Bikes may be a big lump-sum investment, but there’s plenty more to spend your hard-earned cash on when it comes to cycling – and a decent GPS cycling computer is one such item. 

Bike computers can help you track your ride and metrics, and act as a sat nav on your handlebar, with many computers offering impressive colour mapping and navigational aids.

However, the advanced tech found in the best bike computers doesn’t come cheap. 

To help you save money, we’ve dug out some of the best deals for market leader Garmin’s most popular cycling computers, available through Amazon Renewed.

• Garmin Edge bike computers: a buyer’s guide to all the models

Amazon Renewed is the online mega-retailer’s shop for pre-loved electronics across a range of categories, including laptop computers, smartphones, smartwatches and gaming. 

The products are inspected, tested and cleaned, and sold with a 90-day money-back guarantee. That means you can return your item at any time within 90 days of purchase for a replacement or full refund.

According to Amazon, batteries will have a capacity that exceeds 80 per cent of the original battery life, and all products are rated according to their condition: premium/excellent, good or acceptable.

Right, on to the deals. Where possible, we’ve highlighted whether the deal is available in the US, UK or both.

Garmin Edge 830 – save $84.04

• $309.95 (list price $393.99 – save $84.04)
• Buy the Garmin Edge 830 Renewed on Amazon.com

The Edge 830 may have been superseded by the Edge 840, but it’s still a top-dollar bike computer, with a touchscreen, turn-by-turn navigation, and advanced training features and analysis, such as training load focus, recovery and VO2 max.

Safety features include a bike alarm and tracking, to give peace of mind when you’re out on the road or trail.

• Read more: Garmin Edge 830 review

Garmin Edge 530 – save $34.50 / £109.43

• $214.99 (list price $249.99 – save $34.50)
• £120.52 (list price £229.95 – save £109.43)
• Buy the Garmin Edge 530 Renewed on Amazon.com
• Buy the Garmin Edge 530 Renewed on Amazon.co.uk

Looking for the same performance-tracking capability of the Garmin Edge 830 in a more reasonably priced package? 

The Garmin Edge 530 boasts a 2.6in colour display and many of the same great features as the pricier Edge 830, and offers turn-by-turn navigation.

The major difference is the Garmin Edge 530 is operated by buttons, rather than a touchscreen, but for most riders, this will be a compact, user-friendly and great-value computer.

• Read more: Garmin Edge 530 review

Garmin Edge 820 – save $89.99

• $259.99 (list price $349.98 – save $89.99)
• Buy the Garmin Edge 820 Renewed on Amazon.com

The Garmin Edge 820 is a compact GPS cycling computer with a 2.3in touchscreen display. It’s a slightly older model in the Garmin range, but still offers plenty of performance – and at a good price.

As well as key performance metrics and Strava Live Segments integration, the computer can also provide turn-by-turn navigation.

Expect the full bundle in this package, with a standard and out-front mounts, premium heart rate monitor, and cadence and speed sensors included.

• Read more: Garmin Edge 820 review

Garmin Edge Explore 2 – save £52.70

• £184.90 (list price £237.60 – save £52.70)
• Buy the Garmin Edge Explore 2 on Amazon.co.uk

The Edge Explore 2 is one of our favourite bike computers, if you’re looking for a unit that focuses on navigation and mapping, rather than training and performance.

You still get plenty of ride metrics, and you can connect the computer to external sensors such as heart-rate monitors and power meters, to pull in and display that data.

The Edge Explore 2 also has a 3-inch touch display.

• Read more: Garmin Edge Explore 2 review

Zwift’s “ZRacing” is the platform’s most popular ongoing race series, and for May we’re staying in the Makuri Islands.

Read on for details about this month’s race routes and more!

May’s Routes

Here are the routes we’ll be racing in May:

• Stage 1 (May 5-11): Bridges and Boardwalks
  • 3 laps (20.5km, 191m)
  • Powerups: Aero, Feather
• Stage 2 (May 12-18): Turf N Surf
  • 1 lap (24.7km, 198m elevation)
  • Powerups: Feather, Anvil
• Stage 3 (May 19-25): Castle to Castle
  • 1 lap (23.2km, 141m)
  • Powerups: Draft, Aero
• Stage 4 (May 26 – June 1): Three Village Loop
  • 2 laps (23.5km, 191m)
  • Powerups: Feather, Draft

See upcoming Range 1 “Makuri May” events >
See upcoming Range 2 “Makuri May” events >
See upcoming Advanced “Makuri May” events >
See ALL upcoming “Makuri May” events >

GC Leaderboards

Zwift debuted new web-based leaderboards at zwift.com for tracking the Zwift Games 2025 GC, and an upgraded version of those leaderboards is now being put to work for use in the monthly ZRacing series!

Access May’s leaderboard at zwift.com/racing/leagues/zracingmay2025 >

Your GC ranking is based on your best finishing time for each stage, and you can race each stage more than once to try for a better time.

