More Than 21 Bends

Welcome

A bit about More Than 21 Bends. I started organising cycling trips in 2008 from our base in Bourg d’Oisans at the bottom of Alpe d’Huez. Over the years I have expanded our business to include popular destinations throughout France and Europe. In 2017 I started selling our popular cycling maps and prints online and in 2024 I launched our very own You Tube Channel showcasing Phil’s French cycling escapades.

Cycling Trips

New for 2025 our Alpe d’Huez to Mont Ventoux Fully Supported Point to Point Cycling Tour covering the three ascents of Ventoux plus Alpe d’Huez / Col du Galibier / Col d’Izoard and more.

Find out more here >>>>>

More Than the 21 Bends of Alpe d’Huez Cycling Holidays

Check out our cycling destinations below. All our trips are custom organised for you. So if you are on your own, a group of friends, a cycling club, a charity or corporation contact us by clicking on one of the links below to send us an initial email. If you can’t see something that interests you please use the Custom Cycle Tour page to discuss further.

Other services

Alpe d’Huez Cycle hire

Alpe d’Huez Airport Transfers

You Tube Channel

Watch my latest videos. If you subscribe to our channel and click on the notification icon you will automatically be updated when a new video is released.

In this video, watch as I bring two vintage bikes back to life for Anjou Velo Vintage [ @AnjouVeloVintageSaumur ] ! As a new vintage bike mechanic, I'm looking forward to restoring these classic beauties to their former glory. I've agreed to grow a moustache. What am I doing? Welcome to Episode 1 of my bike restoration adventure! I’ve found not one, but TWO wrecked vintage bicycles in the Normandy countryside – one from the 1930s and one from the 1960s (I think…). My daughter and I have signed up for the Anjou Vélo Vintage festival at the end of June, and we’ve got just 6 weeks to bring these bikes back to life! In this episode: We introduce the challenge: two old bikes, one epic festival, and a tight deadline. I show you the barn-find condition of both bikes. I talk through the rules of the Anjou Vélo Vintage festival (bikes pre-1987 only!). I share some of my concerns – from missing tools to growing a moustache. I ask YOU for help! If you’ve got tips, advice, or can identify these bikes, leave a comment below. 👀 Will we get the bikes ready in time? Will the rust win? Will my moustache grow? Hit subscribe and follow us every week for updates on the restoration process as we prepare for one of France’s most unique cycling events! 🛠️ Got any advice, ideas, or seat upholstery skills? Drop them in the comments! 🔔 Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and hit the bell for weekly updates leading up to the big day! #VintageBike #BikeRestoration #AnjouVéloVintage #BarnFind #CyclingFrance #RetroRide #FatherDaughterProject Website : https://www.morethan21bends.com Help support the rebuilds and buy me a coffee https://buymeacoffee.com/morethan21bends
I’m Restoring Two Vintage Bicycles Back to Life for Anjou Velo Vintage
If you're planning on watching pro cycling in France like the Paris Roubaix, you need to know the brutal truth! In this video, we break down the realities of following the peloton and experiencing events like Paris Roubaix and the Tour de France. Get ready for an eye-opening look at the world of the professional cycling fan! Whether it's Paris-Roubaix, the Tour de France, or any major pro cycling race in France, the fan experience is wildly intense and often completely bonkers. After watching over 15 pro races across the country, I’m here to share the