The OPTIS (Odyssey Pneumatic Tire Insert System) is a lightweight, tunable, tyre insert, which is inflated with a bike pump rather than arriving as a fully turgid foam strip. Similar to a motorcycle mousse, the OPTIS is a departure from the standard foam inserts.

It works by using a not-very-stretchy inner tube, which forms a very lightweight band inside the rim.

Instead of expanding outward into the tyre’s casing like an ordinary inner tube, once inflated, the OPTIS cinches down, hugging the rim.

This creates a bead lock, preventing the tyre from burping. It also protects the rim from impact.

• Seven of the latest mountain bike tyre inserts rated and reviewed

Odyssey claim that the OPTIS adds only 90g to a traditional tubeless setup, making it much lighter than most inserts.

Besides weight saving, the insert’s firmness can be tuned to suit conditions and rider tastes.

The inner tube is filled with air through a special valve, which uses the same central valve stem as the Presta valve, which fills the tubeless tyre above the insert.

Odyssey claims installation is easier than a standard insert, and can even be used to help seat stubborn tubeless tyres.

Odyssey also claims the OPTIS offers lower rolling resistance on rough surfaces than foam inserts, citing that losses from hysteresis (the foam material moving against the inside of the tyre) will be reduced.

Haven’t we seen this before?

The eagle-eyed amongst you may think this is a very similar concept to the Schwalbe Procore from 2016 – and you would be right, but there are a few key differences which set the OPTIS apart.

Firstly, the OPTIS uses just a bare inflatable tube made of a relatively inflexible material.

The Schwalbe Procore used a pseudo-tyre, which looked much like a beadless, blue road bike tyre, which sat over a traditional stretchy rubber inner tube.

Crucially, the valve design looks different.

The Schwalbe Procore valve was a very clever piece of engineering, but was intricate and prone to becoming blocked by the talc in the rubber inner tube.

The chunky valve on the OPTIS will hopefully alleviate these issues.

• OPTIS estimated MSRP: $89.99
• OPTIS replacement insert: $39.99 

There is change afoot in the world of cycling apps. We’ve recently seen major players change how their apps work with an eye on expanding their functionality and becoming a one-stop shop for your training needs. 

Not least, Zwift. On Friday, the indoor training giant announced a host of updates to its Companion app, which are set to make the platform far more than a log of turbo trainer sessions. 

Previously, the app worked like a remote control for Zwift, enabling you to message other Zwifters and adjust the resistance of your trainer, among other things. It also meant you could plan rides and analyse your workouts.

• Why I’ve got a big problem with Strava and will never use it again

But that’s set to change this summer, with the Companion app receiving a “significant update” that will combine your indoor and outdoor rides into one space. To do this, Zwift says the app will ingest your Wahoo or Garmin data.

With this holistic look at your training, the Companion app will also enable you to set weekly goals and track your fitness progress within the ecosystem for the first time. These goals can be set using the following metrics: Time, Distance, Calories, Stress Points, or Kilojoules.

All a bit familiar?

 This is all reminiscent of that other cycling tech giant, Strava. With a Strava subscription, you can see your training from the great indoors and outdoors in one place, set goals, analyse your training and gain access to a range of performance metrics, such as heart rate analysis and relative effort.

There is another sign Zwift is coming for Strava with its new TrainingScore feature. 

Zwift says its TrainingScore “reflects your long-term cycling fitness by averaging your recent training load over time, combining both workout volume and intensity into a single, easy-to-understand daily number.” 

This sounds a lot like Strava’s Fitness Score, which is a single number Strava presents to subscribers based on heart rate or power meter data. This personalised number can be used to analyse your training or act as a benchmark for your fitness over time. 

But Zwift’s latest update doesn’t just have Strava in its sights. It also seems to be taking aim at Garmin, with the release of a TrainingStatus update which mirrors Garmin’s feature of the same name. 

Garmin’s Training Status feature gives you an overview of your longer-term training, prompting you with a range of status, from peaking (you’re in ideal form) down to detraining (your fitness level is decreasing). 

Zwift’s TrainingStatus does a similar thing. Comparing long-term fitness with short-term fatigue, it can indicate five levels of training:

• Ready: ready to start or return to Training
• Fresh: active and ready for a challenge
• Productive: consistently training and recovering well
• Overreaching: training heavily but in need of more recovery. Rest weeks are essential for recovery and peak performance.
• Detraining: loss of fitness due to reduced training

AI shakeups 

It’s not just Zwift that’s been shaking things up, though. Last year, Strava released its Athlete Intelligence tool, which uses generative AI to analyse your activities and provide written summaries of your workout. 

This followed Whoop’s AI feature. Powered by ChatGPT-4, the Whoop Coach answers your health and fitness questions to turn the health-tracking app into a “powerful new coaching experience” that “goes beyond surface-level insights”.

Garmin has also shaken up its Connect app, introducing its first-ever paid subscription last month. Called Connect+, the new subscription plan is said to provide users with a range of new personalised health and fitness insights, while keeping existing features free. And yep, you guessed it: Connect+ also uses AI to provide personalised prompts. 

In the indoor training space, we’ve also seen Rouvy buy FulGaz and make some big changes and develop features that bring it more in line with Zwift, although Zwift’s new updates may keep Rouvy chasing for some time. 

But what this all boils down to is Zwift’s latest updates make it an even more compelling option, especially when we’re all paying closer attention to our purse strings. 

Zwift costs £17.99 / $19.99 per month, while Strava costs £8.99 / $11.99 and Connect+ costs £6.99 / $6.99. Combining the training features you can expect from the likes of Strava and Garmin and a whole indoor training platform seems like a hard proposition to beat – even if Zwift hasn’t jumped on the AI bandwagon, yet.

With day 1 of Zwift Community Live 2025 done and dusted (read about it here), I was looking forward to day 2 and the prospects of a longer, harder group ride. The weather looked to be beautiful in Mallorca, the ZCL vibes were good, and I was excited to roll on new roads. Here’s how the day unfolded for me…

Ride Plan

Today’s ride was called the Uber Pretzel as it was the longest of the three ride options. We would ride from our resort in Platja de Muro to the top of Sant Salvador, then loop back for a total distance of 115km and a bit over 1000 meters of elevation:

I was looking for a ride group that would push a bit harder than the previous day’s, with fewer and shorter stops along the way. And I was looking for some epic roads. This route looked like it would tick all the boxes.

Getting Started

The dining room was buzzing when I arrived around 7:15am. Clearly, lots of riders were planning on doing the Uber Pretzel as well (which wasn’t a surprise given how the week’s routes were planned), and everyone was eating early since we would be starting at 8:30.

After another tasty granola bowl, some fruit, and a smoothie, I headed back to my room to kit up and meet Monica at the starting area. (She’s a stupendous sidekick, by the way: fetching bikes and forgotten gloves and filling bottles to help make my experience even better.)

