Ineos Grenadiers’ bike sponsor conundrum has been resolved with the most predictable of conclusions – the team has confirmed a three-year extension with Pinarello.

Pinarello has supplied Ineos with bikes since the British WorldTour outfit was established as Team Sky in 2010.

Ineos’ current agreement with Pinarello is due to expire at the end of 2025, and speculation earlier in the season suggested that the team may be forced to find a new supplier.

However, Sir Dave Brailsford’s team will now continue to use Pinarello bikes through 2026-2029.

While Daniel Benson reported for BikeRadar in July that a renewal was “the most logical outcome”, Pinarello’s relationship with Ineos has been under scrutiny owing to the extending influence of the brand’s owner, mining billionaire Ivan Glasenberg.

Glasenberg bought Pinarello from private equity firm L Catterton in 2023, and the South African also has a controlling interest in cycling clothing company, Q36.5.

Q36.5 is the title sponsor of Tom Pidcock’s team, currently supplied with bikes by Scott (though Pidcock rides a Pinarello mountain bike when on off-road duty). 

Glasenberg has been expected to align his interests at Pinarello and Q36.5 by putting the team’s riders on the Italian firm’s bikes when the current arrangement with Scott comes to an end later this year.

Bike brands rarely sponsor two prominent teams and Pinarello’s potential switch to Q36.5 could have left Ineos looking for a new sponsor, but Fausto Pinarello has now all but confirmed that the brand will supply both Q36.5 and Ineos in 2026.

“It’s not nice to see our rider use other bikes,” Fausto Pinarello told the Tuttobiciweb podcast, referring to Pidcock. “There’s a good chance that Tom will also use our road bikes [in 2026].”

While Q36.5’s switch is yet to be officially announced, the move would see Pinarello significantly increase its visibility in the pro peloton.

Pidcock’s transfer to Q36.5 has rejuvenated the second-tier team, with Pidcock finishing third overall at the Vuelta a España. The team has secured 14 victories in 2025, compared to only five in 2024.

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

Silca has launched a range of three TPU inner tubes. That’s despite Josh Poertner, Silca’s boss, previously having had bad experiences with the ultra-light tubes.

Poertner says he put his whole family’s bikes on orange TPU tubes from an unnamed brand a few years ago, but because the valve stems are narrower than standard ones, and unthreaded they’re difficult to engage with a pump.

Within six months, all the tubes failed at the junction between the valve and the tube, he explained.

We’ve also had bad experiences with TPU tubes, with Jack Luke rating them his worst upgrade.

Poertner delved further and found that dyes in the TPU could reduce their strength. “The dyes can reduce the peak elongation, they can reduce the ultimate tensile strength and the yield strength of the material,” he says. They can also increase rolling resistance, Poertner claims.

Therefore, the Silca Ultimate TPU inner tubes are made in Germany using undyed thermoplastic polyurethane. Silca is not the only brand to make undyed TPU tubes: Continental, Schwalbe and Vittoria, for example, all sell undyed TPU tubes.

• Latex v TPU inner tubes: what’s the difference and should you upgrade?
  

Lower weight and rolling resistance

TPU inner tubes offer lower weight and a more compact size than a traditional butyl inner tube, plus they’re more air-tight than latex tubes, so you don’t need to pump them up before every ride.

Rolling resistance is usually lower than butyl tubes, too, although bicyclerollingresistance.com, testing a range of brands of inner tubes, has found them in general to be slightly less free-rolling than latex tubes.

Nevertheless, Silca claims a rolling resistance reduction of between 2 and 4 watts versus a butyl tube and that its tubes are only 0.2 watts slower than latex.

Designed to address weak points

TPU tubes tend to have two weak points, depending on how they’re made: the valve stem can break if it’s made of plastic rather than metal, and the tube can fail at the junction between the valve and the tube.

Silca has a patented bonding system between its aluminium valve and the tube, which uses two aluminium flanges to sandwich the TPU, with a rubber gasket on top to protect the tube around the valve drilling in the rim. Poertner claims many brands use a plastic one-sided flange, even with a metal valve. 

It also uses a threaded valve with a locking nut to avoid tube failure due to movement and friction when pumping by hand. The valve has a removable core, making it compatible with valve extenders.

The Silca TPU tubes are also claimed to be heat resistant, so they’re suitable to use with an electric pump, although Silca recommends inflating in 15psi steps to avoid overheating. Some TPU tubes are not recommended for use in rim-brake wheels, but Silca’s tubes are rated for both disc-brake and rim-brake wheels.

Most TPU tubes are glued together along their length, which can also cause failure. Poertner says Silca’s tubes are friction-welded with a turned-back overlap between the two sides, while many tubes are only glued with a flat overlap. 

“The joint is guaranteed air-tight and the tubes are 100% tested at the factory,” Poertner says. “It’s significantly stronger and has significantly higher elongation before failure. That’s what allows us to have two sizes of tube in a space where others might have three or four sizes of tube.”

Silca packages its TPU tubes with an alcohol wipe and an adhesive repair patch, so if you are unlucky enough to puncture twice on a ride, you’ve still got the means to repair the tube.

The Silca Ultimate TPU inner tube is available in two widths, covering a wide range of tyre sizes: 24-43mm and 44-64mm. The narrower tube is sold with either a 50mm valve, with a 44g claimed weight, or a 70mm valve with a 45g claimed weight.

The wider tube comes with a 50mm valve only and weighing a claimed 64g. All are priced at £39 / $39 each. 

The last few weeks have been full of surprises from the world’s biggest training app, Strava. 

On October 2, we reported that Strava was suing Garmin over patent infringement, related to Segments and heatmaps. Strava claims in its lawsuit that it has suffered damages, including lost revenue and business opportunities, due to the alleged infringements.

Yet, news of the lawsuit was followed quickly by a Reddit post from Strava’s chief product officer Matt Salazar, putting a new spin on why the company was suing its long-time collaborator.

Salazar said the primary reason behind the litigation was in fact a set of “new developer guidelines for all of its API partners”. According to Salazar, these guidelines would require Strava and other platforms using its API (Application Programming Interface) – which offers developers a data connection between services – to integrate Garmin’s logo “on every single activity post, screen, graph, image, sharing card, etc”.

The guidelines will take effect from 1 November. Meanwhile, Salazar’s post has had 1,500 comments and zero upvotes. 

When contacted by BikeRadar, Garmin declined to comment on Salazar’s post – and the noise has continued to come from Strava’s side. 

An email sent to Strava developers on Friday, 11 October, provided an update to Strava’s own API that says Garmin attribution will be required.

“Activity data obtained through the Strava API may include data that requires attribution to Garmin. Therefore, if your application displays information derived from Garmin-sourced data, you must display attribution to Garmin in the form and manner required by Garmin’s brand guidelines,” the guidelines reportedly state.

On the one hand, this could be read as Strava capitulating to Garmin, despite Salazar’s strong words. But it’s more a case of Strava ensuring that however many of its 150 million athletes that use Garmin smartwatches or bike computers don’t run into issues next month. Losing Garmin’s data would be a big blow. 

When asked about the updates to its own API, Strava told BikeRadar that it’s unable to comment on ongoing disputes. But a spokesperson said: “While we don’t agree with the extensive branding Garmin is forcing, uninterrupted connectivity for the subset of our community that uses Garmin remains our top priority, and we have also decided that we will give similar attribution to all of our device partners going forward to be fair. 

“Our aim is to make branding as unintrusive as possible and we believe it is the right thing to do in light of the mandatory changes that Garmin is asking all developers to implement by November 1st.”  

From Strava’s statement, it seems that come next month you won’t only see attribution to Garmin but also other platforms and devices “to be fair”.

The further context to Strava’s decision is its bid to go public in the US. The San Francisco-based company was valued at $2.2 billion last May following a funding round.

Rumours began to circulate last month after Reuters reported that Strava was in discussions with banks about an initial public offering. This made sense considering the value of the company, but also one big hire. In August, Strava announced Matt Anderson as its new chief financial officer, joining from Nextdoor, a social network for neighbourhood communities, which he helped guide through its public listing. 

And this week, Strava’s CEO Michael Martin confirmed the app has an “intention to go public at some point” because the move “provides easy access to capital in case we wanted to do more and bigger acquisitions”. 

There’s no indication yet of when Strava will join Wall Street, but smoothing things over with Garmin may be a way to stay in the good books of any potential investors.

