In the grand scheme of things, it's only three and a half hoursso yeah, it was actually all right. Casper von Folsach, who this week rode his road bike into the record books, with what is believed to be the fastest 100-mile effort ever recorded on a non-time trial bike, isnt one to blow his own trumpet too loudly. So well have to do it for him. Von Folsach. a 33-year-old road and track cyclist, rode for UCI Continental teams including ColoQuick and GiantCastelli during his professional career. He also competed at the 2012 Olympics for Denmark in the men's team pursuit, and is now a performance coach for Uno-X Mobility. Now, he rides for WattShop CC. And, fittingly, Von Folsach can still crank out the watts when he wants to. On Sunday, riding on the CTT's R100/9 course in Monmouthshire, he did just that, smashing a 100-mile ride in an extraordinary time of 3:27:08. So, what is it really like to maintain maximum effort for only three and a half hours? Even for the hour record, you shouldn't go out at a pace that feels maximal, and that's definitely true for three and a half hours," he explains. "It should feel quite manageable. I deliberately wanted to try and ramp it up, rather than like dive off a cliff. It's just a much nicer way to do it.It slowly starts to creep up on you, like after an hour and a half, Von Folsach admitted. Then you're like, Oh, it actually isn't as easy doing 300 watts as it was in the beginning. With around half an hour to go, I could start to feel that if I did a sprint now, I would cramp up [it felt] like my muscles are telling me that what I'm doing right now is not that that's not something they're used to.Even at the end of his record-setting century, the Dane feels like he could have continued powering on. "[From] the finish you've got a little 11-kilometre bonus warm down to go back to the HQ, just because it's like on a on a big dual carriageway. I just I don't like going very slow, so I still just kept pressing on, but in a much more relaxed position. I think if I had to, I could still have another 15 minutes at the same power. It's more the position to hold that is really tough for that long. Actually, more so than the power band. The mental challenge is almost as tough as the physical strain, and staying focussed for that length of time cant be easy. Where does he go to in his head while hes riding along a dual carriageway, we want to know. You get into a bit of a flow state, says Von Folsach. It's not like you're thinking 'oh I need to also remember to empty the dishwasher, hang up washing. I just focus on the effort, keeping tabs on all these little things like how am I feeling? What's my power? What's my speed? What's my position? Remembering to drink and eat And seeing what the others are doing. While there is a well-established record for riding 100 mile distance on a TT bike, a category for road bikes doesnt actually exist yet, so Von Folsach didnt have anything precise to aim for. "The closest [thing] to a target was the Spindata prediction. That that usually gives you a pretty good idea on where you land, and something to aim for. I think I was like nine seconds off that in the end. Like I was nine seconds slower, and over such a long distance, you can pretty much always find nine seconds."Pending CTT introduction of road-bike specific competition records, this stands as the fastest known time for the distance" WattShop CC wrote on their social media pages this week. In the absence of official records, verifying this comes down to tapping into peoples knowledge about what other riders have done. From what can be gleaned, it appears the standing fastest known time was set back in 1983, by Ian Cammish, who rode 100 miles in 3 hours 31 minutes on a semi-standard road bike an astonishing time, given the advancement of bikes and clothing in the last four decades. After Von Folsachs ride, its possible official recognition of the category will follow, and interest could grow, something the Dane would welcome, even if it meant losing his record to another rider. It's more a case of wanting to see the sport grow, or at least not decline, he says. It's no secret that it's been struggling with numbers, but the road category seems to have stopped the bleeding somewhat. Maybe you could you could hope for a little bit of an uptake in participation from riders finding the road bike category a bit more accessible and not having to buy a dedicated TT bike.So yeah, I definitely wouldn't mind losing the record to someone. It might give motivation to get it back, if that was to happen.For now, Von Folsach is looking forward to the National 12-hour TT Championships next weekend. I think the longest ride I've ever done is around 10 hours, he says. And, actually, I don't know if there's a road bike record for 12 hoursmaybe Ill try and figure out what that is and then we'll see how far I get.