Riders are grouped into packs of 12 which leave a few minutes apart. (The goal is that the faster packs leave sooner, so packs stay separated and large groups of cyclists don’t clog up the roads.) I looked around for a group to join, and saw that the first group would definitely be too spicy for my taste. It contained the likes of Nathan Guerra, Jeff from NorCal Cycling, Zwift Academy 2024 winners Noah Ramsay and Emily Dixon, and Freddy Ovett… among others.

But just behind them a group was forming up that included Zwift CEO Eric Min, VP of Marketing Steve Beckett, and the great Kristin Armstrong. This looked like the group for me, so I hopped in, along with Zwift Academy 2023 winner Louis Kitzki and a few others.

Soon enough, we were off. Two abreast, we quickly got up to a nice cruising pace on the flattish lead-in to the centerpiece climb of the day. Chugging along at ~35 kph, we quickly spun our way toward Sant Salvador, upping the power on the inclines to keep our speed rolling without going so hard that our legs would burn out early. A sensible tempo pace.

Riding two abreast gives you the chance to get to know your ridemates. Along with those already mentioned we had an Olympic runner, a coach/triathlete from the UK, a man who was an early investor in Zwift, a woman who helps lead Rocacorba Cycling, the guy who heads up the CORE sensor team, Tim Perkin from Mountain Massif, and others!

It didn’t take long for us to arrive at the big climb of the day. As the road ramped up, around half the group fell off while the other half pushed on ahead at a higher pace. I was one who fell off – no surprise there – and I was perfectly fine with it. With another 60km left to ride, I wasn’t interested in blowing up on the slopes of Sant Salvador. I wanted to enjoy the ride and take in this beautiful climb, hairpin by hairpin. And that’s what I did!

It really is a nice climb, with lots of shade, smooth pavement, and gorgeous views over the edge as you negotiate the turns. I love climbs like this that alternate between a sort of walled-in tunnel of trees and wide open vistas that let you see all the way to the ground and be surprised again and again at how high you’ve climbed.

Soon enough, I was at the top, having averaged 308W for 21:53. (This rocketed me to 29,209th out of 69,900 on the Strava segment. The best time on the day? ZCL attendee Beast On A Bike | Louis Hatchwell at 14:30. His average power? 432W.)

We took some photos at the top, admired the near-360-degree views, refilled bidons from the support van, and headed downhill knowing our coffee stop was 30km ahead. (Eric Min was hungry, so we weren’t waiting around!)

The way home was a nice mix of flats and slight downhills, many of which were narrow country roads with very little traffic. Once again we churned through the kilometers, stopping only for a bit of coffee and cake in Sineau before winding our way home.

After just over 4 hours of riding we were back at the hotel, enjoying a beer and a snack in comfortable couches overlooking the Mediterranean beach. 118km, 1000m of elevation, and an average speed of 28.8 kph. Another good day out on the bike in beautiful Mallorca!

See today’s ride on Strava >

Finishing the Day: Recovery, Dinner, and a Fireside Chat

Today ended much like yesterday: kickstarting recovery with good nutrition and Normatec boots, eating a tasty dinner with some new Zwift friends from Austria and Germany, then sitting on the night’s fireside chats. (Monica and I also took some time to cool our feet in the ocean and enjoy the beautiful beach just outside our door.)

The first chat was hosted by Matt Stephens and featured Zwift’s Director of Women’s Strategy Kate Veronneau along with the 4 winners of Zwift Academy from 2023 and 2024. The discussion centered around the Academy winners’ experiences, and what Zwift Academy is doing to change how riders get into the sport.

The night ended with Matt calling a surprise guest to the stage: Mark Cavendish! He and Matt chatted about Cav’s life now that he’s retired, along with obscure topics like how eating cheese late at night can affect one’s dreams. I’m sure many Zwifters were just as starstruck as I was to see Cav in person. What a legend!

Coming Up Tomorrow

Tomorrow’s ride will be the biggest of ZCL: the Uber Pretzel featuring Sa Calobra! It’s essentially the same distance as today’s ride, but twice the elevation. Here’s the route:

Watch this space to learn how it goes…

Hundreds of Zwifters have arrived here in Mallorca for a few days of quality riding and IRL hangouts at Zwift Community Live 2025. With so many people to meet and new roads to ride, each person’s daily experience at this event will be unique and personal…. but here’s mine.

The Warmup

Before diving into Day 1, let me give you a few highlights from the days leading up to it:

• My wife Monica and I spent two lovely nights at the home of Simon Schofield (creator of the Zwiftcast), just south of Girona. Simon and his wife Jennie were, of course, incredible hosts, and I even got a ride in with Simon in which he put me to work chasing his ebike’s wheel up the local climb! See it on Strava >
• We arrived in Mallorca a few days before the official first day of ZCL, because Zwift had invited members of the media out for a “This Season on Zwift” presentation (read the details of what was announced here.) New roads, Zwift Ride crank length options, more HUD data, fitness metrics and outdoor rides giving us XP… it was a lot of good news!
• I rode out to Cap de Formentor (the lighthouse!) along with Nathan Guerra, Shane Miller, DC Rainmaker, DesFit, Eric Min, and other media and Zwift HQ folks. It was a great ride with incredible views and just enough climbing, wind, and goats to make it interesting. See it on Strava >
• The day before Day 1 (Thursday), Zwift held a meeting with key Club leaders to discuss upcoming features and here from leaders about how Zwift could help them build their communities even more. It was a really fun conversation, and the chattiness in the room made it easy to see why all these folks were good at building communities on Zwift.
• The night of Day 0 featured the first of our fireside chats, hosted by Matt Stephens. It was a sort of kickoff chat that featured Zwift CEO Eric Min plus the VP of Product at Zwift, Mark Cote. They spoke of the importance of community at Zwift, some goals for ZCL, and generally set the tone for the event.

Pride Goes Before a Fall

On the flight into Mallorca, I had joked with Monica, “How long into this event will we go before the first Zwift crashes their bike?” (Because the joke is, of course, that Zwifters can’t handle their bikes outside.)

It turns out, not long at all.

Before the epic Cap de Formentor outing on Wednesday afternoon, I was 20 minutes into my first ride in Mallorca, testing the rental bike and shaking out my legs with Nathan Guerra.

It started to rain just a bit… then a bit more… and soon enough, it was a full-on downpour. As we went through a roundabout I felt my rear wheel lose traction, and I quickly hit the deck, body and bike sliding across the entire lane.

So I got the honor of being Zwift’s first “incident report” for the event. Happily, a few scrapes and some soreness weren’t enough to hamper any ride plans. The bibs weren’t even torn through. Ride on!

Breakfast

Now, let’s get into Day 1.

It began with breakfast. Without giving a full review of all the food we eat at ZCL, let me just say that the folks at Iberostar Playa de Muro Village do it right! The food is amazing. A huge variety of high-quality, tasty options are served for breakfast and dinner in a massive buffet style aided by attentive and courteous waitstaff.

