Winter is approaching and, for many riders, that means switching attention to indoor training.

Indoor cycling is one of the best ways to keep your pistons pumping through the off-season, with Zwift offering a wide range of routes, rides, workouts and races.

• UK – Buy the Zwift Ride with KICKR CORE 2 for £899
• US – Buy the Zwift Ride with KICKR CORE 2 for $999
• Europe – Buy the Zwift Ride with KICKR CORE 2 for €999

To mark its 12th anniversary, Zwift is celebrating with another Zwift Big Weekend offer, which sees up to 23% savings on its Ride with KICKR CORE 2 indoor bike.

You can now get the Zwift Ride with KICKR CORE 2 for £899 / $999 / €999, down from £1,099.99 / $1,299.99 / €1,199.99, which is a significant saving of £200.99 / $300.99 / €200.99.

• UK – Buy the Zwift Ride with KICKR CORE 2 for £899
• US – Buy the Zwift Ride with KICKR CORE 2 for $999
• Europe – Buy the Zwift Ride with KICKR CORE 2 for €999

The event runs from 24-28 September, with the savings only applicable during this period.

Zwift Ride with KICKR CORE V2 – £1,099.99 / $1,299.99 / €1,199.99 £899 / $999 / €999

Zwift describes the Ride with KICKR CORE 2 as an all-in-one indoor-cycling setup, effectively turning Wahoo’s KICKR CORE 2 indoor smart trainer into an indoor smart bike with an interactive cockpit that enables you to navigate the Zwift app from the handlebar.

This latest-generation V2 model features a realistic road-like ride feel, quiet and customisable virtual gear shifting, and a wide range of adjustability that even includes multiple crank lengths, so you can replicate the exact fit of your regular bike.

The added adjustability also enables multiple household riders to share the bike without sacrificing their setup.

Zwift says the Ride delivers enhanced ease of setup and seamless integration with new Watopia roads and features.

We’ve tested the Wahoo KICKR CORE 2 by itself, and our indoor training guru, Simon von Bromley, awarded it a 4.5-star rating, praising its build quality and usability.

Combined with Zwift Ride, you won’t need to repeatedly set up your road bike on the trainer, making it quick and easy to stay fit over the coming months.

• UK – Buy the Zwift Ride with KICKR CORE 2 for £899
• US – Buy the Zwift Ride with KICKR CORE 2 for $999
• Europe – Buy the Zwift Ride with KICKR CORE 2 for €999

Zwift just launched their Big Weekend Sale event, featuring the first-ever discount on the new Zwift Ride V2. The sale begins today and runs through Monday, September 28. (And before any of you long-suffering Canadians comment about not being able to get a Zwift Ride shipped affordably… scroll down for good news!)

Zwift Ride V2 – First Time Sale

With a strong feature set paired with pricing well below other smart bikes, the Zwift Ride has been the best deal going since it launched in the summer of 2024. (My educated guess is that Zwift has sold over 100,000 units thus far. But don’t quote me on that.) Just 2 weeks ago, Zwift began shipping the new Zwift Ride V2, which features several iterative improvements so it’s more adjustable and accommodating to a wider range of riders (read about exactly what changed in this post).

For the next few days, riders can pick up the Zwift Ride V2 + Wahoo KICKR CORE 2 package for just $999.99/€999.99/£899.99. That’s a huge discount off the regular price, especially for Zwifters in the US:

• US $999.99 / $300 (23%) discount Shop Now >
• EU €999.99 / €200 (18%) discount Shop Now >
• UK £899.99 / £200 (16%) discount Shop Now >

Zwift Cog and Click – 75% Off

Zwift’s Cog and Click Upgrade Kit is normally priced at an affordable $50 US, but it’s now on sale for just $12.50. Clearly, Zwift wants everyone to try virtual shifting!

If you’ve got a trainer that supports virtual shifting, but don’t yet have the Cog to replace your cassette or the Clicks to do the shifting… it may be time to give it a try!

Related: Which trainers support virtual shifting?

Oh Canada… Good News For You!

The good folks at WTRL, organizers of Zwift Racing League and WTRL TTT, have been working with Zwift for months to build the infrastructure to stock and sell the Zwift Ride in Canada. And it’s finally happening!

Pre-orders are now open to purchase the Zwift Ride V2 + KICKR CORE 2 bundle ($2,099 CAD) and the Zwift Ride V2 frame ($1,250 CAD). You can even buy the frame with a different trainer, including the Wahoo KICKR v6, Tacx NEO 2T, Tacx NEO 3M, and JetBlack Victory.

Shop Now at WTRL >
(Tip: change your currency to CAD $ | Canada in the top-right to see the Zwift Ride V2 options)

(While Wahoo has been selling both of these items for quite some time to Canada – and they sell the frame for $1,200 CAD – Wahoo charges $275 CAD to ship either item, while WTRL ships free, at least to the Canadian addresses we tested. Additionally, it appears sales tax is a bit lower through WTRL. So there’s significant net savings when buying from WTRL vs Wahoo, even if the price is higher in Canada than in the US, UK, and EU.)

