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?

• Read more: Hookless rims explained | How new standards have finally improved compatibility

What are mini-hook rims?

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.

“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?

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?

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.

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. 

“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’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?

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. 

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.”

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?

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.

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?

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.”

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.

See all of Zwift’s Festive 500 Group Rides at zwift.com/events/series/rapha-festive-500-zwift

Special Event: Ride with Eric Min on December 25

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:

Prize Drawing

Details of the Strava challenge say those who finish will earn the following:

• 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!

See all upcoming rides over 100km in ZwiftHacks >

Questions or Comments?

Are you up for the challenge? I know I’m in, just like past years. Share below!

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.

• Read more: Ned Boulting – The Tour de France is absurd, beautiful and unforgettable, I’ll miss it profoundly
  

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. 

• You may like: The Tour de France is coming to Britain, but the costs of hosting should be spent elsewhere

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.

Release Layer System technology

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.

The aim of the design was to reduce the amount of rotational force transferred to your head during a crash, similar to the more common and older Multi-directional Impact Protection System (MIPS).

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

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

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

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

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

Canyon says the Deflectr uses s​​culpted 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 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:

• Your favorite day of the week to Zwift
• Pizza slices burned
• Distance ridden
• Elevation climbed
• Ride Ons exchanged (total sent + total received)
• Top three worlds
• Favorite route
• Favorite RoboPacer
• Total activities logged
• Total achievements (badges)
• Total unique routes completed
• Total FTP bumps
• Longest streak
• Number of races
• Current racing score
• Total hours

Here’s my personal Spinback video as a reference:

Community Spinback

Along with our personal Spinbacks, Zwift also released an unprecedented amount of aggregated “Community Spinback” data:

A few fun notes about the community’s achievements:

• 1.3 billion kilometers ridden is over 32,000 times around the Earth.
• 11.5 billion meters is (nearly) 1300 times up Mt Everest.
• 90.1 million pizza slices works out to over 25 trillion calories burned (285 calories per slice).
• We talk about how racers are a “minority” on Zwift, and that’s true… but 2.2 million races this year works out to over 6,000 races completed daily.
• 545.7 million Ride Ons for the year means 17.3 Ride Ons per second are shared on the platform, year-round.

In a press release last week, Zwift shared additional Community Spinback data:

• January was the most popular month in 2025, with 226.7 million kilometers ridden.
• The three most popular routes overall are Watopia’s Tempus Fugit, Tick Tock, and Flat Route.
• 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).
• Biggest event participation numbers: Tour de Zwift, Zwift Unlocked, and The Zwift Big Spin.
• Average session length: 59 minutes
  • 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)!

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.

What did I spot?

Aside from what is generally accepted as the market-leading DJI motor placed by the cranks, the most obvious feature of the new Teewing Flux is the high-pivot suspension design.

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.

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.

The driveside chainstay has some wavy chain-slap protection, while the rear pivot apparently has a double set of bearings for durability.

You’ll also find a flip chip here, enabling the bike to be run as a mullet bike (as Andi has) or a full 29er.

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

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.

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

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.

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 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

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.”

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

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.

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.

You can read the full Environmental Impact Report on Rapha’s site. It’s part of Rapha’s new focus under Millar, which has also seen the brand move away from its seven years of kitting out the EF Education pro team to new partnerships with USA Cycling and the East African Team Amani.

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!

Stage 5 Intro: Summit Challenge

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.

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:

1. Find routes that dial in the interval lengths more precisely;
2. Use the HUD effectively to aid the workout, and also;
3. 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.

Sign Up For Stage 5

Sign up for stage 5 events in-game, in the Companion app, or go to zwift.com/events/tag/zwiftcampbuild2025wo5.

Questions or Comments?

Have you done this workout yet? Did you do the entire Camp? Share your thoughts below, or any questions you may have heading into the workout.

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.

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.

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.