I made a granola bowl with fruit and yogurt, and also had a beet-based smoothie, two small pastries, and a cappuccino. Fuel for the fight.

In the dining room everyone was chatting about their ride plans for the day: are you doing the Uber? The Mega? The Pretzel? Which pace group? (Each of ZCL’s three days centers on a bike ride, and attendees have the option of three different ride lengths, aptly named the Uber Pretzel, Mega Pretzel, and The Pretzel. Each ride also has three pace options, and all the groups are led by qualified ride leaders.)

The Mega Pretzel

I went with the Mega Pretzel – the medium-length ride – for two reasons:

1. It went out to the Cap de Formentor lighthouse again, and I had really enjoyed the ride two days earlier. I wanted to tackle it again now that I had knowledge of how the roads (climbs) layed out.
2. My left wrist was sore and swollen from the crash, and I wasn’t sure how it would hold up on the longer Uber Pretzel.

Here’s the route we had planned:

The Uber riders had left an hour earlier, and the Mega riders (the largest group) were slated to leave at 9:30am. We started by breaking into groups of ~12 riders, each with a leader. Dave Towle was on hand to send each group out, and soon enough we were off!

The Lead-In

The ride begins with a flat lead-in to the pitchy road that takes you out to the lighthouse. We rode two abreast, keeping an easy speed of ~30kph, then turned onto the first climb of the day: Coll De Sa Creueta. This is the biggest climb on the route, and I had already decided I wanted to hammer it a bit and beat my time from two days prior. And I did! 325W for 11:18 got me to the top, the “first lookout”, around 70 seconds faster than before.

A Star-Studded Cast

As we continued to make our way toward the lighthouse, I spotted various recognizeable Zwifters: Tim “Bacon” Searle, Shane Miller, Florence Nakagwa from Canyon/SRAM Generation, Tim Perkin (Mountain Massif organizer), and others.

I was pushing fairly hard up one climb, passing lots of riders on my right, when a big guy flew past me on my left. He was in the saddle, undoubtedly churning out big watts, but looked beautiful doing it with ease and perfect form. “Who is this cycling Adonis?” I said to myself. I hammered a bit to catch his wheel, and soon discovered it was Sir Chris Hoy himself, here to deliver a fireside chat later in the week.

Near the end of the ride, we made our scheduled coffee stop at a cafe along with a few other 12-member ZCL groups. As I stood in line, I looked around and marveled at everyone in the room: Matt Stephens, Leah Thorvilson, two Canyon/SRAM riders, Rick Zabel, Sir Chris… and lots of “ordinary” Zwifters too. What a crowd!

The Long and Windy Road

The road out to the lighthouse is twisty, with epic views around every corner, and (at least in my experience) stiff winds as you near the turnaround point at the lighthouse. Once you’re on the more exposed final few kilometers of tarmac leading up to the point, the views are wild, the winds are high, and all the senses are firing. Amazing. Highly recommended.

Wrapping Up the Ride

Once we came back from the lighthouse on the same road we’d gone out, it was time to finish up with ~30k of rolling/flat roads back to our base in Platja de Muro. Easy peasy.

We heard that Chris Hoy was behind our group along with Zwift’s Chris Snook, as Sir Chris had suffered a bit of a mechanical. We were getting close to home and our group didn’t want to wait around for the Chrises to close the 10-minute gap, but I decided I did.

It turned out to be a good call. Riding and chatting with those two was more interesting than sitting in the larger group and cruising home. Sir Chris shared stories of his early years, riding in Mallorca as an 18-year-old. And before we knew it, were were back at the hotel. 84km with 1028 meters of elevation done and dusted! See it on Strava >

Finishing the Day: Recovery, Race Meeting, Dinner, and a Fireside Chat

I arrived back at the hotel around 3 in the afternoon, meeting Monica who had finished her ride a bit earlier.

The day ended with:

• Kickstarting our recovery with powerup cookies and Normatec boots
• A brainstorming session with ~15 of the top race organizers on Zwift and members of Zwift HQ
• An amazing dinner
• Everyone gathering for a hilarious and inspiring fireside chat with Kristin Armstrong (3x Olympic gold medalist and level 51 Zwifter) hosted by Dave Towle and Matt Stephens. Kristin talked about coming to Mallorca where everyone trains, and how now… we’re everyone.

Coming Up Tomorrow

Today’s ride was lovely, and it was great to sit in and chat with lots of Zwift community members. My wrist felt good, too, so I’m looking for something a bit more challenging tomorrow. It’s time to jump into the Uber Pretzel group! Here’s the planned route:

Watch this space to learn how it goes…

Pound for pound the most exciting races of the year? Many make a strong case for the Tour of Flanders (6 April). It has all the ingredients for the ultimate bike race: the best riders at the peak of their powers, explosive climbs, jarring cobbles, exceptional distances and ultra-passionate fans.

The Tour of Flanders, particularly on the men’s side, has oodles of history, yet has been smart to move with the times to create a route that satisfies the modern sporting audience, with a finishing circuit, repeated key climbs and a compact course suited to fans to watch in multiple locations.

• Just want to catch the racing? Jump to our guide on how to watch the 2025 Tour of Flanders

In 2017 the start of the men’s race moved to Antwerp, a port city in north Belgium but for 2025 returns to Bruges, which previously held the start from 1998. The starts, finishes and route in between, like other one-day Classics, often change but the racing in earnest doesn’t truly start until the cobbled climbs, or bergs, do.

For the men, that means the first of three ascents of the race’s signature climb, Oude Kwaremont (2km at 4.4%), which summits 140km from the finish and gives increasingly lubricated fans gathering in VIP areas their money’s worth. The route in total is 268.9km, with an expected finish around 16.15 CET.

Oude Kwaremont is often used by the favourites as a springboard, either on the first ascent to chase the breakaway, the second to thin out a leading group or the third for the ultimate winner to go it alone.

This, however, is to put a formula on Flanders that doesn’t exist. The reality is that anything can happen, at different points, with other climbs, such as the wall-like Koppenberg, the scene of other iconic flashpoints. It’s not unusual to see riders having to get off and walk through its traffic jam on the mighty Koppenberg, the route’s steepest road with its most uneven surface.

It’s a difficult race to be dominant in, which makes the achievements of defending champion and three-time winner Mathieu van der Poel all the more impressive.

Victory this year will leave him alone as the most prolific in history with four wins and he comes into it at the peak of his considerable powers. He will face stern competition from Classics rival Wout van Aert and, to an even greater extent, 2023 winner and bookies favourite Tadej Pogačar. A humdinger awaits.

