Shimano has advised Android phone users of its e-Tube Project app not to upgrade their phone to the Beta release of the latest Android operating system, because the app doesn’t yet work correctly with Android 17.
The E-Tube Project app, which was last updated in October 2025, enables users to check status, update firmware, adjust derailleurs and change shift parameters on its Di2 electronic groupsets, as well as fine-tune assistance levels for Shimano electric bike motors.
The E-Tube app enables users to change parameters for Shimano electric motor systems. Canyon
The second Beta for Android 17 was released on 1 March and, Google says, “focuses on improving performance, boosting energy efficiency and strengthening privacy and security tools”.
In an email sent to users, Shimano says it is working on fixing the compatibility issue with the E-Tube app and that it will inform users via Google Play once it is solved, which it expects to take a few days.
If you’re an older phone, you’re probably in the clear – as are iPhone users.
In the age of aero, everything is measured for marginal gains, with ultra-endurance athlete Lael Wilcox going as far as testing hairstyles in a search for watt savings.
The American racer, who became the first woman to win the Trans Am Bike Race in 2016, spent time in Specialized’s wind-tunnel testing facility last week, investigating how aerodynamics could impact her world circumnavigation record attempt.
According to a post on Instagram, the racer tested bags, aero bars, outfits and even her hairstyle.
Wilcox is looking to beat the record, set by Mark Beaumont, of 78 days, 14 hours and 40 minutes.
To do so, she will need to ride at 15mph for 16 hours a day, or 16mph for 15 hours a day, in order to hit 240 miles per day for 78 days consecutively.
Wilcox is taking on one of cycling’s longest record attempts. Lael Wilcox / Instagram
She says: “We are looking to save minutes wherever we can. A mile an hour faster, saves me a whole hour every day.”
Aerodynamics play a key part in cycle racing. Lael Wilcox / Instagram
Sleep is a main concern for Wilcox’s attempt, with the post continuing, “We have 24 hours in the day and I want to sleep a minimum of 6”.
Wilcox is yet to brave the shave, but she shared what it might look like. Lael Wilcox / Instagram
In her testing, Wilcox reveals that a bun is faster than a ponytail, but says: “If I buzzed my hair I’d probably save 10 minutes a day not having to wash it, brush it or put it up. And it’s more aero.”
Its not the only follicle testing that’s happened at the Specialized wind tunnel, with Ben Delaney visiting on behalf of BikeRadar back in 2015 to see if shaved legs would save time.
In his testing, he found shaving his legs saved 48 seconds over 40km.
In a previous article on Zwift Insider, the structure of the Women’s Ladder League was explained in detail — how the rankings work, how teams are formed, and how scoring is calculated. If you’re looking for a technical breakdown of the mechanics, that article remains the best place to start.
What it cannot fully capture, however, is what the league feels like once you’re inside it — how it evolves over a season, where its current strengths lie, and where it could grow if more clubs chose to step in.
The Women’s Ladder League was never meant to be a seasonal filler or a substitute for another competition. It stands on its own, with its own rhythm, its own competitive logic, and its own identity within women’s esports racing.
Where the League Stands Today
The league now includes 21 teams, six of them newly registered, with additional teams ready to come on board! That is enough to create meaningful competition. It is also few enough that certain patterns begin to repeat.
Because only a small number of teams currently field multiple Platinum or higher-ranked riders, the sharp end of the racing often brings together familiar matchups. The battles are still epic, but similar combinations tend to surface again and again.
With just a few additional teams (particularly those bringing depth in the higher ranking brackets), the entire dynamic would shift. Different team rosters, different tactical decisions, different outcomes.
Why the Format Feels Different
The Ladder uses ranking-based seeding rather than legacy pace categories. That may sound technical, but in practice, it changes how races unfold. The field tends to stratify in layers. Moves don’t always explode the group in predictable ways. Tactics surface earlier.
Riders who might otherwise see themselves as mid-pack often discover they are tactically essential. A steady engine can neutralize attacks. A rider who reads wheels well can protect a sprinter. A consistent climber can soften the field before a decisive move. And even dropped riders can still contribute meaningfully to the outcome of the race. Sometimes it’s the sprint for ninth place that decides the race!
Timezone and Growth Potential
Currently, most racing takes place in the EMEA evening time slot. That concentration works well for European teams, but it leaves a noticeable absence in the AMER timezone. More North and South American participation would not simply expand scheduling — it would alter the competitive picture entirely.
21 teams provide a solid base. But even modest growth would change the texture of the league. Three or four additional squads in higher-ranking brackets would immediately diversify the front of the race. At the same time, teams across all ranking levels remain equally important. Broader representation increases unpredictability throughout the field.
For Clubs Considering Joining
Clubs need at least five committed riders to register. Closer to ten makes participation stable and less stressful. Beyond that, it is less about perfect rosters and more about willingness to build something.
Mock Ladder races can be organised through FCC as club events in collaboration with established teams to introduce the format. Experienced captains are available to mentor new ones. A comprehensive guide outlines scoring, registration, and race logistics. No club has to step in without guidance.
Women’s team racing does not expand automatically. It grows when clubs choose to invest in it, in roster lists, coordination, and showing up on the start line.
The structure is already there. The experience is already meaningful. For clubs wondering whether they “have enough riders” or whether they would “fit in” … the only way to know is to try!
The Ladder is open. And it becomes stronger every time a new team joins.
Getting Started
Want to try out the Women’s Ladder League for the first time? If you’re already part of a larger team on Zwift, reach out to team leaders to see if there is a squad you can join. You can also captain your own team! Read and understand the rule book first, then register as a captain here.
Contact Sonja Weber (s.w.r4cf.) or Berdien (birdisnoop) the FCC Discord server (https://discord.gg/rU8TUtGbfD) if you have questions.
Kuwahara has revealed the Grasshopper 1, a chromoly-framed 26in singlespeed ‘ATB’ that harks back to its early mountain bikes.
While those bikes helped Thomas Frischknecht win silver at the 1991 UCI Mountain Bike World Championships, the Japanese brand is better known for its BMXs.
The KZ-1 is one of the most iconic bikes in history, thanks to a starring role in E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial.
Away from the silver screen, the Grasshopper nameplate originated in the 80s, with this retro reinterpretation using standards and components fitting for the time.
There is only one spec level, but the three colourways will enable you to flavour your nostalgia accordingly.
It’s not clear where the bikes will be sold, but if you’re looking to pick one up, it will cost you ¥132,000 or ¥143,000, depending on the colourway.
Kuwahara calls the Grasshopper 1 an ‘ATB’, or All Terrain Bike, saying it’s focused on around-town and light-trail work.
The frame features a classic double-diamond layout and, as you’d expect, its geometry is from a different generation, with a 70-degree head angle.
The Grasshopper 1 was designed in Japan. Kuwahara
4130 Cr-Mo steel is used for the frame and fork, with external cable routing and horizontal dropouts keeping things period-correct.
Kuwahara says the raw colourway is likely to rust over time, but I think that’s what they call patina. Kuwahara
It’s 26in wheels will likely feel like casters to many on technical terrain, but there’s still a strong following in the #26aintdead crowd for whom this bike may seem perfect.
The wheels use double-wall alloy rims laced to Kuwahara’s own Twin-Turbine hubs.
A singlespeed setup is implemented, which should keep maintenance down to a minimum in and around town.
Very few people mourn the death of cantilever brakes. Kuwahara
Dia-Compe DC-980 cantilever brakes are spec’d, which will slow you down eventually, but it’s not about performance with this bike – it’s a statement of style and simplicity that pays homage to the legendary brand’s roots.
For those who look back with rose-tinted glasses, the purple model features silver components, including the wheels, handlebar, stem and seatpost.
Just be sure to keep those shades on when the sun comes out, or prepare to be dazzled.
Looking for some inspiration to help you reach your goals? In this week’s top video, hear how one Zwifter plans to reach an ambitious goal of having a 400-watt 20-minute power.
March is Women’s History Month, so you may notice an extra focus on women Zwifters in the coming weeks. We’re kicking it off today with a post summarizing key women’s clubs on Zwift.
Cycling is a social sport, and getting plugged into a rider community can be a real game-changer for your motivation, fitness, and overall quality of life! Most of the teams below host regular social rides, some race together, but most importantly all are open to any woman who just wants a place to call home. (Special thanks to Leah Thorvilson at ZHQ for pulling this info together!)