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

Virtual Everesting Bootcamp

Group Ride to Support Ukraine

La Cyclo MedioFondo Foudre

CTT Winter Series on Zwift

How We Make Our Picks

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

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

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

The Attaquer OrbKnit Balaclava is a 3D-knitted balaclava that’s so stretchy it can be worn as a weatherproof layer over your helmet. If that sounds a little like an overshoe for your head, that’s because it sort of is, and I’m strangely drawn to it.

Attaquer says the £55 / $70 / €65 Balaclava is engineered using the brand’s most advanced single-piece construction to date, weaving Dryarn fibres into “targeted ventilation zones” to balance insulation, breathability and moisture management, sealing riders from winter’s worst.

Said to be inspired by the orb-weaver spider, the web-like perforations over the crown are knitted into the fabric to enable heat to escape from the top of your turnip, while a heavier ribbed brow panel is designed to wick moisture away from the face. 

A dropped, looser-fitting collar gives extra coverage around the neck and helps create a windproof seal.

• Read more: Winter cycling clothing guide: stay warm with our top recommendations

Wearing a balaclava under a helmet is standard enough for winter cyclists. 

Many riders wear a buff or other neck gaiter under their helmet. Some jackets, such as the Rapha Pro Team Insulated Gore-Tex jacket, even have a hood for this purpose.

But I can imagine the over-the-helmet fit of the OrbKit Balaclava creating a warmer, insulating pocket of air above your head, while avoiding the claustrophobic temple-squishing feel of wearing something under a helmet. 

“Vape shop robberies”

The reception to the Balaclava on social media has been mixed.

The unkind have quickly pointed out the resemblance to the balaclavas favoured by electric-motorbike riding phone snatchers: “For when you have a club ride in the afternoon and vape shop robberies to perform in the evening. Love it!”, read one comment on Attaquer’s official feed. 

Writing on Instagram cycling fashion feed maillotjawn, one commenter described it – seemingly favourably – as “sicko shit”, while another drew comparison to “Peter Parker’s first suit he made himself”. 

But, once you get past the initial visual shock, I still believe the concept is strangely compelling – for the dedicated winter rider who simply refuses to let a motivation-sapping finger of chill touch their delicate skin, it could be a great choice.

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Giant has announced that it has completed all refunds to migrant workers as a part of its Corrective Action Plan.

Earlier this year, the brand was issued a Withhold Release Order (WRO) by U.S. Customs and Border Protection after it had identified ‘forced labour indicators’ during an investigation.

Now, the brand says it finalised the second phase of all remaining refunds to current migrant workers on 1 December, bringing them up to date.

Giant says all refund calculations and procedures were implemented in accordance with recommendations from a third-party independent auditor, following international standards, and thorough fact-finding investigations and assessments.

All refunds are said to have been transferred to the workers’ accounts, which signifies the full implementation of the Zero Recruitment Fee responsible recruitment policy.

Giant says this marks an important milestone in the company’s human rights and labour governance efforts and responsible recruitment practices.

The Taiwanese brand says its corrective action plan is progressing on schedule as it pursues a swift revocation of the WRO.

Giant has also introduced enhanced grievance mechanisms internally, introducing the 1955 Hotline, a labour consultation and complaint service provided by Taiwan’s Ministry of Labour, and GTMCare.

This is said to ensure migrant workers can voice their concerns and obtain prompt support through more accessible and safer channels.

In a statement, the brand wrote: “Giant Group will continue advancing all CAP-related improvement measures, strengthen grievance mechanisms, and implement related measures to actively safeguard and enhance migrant worker rights. Should CBP or relevant authorities request additional actions, the company will fully comply.”

Cinelli’s latest HoBootleg combines contemporary geometry, massive 3-inch tyre clearances, a UDH-compatible dropout, dropper post routing and Columbus steel.

The 2026 HoBootleg Geo looks like a mash-up of classic steel tourer and singletrack-capable gravel rig. With prices for complete bikes starting at £2,199, I believe it could be one of the best new steel gravel bikes for 2026.

Full builds and a frameset option are available now.

• Read more: Best gravel bikes in 2025: top-rated carbon, aluminium, titanium and steel gravel bikes reviewed
  

What is the HoBootleg Geo?

