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MATHIEU VAN DER POEL: World champion CX 2015 & 2019 |
European champion CX 2017 & 2018 | 7 times Elite Dutch National
Champion (CX, Road, MTB) | Winner Amstel Gold Race 2019 |
European champion MTB 2019

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 CONTENTS
VOL. 10, ISSUE 6

THE SCENE GEAR

7 Cyclo Nord-Sud at 20 ROAD
For two decades, the Montreal-
38 Fara Cycling F|Disc
based group has been
A frame from a Norway-based
improving lives with bikes
company for roaming or racing
8 Cycling Celebrity
39 Trek Domane SLR 7
he bike has taken folk-noir
Holes in the frame make
musician Abigail Lapell to
for a better bike
gigs and on tour
TRAIL
9 Crankology
Why I can’t possibly sell 40 Scott Ransom 920
one of these bikes The enduro rig will help you
rip down trails and climb up
10 Canadian Club
them well, too
Mountain and Fat Bike Chaleur
develops the young riders and 41 Trek Top Fuel
the trails of Bathurst, N.B. Head down country on this quick
and nimble bike

26
11 Notes from the Gruppetto
No need to get CSaD GIFT GUIDE

12 48 Hours 42 Project: Give Great Stuff

Cycling the edge of the world Amazing presents and stocking
on Haida Gwaii stuffers for every type of rider
FEATURES
14 Nutrition IN DEPTH
20 Pedalling Pixels 5 foods to try in the new year 54 Trainers
he rise of virtual competition Top smart trainers to take your
15 Guest Chef
Online racing is keeping us fi t year-round, creating winter riding to the next level
Karen Verk’s Bake: Dessert Co.
new development pathways for cycling talent,
espresso biscotti 56 Getting Remote and
ofering novel ways to cheat and inl uencing bike
Just a Little Rowdy
technology. It’s fun, too. TRAINING
Various configurations of the
by Dan Dakin
16 Training Tips Shimano GrX groupset see
26 Taking on the Wild Atlantic Way, with Kids How to recover and get the most action in the wilds of Montana
Four adults, four young teens and out of your breaks
58 Rolling on the Big Wheels of
2,000 km of tough roads 17 Technique the Pique Advanced Pro 29 0
A trip down the west coast of Ireland is a challenge for Rachel Atherton on The new cross country machine by
any cyclist. Here’s how to tackle it with young riders. coming back from injury Liv is at home on easy-going rips
by Kevin Vallely and at world championship races
18 Maintenance
30 Your 2020 Cycling Makeover Getting seized bolts to twist again
Improve your fitness, diet and – yes –
DESTINATION
even your happiness in the new year
You can transform yourself. Here are steps, both big 60 Sending the Trails in the
and small, that will make you better on the bike. Land of Waterfalls
by Molly Hurford Transylvania County’s
forests hold many routes for
mountain biking and gravel
riding in North Carolina

  
Yash Keough rides a
Trek Domane SLR 7 (p.39).
He’s wearing a new Lazer
2 Editor’s Letter G1 helmet (p.47), Pearl Izumi
4 Vintage Velo Quest Amfi b jacket, Quest
bib shorts, Elite thermal
5 The Calendar knee warmers and PRO

20 6
37
64
News
Gear
Q&A
Leader v4 shoes.

Photo: Matt Stetson

cyclingmagazine.ca 1
 EDITOR’S
LETTER

Editor Matthew Pioro

matthew@cyclingmagazine.ca
Senior Editors
Dan Dakin, Kevin Mackinnon, Dean Campbell
Associate Editor Andre Cheuk
Photo Editor Matt Stetson
matt.stetson@gripped.com
Copy Editor Amy Stupavsky
Art Director Warren Wheeler
layout@cyclingmagazine.ca
[Roseander Main, roseandermain.com]
Designer Cristina Bolzon
Production Artist Warren Hardy
MTB Web Editor Terry McKall
terry@cyclingmagazine.ca
Podcast Producer Adam Killick
Web Developer Sean Rasmussen

Better rain. But, it’s not better than riding in snow.

Riding in snow is a bit silly, but that’s what makes it
fun. The odds of slipping increase so much that you can’t
Digital Operations Dmitry Beniaminov
Publisher Sam Cohen
sam@gripped.com

to Ride
Editorial Director David Smart
take it so seriously, at least I don’t. When the snow is at dave@gripped.com
a certain depth on the roads, steering is more a matter of Advertising & Sales Andre Cheuk
andre@gripped.com
making suggestions with your handlebars, as opposed

in Snow
I’ll take my bike into
that cold, white stuff –
for now
t’s raining as I write this. It was
I raining as I rode into the office
this morning. Really, I rather it was
snowing.
Snow and bikes traditionally don’t
work well together, I know. At this
time of year, most of us have taken
our bikes inside. Maybe you have a
fat bike for the fluffy stuff or a winter
bike that you bash around on when
you don’t mind some slipping and
sliding. But essentially this is the
off-season. Well, it’s in-season for
indoor riding. Riding the trainer is
definitely more fun than it used to be
thanks to e-racing and e-riding. In
this issue, writer Dan Dakin charts
the rise of Zwift, that ubiquitous
digital playground for cyclists (p.).
It’s stunning what that platform has
done in five short years. This past
September at Eurobike, I played with
its new feature: steering. The video-
gamification of cycling continues. I
have to admit, I don’t think it’s the
enemy of cycling . It’s definitely
different. It’s definitely better than
getting soaked on the road by a cold
to directing the bike. It’s a bit like riding through sand
in cyclocross. A bit, but not quite. Tires lose traction on
snow in such a sudden, immediate and surprising way.
Surprise! You’re now going sideways. Fun, no?
A good pair of studded tires can be a revelation. If
you’ve never run them before, resolve to shod your steed
with them this winter. (Also, while you’re making reso-
lutions, check out Molly Hurford’s story about getting
fitter, healthier and faster in the year ahead on p..) In
the right conditions, I can pass cars outfitted with inferior
all-seasons. Remember though, be safe. Even studs have
their limits. It’s not so bad when you find those limits and
end up in a soft snowbank.
Now, as I look at my rain-soaked jacket, gloves, pants
and socks, I think about how much easier it is to dress for
snow. Sure, the layers are thicker and more numerous, but
keeping snow out of the base layers is a breeze, provided
the breeze isn’t too fierce. Yes, I’d much rather face snow
than this seep-into-everything rain. For sure.
So, let’s check back again in the February/March issue
after some months of snow. Who knows? My feelings on
the stuff might have evolved even further by then.
Matthew Pioro
Editor
Online
Website cyclingmagazine.ca
Podcast cyclingmagazine.ca/cycling-magazine-podcast
Facebook @CyclingMag + @CanadianMTB
Twitter @CanadianCycling + @CanadianMTB
Instagram @CanadianCycling + @Canadian.MTB
YouTube Canadian Cycling Magazine
Plus download previous issues of Canadian Cycling Magazine
using our mobile apps and Apple News+.
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2 Canadian Cycling December 2019 & January 2020

 Photo: Gruber Images

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 VINTAGE
VELO

Tire-Tube
Repair Mount
I n the early ’s, Maurice Soulliere,
owner of East Windsor Hardware,
bought Johnson’s Cycle, a bike shop
in the Riverside neighbourhood of
Windsor, Ont. The southern Ontario
city has a long history with bicycles:
the Dodge brothers, the same pair
who founded the motor company,
were behind the E & D bicycle, which
was made in Windsor. After the
Johnson’s Cycle purchase, Soulliere
hired a mechanic from the shop,
brought some of the equipment to
East Windsor Hardware and set up
a bike-repair space at the back of
his store.
One piece of equipment was the
tire-tube repair mount. Its backplate
can be bolted to a workbench or even a
post. The spade-like work surface can
flip up and sit parallel to the ground
when you need it and flip down when
you don’t. The mount makes for a
convenient spot to patch a tube.
Maurice’s brother-in-law, Laurent,
purchased East Windsor Hardware
in the late ’s. He operated it until
the store closed in the ’s. Laurent
donated the bike-repair equipment
to the Grand Erie District School
Photo: Matt Stetson

Board, where it was used to set up

repair stations in some auto shop
classes, furthering the link between
Windsor, cars and bikes.—MP

4 Canadian Cycling December 2019 & January 2020

 THE
CALENDAR
DECEMBER
Looking to get something for
1 another cyclist this holiday season?
Or maybe you want to add something
22
to your own wishlist? Check out the
annual Canadian Cycling Magazine
gift guide on p..
Looking
Ahead
It’s Holden Jones’s birthday.
Find out more about the
-year-old cross country rider from
Squamish, B.C., on p..
Ho, ho, ho. To some athletes,

It’s Rachel Atherton’s birthday.

25
6 Find out how the -year-old,
five-time downhill world champion
copes with and recovers from injury
and illness on p..
Christmas means the
Christmas Cross project by Cycling
Canada is underway. Elite cyclo-
crossers are in Europe taking on the
best riders in the world. Christmas also
means gifts. Find out about special
cycling-related gifts that former
participants of the Christmas Cross
project have received starting on p..

JANUARY Rooted Vermont

Want a cycling makeover for the new year? Of course you do. Check out tips
1 on how to improve your fitness, diet and skills on the bike for  on p..
While
16-26 columnist
Bart Egnal may get a gentle
dig at the Tour Down
Under (p.), there’s a lot
of action to dig in Australia.
The women’s race starts
on the th and finishes
on the th, the same day
as the men kick things off.
Everything wraps up with
a finish on the famous
Willunga Hill on Jan. .
The fourth annual
17-19 Western Track
Challenge takes to the boards of
24-26
the Burnaby Velodrome. Riders,
in under- to masters categories,
compete in races that include sprint,
keirin and snowball, a variation of
Photos: Stefano Sirotti, Courtesy Rooted Vermont
Peter Sagan holds
a joey at the
Tour Down Under
Even though
-m-sprint
world-record holder Kelsey Mitchell
has been training at Mattamy National
Cycling Centre and living in Milton,
Ont., since summer , she hasn’t
yet competed in a World Cup on her
August 2
O n the day of the inaugural Rooted Vermont ride,
organizer Ted King was busy. The former pro roadie
and his wife, Laura King, ran the event in early August
. As some of the  participants pulled into the
parking area, they were surprised to see a familiar face
weilding a baton and carrying a radio. Ted King, who was
a domestique on teams such as Liquigas-Cannondale
and Cannondale-Garmin, had been pressed into service
to guide drivers in the lot.
Rooted Vermont riders took on routes of either  km
( miles) or  km ( miles). Roughly  per cent of each
course was on dirt surfaces. Some of that dirt was smooth,
some was rough – what the Kings call Vermont pavé or
Class . A very similar mix of riding surfaces will return
for the  edition.
The Kings not only wanted to feature the roads of their
home state, but they want to encourage more women
to get out and ride. “Female participation was organi-
cally at  per cent, which is higher than the industry
standard,” says Laura King. “We offered a free women’s
gravel skills clinic in June  with some of  Cycling’s
most decorated women mentors, as well as three female
pro mechanics. Gravel is less intimidating when you’re

a points race. home track. She plans to change that
when the  track cycling World Cup
returns to Canada. Read more about
Mitchell on p..
The  paracycling track world championships
30 -Feb 2 come to the Mattamy National Cycling Centre. Top
Canadian athletes, such as Tristen Chernove – already a multiple world champion –
Ross Wilson and Keely Shaw, will be vying for rainbow jerseys at home.
given the tools to break down skills. Those skills are not
just limited to on the bike, but also mental and emotional.
It was a really powerful event and we look forward to
offering another in the future.”
Rooted Vermont is set to expand to roughly  riders
in . More people will be able to enjoy a weekend’s
worth of events, post-race farm-fresh food and maple
creemees, which are maple soft serve-like treats. (rooted
vermont.com)—MP

cyclingmagazine.ca 5

NEWS
A world record is
just the beginning for
Kelsey Mitchell
After becoming Canadian champion
in the sprint, team sprint and time trial,
Kelsey Mitchell was back to training
on the boards where she took her
wins. The rider, who’s from Sherwood
Park, Alta., just east of Edmonton, has
been calling Milton, Ont., home since
August . Her commute to that
city’s velodrome is an eight-minute
bike ride or a five-minute car ride.
“I needed to learn how to ride a bike
and to ride the track,” she said of her
condition in mid-. After Mitchell
participated in a talent-identification
event, Cycling Canada knew she could
put out a lot of power, about , W.
But the -year-old athlete had
focused on soccer and hadn’t owned
a bike since she was a child. Mitchell
found her progression on the track
slow as it took her almost two years
to learn to spin the cranks properly,
Kelsey Mitchell
push and pull on the bars and pedals
properly and corner well on the banks.
She said her reaction when she
first looked down on the Milton velo-
drome’s banked corners was “how
the heck do people stay on this
thing?” Once she was on the track, it
wasn’t so bad.
In early September, Mitchell set
the world record in the -m
sprint, with a time of . seconds
in a qualification round at the Pan
Am track cycling championships
in Cochabamba, Bolivia. While she
feels it’s exciting to hold that record,
she was actually more pleased with
her consistent finishes in the sprint,
which led to a gold-medal win in that
competition. Next, she’s focused on
6 Canadian Cycling December 2019 & January 2020
improving her abilities so she can
win at lower altitudes, like in Milton.
In January, Mitchell plans to
compete in the Milton stop of track
cycling World Cup for the first time.
“I’m so excited for that,” she said. Even
though she’s raced the Hong Kong
World Cup, she’s only been a spec-
tator at home. “So many people were
here. It was sweet to see the velo-
drome packed like that.”—MP
Canada’s next generation
of mountain bikers arrive
at the Mont-Sainte-Anne
world champs
Canada’s junior racers thrived under
pressure when the  mountain bike
world championships returned to
Mont-Sainte-Anne this past August.
The youngest riders delivered the
country’s best results.
Lucas Cruz was fourth in the junior
men’s downhill, finishing off his first
season of international racing on a
high note. The Pemberton, B.C., racer
was just . seconds away from
earning a medal. Impressive stuff,
considering he finished the race with
a front tire that was quickly going
flat. “Near the bottom I started feeling
it slide a little more,” Cruz said. “It
definitely would have been nice to
have more air in the tires.”
Carter Woods was also fourth, after
leading the junior men’s cross country
race early on. With no junior XC World
Cup series, the national champion’s
near-medal performance was borne
of only a few international races.
Racing a world championships
event at home is an opportunity few
riders will get in their careers. The
crowds are bigger than a World Cup,
the fans know you by name, and
they are cheering. Loudly. While the
experience can be a rush, it adds pres-
sure, too, especially for first-time
world championships participants.
Cruz and Woods weren’t the only
riders to push through the pressure
and deliver strong results. Three
more Canadians finished in the top
 in the junior men’s downhill: Elliot
Jamieson was sixth, Patrick Laffey,
eighth, and Seth Sherlock, ninth. The
strong showing at worlds caps off a
year in which Canadian juniors were
on the podium and all over the top 
at every round of the downhill World
Cup circuit. Following the successes of Mark Wallace,
Finn Iles and the late Steve Smith, these juniors are
adding to Canada’s reputation as a country of fast down-
hill racers.
Cross country racer Emilly Johnston and DHer Amy
Ertel delivered the top junior women’s results. Johnston
was ninth, while Ertel finished in th place at Mont-
Sainte-Anne. “There were people chanting ‘Go Emilly! Go
Canada!’” Johnston said after her race. “It was just so cool
to have the home crowd. I loved it.”—Terry McKall
Maghalie Rochette
takes the win at
Jingle Cross 
Maghalie Rochette on becoming
OK with winning in order to win
A week after Maghalie Rochette won her first cyclocross
World Cup race in Iowa City, Iowa, she was in Waterloo, Wisc.,
for the next round of the series. She reflected on the victory
that had her crying tears of joy and disbelief on Sept. .
Rochette, however, did believe she could win at the
Iowa race, known as Jingle Cross. Although, she did have
to convince herself that it was OK to come across the line
in first place. “It’s so easy to choke when you are so close to
a big goal, and I’ve done that before, many times,” she said.
“So, I told myself that if it happens, it’s OK. I’ve prepared for
this. It’s not a fraud. I just need to do my best.
“You can freak out if you’ve never been in that position.
You’re going full gas. Your heart rate is through the roof.
And then you’re leading the World Cup. It can feel like:
ho-ly crap. What am I doing? And then you crash or what-
ever. It sounds super silly, but I think this little realization
helped me to make it happen on the day.”
At Waterloo, Rochette finished fifth, dropping to
second in the World Cup standings. She then notched
another win at the C-level FayetteCross in Fayetteville
Photos: Kevin Mackinnon, CXHairs
Ark., at the beginning of October. The  national and
Pan American cyclocross champ still had a long season
ahead of her. Rochette had the World Cups in Nommay,
France and Hoogerheide, the Netherlands, as well as the
world championships in Dübendorf, Switzerland, on her
calendar. It would all require a lot of preparation.—MP
 For two decades, the Montreal-based group
has been improving lives with bikes
by Matthew Pioro

