Cycling Plus

Cycling Plus is the manual for the modern road cyclist. Whether you're cycling weekly, an occasional new rider or a Tour de France fan you’ll find everything you need. Each issue is packed with buying advice and tests of essential cycling gear - everything from bikes to bags! Cycling Plus is the place to find training advice, nutrition secrets and practical tips guaranteed to improve your bicycling. It's also full of inspirational rides, real-life cycling stories and entertaining riding-related features.

FROM THE EDITOR…

HIGHLIGHTS…

HUB

THE SPIN RIDERS ON THE STORM • Jan Ullrich’s return at the Majorca 312 Gran Fondo shows the healing powers of the bike

ALTURA TWISTER JACKET • £120 Casual warmth for winter commuters

FOUR ESSENTIALS

LOCAL KNOWLEDGE BRIDGWATER • The perfect Somerset hub for an array of rides

LIFE CYCLE EWE BEAUTY • Go for a ride and expect the unexpected, says Rob Ainsley, like rescuing an upside-down sheep

Orbea Orca Aero M10i Ltd • £9,599 Spain’s biking behemoth has updated its leading aero road bike by turning to TT and tri tech

CAKE STOP LANTERNE ROUGE • There’s nothing backof-the-pack about this affable cycling cafe in East Lothian

BACK TO WORK • As many of us gear up for a return to work, we charge up four affordable ebikes that allow you to forget about public transport costs and finding petrol…

THE BIKES ON TEST…

MYCLE CLASSIC • £999 Budget biking with a touch of style

PURE ELECTRIC FLUX ONE • £999 Stripped-down urban single speed for under a grand

CARRERA IMPEL IM-2 • £1299 Urban ebike with a bit of all-road ability included

REVOLUTIONWORKS WHIPPET • £1499 Lightweight ebike that promises the feel of a ‘real’ bike

CARRERA IMPEL IM-2 • Comfort, good handling, bags of fun and a good price

Cold play • Winter hibernation stores up trouble for the new year, when you’ll end up playing catch-up. Armed with fun winter challenges, smart training ideas and fresh goals, you can embrace winter and emerge fitter than ever next spring

SMASH THAT WINTER CENTURY • 100-mile rides count for much more in the colder months and leave you doubly satisfied

HIT THE INDOOR RACING SCENE • Taste victory without leaving your house

RACE THE WINTER WINDS • ’ Tis the season… to be analysing your riding position

BECOME A WINTER EXPLORER • Avoid a retreat into comfortable habits

GET STRONG FOR SPRING

BECOME A SMARTER CHEF • You could use your extra time at home to refine your cooking skills

HIGHER CALLING • We throw our hat into the ring of the Haute Route Alps, the multi-day sportive that celebrated its 10th anniversary this summer

Meet the rookie • Ruth, 39, from Sheffield

Meet the veteran • Éric, aged 55, from Genolier (Switzerland)

INCLINES TO AGGRIEVE • A fresh lick of tarmac has turned Bamford Clough, a once anonymous dirt track in the Peak District, into Britain’s steepest climb. Strap on your crampons as hill climbing guru Simon Warren guides us through this and six other of the nation’s roads that defy gravity

01 VALE STREET, BRISTOL • LENGTH 100M; HEIGHT GAIN 17M; AVERAGE GRADIENT 22.9 PERCENT; MAXIMUM GRADIENT 25.6 PERCENT

02 TROOPER LANE, HALIFAX • LENGTH 769M; HEIGHT GAIN 123M; AVERAGE GRADIENT 14.8 PER CENT; MAXIMUM GRADIENT 27.7 PER CENT

03 ROSEDALE CHIMNEY, NORTH YORK MOORS • LENGTH 1340M; HEIGHT GAIN 168M; AVERAGE GRADIENT 14 PER CENT; MAXIMUM GRADIENT 33 PER CENT

04 HARDKNOTT PASS, LAKE DISTRICT • LENGTH 2203M; HEIGHT GAIN 293M; AVERAGE GRADIENT 13 PER CENT; MAXIMUM GRADIENT 33 PER CENT

05 FFORDD PEN LLECH, HARLECH • LENGTH 335M; HEIGHT GAIN 54M; AVERAGE GRADIENT 20 PER CENT;...