Cycling tech’s many niches, from streamlined time trial bikes to fat-tired adventure bikes, are part of what makes it so fun. Perfectly embodying this spirit is this super-lightweight Brompton-inspired folding bike.

Created by weightweenie.b, this carbon fibre folding bike tips the scales at 3.935kg – nearly 50 per cent lighter than Brompton’s lightest model, the 7.45kg T Line.

Weightweenie.b is a small group of weight weenie Brompton enthusiasts dedicated to sharing their knowledge on folding bikes that break the UCI’s minimum weight limit – as charmingly niche as it gets.

Brompton-inspired frame

While the frame isn’t made by Brompton, it features the same folding mechanism as the British icon, with the bike folding into three parts, and the rear wheel tucked under the frame.

Weightweenie.b says the bike is made by CarbonDryJapan, and is currently out of production – as are many of the components.

The creator of the bike says he stumbled upon the frame through a local collector and decided to dedicate it to a 3.X build – that being a bike that weighs under 4kg.

The lugs, which house the folding mechanisms, are made from CNC-machined aluminium and are bonded to the carbon fibre tubes.

Carbon weave features on nearly every component – this is the perfect bike for pootling around the paddock at the Monaco Grand Prix.

The bike has a single brake, with a Brompton-specific Ciamillo B1 biting into the carbon rim. This is paired with an Extralite brake lever.

In recent years, we have seen lightweight component manufacturers eyeing up the lightweight Brompton space, with Schmolke releasing a range carbon parts last year, including rims, handlebars and seatpots.

While an impressive feat of engineering, weightweenie.b says this bike has been created for the soul, and as a statement as to how light a folding bike can be made, rather than something truly practical to be ridden day-to-day. That doesn’t make it any less charming.

Cycling tech’s many niches, from streamlined time trial bikes to fat-tired adventure bikes, are part of what makes it so fun. Perfectly embodying this spirit is this super-lightweight Brompton-inspired folding bike.

Created by weightweenie.b, this carbon fibre folding bike tips the scales at 3.935kg – nearly 50 per cent lighter than Brompton’s lightest model, the 7.45kg T Line.

Weightweenie.b is a small group of weight weenie Brompton enthusiasts dedicated to sharing their knowledge on folding bikes that break the UCI’s minimum weight limit – as charmingly niche as it gets.

Brompton-inspired frame

While the frame isn’t made by Brompton, it features the same folding mechanism as the British icon, with the bike folding into three parts, and the rear wheel tucked under the frame.

Weightweenie.b says the bike is made by CarbonDryJapan, and is currently out of production – as are many of the components.

The creator of the bike says he stumbled upon the frame through a local collector and decided to dedicate it to a 3.X build – that being a bike that weighs under 4kg.

The lugs, which house the folding mechanisms, are made from CNC-machined aluminium and are bonded to the carbon fibre tubes.

Carbon weave features on nearly every component – this is the perfect bike for pootling around the paddock at the Monaco Grand Prix.

The bike has a single brake, with a Brompton-specific Ciamillo B1 biting into the carbon rim. This is paired with an Extralite brake lever.

In recent years, we have seen lightweight component manufacturers eyeing up the lightweight Brompton space, with Schmolke releasing a range carbon parts last year, including rims, handlebars and seatpots.

While an impressive feat of engineering, weightweenie.b says this bike has been created for the soul, and as a statement as to how light a folding bike can be made, rather than something truly practical to be ridden day-to-day. That doesn’t make it any less charming.

Intense Factory Racing and J-Tech have developed 3D-printed brake guards to protect brake rotors and calipers in wet weather, with the team’s testing showing they offer an improvement in performance and predictability.

Brakes are one of the most important components on your bike, so it’s crucial they’re powerful, predictable and consistent. But wet and mucky condition can impact their performance: Water can cool your rotors, which causes inconsistent braking, and dirt can reduce friction. 

So brake covers like these can help downhill racers go faster by offering them more consistent braking performance – a marginal gain, but with downhill racers separated by such fractions of a second, mods like these can make a difference in terms of race results.

• Fork fairings are mountain biking’s latest aero hack – but haven’t we been here before?

Isn’t this a throwback?

Brake covers are nothing new – the iconic Cannondale Fulcrum was partly defined by its brake covers, but they’ve been largely forgotten about since. So why bring them back in 2025?

“Our brief from the Intense Factory Race Team was primarily to keep contaminants off the rotor and caliper,” says Jim Williams of J-Tech.

“We wanted to get rid of the reduction in braking performance after riding through a big puddle, or an extended section of trail where it is cold or wet, and you’ve been off the brakes for a while. Rotor guards reduce the chance of finding yourself in this situation.”

The guards were developed for Joe Breeden, who’s no stranger to wild inventions – just look at his energy-saving handlebar end caps, and a custom shock lockout for a Öhlins coil shock, both of which were made by J-Tech.

“To make the rotor covers, we 3-scanned the areas concerned, designed and prototyped parts in-house on our own machines and tested with the team,” says Williams. “We had to outsource production of the front covers as we just couldn’t fit them in our printers due to the size.”

The covers weigh around 100g each. While this slight increase in unsprung mass is a disadvantage to the bike’s suspension performance, the team feels the increased braking performance outweighs this.

The covers surround only part of the rotor. In testing, J-Tech found larger covers would impede wheel removal and could become unstable at high speed, flapping around and distracting the rider.

The front guard fits to the fork via the stanchion guard mounting points found on the EXT Vaia fork used by the IFR team. It’s affixed using top hat spacers and longer bolts, which Williams says creates a precise and secure fit. 

On the rear, the J-Tech team settled on a simple zip-tie mount to the seatstay and an interference fit with the sides of the brake caliper for more stability. 

Hot topic

The covers also help insulate the braking system, improving performance.  “There’s a temperature point at which disc brakes work optimally,” explains Williams. 

“In wet, muddy conditions, the ambient temperature tends to be lower, and water splashing up can cool the brakes further.” The insulating effect of these  covers retains heat, keeping brake temperatures closer to where they would be in dryer conditions.

J-Tech was initially concerned that the insulation effect might be too great at the rear, and subsequently incorporated cooling vents into the rear covers. 

However, J-Tech says it hasn’t tested this thoroughly yet. It will soon record temperatures in different conditions and with varying disc rotor sizes, while adjusting the venting. “From here we can work out what the optimum amount of cooling is and if we actually need any at all,” explains Williams.

“It’s early days in terms of getting the full benefits from these parts, but team riders already say that keeping water and mud off the brakes makes a huge difference to braking performance in wet conditions,” finishes Williams.

And what about aero?

But are there also aero gains to be had? Much like a wheel, a spinning disc rotor creates turbulence as it spins through the air. Could disc brake covers reduce aerodynamic drag?

