I've spent the last ten days riding in the Green Mountains of South and North Carolina, pushing this Specialized S-Works Venge to my limits, and have been able to form some strong opinions about it. My riding adventure included all the great climbs in the Brevard area, a sprint workout, descending longer and faster than I ever have, riding some gnarly dirt roads (with a stream crossing), numerous sprints from chasing dogs, and hammering across the countryside with some of the most promising athletes to come out of Ontario.

 

My first impression of this bike was it looked like a B52 Stealth Bomber: matte black, with a silver stripe on the downtube. The bike looks sleek, perfectly finished and drew lots of attention. It was built with Shimano Ultegra Di2 and a set of 32 spoke training wheels, with Specialized Roubaix 23c tires.

 

The first time I hopped on the Venge, the bike seemed to just slip away and glide down the road. Perhaps it was my excitement of riding a new bike for the first time, but as the days passed and my rides increased with length and difficulty, this bike continued to carry me with less perceived effort from my body.

 

The Venge was designed to be a fast bike, to cut through the wind and give an aerodynamic advantage. The bike did this with ease. Beyond this one (huge) advantage, I was amazed at how well the bike climbed and sprinted. Granted, I should not have been too surprised as it was ridden to a world championship win and countless other victories in its first year.

Simply put, the Venge descended like a demon. Handling on fast corners was always predictable and stable, even under extreme braking (eg. to avoid a crash on a 80km/hr descent). Conversely, going uphill the bike felt like it transferred every bit of energy to moving forward and up that I could muster.

 

Comfort was never an issue. While I was riding wheels that were not the stiffest available, the bike never felt bone-jarring or rough, even as I rode over broken pavement or lengthy gravel sections.

 

The only issue I could possibly complain about was some creaking from the BB area. I had several rainy rides where the bike got covered in dirt and grit. After these rides the bike began to creak and I had to pull the cranks off, clean and re-grease the whole assembly. While this is not a very difficult job, it is one that I have rarely had to do with bikes that have a standard threaded BB (this uses the newer BB30 convention).  This is my first experience running this type of BB setup, but I suspect it is maybe a little more vulnerable to the elements than a standard threaded BB.

 

My final thoughts on this bike are simple: this bike is a winner. If you want a super fast and stable racing bike that looks amazing, there is no other option. Fine-tune the ride of this bike with an appropriate set of wheels and tires and you will have a machine that is as near perfect as they come. Also, go for the electronic shifting option- it is worth it.

 

 

For the past four years I have been fortunate to be a part of the team of coaches and staff that take young riders from across the province to an early season training camp in South Carolina's Blue Mountains. Already running for ten years, the camp is now run by Mike Garrigan and Brendan Arnold of the OCA who are supported by eight other coaches. This year we had 37 athletes attend the camp ranging from 15-22 years of age, from all cycling disciplines: road, track, MTB and cyclocross.

 

The camp provides the athletes a safe environment to develop their bike handling, improve their fitness, learn about nutrition, and most of all have fun and make great friends. We all stay at a secluded summer camp in a little place called Rocky Bottom. The facility is very basic and there are few frills, but the environment challenges all riders and gives us a place to train with little distraction.

 

 

Every day is planned out well in advance, with ride maps for each group, post-ride activities, grocery shopping and meetings. Campers are housed in one of three buildings on site, and while the accommodations are tight for such a large group, they are adequate and comfortable.

 

Rides range from 40-180km and include plenty of climbing. Some of the more challenging rides cover over 6000 feet of vertical gain in a day! Riders are placed into groups of various length based on fitness level, experience, age and level of fatigue. Each group is fully supported, so if anyone ever needs some help getting home, help is never far away.

 

 

Some of the participants wrote trip reports, which can be found here: Days 1-4, days 6-7.

 

This camp is a fantastic opportunity for young athletes to train and learn. If you have any questions about the camp please feel free to contact myself or provincial coach Mike Garrigan by email.

 

Cyclo-cross racer Peter Morse has been testing Shimano's new Ultegra-level electronic shifting system on the Ontario 'Cross circuit, culminating with the National Championships. Peter wrote an introductory article on installing the system, and first impressions prior to the start of the racing season (see Canadian Cyclist Reviews - Shimano Ultegra Di2 Test - First Impressions), and has now provided a detailed follow up on his experience with, and impressions of, Ultegra Di2.
After a two month season of cyclo-cross racing, I can say that the shifting of Shimano’s electric groups is superior to mechanical ones. Di2 is smoother and more reliable. There are no missed shifts and no degradation of cables or performance.
The first ride left me thinking the Ultegra group was not as smooth at shifting as the perfectly shifting Dura Ace Di2. However, after reading the instructions on Shimano’s website I found the opposite to be true. For fine tuning, Ultegra has 30 adjustment positions of the rear derailleur compared with Dura Ace’s 24. The shifting action of the front derailleur is equal to Dura Ace. Once I adjusted the system, with the easy to use set button, it was shifting precisely. My advice would be to check Shimano’s website for instructions. You’ll also see a link for something called “E-Tube Project”. It’s a PC based software that allows customization of shifting button preferences, diagnostic tools and future reprogramming and software updates.