The women’s race (168.8km), like so many of the Spring Classics, takes place on the same day as the men’s, but unusually finishes later (around 17.30 CET). The course starts and ends in Oudenaarde, with only a single ascent of Kwaremont included, but the Koppenberg makes an appearance. Two-time winner Lotte Kopecky will be a fan favourite on home roads and will face off against fellow double winner (and defending champion) Elisa Longo Borghini and Puck Pieterse. 2016 winner Lizzie Deignan makes her final appearance at the race.

How can I watch the 2025 Tour of Flanders live in the UK?

UK residents are still dealing with the shock of Eurosport’s closure, where live cycling could previously be accessed for £6.99 a month. That’s since risen to £30.99 a month, after Eurosport’s coverage was rolled into TNT Sports by parent company Warner Bros. Discovery.

Coverage of the men’s race starts at 9am BST (Sunday 6 April) on TNT Sports 1 and runs until 4pm, with women’s race coverage from 1.45pm to 5.15pm on TNT Sports 2. TNT Sports is available via the Discovery+ app, EE TV, Sky and Virgin Media.

• Subscribe to TNT Sports

How can I watch the 2025 Tour of Flanders live in the US?

FloBikes streams the race in the US, with costs starting from $12.50 when signing up to an annual plan. It’s also available on Max (formerly HBO Max), which is part of the Warner Bros. Discovery group – monthly subscriptions start from $9.99.

Coverage starts for the men’s race at 3.55am EDT and the women’s race at 9am EDT.

• Subscribe to FloBikes

How can I watch the 2025 Tour of Flanders live in Australia?

SBS will be covering the women’s and men’s racing live on SBS Viceland and SBS On Demand. The men’s race will be broadcast in full from 5.55pm, with the women’s race from 12.30am on Monday 7 April. No subscription is needed.

How else can I watch the 2025 Tour of Flanders?

A Virtual Private Network (VPN) is software that allows you to change your device’s IP address, making it appear as though you’re accessing the internet from another country. As long as you adhere to your broadcaster’s terms and conditions, a VPN enables you to unblock your usual streaming services, no matter your location. Additionally, a VPN can improve playback speeds and significantly enhance your overall internet security.

There are many VPN options available, but we recommend NordVPN as the best choice. It offers strong streaming capabilities, robust security features, and excellent value for money.

• Subscribe to NordVPN

At BikeRadar (published by Our Media Limited), we review VPN services to help you access online content and services securely while you’re on the go. This includes activities like streaming your favourite TV shows, live web content or using apps from different countries (provided it’s okay with the service provider’s terms and conditions). It’s important to note: BikeRadar does not endorse or support the use of VPN services for illegal or malicious activities, such as accessing paid-for pirated content. Please ensure you enjoy online content responsibly!

Did you know you can get off-road SPD cleats for 3-bolt road cycling shoes? I didn’t, but it turns out Chinese pedal brand Wellgo makes them.

I knew adaptors existed to enable you to fit 2-bolt SPD cleats to 3-bolt cycling shoes, but until recently, I didn’t realise anyone made cleats specifically for this purpose.

Priced at around £20 to £30, depending on where you shop, Wellgo’s RC-8 cleats are a little pricier than standard cleats. They might save you from needing to buy a new set of shoes, though.

It makes sense when you think about it – most road-style cycling shoes come with holes for 3-bolt cleats nowadays, but there’s a huge market out there for spin bikes (from brands such as Peloton), which often have pedals designed for 2-bolt SPD cleats.

Given this, there’s clearly also demand for adaptors to make 3-bolt cycling shoes compatible with spin bike pedals.

If you’re wondering why all of this is relevant, let me fill you in.

Last week, my colleague Warren wrote a deep dive on the subject of road pedals and the lack of innovation in that space recently.

Having just spent a week away at Bike Connection’s Spring 2025 road and gravel event, where I used a set of Shimano RX801 gravel shoes and Favero’s Assioma PRO MX SPD power meter pedals for both on- and off-road riding, it begged the question, why do I bother with single-sided ‘road’ pedals at all?

Sure, they’re a little lighter, but it’s unlikely that makes any difference to my performance on the bike.

In my experience, SPD pedals also offer just as much ‘retention’ as road pedals, yet are much easier to clip into because they’re dual-sided.

Of course, one thing causing inertia to switching from 3- to 2-bolt cleats is that few of my cycling shoes will accommodate them (why all cycling shoes aren’t drilled for both kinds of cleats will forever be a mystery to me).

As noted, I could use adaptors (such as Shimano’s SM-SH41 Cleat Adapters), but their cheap plastic construction would feel out of place on high-end road shoes, such as my favourite Specialized S-Works 7 Lace.

These all-metal Wellgo cleats, on the other hand, look much slicker (although a quick read of some online reviews reveals they might not be as durable as you’d hope).

Because the cleats aren’t recessed, it appears they’d increase your shoe stack height somewhat, but perhaps that would be a worthwhile trade-off for the increased ease of use.

Will I be switching to SPD pedals for all my riding, then? Probably not – for better or worse, I’ve got too many sets of power meter pedals (a first-world problem if ever there was one), making a wholesale switch impractical.

Whether you should switch systems is another question, though – if you’re not heavily invested in expensive 3-bolt pedal systems, there doesn’t seem to be much to lose.

SQUIRREL_13201497

It’s the last week of the Big Spin, plus we’re featuring some big endurance rides and races and one popular new event from Shimano.

Zwift Big Spin Makeup Stages

Epic Race Series: Deca Dash

SZR Endurance Ride

Cycle Nation Endurance Ride

Shimano Super Cycling Sunday

How We Make Our Picks

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

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

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

UK retailer Sigma Sports has become the first independent business to stock Van Rysel bikes and equipment.

The announcement marks a significant turn in strategy for the brand. Previously exclusively available via sports supermarket, Decathlon (the parent company of Van Rysel), the announcement follows heavy investment in developing new products and pro team sponsorship.

Sigma Sports is stocking Van Rysel’s high-end road products, including the recently-announced RCR-F aero bike and RCR-R all-rounder.

• Buy the Van Rysel RCR-F from Sigma Sports
• Buy the Van Rysel RCR-R from Sigma Sports

Accessories, including the highly-rated RCR shoes and five-star RCR-F helmet, are also available.

• Buy Van Rysel RCR shoes from Sigma Sports
• Buy Van Rysel’s RCR-F shoes from Sigma Sports

Though the 105 Di2-equipped RCR-R 105 Di2 looks keenly priced at £4,500, the limited premium range reflects Sigma’s position as a generally high-end retailer – and plays into Van Rysel’s goal to become a “top five global bike brand.”

Strategically speaking, ranging Van Rysel bikes alongside halo products from established brands – including Specialized and Cannondale – in one of the UK’s top cycling retailers is a stark shift in brand positioning from lining up £10,000 bikes next to inflatable kayaks and archery sets at Decathlon.

Speaking about the partnership, Maxime Delabre, Global Chief Marketing Officer at Van Rysel, said: “We are excited to partner with Sigma Sports as our first other retail partner for the RCR-F, bringing our cutting-edge technology to even more passionate riders.”

