Pushing the boundaries of tyre and rubber technology and gaining a place in this years Editor’s Choice, Vittoria is on to a winner with the latest Corsa G2.0 TLR tyre. This Graphene enhanced race tyre has improved on what was already an outstanding tyre.

Vittoria's Corsa has always been the company's go-to race tyre and has been the choice of more pro teams than it's possible to list. And now Vittoria has introduced a brand new version featuring a new improved graphene compound. Vittoria has been extolling the virtues of graphene as an additive to its tyres for quite a while now. This wonder material boasts an almost unbelievable list of attributes and uses. For cycling, particularly when used in tyres, Vittoria claims that graphene can increase durability whilst decreasing rolling resistance; two attributes that are normally mutually exclusive – you can't have one without affecting the other.

Buy now: Vittoria Corsa G2.0 TLR from Evans Cycles for £58

Vittoria has moved with the times and is now producing the Corsa in this TLR tubeless-ready version we're testing here as well as the standard clincher version. The tubeless version adds around 70g to the overall tyre weight. However, factor in the loss of inner tubes and even with sealant added the weight difference is marginal. Typically the thicker carcass and bead of the tubeless-ready version does make mounting onto rims a little harder than a standard tyre and this is still the case with the Corsa. It isn't the hardest tyre of this type to mount by any means and slipped onto the rims of our test Hope RD40 wheels with just a little teasing with some tyre levers.

>>>The best road tyres for 2019

The Corsa has always been one of the faster-rolling tyres on the circuit and this new version is no different. Mounted on the Hope aero wheels their ability to skim along and maintain speed is nothing short of impressive. Even set up with tubes and allowing for the added weight the Vittoria Corsa G2.0 TLR felt light and responsive. Descending and that extra weight makes them even faster. Running them tubeless and the lower pressure (I ran around 65-70psi) made them feel more confident still.

This was also the case for the grip levels. The new compound – well, four really as Vittoria is the only tyre manufacturer to use four distinctive rubber compounds within each of its higher end tyres – has a grip level that is really only limited by your own bravery. I rarely felt or heard that butt-clenching noise and rumble that often accompanies a tyre pushed to its limits and there were times when I really wasn't sure how I got away with it, but every time the Vittoria Corsa G2.0 TLR had me covered. Ride comfort is also very good thanks to a supple, high 320tpi carcass and the ability of this tubeless version to run at lower pressures without compromising performance.

Buy now: Vittoria Corsa G2.0 TLR from Evans Cycles for £58

In the past Vittoria Corsa tyres have almost always had the same Achilles heel – durability. This latest version is the best yet in terms of puncture resistance and wear but bear in mind that this tubeless version has a thicker carcass and this goes someway to making the Vittoria Corsa G2.0 less afflicted by cuts and slices when compared to its predecessors. Puncture resistance is also much better. With regard to life expectancy, this is still a thoroughbred race tyre so don't expect thousands of miles from it. But during that life you can expect a performance level better than almost any other tyre out today.

Where has the ISM PN 3.0 been all our time-trialling life? The new PN (‘performance narrow’) range offers better thigh and hamstring clearance than earlier versions thanks to a narrower ‘nose’. For us it was love at first sit.

If you haven't tried a split-nose saddle before, the way it works is the lower you get on the tri-bars the better the ISM feels (whereas a conventional saddle feels progressively more uncomfortable as pressure on the soft-tissue area increases) allowing you to stay anchored in your aero position – and it works for men and women.

The ISM PN3.0 was for us a revelation, earning a perfect 10 thanks to the more comfortable turbo-ing and time trialling it facilitated, thereby earning its place in Editor's Choice 2018.

The ISM PN 3.0 isn't pretty. If the Cobb Plus is not – by its own marketing team's admission – the cutest kid in the classroom, then the ISM PN 3.0 is a goblin with two noses that appears in said kids’ nightmares. But, it’s a dream come true for the time trialling grown-ups.

US brand ISM’s patented unisex split design eliminates the nose of the saddle altogether in order to help maintain blood flow and avoid damage to that very sensitive soft tissue - for both men and women - you sit on when rotated forward on the tri-bars.

