We occasionally hear from Zwifters complaining that new features or achievements on Zwift aren’t working as advertised. The main reason this happens? Running an outdated version of the game.
Here’s how to check your installed Zwift version and update to the latest available version.
The simple way to check your currently-running Zwift version on any device is to visit My Settings>About:
On PC, you can also right-click the Zwift icon in your taskbar to learn which version of the game and launcher you are running. This can be done even if Zwift isn’t actively running:
How to Update Zwift
Keeping Zwift up to date is quite simple, and usually automatic, depending on how your device is configured. Settings vary by device, so here are some specific tips…
Windows PC
Any new updates will be installed when you next launch Zwift.
Recommended: right-click the Zwift launcher which appears in your system tray (usually at the bottom right of your screen, near the clock) and make sure “Auto Startup” and “Background Updating” are both checked. This will download updates automatically without your intervention, so they can be quickly installed the next time you start up Zwift.
If you want to manually check for an update, right-click the Zwift launcher and click “Check for Update Now.”
On a Mac
Just launch Zwift and it will update for you!
On AppleTV
Open the App Store and go to your “Purchased Apps” list. Select Zwift. If the app needs an update, there will be a button you can select to update it.
Recommended: enable automatic updates by going to the Settings menu, selecting “Apps,” and making sure that “Automatically Update Apps” is turned on.
Also Recommended: shut down the Zwift app or your entire AppleTV when you’re done with your day’s session. This unloads it from memory and ensures that when you start your next Zwift session, you’re using the newest version installed on your AppleTV.
On iOS Devices (iPhone or iPad)
Go to the App Store, tap your profile icon at the top-right, and you should see a list of available updates. If Zwift appears in the list, tap the “Update” button beside the Zwift icon to download and install the most recent update.
If you aren’t seeing the latest Zwift update, or want to make sure you haven’t missed an update, pull down on the screen which shows all available updates. This will force your device to look for all available updates, which will often bring up recently-added app updates that weren’t already listed.
If you want your apps to update automatically, go to Settings>Apps>App Store and enable “App Updates” under “Automatic Downloads”.
On Android Devices
Go to the Play Store, tap your profile icon (top right), and go to Manage apps & device>Updates available. If your version of Zwift is old, it will appear in this list. Tap the “Update” button beside the app to download and install the most recent update.
To enable automatic updates, open the Play Store and tap your profile icon (top right) then Settings>Network Preferences>Auto-update apps. From there, you can choose to auto-update apps over any network, over Wi-Fi only, or never.
Forcing a Zwift Update
Zwift has maintained a biweekly release schedule for the past few years, with updates typically released on Tuesday mornings around 8:30am Pacific Time.
These rollouts are phased, so the update isn’t available to everyone immediately. Zwifters have asked if there’s a way to force a Zwift update, but unfortunately, there is no approved method for doing so. The timing of phased releases is tied to individual Zwift accounts, so chances are you’ll receive each update at approximately the same day and time every other week.
The UCI has confirmed the 18 men’s and 14 women’s WorldTour teams for the 2026 season, alongside the teams that have been granted ProTeams licences.
Arkea–B&B Hotels and Cofidis are leaving the men’s WorldTour and will be replaced by NSN Cycling and Lotto Intermarché, following the drawn-out merger of Lotto Cycling Team and Intermarché-Wanty.
Only EF Education–Oatley will join the women’s WorldTour, while Ceratizit and Roland are leaving.
This is the first year that men’s and women’s WorldTour teams have been awarded three-year contracts simultaneously, but the UCI has made one exception to this.
Picnic PostNL’s men’s and women’s squads have been given only a one-year licence by the UCI.
“The UCI Licence Commission has decided to limit the duration of the licence to one year and to set conditions related to the financial criterion that must be met in order to permit its extension to the 2027 and 2028 seasons,” a statement from cycling’s governing body said.
Lidl-Trek has also switched its registration from the USA to Germany, following Lidl taking a majority stake in the team.
The UCI says the number of teams applying for a men’s WorldTour licence was greater than the number of licences available, so taking into account points earned from 2023–2025, Cofidis and Pinarello–Q36.5 were not awarded licences.
Instead, these teams will be registered as UCI ProTeams in 2026, alongside Julian Alaphilippe’s Tudor Pro Cycling and St Michel–Preference Home–Auber93.
Toscana Nippo Rali, Modern Adventure Pro Cycling and MBH Bank CSB Telecom Fort join the men’s ProTour.
One moment I was out on the road doing something I loved; the next, I was dealing with injuries, restrictions, fear, and the uncertainty that comes with recovering from a cycling accident. Like many riders, I had relied on outdoor miles for stress relief, fitness, and a sense of identity. Losing that – even temporarily – felt overwhelming.
What surprised me most, though, was the role Zwift would play in helping me rebuild my strength, confidence, and routine.
Returning to the Bike — Carefully
Riding in ERG mode to manage intensity
In the early weeks after the accident, I wasn’t sure when I’d be allowed to ride again. Once my physician and physical therapist gave the green light to begin low-intensity training, I knew the safest place to start wasn’t on the roads – it was inside, with Zwift.
For my rehab team, the controlled environment was a major advantage. No balance hazards. No traffic. No sudden braking. No risk of hitting a pothole (unless you count the ones on Cobbled Climbs). It gave me a platform where the only variable was my own power output.
Zwift allowed me to:
Keep a strictly aerobic, low-wattage range when required
Incrementally build time in the saddle
Track changes in power and endurance with precision
Manage intensity using ERG mode and structured workouts
Ride consistently without worrying about weather or terrain
That stability gave me the reassurance I needed to focus on healing instead of what-ifs.
From Short Spins to Stronger Efforts
At first, my rides were short – 20 to 30 minutes – focused entirely on light spinning (well, I’m still a masher) and loosening up. Riding every day was actually encouraged because the intensity was so low. Zwift became part of my daily rehab routine: part workout, part meditation, part rebuilding.
As I progressed, my physio gradually expanded the plan:
Longer rides: first 45 minutes, eventually pushing toward an hour
Higher-intensity short rides: allowing me to test cadence, control, and targeted power
Reintroducing efforts: like a 30-minute ride averaging 2.7 w/kg, which felt like a breakthrough. I chose Scotland After Party for this as it allowed me to do efforts.
Seeing those numbers come back on the screen helped me trust my body again. Zwift’s data gave me objective proof that I wasn’t as limited as I feared.
No Restrictions — and What That Meant Mentally
At my follow-up appointment, my ortho told me something I had been hoping for: no restrictions. The words sat with me. They felt liberating, exciting, and – if I’m honest – a little intimidating. I was a little nervous about trusting my body after multiple injuries, but I was also ready to put in the work and regain my fitness.
Zwift made the transition manageable. Instead of jumping into long outdoor rides, which were off limits, I used the platform to:
Test my endurance safely
Slowly increase total weekly volume by 10-15%
Rebuild my muscular resilience
Reintroduce climbs, sprints, and threshold intervals
Regain confidence before facing real-world variables
Zwift gave me a structured, safe progression that matched exactly where my recovery was.
The Emotional Side of Virtual Riding During Rehab
The physical side of recovery is one thing. But the emotional storm after a crash is its own challenge. Fear. Frustration. Loss of routine. Losing fitness. Even questioning whether you’ll ever feel like “you” on the bike again.
Zwift helped bridge that gap, and with each ride, I felt more confident in my abilities.
There’s something uniquely healing about moving your legs in a familiar cadence, even if the scenery is virtual. The digital rides, the community chat, the route badges, the gamified accomplishments – they gave me small wins every day. And small wins are exactly what you need when the big picture feels uncertain.
Looking Ahead — Stronger Than Before
Before the accident, my FTP was 254. Watching myself gradually push pace and duration on Zwift has helped me feel not only like I’m returning to that level, but that I might come back even stronger. I’m back to leading my rides with Team Giant, and I led my first post-accident 100k!
I’ve learned that rehabilitation isn’t just about regaining fitness; it’s about rebuilding confidence and reconnecting with the joy of movement. Zwift gave me a way to stay consistent, stay safe, and stay motivated when I needed it most.
If there’s one thing I’d share with any athlete rehabbing after injury, it’s this: Zwift meets you exactly where you are—and helps you get where you want to go.
What About You?
Got a rehab story where Zwift played a role? Got questions? Share below!
