A year ago, Alison Cremins’ didn’t even own a bike. She had no idea what an FTP was, thought a bib was for babies, and had never heard of drafting. Fast forward to today, and she’s racing in the Zwift Racing League (ZRL), setting ambitious climbing goals, and even leading Cryo-Gen group rides!
This is the story of how sheer determination, structured training, and an incredible community helped Alison go from complete beginner to competitive racer in under a year.
A Humble Beginning – February to April 2024
Alison first dipped her toes into Zwift using a spin bike, just to see what the cycling side of the platform was all about. It didn’t take long for her to realize she wanted the full experience. In April, she made the leap, investing in a Wahoo KICKR Core and a Cannondale road bike, marking the true start of her cycling journey.
Early Struggles and a Mission to Improve – April to July
Like most new riders, Alison started with badge hunting and basic workouts before venturing into group rides. Sub-2 rides at 1.5 w/kg became her training ground, teaching her the dynamics of group riding, cadence, and pacing.
One of her first challenges came in May, when she tried a Cryo-Gen Tempo Thursday ride (1.8-2.5 w/kg) and got dropped. Instead of getting discouraged, she set herself a goal: increase her FTP and come back stronger. Over the next few months, Alison pushed herself out of her comfort zone, tackling more climbs, sprinting at every opportunity, and immersing herself in Zwift videos to learn tactics like drafting and pack positioning.
Two months later, she returned to a Cryo-Gen Endurance ride and finished strong. It was a turning point – clear proof that her hard work was paying off.
Building Strength and Unlocking the Tron – August to November
By August, Alison was riding at least five times a week, joining nearly every Cryo-Gen ride. The structured variation of Tempo, Endurance, and social rides helped her keep training fun and effective. She also gained confidence to try her first race – securing 4th place in her debut event!
During this period, Alison also took on one of Zwift’s ultimate climbing challenges: unlocking the Tron bike. Over six climbs up Alpe du Zwift, she shaved 20 minutes off her time, dropping from 90 minutes to 70 minutes.
From Long Distances to Racing – December to January
December saw Alison pushing her limits further, completing her first 100-mile ride on Zwift – an achievement that left her feeling stronger than ever. Her confidence in racing was also growing. She entered another event, stayed with the pack until the finish, and placed 6th. The next step was clear: it was time to join Cryo-Gen’s racing team.
Taking on ZRL – February and Beyond
With her growing fitness and race experience, Alison joined Zwift Racing League (ZRL) – starting with a Team Time Trial (TTT) and her first ZRL points race. She quickly discovered just how intense ZRL can be, but she embraced the challenge, eager to keep improving.
Beyond racing, Alison has started helping lead Cryo-Gen group rides, giving back to the community that helped her get to this level. She is also focused on hitting her next major target: a sub-60-minute Alpe du Zwift climb. To get there, she’s increasing the intensity of her training, working on sprinting, and incorporating strength training to build more power on the bike.
A Life-Changing Journey
In less than a year, Alison has gone from someone who did not even own a bike to a dedicated Zwift racer, group ride leader, and integral part of the Cryo-Gen family. The transformation has been more than just physical – she has gained confidence, made incredible friends, and even convinced her husband and brother to join Zwift!
Alison’s journey is a perfect example of what is possible with consistency, a strong support system, and the willingness to push past limits. From struggling to keep up in group rides to holding her own in races, her story is truly inspiring.
We can’t wait to see what she achieves next! Sub-60 Alpe? More race podiums? Watch this space.
So I was riding the PRL Full this past Sunday, and saw a few others attempting the route. (All who were on there, I hope you finished, and huge kudos if you did!)
This was my fifth time riding it (don’t ask, I’m not right in the head), so I thought I’d share what has helped me. Here are my top 7 tips for finishing London’s PRL Full route, which at 173km (107.5 miles) is the longest route in Zwift.
#1: Pace Yourself
It’s not a race, but it takes about two laps to settle into pace. If you go too hard, just ease off for the remaining laps.
This descent is long enough to get extra fluids, eat a small snack, or run to the bathroom. If you ride this solo, this descent is your best option for taking rest breaks.
Time yourself each lap (there is a counter on each of your laps as you near the banner). You may get slower each lap, but if you’re consistent, the times should be fairly close. My goal was under 29 minutes each lap.
#5: Fight Mental Fatigue
This route is basically hill repeats 11 times, so I make a good playlist that keeps me motivated. Watch a movie, play an audiobook, or just jam out.
#6: Smart Powerups
You’ll get two powerups per lap – one at the start of the lap, and one at the top of Box Hill. If you get a feather at the top of Box Hill, use it on the small riser just up the road, or the Escalator out of the Underground. If you’re feeling tired, a feather may be just the boost you need at the steep 8% section near the start of Box Hill.
Use the aero powerup on either the Box Hill descent (if you’re not resting) or on flat or downhill sections of the London Loop, as it helps most when you’re moving fastest.
The box truck (draft boost) powerup is useless if riding solo, so waste or trash it.
#7: Fueling
I can’t stomach much while riding, so my fuel consisted of GU gels, Stroopwafels, Gatorade, Reese’s Cups, and Coca-Cola (not all at once). These are my go-tos for long rides, but everyone is different, so find what works for you and go with it. Timing, again, depends on your body, which you know better than I do.
Final Thoughts
What if you’re not successful? Um, don’t worry about it! It’s a tough route, physically and mentally, so dust yourself off and try again!
I hope these tips help more Zwifters tackle this route, as I understand it’s quite intimidating for some. Don’t be scared, y’all got this! Ride on.
I vEverested on Friday, May 23rd. While preparing, I consulted various resources, including the Zwift Insider posts from Ron Chatfield and Tim Perkin. These testimonials helped me understand what I was facing, and now that I’ve completed the challenge, I want to share my experience with the community to help others prepare for their epic vEverestings.
But First, the Numbers
Time: 12:03:05
Elevation: 8888 m
Distance: 213.18 km
Route: Road to Sky
Segment: Alpe du Zwift
Laps: 8.5
Average Ascent Speed: 10.5 km/h
Average Descent Speed: 66.1 km/h
Average Ascent Power: 188 w
Normalize Ascent Power: 189 w
Average Ascent Heart Rate: 121 bpm
Average Ascent Cadence: 84 rpm
TSS: 489
Work: 7047 kJ
Weight: 71.4 kg
FTP: 4 w/kg
Height: 180 cm
Carbohydrates In: 873 g
Sodium In: 9199 mg
Calories In: 4563 kcal
Getting Started
After a few weeks of consideration, I scheduled the ride for Friday, May 23rd. Leading up to the day, I secured my nutrition and configured my pain cave/battle station for the event, trying not to overthink the challenge ahead.
I didn’t adjust my training schedule in advance of the attempt and still raced with my TTT team the day before the event (go CRYO-GEN Kestrels). Early Friday morning, I set out. Here are my observations.
Initial Preparation
I’m a data nerd. As such, I was at home researching and planning my vEverest attempt. I consulted first-hand reports, compared segment data, and quickly decided to use Road to Sky and Alpe du Zwift for the ride. After running the numbers through Everesting’s lap calculator, I settled on a 12-hour target time. I prefer to train early in the morning, but your chronotype will ultimately determine your optimal ride schedule. I scheduled my attempt for 4 am, intending to have an early dinner.
The Day Before
I assembled my nutrition and set up an extra table next to my trainer to house the goods. I completed a full video weigh-in, updated my weight in Zwift, set the trainer difficulty to 100% according to Everesting rules, and took screenshots and photos of each step in Zwift’s settings.
This is a good time to optimize your virtual gears, as trainer difficulty will change the feel of the ascents. Also, hit the garage and equip your fastest climbing bike and wheels! I used the S-Works Aethos and Zipp 353 NSW wheels.
The Day Of
I woke up an hour early, but otherwise maintained my routine. Wake, dress, eat, stretch, and train. After logging on and taking a few more pictures, I started out, quickly realizing I needed to adjust my gearing further. After that hiccup, I started my watch and was off at 4:17 am. My pace for ascents one through three was hot and likely unsustainable. This was entirely avoidable, but I settled into a sustainable pace by lap four, which I maintained until lap nine.
