Cycling Plus

Cycling Plus is the manual for the modern road cyclist. Whether you're cycling weekly, an occasional new rider or a Tour de France fan you’ll find everything you need. Each issue is packed with buying advice and tests of essential cycling gear - everything from bikes to bags! Cycling Plus is the place to find training advice, nutrition secrets and practical tips guaranteed to improve your bicycling. It's also full of inspirational rides, real-life cycling stories and entertaining riding-related features.

FROM THE EDITOR…

HIGHLIGHTS…

THE ONLY BIKE BUYING ADVICE YOU CAN TRUST…

THE TECH TEAM PREVIEW THEIR ISSUE HIGHLIGHTS…

OUR AWARDS • Look out for our Best On Test award. We only give this to gear and bikes that really deserves your attention

Killer ride • Orbea Orca OMX M10i LTD D

Ritchey Swiss Cross Disc V2

Race ready • Van Rysel RR 920 CF

Fold and go • Brompton CHPT3 Edition

SHOOTOUT • Very well-priced all-rounders battle it out…

EVANS ON EARTH

TURBO, CHARGED • The age of the indoor smart bike is finally upon us, but can you really justify the huge cost?

REPENT SPYD 2.0 • £129 Flyweight tech-laden saddle

FOUR ESSENTIALS

EDINBURGH • Forget cobbles, crowds and tramlines, this is a cycling city

SPACE DISASTER • The designers of the East Coast Main Line’s new trains are on another planet, says Rob Ainsley

PROLOGUE, HARROGATE, YORKSHIRE • A North Yorkshire institution turns shield from precipitation at the Road World Champs

OUTLANDISH DOPING EXCUSES • Cheaters getting caught is always fun, but not as fun as their often dubious, fanciful excuses as they try to wriggle out of their predicament. We discuss our favourites…

BUDGET BEAUTIES • Five road bikes with a top price of £800 that’ll leave you and your bank manager happy. And if you think that won’t get you carbon, think again!

THE BIKES ON TEST…

TRIBAN RC120 DISC • £399.99 Budget-priced disc-braked all-rounder with up-to-date features

VITUS RAZOR CLARIS • £499.99 Wide tyres and Shimano Claris all for under half a grand

MERLIN PR7 DISC • £650 Racy-specced roadie with Shimano Sora and Mavic wheels

GT GTR SPORT • £749.99 Thru-axled, disc-braked, tubeless-ready all-rounder

CARRERA VIRAGO • £800 Carbon bike with Shimano Sora at an amazing price. What’s the catch?

CARRERA VIRAGO • Halfords’ super-budget carbon road bike steals the show

HEXR HELMET

HEAD TO HEAD

MAVIC COMETE ULTIMATE MIPS

TUBELESS SEALANT • £9.99 – £32 Which one will patch up best?

STOMPUMP

SHIMANO RC7

GIANT SLR1 WHEELS

ENDURA MAZE LTD EDITION PT MAZE JERSEY & BIB SHORTS

Reilly T640 • £7499 Tough, lightweight titanium road bike hailing from Brighton

MY first race • Cyclists across the spectrum, from the professionals to introductory 4th category riders, recall entering into the seemingly unforgiving world of racing for the first time

10 OF THE BEST… LIGHTSETS • Front and rear lighting combos that will keep you riding in the darker months ahead

SCIENCE OF SPEE • The annual Science & Cycling Conference, which takes place ahead of the Tour de France, reveals how the world’s best train. Cycling Plus headed to Brussels in search of maximal gains…

FOUR IN BIKES IN ONE

Active recovery • Maximising recovery time is a vital part of reaching peak performance

Harry Tanfield • UCI World Tour rider and Commonwealth Games medallist Harry Tanfield of team Katusha–Alpecin on his preferences for a more natural approach to riding…

Do I really need to have a bike fit? • We ask the questions that beginners are dealing...