We’re featuring an eclectic mix of community events this weekend: a wildly popular new TT series, a fat-oxidizing group ERG session, a new long race series, an endurance ride, and a popular new race league. See all the details below!

CTT Winter Series on Zwift

OUTLYR.CC x CANYON TURBO SESSION #3: FATMAX PYRAMIDE

DBR Wahoo League

RAD RACE VO2 max Booster Plan – Week 2 – Group Ride

VirtuSlo 4Endurance League 2025, Stage 2

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 2026 Cannondale SuperSix Evo has leaked via a WeightWeenies forum, and it might be the final proof that race bike design is running out of room for meaningful change.

First reported by road.cc, the unreleased SuperSix Evo features a deeper headtube – a common trick employed by many brands to improve aerodynamics, while the top tube appears to be slightly remodelled.

This sees it curve downwards at a slightly steeper radius than the current model, which might be in an effort to expose more seatpost.

The lower portion of the seat tube also looks to be inspired by the latest Synapse endurance bike, with a thinner, flattened profile as it hugs the rear wheel space.

In theory, this could be present to improve compliance, while the design also lends itself to wider tyre clearances (and lower weight) without negatively impacting handling geometry, given the potential material saving behind the bottom bracket. 

On the Synapse, this helps yield tyre clearance for up to 42mm tyres – we don’t expect the SuperSix to feature this much, but it’s not unreasonable to think that it might improve on the current bike’s space for 34mm rubber.

At the rear, in a move reflective of almost every recent bike launch, the frame looks to feature a SRAM UDH (universal derailleur hanger) dropout. This is said to offer improved shifting, while also rendering the frame natively compatible with direct-mount derailleurs. 

WeightWeenies forum contributors hint towards a modified geometry – a 1cm lower stack is purported, in contrast to some beliefs that race bikes might shift towards a taller stack to improve fit and aerodynamics without the need to fit spacers. 

It’s also likely that Cannondale will have tweaked the carbon recipe under the skin, with the aim of saving some weight. The image leaked shows a Lab71 variant of the frame, while Hi-Mod and ‘standard’ Carbon models are also likely.

Opinion | Race bike design is becoming a box-ticking exercise

At the moment, it’s impossible to say for certain how ‘improved’ (or not) the fifth-generation SuperSix Evo will be from the current model, but the leaked changes appear far from revolutionary.

It’s an old trope, but ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’ appears to be the modus operandi of most bike brands right now (and one I trotted out as far back as 2022) – it’s rare to come across a bike that is truly different from any other.

Ostensibly this is because the current combination demand of weight, stiffness, handling and compliance (and so on) is generally met by existing bikes. The law of diminishing returns also applies, especially when the design boxes laid out by the UCI are as prescriptive as they are, and it costs vast amounts of money to develop ever-smaller improvements in design.

On a business level, brands need to be confident that the investment they are making in developing their latest bikes needs to resonate with us, its customers, and ultimately, drive sales. It becomes harder to justify innovative thinking and development if it won’t drive a return on investment.

It’s also worth recognising that brands are probably designing their latest bikes around consumer demand – it’s no coincidence that brands such as Specialized, Trek and Pinarello have put their race bike eggs in one basket, while Cannondale (with its lack of development of the SystemSix aero bike) appears to have done the same here.

There are exceptions, of course. Colnago and Cervélo have recently launched distinct aero and lightweight/all-rounder bikes, but it’s fair to say that both brands are smaller than the likes of Trek, Specialized and PON Group-owned Cannondale, with a tighter focus on the ‘premium’ end of the market.

This is why we’re generally seeing bike design coalesce around the same small developments – it becomes more of a box-ticking exercise to meet a critical mass of sales.

Of course, wider tyre clearances and improvements in frame manufacturing, plus standards like UDH, arguably continue to drive a tangible improvement in how bikes perform under racers and everyday riders alike. But what’s next?

At first glance, the fifth-generation SuperSix Evo, in appearing to imitate bikes like the Colnago V5Rs, Specialized Tarmac SL8, and plenty of other all-rounders, looks yet another example of necessary modesty over ambition.

I hope to be proved wrong.

Litelok’s incredibly tough, angle-grinder-resistant X1 is the best all-round lock we’ve tested here at BikeRadar. It’s my go-to lock whenever I have to leave my bike out in a public space.

The X1’s results in our rigorous tests were very impressive – cutting the armoured shackle destroyed my portable angle grinder when I first reviewed it.

In our most recent lab test of the latest bike locks, the X1 triumphed over some very stiff competition.

• Best bike locks in 2025: strong, safe bike locks tested in lab conditions

Even though it’s our best-rated lock, there’s a small issue with the X1 – and that’s the size. While the lock area of 101x297mm is ample for slender-tubed road and gravel bikes, it may be too small for some applications.

It’s not big enough to wrap around oversized down tubes on some ebikes and electric mountain bikes. Thankfully, Litelok now has an answer to that criticism with the new X1 Plus.

The X1 Plus shares the same construction and patented Barronium welded surface coating as the standard X1 and meets the same Sold Secure Diamond cycle and motorcycle standard.

The big difference is the size, with the locking area upped to 101x255mm. It’s big enough for ebikes and cargo bikes, and you can even lock two bikes together with room to spare.

The new Plus model weighs in at 1.9kg / 4.3lb, and is compatible with Litelok’s Restrap holster and the tactical frame/rack mount.

The new X1 Plus is available from today and priced at £199.99 / $259.99 / €249.

Litelok X1 Plus spec and pricing

• Price: £199.99 / $259.99 / €249
• Security: Sold Secure Bicycle Diamond, Sold Secure Motorcycle Diamond, ART4 insurance-rated standard
• Weight: 1.9kg / 4.2lb
• Internal dimensions: 101x255mm
• Lock: ART 4 accredited cylinder
• Mount: X1 Tactical Mount & Restrap lock holster available

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

Curve Cycling, based out of Melbourne, Australia, has announced its latest gravel bike frameset – the CarboKev – made from a mix of titanium and carbon, with the carbon tubes bonded to 3D-printed titanium lugs. 

Curve Cycling claims the use of titanium-lugged carbon tubes, in place the all-titanium tubes it commonly uses, results in lower weight and greater frame stiffness, along with long-distance comfort and precise handling.

The claimed weight of the CarboKev is 250g less than the brand’s all-titanium Big Kev gravel bike.