A final note: the shopping links in this post are affiliate links, so when you shop through them, Zwift Insider earns an affiliate commission. Thanks in advance for your support!

The second race of Zwift Racing League 2026/27 Round 1 happens on Tuesday, September 29, and we’re in Innsbruck for a scratch race on the popular Innsbruckring.

Let’s dig into the course layout, powerups, bike decisions, and strategic options for teams.

Looking at the Route

Each lap of Innsbruckring is 8.8 km, and A/B teams will race 4 laps (35.4km, 309m elevation) while C/D will race 3 laps (26.6km, 232m elevation).

Innsbruckring is popular for races and has featured twice in ZRL: as a points race in 2022/23 and as a scratch race in 2023/24. While the exaggerated route profile below looks lumpy, it’s quite flat and uneventful for most of the lap. Especially in a scratch race, where only your finish position matters, the Leg Snapper climb will be the key selection point on each lap:

The Leg Snapper KOM begins when you cross the short bridge and the road tilts sharply upward 5km into your first lap. At 430 meters long with a steady average gradient of 6.9%, this climb will force a selection each and every lap! Be prepared for an all-out 50 to 75-second effort to stay in touch.

Keep hammering over the top of the Leg Snapper to get back up to speed on the descent immediately following. You can even use the aero powerup you got at the banner if you’d like, then recover a bit on the descent and even through the sprint (where you’ll get a feather powerup) if you’re in the front pack, as riders won’t be pushing hard since this is a scratch race.

The pack will be strung out, and gaps will have formed thanks to the Leg Snapper. This is where riders face a decision. If you’re in the front group, do you keep pushing to hold the gap? If you’re in a chase group, do you try to bridge up? Typically in multi-lap scratch races on Innsbruckring a group of riders is dropped over the Leg Snapper, then rejoins the front pack a few minutes later after the front pack eases. This is especially true on the first lap, and becomes less true as the race drags on through subsequent laps.

On the last lap, you commonly see the front pack keeping the pressure on after the Leg Snapper, so dropped riders stay dropped all the way to the finish.

Speaking of the finish: this finish always feels like a drawn-out sprint. Riders often try to go long, but are unable to hold it. Patience is crucial here, and you’ll want to maximize the use of your powerup. Holding an aero will be crucial for the finish!

Read more about the Innsbruckring route >

PowerUp Notes

Specific powerups are assigned to each arch: a 250 XP bonus at the start/finish arch, the aero boost at the Leg Snapper KOM arch, and a feather at the sprint arch.

Aero Boost (helmet): makes you more aerodynamic (reduces your CdA by 25%) for 15 seconds. Use at higher speeds (flats and descents), especially when no draft is available (although it is still useful when drafting). This is the powerup you want to be holding going into the finish.

Lightweight (feather): reduces your weight by 10% for 30 seconds.
Use on climbs, when weight matters the most. This is a handy powerup for the Leg Snapper, and it’s long enough to last for the majority of the climb. The downside is, you’ll have to forgo the 250 XP bonus at the start/finish if you want to hold onto it for the Leg Snapper!

Bike Recommendations

Bike recommendations for this race are simple, thanks to how Zwift has set up the current crop of in-game road bikes. You’ll want to pick one of the top “aero all-arounders”, the best of which are:

• Specialized S-Works Tarmac SL9 or SL8
• Cannondale Supersix EVO Lab 71 (Team Edition is even faster)

Wheel choice feels a bit trickier here, because it seems like we need to choose between the most aero wheels (disc wheelsets) or better climbing wheels (to help you survive the Leg Snapper). Lucky for you – I tested it! Here are the Leg Snapper times for three of the top contenders, using the Specialized S-Works Tarmac SL9 frame at 6 W/kg (450W):

• Shimano DURA-ACE C99/Disc: 56.50 seconds
• Princeton CarbonWorks Wake 6560: 56.25 seconds
• SwissSide HADRON Ultimate 650: 56.23 seconds

My take is: go with the disc wheelset. (And the DT Swiss 85/Disc or Swiss Side 850/Disc will also work just fine, as they perform essentially the same as the Shimano disc.) You’ll lose a quarter-second on the Leg Snapper, but you’ll be faster on the flats and in that final sprint.

Halo upgraders: your Tron bike is also a good option on this course. It’s as fast up the Leg Snapper and around the course overall as the fastest road bike combos.

Of course, your frame’s upgrade status should impact your decision.

Related: All About Zwift’s New “Bike Upgrades” Functionality >

For more info on bike and wheelset performance in Zwift, check out:

• Speed Tests: Tron Bike vs Top Performers for head-to-head comparisons of various frame and wheel combos.
• Fastest Bike Frames and Wheels at Each Zwift Level: Determine the fastest setup available to you.
• Bike Frame Charts: For precise performance data on all road frames.
• Wheel Charts: For precise performance data on all wheelsets.

