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

Orbea claims its new flagship Rallon is not a jack-of-all-trades, but a master of two.

The Rallon is a big-hitting enduro race bike, but the latest generation boasts downhill credentials too, winning a World Cup piloted by Tahneé Seagrave before its official launch.

But can one frame boast the capability to be a world-beating downhill bike and be pedalled uphill as an enduro bike?

Wheel of fortune

The first Rallon was introduced in 2013 and it has been revamped numerous times, most recently in 2024.

That iteration could be run as a full 29er or as a mullet setup with mixed wheel sizes, so it’s no surprise to see the latest Rallon enduro bike with 29in wheels fitted. There’s also the option to run a mullet setup by fitting a different shock yoke (which Orbea is calling a Gravity Link).

Strangely, though, the DH version is only available with a Gravity link for a 27.5in rear wheel, despite the chainstays and all other architecture being ready to accommodate the larger wheel.

Travel options

The new Rallon can run either 170mm travel for enduro and bike-park riding or 200mm for full downhill duties. The travel is changed via the Gravity Link, which is a plate that bolts into the frame to form the lower shock mount.

This plate is the key to the Rallon’s versatility. It’s used to change the geometry, wheel size, suspension travel (with a different shock) and suspension progression.

The enduro-specific Gravity Links (providing 170mm travel with a 205×62.5mm shock) have four possible adjustment positions – high/low bottom bracket height, and greater or lesser progressivity in the shock actuation ratio.

The downhill Gravity Link works with a longer shock to provide the full 200mm (eight inches) of suspension travel we’ve come to expect from a downhill bike. It does not offer adjustable BB height, but the shock actuation can be switched between 30% and 25%

Adjustment

Orbea says this is the most adjustable bike it has ever made and that there are around 250 setup combinations. In addition to the three Gravity Links on offer (DH 27.5in, Enduro 27.5in and Enduro 29in), there are also multiple headset cups offering 0.75 degrees of head-angle adjustment either side of the straight-cupped middle setting with 63.7 degrees.

Suspended animation

Orbea’s OOLAB technicians have tuned the bike with the help of long-time enduro and downhill team rider Martin Maes and are proud of the results. The Rallon has minimal pedal kickback thanks to low anti-squat numbers, which help the bike in the rough terrain; the anti-rise characteristics are designed to help it remain neutral when braking, just offering enough anti-rise to assist the bike in holding its shape under heavy braking.

Like the outgoing bike, the suspension on the new Rallon sports a single-pivot axle path, defined by the position of the main pivot above the bottom bracket.

The bike sports a concentric pivot on the dropout to help manage the bike’s braking prowess in the rough stuff. A rocker link actuates the shock, providing 170mm travel with the shorter shock on the enduro bike or a DH-capable 200mm with a longer shock.

Weighing in

The new Rallon features a shuttle to add weight to your bike, with options for one, two or three weights (395g, 95g, and 93g respectively), which bolt to the Gravity Link where the lower shock mount attaches.

We saw Tahnée Seagrave’s race-winning Rallon in downhill guise at the first round of the downhill World Cup in Poland, and it’s suspected that she’s running over half a kilo of ballast in the shuttle. 

Increasing the amount of weight low down on your bike can improve stability thanks to lowering the centre of gravity.

Adding weight to the frame also increases the ratio of sprung to unsprung mass, which should in theory reduce the input required from the rider when the bike hits a bump, improving how well the suspension works.

Martin Mae’s testing on a heavily modified Wild eMTB test mule revealed he was fastest with 1kg of weights bolted above the BB.

We don’t know the weights of the new bikes yet, but the 2024 bike weighed 15kg, so we’re expecting it to be heavier but in the same ballpark.

Size matters

The new Rallon is available in small, medium, large and XL. The large offers 474mm reach in the DH setting and Orbea tells us each size will be larger or smaller in 25mm increments from there.

The downhill setup sees the bike with a 63.7-degree head angle in the middle setting, whereas in enduro guise, with the enduro Gravity Link for either a 27.5in or 29in rear wheel, the Rallon has a 28mm BB drop and a 64.25-degree head angle, with the steepest angle-adjusting headset cups fitted.

There are two chainstay options, which you can specify when you buy the bike – the shorter and ‘more playful’ 442mm or the 450mm racer option.

Interestingly, these are not specced according to the size of the bike. Instead, the downhill bikes will come with 450mm chainstays and the enduro bikes will ship with 442mm chainstays (unless requested otherwise).

This suggests both chainstay options will fit 27.5in and 29in wheel sizes, because the enduro bike will ship with 29in wheels front and rear as standard, and the downhill bike will only be available with a mixed wheel-size setup, with a 27.5in wheel at the rear.

Orbea’s engineers shared that using flip chips is impossible at the rear (thanks to the concentric pivot) and it would create potential structural issues to attempt this on the front of the chainstay where it bolts to the frame pivot.

Orbea is proud of the Rallon’s low standover height and ‘steep and deep’ seat tube, saying all riders should be able to run a 240mm dropper post using this bike.

The seat tube angle is the only part of the Rallon that looks out of place on a DH bike, with most downhill rigs’ seat tube angles coming in considerably slacker than the Rallon’s 79.1 degrees.

The Rallon also has in-frame storage, which Orbea calls the LOCKR.

Smart shocks

Orbea is keen to stress how effective the Fox Neo is when paired with the Rallon on the top spec E-LTD model.

When the Neo shock is activated, sensors in the brake calipers can unlock and open the suspension’s damping in the blink of an eye. Orbea says this enables the Rallon, with its downhill credentials, to ride efficiently on flatter or ascending sections of trail, while meaning it shines on the rough stuff too.

Bonus features

Orbea has incorporated a storage box into the Rallon’s carbon down tube, which is useful for enduro riding but perhaps looks out of place on a downhill bike.

In the enduro guise, a multi-tool with 2, 3, 4 and 5mm Allen keys fits magnetically onto the Gravity Link and there is a 6mm Allen key in the rear axle.

The three weights that bolt onto the Gravity Link are included with all builds (both enduro and DH).

The frame runs on sealed bearings, but Orbea has handily incorporated some tough-looking external rubber seals to provide extra protection from dirt and water. There are smart protective covers over the chainstays and the Gravity Link under the BB shell.

Orbea Rallon spec and pricing details

Four models are available in the new Rallon range: three enduro builds and one downhill spec.

The enduro builds start with the most basic model, the E-10, followed by the E-team and the top-spec E-LTD, which includes the electronic Fox Neo suspension.

Orbea Rallon E-10: £5,399 / $5,699 / €5,399

Orbea Rallon E-Team: £6,899 / $7,199 / €6,999

Orbea Rallon E-LTD: £9,999 / $9,999 / €9,999

Orbea Rallon DH-LTDL: £7,899 / $8,299 / €7,999

Zipp’s latest collaboration with Goodyear sees the introduction of a pair of new models, including a 40mm slick road tyre in line with the recent trend for wider rubber.

The Indiana-based wheel specialist has announced the new tyres alongside the arrival of Zipp’s new 353 NSW and 303 SW wheels.

The Goodyear Vector R XPLR is a new wide road option, while the Eagle F1 Z29 Aero is an aerodynamic racing tyre. There are also more size options for Goodyear’s existing gravel tyres.

• Zipp’s new wheels feature built-in tyre pressure sensor – is this a sign of bike tech to come?

Goodyear Vector R XPLR

The new Vector R XPLR is aerodynamically optimised for Zipp’s super-wide 303 XPLR wheels with their 32mm internal rim width. However, Zipp says the Vector R XPLR is compatible with the 25mm internal width.

It’s a lightly textured slick race tyre based on the Vector R but expanded to a 40mm width. The tyre uses a supple 120 TPI casing, and lightweight R: Shield and M: Wall protection layers, with the surface made using Goodyear’s Dynamic: UHP compound.

The Vector R XPLR has a claimed weight of 440g and a price of $90 / $90 / €100 / AU$155.

Zipp says it’s the ideal fast tyre for cobbles and demanding road surfaces. Could Zipp athletes choose this option over standard road tyres in next year’s classics?

Goodyear Eagle F1 R Z29 Aero

The all-new F1 R Z29 Aero, as the name suggests, is 29mm wide and aerodynamically designed. The tyre has been produced exclusively for the 23mm internal-width TSS rim, as found on the 404 Firecrest and 454 NSW wheelsets.

The tyre is designed to integrate seamlessly with this rim profile. It features a first for Goodyear and Zipp’s tyre ranges, with an aerodynamically optimised shape where the tyre meets the rim.

