Off-road riding

There comes a time in every bike's life when something needs refreshing. The most common parts of a bike that need replacing are, unsurprisingly, the ones involved in the drivetrain (and tyres, too), since they're subject to the highest amount of wear because they spend most of their time moving in contact with one another. But one other part of the bike involved in the shifting process will need replacing semi-frequently too, and that's the shift cables an housing.  Unless you're running Di2, shift cables are what enable you to change gear. But they need to be encased, and that's what shift housing is. Without the housing it would be very difficult to maintain the required tension in the shift cable to actually shift the bike, but like everything the shift housing will gradually wear out over time and when it does, you'll have to replace it.  In this video, Truman from Park Tool talks you through how to install cable housing but, just as importantly, how to size

We're really lucky at Freewheel, as we get to work with a whole load of excellent brands that make genuinely good products. But even among those there are a few brands that really stand out for their all-around excellence and elegance. Thule is absolutely one of those brands. Thule is the Ferrari of bike carriers (which is a bit ironic seeing as they dont really make a bike rack for a Ferrari, but go with it).  Aside from the general aesthetic and build quality, the best thing about Thule's racks - especially their roof racks - is the lack of faff. If you dont have a bike rack, transporting a bike in a car can be a real chore of disassembly, you take off both wheels, twist the bars here and there, get the rear mech caught on a few things and before you know it you're depositing grease in places you'd rather grease didn't end up. Even if you have a large car, you probably still need to cover the interior with sheets or something to stop the car getting dirty. What's the answer?

We know it's only August and you really don't want to be having this chat right now. We're sorry. But before you know it it won't be 28 degrees outside any more and there will be days when getting out on the bike seems slightly less appealing than it does right now.  But that's where a good home trainer comes in. Turbo trainers are a world away from what they used to be, indoor training doesn't mean an hour staring straight ahead and concentrating on nothing but the suffering you're putting yourself through. Over the last few years Elite has established itself as one of the most respected names in the indoor training scene. With a raft of turbo trainers, rollers, mats, sweat guards, a desk and a fan (the latter coming soon), you can fully equip yourself out with products from Italy's finest. Their new Justo direct-drive (that's rear wheel off) interactive trainer is their best yet, combining and OTS power meter, 6.2kg flywheel, dual-bluetooth channels and two sets of

Since we're still in the heady days of Summer, there's a good chance you might be thinking about travelling somewhere with your bike. If you are, figuring out how to pack it to make sure it arrives at the other end in one piece is extremely important. Nothing ruins cycling holiday like not having a bike to ride.  As ever, the incredibly helpful chaps from Park Tool are here to advise you about the best way to get your bike from A to B without calamity. Check out the below video for all you need to know about travelling with a bike. 

With cleanliness being next to Godliness - or so we're told - the best way to keep your bike looking divine is to make sure you lok after it regularly. And by regularly we dont mean only when it's so dirty you can't remember what colour it used to be.  Keeping your bike clean means it'll run smoother - you know, that beautiful almost-no-noise sound a clean chain makes when the bike is humming along - and the smoother your drivetrain is running, the longer your components will last. Here's the thing, dirt in your chain, on your cassette or covering your chainrings increases friction, which in turn increases chain wear, and a worn chain wears out the teeth on chainrings or cassettes. It's a bike-based ecosystem where neglecting one thing can very quickly make the whole drivetrain go south.  That's where Finish Line comes in. If you're after a comprehensive range of bike cleaning products then the Long Island-based company is exactly the brand for you. They have a

We're gradually creeping towards summer and we all know what that means - sunglasses season is nearly here (ignore that for cyclists almost every season is sunglasses season, that ruins it). Anyway, sunnies are one of those fantastic items that you dont need more of but you do want more of, which makes buying them all the more exciting.  Never ones to miss a beat, 100% is way ahead of us with some extremely cool designs for SS22 that are guaranteed to make you want to hide that credit card just to resist temptation. 