Training camps are typically a time when pro cycling teams gather themselves and prepare for the season ahead, but Red Bull-Bora-hansgrohe have got theirs off to a flying start.
Nine of the WorldTour team, led by Tour de France podium finisher Florian Lipowitz, towed a piloted glider plane into flight in Son Bonet, Mallorca.
The team used a 1,500m runway to accelerate to 54kph while connected to a cord and a specially designed harness.
“When I first heard about this project, I didn’t think it was possible. Launching a plane? It seemed impossible. Nothing like this has ever been done in road cycling”, Lipowitz said.
The riders are said to have averaged 650W for 90 seconds to get the glider, piloted by Andy Hediger, into the air.
“Being towed by manpower was a special feeling. I’m so happy to finally combine aviation with cycling, and to see Red Bull bringing our new ideas to life,” Hediger said.
Dan Bigham, Red Bull-Bora-hansgrohe’s head of engineering, went as far as to say the project was “game-changing for the sport” because it enabled him to use his expertise in aerodynamics and engineering.
“From the data and our models, we knew it would take ~500watts from each rider to launch the plane, but we did not want to stop there. Every watt more meant more altitude for the plane. To see Andy reach 100 meters was pretty special,” Bigham said.
YT Industries has unveiled the new Tues Limited, its first bike to be released since relaunching.
The new bike renews YT’s tradition of launching a special limited-edition downhill bike at the end of each year, with the most recent version being in 2013.
Similar to those old bikes, the new Tues Limited features a drool-worthy spec, including RockShox Boxxer and Vivid Ultimate suspension, TRP DH-R Evo Pro brakes and a Crankbrothers DH carbon wheelset with Industry Nine hubs.
The Tues platform enables you to fine-tune geometry and wheel size to match your riding style.
The Tues is a familiar sight at DH races. YT Industries
Like the Core models, the Tues Limited ships with either mullet or 29in wheels, depending on the frame size, although the flip chip system makes running either possible on all sizes.
YT has limited the model to 50 units worldwide, with the price set at €4,444.
The spec even includes an Ochain device. YT Industries
It looks as though YT is back in the business of delivering impressively specced bikes at equally impressive prices, albeit we suspect you’ll have to act quickly if you want to pick one up.
The Tues Limited is a mean-looking bike. YT Industries
As more riders start the trainer season, many may be looking to upgrade or purchase their first setup. In this week’s top video, hear from one experienced Zwifter as he shares the top trainers for Zwift.
We’ve also included videos on fitness gains, Zwift use cases, the fastest bikes on Zwift, and the Wahoo KICKR CORE 2 (extensive review).
The Best Trainers for Zwift in 2025: From Budget to High End
Tariq from Smart Bike Trainers provides a comprehensive overview of the top trainers for Zwift, covering everything from the best budget trainer to the best high-end smart bike.
How I Increased My FTP by 25% in Just 8 Months
Who doesn’t want a hefty FTP increase? Adamfrom Road to A shares how he increased his FTP by 25% in the last 8 months of training.
What We Actually Do On Zwift
GCN presenters Conor, Alex, Ollie, Si, and Dan share how they use Zwift to supplement their training during the long winter months.
Fastest Zwift Bikes in 2026, Including New Level 5 Upgrade Bike!
With bike upgrades recently changing how Zwifters choose their bikes on Zwift, Cranks and Sprints shares an updated list of the fastest bikes on Zwift.
Wahoo KICKR CORE 2 In-Depth Review // The Best Budget Bike Trainer?
Desfit shares an in-depth review of the Wahoo KICKR CORE 2 after riding over 2000 kilometres on the trainer. Does it continue to perform as expected?
Got a Great Zwift Video?
Share the link below and we may feature it in an upcoming post!
Winter can be a time that tests the will of most cyclists, as cold and wet conditions make us yearn for sunny days on dry roads or trails.
New winter clothing can sometimes seem like the only option to make riding possible in the cold months, but this isn’t always the case.
Here are some of our favourite cheap or free hacks to keep you warm when cycling through the winter – including some slightly off-the-wall ideas, but hear us out.
1. Layers, layers, layers
Having a range of layers at your disposal is key to keeping comfortable in winter. Dave Caudery / Our Media
Most of us are guilty of holding onto more cycling kit than we really need, but this can work to your advantage in winter.
As a general rule, the more layers you have, the more versatile your winter wardrobe.
Using a variety of layers will enable you to easily regulate your temperature out on the bike as you remove and add layers to suit your internal temperature.
A single toasty layer may feel right at the beginning of the ride, but as you warm up through riding, you’ll probably end up too hot with no ability to strip off layers.
A good starting setup is a baselayer, jersey and winter jacket combo, then adding a gilet and waterproof jacket if it gets colder or rains. This setup may leave you wanting at the start of the ride, but as soon as you start riding you’ll soon warm up – and if you’re still cold, you have layers to add.
Donning a waterproof will also act as the last layer in the coldest of conditions, trapping in as much heat as possible.
A proper insulated jacket will do a better job of keeping you warm than pretty much anything else. Oliver Woodman
If you don’t own any cycling-specific warm layers, consider buying a used insulated jacket to act as your main layer. A tight aero-friendly cut is less important in the winter, where speeds (and ambitions!) are likely to be curtailed. We recommend going for a jacket with synthetic insulation because down is less effective when wet.
Mountain bikers should consider waterproof trousers, because these will keep you dry and provide warmth – they also leave you with clean legs at the end of your ride, saving those car seats.
2. Wax your cleats
Waxing your cleats can cut down on infuriating squeaks. Our Media
Ever had an insufferable squeaking from your pedals? If so, this old skateboarding trick might just keep you sane on future rides.
In the winter, grit can get into the mechanism of your clipless pedals and cause a horrible squeaking noise as your cleat floats on the pedal’s surface.
Pouring hot candle wax onto the cleat and letting it set can help abate this. This adds a layer of lubricant to the cleat separating the two metals, eradicating any noise. Unlike wet lube or grease, wax won’t pick up any contaminants.
3. Keep warm with repurposed plastic
The sworn enemy of the sea turtle can protect you from the worst part of winter riding – cold water.
Feet
Using the same colour bag can add to a cleaner aesthetic – but this isn’t essential. Jack Luke / Our Media
Cold feet can’t be ignored – especially wet ones.
Placing your foot in a plastic bag before wearing shoes can immediately create a waterproof layer, keeping your feet dry and warm.
For best results, consider wearing the plastic bag next to your skin because this creates a vapour barrier, preventing outside moisture and perspiration from saturating the insulating layers – although breathability is a trade-off to consider in warmer conditions.
Some riders suggest wrapping tin foil around their toes to achieve a similar effect.
Hands
On a similar note, using latex or vinyl gloves – the ones found in workshops and surgeries – can add a waterproof lining to any glove you own, mimicking the likes of Sealskinz.
Like plastic bags on the feet, this creates a vapour barrier preventing outside moisture and sweat from infiltrating the layers. The downside is in breathability – because if moisture can’t enter, it also can’t escape.
If breathability becomes is an issue, you may want to consider looking at the best winter cycling gloves.
Chest
The plastic bag can be easily folded up and stored in a rear pocket. Our Media
A well-known audax hack is to simply wear a plastic bag between your jersey and outer layer. This acts as a windbreaker and a waterproof layer.
The plastic bag is a modern take on the classic newspaper trick used by pros of the past, except you’ll find supermarket names imprinted on your clothing instead of headlines.
4. Plug holes with Blu Tack
The Blu Tack can be reused for hanging posters or postcards.
The soles of most cycling shoes feature ventilation holes to enable your feet to breathe and not overheat. This is great in the summer, but on winter days the vent lets cold air and water through, which is a recipe for cold feet.
A nib of Blu Tack pushed into these holes creates a seal, keeping cold air and water at bay. We don’t recommend standing in puddles, but you won’t be disappointed by the sealing qualities of this sticky putty.
When brighter, warmer days reappear, you can quickly remove the tack and be left with the ventilation you desire. It may take a little longer to remove if your shoes feature a mesh over the ventilation holes.
5. Keep your bike looking dishy
Washing-up liquid is a fantastic degreaser Courtesy
Through the winter, grit and mud make their way into your bike’s components, shortening their life span. Therefore, it’s necessary to keep your bike clean.
If you ride regularly, keeping topped up on cleaning products can become an expensive habit.
While bike-specific cleaning products are usually designed and tested to keep your pride and joy running and looking its best, there are other options that will clean your bike just as well.