Cinelli’s original Bootleg bikes came from the burgeoning fixed-gear rat racing scene in the brand’s home city of Milan.

The first HoBootleg was released in 2013, an adventurous take on those original rat racing steel bikes. It was a modern interpretation of the classic touring bike in the vein of the Genesis Croix de Fer and its ilk – a bike capable of taking larger-volume tyres and built for a bit of rough road riding.

Cinelli is pitching the HoBootleg as a near-unkillable self-sufficient world-traveller. The geometry has been tweaked to take on singletrack and technical mountain riding beyond where the trail ends.

HoBootleg Geo details

The HoBootleg frame, made from Columbus double-butted steel replete with reinforcing gussets, has geometry derived from classic rigid mountain bikes. That means complete builds with short stems, wide bars and zero-offset seatposts. The bottom bracket shell is a robust threaded BSA standard.

At the front, it features a Columbus Futura Adventure carbon fork with a flip chip, enabling the rake to be switched between 45mm and 50mm. The frame is corrected for a suspension fork. The fork is also dynamo-ready with routing on the left side.

The bike has semi-integrated routing for a gravel dropper post for when you want to get into really technical terrain.

The frame and fork have all the mounts for a transcontinental trip, with triple anything mounts on the fork. There are rear rack mounts, five down tube mounts (three above, two below), two seat tube mounts and mounts for fenders/mudguards.

With 29-inch wheel compatibility and massive three-inch tyre clearance, is the HoBootleg GEO setting a new standard for tyre clearance or a step too far? Time will tell.

The £2,199 complete bike comes with Shimano’s 11-speed CUES groupset and WTB ST rims laced to Shimano hubs. It gets WTB Ranger tyres, and Cinelli’s own Adventure Curve bar, Cinelli alloy stem and 27.2mm-diameter seatpost, as well as Selle Royal’s short SRX off-road saddle.

The new Cinelli HoBootleg Geo is available in Desert Mud colour, with framesets starting at €1,300 and full builds from £2,199 / €2,500.

Specification highlights

• Frame: Double butted steel (UDH & dropper post compatible)
• Fork: Columbus Futura Adventure (dynamo compatible)
• Groupset: Shimano CUES 1×11 mix (hydraulic disc brakes)
• Wheelset: WTB ST Rims / Shimano hubs
• Tyres: WTB Ranger 29×2.25in TCS
• Saddle: Selle Royal SRX

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

Colnago has announced the colourway of the V5Rs that Tadej Pogačar and his UAE Team Emirates XRG teammates will ride next year.

The bike’s colour remains black and white, but there’s a departure from the stripes to a more blocky design emanating from the head tube.

Colnago is calling the livery SDM6, and it incorporates red accents that were previously used only as the background colour of the Emirates logo.

There’s notably less paint in the design, with the black portion of the bike taking up more of the livery this year.

This is to keep weight down to a minimum, with the finish said to be as lightweight as possible.

We’ve seen this trend in Formula 1 over the past few seasons, with teams leaving a large portion of the cars unpainted to eke out marginal gains.

This has become so widespread that the F1 Commission has introduced new rules for 2026 that mandate a minimum of 55% of the car’s surface area must be covered by painted or stickered liveries as opposed to bare carbon fibre surfaces.

While we’re not sure if the UCI would ever clamp down to this extent, with the rider and their jersey being more easily differentiated than F1 cars, a peloton of the same carbon-shaded bikes wouldn’t showcase the sport’s flamboyance in the same way.

Colnago says the livery of the Y1Rs will remain unchanged for 2026 and will be identical to the version used in 2025.

Stava’s 2025 Year in Sport report is out, highlighting trends in activities logged on the fitness app in the year from 1 September 2024 to 30 August 2025. And it has us asking, is cycling out of fashion?

If you’re looking for cycling stats, you’ll have to hunt deeper than in previous years, with running and walking/hiking increasingly dominating what was once predominantly a cycling app.

The report is also heavily focused on Gen Z users, suggesting that Strava take-up is increasingly centred on this younger user base.

