Fibre Flare Ultimate Safety Rear Tail Light Review

Share this post Twitter Facebook Tumblr Email Posted January 25, 2012 in Cycling Gear, rob ellis, winter

It's surprisingly not that often that a piece of bike kit makes us at Daily Cycle stop and say "actually, that's a brilliant idea!" But today we have a review of just such a product! Fibre Flare are a bike light company who specialize in rear lights and I've been riding with one of their best offerings since September. The Fibre Flare Ultimate Rear Light has to be one of the simplest but most versatile bike lights out there at the moment. The light itself is in the form of a light tube, o... read more...

A medical miracle - Monique Van der Vorst

Share this post Twitter Facebook Tumblr Email Posted December 20, 2011 in female cyclists, I Cyclist, rob ellis

It’s often said in sports that the best athletes are those who can overcome the physical pain felt by the body through determination and shear mental grit; “mind overcoming the body” is probably one of the most clichéd phrases within endurance sports. It’s certainly true that the best athletes are mentally strong with a will power that is enviable to say the least. Mark Cavendish is a stellar example of an athlete who, although not physiologically the most gifted of sportsmen, has the will to... read more...

The war of the governing bodies

Share this post Twitter Facebook Tumblr Email Posted December 20, 2011 in Pro riding, Pro Tour, rob ellis

Cycling is a game of bikes, bruises and pain. When compared with other sports it’s hard not to draw some rather stark comparisons. Whilst on the train back to university from a family gathering in Gloucester I stumbled across an article in the sports pages of the Sunday Times about the highly controversial Sepp Blatter, FIFA's long lasting and highly unpopular president. His most recent antics surrounding claims of racism in football have given football pundits and columnists reams of mater... read more...

Bikes, Booze and Bitter Winds

Share this post Twitter Facebook Tumblr Email Posted December 20, 2011 in I Cyclist, rob ellis

As some of you may know, I’ve recently made the move up from the sunny South Coast to the hilly and altogether different Sheffield University. University is a very unique experience for most students, never before have we been given so much freedom, offered so many opportunities or been presented with so many temptations. Going to University in Sheffield wasn’t a tricky decision for me and, at the risk of sounding somewhat like a travel brochure; the cycling opportunities in the Peak Distri... read more...

British Cycling’s Emphatic Season

Share this post Twitter Facebook Tumblr Email Posted December 20, 2011 in Pro riding, Pro Tour, racing, rob ellis

There are very few traditional cycling nations. The main protagonists within the professional peloton can easily be said to be the Italians, the Belgium’s, the French and the Spanish; but as the professional season draws to a close, it’s hard to overlook the advent of another powerhouse nation: Great Britain. The rise of Mark Cavendish since the 2007 season has brought renewed interest in cycling within the UK. Bolstered by incredible performances from both the track and road squads at the ... read more...

The curious case of the driver and the cyclist–#saveacyclist

Share this post Twitter Facebook Tumblr Email Posted December 20, 2011 in I Cyclist, rob ellis

Cyclists and motorists are often found at loggerheads. Sharing the road fairly and equally seems to be an issue for many within both the cycling and commuting communities. It’s fair to say that 99.9% of cyclists and 99.9% of motorists are perfectly law abiding, sensible and well behaved on the roads; watching out for one another and allow each other adequate amounts of space to use the roads safely. But every so often, a story crops up in the media which contravenes this view of sharing fair... read more...

Sun, Suffering and Cold Cokes

Share this post Twitter Facebook Tumblr Email Posted December 20, 2011 in I Cyclist, rob ellis

Cycling is a sport in which it is often the rider who can suffer the most who will be victorious. Today I discovered that not only is my definition of the word ‘suffering’ yet to even scratch the surface of the pain felt by the pros, but also that fitness and the willingness to succeed are equally interchangeable when tackling the vicious gradients of the French Alps. To explain a bit more: I’m currently on holiday in Lake Annecy. The area is gorgeous, but more importantly is home to some ... read more...

