With winter finally departed, training can finally resume away from the smart trainer and back on the roads and trails.
Whether you’re looking to maintain your fitness or training for a summer epic, there’s plenty of tech that can help you achieve your goals.
Thankfully, there are some bargains to be had on Garmin products at Amazon that should keep your spending to a minimum while still providing in-depth data analysis and safety.
We’ve rounded up the best Garmin deals we could find ahead of the summer.
The Garmin Varia RTL515 rear radar is designed to keep you safe on the road. Jack Luke / Our Media
The Varia RTL515 is a rearview compatible with a range of bike computers and smartwatches, not solely Garmin ones.
The system alerts you via your head unit to approaching vehicles, detecting them from a claimed 140m away.
Your computer screen, or Garmin’s smartphone app, gives you a visual representation of relative position, and you get an all-clear once there’s nothing else detected behind you.
We think the Explore 2 has all of the functionality you’ll need, unless you are fully into power measuring/training. Warren Rossiter / Our Media
Garmin’s Edge Explore 2 is less performance-driven than its other models, and marketed more towards bike touring, navigation and route tracking.
The computer has a large, high-definition screen for easier navigation and is usually half the price of the brand’s fancier computers, although today it’s even cheaper.
If you’re after something to keep you going in the right direction, the Edge Explore 2 could be the computer for you.
Garmin’s HRM-Dual Heart Rate Monitor. Scott Windsor / Our Media
The HRM-Dual Heart Rate Monitor from Garmin offers connectivity via ANT+ or Bluetooth, making it compatible with a wide range of bike computers and smartwatches.
An adjustable strap allows a secure fit on varying body sizes, and the whole package weighs in at 54.4g for a lightweight feel.
Garmin says the battery lasts for up to 3.5 years, and it is a design many of us here at BikeRadar are well acquainted with.
Garmin’s Instinct 2 is available in two sizes. Garmin
The Instinct 2 is a rugged GPS smartwatch that Garmin claims is shock-resistant and waterproof down to 100m.
It has a built-in 3-axis compass and barometric altimeter, plus it uses multiple global navigation satellite systems, including GPS, GLONASS and Galileo.
Garmin says it should last up to 28 days in smartwatch mode, and up to 30 hours in GPS mode.
If you’re looking to record multiple sports, the Instinct 2 could be a good option for riding, running, hiking and more.
How did you get into cycling? Hubby was involved, and I thought it looked like fun.
How many years have you been racing on Zwift? Since February 2021.
Are you part of a Virtual team? Yes, I joined Coalition when I joined Zwift.
What do you love most about racing? Racing helps give me a reason to train (and training gives me a reason to race). Racing is dynamic and often rewards those who are interested in technical analysis.
What is your favourite style of race (e.g. points, scratch, iTT, TTT, Chase, duathlon)? Indoors, I love scratch races and well-designed points races. Outside, I’m a fan of cyclocross and XC mountain bike races.
What’s your favourite Zwift women’s and mixed race series? I’m a big fan of the new FCC Mini Races (and the eSRT Ultimates) on Sundays. These races offer women of all abilities a chance to learn new skills, try some brave moves, and gain fitness on the weekend.
What is your most memorable racing experience, inside or outside or BOTH? I participated in a road stage race that raced from Banff to Lake Louise. Gorgeous!
What is your favourite food to eat post race? I can often be found munching on anything in sight.
What advice would you give to anyone entering her first Zwift race? Starting something new is the hardest. Sometimes racing bravely means lining up and trying an event. It doesn’t matter how you do. If you are interested in racing and aren’t sure how to start, please join the Femme Cycle Collab Discord server where we have a special area for new racers with loads of videos, reading material, and people to answer questions.
Any upcoming race you are looking forward to? I’m a big fan of the Zwift Women Spring Series. It brings a lot of gals together who I don’t normally get to see, and these are great mid-week workouts to help support my outdoor racing. I’m also looking forward to a fun outdoor season when our weather finally warms up. We have loads of amazing events this spring/summer.
Where can people follow your racing adventures? Join Coalition, and you can spend loads of time with me! I’m not much for sharing online, but I’m always happy to share tips and tricks to anyone who can track me down.
Zwift has been busy adding new routes and climb portals to the game, with ~20 new routes added since January and several climb portals as well.
As of today, our lists are all caught up to what’s in game. This includes:
Veloviewer Route Hunter Leaderboards: contains all the badged routes in game, plus all the KOM segments. Compete with others or just yourself – you move up the leaderboard by completing all the segments (20 points per segment) but also score points based on finishing time.
Printable List of Zwift Routes by Difficulty: a list of all badged routes in game, sorted by difficulty based on our ZIMetrics and grouped by the approximate number of bidons you’ll need to drink to finish each route.
Master Route List: this is always the first list to be updated (often before routes are publicly released). If you ever need route info, go here!
Strava Segment Matching Bug
On a related note: many Zwifters have noticed that, for the past year or so, Strava hasn’t been matching certain activities to certain segments. It’s an odd bug, because it doesn’t seem to apply to older segments. But newer ones – at least those created after April 2024, although we don’t have a precise date – are affected. It seems to apply to segments that include multiple loops of a circuit, or repeated sections of road.
The following segments/routes are affected by this bug, and have thus been removed from the Veloviewer leaderboards until Strava fixes the issue:
The new Pathseeker can be had as a hardtail or full-suspension bike and brings a new fully adjustable suspension system front and rear. The system doesn’t use air or hydraulics in its damping or anti-squat adjustment.
Full bike prices start from €6,299, with hardtail framesets available from €3,799.
Not just another carbon bike
The Pathseeker FS uses a mix of fibres and bio-resin in its frame construction. Antidote
The Pathseeker’s construction uses a composite Antidote developed. It comprises a combination of carbon fibre, flax fibre, basalt fibre and a bio-based resin.
The brand claims this new composite is not only better ecologically than traditional carbon fibre, it also helps to significantly reduce vibrations in ways that standard carbon fibre cannot.
The rear suspension uses flexible fibres to aid its travel. Antidote
The frame also uses Vectran, a synthetic fibre that is five times stronger than steel and 10 times stronger than aluminium.
The Vectran is used in high-impact areas, making the most of the material’s high abrasion resistance and flex fatigue resistance.
