The HiRide Sterra is a suspension fork that blends perfectly into the gravel bike aesthetic. Gravel bikes have evolved significantly over the last few years. What started as a more capable road bike has now shifted into the mountain bike realm. And for some, that’s an exciting prospect. Mountain bikes can sometimes feel like overkill on bumpy, non-technical terrain, and they are not designed to fit drop bars, which are a handlebar type preferred by many on long rides. Today, most gravel suspension forks look like trimmed-down MTB suspension forks. The HiRide Sterra, on the other hand, maintain ..read more

Gravel is one of the fastest-growing bike categories, and for good reason: these bikes allow you to ride on backroad networks that are quiet, peaceful, and a long way from the danger of cars and trucks. Gravel bikes can handle the same uneven bike paths, cobblestone streets, and rough dirt tracks as mountain bikes – the key difference is their faster and more efficient riding position. And should you install some narrow slick tyres, you’ll even find them keeping up with road bikes. They are a true all-rounder. In this article, I want to discuss four reasons why gravel bikes are about to get mu ..read more

The Short Version Best Flat Bar Gravel Bike Overall: Salsa Journeyer Altus Best Steel Flat Bar Gravel Bike: State 4130 All Road Best Flat Bar Gravel Bike For Rough Roads: Poseidon Redwood Best Flat Bar Gravel Bike With Upright Geometry: Breezer Radar Cafe Best Aluminum Flat Bar Gravel Bike: Marin DSX 1 Best Flat Bar Gravel Bike Ready For Commuting: Kona Dew Deluxe Best Flat Bar Gravel Bike Price-to-Weight Ratio: Posideon X Ambition Best Flat Bar Gravel Bike With Step-Through: Cannondale Quick Disc 3 Best Flat Bar Gravel Bike for Tall Riders: Surly Preamble The Long Version Finding the best f ..read more

Suspension stems like the Vecnum Freeqence are nothing new. Several companies developed suspension stems for mountain biking in the early 1990s. The most notable models were the Softride Stem and the Girvin Flexstem, which were even used on bikes that won multiple mountain bike world championships! However, by the mid 1990s, suspension stems were superseded by superior-performing suspension forks. These days, suspension stems are primarily designed to increase the comfort of a rigid bike. They have significantly less suspension travel than previously (usually just 20mm), and they are stiffer ..read more

Hi there! This page is only available to CyclingAbout website supporters. If you'd like to access this information as well as help to create more bike travel resources, feel free to sign-up HERE. You can also access my Ask Me Anything resources over on Patreon by clicking HERE. My main aim here is to take the quality of CyclingAbout.com to the next level. Your generous support will go directly into writing resources and improving the design, layout, speed and overall operation of the website. All the best from the road, Alee The post What Tents Can You Recommend That Are Similar To Your Mon ..read more

I’m excited to announce my annual update of the Touring & Bikepacking Bike Buyer’s Guides is now complete. The latest versions now feature more than 300 different bikes each, which will help you to find the best bikepacking bikes of the year. I’ve spent the last month researching the latest touring and bikepacking bikes, calculating various measurements, observing the latest trends, contacting bike manufacturers (for additional information), and updating all the terminology and general advice in my guides. I’ll be sharing all of my favourite bikes in the coming months – stay tuned for tha ..read more

Gravel bikes are optimised to be fast and efficient on various road surfaces. They roll along on narrow tires, are built lightweight, and usually forgo a suspension fork and rear shock. As a result, they transmit more shock and vibration to a rider than a typical mountain bike, resulting in more fatigue and discomfort. This doesn’t have to be the case, however. Innovative companies like Redshift offer suspension stems and seatposts that can be fitted to any bike and can isolate a rider from bumps, potholes, and rough surfaces. I’ve been using the Redshift ShockStop Standard suspension seatpos ..read more

Kindernay burst onto the bicycle gearbox scene in 2016 when they showed off a prototype 14-speed internal gear hub that could replace the derailleur gears on your bike. Like other planetary gear hubs, the Kindernay promised a long-lasting drivetrain with less maintenance, zero gear adjustment, instant shifts, and components that are less susceptible to wear and damage. The hub shell and gearbox were separate components on a Kindernay hub. Image: Terrengsykkel.no The Kindernay 7 and 14-speed hubs had a few defining features: The gearboxes could be separated from the hub shell and you coul ..read more

For over a century, chains have been used in bicycle drivetrains. They are cheap, lightweight, efficient, repairable, and found in bike shops all over the planet. But technology has come a very long way since the 1800s, especially when it comes to textiles – so, perhaps a rope, or “String Drive” bike is the ultimate solution? In this article, I’ll introduce you to a very special chainless drivetrain that uses Dyneema ropes to propel you forward. These bikes were produced from 2011 to 2021 and used similar ropes to those found in fancy bicycle spokes, paragliding lines, sailing ropes, and even ..read more

There are around 40,000 articulations per minute on a bicycle chain as it snakes its way through your derailleur and around your sprockets. Each of these chain link articulations is a source of friction, which ultimately slows you down. The efficiency of a clean and lubricated derailleur drivetrain is usually upwards of 97%. This simply means that 97% of the power that you put into the pedals is going into driving your rear wheel, and the remaining 3% is lost to friction. The drive efficiency varies with the lubricant used, the quality of the drivetrain components, how worn the components are ..read more