More Route Recons

Lots of recon events are scheduled on upcoming ZRL routes, led by various teams. See upcoming ZRL recons for this race at zwift.com/events/tag/zrlrecon.

Additionally, riders in the Zwift community do a great job every week creating recon videos that preview the courses and offer tips to help you perform your best on the day. I’ll add them below as I find them!

J Dirom

John Rice

TacticalWatts

Strategic Options

How will these races unfold, and what strategies will riders employ in the second race of round 1? Here’s what I predict:

• Hold On To Your Aeros: Riders wanting to contend in the final sprint will 100% want to hold onto the aero powerup they receive the last time up the Leg Snapper.
• Close the Gap: In typical Zwift races, the pack breaks up over the Leg Snapper + Sprint, but chase groups will often rejoin the front group in the “uneventful” 6.8km that follows. I predict this will happen on laps 1, 2, and 3, with few riders rejoining the front each lap. But on that final lap, I bet the front riders will push to stay away!
• Four Hard Kilometers: Lighter riders and anyone who lacks sprint power may want to attack on the final Leg Snapper to drop the pure sprinters, then try to stay away to the finish. Teams may strategically execute attacks, with one rider going off the front while the rest sit in. The ensuing chase will make the final 4km of the race difficult for everyone.
• Survive and Sprint: This is what most riders will be doing. The goal is to do minimal work to stay in touch with the front pack over the Leg Snapper (“sagging the climb” helps), then be in contention on the final sprint.

Your Thoughts

Any insights or questions about this race? Share below!

Voting is under way for the 2026 MBUK and Cycling Plus Rider of the Year awards, giving you the chance to have your say on who deserves to take home this year’s honours.

After the nominations were whittled down by a panel of experts, the final shortlists have been revealed, with readers now responsible for deciding the winners of the Rider of the Year and Newcomer of the Year categories.

For the mountain bikers, MBUK has shortlisted eight riders in each category this year, down from 10 previously.

The recipient of the Lifetime Achievement award will be chosen by our panel.

You can check out the nominees and cast your vote on the MBUK Rider of the Year 2026 voting page.

• Vote for MBUK Rider of the Year 2026

If drop bars are more your thing, Cycling Plus is also looking for your votes to crown its Rider of the Year and Newcomer of the Year.

The Lifetime Achievement winner will be selected by our panel.

Head over to the Cycling Plus Rider of the Year 2026 voting page to see who has made the shortlist and cast your vote.

• Vote for Cycling Plus Rider of the Year 2026

Voting for both awards closes on 14 October, so you’ve got only a few weeks to have your say.

The winners will be revealed at an exclusive awards event on 26 November, before appearing in the January issues of MBUK and Cycling Plus and on BikeRadar.

So, whether your Rider of the Year has been smashing World Cup tracks, tearing up the road or doing something altogether different on two wheels, now’s the time to cast your vote.

A big thanks, once again, to Lezyne for their continued support for the awards.

Rapha has hinted at staff cuts in a statement that says proposed changes to the company involve an “organisational restructure” and “formal consultation process with affected team members”. 

Early on Wednesday, Rapha CEO Fran Millar announced her resignation, warning of organisational changes “to reduce cost and drive efficiency”.

In the afternoon, Rapha released a statement announcing several business updates as part of its “ongoing transformation programme”.

Rapha wrote in the statement: “While there are encouraging green shoots, we believe significant changes are essential to establish a stronger, more sustainable path forward.

“This involves a proposed organisational restructure and a formal consultation process with affected team members will now take place. We believe these proposed changes are necessary but recognise the personal impact on affected colleagues, and we do not take these decisions lightly.” 

Rapha said that, with Millar’s vision and strategy for the cycling clothing brand in place, the former CEO suggested to the board that she step down “to allow new leadership to guide the next phase” of the business.

Millar joined Rapha in 2024 having previously been the CEO of Belstaff from 2020, where she was involved in turning the company around from a loss of £20 million in 2019 to breaking even in 2024.

Millar faced a similar task at Rapha, which had long reported financial losses. Last year, Rapha reported a net loss of £15.6m for the period ending January 2025.

Ahead of its full accounts being published later this month, Rapha revealed in its statement today a trading loss of £5.6m for the financial year ending January 2026. This is the ninth consecutive year Rapha has posted a loss, but it said it continues to execute its “financial improvement plan” for “sustainable profitability” by 2027.

“These numbers reflect deliberate decisions to invest in our brand, product quality, cycling communities and customer experiences, while reducing our reliance on discount and promotional related activities – choices that will strengthen the business over time,” Rapha said. 

Rapha added that the early signs in its current financial year suggest its new strategy is working with revenue growth in key territories. It also reported growth in its Clubhouses, despite closing five Clubhouses earlier this year. 