“I study a lot because I have an objective. I want to become something in life,

but my father doesn’t have a lot of money. I want to become a diplomat. I
want to work in an office and share ideas with others,” says -year-old Vastie
Jean-Baptiste. She has a plan. To realize that plan, she needs to complete her
education. She lives in Cap-Haitien, in northern Haiti. To get to school, Jean-
Baptiste relies upon a used bike that travelled all the way from Quebec. Centrech,
the organization that helped Jean-Baptiste find her wheels through the Vélo-
Bisiklèt project, has been working with Cyclo Nord-Sud in Montreal since
. Close to , used bicycles collected throughout Quebec have afforded
Haitians like Jean-Baptiste the mobility they require to get to school and work.
Claire Morissette, one of the pioneers behind the push to make Montreal more
cycling-friendly with the activist group Le Monde à Bicyclette, recognized that
bicycles could play a significant role in improving the lives of people in under-
privileged nations. It led to the creation of Cyclo Nord-Sud in , which makes it in Europe and the U.S., but we’re a
one of Canada’s oldest cycling-advocacy institutions. Since then, the organiza- little behind in Canada. We abso-
tion has sent more than , used bicycles to partners lutely support lobbying for better
in  countries in Africa and Latin America. At some point cycling infrastructure, but what if
a question was raised: couldn’t some of those used bicycles
THE SCENE
CYCLO you cannot even afford a bike, let
find a home here? NORD-SUD alone maintain it?’’ says Robin Black,
“It was after we moved our offices to the Saint-Michel AT 20 project co-ordinator for sister project
neighborhood of Montreal six years ago that we were Vélorution -.
forced to ask ourselves some hard questions. Being in one of the poorest neigh- “Cycling is not only a means of trans-
borhoods in Montreal, we witnessed how a lack of transport equity adversely portation,” says Sue Montgomery,
affected locals,’’ says Collin Mayrand,  general co-ordinator. mayor of Côte-des-Neiges—Notre-
With the creation of the Vélorution Saint-Michel project three years ago, Dame-de-Grâce. Her borough funds
 has started to address the barriers to cycling at home. “There has been Vélorution - in its entirety. “For
greater recognition of the need to focus on an equity-based approach to cycling many, it is an opportunity for emanci-
pation and a way to break isolation.
Immigrant women, for instance, are
not always comfortable with cycling. I
am pleased that our borough supports
a project that helps them develop their
skills and sense of security when
riding a bike.”
On most Thursday mornings,
volunteers weave their way around
obstacles at the  warehouse,
helping to sort through donations of
used bicycles, tires and bicycle parts
amassed from bike-collection events
throughout the province and bike-
shop donations. Although there is talk
of finding a larger space to accom-
modate new projects and a growing
team, more funding needs to be
secured. While  has had  years
of concrete results and awards, it still
struggles to secure stable financing.
Cyclo has started to make inroads
with the cycling industry as well
as Canadians outside of Quebec. For
now, Cyclo continues to rely upon its
Photos: Mikael h eimer

regular supporters and volunteers

along with project funding to continue
making cycling accessible to all, both
at home and abroad.

cyclingmagazine.ca 7

Abigail Lapell
he bike has taken the folk-noir
musician to gigs and on tour
by David McPherson
T en years ago, Abigail Lapell’s
father passed away. She still
catches glimpses of his spirit when
she is out riding around the city and
she sees an old guy with a beard on
a bike. “I always think it is him for
a second,” says the Toronto-based
folk-noir musician. “As a kid, we
would go camping in Prince Edward
County, and the whole family would
take our bikes. I remember cycling
on these country roads and biking for
hours; it brought us closer together.”
Lapell came of age in the Toronto
suburbs in the s. At , she
8 Canadian Cycling December 2019 & January 2020
THE SCENE
CYCLING
CELEBRITY
FAST FACTS
Abigail Lapell
Hometown Toronto
Profession Folk singer/songwriter
Albums Great Survivor,
Hide Nor Hair, Getaway
bought her first bike with her bat
mitzvah money at Sporting Life.
Before she ever considered a career
as a musician, cycling gave the artist
her first taste of freedom and brought

Abigail Lapell
with her backup
singer Dana Sipos
her closer to the city. “I remember the day I discovered
that I could bike downtown,” she recalls. “I always took
the subway everywhere, but it was slow. The first time I
realized that if you just bike far enough that eventually
you will get downtown, there was such a sense of freedom.
“There was this feeling that if you live in the suburbs,
the city, life and the world was another place,” Lapell adds.
“Then, you get on the subway and it magically transports
you there. Biking for the first time felt like it was all
connected. It made my world feel smaller.”
These days, Lapell travels the world – sometimes by
bicycle – sharing her music and making connections.
This past February, she put out her third release, Getaway.
Recorded at Union Sound in Toronto with Chris Stringer,
the album speaks to this universal theme of freedom and
the nomadic life of a touring musician.
“You don’t have to worry
about parking and you can
bring everything straight
to the stage.”
“I had been on the road a lot touring and had all of
these road songs,” Lapell explains. “That’s one of the great
clichés of rock music: songs about leaving your baby at
home or whatever. It wasn’t exactly a concept album, but
retroactively, I realized many of the songs fit with the
Getaway theme. That gave me some structure on how to
curate the songs. The word getaway has a broad interpret-
ation because it is ambiguous; it can mean escape as a
vacation or escape as fleeing from a bank robbery.”
Lapell didn’t get her driver’s licence until five years ago;
she would often bike around town with a bike trailer. She
says it was so much easier travelling to some of her gigs
this way. “You don’t have to worry about parking and you
can bring everything straight to the stage.”
In , Lapell did a cycling tour with Tune Your Ride,
a Toronto organization that puts on music festivals and
sustainable shows. The audience even pedals bikes to
power the PA systems. Artists play several city parks
in one day, riding to the next venue after their sets. The
tour also went from Toronto to Ottawa over the course of
roughly two weeks, riding about  km each day, and doing
some outdoor shows in various towns along the way.
“It’s a novelty thing here, but in Europe you can do your
full tour by bike there. It is quite practical,” Lapell says.
“It’s on my bucket list to tour Europe by bike someday. That
would be so neat.”
 Why I Can’t
Possibly
Sell One of
These Bikes
5 fabulous machines, and yet,
something is missing
by James “Cranky” Ramsay
inter is a time of reflection. The hours trapped
W indoors on the trainer (or perhaps the couch) allow
us to ponder the big questions in life – questions such as,
“How do my leg hairs know to stop growing longer when
my eyebrows don’t?” or “Has anyone ever actually tried
to put toothpaste back in the tube?” and most important of
all, “How can I justify buying a new bike?”
The answer to that last one is easy. If you were to ask
my wife, she’d say, “You can buy a new bike, and there’s
no justification needed. All you need to do is get rid of
one that you already own.”
I have to admit that there’s a certain logic to this
response, but I cannot accept it. As any right-thinking
person knows, bicycles have souls. It’s no more accept-
able to sell or discard one than it would be to sell or discard
one’s Uncle Rupert, though he may be chronically gloomy
and not at all a great asset to the family.
But it’s not only that. Every bicycle (at least every
bicycle that I own) has a specific purpose that it – and only
Image: Russ Tudor
it – can serve. I’ve tried explaining this to Mrs. Cranky more times than I can
count (and I can count quite high), but I can tell by her blank expression that
she doesn’t get it. So let me describe my stable to you, loyal readers, as I’m sure
you’ll both sympathize and understand.
First, there’s my “good bike.” This is my carbon race bike. It hangs in the
prime spot in the basement. It hasn’t been ridden in a long time. Because I’m
not racing anymore and because the bike is impeccably clean, I can’t bear the
thought of it getting dirty again. It’s also more bike than I’m worthy to ride at
the moment, given that I’m in a physical condition recently described as Spring
Classics shape.
Next is my “good crappy bike.” This is my older road bike, the one I raced
before buying my carbon bike. It’s a titanium frame and it will last forever.
It’s an amazingly comfortable ride, and it’s perfect for use on the trainer, so as
not to put unnecessary lateral stress on my carbon frame, which as described
above, must stay unperturbed, ready to step into active duty if needed.
Third is my titanium cyclocross bike. I don’t use it for cyclocross riding or
racing, but rather as a foul-weather steed and gravel-road conveyance. It’s one
of my favourite bikes to ride. Every year I hop aboard it at the cottage, seeking
out as many rough roads as I can find. I’ve also used it to rip through mountain
bike trails, where it’s in its unexpected element until the going gets a bit too
technical and I find myself cursing in a ditch.
Fourth is my track bike. This is a strangely hybrid frame, as it has track fork
ends and super-tight clearance, but also bosses for a bottle cage. I’ve set it up as a
road-going, fixed-gear machine with
a front brake and (of course) a bottle
THE SCENE
cage installed. It’s my main ride, and
if ever I were forced to choose one bike,
this would be the one. The paint is CRANKOLOGY
chipped, the bar tape is worn through,
the front brake is rusty, and it’s battle-weary, but I love it. My riding buddies don’t
understand. They think I’m nuts, or that I’m being arrogant by showing up for a
group ride on a fixed gear, as if to say, “This way I can still get a workout, even
though I’m stuck riding with you guys.” They’re right on all counts. I am actually
nuts, and most of the time, that’s exactly what I’m thinking.
This brings us to bike No. , my ceremonial fixed gear. This bike is reserved
for national holidays, state occasions and general diplomatic duty. Obviously,
this is a very special bike. I built it up using the finest parts: a vintage Mercier
steel frame from the s, a Brooks racing saddle, Campagnolo Record crank
and seatpost and wheels that I built
myself and that have remained
perfectly true through thousands
of ceremonies and parades. Almost
no one understands why I need
a second fixed-gear bike, but they
would if they rode it. This bike has
more soul than Curtis Mayfield and
the Impressions. It weighs a ton. With
its extra-long wheelbase, it rides like
a French-Italian version of a Lincoln
Continental. It’s great on the flats and
brutal up hills, which is fine, because
who ever heard of an uphill parade?
So even though Mrs. Cranky
doesn’t get it, I know you can see
why I can’t let any of these bikes
go. And this means I’m no closer to
figuring out how to get a sixth bike
into the house, unless, of course, I can
convince her that I’m just storing it for
my gloomy old Uncle Rupert.
cyclingmagazine.ca 9

Mountain and
Fat Bike Chaleur
Developing the young riders and the trails
of Bathurst, N.B.
by Rob Sturney
C haleur means heat. The Chaleur region of northeast New Brunswick,
named after the nearby bay in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, is where a knobby
tire club burns up the trails even in the dead of winter. Mountain and Fat Bike
Chaleur is based out of Bathurst and gelled in  to create a competitive local
youth-development program. Although it’s not a membership-based club, it
represents  to  riders. One of the things that makes this club special is its
close relationship with the town of Bathurst to promote trail riding.
Club coach Joel Jean says the trail system in the town
has been around since the mid-s. He describes the
THE SCENE
routes – sporting straightforward names, such as the
Ridge, the Pine and the Roots – as “narrow with punchy CANADIAN
hills.”  Chaleur is committed to trail upkeep and
building additions to the existing system, with sched-
CLUB
uled workdays for members to wield the saws, rakes and
“goonspoons.” Jean says that the club endeavours to give the existing trails
more flow. In August, the club added placards to trail signs designating three
emergency exit points easily accessible to first responder vehicles as part of
implementing an emergency action plan to ensure riders’ safety.
Summer is when the club runs its monthly short-track race series with
10 Canadian Cycling December 2019 & January 2020
PROFILE
Mountain and Fat Bike Chaleur
City Bathurst, N.B.
Established 2017
Members 150
Website facebook.com/
mountainfatbikechaleur
loops around  km long that people can roll on mountain
bikes, fat bikes or cyclocross machines. There are also
Velo NB races in Bathurst. Some of the club members head
west to Edmundston for races on the Sentiers Madawaska
trails. In Minto, you can find  Chaleur colours flying at
the Coal Miner’s Lung race, which uses trials on the mud-
dump landscape left over from the closed coal mine.
Winter is when the fat bikes have dominion. Nighttime
group rides run into April. In collaboration with the town,
the  Chaleur hosts the Big Chill race. A popular ride
is along the groomed trail the city maintains behind the
Bathurst watershed. The club and city have an agreement
in which they can use each other’s fat bikes –  adult-size
machines that belong to Bathurst and four youth-size rides
in  Chaleur’s stable that community sponsors helped
to purchase. Along with spin sessions at a local school, the
fat bike partnership helps to fill a training void created by
wretched late-winter/early-spring trail conditions.
The club has a very active Facebook group that posts
condition updates of the local trails and rallies members
for work bees. The group page also
provides schedules for the youth
racing team’s clinics.
In the future,  Chaleur hopes
to expand racing clinics to adults to
meet local demand, but there’s also
a desire for a Sprockids program to
Photos: Christian J. Baudchon
further serve the young riders.
If you come to Bathurst without a ride, you can rent fat
bikes from the city. When asked which trails he would
recommend to someone visiting Bathurst, Jean enthusi-
astically endorses: “All of them!”
 No Need to
Get CSAD
How to fly away from the winter blues
by Bart Egnal
Y ou most likely live in Canada.
Because you live in Canada,
you most likely get afflicted with
cyclist seasonal affective disorder.
For those of you unfamiliar with this
condition, let me quote the official
definition for you.
Cyclist seasonal affective disorder
() is a condition that strikes
during the miserable winter months,
which can range from December
to March, although, if one lives
in Alberta, the period may start
in September and end in August.
Symptoms include staring out the
window for long periods at a time
at snow (Toronto), rain (Vancouver),
ice (Montreal), growing anger at the
trainer, expanding waistline, irrit-
ability toward family soigneurs,
binge-watching the Tour Down Under
and compulsively buying bike items
while believing they could help bring
better weather. Treatments include
moving away from Canada and the
midwinter training camp.
Yes, the midwinter training camp.
If you’re hit with , there is no
better way to cope – and prepare
for race season – than by planning
a training camp. Now, let’s be clear
here. I’m not talking about the kind
of soul-sucking training camp run by
the likes of Team Ineos. Such camps
include monotonous stays in some
Cold War-era base high atop a moun-
tain where you sleep in monastic
rooms and eat less than half of
your daily recommended calories
so you can cut weight for the afore-
mentioned . Oh no. I’m talking
about the kind of training camp that
will have your legs and heart singing
by the end – the kind where you
will return to our miserable climate
having broadcast your joy on Strava
Photo: Matt Stetson
and with your mind and lungs ready
to rip it up at the start of race season.
For those of you who have
never attained such a nirvana-like