Williams says that aero is certainly something that can be explored with further development, but the biggest gain from the covers is consistently powerful brakes in wet/muddy conditions. 

These rotor guards are not currently on sale but we will let you know if J-Tech puts them on sale.

See zwiftinsider.com/route/flat-out-fast/

One way to stay motivated riding indoors during the long winters is to make your pain cave somewhere you enjoy being. In this week’s top video, watch as one Zwifter shares how he put together his dream Zwift setup.

We’ve also decided to include videos about Zwift racing, using Zwift for marathon training, a review of the Zwift Cog and Click, and a comparison between Pack Dynamics v4 and 5.

Got a Great Zwift Video?

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

Josh Poertner has doubled down on his recent statements concerning hookless rims for road bikes, saying he wouldn’t use the technology or work with cycling teams that did. 

Following BikeRadar’s coverage of his original comments, where he claimed road hookless rims are “a scam”, Poertner recently posted a video on the Silca Velo YouTube channel expanding on the topic.

In the video, he says “scam was a bit of a strong word” but he nevertheless wants “to see [hookless rims for road bikes] go away”.

“Would I ride hookless road [bike rims]? No, I won’t. I don’t recommend it. I don’t want to work with teams who have it,” he says. 

Poertner, a former chairman of the Bicycle Wheel Technical Committee and now CEO of Silca, says he wouldn’t work with professional teams that use hookless rims, because “it is just a bit too risky”.

He says riders using hookless rims on their road bikes should “be super careful”, and explains why he believes the current standards for such rims don’t provide riders with enough margin for error.

If you’re on it, be super careful

Poertner reiterates that he doesn’t view hookless rims as being a problem for mountain or gravel bikes, because the tyres typically used in those disciplines are much larger and inflation pressures much lower.

With road bike tyres, though, Poertner lists a combination of factors that he says makes hookless rims potentially unsafe for use on road bikes, because of a lack of margin for error.

A key issue, Poertner says, is that there’s little consistency with how road bike tyres are sized.

Pointing to data collected by bicyclerollingresistance.com, an independent bicycle tyre test lab, Poertner says that tyres labelled as being ‘28s’ can vary in size significantly, depending on how they are constructed.

So, for example, while a nominal 28mm tubeless road tyre may be technically compatible with a 23mm-wide hookless rim (internal width), according to the latest international standards, a tyre that sizes up smaller on such rims “potentially will reduce the blow-off pressure significantly”.

A 700x28c or 28-622 road bike tyre is supposed to measure 28mm-wide when installed on a rim with an internal width of 19mm. But Poertner proposes that instead of basing tyre sizes around nominal rim widths the bike industry should move to a system such as the dD Standard, proposed by Josh Deetz.

According to Poertner, the dD Standard derives “that sidewall width number from the circumferential wrapped length of the tyre casing”, which would allow for more consistent tyre sizes across brands, and would lower the chance of riders selecting a potentially unsafe tyre and rim combination.

Why tyres need to be wider than rims

Poertner expanded on his assertion that hookless rims need to be wider than is optimal for aerodynamics, saying this is to prevent tyres from blowing off the rim. 

Poertner says this is because “air pressure on the tyre acts radially to the tyre itself.” As a result, you therefore “need that tyre to wrap around and actually be coming inward as it gets to the hook so that you have some radially inward force.”

In absence of this, Poertner says “all of the forces, as the tyre becomes smaller relative to the rim, are all acting to push that tyre off the rim – which is just not safe.”

Using a diagram to illustrate his point (see above), Poertner says that the pinching of the tyre caused by bead hooks is part of what enables hooked rims to withstand such high inflation pressures (without the tyre blowing off) relative to hookless rims.

“With hooked rims, you can generally safely get to 125 per cent of the max stated air pressure when you have a tyre that is 3mm wider than the inner bead width of the rim.”

In comparison, the ETRTO mandates a tyre must be at least 4mm wider than the internal width of a hookless rim and the maximum inflation pressure is capped at 72.5 PSI / 5 BAR. Poertner says he “would not run less than a 5 mm gap”

Why your pump might not be accurate enough

Compounding these issues, Poertner says the lower inflation limits don’t account for potential inaccuracies in the bike pumps riders use to inflate their tyres.

Poertner claims, for example, that a “typical inexpensive bike pump” will have an error band of +/- 5 per cent from the stated pressure on the gauge.

A rider inflating their tyres close to the 72.5 PSI / 5 BAR limit might therefore unknowingly be over the limit if their pump is underreporting the true pressure.

He also cites how errors such as this could, in theory, compound with tyre pressure changes experienced while riding, due to fluctuations in ambient temperature, which “just keeps pushing us closer and closer to the sun.”

Summing up his arguments, Poertner says: “I feel like it’s just too risky when you consider that there’s no real technological benefit to it.”

• This is how hot weather affects your tyre pressure (and why hookless rims need extra care)

What does the rest of the bike industry think about hookless rims?

After a few years where it appeared as if the debate surrounding hookless rims was dying down, Poertner’s comments have thrust it firmly back into the spotlight.

As he predicted, Poertner says his inbox was “full” of messages from riders from inside and outside of the bike industry asking him to clarify his thoughts on the topic.

It’s worth noting not every brand or person within the industry agrees with Poertner on this topic, of course.

Since publishing our article on Poertner’s original comments, we’ve spoken to a number of people and brands within the industry and will have more insight to share on this topic soon. Watch this space.

Drops are Zwift’s virtual currency, used to purchase virtual frames and wheels from the Drop Shop. They’re also used to purchase bike upgrades, and it’s the recent addition of upgrading that has many newer Zwifters asking: How can I earn more Drops?

We’re here to help. Below, you’ll find a complete list of tips to help you maximize your Drops earning rate.

Earning Drops: the Basics

It is unknown precisely how your “Drop rate” (how quickly you receive Drops while riding) is calculated, as Zwift isn’t sharing the formula. But we know seven factors influence your Drop rate:

• Calories Burned: This is the main factor, and it is strictly based on the power you’re putting into the pedals.
• Current Gradient: The steeper the climb, the faster your earn rate. This bonus kicks in at 3% gradients, but scales up as the gradient increases.
• Ride Ons Received: When you receive a Ride On, your Drop rate doubles for 15 seconds. This is the “easiest” way to boost your Drop rate!
• Time Near a Robopacer: Sticking close to a Robopacer can increase your Drops rate (read more).
• Your Gender: Zwift awards female riders 10% more Drops than male riders for the same effort.
• Bike Frame: Upgrade an entry-level or mid-range bike frame to a high enough stage and it will earn 5% more Drops whenever you ride it (read more).
• Current Speed: This is a minor factor, but it’s true that more distance=more Drops.