As well as crunching the numbers, Strava surveyed a subset of its users to add more depth to its analysis. One finding was that, after skiing and snowboarding, mountain biking and gravel cycling were perceived as presenting the highest barrier to entry.

Although not broken down by sport, Strava says 7.6 million KOM/QOMs or course records were set in 2025. There were also 14 billion units of kudos given across its 180 million users, a 20 per cent increase from 2024.

That may have been helped by the Kudo All plug-in for Google Chrome, released earlier this year, which automatically gives kudos for all the activities recorded by people you’re following, saving you the bother of having to find out what they’ve done.

Strava says 54 per cent of its users were cross-training – recording activities in two or more sports – with 34 per cent participating in three or more. Multi-sport users were four times as likely to record at least one activity a week for a period of over a year.

Strava’s survey indicates that over 50 per cent of its Gen Z users expect to use Strava more in 2026, versus a majority who expect to use Instagram and TikTok the same amount or less, which suggests Strava’s stated objective of becoming the social network for athletes may be bearing fruit.

It claims the social side of sport is growing, evidenced by an increased number of clubs on the site, with cycling clubs increasing 2.8-fold.

Strava has also noted a decrease in international travel among its users, although Britons and Germans bucked the trend. UK-based Strava users most commonly headed to Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland to record activities away from home, while US users headed to Maine, Vermont, Wyoming, Nevada or Hawaii.

Needless to say, French Strava users were more likely to stay within the country and head to the Alps, Massif Central or Pyrenees. Interestingly, cycling didn’t feature among the five sports for which Strava users were most likely to travel.

There’s more cycling-specific data for bike brands, with Specialized the most popular for both gravel and mountain bikes, and the second most popular for road bikes, behind Trek. The order was reversed for second place in all three categories.

There’s even more data on how people recorded activities, where the Strava app was most popular, with 74 per cent of the total. Next came Garmin devices, with which Strava had a short-lived tussle back in October, then Apple. Apple was number one for activities recorded on a watch, with Strava adding new features to its Apple app in September.

So is cycling going out of style?

What’s the reason for cycling taking a back seat on Strava? Maybe it’s the increasing difficulty of capturing a KOM/QOM, or even improving your own personal best, that we talked about a few weeks ago. Maybe cyclists are getting tired of dutifully logging their activities. 

There’s also the proliferation of smartwatches, making it much easier to record an activity in sports such as running and hiking where you don’t have equipment to bolt a larger device to, as in cycling. 

Strava also bought the Runna app in 2025, giving it yet more stats, which it has maybe chosen to highlight. As its name suggests, it’s focused on running, although Strava hints more cycling-related functionality will follow.    

As the Financial Times pointed out in October, running is experiencing a boom, particularly with Gen Z – and Strava is their preferred activity-logging platform. And as Strava gears up for a public share offering, following the money in growing its user base must be a priority.

We’re also seeing more professional cyclists trading their cycling shoes for trainers. Tom Dumoulin recently ran a blisteringly fast half-marathon and Mathieu van der Poel has also taken to running, uploading an impressive 10k time of 33 minutes 52 seconds to Strava in November.

Garmin’s 2025 Connect data report also showed a 6 per cent increase in outdoor running and a 16 per cent increase in indoor running this year, even if that pales in comparison to the 67 per cent increase in racket sports (we’re looking at you, pickleball). Meanwhile, cycling didn’t even make Garmin’s chart of sports that had seen increases in activity uploads – could this mean it declined?

But ultimately, it’s not clear from Strava’s Year in Sport whether fewer cycling activities are being logged – possibly deliberately – or if it’s just being swamped by the growth in running and walking.

Lance Armstrong has narrated a new documentary on the history of the legendary American company, Schwinn Bicycles.

The documentary, called No Hands: The Wild Ride of the Schwinn Bicycle Company, is said to tell the complete story of the company from its founding in the late 1800s to its eventual bankruptcy in the 1990s. 

It will explore Schwinn’s history from its classic Sting-Ray bicycle to its influence in BMX and early mountain biking, through the accounts of fans, collectors and the Schwinn family.  

