![GEAR FOR THE AGES](https://cdn.magzter.com/1360045451/1720092942/articles/ksrXWXZx81720596957220/GEAR-FOR-THE-AGES.jpg)
And with the constant churn of newer, better, lighter and more aero in bicycle tech, these iconic products rarely get an opportunity to bask in the limelight.
Cycling is small things coming together to make bigger things. A few riders become a group, and a few groups become a peloton. The bicycle is a collection of individual parts turned into the fabulous machine we ride. We often take for granted that it's not one story, but thousands of small stories.
Every part of the bicycle has its own story. Every ball in a bearing, each fastener or seal, the rail of a saddle, the forged curves of a brake lever: everything on a bike has a purpose.
Try to picture all the individual parts that make up a bicycle, and all the individual parts that make up those parts. Try to imagine all the people all over the globe working on every one of those parts. Contemplate the journey of a bicycle, as its components go from idea to finished product: the complete bicycle you ride.
This story is from the July/August 2024 edition of Bicycling South Africa.
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This story is from the July/August 2024 edition of Bicycling South Africa.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
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![GEAR FOR THE AGES](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/2572/1754829/ksrXWXZx81720596957220/GEAR-FOR-THE-AGES.jpg)
GEAR FOR THE AGES
Some bicycle components, tools and accessories - by design, luck or a bit of both - become icons of performance, reliability and permanence in cycling.
![A RACE LIKE NO OTHER](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/2572/1754829/hNS2HxDtB1720596207494/A-RACE-LIKE-NO-OTHER.jpg)
A RACE LIKE NO OTHER
IN KENYA'S MAASAI MARA, KNOWN MORE FOR SAFARIS THAN CYCLING, THE MIGRATION GRAVEL RACE CHALLENGES RIDERS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD THE WORLD WHILE FORGING A FUTURE FOR BIKE RACING IN AFRICA.
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WAR ON WHEELS
IF YOU GO FOR A RIDE IN CAPE TOWN AT THE WRONG TIME, YOU COULD FIND YOURSELF IN THE MIDDLE OF A CYCLING GANG WAR, WHERE THE WEAPONS OF CHOICE ARE STRAVA RECORDS AND SALTY COMMENTS ON INSTAGRAM. THIS IS THE TALE OF THREE RIVAL ROADIE CREWS AND A REMINDER THAT CYCLING IS A SPORT BEST TAKEN WITH A SENSE OF HUMOUR.
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GET TOUR DE FRANCE FAST IN FOUR WEEKS
HAVE YOU GOT TOUR FEVER? If you have a good fitness base, let the pros inspire you to take your riding to the next level.
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THE SECRET TO MAKING A COMEBACK? JUST START
\"THIS IS WHAT DECONDITIONING LOOKS LIKE,\" I said out loud to no one, as I looked at the heart-rate reading on my phone and gasped for breath. \"This shouldn't be so hard.\"
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DEAR MARK CAVENDISH
WHEN I FIRST STARTED FOLLOWING professional road cycling around 2014, you were at the top of your game.
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HOW TO CALCULATE YOUR POWER-TOWEIGHT RATIO
POWER-TO-WEIGHT RATIO IS one of the most telling metrics in cycling - and thanks to indoor trainers, many more cyclists are now familiar with it. Right now it's never been easier to calculate your power-to-weight ratio and use it to improve your performance.
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EASY RIDER
A FEW YEARS AGO, my wife and I along with her parents, brother and his wife-cycled down the Danube River in Europe.
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LEADING THE WAY - RYAN GIBBONS, 29, SA PRO RIDER, MULTIPLE SA & AFRICAN ROAD CHAMP
AFTER JOINING LIDLTREK from UAE Team Emirates, South African national champ Ryan Gibbons aims to be the best lead-out man he can be - while also helping his new team in their quest to climb the World Tour rankings.
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6 WAYS TO BEAT THE HEAT THIS SUMMER
TOP TIPS TO KEEP YOU COOLER AND RIDING STRONGER... NO MATTER WHAT THE TEMPERATURE.