Exuding quality, the Shimano R106s look and feel like shoes costing far more. There are lighter options available, but the extra bulk has a purpose. A carbon composite sole with single toe vent and three-point fitting shows intent, which is reinforced by the robust construction of the uppers. 

Soft synthetic leather and mesh form a generous upper with two wide Velcro straps, offset to even out pressure, and a micro-adjust ratchet closure at the ankle. It all adds up to an ultra-supportive and secure shoe with excellent power transmission, especially when climbing or sprinting, and they should last well too. .

Intense Carbon SL ? First look (published by BikeRadar.com)

Intense Cycles made their first foray into carbon fibre last year with the Carbine. Never ones to rest on their laurels, they’ve now unveiled a new super-light SL version which loses a little supension travel in return for a full half pound of weight savings.

The new bike, first seen in prototype form at last year’s Interbike trade show, can be adjusted to give either 4.75in or 5.25in (120 or 135mm) of VPP suspension travel and boasts a claimed frame weight of just 5lb (medium size, with Fox RP23 shock), compared to 5.5-6in and 5.5lb for the standard Carbine. Intense are aiming it at cross-country/light trailuse..

Here is the first: Americans take silver, bronze on day 2 of Masters ‘Cross Worlds (published by USA Cycling News Headlines)

American riders earned a silver and a bronze in the first championship race of the 2012 UCI Masters Cyclo-cross World Championships in Louisville, Kentucky.. Read full story…

Another amusing story: A Big Thank You To Helen?s Cycles and Giro (published by Bicycle.net | Attitude is Everything)

It was one of those moments when your stomach drops and your world starts to spin around you. Yep, I found a crack in my 18 month old Giro helmet. [...]. Read more…

Come back for more

Action Medical Research will use this week?s London Bike Show to showcase their 2012 calendar of challenge rides. The children?s charity will stage 25 events this year, including three all-new ones exclusively for women. 

Once again heading up the programme is their flagship London to Paris tour (18-22 July), which includes a new women-only route for 2012. The 300-mile ride sees 600 cyclists arrive in Paris in time for the final stage of the Tour de France, riding in convoy down the Champs Elysees the day before the professional cyclists head into the city. There are three alternative routes for 2012, open to all, including a three-day option. .

Bell Javelin aero helmet review (published by BikeRadar.com)

The Bell Javelin aero helmet is the successor to the Meteor and could be considered the cheaper cousin of the Giro Selector, as the brands share the same parent company. The Javelin is practically identical in shape to the Selector but doesn’t have quite as many features.

It comes with a detachable visor with small breathing holes in the top, two main front vents and one rear, a stubby tail (open underneath) and a fully adjustable internal cage. We liked the range of options that gave us: three different tilts plus the ability to loosen or tighten on the fly. The ear flaps are flexible so it’s fairly easy to get on and off in transition..

Sampson Sports add carbon fiber pedals for 2012 (published by BikeRadar.com)

Sampson Sports have added a new carbon fiber variant of their impressive aluminum-bodied Stratics S5/S6 road pedals to their range for 2012 that promises ultralight weight but still with goodvalue.

The new Stratics Carbon’s fiber composite body and rear cam reduce claimed weight to 119g per pedal when paired with chromoly axles and just 99g apiece with titanium spindles. The bearing configuration has been updated, too, with a CNC-machined surface, 15mm wrench flats and a new cartridge-style layout for easier servicing..

We ran Troute lights last year without a problem and the machined head, screw-?x connectors and big battery of the Darkness Dominator has proved equally bombproof over the past two months.

Fire up the three XML U2 LEDs in the ovalised head unit and you get a ludicrously bright maximum ?boost? setting of 2,600 lumens (theoretical is 3,000). This is ? literally ? brilliant for deliberately throwing riders in front into shadow for overtaking moves or fast and techy descents, and for 90 percent of the time the (approx 1,000 lumen) High setting is ample. There?s a low setting for cruising too, or you can choose a ?ve-level version when you order..

Short winter days prompt spike in bike accidents (published by BikeRadar.com)

The holidays may mean it?s the most wonderful time of the year, except if you?re on a bicycle, walking or running, alongside the road. With less daylight hours, and bad weather, the winter can be the most dangerous time of the year for non motorized users. Following a dramatic rise in bicycle and pedestrian fatalities in Kansas City, the local alternative transport group, BikeWalkKC, has called on motorists, cyclists, and pedestrians to practice greater awareness and to take safety precautions.