Cleaning your bike in winter is a must. Will Jones / Immediate Media
Washing-up liquid works well as a bike cleaner when diluted, and can leave your bike looking good enough to eat your dinner off.
Old toothbrushes can have a second life, working the washing-up liquid into your drivetrain to degrease cassettes, chains and chainrings.
Some might argue that the salt in washing-up liquid can cause damage to your bike, however you will be rinsing the bike off quickly after applying it.
Pressure washing can speed up your bike cleaning, and save you from spending more time out in the cold.
If you are still loyal to big bike cleaner, then it is worth investing in a concentrated solution that can be diluted because this usually presents better value for money.
6. Food buys friends
You will not regret bringing extra food with you on a winter ride. Joseph Branston / Our Media
Even the most experienced rider can fall foul of the comically named the ‘bonk’. The bonk refers to the feeling when there’s nothing left in the tank and your legs have turned to jelly.
Bonking in the winter has an added level of discomfort that will have you fantasising about anything that can fill the hole in your stomach.
Carrying extra food is always a good precaution and can save you, or a fellow rider, from an agonising ride back home or to the next cafe stop.
You also use more calories in colder weather, so be aware that your consumption might rise through the winter months.
BBB Cycling has launched the Signal Radar rearview radar/tail light. It’s priced competitively, at £119.99, and includes a speaker, so you don’t need a separate device to alert you when a vehicle is detected. It can also be used with a cycling computer or BBB’s app.
BBB claims a detection range of up to 190 metres for the Signal Radar, which it says can simultaneously identify up to eight vehicles.
“It’s our most advanced rear light to date: powerful, smart, and built to protect cyclists in every situation,” says Tjerk Bakker, senior product manager at BBB.
A built-in speaker enables you to use the Signal Radar without a head unit.
As with other rearview radars, the BBB Signal Radar detects an approaching vehicle and includes a tail light that can be programmed to change its lighting and flashing pattern as the vehicle approaches, with the aim of attracting the driver’s attention.
With other radars, you then need another device to alert you as you ride. That’s typically a cycling computer, although you can use some cycling watches, and brands usually have a smartphone app to go with their radars, which you can use as an alert device, if you want to use your phone as a handlebar display.
Like other rearview radars, the Signal Radar can be linked to your chosen head unit using ANT+ or BLE. BBB has co-developed the phone app for its radar with Cannondale, which partnered with Garmin for the SmartSense 2 radar on its Synapse, our 2025 road Bike of the Year.
The 80-lumen peak output in flashing mode should help get you noticed.
A first for the BBB Signal Radar is a built-in speaker, so it can be operated without a head unit. It has six lighting modes, with a peak 80-lumen flashing mode its maximum output. BBB says the unit weighs 78g and has a maximum runtime of 14 hours.
Before the BBB Signal Radar, the closest thing to a head-unit-free radar device was the Lezyne Radar Drive, which can be bought in a set with the brand’s React Drive front light. The front light includes red LEDs under a translucent cover at its rear to provide the display function, as well as offering a 1,200-lumen peak output.
The BBB Signal Radar is priced at £119.99 / €139.95 – significantly less than many other radar rear lights, such as the Lezyne Radar Drive and the Garmin RTL515, both priced at £170, and the £180 Wahoo Trackr Radar. Its price is comparable to the MagicShine SeeMe 508 and the Bryton Gardia R300L, both of which need to be used with a head unit, as do the Garmin and Wahoo radars.
In recent years, road cycling rim designs have fallen into two camps – hooked and hookless.
The former is the traditional rim profile that most cyclists will have experienced. Universal among inner tube clincher setups, certain tubeless-ready hooked rims can also be set up tubeless with the right rim tape, valve, sealant and tyre combination.
The hookless alternative forgoes the bead hook at the edge of the rim, adopting a straight-sided inner wall, and is only compatible with tubeless tyres.
Its claimed performance benefits – improved aerodynamics, better tyre shaping and lower weight – have seen it growing steadily in popularity since its move into the road cycling mainstream at the start of the decade.
But high-profile incidents of tyres blowing off hookless rims and comments from industry experts against the design’s use in road cycling have seen brands and professional cycling teams remain divided about the tech.
But is there now a third way? A small number of manufacturers, including ENVE, Orbea’s components arm Oquo, and Reserve, have released rims featuring what are being described as ‘mini’ or ‘semi-hooks’.
With all three of 2025’s Grand Tours won using wheelsets incorporating the tech, they’re clearly no slouches. But what are mini-hook rims, and do we really need them?
Oquo wheelsets feature a so-called ‘mini hook’ – by ETRTO standards, still a hook, but not in the typical sense. Ashley Quinlan / Our Media
Whatever the adjective preceding the word hooked, mini-, micro- and semi-hooked rims are just that – hooked rims.
Just like a hooked tubeless design, the rim bed features a rim bead lock and seat, straight sidewalls and a bead hook at the exposed edge of the rim. The difference is the depth of this bead hook – the width of the inward-facing protrusion at the top of the rim flange.
When it comes to European Tyre and Rim Technical Organisation (ETRTO) and ISO (International Organisation for Standardisation) standards – the rules that set the parameters of rim dimensions and their associated tyre recommendations – a hooked rim has to have a bead hook of at least 0.5mm depth.
“It defines a bunch of dimensions around the rim shape at the interface with the tyre, and what it specifies, as far as hooks go, are a depth of the hook of greater than or equal to 0.5 millimetres,” says Kevin Nelson, a design engineer at ENVE.
ENVE launched the SES 4.5 Pro at the 2025 Tour de France – featuring a mini-hook design, compared to its previous hookless designs. Ashley Quinlan / Our Media
“Our new [SES 4.5] Pro wheel meets that, so from our perspective, it’s a hooked wheel. Where it’s different from what we’ve made in the past is that the hook depth is shallower.”
ENVE isn’t the only manufacturer sailing close to the limit of the ETRTO standards. Oquo also adopts a 0.5mm-deep mini hook on its MCR32 mountain bike wheels, although the Spanish brand declined to share the depth of the mini hooks on its road and gravel offerings.
Reserve’s ‘semi-hook’ rims are 1.25mm deep and 1.5mm tall. “We’ve found you can’t get the strength you need out of the hook if you go any smaller,” explains Reserve’s managing director, Joel Smith.
But not all industry experts are convinced it’s worthy of its own sub-category. “As far as we’re concerned, the ETRTO only has two standards – TSS, which is ‘tubeless straight side’, or TC, which is ‘tubeless crochet’,” says Hunt’s senior development engineer, Paddy Brown.
“These mini hook designs that we’ve seen out there are all compliant within the ETRTO TC standard. It’s a branding piece.”
Do these rims adhere to ETRTO standards?
If you meet a 0.5mm minimum hook depth, then you technically have a hooked rim. Oquo
All of the current crop of mini-hook rim manufacturers interviewed for this feature say their rims adhere to ETRTO standards centred on a hooked rim design – meeting that 0.5mm minimum depth.
“The mini-hook rims used in Oquo wheels are designed to adhere with current ETRTO guidelines,” says Oquo’s Álvaro Mañe.
“Additionally, we take advantage of the tolerances allowed by the regulations to optimise the rim design. Each rim is adjusted within the permitted limits. The mini-hook allows tyres to seat better, have more tyre compatibility and can handle more pressure.”
Why do mini-hook rims exist?
ENVE SES 4.5 Pro rim dimensions. ENVE
The rise of mini-hook rims has been driven by improvements in carbon fibre rim manufacturing tooling and the accuracy that comes as a result – essential for designing a tubeless setup that doesn’t leak air (or sealant).
ENVE’s Nelson explains that, previously, the manufacture of an undercut (such as a rim hook) required soft materials to be extracted from the carbon mould. The process made the system’s dimensions hard to control and ENVE was limited to making hooks that were 1.5mm deep.
“We have since come up with another idea that allows us to maintain the dimensional control of the sealing surfaces – those are the critical components of any tubeless system,” he adds.
The ‘why’ is less clear, though, with each manufacturer touting its own reason.
The mini-hook design of the SES 4.5 Pro came as a direct result of designing the wheelset for pro use, according to ENVE. ENVE
For ENVE, the development of the SES 4.5 Pro and its mini-hook rim was two-fold. “We were developing this wheel specifically for UAE [Team Emirates],” says VP of product Jake Pantone.