Mallorca
training camp
Third, make sure everyone knows how to ride co-
hesively. Most club riders ride the opposite way that you
should. Basically, they hammer on the climbs, then ease
off over the top and recover. Then, they do it again. The
group shatters on every climb, and then regroups. The
weaker riders blow up and the group slows down in the
valleys. While the top dogs show what big legs they
have, this dynamic is, to put it mildly, stupid. Instead, a
group should move as a unit, riding the climbs slowly,
experience, let me open the race book
and fill you on in the features that
“For those of you who have
make a training camp great. never attained such a
First, and most important, is group
composition. I’m not talking about
nirvana-like experience,
bringing people with matching s
or a dude who will gladly sit on the
let me open the race
front for you for  km each day. No, book and fill you on in
you must choose people who will
all get along and have a blast doing
the features that make a
it. This past summer, for my th
birthday, four friends and I rode from
training camp great.”
High Park in Toronto to Central Park doucement, so the group stays together. Then, the stronger
in New York City during the course of riders can push it on the flats where everyone can make
a week. What made the trip amazing time together. It’s amazing how you actually move much,
were the running jokes, routines and much faster this way. It takes a strong leader who can yell
gags that got funnier as the week at people to stop racing up every hill. The result is worth it:
NOTES
THE SCENE
FROM THE
GRUPPETTO
went on. You can ride four hours a
day with any jerk, but when you’re
having breakfast, lunch and dinner
with the same crew, you’d better love
the time together.
Second, the food. If you want to
look like Geraint Thomas go drink
some fizzy water and eat a whole
watermelon after each ride, and then
go to sleep. You won’t make the Tour
team and you’ll be miserable to boot.
Instead, a great training camp, in my
view, involves awesome meals out,
post-ride drinks and a chance to take
in the local culture. A few years ago
in Girona, the riding was amazing,
but the food blew me away. One night, the group can ride longer, together, day after day.
we went to a restaurant where course I could go on about co-ordinated kit, guaranteed tail-
after course of creative food came winds, epic climbs and car-free roads. There are so many
out, culminating in an egg that was keys to a successful training camp. But really, wherever
cracked open to let its yolk run out. I you go, just get off the trainer, don’t pack your leg and arm
realized it wasn’t an egg, but a sweet warmers, and get the hell away from Canadian weather.
dessert. It was all far more mem- Not only will you cure your , but you will bring joy
orable than what wattage I held on to all those around you who are victims of your suffering.
the Rocacorba ( W for my normal- And with that, time to pack for Mallorca. Really, I’m going
ized power, if you are curious). for my wife. Really.
cyclingmagazine.ca 11
12 Canadian Cycling December 2019 & January 2020
 from Prince Rupert. The town of Skidegate is spread out
around breathtaking Rooney Bay and makes a good
starting point for a two-day cycling adventure north. Before
you get going, you’ll want to stop in at the Haida Heritage
Centre. Opened in  and fronted by six stunning totem
poles, the centre is in a beautiful building that documents
Haida life and culture from its earliest beginnings
From here, you can take Front Street through town
and past more of Skidegate’s totem poles. Stop in at Jags
Beanstalk for the espresso and the view from the bench on
the other side of the highway. Look up to the hills behind
you and you’ll see dozens of white heads – eagles, perched
sentinel-like in the trees. Look out at sea and you might
spot a whale.
Continue up the mostly flat coastal road past Balance
Rock and Jungle Beach to the town of Tlell. If you arrive at
low tide, you can take the Pesuta Shipwreck Trail out from
mossy old-growth forest to East Beach, where the wooden
bow of a log-carrier has been beached since .
Past Tlell, the highway turns inland and runs up
the western edge of Naikoon Provincial Park, and the
terrain becomes more rolling. You’ll pass Port Clements –
Angela’s Place is a great coffee stop – and a smattering of
farms and logging sites. Other than that, it’s just you, the
old-growth forest and the occasional deer for about  km.
You should stop in Pure Lake Provincial Park for a swim.
The Yellowhead Highway ends in Masset, a fishing
Photos: Christina Palassio
village on Masset Sound. Ride around Masset and Old
Massett and check out totem poles and carving studios.
Past Masset, the road turns to dirt – follow it west for
roughly  km to Agate Beach and take the boardwalk up
Tow Hill for a killer view of the beach and the forest inland.
On the way back down, stop in at
the blow hole and watch water shoot
up through gap in the otherworldly
basalt rock formation.
Haida-owned businesses have
been powering a push toward cultural
ecotourism on Haida Gwaii in recent
years, mostly hiking, kayaking,
fishing tours and excursions to Gwaii
Haanas, the ,-sq.-km protected
national park reserve and marine
conservation area that’s home to
more than  Haida heritage sites,
and where some ,-year-old trees
still stand.
Queen Charlotte resident Bill
Broadhead sees an opportunity
to put Haida Gwaii on the map for
mountain biking, too. “My dream is to
build a trail network like Pidherny in
Prince George,” says the -year-old
rider, referring to the -km network
of mountain biking and hiking
trails that were developed through
joint investment by several levels
of government, in partnership with
the Prince George Cycling Club and
a local trail association. “That’s what
we want to get here. Something that’s
advertisable.”
Broadhead is just at the start of his
journey, and he’s determined. He and
a group of friends have been tracking
down inactive logging roads that
could form the base of their network.
“The roads are overgrown with moss
and grass and packed down. Alders
have started growing. When you’re
on Google Earth, you’ll see these
bright electric-green strips.”
For Broadhead, turning scars on
the land into trails is one way of
creating more pure-bliss cycling
moments on Haida Gwaii, and
drawing more riders to the edge of
the world.
Details
When to go
July and August give you the best
weather and choice of activities. They
are also the busiest months on the
roads, but drivers tend to be respectful
and give cyclists plenty of space. If
you’re a music fan, try to time your
trip with the Edge of the World Music
Festival in August for a West Coast
hippie delight.
How to get there
There are regular flights between
Vancouver and Prince Rupert and the
Sandspit Airport on Moresby Island.
You can also fly into Masset, though
those flights are less frequent. Your
other option is to take the seven-hour
ferry from Prince Rupert. There are a
couple of places to rent bikes on the
island, but the selection is limited. If
you’re bringing your own bike, keep in
mind that there’s only one bike shop on
Haida Gwaii, in Masset.
Where to stay
There are a few first-come, first-served
campgrounds in Naikoon Provincial
Park. There are a range of B&B options
in the cities and bigger towns, including
poet Susan Musgrave’s Copper Beech
Guest House (copperbeechhouse.com)
up in Masset. For high-end accommo-
dations, try Haida House (haidahouse.
com) near Tlell.
Where to eat
Sandy’s Seafood Shack in Masset,
Blacktail Restaurant and Jags Beanstalk
( jagsbeanstalk.com) in Skidegate, and
the Ocean View Restaurant in Queen
Charlotte are all good options. For an
unforgettable dining experience, make
a reservation at Keenawaii’s Kitchen –
the Haida chef hosts guests in her
dining room for a long-table dinner of
traditional foods.
What to do off the bike
Try ocean kayaking in the bay near
Skidegate – you can rent kayaks from
Green Coast ( gckayaking.com). Hike
the Sleeping Beauty Trail. Visit the
many artists’ studios on the island. If
you have the time, plan an excursion
down to Gwaii Haanas National Park
Reserve with Haida Style Expeditions
(haidastyle.com).
cyclingmagazine.ca 13
 5 Foods to
Try in the
New Year
Bring these ingredients into your diet
to improve your health in 2020
by Matthew Kadey
f your diet has become as predictable as Sky/Ineos
I Tour de France wins, it might be time to make a New
Year’s resolution to shake up your shopping cart, not only
to excite your taste buds, but also to help you load up
on a greater bounty of nutrition to support your winter
training efforts. A study in the American Journal of Clinical
Nutrition found that individuals who presented ten-
dencies for food neophobia – a reluctance to try unfamiliar
foods – had overall lower quality diets and were at a
greater risk for certain health conditions, such as diabetes.
So take your menu off of repeat and smash out of a food rut
by welcoming these items into your diet.
Freekeh
Middle Eastern cuisine is trending, which means this
staple is surging in popularity. Freekeh (pronounced free-
kah) is a “green” version of wheat that is harvested while
still immature, then sun-dried and finally roasted for a
delicious smoky flavour and chewy bite. So think of it as
the bacon of the whole grain world. Nutritionally, freekeh
is a whole grain on steroids with more protein and twice
as much fibre ( g in ¼-cup dry serving) as quinoa. Is
also delivers the same vision-protecting antioxidant duo
lutein and zeaxanthin found in leafy greens.
In the kitchen Cook freekeh as you would other grains and
then use it in soups, stir-fries, pilafs, tabbouleh, salads and
veggie burgers. It can also be sprinkled over Greek yogurt to
upgrade snack time.
14 Canadian Cycling December 2019 & January 2020
THE SCENE
NUTRITION
Arctic Char
There are a boatload of reasons to
reel in this cold-water-loving
swimmer. Not only is Arctic char a
great source of muscle-sustaining
protein, but it’s also full of mega-
healthy omega- fatty acids. These
fats get a lot of press for their heart-
boosting powers, but research shows
omega-s can also help turn down
the dial on post-workout muscle pain.
Char’s flesh appears to be lower in
contaminants than some fish, such
as tuna, and is awarded a green light
on several sustainable seafood ad-
visory lists as an eco-friendly farmed
option. For the fish adverse, this
traditional protein staple of the Inuit
is less “fishy” tasting than salmon.
In the kitchen For the most part, any
recipe calling for salmon or trout will
work for char.
Black Lentils
Black lentils, also called beluga lentils
because of the whale caviar that they
resemble, have a fetching jet-black
skin. They are less earthy tasting
than more common green and brown
lentils. It’s not a stretch to call them
nutritional gold mines with high
amounts of plant protein (about  g in
each ¼-cup serving), fibre, vitamins,
minerals and the same type of potent
anthocyanin antioxidants found in
dark berries. Another advantage is
the cooking time of black lentils –
only  minutes in a pot of simmering
water until slightly tender. No
annoying presoak required.
In the kitchen Use cooked black lentils
in soups, salads, curries, grain bowls
and even as a taco stuffing.
Cacao Nibs
Think of cacao nibs as dark choco-
late’s healthier brother. The crunchy
gems are made by simply smashing
up roasted cocoa beans into little
nuggets that are about as close to
chocolate as Mother Nature intended.
Nutritional perks include plenty of
satiating fibre (a whopping  g in
just a -oz. serving), magnesium
and flavonoid antioxidants shown
to help shave down blood-pressure
numbers. Yes, cacao nibs contain
saturated fat, but it’s mostly in the
form of stearic acid, which does not
affect heart health negatively in
the same way that the saturated fat
present in beef and dairy does.
In the kitchen Eating cacao nibs is as
simple as scattering them over yogurt,
oatmeal and ice cream. They can also
be blended into post-ride smoothies.
Sunflower Butter
Yes, peanut and almond butter are
awesome, but perhaps it’s time to
spread the love. Made by grinding
up the seeds of the sun-worshiping
plant you so often see in Tour de
France coverage, sunflower butter
has an earthy, nutty flavour and a few
nutritional highlights worth noting.
Namely, it delivers  g of protein in
a -tablespoon serving, which is on
par with peanut butter. It’s a good
source of magnesium – an often
under-consumed mineral linked to a
lower risk for heart disease. Oh, and
crushed sunflower seeds also tend
to be more budget-friendly than
almond butter.
In the kitchen You can slather sunflower
butter on your morning toast, but also
try it in smoothies, sauces, salad dress-
ings and homemade energy foods, such
as bars and balls.
 Nutritional This past August, Verk participated
Information
in the Northern Pass charity ride,
For one cookie which raises funds for the Princess
Calories 123 Margaret Cancer Centre. Before the
event, she wasn’t sure if she’d take on
Carbs 19 g
the -km ride that looped through
Saturated Fat 2.3 g the Muskoka cottage country north
Fibre 0.7 g of Toronto, but she did complete the
century ride. Also this past summer,
Protein 2 g
Verk joined Cycle Toronto, an advo-
cacy group in the city. She was
particularly taken by the organiza-
tion’s support of some new cycling
infrastructure that could connect
the western suburbs with the east.
“When I learned about it, I joined the
committee,” she says. “I am volun-
teering my time because I think safer
roads in the greater Toronto area will
get more people out riding.”

Ingredients
2 cup (115 g) butter
 2 cups (200 g) sugar
 eggs
Karen Verk’s  g semi-sweet chocolate,
melted and cooled

Bake: Dessert Co.  ml espresso, brewed

 tsp coffee extract
 ¾ cups (460 g) all-purpose flour

Espresso Biscotti  tsp (10 g) baking powder

 tsp (5 g) salt
 g semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
¾ cup (110 g) almonds, chopped
¼ cup (15 g) espresso beans, chopped
by Matthew Pioro
Directions
Heat oven to 350 F.
A t the Tour de France this past July, Karen Verk was 1.
THE SCENE

struck by the specific modifications the pros had 2. Cream butter with sugar and eggs.
made to her company’s bikes. Michael Matthews, for 3. Beat in melted and cooled chocolate.
example, had a -mm-long stem on his Cervélo S. “It’s 4. Beat in brewed espresso and
pretty spectacular to be able to see the small changes
GUEST CHEF coffee extract.
that the pro riders make so the bikes perform even better,” 5. Sift flour, baking powder and salt
Verk says. “Anywhere they can save a watt or two is together. Add to mixture. Beat
significant to them.” Not long after, the executive project until well blended.
co-ordinator at Cervélo got an S of her own. She runs a 6. Mix in chopped chocolate, almonds
-mm-long stem. and chopped espresso beans.
Years before Verk came to Cervélo, she made sure 7. Divide the dough in half. Shape
things ran smoothly at a wholesale bakery in Toronto. into long rectangles, roughly
Verk, with her mother and brother, both trained pastry 3" wide and 2" high.
chefs, started Bake: Dessert Co. in . “I decided to Karen Verk,
8. Bake 20 to 30 minutes, or until
join them by running the office,” Verk says. “In my time right, with Team biscotti begins to brown on
there, I definitely baked every product that we put out, Sunweb rider the edges. Cool 10 minutes.
Lennard Kämna
even though I was in the office doing more operations 9. Cut logs into ¾" slices.
work.” Verk still bakes when she can find the time. At 10. Put slices back onto cookie sheet
the Toronto launch of the Cervélo PX this past March, Team Sunweb visited the “Cervélo bake for another 20 minutes.
the company kitchen was transformed into a café, which cafe.” Matthews was able to sample
included squares and cookies by Verk. Verk’s baking before heading off to
In September, there was a similar event. Members of win the Grand Prix Cycliste de Québec. Makes 42 cookies

cyclingmagazine.ca 15
 Rest Right that athletes don’t realize how tired
they are until they have rested for
a bit. You might think you aren’t
How to pick your breaks and that tired at the end of the year. But
get the most out of them after a week of rest – with easy
rides, hiking or other non-cycling
by Andrew Randell and Steve Neal activities – you suddenly become
of he Cycling Gym aware of the fatigue from the season,
even feeling that you probably need
another week of rest. Here’s a great
trick to prepare for this time of the
year: throughout the season, write
off-season break.
Think of your year-end rest, when-
ever that year-end may be, as a way
to replenish your energy for the
following season. Imagine a bucket of
water, full when you start the season.
Each time you train, you dip into the
bucket of water, the level dropping
as the season goes on. The different
types of rest help manage the water
level. The weekly and monthly rest
keep the bucket from being emptied

W e all love riding. We want to do

our best and be able to perform
well for as long as we can. To do so,
down the things you miss doing
that you want to do during your
too quickly. The seasonal rest allows
the bucket to be refilled in preparation

incorporating adequate rest into our

training is critical.
TRAINING

Rest happens in a few ways. On

a small scale, within each training TRAINING
week, you allow for adequate TIPS
recovery between workouts. Then
within each monthly block of
training, during a rest week, you
give yourself a chance to recover
and adapt to the training load you
just did. Finally, each year, there’s a
break between seasons.
At the weekly level, the rest is
really about maintaining the quality
of your workouts. For instance, you
need more rest after a VO workout
before doing your next quality ride.
In this case, rest doesn’t necessarily
mean a day off the bike. It does,
however, mean doing a workout,
such as one with an endurance focus,
that is appropriate for your recovery
needs and leg fatigue after a
hard workout.
Rest at the monthly level of the
training block is about adaptation.
We know that it is through resting
that the body is given a chance to
repair itself and adapt to the stresses
“You might think you for the coming year.
When you are planning how much
of the training. Despite this know- aren’t that tired at the end rest you should be taking, keep in
ledge, many of us avoid taking mind that the stresses of real life are
appropriate recovery time.
of the year. But after a just as tough on you as training and
When you look at your seasonal
training load, you can think of rest
week of rest – with easy need to be factored in. Remember to
give your mind a break, too. If you
as a reset button. The timing of your rides, hiking or other are tired mentally, then you won’t
reset is typically during part of be able to motivate yourself to train
the year when you don’t have any
non-cycling activities – appropriately.
goals on the horizon. If you don’t
race cyclocross, for example, then fall
you suddenly become Rest doesn’t necessarily mean
taking days off the bike: it means
is a good time to take it easy. You aware of the fatigue from managing your overall workload
can take a prolonged rest. What is properly by varying your riding
the season, realizing
Photo: Matt Stetson

appealing about a long rest is how
your perception of your fatigue level
changes as you really recover.
At the Cycling Gym, we often find
intensity as needed. Rest when the
that you probably need time is right, and your motivation to
ride will stay strong as your riding
another week of rest.” improves.

16 Canadian Cycling December 2019 & January 2020


Rachel Atherton on
Recovering from Injury
he ive-time DH world champion talks about
what it takes to get back on the bike
by Steve homas
R achel Atherton is one of the most successful female
downhill racers of the past decade. Unfortunately, DH
athletes often have to deal with injuries. Atherton faced a
debilitating illness in , seven shoulder surgeries and
a ruptured Achilles tendon this past July. Here what she’s
learned about wellness and recovery along this roller-
coaster of a trail she calls life.
You’ve had some really nasty crashes. How badly have
they damaged your body? What does it take to recover?
How do you handle going back mentally?
Injuries are a massive part of the sport. In , I collided
with a pickup truck during a training ride and dislocated
my shoulder so badly that I was out for more than a season.
I had seven operations before it was anywhere near being
fixed. To this day, it’s only about  per cent.
Photo: RedBull Content Pool
I found  was a hard year. I came off a perfect season
and a full two years of winning every race:  consecutive
World Cups and two world championships. I crashed out at
Fort William and dislocated my shoulder. There was a spec-
tator who I tried to get to put it back in, but he wouldn’t pull
it hard enough. I ended up standing
on my hand and doing it myself. Then,
it felt like as soon as I was back up to
speed, I broke my collarbone at the
world champs in Australia. That was
ridiculously painful.
I’m really lucky that I have great
team behind me, especially my
physio Doug Jones from Harris and
Ross and Nick Grantham who is my
strength and conditioning coach.
So, there is a very clear pathway to
TRAINING
TECHNIQUE

Rachel Atherton, UCI
DH World Cup, Vallnord,
Andorra, July 2019
“I try to use
negatives as
a springboard
for success.”
recovery: I just follow the steps, and
I know that I’ll be back in the game.
I’ve learned a lot about soft tissue
and treating myself with a ball, or a
plank of wood – anything to get into
those really sore places.
I try to use negatives as a spring-
board for success. When you’re going
into a race and you are coming back
from injury, or you’ve had a crash,
everything goes into it, all of your
focus, all your experience. And you
come out way faster.
You were sick a while back, and
you changed your diet and lifestyle.
Can you say more about that?
In , when I was so ill with a kind
of chronic fatigue, glandular fever-
type illness, it was actually way more
difficult than dealing with an injury
because the pathway wasn’t as clear.
I felt much more alone in my head.
It was difficult because, from the
outside, it looked like I was fully fit
and recovered. But I’d lost a lot of
muscle mass and a lot of fitness. It
was definitely a battle to get my head
back into racing, but acupuncture
was a massive help. I also completely
changed my outlook on nutrition.
I’m lucky that I live in a town with
a market every Wednesday. I buy all
organic vegetables every week. I eat
a lot of whole foods for healing and
completely exclude gluten and most
lactose. Most important, I’ve learned
to listen to my body and to be kind
to myself.
Have the setbacks ever had you
close to quitting?
Constantly. I want to quit all the time,
every time I get injured. I do worry
that I can’t really afford another
big injury at this stage of my life. In
the end, the need to race and to win
is stronger.
Racing has been my life since I was
-years-old. For me, it’s a big part of
my family life, too. The thought of not
racing – especially on our new own
brand of bikes – no.
cyclingmagazine.ca 17
Stick it to threaded hole. So, how do we prevent this?
To avoid creating excessive heat and friction, don’t use high-speed power
tools to install anything, especially stainless-steel fasteners. Also, lubricate.

Seized Bolts Anti-seize grease is your friend here. You can also use a light multi-purpose
grease if you don’t have the anti-seize stuff. Even using chain lube for wet
conditions is better than mating dry surfaces, but it will fade away after a few
Tricks for getting fasteners washes. You want to apply lube to cleat bolts, pedal threads, threaded bottom-
to twist again bracket cups and chainring bolts. Other bolts to grease are the ones on the stem,
seat clamp, crank, as well as the those mounting derailleurs. Make sure thru
axles and even quick-release skewer threads get treated.
Now what do you if you have a bolt that just won’t twist, such as a cleat bolt,
for example. Well, there are few things you can try. But first, use good tools.
Cheap Allen keys or ones that are worn and rounded can make matters worse
by Nick Di Cristofaro by rounding out the fastener head.
Use a sharp pick or razor blade to remove all the crud and dirt from where

W hile you probably struggle with email threads

more than the treads on a bolt, it’s important to
take care of the latter to keep your
your Allen key or screwdriver comes in contact with the fastener to get the
most grip with the tool. Spray the bolt with WD- or a good penetrating
lube. I prefer Red Stallion. You have to allow it to soak in
bike running properly. Those bolt for a few minutes before getting to work. This method
threads hold many parts on your can be used with any stuck nut or bolt.
TRAINING

machine. They can, however, seize Another tip: hit the bolt. You’d be amazed at what a little
up. But before you wrestle with a tap can do. After letting lube soak in, get a punch or pin
seized bolt, let’s talk prevention.
MAINTENANCE of appropriate size. With a hammer and the punch, give
Bolts and nuts often seize because the head of the bolt a moderate tap. An automatic spring-
of thread galling, which is sometimes called cold welding. loaded centre punch works great for most small fasteners on bicycles. The
Believe it or not, thread galling usually happens during strike breaks up the corrosion and allows the lube to penetrate better.
installation when pressure and friction cause bolt You can also use heat. You have to be smart with this. A propane torch works
threads to seize to the threads of the nut or within the great, but never take a flame to any carbon-fibre parts or any painted surface,

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 “Another tip:
hit the bolt.”
unless you don’t mind discoloration.
A little heat can go a long way with
regard to removing a stubborn bolt.
Even a heat gun or blow dryer can get
the job done.
If all of these tricks don’t get a
bolt to twist and you have rounded
the bolt head, you can try cutting.
You can turn an Allen head into a
slot head. Take a rotary tool, such
as a Dremel, and outfit it with a
cut-off wheel. Next, cut a small slit
in the head of the bolt. You can try
using a good flathead screwdriver
to remove the stubborn bolt. If this
trick fails, you’ll most likely need
to grind the bolt head off or drill it
out. These are very delicate proced-
ures and best left to an experienced
mechanic if you are not confident
with doing them yourself. Still, before
you got stuck, you did all you could
to get that seized bolt out.