Choose Your Category

Zwift schedules three different flavors of ZRacing events in order to encourage “Fairer, more competitive racing for everyone.” They each use different racing score ranges for categorization and are titled Advanced, Range 1, and Range 2. Click banners below to see upcoming events for each:

Get the Badge

Each month’s ZRacing series has a unique achievement badge, which you can unlock by finishing every stage for the month. There are no makeup events, so if you miss a stage, you miss out on the badge and competing in the GC.

One and Done

Zwift has planned these events to deliver a solid 1-hour workout, so each race should only take around 1 hour to complete, including your warmup and cooldown.

Questions or Comments?

Post below! 

See zwiftinsider.com/route/gentil-8/

The likelihood of a cyclist or pedestrian being fatally injured is 44% higher if they are hit by an SUV or light truck compared to smaller passenger cars, according to new research from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, published today.

Researchers used real-world collision data from more than 680,000 collisions over the last 35 years as part of a new analysis of existing studies.

The odds of fatal injury increased by 44% for people of all ages struck by an SUV (Sport Utility Vehicle), compared to those hit by a regular passenger car, while the odds for children increased by 82%, and 130% among children under the age of 10.

More SUVs

The authors of the study estimate that the proportion of car crashes involving an SUV is around 45% in the USA and around 20% in Europe, with SUVs said to be making up 48% of new car sales globally in 2023, up from 15% in 2010.

They say that if all SUVs were replaced with regular passenger cars, the number of pedestrians and cyclists killed in car crashes would decrease by an estimated 17% in the USA and by 8% in Europe.

Anna Goodman, assistant professor at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, and senior author of the study, says there has been a huge increase in the sale of ever-larger cars worldwide with the “findings indicating that this proliferation of larger vehicles threatens to undermine all the road safety gains being made on other fronts”.

A previous study highlighted a key reason for the increased risk is likely to be the taller and blunter profile of the front end of SUVs, with a taller front end meaning a pedestrian or cyclist is struck higher up on their body (e.g. the pelvis not the knees for an adult, or the head not the pelvis for a child). It also means the pedestrian or cyclist is more likely to be thrown forward onto the road, at which point the striking vehicle may hit them a second time or roll over their body.

Oliver Lord, UK Head of the Clean Cities Campaign, responded to the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine research with this statement: “It’s alarming to see fresh evidence confirming SUVs are linked to more fatal crashes. No-one buying a car would want to put children at greater risk.

“We urgently need government to take action on carspreading. Councils could introduce fairer parking charges that reflect the size and weight of these vehicles, while government reviews taxes to address the real harm caused by supersized SUVs. That would provide more opportunity to invest in priorities like fixing potholes and better public transport.”

Elsa Robinson, who worked on the study as an MSc Public Health student, says: “analysing over half a million crashes from countries from across the world tells us that SUVs and other similarly large vehicles are much more likely than traditional passenger cars to cause serious harm if they strike a pedestrian or cyclist.

“Our findings also highlight that these larger vehicles are particularly dangerous for children, especially young children. This could be because children are shorter in height, and are therefore more vulnerable to the risks of being hit by vehicles with a tall front end.”

DJI has released an update to its Avinox motor, increasing the Turbo mode’s power from 850W to 1,000W.

Previously, the Avinox’s 1,000W maximum output was only available in a 30-second Boost mode designed to assist on the steepest gradients, but will now be constantly on tap in Turbo mode.

The move comes as legislation on powerful ebike motors is discussed in Germany, with a maximum output of 750W being suggested.

DJI says it is “closely monitoring the EU regulations and is committed to adhering to established guidelines”.

Whether the Chinese brand’s update is coincidental or pays no heed to the proposed changes is unclear. Either way, it’s likely to prove controversial with european manufactures such as Bosch, who have backed the campaign to limit motor power output.

Free firmware update

The power increase comes as part of DJI’s 1.1.0 app version, released on 26 April, which the brand says is a “grey version intended for the collection of feedback”.

“App version 1.1.1 released on the same day addressed compatibility issues,” DJI explained. “We’re preparing to release a new firmware update in May, with specific details to be shared upon the official release. We appreciate your attention and patience as we work to provide you an improved experience.

“We’re closely monitoring the EU regulations and are committed to adhere to established guidelines. We are also committed to providing our users with support in light of any regulatory changes that may impact our products.

“Should such circumstances arise, we will ensure that our users have access to the necessary resources and guidance for adapting their purchased products.”

Alongside the 150W boost to Turbo mode, the update brings more control over charging, enabling you to choose a charging rate, with faster speeds resulting in speedier top-ups and slower prolonging battery life.

You can also change the length of Boost mode, enabling you to set it above the previous limit of 30 seconds.

The UX of the topbar-mounted screen has also been updated, with data now being shown in bar and line charts.

A stopwatch function has also been added, which should enable you to time your runs or see how long you’ve been waiting for your mates at the top of the hill.

What does this mean for EU regulation?