Ruckus Racing is a Canadian women’s bike racing team that came to be when, back in 2022, a few local racers caused a ruckus when an iconic local event neglected to offer an amateur women’s category. Our founding members rallied the local community and drove a change, and as such, Ruckus Racing was born. Now, we are a race team and development ground run for women, by women. Female-identifying athletes are often dichotomized. We’re either there “just for fun” OR there to compete at our highest level. But what we know is that competing and pushing our limits is fun. Hence, our motto “having fun, taken seriously”. We’re here toeing start lines, welcoming new racers and building stoke to show that women can be playful and still bring our all to a race.
The QueenBees are an inclusive collective of women united by a shared love of cycling. Much like a hive, we believe in working together to bring out the best in every member of our community. Our mission is to support, empower, and encourage women to live their best lives; wherever they may be on their life, cycling, or fitness journey.
Founded by four Australian women who first connected on Zwift, QueenBees has grown into a global community offering 11 weekly women’s only rides led by experienced ride leaders across all time zones. Our sessions range from 30 to 90 minutes and include a mix of social banded rides, unbanded rides, and structured workouts, ensuring there is something for everyone.
At QueenBees, we believe every woman has a story and a unique value to contribute. Together, these stories strengthen our hive and create a global sisterhood: one that every member can be proud to belong to.
NGNM United We Are Club is an international Zwift club for women who value structured training, shared motivation, and riding together. Riders worldwide share the same virtual roads, connected as a close-knit community.
No Gods No Masters® – a women’s cycling apparel brand – has been active on Zwift since 2019, using the platform to bring women together through regular rides and workouts. The club reflects the brand’s ethos: inclusive, supportive, and focused on helping women grow as cyclists with confidence and consistency.
All NGNM Zwift events live in the club, including the weekly NGNM Women Crush Wednesdays group ride and the NGNM United We Are Women’s Workout Series, designed to build endurance, strength, and overall fitness – whether training for a United We Are real event in Italy or personal goals.
Rocacorba Collective is an inclusive indoor cycling community founded in 2021 by professional cyclist Ashleigh Moolman Pasio. Created to empower women through connection, competition, and shared purpose, the Collective welcomes riders of all levels, while remaining open to men who actively support and champion women’s cycling.
At our core, we are about more than watts and results. We believe confidence is built together. From first-time racers to elite athletes, members are supported through structured Zwift racing, expert coaching from Helen Bridgman, and a deeply collaborative team environment where everyone is encouraged to progress, whatever their goals. Our culture is rooted in mentorship, teamwork, and showing up for one another on and off the bike.
Women should join Rocacorba Collective because this is a space designed for them to grow, feel seen, and truly belong. It’s a sisterhood that values ambition and kindness equally, where learning is celebrated and every contribution counts. Beyond training and racing, we ride with purpose. A portion of every membership supports young girls from the Khaltsha Academy in Khayelitsha, helping fund education and access to indoor cycling in South Africa.
Founded in 2019, The Warrior Games began with a simple idea: to create women’s events that are fun, inclusive, and run with fairness and care. We wanted to offer a space where women could come together, enjoy themselves, and celebrate what we can achieve united.
Since then, TWG has grown into a welcoming community, organising beloved events such as the Iceni Women’s Series, the Tour de Boudicca, a three-day stage race, and the Tour de Andrasta. We take pride in collaborating with other communities and organisers to create enjoyable, well-run events, and we’re always happy to support other women-focused activities wherever we can.
Most recently, TWG has partnered with Femme Cycle Collab, as both organisations share the same values. Keeping everything within a single club ensures this new partnership runs smoothly and aligns with our vision of community, fun, and empowerment.
At its heart, TWG is about bringing women together, whether through sport, adventure, or shared experiences and encouraging a spirit of friendship, fun, and mutual support. We warmly invite anyone who shares our values to join us, take part, and enjoy the camaraderie that comes from celebrating strength, determination, and the joy of women united.
Catrina’s Ladies Social ride started as the CIS Ladies Recovery group ride as I was a part of the CIS training program in 2016. Myself as the leader along with Karen Russell, Louise Joubert, Courtnee Swaim, Dean Bryson, Teatte Louderback-Smith and Pam Abbot were the core of this amazing ladies ride, and our mutual support got us through the challenges and changes that came with each of these rides. We wanted to support the ladies’ community as I had just started training in 2014 on Zwift, learning from trial and error. In 2019 I left CIS to pursue other goals, so now the ride is Catrina’s Ladies Social ride.
I also have an Endurance 100k Ladies ride, which has been going since 2019. And I have started my own coaching business, CW Fitness, focusing more towards ladies’ individual needs. Because I truly believe that us ladies have to support one another and lift each other up always!
We are a global community of women who race with purpose, passion, and pride. Whether you’re a first time endurance athlete or a seasoned competitor, we believe in showing up for ourselves and each other in sport and in life.
Founded by professional triathlete Angela Neath, I Race Like a Girl and Girls Get Gritty is more than just a team – it’s a movement. We support, challenge, and celebrate one another every step of the way.
OWL.BiKe isn’t just a cycling community—it’s a flock of unstoppable women in Lycra rewriting the rules on what power looks like past 50. We’re Older Women in Lycra (OWLs), and we’ve decided blending in is overrated.
For us, showing up beats showing off every time. Some of us chase watts in Tuesday ZRL races, others roll into our Grey Zone Empowerment rides—think trivia, laughter, and light pedaling while learning what real empowerment feels like. Whether you’re spinning easy or pushing hard, every ride is a win because you showed up and had fun doing it.
OWL.BiKe is where friendship meets grit. We lift each other up with genuine gratitude and a good dose of humor, reminding one another that we still get to do this—and that’s worth celebrating. There’s no talk of slowing down here, only building strength, confidence, and joy.
In our flock, age isn’t a limit—it’s an edge. We ride together, laugh together, and rise together. Because when OWLs take flight, the world can’t help but notice.
The FCC wants to get women to race bikes, on Zwift mostly. We want to encourage more women to race against women, and encourage and uplift them to keep them racing. This isn’t about elite racing, this is about keeping women motivated through:
Providing convenient forums and race formats that specifically showcase different women’s strengths,
Creating team-oriented race formats where each rider matters,
Talking across women’s teams to gather support for the women-only format.
AHDR stands for Aussie Hump Day Ride, with “Hump Day” being an Aussie the term for the middle of the week. AHDR Ladies formed in 2017 off the back of the main Hump Day Ride, when it became clear that the ladies wanted a space, ride, and race to call their own. From that, the Cake Ride was born – and Tuesday officially became ladies day at AHDR.
AHDR Ladies is an inclusive, safe, supported, and fun team. What started as a ride has grown into something much bigger, leading to real life friendships, connections and catch-ups.
Established in October 2024, Club PUMP is a Zwift community built for women who live for the incline. We don’t just ride; we ascend. From the legendary hairpins of the Alpe to the relentless rollers of Watopia, our sessions are designed to be grit-testing, rewarding, and unapologetically steep.
Feel the PUMP. Whether you’re pushing your watts on a power climb or digging deep during our banded sessions, you’re never climbing alone. We are a community of women who show up for one another, cheering through every summit and celebrating every personal best.
Founded in Munich, Germany, Female Cycling Force (FCF) now operates in both Munich and Stuttgart, with our headquarters and clubhouse located in Munich. Our community was created to empower more women to ride bikes and feel at home in cycling. Our mission is to build a vibrant and supportive space where women can connect, share experiences, and grow – on and off the bike.
What started as a local initiative has become a strong network of riders of all levels. During the outdoor season we host weekly group rides in both Munich and Stuttgart with different pace groups, making it easy for every woman to join, progress, and have fun. Beyond riding, we create opportunities to learn and connect through mechanical workshops, talks, and events at our clubhouse in Munich, as well as community trips to destinations like Mallorca and South Tyrol.
In winter, our weekly Zwift rides keep the community spirit alive and bring women together from everywhere.
FCF stands for inclusivity, empowerment, and real friendships through cycling. Whether you are new to the sport or an experienced rider – you belong in our peloton.
Fietsvrouwen is a Dutch Cycling Company founded by Kirsten Boerrigter. It’s all about inspiring, motivating and connecting woman on bikes. We do this with online and offline events, cycling tours, our cycling club, lifestyle coaching, our webshop, and much more. We are there for women on bikes, it doesn’t matter how fit or skilled you are. Everyone is welcome!