Aero Lip

Zipp claims this smoothed-out shape eliminates the depression usually found on the tyre and rim interface, greatly reducing aero-drag. It’s an idea we saw on Mavic’s CXR 80 in 2012, although Zipp and Goodyear’s design is an integral part of the tyre design rather than a clip-in insert.

Zipp claims the Aero Lip technology not only improves the aerodynamics, it also enhances the durability, providing a buffer to protect the supple sidewalls from pinch punctures.

Like all of Zipp’s tubeless tyres, the Eagle F1 R Z29 Aero also features the dual-angle bead to make tubeless setup easier and improve pressure retention.

The tyre construction includes a new short-ply 180 TPI (threads per inch) casing that’s claimed to make for a much more compliant tyre. The tyre is protected by an R: Shield anti-puncture belt and uses the Dynamic: UHP compound for a tyre that weighs 270g and measures up exactly 29mm wide on the 404/454 wheelset.

Zipp claims that under its testing with the 454 wheels, the Eagle F1 R Z29 Aero measured lower rolling resistance than a 28mm Schwalbe Pro One, Pirelli P Zero and Vittoria Corsa R between 60 and 70psi.

The tyres are available in 29mm only and priced at £90 / $90 / €100 / AU$155 each.

New gravel tyre options

In response to the trend towards wider tyres for gravel racing, Zipp has added more sizes to the XPLR range. The Zipp Goodyear XPLR Slick now comes in 40 and 45mm options, with the more all-rounder focused XPLR Inter gaining 45mm and 50mm options.

Zipp’s new 303 SW and 353 NSW wheels blend aero technology, redesigned rims and an electronic tyre pressure sensor, making them the brand’s fastest all-round wheelsets to date.

The 303 SW and 353 NSW replace Zipp’s renowned 303 Firecrest and 353 NSW wheelsets.

With revamped rims that have been made tougher and lighter, plus the new integrated wireless electronic tyre pressure sensor system, are Zipp’s new wheels the sign of tech to come or a step too far in data-driven riding?

That’s something I aim to find out as soon as my test set of the new 303 SWs arrives.

• Zipp and Goodyear release 40mm road tyres, joining cycling’s latest trend 

Zipp 353 NSW – sawtooths and sensors

The new 353 NSW comes with an evolution of the undulating ‘sawtooth’ rim shape. It’s the latest iteration of Zipp’s waved inside edge, inspired by the tubercles of a Humpback Whale fin.

Zipp says the rim, which changes from 35mm to 40mm deep, is a shape that brings the aerodynamic benefits of a deeper rim. The effect is increased control in crosswinds, associated with a smaller rim sidewall.

The design follows the previous-generation wheels, with a varied dimple surface. Zipp claims these patterned dimples improve performance in crosswinds and straight-line speed.

So far, so similar. It is, however, what’s under the skin that brings the performance improvements, according to Zipp. The 353 NSW comes with a revised carbon layup and design. Zipp claims it has been able to improve the rim impact strength by 16%.

The rim is a hookless, flat-sided shape with a 25mm internal width. Zipp says this is optimised for 30mm road tyres. The 353 NSW has a claimed 1,310g complete weight (including rim tape, sensor unit/valves and lockrings).

The 353 NSWs also get a new ZR1 SL hubset, which is 30g lighter than its predecessor’s hubs, with stainless steel bearings as standard (ceramic is an option).

The wheelset sports a 66-point engagement freehub, along with a new, lighter hub body.

Zipp hubs

For the first time, Zipp is making the ZR1 SL hubset available aftermarket with the ceramic bearing option. Zipp has stuck with J-bend spokes rather than shifting to straight-pull, a decision that should appeal to wheel builders.

The ZR1 hubs are approved for use with light-assist electric bikes for road or gravel, if the motor’s torque does not exceed 60Nm.

The hubs are available with SRAM XDR, Shimano HG11, Shimano Microspline and Campagnolo N3W freehubs, with 20-, 24- and 28-hole options.

Prices are £250 / $250 / €280 / AU$380 for the front hub and £450 / $450 / €500 / AU$680 for the rear hub.

Zipp 303 SW – tech-laden go-anywhere hoops

The 303 SW comes with a new rim profile that follows on from the massively wide 303 XPLR design.

The new rim remains 40mm deep with a broad 25mm internal width. Zipp says this is optimised for 30-35mm road tyres.

Utilising a wide rim design results in high aero efficiency and low rolling resistance on a wider tyre, according to Zipp. It’s designed for modern road riding at lower tyre pressures.

The rim’s profile provides low drag and an improved transition between rim and tyre. Zipp also claims a wide-rim stance means less tyre deflection, helping to reduce rolling resistance.

Zipp tells us the benefits are increased volume and lower pressures to smooth out the ride. That means they absorb the shakes and bumps rather than transmitting them to the rider, resulting in less fatigue.

The 303 SW has also seen improvements to the carbon layup and rim design. Here, it results in a 10 per cent improvement in impact strength. The wheels also have a refined sidewall shape that Zipp claims helps to shield the tyre from impacts that would otherwise cause a pinch flat.

The 303 SW has an updated ZR1 hubset with an all-new stainless steel bearing set for improved durability. The claimed weight for the 303SW, including tubeless tape, sensors and valves, is 1,440g.

Sensors built in

Both the road-specific rim of the 353 NSW and the all-road-ready 303 SW are equipped with a Zipp AXS wheel sensor, a development from the original Quarq TyreWiz.

Rather than the sensor being attached to the valve, however, here it’s housed in the rim itself via a pocket. As the name suggests, the Zipp AXS sensor integrates seamlessly into the AXS ecosystem.

However, because it has a Bluetooth transmitter, it can transmit to any Garmin, Wahoo or Hammerhead head unit. Hammerhead, like Zipp, also comes under the SRAM umbrella, which means the Hammerhead Karoo gets a native-specific screen. This shows independent tyre pressures, with graphic depictions alongside the key data.

Data analysis

This system enables you to both monitor and record tyre pressures over a ride. This means you’ll get fair warning if something isn’t right, a slow puncture, for instance. Or, if you hit a pothole hard, you’ll be able to tell instantly whether you’ve lost pressure.

It will also enable riders to experiment with and fine-tune pressures on their setup, with post-ride analysis comparing speeds and pressures, for instance. It will be great for cobbled courses and gravel routes.

The sensor unit also has an LED light built in, so you can tell the status of your tyres in an instant. If the LED is green, it’s at the pressure you set, and you’re good to go. If it lights up red, you’re too low. It also means you don’t need a pump with a gauge. The sensor light will simply turn green when it gets to your optimal pressure.

The sensor is powered by a CR2032 coin cell, the same as AXS shifters. The battery has a larger capacity than the original TyreWiz. Zipp claims more than 400 days of use thanks to a larger battery size and firmware upgrades to the original TyreWiz program.

The valve is specific to the sensor because it features a small cross-drilled port from which the sensor takes its readings.

Not tubeless-only

Although the wheels come set up for tubeless with these valves, if you aren’t a tubeless fan, both the 353 NSWs and 303 SWs can be run with tubes.

You will need Zipp’s TPU smart tube, which comes with the same cross-drilled valve. A single tube is included with the wheels, plus a sealant syringe with a needle adaptor that helps the sealant bypass the valve and go straight into the tyre.

Zipp says the valve won’t get blocked up and doesn’t need cleaning because of the Venturi effect created by the valve design.

The 353 NSW comes with a 114kg/250lb maximum system weight (rider and bicycle). The 303 SW has a 120kg/265lb maximum system weight.

Prices

The wheels are available with XDR or Shimano freehubs as standard, with a Campagnolo driver body sold separately.

The 353 NSW wheels are priced at:

• Front wheel, including sensor – £1,550 / $1,950 / €1,750 / AU$3,350
• Rear wheel including sensor – £1,950 / $2,350 / €2,150 / AU$4,040

The 303 SW wheels are priced at:

• Front wheel, including sensor – £800 / $1,050 / €900 / AU$ 1,600
• Rear wheel including sensor – £900 / $1,150 / €1,000 / AU$ 1,750

Zipp’s 454 NSW and 858 NSW get minor upgrades

Zipp’s aero-optimised deep-section wheelsets, the sawtooth-profile 454 NSW and 858 NSW, have both received upgrades to the new ZR1 SL hubset with ceramic bearings as standard.

The remaining specification and pricing remain the same, while the upgrade to the wheelsets sees a 30g reduction in overall weight across both models.

Lifetime warranty

Zipp’s lifetime warranty covers you against impact damage under normal use. So, the 353 NSWs, as purely road wheels, are fully covered – provided you don’t head for your local trail centre or skatepark and start launching them skywards.

The 303 SW is classified as a road/all-round/gravel wheelset, so in theory it’s covered for more rugged riding.

