Innholdsfortegnelse for Issue 23 i Urban Cyclist

In the last few years, since the launch of Urban Cyclist, there have been many initiatives that campaigners and cyclists can rightly be proud of. In the UK, Superhighways have become the commuting route of choice for many Londoners while Sadiq Khan’s promised to invest £770-million over the four years of his term. This summer, Bristol and Manchester welcomed dockless bike schemes that have proven incredibly successful (more on page 42). Around the world, Paris has created car-free zones, while Holland continues to lead the way with their £25-plus spend per head on the cycling network. It begs the question: what is the future for the urban cyclist? Can the cycle network not only be extended but upgraded to cope with increasing numbers? Will electric bikes become the norm? Can…

They might have publicly aired it in the UK for the first time all the way back in April, but the memories of Colchester-based Evanson Bike Works’ stunning steed remains just as vivid as its multi-coloured paint job. The bike proved one of the most visited of this year’s Bespoked handmade bike show, held once again at Bristol’s Brunel Old Station, and you can see why. But as designer and builder Richard Evanson reveals, that love’s more than skin deep. “It’s in collaboration with Hope Technology, which they displayed at the Berliner Fahrradschau [Berlin bike show] in March,” Evanson explains. “The customer wanted an all-road bike that’d accommodate a 650b tyre so she could go bike packing, touring… At last year’s show, there was an award category for ladies-specific bikes…

MASTERLOCK 8239 EURDPRO CRITERION GOLD £99.99 www.masterlock.com The Criterion combines a 110cm chain with a mini U-lock shackle to form a long, heavyweight-rated chain lock. Under chilling and hammering – which comprised freezing the locks in a cabinet set at -40°C to, theoretically, make it more brittle before hitting with a sledgehammer – it was broken with three strikes from the 1m-drop sledge. Under sawing, the standard blade had little effect, though the tungsten took just over a minute per side. Bolt cropping on the links was in line with the competition, but the shackle bar proved as tough as the more expensive Homie. Under attack from the grinder, the links proved the most resilient on test. While the Criterion is a much simpler design than its rivals, it’s made…

Should a bike destined for city life be built of anything but steel? Probably not. Perhaps we should add another layer: should the ultimate city bike be made of anything but Columbus Niobium tubing, like the beautifully fillet brazed, filed and painted model here? Mark Reilly has been designing and building bikes for more than 30 years. He’s been heavily involved in titanium and has made bikes in every strain of steel going. His company now works in carbon, too, making road bikes out of a different workshop in the Midlands. This bike, born and bred in Brighton, is his personal ride for tooling around that fair seaside city. In essence, the tubing’s character gives the bike a light, springy feel. Combined with its short wheelbase and tight geometry, the…

This year’s Brompton World Champs took place on a typical UK summer’s day – torrential rain poured from the dark, grey skies. But the heavens opening didn’t stop 400 riders from 27 countries adorning their finest city garb to ride their folders around the temporary St James Park race track. The race started with a Le Mans-style dash, riders unfolding their bikes before taking on the 16km circuit. Mark Emsley, thrice Bromley world champion, took an early lead but, for once, misjudged his pacing and was soon swamped by his competition. Still, come the final lap, the world title remained wide open… and what an amazing last lap it proved to be. Unbelievably, a sextet of riders finished the race at 26:25mins, but by just a single centimetre, Catalan cyclist…

GAZELLE POWER The recent Eurobike , the world’s largest bike show held annually in Germany, featured the usual flotilla of road, mountain and hybrid bikes, but the standout theme was the growing number of electric bikes, specifically MTBs and commuting efforts. American brand Gazelle have planted a firm foothold in this rapidly growing market and the Arroyo – seen here – is set to enhance their reputation further. It’s adopted the traditional 19th-century Dutch design and is powered by a powerful 400-watt Bosch mid-drive motor that has a range of up to 90 miles. With 50Nm of torque, it provides help not only on the flat but also hilly terrain. There are four settings of pedal assistance with Magura brakes providing stopping duties, while eight gears – and that electric…