Riding with a phone can be tough. You dont really want to ride with it in your hand because that means only one hand on the bars (and less attention on your surroundings, too, which is far from ideal). But it's not like in a car where you can have a satnav on your dashboard or a phone mount on your windscreen because, well, you dont have a dashboard or a windscreen. So what is there to do? That's where Quad Lock comes in. With its super simple quarter-turn mount, Quad Lock is the ideal partner to fix your phone to your bars or stem, leaving you to concentrate on riding the bike but with the screen in front of you - very much like a satnav in your car. With a comprehensive range of hardy phone cases, Quad Lock can cater for almost any major phone brand and they all attach using the same system. Better than that, Quad Lock also makes a range of accessories for bike and car - so you can use the same phone case to attach your phone to both your bike and car, no more messing around with

Keeping on top of component wear is one of the most important things when it comes to keeping your bike on the road (or off-road) for as long as possible. The drivetrain is a key area to focus one, because the main components there in the chain, cassette and chainrings all have an effect one one another and when one begins to wear it will speed up wear on the other parts (as well as the jockey wheels on your rear derailleur).  In the below video Truman from Park Tool show you how to check the wear on your cassette without having to change the chain and ride around. Cassettes can be tricky to judge by eye because by the time the teeth are looking worn, you should have changed it a long time before!

So you're planning a big ride? Great. There's nothing better than enjoying a day out in the saddle (unless the weather's awful but, you know, that's character building, right?). One thing that can spoil a ride very quickly is a bike that's not working properly. Clicking gears, squealing brakes, punctures or worse are at best a real motiviation-killer and a worst a day ender. It only takes a few minutes to check whether you're bike is ready for a ride, so here are a few things to think about that'll make sure you have a ride you'll remember for all the right reasons, not a day to forget. Gear indexing There's nothing more annoying on a long bike ride than gears that are clicking or jumping. Most of the time your gears will be perfectly fine, but if you've travelled with you bike before the ride there's a chance that your rear mech may have been knocked which can cause things to be slightly off. Stick the bike in a workstand (or get a mate to hold it) and just cycle through

Lazer is proud to present KinetiCore, the world’s first fully integrated rotational impact technology for cycling helmets. In development for over a decade, KinetiCore will change the way people think about brain protection technology as not only does it provide improved protection for cyclists but does so while making helmets lighter, improving airflow and increasing comfort. The development of KinetiCore began just over ten years ago when awareness of the dangers of rotational impact began to improve, and technologies starting appearing in the market to combat those effects. Lazer decided to create its own proprietary technology which meant throwing out everything the design team knew about helmets and starting again from scratch. The first step was assessment of how different types of impact affect cyclists, and using advanced simulations Lazer created thousands of templates to model and understand how to combat those impacts. The breakthrough happened when the

It's not always easy to balance being a parent with, well, anything else to be honest, but one person who does it - and does it with style - is the incredibly rad Polly Clark. As well as being a mother (and grandmother!) she is an experienced mountain biking guide with @MTBCymru and yoga instructor living in mid-Wales. Polly talks about the challenges of juggling parenthood with an extreme sport and explains that it is never too late to start cycling.You're a mother and a grandmother right? To how many children? Yep,

Madison Saracen's Matt Walker and Jordan Williams are pretty handy bike riders. Actually, they're a lot better than handy, they're incredible. Matt was the 2020 UCI DH World Cup overall winner, and Jordan has already won a European Junior Championships and made the podium at the World Junior champs too. Basically they're both riders you (and we) wish we could be. But what do they get up to when they're not racing? And what do they call their local trails?  Well here's your answer as Matt and Jordan take us for a spin at their respective local spots and make riding them look incredibly easy. So sit back, enjoy, and marvel at how two pro riders spend some of their free time. 

