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Bikes Buying Guide Electric Electric Bikes Featured Hot Products Road Bikes

Cannondale Topstone Neo SL E-Gravel Bike

When Cannondale told us about their Topstone Neo SL e-bike we thought it sounded great. An e-bike built for roads, lanes, byways, gravel trails or just about anything you can point it in the direction of with an ultra discrete, lightweight Mahle ebikemotion X35+ drive system. No we’ve had a chance to get our hands on the bike we’re even more impressed than we had anticipated.

When you first see the Topstone Neo SL you realise just how far e-bikes have come. You’d be forgiven for asking the question ‘Where’s the motor?” The simple answer is that this clever hub-based motor really does hide in plain sight. Despite its subtle appearance, the assistance achieved by this lightweight motor is far from it. 250W power with a 250Wh battery provide three levels of support ensuring assistance is always there when you need it. A maximum range of 47 miles is achieved when used conservatively so you really can go the distance.

Controlled by the integrated top tube controller, assistance is always within reach. You can turn the system on, select your assist level and see your battery charge, all at the touch of a button leaving plenty of space on the bars for any other accessories you decide to take along for the ride. Charging is simple thanks to the easy access charging port. This also allows for an optional range extender for a total battery capacity of 450Wh allowing you to ride even further!

The lightweight aluminum frame and full carbon fork provide a smooth and stable ride. The geometry is perfectly balanced to allow you to munch miles in a back-friendly position without being too slack. You can still get pretty aero in the drops! Clearance for 700x42c tyres provide all the cushioning and grip you’ll need on the more technical trails, tubeless compatibility means you can get the pressures nice and low too.

Functionality is catered for with multiple mounts for water bottles, racks and storage. Fit a set of fenders to keep the grime off in the damper months and you’ll have a year-round companion if you don’t mind facing the elements making it the perfect companion for commuting in style.

Available in two differing builds, the Topstone Neo SL1 comes equipped with Shimano’s GRX600 1×11 Speed groupset, the Topstone Neo SL2 has Shimano GRX400 2×10 Speed, providing reliable functionality you’d expect from a Shimano hydraulic disc brake groupset in both cases. The SL1 even has some fine finishing kit like the Fabric Scoop saddle, Promax carbon seatpost both of which aid in soaking up any buzz. WTB Resolute TCS, 700 x 42c, tubeless-ready tyres and Cannondale 16 degree flared handlebars round up a really well-thought-out build.

Available in-store and online the Cannondale Topstone Neo SL1 and Cannondale Topstone Neo SL2 form part of our huge range of electric road and gravel bikes.

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Hot Products Mountain News Parts And Accessories

The SRAM GX Eagle AXS upgrade kit has landed!

SRAM launched the latest in their Mountain Bike component series yesterday, the GX Eagle AXS wireless upgrade kit. SRAM’s high-end AXS technology has trickled down to their mid-range groupset, meaning flawless wireless shifting for the masses at an affordable price point. Retailing at £554.00 for the upgrade kit which includes everything you need to make your existing Eagle drivetrain wireless. Backwards compatible with both their original and expanded range Eagle Cassettes, making it a no-brainer for anyone looking to upgrade or replace tired components.

Featuring SRAM’s proven AXS wireless technology and renowned, rugged durability of the GX range while mirroring the performance of their XX1 and X01 Eagle AXS derailleurs, the GX Eagle AXS rear mech doesn’t disappoint. Paired with the GX Eagle AXS Controller which has incredible levels of customisation this is a winning combo that makes for effortless shifting. Not only is there the option to assign different touchpoints using the SRAM AXS app but you can also swap out the paddle shapes should you feel the need. With SRAM’s AXS technology at the heart of this setup it also leaves the option open to pair a RockShox Reverb AXS dropper post with the system.

Using ANT+ and Bluetooth connectivity, the AXS system allows you to pair with a multitude of devices such as a Garmin or smartphone. Fire up the SRAM AXS app and you can fine-tune the setup to your heart’s content, you can also check the battery life of your components via the app, not that it’s something you need to worry about with around 20 hours of run time thanks to the AXS Battery. If you do drain the juice you won’t need to wait long before you can hit the trails again however with a charge time of around an hour. The shifter uses a button cell battery which has a run time of 2 years, allowing for a fit-and-forget approach.