Rapha highlighted its partnership with USA Cycling as part of its “clear strategic roadmap” for the future.

The grandsons of Walmart founder Sam Walton, Steuart and Tom Walton, bought a majority share in Rapha in 2017. 

In Rapha’s statement today, Steuart Walton said: “My brother and I have been majority owners of Rapha for nine years. We love the brand, the product, and what Rapha stands for, and we are deeply grateful to the people who have made the company so special.

“Our belief in Rapha has not changed. We remain committed to the power of cycling to make the world a better place and to Rapha’s unique role in advancing that idea. We are confident in the long-term future of the brand and committed to helping Rapha achieve its ambitions.” 

DT Swiss has released two new rear hub kits based around its existing Degrees of Freedom technology, and revamped its 1700 rim series.

The new hub kits are the DEG DF Race, which incorporates an increased level of float (up to 40 degrees) in the rear hub’s engagement, and the Ratchet DF, which is compatible with cheaper Ratchet and Ratchet LN hubs. These kits are designed to reduce pedal kickback, which can hinder rear-suspension movement.

The new 1700 rims span three models aimed at different disciplines – all are now asymmetric, and feature a more pronounced bead seat and rim horn than previous versions.

DEG DF Race kit

DT Swiss’ DEG DF (Degrees of Freedom) kit (released a year ago) converts the ratchet system used in existing DEG freehubs to include an amount of free movement, with the aim of reducing pedal kickback.

DEG hubs are DT Swiss’ hardcore offering, with a larger ratchet surface area and 90 points of engagement using a system of ratchet rings instead of pawls.

The existing DEG DF kit offers users the option of either 0, 10 or 20 degrees of free movement via internal adjustment. That means you can adjust how much slack is in the system until the freehub engages once you’re pressing on the pedals.

DT Swiss says the DEG DF Race kit is an upgrade pack, which can be added to hubs already running the existing DEG DF kit.

The new kit includes only the threaded rings (no ratchet rings or springs) and offers riders options to select increased free play with the freehub, with settings for either 0, 10, 30 or 40 degrees of movement instead.

Ratchet DF kit

DT Swiss Ratchet and Ratchet LN hubs now have their own Degrees of Freedom kit. These hubs are less expensive than the DEG hubs, so this new kit opens up the pedal-kickback reduction capabilities of the DF to a new audience.

The Ratchet DF kit offers 14 degrees of float within the freehub – less than the 20 degrees of the DEG DF kit and 40 degrees of the DEG DF Race, which fit the more expensive DT Swiss DEG hubs.

The Ratchet DF kit includes threaded rings, springs and ratchet rings (everything needed for the conversion), and is backwards-compatible with existing Ratchet and Ratchet LN hubs.

New 1700 rim series

DT Swiss has updated the rims in its 1700 range, so they are all now asymmetrical. DT Swiss says this enables them to be built into a stronger wheel thanks to more even spoke tension. DT Swiss says the 1700 series rims still use “premium aluminium alloy” and a welded rim joint.

All the new 1700 series rims have an “anti tyre-rim damage design”, where a wider rim horn helps reduce the risk of tyre damage in an impact.

During big hits, DT Swiss says this promotes “controlled denting behaviour”, which it says helps prevent tubeless air leaks. This has historically been a consideration for the brand – helping riders complete race runs with air in their tyres, even if the rim is damaged.

The final update is a change to the tyre contact surface, which now features a more pronounced hump that DT Swiss says enhances tubeless sealing, improves lateral support for the tyre and reduces the amount of pressure loss if the tyre burps.

The XR 421, XM 431 and EX 441 are all based around this new tech. DT Swiss categorises rim lines by discipline: XR for cross-country, XM for trail riding, and EX for downhill and enduro.

If you’ve signed into Zwift in recent days, you’ve probably noticed the prominent Party Crashers banner:

What is this event, and how should you approach it? Dive in and find out…

Party Crashers Basics

While Party Crashers events are essentially chase races, they are technically classified as group rides on Zwift’s calendar.

When you sign up, you choose which group you want to be in:

• Category D: You’re here for the party. Keep it casual and social in whatever costume Zwift has placed you in for the week. But also, try to stay away from the Party Crashers!
• Category E: Party Crashers. You’ll start 5 minutes behind category D, and your goal is to catch them before the ride ends.

Party Crashers Strategy

Many of the D “partier” groups are led by community riders who hold to a stated pace and keep the party going. If you’re joining for the party, stay with the beacon and help pull on the front if you’re able. This shared workload will help your group stay away from the crashers as long as possible.

Party Crashers: you’ll want to stick together as well, working together by rotating pulls on the front to keep your speed high so you can reel in the partiers.

When/if the two groups merge near the end of the ride, all bets are off. Partiers who are feeling strong can up their power and try to hang with the Party Crashers. And some Party Crashers may choose to sit up and hang with the partiers! It’s not a race, so you can do whatever you’d like. Just have fun.

