Notable Zwift Events for the Weekend of November 22-23

Once again, this week’s top events come completely from Zwift’s community organizers! We’ve got two popular race series, a couple of feel-good group rides, and an extra-long ride with three pace options. See our picks below!

�CTT Winter Series on Zwift

✅ Popular  ✅ Race of Truth

Cycling Time Trials (CTT) – the national governing body for time trials in England, Scotland, and Wales – launched their Winter Time Trial Series last week on Zwift. It’s proving hugely popular, with over a thousand finishers last week!

Learn all about the Cycling Time Trials Winter Series >

This week, due to popular demand, they’ve expanded their Saturday offering to two different events to accommodate riders in different time zones. Everyone is racing on Watopia’s Triple Twist (24.5km, 201m).

Two time slots on Saturday, November 22
Sign up at zwift.com/events/tag/cyclingtimetrials

�Giant Bagel Rolls Ride – Whitney’s Comeback

✅ Good Cause  ✅ Endurance  

Regular ride leader Whitney Stidham was in a terrible bike crash back in September, and this Saturday is her first Saturday back, leading the 100km Giant Bagel Rolls Ride she’s led in the past. Join her, support her recovery, give her a Ride On, and get some endurance miles in!

Riders will be on Watopia’s Sugar Cookie route for 100km, at a 2.6-2.8 W/kg pace.

Sunday, November 22 @ 2pm UTC/9am ET/6am PT
Sign up at zwift.com/events/view/5210821

� Puchar Polski ZTPL CYCLING CLUB Etap II

✅ Unique Event  ✅ Popular  ✅ Polish

This event’s description text is entire in Polish, but it’s also got a lot of signups, earning it a spot on this list!

This is the second stage of a 5-week series which features a unique categorization scheme. Riders are categorized based on Zwift Racing Score, but into just two categories: 0-500, and 500-1000, with the higher category racing a longer route!

0-500 racers will be on Spinfinity (19.5km, 155m) while 500-1000 riders will be on Spinfinity Ultra (35km, 291m).

Saturday, November 22 @ 4pm UTC/11am EST/8am PST
Sign up at zwift.com/events/view/5197966

� GXY – Gaby’s Fabulous 80th Birthday Ride

✅ Popular  ✅ Happy Birthday  ✅ Beginner-Friendly

The Galaxy squad is celebrating teammate Gaby’s 80th birthday with a beginner-friendly spin around France’s Three Musketeers route (37.8km, 209m) on Saturday. The ride is not rubberbanded, but will be led at a pace of 1.6-2.2 W/kg.

Lots of riders already signed up for this one, and Galaxy says, “Everyone is welcome! However, we are looking to be especially encouraging to see ladies who are newer to Zwift, those trying to boost their fitness and endurance, or wanting to learn how to get more from their training just like Gaby does!”

Saturday, November 22 @ 3pm UTC/10am EST/7am PST
Sign up at zwift.com/events/view/5151813

� BMTR Flat 100 (Miles)

✅ Popular Ride ✅ Legacy Leader ✅ Endurance Challenge ✅ Kit Unlock

A regularly featured event here on Zwift Insider, the BMTR Flat 100 consistently gets lots of joiners because it’s well-led and run consistently week after week, year after year.

This week’s ride is on Makuri Islands’ Wandering Flats, with three pace groups to choose from.

Saturday, November 22 @ 1:10pm UTC/8:10am EST/5:10am PST
Sign up at zwift.com/events/view/5210803

How We Make Our Picks

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

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

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

Israel–Premier Tech rebrands as NSN Cycling Team and will race under a Swiss license 

Israel–Premier Tech has rebranded as NSN Cycling Team and will race under a Swiss licence with a base in Spain, it was revealed today.

The international sports and entertainment company NSN (Never Say Never) and Stoneweg, a global investment platform based in Geneva, Switzerland, have “entered into a joint venture” to take over the WorldTour and Development team structure ahead of the 2026 season. 

The change in sponsorship follows protests at races against the participation of Israel–Premier Tech in light of Israel’s war on Gaza. These protests came to a head at the Vuelta a España where several stages were cut short and demonstrators labelled the team’s participation as “sportswashing”.

Former Israel–Premier Tech riders Alessandro de Marchi and Jakob Fuglsang also expressed relief over no longer riding for the team, while Derek Gee terminated his contract following “serious concerns related to racing for the team” and a “personal-belief standpoint”.

As a result of the mounting pressure on Israel–Premier Tech, both Premier Tech and Factor Bikes said they would withdraw their support for the team if it did not change its name or drop its affiliation with Israel. 

Although Israel–Premier Tech said it would change its name, Premier Tech still dropped its sponsorship of the team in early November. 

The Canadian company said at the time: “Although we took notice of the team’s decision to change its name for the 2026 season, the core reason for Premier Tech to sponsor the team has been overshadowed to a point where it has become untenable for us to continue as a sponsor.”

It is now rumoured that Factor Bikes has left the team, with Scott Bikes allegedly stepping in. 

The team closed its website and social media accounts last weekend ahead of its relaunch on Thursday evening.

“We are proud to welcome NSN and Stoneweg to the team and announce our new name and identity: NSN Cycling Team,” said NSN Cycling Team general manager Kjell Carlström. 

“This is an incredibly exciting new chapter for the team, and we can’t wait to make our debut as NSN Cycling Team.”

The team will return to the WorldTour level for the 2026 season with the name NSN Cycling, while its Continental-level development squad will be called NSN Development Team. 

Why the UCI allowing 32in wheels in XCO World Cup racing is so significant

The UCI has stated 32in wheels will not be banned at mountain bike XCO World Cups, citing the value of product development and innovation that arises from mountain bike racing.

First reported by Mountain Bike Action Magazine, and then by Escape Collective, the UCI’s Fabrice Tiano – the governing body’s communications and media relations senior manager – states that: “The mountain bike commission always considered mountain bikes as the laboratory of cycling with very limited rules regarding equipment. That is the reason why 32-inch wheels will not be banned in mountain bikes.”

We approached the UCI for comment on whether 32in wheels will be banned or approved for racing at World Cups after spotting BMC’s 32in prototype at the Andorran round of the 2024 series, but no one from the organisation replied.

This official statement is big news for the sport because 32in wheels have the potential to repeat the revolution we saw when mountain bikes shifted from using 26in to 29in wheels in the early-to-late 2000s.

Industry momentum

We spotted Maxxis' 32in tyres at Eurobike.
We spotted Maxxis’ 32in tyres at Eurobike. Jack Luke / Our Media

Clearly, the UCI’s decision is based on growing industry momentum behind 32in wheels.

Maxxis is making the 32in Aspen XC race tyre, which was initially intended for the 2024 Olympics.

The BMC bike caused quite a stir, despite only being ridden during practice rather than the race itself.

KTM also teased a 32in XC race bike, but this time a hardtail. The brand seems to think it can make 32in wheels work for any size of rider, which is good news for shorter people wanting to try the new tech.