“The UCI has communicated that it’s going to follow ETRTO or ISO, so part of that is also the tyre volume spec that is allowed for hookless. In certain instances, the team likes to run smaller than a 28mm tyre and in [higher] pressures that you run for time trials.”
Under ETRTO guidelines, the brand’s hookless SES 4.5 rim’s 25mm internal width requires at least a 29mm-wide tyre, while the maximum permitted tyre pressure for the hookless rims’ internal width is 72.5psi / 5 BAR.
But Pantone claims the development of the Pro also has performance advantages. “We wanted to keep the leading edge as wide as possible, because that delivers more pinch flat protection in events like Paris-Roubaix.
Reserve has used a hook in its rim designs, preserving the ability to use a clincher tyre. Getty Images
“By carving the material out from under [the leading edge], we save weight and we also get the hooked bead back in the rim.
“We get all the things – we get the hook bead, we save weight, and we are able to maintain that dimension of the bead seat diameter that ensures that the tyre bead and the rim interface stay connected, which is the most important factor to tyre and rim compatibility and retention – the hook isn’t really a relevant component of a tubeless system.”
Smith, meanwhile, states that for Reserve, it’s about “providing the benefits of a hooked design without the tyre installation issues” that come with traditional hooked rims and that the brand “doesn’t have to limit the tyres our customers use on their rims”.
For Oquo, it’s about creating a system that combines the benefits of hooked and hookless designs by improving tyre retention at the bead, especially at higher pressures; maintaining hookless manufacturing advantages such as greater uniformity and reduced weight, and compatibility with wider tyres and higher pressures, “which is useful for road and even in some situations of gravel racing”.
Hunt sticks with a hookless rim for its top-end wheelsets. Hunt
Hunt’s head of product and engineering, Rob Fields, suggests a mini hook could also solve the issue of customers fitting the wrong type of tyres to wheels aftermarket.
“There are a lot of people out there buying Giant bikes with Cadex wheels (to name one hookless brand), and they probably don’t really understand the details as much as they should do around what they can and should fit.
“We see people fitting the wrong tyres to wheels all the time. I think the move back to hooks, or mini hooks, is partly driven by that to a certain degree,” he says.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of mini-hook rims?
Oquo says the mini hook could offer an aero advantage. Oquo
Compared to ‘bigger’ hooked rims, the advantages of shrinking down the hook bead – if structural integrity is maintained – is clear.
Oquo’s Mane highlights a lower weight, better uniformity of the tyre with the rim and easier manufacturing practices, while adding that the design can also lead to stronger and more consistent sidewalls, “allowing the rim to better withstand pressure, impacts, and tyre forces, while maintaining its shape and performance consistently”.
ENVE’s Nelson adds that bigger hooks can disrupt a tubeless seal, too. “One of the reasons we went away from hooked systems in the first place was that the seal between the tyre and the rim – which is the thing that makes the whole tubeless system work – happens at the bead seat and not at the hook.
“The hook is there to keep the tyre centred on a non-tubeless system, but on a tubeless system, its relevance to what’s going on is pretty minimal. If the hooks are too deep, they can actually push the tyre up off of the sealing surface.”
The hooks Nelson’s referring to were 1.5mm deep – three times deeper than its ‘mini-hook’ innovation.
ENVE says the presence of any hook can interfere with the tubeless setup. Ashley Quinlan / Our Media
When it comes to advantages compared to hookless rims, though, it’s less clear-cut. As previously stated, ENVE’s SES 4.5 Pro is both lighter (50g per rim) and able to run higher pressures under ETRTO guidelines than its non-Pro equivalent because of the presence of a hook.
But it comes at a higher cost, and part of this is because of the added complexity of its creation compared to a hookless design.
For Oquo, the mini-hook rims come out heavier than hookless, but Mañe adds that “for the same internal width, you can have a wider external width [with mini hooks]” and this creates a purported aerodynamic benefit.
Not everyone is convinced, though. “I’m not sure why you need a mini hook, I don’t see the advantage,” says Cadex’s global head of product and business development, Jeff Schneider. “If you look at ENVE’s, they have about a half-millimetre bead. It’s nominal. The bigger question is, if you get rapid deflation – if you slice your tyre, or hit an object in the road – is that enough to hold that tyre on the rim?
“I don’t know if micro hooks are fixing the problem or if they’re just putting the word hook into this story to make people feel more comfortable.”
Tyre blowouts on hookless rims are perceived to be a danger for some brands. Billy Ceusters / Getty Images
In response, ENVE’s Pantone says: “There’s been some very high visibility cases where tyres are blown off rims, and nine times out of 10, it happens because the rim is cracked. As you lose that [tyre bead seat] dimension, it doesn’t really matter if it’s hooked or hookless – the interface is compromised, and the tyre can come off because it’s under pressure.”
“In controlled burst-pressure testing, traditional hooked rims generally achieve higher safety margins than semi-hooked designs, which in turn perform better than hookless rims, all other conditions being equal,” adds Samuele Bressan, global marketing manager at Pirelli Cycling Division.
“This is simply a reflection of how the different rim interfaces mechanically retain the tyre bead.”
Which tyres are compatible with mini-hook rims?
All hookless rims must use a tubeless tyre (as pictured), but a mini hook enables the use of clincher tyres, too. Russell Burton / Our Media
The presence of a mini hook might suggest the rim can be used with tubeless and old-fashioned clincher tyres, but each manufacturer has its own recommendations.
“These rims are designed for tubeless,” says Nelson of ENVE’s SES 4.5 Pro. “The modern tubeless tyre is the pinnacle in performance, and so we communicate that a tubeless tyre is the only tyre you should run on either our hooked or hookless rims.”
For Oquo, its mini-hook rims are compatible with tubeless-ready tyres, tubulars and standard clincher tyres “as long as [the tyres] comply with the current ETRTO standards”, while Smith says that “all” tyres are compatible with the brand’s semi-hooked road offering.
Tyre brands (in this case, Schwalbe) test their tyres on both hooked and hookless rims. Ashley Quinlan / Our Media
Bressan, meanwhile, says Pirelli designs tyres that fit tubeless crochet (hooked) rims, taking into account the minimum dimensions allowed by the ETRTO standard.
“It is important to underline that ETRTO does not define a ‘mini-hook’ category; this is essentially a commercial term,” he explains, before adding that “it is the rim manufacturer’s responsibility to ensure proper rim geometry and rigidity values to safely accommodate standard tyres available on the market.”
“There’s already so much confusion and misunderstanding out there,” counters Hunt’s Fields. “You won’t find a mini-hook tyre – you’ll find TSS [Tubeless Straight Side] or TC [Tubeless Crochet] tyres and that’s all that a customer should really have to worry about.
“We don’t want to create a new, unofficial standard and confuse customers and riders around the world even more, if we can avoid it.”
Despite the widespread following of ETRTO standards, there is clearly a conflict between wheel and tyre brands when it comes to who is (or isn’t) following the guidelines to the letter, and ultimately bears responsibility if a system fails.
What is the maximum permitted tyre pressure for mini-hook rims?
There is no universal maximum permitted tyre pressure for mini-hooked rims, with each manufacturer having its own recommendation.
“The maximum permitted pressure depends on rim and tyre, and they are fixed by ETRTO,” says Mane.
For ENVE, the maximum tyre pressure listed is 100psi / 6.8 BAR, while Reserve recommends a maximum of 100psi / 6.8 BAR on road, 80psi / 5.5 BAR on gravel, “or the maximum pressure as listed on the tyre”.
In short, if you’re using a rim with a mini hook, it’s worth considering this as you would a ‘normal’ hooked rim, and then also following tyre recommendations – whichever is most conservative.
Will mini hooks take over?
Up until the Critérium du Dauphiné in 2025, Tadej Pogačar was using hookless rims. Dario Belingheri/Getty Images
The new tech has an impressive palmares already, but is it a necessary innovation that will sweep the world of road bike rim design?
The enthusiasm towards hookless certainly seems to be cooling in the pro peloton, and although there has been no indication of regulation changes from the UCI, only Cadex, Zipp and Hunt are still fully pushing a hookless agenda at the top of the sport.
Hooked rims are therefore the mainstream pick, and the mini-hooks’ claimed advantages over a deeper hook – lighter, more uniform production processes and less interference with tubeless seal – are clear.
Oquo’s Mane suggests they might become “more common in categories where tyres are still relatively narrow, riders use higher pressures and tyre compatibility is a priority, such as road racing, or performance gravel.”