Another amazing feature of the new GX AXS derailleur is the double-clutch mechanism system. The Overload Clutch protects your investment in the event of an impact, the mech senses this and disengages the motor gearbox. This allows the derailleur to move out of harm’s way, before instantly returning to its position allowing you to get back on the gas! The second roller bearing clutch keeps the chain under tension preventing chainslap.

If you have a mechanical SRAM Eagle drivetrain and the components are in need of a freshen up or you’re just eager to see what all the fuss is about with wireless shifting then the SRAM GX Eagle AXS upgrade kit is right up your street! Available in-store or online, giving you the option of having our team of qualified technicians fit that for you or go down the DIY, home mechanic approach.

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Accessories Featured Hot Products News Parts And Accessories Reviews

Garmin Edge 1030 Rider Review

Garmin Edge 1030
Garmin Edge 1030
  • I’m going to cover some of the main things that stood out about the Edge 1030 but there are so many more features that I haven’t touched upon. It’s just got too many features to feasibly talk about in a short(ish) review!

Size

It took me some time to get used to the size of the Edge 1030. I had previously been using an Edge 820 and an Edge 500 before that so the increase in size seemed like quite a lot at first. However, after a few uses I got used to the size of it and actually found the bigger screen size to be useful. Data screens were clearer and also, I could see the time at the top of the screen without having to bend forwards and squint whilst riding along. This also has benefits for when you are using the unit for mapping. I would say that I wouldn’t use the unit for racing as I feel it would be a bit too big and look a bit out of place on a race bike but for someone who doesn’t race and wants to be able to see lots of data screens and big maps it’s a great size.

Touchscreen

The touchscreen on this device is very good and very responsive. It is also much clearer than the Edge 820 I had previously been using. It’s a known fact that the touchscreen on the Edge 820 can be at times be a little slow to respond. With the Edge 1030 however, this wasn’t the case. Each press is responded to very quickly and moving around the menus and between screens is very quick. It also doesn’t require a hard press, just a gentle press or flick. With auto brightness on the visibility of the screen is great no matter what conditions you are riding in. I have ridden with it on dreary winter daysand hot blue-sky days and anything in between and I have always been able to see the screen perfectly.

Battery

One of my disappointments with my previous smaller Garmin devices has been battery life. Often if I head out for a day and require maps on to follow a route I will be crossing my fingers by the end of the ride hoping that the battery isn’t going to go. The battery life on the Edge 1030 is amazing, Obviously the unit is bigger but the increase in amount of battery life is far greater than the increase in size from the smaller Garmin units. I took this unit on a cycling holiday to Monaco where we were out from 9am until 7pm, each day I had a route on the go and the device connected to my phone via Bluetooth. I don’t think the battery was on anything less than 45%. For people who do a lot of touring or maybe go away cycling for a weekend without the ability to charge things, this device will comfortably see you through two days of riding if not more! There is also a battery pack which can be piggybacked on to the Edge 1030 which will give you battery life in the region of 24+ hours!

Maps

As you would expect the maps on the Edge 1030 are the best across all the Garmin devices. The maps on my Edge 820 are very good and it’s one of the reasons I bought the unit in the first place as it provided detailed maps but on a compact unit. On the Edge 1030 you just get extra details like off road trails and footpaths. This would be great for people who ride off road or do rides which are both on and off road as tracks are clear to see coming off roads and then rejoining. The navigation is also very good and turn by turn is very accurate. The increase in size of screen coupled with the extra detail also mean it is very easy to follow a route. I often come across sections of rides where there are lots of roads coming off a main road, in a town centre for example. With the Edge 1030 it is very easy to see which turn you need to take without having to bend forwards to get closer to the unit. The unit comes loaded with full European maps at the same detail as the roads on the UK maps. This was great when I used the unit in France on unfamiliar roads riding through the outskirts of Nice not really knowing where I was going. The maps were clear enough for me to be able to focus on the traffic around me and still be able to navigate with a brief glance every now and then. The Edge 1030 effectively is as good as a satnav; addresses can be put in and navigated to if you find yourself lost or just want the device to plot a route to a friend’s house for you. The type of roads used and route plotting options can be customised to suit your needs. When scrolling around the map to check to see ahead on a route you have plotted, the map loads very quickly if not instantly. Some previous units took a while for the tiles to load but on the Edge 1030 there is no delay.