Brands such as DirtySixer and Zinn are already making 32in mountain bikes – that you can buy right now – and we’ve heard rumours from numerous other brands of their development, indicating the industry is on the cusp of being ready to embrace the new wheel size.

Weighing up the positives and negatives

29in, 27.5in and 26in mountain bike wheel sizes
29in, 27.5in and 26in mountain bike wheel sizes. BikeRadar

Those familiar with the move from 26in to 27.5in and now 29in wheels, and the benefits and negatives each of those wheel sizes offers, should be able to understand the arguments for and against the move from 29in to 32in wheels.

As positives, we’ve got higher rolling speeds and smoother bikes thanks to better bump roll-over, potentially leading to faster speeds and more exciting racing.

A larger tyre-to-ground contact patch should improve grip and slower handling provides more stability.

Negatively, handling may be slow and lethargic in tighter trail situations, and extra watts will be required to get those bigger wheels turning.

Just as on the first 29in-wheeled bikes, frame geometry may be impacted negatively until engineers can master how to fit those bigger wheels within the confines of a bike frame designed for human beings rather than giants.

What does this mean for World Cup racing?

32in prototype BMC at Andorra XC World Cup – riding shot
BMC has confirmed the bike won’t be raced. Piper Albrecht

On the race track, speed is king and the stopwatch doesn’t lie.

Race teams, their bike sponsors, those brands’ engineers and, ultimately, the riders will naturally gravitate towards anything that gives them an advantage over the competition – the only thing that really matters is winning.

I expect many of the biggest race teams will be experimenting with 32in wheels in 2026, especially on faster, less technical courses where those biggest hoops are likely to be most advantageous.

The UCI has given teams carte blanche to do so – now there’s no uncertainty about whether or not a team can or cannot use 32in wheels, you can bet most will be feverously prototyping their own bike.

Greg Minnaar, along with the rest of the Santa Cruz Syndicate, raced the new 29in-wheeled V10 at the first round of the 2017 World Cup in Lourdes, France. Seb Stott / Immediate Media

But as we’ve seen in downhill racing, the exact – and winning – formula may take some time to settle on.

In 2017, when Santa Cruz launched its 29in-wheeled V10 at the Lourdes round of the World Cup, it made other brands look as if they were resting on their laurels.

Despite the V10 getting nowhere near the podium, a panicked scrabble ensued among the other manufacturers to produce a 29in-wheeled DH bike. The perceived benefits – real or psychological – were too hard to ignore.

That same back-footed scramble is less likely in the XC world – teams had an early warning with BMC’s prototype, so come 1 May 2026 in South Korea, teams will be ready to debut their polished rigs.

The rules still apply

32in prototype BMC at Andorra XC World Cup
Mixed wheel sizes are banned by the UCI in XCO events. Piper Albrecht

Despite the UCI’s rather libertarian – and surprising – statement in relation to 32in wheels, there are still rules that XCO race teams have to abide by.

The most important of these doesn’t apply to downhill.

Mixing wheel sizes has the green light for gravity-fed racing, and many bike manufacturers have settled comfortably on the mullet wheel setup being best.

Almost every downhill bike runs a 27.5in rear and 29in front wheel. There are some exceptions, and a lot of bikes can be switched between mullet and pure 29in.

But in the XC world, mixed wheel sizes are not allowed.

There could be plenty of compelling arguments for 29/32in mullets, mostly offering a better balance between the pros and cons I mentioned.

Although this is off the table for 2026’s World Cup series, it wouldn’t surprise me if we see some prototypes of this ilk kicking about at some point soon.

Trek recalls more than 75,000 bikes due to brake crash hazard 

Trek has issued a recall and stop ride notice for more than 75,000 bikes sold in North America, due to an issue with the coaster brake.

The recall was issued last week by the US Consumer Product Safety Commission. It involves models – mostly children’s bikes – from Trek and its subsidiary Electra, alongside replacement wheels.

The recalled Trek and Electra bikes and replacement wheels are as follows:

  • Electra Townie Rental 1 Step Thru
  • Trek Precaliber 12
  • Trek Precaliber 16
  • Trek Precaliber 20
  • Trek Sprocket 1 16
  • Trek Precaliber 12 CB replacement wheel
  • Trek Precaliber 16 CB replacement wheel
  • Trek Precaliber 20 CB replacement wheel

Trek says the coaster brake on these products can fail to engage, resulting in the rider losing control and posing a crash hazard. 

The rear coaster brake is said not to lubricate the internal surfaces on affected bikes adequately, which could accelerate wear and prevent the brake from working. 

No incidents or injuries have been recorded, but users have been advised to contact an authorised Trek or Electra dealer to schedule a free repair at the dealer. 

About 68,000 units identified in the recall notice were sold in the USA, while 6,822 were sold in Canada.

A Trek spokesperson told Bike Europe that just over 2,000 Trek Precaliber 12 kids’ bikes delivered to Europe have been affected.

Trek has given retailers recall replacement instructions and a poster to display, while the company is offering a financial incentive globally to ensure affected products are replaced. 

“To encourage retailers and consumers to resolve this issue, we are issuing a consumer credit of €20 to spend in the store whilst the wheel is being replaced and compensating the retailer €15 for their labour on any bike affected they complete a claim for,” a Trek spokesperson told Bike Europe.

Fancy a stem that looks like a banana? Yours for £220

We all know bananas are a cyclist’s best friend. They’re packed with energy and nutrients, pocket-friendly and come ready-wrapped in biodegradable packaging. 

But if your love of bananas goes beyond the edible, why not swap out your stem to Stayer’s Banana Banana? It has 100mm of reach and, thanks to its banana shape, 100mm of rise

Stayer says the stem has been used to satisfy the appetite of a 6ft 4in rider for a stem that made his cargo bike more comfortable and easier to ride.

The Banana Banana stem was designed to fit a basket to a drop-bar bike. Stayer Cycles

The original bunch of three Banana Banana stems were made in 2021 so that the Wizard Works luggage brand could fit a front basket to a drop-bar bike without it getting in the way of the handlebar, so it wasn’t just a novelty piece.  

For the same price as the stem, you could buy around 250kg of bananas at Tesco. Stayer Cycles

If you don’t want a 100mm Banana, you can choose to pre-purchase a 60mm length/rise small Banana. And if you don’t like yellow, you can have a Banana Banana stem in any colour you want – maybe an unripe green one – for an extra £20.

Stayer says the Banana Banana stem will ship at the end of January 2026. With a price of £220, we calculate you could buy almost 250kg of the real thing at Tesco, though, which would be a lot more tasty and make good use of your cargo bike’s carrying capacity.

The 10 most dangerous junctions for cyclists in London revealed

London Cycling Campaign has highlighted 10 junctions in London that it says have, over the past five years, seen the most accidents and fatalities to cyclists and pedestrians.

According to its analysis, the most dangerous junction for cycling is the Upper Tooting Road cluster in Wandsworth, which has been top of the list for the last three years. 