We’re coming up on 2 years since Zwift launched the popular Climb Portal feature at the end of June 2023. Since that time, the library of climbs has grown to 45, with 1-2 typically being added each month.

Riders enjoy the Climb Portal for various reasons: it’s fun to ride GPS-accurate versions of famous climbs, it’s a great way to earn extra XP, and the built-in percentile ranking gives us endless carrots to chase.

But what else could Zwift do with the Climb Portal? How could they make it more compelling? I have some ideas…

Climb Portal Choice

I’ll be the first to admit that some of the suggestions below are minor niggles – small improvements that may not move the needle on Climb Portal engagement.

But there’s one common request from Zwifters that would certainly increase engagement, and that is Climb Portal choice. Just as Zwifters have asked for years for an easy way to access “off-schedule” maps/routes, they’ve been asking for ways to access off-schedule climbs.

It’s good that Zwift features just two climbs, because you always know you’ll have company on those climbs. But climbing is a more solitary event than flattish group rides, and many riders are more interested in completing particular climbs than they are looking for a social experience. We should be able to choose any climb we’d like, from the entire growing library.

Events on Climb Portals

This is related to the suggestion above, and possibly even the easiest way for Zwift to give us Climb Portal choice. Let us create Club events or Meetups for any climb in the library!

Just as we can create Meetups and events for off-schedule maps today, I believe we should be able to create Meetups or events for any Climb Portal.

Gamified Strava Clarification

If you ride a 50% or 75% scaled version of a Portal climb, your entire activity will be tagged as “gamified” on Strava, and all Strava segment matching will be excluded. That means all Strava segments for your entire activity, not just the Climb Portal portion.

It’s good that the scaled-down efforts aren’t being added to the main Strava leaderboards for each climb, but gamifying the whole activity is rather unintuitive. While this is a Strava limitation and not something Zwift can fix, perhaps the popup text could be changed to something like “If you enter the Portal at the selected difficulty, your entire activity will be hidden from Strava Leaderboards.”

So if you want your activity to match with Strava segments, don’t mix in a scaled climb portal effort!

More Accurate Time Estimates

The details that pop up when you select a climb on the homescreen include a time estimate that says it’s the “duration for most riders”:

I see two issues with this estimate:

• It’s the same for everyone, whether you’re a 5 W/kg powerhouse or a 1 W/kg beginner. (For the record, Zwift’s calculation seems to be based on a holding around 2.5 W/kg.)
• It doesn’t change based on the scaling you choose (50%, 75%, 100%, or 125%).

With Zwift now computing personalized route time estimates, applying the same algorithms to this screen seems like a quick and easy upgrade.

Power to the Portal Fix

Zwift unveiled the Power to the Portal route in December 2024, but it seems like every event held on this route has been confusing and buggy.

The idea is a good one: an actual event route that can include whatever Climb Portal you’d like, opening up the possibility to host races on any of the Portal climbs. But in its current state you can’t see which climb is set up for the route for a given event, so you don’t really know what to expect. It’s also unclear where the finish line will be (atop the climb, or at the end of Power to the Portal, which ends in downtown Watopia?) Lastly, Zwifters report being routed to the wrong climb in some events.

Optional Pacerbots

Yes, Holoreplay works in the Climb Portal. But that only gives me a ghost of my previous efforts or the current leaderboard leader.

It would be handy if I could click a button to enable a Robopacer who rides at a steady W/kg for the duration of the climb, giving me a carrot to chase. Bonus points to Zwift if they could make the bot post motivating messages like a coach riding with me during a workout:

• “You’re holding good steady power in the sweet spot zone.”
• “Only 500 meters left. Empty the tank!”
• “Your heart rate is near your max. Are you sure you can keep this pace to the finish?”
• “You’re only 3 seconds behind your PR of 8:45. Want to push it and set a new record?”

2 Kilometer Fix

This one bit Zwift in the butt when they recently featured the Cauberg climb, which at only 800 meters long is the shortest Portal in the game. Riders were spawning in Watopia, which means you’ll reach the top of the climb in under 2km. And as any Zwift nerd knows, the minimum activity length in Zwift is 2km. If you save your ride there at less than 2km, it disappears into the ether!

I think there’s an easy fix for this: just disable the “Save” button and show a warning when you try to save an activity that is less than 2km long. Something like: “Warning: your ride is less than 2km long, and cannot be saved. Please go a bit further if you want to save your activity.”

(It’s a bit baffling, actually, that we’re 10+ years into Zwift’s existence and still able to hit “Save” on a ride that is under 2km and won’t be saved.)

More Useful Maps

The climb profile and overhead views only show nearby portions of the climb – basically about as much road as you can see on the main screen:

This really isn’t terribly useful. In fact, if you look closely, you’ll see that half of what is shown is the portion of the climb I’ve already ridden!

I’d like to see the full climb profile (much like we now have full route profiles) in the minimap, and perhaps a clickable/zoomable overhead map view so I can zoom out if I’d like.

Heroic Unlock

Climb Portal scaling is a cool feature, allowing you to ride the climbs at 50%, 75%, 100%, or 125% of the actual gradient. It’s a handy way to modify the difficulty of a climb to suit your needs or schedule.

The 125% version is locked until you complete the 100% version. There’s one niggle, though, which really only matters on shorter climbs: after completing a Portal climb at 100% difficulty, Zwift won’t let you ride the heroic 125% level unless you quit/save your activity and start a new ride.

As one Zwifter recently told me, “Not a big deal, but a bit annoying if you’re trying to knock out multiple difficulties of a shorter climb in the same ride.”

Different Background Sounds

This one is, admittedly, a bit picky. But I find the ambient background sounds in the Portal too somber, too heavy, for my taste. Listen in below:

That said, I usually ride with Zwift sounds turned off and music or a podcast in my ears, so this isn’t a big deal.

More Portal Achievements

There are three achievement badges for Portal climbs (shown above), but why not give people a badge and even a small XP bonus the first time they complete a particular climb, like we get for completing routes?

(Taking it one step further, I’d love to see smart badges that count how many times I’ve finished each climb. Wouldn’t mind this for routes, too!)

Companion Leaderboards

The Companion app shows your historic times for each leaderboard segment in Zwift. Why not add Portal climb times, so you can see your historic performance on each climb, and your percentile rank?

(Note: Zwift Insider collaborated with Veloviewer to create leaderboards for the Climb Portal.)

Enable Fan View and Teleporting

You can’t fan view or teleport to a rider who is on a Portal climb, which seems a bit silly. I can only assume this was disabled because of how the Portals were designed, but surely there’s a way to make it happen so Portals work like the rest of Zwift, letting riders find each other and ride together.

Better Preview Map/Graphics

The homescreen’s cards for the climb of the day and month are the same image with different colors. Clicking one of the cards brings up the same generic image:

It would be nice if the climbs were graphically represented individually, perhaps with a full climb profile and overhead map like you see for routes:

Got More Ideas?

These are all the good Climb Portal ideas I’ve come up with, or seen from other Zwifters. What about you? Which ideas are your favorite, and do you have other good ideas? Comment below!

Strava has acquired The Breakaway, a cycling training app that offers personalised training, gamification and progress tracking.

The deal follows a period of “accelerated growth” for Strava. Last month, the app acquired Runna, a UK tech company that develops training plans and provides coaching for runners. Yesterday, we learnt of Strava’s huge AI-powered update, which included cracking down on leaderboard cheats.

Strava says The Breakaway aligns closely with its “mission of motivating people to lead an active life”.

It says The Breakaway users who are already connected to Strava upload twice as many activities compared to other Strava cyclists, thanks to its “personalised cycling training, innovative ride analysis, and achievement tracking tools”. 

The training features will be available to Strava subscribers. 

• Revealed: why Strava applies a ‘tax’ to round down your ride distance

“Jordan Kobert, Kyle Yugawa and team have built a brilliant app for cyclists who want to improve and achieve their cycling targets, making it a perfect fit for the Strava subscription, which helps users accomplish their goals,” says Michael Martin, chief executive officer at Strava. 

“When Strava was founded more than 16 years ago, it was created initially for cyclists – these users remain important members of our global community, and we are excited to enhance their experience through this acquisition.”

Strava says this announcement is another signal of the app’s growth, commitment to innovation and its “continued investment in its developer community and open API, which enables third parties to connect and build new experiences for athletes”. 

The Breakaway was ‘incubated’ by Y Combinator, a US startup accelerator and venture capital firm, which has been used to launch more than 5,000 companies. 

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

Unbound Gravel will be streamed live on YouTube for free this year, with the seven-hour show covering the men’s and women’s 200-mile races in full, according to event organisers Life Time Grand Prix.