According to Jimmy Rostlund, Curve Cycling’s technical lead: “With CarboKev we iterated every lug profile, wall thickness and bond length. 3D-printed titanium lets us place material exactly where the stresses demand it; bonded carbon lets us tune the ride in ways a single material can’t.”

The CarboKev’s carbon down tube and chainstays are claimed to provide a stiff spine for power transfer and accurate steering. Meanwhile, the titanium top tube and skinny titanium seatstays are designed to provide vertical compliance to reduce fatigue.

Curve Cycling isn’t the only brand to have launched a carbon/titanium hybrid recently. UK-based J.Laverack has just announced its AM64 upgrade for a range of its bikes, which subs in a carbon seat tube in place of titanium to reduce weight and increase compliance.

Big tyre clearance and big price tag

The CarboKev frame can handle 29-inch tyres up to 2.2 inches (56mm) wide, dialling into gravel’s hottest trend. It’s designed to be paired with Curve’s Race 415i carbon fork and Race Carbon Walmer bars, which are yet to be launched individually and have a 400mm width.

The CarboKev is hand-built in Melbourne, with the carbon tubes sourced from New Zealand, while the titanium lugs and other parts are made in China.

Curve Cycling says bringing frame alignment and fabrication in-house is a major advance in its manufacturing capabilities, though.

With its small volume manufacturing, Curve Cycling says it lets purchasers choose their optimum sizing. Although it shows seven available sizes in its geometry chart, the frame can be custom-fitted to the rider, who can also choose options such as an integrated seatpost. 

Curve Cycling CarboKev availability and pricing

The CarboKev can be purchased frameset-only or as a frameset package with bars, seatpost, and fork.

There’s a standard CarboKev Splatter Art colour, with a selection of colour options, plus custom paint options at an extra cost.

The full build is equipped with SRAM Red XPLR AXS, Curve G5T [G] Carbon gravel wheels built on DT Swiss 180 hubs, and Curve’s new Walmer bars. 

Purchasers need to be patient though, with Curve Cycling estimating a 10 to 12 month lead-time, dependent on spec. 

They also need deep pockets, with the frameset priced at AU$12,000 (before tax) and the frameset package AU$12,727.27 (also before tax). 

Choose the complete SRAM Red XPLR AXS build and you’re looking at AU$26,363.64 plus tax, or AU$29,000 with Australian sales tax. That’s around £14,000 / US$19,000. 

Moots has unveiled its new Scrambler, a gravel bike rooted firmly in Moots’ tradition of premium craftsmanship that incorporates a blend of gravel trends and mountain bike technology.

The US brand says its goal with the Scrambler was to create a rugged-terrain ready adventure bike.

Prices for complete bikes start at £8,350 / $9,499 / €9,060, with a frame-only option from £4,750 / $5,399 / €4,660.

• Best gravel bikes in 2025: top-rated carbon, aluminium, titanium and steel gravel bikes reviewed
  

MTB-influenced design

The Scrambler’s frame is designed to utilise a 100mm-travel fork.

I’d have expected Moots to use a gravel fork, such as the recently announced long-travel RockShox Rudy XL.

Moots, however, has chosen to use Boost spacing from the mountain bike world to maximise the Scrambler’s tyre clearance. This has seen it opt for RockShox’s lightweight SID SL.

Boost spacing means class-leading tyre clearance of 2.4in / 60mm.

The frame’s back end uses Moots’ iconic wishbone seatstay design, with a tubeset derived from the Moots Routt 45 offering inherent compliance for all-day comfort.

The Boost dropout spacing is complemented by a UDH driveside dropout.

The front triangle uses a new tubeset that’s double butted for similar performance to the Moots MXC mountain bike.

The adventure-ready design has three water bottle mounts within the front triangle, with further mounts under the top tube for a frame bag and under the down tube for further water-carrying capacity. Up top, there are bento box mounts, and there are rear-rack eyelets for further portage.

If you want to build a sportier bike, there’s stealth routing for a dropper post, and the Scrambler comes equipped with a stock Shimano left-hand lever to actuate the post.

Gravel geometry with mountain bike rolling stock

The frame sticks close to current gravel bike geometry norms, with a tall stack, mid-length reach and a relaxed head angle, yet a steep seat angle.

It’s not as extreme as some trail-focused gravel bikes, such as the Nukeproof Digger, but the inclusion of 29in wheels and massive tyres should give the Scrambler plenty of extreme-terrain ability.

Limited production and mechanical gears

Moots tells us the Scrambler isn’t going to be around forever, with complete bikes and framesets only available until the end of January 2026.

It’s a bold move from Moots to offer the Scrambler only with a single, mechanical drivetrain. Instead of opting for electronic SRAM AXS or Shimano Di2, it’s a mullet drivetrain that combines Shimano’s mechanical GRX shifters with an XT 36t/170mm crankset, GRX rear derailleur and XT 10-51 cassette.

The Scrambler’s adventurous outlook makes it a sensible choice to go with a mechanical drivetrain and external cable routing, enabling trailside repairs when you’re miles from civilisation.

Completing the build are Chris King MTN30 AL 29in Boost wheels, shod with WTB Macro 2.4in tyres. The bike is finished with an in-house Moots titanium seatpost and stem, featuring colour-matched finishes to coordinate with the customer’s chosen Chris King headset colour.

The Scrambler is available in a raw brushed-titanium finish or the stunning ‘Topo’ anodised finish seen here. The ‘Topo’ finish extends to the hand-crafted Moots titanium stem and seatpost, and there’s a custom Chris King headset to match.

I can’t help but think these Topo models are set to become a collector’s item.

Moots Scrambler build and pricing details

The Scrambler is available in a single build option or as a frame only.

Specification highlights

• Shimano GRX RX22 x XT M8100 drivetrain
• RockShox SID SL Select 10mm fork
• Chris King MTN30 AL 29in Boost wheelset
• Moots titanium stem and seatpost
• 3x Moots titanium bottle cages
• Zipp XPLR Service Course handlebar

The complete bike is priced at $9,499 / £8,350 / €9,060, with the frame-only option starting from $5,399 / £4,750 / €4,660. You can upgrade the finish to either Moots’ premium polished and brushed finish or the very limited-edition ‘Topo’ finish seen here.