Asiina Cycling Team is a Salt Lake City, Utah based women’s cycling non-profit. The mission of Asiina Cycling Team is to empower and elevate women cyclists through fostering a community of growth and excellence, providing dedicated support, and promoting inclusivity. Founded by a group of friends with the goal of providing opportunities for training, competition, and mentorship, we aim to inspire and develop athletes to their fullest potential. Our commitment extends beyond the podium. By promoting inclusivity, equity, and sustainability within the sport we are creating a legacy of strength and achievement for future generations of women in cycling. We ride together IRL in all disciplines (road, MTB, gravel, CX) and on Zwift and welcome any women looking for a supportive community to join.
If you race or train on Zwift, you’ve probably seen Nathan and Gabriela “Gabi” Guerra doing their thing – Nathan anchoring many of the Zwift races and Gabi killing it racing in all of the top events.
But do you know the story of how this loving “power” couple (pun intended) met on Zwift, fell in love, and got married? It’s quite a story of virtual attraction becoming IRL love, and all the challenges associated with a modern-day romance.
Long Distance Longing
In October of 2021, Gabi, who was living in Germany and had just started virtual riding and racing on Zwift, was racing in one of the elite races and saw Nathan anchoring one of the broadcasts. Nathan, who lives in Wisconsin, is an OG of Zwift racing, both as a rider and as a commentator. He’s one of the most knowledgeable esports racers in the world and freely educates others (like me) via his race streams.
Gabi liked what she was seeing and tagged him on one of his videos – making the first connection. She wrote “Nice Job” on his stream, thinking nothing of it.
To her surprise, he responded.
And they started chatting.
Zwift Badge Hunting: “What is going on here?”
For the next 4 months, they would go on badge-hunting rides with each other on Zwift, getting to know each other better. Nathan had been divorced for 5 years, and says, “I was starting to ask myself ‘What is going on here?’”
One night, as they were hunting for a badge in the Makuri Islands, he could feel the attachment happening. They had common goals, and he was wondering if this could be more than a friendship.
“She straight up rejected me!” he recalls, laughing a bit.
Gabi wasn’t looking for a relationship. She was 28, had some bad experiences in the past, and was looking for more of a buddy. She wasn’t sure she was ready to go further. “I started crying. It was very emotional to me. So it took me a while.”
Gabi always dreamed of getting married. As a kid, she even created a checklist of what she wanted in a husband. Was Nathan the one? She worried that she might never get the marriage badge (the two jokingly suggested Zwift add a marriage badge).
“Okay, we have to meet. But where? Zwift Insider’s house, of course!”
Finally, after nailing most of the badges in Zwift, in January 2022, Nathan and Gabi decided they had to meet. In. Real. Life. But where? Gabi lived in Germany, and Nathan lived in Wisconsin.
So the most obvious choice was… Northern California!?
Well, yes! You see, Nathan had asked a bunch of his friends for help in deciding where to meet, and Eric Schlange, Mr. Zwift Insider, invited them to his home. Gabi would fly into San Francisco, and Nathan would drive across the country with his mom. “I would walk 500 miles for you,” Nathan says, quoting The Proclaimers.
So, in April of 2022, they both set out for California. As a sign that they were meant to be, just as Nathan and his mom were driving up to the pickup location at the airport, Gabi walked out of the door. Synchronicity!
First Date IRL
They both hung out at Eric’s house with Eric and his wife. They rode together and had a great time. But Gabi was having a hard time convincing herself it was okay to date Nathan. To believe, after believing it was not possible anymore. She was trying hard to give herself permission.
On one of the rides, deep into the redwoods, they got lost. To Gabi, this was a good test to see if she could feel safe with him. Nathan passed that test of manhood by getting them safely back to Eric’s house.
By the end of the week, they decided that they were, in fact, now dating – and they held hands for the very first time. They decided to take the next, gulp, step: meet the parents (and the kids!).
Since Gabi was from two cultures, Brazil and Germany, Nathan was about to perform a worldwide tour de force. And since Nathan had five children from his first marriage, Gabi would have to meet them, plus his mom.
The question was: could Nathan and Gabi pass the family test, and could Gabi be comfortable with American culture as they decided they would live together in the United States?
Nathan Goes To Germany
So, Nathan goes to Germany in June 2022 to meet Gabi’s mom and stepfather. While there, Gabi decides to challenge Nathan a bit to test him – again. One of the challenges is hiking up a mountain to see if they can make it and if he will keep her safe. He passes that test. But does he pass the parents test (who have been skeptical of this whole thing from the beginning)? Yes, he does! Victory for Nathan.
Now it’s Gabi’s turn.
Gabi Goes To Wisconsin
For Gabi, this was also a chance to see if she could fit into the American lifestyle. She wasn’t sure. Could she live with Nathan and 5 kids from a previous marriage? It was hard for her to imagine that life. She digs deep into her emotions. It would be a big leap for her. She wants more than a 2- or 3-year-long-distance relationship. She loves the kids (even though they could be messy at times). But the whole thing is starting to stress her out, and this was a very important decision.
She needs space to think, so she decides to remove herself from the situation and get a different perspective.
Gabi Goes To Brazil, Alone
To get away from the pressure, Gabi goes home to Brazil to stay with her grandparents, sister, and extended family to get their thoughts on all that was going on with her and Nathan.
“They really rejected him right away. They didn’t even want to meet with him. They thought it was a terrible idea,” says Gabi.
Gabi is in a bind. While her stepdad in Germany gave her the green light, her family in Brazil was sending a hard red.
She calls Nathan, crying.
Nathan Goes To Brazil (With A Ring)
Upon hearing what happened and sensing her sadness amid the confusion, Nathan decides to buy a ticket right away to meet them. And, unbeknownst to Gabi, he buys a ring.
He arrives to a dinner with her extended family who mostly don’t speak English. They discuss everything – divorce, marriage, life, faith. It is tense for a bit. But then, suddenly out of the blue, her grandma stops, looks at Nathan, and says: “I understand. I get it. I trust you.” And at that moment, everything changed. A huge weight was taken off Gabi’s shoulders as her family accepted Nathan into their world.
Later on, Gabi takes Nathan on a ride she loves. To a place where she used to pray. Nathan is full of jitters. He’s about to propose to her. She doesn’t know this. He wonders if she will say yes. He’s hesitant but decides now is the time to make the move.
And she says, “Yes.”
And then she breaks her hip.
Broken Hip
Nathan returns to Wisconsin with a smile since Gabi said ‘yes’ to getting married. Gabi stays in Brazil, and while out on a training ride, crashes and breaks her hip. After stabilizing the break, she packs up and heads to Wisconsin to begin her new life together with Nathan, on crutches.
Getting Married, the Honeymoon, And Beyond!
On December 27, 2022, the two tie the knot at a private ceremony and head out for a honeymoon at a beautiful cabin in the middle of the woods. Nathan remembers that they had a delicious wine at Eric’s house, so he orders it to be there when Gabi arrives. Since Gabi can’t ride outside as she is still recovering, they do some zwifting in the cabin.
Nathan realizes that Gabi is an amazing athlete: “I’ve never seen an athlete like you.” With Nathan as her coach, Gabi starts to excel in virtual cycling. Gabi is now racing full-time and coaching five women. Nathan continues his development of virtual cycling with the creation of Leadout Esports.
Gabi is starting to get used to living with kids and being a parent – she tries to stay calm when the house is a mess and will occasionally toss a dirty cereal bowl down the hall. But she loves the kids, and they love her.
The Value of Distance, First
They both agree that the way they got to know each other from a distance made their IRL relationship better because they started with communication. They had a chance to discuss things like bringing together mixed families and attachment styles before they met, so that they could be more sure that they were a good match.
Ride on, Gabi and Nathan! You’ve definitely earned your marriage badge!
Mountain biking legend Hans Rey has written an open letter to the bicycle industry, calling for clearer definitions over what an ebike is.
In the letter, Rey, one of the best-known and respected figures in the MTB industry, states it’s time to “draw a line in the sand” as electric bikes become increasingly powerful.
He writes: “Ideally, e-bike would mean one thing: A Class 1 pedal-assist bicycle with a maximum assist speed of 20 mph, no throttle, and a motor not exceeding 750 watts of peak power.”
To the leaders, builders, advocates, and riders who shape our industry,
I’m writing because I care deeply about where bicycles – and electric bicycles – are headed. We are at a crossroads. The decisions we make about language, power limits, and definitions will determine whether Class 1 eBikes remain accepted as bicycles – or get grouped with much more powerful machines that don’t belong in the same category.