Owners Jerry and Beverly Arron said its time to swap selling bikes for spending more time riding them after more than three decades running the Bristol harbourside institution

The 2020 Tour de France marked the beginning of a new era. Whilst previously Team Sky had dominated the Tour for almost a decade, the 2020's made way for the Slovenian wave. In 2020 Primoz Roglic looked set to win the race, until he lost it on the final competitive day. It was Tadej Pogacar who rode...

An issue that developed with the Leap Top-Up app for some Android phone users has now been resolved the National Transport Authority confirmed today that the issue affected a significant number of Android phones after an update to their operating systems in June.This website had first-hand experience of the issue in recent months, and contacted the NTA this week for comment after a reader raised it as an issue for them. IrishCycle.com has tested the fix, and the app is now reading Leap cards again. If your Leap card app is still not working, you may need to update the app or system. A spokesperson for the National Transport Authority said: The NTA recently became aware that some Android customers are experiencing issues with the Leap top-up app following the release of Android version 17 in late June, which has impacted the NFC functionality upon which the Leap app depends.NFC, or Near Field Communication, is a short-range wireless system which is used for travel cards such as Leap cards and contactless payments with bank cards, phones, and watches. This issue appears to be specific to this latest release of Android, as older Android versions and iPhones are not impacted and are able to top-up Leap cards. However, our testing shows that not all mobile phones that update to Android 17 encounter this problem, even though a significant number of users are encountering problems, the spokesperson said.The NTA said the issue appears to be a wider issue with Android version 17, and there are lots of reports from users worldwide on Android support forums of issues with NFC travel and payment cards following the release of Android 17.The spokesperson added: Following investigation by our supplier, a new version of the Leap Top-Up app was released to the Google Play Store on Tuesday 4th of August to resolve this issue. We apologise for the inconvenience caused to customers.

For Leanne Bentley, riding in the 2025 Silk Road Mountain Race was an exercise in giving up control. From 30-kilometer hike-a-bikes to perilous river crossings and rationing a dwindling food supply, she learned to roll with the punches and was rewarded beyond measure. Find her hazy memories and reflections from Kyrgyzstan here The post Letting Go: Memories of the Silk Road Mountain Race appeared first on BIKEPACKING.com.

The tension shadowing Paula Blasi during this Tour de France Femmes remains one of the focal points within UAE Team L'IMAD. The young Spanish rider, one of the teams revelations, has had to carry extra pressure in a squad with two clearly defined leaders: Dominika Wlodarczyk and Elisa Longo Borghin...

The team at onX Maps just released a new web tool to help visualize where proposals related to public lands have open comment periods. The accompanying page also goes into great detail about how to understand the cadence of agency actions and how to make your comments effective. Read below for more...The post The New onX Maps Public Land Comment Map Can Help Shape the Future appeared first on BIKEPACKING.com.

