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

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

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

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

Fitting is key

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

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

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

Built to commission

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

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

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

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

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

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

The range

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

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

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

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

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

White glove delivery

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

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

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

Warranty wonder

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

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

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

The UCI revealed today that the Afghanistan Women’s Road Championships will be held again this year in a show of solidarity. 

The event will take place in Les Herbiers, France, as part of the French Elite Road Championships, which run from 26-29 June. 

The Afghanistan Women’s Road Championships have not been held since 2022, when 50 refugee athletes competed in a road race in Aigle, Switzerland. The elite category was won by Fariba Hashimi, who went on to turn professional and now rides for Ceratizit Pro Cycling. 

The 22-year-old said: “After winning the Women Elite race, I had the opportunity to join a UCI Women’s Team. So it’s with great emotion that I am preparing to defend my title. I obviously hope to win, but I also hope that the event will allow other athletes to shine.”

Five athletes to compete

Two events will be held for the 2025 Championships: a 26.5km individual time trial on Thursday 26 June and a 115.5km road race on Saturday 28 June. 

Five athletes will compete alongside the French athletes participating in their National Championships. Fariba Hashimi and her sister Yulduz Hashimi, who is also a professional cyclist, will compete in both events, alongside Zahra Rezayee. Samira Ehrari and Mahnaz Mohammadi will compete in the time trial only. 

“[A] separate classification for Afghan athletes only will be established to determine the results of the 2025 Afghanistan Women’s Road Championships,” the UCI said. 

“Seeing the best Afghan female cyclists again competing in their National Championships will undoubtedly be an emotional occasion and a source of pride, three years after the last edition of the event,” said UCI president David Lappartient. 

“I hope that this unique formula of a major National Federation hosting athletes from other countries – where it is not possible to hold such an event – as part of its own National Championships, will inspire others,” he added. 

President of the Fédération Française de Cyclisme, Michel Callot, said: “We consider it our duty to show solidarity by responding to the request from our International Federation and opening our National Championships to those who are no longer able to practise their sport freely in their own country.”

Leaving Afghanistan

As reported by the BBC, Fariba Hashimi left Afghanistan with her sister Yulduz after the Taliban’s return to power in August 2021. 

The sisters contacted Alessandra Cappellotto, who won a world road title in 1997 and now uses cycling to help women around the world.

Cappellotto helped Fariba and Yulduz – alongside three of their team mates – get a seat on a flight leaving Kabul, organised by the Italian government. 

Several evacuation operations were also carried out by the UCI and its partner, enabling 165 Afghan citizens to leave the country. 

An investigation by the now-defunct Cycling Tips revealed accusations that Afghanistan Cycling Federation president Fazli Ahmad Fazli manipulated the lists used to evacuate athletes and citizens in favour of his friends and family. 

The UCI Ethics Commission suspended Fazli from all cycling-related activities for 15 months in July 2024, after allegations of verbal and physical abuse. 

The UCI Ethics Commission said at the time: “it was found that the President of the Afghanistan Cycling Federation had, on several occasions, sent messages to members of the Afghan cycling community which were deemed to be in breach of Articles 5, 6.4 and 2.1 of Annex 1 of the UCI Code of Ethics due to their abusive and/or threatening nature, and the fact that he therefore abused his position.” 

The SISU Tour is SISU’s largest annual race event, and it’s returning in July for its fourth edition. This 7-stage race series runs alongside the three weeks of the Men’s Tour de France, covering 2,375 meters of total elevation across 175km of Zwift France.

Individual and Team Classifications

Three prestigious classifications are up for grabs:

• Mountain Goat: Conquer the climbs and prove your prowess on all KQOM segments to wear the coveted polka dots. The winner will be determined by the cumulative fastest time (FTS) across all mountain segments.
• Sprinter Classification: Got a need for speed? Dominate the flat roads and be the first across the line on all sprint segments to claim the green jersey, based on the cumulative FTS.
• General Classification: The ultimate prize. The rider with the lowest cumulative time across all seven stages will be crowned the overall champion of the SISU Tour.

Race for individual glory or team up to take on the Team GC, where the fastest three riders from each team, in each grade, will have their times combined for each stage. Full results and standings will be available at sisu.racing/tour.

Stage Schedule and Routes

Each stage is available in 15 different timeslots, so you can find a race that works with your schedule.

• Stage 1: Saturday, July 5
  • Route: Bon Voyage
  • 1 Lap, 28km 132m 
• Stage 2: Tuesday, July 8
  • Route: Croissant (iTT)
  • 1 Lap, 9km 49m
• Stage 3: Saturday, July 12
  • Route: Knights of the Roundabout
  • 1 Lap, 51km 336m
• Stage 4: Tuesday, July 15
  • Route: Hell of the North
  • 1 Lap, 13km 480m 
• Stage 5: Saturday, July 19
  • Route: Ven-10
  • 1 Lap, 10km 780m 
• Stage 6: Tuesday, July 22
  • Route: Petite Douleur
  • 2 Laps, 28km 388m 
• Stage 7: Saturday, July 27
  • Route: Champs-Elysees
  • 5 Laps, 36km 210m 

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

Other Information

• Events are categorized using Zwift’s Racing Score with separate results for Men and Women.
• Riders who upgrade their category during the first six stages will be reclassified in their higher grade.
• All events are mass start, with all riders visible on the course.
• For the Team GC, riders must have their team listed on their ZwiftPower profile before Stage 1.
• Bike upgrades are enabled – choose your fastest machine!
• TT bikes are mandatory for the iTT (Stage 2), and the draft will be disabled. The three individual sprint segments of the iTT Stage are not in play for the Sprinter Classification.
• ZPower riders and those without heart rate data will be excluded from the results.
• A rider’s best time will count if they race the same stage in multiple time zones.
• A ZwiftPower profile is required to be included in the GC (learn how to sign up).

Questions or Comments?

Join the conversation on the SISU Racing Discord and connect with fellow riders in the SISU Racing Club in the Companion App.

For more information, FAQs, and full results, visit sisu.racing/tour. Any questions can be sent to the Tour Director at hello@sisu.racing.

Post below!

Ribble has announced a completely new range of gravel bikes, with the new Ultra-Grit featuring tech borrowed from the Ultra Race.

The revamped range includes aluminium, titanium, alloy and carbon electric and non-assisted gravel bikes.

There is no steel option in the range, a surprise from Ribble – a brand with a long history of producing great-value steel bikes.

However, Ribble’s head of product, Jamie Burrow, told BikeRadar a new steel model will be coming later in the year.

Ribble Ultra-Grit

The Ultra-Grit has been developed with input from Ribble’s pro-gravel Outliers team, alongside material and aero-design lessons learned from the development of the Ultra Race.

The new frameset is made from a combination of T1000 and M46 fibres, like the lightweight Ultra Race. Here, the materials are combined with an asymmetric seat tube and seatstays designed to provide flex.

With a claimed weight of 900g, it’s one of the lighter gravel framesets we’ve seen.

The frame’s aero-optimisation comes from the aerofoil tube shapes, and a fully integrated cockpit and full internal routing.

Tyre clearances are generous, measuring 53mm at the fork and 50mm at the rear.

Ribble hasn’t stripped back the features to get the Ultra-Grit down to a racing weight either, with triple bottle mounts, down tube storage (in collaboration with fellow British brand Restrap bags), top tube mounts and mudguard eyelets.

The frame uses a BSA threaded bottom bracket and a UDH-compatible rear dropout. It can be built with either 1x or 2x drivetrains, although only 2x is available at launch.

Gravel-racing geometry

Ribble’s approach to geometry on the Ultra-Grit is very much race-oriented and informed by the brand’s pro riders. The bike has a steep 74-degree seat angle and a 71.5-degree head angle. With a low stack and long reach, it looks very much the gravel racer’s option on paper.

The Ultra-Grit has already been posting the fastest times in both the men’s and women’s categories at this year’s Dirty Reiver and gained a podium in the UCI Gravel World Series, too.

The Ultra-Grit is available in both a standard model and the Team edition.

Build options start with SRAM Apex AXS for £2,599 with DT Swiss G1800 wheels. Next comes a Rival XPLR AXS model with DT Swiss G1800 wheels at £3,099, with SRAM Force AXS XPLR and Vision SC45 i23 wheels costing £4,399. The range is topped by a SRAM Red XPLR AXS model with Zipp 303 XPLR wheels at £7,499.