It’s time to define our language, and it’s time to draw a line in the sand of when eBikes become too powerful.
Words Matter
Today, the term “e-bike” is used to describe everything from a lightweight pedal-assist mountain bike to electric mopeds and full-blown electric motorcycles. That lack of precision creates confusion – and conflict – with land managers, other trail users, parents, and lawmakers.
If we don’t define our terms, others will define them for us.
Ideally, “e-bike” would mean one thing:
A Class 1 pedal-assist bicycle with a maximum assist speed of 20 mph, no throttle, and a motor not exceeding 750 watts of peak power.
Instead, the label has expanded to cover vehicles with throttles, higher speeds, and significantly more power. That blurring of categories puts access at risk.
Clear Categories, Clear Expectations
We need distinct names for distinct machines:
• E-bicycle (EMTB): Class 1 pedal-assist only (20 mph max assist, 750W max peak power)
• E-moped: Throttle-equipped or faster than 20 mph or exceeding 750W, incl. Class 2 & 3
• E-motorcycle: High-power electric motorcycles well beyond bicycle-level performance
Clear labelling should be mandatory. Every electric vehicle should visibly state its category, assist speed, and peak motor power. This isn’t about enforcement – it’s about clarity and accountability.
The 750-Watt Line Matters
The 750-watt peak limit is not arbitrary. It helps determine whether a vehicle is treated as a bicycle or a motorcycle – and whether it remains welcome on trails and bike paths.
Maximum peak power and nominal (or average/rated) peak power are not the same.
A bike limited to 750 watts peak never exceeds that output. A motor rated at 750 watts nominal can produce much higher bursts of power. That difference is significant.
Class 1 eBikes gained acceptance because they behave like bicycles: pedal-assist only, no throttle, limited speed, and moderate power. If we allow power creep – higher torque, faster acceleration, motorcycle-like performance – we shouldn’t be surprised when access disappears, and regulations increase.
We are already seeing warning signs. In New Jersey, proposed legislation would require insurance, registration, and motorcycle helmets, and would restrict trail access for electric bikes.
In California, lawmakers are working to reinforce the 750W peak limit to improve safety and preserve trail legality. These debates are not theoretical – they are happening now.
A Call to Responsibility
To manufacturers:
Resist the temptation to chase bigger numbers at the expense of long-term access. Short-term sales gains could lead to long-term collapse.
To media and marketers:
Use precise language – even when it’s less convenient. Help draw and defend the line that protects this category.
To riders:
Ride responsibly. Understand what’s at stake. Don’t take trail access for granted.
To advocates and trade groups:
Defend Class 1 clearly and consistently. The industry must self-regulate until the laws are defined.
In order to protect what we have, we must stop asking how much power we can get away with – and start asking how much power is too much.”
~ Hans Rey
What would change if Hans Rey’s proposal was actioned?
Hans Rey (right) cautions against the race to increase power and says ebike guidelines need to be tightened up. Kyle Emery-Peck
German cycling superstar Hans Rey is one of the most well known and respected figures in the history of mountain biking. He helped put the sport on the map during a long sponsorship with GT Bicycles as a professional trials rider performing stunt demos on 20in and 26in-wheeled bikes.
Now 59, he has been involved with MTB since its inception and has been central to the evolution and mainstream acceptance of mountain biking.
His letter calls for standardised guidelines worldwide.
Electric bikes are under strict regulations in many countries. In the UK, they are speed limited to 15.5mph (25Kmh). However, guidelines differ across the world, with e-pedelec rules in Europe allowing more power, and a higher speed limit of 20mph in North America.
Under Rey’s proposal, these bikes (and anything over 750W) would require a licence and insurance because they would be classified as class 2 electric mopeds; these require that riders must be 15 years of age or older and possess a class 2 moped licence (or a higher-level driving licence). Motor vehicle insurance would also be required.
The ECRO World Tour is back for 2026 with a 77-race season kicking off Saturday, March 7 with Chasing Bianche. If you missed the original announcement last March, ECRO is a comprehensive racing platform built on top of Zwift that brings the structure, strategy, and integrity of professional cycling to virtual racing.
If you’ve followed the journey from the original Chasing Yellow in 2022 through Chasing Tour 2023 and Chasing Yellow 2024, you know the trajectory. Each year brought more structure, more competition, and more riders. But what ECRO has built over the past year goes well beyond a bigger race calendar. The entire platform has been rebuilt from the ground up, and the list of new features heading into the 2026 season is significant!
Let’s take a look at what’s new…
The Pro Sports Experience
What makes ECRO unique starts with making virtual cycling feel like a real sport with real stakes.
Team Divisions and Competition
ECRO’s team system goes beyond simple clubs. Teams can consist of up to 12 riders across the five categories, and the top 6 finishers per category contribute to team standings. This creates genuine strategic decisions about roster construction: do you stack one category or spread talent across the board?
The platform tracks team standings throughout the season, with points accumulating across all 77 races on the calendar, organized into four seasonal phases separated by transfer windows.
The Transfer Market
This is where ECRO starts to feel less like a race series and more like a sports league. The platform features a live transfer market where team managers can scout available riders, review their race history and power profiles, and extend contract offers.
Each rider has a virtual market value based on their performance and category. When teams sign riders, contract terms include a prize split percentage that determines how virtual earnings are divided between rider and team. Competitive riders command higher percentages, while developing riders might accept lower splits for the exposure and team support.
Free agents are visible on the market with detailed scouting information. When a rider signs, gets released, or sees a market value change, it shows up in a real-time activity feed that the whole community can follow.
And covering it all is Nigel Cadence, ECRO’s AI-generated transfer market correspondent. Every day, Nigel delivers a sportscaster-style audio recap of the latest signings, releases, and market moves, complete with a British accent and the energy of Sky Sports News on deadline day. Think of it as your daily transfer briefing: who signed where, what they’re worth, and what it means for the teams involved. The audio clips are posted to Discord and available on the platform’s transfer market page. Listen to the Tuesday, March 3 update:
ECRO$ and Team Economics
Teams manage virtual wallets funded by their share of rider earnings. The first 12 contract signings are free, but after that, teams need sufficient ECRO$ to cover new signings. When riders leave, teams recoup their market value. It’s a closed economic system that rewards smart roster management and long-term thinking.
Team Tactics
New for the 2026 season, team managers can publish race tactics for their riders before events. Managers can set team-wide strategies as well as individual instructions for specific riders, adding another layer of coordination to race day.
Making Racing Fair
Fair racing has always been the elephant in the virtual cycling room. Without physical proximity, how do you know someone’s power numbers are legitimate? ECRO has attacked this problem from multiple angles, building what may be the most comprehensive verification system in e-cycling.
Equipment Registration and Verification
Every ECRO rider must now register their equipment on the platform, including the make, model, and serial number of their smart trainer or power meter. The process works like two-factor authentication: riders photograph their equipment with a unique verification code displayed on screen, and the platform’s AI (powered by Google Gemini) cross-references the serial number in the image against what the rider submitted. If both match with high confidence, the equipment is auto-approved. If something doesn’t add up, it goes to manual review.
Serial numbers are unique to each rider. If someone tries to register a serial number that’s already tied to another account, the system flags it. It’s a simple concept borrowed from real-world equipment tracking, but it’s the first time anything like this has been implemented at scale in virtual cycling.
Dual Recording Validation
For top-category riders, ECRO requires dual recording, a practice pulled straight from UCI regulations. Riders record the same effort on two independent devices (typically a smart trainer and a separate power meter), and the platform compares the data. Discrepancies between the two recordings raise flags for further review.
The Performance Analysis Engine
This is where things get technical. ECRO has built a multi-detector integrity analysis system that runs automatically on every race result. The engine currently includes six detection modules:
Sticky Watts Detection identifies flat-top power patterns, where a rider’s power output remains suspiciously constant for extended periods. This follows the methodology established by the Fair E-Racing Association (FERA) and is one of the strongest indicators of manipulated data.
Power Anomaly Detection performs statistical analysis on power output, flagging impossibly sudden jumps (like zero to 400 watts instantly) or unnaturally stable power output that doesn’t match normal human physiology.
Heart Rate Correlation checks whether a rider’s heart rate patterns align with their power output. High-power efforts with flat heart rates, or missing heart rate data at critical moments, both raise flags.