I utilized each descent to get off the bike, eat real food, refill hydration, change kit, and bio break. Use these rests wisely, but do not let your guard down. I avoided sitting down and used the time strictly to prepare for the next ascent. Time your first descent so you can return to the bike before your avatar passes the segment start line. Be aware of the limitations of your watch and heart rate monitor as you leave your training area. Consider leaving them behind to prevent disconnects from your trainer and Zwift device.
After completing the vEveresting, I straightened up my pain cave and headed for the shower. I consistently fueled during the ride and wasn’t hungry, but I happily ate a massive burrito, then retired to the couch with my laptop to pore over my data.
The Next Day
I returned to my usual routine: wake, dress, eat, stretch, and train. The legs felt okay, all things considered, and 90 minutes of zone 1 got things loosened up. My only other activity for the day was resting, eating, and walking after meals. While not fully recovered, by the end of the day, I was ready to lead my Sunday morning 2-hour Cat C group ride (go Team CRYO-GEN).
Environment
Optimizing your environment will help you be more efficient and comfortable for such a long session on a trainer. Familiarize yourself with your training area so you know what time to close the shades and block the afternoon sun. Make a reminder to adjust the HVAC to prevent the space from becoming too hot or humid. Adjust the lighting to prevent glare, darkness, or other distracting conditions. Check the condition of your fans and add more if needed. Stock your training area with clean towels and sweatbands.
Nutrition
This will make or break your ride. Stick with familiar foods that you’re comfortable with and do not cause you digestive or GI issues. Fuel early and often. Set up a dedicated table for on-bike nutrition where everything is easily accessible. The goal is to reduce friction and encourage fueling, as you may not feel like eating. Supplement your water with electrolytes and hydrate consistently throughout the session. As with food, stick with known brands that do not cause you issues. Consider pre-hydrating with electrolytes before you begin your attempt.
Hardware
Some tips to ensure your hardware functions smoothly throughout your vEverest attempt:
Update your Zwift devices, head units, watches, and tech well in advance of your vEverest attempt.
Allow plenty of time to establish a secure connection between your trainer, Zwift device, head unit, watch, and heart rate monitor. Make a test ride or two prior to starting your attempt to ensure that all devices are communicating with reliable connections.
Address any bike, trainer, rocker plate, or shoe maintenance well ahead of your ride.
Dial in your physical or virtual gears before your attempt. The 100% trainer difficulty setting will impact the feel of the ascent. Get comfortable with your updated gearing before you set out.
Set up a charger for your phone and wireless headphones.
If running Zwift on a tablet or phone, ensure your charger is powerful enough to charge the device while it is running Zwift.
Zwift Features
Zwift launched the new lap feature the week of my vEveresting. The lap counter was an outstanding tool, and I was able to launch a new lap at the start of each ascent. Initially, I planned to reset the lap counter at the beginning and end of each ascent, but I quickly forgot to reset it at the top of the mountain and decided to log each complete lap instead. Combined with the segment timer HUD elements, the lap counter made it easy to compare average power, heart rate, and time.
vEveresting also provided an outstanding opportunity to upgrade my S-Works Aethos climbing bike. Ahead of the ride, I noted the elevation thresholds for each upgrade level and used them as milestones during the session. When I hit an upgrade, I quickly stopped, hit the drop shop, and purchased the upgrade. This routine was motivational, and I was able to upgrade from level 0 to level 3 by lap 8!
The HoloReplay ghost is the MVP of a ride with repeating segments. Once you’ve established a sustainable pace, your ghost will escort you up the mountain on the next lap. If you pace yourself to the ghost, you can hit consistent lap times with little effort. Be aware of chasing a fast ghost and know when to fold and let the ghost ride ahead. The sunk cost fallacy is real, and it’s easy to attempt to maintain the unsustainable pace from your previous lap.
Kit
Bib selection is paramount for a ride this long. Use your best-fitting, most comfortable bibs, and plan to swap them at least once during the ride. I changed my bibs, shirt, and socks after lap four and felt like a new person. Consider swapping to a different model or style of bibs when you change. A slightly different fit may help prevent hot spots caused by impedance mismatches between your bibs and anatomy.
Training
A strong level of base fitness is necessary for vEveresting. Consider long ERG mode training sessions in zones 2 and 3. There is no coasting up the mountain, and if you stop or slow pedaling, you will stop moving. ERG mode helps train you to maintain steady and consistent power, which is crucial for this attempt.
Pets
Ensure you have a feeding, walking, and care plan in place for your pets. Make sure that they are comfortable while you suffer on your ride.
Support
While it’s more challenging to take on this attempt unsupported, it’s entirely possible. If possible, schedule your ride for a day when family or friends are available to assist. I rode unsupported until the very end when my beautiful wife brought home burritos. Consider coordinating with your Zwift team, who will provide moral support during your ride. I kept my attempt a secret until one of my teammates noticed me online with 200 km clocked and rallied the team for an all-out ride-on assault. This gesture helped me in the end.
Conclusion
vEveresting was the hardest thing I’ve done on a bike, indoors or out. It put my endurance to the test but resulted in a deep feeling of accomplishment that I’m sure won’t come from anywhere else. A massive thank you to the community for the content that helped me plan the event and Team CRYO-GEN for motivation and props. Hopefully, this article will help others in the future. Be well and ride on!
It has a SRAM UDH to fit SRAM’s 13-speed groupsets. Annika Langvad
The bike Langvad posted to Instagram has a SRAM UDH (Universal Derailleur Hanger. The current Diverge can’t run SRAM Transmission. But with more gravel bikes adopting UDH, it’s no surprise to see Specialized use the hanger, especially because it allows riders to use the 13-speed SRAM Red XPLR.
Elsewhere, the bike has three mounting points on each fork blade. The current Diverge only has two mounts on the fork blades, but the additional mount will allow you to fit a carrying cage.
The bike features three mounting points on he fork blades.
This detail could be borrowed from the Diverge STR. The bike launched three years ago and Specialized called it the “most capable Diverge ever”. Alongside its novel rear suspension system, the bike featured three mounts on its fork blades. The new Diverge also appears to have fender mounts, another detail it shares with the STR.
The bike has also retained its Specialized Future Shock front suspension. The gravel racer and former MTB World Champion Langvad’s posts show at least one externally routed cable, and the current Future shock design prevents any internal cable routing.
Another difference at the front end is the aero-profile handlebar. Although this could be a matter of rider preference or a minor modification to the Diverge’s specifications, it is another indication that Specialised may have a new bike in the works.
The bike appears to retain Specialized’s Future Shock front suspension. Annika Langvad
There are few other discernible differences with the current Diverge, but the top tube slopes more dramatically and the fork crown appears to be wider, which suggests a greater tyre clearance on this bike.
The Diverge STR has been a fixture at Unbound Gravel in recent years.
If you follow gravel racing tech, you’ll probably be asking about Specialized’s other gravel bikes at this point.
Specialized’s pro athletes often race on the Specialized Crux. Langvad used the Crux at this year’s Traka 200 where she finished third.
The Diverge STR has also become a fixture at Unbound Gravel. The STR’s rear suspension provides an easier ride over Unbound’s long, demanding course. Geerike Schreurs finished second in the women’s race last year using the bike.
The fact that Langvad is trialling a different bike in the run-up to Unbound is another clue that this could be a new Diverge.
Unbound Gravel runs from May 29 to June 1. The flagship 200-mile event takes place on Saturday 31 May.
The race organizers at SISU have just announced the SISU Scramble – a twice-a-week series where the midweek race (on Tuesdays) is an individual time trial while the Saturday event is a road race.
Every scramble is a difficult or hurried clamber up, over, or around something. With three General Classifications (iTT only, Road Race only, and Overall for those racing all scrambles) there is something for everyone.
Specialized has released two aluminium additions to its Turbo Levo 4 electric mountain bike line-up, dropping the entry-level price while still featuring the same 3.1 Motor, battery and geometry as the recently-released carbon Turbo Levo 4.
The new bikes also feature a lower spec level than the carbon counterparts, with the US brand said to be “offering a more attainable option without sacrificing performance”.
