Category: Eat Sleep Cycle News

When planning a cycling holiday a key consideration is what bike to ride. Whilst some people choose to travel with their own bike the majority opt to save the plane fare & hassle of lugging a bike box around and rent instead. Renting a bike can be daunting – so many colours, models, sizes, groupsets, braking systems, frame materials, companies etc etc. But, renting a bike is a golden opportunity to try something new or even test ride the bike of your dreams.

By asking yourself these simple questions you can decide which bike to choose from all the options out there. Given our location this will be focused on Girona Bike Hire but should help choose your perfect rental bike wherever you’re traveling to!

What Type of Cycling Would You Like to Do?

It sounds obvious but if you know what terrain you’ll be riding on this is a big part of the puzzle & you can start to narrow down your bike hire options:

1. Road – Girona is a hub for road cycling in Europe. Professional road cyclists choose to make Girona their base for training and racing. Quiet roads, respectful traffic a huge variety of terrain & route options make road cycling the most popular type of cycling in Girona (and as a result one of the most popular types of bike hire in Girona).
2. Off-Road – Girona also has a network of gravel roads, mountain bike trails and family-friendly bike paths. There are plenty of bikes to choose from in the off-road category, depending on which type of terrain you’d like to explore.
3. City – Cruising around the city and Devesa park on a bike is a cool way to see the city. You could even consider taking a 40 min train to Barcelona and bike around there too. This is a great option for families and groups of ‘normal’/non-cycling people. A Brompton has to be the ultimate city machine – it’s great fun to ride & is completely foldable – perfect for carrying on and off trains & into cafès and restaurants (for more info make sure you check our guide to cycling in Barcelona!)

Road Cycling: What Type of Cyclist Are You?

Ok, so you’ve decided you want to explore Girona’s beautiful roads. Let’s take a deep dive into the world of road bikes and see how to separate the options so you can choose the perfect rental road bike. Road bikes tend to fall into three broad categories and are best suited to different types of cyclist.

• Lightweight – The Climbers Rental Bike: For cyclists who love to climb then a bike designed around the ability to climb will maximise the enjoyment of the ride.
  • Top Pick: Factor O2 Ultegra Di2 – ok, so it’s a treat but we think a Factor 02 rental is the ultimate climbing machine. With a precision engineered Factor 02 frameset, Black Inc carbon wheels, bars, seatpost & stem & the high performance lightweight groupset that is Shimano Ultegra Di2 this is a machine that flies uphill.
  • Best Value: Ridley Helium X Ultegra – if the Factor’s way out of budget there’s no need to panic. Enter Ridley’s lightweight sensation that is the Helium. Aptly named this is a beautiful frameset which heads skywards with ease.

• Comfort – The Endurance Bike: For riders who love long days in the saddle on varied terrain the endurance bike is the way to go. These bikes tend to offer a more relaxed geometry giving the rider a more comfortable position, best for long days in the saddle.
• • Top Pick: Ridley Fenix Ultegra Disc – The Fenix is Ridley’s answer to Paris-Roubaix. Designed to absorb the shock of the cobblestones the Fenix promises a smooth, sweet ride. Disc brakes offer powerful braking & the ultegra groupset promises perfect shifting.
  • Best Value: Ridley Fenix 105 – the same as above but with rim brakes and Shimano 105 groupset. Perfect for a smooth ride for those on more of a budget.

• Fast – The Aero Bike: we don’t recommend this type of bike for cycling in Girona. With a more aggressive geometry & added weight for the aero features this is a bike that will neither climb particularly well or be that comfortable for a long day in the saddle.

Off-Road Cycling: What Type of Terrain?

If you’re heading off road the key consideration when renting a bike in Girona is to decide what type of terrain you’d find most enjoyable – this will best help you to select your steed:

• Gravel – A good definition of a gravel road is anything that a car can be driven down, any more technical and gravel riding starts to head into mountain bike terrain. A gravel bike has wider tyres and more tread compared to a road bike – offering better grip off road. A gravel bike has a more relaxed geometry than their cyclo-cross counterparts. Make sure your rental bike is geared for the rides you’re planning to do: the steep trails around Girona tend to need a larger cassette that what might otherwise be normal. Get an introduction to gravel cycling in Girona from our ESC tour guide Peter Gaskill.
  • Top pick: Basso Palta – ‘Palta’ is Italian for mud & this is a high-end carbon gravel bike which thrives in dirty conditions. With a specially designed fork and shock-absorbing seatpost enjoy a stable and comfortable ride. There’s also space for up to three bottle cages – great for a hot, off-road bike-packing adventure.