While it seems DJI has doubled down on its high-power ebike motor, many European manufacturers have welcomed legislation to limit motor output.

The feeling is that many manufacturers see electric bikes as having a Goldilocks position in the market, with no registration or licensing required to own or operate an EAPC-regulated bike.

The fear for some brands is that increasing maximum power will give legislators more reason to push for registration and licensing, which will likely impact sales.

This could be perceived as the European brands protecting the market from Chinese disrupters such as DJI and Bafang.

Norco has announced a voluntary recall on all of its model year 2025 Sight VLT CX electric mountain bikes. 

This is due to concerns with the rearmost rear brake insert coming loose, which Norco says is a safety concern while riding. 

As a result, Norco recommends to stop riding the electric mountain bike: “Out of an abundance of caution, we’re asking all riders of these bikes to stop riding immediately while we investigate and gather more data.” 

All of the models in the range are affected, which are as follows: 

• Norco Sight VLT CX C1 150
• Norco Sight VLT CX C2 150
• Norco Sight VLT CX C3 150

The Sight VLT CX was launched earlier this month. It is claimed to offer a 20 per cent weight reduction over the previous model, despite boasting more battery capacity and equal power.

The bike uses Bosch’s latest Gen5 Performance Line CX motor and retains its predecessor’s 160/150mm suspension travel, while rolling on a mullet setup. 

If you have questions, Norco says: “Your Norco retailer is your best point of contact, and they’ll be kept informed throughout this process.” 

“We know this is an inconvenience, and we appreciate your patience and understanding. This request comes from our commitment to performance, safety, and the trust you place in every ride,” Norco says in the stop ride notice. 

Norco says you can also reach its team directly at warranty@norco.com or 1-800-663-8916 if you’re in the USA or Canada. 

You can read the full stop ride notice here, which was issued last Friday.

See zwiftinsider.com/route/three-musketeers/

Winspace is launching a new T1600 aero road bike with bonkers D-shaped vents where the seatstays meet the seat tube.

As it stands, the T1600 has only been launched in China, with a global launch planned later next month. 

Winspace is one of the best-known Chinese bike brands. Founded in 2008, it offers performance road bikes at more budget-friendly prices. 

• Winspace’s new 700g SLC3 climbing bike is light on the scales and your wallet

The brand’s previous T550 aero road bike was first launched in 2017 and was updated five years later, and it cut a far more conventional shape compared to the T1600. 

The T1600’s vents are said to reduce air turbulence and improve the aerodynamic performance of the bike. That’s according to Winspace, anyway.

In principle, the vents seem similar to how Trek introduced a hole to the Madone’s seat tube, called IsoFlow. 

Trek says IsoFlow improves aerodynamics by accelerating the airflow through the turbulent wake of the bike and rider. 

But we don’t currently know enough about Winspace’s new design to say exactly if that’s what’s going on here. 

Winspace says the frame weighs 900g in an unpainted size medium and that it combines T100 and T1100 carbon fibre with Kevlar reinforcement around the head tube. 

According to cyclisthub, the T1600 was tested against a T1550 Gen 2 with a Winspace Zero SL handlebar in a wind tunnel, where it was 5.5 watts faster at 48km/h.

A Weight Weenies post suggests the frame has clearance for 32mm tyres and a T47 bottom bracket, but these details are unconfirmed.

Winspace has also launched a new ‘Kevlar’ handlebar and ‘Hyper’ wheels alongside the frame. 

With a handlebar, the T1600 is priced at 19,300 Chinese Yuan. That’s roughly £1,980 (or $2,648) but Winspace’s prices do not include duty or VAT. 

We have contacted Winspace for further details.

Zwift’s Women’s Racing Series has always been popular, and they’ve just announced the first such series for 2025. Created in partnership with FemmeCycle Collab, it runs across 4 races in the month of May.

It’s somewhat experimental, too, because for the first time ever, these races will be age-based! Learn all the details below…

Age-Based Women’s Racing

Riders will automatically be placed in categories based on their age group:

• A: Under 30
• B: 30-39
• C: 40-49
• D: 50-59
• E: 60 and over

Overall GC winners will be those with the lowest overall time in your age group across the 4 races. You can also choose to participate in individual races and simply go for the win on the week.

Schedule and Routes

For the month of May, each stage will run at three different times each Tuesday (0630, 1730, 2330 UTC) and once each Saturday (1530 UTC).

• Stage 1 – May 6 & 10
  • Loopin Lava (2 laps) – 32.7km, 408m elevation
• Stage 2 – May 13 & 17
  • Turf N Surf (1 lap) – 24.7km, 198m elevation
• Stage 3 – May 20 & 24
  • Coast to Coast (1 lap) – 26.7km, 164m elevation
• Stage 4 – May 27 & 31
  • Outer Scotland (2 laps) – 22.4km, 208m elevation

Sign up at zwift.com/events/tag/femmecyclecollab >

Where To Find Results

This series includes both an individual and team classification. For the team classification, points will be allocated for the top 3 times in your team per age group per time zone.

