Cycling is cruel. Indeed, some would argue it is the cruellest sport out there citing plenty of circumstantial evidence to support this fairly dramatic claim. Take a 3 week Grand Tour for instance. Where else would the competitors undergo 20 ‘full day’ stages of mental and physical anguish, where even...
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All pictures with kind permission of Vsquared TV With the Tour de France finally upon us, it's appropriate to reflect on that most crucial element of a 3 week Grand Tour; the Highlights show on the telly. It's one of life’s genuine pleasures. They are a great way to catch up...
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Let’s clear something up straight away. What actually is an Etape? And why is it different to a Sportive? And does it actually matter? Well, whether it matters or not is probably rather subjective but let’s have a go at explain what they are. A sportive (or Cyclosportive) is a...
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You're probably thinking 'that's a pretty nice picture of a beach but what does it have to do with bikes?' Not an unreasonable question to be fair. However, Madeline, one of the owners of Criterium and 'completer of the Vatterundan 300 in 2018' grew up in Perth, Western Australia. So...
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We’ve probably all played that favourite pub game of “name your top 5 ”X’s” of all time”. Favourite lists include the best 5 albums ever (Pink Floyd’s “Dark Side of the Moon” is clearly Number 1), the best 5 films, the 5 best sportspeople, the 5 toughest races and so...
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By Sarah Rowell, former Olympic Marathon Runner and British & English Fell running Champion, 1995 and 1996 For one group of slightly mad devotees, the end of September means only one thing; the 3 Peaks Cyclo Cross. The history of the event dates back to 1959, when a 14 year old...
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Many of us can look to a moment in our lives when we reflect and say 'that was a real wake-up call'. On balance, wake up calls are a good thing, as long as we actually listen to the call and do something about it. My own personal epiphany came...
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First, a quick apology for the fact that the Criterium Cycles blog has been a little quiet these last three weeks. Paul says he has had a serious bout of Man Flu, a condition so serious that it was apparently close to being life threatening. Rosie, his long suffering wife,...
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Well, it's been a pretty unpredictable week in a race that always promised to be unpredictable. Team Sky turned up with their weakest team for a Grand Tour for quite some time (which is inevitable when neither Froome nor Thomas are on the starting line). But the plan was that de...
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by Charlie Bowker (Aged 11) For my birthday, I received the coolest present - a Trek Domane AL2. I am going to tell you why I think it is the perfect first road bike to buy. Styling The styling of the bike is very good using a matte and gloss paint format. The...
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Dario Pegoretti was one of the most uniquely talented of men; artist, engineer, craftsman, entrepreneur, philosopher, music lover and poet. We had the pleasure and honour of spending some time with Dario last year and only wished we had been able to spend much longer listening and learning. It was...
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Saturday 25th August sees the start of the 73rd edition of La Vuelta a Espana, Spain’s contribution to the group that, with the Giro d’Italia and Le Tour de France, make up Cycling’s triumvirate of Grand Tours. Each comprise 21 stages spread over a 3 week period (23 days to...
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Ask a group of seasoned travellers to list their top 10 cities in the world and you are bound to get a list as diverse as the number of people you ask. Now ask the same group of seasoned travellers to list their top 10 "coolest" cities in the world...
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The Isle of Arran lies in the Firth of Clyde and is the 7th largest island in Scotland after the likes of Harris & Lewis, Shetland, Orkney and Skye. It's a busy, tourist friendly destination whose economy has thrived in recent times with a population that has remained reasonably steady...
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On the cobbles of the Champs Elysees and with the world watching, Geraint Thomas finally won what had appeared destined to be permanently out of his reach. Always the Bridesmaid but never the Bride, 'G', finally held it all together for three weeks and won cycling's greatest prize of all....
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OK, so it's looking increasingly like we may have called this one wrong. Geraint Thomas is looking every bit the Champion and if he does hold it together till Paris, it will be massively well deserved. History says one writes off Chris Froome at one's peril but maybe 4 straight...
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Sweden is one of those places where, on the face of it, there doesn't appear to be all that much going on. It would become immediately cool if ABBA were to announce a 125 date world reunion tour but since Benny and Bjorn are pretty much the same age as...