The base Levo 4 model uses Marzocchi suspension, while the Levo 4 Comp uses a Fox 38 Rhythm fork and the co-developed Fox Float GENIE rear shock first seen on the Stumpjumper 15.
Prices start at £5,199 for the Turbo Levo 4 Alloy, while the Levo 4 Alloy Comp is priced at £5,999 (international pricing TBA).
For comparison, the carbon-framed bikes start at £6,799 / $7,999 for the Levo 4 Comp.
We were big fans of the S-Works Levo 4 when we tested it, awarding it 4.5 stars, so it’s hard to see this being far off the mark.
The same, but different
Specialized has shared the 3.1 Motor with the Alloy version. Specialized
The 3.1 Motor, as specced on the carbon Levo 4, is used on the new alloy bike.
While not sharing the same punchiness as the S-Works variant, it’s still competitive compared to the competition.
There was controversy when the Turbo Levo 4 launched, with only the S-Works model receiving 111Nm of torque and 720W of peak power, while the motor in the rest of the range (including these Alloy options) comes with 101Nm of torque and 666W. Justin Sullivan / Specialized
Alongside the motor, the 840Wh batter is carried over, which Specialized says gives an average of 5.3 hours of ride time when combined with a 280Wh aftermarket Range Extender.
Controlling the system is Specialized’s Mastermind TCU screen. This is embedded into the top tube, and enables you to cycle through modes and see key performance metrics and range estimations.
The geometry of the electric mountain bike is also carried over from its carbon siblings. This includes the adjustability seen on the carbon model, which is said to enable riders to fine-tune their geometry for a personalised ride.
The head angle sits at 64.5 degrees as stock, but can be adjusted by 1 degree in either direction using cups in the headset.
All the same geometry adjustments remain. Specialized
You can also run the bike with a 29in rear wheel, or with a 27.5in mullet setup.
The only difference, Specialized says, is the frame material, which instead of using the brand’s Fact carbon fibre, uses its premium M5 Alloy.
Unlike some brands, Specialized has managed to keep its internal frame storage with the Alloy model, with its signature SWAT box featuring on the downtube and able to carry spares such as multi-tools and tubes.
The bikes continues to use a 160mm fork up front, with 150mm of rear travel.
The GENIE shock is said to give a coil-like feel. Specialized
If you’re looking for a similar ride to the carbon-framed bikes, the Levo 4 Alloy Comp uses the same GENIE shock technology.
The GENIE system uses two air springs to create a flatter spring curve, which gives it a more coil-like feel as you move through the stroke.
For the first 70 per cent of the travel, both air chambers are open.
Close in on that last 30 per cent, though, and the GENIE band slides over and closes a port to the outer chamber, reducing the volume dramatically and creating a nice, progressive ramp up right where you need it most.
5 key things every rider needs to know about gravel bike handlebars
Wider is (usually) better off-road: Gravel bars are typically wider than road bars for increased control on rough terrain and more space for bikepacking bags
Flared drops boost stability: Flared handlebars – wider in the drops than at the hoods – can help improve stability when descending or riding technical trails
Shape matters: Gravel bars come in varied shapes, including ergonomic and alternative designs (like the Canyon Grail or Jones H-Bar) to suit comfort, control, and packing needs
Material trade-offs: Alloy bars are durable and affordable, while carbon bars offer more vibration damping but at a higher price and with added fragility
Accessory compatibility is key: Consider space and mounting options for lights, GPS units, bells, and dropper levers when choosing your handlebar setup
What handlebars do you need for gravel riding?
Gravel bike handlebar width explained
A wide handlebar gives extra control when riding off-road. Richard Baybutt
Typically, when choosing road bike handlebars, you’ll select a size proportional to your shoulder width as a starting point.
It’s an inexact science, and some riders may prefer a narrower handlebar (and others a wider bar), but it’s a good starting point.
However, when road cyclists switch over to try gravel bikes, it’s fairly common for them to size up. For example, if you usually ride a 40cm bar on the road, then a 42cm bar on your gravel bike could work well.
This additional width gives a little extra control when riding off-road. Generally speaking, the more technical the riding, the more riders tend to prefer a wider drop bar, with brands such as Curve, Salsa and Ritchey offering handlebars up to a whopping 60cm wide.
Besides giving a better ride over rougher, steeper terrain, these wider bars also provide a lot more space up front for handlebar bags when you’re bikepacking.
Narrow bars are popular on road racing bikes, but not everyone loves them for gravel bikes. Russell Burton / Our Media
That said, narrower handlebars may be favoured by gravel racers, or those simply prefer the feel of a narrow bar.
Flared gravel bike handlebars
Flare can be subtle or extreme. Scott Windsor / Our Media
Measuring wider on the drops than at the hoods, flared bars are a popular choice on a typical gravel bike setup.
They give a wider, more stable position in the drops, which comes in handy on rougher terrain and when descending, and also provide a little more space between the drops for luggage.
Flared bars vary in shape and degree of flare, from very subtle angles to the extreme.
For a moderate flare, try starting with an angle of 12 to 16 degrees, such as on the PRO Discover Gravel Bar.
Some more progressive designs will give an altered shifter position as well as wider drops, so it’s best to try before you buy if you can. They’re not for everyone and can negatively affect the ergonomics of shifters.
Gravel bike handlebar shape
The double handlebar of the Canyon Grail was one of the most unusual gravel bars. Wayne Reid / Our Media
Without the constraints of UCI rules, the gravel world has been free to experiment and trial many different component designs, and handlebar shape is a prime example.
You’ll find a wide variety of gravel-specific handlebars to choose from, including aero tubing, ergonomic shapes, wide flared drops and swept tops.
Besides drop bars, there’s also a huge range of flat bars to consider for gravel riding, again in many shapes and sizes – more on this below.
WhatBars is a brilliant tool that overlays the top-down profiles of multiple handlebars for comparing their shape and width.
Alternative handlebars for bikepacking
The Surly Corner Bar offers a slight drop with flat-bar controls. Surly
Besides traditional drop bars and flared bars, there are also many different shapes that have become popular for multi-day touring, or bikepacking.
These tend to prioritise comfort, ensuring you can keep pedalling for longer periods without any discomfort to the wrists, shoulders and upper body.
The Jones H-Bar is perhaps the best known, with a highly swept flat bar complemented by a forwards loop for more hand positions, as well as additional bag and light mounting options.
Farr’s Aero Gravel bar is a more recent addition, with a forwards loop integrated to alloy drop bars.
The Surly Corner bar is perhaps the strangest of them all, offering a drop-handlebar design with flat-bar controls.
Alloy or carbon bars for gravel riding?
Carbon handlebars are now common on gravel bikes. Warren Rossiter / OurMedia
Most gravel handlebars are made from either aluminium alloy or carbon fibre, and sometimes even titanium – perfect if you ride one of the best titanium gravel bikes.
You’ll find that you have to pay a premium for carbon fibre bars, and the weight savings are not that generous.
It’s worth remembering, though, that carbon bars help to absorb some trail feedback, which can reduce fatigue on longer multi-terrain rides.
You can often get a better-value bar if you opt for an aluminium model, and it will be less likely to become damaged in the event of a crash.
Like many road bikes, some gravel bikes now come with one-piece carbon fibre cockpits.
Fitting accessories on gravel handlebars
If you have added extras such as a dropper-post lever, think about where you’ll fit them. ENVE
Besides being a place for you to control your bike through your brakes and gears, your handlebars provide a cockpit, where you might want to add some additional functionality via gravel bike accessories.
When considering which handlebars are best for you, think about what you might want to attach. Do you need to have a mount for a bike light, or add a bike bell to help alert shared trail users of your approach?
If you use a computer, make sure you have enough space to mount your GPS computer or other accessories. Scott Windsor / Ourmedia
If you’re intending to use a gravel dropper seatpost, how do you plan on actuating this? Will you want a shifting-like functionality – such as that seen on Shimano GRX – or do you need a separate lever mounted to the drops?
Do you plan on attaching a GPS bike computer to your bars, and do you have a mount that’s compatible with your bar profile?