Important: to compete in the overall individual or team classifications, you must race at the same time each week.

Standings for the series can be found at: 

• Tuesday Race 1: https://zwiftpower.com/league.php?id=2739
• Tuesday Race 2: https://zwiftpower.com/league.php?id=2740
• Tuesday Race 3: https://zwiftpower.com/league.php?id=2741
• Saturday Race: https://zwiftpower.com/league.php?id=2742

Additional Rules

• Hardware Requirements: to participate, you must be using a Smart Trainer, Smart Bike, or Power Meter. Sorry, no zPower riders. You must also be wearing a Heart Rate Monitor.
• Neutralized Bikes: Bikes and upgrades are neutralized. Pick your favourite!
• Mass Start: All riders (categories) will start together. Riders in each age group will wear the same kit so you can distinguish who you are racing against.
• One Aero Powerup: riders will start with an aero powerup in each event. You will receive no further powerups during the event, so make sure that you use it wisely!

About FCC

FemmeCycle Collab was created in 2023 to empower women in esports.  For more information about these events, and others and news about Women’s Cycling on Zwift, please join us!

• Zwift Club
• Discord Server

Questions or Comments?

Share below!

With winter finally departed, training can finally resume away from the smart trainer and back on the roads and trails.

Whether you’re looking to maintain your fitness or training for a summer epic, there’s plenty of tech that can help you achieve your goals.

Thankfully, there are some bargains to be had on Garmin products at Amazon that should keep your spending to a minimum while still providing in-depth data analysis and safety.

We’ve rounded up the best Garmin deals we could find ahead of the summer.

Garmin Edge 530 – $299 $213.89 (save 29%)

The Edge 530 GPS bike computer is packed full of features, including performance metrics and navigation.

When we reviewed the Garmin Edge 530, we gave it four stars out of five, praising the breadth of features in such a compact device.

It sees ride recording, turn-by-turn navigation and various performance stats, such as FTP tracking.

While the Edge 540 has surpassed it, the Edge 530 still offers plenty of performance-oriented features for your training.

• Buy the Garmin Edge 530 from Amazon

Garmin Varia RTL515 – $199 $149.99 (save 25%) / £169.99 £150.45 (save 11%)

The Varia RTL515 is a rearview compatible with a range of bike computers and smartwatches, not solely Garmin ones. 

The system alerts you via your head unit to approaching vehicles, detecting them from a claimed 140m away.

Your computer screen, or Garmin’s smartphone app, gives you a visual representation of relative position, and you get an all-clear once there’s nothing else detected behind you.

• Buy the Garmin Varia RTL515 from Amazon.com
• Buy the Garmin Varia RTL515 from Amazon UK

Garmin Edge Explore 2 – $299 $257 (save 14%)

Garmin’s Edge Explore 2 is less performance-driven than its other models, and marketed more towards bike touring, navigation and route tracking.

The computer has a large, high-definition screen for easier navigation and is usually half the price of the brand’s fancier computers, although today it’s even cheaper.

If you’re after something to keep you going in the right direction, the Edge Explore 2 could be the computer for you.

• Buy the Garmin Explore 2 from Amazon.com

Garmin HRM-Dual Heart Rate Monitor – $69.99 $53.99 (save 23%) / £59.99 £42.90 (save 28%)

The HRM-Dual Heart Rate Monitor from Garmin offers connectivity via ANT+ or Bluetooth, making it compatible with a wide range of bike computers and smartwatches.

An adjustable strap allows a secure fit on varying body sizes, and the whole package weighs in at 54.4g for a lightweight feel.

Garmin says the battery lasts for up to 3.5 years, and it is a design many of us here at BikeRadar are well acquainted with.

• Buy the Garmin HRM-Dual Heart Rate Monitor from Amazon.com
• Buy the Garmin HRM-Dual Heart Rate Monitor from Amazon UK

Garmin HRM-Pro Plus – $129.99 $114.19 (save 12%) / £142.34 £83.95 (save 41%)

The HRM-Pro Plus is Garmin’s top-of-the-line heart rate monitor.

The strap independently records metrics such as steps, calories and intensity minutes without a smartwatch or bike computer.

Its battery should also last a year if used for an average of one hour a day.

• Buy the Garmin HRM-Pro Plus from Amazon.com
• Buy the Garmin HRM-Pro Plus from Amazon UK

Garmin Instinct 2 – $299 $205 (save 32%) / £219.99 £179.49 (save 18%)

The Instinct 2 is a rugged GPS smartwatch that Garmin claims is shock-resistant and waterproof down to 100m.

It has a built-in 3-axis compass and barometric altimeter, plus it uses multiple global navigation satellite systems, including GPS, GLONASS and Galileo.

Garmin says it should last up to 28 days in smartwatch mode, and up to 30 hours in GPS mode.

If you’re looking to record multiple sports, the Instinct 2 could be a good option for riding, running, hiking and more.