The battle between hookless and the so-called mini hook is upon us. Hunt
But there’s also a desire from certain sectors of the industry to make mini hooks the default option – Reserve’s Smith saying he “hopes” they take over in the future, citing their compatibility with all tyres and “a higher confidence in the security of the tyre on the rim with the design”.
He also concedes that the added complexity of manufacture compared to hookless could put some brands off. “Hookless rims are easier to make and lighter (because you don’t have the hook), so I think most of the hookless brands will not want to make their lives more complicated by doing it.”
ENVE’s Nelson agrees that the advanced tooling required to make a mini hook could be the limiting factor in them becoming universal, even though hooked-rim tooling clearly exists already.
“Our manufacturing methods are pretty different in our experience,” he says. “This method is a little bit more difficult [than hookless], but at that high end, we think it’s worth it. If other brands think so too, then we’ll probably see some [more] stuff.”
The question of whether mini hooks will take over in the future, though, boils down to the heated hooked vs hookless debate. Over time, as manufacturing methods become more affordable and commonplace, a slimmed-down hook might replace a deeper, heavier bead hook, especially if hookless definitively falls from grace, or simply out of fashion.
But if the safety concerns around the use of hookless systems in road cycling subside, the framing of ETRTO-compliant hooked rims as ‘mini’, ‘micro’ or ‘semi’ could appear to be nothing more than a marketing exercise.
Rapha’s Festive 500 began in 2010 as a simple challenge: brave the winter elements and ride 500 kilometers between December 24-31. Since then, riders have covered over 400 million Festive kilometers, including many virtual kilometers after Covid lockdowns opened the Festive 500 challenge to virtual rides.
15 years on and it’s become cycling’s favorite year-end ritual. This year, for the first time, your outdoor miles count just like your indoor miles when it comes to finishing the challenge on Zwift. Read on for details…
The Challenge
Your task is to ride 500 kilometers (310.7 miles) in eight days, from December 24-31. Outdoor bike, e-bike, handcycle, and virtual rides all count toward the total.
This is all tracked through Strava – in fact, the Festive 500 is the longest-running Strava challenge in the world! You’ll need to sign up for the Strava Challenge and upload your rides to Strava to be considered an official finisher.
RoboPacer-Led Festive 500 Events
Outdoor rides and all Zwift miles (free rides, workouts, etc) count toward the Festive 500 challenge, but Zwift is spinning up RoboPacer-led events to encourage riders to go the distance. The following RoboPacers will be in each event:
A: 3.7 W/kg Genie RoboPacer
B: 2.6 W/kg Coco RoboPacer
C: 2.2 W/kg Maria RoboPacer
D: 1.8 W/kg Miguel RoboPacer
E: 1.5 W/kg Bernie RoboPacer
Events alternate between “long” 50km rides on Triple Flat Loops at the top of each hour and “short” 25km rides on Watopia’s Waistband at the half hour.
Join Zwift CEO Eric Min on Christmas day for a festive 50km group ride on Triple Flat Loops in the limited-edition Ugly Sweater kit. (We don’t yet have the link to the specific event Eric will be leading. Watch here for an update.)
Kit Unlock
Complete the Festive 500 via any combination of indoor and outdoor rides, and you’ll unlock the Rapha Festive 500 2025 kit in Zwift:
Entry into the prize draw to win a US$1,000 Rapha voucher
A digital roundel for your Strava Trophy Case
A 20% off code to spend at Rapha
The chance to win a grand prize package from Rapha’s partners
More Events from the Community
Community teams always create special events (group rides and even races) to help riders hit the Festive 500km goal. In fact, each year at least one crazy group holds a ride covering all 500km in one event!
Paramount has launched a hostile takeover bid of $108.4 billion for Warner Bros Discovery, with the deal including cycling broadcasting rights.
The news comes after a $72 billion bid by Netflix last week for Warner Bros Discovery, where the most valuable parts of the company, its studio and streaming divisions, would be sold to the streaming giant.
Paramount’s proposal differs and encompasses the entirety of Warner Bros Discovery, including the broadcast and promotional rights to professional cycling races, such as the Tour de France, as well as the Mountain Bike World Cup series, through to 2030.
This offer provides a clearer outlook for cycling fans compared to the Netflix deal, which leaves the question of where races would be shown.
Paramount’s proposal would take the form of a hostile takeover, meaning the offer is made directly to Warner Bros Discovery shareholders and its board of directors without consent from the company’s management.
Both deals raise competition concerns, with regulators likely to scrutinise them in the US and Europe.
Paramount has said it could close the deal faster than the one proposed by Netflix, inside 12 months rather than the streaming giant’s projected 12-18 month process.
Whatever happens, it looks unlikely any changes will come into place in time for next season’s races.
British Cycling has launched a new commercial entity today to “supercharge commercial growth” in the sport.
British Cycling Ventures is actively seeking private equity and will absorb the existing British Cycling Events subsidiary to bring all commercial strands into one organisation.
Darren Henry, British Cycling’s chief commercial officer, said: “The launch of British Cycling Ventures is a landmark moment for our organisation and a transformative step for British sport.
“For the first time, we have a dedicated commercial engine designed to elevate cycling’s reach, create unforgettable experiences for riders and fans, and build sustainable growth far beyond our traditional horizons.”
British Cycling Ventures’ strategy will focus on expanding its events portfolio, from track cycling to cyclocross and BMX freestyle.
Launched ahead of Britain hosting the Tour de France Grand Départ in 2027, it will also lay the groundwork for other commercial activities in the future, which will include partner platforms, digital ecosystem and “new revenue models aligned with how fans engage with the sport today”.
British Cycling has already increased its commercial revenue by 286 per cent since 2023, through its lead partner, Lloyds, alongside partnerships with Shell UK, Elixirr, ALE and others.
The organisation says that with more than 26.3m people riding bikes at least once a year in the UK, there is a “significant opportunity to grow revenues”.
British Cycling has appointed Oakley Sports Advisory to help identify and secure investment partners.
The launch of British Cycling Ventures follows the success of UK Athletics’ Athletic Ventures, which works with London Marathon Events and the Great Run Company.
Athletic Ventures aims to grow athletics in Britain and has delivered major events, such as last year’s London Athletics Meet for 55,000 people at West Ham United’s London Stadium.
The focus on commercial growth follows British Cycling’s announcement in November that it will have a new competition structure by 2029, which will be simpler and “more fun” in an attempt to attract more people to cycling clubs and events.
Canyon’s latest MTB helmet has jumped in at number one in Virginia Tech’s Bicycle Helmet safety rating list. The new Deflectr uses a layer of ball bearings and glue to help it get there.
The Deflectr’s Release Layer System (RLS) technology is said to reduce rotational energy by nearly two-thirds in the event of a crash, which Canyon says makes the risk of concussion four times less likely.
The new helmet is priced at $159.95 / €159.95 and is available in three sizes and two colours, with another colour on the way in February.
Those tiny ball bearings are the key to the Release Layer technology. Release Layer System
Canyon says the reason the Deflectr has such a high safety rating is due to RLS technology, which reduces rotational forces on the rider’s head by up to 65% in an impact.
The helmet scored a maximum 5/5 and sits at number one in the Virginia Tech Mountain Bike Helmet Safety Ratings list.
Amazingly, the RLS tech uses a layer of ball bearings, which enable the two shells to move over one another with very little resistance in the event of an impact.
The system consists of a novel outer-helmet design that relies on two shells separated by the Release Layer membrane. The membrane is essentially a covering of tiny polycarbonate ball bearings attached to the shells by a specially tuned adhesive, which enables the shells to detach from each other and rotate in a heavy impact.
The shells can roll over each other if the crash-rotation energy goes beyond a set limit (dictated by the adhesive). In this case, the bearings enable additional movement between the two shells of the helmet when the helmet contacts the ground.
Canyon claims this means only one in 30,000 crashes will result in a concussion, which seems remarkably low.
The brand says a multi-national team with more than 125 years of combined experience created the Deflectr. During this time, they reportedly simulated more than 2,000 impacts across 150 locations and tested more than 140 helmets to destruction.
Hexr connection
Release Layer System technology is patented and can be licensed, like MIPS. Canyon Bikes
Canyon explains that the Release Layer System was invented and developed by the same minds that created London-based helmet innovation company HEXR – a laboratory for new helmet concepts with the primary objective of devising new technologies.
