Luke Friend
Luke Friend has worked as a writer, editor and copywriter for over twenty five years. Across books, magazines and websites, he's covered a broad range of topics for a range of clients including Major League Baseball, Golf Digest, the National Trust and the NHS. He has an MA in Professional Writing from Falmouth University and is a qualified bicycle mechanic. He has been a cycling enthusiast from an early age, partly due to watching the Tour de France on TV. He's a keen follower of bike racing to this day as well as a regular road and gravel rider.
Latest articles by Luke Friend
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Lazer's VeloVox communication and audio system; is this new tech we might actually need?
Intercom technology is now commonplace in motorcycling, but in cycling we still rely on shouting to one another, often over the hedges and villages where our presence is least welcome. Is Velovox the answer?
By Luke Friend Published
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Cervelo's new R5 is just 5.97kg but did the Tour de France Femmes rescue it from obscurity before it even went on sale?
Today Cervelo launches it's lightest ever R5 climbing bike, but does anyone care now aero-bikes are flavour of the month?
By Luke Friend Published
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Best winter cycling gloves 2025 - how to keep your hands warm in the coldest months
Good gloves are vital for the enjoyment of winter cycling and safety if you are riding through the colder months
By Luke Friend Last updated
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$26k Vuelta themed Colnago, a helmet with skirts for any occasion, and a Rapha x Factor 'Ray Gun' collab
We round up the latest tech including an exclusive C68, an artist edition Monza, a Pogacar favoured camera and a TT helmet worn by Tom Pidcock
By Luke Friend Published
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Shimano's gravel racing shoes borrow heavily from road and feature a new grippier cleat system it's calling "revolutionary"
The RX910 S-Phyre shoes are designed for gravel racers and use replaceable contact blocks that form part of the cleat mechanism
By Luke Friend Published
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Wahoo updates Kickr Rollr with onboard power for more accurate readings
If you love the ease of use of Kickr Rollr system, and the feel of rollers, but need more accurate power data Wahoo now have you covered.
By Luke Friend Published
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Sick of 10k+ gravel bikes with no clearance - enter Standert's Kieswerk for more real world adventures
Keenly priced, electronic shifting, this aluminium do-it-all boasts mounting options galore plus clearance for 50mm tyres
By Luke Friend Published
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Boutique style 'custom' paint options and fit comes to Europe with direct to consumer brand Canyon
Offered for the Aeroad CFR race bike, the programme allows for a range of new schemes fit and components
By Luke Friend Published
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DT Swiss recalls select carbon wheelsets amid concerns over possibility of 'total failure of the rim'
The wheels affected are from the ARC, ERC, CRC & HEC series made in a third-party facility. Here's how to find out if yours are affected.
By Luke Friend Published
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Best budget road bikes 2025: get more performance for your money - tested and rated
Our pick of the best cheap road bikes available and guide to how to choose
By Luke Friend Last updated
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I switched to these pedals after my hip operation to avoid toppling at the lights. These easy-to-use, dual-sided pedals are now 26% off during Prime Day, but hurry - all deals end tonight
Crankbrother Candy pedals might not suit everyone, but their wide range of float options, simple dual-sided design, and low weight make them one of the best gravel bike pedals
By Luke Friend Published
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"Don't screw up an already great bike" - Cervélo opts for evolution not revolution with new S5
Cervélo details a comprehensive nip-tuck for their flagship S5, resulting in less weight and a claimed 6.3 watts of savings in what was already a very fast bike
By Luke Friend Published
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The custom paint colour everyone wants at the Tour - Mathieu van der Poel's yellow Canyon Aeroad CFR
Bikes change colour overnight at the Tour De France. Mathieu van der Poel didn't let the fumes go to his head, as he headed out on a colour changed bike for stage 3 today.
By Luke Friend Published
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Cycling's best free and paid apps: There's a lot more than just Strava
We round up the most useful free and paid mobile apps for cyclists to assist with route planning, tracking your fitness, sharing your rides and much more
By Luke Friend Last updated
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Tour de France gold rush in Tech round up this week with special edition bikes from Bianchi, Look, Factor and more 'attainable' kit from Ribble
Tour de France always generates plenty of buzz - for new tech, it's the moment when the world's most famous brands get creative to mark the moment
By Luke Friend Published
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Swiss Side just launched a 68mm wheelset that could be banned in a few months time
Swiss Side's new Hadron 3 wheelset incorporates the brand's latest aero research, and adds ceramic bearings but shuns composite spokes in a 68mm wheelset UCI says will be illegal in sanctioned events come 2026
By Luke Friend Published
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We've seen Remco Evenepoel's Tour de France shoes and wheels, here's his $450 saddle
The Belgian will be sat atop a new S-Works Power EVO saddle in France plus UAE extends its deal with Enve, Vision launches an 'affordable' carbon road wheel and Tacx releases its Alpine gradient simulator
By Luke Friend Published
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Deeper at the front, shallower at the rear: Roval's new wheels just flipped aero convention around
New Rapide Sprint models feature different rim depths and claim to be even lighter and faster than ever before
By Luke Friend Published
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Is this the fastest climbing bike in the world? BMC says so, as it launches new Teammachine SLR01, just ahead of the Tour de France
BMC launch 5th Gen SLR01, a bike it claims to be world's fastest climbing bike, to be raced by Tudor Pro Cycling team at this year's TdF
By Luke Friend Published
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Can Raleigh's new ONE, finally entice you out of the car, and keep you and your bike safe, in the urban jungle?
Raleigh, the company that brought us the Grifter, Burner, and Sturmey Archer three-speed hub, has designed the ONE to make e-bike ownership easier – and safer – than ever.
By Luke Friend Published
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PNS collab with Colnago, Scarab handmade steel, and a reimagined classic in the latest Parlee P-Zero. Rouvy members read on to the end!
Updated models from Scarab, Parlee and Pearson, a limited-edition fashion forward Colnago, wider tyres from Hutchinson and new pricing plans from Rouvy
By Luke Friend Published
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UK brand Ribble just threw down a whole range of gravel bikes, and they're already taking podiums at some of the big US races
The carbon Ultra-Grit is used by the Ribble gravel team at UCI races while the Allgrit line-up includes titanium and electric options
By Luke Friend Published
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Cervélo claims its new Áspero-5 is the world's fastest gravel bike
Already ridden to victory by Marianne Vos, the bike features a new two piece bar, compatible with the S5's aero bars as well as downtube storage
By Luke Friend Published
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SRAM overhauls Force and Rival groupsets bringing Red performance to the whole range, adds a 1x13-speed XPLR option and goes wild with a purple chain!
With braking tech from Sram Red and the same shifting experience now available in the lower tier groupsets, you can now have your cake and eat it with Sram
By Luke Friend Published