The bikes
BMC Timemachine Road 01 Three - £6,200
Cube Litening C:68X SL - £8,099
Factor Ostro VAM - £9,450
Need to know
What should you demand in a 'breakaway' bike? Can a speed machine still provide comfort for all-day rides? And what about climbing prowess? Here's our five-step guide to the bikes on test
WHETHER YOU'VE PINNED on a number or are just trying to beat your mates to the café, the breakaway is a staple of almost every race. If you feel you've little chance of winning in a straight shoot-out against the bunch, go all in at the casino instead. And why not? The breakaway might only rarely succeed, but if you don't try, you can't win, so what's there to lose?
To turn the odds in your favour, you need a bike to suit the task. Something aerodynamic and efficient. Nothing too heavy, so you don't waste energy on the climbs. Comfortable enough for a long day in the saddle, but with lightning-quick reactions for searing attacks at the finish.
01 Aerodynamics
When you're out on your own or in a small bunch, there's no hiding from the wind. Aerodynamic tube shapes, components and wheels will help you slip through the air with less effort, saving precious energy for a glorious attack later on. This typically means wind-tunnel tested, aerodynamic shapes, deep-section wheels and aggressive geometries, designed to put you in an aerodynamic riding position.
02 Price points
This story is from the August 2022 edition of Cycling Plus UK.
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This story is from the August 2022 edition of Cycling Plus UK.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
GANARY A COALMINE
The James Brown tune 'It's a Man's Man's Man's World' comes on the radio, filling the coach, and does nothing for my pre-event nerves as I sit surrounded by serious-looking, wiry, tanned men in Lycra. It's 6.30am, pitch black outside and I'm feeling very out of my depth as a relative newcomer to the world of clipless pedals and hurting for fun. Last night's stress dream involved being very unprepared to get married and being handed my great-grandmother-in-law-to-be's hideous silver dress with lace trim to wear minutes before the ceremony was due to start. I'll let you psychoanalyse that one.
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