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 PEDALLING
PIXELS
       -
     ,                     
                    ,        
                           
             .   ’     ,    .
by Dan Dakin
hen Jake Cullen decided to
W
switch his sport of choice
from sailing to cycling,
he ran into a significant
problem: a wet and cold West Coast
winter. In the last few months of
, Cullen found himself enrolled
in full-time studies at Simon Fraser
University and working part-time
at Vancouver’s Bicicletta bike shop.
He’d just come off his first season of
racing mostly Cat.  road events with
less-than-stellar results. Motivation
to train wasn’t a problem, but finding
daylight was – until a colleague
introduced him to the online training
platform Zwift. “I tried it and was
pumped right away because I found it
engaging,” he said. “It made training
feel a lot less like a chore and allowed
me to spend more time doing it. It
really changed the game for me.”
A group of four cycling fans in
the tech industry launched Zwift in
. The Long Beach, Calif.-based
company became a paid platform
in  and has seen massive year-
over-year growth ever since. While
most early adopters connected their
old-fashioned trainers to the soft-
ware using + power meters and
speed/cadence sensors, the rapid
rise of smart trainers – with their
built-in meters and sensors – has
20 Canadian Cycling December 2019 & January 2020
parallelled that of Zwift.

Leah horvilson
It’s not that the software was the
rides with Canyon/
first interactive cycling platform SRAM Team
offering multiplayer racing. The now

antique-looking I-Magic trainer from
horvilson with
Tacx, as well as the CompuTrainer, her oicial
offered some version of that experi- Zwift proile
ence more than a decade ago.
But why have we been seeing
such growth in recent years? Why is
your Strava feed littered with virtual
rides in the winter? (And they’re
there in the other three seasons,
too.) Call it a convergence of trainer,
video-game and mobile technology.
Think about it this way: the original
Tacx I-Magic was released in ,
three years before the first iPhone
came out. You needed a powerful
home computer to run the Tacx soft-
ware. Today, even an older iPhone
can handle the Zwift software. Or,
hook up a  Apple TV and run it
on any connected television.
The other driving force behind the
success of Zwift and its competitors,
such as Rouvy, Sufferfest, VirtuGo,
 Cycling and Bkool, is the rising
acceptance of online gaming as legit-
imate competition. People are now
paying big dollars to watch profes-
sional e-gaming teams compete
against each other and, in some
cases, video games are being used to
cyclingmagazine.ca 21
 identify real-world talent. Nissan partnered with Sony in would give it a go. I had friends who Applewood Garneau Cycling Team for
 to launch the GT Academy, which uses Gran Tourismo knew how much I used Zwift and  and acknowledges the role Zwift
on the PlayStation platform to identify potential race- were egging me on,” he said. had with his improved results. “Put it
car drivers. The program has worked, with many of What he didn’t know at the time this way, in one year I went from mid-
the winners signing professional racing contracts and was that Zwift had seen massive pack in Cat.  races to winning Cat.
competing in some of the world’s biggest series. growth since he had started using / races. Zwift played a major role
As Zwift grew quickly in , it also started a system the platform just a few months earlier. in that because I was doing maybe
for discovering fast riders. The company launched The second edition of the Academy one or two rides outside each week,
the first edition of Zwift Academy, an online talent- drew , women and , men but five or more rides indoors on the
identification competition for women in . “The GT from across the globe. trainer,” he said.
Academy was a huge inspiration for us,” said Kate Much to Cullen’s surprise, he Mark Ernsting, who signed Cullen
Veronneau, who has been at the helm of Zwift Academy made it to the semi-finals, finishing to ride with his DC Bank Pro Cycling
since the start. “Everyone thought we were a little in the top . On the road, he joined Team for , said the Zwift Academy
crazy four years ago when our  Eric Min said we can
do e-sports in Zwift. It was very risky. We had a lot of
naysayers and a lot of questioning press.”
But Zwift Academy was an instant hit. More than ,
women from  countries entered the combined training
program and competition, with U.S. rider Leah Thorvilson
winning it and signing a contract with Canyon/ for
. “We all know that with cycling, the best riders are
not on bikes yet,” Veronneau said. “It’s one of those sports
in which athletes who come from other sports might not
even know they have the engines yet. Some countries do
a great job of identifying other opportunities for athletes
to see if they have the power or physiological ability for
other sports. Zwift Academy is like that, but accessible
to everybody.”
When Zwift announced its Academy would expand to
include men in , Jake Cullen was intrigued. He had
spent enough hours on the platform racing against others
to know he could hold his own. “In my head, I thought I

22 Canadian Cycling December 2019 & January 2020

 “It’s like a new
sport.. It’s not
going to replace
outdoor riding,
but it’s allowing
people to race
all over the
world and giving
them more
opportunities to
race and be seen.”
results factored into the contract decision, but it was far
from the only reason he signed the -year-old rider.
“We’re a development team, so I think it’s a good step-
ping stone and it gives a rider like Jake the opportunity to
develop further,” he said. The team principal acknowledges,
however, he wouldn’t have signed Cullen had he not spent a
couple of seasons learning the sport at lower levels. “We’ve
taken a few flyers on riders who have shown really promi-
nent physiology markers. We could tell right away that
they had a certain ability to excel,” Ernsting said. “But after
that point, it’s a matter of putting in the time to allow their
bodies to handle the demands of the sport.”
Since Cullen’s cohort, Zwift Academy has exploded
in popularity. More than , riders competed in ,
and that number nearly doubled to more than , in
. On the line each year are contracts with pro cycling
teams. Veronneau says the early fears that complete
newbies would be thrown into a pro peloton are far from
valid. “The program has gotten so big that we’re now
attracting riders with more racing backgrounds. So it
would be very hard for someone with no peloton experi-
ence to make it to the finals,” she said, adding that the
three finalists for each gender now compete for the top
spot at real-life training camps. “If they’re not comfort-
able riding handlebar to handlebar or descending,
they’re not going to make it,” she said.
Ernsting sees the platform as a talent-identification
tool on the same level as the ergometer competitions
that national rowing organizations use. “If you look at
countries that have led the world in rowing, they hold
erg competitions in key metropolitan areas across their
nations,” he said. “From there, they take that data and hold
camps to do more physiological testing on the individuals
to verify the data and add in things like V testing to see
if they could be transformed into world-class athletes.”
Ernsting says national cycling organizations could do
the same thing, using indoor cycling to identify talent and
then move them into a feeder system. “The feeder system
would teach them cycling etiquette and dynamics,” he
said. “From there, we’d see if they’d continue to progress
and move toward the highest levels of the sport.”
Aside from the Zwift Academy, which is aimed at
developing under- riders, racing on the platform is also
growing at a rate that far exceeds that of traditional road
or mountain bike racing. Zwift users can find races at a
variety of ability levels (categorized by power-to-weight
averages), at any time of the day or night. There are many
series and leagues, and some now offer prize money.
“It’s like a new sport,” Veronneau said. “It’s not going to
  replace outdoor riding, but it’s allowing people to race all
Team Wiggins - over the world and giving them more opportunities to
Le Col competes
in the irst race race and be seen.”
of the Zwift Kiss With bragging rights, cash purses and even real-world
Super League contracts on the line, the issue of cheating is never far
from London,
January 2019 from any conversation about virtual racing. Lie about
your height or weight and it could affect your virtual aero-
  dynamics (yes, that’s a thing) or your power-to-weight
Zwift in the home
ratio. In early October, Cameron Jeffers, who had won the
  first British Cycling e-racing championships in March,
he virtual was stripped of his title, fined and given a six-month
Zwift peloton
ban for his alleged manipulation of data to unlock better
in-game equipment. Some believe full-on hacking of
smart trainers could be the next frontier of e-cheating.
There’s also no drug testing.
But what online racing does offer up is data. And lots of
it. “The nice thing is riding and training is all so data driven,”
said Zwift spokesman Greg Fisher. “Zwift has a ton of data
cyclingmagazine.ca 23
 that riders put out in the game. If a
red flag pops up, it’s very easy to ask
a rider to produce other data to prove
or disprove the effort in the game. It
takes some analysis and communi-
cation, and is a lot of work, but it has
proven itself really effective.”
The policing is largely community-
driven. In late , a group of
Zwifters launched , the Zwift
Anti-Doping Agency. The informal
team would look at a superhuman
performance (such as someone who
regularly averages more than  W/kg
for long races) and do a deep dive
into the Zwifter’s real-world data
from services such as Strava to see
if there’s a history to back up the
virtual ride. As Zwift grew, however,
 got overwhelmed. In early ,
Zwift announced it was taking the
“agency” in-house, renaming it Zwift
Accuracy and Data Analysis.
For now,  is monitoring its
own major competitions, such as
the  Super League racing series
and national championships, auto-
matically verifying the data of the
podium and two random finishers.
“We’ve created this team that is
wholly responsible for trying to find
every loophole, and creating guide-
lines for data and what people have
to adhere to,” Veronneau said. “I
want everyone to feel very confident
that this is a fair competition.”
But not everyone believes enough
24 Canadian Cycling December 2019 & January 2020
is being done to stop cheaters. Frank
Garcia,  of Cycligent, a competing
e-sport platform, thinks electronic
doping is a far bigger problem than
anyone wants to admit. “From my
perspective, e-racing is broken on
all other platforms and will remain
broken for the foreseeable future,”
he said. By “all other” platforms, he
means those other than his own
cade, a virtual training and racing
platform his company brought to
market in  after initially working
alongside Zwift to offer a virtual-
racing league.
“This is one of the things that we
talked to Zwift about early on. We
were doing prize purses of ,.
The only thing we could think to end
cheating would be to have real-life
events. We hoped that would keep
people honest,” he said, referring to
“It’s more
Mar io Kar t
than Mario
Cipollini.”
   
 
S I MONE
BO I LARD
In September , Quebec City’s Simone
Boilard took bronze in the junior women’s
world championship road race in Innsbruck,
Austria. Roughly five months later, she won
in a virtual Innsbruck.
Boilard and three other teammates from
Sho-Air Twenty competed in Round 
of the Zwift Kiss Super League this past
February. It was set in Zwift’s Innsbruck
world on the Innsbruckring route. As with an
 race, the teammates worked together
by covering attacks and leading out sprints.
But unlike an  race, they could also use
power-ups. Boilard won the Zwfit race and
her teammate Erica Clevenger was third.
Afterwards, Boilard said, jokingly, that the
win was redemption for her third place at
worlds. She did, however, seriously enjoy
the virtual racing.
“I was super impressed by the format of
these races in the comfort of my own house,”
she said. “The Zwift races feel like real racing,
but shorter and harder. In fact, the effort
is really condensed. It gets you out of your
comfort zone right from the start. The biggest
difference with real racing is the power-ups,
but they add to the fun. It becomes not only
about watts, but also about strategies for
using your power-ups. That’s what’s nice
about Zwift: racing becomes a game.”
 a boring training session. cade is largely focused on
this area with the ability to steer around or jump over
obstacles, crash into other riders and use power-ups. If
you don’t have a bike and trainer, you can play the system
using a keyboard only. Even Zwift has gotten into gami-
fication with the launch of power-ups in training rides
such as a feather that reduces your weight by  kg for
 seconds or extra drafting or aero abilities. It’s more
Mario Kart than Mario Cipollini.
Veronneau said Zwifters will see more gamification
in the future. “Zwift is a video game at heart and we will
always have that aspect,” she said. “We’re still indoor
racing, and we’ll have a lot of fun with that in the next
couple of years.” At September’s Eurobike trade show,
Zwift debuted the ability to turn within its environment. At
the moment, you need a companion app running on your
smartphone. With your phone affixed to your handlebar,
events where competitors ride trainers in one room while the app and the phone’s accelerometer can send signals
an audience looks on. Garcia said riders would show up to to the virtual world when your turn your bars.
these real-world events significantly heavier than their The serious side of virtual racing is expanding, too. At
online profiles, and they were often producing far less the   road world championships in Yorkshire (not
power than when they rode at home. “We developed an coincidentally a course available in the Zwift platform),
additional set of rules that was like  pages long,” he said. officials from Zwift and the  announced the first-ever
cade’s answer to the e-doping issue is what Garcia cycling e-sports world championships to be held in .
calls physical equalization, a sort of handicapping system Riders will qualify through formal national champion-
that allows riders of all sizes and abilities to compete ship events.
directly against each other. “Physical equalization puts “As the governing body for the sport, we need to remain
you on a more level footing, but not an equal footing,” he open to technical innovations and change, and to remain
said. “Fatigue and fitness still matter. Training and endur- relevant to all audiences,” said  president David
ance still matter. It’s not just about one race; it’s about Lappartient. “Zwift is a platform that is enjoyed by people
performing consistently.” Garcia said the technology his of all ages and abilities. However, there is a particu-
company has developed allows the equalization system larly exciting opportunity through e-sports as we look
to be evolving constantly and changing so that a Cat.  to attract a younger audience to cycling. Together, we
rider, for example, could beat a Cat.  rider if the former is have an opportunity to support a fitter youth, through the
working harder in a given race. creation of a new sustainable sport.”
Another feature of the virtual environment is gamifica- The cheating issue received a small, but important
tion – making virtual racing more like a video game than mention in the world championship announcement with
the  and Zwift saying they would be working together

to develop a new  rulebook for cycling e-sports in the
For Round  of coming year.
the  Zwift While Zwift fights to hold its place as the market leader
Women's Kiss
Super League,
on the software side, the companies that manufacturer
four members of the trainers are jockeying for space. Indoor riding was a
Canyon/SRAM – big focus at Eurobike in September with new or updated
Tanja Erath,
Rotem Gafinovitz,
trainers from Kurt Kinetic, Elite, Saris, iiii and others.
Ella Harris and Tacx, Wahoo and Stages all debuted stationary bikes that
Alice Barnes – work with virtual worlds. They all have extra buttons,
raced at Canyon
Bicycles headquar-
usually built into the hoods. Each company hinted that the
ters in Koblenz, extra buttons would eventually connect to gamification
Germany features within Zwift.

“I love seeing how much Zwift has influenced the evolu-
Jacques tion of the technology,” said Veronneau. “The same way
Sauvagnargues the cycling industry has always worked to evolve and
works with his
Wiggins - Le Col
create more opportunities, the hardware development
teammates will just create more interest and opportunities for people
during Round  riding indoors.
of the Zwift Kiss
Super League
“It’s super exciting to think you can show what you’re
made of from your living room against some of the top
competitors in the world and we’ve been able to offer more
and more opportunities to do that.”

cyclingmagazine.ca 25
 
 
with kids
A 2,000-km trip down
the west coast of
Ireland is a challenge
for any cyclist.
Here’s how to tackle it
with young riders.
by Kevin Vallely
If you’re thinking about undertaking a big bike tour with
your kids and are frightened about everything that could
go wrong, then keep reading. This past summer, my wife,
Nicky, our two daughters, Arianna and Caitlin (age  and
), and I, were joined by our friends Dave Diebolt and
Brenda Ryujin and their two teens, Kai and Mika (age 
and ), on a ,-km ride down the wild rugged west
coast of Ireland. The route we followed, called the Wild
Atlantic Way, is considered an epic journey for a trained
adult cyclist. For two families with young teens, who
often craved beach time rather than saddle time, the
journey was, speaking objectively, an exercise in crisis
management. We made it work and had a trip of a lifetime.
We followed these five simple rules to make it happen. If
you’re thinking of hitting the road with your kids, you
might want to consider them, too.
26 Canadian Cycling December 2019 & January 2020
Bring your own bikes
IF YOU’RE RIDING long distances
across multiple days, particularly
with kids, do it aboard machines
you’re comfortable with and not ones
that you’ve mounted for the first time
at the start of the trip. Using your
own bikes will allow you to address
issues before you start. I can guar-
antee you, there will be a lot of them.
Who’s going to carry that? What are
the kids going to carry? They don’t
want to carry anything. How heavy
can I load that rear rack before the
bike starts to wobble out? Does it
matter if we exceed the weight limit
on the trailer? Discs or rim brakes?
Flats or clipless? Road kit or moun-
tain bike kit? The list goes on and
on. The only way to figure it all out
is to ride the equipment. If you do
it beforehand, you won’t be doing it
when the kids are asking, “How much
farther!? I’m tired!”
The roads in Ireland are very
different from what we’re used to.
They’re routinely uneven, scratchy
surfaces akin to pea gravel spread
atop a layer of tar and then let to set.
In North America, it’s chip seal. In
RULE 1
Ireland, it’s chip seal’s tougher rural
cousin. Think of crunchy peanut
butter spread over hard toast. Some
of it is smooth, some of it is bare and
lots of it is jagged. It’s rough and sharp
and wears tires like a belt sander. We
knew this before going and chose
our bikes accordingly. Dave rode a
Felt FX cyclocross bike. The kids had
Felt road bikes with beefy tires. Nicky
and I rode Norcos, a ’cross and gravel
bike, respectively. Brenda had the
new titanium Knolly Cache, a super
lightweight gravel bike, and had us
all jealous for the duration of the trip.
Depending on the airline you
choose, travelling with your bike
can be very straightforward and
not particularly expensive. Do some
research before you purchase your
tickets. We headed over to our local
bike shop and picked up all the card-
board bike boxes we needed for free.
Not only do they easily accommodate
your bikes, but you can also pack
in other odds and ends you need to
bring, such as tents, sleeping bags,
stoves and the like. Bring your own
bike. You won’t regret it.