real behind-the-scenes truth: 24 hours of effort for 30 seconds of action! In this video, I take you inside the chaos and charm of spectating at Paris-Roubaix, from camping out on a remote cobbled sector to dodging Belgian beer drinkers and setting up my 3m Insta360 pole for the perfect shot. It’s muddy, it’s loud, it’s cold—and it’s absolutely worth it. ⏱️ What you'll see: How early to arrive (hint: it's not just "a bit" early) Why the lesser-known sectors are often better The unexpected joy of livestreaming in a van Belgian fans, barbecues, and big screens in fields Why shouting "ALLEZ! ALLEZ!" is essential And the one reason you'll keep coming back... 👉 For Paris-Roubaix, you could easily swap in the Tour de France or any other French pro race—the principles are the same: long wait, big hype, fast blur of riders, unforgettable experience. Website : https://www.morethan21bends.com Help support the channel and buy me a coffee https://buymeacoffee.com/morethan21bends #parisroubaix2025 #tourdefrance2025 #lanternerouge #tadejpogacar
What Makes Paris Roubaix So Insane To Watch?
I’ve gone and bought 2 vintage bikes to take part in the Anjou Vélo Vintage with my daughter at the end of June. ​⁠ Can I get them rebuilt in time ? 😬 @AnjouVeloVintageSaumur #vintagebike #velovintage #anjouvelovintage
I’m Rebuilding 2 Vintage Bikes for a French Retro Cycling Festival
Curious what happens when you take a converted drop bar hardtail to Roubaix? Watch to see what happens when I tackle the infamous cobbles of sectors like the Carrefour de l'Arbre as I ride to the famous Roubaix Velodrome! Join me on my unique Paris Roubaix Challenge filmed mostly on my Insta360 as I conquer the cobblestones all the way to the Velodrome. Experience the thrill of this epic cycling event firsthand! 🚴‍♂️ Ride Highlights: ✔️ Exploring Roubaix’s stunning weather (yes, the sun DOES shine in Northern France!) ✔️ Testing my AliExpress hardtail rebuild on brutal cobbled sectors ✔️ Hunting for a lost chainset endcap (and miraculously finding it!) ✔️ Snacking on Belgian fries & free coffee at Sector 8 ✔️ Crossing the France-Belgium border mid-ride ✔️ Conquering the legendary Carrefour de l'Arbre ✔️ Finishing at the iconic Roubaix Velodrome (with a souvenir bidon!) Sectors 0:00 Intro 1:15 Sector12. Auchy-lez-Orchies à Bersée 1:40 Sector 11. Mons-en-Pévèle 3:33 Sector 8. Templeuve 5:16 Sector 7. Cysoing à Bourghelles 6:44 Sector 5. Camphin-en-Pévèle 7:25 Sector 4. Carrefour de l'Arbre 11:44 Sector 3. Gruson 12:32 Sector 2. Willems à Hem 🔧 Bike Issues & Fixes: ⚠️ Chainset problems? Yep. Temporary fixes? You bet. ⚠️ Why a spacer might be the culprit—mechanical struggles & on-the-fly repairs! 📅 Paris-Roubaix Weekend: Excited to relax and watch the pros battle it out after my own cobbled adventure! 👍 Enjoyed the ride? ▸ Smash that LIKE button! ▸ Subscribe for more cycling challenges & adventures! ▸ Comment below—have you ridden the Paris-Roubaix Challenge? #ParisRoubaix #CyclingAdventure #CobbledClassic #GravelBike #HardtailRebuild #RoubaixVelodrome #Cycling #insta360 Thanks for watching—see you on the next ride! Website : https://www.morethan21bends.com Help support the channel and buy me a coffee https://buymeacoffee.com/morethan21bends
What Happens When You Take a Converted Drop Bar Hardtail to Roubaix?
