December 2014

Stuck for some New Year's resolutions?  Here are 10 that, if you manage to keep to them, should help with your cycling.
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Quality miles over quantity, a clean bike, a new bike or a new discipline are just some of our Top Ten New Year's Resolutions for bike riders.

Will any of you try all 10?  We’d be interested to hear from you if you do, or even just a few.  Send us a message on Facebook, Twitter, or here on YouTube and let us know how you get on.


Hot Beat Repeat - Control (Instrumental): 

The Global Cycling Network puts you in the centre of the action: from the iconic climbs of Alpe D’Huez and Mont Ventoux to the cobbles of Flanders, everywhere there is road or pavé, world-class racing and pro riders, we will be there bringing you action, analysis and unparalleled access every week, every month, and every year. We show you how to be a better cyclist with our bike maintenance videos, tips for improving your cycling, cycling top tens, and not forgetting the weekly GCN Show. Join us on YouTube’s biggest and best cycling channel to get closer to the action and improve your riding!

Welcome to the Global Cycling Network | Inside cycling

Top 10 New Year's Resolutions For Cyclists

Pain in the lower back is a common complaint for cyclists. Here's our advice on how to avoid it.
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The muscles in your back will start to hurt if they are stretched out for long periods of time, so it's no surprise we feel discomfort there after a long ride.

You can ease the pressure on your back by adjusting your bike position - a lower saddle and shorter reach to the handlebars can solve it.

Off the bike, you can alleviate the stress on your back by stretching after your ride and doing regular work on your core muscles, which help to stabilise your upper body while you ride. 

DISCLAIMER: this video is intended as advice only. If you are experiencing persistent, severe or constant pain, please seek medical advice.

Music: Fynn Callum - Kalamata (Original Mix): 

The Global Cycling Network puts you in the centre of the action: from the iconic summit of the Stelvio to the epic trails of Fort William, Scotland, everywhere there is pavé or dirt, world-class racing, and pro riders, we will be there bringing you all the action, essential analysis and unparalleled access every week, every month, and every year.

How To Prevent Lower Back Pain

Now, the moment you’ve all been waiting for, the results, delivered to you by Simon, Matt, Tom and Dan at The GCN Theatre (ahem).
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We were astounded at how many responses we had to our GCN poll; thanks to all of you who spent the time filling it out.

So, who will run out victors in this prestigious ceremony?  Will the winners be in attendance?  Has the #VOTEMATT campaign paid off?  So many questions, but here are your answers…


Kidd Massive and Alex Says - Bring Me Down: 


Carly Commando - Everyday:
Veigar Margeirsson - Victorious: 

 
Deadly Avenger - We took Vegas
Anthony Philips - Winter Sony 
Ch3vy - Praize the Nord: 


Roger Roger - My Baby's Foxtrot
Roger Roger - Roger Mambo 
Barbara Moore - Daisy Bird 
Veigar Margeirsson - Prometheus Unbound: 


Chappell - Bella Napoli 
Tijuana Bibles - Wild River: 

The 2014 GCN Awards

If your bike is creaking and clicking at the front end this is the video for you!
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First of all check your bars for damage by pushing the drops together and seeing if the move at all - if they do, then you may have damaged handlebars. Thoroughly check to make sure before riding your bike again.

If this isn't the issue, check your stem clamp bolts. Remove the bolts and clean the faceplate and bolts. Apply fiber grip on the contact point between the stem and bars and re-tighten the faceplate evenly.

Next, have a look at your stem and make sure that the bolts are correctly tightened. If this still hasn't cured the issue, it's time to look at your headset. Check the headset for dirt and grit, clean and regrease.

Finally, have a check of your quick release - give it clean and then re-grease it.

How To Fix Creaky Handlebars

Pro cyclocross rider Kevin Pauwels' steed is a Ridley X Night. We took a closer look.
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Pauwels rides with Dugast 32mm Rhino tyres on FFWD medium depth rims, with a Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 11 speed groupset and a Rotor 3D 39-46 chainset with an 11-28 cassette.

Pedals are Shimano XTR, with Forza seatpost, stem, handlebars and saddle. Lastly, Pauwels uses Shimano cantilever brakes.

Kevin Pauwels Ridley X-Night

Four presenters. Four electrifying bikes. One infamous mountain. One race to find the fastest GCN presenter. 
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You've been asking in the comments for months, who really is the fastest GCN presenter? Well, on a recent trip to the Cote d'Azur, we raced to find out. *

Featuring special guest commentator Carlton Kirby of Eurosport, this really is the race to end all races. 

*This may not be a completely straight race, it is GCN after all. But, rest assured you will find it electrifying.  

Music:
Adam Salkeld Neil Pollard - The Fallen
The Anomalies - 1830
Moltesmusic - Cresendo
Roger Roger - Millers Mood
Maribou State - Tongue
Carly Comando - Everyday
Erwin Steijlen - Battelstar
Deadly Avenger - Eden

The GCN Presenter Race - Who Is Actually The Fastest?!

