Easton were pioneers of lightweight butted aluminium tubing for bikes – both frames and bars. The EA70 is their flagship aluminium bar. It’s available in a bunch of sizes, but we tested the XC Wide variant.

As forks get longer and 29in wheels gain momentum, flat bars are making a comeback. The EA70’s 685mm (27in) width is generous for a flat bar although longer ones do exist, and it’s shorter than most risers. If it’s too wide you’ll have to do your own measuring to cut it down – there are no cut marks. 

Angle marks in the centre help get your riding position spot on. A shot-peened �nish ensures good grip for stem and controls. The 250g weight may not look spectacular on paper, but given that the EA70 is a relatively inexpensive bar it’s not shabby.

Out on the trails, the 9° sweep and decent width make it comfortable for the long haul. It’s great value, too – considering the EA70’s quality and reputation, the low price is a pleasant surprise.

This article was originally published in What Mountain Bike magazine.

This article originally appeared on Cyclingnews.com.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport has ruled that Alberto Contador should face a two year sanction for his positive test for clenbuterol at the 2010 Tour de France. After a long-running saga, CAS announced on Monday that it had upheld the UCI and WADA’s joint appeal against the Spanish Cycling Federation’s (RFEC) decision not to suspend Contador.

The ban means Contador will lose all results dating back to and including the 2010 Tour de France. Andy Schleck will become the Tour de France champion and Michele Scarponi is crowned winner of the Giro d'Italia.

Contador's ban ends on August 5th, meaning he can ride this year's Vuelta.

A long-running saga

Contador’s positive test dates from July 21, 2010, although the case was not made public until September 30 of that year. In February 2011, the RFEC officially cleared Contador, accepting his explanation that the traces of clenbuterol in his sample had been caused by consuming contaminated meat.

In March, both the UCI and WADA formally announced their decision to appeal the matter to CAS, who in turn announced that a ruling would be made ahead of the Tour de France.

That turned out to be a false dawn, however, and after a number of delays, the hearings were finally held in November 2011. In the intervening period, Contador had added to the Giro d’Italia to his palmares and finished fifth at the Tour de France.

The hearing itself was tinged with some degree of controversy, with AP reporting that WADA’s lawyers threatened a walk out when anti-doping expert Michael Asheden was not permitted to testify on the theory that Contador may have had a blood transfusion on July 20.

A verdict was initially due in mid-January, but was again delayed after Leopard Trek backer Flavio Becca questioned the integrity of CAS arbitration panel head Ephraim Barak. After confirming that none of the parties involved in the case wanted to change the make-up of the arbitration panel, CAS finally issued its verdict on Monday.

Contador still has the option of appealing the CAS ruling to the Swiss federal court within the next 30 days, although any such petition can only concern procedural matters.

We tested Specialized's flagship S-Works Prevail helmet almost exactly a year ago and found it to be one of the best-performing road lids on the market. Those who found everything about it appealing except the heady price can now instead look to the Specialized Propero II, which packs in almost the same performance and arguably better looks at less than half the price.

At first glance – and even first fit – many will have a hard time distinguishing between the two, what with their similar outwards appearances and nearly identical (and characteristically ovoid) fit when on your head. 

The Propero II's Headset SL retention system is slightly bulkier than the Prevail's Mindset version but the difference is indistinguishable when worn and they're both similarly easy to operate with just a one-handed dial at the back. Height adjustment is also more cumbersome on the Propero II but it's not likely you'll need to do it often and there's 20mm of total range.

What isn't bulky, however, is the Propero II's outward profile. It isn't appreciably trimmer than the Prevail but has more rounded proportions. Rather than adopting the oddly squared-off form of the Prevail, it adheres faithfully to the familiar design language of older S-Works helmets. The subtle graphics only highlight this further.

The Propero shares the Prevail's refreshingly thin 4X DryLite nylon straps and fixed splitters. They're traditionally anchored instead of being set into the bottom of the shell like on the Prevail but as before, we found them substantially less obtrusive than traditional straps, which are also typically double-layer below the splitters.

They're also easier to keep clean, and easier to pull taut beneath your chin what with just one strap to pull on instead of two. The fixed splitters might give some potential buyers pause but at least in our case, they're perfectly positioned. If anything, the wide shape creates more room around your ears than traditional sliders.

Ventilation is excellent, surpassing the performance of helmets costing more than twice as much. The intake and exhaust ports are generously sized and – more importantly – they're linked together with deep interior channeling that lets air flow cleanly through from front to back. You can feel air rushing across the top of your head (well, depending on your haircut) and we had to reach for a windproof cap when testing in temperatures below 10°C (50°F).

That being said, airflow still isn't quite as good as the admittedly awesome Prevail, particularly on the sides of your head. Cost cutting on the Propero's internal reinforcement structure yields slightly shallower channels (they're still very deep, mind you) and more tapering of the vents from exterior to interior.

Riders who are particularly hard on gear will also want to note the lack of a lower shell on the Propero II. The rear lower edge of the helmet is largely protected by the protruding, semi-rigid retention system but the front lower edge is exposed to wear and tear.

Those minor complaints pale in comparison to the Propero II's remarkably appealing price of just US$110/£70 – less than half that of the Prevail and most flagship helmets from other manufacturers. It's light, too, at just 238g for our small, CPSC-approved tester.

Dutch climbing and time trial specialist Thomas Dekker has a long road ahead of him after serving a two-year suspension for EPO use. Garmin-Barracuda directeur sportif Jonathan Vaughters has given the fallen rider a second chance, however, and Dekker is hoping his new team-issue Cervélo S5 will help him prove his worth this coming season.

The Cervélo S5 strikes a distinctive profile, what with its wild array of teardrop forms, hard edges and unusual angles. In addition to the aero cross-sections and very Cervélo P4-like rear end, there's also an hourglass profile straight 1-1/8in head tube to minimize frontal area, a dropped down tube that blends cleanly with the fork crown and just barely clears the front tire, and a flattened section on the down tube that Cervélo claim helps direct air around water bottles.

But that shape is exactly what gives the S5 its edge and, according to Cervélo, lets it post drag numbers that supposedly even rival some companies' full-blown time trial chassis. In Dekker's case, that's likely about all that matters when he's sticking his nose into the wind this year. That aerodynamic advantage hasn't come at a heavy cost in terms of mass, either, with claimed frame weights hovering around 1kg.

The Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 electronic group on Dekker's S5 is a common sight in the pro peloton these days but it's a key distinction that Garmin-Barracuda buy those components instead of receiving them for free from Shimano. This is a more expensive route than a full-blown sponsorship deal but it affords the team the freedom to mix and match componentry at will as well as choose wheels and cockpits that don't lie beneath the Shimano and PRO corporate umbrella.

