Shimano GRX vs 105: How Do They Compare?

When it comes to picking the groupset for your next road/gravel bike (or gravel/road bike), it may well come down to choosing between Shimano 105 and GRX. Which one should you go for? Mont investigates…

Wahoo ELEMNT ROAM Unboxing

Wahoo ELEMNT ROAM Unboxing

I’ve bought a Wahoo ELEMNT ROAM. It’s a colour bike GPS. First impressions: it’s meaty, beaty, big and bouncy. Watch me unbox the ROAM in this handy little video.

Garmin Edge 830 Unboxing

Garmin Edge 830 Unboxing

No mystery in this title. In this post (mainly video) I unbox my recently-acquired Edge 830 (device only, as I’ve already got the sensors). Behold a nice, sleek touchscreen GPS.

Best Cycling Shorts For Endurance

Best Shorts For Road Cycling 2021: Protecting The Undercarriage

Are you struggling to find the best cycling shorts for a long ride? You’re seeking comfort whilst still looking good on the bike (and in the coffee shop)? The Sportive Cyclist guide to cycling shorts will tell you everything you need to know (and some stuff you really don’t…)

Submerging a Garmin Edge 530 in water

Is The Garmin Edge 530 Waterproof?

In this post I use the distinctly unscientific approach of dropping an Edge 530 into a glass of water in order to find out if it is waterproof…

How do gears work

Bike Gears: How Do They Work?

Want to understand how bike gears work? Confused about the terminology? This post has all the information you need, explained in simple terms (by a simple man).

Wahoo ELEMNT BOLT review

Wahoo ELEMNT BOLT v1: An In-Depth Review

I’ve owned a Wahoo ELEMNT BOLT for a while now (like nearly 3½ years), so it’s about time I shared my thoughts in the form of a review. If you’re thinking about buying a new cycling computer, this post will contain all you need to know.

Castelli Perfetto ROS gloves review

Castelli Perfetto ROS Gloves Review

Looking for some new gloves for wet autumn and not-quite-deep-winter road cycling? Check out my review of the Castelli Perfetto ROS gloves, which might just fit the bill.

Pongo socks review

Pongo Cycling Socks Review

Want to add a bit of snazzy colour to your road cycling ‘look’? Or perhaps just have super comfy feetz? Check out this review of my Pongo cycling socks.

Trek Domane Road Bike Rebuild

How To Overhaul A Road Bike

A series of videos showing how I stripped down my Trek Domane 4.3 road bike to a bare frame and then rebuilt it.

Elite Crono Fluid trainer on patio

How To Measure Power On An Indoor Trainer

Not all trainers are smart trainers with in-built power meters. In this post I look at how you can measure, or estimate, your power when using a dumb, or non-smart, indoor trainer.

How To Plan A Cycling Route

How To Plan A Great Road Cycling Route

Is there skill involved in planning a great cycling route? If you know an area then its quite intuitive, or habitual. But what should you think about when planning a great route. This post explores the topic.

Cycling training in Derbyshire

How To Train For Road Cycling

Nine different ways to approach improving your cycling fitness, from ‘just ride more’ to ‘get a coach’ with many other options in between.

Cycling Go Box

Road Bike Hack: The Cycling ‘Go Box’

What is a cycling ‘go box’? In short, somewhere to store all your ride gear so that you don’t waste time faffing before a ride. This post has all the details.

Stolen Goat ONE bib shorts review title

My Review of the Stolen Goat Bodyline ONE Bib Shorts

A long term review of the Stolen Goat ONE bib shorts, written by a keen amateur cyclist with a talent for writing amusing words about lycra. In short, these shorts are excellent. Read my review for more indepth analysis and to see photos of me wearing them.

Is A Bike Fit Worth It

Is A Bike Fit Worth It?

Is a bike fit worth it? Short answer: yes. You’ll go faster (all else being equal) and suffer fewer injuries. It’s a no brainer. Read this post if you need more convincing.

What is a MAMIL

What Is A MAMIL (And Are You One)?

We all know MAMIL stands for ‘Middle-Aged Man In Lycra’ but what does it *mean* to be a MAMIL? Is it a badge to wear with honour or mild embarrassment? This post contains my thoughts.

how-do-pro-cyclists-train

How Do Pro Cyclists Train?

How do professional road cyclists achieve such magnificent feats of speed and endurance? And how can you apply the lessons to your training? This post explains all.

What Bike Do I Need For RideLondon 100

What Bike Do I Need For The RideLondon 100?

Do you need a road bike to complete the RideLondon 100 sportive? If you’re buying a bike, what should you spend and what should you be looking for at each price point? Answers within…

What Is The Best Garmin Edge For Cycling?