Ribble AllGrit range

The AllGrit is Ribble’s new all-round gravel bike. The range starts with the AllGrit AL, then steps up to the AllGrit Ti with 3D-printed junctions. The range is completed by two electric gravel bikes – in aluminium and carbon.

The AllGrit AL is made from 7005-series aluminium, hydroformed and smooth-welded throughout. It shares a D-shaped carbon seatpost with the AllGrit Ti and features full internal routing and a full-carbon fork.

The down tube uses the same bottle-shielding profile as the Ultra-Grit and Ultra Race, and employs a UDH rear dropout and threaded T47 bottom bracket.

The frame features triple bottle bosses, rack mounts, full-length mudguard mounts, and mounts on the top of the top tube.

AllGrit geometry

The geometry is similar to the Ultra-Grit but with a few subtle changes to the stack, reach and wheelbase. It shares the same large 53/50mm tyre clearances.

The AllGrit AL comes in two standard models: a SRAM Apex XPLR 1×12-speed mechanical bike with DT Swiss G1800 wheels for £1,699 and a SRAM Apex AXS bike with the same wheels for £1,999.

Ribble’s range-topping AllGrit is a new titanium model that uses the same 3D-printed tech as found on the AllRoad Ti.

The new AllGrit Ti-X shares the same geometry as the AL and has the same generous 53mm front and 50mm rear tyre clearances.

The sculpted titanium tubing is aero optimised and the frame comes with provision for three bottle cages, top tube mounts, a rear rack and mudguards. The fork has triple anything mounts.

The frame is compatible with 1x and 2x drivetrains, and has a threaded T47 bottom bracket and UDH dropouts.

The AllGrit Ti-X has three models: SRAM Apex AXS at £3,499, SRAM Rival AXS XPLR at £3,999, and the range-topping Force AXS XPLR model at £5,298.

AllGrit E electric gravel bikes

Ribble has launched two electric-gravel models, both using Mahle’s ebike motors. The AllGrit E AL shares the same hydroformed 7005 alloy tubing as the AllGrit AL, complete with smooth-welded junctions. Only the down tube has been reshaped to accommodate the internal Mahle 250Wh battery.

The rear-hub motor is Mahle’s X30 drive, with 45Nm torque and a controller built into the top tube. Like the standard AllGrit, the alloy electric model has generous 53mm and 50mm tyre clearances.

The AL E gets two options: a SRAM Apex XPLR 1×12 mechanical bike at £2,899 and a SRAM Apex AXS bike at £3,199.

The range-topping electric gravel option is the AllGrit E Carbon-X, with a carbon frame made from the same high-grade T1000 and M46 fibres as the Ultra-Grit.

The rear end of the Carbon-X shares the same aero design as the Team bikes. The motor is Mahle’s minimal lightweight X20 system, with a powerful 55Nm of torque and a 350Wh battery secured in the down tube.

It has the same large tyre clearances, fork luggage mounts, rear rack and anything fork mounts as the non-electric AllGrit models.

Prices start at £3,999 for the SRAM Apex AXS model, rising to £4,499 for the SRAM Rival AXS XPLR and £5,299 for the new SRAM Force AXS XPLR drivetrain.

Upgrades on everything

The new gravel range will also showcase Ribble’s expansion of its online Bike Builder service, with many options to upgrade across every model.

The biggest of these is undoubtedly the ability to upgrade any of the gravel bikes to a RockShox Rudy Ultimate 30mm-travel fork (the new models are geometry-corrected for a gravel suspension fork) for £300. That’s a good deal for a fork that retails at £779.

You can upgrade the wheels with a selection of options from Hope, Vision and Zipp. Ribble will also offer three handlebar options: integrated aero gravel, aero road and gravel riser.

There are six saddle options and a whole suite of accessories designed specifically for the bikes, including a range of bags from Restrap.

SRAM’s new Force and Rival XPLR groupsets adopt the direct-mount design of Red XPLR, while featuring the improved ergonomics seen in the 2024 Red AXS shifters.

The newly launched gravel groupsets see both Force and Rival XPLR use the full-mount design that fits directly to the UDH (Universal Derailleur Hanger) dropout.

SRAM claims the combination of full mount with the new straight-parallelogram design gives improved shifting accuracy and more resilience to impacts.

The new architecture also aids chain management in conjunction with the clutch spring tensioning and narrow-wide tooth profiling, according to SRAM. Both the Force and Rival XPLR derailleurs are fully rebuildable.

Should you trash your rear derailleur, spares are available, including the mounting assembly, outer link, cage, damper and pulley assembly, battery latch and skid plate.

The new shifters used on Force and Rival have also been inspired by Red AXS, with a new lever shape that allows for comfortable, progressive one-finger braking from both the hoods and the drops.

The same ergonomic hood and lever shape is now shared across the top three SRAM AXS tiers: Red, Force and Rival, for both road and XPLR gravel groupsets.

Force and Rival also get new hood covers, with distinct patterns for each model and moulded indicators showing the horizontal to help position the shifters on your bars in the optimal 7-degree pitch. This, SRAM claims, provides a neutral wrist position.

Both shifter designs also get reach adjustment for the brake levers.

Force AXS and Rival AXS shifters can also be combined with SRAM’s Eagle Transmission AXS components, should you prefer to run a 10-52t cassette.

Force AXS shifters

The new Force AXS shifters work across both road and gravel. They feature a hidden bonus button, as seen on Red AXS, on the inner face of the shifter.

This can be configured through the AXS app to suit your needs. You can either use it as a secondary shift button or to switch between screens on your GPS – or even to operate an AXS dropper post.

The new levers are a reprofiled carbon and the new design has led to a 70g weight saving over the previous Force AXS shifters.

Force XPLR rear derailleur

The new full-mount derailleur bears a strong resemblance to the Red XPLR unit, sharing the same skeletal design, straight-parallelogram pulley assembly and oversized jockey wheels. That means the same simple fitment and no need for adjustment screws.

Just like the Red XPLR derailleur, it’s designed to work with the 13-speed 10-46t XPLR cassette in conjunction with any SRAM Flattop chain.

Force XPLR crankset

The Force XPLR crankset now comes in more crank-arm sizes, with 160, 165, 170, 172.5 and 175mm options.

The direct-mount chainrings are available with 38 to 46 teeth, and are joined by 44, 46, 48 and 50-tooth direct-mount aero options for gravel racers.

The carbon crank arms also come with silicone end cap protection covers.

There is a spindle-based power meter option for the Force XPLR crankset, although you can use a 1x option with a spider-based power meter using the thread-mount system, as found on Red AXS.

Force XPLR cassette

The 13-speed Force cassette is based on the same design as the 13-speed Red cassette and shares the same 460% range 10-46 tooth pattern.

The gear progression of 10, 11, 12, 13, 15, 17, 19, 21, 24, 28, 32, 38 and 46 teeth keeps the gear jumps tight through the most-used range, only widening the jumps as it gets to the upper end.

Force Flattop chain

The Force chain for XPLR is the same as the new Force Flattop chain for standard Force AXS.

The new chain features the same slotted link plates as Red, but uses solid rather than hollow pins. The chain weighs in at 12g less than the previous chain, and as well as the standard chrome finish, it is also available in a special-edition purple.

Rival XPLR

Rival XPLR has undergone the biggest change and could be the smartest choice of SRAM’s gravel offerings.

It employs the same full-mount rear derailleur and shifter design, and a new crankset that drops significant weight and, more importantly, looks far more premium than Rival’s more modest level would suggest.

Rival shifters

Rival shifters are the same across road and gravel. They get the same ergonomic upgrades as Force, to the extent that all three shifters (Red, Force and Rival) now have the same hood shape and lever profiles.

Rival omits the hidden bonus button found on Red and Force for cost reasons. The new design replicates the 80% reduction in force required to activate the brake lever.

Rival also sees an upgrade to carbon fibre brake levers for the first time. That has led to a 64g reduction in weight over the old lever design.

Rival XPLR rear derailleur

Rival XPLR’s rear derailleur uses the same direct-mount UDH-compatible design as Force and Red. However, the pulley wheels on Rival are a pair of 16-tooth wheels, rather than Force and Red’s oversized bottom pulley wheel.

Rival uses a spring clutch derived from SRAM’s mountain bike offerings to deal with chain management.

Rival XPLR cassette

Rival XPLR’s cassette gets a high-polish nickel chrome plating and shares the same 460% range with its 13-speed 10-46 ratio.