Performance Data

Along with all the usual data fields that most GPS units record these days, the Edge 1030 takes this to another level. It’s the ultimate training device. When coupled with a HR monitor and power meter it’s the perfect training partner and will no doubt help you to achieve those long-term training goals. At the end of each ride you are informed of various stats to do with your performance. One of these is a number on a scale of 1 to 5 of how much you are improving/working aerobic and anaerobic systems. This can be really handy depending on what type of session you are aiming to do and also helps you to understand your sessions. It will also inform you if you are overreaching which is good for preventing injuries or fatiguing yourself preventing sustained periods of training. It will also suggest a recovery time from the session, however I have found this to be more a recovery time to fully recover from that session or if back to back sessions the past two sessions.

“a virtual coach guiding you to greater things on the bike”

The device can also auto calculate your FTP if used with a power meter. This may take a few sessions for it to gather the data. This can be helpful if you don’t often do/don’t want to do a specific FTP test but have done a hard ride. Power is then combined with HR (make sure to set max HR) to give you an estimated FTP. At the start of rides the device will also give you a performance conditions number, again out of 5. This is an indication of how fit/fresh you are based on HR and power from previous rides and how that compares to the current ride. This is great on long rides as this is tracked for the duration of the ride and can be seen on a graph in the Garmin Connect app. I found that generally performance condition decreases as the ride went on which is what you would expect as you got more fatigued. This can be useful if you head out to do a hard interval session but have done quite a few back to back sessions and can see your performance condition is bad. In this case it would probably be more useful to do an easier ride. Without the performance condition feature you may over-train which is obviously detrimental in the long run.

These are just a few examples of what this unit can do with performance data and statistics but the list goes on and on. It really is a fantastic device for aiding training and could be regarded as a virtual coach guiding you to greater things on the bike.

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Hot Products News

The All New Stumpjumper 2019 – The Ultimate Trial Bike

THE ULTIMATE TRAIL BIKE – STUMPJUMPER 2019

The new Stumpjumper is the ultimate trail bike. Seriously, the damn thing rides like it’s on rails. It’s the most versatile trail bike we’ve ever made. And yeah, we’re stoked about that, but we’re even more excited about how well it’s tuned to you. We’ve said goodbye to proprietary bull****, focused on your needs, and made, what we feel, is the new benchmark in trail bikes.

You Can’t Lose

We’ve made three versions of the new Stumpjumper to give every kind of rider the best bike imaginable. The Short Travel (or ST) is snappy and nimble, while the Stumpjumper rides fast and planted. And for anyone that eats and sleeps gravity riding, we’ve brought back the EVO in all its slacked-out glory.

Real-World Testing

We loved the last Stumpjumper, but we wanted to make it an even more capable descender—this meant adding stiffness to the frame. To do it, we developed our own mountain-specific stiffness test that examined the connection between a rider’s hands and feet. When each get different signals, you get confused.

Extensive field-testing was performed in order to fine-tune the front-end stiffness. Our team would go ride a working version of the frame, provide feedback, and then we’d overwrap the frame with carbon plies, test it in the lab to record the stiffness value, and then give it back to the rider. We did this exact fine-tuning process over and over until we hit the perfect balance of stiffness and handling. And the result is a bike that feels like it’s riding on rails. Point it where you want, and you’re going there. This is Rider-First Engineered™ for mountain, and it delivers the ultimate trail ride—regardless of size.

All-New Sidearm Frame

We pulled out all the stops to lighten and stiffen up the frame, and what we arrived at was a vastly more efficient structure with a new sidearm design. The sidearm design directly connects all three mounting points of the rear-end and shock to the frame, and this creates a significant increase in both stiffness and performance over bumps. More explicitly, frame flex has been minimized when the rear suspension is active. In CAD, we were able to put the new 3D shape against the last iteration of the Stumpjumper, and with Finite Element Analysis (FEA), we were able to prove that the new layout was 20% more efficient. At the end of all of this, we’ve ended up with one of the lightest trail frames on the market.

A New Frame Yields a New Approach

With over two decades of experience with FSR, we refined our proven design. We love it, because FSR allows us to tune every part of the suspension with the least amount of compromises. Bike suspension is a marriage between the frame kinematics and the shock, after all. And given that we have our own Suspension Team (led by the King of Suspension, Mike McAndrews), we had them working hand-in-hand with the frame engineers on the bike design from day one. Because of this union, we’re now able to rely more on the frame kinematics and less on the shock damper to perfect the Stumpjumper’s ride quality. The end result? The Stumpjumper is supple over small bumps, yet it possesses a firm mid-stroke and exceptional bottom-out support. This is the suspension that makes the Ultimate Trail Bike.