While top-tier models might set you back five figures, it's perfectly possible to get a great entry-level road bike with an aluminum frame and disc brakes for under 1,000/$1,500. Nobody needs to spend hours restoring an aged steel-frame machine to enjoy cycling on a budget. However, there's a lot to be said for the personal satisfaction that comes from breathing new life into something old.That's why I chose to restore this Ribble but how long did it take me, and how much did it cost? Finally, was it worth it? Let's dive in...(Image credit: Future)Winning the eBay bidding warI decided to buy this particular bike because it was made from Columbus SLX tubes (with internal helicoidal spine ridges to improve stiffness, if you believe the marketing), so for a steel-frame bike its relatively light. The full Shimano 600 Tricolor groupset was a big plus, and the frame is fully chromed, which means that its about as weather and corrosion resistant as a steel bike can be. Checking an older steel frame for rust is essential, particularly around the bottom bracket, the seat clamp and the headset, not to mention the chain and seat stays. The steerer tube and fork crown are also crucial inspection items. (Image credit: Future)Having won the eBay bidding war (a minor skirmish, really) for just 199 ($270 for our US readers), I collected the Ribble from Greenwich, which is less than 10 miles away from home. Since Columbus SLX frames alone sell for upwards of 150 (its worth getting a general sense of prices before buying your bike), it was a no-brainer. I would have paid the extra 50 or so for courier delivery even if the bike was further away it can be a worthwhile expense if you find your unicorn.All used bikes need some TLC to get them running smoothly, and the base condition of the bike dictates just how much time, money and effort youll have to put in. This generally works on a sliding scale, with bikes in good condition sporting the highest price tags, and the real dogs being offered for a song. The Ribble, it turns out, was closer to needing daily walks and regular flea treatments than Id hoped. But I still got away with spending just less than 370 ($500) for a mechanically sound and delightfully rideable piece of dead sexy British cycling history. Here's how I did it.The component searchFrom careful scrutiny of the eBay photos, I fully expected to replace the tyres (cracked and worn and 23 mm), the saddle (tattered and torn), the bar tape (ditto), the chain (very evident wear), the gear and brake cables and housings (as a matter of course), the brake pads (safety first) and the pedals (I ride Shimano SPD pedals on all my bikes for convenience). But with older bikes, you often dont know what you have until you take it all apart, so after a few before photos I put my Allen keys and socket set to good use. Once I had all the bits laid out, it was clear that Id soon be forking out for even more replacement parts.(Image credit: Future)The lower saddle clamp was inexplicably split in two, the inner chainring teeth were worn to resemble shark fins, and the front brake caliper had corroded into position and refused to respond to my rigorous degreasing and lubrication. The headset was in terrible condition, with multiple grooves worn into the lower cup. The geometry was spot on for me personally. With a 54cm top tube despite being a 56cm bike, the frame was clearly made in heaven for my slightly off-kilter body dimensions (long legs, short torso). However, the 110mm stem proved to be a touch long, and the gorgeous Cinelli handlebar was too wide for me at 44cm. Perhaps the nastiest surprise was the cracked rear derailleur parallelogram.In this world of instant gratification, theres something deeply satisfying about hunting for bike parts that are often no longer in production. Rather than simply clicking online or swiping your bank card at your LBS, you have to trawl the online classified sites and forums to find the specific hens teeth youre looking for. And when you find the right component at the right price, the thrill is real. So, I subjected my eyes to more blue light from my laptop screen than is strictly healthy and, lo, I found all the bits and pieces that I needed, with the proviso that I wasnt being overly pedantic about maintaining the original component specs.(Image credit: Future)The basics, like gear and brake cables and housings, bar tape, chain, ball bearings, and bottle cage I quickly bought new. The other bits took a bit more work, with the 39T chainring and Shimano 600 Tricolor brake calipers (with new brake pads, no less) eventually coming from eBay, the front tyre and Shimano SPD pedals after patient Gumtree searches, and the rear tyre from Freecycle (a Continental GP5000 S TR for free). A near-mint Shimano 600 headset and rear derailleur (both for more than I was hoping to pay) came from kindred eBay users, while Golden Age Cycles a great resource for vintage restorations provided me with the 90 mm quill stem. (Image credit: Future)The three non-original replacements comprised a System EX seatpost from Tredz, a Fabric Radius saddle (it keeps my bum happy) from Merlin Cycles, and a handlebar from Temple Cycles, one of the only companies currently selling compact bars with a 25.4mm clamp diameter. These purchases