Whether the lawsuit will continue to go ahead is yet to be seen, but it’s unlikely Salazar will take to Reddit again any time soon. 

You may like 

• Strava is becoming irrelevant – I use this free app instead
• Suunto sues Garmin over patent infringements as legal troubles build

I’m a sucker for fresh cycling kit, and being an avid Zwifter, I’ve owned every kit Zwift has released! Along with short-term kits for special tours like Tour of Watopia, Zwift has almost always had a general “Zwift kit” for sale. There was the “skinny Z” kit (OG Zwifters only), the high-end Giordana FR-C kit (pricy but so nice), the Expression kit (affordable yet unbreathable), and now, released just last month, the Watopia Essentials collection.

Designed by Zwift and produced by Pedal Mafia, the Watopia Essentials kit is understated and indoor-friendly, with multiple color options. Based on Pedal Mafia’s workhorse “Core” line, this kit is well-made without breaking the bank. Read on for my full review…

Shop the Watopia Essentials collection >

Note: sizing can be tricky with cycling kit. For reference, I’m 5′-10″ tall (179cm) and around 190 lbs (86 kg). I put my actual measurements in the text below where appropriate.

Watopia Essentials Bib Shorts

Priced at $168USD, the Watopia Essentials bib is from Pedal Mafia’s Core collection. (This is the more affordable “do everything” collection vs the more expensive “Pro” line.) The most distinctive thing about these shorts is the metallic printing of the Zwift logo, Scotty emblem, and Pedal Mafia logo on the small of the back. These metallic accents carry over to the jersey and base layer as well, as you’ll see below.

I have a 34.5″ waist and 39.5″ hips, so I went with the medium bib as recommended by the sizing chart.

The Watopia Essentials bibs aren’t indoor-specific, so they don’t include some of the extra-breathable features indoor kits often have, like mesh panels, minimal chamois, or super lightweight strapping. That said, the brace paneling on the back and lower front is nicely perforated, even though the straps themselves are not, and the main short fabric (75% recycled warp knit lycra) is just the right thickness to allow sweat to evaporate indoors while still working well outside in most conditions.

While I haven’t had time to run the Watopia Essentials bibs through the wringer across many rides (since they were just released), I do own multiple pairs of Pedal Mafia’s core bibs, so I know what kind of durability to expect. I’d say these shorts hold up as well as other mid-range bibs, with the first point of failure for me being some frayed stitching in the inner leg area due to saddle rub. (This hasn’t affected the feel or wearability of the bibs, but it’s something worth noting.)

Chamois fit is a very personal thing, but I prefer thinner pads, especially for indoor riding. I’d say the Watopia Essentials’ chamois is on the thin side as chamois go, while still having plenty of thickness for all-day/outdoor wear.

Leg length on Pedal Mafia bibs tends to be on the longer side, as this “pro look” is the trend in today’s kits. I don’t particularly love super-long legs, as they aren’t helpful for indoor riding. That said, I ordered the medium bibs, which fit great on my frame.

If you look closely, you’ll see some nice finishing touches on these bibs. The metallic logos are fun, but you’ve also got a little pocket on the back brace to hold a gel or even your phone, Pedal Mafia-branded extra-wide leg grippers, a logo on the chamois, plus the feel-good factor of 75% recycled lycra composition… these aren’t just basic bibs.

Watopia Essentials Jersey

The Watopia Essentials jersey, like the bibs, is based on Pedal Mafia’s “core” line. Priced at $128USD, this is a well-made, indoor-friendly jersey with lots of finishing touches. Based on my chest measurement of 38″ (and my experience with wearing other PM Core kits) I went with a medium jersey, as I prefer a tighter fit.

A note regarding color: I chose the “frost” color, and what you see in the pictures below is, to my eyes, a fairly accurate presentation of the actual color of the jersey. What I see on Zwift’s website for this color looks significantly bluer than it really is.

While the sizing chart would have placed me in a large jersey (just barely), I went with a medium because I prefer a tighter fit, and because I got a few medium Pedal Mafia core jerseys in my closet already. These jerseys fit nicely, with plenty of length in the arms and rear torso without being too long in the front. (I hate it when jerseys bunch up in front when you’re hunched over the bike.)

While this isn’t an indoor-specific jersey, it is a very breathable top that works well outdoors in summer heat as well as indoors on the trainer. I’ve complained to ZHQ in the past that the kits they’ve sold aren’t indoor-friendly, particularly their previous Expression Jersey, which is one of the least breathable jerseys I own. So it’s nice to see Zwift selling a top that works well indoors. The arms and side panels use a 3D mesh material that keeps you dry and cool without being so fragile that it breaks down in the wash, while the front and back use a denser but still lightweight perforated fabric that provides more coverage but still wicks sweat and allows airflow for drying.

In my experience, it takes a lot of riding to wear out a jersey, unless it’s a super-light one made specifically for indoor riding or hot weather. All of my Pedal Mafia Core jerseys have held up well with no tears from washing or frayed stitching, so I expect the Watopia Essentials jersey to do the same.

Even though the design is far from flashy, there are lots of small finishing touches on this jersey. These include a PM-branded waist gripper, a tag with spaces to write your emergency details, a zippered side pocket, and a pizza slice in the back-left pocket. The inside of the collar (shown above) even lists all the Watopia expansions, in chronological order. A super-nerdy Zwifty touch! (And while I’m being nerdy, the back-left pocket includes “Four Horseman” in the list of routes… but it should be “Four Horsemen“.)

Watopia Essentials Base Layer

The Watopia Essentials base layer is priced at $50USD. I chose the frost color to match the jersey, and went with the Medium size as well.

While many riders don’t wear a base layer, especially indoors, they do help keep things, as Zwift says, “cool, dry, and breathable.” Adding a layer to increase breathability and cooling doesn’t seem intuitive, but that 3D mesh wicks the sweat from your skin then increases the surface area for air to contact that sweat and cause it to evaporate.

It all works quite nicely, and it also means you can unzip your jersey without showing too much skin. You can also wear it in place of a jersey, at least indoors.

My medium base layer fit tightly, as it should. Not so tight that it restricted breathing, but tight enough that it stayed in contact with my skin and didn’t feel “baggy” beneath my jersey.

The entire base layer is made of the same 3D mesh, which is an even lighter/more open mesh than the arms and sides of the jersey. It’s about as breathable a fabric as you’ll find, if you want something that also wicks sweat (and you do).

Super lightweight 3D mesh fabrics can suffer small tears in the wash if they snag on something sharp like the pointy half of velcro glove straps. Some people will wash their more fragile fabrics in a laundry bag to avoid this, but that’s too much hassle for me. I just keep my gloves velcroed together and it (usually) works!

With a base layer that will generally be covered by a jersey, I don’t want to pay for lots of fancy visual touches. The Watopia Essentials base layer keeps things pretty simple, with a Zwift logo across the chest, a metallic Scotty logo on the front-bottom-right corner, and a Watopia logo on the top back, just like the jersey.

Watopia Essentials Socks

Like most cyclists, I love a good pair of socks. Aero socks, colorful socks, merino wool socks… I’ve got more than I can fit in one drawer, for sure. Because it’s always fun to get a new pair in the mail and take them for a spin!

Keeping with the theme, Watopia Essentials socks are from Pedal Mafia’s Core collection. I got the Small/Medium size because I’ve found Pedal Mafia’s socks run quite tall. And I went with the “frost” color to match the top.

If you’re looking for “pro-length”, these are your socks. Like I said, I went S/M. But if I had gone for the L/XL, they would have been gone up over part of my calf. Size-for-size, Pedal Mafia’s Core socks quite a bit higher up the leg than most of the socks in my drawer. This isn’t good or bad – it’s a question of what look and feel you prefer.

These are lightweight, which is to be expected for cycling socks. I’d describe them as “medium-thick” when compared to the current crop of cycling socks. They aren’t super-thin like some, but they aren’t as thick as others. They make a good all-around sock suitable for riding in most conditions, although I may prefer something thinner for indoor riding.

Final Notes

Overall, I’d say the Watopia Essentials kit does a very good job of walking the line between quality and price. It performs where you want kit to perform, without soaring into the upper price ranges. I like the design, too: distinctively Zwifty, but not garish. And there are three color options to choose from, which is a first for Zwift.