Cadence Correlation looks for similar mismatches between pedaling cadence and power, including the suspicious scenario of producing significant power with zero cadence.
Microbursting Detection identifies burst-and-coast pedaling patterns that can exploit Zwift’s physics engine, where riders alternate between extreme sprints and coasting in rapid cycles.
Physiological Limits (ZADA) compares power output against known human physiological limits across different durations, flagging results that exceed what’s physically possible.
Each detector assigns flags at three severity levels (info, warning, or critical), and results flagged as suspicious are held from standings until reviewed. Riders can also flag results through a community-driven VAR (Verification Adjusted Results) system, similar to video review in professional sports.
Season Phase Locking
To address sandbagging (riders intentionally underperforming to race in a lower category), ECRO locks riders into their category after their first race in each season phase. Categories are based on ZwiftRacing.app‘s vELO rating system, with five tiers ranging from E (entry-level) through A (elite). Once you race in a phase, your category is locked until the next transfer window opens.
Platform and Tools
The Organizer Platform
One of ECRO’s less visible but most significant developments is its multi-tenant organizer platform. Race organizers beyond ECRO can use the platform to run their own competitions, inheriting ECRO’s categorization engine, results processing, and integrity detection without building any of it themselves. Organizers manage their own branding, calendars, scoring rules, and standings, while riders maintain a single account that works across all competitions.
Race Intelligence
Before each event, riders can access AI-powered race intelligence that includes predicted finishes based on vELO ratings, course suitability scores (analyzing whether you’re a better fit for a flat sprint stage or a mountain climb), and head-to-head records against other signed-up riders. The platform classifies courses as sprint, climbing, rolling, or mixed, then matches them against individual power profiles to identify who has the advantage.
Route Database
ECRO has catalogued 305+ Zwift routes with detailed visual profiles. Each race on the calendar includes elevation data, distance, and course characteristics, so riders know exactly what they’re getting into before they sign up.
Mobile App
The full ECRO platform is available as a mobile app, giving riders access to their dashboard, race calendar, results, transfer market, and equipment verification from their phone. Team managers can scout riders, send contract offers, and publish race tactics on the go.
Discord Integration
The ECRO Discord bot connects directly to the platform, offering slash commands for checking profiles, viewing results, pulling standings, and finding upcoming races. A built-in support system lets riders create tickets directly from Discord, with an AI-powered agent that can answer common questions and escalate to human admins when needed.
The 2026 Season
The ECRO World Tour 2026 features a 77-race calendar organized into four phases, with transfer windows between each phase where categories unlock and teams can restructure their rosters. The season opens March 7 with Chasing Bianche and includes single-day races, multi-stage tours, and seasonal series that span the full year.
Category thresholds have been updated for 2026: A (2000+ vELO), B (1700-1999), C (1400-1699), D (1100-1399), and E (0-1099). Each race offers five time slots to accommodate riders across different time zones.
Registration and Pricing
Rider License: $12.99 for the 2026 season
Team License: $19.99 for the 2026 season
Anyone can participate in ECRO events on Zwift, but only licensed riders have their results counted toward official standings. Licenses must be registered before event participation for results to count.
Specialized has launched its new Cotton TLR race tyre, which is said to be the new favourite of its sponsored pro riders.
The brand says in testing, six initial pairs were made available to Red Bull-Bora-hansgrohe team riders, and claims they refused to return them, such was the positive feedback.
Of course, these riders would only have been comparing the tyres to what was previously available – S-Works Turbo tubeless tyres and the brand’s Cotton Folding Racing Only tyre, which requires a tube to run.
That said, the tyres have been raced in plain sight since the 2025 Tour de France, and most recently at 2026’s Opening Weekend races, indicating the claim is more than simply marketing bluster.
The casing is made of cotton, along with polyester reinforcement. Specialized
The Cotton TLR tyre features a 320TPI (threads-per-inch) polycotton casing, layered over with Specialized’s established Gripton T2 and T5 compounds.
Specialized says the use of polyester as “the core” of the casing, with cotton fibres functioning as a “wrap”, delivers the tear resistance and strength needed, while the cotton material offers the desired ride feel and flexibility.
This material approach differs from Vittoria, for example, which uses aramid fibres in conjunction with cotton in its Corsa Pro TLR line tyres.
In theory, polyester is more elastic than aramid (albeit aramid is used commonly to improve puncture protection), which Specialized suggests helps the Cotton TLR tyres deliver peak suppleness and smoothness on a given road.
Remco Evenepoel is said to have described the tyre as “perfect”. Specialized
Specialized also says its Gripton T2 and T5 compounds produce the grip racers need in changing conditions – the low-rolling resistance T2 compound applied at the smooth centre strip, and the grippier T5 compound on the textured shoulders.
It’s worth noting that despite references to the Cotton TLR being faster than previous-generation cotton-cased tyres, Specialized doesn’t offer any data to back up the claim.
Interestingly, this top-tier tyre appears to have dropped the S-Works branding. Specialized
That said, the Cotton TLR tyre is designed purely for racing and “enthusiast” use, with Specialized stating it’s not suitable for “all-season riders seeking high durability” or those “expecting puncture-proof endurance”.
The Cotton TLR tyre is compatible with hookless rims (despite sibling components brand Roval’s latest high-performance wheels featuring a hooked design), and is available in 700×28, 30 and 32c sizes, weighing from a claimed 280g, and priced at £85 / $109.99 / €99.
Pivot’s newest XC bike is the revamped Mach 4 SL. Gone is the choice between two models (short and long travel), replaced by a single version with adjustable travel between 110mm and 120mm.
Rear suspension is delivered by Dave Weagle’s venerable DW-link design.
The V4 includes down-tube storage that, along with the increase in travel from 95-115mm on the previous bike, should make this a more trail-friendly and versatile bike than the outgoing V3.
DW-link rear suspension remains, but now with more travel, which is adjustable between 110mm and 120mm. Pivot Cycles
Cross-country bikes have been seeing a gradual increase in travel and aggressive geometry in recent years, so it’s interesting to see the new Mach 4 SL following suit.
Although officially labelled an XC bike by Pivot, it could easily demolish trail centres as a downcountry bike, too.
Pivot’s Mach 4 SL V4 is more trail-oriented, with more travel and down-tube storage. Pivot Cycles
Previous versions of the Mach 4 were offered in either short- or long-travel guises. The former, 95mm/103mm-travel, bike was supplied with a 100mm-travel fork and aimed at XC and marathon racing on less technical tracks. The latter 106mm/115mm-travel bike had a 120mm fork and was aimed at more technical XC racing and downcountry riding.
Pivot has done away with this, now offering one frame configuration with longer travel adjustable between 110mm and 120mm – 5mm more than the outgoing model, even in it’s longest-travel setting.
The inclusion of down-tube storage makes the new bike even more trail- and downcountry-friendly than the more race-focused V3.
Geometry
The new Mach 4 SL is a whopping two degrees slacker than the outgoing version, with a 66-degree head angle. Pivot Cycles
The head angle is an aggressive two degrees slacker than the old Mach 4 SL’s 68-degree head angle.
The bottom bracket height is slightly higher, at 336mm (compared to the outgoing version’s 329mm), but due to the increased rear-wheel travel, expect the dynamic geometry (when the bike is under sag) to be very similar.
There are five sizes on offer: XS, S, M, L and XL. Reach starts at 410mm and goes up to 495mm for the XL, while the wheelbase measures 1,131mm for the XS and 1,236mm for the XL.
Build options
With four models available and five builds (plus a frame-only option), it’s up to you how to spec your Pivot Mach 4 SL. Pivot Cycles
There are four models: Team, Pro, Expert and Ride. The Ride starts at $6,399 and prices rise to $13,999 for the top-spec Team model. The Mach 4 SL is available in Blue Stellar Fade and White Avalanche colourways.
There are both RockShox and a Fox-equipped Team-build models available. The Team XX SL Eagle Transmission model has Fox Factory suspension and SRAM XX SL Eagle Transmission.
The Team XX SL Eagle Transmission Flight Attendant bike comes with RockShox Flight Attendant suspension from the SID Ultimate fork and unconfirmed model of RockShox shock, and XX SL Eagle Transmission.
The Pro build has Fox Factory suspension and SRAM’s X0 Eagle Transmission.
The Expert build has Shimano XT Di2 shifting and Fox Performance suspension.
The Ride model is the most budget-conscious, with a Fox Performance 34 Step-Cast fork, Performance Float shock and SRAM Eagle 70/90 mechanical Transmission.
