Riders from our dealer Captain Velo turn the ASTR RS into the ultimate beach racer
During the winter months, beach racing is particularly popular along the beautiful coastlines of France, Belgium and the Netherlands. Our dealer Captain Velo from Coquelles (Pas-de-Calais) taps perfectly into this trend with its own “Beach Team” within UVC Calais. The riders of this team contest their beach races on a modified version of the ASTR RS. Because this combination really captured our imagination, we visited our loyal dealer to find out more.
The chairman of UVC Calais, Gregory “Greg” Prevot, is delighted that the hard work the team has been putting in for years is now attracting attention outside France as well. The squad is active in a wide range of disciplines: on the road, in cyclocross, in mountain bike, in beach racing, and with its own cycling school. “The team was founded just before the COVID pandemic,” Greg explains. “From 2021 onwards, we were able to ride our first races. We’ve been growing ever since.”
Beach racing has had a solid following in Belgium for quite some time, and the discipline has only gained importance in recent years. At the end of 2024, the newly founded Ridley Racing Team even celebrated the Belgian title with Daan Soete, who once again proved on the beach of Bredene why he is called “The Sandman”. Things are also moving in the right direction for beach racing in France. “There are currently seven races in France, spread across various towns along the Opal Coast,” Greg knows. “I organize the one in Calais myself. In addition, we have a specific beach division within UVC Calais, which I lead.”
The chairman of UVC Calais, Gregory “Greg” Prevot, is delighted that the hard work the team has been putting in for years is now attracting attention outside France as well. The squad is active in a wide range of disciplines: on the road, in cyclocross, in mountain bike, in beach racing, and with its own cycling school. “The team was founded just before the COVID pandemic,” Greg explains. “From 2021 onwards, we were able to ride our first races. We’ve been growing ever since.”
Beach racing has had a solid following in Belgium for quite some time, and the discipline has only gained importance in recent years. At the end of 2024, the newly founded Ridley Racing Team even celebrated the Belgian title with Daan Soete, who once again proved on the beach of Bredene why he is called “The Sandman”. Things are also moving in the right direction for beach racing in France. “There are currently seven races in France, spread across various towns along the Opal Coast,” Greg knows. “I organize the one in Calais myself. In addition, we have a specific beach division within UVC Calais, which I lead.”
Wide tyres
Through Captain Velo, the riders of the beach team use the ASTR RS as the basis for their beach racer. “We equip these bikes with gravel wheels, depending on the needs of each rider. In our case, we generally opt for a G-ONE 2.35 tyre. That’s a true beach tyre with a low-profile tread. We ride tubeless, which makes it possible to use extremely low tyre pressure — sometimes even below one bar. That’s crucial in beach races.”
(The official tyre width we recommend is 52 millimetres. Every extra millimetre increases the risk of a technical issue or paint damage. It is therefore the rider’s own responsibility if they choose to go wider.)
It’s not just the tyres that make the ASTR RS an excellent beach bike. “For us, the gravel geometry is a major asset,” Greg explains. “We find it better suited than the classic mountain bikes that are often converted for beach races. Over the years, we’ve carried out a great number of tests with our different bikes. We looked at gearing, tyre pressure, stiffness, rim width, tyre width and position. By comparing all these parameters, we came to the conclusion that a ‘monster gravel’ offers the best compromise. The ASTR RS meets many of those criteria. The bike is very responsive and behaves brilliantly in technical sections.”
These findings are also reflected in the team’s results. “With this model, we’ve already won two races, both over short and long distance,” Greg concludes proudly. “On top of that, we’ve taken multiple podium spots — and that while the season has only just begun.”
(The official tyre width we recommend is 52 millimetres. Every extra millimetre increases the risk of a technical issue or paint damage. It is therefore the rider’s own responsibility if they choose to go wider.)
It’s not just the tyres that make the ASTR RS an excellent beach bike. “For us, the gravel geometry is a major asset,” Greg explains. “We find it better suited than the classic mountain bikes that are often converted for beach races. Over the years, we’ve carried out a great number of tests with our different bikes. We looked at gearing, tyre pressure, stiffness, rim width, tyre width and position. By comparing all these parameters, we came to the conclusion that a ‘monster gravel’ offers the best compromise. The ASTR RS meets many of those criteria. The bike is very responsive and behaves brilliantly in technical sections.”
These findings are also reflected in the team’s results. “With this model, we’ve already won two races, both over short and long distance,” Greg concludes proudly. “On top of that, we’ve taken multiple podium spots — and that while the season has only just begun.”
ASTR RS
The new standard for performance gravelThe ASTR RS is a high-end racing gravel bike that combines aerodynamics and light weight to meet all the needs of the modern gravel circuit. With a tyre clearance of 52 millimetres (1x setup), you are armed for the roughest terrain on the ASTR RS. The accompanying geometry stands for stability and speed.
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