“Few brands have provided childhood memories and impacted American culture more than Schwinn Bicycles,” reads an official press release published today. “From its founding as Arnold, Schwinn & Company in Chicago in 1895, to the introduction of the Paramount in 1938 to the Sting-Ray in the ‘60s, Schwinn provided people, especially kids, with a freewheeling freedom like they had never had before.” 

No Hands, from the team behind The Lego Brickumentary and Loopers: The Caddie’s Long Walk, seeks to answer the questions that remain over how Schwinn fell from being one of the biggest companies in the USA. 

“Part love letter to a brand we grew up with, part riveting true story of an iconic American brand filled with mystery, No Hands is a passion project for this team,” says producer David Brookwell.

“Through unique accounts from the Schwinn family and a who’s who in cycling – including Lance Armstrong, whose life was certainly impacted by his first Schwinn – the full story behind this legacy can finally be told,” Brookwell adds. 

Lance Armstrong says: “My first bike was a Schwinn Mag Scrambler, which was the beginning of everything for me. I have always been curious with Schwinn and its history, and this documentary captures the essence of the iconic brand in a truly compelling way.”

No Hands is said to use “AI-enhanced visual storytelling” to track Schwinn’s 100-year history, alongside archival stills and material from private collections that have never been made public. 

The film is the first from new documentary studio Unfeatured Films, founded by filmmaker Daniel Clarke. 

“At its peak, Schwinn stood alongside Coca-Cola and McDonald’s – not just as a brand, but as a fixture of American life that gave generations their first sense of freedom,” says Clarke. “This film is about honoring that legacy, and spotlighting the intrigue of the company’s rise and fall, using both classic storytelling and modern AI technology to resurrect the story of a brand with unfathomable cultural impact.”

No Hands will debut at film festivals in early 2026. 

This week, we all visited Glasgow for a tough points race in the penultimate event of Zwift Racing League 2025/26, Round 2. With so many points segments, no one rider could contest them all. How would teams play this, and could we grab enough points to win?

Read on to see how my team’s race unfolded in the B1 Development Lime division…

Race Planning

As usual, my Coalition Delusion teammates and I were chatting on Discord in the days leading up to the race, trying to figure out how best to ride the course.

It was going to hurt no matter what we did: 10 laps of Glasgow Crit Circuit, with the Clyde Kicker KOM and Champion’s Sprint as points segments each and every lap. Along with a sprint on the lead-in, that meant 21 hard efforts would be required just to stay in the front pack.

Because of all those hard efforts, we figured this would be an attritional race. Therefore, staying in the front pack wasn’t important so much for the finishing position as it was for the segment points you would earn every lap as you beat the riders who had fallen off the back.

But of course, if we wanted to score big points and actually win overall, we would have to put in some max efforts on the points segments. How do you decide which segments to go all-in on, and which ones to conserve on? Nobody can produce 21 max sprints in a 40-minute race.

I decided my best approach was to target the Champion’s Sprint, since I would perform better there than on the Clyde Kicker, being stronger in terms of pure watts than W/kg. So I would go all-in for as many reps of the Champion’s Sprint as I could, while doing the minimum amount of work necessary to hang onto the front for the rest of the race.

Warmup

Prepping to get on the bike, I used all the supplement tricks at my disposal: PR Lotion to my legs, 300mg of caffeine thanks to MEG gum + dirty chai, a Nomio shot (still not sold on this), and some beta-alanine, for the tingles.

Then it was off to Watopia to spin up the legs for ~25 minutes, putting in a few good efforts to get the heart rate up to 160bpm. A full warmup was especially important this week, because we would be going all-out for the first 40 seconds of the race.

A Hard Start

The race begins with a short lead-in to the start of lap 1, and that lead-in includes the Champion’s Sprint. So straight out of the gate we were sprinting, then holding that high power for around 45 seconds!

It was a tough start, and the pack stretched out quickly. I was near the front, but when riders really poured on the power in the final stretch of the sprint, my legs just didn’t have the power to hold their wheels. I came across in 14th place, and Sauce for Zwift showed the first selection had been made: 44 front riders from the original group of 51.