 

Racing cyclo-cross with Di2 was an absolute pleasure and a natural use for this product. Cold, wet, and gritty conditions did not effect the system’s performance. I rode through mud and sand without the problems you’d experience with mechanical cable contamination. The shifters only took a couple of rides to get used to.

 

I was actually worried I’d make mistakes with it in my first race, but I was fine with shifting under the nervous pressure of competition. The buttons are positioned in a similar way to the controls on the mechanical groups, so the transition was easy. The Ultegra Di2 shifting performance is equal to Dura Ace Di2, only the difference in weight is noticeable. The electric shifting is effortless. In racing this means there is no chance of the sloppy or missed shifts due to fatigue. I really noticed the extra effort needed to shift when switching back to mechanical shifting.

 

At the end of the season I removed the group from the Focus Mares frame (supplied by LaBicicletta) I was using. Impressively, the tape that held the cables to the frame was fully intact. It had not peeled off, even after repeated washings. There was some dirt collected under the bottom bracket mounted wiring harness, but that did not cause a problem. All the terminal junctions were spotless when the wires were removed, proving that Ultegra’s improved sealed connectors work, (with Dura Ace Di2 the wires need to be sealed with shrink hose). The derailleurs still look new. Shifters were not rattling or loose.

The battery needed charging twice during the two months. For cross I shifted a lot more than I would on the road, so the battery lost charge faster. On one training ride I ran the battery down to the point where the front derailleur automatically stopped working for charge preservation. It was good to be still able to shift the rear derailleur on the way home, (it will last another 50 kilometres or so until dead). The Ultegra Di2 build quality is very high. In my opinion, the ultimate set-up would be to route cables inside the frame with Shimano’s internal wiring option. This last feature will undoubtedly please custom builders.

 

The cyclo-cross specific parts from Shimano were put to good use. The compact crank was welcome with its low 36 - 46 ratio for a variety of terrain, especially when mated with the 11-28 cassette. The chainrings showed little wear and the cranks just had the usual heel-scuff marks on the arms. The brakes are impressive. They are very strong and the new road pads from Shimano add to the great stopping power. The pads were still good after two months! I also liked the simple adjustability of the brakes and pad alignment. The Ultegra wheels had very little wear on the brake track after many muddy training rides. They remained true and round with no service needed.

 

Value of the Ultegra Di2 is hard to challenge. It can be had for around the cost of a mechanical Dura Ace group and half the price of Dura Ace Di2. The shifting performance is equal to Dura Ace Di2. The Ultegra group overall is slightly heavier. The performance and lack of cable maintenance is sure to make it a highly functional and sought after component group. It will be spec’d on a lot of 2012 bikes. Shimano is going all-out with electric groups and development is sure to continue. Parts will be readily available, wires are made in lengths for any size frame, Shimano is even making a lighter “race day” battery that holds less charge but saves weight. Overall, Shimano’s Ultegra Di2 is more than a significant technical advancement in cycling. It is simply the best shifting you can get.

 

Thanks to Shimano Canada, Canadian Cyclist, OCTTO Components and LaBicicletta for providing the opportunity and equipment to make this review possible.

 

Our thanks to Peter Morse for participating in this extended project. Shimano Canada has asked us to continue our long-term testing of Ultegra Di2, and we will now be installing it on a road bike for further riding and analysis of the system.

by Editoress on 11/28/11 Canadian Cyclist

We always have a great time at the Toronto International Spring Bicycle Show, and are looking forward to seeing the crowds, and the deals fly once again. This year we're going to freshen up our approach, and do things a little differently. What you can expect to see is twenty very unique 2012 bicycles, many of which are the only ones of their kind in Canada. But there's more...

As for the bargains, the big change for this year is we'll be bringing seventy four completely new 2011 bicycles with screaming low prices. But, since we place so much importance on a cyclist being fit to their bike properly, Heath will actually do bike fittings in our booth to make sure you're buying the most comfortable bike for yourself.

What else?

Oakley sunglasses are priced at $100.

There will be twenty rolling-racks of clothing (for all seasons), with everything marked at 50% off.

All 2011 shoes and helmets are coming down as well, and are marked at 50% off.

You need wheels? How about Fulcrum Racing Zero clinchers for $1199, or Zipp 303/404's for $1499? Not aero enough? How about Zipp 808 Carbon Clinchers? Or Mavic Cosmic Carbone's with a PowerTap hub?

Michelin tires (Pro4, Pro3 Race, and Lithion2) and tubes will be there in large numbers, priced with 'are you crazy' prices. And I can't forget Vredestein Fortezza's, my favourite all-around clincher tire.

We'll round out the offerings with indoor trainers (Kurt Kinetic, Tacx, CycleOps), floor pumps (JoeBlow, Blackburn AirTower 4), handlebar tape (Lizard Skins, Fizik), and computers (CatEye, PRO).

But wait. We're motivated to make the sale, so we'll even price-match anything you see down at the show. Our prices will not be beaten!

We're also sponsoring a lounge area with Cafe Domestique and canadiancyclist.com, so go on by and have Krys treat you to an espresso while you rest your feet. Drinks will be brewed on site for free, but any donations you choose to make will support the Ontario Youth Cup Series.

Our booth will be right in the middle of the showroom floor, with the big La Bicicletta tent raised up high, so hopefully you can spot us easily.

Our mantra this weekend is: 'nothing comes home', so come find us before Henry realizes how low we've priced everything.