Welcome back to Day 2 of my Paris-Roubaix adventure! This is where the Hell of the North earns its name-punishing pavé, mechanical mayhem, and leg-sapping sectors that test even the toughest riders. Today's ride had it all: my crank nearly fell off, I battled cobbled roads fit for a pro race, and fought brutal headwinds across Roubaix's less famous Cobble Sectors. 🔥 Highlights: ✔️ Crank Catastrophe! My non-drive side arm came loose-can I fix it mid-ride? ✔️ Quiévy to Saint-Python Sector – A true cobbles challenge, 3.7km of bone-rattling pavé! ✔️ Jean-Luc Derche Pavé – Short but savage, a hidden gem in the Paris-Roubaix route. ✔️ Verchain-Maugré à Quérénaing – Try saying that while bouncing across cobbled roads at 40km/h! ✔️ 28°C Heat & Headwinds – The North of France threw everything at me! Will my Arisun tires hold up? Will my Sensah shifting survive? And most importantly… will my backside make it through? Keep watching to find out! This isn't just a bike ride-it's a Roubaix experience that pushes limits. If you're planning your own Hell of the North ride, take notes! Key Paris Roubaix Secteurs 0:00 Introduction 2:55 Sector Quiévy to Saint-Python 4:38 Sector Jean Luc Derche 5:50 Sector Verchain-Maugré à Quérénaing 👉 Love cobbled chaos? Smash that like button 👍, subscribe for more epic rides, and drop a comment-have you tackled the Paris-Roubaix challenge? Any Roubaix tips to share? Watch me on the Trouee d'Arenberg and Pave Pont Gibus https://youtu.be/eB36qXK37RQ 🔔 Next Up: The FINAL SECTORS-Carrefour de l'Arbre, the Roubaix Velodrome, and the ultimate Monster Gravel biking test! Website : https://www.morethan21bends.com Help support the channel and buy me a coffee https://buymeacoffee.com/morethan21bends #ParisRoubaix #HellOfTheNorth #GravelBike #CobbledClassic #RideThePave #MonsterGravel #Sensah #CyclingAdventure #RoubaixChallenge #GravelBikeRace
Day Two Chaos: Paris-Roubaix Challenge 2025 Unleashed!
Can €300 of AliExpress Hardtail upgrades Survive the Hell of the North? | my Paris Roubaix Challenge 2025 We’re taking on the legendary Paris Roubaix route — the brutal Hell of the North — with nothing but two tubes, questionable tires, and a dream. This isn’t just any Roubaix journey… it’s a cobbles challenge on a budget bike conversion from AliExpress. What could possibly go wrong? From an icy start to a monster plate of frites in Yvetot (shoutout Willy’s Friterie 🍟), I head toward Roubaix with one goal: ride the pavé, survive the Trouée d’Arenberg, and maybe, just maybe, bring this €300 cobble-crusher back in one piece. With my Sensah drivetrain, dodgy TPU tubes, and a 3D-printed saddle, I hit 10 sectors — including Pont Gibus, Arenberg Forest, and some lesser-known stretches — while dealing with a puncture (my first in 13 years at Roubaix!), ghost shifting, and some seriously sketchy tire pressure decisions (55psi… too much?). 💥 Will the monster hardtail gravel bike conversion setup hold up? 💥 Can you actually ride the pave on budget parts? 💥 Is it madness or just another day in the biking community? Massive thanks to every cyclist who stopped to help, every cobble that didn’t unseat me, and to you for watching. 👉 Subscribe for part two (if the bike survives) and drop a 🚴‍♂️ if you've ever taken on a Roubaix challenge yourself and watch the conversion process with Episode 1 here https://youtu.be/t5LW7OVvFOs Don't miss !: 0:00 Intro and journey to Paris Roubaix 4:47 Hitting the Pave 6:35 Sector Trouee d'Arenberg 8:18 Sector Pont Gibus 10:35 Did we survive the Paris Roubaix Pave ? #parisroubaix #hellofthenorth #pave #cobbledroads #roubaixtraining #northoffrancebiking e #parisroubaixride #parisroubaixtips #roubaixexperience #gravelbikerace #ridepave #sensah #parisroubaix2025 Website : https://www.morethan21bends.com Help support the channel and buy me a coffee https://buymeacoffee.com/morethan21bends
Conquering The Paris Roubaix Cobbles Of Arenberg On A Low Budget Bike