Confused by all the different Garmin Edge bike GPS computers on the market? Want to find one to suit your specific needs and budget? Look no further, this post has all the information you need.

Garmin Edge 510 Long Term Review

Garmin Edge 510 Long Term Review

A long-term review of the Garmin Edge 510 bike computer. Which you’ll struggle to buy these days. So not that useful. Still… history.

Road Bikes For Beginners

Road Bikes For Beginners

All you need to know if you are new to the world of road cycling, but keen to learn (and ride) more.

Faster Michael Hutchinson

Book Review: Faster by Michael Hutchinson

My attempt at a book review of the altogether very good, ‘Faster’ by Michael Hutchinson (Dr Hutch). If you want to get faster, you’d do well to read it (the review and the book).

Which Bike Makers Make Sportive Bikes [I’m So Confused….]?

I sometimes wonder if bike manufacturers get slightly embarrassed about making road bikes for those riders of a more ‘recreational’ persuasion (which is you and me, duck). They wrestle with promotional language to try to make it clear that whilst a bike might look like a professional racer’s bike, it …

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Garmin Edge 800 vs 810: Which Is Right For You?

In this post I compare the Garmin Edge 810 cycle computer with its older relation, the Edge 800. The older model is still being made by Garmin, and is available for less of your hard-earned Dollars/Pounds/Other (delete as applicable) than the newer 810. It certainly remains a viable choice for …

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Garmin Edge 500 vs 510: What Do You Get With The Extra “10”…?

In this post I’m going to compare the characteristics and features of the Garmin Edge 510 versus its predecessor, the Edge 500. The eagle-eyed (or perhaps elephant-memoried) amongst you may recall that I am the proud owner of the 510 version. I did seriously consider purchasing the 500, despite the …

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How To Make Your Bike Lighter

As a Grimpeur Heureux reader, I’m sure you’ve already achieved your optimum cycling body fat percentage, so this post is going to look at how you can make your bike lighter. Let’s face it, for finely-honed athletes such as ourselves, the weight of our bike (and associated equipment) is the …

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What To Wear Cycling: Review

This is an app that gives cycling clothing recommendations based on the weather where you are. I tried it out and here are my thoughts.

How Does Strava Calculate Power Data?

In this post I’m going to look at how Strava calculates the power generated over the course of a ride, specifically where the rider (like me) doesn’t have a device attached to the bike for measuring power. Dedicated power meters are still an expensive addition to your bike. Is it …

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The Night Before RideLondon: The Perfect Preparation

The key to maximising your performance in Sunday’s RideLondon 100 is to get smashed the evening before. Not just a little drink to settle the nerves. The whole nine yards (100 miles?). In this post I’m going to espouse my considerable wisdom on how to make the final finishing touches …

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Sportive Cyclist’s Guide to Bike Frame Materials: Wood

Er, pardon, wood? Surely no-one makes bikes out of wood any more. But, of course, they do. And not just the sorts of people that make dresses out of meat (fireplaces out of cheese, whatever…). Wood is an entirely viable, albeit unusual, material out of which you can fashion a bike. …

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Do You Need a Cycling Coach?

I am in no doubt that employing a cycling coach would lead to an exponential improvement in my performance on the bike. Yet, whilst I frequently consider hypothetical scenarios for spending thousands of pounds to ‘build out’ my portfolio of bikes, I have tended to dismiss coaching as being too expensive or …

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Sportive Cyclist’s Guide to Bike Frame Materials: Titanium

Welcome to the third post in my series looking at the materials used to build bike frames. Here are the links to the previous articles: Sportive Cyclist’s Guide to Bike Frame Materials: Wood Sportive Cyclist’s Guide to Bike Frame Materials: Steel Sportive Cyclist’s Guide to Bike Frame Materials: Carbon In …

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Carbon road bike

Sportive Cyclist Guide To Bike Frame Materials: Carbon Fibre

Welcome to the second in my series of posts on the materials used to make bicycle frames. Readers of my previous article will no doubt have been shocked, intrigued and ultimately delighted by my razor-sharp insights into the world of steel manufacture. Now it is the turn of the young …

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Sportive Cyclist’s Guide To Bike Frame Materials: Steel

Most people with any interest in bikes will have at least a passing familiarity with the materials that are used to make them. The sculpted, wind tunnel-honed lines of pro peleton bikes are unmistakably formed from carbon fibre. The skinny  road bikes of old evoke images of bespectacled engineers in oil-stained …

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Which Bike GPS Device: The Ultimate Buyers Guide

In this post I will describe what a bike GPS device is and what it can do for cyclists. I’ll talk about the difference between a dedicated device and using the GPS functionality of your phone. Finally, I’ll share with you a table that I have compiled, which compares the …

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