• Buy the Garmin Instinct 2 from Amazon.com
• Buy the Garmin Instinct 2 from Amazon UK

Name: Susan C 

Hometown: Canadian prairies 

How did you get into cycling? Hubby was involved, and I thought it looked like fun. 

How many years have you been racing on Zwift? Since February 2021. 

Are you part of a Virtual team? Yes, I joined Coalition when I joined Zwift. 

What do you love most about racing? Racing helps give me a reason to train (and training gives me a reason to race). Racing is dynamic and often rewards those who are interested in technical analysis. 

What is your favourite style of race (e.g. points, scratch, iTT, TTT, Chase, duathlon)? Indoors, I love scratch races and well-designed points races. Outside, I’m a fan of cyclocross and XC mountain bike races. 

What’s your favourite Zwift women’s and mixed race series? I’m a big fan of the new FCC Mini Races (and the eSRT Ultimates) on Sundays. These races offer women of all abilities a chance to learn new skills, try some brave moves, and gain fitness on the weekend. 

What is your most memorable racing experience, inside or outside or BOTH? I participated in a road stage race that raced from Banff to Lake Louise. Gorgeous! 

What is your favourite food to eat post race? I can often be found munching on anything in sight. 

What advice would you give to anyone entering her first Zwift race? Starting something new is the hardest. Sometimes racing bravely means lining up and trying an event. It doesn’t matter how you do. If you are interested in racing and aren’t sure how to start, please join the Femme Cycle Collab Discord server where we have a special area for new racers with loads of videos, reading material, and people to answer questions.

Any upcoming race you are looking forward to? I’m a big fan of the Zwift Women Spring Series. It brings a lot of gals together who I don’t normally get to see, and these are great mid-week workouts to help support my outdoor racing. I’m also looking forward to a fun outdoor season when our weather finally warms up. We have loads of amazing events this spring/summer. 

Where can people follow your racing adventures? Join Coalition, and you can spend loads of time with me! I’m not much for sharing online, but I’m always happy to share tips and tricks to anyone who can track me down.

Poland’s Antidote is the latest brand to bring suspension, both front and full, to gravel bikes in the shape of the new Pathseeker.

Gravel suspension is a trend we are seeing more and more of in 2025, along with increased tyre clearance and the wholesale adoption of Universal Derailleur Hanger dropouts.

The new Pathseeker can be had as a hardtail or full-suspension bike and brings a new fully adjustable suspension system front and rear. The system doesn’t use air or hydraulics in its damping or anti-squat adjustment.

Full bike prices start from €6,299, with hardtail framesets available from €3,799.

Not just another carbon bike

The Pathseeker’s construction uses a composite Antidote developed. It comprises a combination of carbon fibre, flax fibre, basalt fibre and a bio-based resin.

The brand claims this new composite is not only better ecologically than traditional carbon fibre, it also helps to significantly reduce vibrations in ways that standard carbon fibre cannot.

The frame also uses Vectran, a synthetic fibre that is five times stronger than steel and 10 times stronger than aluminium.

The Vectran is used in high-impact areas, making the most of the material’s high abrasion resistance and flex fatigue resistance.

Suspension without shocks

Antidote’s designers have created a proprietary suspension system called NanoFlex, used both at the front and rear of the Pathseeker. It is designed to offer 20mm of travel at each end.

The rear design is based on four pivot points, found more commonly in mountain bikes.

On the Pathseeker, the two usual pivots on the chainstays have been replaced by a flexible section in the chainstays. The remaining pivots are replaced by an eccentric mechanism in the front triangle, to which the rear triangle anchors.

Antitode says the eccentric mechanism mimics the action of a cam pushing on a shock absorber. The mechanism is stabilised by an elastomer, adding control to the suspension travel and vibration damping.

The elastomer can be replaced and switched, allowing for a full range of stiffness adjustments.

At the front, a carbon fork is combined with an integrated system that is actuated by either a spring or an interchangeable elastomer.

The steerer cap doubles up as a lockout. It’s a system very reminiscent of Cannondale’s original HeadShok or, more recently, BMC’s fork on the front and rear suspension-equipped URS LT.

Antidote claims the suspension works over small bumps and larger impacts, and isn’t influenced at all by pedalling or braking. 

Bike details

The Pathseeker frame comes in two guises, the full-suspension eccentric pivot frame and a standard rigid back end. Both designs feature a low-slung sloping top tube, dropped stays and flattened tube profiles.

The geometry pairs a 72-degree head angle with a 72.5-degree seat angle on the size large.

That makes the Pathseeker’s geometry somewhat less extreme than new suspension-equipped gravel bikes such as Lee Cougan’s Innova Super Gravel or Ridley’s new Ignite GTX. 

The new bike’s geometry is more in line with Cannondale’s similarly flex-tailed Topstone or BMC’s URS LT One. That would suggest the Pathseeker is intended more as an all-rounder/race gravel bike than a rowdy adventurer.