It highlights three ratruns that cross the road: Ansell Road, Lessingham Avenue and Derinton Road, as accident blackspots where, on average over the last five years, two cyclists a year have been seriously injured and four slightly injured.

LCC’s analysis shows that two other high-risk junctions are on the same CS7 Cycle SuperHighway corridor: Clapham High Street and Gauden Road, and Balham High Road and Ramsden Road.

The second most dangerous junction, according to the LCC, is between Great Eastern Street and Curtain Road in Hackney. 

LCC highlights vehicle ratruns that cross cycleways as contributors to accidents at blackspots. London Cycle Campaign

It also highlights the junction on Cycleway C9 between King Street and Weltje Road in Hammersmith, which it says is used by motorists as a ratrun between the A4 and King Street, and that crosses the cycleway. It says Hammersmith & Fulham council has failed to take action, despite a number of serious collisions.

Looking at the data overall, LCC says its analysis highlights two factors that underlie accident blackspots: poor-quality junction design along designated cycle routes and the absence of adjacent low-traffic neighbourhoods, which would deter cross-traffic.

Limited mitigation

LCC’s interactive map highlights cycle and pedestrian accident blackspots across Greater London. London Cycle Campaign

LCC has also followed up what action, if any, has been taken to mitigate the risks at the dangerous junctions it has identified. In most cases, it states, little has been done to prevent a future serious collision or fatality, including on the Upper Tooting Road, which we highlighted as one of seven London cycling accident blackspots as long ago as 2016.

LCC’s analysis underlies its interactive dangerous junctions map on its site, which it has just updated with the latest 2024 data from emergency services. The map clusters junctions close to each other, and also weights collisions by severity and how recently they occurred. 

In contrast to London, Paris has done far more to make central areas such as the upmarket Rue de Rivoli cyclist-friendly. London Cycle Campaign

LCC asserts that Transport for London, which recently reported nine cyclist fatalities on London roads in the previous year, has avoided or delayed changes to accident hotspots, claiming that it has aimed to balance collision reduction with its impact on bus journey times. 

It suggests more rigorous separation of buses from private motor vehicles, giving them priority and reducing capacity for private vehicles, would be a greater contributor to reduced bus journey times, though.

Alongside its analysis, LCC has launched a new email campaign, directed at the Mayor for London, to highlight its campaign for faster action to reduce risks at known dangerous junctions. You can read more and email the Mayor from its Dangerous Junctions page.

“NYC Showdown” ZRacing Series Details, November 24-30

Next week, Zwift is mixing up their typical monthly ZRacing model by holding a week-long series of races on fresh New York routes. Each race is scheduled for just 2-3 days, but everything else is what we know and love about ZRacing… fast, hard races, with an overall time-based GC competition for the three races.

Read on for details, or sign up at zwift.com/events/tag/nycshowdown.

The Week’s Routes

Here are the routes we’ll be racing for the week:

  • Stage 1 (Nov 24-25): Times Square Circuit
    • Laps: 6
    • PowerUps: Draft / Aero
    • Distance: 21.24km / 13.20mi
    • Elevation: 120m / 394′
  • Stage 2 (Nov 26-27): Prospect Park Loop
    • Laps: 4
    • PowerUps: Draft / Aero
    • Distance: 21.91km / 13.61mi
    • Elevation: 187m / 614′
  • Stage 2 (Nov 28-30): Stay Puft Pursuit
    • Laps: 1
    • PowerUps: 31.6km / 19.6mi
    • Distance: 416m / 1365′
    • Elevation: Feather / Aero

Sign up at zwift.com/events/tag/nycshowdown

GC Leaderboards

Zwift’s web-based leaderboards are used for tracking the GC competition for the ZRacing series. No ZwiftPower registration or use is necessary.

Access the leaderboards for this week at zwift.com/racing/leagues/nycshowdown2025 >

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.

Category Options

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.

Extras

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.

Questions or Comments?

Post below! 

Factor Bikes leaves Israel–Premier Tech following season of protests 

Factor Bikes has terminated its contract with Israel–Premier Tech and Scott Bikes is stepping in to provide the troubled team with bikes, reports suggest.

Scott has reportedly arrived at the team’s service course in Girona, although it’s unclear whether the bike brand will be a lead sponsor, according to Daniel Benson’s Cycling Substack

The departure of Factor Bikes follows Premier Tech revealing it would leave the team earlier this month. Premier Tech announced this week that it will sponsor St Michel – Preference Home – Auber93 for the next two seasons.

Israel–Premier Tech is currently undergoing a rebrand, after Factor Bikes and Premier Tech said they would only stay on as sponsors if the team ended its affiliation with Israel.

But it now appears Factor Bikes is joining Premier Tech in leaving the team despite its rebranding. 

This follows a season marred by protests against the team’s participation in races in light of Israel’s war on Gaza. Protestors at Vuelta a Espana labelled the team’s participation as “sportswashing”. 

The timing is also notable for Scott Bikes, after Q36.5 Pro Cycling announced a partnership with Pinarello, which will now provide Tom Pidcock with bikes for riding on and off the road. This left Scott Bikes without a team in the WorldTour. 

Factor Bikes and Scott Bikes are yet to comment. 

Crit Cade Steering Races Announced

Today, Zwift launched a new series of experimental Wednesday races dubbed “Crit Cade.” Similar events were held back in November 2023, but two years later, with many more Zwifters owning steering devices, the events may just have the numbers to make them interesting. Read on to learn all about Crit Cade…

What Is “Crit Cade”?

These events are just like any other Crit City race you may have enjoyed in the past… except they’re totally different, for three reasons!

  • Steering Required: These events are designed to maximize the fun and engagement of Zwift Steering, so you must have a steering device connected to join the start pens.
  • Power Up Pandemonium: This race features the experimental Boost Powerups, which are given at the lap banner and must be used during the lap before picking more up at the next banner.
  • Speed Boosts and Hazard Pads: Blue Speed Boosts are scattered across the course to give you an extra injection of pace. But red Hazard Pads are also on course, and they slow you down! Watch out, because both types can move around and even swap.

You’ll need to stay fully engaged throughout the race if you want to come home with a win. It’s not just about putting out the power, it’s also about steering effectively, timing your powerups, and drafting whenever possible.

Watch the First Race

I signed up for the first race of the series, just to see how it unfolded from the comfort of my own desk. Watch the A category here:

Route and Schedule

Races are planned for each Wednesday, November 19 through December 31, at five time slots (0830, 1730, 1830, 1930, 2330, 0230 UTC) to cover peak time in all major time zones. See upcoming events at zwift.com/events/tag/critcade.

Route: Downtown Dolphin (8 laps, 15.4km, 136m elevation)

Orange pixelated background with white text that reads ZWIFT LABS, featuring a small lab flask icon between the words.