USA RRP

• Frame-only brushed: $5,399
• Frame-only signature: $6,399
• Frame-only Topo: $6,899
• Complete brushed: $9,499
• Complete signature: $10,499
• Complete Topo: $10,999

UK RRP

• Frame-only brushed: £4,750
• Frame-only signature: £5,970
• Frame-only Topo: £6,475
• Complete brushed: £8,350
• Complete signature: £9,425
• Complete Topo: £9,850

EU MSRP

• Frame-only brushed: €4,660
• Frame-only signature: €5,520
• Frame-only Topo: €5,955
• Complete brushed: €8,195
• Complete signature: €9,060
• Complete Topo: €9,490

Cinelli has launched two new bikes: the Aeroscoop is a carbon aero road bike designed for pro-level racing, while the Speciale Corsa XCR is a stainless steel road bike with premium specs and pricing. 

Cinelli claims the Aeroscoop is one of the fastest aero bikes tested by Tour magazine, while also boasting a sub-7kg claimed weight in the top-spec builds. Full bike prices start at £5,299.

Meanwhile, full builds of the Speciale Corsa XCR, built in Milan, weigh from a claimed 8.1kg, with prices starting at a princely €12,500. 

Cinelli Aeroscoop

The Aeroscoop has been designed to meet the need for a lightweight aero race bike for Cinelli’s sponsored MBH Bank Colpack Ballan CSB UCI Continental cycling team.

Kitted out with SRAM Red AXS and Fulcrum Wind 57 wheels, Cinelli says the Aeroscoop weighs a claimed 6.98kg.

Although the Aeroscoop is a departure from the brand’s focus on metal frames, Cinelli says the design builds on its Pressure 2 race bike. Cinelli says it’s stiffened up the bottom bracket area in the Aeroscoop, while increasing compliance at the head tube for better handling through corners. Tyre clearance is 34mm.

Cinelli describes the geometry as ‘pure racing’, promoting an aggressive position and balanced handling.

At the same time, Cinelli has reduced the frame and fork weight from the Pressure 2 to bring the frame weight down to 950g and the fork weight to 370g for a size M.

A distinctive feature of the Aeroscoop is the split heads to the seatstays, where they meet the seat tube. Looking like a cross between the Pinarello Dogma X and the Trek Madone, the design is claimed to guide airflow and reduce turbulence at the frame-to-wheel interface.

Additional aero benefits come from a 4% reduction in the Aeroscoop’s frontal area, Cinelli claims, alongside a small decrease in the head tube width. There’s also a revised down tube shape that shields the bottles and cages, and a smoother transition between frame and fork.

Cinelli says that in independent wind tunnel tests conducted by Germany’s Tour magazine, the Aeroscoop was one of the top ten aero bikes it has tested, with a normalised drag figure of 205 watts at 45km/h. Cinelli claims that the results are better than those Tour found for the Specialized Tarmac SL8 with identical wheels, in a 0-degree headwind.

Cinelli Aeroscoop specs and prices

Prices for the Cinelli Aeroscoop start at £5,299 / €6,000. There’s a frameset-only option available for £3,999 / €4,500. You can also ride the Aeroscoop virtually on Rouvy. 

Sizes available are from XS to XL.

Cinelli Aeroscoop Super Record WRL 13s

• Groupset: Campagnolo Super Record 13 52/36t, 11-32t
• Wheelset: Fulcrum Wind 57
• Tyres: Vittoria Rubino 28mm
• Saddle: Fizik Antares R7
• Price: €10,700

Cinelli Aeroscoop Red eTap AXS

• Groupset: SRAM Red AXS 48/35t, 10-30t
• Wheelset: Fulcrum Wind 57
• Tyres: Vittoria Rubino 28mm
• Saddle: Fizik Antares R7
• Price: €10,700

Cinelli Aeroscoop Dura-Ace Disc Di2

• Groupset: Shimano Dura-Ace 52/36t, 11-30t
• Wheelset: Fulcrum Wind 57
• Tyres: Vittoria Rubino 28mm
• Saddle: Fizik Antares R7
• Price: €9,900

Cinelli Aeroscoop Ultegra Disc Di2

• Groupset: Shimano Ultegra 52/36t, 11-30t
• Wheelset: Fulcrum Soniq AL
• Tyres: Vittoria Zaffiro Pro 28mm
• Saddle: Fizik Antares R7
• Price: €6,900

Cinelli Aeroscoop 105 Disc Di2

• Groupset: Shimano 105 Di2 52/36t, 11-34t
• Wheelset: Fulcrum Soniq AL
• Tyres: Vittoria Zaffiro Pro 28mm
• Saddle: Fizik Antares R7
• Price: €6,000

Cinelli Speciale Corsa XCR

Alongside the Aeroscoop, Cinelli has launched the Speciale Corsa XCR. It’s more in line with Cinelli’s traditional specialism and is handmade in Milan from XCR stainless steel from Cinelli’s sister brand, Columbus.

The triple-butted, cold-drawn steel tubing is TIG-welded, with brazed junctions into 3D-printed hidden lugs at the seat cluster and the head tube-to-top tube joint.

Modern features include full internal routing through the newly designed Columbus Spirit integrated cockpit. It’s built for electronic groupsets only and has a UDH rear derailleur hanger.

There’s 32mm tyre clearance and a 1,990g claimed frame weight, with the Columbus Trittico carbon fork adding 392g. The SRAM Red AXS build has an 8.1kg claimed weight.

Cinelli Speciale Corsa XCR specs and prices

The Speciale Corsa XCR is available in the same XS to XL sizes as the Aeroscoop. There are three top-tier specs, as well as a frameset-only option priced at £5,000 / €5,000.

Cinelli Speciale Corsa XCR Super Record WRL 13s

• Groupset: Campagnolo Super Record 13 52/36t, 11-32t
• Wheelset: DT Swiss ARC 1100 Dicut 55mm
• Tyres: Vittoria Corsa Pro 30mm
• Saddle: Fizik Antares R7
• Price: €13,500

Cinelli Speciale Corsa XCR Red eTap AXS

• Groupset: SRAM Red AXS  48/35t, 10-30t
• Wheelset: DT Swiss ARC 1100 Dicut 55mm
• Tyres: Vittoria Corsa Pro 30mm
• Saddle: Fizik Antares R7
• Price: €13,000

Cinelli Speciale Corsa XCR Dura-Ace Disc Di2

• Groupset: Shimano Dura-Ace  52/36t, 11-30t
• Wheelset: DT Swiss ARC 1100 Dicut 55mm
• Tyres: Vittoria Corsa Pro 30mm
• Saddle: Fizik Antares R7
• Price: €12,500

DT Swiss has launched the ARC 1100 SPLINE 38 CS, its first wheelset to feature carbon fibre spokes and packaged with Continental’s Aero 111 tyres for aero optimisation.