You’ll move slow, just accept it
IN IRELAND We discovered that
comfort is everything and easy gears
are a must. That may seem obvious,
but if you come from any sort of
racing background like I do, your
instinct drifts toward aerodynamics
and a need for speed. This instinct
will mess with your trip. You won’t be
moving fast, certainly not with kids.
You will also end up carrying more
weight than you anticipated. Why
not slow down, enjoy the ride and
have that granny gear, just in case? I
learned this lesson the hard way.
All of our bikes were heavily
loaded, the adults’ bikes that is, with
Dave and I hauling trailers with large
waterproof gear bags atop them,
stuffed to bursting. These exquisite
devices of torture allowed us to carry
more than  kg of gear and proved
themselves as superbly functional as
RULE 2
they were pain inducing.
Ireland isn’t considered a moun-
tainous country, but what it lacks in
sheer geographical enormity is made
up amply with undulant quantity. The
hills never end. Road grades of  per
cent or more are common and, on the
numerous roads we ascended, are
unrelenting. The pass through the Gap
of Mamore had an average grade of
. per cent with a long cruel section
of  per cent at its summit that made
for moments of deep existential
questioning at the end. I didn’t have
a dinner-plate granny gear and paid
the price. When I rolled to a stop at the
summit my breathing was like that
of an Everest summiter in a perilous
state of hypoxia. “I’ve never seen you
look so exhausted,” said Brenda, only
after I had safely exited my proverbial
death zone. Bring a granny gear.
RULE 3
Noodle it up
YOU COULD HEAR the roar of the engine as the tiny red car
careened around the corner. There was no deceleration as it
came toward us. The driver’s face, like that of an assassin,
was steely and indifferent, and seemed to revel in this
game of chicken. There was no winning for us on this tiny
road. We tucked in tightly as the vehicle blasted past. Inside,
at the wheel, was a woman, likely in her s. She raised a
finger from the steering wheel in an apathetic acknowledg-
ment. I instinctively smiled and nodded back and thought
to myself, maybe she’s not so bad after all. I only realized
later that I hadn’t seen what finger she had raised.
Drivers in Ireland drive fast. I’m not aware of an Irish
car racing pedigree but, damn it, there could easily be one.
Speed limits of  km/h on tiny winding roads seem to be
more a challenge than a limit. Signs in Irish seem to cry
out in encouragement. Go mall is written on signs every-
where. Say it out loud: “Go mall!” What does that mean to
you? “Faster,” maybe? Or “come on now, quicker, quicker!”
possibly? Or “go, go, go!” at the very least? Well, in Irish, it
means slow. Or so they say. I don’t believe it.
But, not everyone in Ireland is moving fast. The lead-footed
majority occasionally needs to deal with a more inert minority.
There are slow moving tourists, slower moving tractors and
even slower moving cows, and, of course, us to deal with.
Motorists have to find the right moment to pass. The tiny
roads that trace the coast of Ireland are rarely straight and
cyclingmagazine.ca 27
 force drivers to make assertive, if not
impulsive, manoeuvres to negotiate
the slower moving. How do cyclists
dissuade such behaviour? With a
pool noodle, of course.
You read that right, a pool noodle –
a cylindrical piece of buoyant poly-
ethylene foam useful when learning
to swim, for floating and for aquatic
exercise. It’s also invaluable at
keeping aggressive drivers at a
distance. Dave rode at the back of
our crew and I took to the front. We
had both affixed a bright pink pool
noodle to the rear of our trailers. They
extended out into our lane adding
an extra metre to our girth. The pink
noodle, to the passing driver, pres-
ents an object to manoeuvre around.
The fact that it’s a piece of bend-
able foam doesn’t seem to matter.
It’s part of our bike and needs to be
avoided. What the pool noodle does
is create an imaginary box around
our group. The imaginary box intro-
duced a significant layer of doubt to
the passing driver and encouraged
an added level of care. As a cycling
tourist, the  pool noodle will be the
best investment you will ever make
for staying safe on the road. Don’t
leave home without it.
28 Canadian Cycling December 2019 & January 2020
RULE 4
Create a
detailed route
beforehand
(and expect to change it
a lot when you’re out there)
ESTABLISH A TRIP itinerary before
you go and establish mileage objec-
tives you’d like to hit, sights you’d
like to see and places you’d like to
stop at. Be thorough and exacting
with the planning. Once you’re out
there, adjust the plan, often. “Why
go to the bother of figuring it all out
in the first place if you’re going to
change it anyway?” you might ask.
Well, because planning before you
go immerses you in the route and
acquaints you with the options you
may weigh when you’re out there.
Certain sections of road may prove
hillier or busier than you had antici-
pated. The weather may turn or you
may have a mechanical that needs
addressing or someone might come
down with a stomach bug. Whatever
happens, being familiar with the
route will give you the confidence to
adjust your plans easily on the fly.
The bulk of the Wild Atlantic Way
route in Ireland is on so-called R or
L roads that are generally quiet and
free of fast-moving traffic but occasionally it slips onto
the more arterial N roads that criss-cross the country.
N roads are often no wider than their rural counterparts
yet need to accommodate a much higher traffic volume
that includes trucks, buses and RVs. There’s rarely a
shoulder to ride upon. When we found ourselves riding on
one of these N roads, we felt very vulnerable.
The Ring of Kerry is a peninsula that extends out into
the Atlantic on Ireland’s southwest corner. The road that
follows its perimeter is the N, a dreaded N road, with
enormous amounts of traffic on it. There were no R or L
roads for us to take. Rather than risk our lives facing down
speed-crazed drivers for two days, we adjusted our route
on the fly and cut across the peninsula. We rode the Gap of
Dunloe instead. In my research before we left, I discovered
this route and now, under the circumstances, jumped at
using it immediately.
The Gap of Dunloe is a narrow road that punches
its way through the imposing mountain range that
runs down the spine of the Kerry Peninsula, which
includes Carrauntoohil, Ireland’s tallest peak. The road
is a magical wandering that links tiny mountain tarns
up through a labyrinth of towering cliffs and walls of
green. It unfolds like a vision in a fairy tale’s dreamscape
coming to life.
Over the course of our cycling adventure, I carried my
daughter Arianna’s violin atop my trailer in hopes that
she’d play it. She’s a member of North Vancouver’s North
Shore Celtic Ensemble and has a quiver of Irish songs at
her disposal. Our hope had been that she’d join a trad-
itional Irish musical jam at some point on the journey
and get a feel for a true trad session in its element. But
this never materialized. At this point in our journey, after
hauling this considerably awkward and bulky item for
more than , km on the road, I’d come to regret my deci-
sion to bring it in the first place. But there, on a small rocky
outcrop, Arianna took out her violin and began to play the
traditional Celtic ballad of The Gap of Dunloe on the Gap of
Dunloe. The sound of her violin pierced the pristine silence
with only the gurgle of a mountain stream as her accom-
paniment. The moment was an enchanting interlude that
revealed the potential delight of adjusting on the fly.

RULE 5
Push hard but
be f lexible
THE YOUNG FRENCHMAN we met at the viewpoint over
the Doolough Valley, County Mayo, said, “You don’t come
to Ireland for sunny skies, do you? You come for other
reasons.”
Bicycle touring with kids is bloody hard and can be
downright demoralizing at times. But it also touches on
something else, something more meaningful, something
more transcendent. As adults, we’re able to rationalize
ourselves through the difficult times on a journey. When
you have your kids with you, it can be more challenging.
In tackling the Wild Atlantic Way as two families, we knew
we’d have to push our kids through some difficult times. We
knew that by pushing them they’d become stronger, more
capable and, ultimately, more empowered young adults.
By facing uncertainty, discomfort and struggle, we believe
our children will discover their own capacity to cope and, in
the end, we hope, will become more resilient. But here lies
“In tackling the
Wild Atlantic Way,
we knew we’d
have to push our
kids through some
difficult times.
We knew that
by pushing them
they’d become
stronger, more
capable and,
ultimately, more
empowered
young adults.”
our parental balancing act: we need to
push our kids to get stronger, allowing
them to bend just far enough that they
rebound tougher, but not so far that
they crack and break. Where this frac-
ture line lies is always on our mind.
Our intent was to camp for most
of our journey on the Wild Atlantic
Way. Out there we decided, when
we faced exceptionally hard days in
the saddle, to stay in guest houses
instead. We elected to stay at the
surfside Rougey Hostel in Bundoran
after being thrashed by a storm that
hit us in Killybegs. We nestled into
the -year-old Beach Bar and B&B
at Aughris Head in County Sligo after
being lashed by driving wind and
rain through County Leitrim, and
we huddled up at McCarthy’s Guest
House in Westport after riding  km
through nothing short of a tempest
in Sligo. “But those are the days
you’ll remember,” said Geraldine, the
hostess at McCarthy’s. “You’re seeing
more of Ireland than I ever have.”
Managing your children’s rolling
emotions on a bike-touring journey
will be the biggest challenge you’ll
face. Push hard but know when to
back off.
Riding Ireland’s Wild Atlantic
Way was not a leisurely spin, but an
arduous physical challenge through a
wild and unpredictable environment.
We saw the best, and occasionally
the worst, that Ireland had to offer. It
tested us, pushed us and forced us
to see and experience things a little
differently than we’d planned. It
dished out heaping loads of Type  fun
that, at times, had us questioning why
we chose to come in the first place. In
the end, we came away gobsmacked.
Ireland was enchanting.
There were times when we were
focused on getting somewhere only
to have a herd of cows emerge onto
the road, stare at us with empty
indifference and saunter along in
front of us for as long as they bloody
well wanted to. We discovered that
tomorrow’s forecast was never
correct, but always included wind,
rain, clouds and sun in some com-
bination. We noticed that hills were
always steeper than they said and
that the road surface, at times, would
shred a truck tire.
There were moments when the
rain stopped, and the sun peeked
out to reveal a landscape so green
that the colour took on a completely
new meaning. We found ourselves
skirting a coastline that ended so
sharply that it felt like riding on the
roof edge of a building with its stone-
faced facade plunging hundreds of
feet down to the broiling ocean below.
We met a nation of people who simply
wanted to receive you, find out “how
yee were?” and pass the time of day
through lazy chat.
Cycle touring with kids is defin-
itely not for the faint of heart, but for
those who have the appetite to face
the grumblings of worn-out young-
sters (and oldsters) and to embrace
the unexpected at every turn, jour-
neying with your kids by bike is
guaranteed to be a trip of a lifetime.
cyclingmagazine.ca 29
 Your 2020
Cycling
Makeover

Image: Guy Parsons

30 Canadian Cycling December 2019 & January 2020

cyclingmagazine.ca 31
32 Canadian Cycling December 2019 & January 2020
 Makeover your mindset
Write your mantra for the year
“Find a statement that’s easy for you to call to mind, one
that makes you feel awesome, one that’s going to start
something great in your mind. That’s what your mantra
should be,” says sports consultant Traci Stanard. For
example, professional mountain biker Rebecca Rusch has
been telling herself “I can, I will, I will not be denied,” since
she was a teenager. Take your  mantra to the next
level by printing it on a vinyl sticker and placing it on your
bike’s top tube so you’re reminded of it every time you ride.
Keep a daily gratitude journal
Take your training log to the next level by adding a line
about one thing you’re grateful for today after making
notes about your workout. Expressing gratitude can make
you healthier, less stressed, and even help you make
new friends. Stacking the habit of writing a gratitude
journal on top of recording your training log can make it a
much easier habit to adapt. “That small accomplishment
of listing something every day can be really powerful,”
says Stanard. “The reason a habit like making a bed every
morning is great is because it gives you a small win right
away. The same is true of a daily journal like this.”
“Rebecca Rusch has
been telling herself
‘I can, I will, I will
not be denied.’”
“Make 
the year you
fi nd your
Zen side.”
Meditate
You probably don’t need to hear, yet again, about the many
benefits of meditation: decreased stress, reduced anxiety
and even modified brain patterns that can improve your
attention span. Despite all the benefits – and lack of any
negative side effects – most people have a hard time
committing to the process. Make  the year you find
your Zen side, whether you spend five minutes in the
morning with a free app, such as Oak, that plays gentle
white noise in the background, or you spend  minutes
a day practising in complete silence, or you just pause for
 slow, deep breaths during your lunch break. Learning
how to meditate before things get stressful can help when
you’re getting freaked out on race day.
cyclingmagazine.ca 33
34 Canadian Cycling December 2019 & January 2020
Makeover your bike love
Try a new race
Not feeling excited about race season?
You don’t have to switch sports, just sign
up for a new style of race. Road racer
Robert Gutgesell’s specialty was the
time trial – spending hours every week
practising specific wattages for specific times in straight
lines on perfectly paved roads. After years of road racing
at a high level and of maintaining the necessary commit-
ment to his sport, he was getting worn down. On a whim, he
signed up for a gravel race, and everything changed. “The
gravel courses are way more fun,” he says. “After years of
racing around a small circuit, long, interesting gravel roads
were such a great change and challenge.”

Put a big goal on the calendar early

Find a bucket-list event that piques
your interest. Maybe it’s something as
big as the BC Bike Race or Singletrack 
stage races, maybe it’s an early season
gravel race, maybe it’s a cycling tour in
Spain or Italy or maybe it’s just a goal of riding  miles
in April with a group of friends. Find a goal that’s just a
little bit scary and involves a commitment of time and/
or money, and put it on the calendar. Having a big goal or
an event that sounds exciting on the calendar will keep
you on the trainer or outside cross-training instead of
huddling inside and binge-watching a series on Netflix.
“It’s very motivating to have an event to look forward to
during the depths of winter,” says Kate Sparling-Holmes,
who puts the Roam women’s cycling festival on her
calendar for May every year. Having that early-season
event makes it easier to stay on track with training even
when the days are short and the nights are long.
Try something completely different
If you’re feeling meh about racing this season, try swap-
ping racing for adventure. That might mean switching
from cyclocross to gravel racing, shifting from cross
country mountain biking to enduro, or road racing to bike-
“Find a goal that’s just a packing. “I had a couple pretty bad crashes on the road,
and I was getting tired of travelling across the country to

little bit scary and involves race a couple times for an hour or two at a time,” Gutgesell
says. “That made me shift my perspective: I didn’t want to
race in a professional capacity anymore. It started to feel
a commitment of time like the downsides outweighed the fun. I started riding
more gravel at home and realized I loved the training. I

and/or money, and put it could mountain bike, I could run, I could explore new roads
and it was all part of race prep.” Look for the more adven-
turous and less competition-focused version of the style
on the calendar.” of racing that you once loved.

cyclingmagazine.ca 35
RECOVERY IS YOUR EDGE
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 GEAR

Holiday
Gift
Guide

Road
Fara Cycling F|Disc p.38
Trek Domane Slr 7 p.39

Trail
Scott Ransom 920 p.40
Trek Top Fuel p.41

Gift Guide
Amazing presents and stocking
stuffers for every type of rider p.42

In Depth
Trainers p.54
Photo: Hiep Vu

Shimano GrX groupset p.56

Liv Pique Advanced Pro 29 0 p.58

cyclingmagazine.ca 37
 Fara reviewed by Matthew Pioro Fara Cycling F|Disc (as tested)

Components SRAM Red eTap AXS

Cycling I n July, I was on a ride that featured some jamming on gravel

roads, a double helping of pastries and good conversations –
a perfect summer outing. It was well matched to Fara Cycling
Wheels 303 Firecrest carbon
clincher tubeless disc brake

Sizes (cm) 48, 51, 54, 56, 58

F|Disc bike I was testing. You might ask, though, isn’t that type

F|Disc of summer ride that all bikes are for? Sure. But they’re not
always positioned that way. Some are designed for winning
races. Some are designed for tackling the bumpiest surfaces
Price $2,999 (frameset
and seatpost)

Website blacksmithcycle.com
A frame from a Norway- you can find. Some are made specifically to carry you to the
based company for top of a mountain pass. The F|Disc – it has its own vibe. company, with providing some of the
When I test bikes, I try to get beyond a company’s marketing. inspiration for Fara.
roaming or racing It’s not that I don’t believe a company’s message, but it’s my “About four years ago, you could see
job to look at it and compare it with what I experience on the a transition from pro-race-oriented
bike. With Fara’s message, I was caught a little off guard by bikes and kit to products that were
just how straightforward it is. more fashion-inspired. Cycling in
Jeff Webb, from Huntsville, Ont., is the CeO of the Oslo, general was becoming more fashion
inspired,” he said. “The apparel industry
had taken that to heart, but the hard-
“People want emotional goods side had not yet responded to
connections with it. I use Rapha as category, but it could
be Rapha or Maap. If you look at the
their equipment.” rider who’s dressed in those brands,
he then goes into the garage and
there’s a flashy, yellow-and-green
bike. It doesn’t really match. People
want emotional connections with their
equipment, especially something you
spend that much money on.”
Webb often rides his Fara Cycling
rigs in Nordmarka, a vast forested area
just north of Oslo. A trip to Nordmarka
features pavement as you leave the city
and a lot of gravel through the woods. My
perfect summer ride on the Fara F|Disc
was as Nordmarka as I can get leaving
from my home in Toronto. During the
past five months, I’ve also taken the bike
to other parts of the province on main
highways and back roads.
How did the bike handle? I outfitted
the carbon-fibre frame with full SraM
Red eTap aXS and Zipp 303 wheels
with 28-mm tubeless tires. The full rig
(including pedals and bottle cages) was
7.95 kg, pretty light and easy to take up
hills. I rode it in the Sea Otter Canada
Gran Fondo in July, where it was as lively
as the event itself. The bike was well-
ROAD balanced, cornering nicely and feeling
GEAR

TEST good when I was out of the saddle or

sprinting in the drops.
While Fara Cycling has a direct-to-
Norway-based Fara. He raced bikes as a kid and young consumer model in E.U. countries, the
adult in the late ’80s and early ’90s. He even landed on a bikes from the Norwegain company
French team for three years. After he stopped competing come to Canada via Blacksmith Cycle
Image: Matt Stetson

at a high level, he got into the sporting-goods field. About in Toronto. That shop sorted out my
four years ago, Webb and his partners started Fara Cycling. Fara bike with a SraM build, and it’s with
They wanted to sell the types of bikes they wanted to ride regret that I’m preparing to return that
directly to customers. Webb also credits Rapha, the clothing far-out frame.