Schedule

This is a 4-week series running through October 4. Events are scheduled every 2 hours throughout the day.

• Stage 1 – Battle of the Space Invaders – September 14-18
  • Route: Neokyo All-Nighter
  • 24.3 km, 168 m
• Stage 2 – Cowboys vs Aliens – September 19-23
  • Route: The Magnificent 8
  • 28.9 km, 156 m
• Stage 3 – Dino Chase – September 24-28
  • Route: Canopies and Coastlines
  • 22.6 km, 124 m
• Stage 4 – Man vs Machine – September 29-October 4
  • Route: Island Hopper
  • 31.1 km, 257 m

Sign Up

See upcoming Party Crashers events at zwift.com/events/tag/partycrashers >

Bonus XP and Silly Costumes

Whenever you ride through an arch, you’ve got a 1/3 chance of landing the big XP bonus (250 XP). That can add up to a lot of XP during the ride, as Gerben shows in his recent video:

Each week’s rides place riders in a costume based on the theme. This week, for example, is Cowboys vs. Aliens. You can see the costumes in Gerben’s video above… space suits for the partiers, and a space kit (and maybe a cowboy hat?) for the crashers.

Improvements

I love that Zwift is trying a different sort of event. Keeping them as group rides and recruiting community leaders keeps it fun, too.

But could these events be better? Zwift Insider reader “Bob” had this suggestion:

…if Zwift would just add an on-screen tally showing the number of riders in the opposite group that you have passed/held off, it would really take those events to the next level. It’s a neat idea but hard to get too excited when you have almost no information about the opposing group.

I agree with Bob. On top of that, I would love to see a time gap displayed, so you know how close you are to the other group. This suggestion would really enhance chase races as well, which is why I mentioned it years ago in Zwift Chase Race Basics, Strategies, and More.

Come on, Zwift. Let’s take chase races/rides to the next level!

Your Thoughts

Have you ridden a Party Crashers event yet? Were you partying, or crashing? How was the experience? Share below!

Paralympic gold medal winner Lizzi Jordan MBE is campaigning for tandem bicycles sold to visually impaired individuals to be VAT-exempt. 

Jordan, who is blind, won Paralympic gold in the women’s tandem 1km time trial alongside her pilot Danni Khan. She has also won six world titles, four world champion medals and a bronze medal as part of Team England at the Commonwealth Games this summer.

Jordan, 28, lost her eyesight at the age 19 due to illness complications that led to her being in a coma and on life support for eight weeks. She eventually found herself at a British Cycling Talent ID day, where her para-cycling career began. 

Equal access to more affordable bicycles

Jordan says she wants to use her platform to ensure every blind and visually impaired person in the UK “has equal access to something as basic as more affordable bicycles”.

“This campaign presents the government with a practical, affordable, and highly visible opportunity to improve disability inclusion in the United Kingdom,” Jordan says.  

“This is a fairness issue. It is an accessibility issue. And it is an opportunity for the Government to make a meaningful change,” she adds.

British Cycling says current legislation “discriminates against visually impaired people”, failing to recognise tandems as adaptive bicycles, because they are not used exclusively by those with disabilities.

However, it adds that recognising tandems as adaptive bicycles would “improve access to exercise, travel, social inclusion and physical and mental wellbeing for visually impaired people up and down the country”. 

A 2025 analysis by the Royal National Institute of Blind People found blind and partially sighted working-age adults are about half as likely to be in paid employment as non-disabled people. 

Meanwhile, Sport England says disabled people are “almost twice as likely” to be physically inactive. 

A “transformative” social impact

Jordan says the financial impact of recognising tandems as adaptive bicycles would be “minimal”. Figures provided by Orbit Tandems LTD, England’s largest tandem bicycle supplier, suggests the impact would be roughly £26,000 per year. Yet Jordan says “the social impact would be transformative”.

“I urge the Government to please formally recognise standard tandem bicycles purchased by visually impaired individuals as adaptive bicycles with regards to the VAT exemption,” she says. 

“I would welcome a meeting with you and your team to discuss this important issue, and opportunity, in more detail.” 

Steve Darling, MP for Torbay, says: “The current rules, meaning that tandem bikes are not recognised as adaptive cycles, make little sense. 

“We need to encourage people with disabilities to stay active rather than making specialist equipment more expensive. I hope that the Chancellor sees this error and reverses it at the budget.” 

The campaign has the support of several organisations, including the Bicycle Association, British Blind Sport, ParalympicsGB and Cycling UK.

Last September, Castelli announced a new “revolutionary” fabric that was said to tick every box for performance while being free of PFAs-based chemicals.

Developed in collaboration with Polartec, the fabric that is made from recycled polyester yarns debuted on the Castelli Perfetto 3 jacket. It replaced the Gore-Tex Infinium fabric that contained the ‘forever chemicals’, which don’t break down naturally. 

