Bikes
\ New bicycle round-up
CHARGE MIXER | £1199 Flat bar-fun from Somerset’s Charge Bikes. This has Shimano’s 11-speed hub gears, mudguards and hydraulic disc brakes. A top-notch city bike. www.chargebikes.com
FUJI FEATHER | £549 Stylish steel-framed singlespeed designed for the hustle and bustle of the urban environment. Stripped-down set-up minimises potential mechanical gremlins. www.evanscycles.com
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ELECTRA AMSTERDAM | £559 Classic continental elegance, full-length mudguards, 3-speed gears, a sprung saddle and a city-friendly sit-up-and-beg riding position. www.electrabikes.co.uk
HIGH-ENDOFF-ROADER
Specialized Camber Expert | £2000 Specialized didn’t get to be one of the biggest bike companies in the world without making very good bikes – whether for the road or trail. Its 2012 Camber Expert costs two grand but the quality of the ride that it offers and of the kit that adorns it make this a hugely entertaining trail bike that represents pretty good value. The RockShox front fork offers 120mm of trail, while the Fox rear shock has three compression levels. Specialized’s own Ground Control tyres have ample grip. The Camber’s long front and short rear make it easy to manual and drop off ledges, with a playful
feel that you can’t help but enjoy. Its low ride height helps when you’re railing through sweepers and berms too. Aggressive corner-takers will want to use the ProPedal damping for a more solid carving edge. It has a larger diameter – thus stiffer and more efficient – bottom bracket than the 2011 Camber. The overall weight is very impressive for the money – helped by a set of quality lightweight wheels – and this trail-happy bike looks the part too. www.specialized.com SPEC | WEIGHT 12.2kg FRAME M5 aluminium with Fox Triad shock, Rock Shox 120mm travel fork
ON YOUR BIKE | ISSUE 01
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7/13/12 12:16 PM