Coverage of the world’s premier gravel race was limited to social media after FloSports stopped its coverage in 2022. But now Unbound Gravel will be broadcast around the world for free for the first time on 31 May, with the action sandwiched between pre-race analysis and post-race interviews. 

Kimo Seymour, Life Time senior vice president of media and events, says it represents a “major step” in the company’s mission to elevate cycling.

“With real-time storytelling, expert commentary, and a global audience tuning in, we are committed to making this iconic race more accessible and engaging,” Seymour adds. 

Now in its 19th year, Unbound Gravel offers five race distances from 25 to 350 miles and brings more than 4,000 athletes to Kansas’ Flint Hills, including pro gravel racers and WorldTour riders. 

• How Unbound became the most important gravel race in the world

The 200-mile event is the flagship event and the most hotly contested. Last year, the men’s event was won by Lachlan Morton and the women’s event by Rosa Klöser. 

Morton plans to race the longer 350-mile event this year, while Grand Tour stage winner Thomas De Gendt will take on the men’s 200-mile event for the first time. Klöser will return to defend her title. 

Commentary will be provided by injured gravel racer Payson McElveen, US cycling legend Meredith Miller and former professional Bill Elliston.

Mountain Bike Hall of Fame rider Nat Ross and former pro Lauren Hall will provide live updates from the course. 

The show will be broadcast from 10am CT (4pm BST) on Saturday 31 May, on Life Time Grand Prix’s YouTube channel.

Extended highlights of the men’s and women’s races will be published on the YouTube channel within days of the event concluding.

Rearview radars for cyclists can help you keep alert to vehicles approaching from behind.

For a long time, the Garmin Varia rearview radars were the only option, but now there are numerous radar tail lights available.

A type of smart bike light, all radar bike lights work in the same way and can be paired using either ANT+ or BLE to a range of cycling computers, smartphone apps or other devices, which alert you to what, if anything, the radar has detected.

We’ll run through how rearview radars work and who sells them, present some of the best options, and cover the pros and cons of running a cycling radar.

Editor’s note: this article was updated on 21 May 2025 with information on Wahoo’s Trackr Radar

How does a rearview radar work?

Rearview radars all use similar tech to the Garmin Varia, which was the first rearview radar for bikes, launched in 2015.

The rearview radar unit usually also houses a rear bike light and is angled to point more or less horizontally backwards when mounted to your seatpost.

The rearview radar emits a millimetre wavelength radar signal, which bounces off objects behind you. A detector collects the returning radar waves and analyses them. When it detects an object such as another vehicle moving towards it, it sends out a signal over ANT+ and BLE using a protocol defined by Garmin.

This signal can be picked up by a head unit such as a cycling computer, smartphone or smartwatch.

It’s interpreted by functionality in the head unit to provide an audible, visual and possibly a haptic alert. Most head units have a visual display of vehicle proximity and will provide approach speed information by colouring their display red or amber.

Multiple vehicles can usually be detected and their positions displayed simultaneously. This is dependent on being able to see past the first vehicle, which might not be the case if this is larger than the following ones.

Once no further approaching vehicles are detected, the rearview radar will send a notification to the head unit, which will in most cases display a green all-clear alert on screen and sound an all-clear alert.

The technology works with vehicles approaching at an angle, not just from directly behind, typically over a 200-degree-plus arc. It also works in the rain. Most units are IPX7-rated, meaning they have good water resistance – a necessity for electronics that are in the line of fire for spray from your rear wheel.

Quoted detection ranges are usually just over 100m, but can be significantly further than this on straight, flat roads. Motor vehicles are usually detected before you can hear them.

Rearview bike radar options

Garmin Varia

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The original Garmin Varia was quite a clunky affair, which Garmin acquired when it bought the manufacturer iKubu.

It sat horizontally across the rear of the bike’s seatpost and included an array of not-very-bright red LEDs, which emitted only 15 lumens, although at 28g it was not heavy.

Garmin has revised and expanded its range of Varia radars and now has three options, all of which mount vertically to the bike’s seatpost for a more streamlined look.

They use a Garmin quarter-turn mount that attaches to the seatpost with a rubber strap and angles the light close to horizontally, so that it’s best able to detect events behind.

The base model Varia RVR315 includes only the radar without a taillight and weighs a claimed 51g.

The Varia RTL515 includes a taillight with a maximum 65-lumen output in day flash mode and weighs 71g.

The latest Garmin Varia RCT715 incorporates a 1080p/30 camera and an SD card, and weighs 147g.

All the Garmin Varia rearview radars have four mode options: high and low constant, day flash and night flash.

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Bryton Gardia R300L

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There are relatively few non-Garmin rearview radars available, but Bryton and Magicshine have recently introduced units with integrated tail lights, both of which we have reviewed.

There is also a unit from iGPSport, which we have not used. All have a similar vertical orientation to the current Garmin Varia series.

The Bryton Gardia R300L has five modes, including a 73-lumen day flash mode, and weighs 70g. It can also change lighting patterns as a vehicle approaches and operate as a brake light.

The Bryton includes an ambient light sensor, which switches it from day flash to night flash mode. Its mount incorporates an in-built ladder strap, which feels a bit more secure than the separate rubber strap used by Garmin.

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Magicshine Seemee 508

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Magicshine’s rearview radar is the Seemee 508. It weighs 62g and has a total of six output modes as well as radar-only operation. It can be set up to switch to brighter constant illumination when you brake and also to shine brighter as a vehicle approaches.

Magicshine’s app enables you to change the lighting pattern and the unit’s behaviour, and update firmware.

The iGPSport SR30 radar taillight has a claimed 70g weight and five mode options, plus radar-only operation. Its claimed battery life is up to 20 hours with a tail light and 25 hours in radar-only mode, longer than the run times quoted by any other brand.

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Wahoo Trackr Radar

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Wahoo has also released its Trackr Radar, which is designed to pair with the brand’s own bike computers – although it is said to also work with “other compatible Bluetooth or ANT+ bike computers”.

Wahoo says that upon detecting an approaching vehicle, the built-in rear light powers up its flash pattern and brightness to increase rider visibility.

It also features an accelerometer, which detects braking, upping its output and flashing more aggressively when the rider decelerates.

Cannondale includes a Garmin rearview radar in its SmartSense integrated lighting on its endurance road bike, the Synapse.

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Head unit options

As well as a detector, you also need something to alert you that an approaching vehicle has been detected.

Garmin defined the protocol to communicate the data from your radar to a head unit. That might be a cycling computer, with all of Garmin’s current range and many of its legacy designs including the ability to display vehicle proximity.

You can download a widget to Garmin’s smartwatches that enables them to provide notification of detection. It’s a feature supported by a wide range of current and past models.

Garmin also sells a standalone bar-mounted head unit, which displays vehicle information via a series of LEDs. It additionally offers the Varia phone app, which can display vehicle proximity information on your smartphone.

As with the rearview radar itself, other brands have incorporated radar compatibility into their cycling computers and most recent releases have this. Popular examples include the Wahoo Elemnt and Hammerhead Karoo 2.

Bryton, Magicshine and iGPSport have phone apps similar to Garmin’s, which can be used to display proximity for approaching vehicles.

Rearview radar benefits

There’s no doubt that having a constant view of what’s happening behind you, rather than relying purely on your own eyes and ears, is of great benefit when riding on the road.

Although brands typically claim a detection range of just over 100m, it often appears to be significantly greater than this.

On flat open roads, a rearview radar can help you concentrate on your riding and on what’s happening ahead of you.

It’s also useful when descending or riding fast, when wind noise and the need to concentrate on the road ahead can make it difficult to detect a vehicle about to pass you.

Radar units typically claim around a 40-degree detection angle, so vehicles approaching from oblique angles are usually detected.

Most, if not all, rearview radars can also be set to change their lighting pattern as a vehicle approaches, which is designed to alert drivers. This might be a swap from a flashing to a constant mode, an increase in brightness or both.

There’s often an accelerometer built into the rearview radar unit, which enables you to use the rearview radar as a brake light and may also act as an incident detector if you have a fall.

If you’re using your rearview radar as an aid to safety, you want to be sure it’s working, so computer head units will usually display an alert when the radar is first connected up. An icon in the corner of their screen while riding indicates the radar is still operational.

If your battery starts to run low, most radar units will switch to a lower-power mode. You’ll usually receive an audible and visual alert on your head unit to notify you that the radar has a low battery and another when it is about to switch off. Your head unit will usually also provide an alert that the radar has been disconnected.

Rearview radar disadvantages

The main downside of rearview radar technology, which applies to all designs regardless of brand, is that detection relies on the difference in velocity between you and the approaching vehicle.