Sign up at zwift.com/events/tag/critcade

Zwift Labs Club

These events are held within the Zwift Labs club (sign up here). This feature is still in development, so you can share feedback within the club’s chat in the Companion app, or via the comments below (Zwift says they’re watching this post).

Share Your Thoughts

Have you tried a Crit Card Steering Race yet? Share your thoughts below!

Open letter opposing ‘restrictive’ ebike regulations gains 200 signatories from cycling industry 

Nearly 200 signatories have signed LEVA-EU’s open letter demanding the German Bicycle Industry Association, ZIV, drops its proposed changes to electric bike regulations. 

ZIV (Zweirad Industrie Verband) published a position paper on the future of European ebike regulations in April 2025, which quickly prompted a backlash and accusations of protectionism from sections of the e-mobility market.

The recent debate over ebike regulations has been fuelled by the European Union giving the industry until 2027 to redefine electric bike standards, which could have big implications for the future of the industry. 

In the open letter written by LEVA-EU, a European trade association for electric vehicles, the signatories object to how ZIV’s proposed changes could punish elderly and disabled people, undermine the EU’s climate commitments and penalise certain types of electrically assisted pedal cycles (EAPCs).

The signatories include individuals from companies such as DJI, Avinox, Skarper and VanMoof.  

They say ZIV’s proposals would impose “arbitrary restrictions” on EAPCs. These include limits on assistance ratios, peak power and vehicle weight. 

Addressed to ZIV, the Confederation of the European Bicycle Industry (CONEBI), which supports the proposals, and the European Commission, the letter also asks these bodies to “not let Europe become the desert of light electric mobility innovations”. 

It says ZIV’s proposal would “obstruct European innovation and competitiveness, protecting incumbents while sidelining new entrants and technologies”.

A critical aspect of the ZIV position paper is the proposal to ensure ebikes have the same legal status as non-assisted cycles.

The open letter objects to this legal equivalence, because it would mean certain EAPCs would be subject to type-approval, where a product must meet a minimum set of regulatory, technical and safety requirements. 

This could limit heavier and more powerful EAPCs, which would be beneficial for logistics or even families commuting on e-cargo bikes, from getting to the market. 

The letter outlines how this also points to a “deeper structural problem” around the regulation of EAPCs in Europe. 

LEVA-EU says an EAPC with a motor that provides 250W of continuous power – the legal limit in the EU for an ebike – is regulated under the Machinery Directive. It is therefore excluded from type approval and can be placed on the market after a brand’s own certification process. But an EAPC with a motor power of 300W “must undergo costly and unsuitable type-approval under Regulation 168/2013”.

The issue here is that some argue motor power does not affect the risk an EAPC poses. If an EAPC has an identical weight and top speed, they say, it poses the same risk in an impact, regardless of motor power. 

“This regulatory split is neither proportionate nor neutral, and it undermines competitiveness and innovation across the LEV [light electric vehicle] sector,” the open letter says. 

The letter adds that instead of a ‘regulatory split’, there should be a dedicated light electric vehicle regulation. It says it would mean these vehicles could be regulated according to their “real safety and use characteristics, not outdated or arbitrary distinctions” and would “enable a fair, innovation-friendly, and future-proof market for light electric mobility in Europe”.  

ZIV has yet to respond to our request for comment.

Zwift Racing League Week 4 Guide: Watts the Limit (TTT)

The fourth race of Zwift Racing League 2025/26 Round 2 happens Tuesday, November 25, and it’s a team time trial on the new Watts the Limit route in NYC. This is an interesting TTT route, with plenty of pitch changes to keep us on our toes and unique characteristics that make it a much faster course than you might think.

Let’s dig into crucial segments, escalators, bike choice tips, and more!

Looking at the Route

Watts the Limit is a fresh route from the recent New York map expansion. And while the Strava segment profile (above) may look lumpy – like a city skyline, in fact – it’s actually a fairly flat and fast route, thanks to escalators helping us out of the subway tunnels!

All categories will race a full lap of this out-and-back route, for a total of 31km with 219m of elevation. (Although it’s not really 219m, since ~95 of those meters are on escalators.)

Most of this course is close to pan-flat, with major elevation changes taking place quickly in between as you enter or exit subways. Here are the key points you’ll keep in mind as your team attacks this course:

  • Lead-In Kicker @1km (300 meters at 3.7%): this little bump near the end of the lead-in is short enough that it’s best to just hammer hard if you’re on the front, and stay in the draft if you’re behind. Keep the watts high so your speed stays up, then grab recovery on the flats and descents that follow.
  • Escalator @4.7km: the first of six escalators you’ll encounter today, these are going to play havoc with teams who have riders with widely varying weights. See “More On Escalators” below for details.
  • Escalator @8.2km
  • Manhattan Bridge @9.1km (1.2km at 1.6%): the bridge isn’t as steep from this side, so speeds will stay high and drafting will remain very important. Increase your power, but stay in formation. Recovery awaits on the back half of the bridge.
  • Escalator @14.5km
  • Hill to Grand Army Plaza @14.6km (400 meters at 2%): this little climb comes directly after the escalator, so keep the power up in order to maintain speed all the way up to the flat Grand Army Plaza turnaround at the top.
  • Escalator @18.7km
  • Manhattan Bridge @19.5km (1.1km at 2.4%): a bit steeper on this side, but still not a proper “climb,” so you’ll definitely want to lift the power while staying in formation up and over.
  • Escalator @24.5km
  • Escalator @27.8km
  • Final Kicker @30.5km (300 meters at 3.7%): almost there! Hammer this kicker just like you did at the start of the race, then go all-in across the top to empty the tank and finish fast.
  • Finish at 31km
Animated “Watts the Limit” Route Details (New York) Map
Animated map provided by ZwiftHacks

More On Escalators

Warning: the new escalators in NYC may prove tricky if there’s a big difference between the highest and lowest rider weights on your team!

Community feedback is saying, and our tests are confirming, that heavier riders slow much more on the escalators than lighter riders. (Heavier riders, take heart: Zwift knows about this issue, and internal sources tell me a change is planned soon to make escalators perform much more uniformly across various riders. Light riders: enjoy the escalators while you still can! �)

I ran bots of various weights up one of the longer escalators on the route (the final escalator you’ll hit, in fact). Each bot’s power was set so they would all have approximately the same escalator entry speed (~46 kph), and that power remained steady as they went up and over the top of the escalator. Here’s how much each bot slowed down between entering and exiting the escalator:

  • 50kg bot @261W: slowed 3.2 kph
  • 75kg bot @339W: slowed 11 kph
  • 100kg bot @390W: slowed 16.1 kph

Of course, most teams won’t have a 50kg (or even 25kg) weight difference between riders. But the heavier you are, the more you should plan to push on escalators to keep your speed high. And lighter riders will probably want to keep their power fairly steady, to avoid shooting off the front!