Antidote’s claimed weights for the framesets, including the fork, would suggest the same, at 1,590g for the full-suspension option and 1,350g for the hardtail, both in a large size. That could make for some impressively light builds for a suspension-equipped gravel bike.

The Pathseeker offers 50mm of tyre clearance, and has a T47 bottom bracket and UDH-compatible rear dropouts.

Antidote Pathseeker range and pricing details

The Antidote Pathseeker range comes with two full-suspension options and three hardtails. There are frameset options in both full-suspension and hardtail, too.

Bikes

• Pathseeker FS  SRAM FORCE/RED / I9 1/1 Ultralite Carbon / RS REVERB AXS: €12,299
• Pathseeker FS  SRAM FORCE/X0 / I9 1/1 Ultralite Carbon / RS REVERB AXS: €10,099
• Pathseeker HT SRAM FORCE/X0 / I9 ROAD GRCX / RS REVERB AXS: €8,699
• Pathseeker HT SRAM RIVAL/GX / I9 ROAD GRCX: €6,999
• Pathseeker HT SRAM APEX AXS / I9 ROAD GRCX: €6,299

Framesets

• Pathseeker full-suspension frame & suspension fork & stem + headset: €4,099
• Pathseeker hardtail frame & suspension fork: €3,799

Zwift has been busy adding new routes and climb portals to the game, with ~20 new routes added since January and several climb portals as well.

As of today, our lists are all caught up to what’s in game. This includes:

• Veloviewer Route Hunter Leaderboards: contains all the badged routes in game, plus all the KOM segments. Compete with others or just yourself – you move up the leaderboard by completing all the segments (20 points per segment) but also score points based on finishing time.
• Veloviewer Climb Portal Leaderboards: same as above, but just for the Climb Portal. This one is trickier, since you can only ride portals when they are scheduled!
• Printable List of Zwift Routes by Difficulty: a list of all badged routes in game, sorted by difficulty based on our ZIMetrics and grouped by the approximate number of bidons you’ll need to drink to finish each route.
• Master Route List: this is always the first list to be updated (often before routes are publicly released). If you ever need route info, go here!

Strava Segment Matching Bug

On a related note: many Zwifters have noticed that, for the past year or so, Strava hasn’t been matching certain activities to certain segments. It’s an odd bug, because it doesn’t seem to apply to older segments. But newer ones – at least those created after April 2024, although we don’t have a precise date – are affected. It seems to apply to segments that include multiple loops of a circuit, or repeated sections of road.

The following segments/routes are affected by this bug, and have thus been removed from the Veloviewer leaderboards until Strava fixes the issue:

• Deca Dash
• Queen’s Highway After Party
• LaGuardia After Party
• Bon Voyage
• Sacre Bleu
• Hilltop Hustle

If you want to bend Strava’s ear about this, please reply to the topic I just created on Strava’s Community Hub.

Questions or Comments?

Share below!

We’re featuring a well-rounded mix of community-hosted events this weekend, including a super-short race in France, a very long group ride in London, two ladies-only events, and a beginner-friendly banded ride on a new France route. See our picks below!

Rhino Racing Macaron Super Sprint

GXY Luna – Ladies Only Endurance Ride

Pretzels, Epics and Afterparties

LEVEL Racing – Chase Race – Gentil 8

LA MARCHA HISPANA (Enable Rubberbanding)

How We Make Our Picks

We choose each weekend’s Notable Events based on a variety of factors including:

• Is the event unique/innovative in some way?
• Are celebrities (pro riders, etc) attending/leading?
• Are signup counts already high, meaning the event is extra-popular?
• Does the ride include desirable unlocks or prizes?
• Does the event appeal to ladies on Zwift? (We like to support this under-represented group!)
• Is it for a good cause?
• Is it just plain crazy (extra long races, world record attempts, etc)?
• Is it a long-running, popular weekly event with a dedicated leader who deserves a shout out?

In the end, we want to call attention to events that are extra-special and therefore extra-appealing to Zwifters. If you think your event qualifies, comment below with a link/details and we may just include it in an upcoming post!

An inquiry has been launched into electric bike safety in the UK with a particular focus on ‘dangerous’ ebike conversion kits.

This week, the All Party Parliamentary Group for Cycling & Walking (APPGCW) released a call for evidence as part of the inquiry, which will also consider gig economy work and delivery practices. 

The group seeks to ensure the UK can realise “the benefits of cleaner, healthier transport without compromising on public safety”.

There has been a rapid rise in ebike adoption across Europe in contrast to the slow pickup in the UK. Germany recorded 2.1m ebike sales in 2023, but there were only 146,000 ebikes sold in the UK, according to the APPGCW. 

• Is the definition of an ebike about to change?

MP Fabian Hamiltion, chair of the APPGCW, says: “Ebikes have enormous potential to support a cleaner, fairer transport future, but that future is at risk if we fail to address emerging issues, especially from low-quality imported upgrade kits.”