That latitude in component choice plays an especially critical role in time trial gear as Garmin-Barracuda are free to use the new Magura RT8 TT hydraulic rim brakes on their Cervélo P5s without having to worry about sponsorship conflicts. 

Key substitutions on Dekker's road bike include Rotor 3D+ cranks and Q-Rings, 3T bar and stem, Mavic Cosmic Carbone Ultimate carbon tubular wheels and Garmin's own Vector power measuring pedals (though the transmitter pods are conspicuously absent in the photos). Completing the package is an FSA Orbit IS-2 integrated headset, a Fi'zi:k Arione Tri 2 saddle, Arundel Mandible carbon fiber bottle cages, CamelBak Podium bottles and a Garmin Edge 500 computer. Total bike weight, according to team mechanic Geoff Brown, is 7.0kg (15.43lb).

Complete bike specifications

• Frame: Cervélo S5 Team, 56cm
• Headset: FSA Orbit IS-2 integrated, 1-1/8in
• Stem: 3T ARX Team, 12cm x -6°
• Handlebar: 3T Rotundo Pro, 42cm (c-c)
• Tape: 3T cork
• Front brake: Shimano Dura-Ace BR-7900 w/ SwissStop Yellow King pads
• Rear brake: Shimano Dura-Ace BR-7900 w/ SwissStop Yellow King pads
• Brake levers: Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 STI Dual Control ST-7970
• Front derailleur: Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 FD-7970
• Rear derailleur: Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 RD-7970
• Shift levers: Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 STI Dual Control ST-7970
• Cassette: Shimano Dura-Ace CS-7900, 11-25T
• Chain: Shimano Dura-Ace CN-7900
• Crankset: Rotor 3D+ TT, 175mm, 53/39T
• Bottom bracket: Rotor
• Pedals: Garmin Vector
• Wheelset: Mavic Cosmic Carbone Ultimate
• Front tire: Mavic Yksion GripLink tubular
• Rear tire: Mavic Yksion PowerLink tubular
• Saddle: Fi'zi:k Arione Tri 2
• Bottle cages: Arundel Mandible (2)
• Computer: Garmin Edge 500

Critical measurements

• Rider's height: 1.88m (6ft 2in)
• Rider's weight: 70kg (154lb)
• Saddle height, from BB (c-t): 795mm
• Saddle setback: 95mm
• Seat tube length, c-t: 513mm
• Tip of saddle nose to C of bars (next to stem): 600mm
• Saddle-to-bar drop (vertical): 92mm
• Head tube length: 179mm
• Top tube length: 564mm (horizontal)
• Total bicycle weight: 7.0kg (15.43)

We've come across scores of ways to mount your Apple iPhone to your handlebar, transforming it into a bike computer. The latest to hit our desks from Wahoo Fitness has a few tricks up its sleeve, though, to make it stand out in a crowded market.

The key selling point of the Bike Pack is the ANT+ technology built into its water resistant hard case. This allows you to connect your phone wirelessly to ANT+ compatible devices such as speed and cadence sensors (these are provided with the pack), heart rate monitors and power meters.

Added to the speed, time and navigation data already provided by the iPhone, this gives you access to all the statistics you may crave to improve your performance without having to fork out for a pricey GPS computer.

A worry with all cases of this sort is whether your £500 non-waterproof phone will be protected from both the elements and impacts. Wahoo Fitness claim to have both bases covered, assuring us that it's both shock and water resistant.

The pack includes a handlebar mount (a time trial bar mount is available for $19.99) and a choice of two rubber inserts compatible with different iPhone models (4S, 4, 3GS and 3G). Wahoo have their own free exercise app on iTunes but the case is also compatible with other popular programs dedicated to cycling. The Bike Pack retails directly from their website for £95/$149.99.

The speed/cadence sensor fits to the chainstay in the traditional way

Cannondale

We've covered Cannondale's new helmet range in some depth already, but here they are again with UK prices. The Teramo road lid (£69.99/$109.99) is top of the four-strong line-up and weighs in at 263g on our scales (52-58cm size). It has 23 vents and is available in five colours (four men's and one women's) and two sizes (58-62cm & 52-58cm).

The Ryker cross-country helmet (£49.99/$79.95) weighs 296g (52-58cm), with a choice of three men's and two women's graphic options. The Radius is pitched at the trail/all-mountain crowd but we reckon it'll find fans in urban areas too. RRP is £39.99. The entry-level Quick (£29.99/$33.99) is a 231g lid aimed at beginners, with 19 vents, six colour options and two sizes (58-62cm & 52-58cm). 

Cannondale Teramo

Cannondale Ryker

Cannondale Radius

Cannondale Quick

Knog

Australian firm Knog's reputation for stylish, effective bike lights continues with the Blinder 4. The front (80 lumens) and rear (44) lights contain four super-bright LEDs housed in a waterproof aluminium casing and rechargeable via a USB socket. 

Each 39g light has five modes (steady, fast flash, organic flash 1 & 2 and eco flash) with a run time of up to 50 hours on the efficient eco flash setting. Five models will be available from UK distributors Moore Large & Co for £34.99/$55 from April.

Knog Blinder 4 rear (left) and front lights

Kontact

Kontact is a new saddle brand from cyclist, physical therapist and biomechanics expert Joshua Cohen. After years of research – he wrote a thesis and a book, Finding the Perfect Bicycle Seat â€“ he's come up with a design that's claimed to give significant performance improvements. 

The 198g Anatomical saddle is said to improve blood flow and oxygen levels in the places that matter, with a shape designed to improve efficiency by allowing greater leg motion throughout the pedal stroke. It's made from a mixture of materials, with titanium alloy rails, a carbon and plastic body, and a leather cover. Shown is the "racing" model; a wider recreational saddle is in development. They're available from Hubjub in the UK for £79 or through Kontact's website in the US for $110. 

Kontact Anatomical

Polaroid

At £63.20/$100, the Sprinter sunglasses from Polaroid are something of a bargain, given they come with polarised lenses. Available only in the yellow/black colourway seen here, the UltraSight grey lenses offer 100 percent UV400 protection. The glasses come with a hard wearing carry case.

We’ve ridden Cotic’s ballsy hardtail before, fully kitted out with a trail-ready Shimano Deore XT 3x10 transmission. But, as the kind of bike that’s designed to be equally at home lining up at the start of a 4X race or taking the short route down an Alp, it comes pre-equipped with ISCG05 mounts for a chainguide. 