• Trails & Single-track – If you’re planning on tackling more technical trails then consider a mountain bike. A hardtail will cope with most of what Girona has to offer. A full-suspension is pretty niche and not widely available to rent in Girona.
  • Top pick: Ridley Ignite – A lightweight 29’er hardtail designed for cyclocross competition, this is an ultrafast bike for ultimate off-road fun.

• Bike Paths – Girona has a network of bike paths, the most popular being the Via Verde, stretching from San Feliu at the coast to Olot in the foothills of the Pyrenees. A hybrid bicycle is best suited to these trails. Equipped with wider tyres than a road bike for extra grip on the gravel and a super comfortable upright position. Hybrid bikes often come with a rack for carrying bags – perfect for stashing a picnic for when you reach the beach!
  • Top pick: Ridley Tempo Disc – a comfy, versatile bike for enjoying bike paths & roads alike. This bike comes in female specific & men’s geometry & comes equipped with a rack for carrying your bags.
  • Add Some Gas: Orbea Keram Comfort Electric – turbo boost your ride and take the edge off the climbs with this dreamy electrified hybrid. Equipped with a rack you can carry everything you need for a lovely day out on the bike.

If some of the rental bikes mentioned above have piqued your interest you can check our range of rental bikes in Girona here and we also have some of them available for purchase if you’re really tempted!

What About Renting an Electric Bike in Girona?

The trend of electric bikes is booming here with electric bike rentals on the up. Sales across Europe are up & more & more people are turning to electric bikes and it’s no surprise why. Electric bikes offer many people the opportunity to ride a bike in places they never imagined they could physically cope with. Electric bikes mean groups of friends & families with riders of different abilities can ride together and enjoy shared experiences. Electric bikes are a serious amount of fun.

• Top Pick: Orbea Gain M20 – this is a very special electric road bike. A carbon frame & ultegra groupset mean this bike oozes quality and puts Orbea at the forefront of electric bike design. The battery is discreetly hidden in the downtube meaning the bike doesn’t stand out in a field of non-electric bikes.

Bike Hire Girona – Choose Your Bike!

If you’re in Girona and looking to hire a bike we hope the above guide has given you some useful information about the types of rental options that are available and which one would suit you best. If you’ve any questions about which rental bike is for you then give us a call now on +34 972 649 131 or contact us online for more info.

P.S. Enjoyed this blog? Why not sign up to receive notifications every time we post and get regular updates on our latest tours!

We hope you have a fantastic Christmas filled with the people and things you love (including cycling, of course)!

A Christmas Cycle?

We’re joined by guests on our Girona Christmas week and will be bringing you stories of what we’re up to throughout the festive period. Meanwhile, we thought we would share with you a collection of some of our favourite festive photos from our Christmas ride with CHPT3 and Rocacorba Food truck last week! Photo credits to Boris Cid and Manuel Buck – thank you!

3rd Annual ESC Christmas Cycle Video

As a Christmas treat for you we’ve produced a short video of our 3rd annual Christmas cycle, watch it below! And, make sure you come join us next year for a festive cycle like no other – Christmas jumpers and ties are optional!

Here’s To Cycling in 2019!

All of the team here at ESC would like to say a big thanks to you for reading and your support and custom throughout the year. We’ve had a great year and couldn’t have done it without you! With some luck we’ll see you on a European cycle tour next year and in the meantime hope you have a Merry cycling Christmas!

P.S. Enjoyed this blog? Why not sign up to receive notifications every time we post and get regular updates on our latest tours!

It’s the time of year when everyone starts to reflect on the year gone by and share accounts of their ‘year in review’ well, here at Eat Sleep Cycle we are creating our ‘year in reviews‘. We pride ourselves on our near-100% five-star review record from both our cycling tours and from our Girona Hub. Here are some of our favourite reviews from 2018 and the stories behind them.

London Dynamo in Girona

In June we were privileged to host the biggest cycling club in London on their annual trip abroad. A group of 45 riders from London Dynamo came out to Girona for a week of riding culminating in the Girona Gran Fondo event. Club member Jed had this to say:

“Eat Sleep Cycle are so good at what they do… Hands-down best cycle tour operator in Europe. They handled our group of 45 with ease. Everyone including the mechanics at the hub, the guides that took us on fantastic group rides and the guys that run the show, are simply excellent. And an extra special thank you to Lee, Silvia and Brian for making our trip so memorable.”