Now, Castelli has updated the Perfetto, following consumer feedback, and brought the Aircore fabric to its Gabba jacket. 

New Castelli Perfetto 4 and Pro

Castelli says it designed the new Perfetto 4 “from scratch to be the benchmark for all-condition performance”. 

The cycling jacket continues to use the highly breathable, windproof and water repellent Aircore fabric. However, Castelli’s global manager Steve Smith says the company increased the fabric’s weight from 150g per square metre. 

“We’re incredibly proud of the Perfetto RoS 3; it truly is a groundbreaking jacket that raised the bar for all-condition performance. The feedback we kept on hearing from customers, though, was that it was lighter weight than previous Perfettos, and that they wanted more warmth,” Smith says. 

“That’s why, with the Perfetto 4, we’ve listened to that feedback and introduced a new 219g Aircore fabric to this jacket which has more loft and provides added insulation.”  

This means while the Perfetto 3 had a recommended temperature range of 4–14˚C, the Perfetto 4 has a recommended range of 4–12˚C. 

If you were a fan of the previous, lighter Perfetto, Castelli has also announced the Perfetto Pro. This version of the jacket is described as a “sleek, minimal race piece” and uses a 150g Aircore fabric for temperatures from 6–14˚C. 

Both the Perfetto 4 and Pro keep the jacket’s recognisable shoulder tape, but this is now made from a transparent material.

They also have metal drainage holes in the rear pockets, which is a reference to the very first Gabba jacket, which spurred Castelli’s range of wet-weather cycling kit. 

The Castelli Perfetto 4 costs £280 / $330 / €260 and the Perfetto Pro costs £300 / $350 / €280. 

Castelli Gabba Pro

Although the Perfetto dropped Gore-Tex Infinium last September, Castelli removed it from the Gabba back in 2024. Instead of Gore-Tex, the Gabba R used a fabric with a Japanese-made membrane and a hydrophobic treatment. 

But now Castelli has released the Gabba Pro, a new version of the jacket, which uses Aircore.

Castelli says: “The jacket takes the same technology, 150g fabric and close-to-body fit that’s been applied to the Perfetto Pro jersey and makes it available in a short-sleeved option.”

Smith says: “It’s always an exciting moment introducing a new Gabba into the range as it’s a jacket that revolutionised the cycling apparel market in the same way Aircore transformed how modern cyclists dress for colder conditions. 

“This, and the Perfetto Pro, are jackets you want to wear when you need breathability, mobility and a competitive edge.” 

When Aircore was revealed, Castelli said the fabric’s focus on breathability was partly a result of cyclists spending less time riding in the rain due to the increase in indoor cycling, and climate change.

But Smith says that if torrential rain is forecast for your ride, Castelli would recommend the Gabba R “for complete waterproof coverage”.

The Gabba Pro costs £230 / $320 / €260. 

• You may like: Santini’s creative director says cycling clothing has “got a little bit lost” but its jersey of the future could be an antidote

Fran Millar has left Rapha after a two-year tenure as the cycling clothing company’s CEO, warning of organisational changes “to reduce cost and drive efficiency”.

In an Instagram post published on Wednesday, Millar said her “vision and strategy” for Rapha are set in place “and the path ahead for the brand is clear”. 

Millar wrote: “What remains is delivery. To support that, the business will make significant organisational changes to reduce cost and drive efficiency, and those changes call for a different governance and leadership structure. With that in mind, I proposed to the board that I step down as CEO.”

• Read more: Rapha hints at staff cuts following departure of CEO

Millar joined Rapha as CEO in 2024. Previously, she was the CEO of Belstaff, which she joined in 2020 to turn around from an annual loss of £20 million in 2019. The clothing company broke even in 2024.

Her task was similar at Rapha, which had repeatedly made headlines for its financial losses.

Last October, BikeRadar reported that Rapha’s financial results for the period ending January 2025 revealed revenues of £96.2m and a net loss of £15.6m. It was the eighth consecutive year that Rapha posted a net loss.

At the time, Millar said she wanted to get Rapha back to the forefront of cycling. “We’ve got to get back to being brilliant at what we do,” she said. 

Part of this vision prompted Millar to cut ties with EF Pro Cycling after seven years. Millar said: “As a customer and fan of the sport, I felt that relationship had gotten tired.”

Rapha also revealed a partnership with USA Cycling in a bid to broaden the company’s reach and customer base. 

Millar said the decision was possible due to a renewed belief in Rapha from within the company and its financial backers.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Fran Millar (@franmillar)

Last year, Rapha also said it was more concerned with Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation, and Amortisation (EBITDA). 

Rapha’s chief financial officer, Michelle Woolaghan, told BikeRadar Rapha’s losses were due to ongoing amortisation, essentially the depreciation of goodwill and tangible assets, following Rapha’s purchase by the grandsons of the Walmart founder Sam Walton, Steuart and Tom Walton, in 2017. 