Aero-profiled handlebars can make this a little more tricky, so you might need to find a mount that attaches to the stem faceplate, for example.
Should you use clip-on aero bars for gravel riding?
Clip-on aero bars are only typically used for long-distance gravel races. Ian Matteson
Aero bars can be an attractive accessory to add to your gravel bike. This is because aero bars can offer an aerodynamic advantage over longer, flatter rides, or give more variable hand positions for multi-day bikepacking trips.
Having said this, their use is pretty specialist, and clip-on aero bars do come with drawbacks.
Remember that when you’re on the extensions, you cannot access the brakes, so it’s a risky idea if you’re riding over any technical terrain or with other riders.
Safety concerns have led some race organisers – most notably, Unbound – to ban aero bars altogether from some events.
What handlebar tape is best for gravel riding?
Thicker handlebar tapes tend to be more popular when it comes to gravel riding. Josh Patterson
To cope with the rougher terrain associated with gravel riding and increased trail feedback, many gravel riders choose to wrap their handlebars with a thicker, more cushioned bar tape.
For even more thickness and padding, consider gel padding underneath the bar tape.
You’ll need to bear in mind that components on your gravel bike are likely to have a harder life than on the road, with mud, stones, maybe even sand, and all kinds of weather to contend with.
The best handlebar tape for you could be a more robust model to help prolong its life, and you might want to think twice about opting for white…
Editor’s note: this article was last updated on 27 May 2025. We added links to our latest buyer’s guides and updated imagery throughout.
Zwift debuted new web-based leaderboards at zwift.com for tracking the Zwift Games 2025 GC, and an upgraded version of those leaderboards is now being put to work for use in the monthly ZRacing series.
Your GC ranking is based on your best finishing time for each stage, and you can race each stage more than once to try for a better time.
Choose Your Category
Zwift schedules three different flavors of ZRacing events in order to encourage “Fairer, more competitive racing for everyone.” They each use different racing score ranges for categorization and are titled Advanced, Range 1, and Range 2. Click banners below to see upcoming events for each:
Get the Badge
Each month’s ZRacing series has a unique achievement badge, which you can unlock by finishing every stage for the month. There are no makeup events, so if you miss a stage, you miss out on the badge and competing in the GC.
One and Done
Zwift has planned these events to deliver a solid 1-hour workout, so each race should only take around 1 hour to complete, including your warmup and cooldown.
Canyon has partnered with DT Swiss to create a new gravel suspension fork. The F 132 boasts 40mm of travel with nine rebound settings, positive and negative chambers and cable-actuated lockout with a remote lever.
To test the new design, I rode the Traka 100km gravel race. In five hours of gravel goodness, I rode the F 132 over questionably technical rock gardens, down flowing descents and up steep climbs.
The thunderstorm count measured three, waist-deep rivers crossed stood at one, and my finishing position mattered not. Here’s what I learned.
Climbing with the DT Swiss F 132 – worth the weight?
A suspension fork adds little on such smooth gravel, but the F 132 impressed me up and down technical terrain. The Traka
Climbing with a gravel suspension fork when the lockout is open feels somewhat like a halfway house between a mountain bike and a rigid gravel bike.
On the MTB, such a gravel climb would be a simple act of pointing the bike up and pedalling.
On a rigid gravel bike, you have to pay attention to your line choice in an effort to maintain your momentum.
While the F 132 soaks up smaller roots and rocks, I still had to avoid some of the larger obstacles.
The fork’s 1,340g is quite a significant increase over the Grail’s standard 380g rigid fork, and it would be remiss of me to claim this weight wasn’t noticeable when climbing.
The fork is exclusive to Canyon until 2026. Liam Cahill / Our Media
Girona’s gravel climbs are particularly steep in places. If you’re aiming to get up them as quickly as possible, a suspension fork might cost you a little time.
But with the F 132 in the open setting, climbing wasn’t noticeably slower than with the fork locked out.
The latter certainly feels more solid under me, especially out of the saddle, but I’d be very interested to see comparative climbing times for locked vs open and the energy cost of both.
While we’re on the subject of weight, you can add even more to your front end via the mounts for bikepacking bags. This is a first, Canyon claims, for a gravel suspension fork and each side will take a 3kg load.
Descending –
This is the neatest brake hose routing I’ve seen on a suspension fork. Liam Cahill / Our Media
The F 132, and gravel suspension in general, starts making a lot of sense when descending.
I don’t claim to be the best off-road bike handler, but over Girona’s technical terrain with plenty of rocky sections, I felt fully in control.
While lightweight MTB forks often suffered fore/aft flutter, especially under braking, there was no sign of this on the DT Swiss fork. It’s impressive that the engineers have worked such good stiffness levels into the design.
I wasn’t suddenly shredding, but the confidence the fork gave allowed me to push my speeds and line choices beyond where I would usually ride. That is a tangible performance benefit, though more of this could have been exploited.
Two key parts of the fork’s build will influence this.
PlainGain is DT Swiss’ gravel adapted damping cartridge. The LineAir SL spring cartridge features a positive and negative air chamber.
There are 9 rebound clicks in the tool-free dial, allowing you to fettle while on a ride. Liam Cahill / Our Media
With my fork pumped up to 106psi and the rebound set 6 clicks from open, the F 132 fork delivered just what I wanted on fast, flowing descents and slower technical sections.
The front tyre felt well planted when I found bumpy ground mid-corner. With a rigid fork, I would probably have been knocked off line, which does nothing for my confidence.
When I found some bigger roots to hit, I felt the travel ramped up with a very nice progression and despite charging a little too quickly into some rocky sections, I never bottomed out.
In fact, the assured feeling that the F 132 brought improved my experience of the Traka 100 immeasurably.
The Grail CFR Rift is the only bike to benefit from the new F 132 suspension fork. Liam Cahill / Our Media
My Canyon Grail test bike was set up in consumer-ready spec with 40mm Schwalbe G One RS tyres. Anyone with a weather app knew that a slick tyre was not the choice for such wet conditions, and I had some rather scary moments when hitting slick mud.
The fork enabled me to reduce my tyre pressure just a little more to squeeze out every last drop of grip. That said, I would have loved a wider front tyre.
The fork is also officially rated for 50mm tyres, though I saw pro setups with a 57mm tyre squeezed between the stanchions.
Safe to say, I would have benefited greatly from a wider front tyre with a wet weather tread pattern.
Pushcontrol lockout – work to be done
Such awful conditions were a serious test for the system’s reliability, but ultimately, it is one that the Pushcontrol lever failed. Simon Gehr / Canyon Bicycles
The only fault that I could find with the fork came at the lockout, which simply didn’t function well as the ride progressed.
Granted, the Traka 100km race took place in some of the grottiest conditions imaginable. Torrential rain began in the opening 10 minutes, turning Girona’s gravel roads into a sandy sludge.
It didn’t take many kilometres for the Pushcontrol lever to feel vague. Five hours and two thunderstorms later, and the remote lever had ceased to work at all.
DT Swiss needs to find a away to make this design more resistant to adverse conditions. Liam Cahill / Our Media
Speaking to the other journalists on Canyon’s Traka press trip, this was a common issue which I hope DT Swiss addresses immediately.
While you may think me harsh for critiquing a component that failed in such conditions, gravel is often raced and ridden in adverse weather, so parts designed for the discipline must be up to scratch.
DT Swiss, however, may already have an answer. The brand suggested that integration into electronic shifters may be possible in the future. But until then, I hope a more robust mechanical system is developed.
Worth the price?
Felix and I will take two each please. The Traka
The DT Swiss F 132 is currently a Canyon-only product, though it will become a standalone DT Swiss product in 2026. It is also only available on the Grail CFR Rift at €8,999 (UK and USD pricing TBC). An equivalent rigid Grail CFR, with 2×12 GRX 825 Di2, costs £6,999 / $7,499 / €7,499.
This €1,500 price increase is significant, though I’m not sure how much it factors into the buying decisions of those with such deep pockets.
And given the proprietary design of Canyon’s steerer tube, you’ve no other option to add suspension to an existing Grail CFR.