Sigma Sports’ CEO, James McEuen said: “As the leading independent road, gravel and triathlon retailer in the UK, we are delighted to enter this exclusive partnership with Van Rysel.

“We are proud to carefully select only the very best brands and products to offer customers both in-store and online. VAN RYSEL has proven that the best can be affordable. We look forward to helping our customers enjoy this new and exciting product mix.”

Van Rysel bikes are available via Sigma’s online store and in-store.

Zwift just released their latest “This Season on Zwift” announcement detailing key game features, Companion app updates, and hardware offerings releasing in the next few months. We’ve posted the complete press release below, and in the coming days will be diving into some of the announcements in more detail.

There’s lots to love here, so let’s get on to the big news…

Track Your Fitness Progress Using Zwift Companion App Whether RIding Indoors or Out

Plus, many more updates are landing This Season On Zwift, including new roads in France, HUD updates and Streak Flair

Zwift, the biggest training destination for cyclists worldwide, is excited to lift the lid on a host of Zwifter benefits launching This Season On Zwift. As seasons change across the globe, Zwift is better equipped than ever before to support Zwifters on their training and fitness journey.

Zwift Companion App is set to receive a significant update, allowing Zwifters to set weekly goals and track their fitness progress within the ecosystem for the first time. From April 8th, Zwift Companion gets a new look, bringing fitness metrics to the fore. Here, Zwifters will be able to set weekly goals, using the following metrics: Time, Distance, Calories, Stress Points, or Kilojoules. 

Zwifters will now be able to track their fitness progression with Zwift’s new training score. Training Score reflects your long-term cycling fitness by averaging your recent training load over time, combining both workout volume and intensity into a single, easy-to-understand daily number.

Additionally, Zwifters will also see a new Training Status indicator within the Zwift Companion app. Training Status reflects current training load by comparing long-term fitness (42 days) and short-term fatigue (7 days). Higher training loads build fitness, but it’s vital to balance this with recovery. Zwift Companion will indicate five levels of training status:

• Ready – Ready to start or return to Training
• Fresh – Active and ready for a challenge
• Productive – Consistently training and recovering well
• Overreaching – Training heavily but in need of more recovery. Rest weeks are essential for recovery and peak performance.
• Detraining – loss of fitness due to reduced training.

Outdoor now counts on Zwift! To provide the best training insights, Zwift Companion App will now ingest outdoor riding data from Garmin and Wahoo devices. Hammerhead compatibility is expected later in the summer. Zwifters will need to ensure they have enabled the correct permissions in the Zwift Connections portal. Once enabled, outdoor data will be pulled into Zwift Companion App to best inform Training Score and Training Status metrics. From launch, Zwifters will be able to scroll back through their previous history and view their weekly training record.

Rolling out later this summer, Zwift Companion will receive a second update that will enable Zwifters to track their fitness trends. Updated screens will allow Zwifters to dive deeper into individual metrics and track historical trends for their Training Score, Training Status and Weekly Streak.

To make things truly fun and Zwifty, paying Zwift members will earn additional XP for their outdoor rides, at a rate of 5XP per kilometre. Additionally, paying Zwift members can also keep their streaks alive with outdoor riding. 

Streaks have proven to be a popular feature since their introduction. Currently, 53% of active Zwifters have a 4-week streak or greater, and 9% have an active six-month streak – Ride On! For those with impressive streaks, there will now be the ability to show off to the rest of Watopia, through Streak Flair. Streak Flair can be toggled on in the ‘Fun Settings’ within the game menu. At four weeks, Zwifters unlock a Scotty medallion, 12 weeks secures a Scotty Key Chain, and 24 weeks will unlock a waving animated Scotty.

Launching Spring, the Zwift HUD will receive a number of updates, including one of the most requested features – splits! Enabled from the Zwift Action Bar, Zwifters can enable splits, providing lap functionality – perfect for manual interval training. Laps will display time, distance, average power and average heart rate. 

Additionally, Zwifters will also be able to toggle on a critical power display, allowing them to view peak 5sec, 60sec, 5min and 20min power.

The Configurable HUD, found in the top left, has been a favourite since launch. Zwifters now have a range of more advanced training metrics to choose from, including Power balance (L/R), Average w/kg, Average Speed, Weighted Power (WP) and Body Temp and Heat Strain Index (HSI), enabled by a new integration with CORE Body Temperature Sensors.

For Zwifters looking to explore, from April 7th they will have new roads to discover in the France map. New connecting roads now make the France map more explorable than ever before and include numerous cobbled sectors, just in time for Paris Roubaix Femmes avec Zwift! A new Route Chaser Challenge will be live in-game for Zwifters to explore the new routes and secure bonus XP for completion.

Ven-Top has also received a significant update, which is live now. Similar to Alpe du Zwift, Ven-Top now features timed segments in the HUD, helping Zwifters break the climb into manageable chunks. For those who make it to the top, the spinning reward wheel has also made the trip across from Alpe du Zwift, bringing greater reward for conquering such an epic challenge.

And there’s one more thing! Zwifters who wish to use differing crank lengths on their Zwift Ride now have the option to purchase adjustable cranks as an upgrade accessory. The Zwift Ride adjustable cranks provide five crank length options – 160/165/170/172.5/175. They will be available to purchase via Zwift.com from April 16th within the US, EU and UK for $99.99/€99.99/£99.99.

To find out more about This Season on Zwift visit zwift.com/this-season-on-zwift

Your Thoughts

What do you think of Zwift’s plans for the next few months? Share below!

It seems as though Zwift has been on a roll recently: first the 4th challenge, and now bike upgrades! Learn all about bike upgrades in this week’s top video.

We’re also highlighting videos about bike upgrades in ZRL, climbing Alpe du Zwift in under an hour, pre-season FTP tests, and tips and tricks on using Zwift as a beginner.

Got a Great Zwift Video?

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

Oakley has released new CYBR ZERO and CYBER DYNO glasses, both featuring a futuristic rimless design.

The new glasses are designed for cycling and other sports, with both utilising the technology we’ve come to expect from Oakley’s cycling sunglasses, including Unobtanium earsocks and Iridium lenses.

Oakley says the glasses have a functional fit that makes them compatible with a variety of faces and have been developed with weight savings in mind.

Both glasses share a similar style with the CYBR DYNO featuring a slightly larger lens.

The new CYBR glasses are available to buy now, with pricing for the CYBR ZERO starting at £158 and the CYBR DYNO starting at £168.

• Get ready for spring with a pair of 2025’s best cycling sunglasses

Rimless lineage

Oakley says the CYBR ZERO build on the rimless heritage of the brand’s Radar cycling glasses, with the design said to allow for weight savings with the lens used for the structure.

The glasses are available with Prizm lenses, which Oakley says enhance colour, contrast and detail.