Two more escalator tips:

  • Lower Your TD: These are steep, with gradients around 20%. If you have trainer difficulty set to 100%, it will feel like pedaling into a wall. I recommend setting TD to 50% or less for this course.
  • Follow the Wheels Down: The downhill ramps will also wreak some havoc due to varying rider weights and power outputs. Pay close attention and try to maintain your single-file position before, during, and after descending the ramps to maximize your draft benefit and keep speeds high. If you’re a lighter rider on the front during one of these descents, hammer out some of the watts you’ve saved on the escalators, as the heavier riders will fly past otherwise!

Read more about the Watts the Limit route >

Bike Frame + Wheel Choice

Bike choice here is simple: go aero. On a flattish route like this, weight doesn’t matter much, and aero is everything! The best setup by far is the CADEX Tri frame paired with the DT Swiss Disc wheels, but you’ll need to be at level 40+ to access this sweet rig:

CADEX Tri + DT Swiss Disc wheels

If you don’t have access to this setup, check out “Fastest TT Bike Frames and Wheels at Each Zwift Level” and use the fastest TT frame and wheelset available at your level.

One more note on bike choice: upgrading your frame makes a big difference. A fully upgraded frame saves around 13 watts, or ~48 seconds per hour of riding. Read all about the performance improvements you receive from upgrades here.

More Route Recons

Many recon rides are planned each week on the upcoming ZRL route. If you’re unfamiliar with this course, jump into an event and familiarize yourself with the route! Find a list of upcoming ZRL recon rides at zwift.com/events/tag/zrlrecon.

Additionally, riders in the Zwift community do a great job every week creating recon videos that preview the courses and offer tips to help you perform your best on the day. Here are the recons I’ve found (comment if you find another!):

J Dirom

John Rice

TTTips

Successful team time trialing on Zwift requires a challenging combination of physical strength, proper pacing, and Zwift minutiae like picking a fast bikeunderstanding drafting in a TTT context, and getting your frame fully upgraded.

Flatter courses like this week give valuable seconds to teams with big pure-power riders who can keep their power high on the front while staying in single-file formation to conserve in the draft behind. Extra seconds can also be gained by pacing smartly, ramping up the effort on short climbs and recovering a bit once you’re up to speed on the short descents.

On a course like this week’s, I highly recommend all team members set their Trainer Difficulty to the same value so you’re all feeling the gradient changes similarly. (When one rider has it set to 100% and another 25%, the first rider may ramp up power much more than the second when a climb hits, which can make a mess of your team formation.)

Your goal in a ZRL TTT is to get four riders across the line in the shortest time possible. That means every team’s pace plan will differ based on each rider’s abilities. I highly recommend having an experienced DS on Discord directing your team, especially if your team contains some inexperienced TTT riders.

Lastly, if you want to go further down the TTT rabbit hole, I highly recommend Dave Edmond’s Zwift TTT Calculator tool.

Questions or Comments?

Share below!

Premier Tech to sponsor new team after leaving Israel–Premier Tech

Premier Tech will sponsor the St Michel – Preference Home – Auber93 men’s and women’s cycling teams for the next two seasons.

The Canadian multi-national company revealed its new sponsorship deal yesterday, only 10 days after it announced the end of its partnership with Israel–Premier Tech. 

As part of the sponsorship deal, Premier Tech says it will “notably support” the women’s ProTeam programme. 

Three Canadian cyclists will join the women’s team for the 2026 season: Alison Jackson and Clara Émond will move from EF Education-Oatly, while Simone Boilard makes the switch from Uno-X Mobility. 

“Partnering with Premier Tech marks a milestone for our team. We share a common vision: an inclusive, integrated cycling ecosystem driven by talent diversity. We are pleased to welcome Premier Tech and pursue this shared ambition,” says Charlie Nerzic, deputy general manager of the team. 

Jean Bélanger, president and chief executive of Premier Tech, says: “This opportunity fully aligns with the reason why Premier Tech has been committed to cycling for over 30 years – building bridges across all levels of the sport and supporting the development of Québec and Canadian cyclists.”

Premier Tech sponsored Israel–Premier Tech from 2022, but it said in September that the team must change its name and state affiliation in order for its support to continue. Although Israel–Premier Tech said it would change its name, Premier Tech stepped down from sponsoring the team earlier this month. 

 “Although we took notice of the team’s decision to change its name for the 2026 season, the core reason for Premier Tech to sponsor the team has been overshadowed to a point where it has become untenable for us to continue as a sponsor,” Premier Tech said at the time

Israel–Premier Tech was the target of protests throughout the 2025 cycling season, with demonstrators at the Vuelta a España labelling the team’s participation as “sportswashing”. 

Several former riders also expressed relief this year at no longer riding for Israel Premier–Tech, in light of Israel’s war on Gaza. Derek Gee terminated his contract, citing “serious concerns related to racing for the team”. 

The founder of Factor Bikes, Rob Gitelis, said Factor would end its sponsorship of Israel–Premier Tech if the team did not change its name. 

Israel–Premier Tech applied for a WorldTour licence for the 2026 season with a placeholder name, and its new identity is expected to be announced shortly. 

New Ratio Mech rear derailleur offers Full Mount and hanger compatibility for Shimano and SRAM drivetrains

Ratio Technology has launched the mechanical Mech 1x rear derailleur, priced at £295, offering direct-mount and hanger-mounted options. It can work with a range of 12- and 13-speed cassettes with different gear spreads from both Shimano and SRAM.  

The brand says it’s the first derailleur manufactured in the UK for 60 years, with metal components made at its factory in the Lake District and nylon parts made using 3D-printing in Kent. The Mech can be fully rebuilt using only a multi-tool.

Ratio director Tom Simpson says its performance should rival electronic systems, but with a lower weight. He suggests poor mechanical shifting is caused not by cable drag but by friction in the derailleur, so Ratio has used quality stainless steel bearings to ensure low friction and resist wear.

We covered the new derailleur back in September, but it’s now ready for launch. 

Multiple cassette compatibility

There are Full Mount and hanger-mounted options available.

Best known for making devices to adapt cable-pull ratios to enable different brands’ drivetrain components to be used together in a mix-and-match system and its replacement derailleur parts, the Mech is Ratio’s first full derailleur. It can be attached to your bike frame similarly to SRAM T-Type derailleurs and is compatible with UDH dropouts or can be hanger-mounted. It can also be converted between the two. 

Ratio built a series of test prototypes that it rode during the winter of 2024-25 to prove and refine the design, subsequently adding a clutch and the interchangeable cable-pull adjuster fins that enable the Mech to be set up to work with different levers.

The three adjustment screws provide compatibility with different cassette-ratio spreads.

While SRAM’s derailleurs lack a B-screw or limit screws, they’re present in the Ratio derailleur. Ratio says this was a starting point for its design, as it 3D modelled a range of different cassette options to choose a derailleur geometry that maintained a consistent B-gap when shifting across the cassette. 

So, while SRAM T-Type and gravel Full Mount derailleur users are restricted to a single cassette, Ratio’s system can be used with a range of cassette gear spreads. Along with the adjustable cable pull, this opens up compatibility not only with SRAM, but also Shimano mechanical shifting and across both 12- and 13-speed road and MTB platforms. 