New bike day is always a good thing. There's very little more exciting than a new bike; the anticipation before it arrives, unboxing it for the very first time, standing there and basically just admiring it for longer than a rational person should, all that stuff is great. But there comes a time in almost every cyclist's life that they become build-curious, that is, they start to think about buying all the bits and building their own bike from scratch. But where to start? The classic mistake is buying the first frame you like that's on sale, but in reality if you're going to commit to building a bike yourself you really want to take your time and get it right. So here are a few things to think about when it comes to starting your first custom bike build...

Winter riding is a bit more complicated than summer riding in that it generally requires a little more planning and a fair bit more kit and clothing. Here are a few things you need to think about if you want to get out and about on the bike on or off-road through the colder (and wetter) months. Tyres Of all the upgrades you can make to your bike, good quality tyres should be top of your list. 'But haven't you banged on about this enough on Freewheel' we hear you ask and yes, yes we have, but we will continue because tyres are incredibly

If ever there were a time to tinker with your bike as a way to put off doing other things, winter would be it. Sure, it's not technically winter until next week, but you know what they always say about procrastinating - there's no time like the present.  One thing you might have been thinking about but not had the time to try is tubeless. Running your wheels and tyres tubeless seems like a big deal - and can be a bit of bother to setup initially - but once you've got it sorted it really isn't any more hassle and if it saves you a few punctures then it's more than worth it. If you've not setup a wheel tubeless before then the first video below from the fantastic folks at Park Tool is a great place to start as Calvin and Truman talk you through everything you need to know to get going.  The second video is troubleshooting - in other words things that you might encoutner while running tubeless and how to work around or correct them. Both are well worth a watch and,

You might think that floor pumps (or track pumps, if you prefer) are a particularly unexciting bit of kit. And that statement would be correct if it wasn't so very, very wrong. There are few workshop tools used more than the floor pump. You should really check your tyre pressure every time you ride which means you could well be using that pump every single day. If you're going to use something that often, it makes sense to make sure the pump you have is good quality and easy to use. You'd be surprised how many pumps have fiddly pump heads or annoying little things about them that make them a pain to use.  The other thing to consider is that a good floor pump is an investment. If you buy a quality one then it might be the only (or last) pump you'll ever buy. Sure, £80 might seem expensive but spread that out over 50 years of cycling and innumerable uses and it suddenly seems like a pretty good deal.  Speaking of pumps - and don't act like you didn't see this

Love it or hate it, Black Friday is now a thing in the UK. That means it's time for us to show you the best of what we have on sale on Freewheel either to keep you riding through the winter or simply to stock up for when the weather gets warmer and you want to get outside on the bike again. Here's what we're slashing the prices on this week...

While there have been special editions and new colourways, it's been a little while since 100% has launched a totally new set of glasses. And guess what? Not only is there one set on the way from the San Diego-based brand, but two: the Westcraft and the Eastcraft.  Both take heavy styling cues from classic aviator-style sunnies, and both are trying to combine plenty of technical features which make for top performance on the bike with style that makes you want to take them with you on rest days, too. This is what 100% has to say about its latest creations: "Introducing the Next Generation of Sport Performance Sunglasses: The new collection launches in two powerful styles running on all cylinders. Westcraft + Eastcraft fit our definition of immense beauty, equal parts elegance and performance. This perfect blend of style and high fashion with the ultimate sport performance sunglass gives what you need without compromises. The collection

In news that we’re incredibly excited to announce, Freewheel is the new national sponsor for the Fort William round of the Mercedes-Benz UCI Mountain Bike World Cup for 2022. The Fort William Downhill World Cup is undoubtedly one of the most iconic MTB events on the planet. Hosting the world’s best downhill riders since 2002, it’s the only DH World Cup round in the UK and boasts an atmosphere unlike any other. After an unfortunate, enforced two-year break, Fort William will be back and better than ever for 2022. Once again up to 20,000 people can get up close and personal with all their favourite athletes as they storm down the famous Aonach Mor hillside and into a super loud finish area packed with fans from across the UK and beyond. Freewheel is an e-commerce website designed to support independent bike dealers by helping them have an online presence. When you buy on Freewheel.co.uk you’re helping support a local bike shop as a bricks-and-mortar bike shop will receive