Suspension without shocks
The eccentric mounts for the rear suspension offer tunability to the feel of the travel. Antidote
Antidote’s designers have created a proprietary suspension system called NanoFlex, used both at the front and rear of the Pathseeker. It is designed to offer 20mm of travel at each end.
The rear design is based on four pivot points, found more commonly in mountain bikes.
On the Pathseeker, the two usual pivots on the chainstays have been replaced by a flexible section in the chainstays. The remaining pivots are replaced by an eccentric mechanism in the front triangle, to which the rear triangle anchors.
Gravel suspension is becoming increasingly popular.
Antitode says the eccentric mechanism mimics the action of a cam pushing on a shock absorber. The mechanism is stabilised by an elastomer, adding control to the suspension travel and vibration damping.
The elastomer can be replaced and switched, allowing for a full range of stiffness adjustments.
The suspension on the front of the Pathseeker looks similar to Cannondale’s classic HeadShok. Antidote
At the front, a carbon fork is combined with an integrated system that is actuated by either a spring or an interchangeable elastomer.
The steerer cap doubles up as a lockout. It’s a system very reminiscent of Cannondale’s original HeadShok or, more recently, BMC’s fork on the front and rear suspension-equipped URS LT.
The top cap on the headset doubles as a lock-out dial for the fork. Antidote
Antidote claims the suspension works over small bumps and larger impacts, and isn’t influenced at all by pedalling or braking.
Bike details
The Pathseeker is also available as a hardtail.
The Pathseeker frame comes in two guises, the full-suspension eccentric pivot frame and a standard rigid back end. Both designs feature a low-slung sloping top tube, dropped stays and flattened tube profiles.
The geometry pairs a 72-degree head angle with a 72.5-degree seat angle on the size large.
That makes the Pathseeker’s geometry somewhat less extreme than new suspension-equipped gravel bikes such as Lee Cougan’s Innova Super Gravel or Ridley’s new Ignite GTX.
The new bike’s geometry is more in line with Cannondale’s similarly flex-tailed Topstone or BMC’s URS LT One. That would suggest the Pathseeker is intended more as an all-rounder/race gravel bike than a rowdy adventurer.
The Pathseeker FS frameset. Antidote
Antidote’s claimed weights for the framesets, including the fork, would suggest the same, at 1,590g for the full-suspension option and 1,350g for the hardtail, both in a large size. That could make for some impressively light builds for a suspension-equipped gravel bike.
The Pathseeker uses the UDH dropout standard. Antidote
The Pathseeker offers 50mm of tyre clearance, and has a T47 bottom bracket and UDH-compatible rear dropouts.
The hardtail comes in three build options. Antidote
Antidote Pathseeker range and pricing details
The full-suspension Pathseeker gets four build options. Antidote
The Antidote Pathseeker range comes with two full-suspension options and three hardtails. There are frameset options in both full-suspension and hardtail, too.
We’re featuring a well-rounded mix of community-hosted events this weekend, including a super-short race in France, a very long group ride in London, two ladies-only events, and a beginner-friendly banded ride on a new France route. See our picks below!
Rhino Racing Macaron Super Sprint
Tiny Route Route Badge
Zwift recently added several routes to their France map, including the super-short, one-way Macaron. Why create such a route? We aren’t sure, but you know we’re going to race it!
Join the Rhino Racing squad for what may be the shortest race of your Zwift career.
Here’s a new ladies-only ride from the popular Galaxy Cycling Club. Led by experienced Zwifter and endurance coach Beth Greenaway, this weekly ride will vary between 60-100 minutes “to allow for a variety of routes and occasional badge hunting.” Beth’s beacon pace will be 1.6-2 w/kg.
On-screen and Discord chat are encouraged. Beth says this is an opportunity for ladies of all levels to ask questions and seek support in reaching their health, fitness, and performance goals.
This week’s kickoff ride is on 1 lap of Waisted 8 (30.9km, 144m).
We’re featuring a ride on one of Zwift’s shortest routes, so why not feature this group ride on Zwift’s longest route? The Velos squad is hosting a series of rides on Zwift’s infamous pretzels and other epic rides. This ride officially stops after 2 hours, but riders can continue if they want to knock out London’s PRL Full, the longest route on Zwift (173.5km, 2634m).
The ride includes a yellow beacon who will ride at 2.5 w/kg, and a red beacon riding at 2 w/kg. Choose your pace!
I love a good chase race, and while I can’t join this one (it’s ladies only, after all) I want to support it for two reasons:
Signup numbers are already looking really good
Chase racing is a cool format I’d like to see more of on Zwift
Riders are on France’s new Gentil 8 route (25.8km, 258). Pick your category based on racing score, then work together to catch the groups up the road without getting caught by riders chasing from behind!
Join the HISP team on a banded ride around France’s new Knights of the Roundabout route (54.4km, 411m). As long as you keep pedaling, you’ll stay in the pack and knock out this route badge, grabbing some extra XP along the way!
We choose each weekend’s Notable Events based on a variety of factors including:
Is the event unique/innovative in some way?
Are celebrities (pro riders, etc) attending/leading?
Are signup counts already high, meaning the event is extra-popular?
Does the ride include desirable unlocks or prizes?
Does the event appeal to ladies on Zwift? (We like to support this under-represented group!)
Is it for a good cause?
Is it just plain crazy (extra long races, world record attempts, etc)?
Is it a long-running, popular weekly event with a dedicated leader who deserves a shout out?
In the end, we want to call attention to events that are extra-special and therefore extra-appealing to Zwifters. If you think your event qualifies, comment below with a link/details and we may just include it in an upcoming post!
An inquiry has been launched into electric bike safety in the UK with a particular focus on ‘dangerous’ ebike conversion kits.
This week, the All Party Parliamentary Group for Cycling & Walking (APPGCW) released a call for evidence as part of the inquiry, which will also consider gig economy work and delivery practices.
The group seeks to ensure the UK can realise “the benefits of cleaner, healthier transport without compromising on public safety”.
There has been a rapid rise in ebike adoption across Europe in contrast to the slow pickup in the UK. Germany recorded 2.1m ebike sales in 2023, but there were only 146,000 ebikes sold in the UK, according to the APPGCW.