Interchangeable fins enable the Mech to work with levers with different cable-pull ratios.

When we asked whether the direct-mount option might infringe any SRAM patents, Simpson told us: “SRAM’s IP protects the novel and innovative installation process for their Full Mount derailleurs, in which the friction from the clockwise bolt rotation rotates the entire derailleur back to a pre-set cage position to set the derailleur orientation and B gap. 

“As we understand it, there is no protection against the concept of mounting a derailleur coaxially with the rear axle; it is not novel, as there are a number of earlier examples, and it is arguably not inventive as the step towards ‘direct mount’ is an obvious one on various elements of the bicycle (the most obvious being the chainring).”

Ratio Mech derailleur options and prices

The Mech derailleur can be rebuilt using only a multi-tool.

The Ratio Mech derailleur is available for direct or hanger mounting, with cage lengths for 46t or 52t maximum cassette sizes and with a choice of seven cable fins. Together, these are claimed to offer compatibility with most 12- and 13-speed 1x drivetrains. Ratio says it will add more 11-, 12- and 13-speed options in future.

It says the Mech is designed for easy setup and can be rebuilt using only a multi-tool. It also offers a Cage Stop feature, which locks the derailleur in position for easier wheel removal. At launch, the Mech will be available in black only, with silver to follow. Sadly, though, you’re going to have to wait for the blue option.

The Ratio Mech derailleur is priced at £295 / $388 / €334 / AU$592. 

All About the New Shimano DURA-ACE C36 Wheels in Zwift

This week’s Zwift release includes a minor configuration fix for the new Shimano DURA-ACE C36 wheelset. The C36 wheels replace the C40 wheels in the Drop Shop, which means if you already own the C40 wheels they will remain in your garage, but once you update to Zwift version 1.101+, you will not be able to purchase the C40 wheels. Which should be fine with everyone, since the C36 is a better wheelset at a better price!

Here’s what the Drop Shop says about them: “With both a lighter, wider all-carbon rim and a lighter hub, the new DURA-ACE C36 won’t shy away from a day of climbing. The new rim is 36 mm deep and still delivers a good aerodynamic efficiency despite its gossamer weight. Meanwhile the hub features an alloy freehub body and new engagement mechanism for increased rigidity.”

The wheels are now available in the Drop Shop, accessible at level 6 and above, for the low price of 150,000 Drops. They are rated 3 stars for aero and 4 for weight, which is impressive given their price and low level requirement. Since Zwift’s 4-star rating system isn’t precise enough for our taste, we ran these wheels through our standard battery of tests to determine exactly how they perform in Zwift and stack up against other wheelsets in game.

Let’s dive in and learn all about the performance of this new wheelset from Shimano…

Aero (Flat/Rolling) Performance

Shimano’s DURA-ACE C36 wheels are on the lower end of aero performance in Zwift, although they are significantly faster than the D40 wheels they replace. While the D40 shows a 9.8-second gain over the baseline in a 1-hour flat ride, the C36 shows a 16-second gain.

As an affordable level 6 unlock, the C36 would be expected to perform in line with other lower-level unlocks. It squares up nicely against other low-level unlock wheels, performing better than all wheelsets at level 9 and below, except the Mavic Cosmic CXR60c which does very poorly on climbs.

Climb Performance

The climbs are where this wheelset really shines. It turns in the 6th-best time of any wheelset in Zwift, which doesn’t sound impressive until you remember it’s a level 6 unlock at only 150,000 Drops!

Shimano’s DURA-ACE C36 wheels put in an Alpe climb just 1.2 seconds behind the Zipp 454 wheels, less than 2.5 seconds behind the fastest wheels in the game across an hour of steep climbing. Very impressive performance for a level 6 wheelset!

Note: all test results above are from a 75kg, 183cm rider holding 300W steady using the Zwift Carbon frame.

Conclusions

While the new DURA-ACE C36 wheels from Shimano aren’t the top performers in Zwift, they are the best all-arounder or climbing-focused wheelset below level 18. In fact, I’d say they are actually the best climbing wheelset below level 24! Definitely a wheelset Zwift racers will want to check out early in their racing progression.

These wheels have been, or will soon be, added to the following posts:

Questions or Comments?

Share below!

Important note: this post contains speed test results for Zwift frames or wheels. These results may change over time, and a bike’s performance relative to others may also change. We don’t always revise posts when performance rankings change, but we do keep current, master versions of our speed test results which are always available. See the frame charts, wheel charts, and Tron vs Top Performers for current performance data.

Zwift Update Version 1.102 (155319) Released

Zwift version 1.102 begins its phased rollout today. For most Zwifters, this is a minor update that includes a new NYC route, a wheelset fix, and various bugfixes. But some Zwifters will begin seeing Personalized Recommendations as Zwift begins testing this new feature. Read on for details!

New Big Apple Route(s)

On the heels of the recent New York map expansion, today Zwift releases yet another new route: Times Square Circuit. This route includes an achievement badge for both riders and runners.

Shimano DURA-ACE C36 Fix

Zwift’s release notes include this line: “Updated the performance of the Dura-Ace C36 wheels to better match real-world performance.”

In version 1.101, Zwift removed the Shimano DURA-ACE C40 wheels from the Drop Shop, replacing them with the newer and (supposedly) lighter C36 wheels. There was just one problem: the game showed the new C36 wheels as rated 1 star for weight, meaning they were quite heavy!

Today’s release fixes this problem, and the wheels now show a 4-star weight rating. Watch for a post later today detailing their performance, which looks very strong considering they are unlocked at level 6 and cost only 150,000 Drops. These may just be the climbing/all-around wheels beginners are looking for…

New Level Up Celebrations

A new on-screen celebration happens whenever a Zwifter levels up. You’ll even see it when those around you reach a new level!

To learn more about levels in Zwift, read All About Zwift XP, Levels, and Unlocks for Cyclists >

Apple M5 & A19 Visual Upgrades

Users of the newest Apple devices rejoice: today’s update includes two items that may pertain to you!

  • macOS: The Ultra graphics profile is now enabled for devices with Apple M5 chips.
  • iOS: Improved visual quality for devices with Apple A19 and M5 chips.

Apple’s M5 chip powers the new 14-inch MacBook Pro, iPad Pro, and Apple Vision Pro. The A19 chip powers the iPhone 17.

Personalized Recommendations

Zwift promised this feature would begin launching in November, and they stuck to the plan. Today’s update includes Personalized Recommendations, but the feature is only being enabled for a select cohort of Zwifters because Zwift wants to gather feedback and fine-tune the recommendation engine before releasing it to a larger audience.

Due to this limited rollout, Zwift didn’t include Personalized Recommendations in the release notes.