The inquiry comes amid growing concern around unsafe and low-quality ebikes and conversion kits, often purchased online and used by delivery riders who face challenging time demands and low wages. 

“We’re especially concerned about the pressures faced by gig economy riders, who may be pushed towards unsafe and potentially illegal products in order to increase their income,” says Hamilton. 

Last year, Deliveroo and Uber Eats riders went on strike to demand better pay and improved working conditions.

News of the inquiry comes after a long period of debate surrounding ebikes in the UK.

Last month, Transport for London (TfL) banned non-folding ebikes on most of its network. TfL made the decision after a review to ensure the safety of its staff and customers. The decision came after members of the ASLEF union said they were considering balloting for strike action over ebikes being allowed on the London Underground. 

In January, the Department for Transport (DfT) also dropped plans to double ebike motor power amid safety concerns. The DfT launched a public consultation last year to seek opinions on the maximum power of ebikes to encourage their adoption. 

However, respondents to the consultation were not in favour. “While the difference between the overall number of respondents being in favour and those not in favour was relatively small, this was not the case with main stakeholder organisations, with the vast majority opposing the proposals,” the DfT said at the time. 

The DfT’s consultation also met with caution when launched. The Bicycle Association said the increase in motor power could drive the purchase of poorly regulated ebike conversion kits, and noted “evidence increasingly confirms” imported ebike conversion kits are “responsible for very many of the recent tragic battery fire incidents”.

A Freedom of Information request by the Guardian found fires caused by e-scooters and ebikes had injured at least 190 people and killed eight as of May 2023.

Electrical Safety First, the UK’s leading charity on electrical safety, says there are three main issues that contribute to ebike and e-scotter battery failure: electrical; mechanical; and thermal.

In 2022, the charity identified nearly 60 listings by third-party sellers across four of the biggest online marketplaces. These failed to meet the UK plug standard, and many even lacked a fuse.

Last year, eBay banned ebike sales by private sellers over fire fears.

This followed a report that found 23 per cent of UK adults were put off buying an ebike by the potential risk of battery fires.

Cyclists who kill pedestrians by dangerous cycling could face life imprisonment in England and Wales under changes to the Crime and Policing Bill.

The amendments tabled on Thursday will bring the offence of death by dangerous cycling in line with motoring laws, the Department for Transport says.

Under current legislation, dangerous or reckless cycling can usually only be punished by a maximum two-year jail term. 

The change, led by Heidi Alexander, the Transport Secretary, will close a legal loophole that meant cyclists who hit and killed or seriously injured a pedestrian were charged under legislation from the 1860s.

The amendments revive a plan originally proposed by the Conservatives that was derailed due to the 2024 general election. 

Campaigners have welcomed the legislation. Speaking to The Telegraph, Matt Briggs, whose wife was killed by a cyclist in London, said: “After losing Kim in 2016, I began campaigning the following year to have these laws enacted.

“The use of the wanton and furious charge for so many cases has been inadequate and archaic.

“I’m absolutely delighted that this Labour government has followed through with our calls for new legislation.

“This isn’t just a victory for me and my family, it’s also a victory for all the families who have worked tirelessly through their unbearable tragedies to have these laws changed.” 

Others have criticised the decision. Chris Boardman, former Olympic cyclist and National Active Transport Commissioner, said tougher laws could deter people from cycling. 

The new legislation also comes after Labour promised more funding for cycling in the UK as part of plans to improve health and inequality, alongside meeting net zero targets.

On April 24, 2015, Zwift launched Watopia. Here was their message to the small community of beta testers:

Together we’ve ridden 1 million miles (@1.6M km), 333K laps and climbed a total of 44M feet (@13.4M meters) on Zwift Island. That’s like climbing Mt Everest 1.5K times! We think that’s a big deal, so today we’ve launched our new course on the next isle to celebrate. Welcome to Watopia, your new home on Zwift!

As you can see, we’ve successfully moved and we’re ready for everyone to conquer our 10k course filled with fabulous vistas, bridges, and all new terrain. We’re still under construction so please be patient as we work to bring you the best ride possible (helmets encouraged!)…

See the full game release notes from Jon Mayfield posted April 24, 2015 >

A few fun facts:

• It took the beta testers 5 months to ride 1 million miles, while in December 2017 the community rode over 700,000 miles in just 24 hours in a major fundraiser event. But in 2024, Zwifters rode/ran 1.02 billion miles on the platform – that’s an average of 2.8 million miles per day!
• The “Zwift Island” referenced is Jarvis Island, the first Zwift course. The honey-hunting bear in Titans Grove is named Jarvis in honor of this original Zwift map, which relaunched in 2024 as part of Watopia.
• When first launched, Watopia had only one 9.1km route, known today as the Hilly Route. The next Watopia expansion was Ocean Boulevard on December 30, 2015. Today, Watopia is home to 116 routes (including some running-only routes).
• In between these Watopia updates, the Richmond, VA UCI Worlds course was released September 1, 2015.
• Today Zwift hosts 262 routes spread across 12 maps (in order of release): Watopia, Richmond, London, Innsbruck, New York, Bologna, Yorkshire, Crit City, France, Paris, Makuri Islands, and Scotland.