Which made us wonder, what would it be like set up with a 1x10 transmission? There was only one way to ï¬�nd out. Although Cotic don’t supply complete bikes, the British company were happy to spec us a one-off BFe with single chainring up front.

Whether you choose to set your BFe up with a single chainring or three, it’s a genuine wolf in sheep’s clothing. The extra strength needed to cope with up to 160mm of front wheel travel has been cleverly and subtly built in without sacri�cing comfort, looks or fun. By the time you’ve built the bare frame into a complete bike it won’t be cheap, but few hardtails offer so much versatility.

Ride & handling: Big-hit tough and ride-all-day comfy

Many hardtails designed around long forks aren’t exactly subtle. The BFe, however, is different. For a start, its relatively low all-up weight (12.1kg/26.8lb) makes it a viable choice for all-day epics, as well as giving it a turn of speed that belies its hardcore potential. 

Then there’s the attention to detail in the frame build, which combines thin walls and careful tube proï¬�ling to provide all the strength required, while retaining the beguiling zing that deï¬�nes the best of the steel hardtail breed. 

Combine all this with a willing 150mm fork, a reliable transmission and grippy, big volume tyres, and it’s almost impossible to come back from a ride on the BFe without a big grin. Very few bikes successfully combine such headbanging potential with ride-all-day comfort. The BFe is the exception that proves the rule.

As for the 1x10 transmission, it suits the frame’s fun character. A dose of extra ground clearance will be welcome for riders used to tackling woodsy, technical trails and, with one less bar-mounted control to worry about, it’s easy to concentrate on the important bit – the ride. Having said that, the BFe’s such an accomplished all-rounder that we did occasionally wish we had a lower gear for steep, technical climbs.

Frame & equipment: You’ll need the experience and budget to self-build

It’s not easy to design a frame that’ll tackle just about anything, but Cotic designer Cy Turner has tackled this seemingly thankless task head-on. The result, �ne-tuned over the past six years, is a steel hardtail that’s tough enough to handle a fork up to 160mm (with all that that implies in terms of intended use) and yet light enough and specced appropriately, to ride all day.

The backbone for this versatile chassis is an over-diameter, thin-walled tube of Reynolds 853 – a clever steel alloy that’s remarkably strong and light. Most welded frames, whether steel or aluminium, are weakened near the joints by the heat applied during manufacture. With Reynolds’ high end tubeset, the steel air-hardens during the cooling process after welding, actually increasing strength.

Reynolds 631, a close but slightly more cost-effective relative, provides head, top and seat tubes. The top tube is ovalised to increase lateral (pedalling) stiffness while adding some vertical give to the main triangle, while the oversized seat tube is compatible with telescopic seatposts and has no bottle boss mounts, making it easy to drop a standard post out of the way for steep descents.

Bridgeless chainstays and ovalised wishbone seatstays provide great gobs of mud clearance but, unusually for a UK-designed bike, there are no down tube Crud Catcher bosses because Cy reckons they compromise strength. The BFe's oversized tubes and strategically placed gussets add strength, while comfort is retained through thin tube walls and some cunning ovalisation.

The beauty of buying a bare frame is that you can spec it any which way you like, building in parts you may already have lying around or going for broke with a complete new set of components.  Our test bike’s Marzocchi Bomber 44 RC3 Titanium fork makes the most of the frame’s big-hit potential, offering 150mm of coil and air sprung travel in a relatively light package. Finishing kit from the relatively unknown KCNC works well, and a DMR Viral chainguide provides the ï¬�nishing touch  to keep the chain on board.

This article was originally published in What Mountain Bike magazine.

Fuji’s Roubaix ticks all the boxes for a state-of-the-art frame, and it’s a good looker too, but unfortunately it’s less compelling on the road. It's off the pace, and not just in terms of specification value.

• Highs: Good looking alternative to mainstream brands, with decent power transfer, stable steering, and reasonable frame and fork weight
• Lows: Heavy wheels and low-grade kit, plus a firm, stretched-out frame feel create a relatively heavy and unresponsive ride. No rack or mudguard mounts either
• Buy if: You're happy with an 'alright' bike â€“ if you can find it at a discounted price

While Specialized give the Roubaix name to their more upright, comfort-orientated bikes, the Fuji is more of a classic racer in shape. A relatively long top tube and stem mean you’re reaching a fair way to the bar from the saddle, resulting in a fairly flat position. The big press-fit bottom bracket shell adds a purposeful centre to your pedalling effort and the fork has a subtly tapered carbon steerer to keep it feeling sharp up front.

Rolling out into the country, this stable, generous length position synched well with our more experienced old-school testers and the handling is definitely on the steady, speed-focused side that prefers to be leaned rather than turned. Power is transferred well through the big bottom bracket and asymmetric chainstays, and once it’s on a roll it holds speed well. 

The 11-25t cassette means a smaller, less rhythm-jolting jump between gears compared with the newly fashionable big sprocket blocks too. But there’s a definite reluctance from the Roubaix to pick up speed rapidly, particularly when you’re pointing uphill. The reason isn’t hard to find either: the Alex wheels are well built, but combined with the wire bead Hutchinson tyres they’re very heavy, which adds a lot of inertia. 

While it works well enough, the Shimano Tiagra groupset is heavier than the 105 on other bikes at this price and the complete bike weight is fairly high at 9.69kg (21.4lb). The overall feel is relatively dead as a result of the weight and the performance-focused positioning. It’s not bone-jarringly harsh, but when swapping between bikes on group rides we were generally glad to jump onto something a little livelier and friendlier than the Fuji.

Switching wheels for part of the test made a noticeable improvement in ride quality, but the firm frame and details like the oversized alloy seatpost still leave it playing a muted rather than melodic tune on the tarmac. There are no mudguard or rack eyes anywhere either, so it’s clip-ons and backpacks if you want to keep your backside dry or take stuff to work.

This article was originally published in Cycling Plus magazine.

Bontrager are pushing hard in the saddle market, investing in all sorts of pressure-mapping and 3D motion capture tech to help with design. The Evoke is the mountain bike-orientated result, and it’s packed with trail-friendly features.

The squared-off corners and flat, well-padded nose all work well, giving plenty of weight shift options with easy transitions between them. A hollow on the mid-section relieves pressure on your parts, although some may favour a deeper channel. 

The Evoke is more swoopy in profile and flat in cross-section than some. It can be bought in three widths (as well as a women’s version). Your Bontrager dealer can measure your behind (you just have to sit on a pad) and tell you which you need.

This article was originally published in Mountain Biking UK magazine.