I should also note that there’s a t-shirt, bottles, and sweatshirts included in the Watopia Essentials line. Along with a women’s jersey and bibs, of course!

Shop the Watopia Essentials collection >

Questions or Comments?

Post below!

As part of the ongoing debate over alleged forced labour in the Taiwanese bicycle industry, Giant has announced today that it will reimburse current migrant workers hired before 1 January, 2025, for their previous recruitment expenses. 

The announcement follows the Trump administration’s barring of Giant bicycles, components and accessories made in Taiwan. The ban followed US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) saying it had identified ‘forced labour indicators’ during an investigation of the cycling brand. 

One of the indicators of forced labour that the CBP identified was debt bondage, where a person is forced to work to pay off a debt. 

Last year, investigative journalist Peter Bengtsen found migrant employees at Giant had paid high recruitment fees.

“For decades, workers hired from abroad have paid exorbitant fees to home-country recruiters and Taiwanese labour brokers for jobs and services. As a result, workers borrow significantly from banks and money lenders, often at excessive interest rates, and thereby risk debt bondage while working in Taiwan to pay off loans,” Bengtsen told BikeRadar.

Following the import ban, Giant was seeking to revoke the CBP’s decision. Since the start of 2025, it has implemented a zero recruitment fee policy.

Now, it says it has hired an international third-party advisor “to identify, assess, and develop a comprehensive compensation plan to reimburse current migrant workers hired before January 1, 2025, for their previous recruitment expenses”.

“Giant Group has already initiated the first phase of fee reimbursement payment this week to demonstrate its commitment. Giant has made the provision in the book with sufficient funding ability to support the payment so Giant can ensure all migrant workers receive what they are eligible for. This is a further concrete action to fulfill the company’s commitment to human rights and fair employment practices,” a statement from Giant read.

Giant also said it has completed the relocation of all migrant worker dormitories, with 400 workers moving into newly built facilities. 

“The new dormitories were designed and upgraded in line with international labor and human rights standards, providing a safe, healthy, and respectful living environment that meets fire protection, construction, and public safety requirements,” Giant said. 

The CBP’s decision to bar Giant imports sent shockwaves through the Taiwanese bicycle industry.

Following the blockade, Merida announced a zero-fee recruitment policy for migrant workers, effective from 1 October, as well as a reimbursement scheme. Merida said that while it complies with Taiwanese labour laws, it is committed to “internationally recognised labour standards”.

Last week, the Taiwan Bicycle Association (TBA) announced an initiative for industry suppliers to observe human rights, following the CBP’s announcement that it would detain Giant shipments.

“To meet growing global expectations for Human Rights Due Diligence (HRDD) and sustainable supply chain governance, the Taiwan Bicycle Association (TBA) has announced an industry initiative encouraging suppliers across the value chain to undertake supply chain due diligence, with a particular focus on human rights and forced labor,” the TBA said.

The TBA said it would also provide suppliers with a self-assessment checklist to help suppliers conduct internal reviews to ensure compliance with Taiwanese law and align with international standards.

Unless you plan to always ride alone, drafting is an essential skill for the cyclist – both indoors and out. Here’s everything you need to know about drafting in Zwift.

Why Draft?

The goal of drafting in Zwift is to conserve energy, just as it is outdoors. The amount of energy saved by drafting is no “marginal gain” – it is literally the difference between winning and losing in every bike race.

Estimates vary, but the most common figure mentioned outdoors is a 30% power savings when drafting behind just one other rider. It’s just physics: air resistance is the number one force slowing you down when you’re moving at speed, so if a rider just ahead is in the wind and you’re on their wheel, you’ll be able to travel at the same speed with less effort.

Example: you could put out ~210 watts while drafting and maintain the same speed as the rider ahead of you who is putting out ~300 watts, assuming you’re both the same size, weight, CdA, etc.

Riding in a large pack will reduce wind resistance even more, resulting in greater power savings. Scientists studied the draft effect of a large peloton (121 riders) and found that wind resistance in the “sweet spot” of this large group was only 5-10% what a solo rider would experience. Incredible!

Drafting Power Savings in Zwift

Based on our tests, drafting in Zwift behind a single rider gets you a power savings of approximately 25%. Using power emulators on a closed course, we had one rider sustain 300 watts while another rider drafted behind. We found a rider could stay in this 300-watt draft at ~225 watts while on relatively flat ground.

Changes in pitch affect these numbers, as gravity comes increasingly into play. Using the above power numbers, the front rider will pull away on an incline. But when a decline hits, it will take even fewer watts to stay in the draft. For more on how gradient affects drafting, see Saving Watts In the Draft: Climbs vs Descents vs Flats.

The draft effect in Zwift is enhanced in larger groups, although it’s not as significant as we see outdoors. See our most recent tests of 4-rider drafting for more info.

The Challenges of Zwift Drafting

Zwift HQ has done a commendable job with their drafting algorithms to create something that works well in small and large packs for a variety of riders. That said, drafting in Zwift takes some getting used to, even if you are familiar with drafting in real life. Here are the differences:

• No steering: outside, you can steer in and out of a draft, but on Zwift, many riders don’t have steering devices, which leaves their left-right positioning up to the game’s pack dynamics algorithm. This means sometimes the game doesn’t position you for maximum draft effect.
• No brakes: when you ride outside, you can tap your brakes to maintain the proper distance off the back tire of the rider in front of you. Unless you have Zwift Play paired and braking enabled, you don’t have braking capability in Zwift, so your front-to-back position in the pack becomes a matter of putting down the right amount of power at the right time.
• Limited and delayed sensory feedback: outside, you can feel when you’re in the draft: the air resistance decreases and you don’t have to work as hard to keep the pace. On Zwift, there are very limited cues as to when you are in the draft or not, and resistance does not decrease when drafting. Additionally, if you need to modify your power output to stay in the draft, the response (your avatar moving in response to your power change) is not as immediate as it would be in real life.

Drafting Cues

Zwift uses the visual cue of sitting up (riding with your hands on the hoods instead of the drops) as an indicator that you are in the draft. It can be a little confusing though, since Zwift will also have your avatar sit up at slow solo speeds.

If you are moving at 33kph or more and your avatar is sitting up (on the hoods), you are in the draft.

Your avatar will begin riding on the hoods, but as you speed up to 32-33kph your avatar will move to the drops. If you are in the drops and begin to slow down, your avatar will move to the hoods as you hit 29-30kph.

A few more details: the Tron bike has no “sitting up” animation, so even though you are experiencing the draft effect, your avatar will never change position on the Tron. TT bikes have no “sitting up” animation either. And on mountain bikes, your avatar sits a bit higher when not drafting.

More Drafting Tips and Notes

Draft Boost (Van) Powerup

The draft boost powerup increases the strength of whatever draft you are experiencing for 40 seconds. It only works if you are in the draft, so use it in the pack to save some energy.

Dial It In

Because of how Zwift’s pack dynamics work, there is a “wattage window” within which you can hold a rider’s wheel. For example: you may be holding a wheel at 240W, but if you reduce your power to 220W you’ll may still be able to hold the wheel.

In a small group, it’s worth easing off the pedals to figure out just how much power you actually need to hold the wheel, so you aren’t putting out more power than necessary.

Steering Challenges

Since Zwift steers for you automatically, you may at times find yourself being steered out of the draft. If this happens while you’re attempting to stay in the draft, simply keep your power at a level that keeps you in a good position to get the draft, and Zwift will typically steer you into the draft soon enough.

Alternatively, if you have a steering device, you may find that manually steering will place you in a stronger draft position than the game’s automatic steering.

TT Bikes Do Not Draft

On Zwift, TT bike frames do not experience a draft effect unless you are in a special event (usually only team time trials) where TT drafting is enabled. You can draft behind a TT rider, but the TT rider will not get any benefit from riding behind anyone else.

Flick that Elbow!

Just like outdoors, you can use the elbow flick motion (F1 on your keyboard, or in your list of motions on the Companion app) to signal to other riders that it’s their turn to take a pull.