Dive further into how these factors affect your Drop rate by reading How Zwift’s “Drops” Currency Works

Additionally, certain actions in the game award big Drops bonuses, including:

• A 50,000 Drop bonus each time you level up
• A Drops bonus if you complete the Ventoux KOM and the prize spinner lands on something you already own (example: 15,000 Drops for the helmet or gloves)
• A Drops bonus on the prize spinner for certain Zwift events like the Big Spin

Comparing Two Drop Farmers

Given the factors listed above, there are two “Drop Farmer Profiles” I would recommend if you’re looking to maximize your earn rate:

• The Robopacer Groupie: This rider sticks with a Robopacer for the duration of their ride, taking advantage of the Drops Multiplier game, increased speed in the draft, and Ride Ons from friendly nearby Zwifters.
• The Climber: This rider enjoys climbing steep, long hills and the extra Drops awarded when the road tilts upward.

Based on my tests, The Robopacer Groupie is the highest-grossing approach, earning around 25% more Drops than The Climber if both riders put in the same amount of work. A 75kg rider holding 200W for an hour while staying in a Robopacer group for the duration could expect to earn ~66,000 Drops, while The Climber would earn ~50,000 Drops if they spent their entire hour heading up a solid gradient of 8%+.

(For a baseline reference, a 75kg rider who receives no Ride Ons while just “doing their own thing” alone at 200W on a flattish course can expect to earn ~29,000 Drops hourly.)

The Ride On Question

Note that the estimates for my two Drop Farmers assume they receive 60 Ride Ons during their hour of riding, weighted toward the beginning of their activity. This is an imperfect but not impossible assumption, especially if you’re in a friendly RoboPacer group or you have lots of followers who like to give offline Ride Ons.

Ride Ons are a huge factor here, though, since they double your Drops rate for 15 seconds. Because of this, riding in a RoboPacer group gives you a major earning advantage, as nearby riders often drop “Ride On Bombs” in the group.

Ride Ons received in the RoboPacer group are especially lucrative when your Drops Multiplier is at 2.5x! In our tests, 5 minutes of solid Ride Ons when you first join the RoboPacer group will earn you around ~4800 Drops, while 5 minutes of solid Ride Ons when you’re at 2.5x will earn you ~12,000 Drops!

Ventoux Spinner

If you’re a climber, it’s worth mentioning that the newish prize spinner atop Ventoux helps to close the gap between The Climber and The RoboPacer Groupie approach. If you earn 15,000 extra Drops each time you summit Ventoux, you’re only 10-12% behind The RoboPacer Groupie approach… a margin that can easily swing in your favor if you’re a friendly Zwifter who gets a lot of Ride Ons.

3 Rules

In closing, here are three simple rules for maximizing your Drops earning rate:

1. Ride with RoboPacers. If you don’t want to do that, go hit a long, steep climb.
2. Make friends who give Ride Ons.
3. Go hard.

Questions or Comments?

What strategies have you used to maximize your Drops? Share below!

Deviate’s Kurgan eMTB mates a carbon frame with a Bosch E-drive and InTube battery, but breaks the mould with its Virtual Pivot Point-style suspension system, which features an aggressively angled swing link and a high-pivot with an idler wheel.

Born from six years of development, Deviate says the Kurgan is “the eMTB we always wanted” and is engineered for big terrain, brutal descents, and all-day epics.

Many big-hitting enduro and downhill bikes use a suspension system similar to the Kurgan’s, but it’s unusual to see it employed on an electric bike.  

This is all the more impressive given that global mega-brand Santa Cruz was unable to make this arrangement work with their Vala eMTB.

This bike discarded the brand’s famous VPP suspension system with its dual swing-links, instead replacing it with a more traditional Horst-Link design.

Aggressive suspension

The Kurgan is based around Deviate’s non-assisted enduro bike, the Claymore, but ditches the Claymore’s single-pivot suspension for a dual-link design. 

This delivers a generous 165mm of coil-sprung rear travel through the Kurgan’s carbon rear triangle, and is paired with an even longer 180mm fork up front.

The high pivot enables the Kurgan’s axle path to be entirely rearward throughout the 165mm of travel.

At 30 per cent sag, the rear wheel moves 15mm rearward (relative to the bottom bracket), peaking at 29mm further back from the static chainstay length.

The power comes from the Bosch Performance Line CX motor, delivering 100Nm of torque. The 800Wh Bosch In-Tube battery is removable from the bottom of the downtube.

The top tube is humped to create space for two water bottle cages, one of which can house a 250Wh Bosch range extender. 

A Bosch Kiox 400C display provides heads-up information options integrated into the bike’s carbon top tube.

Progressive geometry

The Kurgan uses a mixed-wheel setup, and Deviate says the geometry is enduro-focused.

Geometry is proportional, with longer chainstays on the larger sizes, starting at 441mm on the medium, 445mm on the large and 450mm on the XL. 

Although this is not as pronounced as on other high-pivot bikes like the Forbidden Dreadnought, which grows about 14mm between each size.

The Kurgan features reach-adjust headset cups to fine-tune the reach of each bike +/- 5mm. The suspension moves on fully sealed bearings, with external grease ports (great for quick maintenance).

The location of the shock pickup on the aluminium shock shuttle was finalised during development, and there are no out-of-the-box options for different geometry or progression at this stage.

Build options

There are two models available at launch: 

• Elite: £7,999 / €9,749
• Factory: £9,999 / €11,999

They’re available in UK & EU, with North American availability due in 2026.

Ebike conversion kit company Boost has released its first-ever bike, simply called the Mini-Bike. 

The new miniature city bike takes inspiration from Boost’s work on its Brompton conversion kit. Available as a pedal-powered or electric bike, the Mini-Bike can be folded away thanks to its quick-release stem and Brompton-like folding pedals.  

Boost’s chief marketing officer Matt Dowler says the Mini-Bike is designed to “make riding a bike fun again” while providing a practical way to get around.

“We all remember the sense of joy and freedom of messing about on bikes as a kid, and we’ve tapped into that with a ‘BMX-inspired’ design,” says Dowler. 

BMX-inspired but practical

We’ve seen several electric BMXs in recent years, including bikes from GT and Zooz, but Boost’s take on a bike in the 20-inch format brings greater practicality to the mix. 

The quick-release stem and folding pedals mean the Mini-Bike folds down to less than 25cm wide, according to Boost, so it won’t hinder your non-cycling family or housemates if you keep your bike indoors.

Boost has also worked on the bike’s geometry, suggesting that a lot of small-wheeled bikes can have quite twitchy steering. To counter this, the Mini-Bike’s head angle and fork trail were chosen to mimic the stability of an endurance road bike.

The practicalities continue with hydraulic disc brakes, a kickstand, mudguard mounts, rear rack mounts, multiple bottle mounts, and mounts on the fork legs.