This lightweight top does what it says on the tin: it’s really soft. Designed for mid-season riding, it’s a good mid layer – Santini say it’s for temperatures of 10-18°C. We tested it in the UK in December with only a lightweight shell over the top and found that it was just warm enough.

Its brushed inner face and low-key seams make it incredibly comfortable. The simple but flattering design and anatomically cut fit make it a great top to be seen in too, and there are three pockets at the back for stashing bits and pieces. 

Our only complaint was that it seemed really short in the body – the dropped tail didn’t cover much and rode up as we pedaled. But it’s such a useful weight and so comfortable that it’s a sound investment.

This article was originally published in Triathlon Plus magazine.

Whistle are an Italian company you might not have heard of before. When this £2,500 carbon framed hardtail came on the radar we were excited – cross-country bikes have been expanding into more and more interesting territory. Unfortunately the Huron didn’t provide the sprightly, rocketship ride characteristics that a bike at this price should provide.

Ride & handling: Average in performance

The medium sized bike we tested measured in at 18.5in and boasted a 605mm top tube, which is pretty lengthy for even an out-and-out cross-country race bike. The long top tube, coupled with the 100mm stem and steep head angle, resulted in dicey handling when the trails got steeper and more technical.

The long reach to the bars also made forward and backward weight-shifts difï¬�cult, and had us fearing the worst several times, in situations such as riding small drops into corners. Thankfully, the low 12.5in bottom bracket height helped to bolster the Huron’s cornering ability. 

As you'd expect with a carbon frame, trail vibration was greatly reduced. Lateral stiffness wasn’t as good as we’d expect though – there was a surprising amount of flex from the bottom bracket area. The BB30 system may be stiff, but that’s no use if the frame around it isn’t up to scratch.

All-up weight of 26lb (with pedals) isn’t too far away from where the Huron should be, but the bike felt like it was held back a bit on the climbs and we were left disappointed when we wanted to change pace quickly. 

Frame & equipment: Not great value

The frame is a lugged carbon �bre construction, with bulky joins and sections of carbon showing through the very ‘Euro’ paintjob. The press-�t BB30 bottom bracket is a modern touch but other features are decidedly more old-school, including an IS rear disc brake mount and a straight 1.125in head tube that gives the bike a 71-degree head angle.

Considering the high price of the Huron, we found the spec list somewhat disappointing. Although the kit all works well enough, we feel you should expect a bit more in exchange for £2,500. The RockShox Recon fork has 100mm (3.9in) of travel and a bar-mounted lockout. It stayed controlled through everything we could throw at it but the same fork can be found on alloy bikes that cost around £1,000.

Mavic’s Crossride wheels keep the bike rolling nicely, and the drivetrain is a 3x10 setup with an FSA V-Drive BB30 chainset, Shimano SLX shifters and front mech, and Deore XT rear mech. The 620mm flat alloy bar paired with the 100mm stem adds to that racer stretch and feel but the grips are a low point of the spec. The Schwalbe Nobby Nic 2.1 tyres are a great choice though.

This article was originally published in Mountain Biking UK magazine.

Fifteen tools for £15 is a good deal in anybody’s book, especially as this includes a few handy tools you don’t always find in a multi-tool. In addition to flathead and Phillips head screwdrivers and Allen keys from 2-8mm, there’s a chain tool, spoke tools and a T25 Torx wrench. 

The tools are made from tough, hardened steel, the plates from anodised aluminium and it’s genuinely small and light enough to carry in your pocket. The Allen keys are quite short, but with this there’s no excuse for not being tooled up on your ride.

This article was originally published in Cycling Plus magazine.

“CNC machined in Barnoldswick, England� boasts the blurb for Hope’s XC stem, and it doesn’t hide its manufacturing provenance. Highly-visible machining marks in the nooks and crannies leave no doubt that plenty of swarf was created in its manufacture.

The somewhat industrial looks won’t be to everyone’s taste, and the same can be said of the laser-etched graphics. A choice of six colours is wider than usual, though. The size range of four lengths in two rises each isn’t huge but covers the most popular bases and includes a potentially useful 50mm size. This is also one of the few stems still available for 25.4mm bars. 

Hope have resisted the temptation to machine out every last bit of material, keeping full coverage for the faceplate and steerer clamp. We like the ‘blind’ threaded holes for the faceplate bolts, giving a clean look from behind. Performance is as good as you’d expect and, while towards the upper end of the price range, the £70 pricetag is reasonable considering the work that goes into it. At 162g it's not the lightest option.

This article was originally published in What Mountain Bike magazine.

This article originally appeared on Cyclingnews.com

The Associated Press has reported today that the nearly two-year long federal investigation into allegations of doping by Lance Armstrong has come to a conclusion without any charges being filed.

A press release from United States Attorney Andre Birotte Jr. stated his office "is closing an investigation into allegations of federal criminal conduct by members and associates of a professional bicycle racing team owned in part by Lance Armstrong."

That team was the US Postal Service team, which was sponsored by the independent agency of the US federal government from 1996 through 2004, supporting the team through five of Armstrong's record seven consecutive Tour de France victories. The investigation into systematic doping within the team arose partly out of allegations made by former rider Floyd Landis in 2010.

The federal government's interest arose from the possibility that doping programs, funded through government-supplied sponsorship dollars, could constitute fraud. The Food and Drug Adminstration's Jeff Novitzky was appointed to head up the investigation, the same man responsible for pursuing the BALCO steroids scandal.

Normally grand jury investigations would not be publicized if they failed to result in charges, but Birotte decided to make a public statement about the investigation's end due to numerous reports about the supposedly secret investigation in the press.

"This is great news," Armstrong's spokesman Mark Fabiani said in a statement. "Lance is pleased that the United States Attorney made the right decision, and he is more determined than ever to devote his time and energy to Livestrong and to the causes that have defined his career."

The case may not be concluded for Armstrong, however, as the US Anti-doping Agency (USADA) has announced that it is "looking forward to obtaining the information" which was gathered through the grand jury investigation.

CEO of USADA, Travis Tygart indicated that today's decision by the US Attorney may help his agency pursue Armstrong on doping violations..

"Unlike the U.S. Attorney, USADA’s job is to protect clean sport rather than enforce specific criminal laws," read the statement from Tygart. "Our investigation into doping in the sport of cycling is continuing and we look forward to obtaining the information developed during the federal investigation."

That information includes the statements of several of Armstrong's former teammates and staff members, including Tyler Hamilton, who later appeared on the television news show "60 Minutes" with details about the doping at US Postal including an eye witness account of Armstrong using EPO.

A doping sanction based upon "non-analytical positives" is not unprecedented: Former Rock Racing rider Kayle Leogrande, whose home was searched in an early part of the same investigation that involved the USPS team, was given a two-year suspension based upon anecdotal evidence from his team and associates.

