Cycling News & Blog Articles

When it comes to cycling kit, great quality and decent value are two elements which rarely come together in the same product. However, through Merlin’s long history, we have formed relationships with some top manufacturers to supply our own, great quality clothing, shoes and accessories, all offering decent value. From socks to jerseys, we’ve got […]

The post 5 Budget Summer Essentials appeared first on Merlin Cycles Blog.

Road cycling shoes, much like bikes themselves, vary hugely in terms of price and specification. Let’s look at the main components and differences to help you decide what’s for you. Our road shoe selection is one of the biggest ranges available in the UK, see our full range and link to FAQ’s here. Road cycling […]

The post Buyers guide – Road Cycling Shoes appeared first on Merlin Cycles Blog.

A decent set of tools are essential for keeping you riding and minimising running costs. Here at Merlin we are big believers in learning how bikes work and what needs to be done to keep them running sweetly. Check out the following essential tools, do you have them all? Watch & Learn As well as […]

The post 10 Tools ALL bike riders NEED! appeared first on Merlin Cycles Blog.

*Without adding a motor. Riding a bike is great fun, that’s why we do it. However, regular riding can gradually make your bike less efficient. Here are 10 ways to keep your bike working at peak performance. Under Pressure Over time, air pressure in tyres can reduce. Maybe it seeps out, maybe it’s the air […]

The post 10 Ways to Improve Bike Performance* appeared first on Merlin Cycles Blog.

With summer on it’s way (hopefully), we all know this is a great time to ride road bikes. So, how would you like to ride a little bit faster or hang on to faster ride mates? Here’s out top tips… (without going down the dodgy Italian doctor route) Get Aero It’s worth remembering that a […]

The post 10 Tips to Ride Faster! appeared first on Merlin Cycles Blog.

What’s the difference between all the disc pads? Which ones should you get for your bike and your type of riding? There are a lot of different variables with disc brake pads, for Road, Gravel, E-Bike and MTB. Not only do you have to get the correctly shaped disc pad that fits your particular brake […]

The post Which Disc Brake Pads Should You Get? appeared first on Merlin Cycles Blog.

Do you know your Aero Bike from your Sportive bike? Or your Gravel Bike from your Time Trialer? Here’s how drop-bar bikes differ. With their big, 700c wheels, skinny tyres, drop bars and lightweight components, road bikes are the best choice for going fast and covering long distances. There are different types of road bike […]

The post Different Types of Road Bikes Explained appeared first on Merlin Cycles Blog.

New research from Merlin Cycles shows that English cities with higher rates of cycling are happier overall. If cycling really is making us happier — especially city-dwellers — then getting more people to cycle in the UK could bring a host of mental and emotional benefits. We analyse why cycling could be making us happier […]

The post Cities with more cyclists are happier, according to research appeared first on Merlin Cycles Blog.

As we roll into British Summer time in the UK, it’s a great opportunity to spend more time on the bike or just plan some summer rides. We’ve been busy re-stocking some classic products and picking some awesome new ones too – here’s our pick of 10 fresh products at Merlin… Continental GP5000 S TR […]

The post What’s Fresh at Merlin appeared first on Merlin Cycles Blog.

Forget the ‘old-school’ fun, enjoyment and health aspects of cycling, it’s all about the watts and power in these marginal-gains obsessed days… Generating more watts on a bike is hard. It demands a lot of training, will-power, sweat and a fair bit of heavy breathing. So, just like those astronauts on Apollo 13, if you […]

The post 12 Tips SAVE POWER! It’s a low watt life… appeared first on Merlin Cycles Blog.

In these days of high prices, supply chain struggles, together with the cost of the living going through the roof, more and more thrifty bike riders are beginning to service their own bikes. Here are the top ten issues to avoid while working on your bike. Torque it Over Don’t apply too much tightening force […]

The post Avoid These Bike Service Mistakes… appeared first on Merlin Cycles Blog.

Spring is a great time to plan a summer sportive ride. It’s a great chance to capitalise on your fitness As well as sportives and mass participation events, summer is peak time for charity fund-raising rides too. So whether you use your fitness to raise funds, overcome a challenge or both, the great thing is, […]

The post 10 Tips – Summer Sportive appeared first on Merlin Cycles Blog.

When disused railway lines get re-purposed into trails for bikes, they often become an ideal alternative to busy roads. Just because they are not economically viable for train traffic doesn’t mean nobody wants to travel the routes. The trails are often ideal for trips out of town or between outlying villages and more open countryside. […]

The post All Aboard! Get on a Rail Trail… appeared first on Merlin Cycles Blog.

Inflation has become a bit of a hot topic in recent times, everything getting more expensive and costs involved with day-to-day life going through the roof. Well, that’s all a bit miserable and depressing and would be guaranteed to leave you feeling flat and deflated. So, let’s think about Inflation as in bike pumps! There […]

The post It’s Inflation Innit? appeared first on Merlin Cycles Blog.

Clothing brand, Craft, are probably the biggest of the cycling manufacturing company’s coming from Sweden. As you might expect, the Scandinavian terrain and weather extremes have influenced the brand and helped guide their varied and diverse product range. As well as cycling the brand also produce clothing for Nordic Skiing, Running, Gym Training and Trekking […]

The post Brand Focus – Craft appeared first on Merlin Cycles Blog.

Who are SunRace? SunRace products are specified by many of the world’s leading bicycle manufacturers and are also sold extensively in the aftermarket. Alongside the catalogue range, they also use their R&D expertise in co-operation with bike manufacturers, to create customised products. SunRace has developed into being a major player in the bike industry. Since […]

The post Brand Focus – SunRace appeared first on Merlin Cycles Blog.

The brand A2Z is the brainchild of a group of hard-core cyclists. They have been designing and manufacturing components and accessories for disc brake systems since 1998. This was when disc brakes began to dominate the MTB market. Unsatisfied with the performance of off-the-shelf parts, this group of riders pooled together their creative talent and […]

The post Brand Focus – A2Z appeared first on Merlin Cycles Blog.

Ride your own ride or go with others? There are definitely benefits and negatives for both solo and group riding, which do you prefer? Group rides or the freedom to do your own ride (or finger your own fretboard…). Solo Riding on your own is easy, but only if you are happy in yourself and […]

The post Solo or Group Ride? appeared first on Merlin Cycles Blog.

Following on from the last couple of weeks Road and MTB products, this week it’s our pick of Gravel bike goodies. So if you like your surfaces loose-to-sketchy and your clothing cool but stretchy, read on… Top products for Spring 2023 to boost gravel bike riding motivation, maybe even increase enjoyment or comfort. These products […]

The post Spring 2023 – Top Gravel Bike Products appeared first on Merlin Cycles Blog.

The late 1980s were the early days of the mountain bike boom in the US and the UK There were lots of manufacturing businesses which started their journey in the worldwide bike industry at this time, US based brand, Controltech were one of those businesses. Bar End Bonanza The Mountain Bike boom was fertile ground […]

The post Brand Focus – Controltech appeared first on Merlin Cycles Blog.