Boost says the bike is also made with no proprietary parts and follows established industry standards.

“Being unable to repair a bike a few years down the line because parts are not available is just not acceptable,” adds Dowler.

Two models and lots of options

The Boost Mini-Bike is available as a pedal-powered bike (£600) or as an ebike (£1,250). You can convert either model to the other.

The electric Mini-Bike uses the same rear hub motor and bottle-style battery as Boost’s ebike conversion kits, which allow you to turn a pedal-powered bike into an electric bike.

Boost says the electric Mini-Bike’s motor provides 42Nm of torque and 250 watts of continuous power. It can be controlled via Boost’s free smartphone app, or with an optional wireless display (£59).

The bike’s battery has a capacity of 252Wh, which Boost claims should be good for 20-25 miles in ‘Boost’ mode or 30-35 miles in ‘Eco’ mode. 

Dowler says ebike battery safety is currently a “hot topic” and Boost has therefore “gone above and beyond” to keep customers safe. 

“We’ve partnered with BatteryIQ to use their smart Battery Management System, which offers industry-leading battery monitoring and protection,” says Dowler. 

The BatteryIQ app connects to the bike’s battery via Bluetooth, so you can see the condition of the battery. WiFi scanners are also available to monitor the battery remotely. 

The Boost Mini-Bike is available to order now, with stock arriving in stores and online in the autumn.

See zwiftinsider.com/route/power-punches/

While the bright sunny evenings of late have our minds far away from the perils of winter, now is often the best time to prepare for the clocks going back.

That’s because bike lights are often reduced at this time of year and at their most expensive in autumn time, when the shorter nights and time change bring them into demand almost overnight.

With that in mind, we’ve scoured the web for the best deals on our award-winning bike lights for those who want to be ahead of the game this year.

All of the lights in this list have impressed our team of expert testers, so we’re sure you’ll love them too.

Knog Blinder Pro 1300 – £99.99 £65.95 (save 34%)

The Knog Blinder Pro 1300 is our best overall front light, winning praise for its small profile and quality feel.

It pumps out 1,300 lumens with a powerful central beam and good peripheral illumination, making it excellent for nighttime navigation.

With over £34 savings at Biketart, the Blinder Pro 1300 is currently in bargain territory, though this is likely to change as the nights close in.

• Buy the Knog Blinder Pro 1300 from Biketart now

Magicshine Ray 2600B Smart Remote – £146.25 £117 (save 20%)

The Magicshine Ray 2600B Smart Remote is our best performance front light, impressing with its long runtime and bright beam.

With 2,600 lumens, the light is bright enough to tackle mountain bike trails when the dark sets in, while the 1hr 15min runtime should mean you get a decent ride in.

It currently has 20 per cent off at BikeInn.

• Buy the Magicshine Ray 2600B Smart Remote from BikeInn now

Lezyne Strip Drive Pro 400+ – £55 £39.99 (save 27%)

Our best overall rear light is the Lezyne Strip Drive Pro 400+, thanks to its easy usability and power.

It has seven modes with a flashing output of 400 lumens, which helps keep you seen from much further down the road.

At £39.99, the Strip Drive Pro 400+ represents great value, and we’d advise using it all year if you’re riding on the roads.

• Buy the Lezyne Strip Drive Pro 400+ from Halfords now

Exposure Blaze Mk3 Reakt + Peloton – £130 £110 (save 16%)

The Exposure Blaze Mk3 Reakt + Peloton is our best performance rear light, with a premium construction and focused beam impressing us in testing.

There are plenty of standard modes, and this model includes the Reakt mode, which combines a brake and ambient light sensor to keep you seen and save battery.

Exposure’s lights are quality items, and seeing them discounted isn’t too common.

• Buy the Exposure Blaze Mk3 Reakt + Peloton from Tweeks now

Sigma Buster RL 150 – £25.70 £17.99 (save 30%)

The Buster RL 150 is our best cheap rear light, and it packs in some impressive features.

It pumps out 150 lumens and has an accelerometer that can sense when you’re braking and increase the brightness for increased visibility.

We found the light lives up to its four-hour claimed runtime, and were impressed by its original value.

It’s currently on sale for £17.99 and would be a great addition to your seatpost.

• Buy the Sigma Buster RL 150 from Bike Inn now

More bike lights

• Best bike lights 
• Best mountain bike lights 
• Best budget bike lights

Britain’s Matthew Richardson has broken his own 200m flying start record 24 hours after setting it.

As part of British Cycling’s world record assault at the Konya Velodrome, Turkey, Richardson set a new world record yesterday of 8.941 seconds becoming the first athlete to go under 9 seconds. 

Convinced he had more in the tank, the track cyclist took another attempt today and set a new world record of 8.857 seconds.

Richardson said: “I knew there was more time on the table after yesterday’s ‘out of sprint lane’ ride, so I knew if I came in with good execution and rode as close to the black as possible I’d go quicker and that’s what happened.  

“I knew there was more in the tank yesterday, so I was obviously really stoked about yesterday but I was hungry for more.”

He added that the record is now “out of my control”.

Richardson briefly broke the 200m flying start record at last year’s Paris Olympic Games before Dutchman Harrie Lavreyesen broke it minutes later with a time of 9.088 seconds.

The Brit felt confident before his record attempts. He appeared to break Lavreyesen’s record earlier this year at the Nations Cup at Konya Velodrome, but the UCI did not ratify the effort because Richardson drifted below the track’s blue line. 

Richardson used a custom Hope HB.T track bike for his world records. He worked with British Cycling’s lead project engineer Oliver Caddy to optimise the bike, which included a custom 3D-printed titanium handlebar and a fork produced by Hope. 

Richardson was one of three British cyclists that travelled to Turkey to undertake world record attempts. 

Yesterday saw Will Bjergfelt set a new C5 Hour Record of 51.471km. The 46-year-old beat Andrea Tarlao’s 2014 world record by over 3km and became the first para-cyclist to break the 50km barrier. 

Speaking after his Hour Record ride, Bjergfelt said: ““[I feel] amazing, this is something I’ve worked for, for a long time. When we talked about world records at the start of the year it’s something I was very passionate about right from the get-go.”

Charlie Tanfield also attempted a Hour Record attempt yesterday, but with a distance of 53.967km he fell short of Filippo Ganna’s 2022 record of 56.791km.

You may like

• Britain’s Will Bjergfelt sets new Hour Record and becomes first para-cyclist to break 50km 
• The fastest bike in the world? Matthew Richardson’s Hope HB.T for his 200m world record attempt 

The UCI has disqualified five teams from the Tour de Romandie Féminin after their refusal to use GPS trackers which it has labelled “deplorable”.