“For many people, the convenience of sharing as opposed to owning assets is somewhat of a no-brainer” During the summer of 2013, Bristol was invaded with 80 fibreglass Gromit statues. Two years later, it was the turn of 120 giant Shaun the Sheeps. Fast-forward to 2017 and Bristol’s bi-annual invasion has had a two-wheeled flavour, with 500 yellow YoBikes becoming the talk of the city and beyond. In contrast to London’s successful Santander Cycles/Boris Bikes initiative, YoBike is part of a wave of ‘dockless’ bike-sharing schemes to arrive from China into the UK this summer. There’s also been MoBike in Manchester, oBike in London and Ofo in Cambridge, with many more grammatically-similar initiatives set to arrive across the nation as venture capital firms continue to pour hundreds of millions of…

Sometimes, you’ve just gotta get to work as fast as you can. At this point, your standard urban town bike just doesn’t cut the mustard. Up-right positioning, slacker seat angles and chunky tyres don’t equate to rapid-spinning wheels, even if they add comfort. Thankfully, Giant’s Rapid 0 is rapid by name and rapid by nature. Stick a dropbar on there and it’s virtually a road bike, so if you’re constantly running late and have a decent-length commute, the Rapid 0 should be on your shortlist. The frame is pared with a composite fork and post, both designed to provide insulation from the road buzz that inevitably travels through the alloy frame. It’s a good thing, too, as the skinny Giant PR Disc 2 wheelset and 28c P-R3 tyres roll fast…

CONDOR ACCIAIO £2,349.00 The TIG-welded steel tubes used to create the Condor Acciaio are triple-butted and custom drawn by Dedacciai in Italy. The carbon fork is formed around an aluminium crown and aluminium dropouts, although an extra £60 will buy you a full carbon monocoque fork. Carbon’s seen on the SRAM Force 22 groupset, though, from its brake and shift levers to its cranks and rear mech outer cage. A 50/34 compact chainset is paired with an 11-25 cassette – a rarity when 11-28 is almost standard these days. Coming from Condor, gear choice will be down to the customer’s preference, but if you live anywhere lumpy, go for lower. Our 55cm Acciaio’s 17.5cm head-tube neatly integrates with the larger-diameter headset cups, and extends 25mm higher than the semi-sloping top-tube…

The Red Hook Crit is a series of fixed-gear races around the world that’s garnered a reputation for adrenaline-fuelled racing. This year comprised four rounds, beginning with Brooklyn in April before heading to London in July and Barcelona in early September. Milan hosts the fourth and final round in October. (Note: the number after each race, like Brooklyn No. 10, is the amount of times that city’s hosted an RH event.) 2017 has seen a new format with each rider facing a 15-minute heat. Qualify for the final and the riders face 45 minutes of intense effort with exact number of laps based on circuit layout and length. As for the action so far, Stefan Schafer took the honours in Brooklyn ahead of last year’s series winner Colin Strickland. In…

Trek’s futuristic-looking Super Commuter is a practical electric bike that’s as fun to ride as any e-bike we’ve ridden and, in our eyes, currently sets the benchmark in this category. The beating heart is the Bosch Performance CX motor, which is situated beneath the cranks. The 500-watt battery is also positioned nice and low. The Bosch Purion interface at the bike’s riser handlebar relays all you need to know about the motor, battery status and whether or not the integrated lights are on. Like other Bosch-powered bikes, the Super Commuter’s assistance can be tailored from barely noticeable through to its lively Turbo setting, which gives you maximum oomph but takes its toll on the battery. We enjoyed the bike most in its Sport setting that makes getting close to the…

8BALL YEATS £800 While the Yeats looks like a path racer, it has conventional geometry. That makes it easier to get on with but less authentically vintage in feel. The riding position is well resolved and the modern steering is complemented by surprisingly keen acceleration. The 30mm tyres strike a good balance between comfort and speed. The Sturmey hubs and cranks are impressive items at the price. 9 Frame 4130 cromo steel / Fork 4130 cromo steel / Wheels Ryde Racer rims, Sturmey Archer hubs / Transmission Sturmey Archer crankset, gearing optional / Brakes Brakes Acor calipers (2015: Sturmey Archer drums) www.8ballbikes.co.uk ADVENTURE FLAT WHITE £429.99 This is a full-on touring bike for under £500. And it has a lugged chromoly steel frame, which is a treat at this price.…