• Buy the CYBR ZERO direct from Oakley

Ligature nose pads are used to secure the glasses alongside O Matter arms that see integrated Unobtainium earsocks.

The brand says its lenses are tested under extreme mass and high-velocity circumstances to provide protection against a wide range of demanding conditions.

• Buy the CYBR DYNO direct from Oakley

The Oakley CYBR ZERO frames are available in three colours: Polished Navy,  Polished White, Polished Black and Matte Iron Red, while the CYBER DYNO comes in Polished White, Matte Abyss, Matte Myst and Matte White.

Photochromic lenses can be specced, which change tint when exposed to UV light.

Tadej Pogačar, the men’s world road race champion, has just taken several prestigious Strava KOMs along the Paris-Roubaix course.

Ahead of his upcoming debut at the Queen of the Classics, Tadej Pogačar has been out training on the race’s infamous cobbled roads.

In a 212.96km training ride, posted to Strava yesterday, Pogačar rode from northern France to Belgium, averaging an impressive 37.6kph.

Along the way, Pogačar tackled many of Paris-Roubaix’s most feared sectuers, notching up record times on the five-star Mons-en-Pévèle and four-start Auchy-lez-Orchies à Bersée.

He even got a second-place trophy on the five-star Carrefour de l’Arbre, finishing just one second off Wout Van Aert’s KOM time from his third-place finish at the 2023 edition – the second-fastest edition of the race ever (behind last year’s race).

He finished his ride by reconing key climbs from this weekend’s Tour of Flanders, such as the Oude Kwaremont.

On this ride, he posted only his third-best time up that climb – though it’s a KOM he already holds from his winning ride at the 2023 edition of that race, so perhaps he didn’t feel a need to dig too deep at that point.

Either way, despite the help of a slight north-northeast tailwind of 25.4 km/h (which counts as a “moderate breeze”, according to the Beaufort Wind Force Scale), Pogačar must have been putting out some serious power on this ride.

That will come as no surprise to anyone who’s watched him race in recent years, of course.

It’s one thing to take a KOM while racing with a peloton and teammates, though, and another to take them while out on training rides – especially on famous roads (if you can call them that) such as these.

At the time of writing, for example, Mons-en-Pévèle has seen 39,168 attempts by 23,394 people.

One thing we don’t know, however, is what bike Pogačar used – his Strava file simply lists his bike as “Čolnago”.

The speed would suggest he used his Colnago Y1Rs aero bike, though given Colnago says that only has clearance for 30mm tyres – relatively small by modern Roubaix standards – might he have ridden a new V5Rs all-rounder instead?

This weekend’s Tour of Flanders should give us a taste of what to expect at the Hell of the North, but the dominant trend in recent years has been for riders to use their aero bikes with the biggest tyres they can squeeze in.

The question on everyone’s lips is whether Pogačar can repeat Matheiu Van Der Poel’s trick of winning the historic race in the rainbow jersey. Whatever bike he rides, then, it certainly seems like the legs won’t be an issue.

Yeti has unveiled a new special edition of its ASR cross-country bike as part of the brand’s 40th anniversary celebrations.

The bike features a forgotten historic livery of turquoise and grey, which adorned the bikes of Jimmy Deaton and Juli Furtado in the 90s.

The brand has celebrated previous anniversaries with bike releases, most recently its 35th with the ARC.

The new limited-edition frame is fully wireless, unlike the standard ASR, which features cable ports for use with mechanical groupsets.

Yeti has worked alongside other brands to give the 40th Anniversary ASR a fully custom spec list, resulting in plenty of nostalgic details.

A notable mention goes to the Fox 34 SL fork, which is painted to match the brand’s famous turquoise colourway and features silver hardware.

The fork has also been bumped up by 10mm compared to the standard ASR, now providing 130mm of travel.

Elsewhere, the Chris King and SRAM parts feature a 3D Violet theme, adding a retro feel to the bike.

Polished DT Swiss Revolite spokes are used in the wheelset, alongside 3D Violet hubs that will bring a sparkle to sunny days. Maxxis Forekaster tyres with turquoise hot patches are wrapped around the wheels.

Original moulds were located to revive the ODI Yeti grips, with metal wire neatly attached to keep them from wandering out of place.

The bike is available for purchase, with Yeti making only 200 examples, priced at £13,999 / $13,900.

There’s little else to say about the bike other than we’re big fans of this retro-inspired special edition, so we’ll let the photos below do the rest.

Shockless rear suspension, a 100mm suspension fork, 2.4-inch tyre clearance and geometry you might find on a hardtail mountain bike – could the new Lee Cougan Innova Super Gravel point the way for cutting-edge gravel bike design?

Well, the bike’s designers seem to think so. The questions behind the development of the Innova Super Gravel were: ‘Has your gravel bike ever held you back from going further?’, ‘What is a wrong trail if your bike can handle anything?’ and ‘Why not choose a bike that can do it all?’.

The new Lee Cougan Innova Super Gravel comes as a full build priced at €5,299 / $5,899 or a frame kit for €2,799 / $3,299.

Suspension without a shock

The Innova’s back end follows soft-tail designs such as the Cannondale Topstone, Basso Tera and Specialized Diverge STR by utilising suspension without a shock unit.

Instead, the Innova combines tapered carbon chainstays that are designed to flex, with a pair of oil-filled pistons to dampen the energy acting on the frame over rough ground.

The patent-pending system, named ISS, is claimed to offer the smoothness of a shock unit without the weight penalty. The frameset is said to weigh 1.2kg in a medium size, including the ISS damping system.

Lee Cougan first used the ISS system on its marathon-focused Rampage Innova mountain bike, although that version relies more on its carbon leaf spring as opposed to the addition of flexible stays on the Innova Super Gravel.

Frame details

The Innova has full internal routing via an Acros headset, two bottle cage mounts, further mounts on the top tube and under the down tube, a steerer lock system by Acros, and most tellingly a 148mm Boost rear triangle.

Making the Innova Super Gravel geared up for a wide range of 29-inch wheels opens a whole world of race-ready mountain bike tyre choices.

Full-suspension gravel

Full-suspension in gravel isn’t a new concept. I first reported on Taiwanese brand A-Pro’s full-sus gravel machine back in 2017.

Since then, we’ve had the Niner MCR and the Cannondale Topstone Lefty. The Innova Super Gravel, however, is the first to embrace a full-length travel mountain bike fork instead of a short-travel gravel-specific fork.

• Best gravel suspension forks

Go-anywhere geometry

The Innova Super Gravel’s geometry follows on from that of the Ridley Ignite GTX, Nukeproof Digger RS and Santa Cruz Stigmata in taking its inspiration from mountain bikes.

It has a 69-degree head angle matched to a 73-degree seat angle, long 428mm chainstays, a long reach, tall stack and short stem. The front end is designed to work with a 100mm mountain bike XC suspension fork.