The technology is being trialled at the race ahead of all riders being required to use GPS trackers at the 2025 UCI Road World Championships in Kigali, Rwanda. The trial required one rider per team to carry a GPS tracking device.

“The decision of these teams to oppose the specific rules for the event is surprising, and undermines the cycling family’s efforts to ensure the safety of all riders in road cycling by developing this new technology,” the UCI, cycling’s governing body, said in a statement. 

“It is deplorable to witness the refusal of certain teams to move forward together to protect the safety of riders, and the UCI condemns their non-cooperation,” the UCI said. 

The measure is part of the UCI’s SafeR initiative, which aims to enhance rider safety in professional road cycling, and follows the death of 18-year-old Muriel Ferrer following a crash in a junior race last year. 

The teams that refused to use the tracking devices and were therefore disqualified are: 

• Canyon//Sram zondacrypto
• EF Education – Oatly
• Lidl –Trek
• Team Picnic PostNL
• Team Visma – Lease a Bike

A statement published by EF Education – Oatly said: “We are shocked and disappointed by the UCI’s decision to disqualify several teams, including ours, from the Tour de Romandie Féminin.

“Earlier this week, all affected teams sent formal letters to the UCI expressing support for rider safety but raising serious concerns about the unilateral imposition of a GPS tracking device to just one of the riders per team.”

The team said that they made clear to the UCI that they would “not select a rider ourselves, nor install, remove or maintain the device.” 

“The UCI or its partner was free to select a rider and install the device at their own liability if they believe they are in their right to do so,” they added. 

They added that the UCI chose to impose this measure “without clear consent”, and that it is unclear why the UCI did not want to nominate riders to trial the GPS trackers.

“[T]he UCI commissaires were unable to demonstrate on the basis of which precise UCI rule teams are obligated to discriminate one rider against other riders in terms of obligations (except for officially referring to an email of the teams’s union) but have nevertheless decided to carry on and disqualify the teams with their riders,” the statement continued. 

“This action disregards the rights of teams and riders, applies the measure in a discriminatory manner, and contradicts the UCI’s own stated commitment to dialogue with stakeholders.” 

A total of 29 riders have been disqualified with only 63 riders finishing today’s stage 1 of the Tour de Romandie Féminin. 

Today, Garmin announced that Zwift virtual shifting is now available on the Tacx NEO 2T and 3M trainers. (Oddly, it has also been released today for the NEO 2, but that wasn’t included in any of the press releases.)

Below, we dive into updating your trainer so it can shift virtually, as well as various options for enabling virtual shifting on your Zwift setup.

Updating Your NEO’s Firmware

To enable virtual shifting on your NEO 2, 2T, or 3M, you’ll need to update your trainer’s firmware. This is done via the free Tacx Training app (available in the Apple Store and Play Store) on your mobile phone, and only takes a couple of minutes.

Zwift Ride Compatibility

Thanks to today’s firmware update, the Tacx NEO 2T is now compatible with the popular Zwift Ride smart frame ($799US). To be clear, that means Tacx NEO 2T owners can purchase the Zwift Ride frame today and immediately install and use it. (The frame ships with a Zwift Cog, which you will probably want to install on your NEO 2T. Technically, you could use an existing cassette, but that might require swapping out the Zwift Ride’s chain as well, since it’s a wide, heavy-duty, single-speed style chain.)

Note: The Zwift Ride does need the front foot to be a bit longer so the narrow chainstays don’t rub on the NEO 2T (as Shane Miller mentions in his video below), but the standalone Zwift Ride frame ships with longer, extra feet for just this purpose.

The NEO 2 and 3M are not compatible with Zwift Ride:

• The NEO 2’s axle is not compatible with the Zwift Ride
• The NEO 3M’s bulkier body doesn’t allow the Ride’s frame to mount properly

The Garmin/Tacx Virtual Shifting Experience

After reading and watching today’s posts from respected hardware reviewers like DC Rainmaker and Shane Miller (see video below), it’s clear that experienced users are impressed with how Zwift virtual shifting functions on the NEO 2T and 3M trainers they tested. There seems to be general agreement that the high power capabilities of these trainers, paired with their ability to adjust resistance very quickly, produces a very realistic shifting simulation.

Garmin’s addition of a slight “click” haptic in the trainer itself on each shift is just icing on the cake, adding to the realism of the experience. Well done, Garmin!

Virtual Shifter Options (Play/Click/Ride)

To use Zwift’s virtual shifting, you don’t just need a compatible trainer – you also need compatible shifters. Furthermore, your trainer and shifters must be paired to Zwift via Bluetooth (not ANT+) for virtual shifting to work.

While Zwift (unfortunately) doesn’t sell the simple Click shifter as a standalone item, there are three virtual shifter options currently in stock at the Zwift shop:

• Zwift Play controllers: regularly $80, on sale for $50
• Zwift Click (with Cog): regularly $80, on sale for $60
• Zwift Ride smart frame: $800

	Ride	Play	Click
Virtual Shifting
Steering + Braking
Powerup Trigger
Ride On Bomb button
Game Navigation buttons
Drop bar compatible
Flat bar compatible
TT bar compatible
Sequential Shifting
SRAM-Style Shifting
Shimano-Style Shifting
Cog Included
Power Source	USB Rechargeable	USB Rechargeable	Coin cell (CR2032)
Battery Life	~20 hours	~20 hours	>100 hours
BLE Connections*	1	2	1
Price	$1300 (frame + trainer) or $800 (frame only)	$50US	$60US

As of today, Zwifters can use code ELITEZCOG2024 for a €20/$20 discount on the Cog & Click Upgrade pack, which is already on sale for $60.

To Cog, or Not To Cog?

You don’t need the Zwift Cog installed on your trainer for virtual shifting to work – if you’re using your own bike frame, then your current cassette will work just fine, and in fact will probably be quieter/smoother than the Zwift Cog.

That said, some riders may prefer to use the Cog so it’s easier to swap between different bikes on the trainer. Click here to purchase the Cog+Click upgrade pack (use code ELITEZCOG2024 for 20% off).

Related: All About Zwift Cog: Versions, Installation, and More

A tip for NEO 2 owners: be aware that, according to Garmin, NEO 2 users will need to remove the freehub body from the Cog before installing it on their NEO’s existing freehub. You’ll need a chain whip/lockring tool to do so. Here’s an affordable set of these two tools on Amazon.

Purchasing a Zwift-Ready Tacx NEO

Garmin is now selling both the NEO 2T and 3M in Zwift Ready versions with the version 2 Zwift Cog pre-installed and the Zwift Click shifter included.

Shop Tacx NEO 2T on Garmin.com >
Shop Tacx NEO 3M on Garmin.com >

Additional New Feature: 10Hz Race Mode

Today’s firmware update also enables race mode as a feature, so your power data is sent to Zwift at 10Hz instead of the NEO’s standard 4Hz (most trainer models send data at 1Hz). This feature can be toggled via the Tacx Training app.

