Blog

Why is your waterproof no longer shedding water like it once did?Why Your Waterproof Cycling Gear No Longer Sheds Water Like It Used To (And How to Fix It) For many cyclists, a reliable waterproof jacket or pair of rainproof trousers is an essential piece of kit. Whether you’re commuting, touring, or tackling local trails, staying dry can make all the difference between an enjoyable ride and a miserable one. But over time, you might notice that your once-waterproof gear is no longer repelling water as it once did. Instead

How to bleed Shimano Road Brakes with Park Tool.When it comes to educating people on how to fix their bikes, Park Tool are the best in the buisness. Take a look at the video below and follow their step by step guide on how to bleed your Shimano drop bar brakes.  Calvin is using the Park Tool BKM-1.2 - Hydraulic Brake Bleed Kit For Mineral Oil to carry out the procedure with

PRO Empowers Women Racers Through Comfort and Performance with the New PRO Sirin SaddlesAs the primary point of contact between the rider and the bike, the saddle is of utmost importance. It can be a source of discomfort and hinder performance or enable a better all-round cycling experience. For female riders saddle choice has long been limited, especially for those who like to push their limits, race all-out, and chase podium places.  The new

The Genesis Croix de Fer has long been a versatile bike, known for its ability to handle everything from commuting to touring. But the latest version takes a big step forward, becoming a true gravel bike, offering a more enjoyable and focused riding experience without losing its historic flexibility. Key Pros: Excellent value for money Wider tyres (up to 47c) for improved comfort and speed Semi-internal cabling for cleaner lines and easy maintenance Neutral handling that's perfect for all types of terrain Key Cons: Limited tyre clearance No electric groupset options Updated Design: The new Croix de Fer sports a more modern design with dropped chainstays and internal cable routing, keeping cables protected from mud without complicating maintenance. The bike also includes numerous mounts for bottles, cages, and racks, making it a great choice for long rides or bikepacking. With a geometry tweak, it now features a slacker head angle and slightly longer wheelbase for more stability on rough surfaces. Performance: Handling is neutral, offering a smooth ride whether you're tackling gravel or road. It's particularly well-suited for off-road conditions, where the bike remains stable even at higher speeds. While it's not ideal for steep, technical singletrack, it performs well on gravel and road sections. The addition of wider tyres makes the bike even more capable on loose surfaces, though it does struggle in very wet conditions with the stock tyres.Value for Money: At prices starting under £1,500, the Croix de Fer is a great value, especially with its solid steel frame and Shimano components. The upgraded models, like the Croix de Fer 20, offer even more value with improved components, while the titanium frameset adds a premium feel for those willing to spend more. Verdict: The Genesis Croix de Fer has evolved into a top-tier gravel bike, offering a fantastic balance of performance, versatility, and value. Whether you’re a seasoned cyclist or a newcomer to gravel riding, this bike delivers a reliable and fun experience. While it's still great for commuting and touring, its shift to a more gravel-focused design makes it an even better choice for off-road adventures. CLICK HERE to read the full review

The Truth About Washing Waterproof Garments: Myths vs. RealityA lot of people believe that washing a waterproof garment ruins its ability to keep water out. But that’s not true! The key isn’t avoiding washing altogether—it’s knowing when and how to do it properly. Step 1: Do You Really Need to Wash It?Before tossing your waterproof jacket into the machine, ask yourself: Does it actually need a full wash? If it’s just a bit muddy or has trail spray on it, a simple wipe-down with a damp cloth and

Learn how to look after your bike, Park Tool style

The reason Quad Lock is so popular is because it's one of those things that just works. You install it, it's simple, reliable and looks after your phone. Perfect. In fact, you could be forgiven for thinking that Quad Lock is so close to perfect that there's no point in messing with it, and that's a point we'd sympathise with.  However, the team behind the brand have indeed been looking for ways to make the best even better, and after much deliberation, creationing and prototyping, they think they've cracked it with the brand new Quad Lock MAG. What is MAG, you ask? Well it's basically a Quad Lock case with a magnetic back, meaning it snaps into various mounts, chargers and holders seamlessly. Not only that but it'll also attach to other magnetic surfaces, like workstands, car doors or the underside of aircraft (please dont try that last one, we haven't thought it through). So instead of using the quarter-turn system to attach your phone to stuff, it just sticks on and off. 