Thanks to Jed for the glowing review and we are looking forward to hosting London Dynamo once again in 2019!

Summiting The Mighty Zoncolan in June

June also saw the first summiting of the mighty Zoncolan in Eat Sleep Cycle history. Padraic, who was on the tour had this to say:

“I completed the Trans Dolomites tour with Eat Sleep Cycle. The tour was excellent, very well organized and the team were incredibly dedicated and passionate. The routes, food, accommodation was fantastic. The routes encompassed some of the most epics climbs in Europe and scenery was breathtaking. In particular the guides were fantastic and were always there for all needs. Thank you Eat Sleep Cycle for one of the most exhilarating weeks of my life. Highly recommended!”

Thanks to Padraic for the kind words.

July Means Tour de France For Cyclists

In the cycling world July means one thing: the Tour de France! We took a group of guests to spectate the race and ride some of the Tour de France route in the Pyrenees. Dawn was one of the guests on the trip and took the time to write this fantastic, and very comprehensive review! Thank you, Dawn.

“The first time I encountered Eat Sleep Cycle it was for a week long bike hire in Girona. I was so impressed by the bike, the company, and their staff that a year later when I was looking for a bike tour around the Tour de France I immediately thought of them. First of all let me speak of the staff. The entire week long trip was excellently supported on all levels. Nothing was too much to ask and Brian, Boris, and Caitlin did it all with a cheery disposition and a smile. Not only did they do an excellent job guiding and feeding us, it felt like they were mates along for the trip too.

Each day was planned perfectly with different route options available most days for the length of ride each person wanted to do. There was a guide with each group and they would let each person ride their own pace up climbs and regroup at the top. Most often the van would be there too with food and water so we could recover after these long climbs (some climbs took over an hour and even as an experienced cyclist that van with snacks and Coke was a godsend).

After a big ride, every cyclist is looking forward to a big meal and Eat Sleep Cycle did a great job with that as well. We also had time to ourselves to go into town for extra snacks (and beer!) during down time.

Lastly, let me speak of the bike. I rented the Ridley Ultegra disc bike which was perfect for both the long climbs and descents. As a shorter rider I appreciate that they carry a large selection of small bikes (others in town do not). I emailed my fit specs to the shop and it was set up perfectly for me. Boris also did a great job of keeping the bike in tip top shape over the length of the tour.

All in all I can’t recommend Eat Sleep Cycle enough. Whether you are looking for bike hire in Girona or a European Cycling Tour, you can’t go wrong.”

The Full Monty in September!

In September we hosted the Full Monty Cycling Club all the way from Chicago. Having joined us for a Trans-Pyrenees cycle tour in 2017 the guys returned to Eat Sleep Cycle, this time in greater numbers, to tackle the Italian Dolomites and Alps, Danny from the club described his experience:

“17 friends hired ESC to organize and guide us on a cycling trip in the Dolomites. For 6 of us it was or second trip with ESC, having worked with them last year on a Trans-Pyrenees route. This was a large group, and the team at ESC did a terrific job of selecting the best routes and really surprised us with the quality of the hotels. We had terrific dinners and lots of wine and laughs. Lee and his team work really hard to make sure everyone is safe and is having a good time. If you can get them to bring along Berta-make sure to do so! She’s awesome.  Guided by Lee, Amy, Christian and Johnny we had a great trip and hope to work with ESC again.”

Huge thanks to Danny for writing such kind words about the tour & the team.

Stunning Pyrenees Climbs

September also took us back to the Pyrenees, this time on a Trans Pyrenees tour – taking guests from Girona to San Sebastian via some of the most stunning roads and climbs in the Pyrenees. Guest Chris had this to say:

“When I booked my Trans Pyrenees trip with Eat Sleep Cycle, they were only a year old, and pretty slick. When I arrived in Girona they were two years old, and ten times bigger and better. I used them to arrange my pre and post trip accommodation, transfers, everything. All I did was bring my bike. Everything Brian and the team did was made to seem easy. The guides and support team are not only great at their jobs on tour and super strong riders, but also really accomplished people in other fields, making conversations so interesting. I can’t wait to get back. Thanks.”

Thanks to Chris for taking the time to write such a complimentary review!

West Cork Girls In Girona

In October we were joined in Girona by a group of women from West Cork, Ireland who came to see what the Catalan city has to offer! One of the group, Caroline wrote this:

“West Cork Girls – An Amazing Trip: 7 girls from our cycling club just completed 3 days training with ESC, what an amazing experience, the attention to detail with these guys is unbelievable, everything from airport transfers, fabulous bikes, excellent accommodation, great routes, excellent guides who know the place inside out, it really was super. Any distance or climbing we wanted to do the guides helped us out. We are looking forward to booking again as ESC really know how to get everything right.”