Learn More

Here’s a great video covering today’s firmware upgrade from our friend Shane “GPLama” Miller:

And a thorough-as-always writeup from DC Rainmaker…

Questions or Comments

Have you tried virtual training on your NEO 2, 2T, or 3M? Share your experience below! Got questions about virtual shifting? Post those as well, and I’ll do my best to answer them…

Shimano’s new range of wireless mountain bike drivetrains is now complete, with the release of the new Deore M6200 groupset bringing wireless shifting to the affordable workhorse drivetrain.

The new Deore range features much of the same tech seen on XTR Di2 M9200 and XT Di2 M8200 groupsets – the latter also launching today – with a few cost-saving differences.

The drivetrain comprises the rear derailleur, shifter and new rear brakes. As far as we can ascertain, the crankset has been carried over from the outgoing Deore M6100 groupset.

This is the first time an electronic drivetrain has been brought down to the brand’s third-tier mountain bike components. Shimano made a similar move in 2022 with 105 Di2. Less clear is what the launch means for mechanical Deore.

The launch comes only two weeks after the long-awaited launch of the fully wireless XTR Di2. 

Here’s everything we know so far about Shimano’s most affordable wireless Di2 drivetrain to date.

Shimano Deore Di2 derailleur – key details

The new Deore derailleur features much of the same tech seen on Shimano’s more expensive XT and XTR options.

It mounts to your frame via a derailleur hanger (unlike SRAM’s Eagle AXS Transmission) and, just like its XT and XTR stablemates, it features low and high adjustments and a b-tension screw. 

The derailleur adopts the streamlined Shadow ES profile, as seen on XTR. It’s designed to dodge roots, rocks and trail debris, while its integrated skid plate and lack of harsh edges should shrug off impacts when they do happen. 

Bigger knocks are dealt with by the automatic impact-recovery function, which enables the derailleur to move rather than snap, before resetting into its original position without any input from the rider. 

Shimano’s Shadow ES clutch forgoes an on/off switch – a controversial move that divided opinion with the arrival of XTR – but is claimed to deliver more chain tension on the trail. 

The derailleur is set to cost £374.99, plus £39.99 for the battery and £29.99 for the charger.

Shimano Deore Di2 derailleur options

Shimano is offering two versions of its Deore derailleur – one for mountain bikes and one for electric mountain bikes, with the former utilising an onboard battery and the latter drawing power from the eMTB’s main battery.

Both eMTB and ‘standard’ versions come with a long cage, making them suitable for Shimano’s 10-51t cassettes. As well as the standard 12-speed, there’s also an 11-speed version of the eMTB derailleur.

In an update to Shimano’s current Di2 eMTB-specific derailleurs, both Free Shift and Auto Shift will be available on the 12-speed setup. These features were previously reserved for 11-speed drivetrains.

Free Shift enables gears to be changed while you’re not pedalling, by independently rotating the chainring via the Shimano EP8 motor, while Auto Shift uses speed and torque sensors to shift gears automatically, without rider inputs at the shifter, to keep the pedal cadence within an optimal range.

All Deore derailleurs use a steel cage construction, which is more affordable than the alloy and carbon cages used on XT and XTR. 

There’s no word on compatibility with Shimano’s Q’Auto hub system.

Shimano Deore shifter

Shimano’s new wireless shifter closely mimics the ergonomics and feel of its ‘traditional’ cable shifters, using a familiar layout for its shift buttons, which offer a similar ‘click’ when changing gears. 

The sleek new shifter sits closely under the bar and is available in two mounting options. The I-SPEC EV option mounts directly to compatible brake levers, and there’s also a standard clamp band option. 

The shift buttons and paddles themselves are fully adjustable and also offer multiple shift modes, including hold-down multi-shift and click-through double shift.

A programmable third button adds customisation potential, with Shimano hinting at compatibility with Garmin bike computers and other third-party brands.

Whether or not there is much difference between the Deore shifter and the more premium XT and XTR shifters remains to be seen, but we’d hazard a guess that, like the rest of the drivetrain, the action and tech will be very similar, with the only differences to be found in some of the construction materials. 

The shifter is set to cost £124.99.

Shimano Deore brakes – no details at present

Also included in the announcement is news of new Deore brakes, promising a “refined power application with consistent performance and modulation in a wider temperature range”.

Details remain scarce, and no images were supplied with the press release, so whether or not the new Deore stoppers have been treated to a complete overhaul or just an internal spruce-up (like the XT and XTR two-pot brakes) remains to be seen.

What does this mean for mechanical Deore?

What does this mean for the future of Shimano’s budget-friendly mechanical Deore groupset – a stalwart of the entry-level mountain bike market?

When Shimano released 105 Di2, a mechanical option was notably absent from the range. However, a mechanical groupset followed some months later.

It would be reasonable to expect similar from Deore, although the arrival of Cues – an all-encompassing budget-focused groupset that’s increasingly seen on entry-level mountain bikes – complicates matters.

Could mechanical Cues be the death of Deore, or will a mechanical groupset follow later?

We put this question to the brand, which supplied a generic response: “Mechanical groupsets still occupy an important position within the Shimano mountain bike line-up, as we are constantly in development of new products. However we do not comment on products and whether they are in development or not.”

Shimano has updated its Deore XT Di2 drivetrain for the first time since 2016, adopting much of the tech seen on its flagship XTR groupset released earlier this month.

The Deore XT Di2 M8200 range features a new derailleur, shifter, cassette and crankset, as well as updated brakes and a new alloy wheelset. Also hot off the press is the more affordable Deore Di2 M6200 groupset, which completes Shimano’s trio of wireless mountain bike drivetrains. 

Shimano’s XT offering has been a firm favourite among keen mountain bikers since its debut in the early 1980s, delivering much the same performance as the flagship XTR range at a more attainable price point.

The M8200 iteration is no different; it features the same technology as XTR Di2, with a few cost-saving differences. Here’s everything you need to know about the new Deore XT range. 

Shimano XT derailleur – key details

The heart of Shimano’s new wireless tech lies in its derailleurs. Just like its XTR stablemate (and unlike its direct competitor, SRAM’s Eagle AXS Transmission), the new XT derailleur connects to the frame traditionally, via a derailleur hanger.

It also features low and high adjustments and a B-tension screw to set the distance between the top jockey wheel and the cassette. 

This marks a big difference compared to SRAM’s latest wireless drivetrains, which mount directly to the frame and can thereby forgo derailleur hangers and adjustment screws.

Drawing on the design introduced with the XTR M9250 rear derailleur, the Deore XT derailleur features a streamlined build that’s designed to avoid obstacles in the trail.

