Unless you’re living under a rock, you’ll notice the continuing trend for road bikes with wider tire clearance. , often run tubeless at much lower pressures and are much better for riding. that’s all The rock it turned out to be.
With that in mind, this month we ask what width road wheels and tires will be, and pick the brains of the Parkours Dev Tate to come up with the answer.
We also compare the latest smart bikes from Tacx and Wahoo to determine if they justify the price increase, and examine Silca’s new chain wax.
And last but not least, our bike of the month is an affordable price from Cannondale that could be the starter road bike you’re looking for.
competition
On Garmin Giveaway this month is the Garmin Varia RCT715. It features a 1080p camera that shoots at 30 fps so you can reliably catch nearby passes and regulation plates while on the go.
It can be submerged in water up to 1 meter for 30 minutes, so it’s okay if it rains. It also has an automatic incident capture feature that ensures that the incident is recorded ‘before, during and after’.
It can be controlled via the Varia app, and the footage is not only transmitted, but can also be easily transferred to a computer if desired. This goes hand in hand with the benefits of a radar system that signals traffic coming from behind.
Click this link or complete the form below for your chance to win. We will contact the winners by the end of this month. If you’re unlucky, don’t worry. It will be held next month as well.
Silca Hot Wax X
(Image credit: Silca)
Silca has a reputation for producing premium bicycle bits. We carry a wide range of stylish yet expensive cycling accessories such as pumps, bottle cages and hex wrenches.
So it’s perhaps not surprising that the new Hot Wax X Chain Wax has followed suit, selling for $165 or €199 for 300 grams. Obviously, this is one of the most expensive ways to lubricate your chain, but like all Silca products, the cost is usually justified. Performance suffers here.
According to Silca, the latest wax is 0.5 watts faster than the existing Secret Chain blend and has improved longevity, said to last about 800km per coat. The knock effect increases chain life. Silca estimates it to be 30,000 Km or 18,5000 miles.
Despite these claims, the price is a bit rich to the liking of most cyclists, even those looking for Watts here and there. Chain wax for the few, not the many we suspect.
How wide are the road wheels?
(Image credit: Future)
One of the defining trends for road bikes in 2022 is the continued development of wider rims and tires. Inspired in part by the move to both tubeless technology and disc brakes on road bikes, wheel designers were able to accommodate the larger clearances currently offered (e.g. 38mm on the Trek Domane) to match higher volume tires. We have created an optimized wheel for you.
Parkours is one such brand. His Disc2 wheels are designed from the ground up to work with 28mm tires, but there is no aerodynamic penalty for running 30mm tires.
We spoke with Dov Tate of Parcours, a mechanical engineering graduate from Oxford University, about the future of road wheels and tires. Tate believes the road has a sweet spot of sorts, around the 28mm or 30mm mark, and only those riding rough terrain or gravel would benefit from further widening. I believe.
Tacx Neo Bike Plus vs Wahoo Kickr Bike V2
(Image credit: Future)
Both Tacx and Wahoo recently updated their flagship smart bikes. Given the hefty price tags that come with both the Neo Bike Plus and the Kickr Bike V2, we decided to dig into each model’s upgrades and compare them head-to-head.
As detailed in the video, perhaps the most significant change of both is the price increase, with the Tacx rising from £2,299/$3,199 for its predecessor to £3,499/$3,999 for the Plus. Wahoo has also increased the price of his Kickr Bike V2 to £3,499 / $3,999.
In terms of spec changes, the Tacx bike has more adjustability than its predecessor and has two built-in fans. As for the Kickr Bike, it now has Wi-Fi connectivity and increases the maximum resistance by 300 watts.
However, given its power, the maximum. Slope and accuracy numbers are almost the same, so buying an older model at a discount is the “wisest” option.
Bike of the Month – Cannondale CAAD Optimo 1
(Image credit: Cannondale)
We often write about our latest Superbike releases, and it’s comforting to know that bike brands invest time and money in creating bikes for the masses. More Christmas trees this year.
Cannondale’s CAAD Optimo 1 is a great example of a properly spec’d and priced road bike, ideal for new cyclists, but built around a quality frameset worthy of the next few upgrades.
Priced at £1,300 / $1,600, it features an aluminum frame with drop stays and a carbon fork with Shimano’s reliable 105 shifting. Tektro rim brakes definitely keep costs down, as do common wheels and his FSA crankset, but they’re all easy to swap out if needed.
Other notable benefits include hidden rack mounting. So the Optimo 1 can do his double duty as a weekday commuter.