Stay tuned to Cyclingnews for more details as they emerge.

Former track world champion Rob Hayles has joined Onix Bikes as chief development and test rider.

Hayles, who retired from racing at the end of last season, penned the deal with the Lancashire-based firm after being asked to test the 2012 range by Craig Middleton, who founded the company in 2010. This arrangement has evolved into Hayles taking on the more formal developmental role.

“I’ve always loved testing, developing and engineering. It’s part of who I am.� said Hayles, who worked as a consultant in the industry throughout his career. “I’m excited about the opportunity to help develop and test for such a forward looking British company.�

For 2012, Hayles has put his name to two bikes; the racing focussed Black RH Pro and the sportive-friendly Black RH. For more on the company, visit their website.

Specifications

Onix Black RH Pro

• Carbon frame
• BB30 bottom bracket
• Fully internal cabling
• Carbon rear dropouts
• FSA Orbit C40 integrated headset
• Full carbon Onix F01 fork
• 930g (1340g with fork) (485mm size)
• Paintwork: Matt black with matt red and gloss black detailing, individual ‘Rob Hayles’ signature
• Groupsets: Campagnolo, Shimano and SRAM
• Wheels and tyres: Packages available with SRAM, Fulcrum, Zipp and Shimano or custom spec Paul Hewitt on Michelin, Continental or Schwalbe tyres
• Finishing Kit: Seatposts, stems, bars and cages available from; Deda, Onix or Zipp
• Price: Frameset £1,399.99 with two year worldwide warranty. Available in 48.5, 51, 54 and 57cm sizes

Onix Black RH

• Carbon frame
• Taller head tube providing a less aggressive position
• BB30 bottom bracket
• Top tube internally cabled
• Aluminium rear dropouts
• FSA Orbit C40 integrated headset
• Full carbon Onix F01 fork
• 1030g (1,410g with fork) (490mm size)
• Paintwork: Matt natural carbon with matt blue and gloss detailing , individual ‘Rob Hayles’ signature
• Groupsets: Campagnolo, Shimano and SRAM
• Wheels and tyres: Packages available with; SRAM, Fulcrum, Zipp and Shimano or custom spec Paul Hewitt on Michelin,Continental or Schwalbe tyres
• Finishing Kit: Seatposts, stems, bars and cages available from; Deda, Onix or Zipp
• Price: Frameset £1,199.99 with two year worldwide warranty. Available in 52, 54, 56 and 59cm sizes

BikeRadar's weekly round-up of great online deals from our recommended retailers could save you both time and money.

If you just want to get to the bargains, skip to the end of the article to see the deals listed as Quick Links.

Otherwise, read on for more details including pictures, BikeRadar reviews and your opinions wherever possible – so you can make sure you're fully in the picture before parting with your hard-earned cash.

1. Sunn Shamann S1 (2011) – Buy Now from Chain Reaction for £1,572 and save 45 percent

What the manufacturer says:

"The Shamann S1 is the full suspension bike of the XC lineup. The Shamann Alpha frame geometry has been designed to give an efficient balance of traction, acceleration and long distance comfort to make the perfect marathon bike. The RockShox Monarch RT3 shock absorber provides a highly progressive 100mm of rear travel. The front-end is comprised of RockShox SID RLT forks also with 100mm travel. SRAM 2x10 transmissions allow for a lighter and more efficient shifting system. Add to this SRAM X9 pedals, UN Premium 600-0 SL wheels and Hutchinson Python tyres for a bike that mixes performance with riding pleasure."

2. Saracen Zen 1 Bike (2010) – Buy Now from Winstanleys Bikes for £449.99 and save 47 percent

What the manufacturer says:

"The Zens are 100% UK specific aggressive trail screamers, ready to take on whatever you throw at them. The lightweight frame uses a triple butted 6061 alloy tubeset designed specifically for longer travel forks and the mud clearance on the rear of the frame is class-leading. Also featuring RockShox Tora 289 U-Turn forks with 85-130 mm travel, Shimano HG50 9-speed cassette, Quad Sting Pro hydraulic disc brakes and Continental Mountain King tyres, these long-travel hardcore trail bikes were designed to take UK trail riding to the next level."

3. GT Zaskar Carbon Expert (2011) – Buy Now from Wiggle for £ 1429.99 and save 35 percent

What the manufacturer says:

"Classy carbon hardtail that won't let you down. The Zaskar Carbon Expert is full of top class components that compliment the Foc-Ultra Carbon frame well. Proven RockShox Recon Solo Air forks are fitted to soak up punishing ground along with SRAM S1400 chainset ensuring a solid drive over varied terrain. Formula RX brakes with 160mm rotor both front and rear provide plenty of stopping power. Crankbros Cobalt 2 flat handlebars and seat stem as well as DT Swiss wheelset and Maxxis Aspen tyres round off a bike that can handle any terrain."

Quick Links:

• Sunn Shamann S1 (2011) – Buy Now from Chain Reaction for £1,572 and save 45 percent
• Saracen Zen 1 Bike (2010) – Buy Now from Winstanleys Bikes for £449.99 and save 47 percent
• GT Zaskar Carbon Expert (2011) – Buy Now from Wiggle for £ 1429.99 and save 35 percent

Offers courtesy of: Wiggle, Chain Reaction Cycles and Winstanleys Bikes

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The essential magazine to consult before you spend your cash on any mountain biking equipment. Read more & subscribe.

Almost four years ago to the day, a Scottish adventurer was on the verge of shattering what was then a little known record – the fastest circumnavigation of the Earth by bicycle. Mark Beaumont’s time of 194 days and 17 hours broke the previous benchmark by a whopping 82 days, setting a credible benchmark and dangling a carrot in front of motivated, endurance-hungry cyclists the world over.

While his achievement was impressive, it was a record Beaumont himself reckoned could easily be topped. Perhaps this is what James Bowthorpe thought prior to his unratified effort of 175 days in 2009, or Julian Sayerer and Vin Cox, who would both break the record the following year just months apart of each other. Cox, who rolled into London just over 163 days after he’d left in early 2010, held the record until the turn of this year, when Guinness World Records (GWR) finally awarded the accolade to Alan Bate. His stunning time of 106 days, 10hrs and 33mins was achieved with the partial help of a support crew, and with GWR either unwilling or unable to distinguish between what’s supported and what’s not, he’s now considered the man to beat.

It is Cox’s time, though, which is the primary focus for many of the ten competitors in this month’s inaugural World Cycle Racing Grand Tour (WCR). The Englishman is the last person to break the record independently, lugging all his own equipment across the 18,000 miles that Guinness decree to be “round the world�, and is the time most are targeting.