The Supertuck and Drafting

The supertuck may be outlawed by the UCI, but it’s legal on Zwift. There’s just one caveat: you have to be out of the draft in order to supertuck! That means in a race, only the rider on the front of the pack will be able to supertuck, assuming the other conditions are met (~36MPH/~58km/hr, -3% or more downhill, power below 11W). Read more about the supertuck here >

Breakaway Burrito Powerup

As the name lightly suggests, the Breakaway Burrito is the only powerup that affects those around you. When the Burrito powerup is activated, it turns off the draft benefit for riders in a cone shape behind you, for 20 seconds. Learn more about the Burrito here >

Get Saucy

If you run Zwift on Windows or Mac, you might consider installing the Sauce for Zwift add-on, which includes a helpful draft gauge which supposedly displays how many watts you’re currently saving. (That’s up for debate, but in practice, the gauge is helpful because it shows how strong the current draft effect is, regardless of what it’s actually measuring.)

See it below from a video of a recent race. Read more about S4Z here >

Questions or Comments?

Got questions about drafting on Zwift? Share below!

If you’ve ever felt Campagnolo’s ‘standard’ Super Record 13 groupset isn’t quite fancy enough, you’re in luck.

The Italian brand has announced Super Record 13 Ultra – a suite of upgraded parts for its flagship 13-speed road bike groupset, built with even lighter and pricier materials.

The so-called ‘Ultra component package’ consists of a carbon fibre chainring, a titanium cassette and ceramic bottom bracket bearings.

These components come with an endless number of superlatives and some big price tags, of course, but you knew that already.

• I tested new Campagnolo Super Record 13, and Shimano and SRAM should be worried – here’s why

Components for ultra-demanding cyclists

These upgrades are, Campagnolo says, targeted at “ultra-demanding cyclists who will appreciate the ultimate expression of mechatronics applied to a bicycle” and “those seeking the ultimate performance and lightest weight”.

If you’ve never heard of ‘mechatronics’ before – as we hadn’t – it’s the “synergistic integration of mechanical, electrical, and computer systems”, according to Wikipedia.

In layman’s terms, it means Campangolo has sought out the finest materials to make marginal improvements to its Super Record 13 electronic groupset.

Let’s take a look at the new components and compare them to the standard versions.

Campagnolo Ultra chainring

While ‘standard’ Super Record 13 chainrings are made from aluminium alloy, the Ultra chainring combines carbon fibre and aluminium to reduce weight, improve stiffness and give it a “highly attractive racing look”.

Campagnolo says the carbon is structural and the chainring teeth are made from 7075 aluminium – which is said to be “among the lightest aeronautical-derived alloys”, while also being very durable.

Available in 50- and 52-tooth sizes, Campagnolo says the Ultra chainring is designed and manufactured at its headquarters, in Vicenza, Italy – which I visited to test the Super Record 13 groupset ahead of its launch.

These outer chainrings are claimed to weigh 78 and 102g each, 34 and 28g lighter than the stock alloy chainrings (respectively).

They are priced at €330 each, around €110 more than standard chainring sets cost.

Ultra titanium cassette

The clue is again in the name with the Ultra titanium cassette, which uses “aircraft-grade titanium” for the largest four or five sprockets on the cassette (depending on which range of sprockets you select).

Each cluster of sprockets is machined from a block of titanium, and is also made in the brand’s Vincenza headquarters.

The titanium sprockets also contrast with the ‘black chrome’ alloy sprockets that make up the remainder of the cassette, which “transform the cassette into a distinctive element that makes the entire groupset unique”.

The two options are 10-33 and 10-36t, with four and five titanium sprockets, and claimed weights of 215 and 238g respectively, saving 30 or 44g compared to stock equivalents.

Both cassettes cost €620 – a steep increase compared to the £325 / €349 standard Super Record 13 cassettes.

Ultra ceramic bottom bracket bearings

Completing the package is a set of ceramic bearings for the groupset’s Ultra-Torque bottom bracket cups.

As with most ceramic bearings, these are designed to minimise friction, with Campagnolo saying the silicone nitride ball bearings are “selected according to international aerospace standards”.

This guarantees “superior roundness”, the brand says, which contributes to “optimal pedalling performance and long life”.

The bearings also feature an “internal cage” made from “high-performance resin”, which helps further reduce friction, and a “double-seal system” is used to prevent contamination during use.

As well as cutting friction, Campagnolo says the Ultra ceramic bottom bracket bearings cut 3g of weight compared to standard steel bearings.

They cost €164, which is only slightly more expensive than Campagnolo’s existing CULT hybrid-ceramic bottom bracket bearings, which cost £155 / €160.

Ultra-Torque steel bearings are, unsurprisingly, far cheaper at £32 / €33.

The lightest groupset gets lighter

Overall, Campagnolo says the Ultra parts will save a rider up to 81g over a standard Super Record 13 groupset, for a grand total of €1,114.

The brand notes it makes the lightest electronic road bike groupset currently available even lighter.

This, the brand says boldly, “will not go unnoticed and will certainly be felt immediately”. 

We’re sceptical about this, but it’s fair to say the Ultra components look very cool and we’re sure riders with deep pockets and an appreciation for high-end materials will find plenty to like here.

Campagnolo says the Ultra components are available to order now and can be purchased individually or as part of a kit, which comes in “equally striking packaging”.

Oscar Delaite is the new world-record holder for the longest continuous wheelie, having nearly doubled the previous record of 81.59km with a new distance of 150.4km.

The Frenchman set his record at a running track in Vittel, France, keeping his front wheel in the air for 752 laps of a 200m indoor course.

It took Delaite 6 hours and 31 minutes to cover the 150.4km distance.

This isn’t Delaite’s first time in the record books, with the Frenchman also holding the Guinness World Record for the longest bicycle wheelie with no front wheel, at a distance of 100.5 km.

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Delaite also holds the record for the longest-duration one-handed bicycle wheelie, clocking a time of 1 hour 46 minutes and 36 seconds.

• Learn how to wheelie, with Anna Glowinski
  

He completed the attempt on a rigid frame from Rose Bikes, fitted with Thickslick tyres from Wilderness Trail Bikes, both sponsors of the rider.

Apart from running the saddle slanted forward to offset the angle of the wheelie, the bike Delaite used for the record was standard.

As for the reason he chose to use a track, to be officially validated by Guinness World Records, the record attempt had to be made on an approved track. The indoor track also removed any variables, such as sudden gusts of wind, which could have ended Delaite’s attempt early.

The verification process for a Guinness World Record attempt takes a long time, so while the record is yet to be officially confirmed, we expect to see Delaite’s name in the book soon.

Racing is one of the best ways to stay motivated and engaged while riding on Zwift. In this week’s top video, hear from one Zwifter as she shares her experience from her first race on Zwift.

We’re also featuring videos about VO2 Max, pain cave set ups for small spaces, a test of the KICKR Core 2’s compatibility, and more exciting Zwift racing content.

Got a Great Zwift Video?

Share the link below and we may feature it in an upcoming post!

Posedla might be a saddle brand you haven’t heard of yet, but that could be about to change.

Its 3D-printed saddle service enables riders to get the perfect saddle for them, by taking an imprint of their sit bones.

The service is called the ‘Smiling Butt Kit’, whereby you sit on a pad to create an impression, which is then posted off to Posedla. The resulting measurements are used to produce a custom-shaped saddle for your specific use case – be it road, gravel, MTB or even time trialling.

On top of this, Posedla enables you to customise the spec of its saddles, including rail choice, width and foam density – and even personalisation.

Interested? So were we – so Ollie Smith has given it a try on your behalf to see how the process works. 

Preparations are underway for the 2028 LA Olympic Games, with British Cycling renewing its partnership with Renishaw, one of its most high-tech collaborators.

This will be the third Olympic cycle in which British Cycling has worked with the British manufacturing company, after the two organisations joined forces ahead of the 2020 Tokyo Games.

Now, with the next Games only three years away, British Cycling says it will work with Renishaw on a “new wave of technical developments”, focusing on aerodynamics, mechanical optimisation and strength-to-weight engineering for the track. 

“We have built a strong partnership with Renishaw over the past two cycles, and that trust is critical as we head into LA,” says Stephen Park CBE, the performance director for the Great Britain cycling team. 

“The team’s engineering insight and capabilities help us stay ahead of the competition and this makes a real difference when it comes to winning on the world stage,” Park adds. 

Ben Collins, Renishaw’s lead additive manufacture engineer, says: “This is the point where we start rethinking what’s possible. In these early stages, we are not just tweaking existing designs – we are challenging ideas, experimenting with form and function and asking how engineering can once again move the needle for the Great Britain Cycling Team.” 