That means any other road user travelling at the same speed as you will not be detected. This most typically happens when a driver slows down, waiting for an opportunity to pass, when you will often get an all-clear signal on your head unit.

Depending on the circumstances, the vehicle may or may not reappear when its driver decides to overtake. If there are multiple vehicles behind you, subsequent vehicles may still be travelling at your speed, and so not appear on the radar until they choose to overtake.

On a twisting road, following vehicles may repeatedly disappear and then be re-detected as obstacles, such as tree trunks or banks, get between you and them.

Thus, you can’t assume that because there’s no alert on your head unit there’s nothing behind, nor can you assume that because one vehicle has passed you there are no more following.

You can also get false positives from the radar. These most typically seem to happen on windy days, when the movement of tree branches can lead to an alert, then an all-clear signal. Again, check behind to make sure you know what’s happening. Occasionally, a rearview radar can give you a false positive for no apparent reason.

If you’re riding parallel, or even at an angle to another road, you may get alerts for vehicles that are travelling on that road, not yours.

Occasionally, a vehicle might not be detected. The reason for this is unclear, but it does appear to happen more with some brands of rearview radar than others. Staying alert and not relying on your radar is key to its safe use.

Rearview radar battery life

Most users will want to use the tail light built into the majority of rearview radars and it is this, along with use as a brake light, which is the major determinant of battery life, rather than the radar itself.

There are a wide variety of claimed run times for these units: Garmin quotes between three and six hours for its top-spec Varia RCT715 camera/light/radar unit and up to 16 hours for the RTL515 radar tail light; Bryton claims between eight and 17 hours; Magicshine between four and 18 hours; and iGPSport around 20 hours.

Used only as a radar, the claimed battery life is a few hours longer.

Rearview radar cost

Rearview radars remain a more expensive option than a typical tail light, even a sophisticated one. But the cost differential isn’t huge and the outlay is comparable to or lower than many higher-powered front lights.

The Garmin Varia RCT715 is considerably more expensive than the alternatives, but does include a camera.

Newer entrants are lowering the cost and there are often discounts to be found too.

You’ll also need something to display the data from the radar tail light, and some are costly. But if you already have one, many cycling computers have the functionality built in. It can also be added to many Garmin smartwatches.

If you’re a more casual rider, loading an app to a smartphone is a lower-cost alternative. There are many phone mount options to attach your phone to your bike’s handlebar.

XP (experience) points are what get you to higher levels in Zwift, and higher levels mean access to more virtual equipment and roads. Our calculations show that a rider can typically expect to earn 500-700XP per hour.

But are there ways Zwifters can earn XP faster? Of course! Here’s a definitive list of strategies for boosting your XP earnings.

Ride Short Climb Portals

Climb Portals can be “gamed” to earn XP at a higher-than-normal rate because each climb is broken up into 10 equidistant sections with a powerup arch at the end of each section. That means you can receive 10 powerups during the course of completing each Portal climb.

Doing repeats of a short Portal climb like Oude Kwaremont lets you more than double your typical rate of XP earning. In fact, this method is so effective that I wrote an entire post dedicated to it! Be sure to check out that post, as it contains helpful tips to maximize your XP earning.

Related:
XP Farming on Zwift’s Climb Portal – the Ultimate Guide
All About Zwift’s Climb Portal

Ride New Routes

The first time you complete an official Zwift route, you’ll earn the badge for that route, which includes an XP bonus equal to the regular XP you earned while riding the route. That means you effectively double your XP earning rate when riding new routes, assuming you actually finish the route.

Related: All About Cycling Route Achievement Badges in Zwift

Assuming you’re riding around 35kph, that’s a bonus of 700XP per hour if you’re just riding new routes. As of May 2025, if you tally up the XP bonuses from riding every route on Zwift, you get 102,217XP. That’s a whole lotta XP – enough to move you from level 30 to 45!

Note: a small number of event-only routes tdo not include an achievement badge/XP bonus. If you’re unsure, look up the route on our master list and see if it includes an achievement badge with bonus XP.

Ride a TT Bike

If you’re on a time trial frame, you won’t receive speed-boosting powerups when you ride through arches. Instead, you’ll receive the 10XP bonus. Every time!

Combine the TT bike with a short route that includes one or more lap banners and you’ll accumulate XP faster than you would riding a typical route on a road bike in the draft. Here are some suggested routes, sorted in order from frequent banners to least:

• Watopia’s Jarvis Island loop (2.9 miles, 3 banners per lap)
• Watopia’s Seaside Sprint (4 miles, 2 banners per lap)
• Crit City’s Bell Lap or Downtown Dolphin (event only – 1.2 miles, 1 banner per lap)
• New York’s LaGuardia Loop (event only – 1.6 miles, 1 banner per lap)
• Watopia’s Volcano Circuit or Volcano Circuit CCW (2.6 miles, 1 banner per lap)
• Richmond’s Fan Flats (3.1 miles, 1 banner per lap)

Ride Flat Routes

XP is based purely on distance (20XP per kilometer/32XP per mile), so you’ll accumulate it faster if you keep your speed as high as possible. All other things being equal (effort level, drafting status, etc), your average speed will always be faster on flat routes than hilly ones, which means you’ll earn more XP per minute on flat routes.

Join Double XP Events and Challenges

Sometimes, Zwift holds events where riders earn double XP. That is, each kilometer you ride earns you 40XP, and if you’re using imperial measurements you’ll get 64XP for each mile.

Tour of Watopia is a popular annual event that includes double XP. Zwift has also been holding “XP Express” events awarding double XP.

Find double XP events here: zwift.com/events/tag/doublexp

There are also various in-game Challenges that Zwift holds which include XP bonuses. This includes their recent “Route of the Week” rollout, as well as short-term mini challenges like “Hell of a Route Chaser Challenge“. Working these Challenges into your workout plans can quickly add 500-1000XP to your workout.

Participate In Group Rides

As I already mentioned, the faster you go, the faster you’ll earn XP. Participate in group rides to enjoy the increased speeds of the group draft, and watch that XP add up!

Hack Your Workout

When you do a structured workout in Zwift, XP is calculated differently than the standard 20XP/km distance-based method. I’ve already written about this thoroughly here, where I share some hacks to maximize XP earnings via workouts, including changing interval length, doing workouts up the Alpe then free-riding down, and using workouts for your easy rides since you’ll likely earn more XP than free-riding.

Related:
How Zwift Calculates XP for Cycling Workouts
Level Up Faster On Zwift: GPLama’s XP Farming Alpe Workout

An additional bonus related to doing workouts up the Alpe: the spinner at the top awards XP if it lands on a prize you’ve already received. You’ll get 1000XP if it lands on the Lightweight Meilenstein wheels and you already have them, or 250XP if it lands on anything else that you already have.

Enjoy the Downhills

Any cyclist worth their chamois knows you don’t end a ride at the top of the hill – you earned that descent, so enjoy it! Your route may end at the top of a hill, but go ahead and take that descent: you’ll earn XP for the distance with little or no extra work.

Earn Achievement Badges

There are lots of achievement badges in game. Many are visible under Menu>Badges, but there’s a whole list of hidden achievements as well. Every one of those achievements includes an XP bonus, so grab those badges!

Related: A Complete List of Zwift Achievement Badges

Maintain Your Week Streak

Zwift rewards you with bonus XP when you ride at least once per week:

• Week 1: you’ll earn 300XP just for starting your streak.
• Week 2: extended your streak to 2 weeks? You’ll earn 400XP.
• Week 3+: every time you extend your streak past week 2, you’ll earn a 500XP bonus.

Related: All About Week Streaks on Zwift

So this one’s easy: just make sure you ride at least 2km (1.25 miles) each week. This can take place on Zwift, or outside if you have your Wahoo or Garmin account connected to Zwift.

Get On the (Rubber)Bandwagon

“Banded” rides in Zwift keep all riders together, regardless of effort level. As long as you keep pedaling, you’ll stay with the pack!

If you’re a rider who tends to rides at lower power (say, 1.5 W/kg or less), joining banded rides should significantly increase your average speed, which in turn will increase your XP earning rate.

See upcoming banded rides at ZwiftHacks >

Combining Strategies

For the ultimate in high-XP riding, combine two or more of the strategies above. (Simple example: choose a group ride on a route you haven’t completed.)

The achievement badges for multiple Volcano Circuit laps earn a big XP boost – you get bonuses for 5, 10, and 25 laps. The 25 lap bonus is 1000XP! Why not do a ride that gets all three, along with the 100km badge. Then keep going and get the 100 mile badge while you’re at it! Do it on a TT bike and you’ll be racking up XP points each time you ride through the lap banner.