>>> Best bike saddles

>>> Best women's bike saddles 

ISM's PN (‘performance narrow’) range offers better thigh and hamstring clearance than earlier versions thanks to a narrower ‘nose’ (54mm at the end) but if you’ve never tried one before you will still initially notice more pressure on your inner thighs than with a conventional saddle – perhaps exaggerated by the lack of pressure in the middle. ISM says the PN 3.0 will “disappear beneath you” and if you don’t like the way it looks then this can only be a good thing, but in terms of the way it feels when you get down into an aero tuck this is absolutely the case.

ISM PN 3.0 set-up

To set up the PN 3.0, it’s important to follow ISM's installation instructions. Since the PN 3.0 doesn’t have a nose, setback will be different: ISM says the “nose area” should be 5-8cm further back, and it may require a lower saddle height of 5mm. It will play havoc with a bike fit but we found it relatively easy to get it right on feel.

Ride

Sitting on the back of it, as you might do on a road bike on the tops, is actually uncomfortable, but as you get further down on the tri-bars the ISM feels better and better just as a conventional saddle would feel worse and worse. As your pelvis rotates forwards that initial pressure on the inner thigh lessens. Finally, on the tri-bars and putting power through the pedals it feels completely right, allowing you to stay still, anchored and comfortable in your aero position without your rear end shifting around as if playing a game of ‘the saddle is lava’.

In the sternest test of all for a TT saddle, the ISM PN 3.0 breezes through 20-minute FTP intervals on the turbo. With a conventional saddle the pain in your undercarriage normally surpasses the one in your legs long before the interval is up.

ISM doesn’t make featherweight carbon-fibre versions of its racing models – they mostly have steel rails (stainless steel in the case of the PN 3.0) and moulded plastic shells.

ISM does not go down the F1 materials route. Having said that, the PN 3.0 does have what ISM calls an “auto racing-inspired air vent chassis”, and as if to make up for a lack of techno gimmicks elsewhere it is available with a black, blue, pink or white base. But weight-conscious TT’ers might be slightly disappointed with the relatively high weight of the ISM PN 3.0 compared to other saddles at this price.

Value

Weight is the only straightforward comparison it's possible to make between the ISM PN 3.0 and other non-ISM time trial-specific saddles since the ISM is so different – apples and oranges doesn’t cover it - but for pure TT comfort, which ought to lead to better performance and certainly a healthier perineum and zero numbness, the ISM PN 3.0 is a revelation.

No doubt there will be riders who don't get on with the ISM shape but if you do, this could be the best £160 you've ever spent. You can demo one via ISM's UK distributor, Upgrade Bikes.

It is the first tier of the Japanese's performance range and perform it does. The new Shimano 105 R7000 narrows the gap to Shimano Ultegra and Dura-Ace with a huge boost in looks, actions and weight saving.

What's new?

Despite Shimano 105 being the first of Shimano's 11-speed performance products, it has long been considered the everyman groupset of cycling, so it's hugely exciting that it has received a significant overhaul. Shimano 105 receives the Ultegra treatment, which means it gets the stealthy black and gloss chainset (although it's also available in silver) that's identical to Shimano Ultegra R8000.

This is available as a 53/39, 52/36 or 50/34 and can be partnered with an 11-25, 11-28, 11-30, 11-32 or a whopping 11-34 cassette. The latter demonstrates Shimano’s recognition that versatility is quickly becoming the most important aspect of modern cycling.

Shimano has also repositioned the inner ring so that it reduces the effects of cross-chaining, which could make the difference for those who race but don't want to fork out the additional costs for Ultegra. It does however, make the rings no longer compatible with the old front derailleur design.

Moving up to the controls, the new Shimano 105 R7000 hoods and levers get the same ergonomic rework that Ultegra R8000 received. That means a downsizing of the whole hood, making it far less bulky in the hand and the addition of a chamfered top that makes it easier to grip when it's hot and sweaty.

Again, the new R7000 front derailleur has a compact toggle (pivot design, better tyre clearance and an integrated cable tension port removing the need for an in-cable barrel adjuster. On Ultegra and Dura-Ace before it, the new design made for a significantly light front shift, and the same is true of the new 105.