A frame-only option is also available for riders wanting to build their own ideal setup,
Pricing and availability
The Mach 4 SL is burlier than ever, with slacker angles and more travel. Pivot Cycles
There are four models available, including two Team builds and a frame-only option.
Mach 4 SL V4 Team XX Eagle Transmission Flight Attendant: £13,999 / $13,999 / €12,999
Mach 4 SL V4 Team XX Eagle Transmission: £11,999 / $11,999 / €12,299
Cervélo has launched its all-new Caledonia endurance bike, bringing with it some of the improvements that debuted on last year’s brilliant but pricey Caledonia 5.
The new Caledonia sits at the sportier end of the endurance spectrum and looks to be a key rival to purist long-distance bikes such as Giant’s svelte Defy and Cannondale’s aero and well-equipped Synapse.
The key upgrades to the Caledonia design for the latest model are a lighter construction, bigger tyre clearance, a practical threaded bottom bracket and clever internal routing that enables cockpit swaps without splitting brake hoses.
However, for me, the biggest deal about the New Caledonia is it’ll be available from £3,000 / $3,200 / €2,999 for the 12-speed 105 model, up to a SRAM Force/Reserve carbon-wheel equipped flagship for £5,250 / $6,850 / €6,499.
The Caledonia looks great with fenders fitted. Cervélo
Cervélo has worked on the carbon fibre layup of the Caledonia’s frame, resulting in improved head-tube and bottom-bracket stiffness, while increasing compliance thanks to a reshaped seat tube and shaving 53g from the frame weight.
That brings the Caledonia frame under the 1kg mark, dropping from the original’s claimed 1,031g (painted, size 54) to around 988g. Like the 5, the frame gets removable mudguard/fender mounts.
Unlike the Caledonia 5, the standard Caledonia doesn’t have the clever down-tube storage.
Spec details
Cervélo’s Caledonia is aimed at being the ideal big-ride companion. Cervélo
The Caledonia has been brought in line with the Caledonia 5, with a larger 36mm clearance – or 34mm with fenders/mudguards.
Unlike its electronic-only sibling, the Caledonia 5, the new bike has mechanic-friendly routing. This supports both the high-end fully integrated Cervélo setup (ST31/32, HB18) as found on the Caledonia 5, Áspero 5 and Soloist, and semi-external routing with a standard 1 1/8-inch interface, meaning it’s compatible with many aftermarket stems.
Being able to switch out the stem without splitting brake hoses also makes for a bike that’s easier to pack for travel. It should make the Caledonia a fine companion for bucket-list overseas sportives or Gran Fondos.
Long-distance geometry
Cervélo’s Caledonia is designed for fast and long rides. Cervélo
Cervélo has evolved the geometry and the fork trail to accommodate larger tyres, while maintaining the speed-oriented but comfortable geometry. That means a 72-degree head angle, short 415mm chainstays and mid-length wheelbase.
The New Caledonia shares its geometry with the Caledonia 5 – a bike with wonderfully reactive handling – while feeling stable and smooth over rougher surfaces.
Cervélo Caledonia range details
Cervélo’s Caledonia 105 is the entry into the range, at £3,000. Cervélo
The Caledonia range consists of four bikes. The base model has Shimano 105 mechanical, moving up to 105 Di2, then SRAM Rival and topping out with SRAM Force and carbon wheels.
All models are available in six sizes: 48/51/54/56/58/61cm.
Cervélo Caledonia 105
Cervélo’s Caledonia 105 Di2 in the new Mocha colourway. Cervélo
Spec highlights: Shimano 12-speed 105 (52/36, 11-34), Vision Team i23 disc tubeless-compatible wheels with J-bend spokes on standard hubs, Cervélo HB23 bar, ST36 stem, Vittoria Corsa N.EXT TLR G2.0 32c tyres
Team Not Pogi is bringing the chaos, tactics, and punchy brutality of the Spring Classics to Watopia and beyond with a three-race themed series designed to replicate the character of the biggest one-day races in cycling.
What Makes It Special
Themed around the Spring Classics rather than generic race formats
Bike upgrades and steering enabled for tactical variety
Powerups revealed dynamically at banners
Routes chosen to reflect the character of each real-world race
Two timeslots for each race
Race Details
Saturday, March 7: Ride the White Roads: Strade Bianche Challenge
Inspired by Tuscany’s gravel sectors, this race is about rhythm and resilience. Rolling terrain, punchy climbs, and repeated efforts make positioning everything. Three laps of Two Village Loop will be relentless without being predictable. Expect splits to form early and selection to happen naturally as the elastic stretches and snaps.
A longer, endurance-style classic with a sting in the tail. Dust in the Wind rewards patience as much as power. Riders who burn too many matches early may find themselves isolated when it matters most. This is one for the tacticians and late attackers.
Sunday, April 5: Cobbled Classic: Flanders Edition
Shorter on paper. Brutal in reality. Richmond’s UCI Worlds course delivers sharp climbs and constant pressure, perfectly suited to a Flanders-style showdown. Expect explosive racing, repeated accelerations, and no place to hide in the finale.
Colnago has revealed two limited-edition bikes that put their carbon frames on full display, without any paint and only minimal graphics.
The Y1Rs and V5Rs Dark Series bikes are said to take Colnago’s philosophy of creating bikes for riders who want more from the machine beneath them “to its logical extreme”.
“The finish reflects the ideal color scheme for dedicated racers: full carbon with visible carbon-fiber layup, complemented by chrome-plated details. A minimum layer of transparent coating is sprayed to assure the quality of the finishing,” says Colnago.
Colnago says the bikes have been made the same way as Tadej Pogačar’s raw-carbon Y1Rs that he used at last year’s Tour de France.
Having stuck with his standard Colnago Y1Rs for the opening weeks of the Grand Boucle, Pogačar switched to a raw-carbon version of the aero bike for the stage 15 uphill time trial and then used it again for stage 16, which finished on Mont Ventoux.
The Dark Series frames show off the carbon layup. Colnago Tadej Pogačar used a raw-carbon Colnago Y1Rs at the 2025 Tour de France. Colnago
Colnago said at the time that a typical Y1Rs build weighs between 7.2 and 7.5kg, while Pogačar’s raw-carbon version was just over 7kg. The Italian brand also said the aerodynamic gains of the Y1Rs outweighed the small weight savings of switching to the V5Rs.
Whether the radical looks of the Y1Rs or the more classic appearance of the V5Rs appeal to you, Colnago says there will be 300 of each Dark Series bike, and production has already started in a range of sizes.
The bikes will arrive in shops from early March, starting with Colnago Elite Dealers. Prices are to be confirmed.
Zwift launched a set of Mystery Spinners in Watopia as a fun lead-in to the Big Spin 2026 series, so I thought it would be a fun challenge to create the shortest possible route that hits all 8 spinners.
The route, it turns out, is rather similar to the Four Horsemen in terms of the big climbs it hits, and the overall length and elevation gain. Strong riders will be able to finish the route in under 2.5 hours, while most riders can expect it to take 3+ hours to complete.
About Rebel Routes
“Rebel Routes” are Zwift rides not available on Zwift’s routes list, thus requiring manual navigation.
The reward for your rebel ride? Exploring a new route, knowing you’ve gone where few Zwifters have gone before. And a Strava segment rank in the tens or hundreds instead of the thousands! Rebel Routes are also included as a separate category on our Veloviewer Route Hunter leaderboard.
Route Description
Our basic ride plan is to knock out all the Mystery Spinners in and around downtown Watopia before heading up the Epic KOM, then finishing on Alpe du Zwift. Begin by choosing the Hilly Route, which will start you in downtown Watopia, and heading in the right direction up the Hilly KOM.
After finishing the KOM (spinner #1), take the KOM bypass to head back into downtown Watopia, then out to the Volcano for a lap of the circuit in a CW direction (spinner #2). Then it’s up the Volcano KOM for spinner #3, and out to Jarvis for the KOM and spinner #4.
That’s half the spinners done. Those are the easy ones. Now we need to do some climbing!
Head into Ocean Boulevard and take a right at Sequoia Circle to head up the Epic KOM forward. You’ll get spinner #5 at this KOM arch, then turn right to head up the Radio Tower KOM “bonus climb” for spinner #6.
