Blog | Cycle Lab

December 10, 2025
A Guide to Shifting Gears on a Bike

A Guide to Shifting Gears on a Bike

A Guide to Shifting Gears on a Bike Understanding Why Shifting Matters Shifting gears isn’t just about making pedaling easier or harder—it’s about managing your effort, keeping your cadence steady, and making the bike feel responsive under you. When you shift at the right moment, your legs don’t fatigue as quickly, your heart rate...

December 5, 2025
Training in Paradise

Training in Paradise

Riding Through Paradise: South Africa’s Most Exotic Places to Cycle Cycling in South Africa isn’t just a sport — it’s a way of exploring some of the most striking landscapes on the continent. Each region offers its own flavour of adventure: coastal roads hugged by turquoise waves, rugged mountains with rewarding climbs, forests full...

December 1, 2025
The Complete History of Giant Bicycles

The Complete History of Giant Bicycles

How a small Taiwanese workshop grew into one of the biggest bike brands on the planet Giant is everywhere. Road riders know their aerodynamic race machines. Trail riders swear by their mountain rigs. Commuters rely on their e-bikes. Over the years the company has built everything from elite road models to tough everyday mountain...

December 1, 2025
The Essential Guide to Bike Bags

The Essential Guide to Bike Bags

Whether you’re heading out for a long gravel ride, commuting across town, or prepping for a weekend bikepacking trip, the right bags make every ride smoother. Here’s a quick, no-nonsense breakdown of the four most common bike bags—what they are, what they carry, and why they matter. Saddlebag A saddlebag sits right under your...

November 26, 2025
The Evolution of Carbon Fibre

The Evolution of Carbon Fibre

The Evolution of Carbon Fibre: How Cycling’s Most Advanced Material Was Born A Material With Surprising Origins Carbon fibre may seem like a cutting-edge material created for modern cycling performance, but its origins stretch back much further than most riders imagine. Its story begins in 1879, when Thomas Edison carbonized thin bamboo fibres to...

November 24, 2025
Best Value-for-Money Upgrades

Best Value-for-Money Upgrades

The 3 Best Value-for-Money Upgrades for Your Mountain, Road & Gravel Bikes Upgrading your bike doesn’t have to mean emptying your bank account or replacing half your components. In fact, some of the biggest performance gains come from small, affordable upgrades that improve comfort, speed, handling, and overall confidence — no matter what you...

November 17, 2025
Colnago at the World Gravel Championships

Colnago at the World Gravel Championships

Gravel racing has reshaped modern cycling, blending endurance, strategy, and technical skill across unpredictable surfaces. Courses mix smooth dirt with rough rock and loose gravel, pushing both rider and bike to adapt quickly. The World Gravel Championships now stand as the ultimate test in this fast-growing discipline, drawing elite riders and the most advanced...

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November 11, 2025
Bib Shorts - A real game changer in your riding

Bib Shorts - A real game changer in your riding

Why a Good Pair of Bib Shorts Is the Best Investment You Can Make in Your Riding If you’ve spent more than an hour in the saddle, you’ll know that comfort isn’t a luxury — it’s survival. I learned that lesson the hard way. Years ago, I thought any pair of cycling shorts would...

November 11, 2025
Choosing the Right Pedal System for Your Ride

Choosing the Right Pedal System for Your Ride

How to Choose the Right Pedal System Pedals are the link between your legs and the bike — choose wisely and your ride becomes more efficient, safer and a lot more fun. This guide covers flats, toe-clips, hybrid and clipless systems, with an in-depth look at clipless for Road, MTB and Gravel riding. Quick...

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November 10, 2025
The Orbea Terra Race M11eLTD 1X demands your attention

The Orbea Terra Race M11eLTD 1X demands your attention

If you’re in the market for a high-end gravel race machine built for pure performance, the Orbea Terra Race M11eLTD 1X demands attention. Every line, component, and gram of this bike screams speed, precision, and control. It isn’t a “one-bike-for-everything” — it’s a purpose-built race weapon for riders who want to go fast and...

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