Mark Beaumont's BBC documentary and subsequent book 'The Man Who Cycled the World' planted a seed in the minds of many of the WCR competitors

In its earliest guise, the tour was known as the Global Bicycle Race and was the brainchild of Cox himself. Unveiling the idea to the world last September, his vision was for a group of record chasers to depart at the same time and place in London. He wanted it to be an event where progress could be tracked in real time on the internet, an actual race rather than a group of disparate cyclists undertaking an attempt individually on their own terms. "Sport is heading for the extremes and I just asked myself 'where does that lead in the end?'" he told BikeRadar. "I wanted to encourage and inspire that progress to the extremes of cycling."

Some may wonder what makes the holder of a record actively encourage others to try and break it, but he was never one of them. “I knew it was going to happen with or without my help and I thought it would be better to encourage it,� he says. “I’d be able to meet like-minded people, do something good for them and help make this record a prestigious one. I see no advantage at all in being quiet and hoping the record doesn’t get attacked."

Cox’s enthusiasm for the project made it all the more surprising to learn that the GBR had been cancelled last month. While Cox couldn’t go into the details of why, from its ashes rose the World Cycle Racing Grand Tour, a race featuring the majority of riders from the original but without any input from Cox, who now serves only as a source of encouragement and advice to several riders.

It seems the new race was formed late last year by riders attached to the GBR, with one competitor telling BikeRadar this move had contributed to its demise. “Vin inspired the original race concept. However due to circumstances surrounding it, the riders had to make the decision to set-up a rider led event to ensure the dream was realised,� he said.

While these circumstances aren’t clear, another rider offers an alternate explanation. “I think he just felt he couldn’t manage the responsibility and try to accommodate everybody else’s preparations, and still remain true to his original concept."

Vin Cox: "I have to give the WCR space to do its own thing. The scene will develop and the GBR might be called back into existence if and when the world is ready for it"

While the name has changed, from an outsider’s perspective little else has. Ten riders from England, Scotland, the Isle of Man, Ireland and South Africa will depart on 18 February at 9am, appropriately from the Greenwich Meridian outside the Royal Observatory in London, though this isn’t the case for all. Some will head west, some east but all will follow the rules set by the record keepers at GWR; start and end points must be the same, travel should be continually in one direction, distance travelled should be a minimum of 18,000 miles (cycling) and 24,900 miles (total) and they must pass two opposite antipodal points. They will be tracked by satellite, with the race website www.worldcycleracing.com providing progress updates in the shape of blogs, photos and videos.

As a rider led race, throwing their hats into the ring was a daunting prospect. They’ve each spent the last year of their lives living and breathing it, so if they weren’t getting the miles in on the road, they’ve been trying to overcome the planning and logistics of a solo, round-the-world cycling odyssey – the Visas, travel tickets, accommodations, language barriers, vaccinations and equipment – often to the detriment of their fitness. The buck stops with them every step of the way, so nothing can be left to chance. “I’ve toured on my bike many times before, but this trip has completely taken over my life,� says Jason Woodhouse, a 25-year-old from Newcastle-upon-Tyne. “When I’m not working, I’m planning, and the amount of logistics has made it extremely difficult to push ahead with a training plan."

It’s a problem 30-year-old South African Sean Conway knows all too well. “The logistics are so hard to manage. I’m just glad I didn’t know half of it at the beginning otherwise I might not have started!�

Sean Conway's message for his rivals comes from Muhammad Ali: "Don't quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion"

When the idea for the race was first mooted, Cox was the record holder. His record stood for 17 months, despite Bate completing his ride just three days after he had crossed the finish line, again at Greenwich. It took Bate, who was partially supported by a crew and riding an un-laden race bike, until October of last year to submit his evidence to GWR, who verified it in early January. This change, coming so late in the day for the WCR competitors, shifted the goalposts in dramatic fashion. While some would be content to break Cox’s 163 day effort, others have risen to the bait.

Mike Hall, a 30-year-old design engineer, occasional bike tester and top ten Tour Divide finisher from Harrogate, doesn’t believe 106 days is insurmountable. “I know I can do that kind of mileage, maybe slightly more, for two or three weeks. It’s a case of how long can I keep it up. We all knew Alan’s ride had been completed and that it was always a possibility it would be validated,� he says. “But the record is the record. There’s at least one other competitor who has the right idea about what is possible on this ride and how to go about it. He hasn’t come from a racing background, or ever being a cyclist, but that doesn’t matter so much. The winner will be the guy who lives fast, not necessarily the one who rides fast.�

Mike Hall: "People say getting to the start line is the hardest part - they're not wrong!"

Hall is perhaps referring to Conway, who is looking to the past for his inspiration. “It’s going to be tough, but yes it’s doable. Just look at some of the pioneers, Tommy Godwin cycled 75,000 miles in a year in 1939. That’s 200 miles per day for a lot longer than 106 days. Alan has pushed the bar back to where it was 70 years ago, and with better bikes surely we’ll be able to push ourselves further."

That’s all well and good, but Cox warns such mileage will come at a physical – and mental – cost. “I was possibly the last person to enjoy breaking the record, or take a route designed to interest and challenge, but Alan has shown the way forward,� he says. “Around the World in 80 days a la Jules Verne is going to be the equivalent of our four minute mile and it’ll be the target from now on."

Given the help he received, Bate had hoped his record would be acknowledged as a supported attempt, but some have sympathy with GWR over the difficulties in distinguishing between what counts as assistance and what doesn’t. “If you were to meet some friendly chap and they ride with you for a few days, does that slipstream count as being supported? Does staying with friends, meaning you don’t have to worry about lodgings, count? I think they’re in an awkward position,� says 21-year-old student Stuart Lansdale, the youngest in the competition. Others, including Cambridgeshire policeman Stephen Phillips, will be writing to GWR asking that the true circumnavigation record be recognised as an unsupported ride – should he win, that is.

Stuart Lansdale: "It's the opportunity to do a whistle stop tour of the world at a speed which isn't too fast to miss everything you pass through"

Whatever the approach, they’re all taking on the challenge of a lifetime and nobody is under any illusions to the contrary. “I’ve trained harder than I ever have in my life, almost enough to think of myself as a proper athlete,â€� confesses Hall. While he gave up his job to dedicate his efforts to the record attempt, others including Lansdale and Phillips have had to fit weekly mileages of up to 500 miles around studying, jobs and family life. Off the bike planning has been equally, if not more, challenging. “My life has become one big Excel spreadsheet,â€� laments Lansdale.