MP Fabian Hamiltion, chair of the APPGCW, says: “Ebikes have enormous potential to support a cleaner, fairer transport future, but that future is at risk if we fail to address emerging issues, especially from low-quality imported upgrade kits.”
The inquiry comes amid growing concern around unsafe and low-quality ebikes and conversion kits, often purchased online and used by delivery riders who face challenging time demands and low wages.
“We’re especially concerned about the pressures faced by gig economy riders, who may be pushed towards unsafe and potentially illegal products in order to increase their income,” says Hamilton.
Last year, Deliveroo and Uber Eats riders went on strike to demand better pay and improved working conditions.
The aftermath of an ebike fire. London Fire Brigade
News of the inquiry comes after a long period of debate surrounding ebikes in the UK.
Last month, Transport for London (TfL) banned non-folding ebikes on most of its network. TfL made the decision after a review to ensure the safety of its staff and customers. The decision came after members of the ASLEF union said they were considering balloting for strike action over ebikes being allowed on the London Underground.
In January, the Department for Transport (DfT) also dropped plans to double ebike motor power amid safety concerns. The DfT launched a public consultation last year to seek opinions on the maximum power of ebikes to encourage their adoption.
However, respondents to the consultation were not in favour. “While the difference between the overall number of respondents being in favour and those not in favour was relatively small, this was not the case with main stakeholder organisations, with the vast majority opposing the proposals,” the DfT said at the time.
The DfT’s consultation also met with caution when launched. The Bicycle Association said the increase in motor power could drive the purchase of poorly regulated ebike conversion kits, and noted “evidence increasingly confirms” imported ebike conversion kits are “responsible for very many of the recent tragic battery fire incidents”.
Electrical Safety First, the UK’s leading charity on electrical safety, says there are three main issues that contribute to ebike and e-scotter battery failure: electrical; mechanical; and thermal.
In 2022, the charity identified nearly 60 listings by third-party sellers across four of the biggest online marketplaces. These failed to meet the UK plug standard, and many even lacked a fuse.
Cyclists who kill pedestrians by dangerous cycling could face life imprisonment in England and Wales under changes to the Crime and Policing Bill.
The amendments tabled on Thursday will bring the offence of death by dangerous cycling in line with motoring laws, the Department for Transport says.
Under current legislation, dangerous or reckless cycling can usually only be punished by a maximum two-year jail term.
The change, led by Heidi Alexander, the Transport Secretary, will close a legal loophole that meant cyclists who hit and killed or seriously injured a pedestrian were charged under legislation from the 1860s.
The amendments revive a plan originally proposed by the Conservatives that was derailed due to the 2024 general election.
Campaigners have welcomed the legislation. Speaking to The Telegraph, Matt Briggs, whose wife was killed by a cyclist in London, said: “After losing Kim in 2016, I began campaigning the following year to have these laws enacted.
“The use of the wanton and furious charge for so many cases has been inadequate and archaic.
“I’m absolutely delighted that this Labour government has followed through with our calls for new legislation.
“This isn’t just a victory for me and my family, it’s also a victory for all the families who have worked tirelessly through their unbearable tragedies to have these laws changed.”
Chris Boardman has criticised the decision. Boardman Bikes
Others have criticised the decision. Chris Boardman, former Olympic cyclist and National Active Transport Commissioner, said tougher laws could deter people from cycling.
The new legislation also comes after Labour promised more funding for cycling in the UK as part of plans to improve health and inequality, alongside meeting net zero targets.
On April 24, 2015, Zwift launched Watopia. Here was their message to the small community of beta testers:
Together we’ve ridden 1 million miles (@1.6M km), 333K laps and climbed a total of 44M feet (@13.4M meters) on Zwift Island. That’s like climbing Mt Everest 1.5K times! We think that’s a big deal, so today we’ve launched our new course on the next isle to celebrate. Welcome to Watopia, your new home on Zwift!
As you can see, we’ve successfully moved and we’re ready for everyone to conquer our 10k course filled with fabulous vistas, bridges, and all new terrain. We’re still under construction so please be patient as we work to bring you the best ride possible (helmets encouraged!)…
It took the beta testers 5 months to ride 1 million miles, while in December 2017 the community rode over 700,000 miles in just 24 hours in a major fundraiser event. But in 2024, Zwifters rode/ran 1.02 billion miles on the platform – that’s an average of 2.8 million miles per day!
The “Zwift Island” referenced is Jarvis Island, the first Zwift course. The honey-hunting bear in Titans Grove is named Jarvis in honor of this original Zwift map, which relaunched in 2024 as part of Watopia.
When first launched, Watopia had only one 9.1km route, known today as the Hilly Route. The next Watopia expansion was Ocean Boulevard on December 30, 2015. Today, Watopia is home to 116 routes (including some running-only routes).
Today Zwift hosts 262 routes spread across 12 maps (in order of release): Watopia, Richmond, London, Innsbruck, New York, Bologna, Yorkshire, Crit City, France, Paris, Makuri Islands, and Scotland.
Silca’s first electric bike pumps promise features designed to make them stand out from the crowd. However, you probably won’t be able to buy one in the US due to current import tariffs.
Tool specialist Silca has joined the fray with two new Elettrico models, the Ultimate and Micro.
However, the brand states that it is not currently ‘economically viable’ to sell the pumps in the US due to the impact of the tariffs on imported goods introduced by President Trump.
The Ultimate pump’s digital display promises /- 1% accuracy. Silca
The Elettrico pumps use quiet yet powerful motors, borrowed from drone technology, with Silca claiming a noise level of between 4 and 8dB – even lower when used with one of Silca’s chucks. They are compatible with any Silca chuck, such as the Schradero or Hiro.
The casing is designed to dissipate vibrations and reduce noise, making the pumps easier and more convenient to use.
Accurate and long-lasting
You can use the Elettrico pumps with any of Silca’s chucks. Silca
Silca claims the Ultimate pump’s digital display shows real-time tyre pressure with an accuracy of ~1%. You can set your desired pressure (from 3 to 100psi) at the touch of a button and it’ll inflate automatically.
The compact Elettrico Micro forgoes a digital display but has a built-in safeguard that will cut out at 72psi, the maximum pressure advised for modern hookless rims.
The pumps use USB-C for battery recharging. Silca claims the Ultimate’s capacity is equal to nine or more CO2 cartridges and charges in about an hour, whereas the Micro is equivalent to three or more CO2 cartridges and charges in 20 minutes.