For the Paris 2024 Games, Renishaw supplied Team GB with more than 1,000 precision components across 32 track bikes. This included 3D-printed titanium cranks and the striking split seatpost, which allows air to flow directly through the centre of the bike. 

Following an initial research phase, Renishaw will manufacture a series of low-volume production runs for the newly developed parts and components.

“This enables rapid iteration and ensures every component meets performance demands and delivers uniformity and reliability at competition level,” British Cycling says. 

Last year, we had an up-close and personal look at Team GB’s hyper-expensive Olympic track bike, which featured Renishaw’s cranks and seatpost. Dr Oliver Caddy, lead project engineer at British Cycling, said that creating the parts using additive manufacturing enabled the team to customise seatposts and cranksets for each rider.

We also spoke to Caddy about Matthew Richardson’s custom Hope HB.T track bike for his 200m flying start world record. Caddy said the Renishaw cranks were the best-performing cranks Team GB had “ever had”, but he divulged they were working with Renishaw to create a new version of the crank that will include a power meter. 

This could be a hint of the kind of developments we’ll see from British Cycling and Renishaw’s renewed partnership – but there is a bigger question for Team GB right now. 

The UCI recently announced a range of tech regulations that will limit the internal fork width of road bikes from next year and track bikes from 2027, outlawing Hope’s track bike due to its wide fork and seatstays. 

In September, cycling’s governing body also announced that it will cap the price of track bikes and equipment at the LA Games, which will help curb the spiralling costs of track bikes and equipment. 

As it stands, we don’t know what the price caps will be. But it might jeopardise some of Renishaw and Team GB’s groundbreaking work. 

Uniqlo has launched a new Brooklyn Machine Works T-shirt, and the good news is, it’s on sale for only £9.90 – I’ve already ordered one.

The T-shirt, honouring the iconic New York bike brand, is part of Uniqlo’s Nostalgia Tees series, which also includes Maxell audio cassettes, Kodak film and Wendy’s old-fashioned burgers.

Back in the 90s and early 2000s, at the height of the dirt jump/skate park mountain bike scene, Brooklyn Machine Works was undoubtedly one of the coolest brands on the block, alongside the likes of Spooky, Santa Cruz and the UK’s DMR, which made the Trailstar.

For me, though, Brooklyn’s cool factor was off the charts.

That’s because Brooklyn Machine Works, or rather cheekily BMW, built the toughest, sturdiest big-hitting bikes in New York from 4130 chromoly steel.

The range of 24-inch cruiser-style BMXs, hardtails and even futuristic-looking full-suspension designs (Google the TMX) were – in my eyes – the coolest bikes around.

It seems someone in fashion retail giant Uniqlo’s graphics department has the same fond nostalgia for this important era in bikes as I do.

• Buy the Brooklyn Machine Works T-shirt direct from Uniqlo

Indoor bike racing has evolved into a cycling discipline of its own, and every platform has its own idiosyncrasies. The more you ride on Zwift, the more you’ll learn strategies and tricks that can give you an edge. Here are five intermediate-level tips for next-level eRacing on Zwift.

If you’re new to Zwift racing, be sure to read “How to race on Zwift (setup, strategy, and more)” first, which covers the basics.

#1: Attack Dirty

Watopia and Makuri Islands have several dirt sections, and even though it’s virtual, riding in the dirt is different than riding on tarmac! Dirt has a higher rolling resistance on Zwift, so your smart trainer’s resistance will increase a bit on dirt sections, and your speed will drop compared to riding on tarmac. Additionally, dirt sections are dusty, which limits visibility in larger groups.

Another way to look at it: these dirt sections essentially behave like small climbs, with the added benefit of reduced visibility. If you’re feeling good and want to attack, consider the dirt.

Attacks in the dirt are what dropped GCN’s Simon Richardson from the lead group in the famous “Si vs the Volcano” race in Zwift’s early days. The takeaway is: if you’re barely holding onto the pack and are approaching a dirt section, try to start near the front of the group and be ready to put in an extra dig to avoid getting dropped.

This also gives you better visibility, because unless you’re near the front, you won’t be able to see more than a few bike lengths ahead in a large pack. (Pro tip: for visibility, you can also change the camera angle – hit 9 on your keyboard for an overhead view without dust.)

#2: Don’t Over-Power It

Thanks to updates in pack dynamics, Zwift’s draft isn’t nearly as “sticky” as it used to be, but there is still a wattage range that will keep you in the draft. That is, if you are drafting behind someone who is pulling at 300 watts, you will stay in their draft if you do 250 watts… but you may also be able to stay in the draft at ~225 watts. So why put out the extra wattage?

Related: The Watt Wasting Window: Riding Second Wheel Efficiently on Zwift

Racing is all about conserving energy so you’ve got the watts when you need them most. So try to maintain the minimum wattage necessary to hold your desired position in the pack. This will require constantly adjusting your power output, but once you’ve spent some time doing it, it becomes second nature. (Riding with Robopacer groups is a great way to practice efficient pack positioning.)

#3: Know Your Draft Status

One key aspect of efficient pack riding is knowing whether or not you are currently drafting. Zwift uses the visual cue of having your avatar “sit up” on the hoods to indicate when you are in the draft on a road bike, with two key exceptions:

1. Your avatar will also sit up at slow solo speeds (but in a race situation, this rarely applies).
2. When riding the Tron bike or a TT bike, your rider will never sit up, even though it is drafting. This is simply because Zwift never created those rider positions for those bikes!

If you are moving at 33kph (20mph) or more and your avatar is sitting up, you are in the draft. If you’re hunched down in the drops, you are out of the draft and probably working harder than you want to be. Here are side views of the two positions (for road bike and MTB):

Drafting in Zwift actually introduces some randomness into group riding, as the game positions you right to left automatically unless you are actively steering. Sometimes this means you get moved out of the draft – when this happens and your rider crouches down, be prepared to work a little harder to keep pace with your group until Zwift takes you back into the draft.

Related: Drafting in Zwift: Power Savings, Tips, and Tricks

#4: Cruise with a Supertuck

Supertucking can be the most efficient way to make others work hard to stay with you on a descent. But you need to know how the supertuck works in order to use it to maximum advantage! Supertucking in Zwift requires four conditions to be met:

1. You must be traveling at least ~36MPH (~58km/hr)
2. The gradient’s decline must be at least -3%
3. Your power output must be below 11 watts
4. You must not be drafting (safety first!)

Because of these requirements, supertucking is most efficient if you’re in a group where others aren’t fighting for the supertuck slot. When others aren’t fighting to be the rider in the front who isn’t drafting (and thus is able to supertuck), you can stay in that slot with little or no effort apart from what’s required to move to the front of the group at the start of the descent.

If others are fighting for that slot, though, it may be easier to simply ride the wheels of the supertuckers, sitting in their draft with as little effort as possible. You will need to pedal, though!

A word of warning: the supertuck works great until you hit a flat section or slow down enough that the game sits you up. At that point, if you’re with a group that is hammering, you can get dropped very quickly. Pay close attention to the road and other riders, and start pedaling hard if you see flat road just ahead or riders begin to pass you quickly.

Related: All About the Supertuck On Zwift

#5: Tweak Trainer Difficulty

In races, do you typically overtake riders on short climbs, then need to put down extra power to stay with the pack on descents? This can happen if you’re a strong climber or if you’re racing against riders who have turned down their Trainer Difficulty. (For the details behind why this happens, read “Hanging with the Group Over Gradient Changes“.)

Related: Using the “Trainer Difficulty” Setting in Zwift

One way to reduce this yo-yo effect is to adjust your trainer difficulty settings under Menu>Settings>Hardware to something in the 10-30% range. Doing so will make your resistance change less in response to gradient changes, helping you keep power more consistent so you can ride more efficiently.

Reducing Trainer Difficulty also means you won’t have to shift as often, which some people prefer. Of course, the lower you set Trainer Difficulty, the less “realistic” your trainer resistance will actually be. So if you want your trainer to reproduce the actual in-game gradients, go ahead and slide this setting all the way up to 100% and get ready to shift.

Note: this tip only applies to smart trainer users – but that’s pretty much everyone these days.

Share Your Tips

Got any racing tips of your own? Share them below!