The new road wheels are said to weigh 1,174g without tyres, more than 100g lighter than the ARC 1100 DICUT, and feature a hooked bead for those sceptical of the hookless revolution.

Priced at £2,899 / $3,727 / €3,199, they sit at the very top of DT Swiss’ road wheels range.

• Best road bike wheels in 2025 | 31 rim and disc brake wheelsets tried and tested
  

Carbon spokes

DT Swiss has a long history of making spokes, but the ARC 1100 SPLINE 38 CS represents the first time the brand has used carbon fibre ones in a wheelset.

The spokes are Newmen Vonoas and feature an aerodynamic shape designed to cut through the wind.

The Swiss brand says the spokes enhance stiffness and weight savings.

To incorporate these spokes into the wheelset, the 180 straight-pull hub has been engineered with refined flanges and a new spoke pattern, allowing for a minimal 18 spokes on the front wheel.

38mm rims

The wheelset’s rims are made in-house using DT Swiss’ PURE carbon technology. 

DT Swiss claims this gives the wheels high impact resistance, because the fibres in the outer layers of the rim are not cut, making for continuous strands in the impact areas.

It also enables DT Swiss to reduce the weight of the rim.

Wheel Tyre System

The wheelset comes as a Wheel Tyre System, or WTS, which sees Continental rubber shipped with the wheels.

A 26mm Aero 111 tyre is provided up front, developed for aerodynamic gains, while a 28mm GP 5000 S TR is used at the rear, promising a combination of speed and grip.

The second race of ZRL Round 2 was on two laps of New York’s Rising Empire for A and B teams. This course features the New York KOM in both directions, which meant a total of 4x hard climbs, and nightmares for me in the days leading up to the race…

Warmup and Planning

Leading up to the race, my Delusion teammates had been chatting on Discord. The consensus was that most of us were dreading it, a couple of weirdos were looking forward to it, and team captain Neil was clearly dodging it by trotting out the old chestnut of “I just crashed my bike, haven’t ridden since, and can’t put bibs on over all the road rash.” Likely excuse, Neil!

We basically decided everyone would race their own race, battling to stay in the furthest forward group possible, because ZRL’s points structure is such that everyone has an incentive to get across the line ahead of others on every points segment.

Knowing this race would require everything I had (and likely a bit more), I tried every trick in the book when it came to preparation. PR Lotion to my legs, 300mg of caffeine thanks to MEG gum, and even a Nomio shot (broccoli, yuck).

Having learned my lesson last week, I was on the bike with plenty of time for a good warmup. I spun up the legs, which felt less fresh than they should. Still, I put in a few good efforts to wake up my heart, then joined the pens in New York on my full-upgraded Pinarello Dogma F 2024 with ENVE 4.5 PRO wheels – the best climbing rig at my disposal.

Lap 1

Everyone knew the first real fireworks would explode the first time up the NY KOM. With the way this route is laid out and the way segment points work, there just isn’t enough incentive to do anything except sit in until that KOM.

I proposed a helpful neutral lead-in, and got some yes votes:

Unfortunately, we clearly didn’t have the supermajority agreement required for such a measure to pass. The glass road ramp was our first effort after averaging just 237W in the first 5 minutes, and while the watts jumped up significantly, it wasn’t enough to drop anyone.

After several rolling kilometers on the glass, we hit our first KOM segment. Up to this point, I had done my best to convince myself that I might just be able to hang with the front group over this first KOM, unlike every other race I’ve ever done on here.

Unfortunately, it quickly became evident that I was living in a fantasy world. You know that terrible feeling when the peloton flows past, and you’re dropping back with no ability to move up? That was the feeling. From a pack of 50, I saw myself quickly drop into the 40’s. No front group for me today. I came through the KOM banner in 39th, and the Zwift gods rewarded my efforts with a feather powerup:

This was the first of four feathers I would earn on the day. One atop each KOM. You can’t make this stuff up.

After the first KOM, Andy and Rob had made the front group. Fabian and Chris were up the road from me chasing, and Dylan was behind.

We descended to ground level and quickly hit the NY Sprint Reverse. I put in a quick dig to pip an opponent at the line (every point counts!) and earn an atta boy from Captain Neil. I also grabbed an aero powerup at the banner, which I put to good use just up the road, bridging up to Chris and Fabian’s group.

Sauce for Zwift was earning its monthly subscription cost in this race, giving me a helpful and clear view of time gaps between groups.

Then it was straight onto the glass for the “pre-climb” to the start line of the NY KOM Reverse. The group’s pace seemed much more manageable now, but as the actual KOM segment stretched out, I found myself near the back again, with Chris and Fabian several seconds ahead as we hit the top.

An aero or an anvil would have been handy on the descent to follow, but unfortunately, all I got was another feather as I rode through the KOM arch in 37th. So I put in some well-timed digs on the descent, supertucking as much as possible, catching a handful of riders so I was in a group starting at 31st place as we hit the tarmac again.

My group caught up to Fabian and Chris, and I used my feather to ease the effort up to the lap banner in a pack of 9 riders as lap 2 began.

Lap 2 + Finish

My pack of 9 constituted 29th-37th place, and we now chugged along on the flat first portion of the route. The effort felt quite easy, but hard enough that pushing to bridge to the next group didn’t seem like the right move.

Sauce showed 22 riders in front (1:24 ahead), 6 riders chasing (39s ahead), my group of 9, and Dylan’s group of 8 40s back. Andy and Rob were still in the front group.

The second lap was, in many ways, similar to the first. Quite chill on the flats, hard VO2 efforts on the climbs, and some well-timed supertucks to catch riders on the longer descents. My pack of 9 had definitely calmed down, as evidenced by me being on the front near the top of the climb!

Another feather granted at the top, another slight sprint dig to grab some extra points, then it was back onto the glass roads for our final go at the KOM. The three Delusion riders lead the charge for part of it:

Once again, I got distanced over the top, and the Zwift gods handed me another feather as punishment. I supertucked to catch a rider up the road, then Chris put in a good dig to bridge up to me, and the two of us pushed to stay away from chasers just behind and finish in 30th and 31st place.

Whew. It was over. Good riddance.

See my ride on Strava >

Watch the Video

Results + Takeaways

Andy had our team’s best finish on the day, in 8th. Not bad for a C rider, eh? Rob was 15th, Fabian 28th, me 30th, Chris 31st, and Dylan 40th. Delusion would finish 4th overall, with the win going to Team Santysiak Epica Avvoltoi (that’s a mouthful). Nice work, SEA!