Rival chain

The new Rival-level Flattop chain gets cut-outs on the outer links and a hard-chrome finish. The changes have led to a 12g reduction from the weight of the original Rival chain. The same chain is used on both 12-speed road and 13-speed XPLR groupsets.

Rival XPLR crankset

SRAM claims the new Rival crankset is the most advanced aluminium crank it has ever produced, with a new crank-arm design that optimises the stiffness-to-weight ratio.

With material only used where it’s needed, that means the cranks have hollow cut-outs in the centre of the arms.

SRAM’s latest X0 Eagle crankset has obviously inspired the design. To me, it is also very reminiscent of the original Austrian-made Roox cranks from the 1990s that still adorn one of my retro bikes.

That’s a good thing, because those cranks were impressively stiff and light. The crank arms are paired with a single direct-mount chainring, available in sizes 38 to 46 teeth with SRAM’s X-Sync wide/narrow-tooth profile.

The DUB crank spindle can accommodate bottom brackets in both road and mountain bike widths. That means 135mm, 142mm and Boost rear spacing, which gives unmatched compatibility for a gravel crankset. The new Rival XPLR crankset looks to be a great option for anyone looking to convert a mountain bike frameset for gravel.

The new crank-arm design shaves 50g from the previous Rival crankset.

Rival also gets a power meter option, using the same spindle-based design as previous Rival AXS, now integrated into the hollow crank arm. That means the same AAA lithium battery powers the meter for up to 400 hours of use.

Weight comparisons

Force XPLR with a power meter weighs a claimed 2,686g. That’s 84g lighter than the previous version with a power meter (2,770g).

• Force XPLR claimed weight: 2,648g complete
  • 10-46 cassette, DUB BSA BB, 172.5mm crankset, 44t ring, Force shifters, Force 114-link chain, 2x 160mm brake rotors, SRAM AXS battery, Force XPLR rear derailleur

Compared to Shimano’s latest 2x GRX Di2 12-speed groupset, the new Force XPLR is 244g lighter, with the power meter Force XPLR option 206g lighter than Shimano’s offering – although Shimano, of course, has a front derailleur.

• GRX Di2 12-speed 2×12 claimed weight: 2,892g
  • 48/31 crankset, 11-36 cassette, front and rear derailleurs, 140/160mm rotors, 126-link chain, battery and wires, shifters

Rival XPLR with a power meter (2,961g) is 23g lighter than the previous groupset with a power meter (2,984g).

• Rival XPLR claimed weight: 2,923g complete
  • 10-46 cassette, DUB BSA BB, 172.5mm crankset, 40t ring, Rival shifters, Rival 114 link chain, 2x 160mm brake rotors, SRAM AXS battery, Rival XPLR rear derailleur

That makes Rival XPLR 31g heavier than GRX Di2, with the power meter option rising to 69g heavier.

Prices

SRAM’s new Force and Rival AXS 2x road groupsets bring the improved ergonomics of Red AXS along with updated component design. The second- and third-tier SRAM groups have lost significant weight in the process, too.

It’s not only the weight that has been cut, though. SRAM’s pricing looks competitive, too, with Force AXS and Rival AXS both undercutting their Shimano equivalents.

New Force AXS is £160 cheaper than Ultegra Di2, with new Rival AXS undercutting 105 Di2 by £154 in standard guise – or £9 for the power meter option.

Every component of Force and Rival AXS has seen an overhaul. Each has a new shifter design, a faster-shifting front derailleur with built-in auto trim, and a new crankset, chainring and lighter chain. There’s also a new power meter option on Force that brings the thread-mount chainring design from Red.

Improved ergonomics

The most important part of each group’s update is the inclusion of the new hood dimensions and lever shape that made Red AXS such a positive step forward for SRAM’s premier road offering.

The new, more compact hood shape combines with a curvier and subtly flared brake lever. This results in an improvement to braking feel, especially from the hoods, where Shimano had taken the lead thanks to its updated lever shape and Servowave braking – tech that first debuted on the previous-generation GRX Di2.

The hood covers are distinct between Force and Rival, but both share a set of moulded-in indicator lines that will help you set up the hoods on a bar. When the indicator marks are set horizontally, it gives the levers a 7-degree upward pitch, which is how SRAM’s designers intended the shifters to fit.

Force AXS gets the same bonus button on the inner face of the hood that can be customised through the AXS app. That brings Force in line with Shimano Ultegra Di2, which shares the same bonus button atop the hood as Dura-Ace Di2.

In a move that also mirrors Shimano, Rival AXS doesn’t get the bonus button addition, much the same as 105 Di2 doesn’t have the hood-top buttons.

Shifting smoothed

Red AXS’ other major improvement came in the speed and accuracy of the front shifts, with a new front derailleur design that brings faster shifts thanks to a combination of improved architecture and a new narrower cage.

There was also an automated-trim function that set out to eliminate chain rub and rasp at extremes of the gear range. It’s this design that has been adopted across both Rival and Force AXS.

This is combined with new direct-mount one-piece chainring designs, with highly machined tooth profiles. SRAM also claims the new Force and Rival chainrings are significantly lighter and stiffer than their predecessors.

The crank arms on Force are a new carbon design, with SRAM claiming both less weight and improved stiffness.

At the rear, the Force derailleur gets the same design updates as Red, With a new, lighter forged carbon pulley cage and oversized pulley wheels. It’s designed to work with both 1x and 2x drivetrains, and a single-cage option can be used with cassettes from 10-28 up to 10-36 teeth.

The cassette gets a new matt nickel chrome plating that SRAM claims brings quieter running and improved durability.

Even the chain has had a makeover, with a new ‘hard chrome’ plated inner link plate and cut-outs in both inner and outer plates to reduce weight over the previous Force-level chain.

Force AXS launches with a limited-edition full group that includes rear derailleur, front derailleur, shift-brake controls, chain, disc brake calipers, rotors, battery charger and special-edition Hammerhead Karoo finished with a livery to match the Force components.

SRAM has also put together an upgrade kit for existing AXS riders. It consists of the Force AXS shifters/brakes and a Hammerhead Karoo (£949/$1,099). 

Rival AXS gets the same lever and hood design as its more expensive cousins. The lever is upgraded to carbon over the alloy of the previous generation, resulting in a weight loss of 64g.

The new Rival crankset looks far more premium than the original Rival version. The new crank arms, with their machined backs and cut-out (taking inspiration from SRAM’s X0 aluminium crankset), also result in a weight drop of 50g on both the standard and spindle power meter options.

The front derailleur gets the same Yaw cage design as Red and Force, and includes the same auto-trim function, too.

Even Rival’s chain gets a makeover, with new cut-out outer links and a ‘hard chrome’ finish for a 12g reduction in weight. The rear derailleur has had more of a facelift. Being based on an update to the previous Rival design, SRAM has still managed to shed 20g thanks to upgraded material choices.

That means, in total, Force AXS 2x with a power meter weighs in at 2,776g – 183g lighter than the previous generation.

Rival AXS 2x with a power meter weighs 2,993g – 213g lighter than the original Rival AXS 2x drivetrain.

Both the new Force and Rival AXS components are compatible with all existing AXS groupsets.

Weight comparisons

SRAM Force AXS with power meter (46/35, 10-30): 2,776g

SRAM Force AXS (46/35, 10-30): 2,689g

Shimano Ultegra Di2 R8170 (52/36, 11-30): 2,716.5g

SRAM Rival AXS with spindle-based power meter (46/35, 10-30): 2,993g

SRAM Rival AXS (46/35, 10-30,160mm rotors): 2,960g

Shimano 105 Di2 (50/34, 11-34,160mm rotors): 2,992g

Component details

Force AXS shifters

The new Force AXS shifters feature the hidden bonus button on the inner face of the shifter.

This can be configured through the AXS app to suit your needs. Either use it as a secondary shift button or to switch between screens on your GPS.

The new levers are a reprofiled carbon and the new design has led to a 70g weight saving over the previous Force AXS shifters.

Force Flattop chain

The new chain features the same slotted link plates as Red, but uses solid rather than hollow pins. SRAM claims it is stronger and more durable than the previous design, thanks to new ‘hard chrome’ plated inner link plates and rollers.

It comes with a claimed 20g weight saving over the previous chain. It’s also available in a special-edition purple chain – Prince would have approved.

Force AXS front derailleur

The design is based on the 2024 Red AXS derailleur and shares the same SRAM Yaw technology, which auto trims the shifting for quiet performance even when cross-chaining.

