🩰Stage 60: Budget friendly gravel bikes
and new tech that changes your tyre pressure as you ride
Hello,
How’re you keeping? Sorry that we missed last week, I got a late call up to Circuit des Ardennes in France so didn’t have the chance to get the newsletter up.
This week we’re coming at you from one of our usual locations, Oniria Cafe in Girona. I arrived home on Sunday morning from my race block and it has been nice to have some chilled days at home. It can be hard to explain to non-racers, but the stress that comes from constant travelling and racing really makes you feel empty.
From the stress of avoiding crashes every day, to the physical toll of racing 150 km+ multiple days in a row to the horrific weather we had to put up with. Funny story, I ended up in an ambulance one day with hypothermia when the stage was stopped due to snow.
My plans for the next few days include some very, very easy bike rides, catching up on some work, and visiting many coffee shops in Girona. I have two weeks at home before flying back to France for the Tour de Bretagne, a week-long stage race.
Happy pedalling,
Joe
Feel free to email me at joe@nplus1.cc if you have any questions, or feel I’ve missed something that is worth putting in the Newsletter.
📖 Read
#racing
It was Michal Kwiatkowski and Marta Cavalli who respectively took the men’s and women’s titles at Amstel Gold Race. Neither of the two was pre-race favorites, with Kwiatkowski taking the closest of sprints and Cavalli a famous solo win. Sometimes bike racing is good when it doesn’t follow the script. This is the story.
5-minute read
#tech
We’re often skeptical about ‘game-changing’ pieces of tech, especially when it comes to the cobbled classics. We’ve seen road bikes with both front and rear suspension, a fad that quickly died, amongst other unusual ‘upgrades’. This year, DSM is trialling a tyre pressure management system, allowing riders to alter the pressure as they ride. Adding more grip on the cobbles, and less friction on the smooth road could be a game-changer, or another fad…
5-minute read
#gravelbikes
Gravel bikes, everyone wants one, but nobody knows what to buy. The beauty of the discipline being in its infancy is that the technology is ever changing and developing. If you want a gravel bike, you don’t have to break the bank either. Here is a buyer’s guide to the best gravel bikes for under £2000. Which one take’s your fancy?
5-minute read
#balletmeetscycling
Cycling is tough, but ballet is tougher. I bet that’s not a sentence that you expected to read today. Swedish rider Nathalie Eklund used to perform on stage as a ballerina, as a student at a prestigious dance school in the Netherlands. Now, in 2022, she is performing in a different kind of art, as her legs move to the rhythm of the peloton rather than the music.
4-minute read
#procycling #insights
Taylor Phinney, everyone’s favorite former pro cyclist. The eccentric American has always been outspoken, but his latest interview gives a little more insight into the inner workings of the pro peloton’s dark side. From injections to keeping sponsors happy - Phinney breaks from the usual mold by speaking out.
2-minute read
#training
Back in December, I was personally challenged to go up against a Zwift specialist online and see how we faced up. Would my pro experience be able to beat someone who knows the game? Long story short - no, I got my ass kicked. This is the story of me getting humbled, and how being good on Zwift doesn’t guarantee results in the real world.
4-minute read
📱Tweet of the week
Tim Merlier, thinking he was one of the final finishers, got quite the surprise after the race while trying to get back to the team bus…
🎧 Listen
Gravel pro and all round good guy Nathan Haas brings his ‘Gravelog’ podcast back for season two. The Australian is joined by Amy Charity, the founder of the Steamboat Gravel Race to talk about running gravel races, where Gravel is going and diversity in the sport.
50-minute listen
👀 Watch
An epic Gravel trip in the Scottish highlands. Sit back, relax, and enjoy.
20-minute watch
👋🏻 Introducing
In this new part of the Newsletter, each week we’re going to introduce one of the brands that we work with at N+1.
Introducing… Santa Fixie
Created by bike lovers in 2011, Santa Fixie is an online community and shop specifically servicing the city/urban bike life. Their equipment is cool, quality, and with iconic designs.
Be sure to download our app and browse their collection!