As a bike rider or commuter in winter, there are a few things that just make your heart sink. One is rain, because nothing makes the cold less pleasant quite like getting wet. Another is punctures, because getting cold and wet is one thing but then having to change a tube really is insult on top of injury. The third is getting ready for your ride home only to find that your lights dont have enough charge, thus begins the classic game of 'front light chicken' where they may or may not have enough juice left, so it becomes your legs versus the light battery to see which fails first.  What we're trying to say is that a quality front light is an absolutely essential piece of kit for anyone who intends to ride in poor light conditions, whether that be early morning/late evening rides during Spring and Summer, or basically any time of day in the UK in Autumn or Winter.  Coming in 600, 900 or 1300-lumen varieties, the real beauty of the Blinder Pro is the battery technology

Madison Roam Windproof Jacket Review: Lightweight, Packable, and Perfect for CyclingIf you're on the hunt for a lightweight, wind-resistant jacket that won't break the bank, the Madison Roam Men’s Lightweight Windproof Jacket might just be your next essential piece of gear. Tested rigorously for 8 months by our Tech Editor, Benji, this jacket proves itself as a versatile, durable, and highly practical layer for cyclists. Key Details:Brand: MadisonProduct: Roam Men’s Lightweight Windproof JacketAvailable at: FreewheelPrice: £69.99Tested by: Benji (8 months) First ImpressionsThis jacket comes in an eye-catching Lake Blue shade and boasts an impressive set of features. It’s stretchy, wind-resistant, and

2024 Singletrack Editor’s Choice Awards: Product Highlights.Each year, the team at Singletrack Magazine selects the standout products they've tested and reviewed over the past 12 months for the prestigious Editor’s Choice Awards. These are the best of the best, and we’re excited to share some of the top highlights from this year's awards.

What is SHIMANO LINKGLIDE?New LINKGLIDE Technology for Smoother Shifting and More Durable ComponentsTo fully

Ultimate Bike Protection from GtechniqWith over 20 years of experience protecting high-end vehicles in the automotive and marine industries, Gtechniq has become a trusted leader in surface protection. Now, Gtechniq brings its renowned smart surface technology to the cycling world, offering the same level of care and precision to bicycles. Developed in-house at Gtechniq's global headquarters in Northamptonshire, this range is tailored specifically for cyclists seeking to protect and maintain their bikes. Gtechniq’s bike care line includes:

Introducing M Part's New Front Pannier Racks: Tour AVS and Explorer Low RiderM Part has expanded its range of front pannier racks with two exciting new options: the Tour AVS Front Pannier Rack and the Explorer Low Rider Front Pannier Rack. Both racks are designed to meet the needs of cyclists, whether for commuting, touring, or everyday

Saracen Levarg - NOT Your Average Gravel Bike.Inspired by Saracen’s Mountain Bike heritage, the Levarg range brings a bit of that trail shredding spirit into the gravel world. Designed for fun and adventure, this gravel beast isn’t just for cruising dirt roads—it’s built to get gnarly when the going gets tough. The Saracen team took the same technical expertise that produced the World Cup-winning

Supporting the Lloyds Bank Tour of Britain: Freewheel.co.uk's Commitment to Neutral SupportAt Freewheel.co.uk, we’re passionate about all things cycling. From providing top-quality gear to supporting local clubs and events, we’ve always been dedicated to helping cyclists at every level. This year, we’re proud to take our commitment to the sport one step further by supporting the Lloyds Bank Tour of Britain through the Neutral Support service. Why We’re Supporting the Lloyds Bank Tour of Britain

We are thrilled to welcome the Nevis Range to the Freewheel network, as Saracen become official bike supplier. In a significant move for the brand, Saracen will be the exclusive hire bike supplier for the Nevis Range giving 500,000 visitors a year the chance to ride a Myst or Ariel at arguably the most well-known MTB destination in the country. Not only can riders take on the famous Fort William World Cup track but there are over 80km of world class MTB trails at the Nevis Range, with everything from green to orange to cater for riders of all abilities. 