A new, narrower cage improves both accuracy and speed, and the derailleur is designed to work across a wide range of chainring options – 46/33T, 48/35T or 50/37T.

Force AXS rear derailleur

The new rear derailleur combines the pulley cage design and oversized pulley wheels from Red AXS with a new slimmer body compared to the previous version.

The result is a 12g saving. The Force derailleur comes in a single-cage option designed to work with cassettes from 10-28 up to 10–36 teeth and is compatible with both 1x and 2x drivetrains. It features chain-management technology using a spring clutch rather than the orbital fluid damper of old.

Force AXS cranksets and power meters

The new crankset uses the same direct-mount tech as SRAM Red and is available with three standard chainring combinations: 46/33, 48/35 and 50/37 teeth.

Aside from this, there’s a spider-based power meter option with the same thread-mount interface as Red AXS (with the same chainring combinations available). There is also a 1x crankset option with both direct-mount aero-rings and a direct-mount aero-ring/power meter combination.

The aero rings come in 44, 46, 48 and 50-teeth sizes.

The 1x options are in addition to the recently announced 1x XPLR versions. All the cranksets now come in a wider range of crank-arm lengths, with 160, 165, 170, 172.5 and 175mm options.

Force XG-1270 cassette

The XDR driver-body compatible Force cassette gains a new matt nickel chrome finish. The cassette’s X-Range gearing options are 10-28, 10-30, 10-33 and 10-36. The 10-28, 10-30 and 10-33 tooth cassettes all come with at least five one-tooth jumps.

Rival AXS shifters

Rival gets the same ergonomic upgrades from RED as Force. All three shifters now have the same hood shape and lever profiles. Rival omits the hidden bonus button found on Red and Force for cost reasons, much like Shimano left its bonus buttons off 105 Di2.

Rival also sees an upgrade to carbon fibre brake levers for the first time. That has led to a 64g reduction in weight over the old shifter design.

Rival chain

The new Rival-level Flattop chain gets cut-outs on the outer links and a hard-chrome finish. The changes have led to a 12g reduction in weight over the original Rival chain.

Rival crankset

SRAM claims the new Rival crankset is the most advanced aluminium crankset it has ever produced, with a new cut-out crank arm design that optimises the stiffness-to-weight ratio. 

In a first for SRAM’s third-tier group, the crankset is paired with a one-piece direct-mount chainring design, available in 46/33t and 48/35t combinations.

The new crank-arm design shaves 50g off the previous Rival crankset.

Rival also gets a power meter option using the same spindle-based design as the previous Rival AXS, with a single AAA lithium battery for more than 400 hours of use.

Rival AXS front derailleur

Rival’s front derailleur uses the same SRAM Yaw cage movement and auto-trim as found on both Red and Force.

The narrower cage shape helps increase shift speed and the auto-trim is designed to cut out any chain rasp, even when cross-chaining gears. The new derailleur is compatible with 46/33T, 48/35T and 50/37T chainring combinations.

Rival AXS rear derailleur

The Rival rear derailleur is based on the same architecture as the previous Rival design, but updates to materials and construction have led to a 20g weight reduction. It’s compatible with both 1x and 2x drivetrains, and cassettes from 10-28 to 10-36 teeth.

Paceline rotor

Both Rival and Force use the latest Paceline disc brake rotors, with brake-track venting and a new aluminium carrier that sheds 20g compared to the previous generation.

Prices

Complete groupset prices are somewhat irrelevant because significant discounts can be found online. However, Force AXS with a power meter retails at £2,528 / $2,842. Standard Force AXS is £2,168 / $2,432, compared to Shimano Ultegra Di2 at £2,328.88.

Rival AXS comes in at £1,721 / $1,929 with a power meter, or £1,576 / $1,764 without, compared to Shimano’s 105 Di2 at £1,730 / $1,890.

We’ve yet to see how that will pan out in complete bike prices. In the past, Shimano’s original equipment prices have been far more competitive than SRAM’s, thanks to Shimano’s larger market share and economies of scale.

Cervélo’s new Áspero 5 is a radical departure from the Áspero template that debuted in 2019. While last year’s update was more of an evolution, the 2025 overhaul sees the premium Áspero 5 model join the R5, S5 and P5 as an aerodynamically optimised pure-bred racer.

The new Áspero 5 has already had an outing under the rainbow jersey of 2024 UCI gravel world champion Marianne Vos and will feature in this year’s UCI Gravel World Series.

With two premium SRAM XPLR-equipped bikes available at launch, plus a frame kit, and another model joining the ranks later this month, the Áspero 5 range is concise and somewhat premium. The Force XPLR bike is priced at £8,000 / $8,700 / €8,299 / CA$11,500 / AU$12,900.

The RED XPLR version is £10,000 / $12,500 / €11,499 / CA$16,950 / AU$18,00 and the frame kit (frame, fork, headset, HB16 bar, ST31 stem, SP27 seatpost) is £5,000 / $5,500 / €5,499 / CA$7,500 / AU$7,900.

The SRAM builds both use a mixture of AXS components, with SRAM Red AXS shifters, SRAM Eagle XX SL rear derailleur, SRAM Red 1x aero crankset and a power meter.

The gearing combines a large 48-tooth chainring and 10-52t 12-speed cassette on the premium Red AXS model. The Force AXS model gets the same gearing, but the Red components are replaced by new Force parts and an X0 derailleur and cassette.

All models use Reserve’s turbulent aero wheelsets with a 40mm-deep front rim and 44mm-deep rear.

• Read more: Cervélo Áspero 5 review: a rapid gravel racer that I wouldn’t take out in the mud

Aero is everything

The new bike was designed to be the fastest gravel bike on the market.

The Áspero 5’s aero-optimised design sees full integration at the front end, while not resorting to a one-piece bar and stem. Instead, it uses a combination of the ST31 stem and a new carbon gravel bar called the HB16, which takes its inspiration from the AB04 bar seen on the 2015 S5.

The bar’s deep wing-shaped top section includes an aerofoil section in front of the stem clamp that mimics a one-piece design, yet has the adjustability and choice of a standard two-piece setup.

Cervélo claims this detail alone results in a 6-watt drag reduction over the previous Áspero and Áspero 5.

Out has gone the twin-tip adjustable fork dropout, with the new fork having a deeper bladed shape and the crown of the fork locking into the head tube in a much smoother transition.

Instead of the twin-tip fork providing geometry adjustments, the new Áspero 5 was optimised to be run with different tyre sizes front and rear.

In the more aggressive racing position, the front runs a 40mm tyre and the rear 44mm. However, consumers will get the bike with the 42mm tyres front and rear, with the geometry slackened slightly, and the stack and reach growing by a couple of millimetres.

The rear-end frame shape takes far more inspiration from the current Cervélo S5 than it does the outgoing Áspero 5, with a truncated aerofoil tube shape and a deep curve that wraps and shields the rear wheel.

This flows into an oversized bottom bracket shell that blends into a deep-section down tube that incorporates a down tube storage compartment, as found on the P-Series triathlon bike and, more recently, the Caledonia 5.

Wind-tunnel proven

The new frame design and cockpit result in an improvement in aero efficiency by a huge 37 watts. Cervélo claims its wind-tunnel tests show the Áspero 5 is 36 watts more efficient than its nearest competitor, Ridley’s Kanzo Fast, and 46W more efficient than Trek’s latest Checkmate.

New Cervélo Áspero 5 geometry

The Áspero 5’s geometry falls as you’d expect, very much in the race-ready category: a low stack, longer reach and steep seat angle. Cervélo says the Áspero 5 geometry is based on its racing all-rounder, the Soloist, ridden by Wout Van Aert in this year’s Paris-Roubaix.

However, it has a slightly relaxed head angle and short fork offset. When using the same 42mm tyre sizes front and rear, which Cérvelo calls ‘balanced geometry’, the bike gets a little more of an endurance bent.

In the ‘mixed geometry’ incarnation, with different front and rear tyre sizes, the stack lowers, reach grows and the angles steepen for a more race-ready setup.

Balanced geometry

Mixed geometry

New Cervélo Áspero 5 frame details

The Áspero 5 comes with the same stripped-down ethos as the original Áspero, which launched with the mantra of ‘Haul ass not luggage’. That means no fork mounts, mudguard or fender provision, two bottle mounts, down tube storage, bento box mounts on the top tube – and that’s it.