We are delighted that Caroline enjoyed her time in Girona and we would like to say thank you for taking the time to leave this review!

Thank You For Your Reviews!

A huge thank you to each and every person who took the time to leave us a review this year, we appreciate the time taken by all to write about your Eat Sleep Cycle experiences! If you’d like to check out more reviews you can see them here. If you’d like to find out more about one of our European cycle tours then give us a call on +34 972 649 131 or contact us online for more info!

P.S. Enjoyed this blog? Why not sign up to receive notifications every time we post and get regular updates on our latest tours!

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What a weekend!! Girona was buzzing with the launch of Chpt3 in the Eat Sleep Cycle Hub on Friday night, followed by the celebration of Eat Sleep Cycle’s anniversary with beautiful rides and a delicious cake on Saturday. Here’s our pick of our favourite photos from the event.

A huge thank you goes out to everyone who’s supported us over the last couple of years – it’s been one hell of a ride!

CHPT3 Launch, 9th November 2019

The fun began on Friday with the launch of CHPT3 in our Girona store; an innovative brand created in Girona by ex-professional cyclist David Millar. With a new collection inspired by the city itself we’re proud to work with Chpt3  and join together in showcasing the best of Girona’s culture and cycling.

Our very own Brian Canty & David Millar welcomed our guests, plied them with cava & beers and together we toasted to the partnership.

Thanks to photographer Phil Dawson for capturing the event:[/vc_column_text][vc_gallery type=”parallax_image_grid” images=”10405,10406″ img_size=”600×400″][vc_gallery type=”nectarslider_style” images=”10346,10403,10347,10343,10345,10402,10348,10335″ bullet_navigation_style=”see_through” onclick=”link_no” img_size=”600×400″][vc_column_text]

Anniversary Ride, 10th November 2019

Saturday marked the celebration of our two year anniversary and we celebrated in the only way we know how: a big old bike ride!

One headed to our traditional destination of Mare de Deu del Mont on a gorgeous route totalling 120 km and 2,000 m. For those cyclists needing a little respite a gorgeous route 80 km to Esponella & La Mota was on offer, ably guided by the Godfather of Girona, Peter Gaskill.

The rides were finished off with cake (exquisitely baked by Silvia) and cava glugged from Eat Sleep Cycle bidons back at the Hub.

A huge thank you to those who came out to support the ride, to our volunteer guides, cake baker & to all sending their words of support on social media. May the terrible two’s commence![/vc_column_text][vc_gallery type=”parallax_image_grid” images=”10364,10374″ img_size=”600×400″][vc_gallery type=”nectarslider_style” images=”10377,10370,10341,10339,10337,10336″ bullet_navigation_style=”see_through” onclick=”link_no” img_size=”600×400″][vc_column_text]Photos by: Phil Dawson & Marco Heemskerk

Thanks for reading, see you out on the road!

P.S. Join our Eat Sleep Cycle Club to get exclusive access to Club Member rides and rewards such as discounts on brands such as Assos and MAAP in The Hub![/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

[vc_row type=”in_container” full_screen_row_position=”middle” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” overlay_strength=”0.3″ shape_divider_position=”bottom”][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_link_target=”_self” column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” width=”1/1″ tablet_width_inherit=”default” tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid”][vc_column_text]Partnerships are a major part of what we do at Eat Sleep Cycle and from the day we opened the doors of our first shop we’ve been linking arms and joining forces with some of the world’s best brands.

Cycling is booming and new brands appear every month. There’s no shortage of them and as retailers and distributors we’re spoilt for choice.

To use a pro cycling analogy, consider a World Tour manager looking for riders: there is an ocean of talent but you don’t pick the ones you want based solely on talent. You consider the package. You consider what that rider will do for you.

Cannondale Pro Cycling Team were asked by journalists in late 2015, ´why did you pick Lawson Craddock for your team next year´? I’m sure those journalists got their answer in July this year because his was the story of the Tour de France.

He put the spotlight on EF Education First-Drapac in a way 21 stage wins couldn’t have.

Back to branding and though we are spoilt for choice, how on earth do we decide who to pick or who to have in our store?

People ask us, why Ridley bikes? Why MAAP? Why Tactic? Why Rocacorba? Why Oakley? Why Factor?