Brompton has launched the new T Line Electric, its lightest electric bike yet, with a claimed 14.1kg weight including the removable battery pack and an 11.2kg weight for the bike alone. UK prices start at £5,799, while the updated Brompton Electric bike range is priced from £2,999.

The T Line Electric is powered by the Brompton e-Motiq rear-hub motor introduced on the Electric G Line when it was launched in 2024. The C Line Electric and P Line Electric bikes have also been updated to use the e-Motiq motor in place of their previous front-hub motor system.

“The new Brompton Electric range is our answer to the evolving way we live and move. We’ve kept everything people love about Brompton – the portability, the engineering, the joy of the ride – and added the intelligence and lightness to make it easier, smarter, and even more fun,” says Will Carleysmith, Brompton’s chief design and engineering officer.

At 14.1kg, the T Line Electric removes more than a kilogram in weight from Brompton’s ebike range, making it one of the lightest electric folding bikes.

Brompton launched its first ebike in 2017, based on the C Line’s all-steel frame. The C Line Electric has a claimed weight starting at 16.6kg for the four-speed model. It was joined in 2022 by the P Line Electric. This has a steel main frame, but with a titanium rear frame, and the four-speed bike has a claimed 15.6kg weight.

The T Line Electric is based on the pedal-only T Line, which has claimed weights starting from 7.45kg for the singlespeed bike and is made of titanium with a carbon fork and crankset, and a carbon seatpost with steel sheathing. Even the pedals are lighter than Brompton’s standard folding pedals.

• Best folding electric bikes 2025 | Top-rated folding ebikes for commuting and city riding
  

New motor placement

The T Line Electric, like the C Line and P Line Electric 16-inch wheel bikes, is powered by the same e-Motiq motor as used in the G Line Electric 20-inch wheel folding bike.

The e-Motiq motor is toned down a little for the T, C and P Line bikes, with 250W output and 24Nm torque in place of the Electric G Line’s 30Nm torque. Brompton says that the output is calibrated to provide the same degree of rider support across the different electric bike lines. 

All Brompton ebikes include a torque sensor to ensure the motor output matches that of the rider. They all share the same 345Wh removable battery, which sits in a clip-on backpack that’s attached to the handlebar.

Brompton claims a range of up to 90km for the e-Motiq motor in the T Line Electric. It says the motor system will learn and adapt to your riding style, developing an understanding of how you ride over the first 100km, then making changes every 6km to fine-tune its personalisation. It uses this data to make accurate predictions of the available range via the Brompton Electric app, which also supports over-the-air firmware updates.

The motor offers a Start Assist mode for speedy acceleration from stops and to give an extra boost for steeper hills. There’s also a Walk Assist mode to help you move the bike around more easily when you’re on foot, which will run the motor at speeds of up to 6km/h.

Electric system safety certified

There’s been a lot of negative publicity about the safety of electric bike batteries over the last few years. That’s down largely to low-quality batteries sold via online outlets, with fires often the result of users pairing them with mismatched chargers.

Brompton is at pains to stress the safety of its batteries, though, which are assembled in London and have been independently certified to meet international standards for electrical and fire safety. Its electric bikes carry a three-year electric system warranty. 

Brompton says it is also one of the first ebike brands to be audited and listed on the Bicycle Association Register of Safety-Audited E-Bike Brands.

The Brompton T Line Electric is available for pre-orders via Brompton’s site and its Brompton Junction store from 21 October and will be on general sale from Brompton and its 1,500 Brompton Accredited retailers from 28 October. It’s priced at £5,799 / €6,799 / $TBA.

Electric cargo bikes could change people’s perception of cycling and replace cars for many tasks, including school runs, shopping, family outings and commuting, a new study suggests.

The study, published in the journal Geoforum and supported by the UK’s Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, was led by Clara Glachant of the University of Eindhoven.

Commenting on the study’s findings, Glachant said: “Our findings suggest that e-cargo cycling may help cultivate a cycling culture both at the household level and the community level. 

“They may reshape ideas of who belongs on the road, who is entitled to space. This could help to reduce anti-cyclist sentiment which would help active travel contribute more to sustainable transport.” 

The study also found that e-cargo bikes lead to a change in users’ view of cycling, seeing it as a practical activity, not just a pastime for leisure or fitness.

• Best electric cargo bikes in 2025 | Plus our buyer’s guide to e-cargo bikes
  

Increased use by female riders

49 UK families living in Brighton, Leeds and Oxford were loaned an electric cargo bike for one month each during the summer of 2023, with 11 families additionally loaned an e-cargo bike for winter riding from October 2023 to March 2024. The bikes were a mix of longtail and front-loading designs, and 51% of the households taking part already owned one car, with 47% owning two or more.

While Oxford has a high rate of cycle use, the figure in Leeds is low, with a previous survey finding it to be one of the UK cities least friendly to cyclists; Brighton sits between the two. The families were recruited via local publicity and follow-on surveys, so were found to have had a predisposition to trial cycling rather than driving and be more keen to reduce car use than the national average. 

67% of participants were between the ages of 35 and 49, and 67% already cycled weekly. 

Findings on use of the bikes suggested 59% of their main users were female, in comparison to cycle use in general, with only 20% of British Cycling members being women.

Different perceptions

Among the study‘s findings was that there were benefits for the perception of cycling in the community, helping to normalise it, and also changing study participants’ views of cycling. 

“It’s also about culture: people’s habits, identities and perceptions of transport. Our research shows e-cargo bikes can help reshape these, challenging what psychologist Ian Walker has coined ‘motonormativity’,” Glachant says.

Several study participants commented on the different perception of car drivers of riders of cargo bikes compared to recreational riders, feeling they were given more road space and that drivers were more patient.

On the other hand, some participants reported feeling out of place and unconventional, as well as having concerns over child safety.

The researchers suggested that e-cargo bikes could also shift the balance of cycle commuting and utility cycling in the UK away from its current male domination, encouraging more women and children to travel by bike.

A shift away from car use?

While previous studies had concentrated on the use of e-cargo bikes to replace motor vehicles for last-mile deliveries, the study was one of the first to look at their potential to replace motor vehicles for family mobility.

Many of the families’ trips included carrying passengers and, unlike riding a single-person bike, they reported that an e-cargo bike enabled riders and their passengers to interact with each other, more like riding in a car, although how effectively depended on the design of the bike.

The participants found it also enabled them to connect more with their surroundings and local communities than sitting in a car, which previous studies have characterised as ‘private-in-public’ spaces, limiting social interactions in comparison to cycling. They felt they were given more road space by drivers than on solo leisure rides, too.

The study points to surveys that show that in the UK in 2021, 75% of mileage was by car or van and only 1.7% by bicycle. 

The 2024 National Transport Survey found that 17% of journeys under one mile were made in a car or van, with 81% on foot. That tipped to 69% by car or van for trips of one to five miles and 83% for five to 10-mile journeys, excursions for which e-cargo bikes could often substitute.

But the study points out that, while 90,000 cargo bikes were sold in Germany and 70,000 in France in 2022, only 4,000 were sold in the UK. 

I have fitted quite literally hundreds of mudguards during my time as a cyclist. That might sound like exaggeration, but I swear it’s true.

Some of that’s down to my own bikes – most of which have mudguards – but it’s largely thanks to my time spent preaching the good word of the mudguard evangelists while working as a mechanic in a perpetually damp Edinburgh bike shop. 

Our poor customers left the shop having spoken to me, feeling mudguards weren’t optional – they were practically compulsory. 

And with good reason – we all know mudguards keep you drier, protect your drivetrain and generally make riding in bad weather tolerable. I’m sure they thanked me when splish-splashing along a cobbled vennel. 

But my commitment to the way of the fender is lifelong. My dad’s dad taught him that no meal is complete without chips – along with that nugget of culinary wisdom, my father passed on to me the equally valuable belief that no bike is complete without mudguards. 

Over the years, I’ve learned what makes the difference between a noisy, half-baked setup and mudguards that disappear into the background – quietly doing their job, rattle-free, for years. 

Here are my hard-earned tips for fitting mudguards properly, so you too can enjoy dry-bum bliss.

• Read more: Best mudguards and fenders | Our recommendations plus a complete buyer’s guide

1. Be patient

Even the best-designed mudguards are fiddly to fit – don’t rush it. A slapdash job means wobbly stays, uneven tyre lines and countless rattles. 