The Ultimate with Schradero chuck. Silca
The pumps’ casings are custom aluminium extrusions that are CNC machined to both dampen noise and dissipate heat, as well as being tough enough to withstand the rigours of being carried when riding.
As with Silca’s regular pumps, a range of spares and replacement parts will be available for both Elettrico pumps.
US riders set to miss out
Both pumps are compact enough to be pocketed or stowed in a saddlepack. Silca
The introduction of tariffs in the USA looks set to prove troublesome for Silca’s latest innovation.
Silca made the following statement when announcing the release of its new pumps: “Due to the significant impact of current United States tariff policies on imported goods, these products are not economically viable for sale within the US market currently. This, unfortunately, means that Silca’s largest historical market will not have immediate access to these groundbreaking pumps. Silca remains hopeful that these trade barriers will be resolved in the future to allow US cyclists access to the Elettrico series.”
Silca says it has made only 100 units available for the entire US market.
Shimano has reported a 15.6 per cent increase in bicycle component sales in the first quarter of 2025, with the groupset giant pointing to signs of recovery in the European market.
This follows a tricky 2024 for the Japanese company, which saw bicycle component sales decrease by 5.6 per cent last year, due to weak demand and high inventories.
Shimano’s bicycle component sales in the first quarter of this year have brought in ¥88 billion (about £464,200,000), with Shimano citing particular interest in its GRX gravel and 105 mid-range road groupsets.
Interest in bikes continues
Shimano says there was particular interest in its GRX gravel line-up, alongside 105, through the first quarter of 2025. Simon von Bromley / Our Media
Shimano says “strong interest in bicycles continued as a long-term trend” through the beginning of 2025.
In the European market, Shimano says “signs of recovery started to appear in retail sales of completed bicycles”. Shimano adds that personal consumption recovered in Europe as inflation subsided and the economy continued to recover.
Europe is Shimano’s largest market for cycling components, but the company’s outlook on smaller markets are less positive.
Shimano says retail sales for bikes in Asia and central and South America remain weak due to “sluggish” personal consumption, while demand was also slow in Japan due to the “soaring price of completed bicycles.”
Sales of complete bikes have also remained weak in north America for Shimano, with the brand citing a decline in consumer confidence due to changes in “trade policies”. The report makes no specific reference to Donald Trump’s trade tariffs.
Across its whole business, which includes fishing equipment, Shimano saw a 12.9 per cent increase in sales compared to the first quarter of 2024.
Although the growth is positive news for the company after a difficult 2024, its outlook remains cautious. Shimano has revised its forecast for the 2025 fiscal year, citing non-operating expenses and currency fluctuations.
Shimano wasn’t the only cycling company that struggled in 2024.
Giant reported that its profits plunged by 62.8 per cent and, in the UK, Brompton saw its profits fall by 99 per cent.
Giant and Brompton have both been vocal about the potentially negative impacts of Trump’s tariffs on the cycling industry – an issue Shimano has not had its say on.
Perhaps the coolest thing about Zwift Community Live was that it offered the chance to meet members of the Zwift community in real life. In this week’s top video, Kaite Kookaburra does just that!
We’ve also selected videos about using Zwift for weight loss, feature requests, the Elite Zwift Games, and the new Zwift Companion Fitness Tracker.
Meeting Mark Cavendish and Riding Sa Calobra!! // Zwift Community Live Day 3
Join Katie Kookaburra as she rides up the iconic Sa Salobra climb in Mallorca and meets with Mark Cavendish at Zwift Community Live.
The Zwift Ride Actually Helps You Lose Weight!
Over the last 6 months, Biker Campervan has lost 15 kilograms riding on the Zwift Ride. In this video, he shares the reasons why using Zwift and the Zwift Ride has helped him stay consistent.
Please add these 2 things
In this short video, Titanium Ben shares two features that he hopes Zwift will add, and explains why the features would be helpful!
Uphill Zwift Sprints are Brutal
Looking to improve your Zwift racing skills (or your Zwiftcraft, as we like to call it)? Jeff from Norcal Cycling talks to Brian Duffy Jr. as they analyze Brian’s recent performance in the Zwift Games.
Zwift Fitness Tracker: All You Need to Know in 3 Minutes
Road to A briefly explains Zwift’s new Fitness Tracker feature on the Zwift Companion App.
Got a Great Zwift Video?
Share the link below and we may feature it in an upcoming post!
Factor has announced the release of the Monza, a new aero road bike targeted at amateur racers and riders instead of elite athletes.
Inspired by the WorldTour-spec Ostro VAM aero bike, Factor says the Monza – which takes its name from the iconic race track in northern Italy – uses a simplified design aimed at making it more practical and affordable.
Headline features include clearance for 34mm-wide tyres, a more “democratic” fit geometry, integrated frame storage and a simplified cable routing system. Factor has also designed a new set of aero wheels and an integrated cockpit designed to better serve the needs of amateur riders.
Despite these changes, Factor says the Monza is “refined, not compromised”.
As a complete bike with two water bottles, Factor says it’s only 2.5 watts less aerodynamic at 45kph than the Ostro VAM and even claims it’s ”faster than the Cervélo S5, [Specialized] Tarmac SL8 and others”.
Prices for the Factor Monza start at £6,399 / $6,799 / €7,999, for a build with Shimano Ultegra Di2. A build with SRAM Force AXS is also available for £6,599 / $6,999 / €8,299, including a power meter.
Made for more racers
The Monza was built for everyday racers, but Factor says it’s no slouch in the wind tunnel. Factor
While Factor claims its Ostro VAM is “the world’s fastest race bike”, it acknowledges that its singular focus on pro racing makes it somewhat impractical (and unaffordable) for everyday racers.
In contrast, the Monza is aimed squarely at everyday racers and riders who want to go fast but don’t want – or can’t afford – a WorldTour-spec race bike.
Factor’s engineering director, Graham Shrive (formerly of Cervélo), says the Monza is “the bike we’d design for ourselves”.
Factor sees the Monza as the kind of bike its staff want to ride. Factor
Rather than simply offering a version of the Ostro VAM from the same moulds with a cheaper carbon fibre layup, though, Shrive says the goal was to “accommodate riders for how they’re actually using the bikes, rather than dictate to them”.