What About You?

Got more tips for earning XP? Share them below!

Strava has taken aim at leaderboard cheats by removing 4.45 million activities in a bid to “rightfully restore KOMs and QOMs to reflect true performances”.

Announced as part of a raft of app updates, Strava says it has fast-tracked the application of the machine learning model launched in February to “reprocess the top 10 spots on ride and run leaderboards”.

February’s update was designed to protect the integrity of Strava’s leaderboards by identifying unrealistic speeds, GPS errors and “other anomalies that could skew leaderboard results”.

Strava says every activity is now automatically analysed by a machine learning model, which looks at 57 different factors, such as speed and acceleration. 

“Strava is reinforcing its commitment to helping athletes compete fairly and perform at their best,” reads Strava’s latest press release. “The updates allow users to push harder this summer, with the confidence that leaderboards reflect true performances.”

• Revealed: the infuriating ‘Strava tax’ that means your rides aren’t as long as you think they are

Other key app updates include:

• New AI-powered routes
• Tappable points of interest
• Point-to-point routing

Strava says the updated route functionality, which, like leaderboards, is only available to premium subscribers, now utilises AI to “offer smarter, intuitive suggestions by leveraging Strava’s global heatmap, so riders can run, ride or walk like locals wherever they go”. 

The result, according to Strava, is routes that are more flexible and reliable, based on where existing cyclists ride. These can be generated from your current location or a custom starting point.

Strava has also introduced tappable points of interest, such as cafes, restrooms and viewpoints. Strava says you can tap to discover more information, generate a route there, or suggest a route that includes the point of interest.

Elevation, distance and estimated time of arrival will be present, and the points of interest will be accompanied by photos uploaded by Strava users “within the maps tabs in the Strava mobile app”. 

This feature, available from June, brings Strava a little closer to Komoot, one of its competitors and rivals for the crown of best cycling app. Komoot enables riders to add photos to user-generated highlights, as well as tips describing the highlight.

• Strava vs Komoot – which cycling app is best for you?

Finally, new point-to-point routing will, according to Strava, provide “the most efficient, activity-specific route from A to B”. This, Strava says, is based on a new routes engine, informed by the global heatmap.

“Starting in July, simply drop a pin and go with point-to-point routing on mobile,” Strava says.

We spotted new shoes from Fizik back in February’s UAE tour. Though then it just looked like another lightweight race shoe with a knitted upper.

Now that the details of the new Vega shoe have been released, it’s much more than that.

The Vega’s construction is unlike any previous Fizik shoe in that they’ve embedded the stiff carbon outsole inside of the shoe. Rather than the standard method of bonding a carbon outsole to the upper.

Fizik says that in developing this new construction method, they’ve been able to greatly reduce the stack height at the cleat area, leading to claimed improvements in pedalling efficiency.

Natural shape

Fizik claims it also means improved stiffness (though the Vega’s stiffness rating remains 10/10 on Fizik’s scale) and better foot support as the carbon base is ergonomically shaped to your foot. Fizik says they start the new shoe development from the ground up, designing the outsole and footbed as a single unit.

The redesigned contact point has meant a straighter axis of the shoe’s shape and a reduced drop from heel to toe. They claim this new shape gives a more natural feeling when pedalling.

The Vegas upper wraps completely around the foot with a carbon plate enclosed within. It’s more of a base to the footbed than a traditional outsole.

The stiff carbon sole being hidden within the shoe and protected by a full polyurethane cover should make the Vega easier to walk in, with a replaceable heel bumper and toe bumper, it should provide lots of protection too.

Multi-material upper

The Vega’s upper uses a blend of materials with a woven fabric called Aeroweave meshed with a thin translucent material, which they say creates a much lighter shoe. At the same time, the upper remains compliant and close-fitting. The inner of the shoe is a foot-wrapping bootie made from a highly perforated Airprene material to add comfort and breathability.

The midfoot and heel cup are reinforced with a bonded material that adds stiffness and stability.

The upper has a more generous toe-box than previous Fizik shoes. Just one of the adjustments made with the new last was developed around the integrated outsole.

Adjust to comfort

Adjustments are made using twin BOA Li2 dials. The upper dial uses a short wire anchored to a ribbon. This controls the fit around the instep, the lower dial adjusts the volume around the medial (middle) part of the foot.

With a claimed weight of 239g, a shoe (size 44) + 20g for the footbeds, the Vega is a lightweight shoe.

The shoes are available in Sizes: 36-48 (37 to 47 also in half sizes) and in all-white, and the white/blue/yellow Fluoro of Team Movistar.

The Vegas are priced at £389.99 / €390.00 / $469.99

Your choice of virtual wheelset influences your Zwift speed significantly. And Zwift’s Drop Shop gives us access to lots of wheelsets: almost 50 if you include the Gravel and MTB wheels.

At Zwift Insider, we’ve tested every Zwift frame and wheelset using an accurate, repeatable procedure to determine how it performs in game.

Browse our speed test posts >

Based on those speed tests, we’ve chosen the 10 best overall wheelsets in Zwift today. This isn’t just a stack rank of the most aero wheels in the game – we took into account how each set performs across a variety of routes.

Without further ado, let’s get to the list! Drumroll please…

The Best Wheelsets in Zwift

#1: Zipp 454

#2: ENVE SES 7.8

3: Zipp 353 NSW

#4: ENVE SES 8.9

#5: Zipp 858/Super9

#6: Zipp 858

#7: DTSwiss ARC 1100 DICUT 62

#8: Zipp 808

#9: DTSwiss ARC 1100 DICUT DISC

#10: Roval CLX64

Dig Deeper

Want to dig deeper into the precise speeds of various frames and wheels? Check out our ranking charts and public test data. You may also like our Concept Z1 (Tron) Bike vs Top Performers chart which compares precise times of top frames and wheelsets with the Tron bike.

Share Your Thoughts

We hope all you riders/racers found this post useful. Think there’s a wheelset we should have included in the top 10 but didn’t? Got other questions or comments? Share below!

Trek’s new FX+1 is its first electric bike to have a throttle, providing a boost to your ride via pedal assistance or the handlebar-mounted thumb lever. 

The electric hybrid bike is a motorised version of Trek’s FX, and is said to be “equally capable on- or off-road” with wide 2in tyres, an eight-speed Shimano Essa drivetrain and hydraulic disc brakes.

The FX+1 is only available in the USA and Canada. It retails for $1,999.99 / CA$2,849 and is aimed at cyclists looking for a versatile and affordable bike that can be used for errands as well as more adventurous rides. 

An extra boost

The FX+1 features a 500W Hyena rear-hub motor that provides 60Nm of torque and has a 520Wh battery in the down tube.

An LED display shows ride data and battery level, and can be used to flick through a range of assistance levels.

Trek says the bike has a range of up to 50 miles (80km), depending on the assistance level and how much you use the throttle. 

Why add a throttle?

Trek has added a throttle to the FX+1 due to consumer demand and the popularity of similar bikes in the North American market, according to Taylor Cook, marketing manager for Trek Canada. 

Cook told Canadian MTB: “There are a lot of bikes out there calling themselves ebikes that aren’t really made to be pedalled. This isn’t that. It’s still a Trek bike, built to be ridden, just with an extra bit of help when you need it.”

The FX+1 is available in two models to comply with electric bike laws where you live:

• The FX+1S is a class 2 and 3 model, which will throttle up to 20mph with pedal assistance up to 28mph. 
• The FX+1 class 2 model is legal in California and will provide throttle or pedal assistance up to 20mph.

A ‘blank canvas’

Trek says the FX+1 is a “blank canvas”, which you can accessorise to your needs.

In other words, the electric bike has mounts to add a rear rack or fenders, which are wise additions for commuting by bike. 

The bike is also available in two frame styles, with a mid-step or step-over top tube.

Elsewhere, it has in-built front and rear lights, with indicators you can control from the handlebar.

Trek says the bike lights will continue to function for up to three hours even after the battery reaches 0 per cent. 

Magnetic charging 

The FX+1 uses Trek’s new EasyMag charger, which clips onto the bike and will fully charge it in 5.5 hours.

The device can mount on a wall and attach to the bike at any angle.

Imagine you’ve just finished a ride and your bike computer has recorded a satisfying round number, such as 100 miles. But when you upload the ride to Strava, the app says you rode a mere 99.9 miles. 

This is something many cyclists have experienced, leading to people heading around the block for an extra few metres. 

But however frustrating this is, Strava says it rounds down distances on purpose, calling this feature the ‘Strava Tax’.

• The one benefit of Strava that nobody is talking about (and why it could make you happier)

What is the Strava Tax and why does it happen?