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What an extraordinary day on the slopes of Alpe d'Huez. Geraint Thomas not only became the first Brit to win on the fabled mountain but also the first rider to win wearing yellow. That's some achievement by any measure. And by finishing so strong in a sprint once again, he...
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So the first real test of the GC contenders came in the form of a short stage with three gruelling climbs, the last a summit finish up the La Rosiere Espace San Bernardo. La Rosiere is especially cheeky. 17km long with an average gradient of 5.8%, it's the middle section,...
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When Jens Voigt visited Criterium Cycles a few years ago and we enjoyed a wonderful evening with one of the legends of the sport, one thing he said in particular made me smile and has stayed with me ever since. He recalled, as a young pro rider, being introduced to...
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Ah, the Lake District. That quintessential outdoor jewel in England's outdoor crown. Bucolic images and curios abound whether eating ice cream whilst watching little boats bobbing on Lake Windermere, visiting the Pencil Museum in Keswick or wandering lonely as a cloud to visit Dove Cottage, Wordsworth's home in Grasmere. Indeed,...
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Mayhem on the flat What is it about this year's Tour de France that appears to be featuring more crashes in the first two stages than the entire race did in 2017? That's probably completely wrong of course (we haven't done the detail analysis of the stats to say one way...
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Salbutamol. A medical word that only a relatively small group of people were aware of a couple of weeks ago including of course those who suffer from asthma, a genuinely unpleasant and at times quite frightening condition. Now, thanks to the combined efforts of WADA, UCI, Team Sky and whole...
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Confessions of a cyclist I have a bit of a confession when it comes to cycling. Actually, I have two. The first is that as much as I love cycling (and I really do) I am one of those people that tend to reflect on what a wonderful time they've had...
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Over the years, we have read many reviews of lighting systems for cycling. Some are really good but often, they can be overly complex. We think that misses the point a bit as to what is relevant when considering a new light system. At Criterium Cycles, we do a lot of...
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Seeing your child riding their bike for the first time must be one of life’s great moments! Some of our staff at Criterium have had first-hand experience not to mention plenty of fun teaching their own son’s, daughters, nieces and nephews to ride. However, before you get to this point,...
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Bianchi - a legendary Marque Since 1885, Bianchi has been a byword for quality. From design to materials innovation, Bianchi have built up an extraordinary body of technical know-how and race-honed real world experience to produce some of the finest frames the world of cycling has ever seen. Oh yes, and there's...
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by Natalie Milne - Team GB and Team Scotland Triathlete Recently I got a new mountain bike (Trek Fuel EX Project One) and as I got a new bike I thought it was only fair that I got some other bits of kit to complete the new package. I’ve never owned...
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Natalie Milne, Team GB and Team Scotland triathlete is sponsored by Criterium Cycles. Natalie is working hard for qualification to represent Team Scotland at the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast. She recently raced in the ATU Cup in Rabat, Morocco. Here's her race blog from Rabat....
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Whilst Criterium Cycles is really all about, well, bikes, one of our team was lucky enough to run in this year's Boston Marathon. Here's his reflections on this truly iconic running race...
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The Trek Fuel EX is one of the genuine contenders for best all round trail bike in the world. This 9.8 version in Project One guise recently delivered to Team Scotland and Team GB triathlete Natalie Milne is bound to draw envious looks when spotted on the trails!...
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Finding the optimal balance of lightness, stiffness and rider comfort especially on long rides is the focus of all road bike designers. There are many solutions but Trek's IsoSpeed system on the Trek Domane is superb. Criterium Cycles finds out why....
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The Strathpuffer is a legendary 24 hour endurance mountain bike race. Criterium Cycles' Pascal Lally rode in the 2017 race, the 12th edition. Read Part 2 of his blog to see how Pascal got on during the race itself....
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It is the law to have your lights switched on your bike between the sunset and sunrise. But the choice is bewildering. In this Blog (Part 1), Criterium Cycles examines the technology behind lights and lighting, and suggests some ideas for how to choose the best light for your road...