38 Canadian Cycling December 2019 & January 2020

 ROAD

GEAR
TEST

Trek Domane SLR 7

Holes in the frame make for a better bike

reviewed by Matthew Pioro

A fter weeks of riding the Trek Domane Slr 7 on all kinds of surfaces, I spoke with
Anders Ahlberg, Trek road product marketing manager, who took me through
the bike’s IsoSpeed technology. It eases the effects of rough surfaces on a rider. I was
keeping me a little less rattled. I like the refinements of the
new system. My only quibble is that the top tube slider of the
new generation isn’t as easy to slide into place as the older
familiar with the previous generation of IsoSpeed and its slider on the seat tube. That model. That’s definitely not a showstopper, though. The slider
slider allowed you to tune the amount of flex you’d have at the seatpost and saddle. isn’t something you adjust often, once you’ve found a compli-
The design worked well for some riders, but not others. A larger rider, one who already ance setting you like.
puts more input into a frame, would get more compliance than a smaller rider could. The Domane Slr 7 comes with secret compartment. Push
The second-generation IsoSpeed simply didn’t scale well enough, Ahlberg said. a lever by down tube’s bottle-cage bolts, and a plate comes
For the third-generation of IsoSpeed, the model that was on the Domane I was away from the tube. Inside there’s a sleeve you can wrap your
testing, Trek reconfigured the system. The seatmast has an extension that you tire levers, CO2 cartridge and tube in. I took full advantage of
can see under the top tube. Mast and extension are all one piece, which resembles this feature because it keeps things looking neat and clean on
an L if you view it from the drive side of the bike. The “corner” of the L sits at the the outside of the bike. I was curious, though, about how the
top-tube/seatstay junction, connected hole affected the frame’s construction. “We did a bunch of
Trek Domane SLR 7
to the frame with a pivot. (The pivot is computer modelling for stiffness and laminate to make sure
behind the quadrilateral in the frame at Components Shimano Ultegra R8050 Di2 that the storage door was not a negative,” Ahlberg said. “We
the junction.) From the corner of the L, Wheels Bontrager Aeolus Pro 3V put quite a bit of work into exactly where that hole should be.
there’s a little tab that extends into the We tired to get it as big as possible, so you can get that flat-kit
Sizes (cm) 47, 50, 52, 54, 56, 58, 60, 62
seat tube. You can’t see this tab, but at bag in easily, but also as small as possible to not compromise
the back of the seat tube, you can twist Price $10,950 stiffness as much. We did have to add a little more laminate
a bolt that is affixed to tab. The bolt also Website trekbikes.com compared with a traditional bike to keep stiffness where we
adjusts an elastomer damper within. wanted it, but we knew the minimum amount of extra ma-
“With the damper, you can run a much higher compliance setting without it feeling terial to use to make it ride properly.”
Photo: Matt Stetson

bouncy,” Ahlberg said. You can also tune the ride with the slider on the underside of My outings on the bike were long and leisurely. (If you want
the top tube. Move the slider toward the head tube for a softer ride and toward the to race it, though, it would be capable.) I was impressed with
seat tube to firm things up. all the refinements to the Domane, which make it quite a
Out on the roads, both gravel and asphalt, the latest IsoSpeed did a great job refined ride.

cyclingmagazine.ca 39
 TRAIL
GEAR
TEST
Scott Ransom 920
Scott Components SRAM NX Eagle 12-speed
derailleur, trigger shifter
and 11-50 tooth cassette.
Ransom 920 Shimano MT520 four-
piston disc brakes with
200-mm-diameter front
and 180-mm-diameter
he enduro rig will help you rip down rear rotors
trails and climb up them well, too Suspension Fox 36 Float Performance
Air fork with 170 mm
of travel, custom FOX
Nude T EVOL shock with
reviewed by Matt Stetson 170 of travel
Wheels Syncros Revelstoke
have always enjoyed the Swiss engineering and attention to
I detail that Scott puts into its bikes. Often, it’s the first brand
to introduce new bike technologies or features to the market,
Sizes S, M, L, XL
Price $5,600
such as the inverted trunnion-type mounting of the shock,
Website micasport.com
introduced on the Scott Spark in 2016 and later the Genius
before also being used on the enduro-focused Ransom. I stay planted through rough sections. I
had a chance to ride the Spark when it first came out, so I was did have to play with the suspension
excited to try its bigger, longer-travel brother on the mild a bit to get it to feel balanced. I ended
steeps of Blue Mountain. up running a bit more pressure than
Out on the trail, the Ransom is a real brawler. With 170 mm recommended in the rear to keep the
of travel there isn’t much to complain about when it comes bike from sinking into its travel through
to pushing speeds going downhill, especially on the Ontario hard berms and corners. With extra
trails I was riding. The Ransom soaked up all the rocks and air in the shock, the bike felt more
roots I could throw at it and even saved me from a few poor balanced, but I feel like the real solution
line choices that may have seen me careening into the woods would be to try a piggyback shock, such
on a lesser bike. The Fox 36 fork kept me going in my intended as the Fox X2.
direction, while the rear shock did a good job of helping me For me, the standout feature of
the Ransom is the TwinLoc remote
and suspension. Scott’s proprietary
“It’s a real brawler.” TwinLoc system allows you to change
40 Canadian Cycling December 2019 & January 2020
the suspension dynamics with the flip
of a switch. Full open mode gives you
all 170 mm of plush track-eating travel;
the middle mode only offers the top 120
mm of travel in the rear and significantly
firms up the front. TwinLoc is a great
feature for technical climbs, where you
need the pedalling efficiency to keep
moving but also need a bit of travel
to soak up small bumps to maintain
momentum. The third setting is a full
lockout for all those fire-road climbs.
I ended up using the climb mode on
all but one of my ascents to the top of
Blue Mountain. The setting was able to
transform the bike from a big-travel
beast into a more tame and manage-
able climber. Not only was the TwinLoc
great for switching on and off for climbs,
it was convenient to switch quickly
into climb mode for flatter sections of
sprinting on enduro stages. The one
downfall of the TwinLoc is that it puts
your dropper-post remote on top of
the bars, which could be a deal breaker
for some. In enduro racing, where you
are usually going up or down, I see the
mounting as less of a hindrance. With a
price tag of $5,600, the bike may seem
a bit expensive for an aluminum-frame
machine. The Ransom, however, comes
packed with technology and features
that make it a bargain for the price.
 Trek
Top
Fuel
Head down country on this
quick and nimble bike
reviewed by Matt Stetson
he Top Fuel was once the pinnacle
T of Trek’s of dual-suspension cross
country racing bikes. It’s since been
replaced by the new and innova-
tive design of the Supercaliber. The
company, however, has kept the Top
Fuel in the line for 2020. So where does
this new model fit in? If you look at
its geometry chart, you can see simi-
larities with the Yeti SB100 and Intense
Sniper. Both are established bikes in the
Photo: Matt Stetson
“down country” category. I wanted to
see how the Trek compared with others
within this new breed of more aggres-
sive cross country race bikes.
Based on looks, the new 2020 Top Fuel appears more
of an XC race bike as opposed to a more aggressive trail
slayer. Full carbon everything, including very slight seatstays,
and stage racing – events in which you
need a light and efficient bike to pedal
for long distances, but also need to
means a medium-size frame comes in at a featherweight
2.5 kg. Paired with a full Xtr build and 29" Bontrager Kovee
XXX wheels, my test bike was hovering around 10 kg. I never
manage technical trails. A lot of gravity-
focused tech is spilling into cross
country bikes recently, which is great,
once complained about the bike while climbing, not only
because of the weight, but also because the rear suspension
has amazing small-bump performance. The Top Fuel eats up
but is sometimes a detriment to a
bike’s climbing abilities. It’s good to
see that Trek thinks balance is impor-
roots and rocks on climbs and even rewards you for standing tant for a bike meant to go up as much
up out of the saddle and powering over bigger obstacles. I as it’s meant to go down.
could lean really far forward without losing traction in the
Trek Top Fuel (as tested)
rear, which seems to be the Achilles heel of some bikes in the
same category. I suspect the slightly longer chainstays help Components Shimano XTR
with the bike’s climbing abilities. Many brands seem to have Suspension Fox Factory 34 fork with
been caught in a shorter-is-better competition to achieve 120 mm of travel, Fox Fox
the most compact chainstays. Trek and the Top Fuel have
reminded me that for those of us who climb as much as we
Performance Float with
120 mm of travel
descend, a little extra length out back really helps. Wheels Bontrager Kovee XXX
Boost TLR 29 MTB
One of the biggest changes with the new Top Fuel is its
geometry. Trek gave the bike a slacker front end to help Sizes S, M, M/L, L, XL
manage descents better and offer more stability at speed. Price $4,000 (frame, shock,
The bike certainly handles steep trails much better than the stem and headset only)
previous version and feels more composed ripping through Website trekbikes.com
fast sections of trail. When things start to get really rough,
though, the bike did tend to go through its rear travel rather
quickly. I felt like it took more effort to keep the bike online
in rough sections of trail when compared with similar bikes. TRAIL
GEAR
Those bikes, however, don’t climb as well as the Top Fuel does.
Where I think the Top Fuel really shines is in marathon
TEST
cyclingmagazine.ca 41
 Melding high-performance features
Project: with trippy graphics, the Bontrager XXX
LTD Mountain bike shoes A ($560, trek-

Give Great Stuff bikes.com) will help a cross country rider

Amazing presents and stocking stuffers
for every type of rider
If you are shopping for a cyclist on your list this holiday season
or want to influence the presents that might be coming your
way, check out this guide of great gift ideas. You can go high –
new wheels or a cycling getaway – and you can get cool
stocking stuffers – a sweet bell or colourful gloves. Start here,
make a list and check it twice.
or a cyclocross racer rip. The pattern is
called caMooflage. The bovine-themed
design from the Wisconsin-based
company, however, really does pop. The
lacing system keeps pressure off of the
top of the foot, while the sole provides
maximum stiffness. The Shimano XC5
shoes B ($220, bike.shimano.com) have
a grippy Michelin rubber outsole for
when they’re put into service off bike.
Each shoe has a Boa dial and hook-
and-loop strap to snug things up. It’s an
excellent pair for cross country races
and even gravel adventures.

A B

2019
GEAR

GIFT GUIDE
The super user-friendly  system for
swapping lenses is now on the trail with
the Smith Attack MTB glasses C ($290,
smithoptics.com). With two simple clicks,
a mountain biker can remove and reat-
tach the temples. This set comes with
two visibility-enhancing ChromaPop
lenses: one for sunny conditions and
one for low light.
C
Photos: Hiep Vu

42 Canadian Cycling December 2019 & January 2020

 E The Kryptonite Evolution Mini-9 D ($110, kryptonitelock.
com) is a refined u-lock with subtle but effective features.
Kryptonite’s double deadbolt helps to combat twist attacks.
The disc-style cylinder is drill-resistant. The Evolution Mini-
attaches to a bike with bracket that’s included. This lock, in a
way, is a gift for a bike that will make it feel secure.

The Abus 770A Smartx lock E ($370 for -mm length,

$390 for -mm length, abus.com) can make more noise
than a Christmas cracker. Would-be thieves are treated to a
-decibel alarm. Lock up or unlock with an iOS or Android
smartphone via the SmartX system. These new-school
elements work with classic hardened steel, which is used for
the shackle, the housing and the load-bearing parts of the
locking mechanism.
D

The
Christmas
Cross
Project
Since , the Christmas
Cross Project has been
helping Canadian
cyclocross racers get to
Europe to gain experience
competing against the
world’s best. The Canadians
spend most of the holiday
season abroad, away
from family and friends,
at events such as the
World Cups in Namur and

Jenn Jackson
Zolder, as well as races
part of the  Trophy
and Superprestige series.
In this gift guide, five
The first rider is Jenn Jackson, who won her first  C-level
event in Iowa this past September.
“Best cycling
cyclocross racers connected “Last year, when I was on the fence about going to race gift I’ve ever
with the Christmas Cross Christmas Cross, my parents helped make the decision by
received,
Photo: Matt Stetson

gifting me the flight to Belgium,” Jackson says. “It was a price-

Project discuss cycling-
related presents that have
less gift. It gave me the opportunity to race and was an extra
gesture that showed they really believed in me as a cyclist.
and probably
been important to them. “Best cycling gift I’ve ever received, and probably ever will.” ever will.”
cyclingmagazine.ca 43
 A

These two Campagnolo espresso

cups A ($60, campagnolo.com) make
quite the pair. Think about it: legendary
Italian component maker matched with
an Italian way of enjoying coffee. Bene !

Ring in the new year with a Giant

Cruiser bell B ($10, giant-bicycles.com).
The purple colour looks great, but so
do the black, blue, and red and blue
versions. Fits on bars from  to  mm
in diameter.

The Easton pit beer slingC ($20, easton

cycling.ca) (or insulated wizard stick

with strap) ensures riders have the
Photos: Hiep Vu

necessary canned hydration at events.

It can hold six -ml cans or four
-ml.

44 Canadian Cycling December 2019 & January 2020

 Pop a tab in your bidon before heading
D out, or while on a ride. A Nuun Sport tube
F ($10 each, nuuncanada.com) has 

tablets, each providing  calories,  g of

carbs,  mg of magnesium and  mg
of sodium. For the holidays, Skratch
Labs G ($27, ryekasport.com) has its
gift with purchase pack. There are four
bars, including the new raspberries and
lemon, and peanut butter and strawber-
ries. The fruit punch hydration mix is way,
F way tastier than a Christmas fruit cake.

Launched in early October, the GoPro

Hero 8 Black D ($530, ogc.ca) is the
latest iteration of the action camera. It
has improved stabilization and a new
night-lapse video setting. With addi-
tional mod kits, the camera can be
outfitted with a directional mic, flip-up
display or light.

A set of Hunt 36 UD Carbon Spoke

wheels E ($2,064, huntbikewheels.cc)
would make a massive transformation
to any road bike with rim brakes. The
hoops weigh a feathery , g. The
Hunt Sprint hub has  teeth on its
ratchet ring. Three pawls, each with
three teeth, grab the ratchet, which
then spins up the TaperLock UD carbon
spokes and filament-wound rim.

E
H

From Vermont, Untapped waffles H

(US$32 for a carton of , untapped.cc)

are delicious mid- or post-ride fuel.
The four tasty flavours include maple
(naturally), chai, raspberry and coffee.
The company will ship to Canada for
free if the order tops .

cyclingmagazine.ca 45
 The
Christmas
Cross
Project

Ruby West
In early , Ruby West, the national
under- cyclocross champion, finished
th at Grand Prix Sven Nys. It was the
kind of opportunity that the Christmas
Cross Project provides.
“I’ve certainly had my share of cycling-
related gifts over the years,” West says.
“One year, I got a new Tacx trainer and a
wheel with a trainer tire on it. The next
year, I got a set of rollers to train on.
Around Christmas time, it’s normally
something for indoor training because,
you know, Canadian winters.”

A Give the gift of comfort. Lizard Skins

DSP 2.5-mm-thick bar tape A ($60,
simbolpr.com) will lessen the effects of
road vibrations on hands and wrists. The
 cm of tape and plugs weigh  g.

The Syncros Tailor iS bottle cage B C

($70, micasport.com) combines the

maintenance of the rider and the bike.
The side-entry cage can be mounted to
take a bottle from the left or the right.
Behind the bottle is a multi-tool with
 items. There’s a chain tool, disc-pad
wedge, chain-link holder and bits for
various fasteners. The whole package
weighs roughly  g.
B

The Sugoi Women’s Zap bike jacket C

($200, sugoi.com) really lights up the
night. A micro-glass bead application
that seems like a mere design pattern
of dots and dashes actually reflects
a beam, increasing rider visibility. The
fabric is waterproof, while the seams
Photos: Matt Stetson, Hiep Vu

are taped to keep water at bay. A back

pocket with flap holds ride essentials.

46 Canadian Cycling December 2019 & January 2020

 The Lazer G1 D ($300, lazersport.com) debuted late this
past September. It’s the company’s new performance road
helmet. A size small G weighs in at  g. The Advanced
Rollsys system, with its roller at the top of the helmet, snugs
the helmet to a rider’s head. Twenty-two vents let air pass
through, but an Aeroshell cover can improve aerodynamics
by sending the wind up and around the helmet. The Bollé
Furo MIPS helmet E ($300,
$300 bolle.com) mixes protection and D

aerodynamics. The  liner helps to address rotational

forces that can affect a rider’s head in a crash. The vents and
truncated-airfoil design let air pass by smoothly when a rider
is pushing the pace at the front of a group or sprinting by.

This past September, the Norco Fluid FS 1 20 F ($2,899,

norco.com) hit the trails. It’s for riders from roughly seven-
to -years-old. The aluminum frame comes with a "
F Manitou J-Unit Expert Air fork with  mm of travel and
Fox Performance Float shock with  mm of travel. The JD
TransX Light Action dropper post works well for young riders
lighter than  kg. The Giant Pre G ($200, giant-bicycles.
com) is a classic balance bike that will get a proto-cyclist
stoked on riding. The tubes have been updated to give the
frame some sportier angles. A young rider will probably want
to rip the " wheels around the house while waiting for the
snow to clear outside.

H
G

Buzz Rack Scorpion H rack H ($359,

damourbicycle.com) is a hefty system
for hefty bikes. It can even carry
e-mountain bikes. When two machines
Photos: Hiep Vu

are mounted, a vehicle’s trunk is still

accessible; the rack’s tilt function can
angle the bikes out of the way.

cyclingmagazine.ca 47
 C For the rider who is still getting out
during the holiday season, there’s the
Giordana skull cap C ($43, unoimports.
com), ear cover ($33) and neck gaiter
($33). The designs are festive; the
Roubaix material means warmth.
A

For the fan to wants to watch pro

cycling, the Flobikes streaming service
D ($198/year, flobikes.com) is a must.

The company has secured the rights to

broadcast the Tour de France in Canada
from  to . There’s also cyclo-
cross, the Spring Classics, the Giro
d’Italia and the Vuelta a España, as well
as  and track events.

The Garmin Edge 830 A ($550($550, garmin.

com) has features for mountain bikers.
The head unit can tap into Trailforks’
database of trail maps to offer guid-
ance in the woods. It also keeps track of
metrics such as jump count, hang time,
what Garmin calls grit – the difficulty of
the ride – and flow, how smoothly you
rode the trail.

The Reggie Retro Trainer B ($180,

reggie.bike ) was inspired by the
sweaters that Reggie founder Jeff Wills
wore in Belgium, where he rode and
trained in . “We were in the age of
Lycra and hardshells, but we all trained
in wool jerseys on the cooler days, which
seemed like every day,” says the rider
from Port Hope, Ont. “The guys I rode
with all grew up racing in wool team
Photos: Hiep Vu

jerseys, so I was always trying to trade

for the coolest ones.” Now Wills makes a
very cool jersey for cool weather.