Canyon pays for the right to use patented RLS technology in its helmets, as other brands pay to license MIPS, but Canyon does not have an exclusive deal. This means we could see other brands paying to use the same RLS technology under licence.
Next-generation strap
HighBar 1.5 builds on Canyon’s distinctive strap system, which does away with the clip-under-the-ear style Y-strap seen more commonly on helmets. Canyon Bikes
Canyon has re-engineered its own strap system called the HighBar. It claims the latest version (v1.5) reduces facial pressure and channels sweat away from your brow.
There are two fixed plastic drop-downs on your temples, which Canyon says improve the helmet’s consistency of fit. There is a ventilated chin strap, which Canyon claims is cooler than traditional straps.
Visually, it’s quite a departure from a more traditional system with a fabric strap in front and behind your ear joined with a clip beneath it.
Canyon has also updated the chin dial, which it says now offers true one-handed adjustment.
Integrated rear light
The magnet holding on the integrated rear light is said to be strong enough to prevent the light falling off, even on the roughest off-road terrain. Canyon Bikes
Canyon has integrated a red LED light into the rear of the Deflectr. It attaches to the helmet with a magnet, which Canyon claims is strong enough to retain the light even when riding on the roughest terrain.
Cleverly, the light features a directional lens, which Canyon claims reflects light downwards to illuminate your back.
Sunglasses store
The sunglasses store under the peak is designed to keep your shades secure thanks to specially designed grippers in the slots. Canyon Bikes
Canyon has designed a sunglasses storage slot at the front of the helmet under the peak to keep your shades away from rear-wheel roost. It features specifically designed slots and ‘grippers’ to keep your glasses in place. The peak itself has three positions: low, medium and high.
Ventilation
Ventilation is said to be optimised for low-speed climbing and high-speed descending. Canyon Bikes
Canyon says the Deflectr uses sculpted vents and internal channels tuned for maximum ventilation at all speeds, aimed at keeping your head cool on both slow climbs and hot descents.
The large vents at the top of the helmet are there to maximise evaporative cooling on long, slow climbs. The intake and exhaust vents, combined with sculpted inner channels, come into play at higher speeds.
Canyon says because the helmet pads lack any plastic backing, cooling airflow is improved further.
Options and availability
The ‘matte desert’ colourway will be available in February, but not in the USA. Canyon Bikes
The helmet will be offered in three colours: ‘matte black’, ‘metallic olive’ and ‘matte desert’. The matte black and metallic olive helmets will be available from 6 November, but the desert colourway will not be available until February and will not be released in the USA.
Canyon quotes a claimed weight of 326g for a medium Deflectr, which is competitive for a trail helmet.
Late last week, Zwift released our personal 2025 Spinbacks, a video available in the Companion app that reviews your achievements for the year. The video highlights key stats, including:
On 5th January, a dizzying 78 million metres ascended in a single day.
Only 12% of the total hours with Robopacers are spent with the three top-end pacers (Jacques, Genie, and Constance). Still, that’s almost 500,000 hours!
60% of Robopacer hours were spent with either Miguel (1.8w/kg), Maria (2.2 w/kg), or Coco (2.6 w/kg).
Germany had the longest average session length at 62 minutes
The UK had the shortest, at 55 minutes
France and Germany both prefer structured workouts, while most other countries prefer free rides.
Zwift also released some country-specific data:
Country-Specific Stats
From these images, we can crunch a few numbers to come up with a fun little leaderboard showing which countries have accumulated the most Zwift distance and elevation per capita in the past year (aka, the world’s Zwiftiest places)!
Country
Population (millions)
Total Distance (millions of km)
Total Elevation (millions of m)
KM per Capita
M per Capita
M/KM
USA
340.1
306.4
2,400
0.90
7.06
7.83
UK
69.2
173.3
1,400
2.50
20.23
8.08
Germany
83.5
132
1,100
1.58
13.17
8.33
France
68.5
70.3
644.6
1.03
9.41
9.17
Australia
27.2
53.2
417.3
1.96
15.34
7.84
New Zealand
5.3
11.4
95.4
2.15
18.00
8.37
Spain
48.8
21.3
188.3
0.44
3.86
8.84
Japan
124
5.6
48.9
0.05
0.39
8.73
We can also see that France’s Zwifters did the most climbing per kilometer of any country on the list. Perhaps they were too busy working hard to drop Ride Ons?
My Thoughts
I was curious how “bespoke” each of our Spinback videos actually is. Sure, the stats are unique to us. But what about various text quips, like “You torched enough pizza slices to open up your very own Pipos Pizza Palace”?
In poking around on Insta, it appears most of these bits are the same for everyone. (I saw one newer rider who had burned just 23 slices of pizza, yet apparently even he could have opened up his own Pipos. Hmph.)
Still, it was fun to see my year in review on Zwift. Although last year Zwift dipped their toes into the “spinback” water by delivering career spinbacks for us, this is the first time they’ve released an annual spinback for each Zwifter, and so much aggregated community data for the year. I’m hoping this will become an annual tradition.
Your Thoughts
Any thoughts on your personal Spinback? Did anyone have a different “top worlds” list than “Watopia, France, New York”? And what do you think of the community spinback numbers? Share your thoughts below!
(Also, if you’re having trouble seeing the Spinback prompt in the Companion app, check out this forum thread for some tips.)
Chinese brand Teewing has a new electric enduro bike in the works, named the Flux, with its release slated for the first half of 2026.
BikeRadar and MBUK‘s Tom Marvin spotted the bike under Teewing ambassador Andi Sykes, and managed to tease out a few details and take a couple of snaps of this full-carbon bike.
Teewing made an impression on the UK eMTB market in 2025 with the Turbo Force electric trail bike, which features the popular DJI Avinox motor at a price that was below virtually every other DJI-powered carbon eMTB on the market, at £6,699.
While the pricing information I have on the new bike isn’t 100% confirmed, it looks likely that the Teewing Flux is going to come in at a price well below its competitors, making it potentially the best-value electric mountain bike of 2026.
On the Flux, this gives you 178mm of travel in the mullet build, and I believe, 170mm in the full-29er
This means the main swingarm pivot is located higher in the frame, well above the chainring.
When the rear wheel hits an obstacle, the arc of the wheel’s initial movement is more rearward and up, rather than either straight up or forward and up. This has the effect of bumping the wheel back and out of the way of an obstacle, rather than pushing the wheel into it.
The high-pivot design gives the rear wheel an initially rearward axle path for a smoother ride. Tom Marvin / OurMedia
This gives high-pivot bikes a smoother ride on rough terrain, and is a popular feature of longer-travel bikes.
The chain is then routed over an idler pulley, which rotates around the high main pivot, to reduce the impact of chain growth on the suspension’s action.
The Teewing’s carbon swingarm extends a touch past the large idler pulley, and encases the chain that loops over the idler – a neat solution to prevent any derailment.
Further back, the Flux uses a four-bar linkage design, with a pivot located on the chainstay. This should give Teewing additional control over the suspension’s kinematics. However, details such as progression, anti-rise and anti-squat are as yet to be announced.
Mullet capabilities, and dual bearings – plenty of thought has gone into Teewing’s second bike. Tom Marvin / OurMedia
The driveside chainstay has some wavy chain-slap protection, while the rear pivot apparently has a double set of bearings for durability.
There’s a second flip chip at the base of the shock, with High and Low settings – this should alter the geometry.
Speaking of geometry, there’s limited information out there. However, we believe a Large bike will have a reach of around 480mm, a head tube angle of just under 64 degrees, a seat tube angle of 78 degrees and a 445mm seat tube length – according to Andi.
A few more hidden details
The DJI Avinox motor can measure the bike’s speed 42 times per wheel revolution, thanks to this mini-rotor, part of the reason the motor is so impressive. Tom Marvin / OurMedia
Andi told me the seat tube has been made shorter than that found on the trail bike Turbo Force, as a way of enabling gravity-focused riders to run a longer dropper post.
The Flux also features fully guided internal cable routing.
The aforementioned DJI Avinox motor sits in the middle of the bike, powered by an 800Wh battery tucked into the down tube.
The provision of the 800Wh battery means we’re unlikely to see a size-Small model, because the battery is too large.
The chainstay neatly encases the chain. Tom Marvin / OurMedia
On the non-driveside, a new magnetic charge port cover replaces the apparently less reliable rubber bung of old. It’s a neat solution with a satisfying snap when the spring pulls it back home.