It’s a similar concept to Cervélo’s latest Soloist – a simplified version of the S5 aero bike more commonly used by the likes of Jonas Vingegaard and his Visma–Lease a Bike teammates (outside of Paris-Roubaix, at least).
The Factor Monza uses a more relaxed fit geometry, but keeps the same handling as the Ostro VAM. Factor
As such, the Monza uses a more relaxed fit geometry than the pro-spec Ostro VAM, with increased stack height and reduced reach (when the new cockpit is taken into account) to better suit amateur riders, as opposed to elite athletes.
Factor says the handling geometry is unchanged from the Ostro VAM, however, in order to keep that bike’s responsiveness and quick handling.
The overall shape of the Monza is similar to the Ostro VAM. Factor
The Monza’s frame tube shapes have also been subtly reshaped in order to reduce the layup complexity and, ultimately, production costs.
The head tube, seat tube, seatpost and seatstays are all wider, for example, while the rear of the fork isn’t sculpted to meet the down tube to the same extent.
Practical features
The Monza uses SRAM’s UDH standard. Factor
The Monza also gets a number of features designed to make it easier to live with for everyday riders.
The rear dropout, for example, uses SRAM’s Universal Derailleur Hanger (UDH) standard. This enables compatibility with SRAM’s recently launched, 13-speed Red XPLR AXS groupset, and – we imagine – future-proofs the frame for any upcoming groupsets.
A storage hatch is integrated into the down tube, behind the bottle cage mounts. Factor
Adding a saddle bag to a bike can incur a drag penalty of up to 6 watts at 45kph, according to Factor’s testing, so Shrive says it made sense to add an integrated storage port on the down tube for storing tools and essential spares.
Shrive acknowledges this features adds weight to the frame (around 80-100g), but he reasons that since a saddle bag weighs a similar amount, it evens out in the real world, where riders need to be self-sufficient.
With the space behind the saddle freed up, Shrive says Factor has also designed a dedicated saddle rail mount for accessories such as rear bike lights or rearview radars.
The Monza gets more tyre clearance than the Ostro VAM. Factor
Tyre clearance on the Monza is also increased to 34mm, up from 32mm on the Ostro VAM.
While 28mm-wide tyres are still dominant in the pro peloton, Shrive says bigger tyres allow for better performance on the rough roads local races and group rides often take place on.
Echoing this theme, Shrive says the new Black Inc Forty Five wheels, which have been designed alongside the Monza, present a “fast solution that’s versatile and robust, and will withstand that day to day pounding”.
Built using carbon rims with “modern” dimensions, the Black Inc Forty Five wheels use steel spokes and “readily available bearings” to reduce cost compared to the pricier 48/58 wheelset specced on the Ostro VAM.
A simplified front end
Factor says the Monza borrows from the Ostro Gravel up front. Factor
While an integrated front end is practically de rigueur for any modern aero road bike, Factor says it aimed for the Monza to be more “pragmatic” in this area than the Ostro VAM.
As such, Factor has specced a larger, 1.5in upper headset bearing from the Ostro Gravel, which affords space for a round steerer tube and “more straightforward internal cable routing”.
Factor has also designed a new integrated handlebar specifically for the Monza, rather than opting for a cheaper two-piece setup.
The Monza gets its own integrated cockpit, the HB04. Factor
The HB04 cockpit features a “semi-aero profile” on the tops, to offer a better feel in the hand than the AB01 cockpit found on the Ostro VAM.
The reach and drop of the handlebar have also been reduced by 5mm on the HB04, compared to the AB01, while the drops flare out by 8 degrees from the ramps to offer improved control when sprinting or descending.
Factor Monza specifications and pricing
The Factor Monza is available in three colours and with two builds. Factor
The Factor Monza is available in two builds, with Shimano Ultegra Di2 or SRAM Force AXS.
Alternatively, riders can purchase a frameset kit for £3,799 / $3,999 / €4,699 that includes the frame, fork, seatpost and HB04 cockpit.
There are three colour schemes available: green, blue or white (although, of course, Factor has fancier names for each).
A robotics expert has created a motorised bike that has balls instead of wheels.
James Bruton, based in Hampshire, has created what he calls an ‘omni-directional’ bike, which uses the same balls used by circus acrobats.
Bruton told the BBC his drive was to create videos people want to click on – and he has succeeded.
The YouTube video documenting how he built the bike has received 8.5m views since it was published three months ago on Bruton’s channel, which has 1.37m subscribers.
Bruton, who used to work in IT and was a toy maker before becoming a content creator, has previously built three other omni-directional bikes, which grew in complexity.
The first simply adapted a standard bike with a motorised ‘omni-wheel’ at the front, the second was a bike with two omni-wheels, and the third had four wheels and could move in any direction.
For his latest omni-directional bike, Bruton used 11 3D printers. He had to import motor parts from America and the 2ft balls from the Netherlands.
The bike uses omni-wheels, which are essentially wheels with smaller wheels around the edge, to drive each ball and prevent the bike from falling over.
Bruton’s description for the video documenting his invention says: “This bike balanced like a Segway sideways, and drives in all directions, which makes it the ultimate drift bike!”
Canyon has unveiled its latest future concept from the Innovation Lab – the MPACT.
The new concept bike follows on from the Future Mobility Concept in 2021, but Canyon’s latest look into the future of e-mobility appears much closer to reality than most concept bikes.
I, for one, would like to see this concept made a reality.
The modular frame is intended to be produced from recycled aluminium in Europe to maximise the bike’s sustainability.
It would be available in one size to suit riders between 1.55m and 1.99m.
Customisable concept
Canyon’s Future Mobility Concept from 2021. Canyon
The MPACT concept is designed to be customisable with artwork or decal kits on the single-spar frame.
It has modular luggage racks both front and rear, with the rear having a 25kg load capacity.
The MPACT looks far closer to reality than most concept bikes.
Canyon has designed the cockpit as a single piece, much like its line-up of road and commuter bikes.
However, the high-rise, almost cruiser-style bar has a boxy profile, like the frame itself, that gives the concept a fresh, bespoke look.
The brake hoses are routed through the handlebar and into the frame, as on Canyon’s production bikes.
The brakes on the concept are confirmed to be Canyon’s own GP0404 integrated units, as found on the current Precede: ON Comfort 7 urban electric bike.