48 Canadian Cycling December 2019 & January 2020

 E F While the Racer E-Glove 3 E ($300,
racergloves.com) is from France, it
works great for the Canadian winter.
The heated gloves have a thermo-
regulator to keep hands warm without
cooking them. A Polymax membrane
keeps water out. There are even shock
absorbing pads if things get bumpy. The
Specialized Women’s Body Geometry
Dual-Gel long-finger gloves F ($70,
specialized.com) have synthetic suede
palms for great grip. The dual-gel
padding takes out some of the harsh-
ness of road vibrations. If a rider works
up a sweat, the soft fabric at the back
of the thumbs can take care of that.
The O’Neal Mayhem glove G ($57,
oneal.com) is a light piece of hand
protection for the mountain biker on
your list. The silicone on the palms
and fingertips add grip and braking
control. The synthetic leather palms
make the gloves durable. The graphics
are wicked, too. The Liv Signature LF
gloves H ($50, liv-cycling.com) are for
race day. They have a four-way stretch
on their backs for excellent fit and are
quite breathable. After the race, the Tip
Tech fingertips will let a rider check her
smartphone to see her results.

The
Christmas
Cross
Project
Gunnar Holmgren
The Christmas Cross Project has taken
Gunnar Holmgren to Europe on three
occasions: in –, – and
–. The junior and under- national
champion has done quite well across the
pond where he’s had a few top- results.
“I received a cookbook last year,”
Holmgren says. “It’s by Alan Murchison,
or Performance Chef, who is a cyclist
himself. The recipes are tailored to
cyclists, which is very helpful. Another
gift that I bring with me everywhere
Photo: Matt Stetson

is a windproof jacket that rolls up. It’s

perfect for when I’m riding in the spring
or fall since it’s so easy to carry and
adds so much warmth.”

cyclingmagazine.ca 49
 When it’s dark in December, give light.
The Bontrager Ion Elite R/Flare R
City set A ($177, trekbikes.com) will
brighten the way ahead and behind. The
Ion Elite R has five settings that can
cast  to , lumens in front of a
bike, with a maximum daytime visi-
bility of  km. The Flare R City sends
 lumens to the rear. Both can pair
with an + device, such as a Garmin
head unit. The sleek Fabric Lumabeam
B ($80, fabric.cc) can blast  lumens
from its sandblasted alloy body. Click
the on/off button some more to acti-
vate the four LEDs for either white or
red light. It’s versatile. Give two of them
to have a bike totally covered.
A sports star. Cycling and Cinema (Bruce Bennett, Goldsmiths
50 Canadian Cycling December 2019 & January 2020
B Training and Racing with a Power Meter (VeloPress) is the
latest edition of the work by training-with-power gurus
Hunter Allen, Andy Coggan and Stephen McGregor. It’s a
must for a rider hitting the trainer this winter. The Joy of
Cycling (Jackie Corley, Hatherleigh Press) is full of fantastic
quotes by famous folks (Robin Williams, Mark Twain, Michelle
Pfeiffer and many more) about bikes. It’s easy, breezy reading.
The Man and His Bike (Ebury) is a collection of writing by
Dutch journalist Wilfried de Jong. There are wonderful narra-
tives on getting and fixing a flat to a meeting and mediation
on Gino Bartali. For a work of cycling fiction, Road Warrior
(Vivian Meyer, Inanna) features a bike courier/amateur detec-
tive searching for a missing boy in Toronto. In With You by
Bike (Katrina Rosen, Rocky Mountain Books), a couple heads
on ,-km tour with the aim of rebuilding their marriage –
intense travel and intense relationship strengthening.
Higher Calling (Max Leonard, Yellow Jersey Press) tries to
answer the following question: why do road cyclists go to
the mountains? The World’s Fastest Man (Michael Kranish,
Scribner) is a biography of Major Taylor. Taylor, who raced
in the late s and early s, was the U.S.’s first black
Press) is a heady look at everyone’s favourite vehicle in
movies including Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid , Rad ,
Breaking Away and, E.T. Sunday in Hell (William Fotheringham,
Yellow Jersey Press) goes deep into the making of the Jørgen
Leth film, A Sunday in Hell , a documentary of the  Paris-
Roubaix. The book not only covers filmmaking but the riders
and state of pro cycling at the time.
Photos: Hiep Vu
 The
Christmas
Cross
Project
Sidney McGill
Sidney McGill, the  national under-
cyclocross champion, participated in
the CX Project in the – season.
“One of my top Christmas gifts I’ve
received was my first ever ‘real’ race
bike,” McGill says. “It was a Scott moun-
tain bike. It was snuck into the living
room in the middle of the night for a
special surprise the next morning. I had
just started racing bikes and was over
Photo: Matt Stetson

the moon to have a bike that didn’t

weigh  lb. and had clipless pedals. I
was ready to rock that next summer
with my brand new weapon!”

C D E For an -you-shouldn’t-have gift, give a cycling getaway,

Early in the fall, the Maxxis Rambler
tire C ($81, maxxis.com) in a c width
was released. In mountain bike-speak,
that’s a "-wide bit of rubber. The
blocky knobs on the Rambler will have
a drop-bar rider cruising over all kinds
of gravel. The Pirelli Scorpion MTB M
such as a trip with Correze Cycling Holidays F (correzecycling.
com). The company offers accommodation, food and guiding
in the Correze region, just to the west of the Massif Central.
The riding is based out of Espagnac, France. Prices range from
$1,160 for seven nights in the low season to $1,350 in the high
season. Stage  of the  Tour de France ends on Puy Mary,
a climb with an average grade of eight per cent and ramps of
 per cent. It’s also a staple on Correze Cycling rides. Really, if
you are giving this trip as a gift, you should probably go along,
too. Someone needs to take photos.
F

Lite tire D ($150 for  x ., sasquat-

chagency.com) is a do-it-all tread for
both dry and wet conditions that might
include hardpack and soft soil. The
Lite model is about  g, roughly
 g less than its non-Lite sibling. This
past summer saw the launch of the
new Schwalbe Pro One Tubeless Easy
tire E ($110 for c, schwalbe.com).
The company says it’s improved the
souplesse, or suppleness, of its flag-
ship road tread with multiple carcass
layers under the Addix Race compound.
The new Pirelli mountain bike tires are
geared toward various terrain types, not
mountain bike disciplines.

cyclingmagazine.ca 51
 C The VéloColour Tube and Tool Rocket
Pocket seat bag C ($78 for the
-mm model, velocolour.com) is an
elegant way to carry ride essentials.
It’s made in Toronto. Roughly  per
cent of its materials are produced in
North America. The side that presses
against the saddle rails is made of
A D Cordura for durability. The side
that faces outward is made of X-Pac
VX, which is good at shedding water
and mud. The Osprey Savu mountain
biking lumbar bottle pack D ($80,
osprey.com) keeps weight low and
around a rider’s waist. It can accommo-
date two water bottles on quick rides on
nearby singletrack. Recently, a bunch of
PRO Discover bags ( pro-bikegear.com)
were released for big rides on vari-
able surfaces. There’s the frame bag
E ($88), the seat bag F ($75) and bar/

bottle bag G ($48), which mounts on

the stem or bars. All bags are water-
proof, perfect for rides that get soggy.
Keep a laptop and a change of clothes
protected with the Specialized Base
Miles Stormproof backpack H ($225,
specialized.com ). The -l bag has
also been tested in Specialized’s wind
tunnel, so it should perform well in the
D
daily commuter criterium.

The Liv Energize Off-Road rain jacket

A ($200, liv-cycling.com) is for the
E
mountain biker who’s not afraid of a
little shower out on the trail. The jack-
F
et’s ProTextura fabric is breathable and
has a water-repellent finish. The hood
B can fit over a helmet. A rider can stow a
few of her essentials in the front pocket.

The Giant Clutch Crank B ($95, giant- G

bicycles.com) is a multi-tool that makes

excellent use of a gap in a bike. It fits in
any hollow-spindle , Shimano or
Praxis cranks. The multi-tool includes
.-, -, -, - and -mm Allen keys, a
T bit, a chain breaker, spare chain-
links storage and a spoke wrench.

H
Photos: Hiep Vu

52 Canadian Cycling December 2019 & January 2020

 The
Christmas
Cross
Project
Maghalie Rochette
Although Maghalie Rochette has a lot of
experience racing in Europe, she hasn’t
been a participant in the Christmas
Cross Project. She has, however, been
involved with Cycling Canada’s cyclo-
cross working group. Also, this past
fall, she launched her CX Fever neck
warmer ($25, maghalierochette.com).
“All the profits from the warmer go to
help Cyclocross Canada at Christmas
and worlds,” she says. That little boost
is important. Cyclocross, unlike road,
track,  and mountain bike, doesn’t
get any government funding because
it’s not an Olympic sport. Canadian
CX athletes have to find support from
other venues. So, if you give the CX
Fever neck warmer as a gift this season,
it’s actually two presents in one.

For someone who

needs to ride the
bumpy stuff, there’s
the Garneau Groad LS
jersey and Groad Grip
bib shorts I ($260 and
$295, garneau.com).
The bibs have storage
along each leg. The
jersey has three stan-
dard pockets and mesh
side pocket. Tethered
Photos: Hiep Vu, Matt Stetson

to the back is a bottle

opener, which, if you
think about it, shouldn’t
just be for gravel rides,
but all rides.

cyclingmagazine.ca 53
 Hardware for Going Virtual
Top smart trainers to take your winter riding to the next level

With these trainers, you don’t have to dread the pain cave. Well, you
might still dread the physical duress they can put you under, but
that’s all in the name of getting fitter. These trainers are easy to set
up and connect you to all the virtual distractions you could want
when you are cranking away in winter, whether those efforts are for
pixel podiums or for rides you plan to take outside in spring.

Elite Direto X
$1,199
elite-it.com
ith the Direto X, Elite continues
W to refine its line of direct-drive
trainers. With the previous Direto, the
trainer’s accuracy was +/-  per cent.
On the latest model, launched early
this past September, the company has
improved that figure to +/- . per cent.
Other numbers that look better are the
Direto X’s ability to simulate grades up
to  per cent (up  per cent on the old
model) and the , W of resistance
it can provide to really, really strong
riders. Unless you’re a track sprinter,
you probably don’t worry about the
latter figure much.
Setting up the Direto X was easy. I
merely had to attach the three feet to
the main unit. The trainer is tall with its
height of  cm. It has a wingspan of
 cm and is  cm from front to back.
For a direct-drive machine, it’s fairly
light at . kg. I attached a -mm
thru axle to the Direto, which was a
simple matter of slipping in the right
adapters beforehand. When I spun the
Direto up, it was very quiet.
Elite has its own app, My E-Training,
that connected with the trainer using
its QR code. With My E-Training, you can
run workouts and use the pedalling
analysis feature. These features,
however, require an additional
subscription. To tap into the
Direto’s smart technology,
I headed over to Watopia.
Connecting to Zwift via +
FE-C, the wireless protocol for
fitness equipment, was a breeze.
I did a few workouts in erg mode,
in which the trainer keeps you at a
specific resistance no matter your
gear or cadence. For workouts
with more subtle shifts in power across
intervals, the trainer worked well. When
I was facing a huge (for me) jump, say
from  W to  W and then back,
the power readings were quite vari-
able. I asked Gaetano Mercante, the
R&D electronic manager at Elite, about
this behaviour. He recommended using
easier gears for lower power rangers
and lower cadence ranges. This advice
helped. In my initial tests, I was big
ringing it. (Why not use some gear
combinations on the trainer that I don’t
use as much on the road? Use the whole
cassette, right?)
As for riding in Zwift in simulation
mode, the Direto X was great. It tracked
my power changes accurately, its re-
sistance always dialed. For racing and
going for broke on climbs, the Direto X
is your machine.—Matthew Pioro
Tacx Neo 2
$1,649
tacx.com
he Tacx Neo  was released late in
T . It has some impressive stats:
providing , W of resistance and
mimicking grades of  per cent. Also,
it features the ability to simulate rolling
down virtual descents. The Neo ’s
accuracy is posted as +/-  per cent.
It’s also quiet. Really quiet. Compared
with the original Neo, the  has added
features, such as pedal-stroke analysis
and left/right balance.
The machine has quite a bit of heft to
it, weighing in a . kg. With its fold-out
“wings,” it seems to have a big footprint,
however, it’s a reasonable  cm wide
and  cm from front to back. When the
wings are up, the Neo  is only  cm
wide making it stowable. Tacx trainers
don’t come with cassettes, so you have
to get out a chain whip and lockring tool
to put on a Shimano or  cassette.
The unit comes with a quick-release
and adaptors for  x  mm and  x
 mm axles. There’s a handy video that
will help you figure out the adaptors
in a few minutes. Budget a few more
minutes if you are the lemme-see-if-I-
can-figure-this-out-myself type.
Both erg and simulation modes, in
Zwift, work very well on the Neo . In the
former, the trainer switches between
interval intensities well and can adjust
for fluctuations in cadence. In the latter,
cruising through Zwift was smooth.
At this year’s Eurobike in September,

54 Canadian Cycling December 2019 & January 2020

I rode both the Neo  and the newest
Neo, the  T. (The latest version couldn’t
ship in time for testing.) The  T has a
few minor refinements on the Neo ,
but there was one significant change
that Tacx wanted me to experience. On
the Neo , a rider could cause some
slipping in the unit going from a slow IN
GEAR
cadence in a hard gear and then jumping DEPTH
into a sprint. When Tacx set me up on
their Neo  to try to make it slip, I didn’t
think a light climber-type like me could
do it. But I did. I couldn’t cause the same
slippage on the  T. Back in my home
pain cave, I tried to recreate the slip-
ping on the Neo  I had in for testing.
I couldn’t do it. Had I gotten weaker?
(Of course that was my first worry.) I
think the problem is common in Neo s,
but probably not for all, especially for
low-wattage types like me. The Neo
 remains a great option for training
throughout the winter.—MP
Also check out...
At Eurobike in early September, I spent a few minutes on
4iiii Fliiiight smart trainer ($700, iiii.com). It was familiar,
and yet very new. In May, the Cochrane, Alta.-based iiii
acquired the Kitchener, Ont.-based  Performance. I’ve
ridden two iterations of the orange  Zero trainer with
their magnet calipers creating resistance on alloy rims, so
I was excited to see how things would change at iiii. The
orange colour has been replaced with grey. I’ll miss the
orange. I won’t, however, miss the weights I had to attach to
my rear wheel. Because the  unit didn’t have a flywheel
to provide inertia and simulate road feel, you had to attach
weights in the rear spokes, which then made spins ups and
spin downs seem a bit more natural. The weights were
pretty tricky to get on and wouldn’t work with novel spoke
patterns such as the G on a set of Campagnolo Shamals. So
what’s changed? The calipers with their magnets now move
a whole lot more. When you are spinning down, they oscillate,
managing the resistance to simulate road feel. Ah, tech-
nology. It can be wonderful. I’m looking forward to getting on
a Fliiiight later this winter.—MP
Kurt Kinetic R1
$1,350
kur inetic.com
nyone who has ever red lined while sprinting out of
A the saddle indoors knows the frightening feeling when
the support legs of an old-school trainer start to lift off the
ground. It’s like the indoor version of a speed wobble.
Way back in , Kinetic introduced the Rock and Roll
trainer, which allowed riders to sway side to side as they
pedalled thanks to the base being separated from the wheel
roller with elastomers. That evolved into the Rock and Roll
Smart Control. Recently, Kinetic released the Kinetic R, which
combines natural movement with direct-drive technology.
The first hint of the Kinetic R’s robustness is the “two-
person lift” warning on the box. At . kg, including a . kg
flywheel, the trainer is not designed for easy transport, but
it provides a solid base with no concerns for tipping under
heavy loads.
While it’s fun showing the Rock and Roll technology to
cycling friends on “regular” trainers, the movement is more
beneficial for allowing a natural cycling motion than for
leaning left and right like a MotoGP star.
The R is fully Bluetooth and + compatible and works
with Kinetic’s own Fit app or any other indoor-cycling plat-
form that controls a smart trainer. It offers , W of
resistance with an accuracy of +/-  per cent and a maximum
slope of  per cent.
Even for a smart trainer newbie, setup of the R is fast and
uncomplicated. Riding the trainer is a blast. The direct-drive
system isn’t particularly loud and comes with the added
benefit of not launching bits of rubber against the walls
and floor like older, tire-on-roller trainers. The side-to-side
motion feels natural and makes time in the pain cave a little
easier to handle.
At , the Kinetic R isn’t cheap, but it’s in line with
other smart trainers on the market and comes with a lifetime
warranty on the frame, two years on the power unit and a free
six-month subscription to the Kinetic Fit app.—Dan Dakin
cyclingmagazine.ca 55
 Getting
Remote and
Just a Little
Rowdy
Various configurations of the
Shimano GRX groupset see action
in the wilds of Montana

by Daniel Walker

“W e have three people with bear spray on this ride.

Make sure you stay in sight of one of them,” warned
Shimano road brand manager Nick Legan during our pre-
ride briefing. During the ride, I found myself cruising down
the backside of Montana’s Whitefish Mountain with no one
around. My thoughts switched between, “Wow, this is a really
great place to ride,” and “Wow, this would be a great place for
a bear to jump out.” In a way, those ideas speak to what gravel
riding is all about: you push your comfort levels with the more
technical nature of the riding and often with remoteness of
the locations. You come across both those features when you
leave the asphalt.
Tapping into this spirit of adventure was one of Shimano’s
goals when the company released the  gravel groupset in
May. Gravel is not one type of riding; it’s specific to the local
geography. So, one rider’s  setup could be very different
from yours. If you want the widest range of gearing possible,
the groupset can accommodate with a -by chainring setup

“he gravel road we were

riding could probably be
more accurately described
as a goat track.”

PRO Discover Bags for Big Rides

Alongside its new gravel groupset, Shimano’s sister company
 components has added to its Discover line of bags with
a new small frame bag, a water-bottle bag and a smaller
saddle bag that will fit a tube, CO container and tire lever.
The new additions to the Discover range address issues with
smaller frame sizes and accessibility to hydration that can
sometimes be blocked by bike bags. The water-bottle bag
also comes in handy as a very easy-to-access bear-spray
holder for those more remote gravel epics.