Descend from the Radio Tower (it’s fast) and head down the Epic KOM the way you came up, except hang a right onto The Grade descent. Drop all the way down into Ciudad La Cumbre, then turn right toward the Jungle. Two spinners left!
A bit of flat road gets you to spinner #7, Stoneway Sprint Reverse. Now you have just one spinner left… but it’s going to take some work to get there! Get onto the Jungle Circuit, then turn left to head up Alpe do Zwift. Spinner #8 is at the top. Hup hup!
Turn By Turn Directions
Begin by choosing the Hilly Route, which will start you in the right place and heading in the right direction up the Hilly KOM.
Cadex has released a statement in response to Team Jayco-AlUla rider Amaury Capiot’s wheel-tyre system failure at Omloop het Nieuwsblad, suggesting the cause was a result of repeated use over the cobbles after the initial deflation.
The Giant-owned brand, which has for a number of years produced hookless rims, says the “tire separation in this incident was not caused by hookless rim design”, with its assessment carried out with the team revealing that “prolonged riding” over cobblestones with a flat and damaged rear Cadex Aero Cotton tyre caused the rim to crack.
This structural rim failure is suggested to be the cause of the spokes displacing from the hub, and the resulting “collapse” of the wheel, leading to the tyre being unseated completely from the rim.
The statement comes following a team spokesperson claiming the failure occurred as “the result of riding for too long on the cobbles with a flat tyre after puncturing”, as reported initially by Cyclingnews.
Tyre liner disconnect, but not to blame
After Capiot continued to ride on the rim, the system suffered a complete structural failure with the hub still fitted to the frame. Tim de Waele/Getty Images
Images from the incident clearly show a tyre liner being used by the Jayco-AlUla rider, still in place around the Cadex Ultra 50 rim. This is a common addition to a tubeless tyre setup for teams, especially during the cobbled classics, in theory offering improved ‘run-flat’ riding in the event of a deflation, with a degree of protection for the rim.
Capiot presumably attempted to take advantage of this, with Cadex claiming the “team support car was far behind” in its statement.
However, while tyre liners are designed to protect a rim in this context (in the event of a deflation, the liner foam will expand into the unpressurised space and cushion the rim edge from impacts), it wasn’t enough to stop the rim failing in this instance.
Cadex doesn’t recommend the use of tyre liners, albeit this wasn’t suggested as a contributing factor to the failure. Simon von Bromley / Our Media
It’s worth noting that, according to a brand representative, neither Giant or Cadex recommend the use of tyre liners with their products and, in this instance, the team was operating outside these guidelines. However, there’s no suggestion that the liner was a contributing factor to the failure.
Cadex says the initial impact occurred at “approximately 47-48kph”. Capiot then continued riding on cobbled sections of the race course until the wheel collapsed. The brand says that “even when the wheel ultimately yielded to the extreme forces, it remained stable enough to prevent a crash”.
Kona has launched a monster steel gravel bike with a 100mm-travel RockShox SID suspension fork lifted from XC mountain bikes. The LBF is not an MTB with a drop bar, though, with the frame geometry set up specifically for a drop bar.
The Reynolds 520 butted-steel frame bike’s LBF name stands for Legend of the Big Fork, a play on the Big Foot monster native to Kona’s Pacific Northwest home (allegedly).
As with the fork, the tyres and wheels are MTB-level, with a 2.4in Maxxis Dissector tyre at the front and a 2.4-inch Maxxis Forekaster at the rear on Race Face ARC Asymmetric 27mm rims built on Formula hubs with Boost spacing.
Kona fits SRAM G2 four-pot brake calipers to the LBF, which includes a sliding UDH dropout.
If you’re heading into territory where you need the big tyres and hardtail-adjacent suspension, you’ll want appropriate stopping power, too, so Kona has paired the LBF’s SRAM Apex levers with SRAM’s G2 four-piston MTB brake calipers in what it says is a unique but SRAM-approved configuration.
The bike is specced with 180mm SRAM HS2 brake rotors, but you can fit 200mm rotors should you choose.
There’s a SRAM Eagle crankset with a 32-tooth chainring on a 73mm threaded bottom bracket and a SRAM Eagle 10-52t cassette, with a SRAM Apex Eagle derailleur. You can fit a maximum 34-tooth chainring if you want to gear up.
Drop-bar geometry
MTB-like geometry is correct for the Ritchey drop bar.
Kona’s headline geometry numbers mirror those of its mountain bikes, with a 67-degree head tube angle that’s very slack in the gravel world but, it says, lends the bike stability at speed.
The seat tube is MTB-steep, too, at 75 degrees, which Kona claims leads to predictable handling and seats the rider more centrally between the wheels.
The fit of hardtails and gravel bikes is different, though, with drop bars typically extending the reach. So Kona has adjusted the LBF’s geometry to account for the drop-bar configuration, rather than simply clamping a gravel bar to an MTB frameset. The LBF is kitted out with a Ritchey Comp Beacon flared gravel handlebar.
The Kona LBF is designed for rowdy gravel riding. Kona
Another feature of the frame is sliding UDH dropouts at the rear, enabling you to set up singlespeed or tweak the rear-end configuration. There’s a full set of mounts, so you could fit mudguards (although probably not with the 2.4in tyres) and a rack, as well as bags above and below the top tube.
An MTB-adjacent gravel bike needs a dropper post, too – in this case, a TransX RAD+.
Kona claims a 14kg / 31lb weight for the LBF, which is available in S, M, L and XL sizes. It’s priced at £3,299 in the UK, $3,699 in the US and €3,999 in Europe.
Shimano has announced the launch of a new Tiagra groupset after stating in 2023 that the all-encompassing CUES family would replace all Shimano groups up to and including Tiagra.
The new group of components looks to answer the questions CUES has failed to address in the eyes of product managers and bike buyers.
New Tiagra R4000 offers 2x 11-speed with two chainring options, accessible gearing and a new more ergonomic lever design to suit a wider range of riders. The emphasis on adjustment could make new Tiagra a great option for juniors.
Shimano also claims like-for-like configurations of the new R4000 with the current-generation Tiagra are more than 200g lighter.
Tiagra provides, for many, the first taste of true performance bikes. Russell Burton / Immediate Media
As I reported last last year, the reaction to Shimano’s push with CUES into the entry-level road bike market was lukewarm at best. I found very few examples of CUES-equipped bikes.
CUES always looks far more at home on urban and gravel bikes. Shimano
Instead, product and brand managers were happier to continue with the soon-to-be-phased-out 10-speed Tiagra rather than switch to the robust all-road styled CUES.
New Tiagra looks like what we’ve been asking for
The new shifters have the same ergonomics as the latest mechanical 105 shifters. Shimano
Only a few weeks ago, I wrote how I wanted to see a new performance-oriented, entry-level option from Shimano. That was based on what I saw as the lack of innovation for the huge market of affordable road bikes, and from talking to key industry figures.
Well, Shimano obviously thought the same. We now have a range of components with both looks and key specifications to meet the needs of this broad, large range of bikes.
The biggest change from previous Tiagra, and indeed CUES, is the shifters. Shimano says the ergonomic profile means easier reach across a wide range of hand sizes. The design has the same ergonomics as the latest 105, using the same redesigned lever and bracket positioning.
The 2x 11 options include only a single 11-36 cassette, although it’s joined by both a 52/36 pro compact pairing and a more traditional compact 50/34 option.
Styled for the road
The new Tiagra derailleur has similar styling to the latest 105. Shimano
Where the new Tiagra scores in my eyes is its styling. Unlike the chunky, robust-looking CUES, Tiagra R4000 carries the same styling and DNA as Shimano’s high-end groups. The 105-alike levers are smoothly styled, while the integrated look of the crankset shares design cues with 105, Ultegra and the flagship Dura-Ace.
The low-profile and compact rear derailleur has classic road-component vibes, especially when viewed alongside electronic derailleurs with built-in batteries, as we now have from Campagnolo, SRAM and Shimano.
The downside is that, although Shimano has announced a new Tiagra today, the existing Tiagra is not set to be phased out until early 2027. So, while we can be excited at the advancements on offer, we won’t see bikes with the new components until the 2027 model year.
I’ve quizzed representatives from many major bike brands and, although all have expressed excitement about Tiagra R4000, none have confirmed models or price ranges we’ll see the groupset featuring on. Understandably, their focus is on current ranges rather than what comes next.