The Strava Tax sees distances rounded down when you upload them, and Strava says this happens for good reason, calling itself the “ledger of record for human activities”.

“We’re the place where the effort gets documented, the work gets acknowledged, and the numbers carry weight, whether it’s for your own personal progress, a weekly challenge, or a world-record attempt,” Strava explains in a blog post. 

“Because of that, we have to record each activity as accurately and authentically as possible. We just show what was recorded, down to the second decimal point.”

Strava explains that your bike computer or smartwatch might read 10 miles, but what it recorded and pushed to Strava might be less. “That means when we round it down for display, you’ll see 9.99,” Strava says. 

Devices and supporting apps sometimes improve the raw data to make it cleaner or smoother. For instance, a device might jump to 1km when you’ve only covered an extra metre. Others may record miles differently, converting them from 1,609m or 1,609.344m. 

Because of this, Strava says it tries to record data fairly and neutrally. “We don’t try to reverse-engineer your tracker’s optimism or correct them on a device-by-device basis. We display the exact number that came in, rounded down, to reflect the most authentic, reliable version of the truth,” it says. 

The Strava Tax goes back a while 

Strava decided to round down activities way back in 2012, when GPS wasn’t as good as it is today. 

The app says it adopted the same principle you would apply to racing. If you ran a 5k and your watch read 5km before the finish line, you’d keep running. 

GPS is now more accurate and the way distance is calculated is more complicated. Strava says devices now combine inputs – from GPS, pedometers and accelerometers, for instance – which is why you sometimes have distances recorded on activities missing GPS. Considering this complexity, Strava continues to round down.

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

It’s here to stay 

So GPS is more accurate, but Strava is keeping its tax. This might seem like an odd decision, but Strava says removing the tax could lead to bigger problems, for you and the platform.

If your activities were rounded up, the distance you record over a year – or many years – would become skewed.

Strava says changing the tax would have a big impact on the app: “We’d need to change the display rules for display, storage, Challenges, Best Efforts, and so on. It would be an enormous lift that requires deprioritising other parts of the product.”

What do other apps do?

When BikeRadar spoke to the makers of other ride-recording apps, it was hard to get a clear answer on how they deal with distance data. One app developer passed on commenting, while Ride with GPS explained how its app displays distance when you’re riding and after you save an activity. 

“What riders see while recording an activity using our mobile app is exactly what they will see after saving, as our calculations happen in real-time during the activity. Because we have limited space to display metrics for a user’s ride, we’ve chosen to display distance as accurately as possible by truncating the last digit from view,” a Ride with GPS spokesperson said, adding that this method is a more accurate reflection of distance. 

“Post-processing a recorded distance down from what the rider was seeing the whole time while recording in the mobile app would potentially lead to an unhappy user,” they added.  

So it seems Strava is the clearest on how it deals with this data, and at least its method is one tax we can understand. 

Today, Elite announced a firmware update unlocking Zwift virtual shifting across their entire range of interactive direct-drive trainers, including older model versions no longer in production. With this update, the list of Elite trainers with virtual shifting support now includes:

• Direto
• Direto X
• Direto XR
• Direto XR-T
• Suito
• Suito T
• Avanti
• Justo
• Justo 2 

Updating Your Firmware

If you own one of the trainers above, you can now upgrade its firmware via Elite’s Upgrado app in order to receive virtual shifting capabilities.

For the Justo 2 and Avanti, which have built-in Wi-Fi, the upgrade will happen automatically.

Virtual Shifter Options (Play/Click/Ride)

To use Zwift’s virtual shifting, you don’t just need a compatible trainer – you also need shifters! While Zwift (unfortunately) doesn’t sell the simple Click shifter as a standalone item, there are three options currently in stock at the Zwift shop:

• Zwift Play controllers: regularly $80, on sale for $50
• Zwift Click (with Cog): $80
• 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)	$80US	$80US

Elite tells us Zwifters can use code ELITEZCOG2024 for a €20 discount on the Cog & Click Upgrade pack.

To Cog, or Not To Cog?

You don’t need the Zwift Cog installed on your trainer for virtual shifting to work – your current cassette will work just fine. But some riders may prefer to use the Cog so it’s easier to swap between different bikes on the trainer.

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

A Very Strong Move from Elite

To say this is a big move from Elite would be an understatement. With industry leader Wahoo only supporting virtual shifting on their newest trainers (plus the KICKR Core), and Garmin/Tacx not supporting it at all (yet), Elite’s move to support it on all of their trainers (including versions that are several years old and not even in production anymore) should earn them a lot of goodwill with existing customers.

We all love it when new capabilities are added to existing hardware. And we really don’t like being forced to purchase new hardware to access new capabilities, when it appears as if our current hardware could do the job just fine with a quick firmware update.

I don’t have a legacy Elite trainer in-house on which to test virtual shifting, but if it works as well as it’s been working on the Direto XR, then this is a move that will earn Elite plenty of points with current customers. Bravo!

Questions or Comments?

Have you tried virtual shifting on an Elite trainer? Share your experience below! Share below!

The folks at WTRL have announced the second annual “Zwift Racing League Showdown,” a four-week, multi-format team racing competition. Get all the details below.

A Mini ZRL… with Twists

The ZRL Showdown operates like a trimmed-down Zwift Racing League, with a shorter schedule (4 weeks/races) and smaller teams (max of 10 on your roster, with up to 4 racing each week) racing on Tuesdays.

But there are some twists, including a revised scoring system with more ways to earn points! (Learn more about the new scoring system below.)

Like the regular-season ZRL, 40+ race times will be available, and your team must race at the same time each week. Both women-only and open races are available.

(The ZRL Summer Showdown is a standalone event, so results in this series will not affect the regular ZRL season.)

New Points System

The ZRL Showdown uses a revised points system that differs from last year’s Showdown and the most recent ZRL season. Here’s a summary of how this ZRL Showdown’s scoring will work (read the details on WTRL’s site):

• TTT: your team’s time is taken from the 3rd rider across the line (not the 4th rider like ZRL).
• Individual FAL: first across the line points are given to the first 40 riders (40 points for first place, down to 1 point for 40th place) for each designated FAL segment.
• Team FAL: top 3 individual FAL scores per team are added together, then teams are ranked by these totals, with the 5 highest-ranked teams earning league points bonuses: 5 points for 1st place down to 1 point for 5th place. (Team FAL does not exist in ZRL.)
• FTS: fastest through segment points are given to the 5 fastest riders through each designated FTS segment, with participants able to score multiple times if they clock more than 1 of the top 5 times. 1st place gets 10 points, 2nd place 8 points, down to 5th place getting 2 points.
• FIN: finishing points are awarded based on finishing order and are scaled based on field size. First place receives finish points equal to the number of riders who started the race, 2nd place 1 less, etc.
• PBP: podium bonus points (which don’t exist in ZRL) are given to 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place riders across the line.
  • Points Races: 5 rider points for 1st place, 3 points for 2nd place, 1 points for 3rd place.
  • Scratch Races: 10 rider points for 1st place, 6 points for 2nd place, 3 points for 3rd place.
• League Points: once the race ends, the 1st place team earns points equivalent to the total number of teams starting the race. 2nd place earns one less, etc.

Race Schedule

• June 3: Team Time Trial
  • A/B: Three Little Sisters in Watopia (37.8km, 434m)
  • C/D: Big Flat 8 in Watopia (31.5km, 109m)
  • Powerup: all riders start with a draft boost powerup
• June 10: Points Race (Hilly)
  • A/B: Glyph Heights in Watopia (33.9km, 618m)
  • C/D: Legends and Lava in Watopia (24.6km, 352m)
  • Powerups: None
  • Powerups: Feather, Draft
• June 17: Scratch Race
  • A/B: Makuri 40 in Makuri Islands (40.3km, 317m)
  • C/D: Neokyo All-Nighter in Makuri Islands (24.5km, 168m)
  • Powerups: None
• June 24: Points Race (Flat)
  • A/B: Three Musketeers in France (35.8km, 200m)
  • C/D: Three Musketeers in France – custom distance
  • Powerups: none

Race Settings

A few notes about how these races are set up:

• Bike upgrades are disabled/neutralised for ZRL races.
• Steering and braking are disabled for ZRL races unless racing in a Steering-enabled League.
• TT bikes offer draft during TTT events but are disabled for Points and Scratch races.
• Rider flagging is disabled for ZRL races.

Registration + More Info

Registration opened May 15 at WTRL’s website and closes May 30.

