Bicycling Australia Magazine
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It has certainly been the perfect summer to be testing the Polar Cold Bottle. I bet I’m not the only rider this year to have begun their ride with a cold bidon, only to have the contents of it completely undrinkable after about 30 minutes. It’s OK if you’re riding somewhere with lots of shops, but a nightmare if you’re out in the country. It was after a ride like this some years ago that I gave up taking full strength sports drinks on the bike. The taste of boiling hot, full strength sugary sports drink haunts me to this day. But that’s another story…
On the outskirts of the small Swiss valley town of Aigle you’ll find both the UCI’s headquarters and the Centre Mondial du Cyclisme (WCC), a gleaming success story in the biography of the beleaguered governing body of cycling.
We thought Anna Meares had become the golden girl of Australian sport after her miraculous silver medal in Beijing but she has become even more popular after her gold in London. Appearing everywhere from tabloid press to The Cricket Show Anna has had to swap a hectic training schedule for a hectic media schedule, even taking Brett Lee for a few hot laps around the Superdrome. We managed to catch up with her just before Christmas to talk Melbourne, London and of course, looking to Rio. 
Australia is becoming a hub for quality bike clothing. One of the newest on the block is Retro Velo, whose motto is “Old style grit with modern comfort”. The company comes from a group of keen Melbourne riders who enjoyed the look of old style jerseys, but not the lack of comfort. All the designs come from the 1920s when the founder’s great grandfather was State Champion of Tasmania.
Specialized’s Turbo range of tyres has been its rubber flagship for some years now. If you’ve wanted to race or ride fast on Specialized then a Turbo is what you would choose. The new S-Works clincher is in the same category but has had something of a makeover for 2013.
Shimano joins the 11 speed revolution. But an extra cog is only part of the story…
Could Giant’s flagship mid range bike change the way we think about value and performance?I must have been particularly good this year because Santa delivered a Christmas treat – a Giant TCR Advanced Zero. And from the minute I opened the box, it was like all of my Christmases had come at once. There are still those who feel that Giant does not boast the style and sexiness of some other brands in this spec range, but there’s no faulting its value for money and ride quality. This was evident the first minute I threw a leg over the new steed on its first bunch ride.
Last year Shimano announced that they would be venturing into cycling bags. While messenger bags had been available under Shimano’s PRO label, this was the first time a whole range for mountain bike and road had become available under the Shimano moniker. The Osaka Messenger bag is the road offering. This bag is available in 25 and 35-litre sizes. It has a padded laptop pocket, a generous main pocket with lots of organiser sections and a padded rear. 
With cyclocross becoming the new black, where better to source a cross bike than Belgium, home of Ridley bikes? The X-Bow (pronounced Cross Bow) is Ridley’s budget model. Made from 7005 aluminium, it sports mudguard eyelets and rear rack mounts, and is available in either Shimano Sora or 105 incarnations. Its cross geometry is comfortable on and off road and has a wide range of sizes from 41-60cm. It is also compatible with disc- (IS) and cantilever brakes.
3T’s carbon bottle cage is part of the company’s LTD (highest level) product series, so you know it’s of the best quality. The finish is high gloss with an Italian flag highlight. It’s light, shiny and carbon. Get one or even two, now.
