- News
- Reviews
- Bikes
- Accessories
- Accessories - misc
- Computer mounts
- Bags
- Bar ends
- Bike bags & cases
- Bottle cages
- Bottles
- Cameras
- Car racks
- Child seats
- Computers
- Glasses
- GPS units
- Helmets
- Lights - front
- Lights - rear
- Lights - sets
- Locks
- Mirrors
- Mudguards
- Racks
- Pumps & CO2 inflators
- Puncture kits
- Reflectives
- Smart watches
- Stands and racks
- Trailers
- Clothing
- Components
- Bar tape & grips
- Bottom brackets
- Brake & gear cables
- Brake & STI levers
- Brake pads & spares
- Brakes
- Cassettes & freewheels
- Chains
- Chainsets & chainrings
- Derailleurs - front
- Derailleurs - rear
- Forks
- Gear levers & shifters
- Groupsets
- Handlebars & extensions
- Headsets
- Hubs
- Inner tubes
- Pedals
- Quick releases & skewers
- Saddles
- Seatposts
- Stems
- Wheels
- Tyres
- Health, fitness and nutrition
- Tools and workshop
- Miscellaneous
- Buyers Guides
- Features
- Forum
- Recommends
- Podcast
jen6175Five cool things coming soon from Pirelli, Shimano, Selle Italia, Merlin and PEdALED
After our first full week back after the festive break, we had some pretty epic winds to contest with here in the south west over the weekend - but we ride on, there's plenty of gear to be testing! Here are some of this week's highlights...
£319.00
Shimano's top-of-the-range road shoe has earned many a good review in the past, and this updated version is now even lighter with an improved heel cup. Shimano have also worked to lessen moisture retention by adding enhanced hydrophobic materials, and there's an extra 11mm of cleat adjustment range for more choice when setting yours up. Is Shimano's best road shoe now even better? Our full review is imminent.
freewheel.co.uk
£45.99
Pirelli launched back into the bike tyre market nearly two years ago now, and another year on the tubeless-ready, all-weather Cinturato Velo was shown for the first time. Offering what Pirelli claim to be superior puncture protection while still maintaining low rolling resistance, Pirelli's patented 'Armour Tech' is responsible for toughening up the tyre. Aramid fibres are dispersed through it and get thicker towards the underside, so the top layer still retains low rolling resistance and grip thanks to Pirelli's Smartnet Silica compound, while the base layer has a greater concentration of aramid fibres to guard against flats. It sounds impressive and has performed admirably in independent rolling resistance tests, but how did it fare on the road? Stu Kerton is riding them now.
extrauk.co.uk
Selle Italia SP-01 Boost Kit Carbonio Superflow
£274.99
Selle Italia have redesigned this high-end road saddle for 2019, claiming it offers increased comfort with all the weight-saving and stiffness benefits of carbon. Selle Italia call the design their “suspension link movement”, with an adaptive rear frame that has two parts. They they it works in a similar way to an automotive leaf spring, allowing a more natural movement of the pelvis when pedalling, which in turn increases pedalling efficiency. Big claims and a big price, but does it really do the trick? We'll be hearing from Mat Brett for the full review in the coming weeks.
zyrofisher.co.uk
£999.00
This versatile all-rounder is on old Shimano 105, but available for an impressive knock-down price nowadays. It can fit up to 35mm tyres so you can also take it off-road briefly, and the triple-butted 6061 aluminium frame comes with a comfortable geometry for all-day riding. Hyraulic disc brakes and Mavic XM319 wheels finish the package, but is this Merlin a two-wheeled magician? Stu's currently writing his verdict...
merlincycles.com
£150.00
The Kobe Thermo is a lightweight number, made to keep you warm during autumn and winter rides. The stretch fabric panels are supposed to offer breathability and plenty of range of movement, and the side and back panels has stretchy fleece added. There are also two big back pockets and the fit is described as 'performance' (i.e. tight). Can it challenge Castelli's much-lauded Gabba thermal jersey? Elliot Barrett's review will be coming soon...
pedaled.com
For all road.cc's latest test reports, head over to our reviews section. If you need some more advice before splashing the cash, check out our buyer's guides.
