worth a few thousand dollars locked up outside a bar on a dark street. It was a carbon gravel racer with flat pedals, all kinds of frame bags, a fancy front rack, and a far-too-flimsy lock for Philly standards. Though it wasn’t my bike, I stressed about its well-being long after it was out of my sight, tugging at my hair thinking about how much attention it was likely grabbing while sitting unattended on the sidewalk. I was up all night because I’ve seen the worst-case scenario for leaving a nice bike somewhere: Someone stole a several-thousand-dollar bike from me four years ago, and I wouldn’t wish the experience on anyone. I’ve…

IT WASN’T THE FIRST OR THE LAST TIME A BIKE left me stranded. At this point in my life, it’s not about having “the legs” or endurance to sustain a ride, event, or race—but rather a transparent awareness of accepting what I have and who I am. Whether you have a carbon or steel frame, a mechanical or electronic drivetrain, understanding and accepting your bike’s limitations are the keys to overcoming challenges. Do I stop my ride and abandon my pursuit of joy temporarily because my bike’s chain is broken and my spokes are dangling by the hub? Nope, that ain’t me. Recognizing, respecting, and honoring the relationship you have with your bike is a process of growth, work, and commitment that will take you further than you can imagine. On…

THE CYCLING MARKET HAS AN OVERABUNDANCE of road bikes touting superlight carbon frames, aerodynamic advantages, and World Tour–racing pedigrees. Some of these bikes are engineering marvels, meticulously designed to save watts for professional racers pedaling at average speeds that few cyclists will ever achieve. That’s not to say those bikes aren’t fun—many are an absolute blast for climbing, sprinting, and carving corners. However, these carbon bikes aren’t for everyone. Brands often load them with proprietary parts and integration that adds complexity—and cost—when servicing or customizing to a rider’s specific fit requirements. Many cyclists want simplicity, practicality, and durability from their bikes without sacrificing performance. BlackHeart saw an opportunity and built the Allroad AL to meet it. When Bicycling first reviewed Allroad AL in 2022, we deemed it the “perfect bike for…

1/TYPE OF LENS Every eyewear brand offers various lenses for different riding conditions and lighting levels. Reflective lenses are designed for full sun. Medium lenses have some tint but let in more light than the fully reflective lenses. (These are sometimes called trail lenses because they are great for the variable lighting conditions often experienced when riding in the woods.) And finally, there are clear lenses for riding at night. Some brands offer photochromic lenses, which get darker when exposed to UV light and go almost clear when away from the sun. For riders who don’t like switching lenses, a photochromic option can be a great solution, but these lenses never get as dark as lenses designed for full sun or as clear as an actual clear lens. Brands typically…

Sitting astride an e-bike wrapped in purple gaffer tape, Gustavo Ajche grabs the phone from his raincoat pocket and pulls up the Grubhub app as raindrops pool on the screen. It’s a gloomy Saturday afternoon in New York City. After a long week working two jobs, Ajche says, ordinarily he might go home; he’s done delivery for the apps long enough to know when it’s sensible to call it a day. But I’m here to learn the economics of delivery work, so Ajche holds out his phone: This order is offering $13. Should he take it? Ajche, who is 40, is the most visible spokesperson and organizer for Los Deliveristas Unidos, a campaign started in 2020 by appbased delivery workers to fight for safety protections and wages befitting their status…

CYCLISTS HAVE BEEN obsessed with weight for as long as bicycles have existed, and almost any cyclist will tell you they prefer a lighter bike. Lightweight bikes are ideal for speed and performance—the lighter the bicycle, the less effort the rider uses to move it forward. Lightweight bikes are believed to be better for climbing (where many races are won or lost). Light bikes feel zippy and accelerate quickly. And while aerodynamic drag is often more important than weight in real-world situations, it isn’t something you can quickly assess in your garage or on the sales floor at your local bike shop. Plus, a lightweight bike is a status symbol in cycling culture. Cycling’s international governing body (the UCI) dictates that “The weight of the bicycle cannot be less than…

We tried more than 30 pairs of sunglasses for this test. We started by evaluating the many sunglasses we regularly use for riding. Then, we tried pairs from top brands based on price, features, and popularity. We also considered our past experiences with those brands. We spent many hours and miles testing these sunglasses to determine which had the best combination of comfort and visual clarity. These shades were used during interval training sessions, while racing criteriums, and on sweltering summer trail rides to make sure they would stay put on the face while providing a clear field of view in high-speed situations. Low-light performance was evaluated by riding during twilight hours and on nighttime mountain bike rides.…

THIS OR THAT Waxed Chain1 Chain Lube White Shoes2 Black Shoes Skinsuit Jersey and Shorts Slicks Knobbies3 One Kind of Riding All Kinds of Riding4 Water Drink Mix5 Postride Coffee6 Postride Beer Tubes Tubeless Fix It Yourself7 Take It to a Shop Cats Dogs Junk Food8 Gels Short, Hard Efforts Long, Steady Efforts Uphill Downhill9 Saddle Bag10 Pockets Gels Bars Torque to Spec11 Tighten by Feel Training12 Racing Snickers Haribo Let Me Explain (1) With dust and dirt, my waxed chain stays cleaner = faster! (2) White shoes, white socks, white helmet. There’s something rebellious about wearing white out in the dirt. (3) My favorite kind of terrain to ride requires a beefier tire. (4) All kinds of riding! I love mountain biking the most, but some days a good road ride is…