The bottom bracket uses Cervélo’s threaded T47 BBright standard, and the rear dropout is SRAM’s Universal Derailleur Hanger. The aerodynamic seatpost is the SP27, the same design as found on the current Soloist.

Cervélo claims the frame kit is 66g lighter than the previous generation’s 990g frame and 496g fork.

The frame is heavier, at 1,023g, due to its inclusion of down tube storage. The weight savings come from a lighter fork (393g), bar, stem and seatpost, according to Cervélo.

The frame and fork have clearance for 45mm tyres, up from the 42mm of the previous generation. However, that looks a little conservative in light of the current trend for ever-wider tyres of 50 mm+ and even the adoption of mountain bike race tyres for events such as Unbound.

Garmin has introduced the new Edge MTB bike computer, designed with mountain-biking specific features that enable you to set up virtual timing gates on your favourite descents and pre-loaded with Trailforks mapping.

The new cycling computer features a rugged, compact design that incorporates Gorilla Glass on the screen and a rubberised bumper around the unit.

Garmin says the computer is aimed at enduro and downhill riders, with the featureset appearing to target the gravity disciplines.

The Edge MTB is priced at £339.99 / $399.99 / €399.99, including top-tube and handlebar mounts.

MTB-specific features

While many mountain bikers are content with using Garmin’s existing Edge range, the specific performance features of this new model certainly look interesting.

The ability to create virtual timing gates should give racers the ability to compare line choices on a descent and add an element of fun for those wanting to time their local trails.

Garmin has given the Edge MTB 5 Hz GPS recording, meaning it takes five location samples per second – which it says provides greater detail about the lines you take down the trail.

Most other units record at 1 Hz (one location sample per second), which is less accurate, although the Edge MTB reverts to this on climbs to prolong battery life.

Speaking of battery life, Garmin says the Edge MTB is built with long riding days in mind, with up to 14 hours of battery life in demanding use cases – or up to 26 hours in battery saver mode.

Garmin has introduced two new ride profiles for Enduro and Downhill, with the former tracking total ascent and descent for each run and for the overall ride.

The latter laps each time you finish a descent, meaning it doesn’t record the return to the top in the shuttle or on the lift.

Navigation is MTB-inspired too, with Garmin pre-loading the Edge MTB with Trailforks mapping, giving you the ability to navigate to recognised trails.

The Forksight feature is also included, giving you a heads-up on the trails ahead, with information on distance, elevation and more.

The race to level 100 began roughly 1.5 years ago, when Zwift announced the expansion of the leveling system. In this week’s featured video, watch as a long-time Zwifter reaches level 100.

Also featured in this post are videos about FTP tests, training in the heat, and winning a Zwift race.

Got a Great Zwift Video?

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

While scouring the exhibition centre floor at the Outdoor Trade Show in Liverpool, we spotted an unreleased Bollé Avio MIPS helmet in a rather distinctive colourway, plus some new Striver sunglasses.

The Avio, which is described as Bollé’s ultimate high-performance road helmet, is designed with venting in mind rather than aero gains.

Deep internal channels and large vents are used in conjunction with small exhaust ports. This is said to create less pressure at the rear of the helmet for extra air circulation.

This latest helmet has a ‘Coloria Matte’ colourway that features an array of vibrant colours.

Bollé says the process of applying the design (we assume a hydro dipping method) results in slight variations, meaning each helmet will be unique.

As with the regular Avio MIPS, the helmet uses Bollé’s Opti-Dock glasses retention system on the inside of the temple vents to keep your glasses secured when not in use.

It also uses the MIPS Air safety system, which is the lightest MIPS brain protection system.

Bollé claims the helmet weighs in at 250g, and while the retail price is yet to be confirmed for this special edition, the regular version retails for £275.

Also on the Bollé stand were its new Striver glasses, which feature a visor-style frame similar to many of the best cycling sunglasses.

The new sunnies use Bollé’s proprietary lenses, which are said to be made using 50 per cent recycled material.

While the release of the glasses is yet to be confirmed, we’re told pricing will be around the £100 mark.

Back in March, Zwift launched their “bike upgrades” feature, allowing Zwifters to improve the performance of their in-game bike frames in 5 stages by logging time/distance/elevation on the frame before purchasing an upgrade.

To date, bike upgrades have been enabled in most community race events (including Zwift Insider’s Tiny Races) as well as Zwift’s major races (the ZRacing series). However, upgrades are disabled in the popular Thursday TTT events, as well as the Zwift Racing League Showdown wrapping up next week.

That’s going to change soon, though. We’ve received word from WTRL (organizers of the Thursday TTTs) that upgrades will be enabled starting in July (target date: July 3). Additionally, WTRL and Zwift have confirmed that, when Zwift Racing League (ZRL) spins up its first round in September, bike upgrades will be enabled for all events.

So today, I’m publishing this post as a public service announcement: if you’re racing on Zwift but haven’t started upgrading your bike(s), it’s time to get to work.

Why Upgrade?

Simply put, riding a fully-upgraded version of a fast bike will give you a significant advantage over anyone riding a non-upgraded version of the same frame. This is especially true when it comes to time trials, where results are based purely on finishing time and there’s no hiding in the competition’s draft.

A fully upgraded TT bike will be approximately 50 seconds faster across an hour of flat riding vs the non-upgraded version, and anyone who has raced a TTT knows that’s a huge margin. If you look at that time savings through the lens of power savings, it works out to ~11 watts saved.

This time savings is so significant that I believe we’ll see team leaders choosing to exclude riders who don’t have access to a fully-upgraded TT frame once upgrades are enabled for Thursday TTTs and ZRL.

Further reading: Digging Into Zwift Bike Upgrades: Performance Improvements and Power Savings at Each Stage

A fully upgraded all-around road frame will save you approximately 30 seconds across an hour of flat racing vs the non-upgraded version. It will also save you ~37 seconds across an hour of climbing. This works out to ~6 watts saved in flat races and ~3 watts on climbs. While these savings may not be noticeable when you’re riding tempo in the pack draft, racers know that saving power during the easier parts of a race allows you to have more in the tank when it’s time to go full gas.

Lastly, we have climbing frames, which improve by ~60 seconds across an hour of climbing when they’re fully upgraded. This works out to a ~5-watt savings, which will prove helpful for many riders who struggle on longer climbs in ZRL events.

Which Bikes To Upgrade?

So, which bike frames should you be riding and upgrading? If you want to dig into the data yourself and draw your own conclusions, see our detailed road bike frame performance charts and time trial frame performance charts.

Want to keep it simple? Here are my recommendations:

• All Around Road Frame: Choose from the S-Works Tarmac SL8, Cannondale SuperSix EVO LAB71, Pinarello Dogma 2024, or Canyon Aeroad 2024. These are the four fastest all-arounder frames in Zwift (in that order), and are in a performance class all their own – see our Tron vs Top Performers chart for details.
  • You will need to put in 1600km and spend 1.9 million Drops to fully upgrade one of these bikes.
• Time Trial Frame: Choose the Cadex Tri, which is far and away the most aero TT bike available on Zwift (see TT frame performance charts).
  • You will need to log 40 hours and spend 1.9 million Drops to fully upgrade this bike.
• (Optional) Climbing Frame: While a fully-upgraded S-Works Tarmac SL8 climbs very well, you may want a fully-upgraded Specialized S-Works Aethos in your garage for any race that involves a crucial longer/steeper climb, especially if it’s a mountaintop finish (see road frame performance charts).
  • You will need to climb 15,000 meters and spend 1.9 million Drops to fully upgrade this bike.
• (Optional) Halo Bike: Once you’ve upgraded your three key frames above, why not work toward a fully-upgraded Halo Bike? They aren’t great climbers, but they sure are aero! The Specialized Project ’74, in particular, is the fastest non-TT bike on Zwift, putting around 6 seconds into the Tron on flat ground (see All About Halo Bikes).

Upgrading Strategy

While some teams/riders are using, shall we say, less than admirable methods for achieving bike upgrades, there are definitely ways to ethically maximize your efforts as you work to upgrade your frames. Before you begin each Zwift session, give a bit of thought to which bike frame you should use for the session, as you’ll accumulate upgrade progress on which frame(s) you select.

Here are three simple tips:

1. Time trial frames upgrade based on time spent, so these are best used when riding longer workouts, solo free ride efforts up big climbs, etc.
2. Sitting in with pace partners, or participating in a social ride or race? You’ll want to use your road frame, since you’ll be racking up lots of kilometers in the draft.
3. Once you’ve upgraded your TT frame, start using your climbing frame for any ride involving significant climbing, so you can make progress toward a fully upgraded Specialized S-Works Aethos.