The life of a quasi-pro cyclist

Share this post Twitter Facebook Tumblr Email Posted December 20, 2011 in I Cyclist, rob ellis, training

Holidays are fantastic things, the chance to escape the day to day humdrum cycle of life and kick back in warmer climbs with family and friends. For my family at least, holidays never mean sunning oneself by the pool, but more a whirlwind adventure, often set in some picturesque part of France, and true to form, this years holiday was set to follow such a formula. Lake Annecy was the chosen destination. Lake Annecy is set in Eastern France, close to Geneva and provides one of the most stunn... read more...

The life and times of Cycling Team HTC-Highroad

Share this post Twitter Facebook Tumblr Email Posted December 20, 2011 in female cyclists, Pro riding, Pro Tour, rob ellis

The home of such starts as Mark Cavendish, Tony Martin and the Veilits brothers and such personalities as Bernie Eisel and Matthew Goss; the team who have brought new life to the professional peloton will now cease to be active in the cycling world as of the end of the current season after failing to find a replacement sponsor. From the team managers to the headline riders and domestiques, Highroad have always been at the fore of all things cycling. Their dominant women’s team always toppi... read more...

Post Tour Racing

Share this post Twitter Facebook Tumblr Email Posted December 20, 2011 in Pro riding, Pro Tour, racing, rob ellis

Life after the Tour is often never the same for many of the peloton’s unsung hero’s. A stage win in a grand tour can not only change a riders career and standing in the peloton, but also his entire way of life and outlook on racing. Such will be the way for Thomas Voeckler, Riguberto Uran and Jurgen Vaderweert. Similarly the Tour can have exactly the opposite effect for others; well and truly crushing dreams, altering their perception on their own attributes and leading them to re-assess and... read more...

Inspiration, Anticipation and Domestiques

Share this post Twitter Facebook Tumblr Email Posted December 20, 2011 in I Cyclist, Pro riding, Pro Tour, racing, rob ellis

Now, I’m not going to lie, I’ve been glued to almost every available moment of the Tour de France since stage 1. Even being on holiday in Greece didn’t stop my avid addiction to the frenetic sporting circus which is the Tour. The impressive riding by Thomas Voeckler, Andy Schleck and the stoic determination and loyalty of their domestiques throughout the Tour is well and truly a sight to behold. As someone who is yet to find exactly where my true cycling talents (providing they exist!) lie,... read more...

Team Work Utilisation – The Schleck Brothers

Share this post Twitter Facebook Tumblr Email Posted December 20, 2011 in Pro riding, Pro Tour, racing, rob ellis

Cycling is all about team work. Pro riders make no bones about constantly reminding the press that results don’t just come off the back of a single rider on a single day. Mark Cavendish is perhaps the most noticeable example of this; in every post-race interview he heaps praise on his team mates, from lead-out man Mark Renshaw to his sporting directors and bike sponsors. It’s all these little details that add up together and mesh to result in the win at the highest level of the sport. The ... read more...

Real Bike Reviews – CKT 368 – Carbon Racer

Share this post Twitter Facebook Tumblr Email Posted December 20, 2011 in Cycling Gear, cycling gear, entry level road bike, racing, rob ellis

If we’re being perfectly honest, we knew next to nothing about CKT before this bike arrived at Daily Cycle’s testing HQ. CKT are a French brand who have been making bikes since 2001. The brand has harnessed the expertise of 7 time Tour de France mountains classification winner Richard Virenque to help them fine tune their bikes, as well as using the latest in bike testing technologies to hone their machines. We had CKT’s 368 model which features an integrated seat mast, Ult... read more...

Acts of Cycling Bravery

Share this post Twitter Facebook Tumblr Email Posted December 20, 2011 in Pro riding, Pro Tour, racing, rob ellis

Those of you who watched stage 9 of the Tour de France may have seen the shocking incident involving a media car, Team Sky’s Juan Antonio Flecha and Vacansoleil’s Johnny Hoogerland. On a relatively open yet downhill section of road, a car belonging to a French TV company swerved and took out Flecha, stunned by the impact Flecha then swerved, almost taking out Thomas Voeckler, but going into Hoogerland. Both riders were catapulted off the road, Flecha into the ditch, and Hoogerland straight i... read more...