Merry Christmas one and all! Thank you all so much for your support and involvement in GCN this year.
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We hope that Santa brought you everything that you wanted for Christmas - especially if it was a new bike - and hope you've all enjoyed being a part of GCN over the past 12 months. 

We really couldn't do it without all of you guys getting involved in the comments, talking to us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, so thank you, from all of us to all of you. Ho ho ho!

Music: Uni of Warwick Brass Society - Jingle Bells

Happy Christmas From GCN!

Here's GCN's pick of 2015's crop of new professional cyclists.
Find out how these guys get on by following GCN on YouTube: 

There loads of fantastically talented cyclists turning professional in 2015. As ever, we struggled to condense the list to just 10, so we allowed Dan to have a few extras, but here are some of the highlights. 

World Under 23 champion Sven Erik Bystrøm who'll be off to Katusha. Dylan Teuns who finished the back end of 2014 for BMC and continues there for 2015. Australian Campbell Flakemore lines up in the same jersey too. 

There are plenty more in there to make sure you've marked their cards for this coming season. Impress your mates with your race knowledge. 

 / © Sweetspot Media / via Flickr Creative Commons - credits to Georges Ménager / 

 via WikiMedia Commons - JÄNNICK Jérémy / 

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/df/Tournai_-_Triptyque_des_Monts_et_Ch%C3%A2teaux%2C_%C3%A9tape_3%2C_6_avril_2014%2C_arriv%C3%A9e_%28062%29.JPG

Indivision - Inner Beauty
Ugly Duckling - It Never Mattered

Top 10 Cyclists To Watch In 2015

How do you get rid of wheelsuckers?  Here, Simon is joined by top pro Tiffany Cromwell to give you a few simple but helpful tips.
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We’ve all had them at some point or other: people who sit on, don’t contribute and are just plain annoying.  It might be someone in a race, a sportive or simply a rider you’ve caught on your commute to work.  

And, if it’s you who is the wheelsucker, we also take a look at it from your point of view, through the eyes of “the boss” of wheelsucking, Dan (it’s alright he doesn’t read these descriptions).

How To Get Rid Of Wheelsuckers

RBP 3 has landed! Presented by Martyn Ashton and starring Sam Pilgrim, Road Bike Party hits the Californian dirt.


Get exclusive GCN gear in the GCN store! 

Martyn Ashton and Road Bike Party 3 head to the USA with Sam Pilgrim taking the reins to show what a carbon Ridley Noah can do on the dirt. Kitted out with Vision Metron 81 wheels, Full Speed Ahead K Force brakes, cranks, bar and stem, Prologo saddle and bar tape along with Shimano shifting, this is probably the blingest bike ever to get down and dirty in San Diego!

We’re pretty sure we answered the question of “Can a road bike kill it in the dirt?” with a resounding yes!

No bikes were harmed in the making of this film. A couple of inner tubes were though.


Felix Baloy Y Su Cuban All Stars - El Zorro: 

A film by Robin Kitchin
Directed by Martyn Ashton and Robin Kitchin

Andy ‘Tunes’ Ashton
Niall ‘Blizzards’ Breslin
Blake ‘@zimblake’ Samson
Lisa ‘Sound Artiste’ Ashton
Alfie ‘Samba’ Ashton
Chloe ‘Darlin’ Cosby
Matt ‘Balloon Modelling’ Jones
Manon ‘World Champ’ Carpenter
Jason ‘RampWorld’ Carpenter
Gregg ‘Lunch is on me’ DiLeo
Niall ‘Blizzards’ Breslin
Kristine ‘Hotels’ Entwistle
James ‘Bike Build’ Morell

Follow the Party on Facebook and Twitter: 

If you want to contribute captions and video info in your language, here's the link to help out 👍 : 

Road Bike Party 3 - San Diego

Welcome to the GCN show.  The two elves, Simon and Matt, plus Danta Claus, take you through all the recent news from the world of cycling.  
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Well, all the news that had happened when we actually filmed this.  There are some predictions in here too, which could go horribly wrong both for us, and the riders we mention.  Apologies if that was the case.

Hour records take centre stage once again, tech news is a look into groupsets and there are a couple of lucky winners in our caption competition.


Paul Bonneau - Santa’s Little Helpers: 
Dan Lloyd, Matt Stephens, Simon Richardson - Jingle Bells (not available in any good stores) 
Ch3vy - Praize The Nord: 


Dominic Glynn, Martin Smith - Secret Agent: 

Christmas Special: Road Bike Party 3, The Hour Record + Race Predictions - The GCN Show Ep. 103

Road Bike Party 3 needed a special bike, so we got the guys to build up Sam's custom painted Ridley.
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Equiped with deep section Vision carbon wheels, FSA K-Force cranks, stem, handlebars and brakes, Prologo saddle and bar tape, Shimano Dura-Ace mechanical shifting and Continental GP4000 tyres we built up this mean machine at BW Cycling under Martyn's watchful eye.

December 2014

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