The tyre clearance of up to 2.4in matches the current trend among gravel racers of using larger-volume (mountain bike) tyres.

This takes us back to the early days of gravel, when monstercross bikes with huge 650b clearances found favour. It’s having this sort of clearance on larger 700c or 29in wheels that sets the new Lee Cougan bikes apart.

Racing pedigree

The Innova Super Gravel has been trialled by multiple-Traka winner, fifth-place finisher at Unbound 2024 and current Life Time Grand Prix rider Mattia De Marchi, who rode the Innova in the 2024 Atlas Mountain Race.

Is it just a mountain bike with drop bars?

You could certainly argue that’s the case, much like the new Ridley Ignite GTX or the Scott Scale GR, which even goes so far as keeping a flat bar (although it has a rigid fork). Perhaps this is a fad, or it could show the future of gravel bikes, at least for ultra-distance gravel event racers.

Could we be witnessing yet another division in gravel bike design that sees lightweight racers for UCI gravel, burly bikepacking bikes and suspension-equipped do-it-all bikes such as this?

Lee Cougan Innova Super Gravel spec and price details

Full build

• Frame: Toray T700 carbon fibre 1K+3K+Ud, integrated cable routing, press-fit 92x41mm, DI2-compatible, tapered head tube, Boost 148mm
• Fork: Fox Factory Kashima 32, 100mm with lockout
• Groupset: SRAM GX Eagle Transmission, SRAM Rival levers
• Brakes: 160mm Galfer
• Stem: Woz Alpha -20°, 80 mm
• Handlebar: Basso Carbon Gravel 440 c/c
• Wheels: Microtech RK25
• Seatpost: FSA KFX 27.2, 0mm offset
• Saddle: San Marco Ground

Frame kit

• Frame: Toray T700 carbon fibre 1K+3K+Ud, integrated cable routing, press-fit 92x41mm, DI2-compatible, tapered head
• Headset: Acros internal routing headset
• Stem: Woz Alpha -20°, 80 mm

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

Hunt has updated its alloy Enduro wheelset, now in its third iteration, unveiling a fresh pair of hoops built to be more resistant to damage and as durable as possible.

Front- and rear-specific rims have been developed to perform specific duties, while they’re hand-built around a new hub that’s said to have a quick, but not too quick, pick-up and fast-rolling bearings.

The new Hunt Enduro V3 wheels will retail for £499 / $649 / €599.

Testing, testing

While Hunt isn’t alone in using plenty of high-tech tools (and some much lower-tech ones, too), more than two years of work has gone into developing the new wheelset.

146 hours of FEA analysis were initially spent on the process. This Finite Element Analysis uses computer programming to analyse the theoretical impact of forces and vibrations on a structure, enabling Hunt to tweak designs via the computer model, without needing to spend time and money building multiple prototypes.

This enabled the brand to remove non-structural material from the rims’ walls, enabling it to balance strength and performance metrics.

From there, physical prototypes could be tested on rolling roads and through impact testing to finalise the design.

Rolling roads give longer-term durability reports, while impact tests, carried out at a 15-degree angle to the rim, enabled the brand to analyse the strength of the rim walls, giving more MTB-realistic data.

Hunt also performed competitor analysis, purchasing other mountain bike wheelsets to compare the wheels to.

Added to this lab testing was the use of a new alloy – G609 – in the rims. This material is said to have 30% more tensile strength than Al 6061 – a commonly used rim material.

When shot-peened, the finished rim should be even tougher, because this process reinforces the strength of the rim surfaces.

The result of this is Hunt claims the Enduro V3 wheels are more resistant to impacts, with the first sign of damage (non-catastrophic rim failure) showing from impacts 20 Joules higher than with the V2 wheels – a 20% improvement.

Hunt’s new Enduro V3 rims

So what are Hunt’s new rims like?

The front rim has a shallower, wider profile than the rear, coming in at 31.5mm wide internally.

This gives tyres a broader form, improving compliance and comfort at the front of the bike.

At the back, there’s a narrower, more V-shaped rim profile, which makes it more resistant to impacts – an additional 20 Joules of force compared to the front for the same level of damage.

In addition to this, the builds differ at the front and rear.

The front wheels are built with 28 spokes, for a lighter, more compliant build. Further back, 32 spokes are used to bolster strength and stiffness.

The rim profile includes Hunt’s ‘H-Lock’ bead seat to help make using tubeless tyres easy. Tyres lock into the rim with ease, according to Hunt.

H-Ratchet XL hubs

Joining the new rims is a refreshed set of hubs, which are central to the story.

Key to this is the new H-Ratchet XL 40T DBL freehub, which has a 9-degree pickup.

This places it between wider, generally 12-degree pickups found on more budget wheelsets, and the super-quick around 3-degree freehubs found on high-end wheels.

In our eyes, this 9-degree pick-up feels like the best of both worlds – it’s snappy, without exacerbating any issues from chain growth and the resultant pedal kickback.

The freehub has a 40-tooth double-ratchet ring system.

The hub shells are constructed from CNC’d 6066-T6 aluminium, with a six-bolt rotor mount and a broad 17mm-wide 7075-T6 axle for a stiff core to the hub.

They spin on Enduro ABEC 5 bearings, with labyrinth seals to keep the muck out.

Brass nipples, stainless steel nipple washers and triple-butted, black-anodised alloy Sandvik spokes complete the build.

Hunt Enduro V3 wheelset options

The new wheelset is Boost width spacing only (110x15mm front, 148x12mm rear), but both HG and XD freehub drivers are offered.

Being a 2025 wheelset, a mullet, or MX, option (29in front, 27.5in rear) is of course offered from the factory, as well as both 29in and 27.5in options.

Claimed weights for the wheelsets, which come taped and with tubeless valves included, are:

• 29in pair: 2,096g
• 27.5in pair: 2,022g
• Mullet/MX pair: 2,057g

If you ever want to feel completely out of your element, become a chubby mediocre cyclist and then head to Mallorca to participate in a high-end cycling event. That is a picture of the battle in my head these last few weeks as I gear up for Zwift Community Live 2025 in Mallorca. 

Back in November I first heard of the event and as the wife of Mr ZwiftInsider (who was jumping at the chance to go) I was very happy to jump back on my bike and start training. I’ve been off my bike for maybe a year. The reason? Your guess is as good as mine. 

I decided to start training with 3 rides a week, only 20 minutes per ride. I knew if I started with too high a goal each week I’d be quick to quit. The plan was to increase that time by 10% each week until I was riding around an hour each ride. Then I’d add either time or another day.

About 2 months before the event I was putting in good time and distance (I felt like a beginner again, but not for too long). I saw on the ZC app the minimum ability was listed as being able to do 75 km at 25 km per hour. Not a problem, if I was doing that once. But there would be 3 days of riding. Could I do that 3 days in a row? We shall see. 