Questions or Comments?

Where are you in your bike upgrade efforts, and what’s your overall strategy for upgrading? Share your thoughts below!

This Thursday, MAAP+Zwift launch the Down Under Crit Series, an 8-week series of unique “neutral start” crit races aimed at bringing fun to the Aussie winter.

These events are structured differently from any major series we’ve seen on Zwift. Every race is three laps long, with the first two laps fenced so the group stays together, and the final lap being an unfenced, all-out race!

Unique Event Structure

These races are mass-start events modelled after the iconic Donny Chaingang format. It’s unclear just how fast these two fenced laps will be, and ultimately that will be up to the rider leader (beacon). Based on the event description, the first two laps will be fast, but not race pace. (Think tempo, not full gas. Of course, “full gas” is different from one rider to another.) Ride leaders will control the pace using the fence, which will “zap” riders (remove them from the event) if they ride ahead of the fence for too long:

The final lap of each event is where the race happens. The ride leader will turn off the fence, and it’s an all-out effort to the end.

(Note: these rides are technically classified as group rides, which means they won’t modify your Zwift Racing Score or count toward race rankings on ZwiftPower.)

Event + Route Schedule

Events are scheduled in two time slots each Thursday for 8 weeks:

• 6pm AEST (8am UTC/4am ET/1am PT)
• 7:30pm AEST (9:30am UTC/5:30am ET/2:30am PT)

Each week features three laps on a fresh route, rotating between several Zwift maps:

• Week 1 (June 19): Champs-Élysées
  • 3 laps (23km, 130m)
• Week 2 (June 26): Two Bridges Loop
  • 3 laps (21.5km, 240m)
• Week 3 (July 3): Farmland Loop
  • 3 laps (23.5km, 171m)
• Week 4 (July 10): Innsbruckring
  • 3 laps (26.6km, 231m)
• Week 5 (July 17): Electric Loop
  • 3 laps (26.9km, 123m)
• Week 6 (July 24): Croissant
  • 3 laps (31.1km, 170m)
• Week 7 (July 31): Gotham Grind
  • 3 laps, 27.8km, 288m)
• Week 8 (August 7): Flat Route
  • 3 laps (31.3km, 183m)

See upcoming events at zwift.com/events/tag/ducritseries

The Outdoor Trade Show 2025 was held in Liverpool this year, bringing together brands and organisations from around the industry.

While searching for the best bikepacking kit on display, we came across some interesting lifestyle products that complement cycling and could make your life easier when you’re out in the wilds.

Here’s what we found when walking the halls of the Exhibition Centre Liverpool.

• The best bikepacking kit from the Outdoor Trade Show 2025

Nebo Ultimate Multi-Voltage Power Pack

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This power pack from Nebo Tools is perfect for leaving in your car or van, whether you’re camping on race weekend or heading to the trailhead.

The pack is designed primarily as a jump starter, with the Nebo Ultimate using 1,500 amps to power your starter motor and get your engine running again.

However, it’s the other features of the Ultimate that stand out, with a 3-pin 220-240V AC outlet featuring on the topside of the pack, enabling you to use large appliances such as laptops when you’re away from home.

Alongside this, there are USB-C and USB-A charging ports that should help keep all your devices charged when you’re on a riding weekend.

The party piece for riders is the digital compressor, which is said to be able to inflate tyres to 130psi.

All of this is powered by a 15,000mAh Li-ion battery, which can be recharged in under four hours.

The price of the Ultimate is £249.99, and Nebo claims the weight comes in at 1,150g.

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Dometic CFX5 electric coolbox

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If you’re heading to the trails for a camping holiday, bringing the right provisions is key to having a good time.

The CFX5 looks perfect for those longer trips and has been designed with two cooling zones, enabling you to set individual cooling for your recovery drinks and beers.

The cooler uses vacuum-insulated panels, which are said to provide better cooling while reducing the amount of energy required.

Power comes from AC or DC, or it can be run from Dometic’s range of portable batteries and solar panels.

Cleverly, the cooler has a three-stage dynamic battery protection system that is said to actively monitor inbound power and avoid draining your vehicle’s battery.

There’s also a Mobile Cooling smartphone app that enables you to monitor power consumption and will send you notifications should you leave the lid open.

On the right side of the cooler, there’s a weatherproof control module that enables you to set the temperature. There’s also an 18W USB port for charging your devices.

Dometic says the temperature range can be set between +20°C and -22°C.

The CFX5 is available in two sizes: 75L and 94L, priced at £999 / $999 and £1,179 / $1,179.

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Thule Tepui Foothill roof tent

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Camping can be a chore, especially with bikes. Roof tents take some of the pain away, while enabling you to keep your bikes locked safely in your vehicle below.

This Tepui Foothill roof tent from Thule features a compact design that’s said to be able to accommodate two adults comfortably.

By slimming down the proportions, Thule says it leaves room on the roof bars to store bikes, kayaks or other cargo.

The tent folds open, with telescopic poles used to keep the fabric in place.

When folded away, Thule says the tent sits only 24cm above the roof rack, meaning you shouldn’t have too much trouble sneaking under height barriers, depending on the vehicle you have.

The tent comes with a 4cm foam mattress and machine-washable cover, meaning you only have to decide whether to use a sleeping bag or duvet.

There are internal pockets on the walls of the tent to organise bedtime essentials, and there are exterior attachment points for lamps, storage and other gear.

A telescopic ladder is used to get into the tent, which can be stored in the tent case when not in use.

The Tepui Foothill is priced at £1,499.99 and requires roof bars for installation.

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Eco Fuego El Campo Fire Pit

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Camping and fires go hand in hand, with dancing flames making every evening under the stars a magical experience.

Eco Fuego claims to have reinvented the campfire, using vegetable wax instead of firewood for the flame.

The design is said to produce minimal carbon emissions and deliver a consistent, odourless flame for hours.

Similar to your Live, Laugh, Love candles, Eco Fuego’s design needs a wick for the wax to melt, and for this, it uses cardboard running the length of the candle.

The candle is said to last for eight hours, which should give you a few nights of scary stories while camping.

The El Campo Fire Pit, priced at £124.99, includes the burner, lid, pit drum insert, refill candle and a carry case.

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Watch any race, read any website or scroll social media, and you’ll be bombarded with the latest and greatest bikes and products, along with a gazillion ways to make you faster, ride further, or just be better. 

It’s easy to get caught up in the hype of it all. There’s no doubt these things are exciting and cool, and if you’re a diehard fan of mountain biking like I am, just wondering what these new bits of kit or training techniques might bring to your riding becomes hard to ignore. It’s marketing at its finest.  

But all of that can lead to a feeling of missing out, being left behind on a tech trend or guilty because you had to miss the last ride and you’re now less fit and don’t feel as comfy on the bike as you’d like, and that sucks. 

It’s a mindset that’s all too easy to fall into. It was definitely something I was feeling last summer after a nasty chest infection and too much time behind a computer. 

But a steady ride on a clapped-out town bike on the bike paths of Holland made me forget all that and reminded me why I love riding bikes so much. 

FOMO to the max

I’ve ridden and raced mountain bikes for well over three decades now and can’t imagine my life without two wheels. And although mountain bikes might be my first choice, I’m not exactly fussy what sort of bikes there are. 

I’m obsessed, and also incredibly fortunate to do the job I do. Testing bikes and kit is amazing. It’s a genuine dream come true. 

I am terrible at switching off, though. Not just from a testing point of view, but from a riding and performance perspective, too.  

If I’m not questioning my suspension settings, I’m berating myself for braking too late, or missing the line I should have hit.  

Then, of course, there’s the ride stats. It’s a weird thing but I’m obsessed with climbing a certain elevation before I can head home and if I can’t manage it, I feel like I’ve failed in some way. That’s probably not a healthy outlook, but it’s thinking in this way that made me quit Strava. 

It’s just the way I am. But the overthinking can impact my enjoyment of the ride. It’s something I don’t want to happen but sometimes find it hard to avoid. 

If I’m pedalling a bike, I’m constantly switched on and can forget (maybe just for a while), why I got into riding bikes in the first place. 

This was a habit I struggled to shake last summer. 

I’d been battling a chest infection that just wouldn’t seem to go. This in turn meant I couldn’t ride as much as I wanted, couldn’t get keep my fitness and endorphins topped up, and couldn’t do my job to the best of my abilities. It really started to take on toll on me. 

