Tech Features

The Best Degreaser?

April 7, 2011

I know it’s strange, but one of my favorite pastimes is washing my bike. I have the tendency to obsess over this. After most rides I’ll quickly wipe the bike down with baby wipes, but there’s nothing quite like rolling up the sleeves and getting together a soapy pail of water, brushes, sponges, degreaser, and making the […]

Bike fit - is it worth it?

March 22, 2011

A few weeks ago I went into Total Rush to get a proper fit done on my new bike. I’ve always been a big advocate of making sure your bike fits you properly. That said I’ve also been sceptical of the absolute need for these fitting services – some people see them as a big up-sell opportunity […]

Speed Wobble - When The Bike Shakes Its Head

March 11, 2011

Image by Endless Pedal One of the most frightening experiences a cyclist can encounter is getting up to 70km/hr and experiencing speed wobble (a.k.a “death wobble” or “speed shimmy”) while approaching a corner. A couple weeks ago when I was chatting to Darren Baum about the geometry of a bike and how it affects handling, the […]

The Geometry of Bike Handling

February 25, 2011

Over the past year I’ve gotten to know Darren Baum of Baum Cycles. He’s always been very generous with his time and knowledge when I come to pick his brain. He’s refreshingly honest and he says it like it is. He loves to talk shop and is a wealth of information. Last time we spoke I […]

Zipp 404 Firecrest Carbon Clincher Review

February 14, 2011

Zipp released the new Firecrest wheels in the middle of last year. What’s new about them? The biggest difference over their previous models is rim shape. These are not just a revamped version of the 404 tubulars. Zipp widened the sidewalls on the Firecrest. As you can see in the illustration below, they are very wide at […]

AIS Power Profile Testing

February 11, 2011

Every season when I start to get serious about my training again I’ll do some performance testing to establish a baseline and to set my training zones. Unfortunately this is happening less and less these days, but it’s still fun to do.

Do Compression Garments Really Work?

February 10, 2011

I’ve been a fan of compression garments for a couple of years now. Whether or not they actually perform the function that’s declared has always been a lingering question in my mind. Are compression garments as effective as the Power Balance Band? Or will they really improve performance and accelerate muscle repair as claimed? I should state […]

The Great Radio Debate

February 8, 2011

The debate on whether or not race radios should be used has hit another peak. In case you’re not familiar with the current rules, the UCI has forbidden race radios in all races lower than World Calendar status for 2011. This basically means that you won’t be seeing race radios during any race that’s not shown […]

Quarq v.s. Powertap - Powermeter Review

February 2, 2011

I’ve been a bit of a powermeter freak for about 7 years now and have a hard time imagining training without one. This isn’t to say that you need a powermeter, however I personally get a lot of enjoyment and insight by having one. Quite often the first thing I do when I get home […]

Tour Down Under Tech - Campy Electronic Shifting Debut and Shimano Di2 Improvements

January 25, 2011

The Tour Down Under isn’t a race where companies typically showcase their new products and technology. I didn’t come to the TdU looking for anything out of the ordinary, however I did notice some new electronic shifting technology and improvements. Most notably, the new Campy electronic groupset. The Campagnolo Electronic Shifting Device The Movistar team was using […]