We don't want to think about it eithe, but the bad weather is coming (and already here, in some places) and that means you need to make sure you're equipped if you want to ride outside during winter. So we've put our collective heads together and come up with a few of our favourite things to wear outside when the conditions aren't exactly ideal. Sometimes if you want to ride, you just have to tough it out, but having some good kit definitely makes the decision easier...Madison DTE 3-Layer Waterproof Jacket DTE stands for 'Defy the Elements' which gives you a pretty good idea of what type of weather this jacket has been designed for. With 20K waterproof and 20K breathable fabric, this is a jacket for riding on days when you maybe shouldn't go out but can't resist the idea of a ride. That hard-wearing fully-seam-sealed three-layer fabric keeps you dry whilw making sure you dont overheat, and

With Scotland being the home of Robert Burns, it's quite apt that it's also where the best laid plans for our next Genesis Explore Series ride went a little off the rails. Originally Kerry Macphee was supposed to be joining Adam Blythe and Monica Dew as their guide on an adventure from Aberfoyle through the Loch Lomond national park. But a serious crash a few days before filming began meant she couldn't ride and had to provide moral support (and phone-based guidance) instead.  Still, Adam and Monica had a fantastic time taking in the climbs, tracks and lochs in one of Britain's most beautiful places. Check out the video below and, if you missed it, you can catch episode one right here. 

There are few things more annoying than a bike that creaks. You go out for a ride and soon you're pretty much obsessed by that creak, all you can think about is how to make it stop and - let's be honest - it's a real ride ruiner. Well the helpful folks from Park Tool feel your pain and have made these videos to help you figure out why your bike is making noise and, just as importantly, how to make it stop. Check this out:

2021 has been a quiet year by Peter Sagan's standards. After battling COVID-19 early in the season he's largely flown under the radar for the rest of the year but that doesn't mean that the Slovakian three-time world champion hasn't been busy. As well as being one of cycling's genuine treasures, he's also a guy that constantly brings us cool kit through his collaborations and this latest drop with 100% is no different.  These new sunnies are typically out there in design - just like all the Sagan signature models 100% has released - and feature a gold flake/black livery paired to HiPER gold mirror lenses. The design comes in three styles: Speedcraft, S2 and S3 and all three feature the Sagan logo on the left side of the brow.  If you fancy getting your hands on a set of these, all three styles will be available right here on Freewheel very soon. In the mean time you can check out

Lots of people ride bikes with either Shimano's Di2 shifting system or STEPS eBike system. Straight out the box both of these are designed to work perfectly (and they do) but with both systems you occasionally need to update the firmware or simply want to change how the drivetrain works to suit your riding style. For either of these, Shimano's E-Tube project is your best friend.  What is E-Tube? Put simply, E-Tube is an app that lets you customise your ride settings to (almost) however you want them, update firmware and identify and fix any errors that may occur within the system. It's a one-stop shop to accessing the parts of your Shimano groupset that may previously have seemed untouchable. And if you're not using it, you're not getting the most out of your bike. There are two apps, the E-Tube Project and E-Tube Ride and the differences between them are as follows...

1. Hammer Ah, the tool that needs no explanation. Nobody ever picked up a hammer and didn't know what to do with it. You hit stuff with it, it's brutally effective at what it does and we love it for that reason. But dont get us wrong, the hammer is a deeply nuanced, multi-dimensional tool with plenty of applications. Can't get something to work properly? Hit it. Need something to budge that won't move for love nor money? Smack it. Frustrated with life and the way things are going? Hit something. What other workshop tool can offer that range? Not one. That's why the hammer has a well-deserved place on this list and at the top, where it should be.  2. Allen/Key keys The most important thing about hex keys is to have lots of them. As many sets as you possibly can. This is because you'll spend at minimum 50% of your time in the workshop dropping them and subsequently trying to figure out where the stupid things went. If you have five sets, you can leave the waiting