And any time I opened my phone, all I could see was clips of friends riding which made me feel like I was really missing out.  

It’s a horrible feeling and one I struggled to shake (a bit like the chest infection). I just wanted to ride. 

Keep it simple, stupid

Despite my low mood, we packed the car and headed to Holland for a family camping holiday. With a lack of phone signal, it was easy to start forgetting what I was missing out on and start having more fun. 

One day, we decided to hire bikes and ride to play crazy golf out in the middle of the Dutch countryside. 

While the kids had their regular rides, my wife and I hired a couple of town bikes from the campsite. 

It was the first time riding a bike like this for me. It had three gears, a coaster brake and the most flexible bar and stem I’ve ever held. But what a bike it turned out to be. 

On quiet cycle paths, I cruised along the smooth tarmac with nothing to think about other than gently turning the pedals. 

I had no need to consider what the bike was doing, or if my elbows were out far enough when plopping off curbs. I could just ride. 

It sounds cheesy, but it felt so liberating. I almost always ride with a purpose and in that moment, I could just enjoy the simplicity of cycling. I bloody loved it. 

More than anything, it reminded me I why I love bikes so much. They’re not only great tools: they bring joy and mouth-stretching grins. It took me back to being six years old, razzing around the housing estate on my first BMX. It was fun. Nothing more, nothing less. 

My day on this old, clapped-out town bike helped me in a lot of ways. 

Once we got back to the UK and my chest finally got better, I vowed that I’ll make the most of every single ride, no matter how short or infrequent, or even how fit I’m feeling, and that I’ll always keep things as fun as possible.  

That’s why I started, and I need to remember that. We all do. 

More from the BikeRadar team

• Warren Rossiter: Endurance bikes nearly died, but now they’re back with a bang – here’s why
• Jack Luke: The one benefit of Strava that nobody is talking about (and why it could make you happier)
• Ashley Quinlan: Move over XTR Di2 – Shimano Q’Auto is the most important drivetrain development for years

Name: Deb Hodson

Hometown: Alamo, CA

How did you get into cycling?  About 25 years I met my partner who raced track. She taught me how to ride track and not kill myself! I learned how to paceline and do leadouts for her as she was a pure sprinter. We also did a lot of road cycling when we were not close to a track. I fell in love with the track bike. Felt like I was one with the bike!

How many years have you been racing on Zwift? I started Zwifting right before the pandemic because my partner was injured. Instead of riding outside alone, I felt safer riding indoors. To be honest, I was running more at the time, and used cycling as my rest days. It’s quite the opposite now. 

Are you part of a Virtual team? OTR (On the Rivet racing) 

What do you love most about racing? I started racing about 2 years ago because my friend signed up and I wanted to ride with her. We joined OTR as a Cat D. I swore I was not going to get addicted to racing, but that soon changed and I love pushing myself. I soon found myself in women’s Cat C. Racing has given me way more confidence in myself. I am now trying to sprint even though climbing for me is much easier. Having a team like OTR has challenged me to be a better cyclist and a better teammate. The other cyclists believing in me encourages me to push myself when I don’t think I can. The support from the team has allowed me to become a faster, smarter racer. It’s truly all about teamwork and an encouraging environment to go like crazy on the bike!

What is your favourite style of race (e.g. points, scratch, iTT, TTT, Chase, duathlon)?  Ladder racing is absolutely my favorite. Bringing different levels of riders to race against another team is like putting together a puzzle. Deciding strategy before and during the race is rewarding. A fantastic way to meet other women cyclists too! Truly a team effort to win a race!

What is your favourite Zwift women’s race series? ZRL women’s division is my main race I have participated in. Being team captain for the women’s team has been such a gift. Watching the teammates support and cheer each other on is so uplifting! Meeting cyclists from other teams while we compete with each other at the back of the pack is so rewarding. I have met the nicest riders racing with me!

What is your most memorable racing experience, inside or outside or BOTH? My most memorable racing experience is when I raced with my friend, and a few of us dropped back and helped and cheered them up the mountains and across the finish. There is nothing better than helping a friend race.

What is your favourite food to eat post-race? My favorite food is peanut butter. I quit sugar years ago, so peanut butter is a treat!! Ok, I will admit to eating chips occasionally… I cherish those chips!

What advice would you give to a woman entering her first Zwift race? If you are entering your first race, warm up first, go hard out of the pen, and celebrate the finish! Jump up and down! We race for fun!

Where can people follow your racing adventures? I post my races on Strava and my races and banjo videos on YouTube. I do have a YouTube channel under my name.

The Outdoor Trade Show is the UK’s only outdoor sports trade show, welcoming some of the biggest brands from Britain and beyond to display their wares.

This year, it was held in Liverpool and welcomed brands from across the outdoor pursuits space, including camping, hiking, climbing and trail running, alongside plenty of bikepacking swag.

While not a specific cycling show, we pushed our noses into the exhibition centre to sniff out the best cycling tech.

Sea to Summit camping setup

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Bikepackers will be well aware of Sea to Summit’s camping equipment, with the brand selling everything from lightweight tents to collapsible cutlery.

The brand was displaying its latest sleep solutions, with the Ultralight Insulated Air Sleeping Mat and Aeros Ultralight Pillow looking ideal for featherweight camping gear.

Much like a Chesterfield sofa, the Ultralight Insulated Air Sleeping Mat features a dimpled surface that is said to provide good stability and support.

It also has an R-value (a measurement used for insulation) of 3.1, which the brand says is perfect for spring, summer and early autumn.

The mat is inflated from the pack sack using the Bernoulli principle to blow air into a plastic portion, which is then compressed through the valve.

This sack can also be used to inflate the Aeros Ultralight Pillow, which sticks to the mat using Velcro, keeping it in position throughout the night.

The Ultralight Insulated Air Sleeping Mat weighs in at 430g and is priced at £140, while the pillow is sold separately for £35 and weighs only 60g.

Sea to Summit also had its Spark Ultralight Sleeping Bag on show, which is comfortable down to 7ºC, weighs in at 387g and features a longitudinally baffled design said to retain heat better. This comes at a pretty price of £330.

Combined, they should make for an excellent sleep setup for lightweight bikepacking.

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Silva Free 2000 M head torch

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This headtorch from Silva caught my eye, with its modular design looking great for ticking off those last couple of miles when the night sets in.

The design enables you to wear it as a head torch or mount it directly to a helmet, giving it great versatility on and off the bike.

The unit’s party piece is that the light portion can be mounted directly to the battery, giving you a torch or lantern to navigate campgrounds.

This model has an output of 2,000 lumens and is priced at £284.99, although there are more powerful variants in the range, which may be more suitable for high-speed night riding.

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Big Agnes Copper Spur UL2 Bikepack Tent

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If you plan on spending a long time away bikepacking, a good tent is an essential.

This unreleased two-man, bikepacking-specific tent from Big Agnes packs down small enough to fit between most dropped handlebars and weighs in at around 1.8kg.

It’s a double-skinner, meaning you won’t be waking up soaked by your own breath, and features plenty of storage inside with specific helmet storage.

There are two doors to the tent, both featuring space outside to protect your bikepacking bags from the elements during the night.

There are attachments to dry off wet clothes on the top of the tent, and sticking to the bikes theme, the Big Agnes logo features a chainring outline. 

We don’t have any official pricing, but it looks like luxury bikepacking material.

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Jetboil Stash camping stove

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If you’re looking for one of the most compact cooking solutions, the Stash looks a great option.

The design sees the stove and gas canister secured in the pan for easy storage.

Instead of using a full-titanium design, Jetboil has employed an aluminium pan for better heat transfer.

The stove itself is made from titanium and folds away into a smaller profile.

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Suunto Aqua Light headphones

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These cycling headphones from Suunto feature an open-ear design using bone conduction to send the music through your jaw and into your eardrum.

We’ve tested similar models in the past, giving the Suunto Wing 4.5 stars in our review. 

The new headphones feature IP68 waterproofing, which Suunto says makes them waterproof for two hours at two metres.

Battery life is up to 10 hours and there’s now 32GB of offline audio storage.

While it’s nice to listen to your surroundings while bikepacking, when the hammer has to be put down to make a checkpoint, some music can be just the ticket – as long as you’re not putting yourself or others at risk.

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The UCI’s new rules, limiting handlebar width to a minimum of 400mm in road and cyclocross events, have caused uproar across the cycling industry – and our readers are equally unimpressed.