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Women's premium cycling wear is occasionally a compromise between form and function. Not so with the Castelli Trasparente 3 jersey. This superbly technical yet stylish jersey / jacket is just the thing for cold conditions....
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The Strathpuffer 24 is one of the legendary mountain bike races in the world. In 2017, Criterium Cycles very own Pascal Lally is in the race! Read Part 1 of his blog about the Strathpuffer 24 - preparing the bike for the race....
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The mountain bike has evolved a great deal over the past 30 years. Since 1986, Trek has been at the forefront of mountain bike technology the world over. They have created a bike that has evolved into a global sales success for well over a decade. The bike in question...
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There has been much debate over cycling helmets, whether they are a good thing or not, the technology used and the medical benefits. We look at the evidence as well as the increasing use of MIPS, a ground breaking technology this is changing the debate around helmets for good....
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There's plenty going on in the world of cycling. Technology is changing as rapidly as ever. And storm clouds loom over the economy that the cycle industry will have to face. We suggest a few issues worth looking out for in 2017....
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Trek's 2017 range of Remedy mountain bikes is the best ever. The stand out model is the Remedy 9 RSL. Criterium Cycles reviews the bike plus we have stock arriving in December!...
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Criterium Cycles had the pleasure recently to host Tracy Moseley for a weekend of events. Read about what a terrific time our customers had meeting a true legend of the world of Mountain Biking....
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The Trek Emonda is a proven race winner. Natalie Milne's Emonda SL8 has won plenty of races in 2015 and 2016. And now it has been lovingly prepared for sale by Criterium Cycles with a superb specification and plenty of new parts as well as a superb value for money...
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We caught up with 3 times World Champion Enduro Mountain Biker Tracy Moseley ahead of her visit to Criterium Cycles on 20th November. Read our exclusive interview with a true legend of the sport!...
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Natalie Milne, our very own Team GB athlete, is about to start her preparation for 2017. Read her round up of her last events of the 2016 season....
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If you are looking for a stylish, practical and beautifully made bike in a range of gorgeous colours (gents and ladies) that you can accessorise to your heart's content (think baskets, bells and bags!) then Bobbin Bikes are just for you. Oh, and they are terrific value as well. Check...
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It all started with Rosie, an experienced mountain bike rider, wondering what her ideal full suspension mountain bike would look like. The guys at Criterium Cycles came up with this stunning bike, the new 2017 Trek Remedy 8 WSD Criterium Special Edition, available to buy now at Criterium Cycles....
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As winter approaches, all of us find ourselves wondering how to ensure our continued cycling enjoyment? One option is to consider a winter bike. Criterium Cycles has a Trek Crockett 7 on its fleet so we gave it the once over to see how to prepare it for perfect Winter...
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At Criterium Cycles, we try and do things differently and challenge the traditional norms. One of the trickier areas to get right is how to make sure that all cyclists are being catered for, men and women. In this blog we set out what we think needs to change and...
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Once a year, the NEC plays host to the Cycle Show. This year broke records for the number of brands and visitors. Criterium Cycles managed to pop in trade day. Check out our report to see what caught our eye....
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Cycle Clubs are booming in the UK in 2016. They are a great way to get fit and have a really good social time too. Criterium Cycles joined a Club ride in the Derbyshire Peak District to find out more....
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The Vuelta a Espana comes down to the last competitive stage today, the 193 km stage from Benidorm to the summit finish at Alto de Aitana. It's an absolute brute and following yesterday's incredible win by Chris Froome in the Time Trial, it promises to be an epic battle for...
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On Stage 15 of the Vuelta a Espana, a mistake by Team Sky early in the race allowed Nairo Quintana to open up an assailable gap. Chris Froome tried to bridge the gap but despite being one of the finest riders of his generation, he couldn't get riders around him...
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When Paul at Criterium Cycles received an invitation to go for a training bike ride and run with Team GB triathlete Natalie Milne he jumped at the chance. Read his blog to see how got on!...
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Chris Froome and Nairo Quintana battled it out at the summit of the Pena Cabarga on Stage 11 of the Vuelta a Espana today with Chris Froome striking what could turn out to be an important psychological blow. Read our take on today's exciting events and also find out why...