pushed my restoration spend up to 242.68, over and above the bike's purchase price. But I recouped a few quid for the sale of the Cinelli A1 110 mm stem, the Shimano 105 pedals, the Turbo saddle, the Shimano 600 Tricolor seatpost (even with the broken lower clamp) and the Cinelli handlebar (no surprises there). All of this netted 72, bringing the total bike and restoration cost to 369.68.Of course, I managed to keep the total cost low because I did all the work myself. If the restoration was left to your LBS, youd be paying anywhere between 200 and 300 for a full strip, clean and rebuild, not taking into account the additional replacement cost of the component parts. But if you have a decent set of Allen keys and a shifting spanner, you can do the bulk of the restoration work yourself, like replacing brake and gear cables and housings, fitting a new chain, installing derailleurs, setting up brake calipers, inserting the stem and handlebars, and wrapping bar tape. The trickier jobs that require specialised tools arent far out of reach either, and Id argue that theyre worth the investment even in the short run. Buying the relevant cone wrenches for around 15 and learning how to service a wheel hub has paid for itself many times over (a hub service at your LBS will likely cost around 20 per wheel). Servicing a headset and bottom bracket follows the same simple principles as servicing a wheel hub and will comfortably save you 50. Truing the wheels accounts for another 30 saving. YouTube is a wonderful resource (RJ the Bike Guy and Sheldon Brown are two of my favourites), and you can rest assured that any issue you come across while restoring a bike has already been experienced by someone somewhere, and theres an online tutorial, blog post or forum thread for fixing it. If there is a better way to learn about the basics of bicycle maintenance, I havent found it yet. Also, steel-frame bikes are slightly more forgiving for the home mechanic than the exacting tolerances and torques required by carbon frames. So, if you can do it yourself, do it! Grunt and labourMore than just a wondrous mechanical learning curve (you have to take something apart to understand how it works), a lot of restoration work is simply about grunt labour. When a frame and components havent been cleaned for years, all sorts of gunk builds up in the nooks and crannies. And its the assiduous application of elbow grease and toothbrushes, toothpicks, pipe cleaners, ear buds, wash cloths and miscellaneous cleaning fluids that peels back the years of abuse to reveal the glory of former years. (Image credit: Future)When a thorough cleaning doesnt quite cut the mustard and the paintwork needs more focused attention, you have a handful of options. I decided to leave the Ribble as is, patina and all (as the enthusiasts would have it), but the careful application of colour-matched Humbrol model paint or even nail polish is a surprisingly effective way to touch up an otherwise-good-enough paintjob.(Image credit: Future)You can, of course, respray a frame that is simply too far gone. Rattle cans are a cheap option that can provide a decent finish if you remember the golden rule painting is 90 per cent surface preparation. A step up from this is Spray. Bike, a paint developed specifically for respraying bicycles (the clues in the name). Touted as a non-drip alternative for amateur users, you can manage a full single-colour respray for under 50, including primer, base coat and lacquer finish. If youd prefer a professional to handle the job, the prices ramp up quickly, with a single-colour frame and fork spray starting around 350 if you provide the painter with a stripped and prepped frame. Frame prep, multiple colours, masking, decals and logos quickly push you towards (and even over) the 1,000 mark, so youll be reserving this treatment for high-value bikes.The bit money can't buyWhen you buy a bike off the peg, it takes a while before it really feels like yours. But restoring your own bike makes it very much yours because youve painstakingly brought it back to life. And you can be assured that yours will more than likely be the only one of its kind out there. (Image credit: Future)Theres something wonderfully elegant about the slim tubes of an old steel-frame road bike, not to mention classic aesthetics punctuated by ornately filed lugs, smooth fillet brazing, chromed stays/forks, intricate pantographing and myriad other details handcrafted in steel. Riding a steel-frame bike from previous generations really makes you stand out in the sea of ubiquitous carbon and aluminium, and its seldom that I dont receive a compliment when out riding one of my gleaming restorations.

Stage 5 was a brutal finale at this year's edition of the Tour de Pologne, featuring gradients that went up close to 20%. In this terrain, the puncheurs had a big saying, and it was UAE Team Emirates - XRG's Jan Christen who took the victory and has taken time on race leader Bart Lemmen. The breaka...

Stage 4 of the Vuelta a Burgos has been won by Matthew Brennan. The Team Visma | Lease a Bike rider was the main favourite to take the glory on the day, but had a difficult task to bring the win in what was a chaotic sprint. The fourth day of racing was the one best suited to the sprinters, present...