BikeWalkKC is calling on all parties sharing the road to be careful in the dark, during twilight, and when low sun makes visibility hard. The group recommend that pedestrians and cyclists wear reflective clothing or bright colors. Motorists are encouraged to slow down around schools, busy intersections and pedestrian areas, while bicyclists should use lights at nights according to state and local laws, and more importantly follow all traffic rules. .

Best bike clothing of 2011 (published by BikeRadar.com)

Continuing our look back at the last 12 months, we take a look at the clothing that kept our testers comfortable and cosy orcool.

From the wallet-busting Giro Factor shoes and the pricey Mavic HC H20 winter jacket, to the frost-beating Pearl Izumi Barrier gloves, there’s something here for any cyclist looking to splurge on that special piece of kit. While the prices and application of these ten items vary considerably, they all have one thing in common – a top rating..

One of the first things you?ll notice about 3LC?s training DVDs is that there?s only a single hour-long session on each disc. You might think boredom would set in pretty quickly, but you?d be wrong. The beauty of these workouts is that your intensity is gauged by cadence, so depending on the gear you?re pushing you can go as hard or as easy as you want.

This five-part series covers all the bases of road competition ? men?s and women?s racing, sprinting, time trialling and climbing all get their own DVD. Each disc sees a group of riders line up in the manner of a spin class. And as the Train with the Manx name suggests, they’re all from the Isle of Man ? home of producers 3LC (Three Legs Cycling). But these aren’t just any cyclists..

Best road bikes under £1,000 (published by BikeRadar.com)

Whether you’re looking for your ?rst road bike or planning to upgrade on a tight budget, here are the best bikes for you. The good news is that finding a brilliant road bike that will set you back less than £1,000 is a lot easier than you might think. And you certainly don?t have to worry about being shortchanged ? you?ll get an excellent frame, good componentry and bullet-proof wheels.

At this price the frame will most likely be aluminium ? carbon fibre or steel are available but pretty rare ? but seeing as until surprisingly recently this was the material the bikes used by professional racers was made of, it?s more than up to the job. .

Video: Animal Bike Tour wrap up 2011 season (published by BikeRadar.com)

Despite having being on the road since 2002, 2011 was one of the biggest yet for the Animal Bike Tour, chalking up almost 50 days of live shows throughout the year.

Late last month the crew, which features riders Martyn Ashton and Blake Samson, manager Robin Kitchin and MC James Thorne, wrapped their season up at the Motorcycle Live show at Birmingham’s NEC. The video below sees Ashton and Samson swapping pedal for motor powered bikes and scoping out their top 10 of the show. They also assure us the tour will return bigger and better in 2012 – we’ll bring you all the details when we get them..

Here is Mountain Biking UK’s Doddy talking us through the latest version of the Ibis Mojo HD, which is the bigger brother to the Mojo SL trail bike.

Coming in two options, 140mm and 160mm travel, the Mojo HD is fitted with a Kashima coated Fox Float RP23 rear shock, Formula The One brakes and Shimano Deore XT transmission. Full build (XL size) weighs in at 31lb/14.1kg. You can check out the bike in action in the video below as well as reading the full first ride review in issue 272 of MBUK, in shops from tomorrow (Wednesday 14 December).  .

Fizik Gobi 00 saddle review (published by BikeRadar.com)

The 00 is the lightest ever version of Fizik?s made-for-mountain biking, multi-award-winning Gobi model. At 149g it shaves 50g off the carbon-railed Gobi XM, 80g off the Kium-railed Gobi XM and 106g off the steel-railed version.

Fizik claim this crash diet hasn?t detracted from the comfort of the saddle but we feel the carbon hull is stiffer than the other models and less inclined to ?ex in rough conditions, making you rely on the padding for comfort. We think the non-carbon hull, carbon-railed XM version is more comfortable at the expense of 50g. .

Testing the Power2Max and Look KeO Power pedals (published by BikeRadar.com)

I’m currently suffering from a surfeit of bike related gadgets, the latest being a Power2Max crank-based power meter and a set of Look KeO Power pedals. Both devices measure your power output and, being a bit of a power meter geek, I’ve been asked to test them.