Ultimate Adjustability

This is the best mountain bike we’ve ever made when it comes to customizing it however you want. All of the configurations use standard stroke and eye-to-eye metric shocks, so you won’t find Shock Block anywhere. So yeah, if you want to swap shocks—be our guest. You won’t have any problems from us or the Stumpjumper. We’ve also ditched the PF30 bottom bracket of yesteryear in favor of moving back to a threaded BB system, and both 27.5 and 29 frames can fit up to 3.0″ tires, now. You’ll still want to check with your fork manufacturer to make sure a high-volume tire can fit, but this should be music to everyone’s ears.

Improved Cable Routing

We seriously couldn’t make cable routing any easier on carbon models. Full tubes can be found throughout the carbon frame, so all you have to do is push the cable housing and it’ll come out the other end. No more lazy loop, hidden stashes of magnets, pokey spokes, or pillows to cry in.

Quieter Drivetrains Await

The new chainstay protector makes the drivetrain virtually silent, and it pretty much makes chain slap a thing of the past, too. The nubs on this protector disrupt the slap of the chain and this reduces the overall movement and sound of the chain.

Specialized Stumpjumper 2019

Price range: £1,700 – £8,000

View the full range at: https://www.hargrovescycles.co.uk/bikes/mountain-bikes.html?is_new=1&model_year=7224

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Featured Hot Products News

Winter Sale Top Bike Picks

Our Winter sale is here with a stonking offer of 30% off of 2016 bikes. We have compiled a list of our favourite 2016 bikes that are too good to miss! So treat yourself and start the new year with a new whip. Use the code BIKE30 and get 30% off at checkout.

cube-acid-blogCube Acid – 2016 Mountain Bike – £599 (£559.30 with code)

An exceptionally great entry-mid level mountain bike at an absolute banger of a price. The hardtail frame eats up the trails like nobody’s business. With internally routed cables that give the frame a lovely sleek look, and a frame specifically designed for disc brakes, the Cube Acid is the perfect stead for all your mountain biking purposes.

scott-scale-920-blog

Scott Scale 920 – 2016 Mountain Bike – £1899 (£1678.60 with code)

A carbon frame, a beast of a fork system and an eye-catching colour scheme, the Scott Scale 920 is a powerhouse of a mountain bike. You don’t need to worry about slipping and sliding all over the show, the Scale 920 will keep you grounded in the right places. An excellent cross country bike.

gt-transeo-blog

GT Transeo 1 – 2016 Hybrid Bike – £499.99 (£489.99 with code)

The Transeo 1 has Shimano gearing and is ideal for leisurely rides in the afternoon, or to kickstart burning that Christmas dinner off. This bike is perfect to commute to work or exploring the city, a tidy little bike that is great for getting around.

ridley-x-bow-blog

Ridley X- Bow 20 Disc – 2016 Road Bike – £649.99

Designed for the best performance and comfort, the X-Bow is a bike that transcends genre. A cyclocross racer, an everyday commuter, a long weekender or a stylish lightweight touring bike. Whatever you put this bike through, you will be surprised with its reliable performance and elegant style.

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Cube Attain GTC – 2016 Road Bike – £925 (£909.30 with code)

The Attain GTC isn’t just extremely light and comfortable, it’s also fast and efficient. An engineered masterpiece of racing tech, designed with vertical compliance in mind so that bumps and shocks from the road surface are minimal to the rider. A smooth ride for a smooth rider.

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Clothing Hot Products News

Best Winter Clothing To Keep Yourself Warm

Essential Winter Clothing Header

Now the temperature is dropping below freezing and the winter nights draw in earlier and earlier each day, it’s that time of year to pull out your winter clothing. Or if you’re totally unprepared, and have no clue on what to look for then this little guide should help you out. From waterproof jackets to mudguards and fancy bike lights, we’ve got you covered from head to toe.

Jackets

The key to keeping warm this winter is to layer up, and you’ve got to do this smartly! The most obvious one to start with (especially with the English weather’s reputation) is your outer layer. You want a breathable waterproof/windproof jacket that you can slip on and not only feel comfortable but dry. One important aspect to keep in mind is being seen! We’ll go into more details about the obvious ways of doing this (lights), but remember to get a jacket that either has reflective patches or is fluorescent yellow!

altura-attack-360-grey-yellow-2014-jacket

Our pick: Altura Attack 360 Waterproof Jacket (£152.99) – This jacket is waterproof (tick), breathable (double tick) and is durable (tick tick tick). Made with Altura’s Shield Technology, offering 3 layers of breathability that maintain your core temperature, and water/wind protection that bounces water right back at the clouds.

