Ribble's CEO Andy Smallwood with Matt at their flagship store
These are the roads where, in the winter of 2011, Bradley Wiggins built the base that propelled him to his Tour de France win the following summer. And I imagine Sir Brad, a man who once raced on a Ribble, would approve of the brand's new aero-focused Ultra SLR that's propelling me back to the brand's flagship store in Clitheroe. A bike complete with sculpted and proprietary handlebars, an elimination of bar tape and a 1,050g frame that's actually more aerodynamic with my 500ml bottle of Vimto attached.
It's my first experience riding on the blacktop of the Ribble Valley, but both brand and the surrounding titular valley have plenty of history with the team at Cycling Plus. Deputy editor and Burnley boy John Whitney's formative cycling years were honed on this very tarmac (and remain his favourite place to ride), while most of my own cycling milestones - debut century ride, hill climb, Fred Whitton and more have been aboard a Ribble in the form of their sub-£1k carbon R872 ride from 2016 and my current steed, the Endurance SL Disc (2019 vintage, something of an upgrade with its Ultegra Di2 shifting).
"These are tough roads," admits Smallwood, who was born in Lancashire but now lives in the Midlands. "The weather is generally always bad, always wet. The wind and rain comes off the Irish sea, hits the hills, and seems to stay there. It can be grim, but the local scenery is spectacular. Having this landscape as our key testing ground definitely influences the design and durability of our bikes."
Rite of passage
この記事は Cycling Plus UK の March 2023 版に掲載されています。
7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、9,000 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。
すでに購読者です ? サインイン
この記事は Cycling Plus UK の March 2023 版に掲載されています。
7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、9,000 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。
すでに購読者です? サインイン
Air Apparent - Pollution hasn't gone away. It's still there in every lungful, even if we can't see it in the air or on the news. But there are reasons to breathe easier, thanks to pioneering projects using cycling 'citizen scientists'. Rob Ainsley took part in one...
The toxic effects of pollution have been known about for years. 'Just two things of which you must beware: Don't drink the water and don't breathe the air!' sang 1960s satirist Tom Lehrer.Over recent decades, though, pollution has dropped down our list of things to worry about, thanks to ominously capitalised concerns such as Climate Change, AI, Global Conflict, Species Collapse, etc. That doesn't, unfortunately, mean the problem has expired. Air quality often exceeds safe limits, with far-reaching and crippling effects on our health.
No limits
Not every adventure needs to be that epic, says bikepacking Scotland founder Markus Stitz
UNBOUND UNLEASHED
Josh Patterson was one of 34 starters for the inaugural edition of Unbound in 2006. Now, with more than 5,000 riders taking part in today's event, he charts the rise of the most important race in gravel
FOREST COMMISSION
Looking for a goal race in 2025 that'll stimulate the synapses and live long in the memory? You'd struggle to do better than ENID CRV in Finland
15 OF THE BEST ADVENTURES
Featuring Yorkshire, the USA, Sri Lanka and more, here are our picks of the world's greatest gravel races and routes
The stuff of dreams
Ned sings the praises of the Paris Olympics road-race course
"I rode 3,000 miles around Britain on a bamboo bike to highlight our climate crisis"
Recordbreaking cyclist and triathlete Kate Strong, 45, took to the road to raise awareness of environmental issues
FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE
We venture into the hidden gem of the glorious Creuse, one of France's least populated regions
STAR TREK
New tube shapes and carbon lay-up makes the eighth generation of Trek's legendary Madone an aero and climbing bike all rolled into one
GOLD RUSH
With conflict around the world, Paris 2024 was a ray of light. Here are our highs of a mighty Olympics