Got questions? Visit WTRL’s ZRL Showdown page >

Zwift version 1.90 begins its phased rollout today. It includes the much-requested Splits feature, along with some visual tweaks and bug fixes. Read on for details…

New Splits Feature

Zwifters have long requested the ability to trigger laps/splits in game, allowing us to record our own custom interval data while riding in Zwift. Cycling head units have long offered this functionality, so many riders are already familiar with the concept of a “lap button” you can click so the head unit will display data for your current “lap”, including average power, length of time, and speed/distance.

You can trigger a new split in several different ways.

• Click the “New Split” button in the Action Bar (which is also in the Companion app)
• Click the on-screen lap button in the Splits HUD (on all platforms except AppleTV)
• Use the tab key on your keyboard (this will not work in a workout, however, as this is the shortcut for skipping the interval)
• If you own the Zwift Ride you can configure the left drop button to trigger a new split:

The new Splits HUD displays the time, distance, and average power of each split. It also shows a color-coded power zone duration bar that functions just like the bar at the top-left below your power number, except it’s only showing power durations for each specific interval.

Once you’ve triggered a split, you’ll have access to another new “Toggle Side Display” button in the Action Bar next to the New Split button. This swaps the side display between the Splits HUD and the Leaderboard.

Splits data is written to your FIT file, so it can be displayed later on in other platforms like Strava, Garmin, Intervals.icu, etc.

Note: structured workouts will trigger a ”lap” for each interval block, as they always have. To view these splits after your workout, press the Toggle Side Display button in the Action Bar.

Here’s a quick video walkthrough of how it works in game:

There are a few minor UI bugs that Zwift still needs to iron out, including the list of splits not scrolling to the top when you click away from that list, and some typesetting being a bit misaligned, especially in non-English languages.

But the functionality is in place and working well, as far as we can see. Let’s do the splits!

Updated Lighting Effects

If you’ve noticed snazzier lighting effects during your recent Zwift sessions, you’re not hallucinating. Here’s a quick video screenshot recorded in Watopia on version 1.90:

Zwift has been experimenting with improved lighting effects lately, and while they haven’t mentioned it in any of the update notes, more and more Zwifters are starting to notice lighting changes. Our guess is that Zwift is rolling out the updated lighting to specific groups of users on certain types of hardware.

More Release Notes

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

• Improved the appearance of flat routes in the mini-map route profile.
• Fixed an issue that could cause the mini-map elevation profile to be stuck at the start of some routes.
• Fixed an issue that caused the Leaderboard visibility setting to behave as if it were set to “Auto” when the “Always” setting was selected.
• Fixed gaps in the roadway on the Douce France route in France.
• Fixed an issue that could cause the roadway to flicker in some sections on the R.G.V. route in France.
• iOS: Stability improvements.

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

Questions or Comments?

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

Some videos defy genre, logic and liver function. This 1976 gem from the BBC archives follows Big Jim Collie – a Scottish crofter with a taste for solitude and strong drink – as he sets off on his 105th crossing of the Lairig Ghru, one of the highest mountain passes in Britain, aboard his war-era bone-shaker of a bike, the ‘Lairig Flyer’.

This gloriously odd film is part poetic travelogue, part slow-motion solo outdoors pub crawl – it’s utterly fabulous, and worth seven minutes of your day.

• A diary of a perfect two-week Scottish cycle tour
• Step aside bikepacking, bikefishing is the reel deal

Jim lives alone in a tin-roofed bothy in the foothills of the Cairngorms. In the video, he’s heading to Braemar – 60 miles by road, but only 22 if you’re willing to drag you and your bike through some of the wildest terrain in Scotland.

He starts the day with a wee dram, and keeps going with the help of a generous network of whisky caches stashed along the route – not to mention the three pints he guzzles at Mar Lodge.

With rod brakes and a single gear, his bike – bought for six bob off a friend – was a relic even by 1976 standards. Undeterred, Jim explains mechanical issues – punctures, broken pedals, collapsed wheels – are met with the same response: shrug, sip, press on.

Mondraker has extended its Arid gravel bike line-up with two new alloy models, built using the brand’s Stealth Evo aluminium and sharing the same geometry as the Arid Carbon.

The brand says the bikes offer the same overall ride comfort as the carbon variant, making them perfect for long days in the saddle, whatever your blend of gravel riding.

The Arid Alloy lowers the price of entry to Mondraker’s gravel range, starting at £2,299 / $2,499 / €2,399 for the Arid, with the SRAM Apex AXS-equipped Arid R priced at £2,699 / $2,899 / €2,799.

Alloy rebirth

The Arid Alloy uses Mondraker’s Stealth Evo aluminium, with the tubes connected using the brand’s Smooth Welding Technology, which is said to give a sleek finish, as well as ensuring a smooth ride by efficiently absorbing vibrations.

There are multiple mounts across the frame for cages and bags, with the Stealth Carbon fork shared between both models featuring mounting bosses too.

Mondraker has designed the Arid using its Forward Geometry, first seen on its mountain bikes. This gives the bike a longer wheelbase, slightly slacker head angle and shorter stems than on most other brands’ gravel bikes.

This is said to aid control while you’re riding off-road.

For those looking to take in rougher gravel terrain, the Arid is compatible with 50c tyres and features down-tube protection to fend off rock strikes when you’re bombing descents.

The bike features a sleek aesthetic, with headset cable routing keeping the front end cable-free and featuring the same dropped rear seatstay design as seen on the Arid Carbon.

Mondraker has an extensive sizing chart, with the Arid Alloy available in five sizes, ranging from S to XL.

Plus, to get a better fit, the handlebar and stem are tailored to each size. For the S and M sizes, you get a 440mm-wide handlebar and 60mm or 70mm stem, respectively.

Mondraker Arid Alloy spec and price details

Mondraker Arid Alloy

• Fork: Stealth Carbon
• Drivetrain: Shimano GRX RX-610
• Brakes: Shimano GRX RX-610
• Wheels: Mavic Allroad Disc
• Tyres: Maxxis Reaver 700x45c
• Price: £2,299 / $2,499 / €2,399

Mondraker Arid Alloy R

• Fork: Stealth Carbon
• Drivetrain: SRAM Apex AXS
• Brakes: SRAM Apex AXS
• Wheels: Mavic Allroad Disc
• Tyres: Maxxis Reaver 700x45c
• Price: £2,699 / $2,899 / €2,799

Pirelli has launched the Cinturato Evo TLR, a new all-season, all-road tyre available in 45, 50 and enormous 55mm sizes.

With more regular widths (28, 30, 32, 35 and 40mm) also available, the Cinturato Evo TLR is arguably the most all-encompassing road bike tyre ever put on sale. 

Pirelli says you’ll be able to buy the three largest sizes in the summer, but the smaller sizes are available from today. These cost £74.99 / $92.90 / €79.90 in all sizes and sidewall variants.

The all-encompassing, all-season, all-road tyre?

Pirelli claims the tyre is best suited for ‘endurance’ and ‘light gravel’ applications, with secondary usage cases for ‘performance’ and ‘gravel’ riding. Naturally, the widest tyres are better suited to rougher surfaces. 

The brand doesn’t distinguish a favoured ‘season’ – it says the tyre is intended for use all year round, excelling for wet grip, high mileage, puncture protection and comfort (it scores 5/5 using Pirelli’s arbitrary ratings chart for these characteristics, and 3/5 for speed and weight). 

These strengths are said to be derived from the brand’s new top-level SmartEvo AS (all-season) compound, representing an upgrade on the SmartNet Silica compound used for the Cinturato Velo and Cinturato Road TLR models. 

The tyre employs Pirelli’s Techwall+ Road tubeless-ready casing, which debuted on the Road TLR, fortified by a nylon puncture protection belt rather than Kevlar, as seen in the Armour Tech casing of the Velo tyre. This has a 60 threads-per-inch count.

All the tyres are compatible with hookless rims, subject to ETRTO-recommended limits (the 28mm tyre can’t be used on a hookless rim with a 25mm-wide internal diameter), while Pirelli offers handy guidelines for each tyre for optimal rim widths. 

At the time of writing, Pirelli hasn’t confirmed its recommended rim-width compatibilities for the 45, 50 and 55mm sizes, but the rest of the range’s vital statistics are as follows:

Pirelli Cinturato Evo TLR prices and availability

The new tyre is available from today, in 28, 30, 32, 35 and 40mm widths. The 45, 50 and 55mm versions are set to follow in the summer.

‘Classic’ (tan) and ‘retro’ (cream) sidewall variants are also available for the 28, 30 and 32mm sizes, alongside black. All feature the use of over 50 per cent bio-based and recycled materials in their construction, and FSC certification for the brands’ rubber-sourcing supply chain.

All tyres cost £74.99 / $92.90 / €79.90.