Even elementary decisions, such as whether to head east or west, can have huge ramifications and with a 50:50 split on the issue, it seems they all have radically different game plans. While Woodhouse will be riding against the wind towards America (he expects to hit snow in a chilly Pennsylvania by March), he’s hoping this long game pays off with eventual longer days and warmer weather. Others, such as Lansdale, will be heading east on a more interesting, and potentially more challenging route through Ukraine, Russia and Kazakhstan.

Conway believes it’s important to be creative in the route choice, and not just cycle 18,000 miles in a zig-zag fashion across America and Australia. “We were given rules and it’s up to us to interpret them,� he says. “But I think it’s important to inspire future adventurers, and riding through all the major continents, cycling around the world in the true sense of the word, is important.�

Jason Woodhouse: "I have no doubt I'll wind up crying at the road side more than once. It's the most demanding test I will have ever put my body through"

Others have a different approach to preparation. While he's put the miles in on the road, studied the countries he'll pass through and taken advice from cyclists who've been in his position, 24-year-old Irishman Simon Hutchinson is in a philosophical mood, admitting his real training doesn't start until the 18th. "There's no doubt in my mind this race has the capacity to break me, but I also believe it has the power to make me a stronger person. I will experience things, good and bad, but I know I always have a home to come back to. That is what will keep me sane."

Simon Hutchinson: "My biggest challenge is also my main motivation - missing my family and friends. It will only remind me to cycle harder every day to get back to them"

Now their planning is more or less complete, all that’s left to do is get the show on the road. The race's secret Facebook page has been lively in recent weeks and has allowed them all to get to know each other, share their concerns and offer encouragement. When it all boils down, though, the innate competitive nature of anyone who puts themselves through something like this means they're keeping the important cards close to their chests. “We’re a cagey bunch,� admits Phillips. “And we like to keep as much of our own preparation to ourselves. Some of the louder ones have been sharing their preparations, but it’s just mind games if you ask me."

Stephen Phillips: "My message to the others is this: there's no need to watch your backs, because I'll be ahead of you"

It will no doubt be the toughest, gruelling and at times torturous adventure they have ever, and perhaps will ever, experience. Win or lose, new record or not, it will be something they'll carry with them for the rest of their days. Hall puts it best: "There are 10 people setting out to do something amazing. There will only be one winner but there will be 10 different stories to tell. Charities will benefit, friends will be made and dreams will be realised. Most people will never get to the starting line of something like this, let alone finish. It'll be an honour to share it with them."

The World Cycle Racing Grand Tour begins at 9am on Saturday 18 February at the Greenwich Meridian, London. A big crowd is expected on the day, and the riders are hoping to drum up support prior to the grand departure to make it even bigger. Head over to the race website for further information.

This bike is special for more than its beautiful matt white and silver finish, more than its exclusivity, and more than its spec. It’s the only bike on sale that’s both designed and developed by a current top level pro. The rider in question is Aqua e Sapone’s Danilo ‘The Killer’ Di Luca, hence the moniker on this special edition of the top-of-the-range model. Don’t be too quick to dismiss this bike because of Di Luca’s past offences – you’ll be missing out.

Kyklos was started two years ago by Di Luca and long-time friend Francesco Di Ruscio, whose own pro career was cut short by injury. Prototypes are tested by Di Luca and some of his friends in the bunch, including Fillipo Pozzato. Everything they ever wanted in a team-issue bike, every annoyance with the machines they had to ride, all goes into the design. It’s no exaggeration to say that the Kyklos Featherweight Plus is the bike that pros dream about.

This frame was developed from the Featherweight Limited we rode last year. The Plus switches from an integrated seatmast to a conventional seatpost and the carbon layup has been revised for extra pedalling stiffness. It comes in five colours but this paintjob is unique to the Killer edition. The frame features internal cabling, a BB30 bottom bracket, big chainstays for stiffness and skinny seatstays for comfort. Our test bike came built with SRAM Red, an ENVE Composites cockpit and Edco Furka Competition carbon clincher wheels, which are also imported by UK Kyklos agents Veroli.

The ride is nothing less than astonishing. The frame is incredibly stiff, not just around the substantial bottom bracket but also in the front end so when you’re out of the saddle and pulling on the equally-stiff ENVE bar there’s no twist at all, only surging drive. The sprinting and climbing performance is outstanding.

What’s even more remarkable is that the Featherweight Plus combines this stiffness with the unprecedented comfort levels we found in the Limited version a year ago. Everything from road vibration to bigger potholes is significantly damped before it reaches any of the contact points. It’s proof that in high-end bikes with the right engineering you don’t have to compromise smoothness to get low weight and stiffness.

The 58mm-deep Edco Furka Competition wheels feel quick once up to speed and their stability means you never feel like backing off just because the wind has picked up. The ceramic braking surface is superb, too, screeching sometimes but stopping you faster than any other wheelset we’ve ridden, whether carbon or aluminium.

At 1,742g, the Furkas are on-par for deep-section carbon clinchers. However, that’s a meaty category of wheel and they aren’t as stiff as the rest of the bike so they feel like they’re holding it back. Edco offer several wheelsets more suited to hilly rides. We also tried the Kyklos with 1,277g ENVE 3.4s and it was phenomenal – we smashed our hard-fought best time on our local test climb.

This article was originally published in Procycling magazine.

BikeRadar's weekly round-up of great online deals from our recommended retailers could save you both time and money.

If you just want to get to the bargains, skip to the end of the article to see the deals listed as Quick Links.

Otherwise, read on for more details including pictures, BikeRadar reviews and your opinions wherever possible – so you can make sure you're fully in the picture before parting with your hard-earned cash.

Some of these offers won't last forever though, so be quick if you want to bag yourself a bargain.

1. Raleigh Avanti Carbon Comp Bike (2010) – Buy Now from Winstanleys Bikes for £999.99 and save 44 percent

What the manufacturer says:

"The Raleigh Avanti Carbon Comp is a popluar bike riders who relish the challenge of road riding and testing their fitness. Get the advantages in performance from the Avanti custom designed carbon frame without the expense of a top-level groupset. Coupled with the carbon frame are the Avanti custom designed direct response carbon forks ensuring a balanced ride. Quality is maintained throughout with the inclusion of Shimano CN-500 chainset, Shimano FC-5600 cranks, Xero CXR-330 wheelset and Continental Ultra Race tyres."