Jack has been writing about cycling and multisport for over a decade, arriving at road.cc via 220 Triathlon Magazine in 2017. He worked across all areas of the website including tech, news and video, and also contributed to eBikeTips before being named Editor of road.cc in 2021 (much to his surprise). Jack has been hooked on cycling since his student days, and currently has a Trek 1.2 for winter riding, a beloved Bickerton folding bike for getting around town and an extra beloved custom Ridley Helium SLX for fantasising about going fast in his stable. Jack has never won a bike race, but does have a master's degree in print journalism and two Guinness World Records for pogo sticking (it's a long story).
Latest Comments
- mark1a 2 sec ago
Yes, I agree, and thanks for replying, what I was trying to say (badly) was that Look wasn't really a bike company then. ...
- kingleo 15 min 41 sec ago
It's only a few people at The Telegraph who are writing the anti-cycling rubbish (and at the other newspapers as well) there are about 6.5...
- kingleo 28 min 31 sec ago
You never mentioned that a cyclist was stabbed to death by a pedestrian a few years ago in Richmond Park. Also when the park was left open...
- kingleo 50 min 50 sec ago
Protesters telling us that a new cycle path will have devastating consequences on wildlife - motor vehicles are already doing that, but no protests...
- George Hill 1 hour 27 min ago
Foxcote Hill in Ilmington - it's steep, it's not too long, and once you get to the top you can see the for miles across the Cotswolds....
- stonojnr 1 hour 35 min ago
well at least they didnt go for British Racing Green as well ,as then theyd have two trademark licensing cases up against them....
- Laz 2 hours 34 min ago
I think the best solution would be to automatically charge every driver who hits a cyclist on the road with attempted murder, and plain murder in...
- David9694 3 hours 47 min ago
Car crashes into front of home in Briggs Mead, Wymondham...
- nowasps 3 hours 58 min ago
I've worked my way through a gifted box of these, and the review tallies exactly with my own experience.
- E6toSE3 4 hours 29 min ago
Quite wrong. The really interesting stuff was good goggles for under £80 - my budget and I was previously limited to Tifosi. Had to ask about...
Add new comment
5 comments
Interested in the review of the pirelli. I'm thinking that these are the tyres that will replace my gatorskins for a puncture proof tyre. Easier to buy than the irc tyres that are my current thought.
Hopefully easier to buy than having to deal with the guy selling IRC at present. Check out the new Continental GP5000 tubeless. I've run IRC "X-Guards" for the last 4 months and apart from being much heavier than my Schwalbe Pro-ones (260gm vs 310gm for IRC), the IRCs are very wooden in feel and noticeably slower compared to the Pro-ones. Having said that they have not punctured... yet! I've been riding tubeless for several years now, mainly using Schwalbe Pro-ones as these are quite light (260gms/25mm), but these have still punctured and unless you keep topping up the sealant every 2-3 months you can still get punctures. Also, the sealant sticks to the inside of the tyre increasing the weight around the circumference, which is not good, so the more sealant you keep putting in the heavier the tyre/wheel becomes, slowing you down even more. Wish someone brought out a sealant that didn't dry out and was as good as the top Orange sealant! Looks like the Pirelli is 290gm (25mm) and the GP5000 is 300gms (25mm) so for greater puncture protection looks like there is definitely a weight penalty to pay...
Thanks for your post. I hate punctures, hence why I use the gatorskins. I've tried Grand Prix 4000 SII (which seems to be very highly rated by many) and the small flints around where I live just go straight in to them. So although I'm interested in the GP5000 I am a bit nervous of punctures.
I'm tubeless on my adventurebike, and use orange sealant in that. So far only had one puncture that wouldn't seal (been using tubeless for about 18 months I guess).
I have been using the Pirellis on my winter bike since December, I previously had Schwalbe Pro Ones fitted. They don't quite have the same feel as the Pro Ones and are heavier but they are far more puncture resistant, very easy to set up and are a marked improvement over GatorSkins.
It is an improvement over the gatorskins that I'm looking for. They are great in terms of puncture resistance, but not so great in terms of roll resistance and comfort.
www.bicyclerollingresistance.com/ has the GP5000 far ahead of either the gatorskins or pirelli in terms of roll resistance, but the pirelli trump even the gatorskin for punctures.