For alloy mudguards, especially, set aside a couple of hours the first time around. Once you’ve got the hang of it, or you’re refitting after summer, it’s much quicker – but patience is your friend here. 

I advise changing your mindset before committing to the temple of dry bum. Treat the job as a pre-winter afternoon project, and indulge in the pleasure of a job well done. 

2. Do your research

Patience must also be employed before you fit anything – mudguards aren’t one-size-fits-all. 

To start, profiles vary. A round guard might hug a road tyre beautifully, but look awkward or rub on a gravel bike. Conversely, fenders with a flat profile often suit chunkier tyres better.

The shape also really matters. Round guards tend to channel water down and away, but in muddy conditions, they can clog more easily.

Equally, some mudguards will simply suit some bikes better than others. 

We sold dozens of entry-level Trek Domane road bikes in the aforementioned bike shop. This was in the rim-brake era, and we found the slightly narrower, rounder profile of SKS guards suited the bike far better than Trek’s own-brand fenders.

On the other hand, a bike with flat seatstay and chainstay bridges might suit flat-profile mudguards and enable you to eke out a few extra millimetres of clearance. 

Good mudguard manufacturers will provide detailed measurements that you can cross-reference with your bike. Consult these closely and don’t rush the buying decision. You might also find your local bike shop has advice for your specific bike.

3. Pick the right material

Mudguards broadly come in two flavours: alloy and plastic. 

Each has pros and cons, and choosing the right one depends on how you’ll use your bike.

Alloy guards look fantastic, last for years and can be more easily repaired if damaged. They also tend to be available with higher-quality hardware and spares, which means you can keep them running almost indefinitely. 

They aren’t always the best solution, however. If you park your bike in a crowded rack, an alloy guard will not appreciate being bent or squashed. Plastic guards, by contrast, will more easily shrug off knocks, flex rather than bend, and are generally easier to swap between bikes.

If you want longevity and don’t mind them being a little fussier, go alloy. If you’re rougher on your bike, or want something more forgiving, plastic might be the smarter choice.

4. Go as wide as possible

Your frameset will dictate the maximum size of mudguard you can fit, but my rule of thumb is simple: go as wide as you can.

Even if your tyres are narrower than the guard, a wider mudguard gives you more clearance for mud, a margin for error in setup and the freedom to fit bigger tyres later. 

Done neatly, it rarely looks odd, and the pay-off in coverage and practicality is worth it.

There’s really no good case for going narrow, unless you’re utterly obsessed with the perfect fender line, but even that’s possible provided the difference between tyre and mudguard width isn’t cavernous.

5. Prep your threads

Mudguard eyelets live a hard life. They’re continually blasted by spray, salt and grit. If you don’t look after them, they’ll seize solid and turn removal into a nightmare.

Before fitting, chase the threads with a tap if you can. This ensures the bolts go in cleanly. Then, when you fit them, absolutely smother the threads in grease or antiseize. 

Wipe away the excess once it’s tightened, and you’ll have peace of mind knowing the bolts won’t seize and the guards will still be removable come summer.

Prep is even more important when fitting guards to a bike with hidden eyelets. 

Referring back to the Domane, Trek’s neat banjo-bolt style mudguard mounts made for clean lines in the summer, but the grub screws used to cap these eyelets seized with alarming ease. 

In summary, ‘clean those threads and grease liberally’ is a good rule to live your life by. 

High-quality fasteners are also essential. As with bottle-cage bolts, I recommend stainless steel cap head bolts with a good, deep 4mm socket for most applications.

I refer back to my previous point on being patient and encourage you not to skip this boring, five-minute step – it will save hours of swearing in the long run.

6. Kill the rattles

Mudguard rattles put off many from enjoying a life less soggy. Once they start, they’re all you’ll hear, and they make people conclude wrongly that mudguards are inherently awful.

The truth is, rattles almost always come down to setup. Stays too long? Bolts not tight enough? Clearances slightly off? Those are your usual culprits. Take the time to adjust and readjust until everything lines up neatly – again, patience. 

If you’ve done all that and there’s still a buzz, damping contact points can work wonders. 

I like to stick on a bit of thick, rubbery, transparent greenhouse repair tape where the mudguard touches the chainstays or fork crown. It’s a simple hack that silences most niggles and helps protect paint.

Small off-cuts of bar tape can also be used where there’s a larger gap to bridge. This is most useful to fill the gap between the mudguard and the underside of the fork bridge.

But don’t ignore persistent wobbles or clattering – that almost always means the fit isn’t right. Keep tweaking until they’re silent. A properly fitted set should be fit and forget.

7. Buy guards with spares available

Cheap guards are a false economy because once a stay bolt, flap or clip breaks, you’re usually out of luck. No spares, no fixing and straight to landfill they go – very depressing stuff.

Better brands, though, sell spares for everything – from bolts to stays to mudflaps. This means you can keep a single set of guards alive for years. 

At the time of writing, I have a set of alloy guards that have survived eight years and three bikes of riding, simply because I could replace a stay or a bolt when needed.

If you want your guards to last longer than a season, choose a brand that makes spares readily available.

8. Don’t be afraid to modify

Sometimes, a mudguard will fit almost perfectly, but not quite – that’s where a little modification comes in. 

Small tweaks – a wee cut here, a reprofile there – can make the difference between endless frustration and a neat, silent fit.

Common mods include trimming a slot to clear a front derailleur, gently reshaping a guard to clear tight chainstays and adding a supplementary stay to stiffen up a long front guard.

Manufacturers might officially discourage this, but if you do a neat job with the right tools, there’s rarely any downside. A rotary tool such as a Dremel, in particular, is worth its weight in gold for this sort of fettling if you need to make a neat cut.

9. Mud flaps are not a crime

Yes, they look dorky, but mud flaps are the quiet mark of a deeply committed winter rider likely to gather admiring nods from those in the know. 

They extend the coverage of your mudguards, stop spray from soaking your shoes and prevent your riding chums from cursing your existence when they sit on your wheel in January. Some more traditional cycling clubs even insist on them, and with good reason.

You can buy aftermarket ones, or go classic and cut up a washing-up bottle. Either way, wear them with pride. They’re not dorky – they’re practical, effective and charming in an old-school way.

A new 4-race series begins this Wednesday (October 15), complete with cycling gear prizes provided by Epica Sport. It includes custom 4-category ZRS-based rider groupings, team and individual classifications, and a fresh route on a European Zwift map each week. Read on for details!

Categories

Riders are grouped according to custom Zwift Racing Score ranges, and each group starts and races separately:

• Category D: 0–300 points
• Category C: 301–550 points
• Category B: 551–800 points
• Category A: 801–1000 points

Race Schedule and Routes

The 4-race competition lasts for 4 consecutive weeks (October 15-November 5), with races each Wednesday at 5:05pm UTC/1:05pm ET/10:05am PT.

• Wednesday, October 15 (sign up here)
  • Outer Scotland (3 laps): 33.3km, 312m elevation
  • Powerup: Aero
• Wednesday, October 22 (sign up here)
  • London Loop (2 laps): 29.8km, 462m elevation
  • Powerup: Feather
• Wednesday, October 29 (sign up here)
  • Three Musketeers (1 lap): 37.8km, 208m elevation
  • Powerup: Steamroller
• Wednesday, November 5 (sign up here)
  • Yorkshire Double Loop (1 lap): 29.6km, 547m elevation
  • No powerups

See all upcoming series events at zwift.com/events/tag/tsetourofeurope >

Scoring

Riders are ranked by points for the overall 4-race series. For each race, points are awarded based on the final position within your category:

1st place = 100 points | 2nd place = 90 points | 3rd place = 80 points |4th place = 75 points | 5th place = 70 points | 6th place = 65 points | 7th place = 60 points | 8th place = 55 points | 9th place = 50 points | 10th place = 45 points | 11th place = 40 points | 12th place = 35 points | 13th place = 30 points | 14th place = 25 points | 15th place = 20 points | 16th place and below (for all finishers) = 15 points (for all finishers)

Note: if your Zwift Racing Score increases so that your category threshold is exceeded, you will automatically move up to the next category starting from the next race. Points scored in the lower category will carry over.

Individual and Team Classifications

The overall individual ranking is calculated by adding the points earned over the four weeks.

The team classification will be based on club affiliation using your club tag in ZwiftPower. There is no limit to how many riders from a club may participate.  However, for all races, the top 4 rider scores for each team will count towards the team classification.