It’s going to take some time to complete the full reviews so I thought I’d blog about how I’m going about it and any technical problems that I encounter. If anyone has any tips or experience with these power meters, I’d welcome your comments. I’ll update the blog as I go..

The GP 4 Season is a winterised version of the GP4000 race tyre. It has the same bead-to-bead Duraskin mesh of the Gatorskin, and two breaker strips under the tread made of Vectran, a synthetic fibre. It?s pretty tough. The tread compound seems durable yet grips well on wet roads. Its rolling performance is merely okay, but then no tyre excels at everything, while many are good at two out of three from grip, toughness and speed. It?s a sound choice where reliability and road-holding top your priorities.

This article was originally published in Cycling Plus.

Video: Yeti 575 (published by BikeRadar.com)

We first got to ride the latest evolution of Yeti’s 575 (that\’s 5.75in of travel) at this year’s Interbike trade show in Las Vegas. It’s undergone a number of changes for 2012 ? the biggest one being a switch to alloy chainstays from the previous carbon fibre construction.

The Race version of the 575 shown in the video below will retail for £3,795 when it becomes available in the UK (it’s $4,100 in the US), a package that includes an alloy frame, full Shimano XT, a Fox 32 Float 150 fork, DT Swiss X1600 wheels and Schwalbe Nobby Nic tyres. You can read a first ride review of the bike in issue 129 of What Mountain Bike magazine, on sale now..

Hydrapak Jolla hydration pack review (published by BikeRadar.com)

Hydrapack?s highest volume pack, the Jolla, has been revamped for 2012. Now with a top-loading design, the 18-liter pack offers cargo space more akin to a messenger bag than a typical hydrationpack.

The cavernous main compartment features a pump sleeve and mesh pocket inside, and is accessible either from the drawstring top opening or the smaller, zippered side opening. There are also a handful of exterior pockets, including the fleece-lined top compartment that features a removable tool kit bag and a headphone port. .

This is the most popular 700×23 road tyre in the UK, according to Continental. So the law of averages might explain the tyre?s critics. We?ve never had any problem with Gatorskins, so long as they?re kept topped up. They grip fine, roll very well, and they?re tough through the tread, thanks to a polyester breaker strip underneath.

The sidewalls are more vulnerable, despite a bead-to-bead Duraskin mesh, but we?ve never torn them on the road. The wire bead version is £5 cheaper. Given the kind of grimy winter bike this tyre might end up on, that option represents keener value. .

Video: Mark Cavendish makes BBC Sports Personality of the Year shortlist (published by BikeRadar.com)

World road champion Mark Cavendish has been named as one of the ten shortlisted for the BBC?s Sports Personality of the Year award.

Not only that, but the reigning Tour de France green jersey and road race world champion has been installed as the early favourite to pick up the prestigious gong. He is currently 5/4 in the betting, some distance ahead of second favourite, Northern Irish golfer and current Open Champion Darren Clarke. The public will decide the eventual winner; voting opens on Friday and the athlete receiving the most votes will be crowned during a live show on Thursday 22 December..

Video: Cavendish makes BBC Sports Personality of the Year shortlist (published by BikeRadar.com)

World road champion Mark Cavendish has been named as one of the ten shortlisted for the BBC?s Sports Personality of the Yearaward.

Not only that, but the reigning Tour de France green jersey and road race world champion has been installed as the early favourite to pick up the prestigious gong. He is currently 5/4 in the betting, some distance ahead of second favourite, Northern Irish golfer and current Open Champion Darren Clarke. The public will decide the eventual winner; voting opens on Friday and the athlete receiving the most votes will be crowned during a live show on Thursday 22 December..

Schwalbe?s Durano is designed as a high-mileage, durable road tyre. There?s enough protection in the tyre for the off-season, thanks to a RaceGuard belt under the tread. This double layer of nylon does a good job at deflecting sharps.

On the road, rolling performance is very good. It?s a dual compound tyre and gives good grip in the wet. Overall, the Durano is an excellent mile-eating option with minimal compromises in any area. .

Giant Contact Switch dropper seatpost review (published by BikeRadar.com)

Giant developed the Contact Switch post for their own bikes but it’s also available as an aftermarket purchase for 2012. It only comes in one size ? 30.9mm ? and needs a bit of TLC to keep it running smoothly, but it?s potentially a top value option.

Design.