British Cycling calls for a road safety campaign backed by the government after a double Paralympic champion cyclist was critically hurt in a collision.

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Paralympian collision safety call

Tyler Hamilton, the 2004 Olympic gold medalist in the time trial, has voluntarily surrendered his gold medal after admitting to doping during his cycling career.

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Hamilton Surrenders Cycling Gold Medal

Keep dry while biking with two new editions from a favorite cycling fashion label Urban biking clothiers Outlier always seem to be upping their game with details that we had the chance to see first-hand when they stopped by last week to preview their new lineup for Spring 2011. This season sees a few classic styles revamped with technical refinements, as well as an instantly covetable jacket and shoes joining the collection. The Pivotal Bomber Jacket , “a synthesis of everything Outlier,” combines a lightweight “4Season” wool with the brand’s signature pivot sleeve construction. Trimmed in superfine merino, the mid-weight outer is water-resistant, breathable, and has a handy angled arm pocket. Similarly a balance of technical details and style, their first foray into footwear is a minimalist waterproof sneaker in men’s and women’s sizes. The Outlier Feit Supermarines , handmade by Australian specialty shoemakers Feit , feature a double layer of French calf leather on the interior and exteriors comprised of Egyptian cotton made from only the longest fibers—hence their extreme water resistance. A removable cork midsole helps absorb shock while riding, and a double layer of Vibram sheet rubber provides solid traction for when you hit pavement. Other bonuses include waxed cotton laces, a reflective patch on the back and a hidden pocket on the tongue (for tucking laces). While all these cleverly-engineered details don’t come cheap, investing in the jacket ($290) and shoes ($260) will see you through many a ride. Take our reader survey and enter to win a CH Edition Jambox!

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Outlier Spring 2011

Great Britain women’s pursuit team win the first gold medal of the cycling World Cup while Jason Kenny wins sprint silver after beating Sir Chris Hoy in the semi final.

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GB women take team pursuit gold

This article titled “It’s All About the Bike: The Pursuit of Happiness on Two Wheels by Robert Penn” was written by Tim Lewis, for The Observer on Saturday 7th August 2010 23.05 UTC

“Every time you spend money,” wrote American ethicist Anna Lappé, “you’re casting a vote for the kind of world you want.” I think about this statement quite regularly, sometimes when I walk past Pret a Manger, in search of a less soul-destroying lunchtime sandwich, but most often when I ride to and from work.

About a decade ago, when I thought of bicycles as no more than a time-saving mode of transport, I bought a hybrid made by a behemoth American manufacturer. It looked all right, it fitted my budget, I rode it round the block once and took it home. I did not care where the frame was made (Taiwan) or have any interest in any of the components, beyond being childishly impressed by the fact it had 27 gears (25 of which remain sadly neglected).

It did not take me long to realise that my £500 had cast a vote for, if not Nick Griffin, then certainly Robert Kilroy-Silk. The bike was not particularly well made: there were recurring problems with the wheels and, after a few years, the aluminium frame actually snapped (it was replaced, under guarantee, by the behemoth). But mostly, as my interest in cycling increased, I was distressed by the hybrid’s utter lack of personality, its unashamed generic-ness. At the end of each day, my heart sinks slightly when I return to the lamppost and see it has not been stolen.

On the evidence of his new book, It’s All About the Bike, Robert Penn is likely to sympathise with my predicament. He has ridden bikes for 36 years and has owned everything from a Raleigh Tomahawk to a bespoke tourer that he cycled for three years and 40,000km round the world in the mid-1990s. He currently has five bikes – or “steeds” in his argot – but this book follows his quest to build one dream machine “to grow old with”. As he writes early on: “Anyone who rides a bike regularly and has even the faintest feeling of respect or affection for their own steed will know this hankering – I want my bike.”

Penn, a natural-born enthusiast, starts the process with a tour of Britain’s artisan frame-builders. Considering the battering they must have endured, it is something of a miracle that any of these operations remain. Penn, however, paints a portrait of time-warped perfectionists, drinking endless mugs of tea while using skills and craftsmanship that remain unsurpassed anywhere in the world.

But Penn is not simply a nostalgist; what he really rails against is the idea of built-in obsolescence, and the accepted truth that new technologies automatically trump old ones. In the end, he eschews the lightweight dynamism of carbon fibre for a steel frame made by Brian Rourke Cycles in Stoke-on-Trent because it will be strong, easy to repair and just as dependable 30 years from now.

From here, Penn’s odyssey takes him around the world to kit out his bike with the perfect components. These are not necessarily the most expensive ones, but let’s just say that he doesn’t nip into Halfords at any stage. Some names will be familiar to enthusiasts (Campagnolo, Cino Cinelli, Brooks), others may not be (wheelman Steve “Gravy” Gravenites of California). It is not exactly a low-carbon exercise, but Penn reminds us that he will make amends by riding his dream creation every day for the next three decades.

While It’s All About the Bike lacks an obvious cliffhanger ending, – the biggest nail-biter is what colour Penn paints the frame – it is particularly strong on the history of cycling, placing Penn’s bike within the context of the draisines, dandy horses, boneshakers and widow-makers that have gone before. The pages overflow with pioneers, mavericks and geniuses – certainly, it is hard to imagine anyone who reads this book being able to buy a bike “off the peg” again. It will inevitably appeal most to those with an existing interest, but as a depiction of a world you might vote for, Penn’s does not sound bad at all.

guardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010

Published via the Guardian News Feed plugin for WordPress.

Cycling clothes get dandy in a collaboration joining two renowned British clothiers by Summer Seventysix Yesterday we got a sneak peek at the latest from Rapha , the British makers high-end cycle clothing. It featured pieces from the upcoming AW10 range and a much anticipated collaboration with Paul Smith, on show at Rapha’s soon-to-close pop-up cafe in Clerkenwell. Our man on the ground picked his favourites. Following the successful release of a line of accessories , the Paul Smith clothing tie-up is for the next two seasons, and the man’s signature color purple was very much in evidence combined with Rapha’s own pink flourishes, and a decent dose of black. The stand-out examples can be seen above: a mid-weight merino jersey, flamboyant polkadot silk scarf and a beautifully cut rain jacket, all designed to fit in with Rapha’s move to provide more options for the city cyclist. With that in mind, the brand also unveiled its new jeans, which have been two years in the making. Made of a specially developed water-repellant, shape-maintaining, denim-style fabric, they include a place to hold your D-lock. Once turned-up, they also reveal a none-too-subtle Rapha logo, and reflective pink seam. Our favourite piece from the new Autumn-Winter season, though, is the new merino cyclocross jersey. Rapha recently hooked up with bike brand Focus to sponsor a cyclocross team in the US, and this jersey features their signature candy-stripe color scheme on black background. Also available is a full bodysuit, for those feeling particularly brave. All the new gear is expected to start appearing on Rapha’s site from the start of September, as well as in selected stores.

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Rapha x Paul Smith A/W 2010