2. Pinarello FP2 105 (2011) – Buy Now from Wiggle for £1,299.35 and save 35 percent

What the manufacturer says:

"The full-carbon frame is powerful, the down tube is massive and the bottom bracket, heart and fulcrum of this triangle, is unyielding to the power you'll unleash when you stand on the pedals. The distinctive features are all there: the Onda fork will guide you safely through the most demanding curves. 24HM carbon with 12K finish. The frame is available in six colours and seven sizes. Components include a Shimano 105 groupset, Shimano WH500 wheelset and MOST Ewiva tyres."

3. Ghost EBS Lector Race (2011) – Buy Now from Chain Reaction for £1,235.00 and save 35 percent

"Comfort and quality of ride underpin the Ghost Race Lector. Built on the Race HM carbon frame and matched with CG carbon front forks results in a cycle that offers a lightweight and smooth ride. Gearing is provided by Shimano Ultegra chainset that utilises a Shimano Ultegra compact crankset set. The bike rolls on an Easton Aero wheelset wrapped up in Schwalbe Ultremo tyres. Brakes are Tektro R 741. A bike perfectly suited for beginner to intermediate cyclists."

Quick Links:

• Raleigh Avanti Carbon Comp Bike (2010) – Buy Now from Winstanleys Bikes for £999.99 and save 44 percent
• Pinarello FP2 105 (2011) – Buy Now from Wiggle for £1,299.35 and save 35 percent
• Ghost EBS Lector Race (2011) – Buy Now from Chain Reaction for £1235.00 and save 35 percent

Offers courtesy of: Wiggle, Chain Reaction Cycles and Winstanleys Bikes 

Subscription Offer:

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Cycling Plus is for anyone who appreciates the all-out effort of racing, the freedom of touring or the cut-and-thrust of commuting. Read more & subscribe.

With UK national newspaper The Times launching their "Cities fit for Cycling" campaign on Thursday, we headed to Bristol to hear word on the street about just safe our roads are.

Bristol was chosen as the UK's first - and to date only - cycling city in 2008, but what effect has this actually had? Other questions on the agenda were whether or not Britain's roads are safe enough for cyclists and whether more can be done to improve matters.

Check out the video below to see what our talking heads had to say. And let us know what you think too.

SRAM's new 2013 Red group offers a host of improvements and upgrades. Two particularly interesting developments include the company's first Red-branded power meter, and announcement of a fall launch for hydraulic disc and rim brakes.

SRAM showed launch attendees images of the new Red hydraulic rim and disc road brakes, but we weren't allowed to shoot photographs. That being said, we got enough of a look at all of the components to provide a good description of what you'll see when it's all officially announced this autumn. (So unfortunately, this is only a figurative first look for our readers; sorry guys — ed.)

SRAM engineers were able to squeeze a master cylinder into the DoubleTap lever bodies but not without a little extra room. The main grip area looks unchanged as do the basic brake and shift lever shapes but the bump up top is substantially elongated. Though not quite as elegant looking as the standard Red controls, we do expect the more generously sized appendage to provide a bonus hand position.

Underneath the hoods, we also expect to find a removable reservoir cap along with SRAM's familiar bleed port screws.

SRAM wouldn't comment on build materials but the two-piston disc brake caliper looked to be a one-piece aluminum forging, covered in the same fetching two-tone anodized finish as the rest of the new Red bits. It's a sleek and compact looking piece, too, and could very well allay some skeptics' fears of how a disc-equipped road (or 'cross) bike might look.

The hydraulic road rim brake looked impressively svelte as well, boasting a profile that appeared barely bigger than the new cable actuated brake. Since there's no need to design mechanical leverage tricks into a hydraulic brake, the new Red hydraulic rim brake will be a simple single-pivot layout with a slave cylinder sandwiched in between.

Not surprisingly, the pictured prototype had an integrated quick-release mechanism built in, too.

Weights, prices, and exact availability won't be announced until the fall — we're guessing at Eurobike. Zipp says it's already testing its own disc-compatible wheel designs complete with new hub shells designed in house. Company PR man Andy Paskins tells us development of those wheels might extend into the winter, however.

In either case, we're still hopeful for retail delivery in time for the '12 cyclo-cross season.

Red Quarq, the new flagship

The new Red Quarq power meter doesn’t just wear matched labeling, rather, it takes over as the flagship model in the range. It's claimed to be more accurate, more robust, and even easier to use.

The ANT+ identifier is now printed right on the outside of the power meter instead of inside the battery case for faster pairing during setup. The new battery case is still user serviceable and is all aluminum

SRAM fit the Red Quarq power meter with an all-new aluminum spider that houses a more compact electronics package plus a new shape that's a marked departure from previous Quarq models. According to Quarq founder Jim Meyer, the tidier internal layout should yield fewer failures due to broken connections, the CR2032 offers better chainring clearance than the old CR2450 size, and the carefully designed swept spider shape doesn’t require recalibration when swapping chainrings – upsizing to time trial sizes or downsizing to 'cross variants supposedly changes the measured values by less than one percent.

There's also an LED integrated right into the spider to indicate power on and zeroing mode and an externally located ANT+ identification number for easier pairing. Despite the CR2032 cell having less than half the capacity of the old size, claimed run time is still a generous 300 hours instead of around 400 – and when the battery is depleted, users can easily replace it at home just like before.

Basic functionality has been enhanced, too. Compatible Garmin Edge 500 and 800 heads will now display independent left and right-leg power outputs and overall claimed accuracy has improved to +/- 1.5 percent. As in the past, the Quarq meter will connect with other power-compatible ANT+ head units but the Power Balance function may not be available.

Quarq will soon offer to consumers its own mount for the Garmin Edge 500, which puts it out in front of the bars and closer to the rider's natural field of vision

While the power meter itself is new, the accompanying carbon fiber crankarms unfortunately aren't. SRAM says there wasn't enough time to carry the hollow carbon fiber architecture from the standard 2013 Red arms into the power meter so it still uses the same foam core construction.

Standard SRAM Red Quarq power meters for use with GXP bottom brackets with retail for US$1,995/£TBD starting this April and claimed weight is 778g (172.5mm, 53/39T, without bottom bracket). Claimed weight for the specific BB/PF-30 version wasn't available at launch time but it's supposed to arrive in stores beginning in May for US$2,045/£TBD.

Finally, Quarq has even developed its own mount for the Edge 500 at the request of sponsored riders. The new setup uses the same quarter-turn interface but moves the computer from atop the stem to ahead of the stem faceplate, level with the bar – similar to SRM. It's no lighter than the standard setup – and if anything, it's heavier – but the Quarq-developed mount puts the display closer to the natural field of view and in our opinion, also just looks better.

Target weight and cost on the new mount are still to be determined but Quarq estimates they'll be available to consumers in about three months.