The fork makes a clear improvement to my technical abilities on a gravel bike. That is worth a lot when it comes to the general enjoyment of a gravel ride.
I also like the sleek aesthetics, which look less jarring on a drop bar bike than most gravel suspension.
Cane Creek has done something similar with its Invert CS fork, but this still has an externally routed brake hose, which doesn’t look as good to my eye.
However, due to the current teething issues with the lockout lever, along with the significant price jump from the rigid Grail CFR, I would struggle to see myself buying the Grizl CFR Rift.
That said, I’ll be keeping a close eye on the 2026 aftermarket prices.
Your chosen bike frame and wheelset both affect speed in Zwift, so it makes sense for racers to do a little research and choose the best tool for the job.
While Zwift’s 4-star rating system for weight and aero is simple and easy to understand, performance varies even among wheels with the same star ratings, because the stars are just an approximation. Therefore, we’ve created several charts ranking all the wheelsets against each other based on their actual performance on flat roads and climbs.
If you’re just looking for recommendations on what to buy, here are some helpful posts:
We begin with a simple chart showing how much time a particular wheelset will save you across 1 hour of riding a road bike at 300W (4 W/kg) compared to the stock Zwift 32mm Carbon wheels.
The chart is sorted from the best-performing wheels to the worst, and you can sort based on flat performance or climb performance.
Sort Chart By:
Flat Performance
Climb Performance
Time Savings Over 1 Hour (150W)
This chart is just like the one above, except the test was run at just 150W (2 W/kg). We would expect to see the flat performance rankings stay the same, while climb rankings may show lighter wheels moving up vs the 300W chart above.
Use the toggle to sort based on flat performance or climb performance.
Sort Chart By:
Flat Performance
Climb Performance
Takeaways
We don’t see any major rankings changes vs the 300W tests when it comes to flat performance, but that’s no surprise. At both power levels, on flat ground, aero performance is still the driving factor.
When you compare the climb rankings for 300W vs 150W, though, you’ll see quite a few changes. And this is what we expected: at 150W (2 W/kg) up Alpe du Zwift, a wheel’s aero performance doesn’t really matter, since you’re traveling so slowly (~7.7 kph). But at 300W your speed almost doubles (~14.8 kph), so aero performance is more of a factor.
With that said, it’s worth mentioning that wheel choice matters more on the flats than the climbs. The difference in time savings of the top 10 climbing wheels is very small (5.1 seconds at 150W) vs a flat performance gap of 13.6 seconds at 150W.
Time Savings, Stacked (150W vs 300W)
Next, we have one of our favorite charts, ranking wheels based on total time savings across our flat and climbing tests on road bikes. This chart lets you easily see the best all-around performers, and whether their performance leans to the aero or climbing side.
Use the toggle to see data at 150W vs 300W.
Show Chart For:
150W
300W
Takeaways
As you toggle between 150W and 300W, what you see is the more “aero all-arounders” moving up the list a bit, while the lighter, less aero all-arounders get bumped down.
Notice how the disc wheels’ heavy weight and poor climbing performance pushes them well down this list. This is why, if your road race includes any significant climbing, you’re probably better off going with a lighter non-disc wheelset.
Time Savings at 300W (TT vs Road)
So far, all of the charts you’ve seen have been based on results using a road bike frame. But Zwift’s March 2025 performance adjustments included something we’ve never seen before: Zwift made disc wheels perform better on TT frames than road frames. Specifically, the wheels have a lower CdA on TT frames than on road frames.
So if you’re picking a wheelset for a TT or TTT race, you’ll want to pay attention to this chart, as it shows the boosted performance of the disc wheels. Wheelsets are ranked by their flat (aero) performance, since that’s where we see the variation caused by the CdA changes.
Show Chart For:
TT
Road
Takeaways
The big takeaway here is that disc wheels make sense for flat and rolling TT races, while they probably don’t provide enough of an advantage on road frames to be used in anything except the flattest races.
Compared to the fastest non-disc wheels (ENVE 8.9), the fastest disc wheels (Zipp 858/Super9) are 13.9 seconds faster across an hour of flat riding on a TT frame. That’s a big time gap. But on a road frame, the disc wheels are only 1.8 seconds faster, a difference which is easily overshadowed by the ENVE 8.9 wheels being almost 11 seconds faster across an hour of climbing.
Testing Methodology
The data above was generated using our standard bot testing procedure. Our bot rides alone on Zwift, set to 75kg weight, 183cm height, using the Zwift Carbon frame for road bike tests and the Zwift TT frame for TT tests.
The aero (flat) test route is Tempus Fugit, the flattest course on Zwift, while the weight (climbing) test is done on Alpe du Zwift since it’s a long, steep, and fairly steady climb.
Your chosen bike frame and wheelset both affect speed in Zwift, so it makes sense for racers to do a little research and choose the best tool for the job.
While Zwift’s 4-star rating system for weight and aero is simple and easy to understand, performance varies even among frames with the same star ratings, because the stars are just an approximation. On top of that, Zwift’s addition of bike upgrades means racers need to take into account how a frame will perform when fully upgraded, not only when it’s first purchased.
Therefore, we’ve created several charts ranking all the road bike frames based on their performance on flat roads and climbs, in un-upgraded and fully-upgraded states.
If you’re just looking for recommendations on what to buy, here are some helpful posts:
We begin with a simple chart showing how much time a particular frame will save you across 1 hour of riding at 300W (4 W/kg) compared to the stock Zwift Carbon frame. These are “stage 0” frames, meaning no performance upgrades have been applied.
The chart is sorted from the best-performing frames to the worst, and you can sort based on flat performance or climb performance.
Sort Chart By:
Flat Performance
Climb Performance
Takeaways
When sorted by flat performance, you can easily see that the top 10 frames are very close on flat ground, separated by less than 3 seconds across an hour. There is also a big chunk of bikes near the low end (26 of them, in fact) which are all rather slow on flats, but perform within 2 seconds of each other. Our guess is they all have the same frame CdA value in Zwift, and any time differences are due to frame weight variation.
If you sort by climb performance, the speed falloff from one bike to the next is more even across the board. The S-Works Tarmac SL8 is king of the hill, but remember, this is before any performance upgrades. Let’s move on to the next chart to see which fully-upgraded frame climbs fastest!
Time Savings Over 1 Hour (Stage 5 Frames)
This chart is just like the one above, except these are “stage 5” frames, meaning all possible performance upgrades have been applied.
Use the toggle to sort based on flat performance or climb performance.
Sort Chart By:
Flat Performance
Climb Performance
Takeaways
We don’t see any major rankings changes in terms of flat performance, but that’s no surprise. The Bike Upgrades system is structured in a way that increases performance differences between different frame types as upgrades progress.
So climbing bikes become even stronger climbers, and aero bikes become even more aero.
Sort the results by Climb Performance and you can see obvious evidence of this. The all-arounder S-Works Tarmac SL8 is no longer king of the hill at stage 5, as the Aethos has received more weight reduction upgrades than the Tarmac.
The other two climbing road bikes (Bridgestone Anchor and Trek Emonda) move up dramatically in the rankings compared to their stage 0 counterparts, handily beating the S-Works Tarmac.
The takeaway? If you want a true, pure climbing weapon in Zwift, you’ll want to upgrade the S-Works Aethos.
Time Savings, Stacked (Stage 0 vs Stage 5 Frames)
Next, we have one of our favorite charts, ranking frames based on total time savings across our flat and climbing tests. This chart lets you easily see the best all-around performers, and whether their performance leans to the aero or climbing side.
Use the toggle to see data for stage 0 frames, or fully-upgraded stage 5 frames.
Show Chart For:
Stage 0
Stage 5
Takeaways
The non-climbing bikes don’t move around a lot between the stage 0 and stage 5 versions of this chart, and this makes sense, since they all receive the same upgrades.
What you do see, though, is the climbing bikes moving up the rankings by several slots for stage 5, since they gain so much time on the climbs thanks to their weight reduction upgrades.
Time Savings for Climbing (2 W/kg vs 4 W/kg)
Some readers have asked us to compute time gaps at lower power numbers, which is a perfectly reasonable request. Making this change has the interesting effect on climb times of making lightweight bikes move up the rankings while the more aero-focused bikes drop.