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Bianchi have launched their sensational new superbike the Oltre XR4 with Countervail vibration cancelling carbon technology. Criterium Cycles will be taking delivery of our first Oltre XR4's in September so in July, we had opportunity to test ride the bike. In Italy, of course...
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On Stage 5 of the Vuelta a Espana, Steven Kruijswijk collided with a bollard at high speed on the approach into Lugo towards the end of the stage. He sustained a broken collar bone but it could have been much worse. Criterium Cycles reviews what happened and asks when the...
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Natalie Milne, our very own Team GB Triathlete, secured a fabulous bronze medal at the recent British Spring Championships held in Liverpool. Read her blog on how the race went....
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Trek Bikes have long been at the forefront of developing superb bikes for discerning riders. The list of technological 'firsts' from the team in Waterloo, WI, reads like the definitive guide of some of the biggest improvements in bike technology of the last 20 years.When Trek announce a new season...
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Bianchi 's JAB 27.1 Plus is a superb hardtail Plus bike and definitely worth considering for cross country and enduro. The Jab 27.1 Plus is suitable for everyone and all ages but we decided to put it through a particularly tough test - on a 3 day school holiday training...
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Natalie Milne, Team GB Triathlete, was recently selected to represent Great Britain in the World University Championships held at Nyon, on the shores of Lake Geneva, Switzerland. This was a genuinely international elite field racing over a Standard (rather than Sprint) distance. The race was held in fairly brutal conditions...
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by William Bowker, Aged 11 My face lit up when I saw my first Bianchi bike, a Jab 27.1 Plus bike. The matt, acid green paint and huge 2.8” wide tyres were really dramatic . The rockshox suspension instantly caught my eye, along with the Remote lockout system, something I have...
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Natalie Milne, Team GB and Team Scotland Triathlete, received the great news recently that she had been selected to represent Great Britain at the World University Championships. The Triathlon is to be held in Nyon, Switzerland, on 7th August 2016. Natalie has already had a strong 2016 season so far, retaining...
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Each year, Bianchi invite dealers to preview all the new models for the year ahead. In July 2016, the event to preview 2017 models was held in Bergamo, Lombardy, Northern Italy. Criterium Cycles were lucky enough to be invited. Two of the highlights of what turned out to be a...
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One of the traditional features of competitive cycling at the elite level is the contribution made by the crowd to the atmosphere and the sense of dramatic occasion. I say contribution because sometimes it is welcome, sometimes not. Yesterday in the most farcical scenes imaginable, on a day of Mt....
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Before we talk about Bauke Mollema, watching Peter Sagan these last ten days has been quite an exhausting experience. And that's before we even talk about cycling. In the preview show on ITV 4 for this year's edition of the Tour De France, we were subjected to, sorry, enchanted by a short...
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Tour De France Stage 9 started in glorious sunshine. It finished in a rain and hail storm that better resembled the set of a post apocalyptic CGI Hollywood blockbuster rather than a cycle race. Still, it was exciting nonetheless and Tom Dumoulin thoroughly deserved his win on the climb to...
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Britain's Chris Froome of Team Sky stunned the rest of the Tour de France (and pretty much the entire cycle race watching public) yesterday. The reason? A stunning descent off the Col de Peyresourde on Stage 7 of the 2016 edition of the Tour de France. Leaving the chasing pack...
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The Trek Domane SLR was launched to considerable fanfare earlier in 2016, in time for the fabled Cobbled Classics in Northern Europe. Trek claimed that with front and rear IsoSpeed, the Trek Domane SLR had it all; blistering speed, smooth race comfort and superior balance for precision handling and (according...
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[caption id="attachment_153" align="alignright" width="238"] Natalie Milne wins the Scottish Aquathlon Title 2016by Natalie Milne[/caption] Natalie Milne has successfully defended her Scottish Aquathlon Title at Knockburn Loch, Aberdeenshire. That makes it three titles in a row for the Champion. Our thanks to Iain Mackintosh of imacimages (http://imacimages.com) for his kind permission to...
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