How does it all work? The Personalized Recommendations engine looks at your Zwift activities as well as any outdoor rides if you’ve connected your Garmin, Wahoo, or Karoo account. It then recommends a session for the day based on your habits, fitness, and freshness. These recommendations can be made shorter or longer, and you can choose between a workout, a route, and a RoboPacer. (Zwift tells me event recommendations will come in time.)

While the backend engine is, I’m sure, quite complex, the front-end interface is simple and easy to use. SEe for yourself:

Watch this space for more details as this feature begins rolling out!

More Release Notes

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

  • Fixed an issue that could potentially show an incorrect starting location for activities published to Strava.
  • Fixed an issue that could potentially calculate incorrect Stress Points (SP) when sitting idle in Zwift during an activity.
  • Fixed an issue that could cause heart rate monitors to get stuck in a Connecting state when paired via Kickr Bridge.
  • Fixed an issue that could potentially cause fitness devices connected via Wi-Fi to disconnect immediately after selection.
  • Zwift Unlocked Tour: Fixed an issue that could cause the route lead-in distance to not count toward the total distance metric shown in the HUD.
  • Zwift Unlocked Tour: Fixed an issue that could cause the remaining distance shown below the mini-map to not match the event route distance.
  • Various visual improvements throughout New York.
  • macOS: Fixed an issue that could cause fullscreen mode to not take effect.
  • Android: Improved fitness device connection reliability for devices with Unisoc Bluetooth chipsets (e.g. Samsung Tab A8, Lenovo M10).
  • General stability improvements.

Discuss this update in Zwift’s forum >

Questions or Comments?

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

Prestige: Season 1 Premier-Tier Race Series Begins November 20

Prestige: Season One is a premier-tier cycling esports series on Zwift with full live broadcast coverage, performance verification, and prizes. It all begins this Thursday, November 20, which means I’m getting this post out a bit late! But I believe this series is a big deal, for a few reasons, so I reached out to organizer Dean Cunningham to gather details I could share with the Zwift Insider audience.

Read on to learn all about this groundbreaking series, and the new platform hosting registration and results…

Principals & Partners

The series is organized and promoted by Restart Esports p/b Alex Coh Coaching, utilizing the Leadout Esports platform at its core for all race details, rider/team entries, and results. 

Leadout Esports is a project headed by Nathan Guerra, and we’ll be seeing a lot more from them in the coming weeks and months as they begin powering additional high-end racing series. Restart Esports is headed by Dean Cunningham, and you can click below to hear Nathan and Dean discuss Prestige: Season One, the Leadout Esports platform, and visions for the future of cycling esports:

Race broadcast coverage is being handled by ZMS Esports Studio, powering live streams on the Leadout Esports YouTube channel during each race. Broadcasts will include commentary from familiar faces, including Nathan Guerra and Dave Towle.

Official race partners Verge Sport and Precision Fuel & Hydration will bring exclusive discounts to participants and squads, along with prizes for prime and race winners.

Series Format & Structure

The series consists of 4 one-day races on classic Zwift courses scheduled every other Thursday beginning November 20.

These are scratch races with one prime banner on each course. Scoring on the finish line of each race will be awarded as 30 points for 1st place, down to 1 point for 30th place. 

To enhance the broadcast, women race first, with men racing a half hour later:

  • Women’s race times: 1300 EST/1800 GMT/1900 CET
  • Men’s race times: 1330 EST/1830 GMT/1930 CET

Individual Competition & Prizes

For the individual classification, each event is treated as a one day race. There are no league cumulative standings across the series for individuals. Instead, racers will compete in each race for cash prizes, as well as prizes from the series’ apparel and nutrition sponsors, Verge Sport and Precision Fuel & Hydration. Prizes for women and men are always equal.

But that’s not all: Prestige offers a unique tiered prize structure that increases with the number of registrations for each race. The community has the power in their hands to grow the prize pool! This is visually represented on the Leadout Esports event page for the series:

Squad Competition & Prizes

Squads exist within teams, and there are 4 riders per squad. Within a team, you can have multiple squads, all competing against each other. This adds an inter-team competitive environment on top of the classic team competitions we have always enjoyed in esports cycling. 

Unlike the individual competition, there is a cumulative league scoring competition for squads that carries across all 4 races. 

Up to 3 racers on a registered squad, who place inside the top 30 across the race finish line, will see their points allocated to their squad’s point tally. These points will accumulate and form the squad’s total points after each race. 

This will eventually accumulate to a final squad league table after race #4, where the squad with the most points will be declared champions. The series squad champions will receive a monetary prize as well as a custom-designed Verge Sport kit for all 4 racers on the champion squad. 

Like the individual competition, the monetary prize pool for squads is also in the hands of the community. This prize pool grows in line with the number of squad registrations received for the series: 

Age Group Prizes

Precision Fuel & Hydration have offered up gift cards as prizes for age group winners across the finish line of each race. Racers who finish inside the criteria for cash prizes will not be eligible for the Age Group gift card prizes. This gives everyone in the entire race a chance at a prize! 

Performance Verification

All 4 races in Prestige: Season One will be subject to performance verification.

The following requirements are mandatory for all participants in each race: 

  1. Must be 18 years of age or older.
  2. A supplied weight video within 12 hours of the race start time.
  3. The primary device to game for power, cadence, and resistance must be a smart trainer or smart bike from the permitted device list. 
  4. Heart rate data for no less than 80% of the entire race. 
  5. A dual recording dataset uploaded within 2 hours of race completion. This must show the primary device used for power, cadence, and resistance to the Zwift game overlaid with power and cadence data from a secondary independent power meter on the racer’s bike. 

All data provided by racers will be checked, confirmed, and verified by Race Control for the series. Race results will not be set as confirmed until all of these checks have taken place, and no prizes will be allocated to any racer/squad until Race Control is satisfied with the provided data.

Entry Fees and Registration

Prestige: Season One does indeed have entry fees for individuals and for squads. 

These entry fees fund further advancements to the Leadout platform. They enable and enhance live stream broadcast capabilities. And they enable the development of tooling/capabilities for Performance Verification. These are all things that are not available in any other race series. 

But most importantly, the entry fees enable prize pools for racers and squads. No matter the number of registered racers/squads or prize pool tier that is met, 50-75% of the entry fees are paid back directly to the participating racers and squads, with the rest going towards the development of the platforms and tooling to make the racing experience even greater. 

Individual entry stands at $12 USD per race. This is paid directly by each participating racer. 

Squad entry for the 4x races in the series stands at $40 USD. This covers a squad of 4x racers for all 4x races in the series. This can be paid by any member on the squad, and is paid in addition to the individual race entry fee.

To get started, click the Registration button on the Prestige: Season One homepage at Leadout Esports.

Get More Info

Full race details and Race Book can be found on Leadout Esports at leadoutesports.com/events/prestige-season-1

Foundations

Prestige is a new series, and the first to be hosted on the just-launched Leadout Esports platform. But Dean from Restart and Nathan from Leadout are veterans in the esports space! There’s a lot of fresh, innovative stuff to talk about here, making this feel like a foundational moment for community-organized, premier-tier cycling esports.