Interestingly, there’s now a 3-way tie for 1st place in our division (B1 Development, Lime):

It may be too early to say, but it looks like there are clearly 4 leading teams in this division. While we won last round, this round will be much more difficult, with three races featuring significant key climbs.

I think we can win the TTTs, and do decently well in Glasgow on the punchy points race. But those three hilly races? Those will be a real challenge. We’ll have to push hard to do our best in races that don’t particularly suit us, to keep our overall points high enough to have a shot at the title.

Personally, I was disappointed in my performance in this race. I’ve never done well on the NY KOMs, but I’ve done better than this! Looking at my power numbers up those climbs, I just didn’t have the power I have on better days. Instead of holding 350-370W for 4 minutes, I was doing 320-330W. Not sure what the problem was, not sure if a few more watts would have helped at all, but I’ll try to be better prepared next week when we tackle the Fox Hill 3x.

I’m not sure you could design a better Zwift course than this for a race-based VO2 workout. We had 4 VO2-length efforts, with easy riding in between to recover. So if nothing else, I got in a helpful VO2 workout, which is always a good thing. (I’ve been doing a lot of endurance work lately, but I fear that has come at a cost to my 2-5 minute power. Time for more targeted workouts.)

What About You?

How was your race #2? Share below!

The days of funding your next Pinarello Dogma purchase via Cycle to Work may be over.

According to the Financial Times, Chancellor Rachel Reeves is planning to introduce a cap on the value of Cycle to Work purchases in the UK budget at the end of this month.

The FT quotes a government figure as saying: “Cycle to Work should be about helping ordinary commuters switch to greener travel, not giving tax breaks to high earners buying £4,000 ebikes for weekend rides in the Surrey Hills. Taxpayers shouldn’t be footing the bill for luxury leisure.”

• 1.6 million people have saved up to 47% on a new bike with Cycle to Work – here’s how to join them
  

The FT quotes an estimate by HM Revenue and Customs that Cycle to Work cost £130m in lost Treasury revenue in 2024-25, due to the income tax not collected on purchases made via salary sacrifice, an increase from £55m in 2019-20. 

In contrast, a study by Cycle to Work scheme providers earlier this year found a net annual benefit to the UK economy of £573m from factors such as cost savings to the user, productivity increases and retail income. There’s £43.8m collected by the Treasury in VAT on Cycle to Work purchases, too.

The study found that almost 200,000 employees used Cycle to Work in 2023-24 and more than 2 million since the scheme started. It stated 38% were new cycle commuters.

The previous cap of £1,000 on Cycle to Work purchases stood from the scheme’s inception in 1999 until 2019. The rapid bike price inflation over the period of the Covid pandemic and the inclusion of electric bikes in the scheme, along with the rising use of cargo bikes (many of which are also electric), put many bikes and ebikes beyond the £1,000 level. An electric cargo bike can cost in the range of £5,000. 

Since 2019, there’s been no cap on the cost of bikes or ebikes, along with accessories and clothing, that can be bought under the Cycle to Work scheme.

It’s acknowledged that some higher-rate taxpayers have been exploiting the scheme, though, to fund purchases of top-spec bikes that almost certainly never see the inside of their employers’ bike sheds.

The FT quotes Will Pearson of Pearson Cycles, however, who points out that a reliable bike for commuting is likely to cost more and that any cap needs to be set at a sensible level. 

The likely cap on the value of Cycle to Work purchases would be part of a more general cap on salary sacrifice by the Treasury, likely to include pension schemes.

Just in time for Christmas, Ridley has launched the new Yungstr carbon kids’ bike, race-ready for the next Remco Evenepoel, sized for riders between 8 and 12 years old and priced at €2,699. 

Although other brands, including Frog and Boardman, also sell drop-bar bikes for kids, Ridley claims the Yungstr is the first full-fledged drop-bar kids’ bike.

Kids’ bikes are usually made of cheaper aluminium, rather than the carbon fibre used by Ridley, which has also specced a Shimano GRX groupset and 700c DT Swiss wheels, maybe helping to justify this claim.

• Best kids’ bikes 2025: a buyer’s guide to children’s bikes
  

Ridley says the Yungstr is designed for road, gravel and cyclocross duties. It even has a UCI approval sticker, so it can be ridden in UCI-sanctioned races.

It has clearance for tyres up to 32mm on 700c rims or 42mm on 650b, so the bike can put plenty of rubber on the trail for off-road riding.

Ridley says that, rather than shrinking an adult bike frame, it has designed the Yungstr’s frame from the ground up to mix reactivity with the stability needed for gravel riding or tricky cyclocross courses. It comes in a single size, with a 970mm wheelbase and 410mm chainstay length, while the head tube angle is 71 degrees and the seat tube angle a steep 75 degrees. 

The frame stack is 485mm and the reach 370mm; Ridley says you can quickly swap out the stem as your kid grows, so the bike should last them longer. The sloping top tube results in a 400mm seat tube length and you can set the saddle as high as 690mm.

Ridley says the bike’s frame weighs 929g and the complete bike, which features a Shimano GRX RX400 10-speed gravel groupset, weighs 8.9kg. 

While drop-bar bikes for younger riders are a little niche in the UK, they’re popular in Ridley’s Belgian home market. A few years ago, when we rode the Scheldecross cyclocross course in Antwerp at a launch a couple of days before the pro races, we shared it with a large group of younger kids, almost all riding Ridley kids’ cyclocross bikes.

Kids can be tough on bikes, but Ridley offers a lifetime warranty on the Yungstr, which is transferable if you resell the bike once your kid graduates to a full-size road, gravel or cyclocross bike.

J.Laverack, the British bespoke titanium bike builder, has launched its new Speedform road bike. The Speedform is the result of 20 months of R&D and a collaboration with Loughborough University.

We’ve seen plenty of 3D-printed titanium in recent years, from Ribble’s keenly priced Allroad Ti through to premium offerings from Bastion and, indeed, J.Laverack.

With the Speedform, however, J.Laverack is offering the same bespoke service as its current range, but with a unique fully aero-optimised frameset.

• Best titanium road bikes in 2025 for smooth and luxurious riding, as reviewed by BikeRadar
  

Bespoke aerodynamics, an industry first

Usually, with 3D-printed titanium frames, it’s a case of 3D printing the junctions, lugs and dropouts, and using traditional tubing to complete the frame.

Where the Speedform differs is that it’s created from three 3D-printed sections welded together. It’s a new approach that couldn’t be achieved with traditional metal tube manipulation.