56 Canadian Cycling December 2019 & January 2020

 IN

GEAR
DEPTH

and a - tooth cassette. If you’re more of a -by person, bar tops. With this extra, fully operational position on the bars, I could vary how I’d
Shimano now has an official configuration for that, using absorb the bumps and roots of the trail that we rode up. After climbing for more
its wide - or - tooth cassettes. I went with a single than  minutes, we were rewarded with stunning views of Montana’s tree-lined
-tooth ring with a - tooth cassette. But what did my mountain passes. It was only on the descent that I missed some of the top-end
colleagues at the media camp choose for their bikes? -by? gearing that a double chainring setup would have provided me. But if I’m being
-by? There was almost an equal split between riders with a honest, I probably wasn’t all that comfortable going any faster.
front derailleur and those who chose to forgo a front mech. After two days on the unbeaten paths of Montana, my biggest takeaway about
On Day  of gravel camp, the crew from Shimano took us on  was its versatility. I was impressed by how it adapted to the different riding
a multi-surface ride, a / mix of rough asphalt, forestry- styles of my companions and how each rider’s approach to building up the groupset
access roads and singletrack. It was an excellent route for was different. Yet whatever the rider’s preference, it could be managed by . That
testing the gravel-specific hood and shifter shapes of the adaptability and the groupset’s ergonomics that work so well on rough surfaces
groupset. If we had ridden the trails on mountain bikes, we mean you’ll be seeing a lot of bikes with  in the future.
would have found them relatively mild. On gravel bikes, the
rocky and sandy trails provided a nice challenge. The curved
top of the hoods helped to keep your hands from slipping
as you went through small sections of rocks or when you
slammed into an unexpected root. The pivot position of the
 brake lever was raised by  mm compared with the
company’s Dura-Ace and Ultegra hydraulic levers. At first, I
thought this change would be relatively inconsequential, but
in practice, it made a huge difference. Paired with the new
hood shape, one- or two-finger braking was no problem. My
hands were noticeably less fatigued than they normally would
be after similar trail sections.
Day  was more of a classic gravel ride with a big -km
climb up to almost , m of elevation kicking off the day.
With the climb peaking at an incline of  per cent, I def-
initely appreciated the wide gear range of the  setup. The
gravel road we were riding could probably be more accurately
described as a goat track. My bike had sub-brake levers, or
interrupter brakes, on the tops of my bars. They were paired
with auxiliary Di shifters just underneath, allowing me to
change gears with my thumbs as my hands rested on the

cyclingmagazine.ca 57
 predecessor (which I’ve also reviewed),

Rolling on the IN
this bike has been completely rebuilt.
At first glance, it’s easy to gloss over
GEAR

some of the key selling features – such

DEPTH
Big Wheels by Tara Nolan
as the internal cable routing or the Fox
Live Valve shock and fork – and zero in
on the bike’s rockstar paint job instead.

of the Pique I ’m steering my way down a rooty

descent, aiming to go high when
It’s called chameleon. In a certain light,
the bike is a shimmery purple. In other
conditions, it’s a definite blue.

Advanced I get to the berms and corner like a

champ in a group of women mountain
bikers from all over the world. My elec-
The full-carbon rig was designed for
fast XC racers and endurance riders.
Since I don’t fall into either category,

Pro 29 0
he new cross country machine
by Liv is at home on easy-going rips
and at world championship races
tronic suspension system has detected
said roots and has opened fully so I
can take advantage of the  mm of
I was curious whether I would notice
the more forward, aggressive angle for
climbing and whether it would affect
travel. On the subsequent climb, with my ride. Quite honestly, after having
its chorus of “thwacks,” as every- the bike set up based on my measure-
one’s .-mm-diameter, XC-specific ments, I felt like it was made for me.
dropper post goes back up and the
suspension automatically locks itself
out. I marvel at how it almost feels “I didn’t feel
as though I’m on an ebike as I propel
myself up the hill with ease.
nervous about
I’m at Kingdom Trails, a network any of the
in Vermont with more than  km of
sections, and
Photos: Robin O'Neill

routes, testing out the new Liv Pique

Advanced Pro  , the queen bee
in a new line of ers. While it may
I rode like
bear the same name as its  . I owned it.”
58 Canadian Cycling December 2019 & January 2020
 Sandra Walter, a World Cup XC
mountain bike racer for Team Canada
and Liv Racing, who does fall into
the fast-racer category, got the bike
in July. In early September, she raced
to her best-ever finish at a world
championships. She placed th at
Mont-Sainte-Anne. Walter says that
the bike made the course, which is
infamous for its technical challenges,
unforgiving climbs and intimidating
descents, feel easier. “Having big
wheels, amazing suspension, a dropper
post and a bike that is competitive
with other XC race duallies in terms of
weight changed that track for me,” she
says. “I didn’t feel nervous about any of
the sections, and I rode like I owned it.”
Liv’s F design philosophy guides all
of its builds and components. It features
data pertaining to women’s anatomy,
as well as feedback from athletes. comes with the Fox Live Valve, an on matching bikes. Even our guides from Kingdom Cycling and
The new Advanced Forged Composite electronic suspension system with Experiences, a local company that offers tours and instruc-
Technology upper rocker arm was sensors in the frame and both wheels tion, are kitted out.
designed for increased stiffness, dur- that monitor the terrain. Kingdom Trails, which is the sister network of Quebec’s
ability and lower weight to keep the bike On Day , the pitch detection of the Vallée Bras du Nord, offers the perfect suite of trails for this
lively. The   Composite wheels can Fox Live Valve ensures a smooth climb bike. There is a lot of climbing, but the rewards are fun down-
also handle aggressive XC riding. up Widow-Maker. On Pines, we come hills, like Tody’s Tour, Herb’s, Kitchel and Downtown, the latter
The wealth of research on women- across a precipitous, Flintstones-esque leading to a spot that sells maple creemees.
specific geometry led to frame sizes rock spine that leads to a bit of smooth Later, we laugh about how it is kind of like a summer camp
offered in extra small through large. trail, before the suspension opens so while we devour wood-oven-fired pizzas and beer (or cider)
Other standouts for me included the I can comfortably navigate a technical, behind Village Sport Shop Trailside, which overlooks the
comfort of the Liv Contact  Forward rooty turn in a descent for a photo op. bucolic countryside. We try to guess who won the  World
carbon saddle and the dialed standover “Are you girls in some type of camp?” Cup in Val di Sole and talk about the best places in the world
height in the medium-size rig. The question comes from a group of where we’ve ridden. Kingdom Trails definitely rank up there
Liv also worked closely with its ers as we ride by. We certainly look and they are perfectly matched with the bike – like a perfect
suspension partner. The model I rode official in our purple and black Liv kits food and wine pairing.

cyclingmagazine.ca 59
 Sending the Trails by Matthew Kadey

in the Land N orth Carolina’s Transylvania

County has become a highly
touted two-wheeled destination for
winter-weary Canadians, particu-

of Waterfalls larly those of us from Ontario. Many

Transylvania County’s forests hold many routes
for mountain biking and gravel riding
cyclists make the trip south for
some early spring training as the
lumpy terrain provides a perfect
playground for gaining some much-
needed fitness. This past April, a
quartet of us including my partner
Tabi Ferguson landed in the cycling

Pisgah
Nashville
Brevard
Charlotte

Atlanta
Charleston

60 Canadian Cycling December 2019 & January 2020

 DESTINATION
BREVARD,
NORTH
CAROLINA
hub of Brevard to spend a couple of
weeks riding the best dirt and gravel
the area has to offer.
More than  per cent of the coun-
ty’s land area in public ownership –
including sprawling Pisgah National
Forest and a section of the iconic Blue
Ridge Parkway – there are numerous
riding opportunities to satisfy the big
three cycling disciplines: road, gravel
and mountain. We stuffed our car
with both mountain and gravel bikes,
knowing that it wouldn’t be hard to
give both a good workout.
The Bracken Mountain Preserve
trail system near the Brevard Music
Center winds its way up and up, not
far from downtown Brevard. It’s
several kilometres of expertly built
dirt that left us impressed, if not a
bit breathless. From here, a predomi-
nantly downhill glide on a fire road
took us deeper into Pisgah National
Forest. Pisgah is home to roughly 
km of trails worthy of squishy bikes.
The mountain biking in Pisgah is
generally not for newbies. Many trails,
including Daniel Ridge, Squirrel Gap
and the notorious Black Mountain,
consist of steep, techy uphills and
Photos: Martin Lortz
rooty, rocky downhills that make
for a full-body workout. Black
diamond-rated trails back home are
positively fluffy compared with some
of this terrain. It’s a land dominated
by trail-oriented bikes with generous
suspension, but we revelled in the
challenge that our less-cushy XC
bikes demand of us. The hardtails in
our group might have been the only
ones around for many miles.
Beyond rugged si nglet rac k ,
Pisgah is also known for its thun-
dering waterfalls, including the
much Instagrammed Looking Glass
Falls. In the midst of a particu-
larly soggy spring, this and other
cascades were heavily swollen
resulting in misty vistas.
A surefire sign that this region
has gone bike crazy is that riders are
spoiled for choices when it comes to
local bike shops for any service needs.
In the Lumberyard cultural district of
downtown Brevard, Squatch Bikes
and Brews provided us with plenty of
trail intel. Staff also welcome all out-
of-towners to join in on the shop’s
twice-weekly club rides followed by
cold beer.
While Brevard has plenty for
mountain bikers, gravel grinders
are also in a dreamland of route
choices. We couldn’t get enough
of testing the unpaved climbs and
screaming descents in the forested
lands. A journey along Pisgah’s
lonely and rolling Yellow Gap Road
cyclingmagazine.ca 61

is flat-out exhilarating. In April, the canopy starts to
sprout green. The rushing streams are home to many
“Black diamond-
species of salamander, such as Blue Ridge dusky and
shovel-nosed. The back roads here are a bit chunkier
than those in our part of Ontario, calling for fatter rubber
and lower pressures. For our next visit, we made note of a
gravel road that appeared to wind its way up to the famed
Blue Ridge Parkway, likely a more adventurous option
than the much-used paved options. A brilliant multi-use
pathway that connects Brevard with Pisgah guided us
with some of
back home away from cars.
Of course, lightly trafficked, squirrelly asphalt that
knows no straight line is why roadies descend on this
region in droves. A climb up and over the mighty Ceasars
Head, just over the border in South Carolina, is a classic
with a / leaderboard saturated with Canadian
blood, sweat and tears.
In Brevard, riders have plenty of options for refuel-
ling. We often loaded up on inexpensive day-olds at the
Blue Ridge Bakery and looked for fresh nutrition from
the Transylvania farmers market, which runs every
Saturday, year-round. Magpie Meat and Three provides
necessary recovery calories in the form of smoky meats
and generous sides. The region has popped up a number of
breweries including UpCountry Brewing, making it easy
to say cheers to rides well done.
No sojourn to Brevard would be complete without
spending a day – or many – ripping around the bounty
of trails at nearby DuPont State Forest. This ,-acre
62 Canadian Cycling December 2019 & January 2020
outdoor playground is a leading fat-
tire destination in the eastern U.S.
Here, we were offered up a potpourri
of terrain to work with, ranging from
flowy singletrack to testing rocky
descents that required our utmost
attention. Overall, these forest trails
are a little more user-friendly than
those in Pisgah.
One of DuPont’s most enticing
rewards is the continuous  minutes
of perfectly bermed downhill of the
Hickory Mountain and Ridgeline
Trails. At the bottom, I wondered
if I had ever found more joy on a
saddle. If you tackle the bald granite
dome of Cedar Rock Trail, you’ll be
forgiven for thinking you’re riding
in Moab. The mossy, rocky summit
awards winded riders with wides-
creen views. Burnt Mountain, Mine
Mountain and Reasonover Creek
Trails are defining examples of
DuPont riding – heart-pounding
climbs followed by heart-swelling
downhills. Our -km loop left us
delightfully exhausted.
Tabi couldn’t get enough of the
white squirrels that leaped among
the branches in our backyard – not
albinos but a genetically unique
type of ghostly rodent that is a
fixture of Transylvania County. A
rated trails stroll through downtown Brevard,
where you can purchase white
back home are squirrel socks and a home from the
positively fluffy White Squirrel Realty, makes it clear
that the white rodent has become
compared the town’s mascot. There is even a
yearly festival during Memorial Day
weekend devoted to the animal and
this terrain.” a gran fondo called White Squirrel
Cycling Classic in the fall.
 The verdant Gorges State Park, which is on the Blue
Ridge Escarpment, presented us with the perfect excuse
MARKETPLACE
to trade in padded shorts for hiking boots. Moody forest
trails led us to raging waterfalls. A handful of the park’s
British Columbia
backcountry roads are open to cyclists, which we put on Bike Barn
our seemingly ever-expanding to-do list for our next visit 300 Westminster Ave. W.
to this cycling nirvana. Penticton, BC
250.492.4140
info@bikebarn.ca
bikebarn.ca

Ontario
Racer Sportif – Oakville
151 Robinson St.
Oakville, ON
905.815.2100
info@racersportif.com
racersportif.com

Racer Sportif – Toronto

2214 Bloor St. W.
Toronto, ON
416.769.5731
info@racersportif.com
racersportif.com

Trysport Inc – Parry Sound

77 Bowes St.
Parry Sound, ON
705 746 8179
Trysport Inc – Bracebridge
83 Manitoba St.
Bracebridge, ON
705.637.0383
sales@ontariotrysport.com
ontariotrysport.com
The only full-service triathlon shop
north of Toronto.

Bike Travel
Baja California Sur, Mexico.
One of the last cycling paradises.
Nothing can compare with the
incredible tropical tour that awaits
Details the medium conditioned cyclist.
When to go bajawheeling.com/cycling.html

The prime cycling season in Brevard is between March Escapades Bike Tours
and November. We loved visiting in April when the Have Fun – Get Pampered!
landscape becomes greener and temperatures are All Levels – Fully Supported.
Arizona Sonoran Desert,
generally mild. GA/SC Low Country, Cape Cod,
VT/NY Yankee Doddle Toodle,
Getting there Maine Islands, Hudson Valley,
Lake Champlain Roundabout,
Most people drive to the Brevard area from Ontario and Texas Hill Country, Natchez Trace.
Quebec. If you are heading out from the other provinces Book early to save!
and territories, look into flying to nearby Asheville, N.C. 877.880.2453
escapadesbike
tours.com/canada
Where to stay
If you want to sleep in the great outdoors, there are Holland Bike Tours
Road bike tours in the Netherlands.
plenty of camping options surrounding Brevard. We hollandbiketours.com
used Airbnb to secure roofed accommodation in
Brevard for our two-week trip. Hotels are also available.

Route planning
Bicycle shops in and around Brevard, such as Squatch
Bikes and Brews (squatchbikes.com), are an excellent
Photos: Martin Lortz

place to glean information on mountain, gravel and

road routes. You’ll also find useful maps for Pisgah
and DuPont. More cycling information can be found at
biketransylvania.com .

cyclingmagazine.ca 63
 Q&A
Holden Jones
Solid support helps this young rider
toward his big results

by Dean Campbell

I n August, Holden Jones’s late

season was looking good. The first-
year under- cross country racer
won the Canada Cup series overall in
the elite category. Later, at the world
championships in Mont-Sainte-Anne,
his race began well. He started in
th position and worked himself
up to th position by the start of
the second lap. Unfortunately, a mid-
race crash forced him to abandon.
With the cross country season over,
Jones headed back to the University
of British Columbia to continue his
engineering studies.

How long have you been racing?

I have been racing local toonie and
kid races since I was in Grade . I’ve
raced the Canada Cup series for five
years, since I was under-. In my
first year as a junior, in , I trav-
elled to Europe for the first time. Later
that year, I went to Australia for world
championships.
How did you gravitate to cross
country racing? Squamish isn’t
necessarily known for its XC scene.
The riding there isn’t necessarily XC,
but it supports a really great training
environment with long climbs, so
you can fit in almost a road ride on
the fire roads heading up to the trails.
In my first couple of years racing,
tOp riGht
Holden Jones,  world championships,
Mont-Sainte-Anne
STATS
Age 19
Home Base Squamish, B.C.
Team Pendrel Racing
Bike Orbea Oiz
Highest Bronze, Cairns, Australia,
I started by doing both XC and DH,
pretty much equally. At some point, I
realized I was doing a bit better in the
XC races. When I was about  or , I
figured it was time to make a choice
and went for XC.
Who has helped get you here,
to this point in your career?
Mike Charuk, a coach with Team
Squamish, a local youth mountain
biking club. He used to be the Cycling
BC high-performance coach. When I
first joined Team Squamish at  or
, I came out to all the group rides.
Once I was old enough to race the
Canada Cup events, he invited me
to come out to the races because he
organized the projects. He really got
me into the high-performance side
of things and has been my coach for
the past five years.
Mont-Sainte-Anne was my third
world championships. My parents
have come to all three – Australia,
Switzerland and now Quebec – which
What about friends back home?
I’m a little bit of an odd one out. All of my friends are
biking friends, but they’re more into enduro or downhill.
I just follow them on my little XC bike. They’re super
stoked on it all, too.
From a fan’s perspective at the side of the course at worlds,
the cheering gets louder when a Canadian rides past, but
from your perspective, is it just louder the whole time?
In Lenzerheide last year, there were so many people
attending. But this year, in Canada, you could really feel so
much more energy from the crowd. There’s no way you’re
just sitting up on one of the climbs when you have all of
those people shouting your name.
What’s it like being on Pendrel Racing and having
Catharine Pendrel and Keith Wilson as resources?
It’s so amazing. My coach Mike has told me so much about
Catharine and Keith. At every race I was at, even before
I was on Pendrel Racing, Mike would tell me to go talk to
them because they have so much knowledge. To be on the
team that they’ve put together and interact with them so
often is really wonderful.
There’s a lot of things you can read or hear, but if you just
read it in a book or an online resource, it’s not the same as
hearing it from someone who has accomplished so much.
Photo: Rob Jones

World 2017, junior men’s cross is pretty wicked. My extended family You hear how important rest is, but when you have someone
Championship country is incredibly supportive. They’ll follow like Catharine explain how important a rest week would be
Result
my racing on the live streams. after three weeks of hard racing, it feels a lot more real.

64 Canadian Cycling December 2019 & January 2020

 elite-it.com

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