Dedicated solely to the exhilaration of road cycling, Cyclist is the very first magazine of its kind. A celebration of the rides, the travel and the latest gear – we'll show you how to get the best from your ride every time.
When we speak to Cyclist readers about their riding habits, the field is fairly evenly split between those who are gravel aficionados and have invested in a gravel bike, and those who are either gravel-curious, gravel-hesitant or, occasionally, gravel-averse. We can understand how people might feel that a road cycling magazine should stick to just that: the road. But we would argue gravel is an extension of the road scene rather than a defection to a different tribe. The aesthetic is much the same, if a touch more relaxed; the bikes are very similar in looks and ride style; and the roads are still roads, just a bit bumpier and with less chance of being crushed by a truck. If road surface is the real issue with gravel riding, then…
When Specialized launched the previous version of its Tarmac, the SL7, the company killed off its Venge aero platform, suggesting the SL7 was so well-rounded that the Venge was no longer necessary. Crucially, the SL7 was still slower in drag terms than the Venge, but Specialized says the move to SL8 makes the Tarmac faster than the Venge ever was. The bike made its debut at the 2023 Road Race World Championships and was ridden to victory by Belgium’s Lotte Kopecky, which seems fitting given how successful the model has been over its 20-year and eight-generation history. Thanks to features such as a sleek, integrated cockpit, deepened head tube and slimmer seat tube, Specialized says the new bike is 16.6 seconds more efficient than the Tarmac SL7 it replaces over…
When the weather refuses to behave, it's difficult to plan what to wear for a ride. That’s why Santini’s new Adapt kit aims to protect you from the cold and wet, but also remain comfortable if the sun makes an appearance. This is the women’s version but a men’s option is available too. The Adapt Multi jersey falls under that category of not-quite-a-jacket-but-almost, with 100% wind and waterproof claims thanks to the use of Polartec’s Powershield Pro fabric. The material has a DWR-treated bio-membrane to add rain protection without resorting to the use of PFCs or PFASs – the dirty particles that we now know are bad for the environment. ‘The material has a diverse structure at a molecular level that promotes the extraction of internal water vapour [read: sweat]…
Just when it seemed that Shimano was turning its back on mechanical shifting at the mid-to-high end of its range, the world’s biggest groupset maker released two mechanical groupsets on the same day – 105 R7100 arriving alongside several derivations of Shimano’s GRX gravel groupset (see our long-term review of that one on page 140). Both have made the move to 12-speed, but whereas bigger gearing range was the primary motivator for the change in GRX, closer gear steps was the priority for 105, echoing its electronic counterpart released last year. In fact, joining 105 Di2 at 12-speed means 105 can do more than just mirror the groupset – it can actually share all its non-shifting components. The chain, cassette, crankset and brakes are the same as 105 Di2 uses,…
After recent updates to its Protone Icon and Utopia Y helmets, Kask’s road racing range was looking healthy. And yet a mysterious design that wasn’t either of them was glimpsed on the heads of Ineos Grenadiers, which Kask has now revealed as the Elemento. The helmet incorporates some novel features that Kask says results in better aerodynamic efficiency than the Protone, but also improved ventilation compared to the Utopia Y, forming a compromise between the two. Its $650 pricetag puts it above both in Kask’s range and takes it to the absolute top end of the road helmet market, suggesting such a balance is not easily achieved. On the safety side, the Elemento includes two new technologies called Fluid Carbon 12 and Multipod. Fluid Carbon 12 refers to panels of…
Ravemen’s rear light has multiple flash modes to keep you safe and comfortable when riding on the darkest mornings and during the day, with a maximum 350-lumen output. It’s called a ‘brake light’ because it has a built-in motion sensor that switches the light to a solid 100-lumen output for two seconds when the rider brakes. The motion sensor also puts the light to sleep if it’s still for two minutes, activating when the light is moved again – no more flat batteries if you forget to turn your light off! Cyclist has tested this bike across the winter months and it’s proven a great balance of size, brightness and battery life.…