The team ranking is given by the sum of the points obtained by the four best in each of the four races.

Individual and team classifications will be available at the following links once the series begins:

• Individual Classification
• Team Classification

Participation and Classification Prizes

Everyone who finishes at least 2 of 4 races will receive a €30 discount code on all cycling gear at epicasport.com (minimum purchase required, valid in EU area).  Riders finishing all 4 races will receive a €60 discount code (minimum purchase required, valid in EU area).  Top 3 in individual series classification and top 3 teams (defined by ZwiftPower team tag) will receive cycling gear.  Click here for the latest prize list.

Questions or Comments?

Questions can be sent to tse.zwift@gmail.com, and series updates are available on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/people/Team-Santysiak-Epica/61581812632484/.

Last Monday morning, I climbed into my truck and drove to two hours to the Sacramento airport so I could fly to Atlanta, then LaGuardia, to take an Uber into Manhattan and check into the Roxy Hotel for two nights.

Why fly across the country for such a short stay? Zwifty fun, of course! Zwift was holding an NYC map expansion launch party, and I wanted to be a part of it. Here’s the story…

Related: TSOZ Closer Look: New York Expansion and Power Segments >

Riding the Expansion, IRL

The party at Rapha was on Tuesday night, and I arrived in NYC on Monday night. After grabbing some quality coffee, I met up with Jon Mayfield (Zwift’s co-founder, read that story here) and VP of Product Mark Cote for a quality New York bagel experience bundled with a stroll past the Ghostbusters firehouse and some boldfaced lawbreaking from Jon:

While Mark was in meetings all day, it turned out that Jon was planning to ride down to Prospect Park to see the real version of the roads Zwift would be launching soon. I asked if he’d be up for me joining him, and soon enough, we were making our way to Brooklyn aboard two poorly-maintained hotel bikes:

As we planned our ride on the fly, I learned that Zwift’s new roads (which I still hadn’t seen) include not just the Brooklyn Bridge teased in previews, but also the Manhattan Bridge. We decided to cross over the East River to Brooklyn via the Manhattan Bridge, then take the Brooklyn Bridge on our return so we could see them both.

The Manhattan Bridge was noisy, with subway cars running next to us as we climbed to the center of the bridge and descended the other side. At the bottom, we rode around and found the famous “DUMBO” (Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass) spot for a photo or two:

From here, we worked our way south to Prospect Park, taking various unplanned detours to avoid traffic or construction and because we simply weren’t following a precise route. This was a voyage of casual exploration, and we weren’t in much of a hurry apart from our hotel bikes having a 3-hour time limit.

The road to Prospect Park from the northwest is basically uphill, but not steep. My bike kept it interesting by refusing to shift consistently, which was particularly noticeable since it only had three gears when working properly! Eventually, we arrived at the park and began a counter-clockwise lap, looking for something to drink since neither of us had brought any water on what Google maps showed would be a 9-mile ride.

We found a vendor set up near the ballfields on the northwest side of the park and sat down in a shady spot on the grass for drinks and strawberry popsicles. Jon and I were carrying on sort of two parallel conversations, one focused on the road and our surroundings, the other about how Zwift could gamify fitness in new and interesting ways. (If you ever get the chance to talk to Jon about anything Zwift-related, be sure to do it. He’s a super-smart guy who shares his mind clearly and succinctly.)

The lap of Prospect Park took longer than I had expected, but only because my expectations weren’t based on any sort of reality. I come from a place where towns are small, and so are the parks. It still baffles me that a green space the size of Central Park can exist within a tightly-packed city like NYC.

Prospect Park, it turns out, has an outer loop around 6km long. The road is quite wide, with dedicated lanes for cyclists and striders. Much of the loop is nicely shaded, thanks to tall trees on either side of the road.

We were passed by lots of riders, most of whom looked like roadies cruising on recovery sessions. My bike refused to shift into its highest gear, forcing me to set aside the urge to chase their wheels and instead work on high cadence pedaling as we coasted down the slight descents.

Reaching the end of our loop, we made our way to the Brooklyn Bridge. The newish bike lane runs down the center of the bridge, and while it’s clear and easy to ride, the NYC skyline view we had hoped for never materialized.

After crossing the Brooklyn Bridge, we had just a bit more riding to get back to our hotel. Arriving, we saw we had ridden nearly 30km and were just a few minutes shy of our 3-hour window.

See our ride on Strava >

About the New Roads

While Zwift co-founder Eric Min spent his junior racing years racing in Central Park, it wasn’t a familiar place to Jon Mayfield. So Jon told me that when Zwift decided to create the original NYC map (which launched in October 2018), he flew out and rode through Central Park to record video for Zwift’s art team, ensuring they captured the feel of the place just right.

They didn’t follow that same process with the upcoming expansion, preferring to use Google Streetview and other sources as inspiration. And while Eric Min has ridden in Prospect Park many times, this was Jon’s first time!

I asked him how closely the expansion’s roads map onto the IRL GPS coordinates of the roads we’d ridden, and he told me they map directly on top of them. I’m not sure if this includes subway routes (I doubt it), but I believe it includes the location and size of the Manhattan Bridge, Brooklyn Bridge, and Prospect Park, as well as their location relative to Central Park.

Near the end of the Rapha event, I realized one of the Zwift Rides was streaming a video of the expansion’s roads. So, like any good Zwift Insider, I stood in the middle of the crowded room and recorded it. For all of you! You’ll hear Dave Towle in the background, wrapping up the night with some awards and thank-yous…

A few things to call out in this video:

• It isn’t a continuous shot of all the new roads, but rather high-speed clips of specific sections
• There are lots of subway tunnels with cool graffiti, and you can see a 20-second power segment 4s into the video
• At 28s you are riding through Brooklyn’s Grand Army Plaza (you can see the Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Arch to the left), then turning right to enter Prospect Park
• You go through what appears to be a lap banner at 38s, before exiting the Prospect Park loop (see the Memorial Arch to your right)

There are some things you don’t see in the video that are worth mentioning:

• The Prospect Park road is a single loop around 6km long, with an additional cut-through road down the middle.
• There are new start pens in Prospect Park
• Prospect Park also includes at least one sprint segment and one KOM segment
• Times Square is just south of Central Park, so it makes sense that it would show up in the expansion. I don’t think I saw it on any screens at Rapha, though.

At the Rapha Launch Party

Of course, the real reason I’d flown across the country to NYC was for the party at Rapha’s New York clubhouse. Held from 6-9pm on Tuesday, you had to sign up for a ticket beforehand in order to get in, since space was limited. And the place was packed! I’d guess around 150 people attended, with closer to 100 milling about at any given time.

It was a classic Zwift gathering, with a DJ bumping tunes, Dave Towle as MC, and a constant stream of stone-fired pizzas coming through the front door from the mobile oven parked in the street.

Two Zwift Ride + KICKR CORE 2 setups were parked near the front, and they would be the scene of some tag-team races throughout the night. These were special Zwift Rides, too: two of just five custom-painted frames from Fat Creations:

Both frames were given away at the end of the night to two lucky winners, one of whom was Tara Seplavy, Deputy Editor at Bicycling magazine:

Note: two more of these frames are being given away to two random finishers of the Zwift Unlocked series – read more about that here.

Everyone who walked in the door was given a green or blue wristband, and this determined which team you were on. Riders then paired up with others of the same color for a tag-team 2km uphill race in NYC, where the first rider hopped off the bike at 1km so the second rider could finish the second half (which was actually more than half, because it was steeper than the first kilometer!)

While the races went on for most of the night, everyone was free to hang out and chat in the (noisy) clubhouse, or in the open air in front of the shop or out back.

I had nice chats with Holden Comeau and David Lipscomb, both legendary OG Zwifters. It was also good to see Makesi Duncan (@dadbodcyclinginc), whom I’d first met at Zwift Community Live in Mallorca, and many other East Coast Zwifters.

I always enjoy attending Zwift gatherings, because I get to meet and chat with Zwifters I’ve seen in game for years but never met face to face. And I get to meet new friends, too! Many thank me for running Zwift Insider, which is always encouraging to hear.

Overall, the party at Rapha was just a fun gathering of Zwift lovers who were excited to hang out with their friends and see what’s coming next. If you ever get a chance to attend one of these, you should do it.

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