Tour de France 2011 – A quick look back

Share this post Twitter Facebook Tumblr Email Posted December 20, 2011 in Pro riding, Pro Tour, racing, rob ellis

The Tour is now in full swing. Yesterday marked the first rest day of the Tour, a sort of ‘day off’ for the pros with no set parcours or racing to be completed. However, rest days are somewhat of a misleading concept. Rarely do riders actually rest on these days. The body takes time to adapt to constant hard exertions and as such taking a day off would leave riders with heavy legs and make subsequent days racing harder and more arduous. Riders tend to go for an hour or two’s spin on their bi... read more...

Tour de France 2011 Preview – The Contenders

Share this post Twitter Facebook Tumblr Email Posted December 20, 2011 in Pro riding, Pro Tour, racing, rob ellis

We’ve taken a quick look at the route and the possible ways that the race could unfold, now it’s time for Daily Cycle’s Top 10 GC contenders. This list is compiled based on previous results, form shown this year and just a hint of gut instinct. We reckon all of the riders on this list are capable of placing in the top 10 of this years Tour, so let’s take a look at them! Alberto Contador There’s no disputing his talent. Contador is undoubtedly the greatest grand tour rider of a generation, ... read more...

Tour de France Preview – The Route

Share this post Twitter Facebook Tumblr Email Posted December 20, 2011 in Pro riding, Pro Tour, racing, rob ellis

The year has positively flown by and the second of July is fast bearing down upon us. The Tour de France is undoubtedly the biggest race in cycling; 3 weeks of pain, suffering and fun – and don’t we just love it. The Tour de France is a legendary event in the world of sport, one of the toughest sporting challenges to face professional athletes. The whirlwind of the Tour is intriguing, a fast and frenetic sporting spectacle which has captured the imagination and hearts of a loyal fan base ye... read more...

Real Reviews - Lazer Tardiz Time Trial Helmet

Share this post Twitter Facebook Tumblr Email Posted December 20, 2011 in Cycling Gear, cycling gear, racing, rob ellis

Time trial helmets are often much of a muchness. Aerodynamics is the real “raison d’etre” for TT helmets and so a low, aero profile with a tapered shape is very much the accepted formula for building a great helmet. Lazer are a Belgium company who make some great helmets for the likes of the Katusha Pro Cycling team as well as many of the world’s top triathletes including GB’s Julie Dibens. Lazer has taken a very comprehensive approach to their Tardiz. The helmet has been designed as an en... read more...

Real Reviews – Specialized Arm Warmers

Share this post Twitter Facebook Tumblr Email Posted December 20, 2011 in Cycling Gear, cycling gear, rob ellis

Now, you may ask yourself why we’re publishing a review on warmers in June. Well as those of you familiar with the untoward British weather can testify, summer months doesn’t always mean summer weather in the UK! We here at Daily Cycle are big fans of Specialized’s kit. We feel that its great fit, fantastic performance and reasonable pricing make it some of the best kit out there; so we were expecting great things from Specialized’s arm warmers. We’ve owned a number of pairs of arm warmers ... read more...

The future’s bright, the future’s Swift

Share this post Twitter Facebook Tumblr Email Posted December 20, 2011 in Pro riding, Pro Tour, racing, rob ellis

British cycling has a record of turning out top riders through its well established academy system; Ben Swift is one such rider to have made the successful transition from U23 Academy to the top level of road cycling. Swift is a northern lad, South Yorkshire born and bred. As someone who’s ridden around the Yorkshire area, I know it’s the perfect anecdote for poor form and this might go some way to explaining Swift’s impressive road cycling pedigree. Joining Team Katusha in 2009 as a neo-pr... read more...

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