Simon Withers

Simon Withers

Contributor

Simon Withers is a freelance cycling writer and bike tester. He has been cycling for as long as he can remember, and more seriously since his time at university in the 1980s. Simon has ridden and raced almost every type of bike over the years and has toured extensively in Asia and Australasia, including riding solo 2,900km from Cairns to Melbourne. He’s been testing bikes and working for BikeRadar and Cycling Plus in various capacities for two decades. Simon has ridden and reviewed countless bikes and products, and specialises in affordable road bikes, gravel bikes and cycling kit, helping riders understand what’s really worth their hard-earned money.

Recent articles by Simon Withers

Genesis Croix de Fer 10 Flat Bar

Cyclocross-influenced flat-bar bike for commuting and more…
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Trek FX 3 Disc Equipped

Single-ring hybrid with Shimano Deore and all the extras as standard
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Ridgeback Expedition

Adventure-flavoured machine for tough commutes and big adventures
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Specialized Sirrus X 3.0

Single-ring aluminium machine with all-road and gravel ambitions
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Ridley Kanzo A GRX 400

Commuter and gravel companion for big days out – whatever the surface
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Cube Attain SLX

Borderline racy road bike with comfort in mind and room for mudguards
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Cannondale Synapse 1

A comfortable fender-friendly all-rounder
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FLR F11 XD Knit road shoes

Little sibling of FLR’s pro-level road and triathlon shoes
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Boardman Road Cycle Shoes

Road shoes with a low price but no obvious compromises
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Pinnacle Radium Road Cycling Shoes

Slightly quirky looks, but there's nothing wrong with the ride
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Giro Cadet Road Cycling Shoes

Distinctive looks and a carbon-reinforced sole
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Bontrager Solstice Road Cycling Shoe

Simple shoes that do the straightforward stuff well
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Shimano RC1 Road Cycling Shoe

Budget shoes from the component king
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Van Rysel RoadR 900 Full Carbon Road Cycling Shoe

Twin dial closures and a carbon sole at a cut-down price
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Cannondale Bad Boy 2 review

Super-stylish urban hybrid with distinctive Lefty fork
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Spa Cycles Audax

Mile-munching endurance bike that’s well set up for year-round, long-distance commuting
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Trek Dual Sport 2 Equipped Gen 5

Fully equipped Euro-style trekking bike that’ll tackle rough-road commuting
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Shimano RX600 gravel shoe

Tough gravel all-rounders with good grip and excellent comfort
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Best bottle cages 2024 | 13 bike bottle holders rated by our experts

The best bottle cages in 2024, as tested by our team of experts
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Mango DO.GG 1X

Steel commuter bike with a skinny frame, 1x gearing and hydraulic brakes
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Carrera Zelos

Budget drop-bar disc-brake bike from Halfords brand
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Marin Fairfax 2

Flat-bar all-rounder with a wide range of gears and hydraulic brakes
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Canyon Endurace CF 7 eTap

Canyon refreshes its long-standing Endurace model
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Triban RC 500

Decathlon's understated wide-tyre friendly all-rounder
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