Not so hidden is DJI’s responsive touchscreen display, which is on top of the top tube, while a pair of button controllers will sit on the cockpit.
Teewing Flux specification and price details
Fox suspension will feature on the two available models. Tom Marvin / OurMedia
I do not have a full spec list or pricing for the new Teewing Flux, however Andi mentioned a few things that hint at what’s to come.
While Andi’s bike is decked out with a Pembree cockpit and Hunt wheels, production models will come with Teewing’s own carbon cockpit.
Two models are planned: this Fox Float-X and 38 Performance-level build, and one with Factory-level suspension of the same model.
I believe the cheaper model will come with SRAM’s Eagle 90 drivetrain, while the more expensive bike will get the new Shimano XT Di2.
Both models will be fitted with DoubleDown-cased Maxxis tyres, hinting at the gravity focus.
Wheels will be alloy on the cheaper model and carbon on the pricier bike.
The Teewing Flux Pro, with its Factory-level suspension, is likely to be priced at around €8,999, while the Flux One A (roughly as seen here) should be around €6,899.
Both these prices represent good value for money in my eyes.
The UI of DJI’s motor system really is class-leading. Tom Marvin / OurMedia
A same-same-but-different build of the Unno Mith, for example, comes in at £10,599 – you get SRAM X0 instead of Shimano XT, but both come with the same suspension, carbon frame, and motor, etc.
Of course, brands that are more established in the UK may be a proposition riders will be attracted to. However, those who are more price-sensitive and willing to purchase from a brand with less history in the UK should be rewarded with a very well-specced bike for the money.
When will the Teewing Flux arrive in the UK?
As yet, I do not know when the Flux will arrive on our shores. As far as I understand, the brand is working on distribution options into the UK.
There’s no doubt the introduction of DJI’s motor shook up the eMTB world. Brands such as Teewing, which may otherwise have struggled to gain traction in the UK and Europe, are able to leverage their position in the market when they have access to what is a hugely influential component.
With the Turbo Force trail bike getting good reviews and coverage that far outweighs the brand’s scale here in the UK, I predict the Flux’s competitive pricing will make this a highly attractive option for riders looking for a DJI-powered bike, who aren’t overly brand loyal.
While I would be excited to throw a leg over the bike, until I have the opportunity you should keep an eye on Andi’s YouTube channel, where I believe more information and impressions will be published soon.
Specialized has worked with AliExpress and Chinese law enforcement to seize fake Specialized and Roval products with a value estimated at $1.1m, the largest ever involving the brand.
Although reported this month, the raid took place in March and netted fake Specialized Tarmac SL8 framesets, Roval handlebars and wheels, as well as other fake components and almost 10,000 sticker sets.
It wasn’t only counterfeit Specialized products that were found – there was a further $0.5m of fake Pinarello, Cervélo, Cannondale and Trek goods.
The fake products included Roval handlebars and wheels, too. Simon von Bromley / Our Media
The March 2025 operation began when Specialized alerted AliExpress to the suspected counterfeit listings, buying some of the listed products to confirm they were indeed fake. AliExpress then provided Chinese law enforcement with the information to trace the supply chain back to the factories where they were made.
AliExpress says it uses AI to monitor and quickly remove fake products from its site. It points out, though, that dismantling the operations behind them is important to stop them re-emerging.
Risk to users
Previous operations have netted fake Specialized helmets. Scott Windsor / Our Media
AliExpress points out it’s not only brands’ revenues at risk. There’s a danger to cyclists, too, because fake products are unlikely to have been quality and safety tested, risking failures in use. Specialized has found the fakes often fail safety testing, in some cases catastrophically.
The latest seizure is the largest of more than a dozen that have taken place over many years, targeting fake Specialized products. In 2017, a two-year investigation resulted in another major takedown when $430,000 of fake goods were seized. There have been other operations against online sellers of fake cycling helmets.
According to Andrew Love, Specialized’s global brand protection manager: “Specialized is unwavering in its commitment to protecting its riders and upholding a zero-tolerance policy against dangerous counterfeit products. These illicit operations not only exploit consumers but also undermine trust in authentic goods. We are fully dedicated to safeguarding our customers and combating organized crime on a global scale.”
A fake DMR website (this is the real one) allowed you to enter your card details to supposedly purchase non-existent products.
AliExpress isn’t the only site where counterfeit cycling goods have been listed. There is also an increasing number of counterfeit sites mimicking brands’ sites, including Schwalbe and DMR, with buy links inviting purchasers to place an order that never arrives.
Nukeproof described taking down counterfeit sites for its brand as “like whack-a-mole”, with a steady stream of fake sites emerging prior to its recent relaunch.
Rapha has published its 2025 impact report, with headlines including the brand’s increased use of recycled polyester in its garments, for the first time using more recycled than virgin fibres in 2024. It aims to increase that figure to 80% by 2030.
Rapha already offers crash repairs and has launched a trade-in programme, Rapha ReRoute, for its clothing in the US, which it plans to extend to the UK, then more countries in Europe.
Other notable advances include the use of renewable energy to power its offices and 59% of its 22 clubhouses worldwide.
Lower impact supply chain
Rapha CEO Fran Millar says the brand is working closely with its suppliers to cut emissions and waste. Tom Griffiths / Rapha
It’s been pointed out previously that, although cycling produces few emissions, the whole supply chain, and end-of-life disposal of bikes and cycling paraphernalia, is far from green.
The annual Climate Action Pulse Check published by Shift Cycling Culture, a pan-industry body, reports that 85% of its members consider reduction of climate impact as part of their product design and development.
But according to Rapha CEO, Fran Millar: “We have become the first cycling apparel brand to set a Science Based Target, committing to reduce greenhouse gas emissions across our operations and supply chain. This means working closely with our suppliers to cut emissions, extending the life of our products through circularity initiatives, and increasing our use of sustainable materials.”
At the top level, Rapha’s climate actions are targeting an 88% reduction in its own greenhouse gas emissions by 2030, with a further 45% reduction from its supply chain, which is its main source of emissions. It says it has already achieved a 35.6% reduction in the former and a 24% reduction in the latter since 2022, although with more products produced in 2024, its emissions have increased slightly from 2023.
Rapha says it’s also aiming to reduce waste from excess fabrics to 0.5% of its total and reduce the environmental impact of its packaging, both for transport and at individual item level. It says this is minimal, though, relative to its product production, which it calculates produced 11,035 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent in 2024, 98% of its total.
Rapha’s impact report covers a wide range of measures, not just clothing production. Scott Windsor / Our Media
Alongside the above headlines, Rapha has set itself a range of targets for its impact, covering everything from supplier social and environmental performance to the removal of PFC forever chemicals from its clothes’ DWR coatings and the reduction in water consumption in production.
“We see sustainability as more than reducing our carbon footprint. It’s about protecting the rights of the people who make our products, and safeguarding the landscapes we ride through. It’s about changing the way we live, and opening cycling up to more people from every walk of life. It’s about leaving no one behind,” says Millar.
Among its other initiatives, Rapha has taken steps to eliminate its gender pay gap. In 2018, this stood at 18%, while by 2024, women on average earned 2.3% more than men at Rapha.
A further initiative aims to ensure all workers at the (non-Rapha owned) factories where its products are put together, principally in Vietnam, China, Portugal and Indonesia, receive a living wage and have representation mechanisms.
Zwift Camp: Build is underway: a 5-stage route-based workout series, with each stage lasting one week and focusing on developing power over a specific time interval.
My plan is to do each of the five workouts before their weeks begin, so I can write a post unpacking the workout and delivering some tips along the way. This post covers Stage 5’s workout on Watopia’s Road to Sky route, which takes you up the massive Alpe du Zwift KOM. Let’s roll!
The fifth and final stage of Zwift Camp: Build is focused on “One 60-minute showdown,” according to the event description. We’re climbing Alpe du Zwift, a 12.2km, 8.5% climb modeled after France’s infamous Alpe d’Huez.
This is by far the longest effort in Zwift Camp: Build. We began this Camp with short sprints in Stage 1, went to longer sprints in Stage 2, then (sort of) VO2 power in Stage 3, followed by 10-20 minute power in Stage 4. Stage 5, for many riders, will be around a 1-hour interval, making it a true threshold effort.
Apart from the mental and physical challenge of a long threshold effort, the only tricky part here is pacing. You’ll do best if you know the wattage you’re aiming to hold on the climb, and this will also let you pick a pace partner to ride with.