If you’re looking for a heightened experience in the sport, a way to promote yourself and your team to a wider audience, a place where honesty and fair play grant opportunities to win prizes… take a good look at Prestige: Season One.

Questions or Comments?

What do you think of this new series on a new platform? Share below!

Garmin releases software updates to help you monitor well-being and take your cycling ‘to the next level’

Garmin has announced software and feature updates to select smartwatches and bicycle computers today to help you monitor your overall well-being and take your cycling “to the next level”. 

Several of the features have been available since September, but only on Garmin’s latest Edge 550 and 850 bike computers.

Now, Garmin’s latest update brings insights such as smart fuelling alerts and gear-ratio analysis to its Edge 540, 840, 1050 and MTB models. 

The smart fuelling alerts prompt you to hydrate and refuel during your rides. Garmin says the prompts are based on “current fitness, course demands, heat and humidity when using power guide or following a workout”. 

The gear-ratio analysis enables you to see how much time you’ve spent in each gear ratio after a ride – but you’ll need electronic gears for this feature. 

Elsewhere, Garmin says its real-time weather overlays will help you monitor the weather and “make more informed decisions in-ride with radar and wind direction overlays”. 

If you use a power meter, you’ll also be able to manage your efforts thanks to the power guide updates, which will provide you with power targets based on “real-time stamina” and wind.

“For mountain rides or races, power guide will now also consider altitude acclimation and adjust power targets accordingly,” Garmin says. 

The updates also bring Garmin’s GroupRide data comparisons to more of its bike computers. This enables you to see how speed, heart rate, power, cadence and other metrics compare to riders in your group. 

Garmin is also pushing a “health status” feature to its Venu X1, Vivoactive 6, Fenix 8, and Forerunner 570 and 590 smartwatches.

Garmin says the feature will help you monitor your well-being by seeing whether statistics such as heart rate, HRV and respiration are “trending away from their usual range”, either directly on your Garmin smartwatch or in the Garmin Connect app.

“These changes could indicate added stress to the body and could be related to physical activity, potential illness and more,” Garmin says. 

The free updates have already begun to roll out to compatible devices. You can update your smartwatch or Edge bike computer either by enabling automatic updates or using the Garmin Express app.

Alongside Garmin’s feature and software updates, the GPS giant has announced 3D maps in its Garmin Connect app for Connect+ subscribers.  

“These maps can help users understand the terrain they are covering during an activity and can be viewed in logged activities and custom courses, as well as individual trails in Garmin Trails,” Garmin says. 

World’s lightest 50mm-deep aero disc wheelset weighs less than a bag of sugar

Schmolke’s new TLO 50 wheels break the sub-1kg barrier for a 50mm-deep wheelset.

We’ve seen plenty of ultra-lightweight exotic wheelsets over the years, including the groundbreaking all-carbon construction of Lightweight’s 1,280g Obermayer Evo, Partington’s unique wraparound spoke design of the R-Series MKII (1,218g). There was also the Syncros Capital – with its one-piece moulded rim, spoke and hub design, weighing in at 1,170g.

Schmolke’s TLO (The Light One) wheel range looks somewhat conventional in comparison. It has standard straight-pull hubs, a 50mm-deep hooked tubeless rim and standard 24-spoke patterning – albeit the spokes are carbon fibre.

Look further down the specification sheet and you’ll see an incredible claimed weight of 940g. That’s more than 200g lighter than the competition for a disc-brake tubeless wheelset, and with a deeper rim than its rivals, too.

For climbing fans, Schmolke also has the even lighter 37mm-deep TLO 37, at a claimed 895g.

The wheels are priced between €3,050 and €3,600, depending on the specification.

Actual weights, modern rim shape

schmolke tlo 50
The rear wheel weighs in at 529g, with tubeless rim tape and the valve fitted. Warren Rossiter / OurMedia

My test pair of TL50s weighed in at 448g front and 529g rear, totalling 977g a pair, including tubeless valves and rim tape. I’d expect the addition of tapes and valves to add around 40g, so it looks as though Schmolke’s 940g claim is accurate.

schmolke tlo 50
The rim is designed for modern, wider tyres. Warren Rossiter / OurMedia

Schmolke hasn’t cheated on the details by making either a narrow or shallow rim design to save weight. With the 50mm rim depth, 32.5mm width and internal width of 25mm, it’s a bang-up-to-date profile, which will ideally suit modern wider road tyres of 28mm and above.

How are they so light?

schmolke tlo 50
The front wheel weighs only 448g with tubeless tape and valve fitted. Warren Rossiter / OurMedia

Schmolke has chosen a very light hubset and further lightened them with the addition of ceramic bearings.

The combination of Extralite’s 66g CyberFront SPD-3 and 146g CybeRear SPD-3, upgraded with HyperCeramic bearings, shaves more grams from those already super-light hubsets.

Extralite hubs with Hyper Ceramic bearings
Extralite hubs with HyperCeramic bearings help keep weight to a minimum. Warren Rossiter / OurMedia

The carbon spokes use standard threaded ends and are made from carbon, weighing only 1.8g each, compared to a conventional metal spoke such as the DT Swiss Aerolite, which weighs between 4 and 4.5g depending on length.

The advantage of the conventional construction is the spokes can be repaired or replaced by your local bike shop, and they’re rated to 1,200Nm of force.

Schmolke TLO 50
The rim is made from UD carbon. Warren Rossiter / OurMedia

The 50mm-deep Unidirectional carbon fibre rims weigh in at a claimed 320g, which shows Schmolke’s carbon fibre manufacturing prowess.

In comparison, a 40mm-deep Zipp 303 rim weighs in at around 365g. ENVE’s equivalent SES 4.5 Pro rims weigh a claimed 369g for the front and 383g for the rear.

Technical specifications

Schmolke's TLO 50
Schmolke’s TLO 50s weigh 940g a pair. These are the lightest 50mm-deep wheels we’ve seen to date. Warren Rossiter / OurMedia
  • Hooked rim: 50mm tubeless-ready (clincher optional) asymmetrical / 24 holes
  • Max tyre pressure (tyre width mm/BAR/psi): 28/5.5/80 – 30/5.1/74 – 34/4.5/65 – 40/3.8/55
  • Rim width: 32.5mm
  • Internal width: 25mm
  • Effective rim diameter: 547mm
  • Hub options: NONPLUS Center Lock / Extralite SPD3+ HDC-Ceramic 6-bolt or Center Lock / DT Swiss 180 Center Lock
  • Compatibility: front 100mm / rear 142mm, thru-axle 12mm
  • Spokes: carbon
  • Total weight: 940g (Extralite SPD3+ and NONPLUS hubs) / 1,025g (DT Swiss 180 hubs)
  • Rim weight: approx 320g (per rim)
  • Finish: UD with black or white logos
  • Carbon fibre: T1100
  • Maximum system weight: 115kg