It also wanted to reduce its discounting and promotional sales. “We’re kind of coming off the discounting drug, I suppose,” Woolaghan said. 

Millar wrote in her Instagram post: “I am incredibly proud of the passionate, loyal, committed people who work at Rapha across the world and it has been a joy to lead them for two years.

“All that remains to say is THANK YOU to our team, our members, our customers and the brand.”

Rapha has not yet commented on Millar’s departure. 

Zwift’s big fondo events are a seasonal tradition where thousands of riders push themselves to finish long weekend rides. The 2026/27 schedule has just been announced, with the first events happening this weekend on New York’s longest route, Fuhgeddaboudit.

This is the first route in a diverse list selected for this monthly series. And Zwift’s longest route (London’s The PRL Full) features in December during the Rapha Festive 500!

Here are all the details for this season’s ZFondo Series…

Routes and Schedule

The last weekend of each month is designated as a Fondo Weekend, and each month features a different route.

Events are scheduled every three hours during Fondo Weekends.

• September 25-27, 2026
  • Route: Fuhgeddaboudit
  • Length: 79km (49.1 miles)
  • Elevation: 838m (2749’)
• October 23-25, 2026
  • Route: Makuri Pretzel
  • Length: 77.6km (48.2 miles)
  • Elevation: 616m (2021’)
• November 27-29, 2026
  • Route: Sacre Bleu
  • Length: 71.2km (44.2 miles)
  • Elevation: 396m (1299’)
• December 25-27, 2026
  • Route: PRL Full or PRL Half
  • Length: 173km/69.1km (107.5 miles/42.9 miles)
  • Elevation: 2621m/1009m (8599’/3310’)
• January 22-24, 2027
  • Route: Zwift Games 2024 Epic
  • Length: 79.6km (49.5 miles)
  • Elevation: 821m (2694’)
• February 26-28, 2027
  • Route: The Pretzel
  • Length: 72.9km (45.3 miles)
  • Elevation: 1362m (4469’)
• March 26-28, 2027
  • Route: TBD (probably a new Watopia route from the upcoming expansion!)
  • Length: TBD
  • Elevation: TBD

Categorization and RoboPacers

You must choose a category when you sign up, but the category you choose is entirely up to you, and all categories start together and are visible to each other.

The idea is that you’ll choose a category at the approximate pace you plan to ride, making it easy to see and group up with other riders targeting a similar pace. Each category will include a RoboPacer with a beacon, and you can choose to ride with that RoboPacer group or not.

Available categories:

• A: 4.2 W/kg (RoboPacer: Constance @4.2 W/kg)
• B: 3.2 W/kg (RoboPacer: Jacques @3.2 W/kg)
• C: 2.6 W/kg (RoboPacer: Coco @2.6 W/kg)
• D: 1.8 W/kg (RoboPacer: Miguel @1.8 W/kg)
• E: 1.5 W/kg (RoboPacer: D Bernie @1.5 W/kg)

Bonuses and Unlocks

Each month features either a 1000 XP or a 60,000 Drops bonus, plus an unlock of a legacy fondo kit:

• September: 1000 XP
• October: 1000 XP
• November: 1000 XP
• December: 60,000 Drops
• January: 60,000 Drops
• February: 60,000 Drops
• March: 1000 XP

We don’t know which legacy kits will be unlocked, only that they’ll be different from last year’s. We’ll share more unlock info if/when we get it!

Is this a race?

Officially, no. But hundreds (possibly thousands) of riders will turn out for each of these popular “fun race” events, and the front of each event will certainly be filled with strong riders going all out.

With so many riders participating, everyone should be able to find a group that suits their desired pace. You do you!

Questions or Comments?

Post below!

Zwift version 1.122 begins its phased rollout today. This update includes automatic background pairing, homescreen changes, and the removal of all level-locked roads. Read on for details!

No More Roadblocks

Zwift’s update notes say they have, “Removed level restrictions from routes and route intersections, making all routes available to Zwifters at any level.”

Prior to this update, level gates existed when turning off the Epic KOM Reverse toward the Jungle (level 5+), turning from the Jungle Circuit onto Alpe du Zwift (level 6+), and turning at the LAX Roundabout onto the Southern Coast Road (level 10+).

Background Pairing

As mentioned in last week’s “What else is coming on Zwift?” post, today’s update includes background pairing. If you have it enabled (it’s turned on by default), the game boots directly to the homescreen and automatically connects to your fitness devices (trainer, power meter, heart rate monitor, controllers, etc) instead of forcing you to click to continue from the pairing screen.