The wheels use demountable discs that allow for lots of customisation options. Canyon
The wheels also offer the potential for customisation, with the mountable/dismountable discs on the concept much like hubcaps on a car. This opens up the possibility of custom artwork, colours and finishes for the customer, or even branding for fleet bikes.
Electric motor and drivetrain
The frame has integrated lights front and rear, powered by the battery. Canyon
The frame also houses the motor and battery, with the battery charged by lifting the seatpost and pulling it out from its top tube housing.
The motor battery also powers the large front light integrated into the head tube of the frame, with a matching rear light integrated into the frame.
The drivetrain looks to be a hub gear, combined with a Gates belt drive, something we’ve seen on Canyon’s value-packed Comfort 7 commuter bike.
Will it get made?
The concept has a similar appearance to the Precede:ON CF 9. Russel Burton / Immediate Media
This concept shares some of its design language with bikes such as Canyon’s innovative Precede:ON CF 9 commuter.
That said, there’s no commitment that the Canyon Innovation Lab concept bike will go into series production. If it does, the guide price would be under €3,000.
Canyon told us: “It’s different enough that we thought we’d canvas opinions from our audience to ask if we should bring it out.”
Let us know what you think of the MPACT in the comments.
Strava has revealed the top cycling commuting cities in the UK to mark Earth Day.
The information Strava used to compile its results is a combination of activity data from its 150 million global athletes and insights from Strava Metro, which provides aggregated data to help improve active travel infrastructure.
Strava has also revealed how cyclists engage with its app based on age and gender.
The average commute in London has increased in distance, according to Strava. Jeff Greenberg / Getty Images
Strava’s data show the top UK city for cycle commuters in 2024 was London.
The UK’s capital was ahead of every other city in terms of distance, carbon saved and the active commuter base.
London’s a big place, and so the average cycle commute was 9.1km and took 31 minutes, 58 seconds.
This shows that Londoners are now commuting further than before. In 2022, the average cycle commute in the city was 7km and took 27 minutes, 13 seconds.
Strava predicts that the cycle commutes uploaded to Strava in London saved a total of 18,489,808kg of carbon in 2024, compared to if these journeys had been taken by car – which is unlikely considering the prevalent use of public transport in the city.
In total, Londoners commuted 52,800,000km (roughly 32,808,400 miles) by bike, which is 13 times around the Earth.
71 per cent of total Strava rides in London were recorded as commutes, which is an increase of 8 per cent over 2024.
The runners-up
Cyclists in Bristol logged 2,900,000km in commutes on Strava. Sami Auvinen / Getty Images
Completing Strava’s top 5 are Manchester, Edinburgh, Bristol and Cambridge.
Coming in second behind the capital, cycling commuters in Manchester racked up 9,500,000km. Edinburgh was third (4,500,000km), Bristol fourth (2,900,000km) and Cambridge fifth (1,130,000km).
In terms of the percentage of rides recorded as commutes, the order of cities behind London changed. Bristol came in second with 66 per cent, followed by Edinburgh at 62 per cent, and Manchester and Cambridge level on 54 per cent.
Millennials are commuting by bike the most in London
Strava says 58 per cent of riders recording a cycle commute on the cycling app in London were millennials – more than any other age group in the capital.
Elsewhere, other than those aged over 60, at least half of riders on Strava from all generations recorded a commute last year.
Here are the full stats:
Riders aged 40-49: 55 per cent
Riders aged 50-59: 52 per cent
Riders aged 18-29: 50 per cent
Riders aged 60+: 44 per cent
Over half of men and women use Strava for logging commutes
When it comes to cycling to work, Strava reveals that last year just over half of men and women uploaded commutes to its platform.
54 per cent of men and 52 per cent of women uploaded cycle commutes.
First held in 1970, Earth Day is an annual event on April 22 to demonstrate support for environmental protection.
Over the past few weeks, Zwift has rolled out an important, powerful set of fitness tracking and reporting features. These tools expand the activity data Zwift consumes, allowing us to feed our outdoor rides into the platform for the first time ever. This, in turn, enables Zwift to build a more accurate profile of our current fitness to help us train smarter.
Let’s dive into Zwift’s new Fitness Tracker and all the moving parts that make it function…
Outdoors… On Zwift?
You may be wondering why would I even want Zwift to track my outdoor riding? It’s a fair question, especially if you see Zwift as simply an indoor cycling platform.
The big reason Zwift needs to track your riding outdoors as well as indoors is so Zwift can put together an accurate, current profile of your fitness. Zwift wants to help its users choose appropriate workouts, but they can’t do that unless they know a person’s training load. How fresh are their legs? How fit are they overall?
Secondly, on a customer retention level, tracking outdoor riding (and letting outdoor rides extend our week streak and earn XP) is a smart move from Zwift. It won’t change the minds of every “winter-only Zwifter”, but it will surely convince a few to keep their monthly subscription going.
Eric Min, Zwift’s CEO, has said for years that Zwift’s goal is to get more people more active more often. Tracking outdoor rides falls perfectly in line with this goal, helping Zwift better position itself as a year-round fitness platform.
Getting your outdoor rides into Zwift is easy, assuming you’re recording those rides on a head unit/app from Wahoo or Garmin. All you need to do is connect your Zwift account to your Wahoo and/or Garmin account.
You can do this via the Companion app under Settings>Connections, or by logging into your account at zwift.com and going to Account>Connections.
Wahoo requires a simple login to your Wahoo account, and if you already had Wahoo connected, there’s nothing more you need to do.
Garmin will require a reconnection even if you already had your Garmin account connected, because there’s a new level of permission you need to authorize so Garmin can send data to Zwift. (Previously, you could only authorize Zwift sending data to Garmin.)
Simply enable both toggles, click “Save”, then “Agree” on the next screen:
Zwift tells me that when you first connect your Wahoo account, it should import the last 90 days of activities into Zwift. Garmin should import the last 30 days of activities. It may take up to a week for old activities to show up on Zwift.