The answer, broadly, goes like, “we want to work with brands who want to work with us”.

Brands who want to work with us obviously believe in us or else they wouldn’t bother. We say ´yes´ to those who share our Eat Sleep Cycle values of attitude, belief and commitment.

So back to bike racing and imagine we’re in a 200-rider peloton with everyone trying to get to the front for exposure.

The sport – and marketing – is built on that, remember. Get yourself seen and use others to leverage that.

EF Education First-Drapac made the least money from the Tour de France in prize-money this year. They made €14,420. Team Sky, in comparison, made €726,630.

Aside from naming the winner, most will struggle to say who finished second and third.

But I bet they all know who finished last? Yes, Craddock.

So anyway, we’re in the bike race, Eat Sleep Cycle, jostling with the others to show what we can do.

We’re relatively new to this game, so we’re up there sussing out who’s who, who’s doing what.

We feel so good and fresh that we want to get away, get up the road and show ourselves off to the world. But we need help to get away.

We’re looking for help, someone who’ll work with us and to get in the breakaway. We need others like us with attitude, commitment and belief. Those who believe in the power of working together.

When Ridley came to us last year with a genuine love for what we do, it was a no-brainer that we would work with them. When the guys from MAAP flew to Girona from Australia to get in our store, it made the decision very easy as well.

The same goes for the others. And tonight that list will grow a little longer when we hang CHPT3 on our rails and hold the official launch of their clothing in our store.

They’re keen to get into the break and we’re keen to have them work with us.

And here’s why. The CHPT3 brand is Girona. It’s cool, it’s quirky, it’s classy and it works for us.

Girona doesn’t work for everyone and CHPT3 definitely doesn’t work for everyone but it works for us and those who share our values.

It’s a city you’ll especially love if you love cycling, but you might get bored of it after a while. The same applies for CHPT3. You need to feel it.

Take the Backyard Base Layer with very subtle writings on it like TDM, SP and MMYA… Tossa de Mar, Santa Pelaia, Madremanya. Anyone who comes to Girona will fall for these places like we have. Another person might say it’s daft. That’s fine!

Creator of such a not-so-abstract concept is of course David Millar who recognises Girona is almost its own brand, and he did more than most to shape it into the place it is today.

“I came here 12 years ago because it was the perfect training base, we’ve since chosen to live here as a family and start a new life in this amazing place; it’s CHPT3 in more ways than one for us!

“I’ve witnessed Girona grow into the cycling capital of the world, so many people have arrived and businesses started in the past few years – Eat Sleep Cycle represent this new wave of enthusiasm, passion and professionalism better than anybody, and we’re over the moon they want to work with us and that together we have the same vision to help shape Girona and the Costa Brava into the world’s best cycling destination.

“It’s a journey we want to share together, and with anybody else who fancies joining us on the ride.”

We’re excited to see where this takes us at Eat Sleep Cycle! Come join us for the official launch tonight from 5pm at the Eat Sleep Cycle Hub.

All photos by CHPT3.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

At Eat Sleep Cycle we are, first and foremost, cyclists and as such we are always searching for the best bike. Therefore when the chance to work with Factor Bikes, a brand founded on years of experience within both the carbon manufacturing industry and the peloton, we jumped at the chance. We like to work with like-minded brands, those who engage with their audience and are closely involved with the delivery or production of their product. It was in this vein that we chose Ridley for our rental fleet in 2018 and with the same ideal in mind that we are collaborating with Factor.

Factor Bikes – A Winning Combination

Add to this the input of none other than David Millar and you truly have a winning combination. Indeed, winning is exactly what the professional athletes who have had the privilege to ride bikes made by Factor have gone on to do. In their own words the brand “was conceived from a commitment to innovation, speed and performance through advanced engineering”, commitments for a bike manufacturer. So who are Factor?

From Formula 1 to Factor

Factor has an interesting history: despite being a young brand it has years of experience behind it; founded in 2007 by BF1 systems, the Formula 1 engineering company based in Norfolk, UK, the early models were inspired by the supercars and designed to showcase the engineering prowess of the company. The Factor 001 was launched in 2009 and was a concept bike with a built-in computer, disc brakes and an eye-watering £20,000 price tag.

Nowadays the brand is producing somewhat more attainable but still high-performance models designed for racing. Baden Cooke, a former pro of 14 years and 2003 Tour de France green jersey winner, along with Rob Gitelis, co-founder of Carbon Composite bikes bought the brand during this shift from prototypes to the peloton.