Small widgets on the homescreen show your pairing progress:

The Pairing button on the homescreen shows how many devices are connected, and you can click it to add or change devices:

Additionally, Pairing Options are now available on the Pairing screen, allowing you to enable or disable the new Background Pairing feature and use Zwift Companion as a Bluetooth bridge:

Homescreen Changes

As announced in their “This Season On Zwift” Fall 2026 Press Release, Zwift has been working on several homescreen changes. These will “roll out gradually” starting with today’s game update. Changes include:

• The new theater card puts Challenges front and center on the Home screen.
• Personalized Recommendations are now only visible in the ‘For You’ row.
• New Progress Widget on the Homescreen makes levels, achievement counts, and route completion more visible, giving Zwifters something to chase every time they log in.
• The ‘For You’ row now uses ribbons to show when planned activities are due, e.g. today, tomorrow, and day-of-week labels.
• Estimated duration now shown on route cards when selecting a workout from the Home screen.

New Launcher

Zwift says that launcher version 1.1.18 is now the minimum required version and will be installed automatically. This launcher has a slightly different look from the old one, and includes your profile photo, name, and ride/run levels:

The more important improvements, though, are behind the scenes, particularly for macOS users who have had connectivity challenges due to recent OS updates. Zwift’s release notes for the new launcher include this line for macOS:

Improved Local Network and Bluetooth permission handling when the macOS Launcher starts Zwift. Wi-Fi trainers and Companion devices connect more seamlessly on newer versions of macOS.

Coming Soon – Tour of Watopia

Today’s release notes include a mention of Tour of Watopia coming soon. This big ride series is always a fun kick off to “indoor season”. This year features double XP, new unlocks, and our first look at the Watopia expansion… what’s not to love?

The Tour runs from October 5-November 15. Watch Zwift Insider this Friday for all the details about ToW 2026!

Release Notes

Zwift supplied these additional release notes:

• Fixed a crash that could occur with JetBlack Victory trainers connected via USB when used as a Bluetooth bridge for other fitness devices like heart rate monitors or Zwift controllers.
• Windows: Improved Bluetooth connection reliability.
• iOS and tvOS
  • Reduced the amount of time it takes to open Zwift on some devices.
  • Improved text clarity on larger / lower DPI displays.

Discuss this update in Zwift’s forum >

Questions or comments?

If you spotted any other changes or bugs in the update, please comment below!

Specialized has launched the new S-Works Tarmac SL9 Remco LTD, a special version of its flagship race bike in tribute to Remco Evenepoel, limited to only 100 examples worldwide.

Priced at £12,999 / $14,999 / €14,999 / AU$21,500, the Remco LTD is the most expensive Tarmac SL9 – the top-spec S-Works Tarmac SL9 SRAM Red AXS costs £11,999 in the UK and $14,000 in the US.

The bike includes Remco Evenepoel’s gold-imbued paint scheme, a reference to the Belgian’s Olympic road race champion status, Roval’s Rapide Sprint CLX wheels, Specialized’s Cotton TLR tyres and an S-Works Power with Mirror saddle.

The bike comes hot on the heels of Evenepoel winning the elite men’s individual time trial world championship in Montréal at the weekend, taking his fourth consecutive world title in the discipline.

He now turns his attention to the elite men’s road race this Sunday, where he is among the favourites for the rainbow jersey.

The bike itself is based on the S-Works Tarmac SL9 launched earlier this year. For the Remco LTD, Specialized has taken the Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe team’s ‘Motion + Emotion’ bike design used during the 2026 season and added gold detailing.

The paintjob splits the frame, with a deep gold front end transitioning into the team’s now-familiar white rear section.

As with other S-Works-spec Tarmac SL9s, the frame and fork use Specialized’s top-spec Fact 12r carbon. The drivetrain is SRAM’s Red AXS 12-speed groupset, the same as used by Evenepoel and the Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe team, complete with dual-sided power meter and 50/37-tooth chainrings.

The bike rolls on Roval Rapide Sprint CLX carbon wheels, with offset 63mm-deep front and 58mm-deep rear rims, fitted with 30mm Specialized Cotton TLR tyres.

At the front is Roval’s Rapide integrated bar and stem, while contact points are completed by an S-Works Power with Mirror saddle.

Specialized says the complete bike weighs 6.78kg in a size 56cm.

The S-Works Tarmac SL9 Remco LTD is available to buy through Specialized’s website and Specialized stores – likely for a very limited period of time.

Specialized S-Works Tarmac SL9 Remco LTD specification

• Frame: S-Works Tarmac SL9 FACT 12r Carbon
• Fork: S-Works FACT 12r Carbon
• Groupset: SRAM Red AXS
• Crankset: SRAM Red AXS with Quarq power meter, 50/37t
• Cassette: SRAM Red XG-1290, 10-36t
• Bottom bracket: CeramicSpeed BB Alpha, BSA DUB
• Wheels: Roval Rapide Sprint CLX, tubeless
• Tyres: Specialized Cotton TLR, 30mm
• Cockpit: Roval Rapide, carbon
• Saddle: S-Works Power with Mirror
• Seatpost: S-Works Rapide Post, FACT Carbon, 15mm offset
• Weight: 6.78kg, size 56cm (claimed)
• Price: £12,999 / $14,999 / €14,999 / AU$21,500