The pack didn’t ease much as we made our way to the Clyde Kicker, but I made my way toward the front, activated my feather powerup, then pushed just hard enough to stay in the pack while drifting backward up the climb (the classic “sagging” strategy). Even with all my tricks, it still took a hard effort to stay in touch with the group.

Down the other side, the pack eased considerably. I certainly wasn’t going to complain. I tried to spin the pedals as easily as possible, breathe deeply, knowing another sprint was just up the road.

It arrived quickly, as riders started jumping off the front and popping their aero powerups just after we turned onto the sprint straightaway. I followed the wheels, pushed hard, and came across the line in 6th.

This was going to hurt.

The Middle: Attrition + Efficiency

I went all-in for the sprint at the end of lap 2 as well, coming across the line in 2nd for my best segment result of the day. And that’s when I decided not to sprint the next time. There was no way I could sprint hard 8 more times!

So I settled into a rhythm of sprinting every other lap, and essentially just trying to stay in the front group with as little effort as possible apart from those sprints. That meant keeping my avatar’s nose out of the wind, sagging the Clyde Kicker, and even sagging the sprints I wasn’t contesting.

The front group’s behavior became quite predictable, and I felt like each lap I was learning to rider more efficiently. That little kicker after the first descent from the Clyde Kicker? You can almost coast over that. Going all-in on the Champion’s Sprint? I could coast for several seconds after that as well. And in between the segments, the group simply wasn’t pushing hard. Nobody had the legs to get away.

You can see what this looked like in my Ride Report chart. This is what a book of burned matches looks like! (Yellow arrows are max Champion’s Sprint efforts):

After 5 laps, most of the attrition had occurred. The front group contained just 23 riders, and Coalition Delusion had 4 riders in that group (including myself), with 2 behind in the chase.

The Finish

I took it easy on the penultimate sprint, wanting to have the freshest legs possible for the final sprint, since it essentially counted for double points (sprint points plus finish points).

Coming around to the final Clyde Kicker, I expected some riders to attack hard, so I pushed a bit harder to make sure I didn’t get gapped off the back. The group didn’t surge as much as I’d expected, though, and I came across in 4th, grabbing some unexpected extra points!

A couple of riders tried to go long off the front with less than a 1km to go, and things were confused as we were about to lap a rider as well. (Where are the race officials when you need them?)

It started popping off 400m from the line, well before the final straightaway, but I didn’t think I had the legs to follow wheels from that far out. So I upped the power but stayed seating, trying to surf the draft so I could stay near the front without blowing up early.

I triggered my aero a bit earlier than usual, then downshifted and got out of the saddle for one final sprint to the line. I looked up just in time to see my avatar passing a few riders (who had probably gone a bit early), and I came across in 9th.

See my ride on Strava >

Watch the Video

Results and Takeaways

Heading over to the WTRL website, we were elated to discover we’d won the race!

Team leader Dave Thompson had turned in a particularly impressive performance, coming in 2nd over the line and leading our team in points. He scored plenty of points on both segments, which shows he’s quite a balanced rider.

Our finishing points were also strong, because we had 4 riders in the front group of ~20, and all of us finished in the top 10.

Here are my segment results on the day. You can definitely see which Champion’s Sprint efforts were all-in, and which were conservative!

It’s interesting to see how my placings on the Clyde Kicker improved in the back half of the race. I’m not sure how to explain that, except to say perhaps those punchy W/kg were getting tired!

Could I have scored more points if I’d raced this differently? I’m not sure there is much I would change, actually. I think I did about as well as I could, given my relative fitness and the day’s race course.

This was a really strong result for us, and we are now tied overall with team TSE heading into next week’s final race of the round:

Taking home an overall win will be far from easy for Coalition Delusion: we excel in flat/rolling TTTs and flatter races overall, and next week’s race finishes on the NY KOM (see the race guide). We’ll give it our best!

I’ll close with our traditional team Discord shot:

What about you?

How was your race #5? Share your story below!