Factor Accolades

Thus, with the brand still in its infancy it took up sponsorship of a World Tour team in the form of the French set-up AG2R La Mondiale in 2017. With this came the need to produce a lightweight race bike that complies with UCI regulations and the 6.58kg Factor O2 was born. Since switching to Factor as a bike sponsor AG2R La Mondiale have enjoyed myriad successes in some of the most prestigious races on the cycling calendar including 3^rd on GC and a stage win at the 2017 Tour. The most recent success, however, was Romain Bardet’s silver medal at the world championships in Innsbruck. Few bike brands this young can boast the same accolades.

But Bardet and co. are not the only professional riders involved with Factor. David Millar, former pro cyclist and multiple Tour de France stage winner, has been involved with the brand from early on, developing the design with Cooke and Gitelis having lamented the lack of input he was afforded with regards to the bikes he rode during his career. Millar has since collaborated with Factor via his own brand, CHPT3, on a limited edition One which he described as: ‘the coolest bike I have ever had’.

One More Lap Factor 02 Bike Hire & Purchase

If you’re inspired to test out the quality of Factor bikes in the high mountains then you’re in luck, as the Factor O2 with Shimano Ultegra Di2 is available both for bike hire and purchase from our Girona Hub and on tours. Take a look at our photo gallery below & give us a call now on +34 972 649 131 or contact us online to book your ride!

P.S. Enjoyed this blog? Why not sign up to receive notifications every time we post and get regular updates on our latest tours!

The brand new, custom painted Ridley Helium SLX had been sat staring at me for 3-weeks. I’m a bit funny with riding a new bike without a proper fitting session and I simply hadn’t had time. But when Tiesj Benoot won Strade Bianche on it, I dropped everything, put on the nearest cycling clothes (lucky for you no photos of that catastrophe) and headed out into the Girona sunshine.

A new bike normally feels strange on the first ride. Especially because this time, I decided to trial a new saddle. I’ve had some numbness troubles downstairs and determined to fix that, will test the Eat Sleep Cycle Fizik saddle fitting programme (Test any saddle before buying). I am starting with the Antares which is wider than my previous Arione. Idea being the sit bones rest on it rather than that important nerve which eventually causes numbness. For the first few rides, the sit bones hurt a bit, but that’s a sign of a good position.

In addition, this was the first time I’d used Rotor cranks. Since they are manufactured in Madrid it seemed fitting to have them on our rental and race bike fleet. I know, you can’t fault Shimano, but I wanted to give it a go. I’m not sure if it’s the shape of the Rotor cranks or if they genuinely are better but they felt good from the offset.

Other upgrades on the bike include the legendary Fatboys, the creation of Drew Gill at Spin On These (http://ridefullgas.com/). I could write a blog just on these wheels which have broken the age-old idea of narrow tyres and high pressure. The opposite results in more comfort, more grip and a better looking bike! Finished with the new Ultegra shifters, brakes and derailleurs, what is left is a very light and attractive looking bike.

From the off-set the bike felt stable, if not a little high at the front. The Helium has a reasonably large stack and I´m used to riding slammed race bikes. Due to a combination of back problems and more riding in the high mountains, I’m open to giving a higher front end a go.

Instantly I noted great responsiveness when accelerating to beat the red lights out of town. The bike felt super stiff. Once into the countryside things started to speed up and in the aero position, I was pushing 50 km/hr easily. A great start!

It was the first climb that signed and sealed my decision to ride the Helium this year. As the bike is the race choice of our sponsored race team “Rocacorba Racing” it only seemed fit for that climb to be Rocacorba. At nearly 1,000 meters it’s tough, with gradients of over 14% in places.

As soon as the slope steepened the bike just seemed to ride away from me, begging to be ridden faster, jump out the saddle on the bends instead of cruising around and keep the pace up all the way to the top. Wow, the bike is light and yes I noticed a big difference from last year’s race bike (a Guerciotti).

Chatting to several other professional riders in Girona who also ride the Helium, we´ve heard plenty of stories of the bike being under the legal limit of 7 Kg. But us amateurs don´t need to worry about that and every gram in our favor is potentially more kudos!

All that was left was the ride down and a combination of the Fatboys and bike stiffness made that very enjoyable. The slightly higher stack was not detrimental to the descent.

Last and not least, the bike looks great. Ridley´s custom paint jobs are top notch, with a full colour palette and several designs to choose from. I went for a stealth look, with a touch of Rocacorba Racing blue, but below you’ll see just how adventurous you can be with it…