The rear mech on the new 105 is also light years ahead of the older version. It is available in a medium or long cage guise (necessary for the 11-34 cassette) and it receives Shimano's mountain bike Shadow technology that pulls it up underneath the cassette and chainstay, out of harm's way.

This all means that the new Shimano 105 R7000 groupset is, in all aspects, better than its predecessor and falls in line with Shimano Ultegra and Dura-Ace in terms of performance and looks. It is hard to ignore the new Shimano 105 R7000 and shouldn't be discounted because of its value price tag.

Shimano 105 R7000: how does it perform?

In initial set-up and adjustment, the new R7000 follows Shimano Ultegra and Dura-Ace. It does from the outset look more complicated to set up the gears of the new groupset but, as with the latest Ultegra and Dura-Ace it is in fact easier in the long run to adjust. Although, maybe do have a look at the set-up guide before you dive straight in for the first time as there are key differences.

The front mech cable routing has changed so that the angle of the cable is dictated by the mech rather than where on the frame the cable comes from. This means it doesn’t matter what the frame’s cable routing is like, shifting should be good across the board.

The cable, once pushed through the mech, now loops back around through the mech once more and is held in place, and it’s here you can cut and hide the cable end. You have one grub screw to adjust the mech position, your usual high and low limiters and an integrated cable tension adjustment screw to help get the perfect trim position in both the big and little rings.

Shifting

Shifting has been improved to offer a nice swift action for both front and rear gears. The change to the front mech allows for a lighter action and you get just that.

When compared directly to Ultegra you of course don't get as a nice feel to the lever action. But there really isn't much in it. Shimano 105 R7000 gives a measured and yet light action to drop you in the small or pick up the chain into the big ring.

Adjusted correctly, which the new mechs allow you to do first time thanks to the new routing, gear changes are great. You still get your trim function for the front mech, both in the small and big chainrings, but sadly you still don't get the multi-gear dump feature you find on Campagnolo groupsets.

What you do get is precise shifting and although it isn't a light as the more expensive groupsets, it is very good. The main thing here it doesn't feel cheap or plasticky. In fact, it is very hard to distinguish between the new 105 and Ultegra.

With the new Shimano 105 R7000 you get a good range of gears for both the front and rear. Anything from 11-25 to 34, though a long caged rear mech will be needed for the 34 tooth cassette. 53/39, 52/36 or 50/34 are your options up front.

Be aware here that the chainset is not compatible with the older style front mech, so shifting won't be as crisp if you mix and match.

I think now the only thing that would offer a sizeable improvement in shifting performance is moving to electric.

Braking

Braking is offered in two different forms for the rim brake groupset. You'll have the option of the standard dual pivot like the ones I tested on the Condor Super Acciaio and thanks to trickle-down technology effect, direct-mount brakes.

The dual pivot brakes allow for anything up to 28c tyres, which is ample and more so with the direct-mount brakes. Here you get assured braking and a nice braking action from the lever.

A lot of the time with cheaper brake calipers or levers you feel like your brakes are spongy and you don't feel as confident really leaning on them when stopping sharply, but you get none of that feeling with the new 105.

Note that with 105 R7000 Shimano also offers 105-branded hydraulic disc-brake components for the first time: previously RS505 had been grouped with 105 but according to Shimano this was not true 105.

Weight

Whether it is Dura-Ace or Ultegra, Shimano has always made clear that its intention is never to sacrifice performance for the sake of saving a few grams. Instead, it spends its time perfecting the performance of each product, although each component usually weighs more the further it is from Dura-Ace.

Shimano 105 is no different, and on our scales Shimano 105 R7000 weighed in at 2,180g without cables. Is it light enough to be competitive?

Well, yes it is!

Chainset 713.4 g (50-34T) - Ultegra 674g

Front mech 95 g - Ultegra 92g

Levers 500g - Ultega 440g

Rear mech SS 225g - Ultegra 200g

Cassette 320g 11x32 - Ultegra 292g

Chain 257g - Ultegra 257g

Brakes pair 379g - Ultegra 360g

System weight 105 2,489g - Ultegra 2,315g

As you can see from the table above compared to Ultegra you save 174g in total of all the components you can see on that list.