The three-piece construction is something we first saw on Pilot’s €17,000 Seiren. However, here, the design is able to be custom-sized rather than the Pilot Seiren’s set sizing.

Aero-optimised design

From the onset of the Speedform project, Laverack knew it wanted to break away from the constraints of traditional tube shapes. By using the three-piece construction, it has been able to create an aerodynamic form only previously achievable with carbon fibre moulding.

J.Laverack commissioned a Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) analysis study in collaboration with Loughborough University. The brand says this resulted in a substantial aerodynamic improvement over traditional-tubed bikes.

Compared to the brand’s highly regarded R J.Ack Disc, the new Speedform tested with a  20-26% reduction in aerodynamic drag (CdA) at between 30 and 48 km/h. In terms of effort, that’s a 17-watt saving.

The details

The Speedform’s frame uses dropped seatstays to improve both aerodynamics and stiffness. There’s full internal cable routing, a T47 threaded bottom bracket shell, and the design was optimised for 30mm tyres, although it has clearance for 32mm and beyond.

The seatpost is the 3D-printed KT1, and there’s an optional 3D-printed integrated stem up front.

Each frame will be custom built to order with tailored geometry and will be available in limited numbers from the middle of 2026. No pricing details have been given as of yet, but don’t expect it to be cheap.

AM64 Carbon: 3D printing and carbon combined

Alongside the Speedform, J.Laverack has been busy evolving its AM64 frame-construction standard. The AM64 design is based on 3D additive-printed junctions, combined with custom-drawn and shaped double-butted titanium tubing. It’s available with custom geometry.

The AM64 Carbon evolves the design, introducing a full-length custom woven carbon seat tube/mast. J.Laverack tells us the new tube reduces weight and enhances compliance. It’s topped with a new 3D-printed seat mast topper.

AM64 Carbon availability

As with the standard AM64, the AM64 Carbon will be available on the R J.ACK, J.ACK, Grit, Pilot and Contour models.

The AM64 Carbon complete bikes are available from £9,745 / $12,838 / €11,085.

The builds include:

• AM64 Carbon frame with integrated carbon seat tube and AM64 seat topper
• ENVE carbon fork, stem, bar, headset
• ÆRA carbon wheels & ÆRA No.1 BSA bottom bracket
• Shimano 12-speed Ultegra or GRX Di2
• The first 50 feature a commemorative number

The AM64 framesets are available from £6,995 / $9,215 / €7,957, including:

• AM64 Carbon frame with integrated carbon seat tube and AM64 seat topper
• ENVE carbon fork, handlebar, stem & headset, ÆRA No.1 BSA bottom bracket
• First 50 feature a commemorative number

All the AM64 models have the option to be built with a bike fit and bespoke geometry, alongside bespoke paint and graphics.

Ten years ago today, I went for my first ride on Zwift.

The winter of 2015 was my first “indoor season” as a serious cyclist, and I was already dreading the roller sessions. At the time, none of my local riding buddies were on Zwift. None of them had even heard of it. But I saw it somewhere on Facebook, downloaded the game, ran it in “just watch” mode, and immediately knew I had to give it a try.

I found a website in Germany selling Tacx Vortex Smart trainers for ~$290 to my door, so I pulled the trigger. The night it arrived I put it together, hooked my bike in, and went for my first Zwift ride from the middle of my living room. The trainer wasn’t calibrated, I had no fan, and I wasn’t dressed for a real ride… so that effort didn’t last long.

But two days later, I went for my first “real” Zwift ride – two laps of Watopia’s Hilly Route (the only route in Watopia at the time). Uploading it to Strava certainly confused local friends. “Are you in the Solomon Islands right now?”

That’s how it all began for me. And I jumped in with both feet! Less than a month later I launched ZwiftBlog.com, which became Zwift Insider two years later.

I wish I had been on Zwift from the beginning, but when Zwift beta launched in 2014 I was just rediscovering cycling after an 18-year hiatus.

It has become my habit each November 12th to post a refreshed Zwiftversary article. So here I am, once again looking back at my journey and delivering my perspective as a Zwifter and the editor of the web’s biggest Zwift fansite (5,043 posts and counting).

Growth Trends

The all-time Peak Zwift of 49,114 came in January 2021. Remember that time? It was actually illegal to ride your bike outdoors in some European countries, as COVID lockdowns sent Zwift numbers off the charts.

A year later, traffic numbers were much lower than their mid-COVID peak, and really, since that time, if you remove seasonality, numbers have basically held steady as far as I can tell. We certainly aren’t seeing the massive year-over-year growth we saw each winter pre-COVID.

That said, I’m seeing a lot of brand-new riders on the platform in the past year or so. Zwift’s big moves in the hardware space certainly have something to do with this, with tens of thousands of Zwift Rides being sold since the product launched.

Hardware: Simpler, Cheaper, and More Powerful

The Zwift Ride was released in June 2024, and it immediately disrupted the smart bike market. Priced at just $1299USD, it was half the price of the cheapest competitor (Wattbike) and a third the price of the premium options (Wahoo KICKR Bike Pro, Tacx NEO Bike Plus).

But was it a smart bike? Or just a simple frame attached to a standard trainer? What exactly is a smart bike?

Turns out, the answer to those questions isn’t all that important. Because the truth is, the Zwift Ride became the overnight default smart bike recommendation for most Zwifters. It’s just really difficult to justify spending 2-3x more.

A year and a half after its launch, Zwift Ride is even more refined and capable thanks to a quieter Zwift Cog, an adjustable crank arms option, and an upgraded KICKR CORE 2 with WiFi, race mode, and more.

The Zwift Ride’s price point has driven down the cost of standalone direct-drive trainers as well. The Wahoo KICKR CORE 2 with Zwift Cog and Click now sells for $549USD, which in itself is a remarkably low price compared to pre-COVID days. But on top of that, JetBlack’s Victory trainer is just $399USD, and Decathlon’s Van Ryself D100 is just $299!

I don’t think prices can drop much more. But Zwift has done an amazing job of strategically lowering the bar when it comes to price, and that is opening up Zwift to a new audience while consolidating the trainer market.

A Virtual Shift

Speaking of hardware, we’ve seen lots of trainers come online with support for Zwift’s virtual shifting in recent months, including Tacx and Elite. It seems crazy, but Zwift only released virtual shifting two years ago (October 2023), and then only on the Zwift Hub. Today, that list has expanded to the following:

Zwift discontinued their Play Controllers this summer, and started shipping the Click v2 in September. The Click v2 is a simpler, more affordable controller that offers much the same capability, in a form factor that is more broadly compatible with various handlebars and setups.

