Cyclist Australia Issue 63

Welcome to yet another jam-packed edition of Cyclist Australia/NZ. We’re thrilled to present you with our latest collection of gear and bike reviews, in-depth features, sit-down interviews with cycling’s biggest stars, and of course, stunning visuals and stories from our riding adventures at home and around the world. Our local Big Ride destination for this issue takes us to the town of Tallangatta in Victoria’s High Country, the gateway to the hidden gem that is Lake Hume – right on the Victoria-NSW border. Our team followed the shoreline of the man-made lake on a quiet, scenic loop offering incredible water views, challenging climbs and plenty of charming places to stop and fuel up along the way. It’s also the location of the Sandy Creek Bridge, the architecturally impressive span that…

Back in 2008 Cannondale designed the original SuperSix based on the experience gained from the outgoing SystemSix race bike. The SuperSix quickly won a reputation for being light and stiff with deft handling, and in subsequent revisions Cannondale managed to blend comfort into the mix as well. This year the bike celebrates its 15th birthday and has come full circle in that for this fourth generation the SuperSix Evo has once again been informed by the brand’s SystemSix bike, which was reintroduced in 2019 as Cannondale’s aero road platform. ‘We took the features that make the SystemSix so fast and made them lighter,’ says Dr Nathan Barry, Cannondale’s aerodynamics expert. ‘The new SuperSix Evo is as fast as rival aero bikes while hitting the UCI minimum weight limit. The new…

$519.95, assos.com/au Introducing the Assos Equipe RS Spring Fall Jacket Targa, a versatile garment that aims to bridge the gap between a thermal long-sleeve jersey and a low-volume softshell. Designed to offer enhanced thermal protection, reflective panelling and built-in ventilation, it's ideal for training sessions as the weather turns colder, providing a warmer alternative to the traditional combination of a thermal short-sleeve jersey, arm warmers and a vest. Crafted from a combination of Assos's summer-jersey Push Pull textile and the highly insulating 'Rhombus' liner, the jacket's front panel boasts stretchability, breathability, and aerodynamic properties while effectively trapping heat. The raw-cut full-length sleeves feature what Assos calls SONIC-SN fabric, known for its elasticity and snug fit, complete with a brushed micro-sanded lining for additional thermal protection.…

There’s a suite of improvements to the Garmin Edge 540 and 840 from their predecessors, the most significant being the option for solar charging. Solar models use Garmin’s Power Glass to harness the sun and turn it into battery power, adding a claimed 25 minutes per hour during daytime riding – a huge win for those who ride pro hours, though for others, it may not be a factor given the already impressive 26-hour run time with non-solar models. But, certainly, no one in the Cyclist office has ever begrudged additional battery life. The 540 and 840 are almost identical, each with a 2.6” screen and 80g weight. They use multi-band GNSS, which is the leading GPS system globally, and offer targeted adaptive coaching to a rider based on recent…

As usual, Vittoria has pushed itself to a higher threshold with the Corsa Pro and Corsa Pro Control, which replace the previous TLR versions, the Corsa and Corsa Control tyres. Like all new releases, they promise to be faster, lighter and more puncture-resistant than previous iterations. And even though it’s almost impossible to feel minor improvements on the road, fitting a fresh pair of tubeless 28s to my bike is always exciting and makes me want to get out and ride. These Corsas have a familiar tread pattern and employ trickle-up technology from the more durable Corsa, the Corsa Next (normally branded as N.EXT). A mix of graphene and silica compound adds hardiness and grip to the tread compared with previous iterations and makes the Corsa Pro an option for…

$410, kask.com The Utopia was developed in 2018 to combine aerodynamic efficiency with ventilation. The fact that it became the go - to helmet for WorldTour team Ineos Grenadiers in fast, flat races (when they also had helmets such as Kask’s well-regarded Protone Icon to choose from) suggests that Kask got the blend about right. Five years later, the release of the Utopia Y could be seen as further evidence of the original’s efficacy because, superficially, little has changed. Its sculpted shape is the same but there have been changes under the surface – chiefly the incorporation of the Octofit+ retention system that the aforementioned Protone Icon debuted. Kask says Octofit+ uses a larger rotational dial that is coated in a grippier rubber to make it easier to adjust, and…