Published as part of a sweeping update to the UCI’s technical regulations, the rules – which also mandate a 320mm minimum hood-to-hood width – are set to take effect from 1 January 2026.

But many in the BikeRadar audience see the change as exclusionary, unnecessary and disconnected from the realities of modern bike fitting.

“As a bike fitter, this does my head in,” said Maxwell Buchanan in a comment on our Facebook post about the news. “Most women and lots of men also need narrower handlebars. This will just worsen people’s accessibility to the sport,” he added.

Buchanan claims that 60 per cent of his clients are currently fitted to narrower bars. “This is just going to make bikes fit worse,” he added.

Another reader, Jan Mohyla, agreed: “40cm is actually too wide for a good third of men and some 90 per cent of women.

“Good job on the inclusion side, UCI. Morons…”

More on the UCI’s new rules

• UCI rejects One Cycling with damning description of proposed racing reforms
• “It’s impossible” – How the UCI’s new controversial handlebar rules will affect pro riders and teams

Fit frustration

Many readers focused on the apparent disconnect between the UCI’s rules and modern bike-fit practices.

“If a bike fitter is recommending 38cm bars, that’s almost certainly at the hoods,” pointed out David R Wilkinson. “With these new rules, 32cm bars are going to look like gravel bars.”

Jacek Kaap was more blunt in his assessment: “If a bikefitter is saying 38cm, who the hell is the UCI to enforce 40cm? Who is the idiot behind it?”

‘Marketing BS’ or meaningful reform?

Not all readers were ready to dismiss the UCI’s rationale outright. One commenter, Shaun Timberlake, pushed back against claims the rule would damage accessibility: “How does a UCI competition ruling affect accessibility? They are opposing ends of the sport…”

Timberlake added: “As an industry that is all but driven by marketing and advertising, it deserves to get chopped down a peg or two periodically.”

Still, the dominant sentiment was frustration – especially over the short development lead time. “Six months [to implement changes] is wild from a development perspective,” said a source close to the decision. “It’s impossible, really.”

What’s next?

With the rule still two seasons from enforcement, many riders, teams and fitters will be watching closely to see whether the UCI issues clarifications or adjustments. But, as it stands, many BikeRadar readers feel that the latest round of regulations miss the mark – both in science and in spirit.

Still trying to earn that 60-minute Alpe badge? Our first featured event this week may help you out. See it below, plus four other fun picks!

Alpe 60 min Pace

DBR Social Ride

SISU Scramble

The Ultimate Women’s Mini Races – City Sites

JETT Endurance Ride 100km 2.5~3.3w/kg

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!

The UCI opted not to include the One Cycling project when it finalised the men’s and women’s WorldTour races through to 2028 on Thursday, with the governing body describing the scheme as “lacking sporting coherence”.

One Cycling, reportedly backed by a company owned by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, wanted to overhaul professional road cycling’s calendar. It proposed remodelling the cycling calendar into a league and broadcast rights to aid the financial stability of teams. 

But the UCI Management Committee voted the proposal down at a meeting this week in Arzon, France.

“While welcoming the fact that road cycling is attracting new investors, the UCI Management Committee nevertheless unanimously decided, following the PCC’s vote in this direction, not to respond to the request, as it stands, to include the OneCycling project in the UCI Women’s WorldTour and UCI WorldTour calendars,” the UCI said in a statement. 

“The project, which had been developed by certain teams and organisers, in collaboration with a sports investment fund, was deemed incompatible with the governance and regulatory framework of the UCI as well as lacking sporting coherence.” 

One Cycling was announced in October 2023. The brainchild of Richard Plugge, the general manager of the Visma–Lease a Bike team, the scheme has support from other WorldTour teams, including Ineos Grenadiers and RedBull Bora hansgrohe.

Plugge said last year: “With One Cycling, we aim to involve everyone, including the Tour [de France], other teams, and the UCI – everyone. Cycling has much greater potential beyond the current financial scope. This applies not only to me but also to organizers and other teams. This isn’t about creating a Super League; it’s about working together.”

A source close to One Cycling told CyclingNews that the Amaury Sports Organisation (ASO), which organises the Tour de France and La Vuelta, has a “monopoly on the sport” and that One Cycling wanted to work with them. 

But Tour de France director Christian Prudhomme said “everywhere and every time cycling has tried to transform itself solely with money, it has failed.”

With its ambitions to launch in time for the 2026 WorldTour blocked, One Cycling’s prospects have changed. But there could still be hope for the scheme. 

“[T]he UCI wishes, as do all cycling’s stakeholders, to continue discussions with the representatives of this project in order to collaborate on the internationalisation of the UCI Women’s WorldTour and UCI WorldTour calendars and the economic development of our sport,” the UCI’s statement said. 

The UCI’s plans for the 2026 WorldTour season include the addition of a women’s version of Dwars door Vlaanderen, which was previously a UCI ProSeries race.

The 2026 UCI Women’s WorldTour will comprise 28 events in 11 countries, with a total of 77 days of racing, beginning with the Santos Tour Down Under in Australia. The men’s UCI WorldTour will feature 36 races, with 171 days of racing. 

Elsewhere, the UCI’s Management Committee announced huge changes to its tech regulations, with one industry insider telling BikeRadar: “They ignored everything the industry said – literally everything.”

The UCI has announced sweeping revisions to its technical regulations, aimed at combating technological fraud and enhancing rider safety through stricter equipment standards – and not everyone in the industry is on board. 

Set to come into force from 2026, the changes cover everything from rim depths and handlebar widths to helmet standards and frame dimensions. These changes mark one of the most comprehensive overhauls of technical regulations in recent years.

The changes, which were published in a statement on the UCI’s website, stem from work by the UCI’s Equipment and New Technologies Commission and consultations with SafeR, the rider safety body. Despite claims of industry input, some insiders say their concerns were ignored.

“We’ve been in meetings about all these rules for ages now with WFSGI [World Federation of the Sporting Goods Industry] and the UCI,” said an industry source who’s worked with several WorldTour teams and is close to the matter. “They ignored everything the industry said – literally everything.”

Read more:

• Simon says: The UCI must stop banning things just because they look weird
• The UCI needs to scrap this one rule – unobtainable bikes make racing worth watching

Handlebar and rim size limits

From 1 January 2026, mass start road race bikes will be limited to a maximum rim depth of 65mm.

In a more controversial decision, the UCI will also enforce a minimum handlebar width of 400 mm (outside-to-outside) in road and cyclocross events, with a minimum width, as measured from hood-to-hood, of 320 mm. Track mass start events will see a narrower minimum of 350 mm from 1 January 2027.

“These new rules are hugely discriminatory against women and smaller men,” said our source. “It will shift the demographic of winning riders to taller riders.”

“In the last meeting we had, Cervélo said that 14 of the 18 women on Visma–Lease a Bike would need to change their handlebars.” 

According to our source, this will cause problems for riders seeking ergonomic setups: “I tried to tell them that you can’t make an ergonomic bar with 400 drops and 320 inner hoods, as it would have a 2 degree flare and hurt your wrists.”

Fork width and frame design

Further standardisation comes with new limits on internal fork width. Road bikes will be capped at 115 mm at the front and 145 mm at the rear from 2026, with the same limits extending to track bikes from 2027.

This could have implications for current equipment, with our source warning that “Hope’s track bikes [are] potentially gone too, as they’re wider than 145mm at the rear stays.”

New helmet categories and future approval protocols

Another major change is the introduction of distinct helmet regulations for road races versus time trials, taking effect in 2026. The UCI says this will allow for “clarified specifications” to suit the demands of different race formats.

A more formal helmet approval protocol – akin to standards like CE or CPSC – is expected by 1 January 2027 at the earliest. The UCI Equipment Unit is continuing work on this with manufacturers.

Behind closed doors, our source claims the UCI was pushing for rules stating helmets must have “3 to 4 vents minimum, and nothing that is marketed as a time trial helmet could be used.” 

Crackdown on technological fraud

In response to growing concern around hidden motors and other concealed performance aids, the UCI is expanding its anti-fraud regulations. As of next year, the rules will no longer apply only to equipment used during competitions, but also to any attempt to deceive or obstruct anti-fraud testing – regardless of where it occurs.

To support enforcement, the UCI Disciplinary Commission has been granted expanded investigatory powers. “Technological fraud cannot be conducted in the same manner as other disciplinary matters due to their fraudulent nature,” the UCI said in the statement published on its website.

More to follow…