As a sponsor of multiple World Tour road cycling teams, Finish Line knows a thing or two about bike cleaning and lubrication. The company has been at the cutting edge of lubcrication innovation for nearly 40 years, and their first product was the groundbreaking Finish Line Dry Bike Lube with Teflon that changed the game when it came to drivetrain lubcrication. Fast forward nearly 40 years and Finish Line is still at the top of the game, as shown by their latest and greatest product: Halo.  The Halo range has three products: a wax lubricant for improved cleanliness, a wet lubricant for durability and water-resistance and a hot wax melt for ultimate chain lubrication in all conditions. All three are powered by elite-grade ingredients including patented Spherical Tungsten. That Spherical Tungsten is what gives the lube its magic, reducing vibrational friction caused by high-torque pedalling. You wont be suprised to learn that those micron-sized particles are spherical in shape

How to Install Shimano SPD-SL CleatsStep for installing cleats

Let's take a look at the Shimano-sponsored teams, the equipment they will be riding, and the Neutral Service each WorldTour team can count on—not just those riding Shimano—every mile of the way.  Learn more here - https://road.shimano.com/stories/shimanos-24-road-cycling-season     

Five top tips for making sure you’re ready for your next big ride If you fail to prepare, then you should prepare to fail. Okay, that might be a bit extreme in the context of bike riding but the principle does ring true. If you have a big ride or event coming up then the best thing you can do to have a fun and stress-free experience is make sure you have everything you need. There will always be things that happen that are out of your control but if you follow our five tips below, you’ll have the best chance of navigating any mishaps

With the weather finally starting to look up and cyclists everywhere casting furtive glances at their summer bikes, Madison Clothing is back and ready for SS24. This new range puts the focus back on drop-bar riding with the Flux and Roam lines containing pieces for performance and adventure cyclists no matter what their budget.   Heading up the SS24 lineup is the Flux short sleeve road jersey. Focused on performance and made from lightweight material, it’s a smart jersey at a killer price point (£39.99) that pairs up with last season’s Flux EIT bib shorts to make a top performing, wallet-friendly combination. In tandem with that goes the

If you're not familiar with Steve Peat, it's fair to say that there aren't many former Downhill World Champions that are treasured quite like the man from Sheffield. After finishing fourth in the Downhill World Champs on four separate occasions, Peaty finally won the big one in 2009 - although he'd already been World Cup Series Champ three times. Add that to 17 wins on on the DH World Cup circuit and it's fair to say there aren't many people better placed to give out off-road riding advice.  So Shimano quite sensibly drafted him in to lead the below video, where he showcases the full variety of different E-MTB skills and explains them all for you to watch from the comfort of wherever you are with your video-viewing device. Enjoy. 

Correctly tightening different parts of the bike is very important for two sort of corresponding reasons. Firstly, you want to make sure things are tight enough so that they dont work loose while you're riding. The flip side of that is that you also don't want to tighten parts of the bike up too much and end up damaging anything. Basically, there's a fine balance between not tight enough and too tight, and that's where torque wrenches come in.  Torque is a twisting force (technically a measure of the force causing something to rotate round an axis), and it's what you measure when you're tightening any bolts on your bike. You will (or should) have noticed that every bolt on a bike has a torque rating that the manufacturer recommends and it's important to make sure that those bolts are tightened to within that range. For example, Shimano Hollowtech II cranksets have two fixing bolts on the non-drive side, and those are meant to be between 12-14Nm (that's Newton metres).