New Shimano Tiagra spec, price and weight details
Rear derailleur: RD-R4000
The new front derailleur uses the compact cam action debuted on Dura-Ace 9100. Shimano
The new RD-R4000 rear derailleur looks very similar to 12-speed 105, with what looks to be a more compact cage, and the main body having elements of the 105’s low-profile shadow shape.
Rather than it being a full low-profile shadow design, the main cable port on Tiagra is more exposed. At a claimed 275g, it’s only 2g lighter than the current Tiagra.
Front derailleur: FD-R4000
The new front derailleur is available in both band-on and braze-on versions, with Shimano’s toggle link action first introduced on mechanical Dura-Ace 9100.
It uses a compact cam-driven mechanism that results in lighter action and reduced lever throw – another improvement for small hands, asserting Tiagra as a great option for kids’ road bikes. The new front unit is marginally heavier than its predecessor (95g compared to 91g).
Crankset: FC-R4000 (52-36 and 50-34t options)
The new FC-R4000 crankset is the star looker of the new Tiagra – seen here in 50/34. Shimano
The crankset looks much like the latest 12-speed 105 with the smooth flow of the crank spider into the outer ring. I think this is the single biggest improvement over both its predecessor and CUES.
With 52-36 and 50-34 options, it shows Shimano views the new Tiagra as a true performance option, too. It’s available in 165, 170, 172.5 and 175mm length options. The 907g weight (50-34, 172.5mm) is lighter than the outgoing version’s 926g.
Shifters: ST-R4020-L (left), ST-R4020-R (right)
The new shifters borrow the ergonomics from the latest mechanical 105 shifters. Shimano
The new shifters share the same ergonomics and profile as mechanical 12-speed 105 and are hydraulic disc brakes only. The weight is a claimed 622g a pair – a significant saving over the previous generation’s 740g.
The brakes are the existing BR-RS405 hydraulic caliper.
Cassette: CS-RS400-11
The new 11-speed 11-36 cassette is the single option for new Tiagra. Shimano
The final new component is the 11-36-tooth cassette. Obviously, this is now 11-speed rather than 10-speed – hence a slight increase in weight to 398g from 384g. The compatible chain is the current CN-HG601-11 – a directional super-narrow HG-X11 unit with Shimano’s SIL-TEC treatment on the plate surfaces.
The 52/36 crankset option shows Shimano sees Tiagra as a proper performance option. Shimano
We originally reported on CUES in February 2023, with Shimano’s radical new approach seeing it replace Alivio, Acera and Altus, alongside select Deore components for flat-bar/mountain bike use, and the drop-bar iteration replacing Tiagra, Sora and Claris.
The apparent U-turn on the CUES idea shows Shimano has listened.
I asked about the new Tiagra and it stated: “We developed Tiagra R4000 to meet a clear demand from riders and OEMs (bike brands: original equipment manufacturers) for an accessible, 2×11 mechanical groupset that delivers a true road cycling experience.
“While CUES is highly versatile – designed for All-Road, Gravel, and bikes with wider tires – TIAGRA R4000 remains a dedicated “Pure Road” groupset. This distinction is reflected in its technical specifications, such as optimized chain stay lengths and front derailleur tyre clearance, which are specifically tailored for classic road bike geometry, aesthetics, and performance.”
However new Tiagra has come about, I’m very glad it has. Now it’s over to Shimano’s rivals, SRAM and Campagnolo, to offer an alternative to Shimano’s return to value performance road components.
Hutchinson has added new wider tyres to its Blackbird range, with 32mm and 34mm widths now available for all Blackbird variants: the Blackbird Race, standard Blackbird and Blackbird All Season.
There are two pieces of good news. First, the wider tyres are the same price as narrower options and, second, Hutchinson says independent testing shows the 32mm tyres roll 5% faster than the same tyre in a 30mm width.
According to Hutchinson product manager, Martin Chuchu: “The industry believed that wider tyres would hinder performance. We wanted to challenge that. With the 32mm and 34mm Blackbirds, we want to demonstrate precisely that this vision is outdated.
“A wider tyre performs better: it filters vibrations, provides damping, and, above all, delivers a level of stability you feel immediately, especially in high-speed corners.“
Faster than a 30mm tyre
Hutchinson cites added cornering grip and stability from the added width.
Wider tyres are increasingly taking over, not just for amateur riders but for the pros, too. However, rather than launching a me-too product, Hutchinson wanted to prove its new widths offer an advantage over narrower tyres.
So, it sent its 30mm and 32mm tyres for independent testing, which found a 5% gain in efficiency for the wider tyre. There were also measured improvements in comfort and grip, as you might expect.
Hutchinson highlights three benefits of its new wider tyres: rolling resistance, grip and stability, and ride comfort. It says the energy saved from the lower rolling resistance and reduced fatigue far outweigh any aerodynamic penalty from the increased tyre width. It’s also a proponent of wider rims to enable you to lower your tyre pressure further.
It suggests riders should choose a 32mm tyre for performance or a 34mm tyre for training or racing on damaged or cobbled roads.
That ties in with our opinion here at BikeRadar. Only last weekend, Warren Rossiter documented his move to tyres of 30mm or more, with his newest bike fitted with 32mm rubber.
For him, it’s not about rolling resistance though, but the abysmal state of UK roads, where a wider tyre can help with ride comfort and stability.
It’s not only Hutchinson that’s going wider, with Continental launching a 35mm option for the GP5000 S TR in February and Pirelli puffing up its P Zero Race TLR to 40mm at the end of 2024.
Blackbird tyre widths and prices
The new 32mm and 34mm widths are available across the Blackbird range.
The new tyre widths are available across Hutchinson’s three Blackbird tyre types. Hutchinson was a pioneer of tubeless and all three are tubeless-ready.
The Blackbird Race tyre is now available in 28, 30, 32 and 34mm widths, priced at £69.99 / €79.99.
The Blackbird all-rounder tyre adds a 26mm width if you’re still old-school or your bike lacks the clearance to go wider, as well as black and tan sidewall options, and is priced at £61.99 / €69.99.
The Blackbird All Season tyre, aimed at wet and cold conditions, has the same 28, 30, 32 and 34mm widths as the Blackbird Race and is priced at £61.99 / €69.99.
High-end component maker Chris King, which has just celebrated its 50th anniversary, has launched a new SuperBoost mountain bike hubset, along with a newly designed 36-tooth freehub ratchet with 10-degree engagement.
While Centerlock is now the dominant standard to attach a disc brake rotor, Chris King’s new hub is designed for six-bolt rotors.
According to Chris King president Kirby Bedsaul, the new hubs fill a gap in the brand’s line-up: “Now we offer 6-Bolt compatibility across all of our mountain hubs. It really completes the picture for riders across the spectrum. All Chris King mountain hubsets are now available in either brake standard.”
New slower-engaging ratchet
The new 36-tooth ratchet is engineered to be quieter.
The new hubs can be fitted with either a 72-tooth freehub ratchet or a new 36-tooth ratchet with 10-degree engagement, enabling riders to tune their engagement angle.
Chris King’s hubs have usually come fitted with the 72-tooth ratchet. But the new 36-tooth option is a response to a request from Santa Cruz Syndicate team rider and downhill world champion Jackson Goldstone for a hub with fewer points of engagement, which the brand says enables the hub to spin faster.
Bedsaul continues: “At this level, they’re searching for milliseconds, and they see this as a meaningful contribution toward that goal. Jackson won the key races last season on the prototype 36T hub, which reduces hub drag and noise significantly.”
Lower freehub noise enables downhillers to hear other bike sounds better.
The lower freehub noise from the 36-tooth ratchet compared to its buzzy 72-tooth ratchet is significant for downhill racers, according to Bedsaul, because it enables them to hear noise from tyres, brakes, chain and suspension better, to provide feedback on the bike’s performance.
The 36-tooth ratchet doesn’t only have fewer teeth, they’re re-engineered to reduce the contact area, which further reduces drag and enables the brand’s RingDrive 2.0 lubricant to penetrate the ratchets better.
The new hub is available in the usual wide range of colours.
Chris King’s RingDrive ratchet lube includes nanoparticles and is claimed to reduce friction, improve cold-weather performance and add to ratchet longevity. It also sells its newly launched Gold Grease for bearings, designed to help them spin faster, with a claimed 25% reduction in drag over its previous silver grease.
Chris King says you can retrofit the 36-tooth ratchet ring to any of its hubs made since the 1990s. It recommends the 72-tooth ring for most riders on most terrain, though, and says even its team riders still use it if there’s significant pedalling needed.
