Guides
You'll find all of our guides below. We do try to update these on a fairly regular basis, but if you have a suggestion for a guide you feel is missing, or a way in which we can improve an existing guide, please let us know. Enjoy.
Beginners Guide to Gravel Riding
03/05/202211 minutesFirstly, depending on where you live in the world, ‘gravel’ bike riding can often realistically end up involving more ‘mud’ than ‘gravel’ – all terrain in a nutshell, from tarmac roads to tame Mo...Beginners Guide To MTB
08/04/20226 minutesWhile mountain bikes share some similarities with road bikes; they have wheels, pedals and a saddle. There are a lot of differences if you are moving to mountain biking from road riding. Generall...Beginners Guide to Road Riding
27/03/20247 minutesFirstly, ‘road riding’ generally means the recreational type of cycling you often see on a weekend, if you want to ride on the roads to get to work, or the shops, our Guide to Commuting might be...Beginners-Guide-to-Commuting
03/05/202210 minutesThere is a seemingly ever expanding list of reasons commuting by bike makes sense, follow our tips and guidance to make it even easier. Distance & Route A little bit of planning goes a lon...
Bike Accessories Guide
26/03/20245 minutesAccessories for your bike include all the little add-ons which make your bike more suited to you. When a bike leaves the factory it is a bit like an empty house, it needs a little furniture to ma...
Bike Gadgets Guide
09/02/20226 minutesBike training tech’ gadgets have come a long way. There are a lot of options depending on your budget and what you want to know as you ride, or when you get home and upload to your computer....
Bike GPS Computer Guide
14/03/20246 minutesWhether you want to explore an area or just have a look at where you just rode, a good GPS device is a very handy thing to have. They can look complex but the essentials are simple. Why not...
Bike Light Guide
21/03/20248 minutesLights are the one accessory which can most significantly improve your visibility on the roads and trails, both in terms of being seen by others and lighting your way. When are they required...
Bike Saddle Guide
21/03/202410 minutesBike saddles come in all shapes and sizes, for both sexes and for each cycling discipline. Finding the right saddle for you can be tricky and time consuming, read our guide to gain an understandi...
Commuter & Urban Bike Guide
15/03/20246 minutesThere are a huge array of commuter / urban bikes available. The best commuter bike for you depends on a few factors including where you live, terrain you ride on, distance you usually cover and,...
Cyclocross & Gravel Bike Guide
15/03/20246 minutesCyclocross bikes have been around almost as long as road bikes, the first cyclocross race in Europe was in France in 1902. Cyclocross as a sport has had peaks and troughs of popularity throughout...
Disc Brake Guide
15/03/20246 minutesHydraulic disc braking with calipers and a rotor provide the most efficient and powerful braking, because of this, they are used on most forms of transport, from jumbo jets to bikes. Having been...
Electric Bike Guide
15/03/20247 minutesEbikes are the fastest growing market in worldwide bike sales and it’s easy to understand why. As well as regular bike riders looking for a little assistance, for people previously ‘put off# by r...
Factory Road Disc Wheelset Guide
14/03/202412 minutesHow are Road Disc Wheelsets Different? Wheelsets for disc brake bikes have specifically designed hubs which feature mounts for rotors to be fitted to enable the wheels to be slowed down under b...
Factory Road Wheelset Guide
14/03/202410 minutesWhat Are Road Wheelsets? Bicycle wheels play a large role in how the bike performs, this is especially the case with road bike wheelsets as road bikes are lighter, more responsive and the effec...
Glasses Guide
14/03/20224 minutesMany riders choose to ride wearing glasses, not just to look cool, but to help protect eyes from insects and other things which can irritate or cause damage to the eye. 80% of all information re...
Gravel & Cyclocross Tyres Guide
21/03/20249 minutesGravel & Cyclocross Tyres Guide Gravel and Cyclocross tyres are specifically designed for the various types of terrain and conditions which gravel and cyclocross riders typically enjoy. As wel...
Groupset Guide
15/03/202413 minutesA groupset is the collective name for the components for gearing, braking and drivetrain. Three main manufacturers, Shimano, Campagnolo and Sram produce a range of groupsets for different types o...
Handlebars Guide
15/03/20248 minutesRegardless of what type of handlebars you use, they all offer a level of comfort and control for your ride. The seemingly subtle differences of shape, width and angle can hugely effect rider comf...
Home Trainer Guide
26/03/20249 minutesIndoor training has transformed in recent years. No longer are home trainers just for winter months. Online training and racing platforms, such as Zwift, have made the indoor trainer an evergreen...
Kids Bike Guide
21/03/20249 minutesBikes aimed at youngsters differ from adult bikes. They are targeted towards their recommended age group and their level of development. From balance bikes suitable for helping develop little one...
Locks & Security Guide
26/03/20249 minutesAs bikes have become a more popular transport option again in recent years, locks and bike security have become more important too. Having a good, solid lock and taking care in how and where you...