Two weeks before the event I was riding in my office as Eric walked by the door. He must have seen a look on my face as he came in to see what was going on. I started crying (not recommended while riding, by the way). I had seen the Strava events posted for these outdoor rides. The first small ride was 60km with 480m of climb. “I’m going to disappoint you. I’m going to make someone stay back with me as I’ll be so slow. They’ll be bored and disappointed. What am I doing? Mallorca is where cyclists dream to go. I’ve never dreamt it. I feel like an imposter.” I stopped riding. Eric, being the amazing man he is, told me he had no expectations of me. He didn’t care if I decided not to ride even. He just wants me at the event with him. No pressure, no expectation. The heavy burden fell off my shoulders. 

Nine days before the event Eric and I rode outdoors. After an hour we realized I’d planned we’d ride 50km, he planned we’d ride 50 miles. Oops. We ended up riding 44 miles, I barely limped back hitting a small wall around mile 40. My bike handling was crap, we rode in the rain, but I was happy to have finally been outside. I had two more days of riding before we hit the road so I spent that time just doing laps in front of our house clipping in, unclipping, turning around in a bit of gravel, looking over my shoulder without swerving, etc. 

We finally started leg one of the journey, beginning with 3 days in South Carolina seeing Eric’s family. Leg two was 3 glorious days in the Girona, Spain area seeing our dear friend Simon Schofield and his amazing wife Jenny. 

We finally made it to leg 3 of the trip and arrived in Mallorca last night for Zwift Community Live 2025. As an “average” cyclist I know I’m atypical in that I’m married to Mr ZwiftInsider and have a bit of privilege (like showing up early to the event). But my legs and my knowhow of cycling (especially outdoors) puts me firmly in the “average” category. And so here I sit in the lobby of the beautiful Iberostar Playa de Muro Village hotel watching Zwifters check in, wondering who else is battling their thoughts of where they’ll stack up during the three IRL rides. I’m sure it’s more people than I guessed. But I do know that we’re all here to have fun, this isn’t a race! And for once, it really isn’t a race. 

Stay tuned. I’ll let you know how it goes!

Zwift version 1.87 begins its phased rollout today. This release includes a new “Streak Flair” feature to reward consistent work, upgrades to the Ven-Top climb, and more…

Note: I’m at Simon Schofield’s home in Spain as a stopover on my way to Mallorca for Zwift Community Live, so this post may be a bit light on details. If you see additional changes beyond what I’ve noted below, please comment!

Streak Flair with Scotty

Ride Streaks were added to the game in December 2023 as a way to motivate Zwifters to train regularly on the platform. Today’s update adds what Zwift is calling “Streak Flair”: a visual upgrade to our avatars that changes based on the length of your ride streak.

What is the visual upgrade, exactly? Well, it turns out that yesterday’s April Fools Scotty was actually a sneak peek at a new game feature. Our jersey pocket can now be filled with a bit of Scotty flare:

• Level 1 (4 weeks): the first bit of flair is a pocket Scotty medal when your streak hits 4 weeks. (You’ll keep this flair until you reach 12 weeks.)
• Level 2 (12 weeks): the medal is upgraded to a keychain Scotty peeking out of your pocket.
• Level 3 (24 weeks): animated Scotty! Now your pocket companion moves with a fun animation. This Scotty will stay with you as long as you hold onto your streak from here on out.

Important note: at launch, everyone’s Streak Flair will default to being turned OFF. You’ll need to select FUN from the Settings screen to show your flair.

Ventoux Upgrades: Sections and Spinner

Zwift’s release notes say, “… the Ven-Top route now includes a HUD display mirroring the Grade’s climb experience with 10 equidistant sections highlighted on screen. Additionally, when you summit this epic climb, you’ll now receive the Alpe du Zwift spinner!”

This is a welcome upgrade. Ventoux is the longest climb in game (apart from a handful of climb portals), yet it has always lacked the segments and spinner that help make Alpe du Zwift a more attractive climb. I predict we’ll see increased traffic on Zwift’s Ventoux KOM in the coming days.

Release Notes

Zwift provided notes on additional tweaks and bug fixes in this update:

• Standardized the look and feel of scrollbars throughout the game.
• Fixed an issue that could cause an incorrect value to be shown in the Weekly Goal Met in-game banner.
• Improved the reliability of The Zwift Big Spin reward spinner.
• Fixed an issue that could cause a Zwifter’s kit to revert to the default Zwift kit after leaving a group ride or event.
• Enabled more detailed 3D lighting on newer Apple devices and Windows machines with dedicated GPUs.
• Improved an issue that could cause intermittent shadows to flicker on Zwifter avatars in some conditions.
• Android: Improved readability and usability of form input fields (login, profile settings, custom workout editor on tablets, etc.).

Discuss this update in Zwift’s forum > (link coming soon)

Questions or Comments?

If you spotted any other changes or bugs in the update, please comment below!

Tired of proprietary chargers? If, like me, you yearn for a simpler life without hunting for specific chargers for specific devices, through a tangled mess of cables, sit up and take note. Ampler has introduced the world’s first commercially available electric bike charged via USB-C.

The Estonian brand, known for its city-chic electric bikes, has introduced the Nova, with the integrated battery charged via a USB-C port.

Until now, electric bikes have been given their power by proprietary chargers specific to the motor and battery system.

The Nova, Ampler says, can be charged with a regular USB-C laptop charger – and the same USB-C port can also be used to charge your smartphone (or any other USB-C device) by using the bike as a power bank, if you’re short of juice in a pinch.

Ampler’s chief technology officer, Kristjan Maruste, says the brand first started thinking about USB-C ebike charging in 2020, but it’s taken a few years for charging technology to catch up.

Ampler’s direct-to-consumer bikes are made in Europe. With USB-C standardised as the mandatory charging port by the European Parliament in October 2022, in a bid to reduce waste and improve consumer convenience, it’s little surprise to see a smart-thinking ebike brand – Ampler in this case – move to USB-C.

The EU’s regulations required a range of new devices – including smartphones, headphones and cameras – to use USB-C by the end of 2024, with laptops required to follow by 2026. Electric bikes are not specifically covered by the regulations.

The Nova uses a 48V 336Wh battery – relatively small by ebike standards. It requires a charger operating at 140 watts to charge the battery from empty to full in three hours and offers 50-100km of range, Ampler claims. Ampler sells its own charger separately, if you need one. The battery isn’t removable, apart from for servicing.

Two models are available: the Nova and the Nova Pro.

The €2,990 / £2,990 Ampler Nova has a nine-speed Microshift drivetrain, while the €3,490 / £3,490 Ampler Nova Pro comes with either a 10-speed Shimano Deore or a singlespeed Gates Carbon CDX belt-driven drivetrain.

Both bikes have a kickstand and the Nova Pro also gains a rear rack (optional on the Nova).

Ampler is now taking pre-orders for riders in the UK, EU and Switzerland, with shipping from June.

See zwiftinsider.com/route/neon-after-party/