This is because, as you reduce your climbing speed, having an aero bike delivers less benefit.
Below we’ve charted climb time gaps for both 2 W/kg and 4 W/kg, and you can toggle between those two power levels to see how the rankings change. (The 2 W/kg time gap is compared to the Zwift Carbon frame at 2 W/kg, while the 4 W/kg time gap is compared to the Zwift Carbon frame at 4 W/kg). Times given are for stage 0 (un-upgraded) frames.
Show Chart For:
2 W/kg
4 W/kg
Takeaways
At 2 W/kg, the pure climber S-Works Aethos just barely outclimbs the slightly heavier (but more aero) S-Works Tarmac SL8. Bump it up to 4 W/kg, and the aero gains of the Tarmac bring it over the line ahead of the Aethos.
If you’re a lower-powered rider, this chart may help you decide to focus on lighter-weight frames for races or PR efforts where significant climbing is involved.
What About the Tron Bike?
The Tron bike (Zwift Concept 1) is not listed above because it’s impossible to test the Tron frame without also testing the Tron wheels, since they are inseparable.
What we do know is the Tron is not a strong climber, but it’s among the fastest setups for flat and rolling courses.
The data above was generated using our standard bot testing procedure. Our bot rides alone on Zwift, set to 75kg weight, 183cm height, using the Zwift 32mm Carbon wheels. The aero (flat) test route is Tempus Fugit, the flattest course on Zwift, while the weight (climbing) test is done on Alpe du Zwift since it’s a long, steep, and fairly steady climb.
How did you get into cycling? My partner introduced me to cycling and got me my first road bike in 2019, but I didn’t really start cycling regularly until the Covid pandemic, when my gym was closed and my partner set up Zwift for me instead. Then I started enjoying races and going all out, which was a new experience for me.
How many years have you been racing on Zwift? I started racing on Zwift in 2021, so almost four years now. In April 2021 I did my first round of ZRL in a women’s B team.
Are you part of a Virtual team? I am a member of Team Coalition and my elite racing team is Coalition Alpha.
What do you love most about racing? I like the varying intensity and adapting to the different efforts. Especially if it’s a hilly or rolling terrain.
What is your favourite style of race (e.g. points, scratch, iTT, TTT, Chase, duathlon)? I find points races the most interesting.
What is your most memorable racing experience, inside or outside or BOTH? When I did my first Iceni Race series in 2022, it was spring and during that time I already started riding outside again. So I could enjoy some nice weather outside and race on Zwift at the same time.
What is your favourite food to eat post-race? I don’t have a favourite food to eat after a race, because most of the time I don’t really feel hungry, so I usually have my regular dinner, but nothing that has a special connection to racing or working out.
What advice would you give to a woman entering her first Zwift race? Focus on the first few minutes and don’t give up too early, it will get easier later (most likely…)
Don’t expect to win races from the very beginning, it takes practice to understand the Zwift mechanics. Also, if you come from road racing, you have to get used to the totally different efforts on Zwift. It’s more comparable to cyclocross in terms of the physical stress.
Where can people follow your racing adventures? I am active on Strava and Instagram.
For most, breaking the one-hour barrier up Alpe du Zwift is quite the feat. But what does it take to break the 40-minute barrier? Find out in this week’s top video.
Also included in this week’s picks are videos featuring solo breakaways, sprint finish tactics, a first ride on a DIY smart frame, and a guide to powerups.
Can I Finally Climb Alpe Du Zwift in Under 40 Minutes?
After months of training, Tom Bowers puts his fitness to the test with an all-out effort up Alpe du Zwift. Can he break the 40-minute barrier?
This Zwift race went from zero to crazy! | Cat C breakaway attempt
As Ryan Condon completes one of his last rides as a category C rider, he decides to finish it off strong with a solo breakaway. Can he hold off the pack and take the win?
Tactics for Long Sprints on Zwift
Watch as Tilly on a Bike talks Zwift tactics and dealing with longer spring finishes.
Budget Smart Bike Test Ride! Zwift Setup Put to the Ultimate Test | Full 20-Minute Interval Workout
Caribbean Cyclist recently built a budget-friendly DIY “smart bike” for Zwift. In this video, he uses the setup and shares his thoughts.
Stop Wasting Power-Ups! Here’s How to Best Use Them!
Often the difference between winning and losing a Zwift race in a tight finish is the strategic use of powerups. Learn how to best use each powerup in this video from Road to A.
Got a Great Zwift Video?
Share the link below and we may feature it in an upcoming post!
Team Ineos Grenadiers is set to ride a special limited-edition Pinarello Dogma F on stage 14 of the 2025 Giro d’Italia.
The custom paintjob has been created to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the brand’s first Grand Tour stage and overall classification win, taken by Fausto Bertoglio at the 1975 Giro.
The Italian won for the Jollj Ceramica team aboard a Pinarello frameset on the stage 14 individual time trial that year, before triumphing overall.
Pinarello is releasing this special-edition bike to commemorate the 1975 Giro-winning machine.
He went on to hold off Spanish climber Francisco Galdós for the Maglia Rosa, battling to the top of the Stelvio Pass to cross the line 41 seconds ahead. A sign of the quality of the field, Felice Gimondi (+6:18) and Roger De Vlaeminck (+7:39) finished a distant third and fourth in the general classification.
The bike is hand-painted in Pinarello’s Treviso factory. Pinarello
Saturday’s stage was chosen to unveil the bike, given the flag is scheduled to drop outside Pinarello’s factory in Treviso after the usual ceremonial roll out.
A special ‘GPT’ logo (standing for founder Giovanni Pinarello, and the company’s home in Treviso) adorns the upper fork leg. Pinarello
Team Ineos will ride the blue-and-off-white framesets (‘Gloss Midnight Blue’ and ‘Borealis Luxter Venice’, according to Pinarello), the colours chosen to resemble Bertoglio’s original blue steel frameset.
The build is Team Ineos Grenadiers-spec. Pinarello
In line with the team’s suppliers, the full build features a Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 R9200 drivetrain and custom-painted Princeton CarbonWorks Wake wheels to match the frameset.
A reminder of why this bike exists. Pinarello
Customers have a choice of buying a frameset or a complete bike from tomorrow (Saturday 24 May), but must place orders through a Pinarello dealer by Sunday 15 June.
The bike is available to order for a few weeks only, starting on Saturday 24 May. Pinarello
Pinarello says this Edizione Speciale is the first of a run of limited-edition bikes, set to celebrate moments in the brand’s history. We’ll wait to see which moment it chooses next.
This weekend we’re featuring two very different group rides which are both hosted on France’s newish Knights of the Roundabout route. We’ve also got two chase races on our list, and we round it out with a charity event.
DWGZ Hot Hundo – Get Gritty!
Endurance Challenge Route Badge
Nothing builds stamina like long rides, and the long-running Hot Hundo from DIRT is a long ride indeed! This weekly 100-miler is built “for those who thrive on long efforts, pushing limits, and embracing the burn together.”
Here’s something you don’t see often on our notable events list – a private event (not on the public Zwift calendar)! Organizer Ben Rizzo wrote in to tell us about the race, which has over 150 riders signed up as of Thursday afternoon.
Tips: the race is set up like a chase race, with all categories visible and higher categories leaving after the lower ones. It also uses ZwiftRacing.app‘s VeloRanking for categorization, so you’ll need to be signed up for that site before you can choose the right category.
Riders are racing across 2 laps of Watopia’s Volcano Flat Reverse for a total length of 24.9km with 100m of climbing.
This women-only event already has a solid number of signups. Held on two laps of the Outer Scotland route (22.5km, 209m), it’s a chase race where you need to work together to catch the group ahead and stay away from those chasing behind!
Spin & Win – Support our BIKEPARK + KLUB kit unlock
Good Cause Popular Event Kit Unlock
This is a fun charity event that’s different from most we see. A leader and a “wildcard bike” will be riding in Zwift, and a sponsor is donating 2 euros for each kilometer ridden by those two people during the event. They’re asking other Zwifters to hop in and lend a draft to keep speeds high!