Base Layers

More importantly or at least equally as important, is your base layer. Don’t go throwing on any old t-shirt under your jacket as this is going to end in disaster (or at least a runny nose and feeling like pants). T-shirts are generally a bad idea, as they collect sweat and in sub-zero conditions, you will feel the cold way more, as you’re constantly in contact with freezing sweat. There are base layers that wick away sweat from your body keeping you dry and keeping the warmth in.

specialized-ls-2015-base-layer

Our pick: Specialized 1st Layer Seamless Base Layer (£49.99) – this is perfect for keeping you warm and dry. Transporting moisture away from the skin and creating the perfect microclimate between your skin and jersey. Incredibly comfortable, and is stretchy enough not to cause chafing.

Jerseys

For added warmth, add in a jersey to your layers to make sure your upper body doesn’t lose any heat. There are plenty around that can work in unison with your base layer, getting that sweat away from your body and making sure the micro-climate within your layers stays the same. Again, they are breathable and lightweight allowing protection and comfort.

castelli-potenza-fz-jersey-grey

Our pick: Castelli Potenza Grey Jersey (£174.99) – With reflective piping around the waistband and down the zips, this has you covered for visibility. Not only that, it manoeuvres sweat away from your body and onto the outside layer of the jersey. Combine this with a base layer, you’ll have a train of sweat working its way through the layers of your clothes.

Overshoes, Hats and Gloves

Much like heads, shoulders, knees and toes, you cannot forget about your head, hands and feet! Hats, gloves and overshoes are just a few important accessories to keeping yourself warm when cycling this winter. You lose a lot of heat from your head, so you want to lock that down asap. Obviously keeping your fingers warm is a no brainer, most gloves nowadays are wind/waterproof and some even have reflective strips! Overshoes might not be for every cyclist, but they do keep your feet dry, however. Other good options are the classic thermal socks for warmth and comfort.

overshoes-hats-gloves

Our picks: Castelli Narcisista 2 Shoecover (£54.99) – This reduces cold feet dramatically, lined with fleece to keep the heat in.
Gore Bike Wear ROAD GTX-1 Gloves (£59.99) – Easy to adjust and a perfect fit. These gloves are made from Gore-Tex and even has absorbent material on the thumb to wipe away that sweaty brow.
Altura Windproof Skullcap (£17.09) – A lovely insulated cap, that’ll keep your noggin’ cosy, with bonus reflective trim!

Bibtights and Trousers

To keep those legs pedalling during the winter months bib tights are probably the way to go. Most offer to windproof to keep out those nasty bone-chilling winds, but waterproof tights seem to be few and far between. Not to say that the bib tights do not have any water protection, most brands have a waterproof finish, enabling water to slip off effortlessly. If you want full waterproof protection, the best product for you is a pair of waterproof trousers, that can easily slip on over your normal pair (if you’re commuting that is)!

trousers-bibtights

Our picks: Castelli Nanoflex 2 Bibtights (£109.99) – Padded in all the right places, with the lower inner leg being completely waterproof! The fabric is stretchy, warm and comfortable. Perfect for those longer rides.
Altura Nightvision Overtrousers (£61.19) – Easy to pull over your everyday clothes, reflective trim to keep you seen and a breathable waterproof fabric that will keep you dry. What more could you want?

Accessories

Last but not least is a couple of accessories that are going to keep you safe and dry (to an extent). Mudguards are perfect for keeping that muddy water from splashing in your face, or worse, up your bum where it might look like you’ve had an accident or two. There is a huge range of lights available, and for the most part, they all do their job quite well. Just make sure you have enough lumens to light up what’s in front of you and a strong rear light.

mudguard-and-lights

Our picks: Mucky Nutz Butt Fender (£7.50) – In Mucky Nutz’s own words “It prevents soggy arse syndrome”. What more can I say?
Cateye Volt 200 Xc/Rapid Mini Set (£53.99) – This front/rear set is perfect to illuminate those dark country lanes. USB rechargeable and at least 3 hours’ worth of light, will get you to and from work (or out for a nice evening ride).

Hopefully, all this gear will keep you riding even in the sub-zero temperatures. Let us know what keeps you warm whilst out and about!