Cycling

London Assembly Member's blog post outlines concerns; attendees at seminar this week to discuss issues include Met and Andrew Gilligan read more

story about cyclist hit last thursdaywww.nbcwashington.comsame vague story herewww.wusa9.comthis appears to be the cyclist's FACEBOOK pagewww.facebook.commap of cyclists killed in the United Stateswww.everybicyclistcounts.org

Ernest GagnonI just found out my unemployment benefits have run out.. Im not sure what to do at this point.. Im going to try to call the unemployment office to see if i can get them extended. But if i cant get a job line in the next week, im afraid my cycling, training and all that will have to stop... Im really really scared at this point.. I was so hoping to a job by this point. Im scared to i may lose my insurance."}" href="https://www.facebook.com/#" id=".reactRoot[93]" role="button" style="color: #6d84b4; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;" title="Like this">Like · Share · 48 minutes ago · Marty 'n' Faith Shackelford likes this.1 shareView 19 more commentsRome Imari Mubarak What's your discipline/ field of study? And hoow far is Pennsylvania via train?13 minutes ago via mobile · "}" href="https://www.facebook.com/#" id=".reactRoot[94].[1][4][1]{comment603169159695926_6824004}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[1].[2]" role="button" style="color: #3b5998; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;" title="Like this comment">LikeErnest Gagnon Computer/ internet security, tech support. Really long time...12 minutes ago · "}" href="https://www.facebook.com/#" id=".reactRoot[94].[1][4][1]{comment603169159695926_6824009}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[1].[2]" role="button" style="color: #3b5998; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;" title="Like this comment">LikeErnest Gagnon i cant afford a train ticket at this point..12 minutes ago · "}" href="https://www.facebook.com/#" id=".reactRoot[94].[1][4][1]{comment603169159695926_6824010}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[1].[2]" role="button" style="color: #3b5998; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;" title="Like this comment">LikeRome Imari Mubarak My friend has a transitional housing program near Penn State. I will make a few calls to see what the criteria is..hang in there.9 minutes ago via mobile · Unlike · 1

Victims' families and Graeme Obree among those who took to streets of Edinburgh yesterday read more

Carbon race bike hopes to re-establish the flying Heron read more

Giro has been in the cycling shoe game for a few years now, and the Republic is perhaps their most innovative footwear release to date. Undeniably fashion forward, the Republic delivers high-performance and comfort at the same time. The Republic takes style cues from the athletic shoes of yesteryear, which means old-school shoelaces. Not only do they look good, they do a good job of securing the shoes with no noticeable shifting or heel lift. The perforated microfiber uppers don’t let a whole lot of air in, but they do seem to allow for good breatheability (at least through the months of April and May). The sole is made from DuPont™ Zytel nylon, and in short I’ll say that these shoes are stiff and light. I feel like I can put every bit of power I generate into the pedals, with zero waste. Whether that’s really true or not, I can’t say, but these shoes feel like serious cycling shoes. On the other hand, unlike my shiny silver road shoes, the Republic shoes are remarkably easy to walk in. Chalk it up to the replaceable rubber-coated treads. My apartment building has notoriously sketchy iron stairs, and I’ve negotiated them with ease in the Republic shoes. The Republic shoes come with very subtle branding, which is a clear nod toward the urban influence. They also feature an Aegis antimicrobial treatment and an elastic band on the tongue to keep the laces out of your chainring. Overall the shoe’s construction seems second to none. The Republic shoe is available in US men’s 6 ½ to 13 ½ (EU 39 to 48) in black, white and “lead” (pictured) colorways. They retail for $150. Check out www.giro.com

We've just got our hands on a titanium 29er from Pipedream Cycle – it's called the Skookum and is a singlespeed, belt drive hardtail retailing for £2,699, or £1,175 for the frame only.Belt drives aren't new in terms of technology; they use the same principles and manufacturing techniques that car cam belts employ. But with chain-driven transmissions being the dominant force when it comes to two wheels, a belt drive makes for an interesting bike.The titanium frame is intriguing because, for obvious reasons, you can’t split a belt to fit it round the chainstay. Therefore, you need to be able to separate the frame – temporarily – so the belt can be fitted. That's why the Skookum's chassis features a threaded coupling part-way up the driveside seatstay. A tool is supplied to loosen or tighten the coupling – once unscrewed, the frame can spring apart just enough to pop the belt in or out.The driveside seatstay comes apart hereThe Skookum is essentially the same as the well established, 26in-wheeled Pipedream Sirius hardtail, but with 29in wheels and a shorter fork travel – it’s designed to work with an 80-100mm fork, in this case a 100mm X-Fusion Slide 29 air unit. The wheels are Halo Vapours wrapped in the same brand's Choir Master tyres, stopped by Hope Tech Evo X2 brakes.You can spec a variety of other options, including an eccentric bottom bracket and cable routing for a geared Shimano or Rohloff hub. It can be built with a standard chain transmission, too. Our test model's 44mm head tube, belt coupling and sliding dropouts pushed the bare frame price from £989 to £1,175.Gusset parts make up the cockpitPipedream's belt drive of choice is the Gates Carbon Drive 22T singlespeed. Claimed weight for a typical Gates belt is under 100g, against more than 200g for a chain. To stop the belt slipping off, Pipedream’s setup uses the CenterTrack system, with a single central raised ridge on the sprocket and chainring that mates with a slot running the length of the belt. Cranks are Truvativ X9s, with Gusset providing the bar, stem, and saddle. The dropper seatpost is by X-Fusion.A full review of the Pipedream Skookum is coming up in issue 149 of What Mountain Bike, on sale 4 June. For more information on Pipedream bikes see www.pipedreamcycles.com.

Evening will feature Carlton Reid and US historian David V Herlihy; hugs optional read more

Photos from Nick Crumpton of Crumpton Cycles. Closeup after the break. If you think you know what this...

B’Twin are the house brand of the Decathlon chain of sporting goods shops, and these bibs offer many features of more expensive shorts at a fraction of the price. The mesh and Lycra-edged straps are a cooling highlight, although the seam between the back and front isn’t stitched flat and can rub. The multi-panel construction means the fit is very good, although again the lack of flatlock seams across the back can be felt under a pack from time to time and the sizing is very European – the medium size fitting tighter than most smalls.The multi-thickness chamois with gel inserts does a sterling job of cutting out shocks from the saddle, though we found it bunched a bit at the nose and was noticeably sweatier than others.This article was originally published in What Mountain Bike magazine, available on Apple Newsstand and Zinio.