The RoboPacers each have their own pens, with the faster bots leaving first. While everyone is visible on course, chances are very few riders from the slower groups will catch the faster ones ahead.
Here are the RoboPacer options:
A – 50 Minutes: 4 W/kg
B – 60 Minutes: 3.3 W/kg
C – 70 Minutes: 2.8 W/kg
D – 90 Minutes: 2.1 W/kg
E – 115 Minutes: 1.7 W/kg
The stage is built around Watopia’s Road to Sky route, which begins with an easy descent into the Mayan Jungle.
The bots go much slower during this warmup portion, so be sure to stay with your bot (it’ll be easy) if you want to start the Alpe climb next to them.
The route ends atop the Alpe, but you can keep pedaling and descend back to ground level afterward. You earned the distance!
Stage 5 Walkthrough
Once again, I was going into this ride with legs that were less than fresh. Luckily, Zwift had set up the RoboPacers in such a way that the B bot was perfect for what I could do in terms of a longer effort!
The B bot’s 60-minute climb pace, at 3.3 W/kg, seemed like it would pace me nicely on the early part of the climb. Then I figured I’d have a bit more left on the upper slopes, so I could push a bit harder, drop the bot, and negative split things overall.
After 9 minutes of easy warmup spining through the Jungle, we crossed the start line for Alpe du Zwift, the bot kicked up the effort, and we got to work:
I settled into my target pace, finding the best gear and staying close to the bot.
After climbing for several minutes, I realized that this setup was working out really nicely. While the Sector Stats HUD on the left let me easily see my average power for each of the 21 sectors, the green bot and its big ol’ beacon made it easy to see if I was holding my target pace.
A warning, though: these bots are relentless, and if you ease up, you’ll get dropped!
Hairpin Note
The spot where you’ll notice the relentless nature of the RoboPacers the most is on the flatter gradients that often occur on the hairpins at the end of some sectors. When the road flattens, your power will naturally drop as trainer resistance drops. But the RoboPacer won’t change its output!
I found myself losing several meters to the bot on each flat section, until I began to consciously increase my power when I felt resistance ease.
Doing the Work
I stayed just a few meters ahead of the B bot for the first 15 sectors. I also opted not to steer, as the pace I was holding felt good and I didn’t need to gain further advantage on the unsuspecting robot. (Note: steering can reduce the overall length by around 500 meters, so it’s no small thing!) If you’re struggling to keep up with the bot, though, a few cut corners may be just the trick you need.
Nearing the finish, 40 seconds ahead of the bot
My heart rate had risen steadily from 140 at the bottom of the Alpe to 160 with 6 sectors to go. That’s when I decided to bump up my effort, drop the green robot, and sail to victory!
I went from averaging ~270W to ~280-285W, and began putting time into the bot. I kept pushing, getting my heart rate up to 170bpm as I crossed the finish line. My final climb time was 58:21, and the bot finished about 40 seconds behind me. (So it’s worth mentioning that the bot climb times are estimates only, probably accurate within a minute or so.)
Watch My Video
Results!
I received an automated email after finishing this stage, which included a link to a web-based results dashboard: zwift.com/zwift-camp-build/dashboard
Good to see Zwift getting this launched, even if it came a bit late.
Suggestion Box
I’ve been offering improvement suggestions to Zwift for each of these stages, and my suggestions for stage 5 would be the same as stage 4: add messaging, and improve the event description (read those suggestions in more detail here).
Apart from that, I want to take a moment to talk about the overall Zwift Camp: Build experience now that I’ve finished the final stage.
Overall, I’d say Zwift Camp: Build offers some good sessions for riders looking to challenge themselves with maximal efforts across particular time intervals. Three stages do this well:
Stage 1 with its 4 neuromuscular sprints on Glasgow’s Champion’s Sprint
Stage 4 for a suprathreshold effort on The Grade KOM
Stage 5 for a maximal threshold effort, assuming you can complete the Alpe in ~60 minutes or less
The other two stages fell short of what could have been. To be precise:
Stage 2 talked about targeting 1-minute power, but since the on-screen instructions had you sprinting every sprint segment (9 of them!), your 1-minute efforts were blunted.
Stage 3, on the cover, was about VO2 max efforts. But it had you do 3 back-to-back hard laps of the Volcano Circuit, which meant you couldn’t actually hold VO2 max power for more than perhaps 1 lap. It was actually more like a pacing exercise for stage 4.
Like I said in the intro to stage 1, this isn’t meant to be a workout program for an intermediate or experienced rider, and it won’t offer the periodized training of a true program.
It is, however, an easy way for beginners, or those new to structured training, to dip their toes into more structured approaches. Route-based workouts are a great way to do this, as they offer a welcome and needed alternative to the rigid structure of ERG workouts. So it’s good that Zwift is pushing in this direction.
As Zwift’s first serious foray into a route-based workout series, I’d say overall, Zwift Camp: Build feels like a step in the right direction.
But these workouts, and the overall program, could be much better. I’ve already written all my suggestions in previous posts, but I’ll summarize them by saying Zwift should:
Find routes that dial in the interval lengths more precisely;
Use the HUD effectively to aid the workout, and also;
Communicate clearly what each workout is about through the event titles, description text, and other marketing comms.
There’s a lot more to be said about the potential of route-based workouts in Zwift, but I’ll save that for an upcoming Pondering the Possibilities post.
The stripped-back Colnago Y1Rs that propelled Tadej Pogačar to time-trial success on Stage 13 of this year’s Tour de France has sold for $190,500.
We covered the four iconic Colnago bikes up for auction by Sotheby’s earlier this week, when Pogačar’s bike had a bid of $16,000 and an estimate of $15,000 to $20,000.
The bike is a lightened version of Colnago’s V1Rs that was specially made for the mountain time trials, with Pogačar going on to ride the bike up Mont Ventoux in a record time to defend his yellow jersey against Jonas Vingegaard.
The bike comes with a rainbow-stripe livery. Sotheby’s
This special-edition Y1Rs weighs just over 7kg, with a raw carbon finish helping with weight-saving and exposing the carbon weave below.
Pogačar’s continued use of the bike may have put the final nail in the coffin of dedicated climbing bikes in UCI-regulated races, with the aerodynamic performance appearing to outweigh the small weight savings.
The bike has been on display at St Regis Saadiyat Island Resort, Abu Dhabi for the duration of the auction.
Colnago’s Y1Rs isn’t a cheap bike, regardless of history. Andy Lloyd / Our Media
While $190,500 is a ludicrous amount of money for a Colnago Y1Rs, which retails for around £11,999 / $14,500, it isn’t a record-breaking figure for a bicycle at auction.
That honour belongs to a Damien Hirst-painted “Butterfly” Trek Madone ridden by Lance Armstrong at the Tour de France and auctioned off for LiveStrong for $500,000.
The C35 Oro Ferrari collaboration also beat its auction estimate. Sotheby’s
Other bikes sold in the auction sold were: Colnago track bike built to Eddy Merckx’s 1972 Hour Record dimensions ($12,065); Colnago C68 Rossa No. 1/90 ($21,590); Colnago C35 Oro Ferrari collaboration ($35,560).
This weekend we feature three very different race events, a ride for a cause, and a training ride for crazy people. See our picks below!
Team Fearless Annual Women’s Team Championships
Women Only Popular Unique Event
Now in its ninth year, this race can be called a true Zwift December classic! Over 260 women are already registered, but organizers expect that number to more than double by race day.
This year’s race is on France’s Knights of the Roundabout route, with different route lengths based on rider category. Cat D/E will be finishing at 36km at the Ballon Sprint arch, while A/B/C will finish at 44km after descending from the Petit KOM.
Picked this because it’s a cause that’s near and dear to us. Ride organizers say, “We ride to support Ukraine and to remember that freedom has a cost. The war is still real — let’s keep Ukraine in the world’s heart and mind.”
Cycling Time Trials (CTT) – the national governing body for time trials in England, Scotland, and Wales – continues to evolve their popular time trial series (read about the launch here).
Saturday is your last chance to complete week 4’s race on Innsbruck’s hilly 2018 UCI Worlds Course Short Lap (23.9km, 494m). Note: there are now dedicated events for men and women.
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!
Team Fearless Annual Women’s Team Championships
Women Only 
Virtual Everesting Bootcamp
Group Ride to Support Ukraine