Mountain Bike Guide
15/03/202410 minutesChoosing a mountain bike can seem a little daunting for newcomers to the world of fat tyres and flat bars. Just as there is with road bikes, there’s a broad spectrum of MTB types, targeting diffe...
Mountain bike helmet guide
21/03/20247 minutesBike helmets can get a little overlooked compared to bikes and clothing. They are often taken for granted and not really given a second thought, until that one time they are needed – that’s when...
Mountain Bike Shoes Guide
26/03/20248 minutesMountain Bike Shoes Guide There are two different camps when it comes to Mountain Bike Shoes, Flatties (flat shoes) or Spuds (SPD - click in type). Each style of shoes (and pedal) has its merit...
Mountain Bike Tyres Guide
15/03/202411 minutesTyres for mountain bikes all look similar in shape and colour, so how do you pick a good one? Mountain bike tyres are, after all, very important. They provide the patch of contact with trail and...
Off-Road Frameset Guide
28/01/20227 minutesBike framesets for off-road riding vary from gravel and cyclocross framesets through to mountain bike frames suitable for each of the disciplines from cross country to jump bikes and those design...
Pedals Guide
21/03/20249 minutesAll pedals are not the same, they vary hugely depending on their intended use. While flat pedals are great for simplicity and comfort in casual shoes, longer road rides are better with click-in s...
Power Meter Guide
21/03/20247 minutesProbably the most important training aid developed for the mass market competitive bike rider’s, power meters come in a variety of guises, including pedal, crank and bottom bracket based systems....
Road Bike Frameset Guide
15/03/202415 minutesThe frameset is the central core of any bike. Whether you are replacing a damaged frameset or building your dream machine, the right frameset makes all the difference. The frameset is the main...
Road Bike Guide
13/03/202412 minutesFeaturing drop handlebars and sleek lines, a road bike is the collective name for bikes designed to be ridden on smooth tarmac roads. With their narrower wheels and more streamlined riding positi...Road Bike Handlebars Guide
14/03/20249 minutesHere are a few pointers on what to look out for when choosing a handlebar. The handlebars on your road bike have a significant effect on comfort and control. As a major contact point, along wit...
Road Bike Helmet Guide
13/03/20248 minutesBike helmets can get a little overlooked compared to bikes and clothing. They are often taken for granted and not really given a second thought, until that one time they are needed – that’s when...
Road Bike Seatpost Guide
14/03/20248 minutesThere are a few things to bear in mind when choosing a new seat post so here’s what the differences are and what they mean for you. They all do the same job and look pretty much the same but ta...
Road Bike Shoes Guide
21/03/20247 minutesWhile in theory, you can quite easily pedal a bike in any old shoes, while this might be fine for a trip to the local shops, heading out for a longer or faster ride requires more specialist footw...
Road Bike Tyres Guide
21/03/20247 minutesTyres for road bikes all look similar in shape and colour, so how do you pick a good one? Road bike tyres are, after all, very important. They provide your tiny point of contact with the road and...
Spring & Autumn Road Clothing Guide
26/03/20246 minutesGenerally the most difficult time of year to dress for, spring and autumn can place you firmly on the weather god’s huge roulette wheel. With weather ranging from ‘baltic’ to ‘scorchio# and relat...
Stem Guide
21/03/20247 minutesOn all bikes, stems have the critical job of connecting the handlebars to the fork steerer tube. Stems tend to have two bolts to join the steerer tube and four bolts where they attach to the hand...
Step-by-Step Road Bike Size Guide
13/03/202415 minutesYou shouldn’t underestimate the importance of choosing the right size of road bike. Not only can an ill-fitting bike negatively affect your comfort during a ride but it can also reduce your ef...
Summer Road Clothing Guide
21/03/202410 minutesThe best time to ride a bike? Most people think so. Choose the right clothing to maximize your enjoyment; while a short ride to the shops or pub can be tackled in any clothing, longer rides are m...
Time Trial and Triathlon Bike Guide
21/03/20246 minutesThese types of bikes are designed to be as aerodynamic as possible, to minimize drag, so that the rider can travel faster than a standard road bike while producing the same amount of power. Drag...
Touring & Hybrid Tyres Guide
21/03/20246 minutesTyres for road touring and hybrid bikes all look similar in shape and colour, so how do you pick a good one? Bike tyres are, after all, very important. They provide your tiny point of contact wit...
Winter Road Bike Guide
07/08/20246 minutesHere are a few tips to look for when buying a winter bike. You'll need provision for mudguards, not to mention fatter tyres. Strong wheels and lower gears are a good idea too. And there#s more....
Winter Road Clothing Guide
21/03/20247 minutesBike riding in winter is much more enjoyable if you are comfortable and warm. It’s a good idea to try to dress for 20 minutes into your ride. This is when you have got the blood pumping and gener...
Workshop Tool Guide
21/03/202410 minutesHaving your own tools at home is a great way to take care of own bike maintenance. In today’s world of information, everything that you could possibly do in terms of maintenance with a bike has b...