The event is a fundraiser for the new bikepark in the town of Coswig, Germany, and there are prizes! See event description for details.
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!
Smartwatches are a great way to record your bike rides, with many featuring built-in heart rate monitors and the ability to connect to ANT+ and Bluetooth accessories such as power meters.
While they’re not as specialised as bike computers, their versatility means they can be used on or off the bike – whether that’s checking health metrics or tracking runs and hikes.
There are different types of smartwatches, with slimmer and lighter designs typically catering more toward data capture, while larger designs usually feature navigation.
We’ve trawled through Amazon to find the best deals on smartwatches, so if you’re in the market, check out the selection below.
At this price, the Forerunner 255 offers great value. Amazon
While the Forerunner 255 has been replaced by the Forerunner 265, it still offers plenty of up-to-date features, including HRV status and Garmin Pay, which means you can leave your card at home.
It uses GPS, Glonass and Galileo satellite networks tracking, so it should be accurate in recording your rides and activities.
Garmin says the watch provides up to 14 days of battery life in smartwatch mode and up to 30 hours in GPS mode.
The Apple Watch Series 10 can be used for a lot more than just ride recording. Amazon
If you’re already hooked up to the Apple ecosystem, then this watch makes an excellent companion for activity tracking and day-to-day use.
Apple has focused more on fitness aspects with the Series 10, with ECG testing and GPS tracking being the tip of the iceberg.
The brand has also given the latest model 50m of water resistance, meaning this could be your partner for any upcoming triathlons (or freedives, if you’re so inclined).
Away from the fitness side of things, you can expect this watch to offer great usability and connectivity to your iPhone.
The Venu 3S has an elegant design that sometimes escapes smartwatches. Amazon
The Venu 3S is more of a lifestyle watch, with a sleek design that wouldn’t look out of place at a formal function.
However, it packs a fitness punch with built-in sports apps to help you get the most out of your sessions and GPS tracking for your rides.
The AMOLED touchscreen should make the watch clear and easy to navigate, with 8GB of storage enabling you to download your favourite songs to play while out on your ride without a mobile connection.
Garmin says the Venu 3S lasts for up to 10 days when in a lower power-consuming mode.
With 300 hours of workout recording, the 9 Peak Pro looks great for ultra events. Amazon
The 9 Peak Pro is a minimalist GPS multisport watch that has a claimed 300 hours of continuous workout recording and a water resistance of up to 100 meters.
It is built from high-quality materials, with sapphire glass and stainless steel used in the construction.
The 9 Peak Pro has navigation built in and can record 95+ sports.
Garmin’s Instinct 2 is available in two sizes. Garmin
Garmin claims the Instinct 2 is shock-resistant and waterproof down to 100m, making it a seriously tough watch.
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.
Carbon fibre has found its way into every corner of the cycling world – from frames and wheels to bottle cages, headset spacers and even tyre levers, cyclists the world over are gripped by composite mania.
But this new addition to Ekoi’s range might be the most fabulously unnecessary yet: meet the Ekoi Carbon Pen.
Retailing for £39.99/$49.99 – or bundled free with purchases over $180 – this lightweight scribbler is designed in “genuine carbon fibre.”
Lightness, efficiency, control – is this a pen or a race bike? Ekoi
According to Ekoi – a brand better-known for its extensive range of cycling kit, helmets, shoes and accessories – the pen features “a racing design” that “champions lightness, efficiency, and control.”
The rubberised grip is said to be inspired by the “profile of a bike tire, ensuring optimal comfort with every use.”
Fittingly, the pen is manufactured in Taiwan, home to the world’s foremost experts in composite manufacturing.
Po-faced marketing speak aside, the pen is delightfully silly – nobody needs a carbon fibre pen, but I know many cyclists who would delight in owning this slightly daft composite ephemera.
Sure, you could buy roughly 159 pens – enough to write several lifetimes’ worth of stories about cycling accessories – from fellow French pen maker Bic for the price of one Ekoi Carbon Pen. But that’s hardly the point.
If you’re looking for a gift for the cyclist who claims to have it all, they’re wrong, because they don’t own this pen yet.
Orbea claims its new flagship Rallon is not a jack-of-all-trades, but a master of two.
The Rallon is a big-hitting enduro race bike, but the latest generation boasts downhill credentials too, winning a World Cup piloted by Tahneé Seagrave before its official launch.
But can one frame boast the capability to be a world-beating downhill bike and be pedalled uphill as an enduro bike?
Wheel of fortune
The Rallon is a 29er with a mullet option, and adjustable geometry and suspension. Orbea
The first Rallon was introduced in 2013 and it has been revamped numerous times, most recently in 2024.
That iteration could be run as a full 29er or as a mullet setup with mixed wheel sizes, so it’s no surprise to see the latest Rallon enduro bike with 29in wheels fitted. There’s also the option to run a mullet setup by fitting a different shock yoke (which Orbea is calling a Gravity Link).
OOLAB’s swappable Gravity Link is the key to the Rallon’s chimera-like qualities. Orbea
Strangely, though, the DH version is only available with a Gravity link for a 27.5in rear wheel, despite the chainstays and all other architecture being ready to accommodate the larger wheel.
Travel options
The Rallon DH is only available with a 27.5in rear wheel, but there are two chainstay lengths to choose from. Orbea
The new Rallon can run either 170mm travel for enduro and bike-park riding or 200mm for full downhill duties. The travel is changed via the Gravity Link, which is a plate that bolts into the frame to form the lower shock mount.
This plate is the key to the Rallon’s versatility. It’s used to change the geometry, wheel size, suspension travel (with a different shock) and suspension progression.
Enduro riders can choose between two Gravity Links depending on which wheel size they want to run. Orbea
The enduro-specific Gravity Links (providing 170mm travel with a 205×62.5mm shock) have four possible adjustment positions – high/low bottom bracket height, and greater or lesser progressivity in the shock actuation ratio.
The Gravity Link on the DH bike will have settings for either 30 (L) progression in the shock actuation ratio during the bike’s 200mm travel. Orbea
The downhill Gravity Link works with a longer shock to provide the full 200mm (eight inches) of suspension travel we’ve come to expect from a downhill bike. It does not offer adjustable BB height, but the shock actuation can be switched between 30% and 25%
Adjustment
The Rallon’s geometry is adjusted with different shock mounting links, chainstays and angle-adjusting headset cups. Orbea
Orbea says this is the most adjustable bike it has ever made and that there are around 250 setup combinations. In addition to the three Gravity Links on offer (DH 27.5in, Enduro 27.5in and Enduro 29in), there are also multiple headset cups offering 0.75 degrees of head-angle adjustment either side of the straight-cupped middle setting with 63.7 degrees.
Suspended animation
Orbea is proud of the low anti-squat characteristics of the new Rallon, minimising pedal kickback. Orbea
Orbea’s OOLAB technicians have tuned the bike with the help of long-time enduro and downhill team rider Martin Maes and are proud of the results. The Rallon has minimal pedal kickback thanks to low anti-squat numbers, which help the bike in the rough terrain; the anti-rise characteristics are designed to help it remain neutral when braking, just offering enough anti-rise to assist the bike in holding its shape under heavy braking.
Like the outgoing bike, the suspension on the new Rallon sports a single-pivot axle path, defined by the position of the main pivot above the bottom bracket.
The bike sports a concentric pivot on the dropout to help manage the bike’s braking prowess in the rough stuff. A rocker link actuates the shock, providing 170mm travel with the shorter shock on the enduro bike or a DH-capable 200mm with a longer shock.
Weighing in
All Rallons will have three removable weights included, offering riders the chance to add nearly 600g around the bottom bracket of their bike. Orbea
The new Rallon features a shuttle to add weight to your bike, with options for one, two or three weights (395g, 95g, and 93g respectively), which bolt to the Gravity Link where the lower shock mount attaches.
Orbea team riders have seen positive results by increasing the weight of their bikes with these weights. Orbea
We saw Tahnée Seagrave’s race-winning Rallon in downhill guise at the first round of the downhill World Cup in Poland, and it’s suspected that she’s running over half a kilo of ballast in the shuttle.
