Cycling Plus

Cycling Plus is the manual for the modern road cyclist. Whether you're cycling weekly, an occasional new rider or a Tour de France fan you’ll find everything you need. Each issue is packed with buying advice and tests of essential cycling gear - everything from bikes to bags! Cycling Plus is the place to find training advice, nutrition secrets and practical tips guaranteed to improve your bicycling. It's also full of inspirational rides, real-life cycling stories and entertaining riding-related features.

WELCOME…

Itzulia Basque Country, stage 4 Fall to Earth • 4 April 2024

What’s on • The best media, entertainment and events from the cycling world

Free wheeling • As a refugee from Yemen applying for asylum in Glasgow, cycling offered freedom for Siraj Balubaid

Barriers to entry • Cycle path barriers on the National Cycle Network only serve to keep the right people out

Alpe d’Huez • This most popular of Tour de France spectator hangouts is about to grace the women’s Tour

The Algarve

The route

BIKE OF THE YEAR • The 24 best bikes of 2024. Endurance. Race. Gravel. Commuter. Budget. Just one overall winner. Let the games begin…

24 bikes on test • The best of the year in our five categories

Previous champs

GOING THE DISTANCE • Five exciting mid-priced endurance bikes aim for that ideal combo of comfort and performance, but which one is closest to perfect?

Giant Defy Advanced Pro 2 • £3,499 An endurance bike strictly for the road

Cinelli Pressure ADR • £3,799 Italian style meets long-ride endurance design

Lauf Úthald Race Wireless • £4,458.05 (inc P+P) Icelandic gravel pioneer turns to the road

Canyon Endurace CF SLX 8 Di2 • £4,999 Outstanding frameset and specification for under £5,000!

Specialized Roubaix SL8 Comp • £5,000 A road-smoothing masterpiece, but not the best value

TRAIL TAMERS • We headed off spot the tarmac with a fistful of the latest, greatest gravel bikes and let them battle it out for the coveted top

Merida Silex 7000 • £3,000 Value-packed gravel ride with progressive geometry

GT Grade Carbon Pro LE • £3,600 Soft-tailed, rough-stuff ripper

Orbea Terra M41e Team 1x MyO • £4,799 A budget powerhouse?

Canyon Grail CF SLX 8 Di2 • £4,799 Simplified and speedy race machine

Santa Cruz Stigmata Force-1x AXS RSV • £6,999 Premium mountain bike-inspired graveller

THE FAST SHOW • We line up four of the latest mid-priced race bikes and see which crosses the line in first position

Canyon Ultimate CF SL 8 Aero • £4,799 Super spec, divisive bars

Focus Izalco Max 9.8 • £6,599 No longer in the WorldTour but still worthy

Handsling A1R0evo Classified Powershift • £6,499.99 A paradigm shift in road cycling tech?

Specialized Tarmac SL8 Pro • £8,000 Pro performance, punter price?

THE FINAL FIVE • The miles have been clocked. Now it’s time to pick our category winners and the overall Bike of the Year 2024 champion. We head to Wales’ Elan Valley to thrash it out

The Contenders

FOOD FIXES • Whether you just can’t stomach energy gels or you have a weakness for greasy post-ride takeaways, every cyclist has their own food quirks. We reveal the most common conundrums - and show you how to fix them

LONG-DISTANCE RELATIONSHIP • We find out why a cycling subculture of self-supported, multi-day, mixed-terrain rides is surging in popularity

PUSH YOUR LIMITS • Three ultra-distance events for 2024

SUBSCRIBER CLUB

Ridden & Rated • The UK’s best tests for over 30 years

Van Rysel D900 • £549.99 Decent-value smart trainer

Commuter backpacks...