Join me on sector 28 as the Paris Roubaix 2025 men’s race flies by some of them are not even on thé Pavé. Enter into the spirit of the race guys 🤣😜 #parisroubaix2025 #parisroubaix #secteur28 #rbx
Sector 28: My Most Insanely fast Moment of Paris Roubaix 2025
RECORD ATTEMPT ON CARREFOUR DE L'ARBRE - 54-YEAR-OLD MAMIL VS HELL OF THE NORTH Could a 54-year-old amateur conquer Paris-Roubaix's most feared sector on a 12-year-old carbon hardtail conversion with €300 of AliExpress upgrades? This was my 13th attempt on the Carrefour de l'Arbre - the 2.1km of brutal pavé that's hospitalized pros and destroyed bikes in the Hell of the North. 🔥 KEY MOMENTS: Testing if budget bike parts can survive pro-level cobbles My 8-year-old PB (set on a cyclocross bike) vs. my AliExpress experiment Why Carrefour de l'Arbre is the ultimate test for any rider (or masochist) Highlighting the MAMIL mid-life crisis that won't quit 📊 STATS: Attempts: 13 (unlucky for some) Age: 54 (what's worse - the cobbles or my knees?) Cost: €300 in AliExpress parts Time Gap: 6 seconds but was i faster or slower ? 🚨 WATCH NEXT: "Building the AliExpress Cobble Crusher" (full build series) https://youtu.be/t5LW7OVvFOs https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLPPfQPwC5Ty5SdhtWeQlZP-lGfhHye7Zf Website : https://www.morethan21bends.com Help support the channel and buy me a coffee https://buymeacoffee.com/morethan21bends #cycleride #cyclistlife #cyclingvlog #cyclisme #morethan21bends #cycling #bikepacking #cyclingvlog #cycling #cyclinginfrance #backackinglife #cyclingworkshop #parisroubaix #parisroubaix2025
How to ride Paris Roubaix’s Carrefour de l’Arbe (Faster)
Episode 3 : Can a budget AliExpress hardtail bike rebuild conquer the infamous Paris-Roubaix cobbled roads? Join my on my Paris Roubaix 2025 journey as I transform a 2015 hardtail into a cobble crusher for the Hell of the North ride, testing Sensah components and gravel grinding route hacks along the way. 🔧 About This Build: Frame: 2015 hardtail (trusty but tested) Drivetrain: Sensah 1x11 groupset + massive 11-50T cassette Wheels: 40mm Arisun gravel tyres (will they survive the pavé?) My Goal: A durable, fast-ish rig for my Paris ROubaix Challenge ⏱️ Key Moments: 0:00 Intro 1:16 Installation of the Sensah Pro HRD 1 x 11 Levers 2:07 Sensah Hydraulic Lever Hose installation 2:48 Rear Gear cable Installation 4:06 Installation of Decathlon 118 Link Chain 4:47 Installation of Shimano Front Hose and Brake Bleed 7:58 Installation of the Decathlon Handlebar tape 8:22 Installation of Shimano SPD pedals into Senicx One by chainset 8:35 Cockpit adjustment - swap stem install garmin / Insta360 mount 9:05 The final converted Hardtail Monster AliExpress gravel bike for Paris Roubaix 🚀 Why Watch? For the biking community who love budget builds Roubaix tips from a North of France biking veteran Gravel bike race prep for tough cobbles challenges Ride the pavé without breaking the bank 💬 Join the Challenge! Would YOU ride this setup on the Paris-Roubaix route? Best/worst AliExpress finds? Comment below! Subscribe to see the Roubaix test ride—will it survive? 🔗 Watch Part 1 (Strip-Down): [https://youtu.be/t5LW7OVvFOs] 🔗 Watch Part 2 (Rebuild Starts): [https://youtu.be/2VbGfX9bixQ] Website : https://www.morethan21bends.com Help support the channel and buy me a coffee https://buymeacoffee.com/morethan21bends #cycleride #cyclistlife #cyclingvlog #cyclisme #morethan21bends #cycling #parisroubaix #cyclingvlog #cycling #cyclinginfrance #backackinglife #cyclingworkshop #parisroubaix2025
I Converted My Hardtail MTB Into A Paris-Roubaix Bike
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