In the world of road riding, the Paris-Roubaix is regarded as the most gruelling race in the world. Its cobbled stones and muddy paths make the racing conditions far from straightforward. It's hard enough being an athlete in this race, but for the world's premier bicycle manufacturers, the raceG provides one of the toughest challenges for their bikes.
Cervelo, launched in 1995 by Phil White and Gérard Vroomen, has quickly become the world leader in high performance road bikes. In conjunction with Team CSC, Cervelo have developed the R3 to take on the Paris-Roubaix and in so doing, have created arguably the best road bike on sale today. The result of this dedication – two wins in two years at the Paris-Roubaix. In April 2006, Fabian Cancellara took first place. 12 months later, Stuart O'Grady did the same.
The beauty of the Paris-Roubaix for research is that the cobbled stones mean the bike has to be very forgiving, whilst still being stiff and light for the climbs. So the general public can now buy a bike that is both suitable for relative beginners, due to the comfort, but equally perfect for the professional rider who races and trains daily.
The box shaped tubes are not shaped for aerodynamics (if out and out speed is your game, then Cervelo's Soloist is a better bet), but instead provide comfort and power transfer in equally great doses. Normally, a comfortable bike has more flex, causing power transfer to suffer, so having both attributes in the same frame is excellent.
Taking the R3 out on a Sunday morning 50 mile ride proved how great a bike this is. Starting out on quiet country roads gave a good indication of how quickly the frame transfers power, and then taking a more picturesque detour through a country park gave the R3 a taste of a gravel road. I rode through this in as much comfort as my mountain bike would.
So is this the perfect all round bike? Yes, in one word. In an ideal world, I'd have an R3 for the long rides, with a carbon Soloist standing by for triathlons and early morning sprints.
R3 Frameset (Frame, forks, headset and seatpost) - £1999
Did Russian billionaire buy 496 million euro property?
Recently, it was reported that Villa Leopolda was sold to a Russian billionaire for just under 500 million euros. It soon revealed that Russian billionaire Mikhail Prokhorov was behind the sale. As is the habit with Russian oligarchs, Prokhorov made his billions in precious metals. In 2007 he launched a $17 billion private investment fund, so he was definitely wealthy enough to purchase the property.
AirDrives earphones are perfect for the runner or cyclist
Personal headphones have developed a lot in the last few years since the expansion of the MP3 industry. Most companies have been furthering the sound quality, but Mad Catz have looked at a different market, the user who wants to hear the surroundings. So if you're a runner, a cyclist or just someone who doesn't want to immerse themselves in music... read on.
New Lord Norman Foster designed yacht launches next month
YachtPlus are a company specialising in fractional ownership of yachts. In conjunction with designer Lord Norman Foster, they will be releasing their 'Signature Series' craft in September. The total cost is $16m and with 8 owners of each vessel, the cost is $2m for ownership.
Review – Jabra Titanium Bluetooth headset
Lets be honest, no-one fancies losing their driving license and the recent crackdown on driving with mobile phones has made alternatives such as bluetooth headsets a much better option. Most of these are ugly plastic devices, so its refreshing to see Jabra taking the headsets up market.
Issue 13, Available June 2008.
Jet Special
We investigate the new class of light jet and investigate whether personal is the smart way to travel. We find out how you can own and operate an ex-military jet so you can spend the rest of your weekends going supersonic.
Helicopter Group Test
We put the most popular helicopters to the test and find out which one you should be living with! We even explore the new world of tilt-rotors.
And the regulars...
Brian Ebbesen, Arash Farboud, Nick English and others all share their views
Raising the Stakes
“Thinking of selling 16th century farmhouse in conservation area 4/5 bdrooms, 3 acres - do not wish...” By P. Whyte 22 August 2008
Buying a Bugatti Veyron
“Cars like this are only so stylish because not everyone can have them-- that is precisely the poin...” By Pablo Hudson 16 August 2008
Gary Rhodes opens new restaurant at Grosvenor House, Dubai
“As chairman of Northern Region Variety Club, it is my job to try and raise funds for the benefit o...” By Peter Johnson Chairman of Variety Club Northern Region UK 12 August 2008