174g! That's it! This of course makes the Shimano 105 R7000 weight wise very competitive and, minus a couple packets of crisps for the week, you'll be on par with Shimano Ultegra.

This begs the question: what is Shimano doing making Shimano 105 so good? In every aspect it looks, feels and performs more closely than ever like its pricer stablemates and this can only mean one thing: will Ultegra and Dura-Ace be electric only?

Value

Buy now: Shimano 105 groupset at Wiggle for £349.99

Shimano 105 R7000 costs £570.92, which makes it great value for money considering the amount of top-tier tech included in the groupset. Shimano doesn't even seem worried about the potential for the new groupset to shade Ultegra considering the technology and the price tag. In fact, it seems the only thing that Shimano 105 can't offer that Ultegra does is electronic shifting.

It would seem that Shimano may head towards offering Ultegra and Dura-Ace as Di2 options only and given the fact that Shimano 105 offers similar performance to mechanical Ultegra, it would make sense for the brand to use this technology to separate the top three tiers – apart from pricing of course.

Compared to the likes of Centaur and SRAM Rival – which are both similarly priced – I'd say Shimano 105 R7000 offers better performance and overall looks better too. I reckon the R7000 groupset is knocking on the door of the Campagnolo Potenza groupset that is designed to rival Shimano Ultegra.

So in all, price versus performance it's very good and I'm really starting to fail to see why you'd need to spend more on mechanical Ultegra.

The groupset now falls in line with its more expensive siblings. It looks a lot sleeker, shifting is well actioned and it feels all together like a better product and something not to be ashamed of!

It truly is a great value groupset.

Pricing

Shimano 105 R7000

ST                                           £199.99

FC                                           £134.99

FD                                           £34.99

RD                                          £47.99 (£44.99 for SS)

CS                                           £42.99

CN                                          £29.99

BR                                           £79.98

TOTAL                                   £570.92

This minimalist saddle has a racy look to it. With one of Specialized’s lightest levels of padding you really feel like you’re in the driving seat. The lack of padding gave a harsh ride on our pothole filled commute, but on smoother tarmac surfaces it had the perfect level of padding which gave great levels of support on longer rides.

>>> For a buyer's guide to saddles click here

The saddle, covered in Specialized’s micromatrix material, sits on a carbon-reinforced shell and hollow titanium rails.

A specifically designed and medically tested cut-out, part of Specialized’s Body Geometry technology, ensures the pressure is off those sensitive areas when riding, even when adopting a more forward position. We tested the narrowest width – 143mm - which enabled us to sit comfortably on long rides with the majority of our weight through our sit bones, but still supported us when moving into a more forward and aggressive riding position.

>>> For a review of the Specialized Romin men's saddle click here

Coming in three widths the Ruby expert caters for various sizes of sit bones, and with their Body Geometry sit bone measurement technology it’s simple to find out which should suit you best. In addition, Specialized offer a 30 day period where you can exchange your saddle if you’re not comfortable or happy with your choice. For the price we feel you can’t really go too far wrong.

Visit the Specialized website for more details

Compared to the omnipresent Shimano groupsets, finding any Campagnolo components fitted to a mainstream road bicycle is something of a novelty. And if you do find it attached to an off-the-shelf bike, chances are that bike will be from an Italian brand.

There are a number of reasons why this situation has developed. Shimano’s quality and reputation is of course one. But, more practically, it’s because the vast majority of modern bikes are manufactured and built in the Far East. It costs a lot less and makes a lot more sense to use Shimano components — which are made on the bike factories’ doorsteps — than to bring Italian kit halfway around the world, only to send it back to Europe once it’s been attached to a bicycle.

The result for the consumer and Campagnolo is mixed. The relative scarcity of Campagnolo-shod bikes in a way helps to reinforce the almost artisan aura surrounding the company’s products. But it also means that, compared to Shimano, Campagnolo users are far fewer in number, and tend to be more experienced riders. However, none of this is necessarily a reflection on the performance or even the price of Campagnolo equipment itself, least of all in the case of Veloce.

Tale of the tape

Veloce is Campagnolo’s less expensive groupset and in relative terms, if you were to buy a Veloce groupset on its own, it’s only a little more expensive than Shimano Tiagra, and almost £100 less than SRAM Apex. When it comes to complete bikes, you can expect to see it on anything from sub-£1,000 machines to relatively exotic carbon wonders approaching £2,000.