Fitness Tracking
The Companion app has a new section at the top of the homepage that Zwift has dubbed the Fitness Tracker:
That screenshot is a bit boring, though, since it was taken on Monday morning when I haven’t ridden yet! Scrolling back a few weeks, you can get a better idea of what the Fitness Tracker shows:
There’s a lot of information packed into this little box, including:
Training Score: Zwift’s version of chronic training load (CTL), a commonly-used metric that summarizes the amount of training you’ve been doing. Your Training Score is the weighted average of daily Stress Points over the past 42 days, which means if you rode at your FTP for 1 hour every day (which equals 100 Stress Points on the day) for 42 days, your Training Score would be 100. (In practice, most riders who train regularly are probably in the ~60-80 range for Training Score). Read more about Stress Points >
Training Status: this is only shown when viewing the current week, so in the first screenshot, you can see my status is “Fresh”. Training Status is determined by comparing your long-term fitness (over 42 days) and short-term fatigue (over 7 days) to place you in one of these categories:
Ready: New to training.
Fresh: Active and ready for challenges.
Productive: Consistently challenging yourself and recovering well.
Overreaching: Training heavily.
Detraining: Loss of fitness due to reduced training.
Weekly Goal Progress: the top-center section shows your weekly goal (which can be based on Time, Distance, Calories, Stress points, or Kilojoules) and your progress toward that goal. You can tap to easily modify your goal as well (more on this below).
Daily Activity Summary: each day’s activities are summarized with a few visuals. First, you have a color bar chart showing how much relative time you spent in each power zone (learn about Zwift’s power zone colors here). You’ll see a sun at the top if the day includes an outdoor ride that earned XP (touch a day and it will expand a bit to show how many XP you earned on the day). Lastly, each day shows how many Stress Points your riding achieved.
Weekly Activity Zone Summary: At the top-center, in the goals section, is a bar showing the amount of relative time you’ve spent in each power zone.
Current Week Streak: when viewing your current week, your Week Streak is shown on the right.
Streak Savers: if you’ve earned any Streak Savers, these are shown next to your Week Streak on the right.
Reminder: Accurate FTP Required
It’s worth noting here that your Training Score and Status are computed based on your daily Stress Points, and those Stress Points are calculated based on your FTP setting in Zwift. If your FTP isn’t set accurately, your Training Score and Status won’t be accurate, either. Zwift will automatically detect FTP increases based on an internal algorithm, but you might consider taking an FTP test or even setting your FTP manually in game to ensure it’s accurate.
This big fitness tracking release includes an expansion of what used to be very limited goal-setting/tracking capabilities in the Companion app. The app used to support only basic weekly time or distance goals, but now supports the weekly goals based on:
Time
Distance (KM/Miles)
Calories (kCal)
Stress points (SP)
Kilojoules
Additionally, now that Zwift can see your outdoor rides, your goals can be based on what you want to accomplish overall in your weekly cycling, instead of what you think you’ll accomplish on Zwift. (It always felt clunky in the past to have a weekly Zwift time or distance goal, especially when the weather changed and your ratio of indoor to outdoor riding changed with it.)
As before, the in-game ride report will show your goal progress at the end of each ride, and you’ll get a notification in game if you hit your goal while riding on Zwift.
Level Up, Outside
Apart from better tracking of our fitness, this new functionality from Zwift also means we can continue to level up while riding outside.
Outside rides now earn 5XP for each kilometer, up to a maximum of 200KM/1000XP per ride. Yes, this is significantly less than the 20XP per km you earn for Zwifting. But it’s still something.
You won’t get XP for past activities that are imported when you first connect to Wahoo/Garmin, but they will be imported and count toward your fitness tracking.
Time/distance/elevation accumulated outdoors will not apply to in-game bike upgrades.
Only paying subscribers earn XP from outdoor rides.
What’s Next?
This is just the initial launch of fitness tracking on Zwift, and they’ve assured me that there is more to come.
First, while these new features only apply to cycling right now, Zwift says they’ll be rolling out support for running later this year.
Second, support for importing activities from Hammerhead is coming this summer. Zwift says other platforms may be added (DC Rainmaker mentions Polar/Suunto/COROS/Apple as the likely candidates). Why doesn’t Zwift just import activities from Strava, you may ask? Zwift isn’t saying, but my guess is that Strava’s API terms of service changes over the past year made Zwift nervous. On top of that, this move into outdoor ride tracking is a move into Strava’s territory, so Zwift may be steering clear for that reason as well.
Third, duplicate activities are a concern for some users based on their current setup (which devices/services they use to record which activities). Zwift says automatic de-duplication is coming soon, but for now you can delete activities manually if you’d like, using the Companion app. We also know Zwift has been testing in-game dual recording, which would eliminate the need to record your power data on a head unit (something that could lead to more duplicate activities).
Fourth, “Smart Goals” are coming, where the game will automatically recommend a goal based on your current fitness, to help you get started. Great for beginners.
Fitness Trends
Lastly, Zwift knows we don’t just want a snapshot of data… we want charts! So they have promised a “fitness trends” feature, and even delivered screenshots of it:
What else?
The items above are what we know Zwift is working on. But what else could these fitness tracking changes lead to? The answer is: so much.
You may not realize this, but solo structured workouts are the most popular activity done on Zwift. At Zwift Community Live, Zwift staffers shared the following activity stats from the last 30 days on Zwift:
2.2M free rides
2.3M solo structured workouts completed
632K group rides
483K Robopacer rides
282K races
106K climb portal rides
That’s a bit wild when you think about it, especially considering the popularity of Robopacers and all the focus Zwift puts on events.
Given Zwifters’ obvious interest in structured training, I believe the holy grail for Zwift would be some sort of AI-based coaching built into the app, not unlike third parties such as TrainerRoad, XERT, and FasCat currently offer.
Imagine if you could set some simple goals (“I want to perform better in Zwift races” or “I want to lose some weight”) and the app could recommend daily activities for you based on your training history, including outdoor rides. For extra credit, Zwift could recommend more than just boring ol’ structured workouts. What about a race or group ride that fits the bill?
So many possibilities.
Questions or Comments?
What do you think of Zwift taking in our outdoor rides and delivering fitness tracking? What sort of functionality would you like to see Zwift build on top of these new capabilities? Share your thoughts below, along with any questions you may have about these new features…
The conversation around Trump’s tariffs, which were unveiled at the beginning of April as part of the White House’s ‘Liberation Day’, is clouded by uncertainty.
With the situation changing every day, trade negotiations ongoing, pressure from financial markets and the sense that President Trump can change his mind on the flip of a dime, that’s understandable.