Its integrated skid plate and lack of harsh edges should help it glance off any obstacles it does encounter, rather than getting hung up on them.

In the event of a substantial knock, the derailleur can move out of the way before returning to its normal position, thanks to Shimano’s Automatic Impact Recovery mechanism. 

The derailleur is set to cost £429.99, plus £39.99 for the battery and £29.99 for the charger.

Shimano XT derailleur options

Just like its XTR range, Shimano is offering two families of Deore XT – one for mountain bikes and one for electric mountain bikes. The mountain bike version has its own onboard battery, while the eMTB incarnation is powered by the bike’s main battery.

Each family will have two options – long and mid cages for the standard derailleur, and 11- and 12-speed versions for eMTBs.

The long SGS derailleur is built for the new 10-51t cassette. The mid SG derailleur is built for the new 9-45t cassette.

In an update to the current Di2 MTB and eMTB-specific derailleurs, both Free Shift and Auto Shift will be available on the 12-speed setup. These features were previously reserved for 11-speed Linkglide drivetrains.

The presence of Free Shift means you can change gears without pedalling, by independently rotating the chainring via the Shimano EP8 motor. This enables you to pre-select a gear for an upcoming trail feature. 

Auto Shift uses speed and torque sensors to shift gears automatically, without rider inputs at the shifter, to keep the pedal cadence within an optimal range.

All Deore XT derailleurs use an alloy cage construction, which is less expensive than the carbon cage used on XTR. 

Shimano XT shifter

Shimano’s latest wireless shifter has been designed to replicate the feel and layout of its mechanical counterparts. The button positioning will feel instantly familiar to existing users, and Shimano says the tactile response remains reassuringly similar, with a defined click for each shift. 

Tucked neatly beneath the handlebar, the shifter is offered in two mounting formats. Riders can choose between a bar clamp mount or the I-SPEC EV system, which integrates directly with compatible Shimano brake levers. 

Riders can tweak both the shift paddles and button positions to suit their preferences. The system supports multiple shift modes too, such as multi-shift via a press-and-hold function or a two-step click-through shift. 

There’s also a third, programmable button that expands functionality. Shimano suggests this could enable integration with devices such as Garmin head units or other third-party accessories.

Shimano Deore XT cassette and crankset

Completing the revamped XT drivetrain is a new cassette and crankset. The M8200 12-speed cassette uses the tried-and-tested Hyperglide+ tooth profiling found on current-generation cassettes and features a 10-51t range. 

There’s also a new 9-45t option, aimed at riders looking to shave some weight, or increase ground clearance by running the shorter mid-cage derailleur. 

Both cassettes feature a hybrid steel/alloy construction, with the largest two cogs made from aluminium and the smallest 10 cogs forged from steel.

The new XT crankset is offered in one configuration, claimed to suit trail, enduro and cross-country riders alike. The cranks feature a 176mm Q-factor with a 55mm chain line, and are available in 160, 165, 170 and 175mm lengths. 

The cranks use Shimano’s Hollowtech II construction and are compatible with 28-36T direct-mount chainrings.

Shimano XT brakes

Just like the new XTR groupset, there will be two versions of the new XT brakes, aimed at trail and XC riders, respectively.

Both new brakes are claimed to address the issue of wandering bite points, which Shimano claims was due to the inconsistent nature of its mineral oil brake fluid.

As with the XTR brakes, the new XT stoppers use a new type of mineral oil that’s claimed to be less viscous and should therefore flow consistently through the system in a wider temperature range.

The new XT brake lever sits closer to the handlebar and uses a larger fluid reservoir, with the brake fluid now being pulled through the system, rather than pushed, by the master piston.

Shimano has also subtly changed the brake lever ergonomics. 

The lever blade pivot has been moved closer to the bar, which is claimed to give a more natural-feeling pull, while the lever is tilted 5 degrees upwards from the pivot, to better match your finger’s position when in use. 

Shimano hasn’t released much information on the new XT calipers; however, if the new XTR calipers are anything to go by, we can assume the cross-country stoppers haven’t changed a whole lot, apart from getting updated seals designed to work with Shimano’s new low-viscosity mineral fluid.

The trail/enduro calipers look to have had more of an overhaul, with a larger brake pad to increase surface contact with the rotor.

Shimano XT wheels

• Price: £219.99 (front), £279.99 (rear)

Completing the XT overhaul is a new alloy wheelset, available in 27.5 and 29in sizes. 

Designed for both XC and trail/enduro riding, it features a 30mm-wide rim (internal diameter), laced to Shimano’s Microspline hub by 28 stainless steel J-bend spokes.

The hub features a 3.5-degree engagement angle and uses Centerlock rotor mounts. 

Tom Pidcock recorded speeds of up to 95kph descending down the Rossfeld Panorama mountain pass on the Austria-Germany border.

In a new video shared by Red Bull, which sponsors the double Olympic mountain bike champion, Pidcock is followed on the 6km road by Matthias Walker, a Dakar Rally champion, who films from a motorbike.

Pidcock adopts the supertuck position with his body onto the top tube of his bike to gain an aero advantage. In 2021, the UCI banned the position in races, but it can still be used outside of competition.

But the 25-year-old Brit still pushed on the pedals during his ride. Riding out of the saddle, he produced over 800 watts. 

More on Tom Pidock

• Tom Pidcock is winning again: we analyse his 2025 tech setup
• Tom Pidcock shows off his new Scott Addict RC

At the end of the descent, Walkner claps the Pidcock’s descent before towing the Q.365 rider back up the mountain road. 

Pidcock is famous for his descending ability. During his Tour de France debut in 2022, when he won a stage on Alpe D’Huez, Pidcock descended down the Col du Galibier and Col de la Croix de Fer , hitting over 100kph.

In 2023, Pidcock also appeared in a video by Safa Brian, descending Tuna Canyon in Los Angeles. The viral video has now clocked up over 2.7 million views. 

Pearson, a London-based brand with a claim to being one of the world’s oldest bike makers (founded in 1860), is aiming to shake up the direct-to-consumer bike-sales model with a new service.

With all bikes built to order and the brand’s ‘white glove’ delivery method, Pearson looks to be offering something distinct from the competition.

We’ve all become familiar with the standard direct-to-consumer model pioneered by Canyon and Ribble. This model enables us to buy premium bikes at a price way below the high street, because it cuts out a layer of distribution costs by selling directly.

Direct shipping has its downsides, though. Your bike will arrive in a box, with some assembly required and knowledge needed in order to set it up correctly. You are also buying unseen.

Fitting is key

Pearson, however, wants to do things differently, with its origins as a shop that has been building and fitting bikes to customers since it was established.