We could argue about whether Zwift should have created a more “open” standard for virtual shifting that could be used on any trainer without a firmware upgrade, and perhaps even operated via a keyboard or the Companion app. But at the end of the day, the truth is this: Zwift’s virtual shifting is an innovation they brought to the market that helps enable a quality experience on the platform, and most riders shopping for a new trainer will heavily consider virtual shifting capabilities in their decision.

Training Partner Expansion

Zwift has had its own library of structured workouts since early days, and they work great for a lot of people. But some Zwifters want more or different workouts, or an easy way to execute workouts in Zwift that come from another provider/coach. So Zwift rolled out their Training API 15 months ago, allowing partners to sync workouts and session data to and from Zwift automatically.

It’s wild (but not inaccurate) to think how these new Training API integrations have infinitely expanded the library of workouts available on Zwift while also customizing that library to your specific needs. It may sound cliché, but we really are seeing training tools today that are exponentially more powerful than what we’ve had in the past. It’s fun to watch!

Here’s the full list of Training API partners currently syncing to Zwift:

Competition and Pricing

Two years ago when I wrote this post, I listed Zwift’s three competitors. That list hasn’t changed:

• MyWhoosh: they won the UCI Esports Worlds contract, and in fact are hosting the 2025 edition in just a few days. With no subscription cost, budget-minded riders are attracted to the platform. Additionally, big prize money is always attractive to racers! Still, it feels like people use the platform for monetary reasons, not because it’s particularly good.
• Rouvy: a popular platform for riders who want to ride “real” roads. They’ve been doing a fair amount of expensive marketing in the past year or two and certainly have a following.
• TrainingPeaks Virtual: the most compelling entry on the list for me, due to the intriguing combination of a popular training platform (TrainingPeaks) and a fast-moving, race-focused game developer (George Gilbert). I love how quickly they’ve built out lots of powerful features, but I don’t love the UI or gameplay appearance.

Zwift raised their price in May 2024, which made some Zwifters look at the alternatives. Then they removed their monthly 25km free trial last July, which was sort of a mystifying move that seemed destined only to drive people toward the competition.

Even so, Zwift is more profitable than ever, with a solid subscriber base and a strong influx of new riders on Zwift hardware. And internal sources tell me they’re investing that available cash in making big, long-term investments that will continue to drive innovation in the space. (Which innovations exactly? Zwift isn’t sharing, but my guess is it involves, at a minimum, AI-driven workout recommendations and new hardware development.)

Community Racing Development

Last year, I wrote, “it feels like Zwift has shifted the weight of its racing focus off of the elite side and onto the community side in the past 6 months.” This continues to be the case, with Zwift announcing last July that they would not be hosting an elite race series this fall/winter like they’ve done in years past.

While Zwift is dialing back their involvement in elite racing, they clearly see the value of community racing. Zwift Racing Score is still evolving, community organizers are being supported, and lots of racing is happening on the platform.

The problem is, innovating in the racing space just isn’t something Zwift has ever done well. It’s always been a grassroots effort, with the community suggesting and even building out the tools needed for racing to work well. Will that ever change? I’m not sure.

Perhaps Zwift has made the right call in throwing their weight behind the development of features that impact the subscriber base broadly, and not just racers. But if they’re going to focus on those “all-platform” features, I’d really love to see them deliver a rich toolset to community organizers, so we can create innovative race events and group rides on the platform. That way, everyone wins.

Zwift Camp vs Zwift Academy

This year, for the first time since 2016, Zwift isn’t hosting a Zwift Academy. That’s a big move! I get the sense that Zwift Academy has a bit of an identity crisis. Is it a community workout program, or a global talent ID program? Perhaps it can’t be both.

I think everyone loves the idea of Zwift hosting a global talent ID program that places deserving riders on top-tier teams. That’s just a cool concept, and one that shakes up the world of bike racing.

Last year’s academy pivoted heavily towards the talent ID side of things. Personally, I think that’s the way to go. Let Zwift Academy identify top riders around the world, and create another workout program that can be embraced by the everyman. In fact, proposed this approach back in August of 2024 in this post: Pondering the Possibilities: Zwift Academy and Zwift Community College.

Zwift has spun up a “Zwift Camp” program this season, with Zwift Camp: Build beginning this week. The Zwift Camp idea appears to be moving toward my year-round, progressive training “Zwift Community College” idea (admittedly, “Zwift Camp” is a cooler name). We’ll see where this all leads in the next year as Zwift’s personalized recommendations engine comes online in the next few months.

Clubs: What Now?

Things haven’t changed much with Clubs in the past few years, apart from Zwift raising limits so Clubs can get bigger and Zwifters can join more of them.

Here’s what irks me, though: even with one of the largest Clubs on Zwift (39.2k members, click here to join) I still struggle to put it to good use. The Club chat tool is very limited (no tagging members, no clickable URLs) which means most members just turn off notifications and never check the chat. And apart from chat, the club really just becomes a container for Club events.

Which is fine, I suppose. But having built and interacted with online communities for 20+ years, I can’t help but believe Zwift Clubs could be so much more. I’d love to see:

• Club kit designs
• Voice chat in game with Club members
• Team racing where Club members are automatically linked together
• More powerful Club chat/discussion tools
• Club leaderboards, to promote competition between Clubs
• and more!

So Many Rides, So Little Time

There was no in-game event calendar ten years ago – instead, the community put one together using Teamup (see it here). Today, there are ~385+ events per day on Zwift’s public calendar. Amazing! And that doesn’t even include private Meetups and Club Events.

Maintaining the perfect event calendar is no easy task, though. There is a tension that exists between Zwift-organized events like the currently underway Zwift Unlocked and community-organized events. Big Zwift events get lots of marketing and calendar space and, consequently, attract a lot of overall participation. But this reduces numbers for community-organized events.

Is that a bad thing? Not necessarily. I would argue that the end-user experience is what’s most important, so if riders are enjoying Zwift’s big events, that’s a good thing.

But Zwift’s community is also a massive asset for the platform, and volunteer organizers in the community have pushed the platform forward in terms of event innovation since day one. (This is still happening: witness today’s kickoff of a well-planned winter TT series from Cycling Time Trials, the national governing body for time trials in England, Scotland, and Wales. They’ve got over 1000 riders signed up to race the first week.) Zwift needs to be careful to cultivate and inspire event organizers, not battle with them for riders.