But the cycling industry is beginning to signal the real – and potential – consequences of Trump’s plans in the US and the rest of the world.
Trouble in the USA
Trek will raise prices across most of its bike lines. Scott Windsor / Our Media
Last week, two of the world’s biggest bike brands – Specialized and Trek – announced they are hiking their prices in their home country.
In an email sent to dealers, Trek said it will raise prices across most of its bike lines. The increases are unspecified, but they will be applied as dealers make orders.
The Wisconsin-based brand says it has applied the increase to back-ordered items, too, in order to discourage a run on inventory at pre-tariff prices, according to Escape Collective.
Specialized, based in Morgan Hill, California, is taking a different tact. In an email sent to retailers by North America Regional Leader Jesse Porter, Specialized said it’s adding a 10 per cent line-item surcharge to B2B invoices on select models, including the new Turbo Levo 4 eMTB, after May 1. The surcharge will also apply to orders made from the brand’s consumer site.
Specialized wrote: “We maintain flexibility to update or remove the charge if government tariffs change.”
This approach speaks to the speed at which companies are having to react and to the uncertainty around tariffs moving forward.
There will be a 10 per cent surcharge on Specialized’s latest eMTB, the Turbo Levo 4. Justin Sullivan / Specialized
Speaking to the Financial Times, Arnold Kamler, chair of Kent International, one of the biggest US bike manufacturers, said the company has already raised prices by 12 per cent this year off the back of Trump’s initial 20 per cent tariff on China.
“Our sales have been steadily dropping because of our prices being so high now,” Kamler said. “There has been no consideration to us despite the hundreds of jobs we have created so far.”
Beyond price hikes, tariffs are already upending brands’ plans for new product launches. We know of at least one brand with an upcoming launch that will limit imports to the US, citing the impact of “current United States tariff policies”.
Elsewhere, smaller brands are simply cancelling shipments to the USA. After the initial announcement, Borealis and Tern announced they would pause shipments to the country.
And although Tern has resumed shipments, that could change. Uncertainty, indeed.
The impact in Asia, the impact in America
Giant could face tariffs of 32 per cent. Warren Rossiter / OurMedia
Trump’s announcement revealed huge tariffs on countries including China, Vietnam, Taiwan, Thailand and more.
Writing for BikeBiz, a UK trade publication, Madison CEO Dominic Langan described these countries not as “fringe manufacturing locations” but the “beating heart of the global cycling supply chain”.
“For an industry still navigating oversupply, squeezed margins, and consumer price sensitivity, this couldn’t have come at a worse time,” Langan wrote.
The US government revealed a week later that the heavy tariffs would be suspended for 90 days with a lower reciprocal rate of 10 per cent on all goods coming into the country.
This will likely come as a relief for Giant, even if it’s short-lived. The Taiwanese brand last month revealed its profits plunged by 62 per cent in 2024 as it faced discounting, inventory challenges and reduced demand in Europe and the US, its second largest market after Europe. Now, there’s Trump to deal with.
Giant says the US president’s actions are “absolutely not positive” for the cycling industry and it “will inevitably be forced to reflect the cost” of the tariffs, which could be as high as 32 per cent in Taiwan after the 90-day delay.
The impact of Trump’s tariffs are being felt across all four corners of the globe, but the recent Sea Otter Classic in California – one of the world’s most important bike shows – ensured the president was top of the agenda on home turf.
The CEO of Madison, Shimano’s UK distributor, says “brands were reeling” at Sea Otter Classic. Simon von Bromley / Our Media
Reflecting on conversations Langan had at the show, the CEO of Madison, UK distributor for brands including Shimano, Park Tool and Lazer, wrote: “Brands were reeling. Initial mitigation plans crafted during earlier tariff rounds had now collapsed. Production lines were being paused, containers rerouted or cancelled altogether.”
Langan added that the “path forward is anything but clear”. Should bicycle manufacturers in East Asia “buckle”, Langan predicts the industry will face new pressure just as it begins to stabilise after the pandemic.
The escalating trade war with China could have the biggest impact. Trump imposed new 125 per cent tariffs on China in response to its retaliatory tariffs on US imports.
According to a 2021 study, 87 per cent of bikes imported to the US are from China, making it one of the most China-dependent industries in the country.
If Kent International’s 12 per cent price hike wasn’t troublesome enough, Kamler, the company’s chair, warns prices across the industry could rise by 50 per cent if Trump retains tariffs at the current level.
The tariffs are ‘naive’
Brompton has paused plans for US expansion. Brompton
On the other side of the Atlantic, Brompton’s CEO Will Butler-Adams is no stranger to frank words, and in an interview with The Telegraph he has labelled the US administration’s plans as “a little bit naive”.
Brompton manufactures its folding bikes in London, with welding aided by a facility in Sheffield, 150 miles north of the capital, but parts are sourced from countries such as Taiwan and China. The US is also one of Brompton’s largest export markets, where it sells bikes through 120 dealerships and two stores.
Trump has said his tariffs will help jobs and factories return to the US, but Butler-Adams says shifting production to the country is far more complicated than Trump has claimed.
“You could build the factory. You could buy the equipment. But the know-how, the engineering, the skills and experience, you’d have to open up your immigration if you want to sort that out and obviously that’s not at the top of the agenda for any of the political parties,” Butler-Adams told The Telegraph.
Brompton’s CEO also revealed that the company has paused plans to open a store in Los Angeles and possibly one in San Francisco, saying “things are all over the shop” and “need to settle down a bit first”. He said Brompton will likely raise prices in the US “between 5pc and 10 pc” to offset the tariffs.
Butler-Adams’ most intriguing remark to The Telegraph is arguably in relation to logistics. He says shipping goods from Europe into America will likely become more expensive, but shipping goods from Europe to China “will probably get very cheap”.
Considering China is already a major market for the folding-bike brand, could that mean Brompton shifts its focus away from the US?
Even though uncertainty reigns, the actions of companies such as Brompton, Trek, Specialized and Kent International will reveal how the cycling industry and wider manufacturing landscape is likely to change – and, in turn, the USA’s future relationship with the rest of the world.
Rhino Racing Macaron Super Sprint
Tiny Route 
GXY Luna – Ladies Only Endurance Ride