Increasing the amount of weight low down on your bike can improve stability thanks to lowering the centre of gravity.
Adding weight to the frame also increases the ratio of sprung to unsprung mass, which should in theory reduce the input required from the rider when the bike hits a bump, improving how well the suspension works.
Martin Mae’s testing on a heavily modified Wild eMTB test mule revealed he was fastest with 1kg of weights bolted above the BB.
We don’t know the weights of the new bikes yet, but the 2024 bike weighed 15kg, so we’re expecting it to be heavier but in the same ballpark.
Size matters
Rallon frames come in four sizes, rising in 25mm increments. Orbea
The new Rallon is available in small, medium, large and XL. The large offers 474mm reach in the DH setting and Orbea tells us each size will be larger or smaller in 25mm increments from there.
The downhill setup sees the bike with a 63.7-degree head angle in the middle setting, whereas in enduro guise, with the enduro Gravity Link for either a 27.5in or 29in rear wheel, the Rallon has a 28mm BB drop and a 64.25-degree head angle, with the steepest angle-adjusting headset cups fitted.
Riders can specify the chainstay length they want when they order a Rallon. Orbea
There are two chainstay options, which you can specify when you buy the bike – the shorter and ‘more playful’ 442mm or the 450mm racer option.
Interestingly, these are not specced according to the size of the bike. Instead, the downhill bikes will come with 450mm chainstays and the enduro bikes will ship with 442mm chainstays (unless requested otherwise).
This suggests both chainstay options will fit 27.5in and 29in wheel sizes, because the enduro bike will ship with 29in wheels front and rear as standard, and the downhill bike will only be available with a mixed wheel-size setup, with a 27.5in wheel at the rear.
Orbea’s engineers shared that using flip chips is impossible at the rear (thanks to the concentric pivot) and it would create potential structural issues to attempt this on the front of the chainstay where it bolts to the frame pivot.
Orbea is proud of the Rallon’s low standover height and ‘steep and deep’ seat tube, saying all riders should be able to run a 240mm dropper post using this bike.
The seat tube angle is the only part of the Rallon that looks out of place on a DH bike, with most downhill rigs’ seat tube angles coming in considerably slacker than the Rallon’s 79.1 degrees.
The Rallon also has in-frame storage, which Orbea calls the LOCKR.
Smart shocks
Fox Neo suspension electronically and automatically adjusts the damping to suit the terrain. Scott Windsor / Our Media
Orbea is keen to stress how effective the Fox Neo is when paired with the Rallon on the top spec E-LTD model.
When the Neo shock is activated, sensors in the brake calipers can unlock and open the suspension’s damping in the blink of an eye. Orbea says this enables the Rallon, with its downhill credentials, to ride efficiently on flatter or ascending sections of trail, while meaning it shines on the rough stuff too.
Bonus features
The LOCKR box is found on the DH and enduro Rallons. Orbea
Orbea has incorporated a storage box into the Rallon’s carbon down tube, which is useful for enduro riding but perhaps looks out of place on a downhill bike.
In the enduro guise, a multi-tool with 2, 3, 4 and 5mm Allen keys fits magnetically onto the Gravity Link and there is a 6mm Allen key in the rear axle.
The three weights that bolt onto the Gravity Link are included with all builds (both enduro and DH).
The frame runs on sealed bearings, but Orbea has handily incorporated some tough-looking external rubber seals to provide extra protection from dirt and water. There are smart protective covers over the chainstays and the Gravity Link under the BB shell.
Orbea Rallon spec and pricing details
The Orbea Rallon E-team (shown here with optional mullet wheel setup) includes Fox Factory suspension. Orbea
Four models are available in the new Rallon range: three enduro builds and one downhill spec.
The E-10 is the base-spec enduro build. Orbea
The enduro builds start with the most basic model, the E-10, followed by the E-team and the top-spec E-LTD, which includes the electronic Fox Neo suspension.
The top-spec Rallon enduro bike is the E-LTD, with Fox Neo electronic suspension and the highest price tag. Orbea
Orbea Rallon E-10: £5,399 / $5,699 / €5,399
Orbea Rallon E-Team: £6,899 / $7,199 / €6,999
Orbea Rallon E-LTD: £9,999 / $9,999 / €9,999
Orbea Rallon DH-LTDL: £7,899 / $8,299 / €7,999
There’s only one downhill build on offer: the Rallon D-LTD for €7,999. Orbea
Zipp’s latest collaboration with Goodyear sees the introduction of a pair of new models, including a 40mm slick road tyre in line with the recent trend for wider rubber.
The Indiana-based wheel specialist has announced the new tyres alongside the arrival of Zipp’s new 353 NSW and 303 SW wheels.
The Goodyear Vector R XPLR is a new wide road option, while the Eagle F1 Z29 Aero is an aerodynamic racing tyre. There are also more size options for Goodyear’s existing gravel tyres.
Zipp and Goodyear have collaborated on multiple new tyres. Zipp
The new Vector R XPLR is aerodynamically optimised for Zipp’s super-wide 303 XPLR wheels with their 32mm internal rim width. However, Zipp says the Vector R XPLR is compatible with the 25mm internal width.
The new Vector R XPLR tyre is a 40mm road slick. Zipp
It’s a lightly textured slick race tyre based on the Vector R but expanded to a 40mm width. The tyre uses a supple 120 TPI casing, and lightweight R: Shield and M: Wall protection layers, with the surface made using Goodyear’s Dynamic: UHP compound.
The Vector R XPLR has a claimed weight of 440g and a price of $90 / $90 / €100 / AU$155.
The Vector R XPLR tyre is designed to optimise aerodynamics when paired with the 303 XPLR. Zipp
Zipp says it’s the ideal fast tyre for cobbles and demanding road surfaces. Could Zipp athletes choose this option over standard road tyres in next year’s classics?
Goodyear Eagle F1 R Z29 Aero
The Goodyear F1 R Z29 Aero has an Aero Lip to smooth the interface with the 454/404 rim. Zipp
The all-new F1 R Z29 Aero, as the name suggests, is 29mm wide and aerodynamically designed. The tyre has been produced exclusively for the 23mm internal-width TSS rim, as found on the 404 Firecrest and 454 NSW wheelsets.
The tyre is designed to integrate seamlessly with this rim profile. It features a first for Goodyear and Zipp’s tyre ranges, with an aerodynamically optimised shape where the tyre meets the rim.
Aero Lip
The new aerodynamic tyre is designed to work with Zipp’s 454 NSW and 404 Firecrest wheels. Zipp
Zipp claims this smoothed-out shape eliminates the depression usually found on the tyre and rim interface, greatly reducing aero-drag. It’s an idea we saw on Mavic’s CXR 80 in 2012, although Zipp and Goodyear’s design is an integral part of the tyre design rather than a clip-in insert.
Zipp claims the Aero Lip technology not only improves the aerodynamics, it also enhances the durability, providing a buffer to protect the supple sidewalls from pinch punctures.
Like all of Zipp’s tubeless tyres, the Eagle F1 R Z29 Aero also features the dual-angle bead to make tubeless setup easier and improve pressure retention.
The tyre construction includes a new short-ply 180 TPI (threads per inch) casing that’s claimed to make for a much more compliant tyre. The tyre is protected by an R: Shield anti-puncture belt and uses the Dynamic: UHP compound for a tyre that weighs 270g and measures up exactly 29mm wide on the 404/454 wheelset.
Zipp claims that under its testing with the 454 wheels, the Eagle F1 R Z29 Aero measured lower rolling resistance than a 28mm Schwalbe Pro One, Pirelli P Zero and Vittoria Corsa R between 60 and 70psi.
The tyres are available in 29mm only and priced at £90 / $90 / €100 / AU$155 each.
New gravel tyre options
The XPLR Slick gains larger 40 and 45mm options. Zipp
In response to the trend towards wider tyres for gravel racing, Zipp has added more sizes to the XPLR range. The Zipp Goodyear XPLR Slick now comes in 40 and 45mm options, with the more all-rounder focused XPLR Inter gaining 45mm and 50mm options.
The XPLR Inter is now available in a large 50mm option. Zipp
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