Road Bike Blog - General

The blog posts showcased in this section adopt a broader perspective, however they are all still aimed around Road Bikes and E Road Bikes. This area acts as a wealth of knowledge, appealing to a wide range of enthusiasts, from novices who are just starting to get into the sport of road cycling, to the veterans who have clocked thousands of miles on the tarmac. Here, readers will discover a variety of tips and guides, including our personal experiences on the road.

How Tough Is The Tour De France?

Tour de France, the world’s toughest cycling race, is infamous for its grueling stages and punishing climbs. Riders from all over the world challenge themselves for 3 weeks to cover over 3,500 km of the...

Planning Your First Long Road Bike Ride

Road Bikes are designed to cover incredibly long distances at a really good speed - coupled with a decent road network and some route planning, and you can expect to be able to cover good...

What To Wear Road Cycling In Summer

Summer is understandably the best time in the UK to head out on the road bike, long days and good weather make for some fantastic and comfortable days out - enjoying the very best of the...

Winter Road Bikes

As a company full of cycling enthusiasts, it’s no surprise that we look for almost any opportunity to buy an extra bike to add to our collections. Increasingly, we have been, and witnessed our...

Coronavirus and Road Cycling

Most of our lives have now been affected by Coronavirus in some way - and professional sports, including road cycling - have been particularly hard hit. We don’t know of any cycling events...

Best Road Bikes for Climbing Hills

If there is one thing guaranteed when road cycling, it’s that at some point or another you will encounter a hill - usually or on a long and winding country B-road...

Castelli SS20

Castelli first created cycling clothing in 1910, and have been at the forefront of design and technology ever since. Amongst many firsts, Castelli were the first to make silk cycling shorts instead of woollen ones. Over the years, Castelli has...

Castelli AW20

Creators of fine cycling attire since 1910, Castelli have pioneered countless advances in materials and design over the years, including (but not limited to!) the introduction of lycra cycling shorts. Westbrook Cycles are pleased to offer a...

Castelli SS21

Although officially formed in 1974 when Maurizio Castelli fell out with his father and created his own brand, Castelli’s roots actually extend all the way back to...

Road Bike Wheels And Rims

Road Bike Rims and wheels are one of the most cost effective upgrades you can make on your bike, with upgraded, newer lightweight rims being able to shave time off your performance. As well as being...

Road Bike Cassettes

The Cassette on a road bike refers to the gearing on the back of the bike - the cassette is made up of a number of sprockets. The job of the Cassette is to provide gearing for the chain of your bike to run on - with different sprockets...

Road Bike Brake Pads

Brakes are one of the most important components on any road bike, as well as being responsible for being able to stop safely and in good time, effective braking can also maximise performance and race times. At Westbrook Cycles, we stock and...

Flat Bar Road Bikes

Flat Bar Road Bikes are designed to carry as much speed and pace as possible on the road - flat bar road bikes are perfect for people who want the efficiency of a road bike but the comfort and...

Why Upgrade Road Bike Wheels

There are many different reasons to upgrade the wheels on your road bike, ranging from improving performance, right across to personalising the bike's aesthetics. Customers of ours...

Cycle Scheme Road Bikes

There have been exciting changes in the Cycle Scheme recently, whilst the older cycle schemes were capped at £1,000 - the cycle scheme is now uncapped, allowing cyclists to purchase and save...

Aftermarket And Upgraded Road Bike Forks

Although road bikes are pretty simple machines - it does have some incredibly important parts - one of the most important, being road bike forks. These forks deliver power and steering...

When To Buy A New Road Bike

The above question is one of the most difficult questions that road bikers face, when to replace their current road bike with a newer bike. There’s an ever changing landscape of road bikes - wi...

Road Bike Beginner Essentials

Due to the Coronavirus outbreak, we have seen a massive number of customers finding road cycling for the first time, or returning to road cycling after a lengthy break from riding. These...

Road Bike Price Ranges

At Westbrook Cycles, we speak to customers both over the phone and in our North Yorkshire shop - and one of the most common budgets we hear customers wanting to stick to for a...

What To Wear Road Cycling in Winter

Just because the weather is turning cold, there’s no need to stop cycling during the autumn and winter months, or even in early spring. These months provide some of the very best and most...

Are Wider Road Bike Tyres Better?

In the earliest days of road bikes, when road surfaces were poorer than they are today (hard to believe sometimes!) road bikes were fitted as standard with larger, fatter tyres. As advancements...

Road Bike Geometry And Handling

The cycling industry, and the road bike industry especially, has undergone a research & development transformation in recent years. Having said that, road bikes remain as they have done...

Track Cycling Introduction And Guide

If you are a keen cyclist, and enjoy seeing the action from the Velodrome from the comfort of your own home - there’s nothing to stop you getting involved with...

Giant 2025 TCR Range

Giant is having a fantastic start to 2024, giving us a range of updated bikes that have been redesigned and improved compared to their outgoing models. The new TCR range of road bikes is no different—and this latest bike version is more efficient, lighter, aerodynamic, and integrated than ever before. This post looks at the model range in more detail, including why this bike demands your attention.

2024 Giant Revolt Advanced Range And Technology

The first Revolt from Giant was introduced around a decade ago, and we remember the time of its introduction. The popularity of gravel bikes was in its infancy, and the Revolt landed on the scene and made a wild first impression. For the first time, gravel riders no longer had to balance, compromise, and modify cyclocross bikes or road bikes to create a gravel machine.

Giant Defy Range And Technology

The Giant Defy has long been one of the most famous Road Bike we supply here at Westbrook Cycles. The Defy range is now in its fifth generation, and it’s a fantastic road bike for anyone looking for endurance; they’ve also got some of the most impressive paintwork and finishes we have seen on any road bike.

Understanding UCI Bike Rules In The UK

Succeeding in the world of competitive cycling involves understanding various rules and regulations, particularly those set by the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI). It’s not just about luck and fitness! The rules, which can often cause controversial decisions - are designed to ensure fairness, safety, and standardisation across cycle races. For cyclists in the UK, adhering to UCI guidelines is crucial for participation in sanctioned races and a progression to the world of professional cycling.

How To Finance A Road Bike In The UK

Investing in a road bike can be a significant financial commitment, but there are several financing options available in the UK to help you get your dream bike without breaking the bank. How best to finance a bike is a hot topic at the moment, it’s more important than it ever has been too - with the increasing cost of bikes in the UK. In this post, we look at some of the best options to finance your next bike.

The History Of Giant TCR

Very, very few bikes have made the impact that the Giant TCR has made, for so many different reasons. Ever since it was introduced, the TCR has been the pinnacle of road bike technology and performance, it’s a bike which has not only pushed the boundaries of performance, but it’s a bike which has also set industry leading standards and designs for other manufacturers to follow. In this post, we look at the Giant TCR in greater detail, and also look back at the history of the bike and how it managed to make such a dramatic impact on the world.