The standalone bike brand says it wants every bike it sells to start with a bike fit. That can be through the network of Pearson dealers or your own fit.

Pearson will give you £200 cashback if you book a fit through The Bike Fitters mobile bike-fit service or provide your data from a previous fit.

Built to commission

Pearson then takes the fit data and builds the bike to order. That means it doesn’t offer a ‘stock’ version of its quartet of bikes.

Instead, Pearson offers a range of levels, starting at Shimano 105 and rising to Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 and SRAM Red AXS. Within those tiers, the bikes are built with contact points based on fit data and customer preference.

Pearson says that while its bikes are available at all levels, each bike, irrespective of price, comes with key components chosen for quality.

That means bottom brackets ranging from stainless Hope units to CeramicSpeed on premium models. All four bike models get CeramicSpeed SLT headsets as standard.

Wheels are provided by Pearson’s wheel partners Ere Research, with options from entry-level alloy through to carbon aero wheels with carbon spokes.

Pearson has no minimum buy-in for its built-to-order offer, saying the same service is provided for 105 bike buyers as premium Dura-Ace Di2 customers.

The range

Pearson’s quartet of bikes starts with the aero-race optimised Shift EVO.

The Shift has been in Pearson’s range for a couple of years and was developed and tested at the Silverstone Sports Engineering Hub. The new EVO has a carbon layup to reduce weight and enhance drivetrain stiffness.

It also gains a new suite of finishes and is available with SRAM AXS drivetrains for the first time.

Next in line is Pearson’s Forge, a fresh take on the fast endurance bike, with geometry based on data from more than 3,000 professional bike fits.

Pearson’s gravel bikes, the On and On Race, and On and On Adventure, share the same frame design. The Race model features a stripped-down version of the frame that omits fork mounts, mudguard eyelets and a third bottle mount under the down tube to reduce weight.

White glove delivery

Pearson is aiming to stand out from the crowd with its delivery service. You won’t receive your bike in a cardboard box; instead, once the bike is built, Pearson will hand-deliver it.

Trained staff will take care of the handover, provide any tweaks to the fit and ensure the bike is set up perfectly.

Each bike comes complete with everything you need to start riding, including a Pearson Torq wrench to make maintenance easier.

Warranty wonder

In what is says is another bike industry first, Pearson has introduced a transferrable warranty.

Pearson CEO Scott Davies says: “We found it strange that the bike industry only upheld its warranty for the original owner. That’s something that doesn’t happen in the automotive industry, so we introduced a transferrable warranty. 

“If you wanted to sell your bike a few years down the line, then providing you registered your bike when first purchased, you can then transfer the warranty to the new owner via our database.”

First introduced in May 2019, the Bologna Time Trial Lap course is short but brutal. It’s split into:

• 6.0 km of flat terrain through the historic streets
• 2.0 km climb averaging 9.7%, up to the Sanctuary of San Luca

This makes it close to a 50/50 split of flat and climbing for many Zwifters.

Why Retest?

Since its debut, Bologna TT has been well-studied. But with recent Zwift bike upgrades, earlier conclusions are up for debate. A discussion on the Kaboom Discord prompted this investigation after discrepancies appeared in the ZwifterBikes.web.app.

One Kaboom rider, Eric Brown, found that the app showed a 40-second advantage for the road bikes over TT bikes, which seemed suspicious. Oddly the same rider stats resulted in a different outcome on ZwifterBikes.web.app for myself, with the best TT bike being 10 seconds faster than the best road bike. I’d already established that the TT bike with disk wheels was the fastest setup for my A cat team in previous years’ testing, with a bike swap being a marginal gain with high risk. But I had to know – had the bike upgrade changes shaken things up? This required a test in Zwift to verify.

Organizing the Test

For those that don’t know, Bologna is an event-only world, making testing a little more tricky for those who live in the Eastern states of Australia like myself. It seems that every time I check zwifthacks.com/app/events for events on this course, they are on at “stupid O’clock” in the early morning hours. Luckily, Zwift has a “feature” that accommodates us: I could sign up for an event and then leave my avatar sitting on the side of the road whilst I go to bed and dream about riding away from Pogacar on the queen stage of the 2025 TDF (or the draft gauge being displayed natively in Zwift) and Zwift will automatically place the rider in the event.

I grabbed my morning coffee and greeted my Zwift avatar over a bowl of cold milk and Weetbix drizzled with honey. Hitting the “leave event” icon, I then logged into Zwift on my phone to trigger my original signed-in account in Bologna to be signed out and in a pseudo “offline” mode to ensure I didn’t contaminate my Zwift stats like XP, drops, bike upgrades etc.

WARNING: Despite the notice bar at the top stating stats won’t be counted, your fitness signature is still affected in this mode, so be careful with power durations if you don’t want to impact category rankings.

Test Setup

5 scenarios were tested using different rider profiles:

• 75 kg @ 173 cm @ 350 watts and then a split power 330w on flat, 370w on climb
• 50 kg @ 165 cm @ 5 W/kg and 3 W/kg- 90 kg @ 173 cm @ 250 watts (2.8 W/kg)

Bikes Used

• Road: Level 4 S-Works Tarmac SL8 + Enve SES 7.8 wheels
• TT: Level 5 Cadex + Enve SES 7.8 (Zipp 858/Super9 tested as well in first round in video). Zwift’s Ghost feature was used to compare previous runs and give a good visual guide.

Watch the Video

Results Snapshot

“The slower you go, the more time you spend climbing. That makes the road bike more advantageous.” – from the video

Interpretation

• At high power outputs, the TT bike wins thanks to its flat-section dominance.
• At low power outputs, the road bike can outperform due to increasing the ratio of time spent on the climb compared to the flat.
• The differences are small (~9 seconds), and pacing is still a very important factor. As Shane Miller says, “Go hardest when you’re going slowest.”

While TT bikes still hold an edge for strong riders, the Bologna TT course becomes road bike-friendly for less powerful riders. I would estimate that 3.2 W/kg is probably the tipping point where the TT bike starts to see an advantage for most rider sizes. Whilst I did get largely different finish times compared to zwifterbikes.web.app, the predicted time difference between the bikes were within a few seconds. Therefore, I feel that the bike recommendations may well be accurate enough to trust. They seem to line up well with the equipment tests published on Zwift Insider and my previous testing.

Recommendations

• High wattage (3.2 W/kg and above) -> Stick with your TT rig.
• Low power riders -> Consider a lightweight road setup, especially if you spend a long time on the hill.
• Willing to risk it for a biscuit? Try a bike swap: start on a TT bike for the flat and switch to a roadbike after the right hand turn starting the climb. There is potential to gain a large number of seconds for those in the lower categories who are well versed in fast bike swaps.

Your Thoughts

What’s your go-to Bologna TT race rig? Share your thoughts below!