Not surprisingly, considering Campagnolo's reputation for producing very pretty products, it doesn’t actually look out of place on higher-end bikes. That said, unlike Campagnolo’s higher-end groupsets, which tend to go big on carbon components, Veloce doesn’t have even a hint of composite parts, although almost everything else lives up to Campagnolo standards. The rear derailleur is a beautifully sculpted bit of kit; the chainset’s appearance is classically simple; and the integrated Ergopower levers use Campagnolo’s typical PowerShift mechanism, where a thumb button clicks the chain down, while an inward sweep of a paddle behind the brake lever pushes the chain up.

I said almost everything lives to Campagnolo’s standards; there are a few slight disappointments. All Campagnolo’s superior groupsets feature the Italian brand’s very sexy skeletal brakes with their lightweight calliper arms. Veloce’s aluminium calipers are very nice, but they don’t employ such notable design. And Campagnolo was the first major component manufacturer to offer 11 sprockets at the rear. Now all but one of its groupsets are 11-speed — and it’s Veloce that misses out.

In gearing terms, at least at the back, Veloce keeps at least one eye on Campagnolo’s racing tradition and only offers a biggest possible sprocket of 29 teeth. That’s not terrible news on the last hard climb of a sportive, but it’s also not quite as easy to live with as the 32t options found on most Shimano and SRAM set-ups. Despite that relatively conservative approach, Veloce only comes with a compact chainset. A choice of a standard double would be nice for old-school racers on a budget.

Italian class

A lot of discourse about Campagnolo’s components tends to focus on the brand’s heritage and sympathy for aesthetic qualities, so it would be quite understandable for a new, modern rider to wonder if practical performance is overlooked. In operation, though, modern Campagnolo groupsets are far from being boutique nostalgia trips.

As a case in point, Veloce gears really do shift beautifully. Many riders appreciate the fact that Campagnolo utilises two distinct hand movements for gear changes — because of which muscle memory takes over particularly quickly when operating Campagnolo’s gear shift mechanism — and clicking the thumb button to drop into smaller cogs is a very satisfying, snappy experience. The general feel of the hoods is suitably pleasing, too. In your palm it all seems just a little more svelte — refined even — than Shimano or SRAM.

Slightly less impressive, the up-shift paddle feels a bit floppy in relation to regimented Shimano levers, although you soon get used to it. Compared to Shimano Tiagra, Veloce might be just a tad less enthusiastic to move to an easier gear when you ask it to change under load — ie, when you’re climbing — but it’s only a slight difference. Both front and rear derailleurs are otherwise very impressive considering the price, and their crisp changes actually add a small sense of sportiness to the rest of a bike’s performance.

Finally one small advantage of Campagnolo’s system is that the brake lever itself cannot pivot laterally. In truth, the fact that Shimano levers can move laterally is rarely an annoyance, but when your concentration is at its limits on very tricky descents, knowing the controls you have in a death grip are completely secure seems just a little more reassuring.

As the cheaper of the two Zefiro aero bar options, the Team is still an expensive item and must surely be very rare.

3T developed the bar with a wide range of uses in mind - it has the curve and drop of a conventional road bar, but with the addition of a flattened top section with built in pads, plus the Pi Wing - an aerofoil hand rest. This Pi Wing can either be used like a clip-on or removed or the mounts used for full-on TT extensions - it's a very versatile bar.

As a pure road bar the Zefiro is excellent. It's obviously very stiff and aerodynamic too, so what's not to like? The downside is the weight; even with the Pi Wing removed it still weighs 290g, but with the Pi attached it's over 500g.

That said, the shape of the drop is perfect in my eyes. Just like other 3T bars, there's a tight radius at the top to allow plenty of space on the drops and the ability to get nicely tucked in when really pushing hard. The winged top section does take up a little space when sprinting and it's worth noting that it places the hoods 1cm further forwards.

Using the Pi Wing certainly allowed a good aerodynamic tuck to be obtained with several different hand holds possible too - the forearm pads are a waste of time, as they are just too small.

Zefiro is one of those cutting edge products that slightly misses the mark.