A new range of hardtails were released by Marin, specially targeted for the UK. The hardtails were made to give powerful performance at a reasonable price.

The new range was the Black and White Line which sports a hydroformed aluminium frame. The frame is almost identical with the Hydro-Lite series. The only difference would be that the Black and White Line gives you great value for your money.

Marin’s eye for detail resulted in a triple butted frame which all models share. The Black and White Line are polished with Shimano Deore groupsets. The forks are Rock Shox Tora SL. If you want to try the Pro version, you will shell out a bit more than the entry level model which costs £899. The Pro version offers a Rock Shox SID/Hope/Mavic/XT or Fox 32 F100 RL/Mavic Cross Ride/XT/XTR specifications.

Marin has six models that you can choose from in the line. One of the models is even designed for women. The prices for them can stretch from £899 to £1499.

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Soul Cycles have now added a new product for their 29”er hard tail. Joining the Dillinger is the “Vegas” full suspension bike.

The new frame is currently being manufactured by Soul Cycles to be ready for its launch by early summer. The design is a single pivot type which highlights a low leverage ratio travel of 5.5 inches. It will also be compatible Hammerschmidt. There is a front derailleur routing that allows you to use either 10mm or 12mm rear axle.

To maximize rear lateral stiffness, the iGlide based scissor link is in place. An Easton FS RAD tubeset will be fabricated with it. The scissors linkage functions to keep the swing arm laterally stable. The pivots will move on Igus “iGlide” bushings.

Versions available will be 26 inches and 29 inches. Soul Cycles will be bundling the frame with a Fox Shox RP-23 rear damper. The estimated retail price for the Vegas full suspension bike is under $1000.

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It may be almost three months late but Cyclepassion’s 2010 calendar is something you wouldn’t want to miss. It features women athletes in the cycling sport. It showcases world class female riders photographed in a setting you don’t normally see them in. It has been likened much to a Sports Illustrated photo shoot but with your favorite women cyclists.

The calendar will be featuring cyclists Sabine Spitz from Germany who is the reigning Mountain Bike Marathon World Champion. She is also an Olympic cross-country gold medalist and places fifth overall in World Cup 2009.

Another athlete in the calendar is Lene Byberg of Norway. She placed fourth overall in the World Cup last season and she won the XC during the 2009 World Cup in Bromont, Canada. She is also the silver medalist for last year’s MTB at Canberra, Australia.

From France, woman athlete Julie Krasniak is included. She is a top-50 World Cup cross-country racer. Finally, there’s Steffi Marth of Germany, who was 2009’s 4-cross national champion. For the complete list of the female riders in the calendar, just visit Cyclepassion.com.

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Schwinn, whose name is synonymous with cycling passion that lasts a lifetime. For more than a hundred years, they have been makers of quality bicycles that range from sidewalk bikes and BMX bikes to bomb-proof mountain bikes and classic cruisers.

Now, a new addition to their line is the 2010 Le Tour Super. Promoting exercise and fitness, the new model is a lightweight buddy that gives both comfort and optimum performance.

The 2010 Schwinn Le Tour Super is made with a Schwinn N’Litened Black Label carbon fiber frame with bio tuned ergonomic geometry. The fork is also made from the same carbon fiber plus alloy steerer and forged dropouts. For the drivetrain, it is made up of Shimano 105 components and a FSA Omega compact triple for the crankset. Climbing steep hills should not be a problem without sacrificing comfort and style. The Le Tour’s handlebar, stem, carbon seatpost and saddle are all Schwinn Road-Tuned.

Selling at a retail price of $1999, the 2010 Le Tour Super promises to be the ideal fitness companion for cyclists everywhere.

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Xtracycle now opens preorders for their newly redesigned longtail bike Radish. The deliveries will begin on May 2010. Grant Petersen of Rivendell Bikes was the one who created the improved design on the cargo bike’s loaded and unloaded handling.

Radish gets a makeover in terms of frame geometry, brake and drivetrain components. The downtube was lowered to allow easier mounting by short people. For tall riders, the effective top tube length was maximized making the distance from the seatpost and the headset wider.

Another feature that makes the Radish a must-have for longtail cyclists would be its 4130 chromoly steel which is stronger than the hi-ten steel. It is of superior quality when it comes to strength, durability, and longevity. Chromoly is commonly known as “aircraft tubing”. It is much lighter than the High Tensile Steel.

Xtracycle limits its release of the Radish to fifty bikes. This is to emphasize their serious drive to promote quality rather than quantity. Radish is the ideal family bicycle. Its pannier or basket is convertible and can be utilized for groceries and home supplies. In addition, it is great for picnic biking trips for the family with its passenger seat suitable for toddlers and older children.

Affordable and practical, the Radish can be your trendy ride, transportation to the office, riding for health reasons and for family get-together rides.

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CelticXtreme 2010 is a mountain bike race from June 6 to 11. It will take place in southwest of Ireland. The organizers aim to combine different racing routes that took place in the area. It will be a long distance mtb race which will include offroad terrain.

This race will be a challenge for mountain bikers since the race was designed to test their navigational skills and their speed in making repairs if needed on each stage of the race to finish them on time. There are six stages in the race that will provide scenic beauty since the cyclists will be passing through forests, old castles, monasteries and mystical landscapes.

CelticXtreme will begin at Coillte’s Ballyhoura Mountain Park on the single track built by Daffyd Davis. The route will then go towards Mallow, mimicking Lance Armstrong’s trail in 2009 for the Tour of Ireland. The race will go past Boggeragh, Dhoire na Saggart Mountains, McGillycuddy Reeks and will end in Sneem.

There will be a 12,000ft ascent and 11,000ft downhill. The race calls on to anyone who thinks they are up to the challenge of a 425km race that will test their skills and drive in mountain biking. The competition is also open for teams.

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Ragley first launched about a year ago by none other than Richard Shedfire, and now they are releasing the new Ragley TD-1 29er frame for 2010. For 2010 the Ragley TD-1 29er is aimed towards a 440mm fork, which is different since most 29 inch mountain bikes use a 470 to 490mm fork. By using a shorter fork, this drops the handlebars by 30 – 50mm, allowing a better racing position.

The Ragley Ragley TD-1 29er 2010 frame is built by a familiar name Lynskey Performance, while each frame is manufactured in the USA. Featuring sliding dropouts, horizontal oval top tube, and curved seat tube. Presented is a aluminum model, but a retail friendly steel version will also release to accommodate your budget. Pre orders can now be placed from Ragley retailers, and holds a retail price of about $1,800 USD.

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