See zwiftinsider.com/tiny for current Tiny Race details.

Silca’s first electric bike pumps promise features designed to make them stand out from the crowd. However, you probably won’t be able to buy one in the US due to current import tariffs.

Mini pumps and C02 cartridges face increasing competition from a host of pocket-sized electric options from brands such as Muc-Off, Fumpa, Flextail and Topeak.

Tool specialist Silca has joined the fray with two new Elettrico models, the Ultimate and Micro.

However, the brand states that it is not currently ‘economically viable’ to sell the pumps in the US due to the impact of the tariffs on imported goods introduced by President Trump.

• Trump’s tariffs are causing chaos in the cycling industry, with Specialized and Trek hiking prices

Drone motors

The Elettrico pumps use quiet yet powerful motors, borrowed from drone technology, with Silca claiming a noise level of between 4 and 8dB – even lower when used with one of Silca’s chucks. They are compatible with any Silca chuck, such as the Schradero or Hiro.

The casing is designed to dissipate vibrations and reduce noise, making the pumps easier and more convenient to use.

Accurate and long-lasting

Silca claims the Ultimate pump’s digital display shows real-time tyre pressure with an accuracy of ~1%. You can set your desired pressure (from 3 to 100psi) at the touch of a button and it’ll inflate automatically.

The compact Elettrico Micro forgoes a digital display but has a built-in safeguard that will cut out at 72psi, the maximum pressure advised for modern hookless rims.

The pumps use USB-C for battery recharging. Silca claims the Ultimate’s capacity is equal to nine or more CO2 cartridges and charges in about an hour, whereas the Micro is equivalent to three or more CO2 cartridges and charges in 20 minutes.  

The pumps’ casings are custom aluminium extrusions that are CNC machined to both dampen noise and dissipate heat, as well as being tough enough to withstand the rigours of being carried when riding.

As with Silca’s regular pumps, a range of spares and replacement parts will be available for both Elettrico pumps.

US riders set to miss out

The introduction of tariffs in the USA looks set to prove troublesome for Silca’s latest innovation.

Silca made the following statement when announcing the release of its new pumps: “Due to the significant impact of current United States tariff policies on imported goods, these products are not economically viable for sale within the US market currently. This, unfortunately, means that Silca’s largest historical market will not have immediate access to these groundbreaking pumps. Silca remains hopeful that these trade barriers will be resolved in the future to allow US cyclists access to the Elettrico series.”

Silca says it has made only 100 units available for the entire US market.

Silca Elettrico pumps pricing

• US: Elettrico Micro $119, Elettrico Ultimate $159 
• CAD: $199.95, $239.95
• EU: €139, €179  
• AU$: $179, $219
• UK: £119, £149

Shimano has reported a 15.6 per cent increase in bicycle component sales in the first quarter of 2025, with the groupset giant pointing to signs of recovery in the European market.

This follows a tricky 2024 for the Japanese company, which saw bicycle component sales decrease by 5.6 per cent last year, due to weak demand and high inventories. 

Shimano’s bicycle component sales in the first quarter of this year have brought in ¥88 billion (about £464,200,000), with Shimano citing particular interest in its GRX gravel and 105 mid-range road groupsets.

Interest in bikes continues

Shimano says “strong interest in bicycles continued as a long-term trend” through the beginning of 2025. 

In the European market, Shimano says “signs of recovery started to appear in retail sales of completed bicycles”. Shimano adds that personal consumption recovered in Europe as inflation subsided and the economy continued to recover.

Europe is Shimano’s largest market for cycling components, but the company’s outlook on smaller markets are less positive. 

Shimano says retail sales for bikes in Asia and central and South America remain weak due to “sluggish” personal consumption, while demand was also slow in Japan due to the “soaring price of completed bicycles.” 

Sales of complete bikes have also remained weak in north America for Shimano, with the brand citing a decline in consumer confidence due to changes in “trade policies”. The report makes no specific reference to Donald Trump’s trade tariffs.

• Trump’s tariff chaos: Specialized and Trek hike prices – and one British brand describes the US president’s plans as ‘naive’ 

A cautious outlook 

Across its whole business, which includes fishing equipment, Shimano saw a 12.9 per cent increase in sales compared to the first quarter of 2024. 

Although the growth is positive news for the company after a difficult 2024, its outlook remains cautious. Shimano has revised its forecast for the 2025 fiscal year, citing non-operating expenses and currency fluctuations. 

Shimano wasn’t the only cycling company that struggled in 2024.

Giant reported that its profits plunged by 62.8 per cent and, in the UK, Brompton saw its profits fall by 99 per cent. 

Giant and Brompton have both been vocal about the potentially negative impacts of Trump’s tariffs on the cycling industry – an issue Shimano has not had its say on.