So once again, as the organizer of various Zwift events, including the Tiny Race Series and Pizza Burner 100km, I’ll sound my clarion call for more event options and better event management tools. Based on my experience over the years organizing hundreds of events, I know that improving these systems would reduce event configuration errors, streamline organizer workflows, and allow the community to innovate in the space, all of which logically leads to higher-quality event experiences for end users.

100km at 5am

Speaking of community-led rides, I should discuss a major addition to my training calendar this year: the Thursday Pizza Burner 100km! I launched this with ZHQ’s James Bailey on January 9th, 2025, and it’s been held every week since.

It’s a bit crazy to think I’ve been getting up at 4:15am every Thursday to start this ride in the dark. But it’s also become a part of my weekly routine in the past 11 months, and I intend to keep it going, because I can feel the difference this ride has made in my fitness. I’ve definitely built endurance, specifically an increased ability to hold high zone 2 and tempo power for durations of 2.5 hours or more.

Now I need to start building power in the 3-10 minute range. More on that in future posts!

The Future Is Bright

It’s not hyperbole to say my involvement with the Zwift community has been life-changing. It’s changed my fitness, it’s changed my work life – it’s even changed my vacation plans (Mallorca was amazing). Heck, in less than 48 hours, I’m heading to the Death Valley Century, where I’ll be riding with Zwift’s Jon Mayfield and two buddies whom I’ve spent hours riding with virtually, but have never met IRL!

This Zwift journey of mine has taken me many places, and I love being a part of it all. Every day, I’m reminded that I am truly blessed to serve the community through my work here at Zwift Insider. It’s something I hope to do for many years to come.

Ride on!

What about You?

What’s your Zwift story? How long have you been on Zwift, and do you feel the platform is moving in a good direction? What features are at the top of your wishlist? Share below!

Giant’s new Anthem Advanced SL has already won Gold at the UCI XCO World Championships, and we were at the bike’s official launch in Taiwan to bring you all the key details about this new rapid race bike and the new Anthem X trail bike.

The Giant Anthem Advanced SL and the ever-so-slightly longer-travel Anthem X Advanced SL get a completely new chassis from the outgoing model, with a revised FlexPoint Pro suspension layout, increased travel and modern geometry.

The frame also benefits from advances in construction technology, using the Advanced SL process first seen in the Giant TCR road bike, launched in March 2024.

This proprietary tech is only found on these two Giant models.

The race-focused Anthem has 120mm of suspension travel at the front and rear, reflecting trends in XC racing and the progression of the sport in terms of technical tracks.

The Anthem Advanced SL is joined by the Anthem X – described as a ‘fast trail’ bike, it features 120mm of frame travel, paired with a 130mm suspension fork.

With the seemingly unstoppable growth of eMTBs, this is a bike that Giant says could be the saviour of the non-assisted trail bike. If you’re the type of rider who isn’t interested in electrical assistance, you’re more likely to enjoy the efficiency and speed of a bike of this ilk.

• Giant Anthem X review: is this the saviour of trail bikes? It certainly has the potential

High-tech frame

There are two main stories when it comes to the frames found on the Anthem and Anthem X models – the construction and the suspension.

The Advanced SL construction, first seen on the TCR, is a proprietary system developed by Giant in Taiwan.

At the factory, Giant weaves and impregnates its own carbon fibre sheets with resin, something few brands are able to achieve. Raw Japanese carbon fibres are fed through Giant’s own looms and presses, giving the brand the ultimate control over its materials.

With the Advanced SL frames, the sheets of carbon are cold-cut by robots, rather than being stamped or laser-cut.

This gives each of the 700 or so sheets of carbon that are hand-laid into each frame a more precise cut, with less edge distortion.

In turn, this allows for even more precise layup, with less sheet overlap, cutting weight and enabling more precision with frame feel.

While ‘normal’ carbon tube construction utilises inflated bladders to create internal pressure while the frames go through the heated presses, the Anthem and TCR use a more rigid internal mould.

This makes the insides of the tubes just as smooth and sculpted as the exterior, enabling lower weight and improving stiffness control.

Furthermore, the front triangle is made as a single piece, rather than multiple tubes bonded together.

Less-flex suspension

When it comes to suspension, as per the previous-generation Anthem, a flex-stay single-pivot linkage is used.

Giant’s FlexPoint Pro has the shock nestled in the top tube – another benefit of the Advanced SL construction, which enabled the cavity to be effectively created without loss of stiffness.

The key performance development is the overall flex of the rear stays, as the frame travels through its 120mm of movement, is significantly less than others – eight times less than Giant’s leading competitor’s frame, apparently.

Any flex that’s created via suspension travel is felt through the shock; by reducing it as much as possible, the shock has fewer unwanted and uncontrolled forces to deal with, leading to a rear end that’s more supple and easy to set up.

Continuing the suspension theme, Giant has worked with Fox and RockShox on tweaks to the shock internals (and externals) to perfect their performances.

This has included removing the equilising spacer and altering the dimple, which enables the passing of air between the positive and negative air springs on the SIDLuxe shock, and working on a custom air can on the Float SL to boost air-spring volume.

Final frame details

While both the Anthem and the Anthem X feature 120mm of rear-wheel suspension, there’s one main difference – the Anthem X features down-tube storage, accessed via a large port on its top.

Internally, you’ll find a thin layer of foam to prevent annoying rattling, and a set of storage bags to keep everything in place.

Given that the front triangle’s (expensive) mould will be different from that of the XC Anthem (to allow for the storage hole), you might wonder why Giant didn’t make the Anthem X’s geometry a little more lengthy.

Elsewhere, there are headset-routed cables, with Giant saying the extra sealing on the bearings, and the use of stainless steel bearings, means there shouldn’t be too many maintenance worries.

When it comes to geometry, Giant has played it safe, but modern – the numbers on the geometry sheet are similar to the latest raft of XC race bikes and downcountry bikes.

There is a geometry chip, offering high and low settings, with the two differing by 0.5 degrees at the head and seat angle, and 5mm in the reach.

The 130mm fork on the Anthem X further slackens and shortens geometry.

Giant Anthem Advanced SL geometry (high setting)

Considered components

To join the frame, Giant has worked on the key chassis components to go with the frames.

The new Cadex XCR (carbon) and XCA (alloy) wheels have been designed with lighter-weight XC tyres in mind.

Broad rim walls are designed to dissipate impact forces, reducing the chance of pinch punctures, while the top-spec hoops feature carbon spokes and a 3-degree engagement-angle hub.

Further forward, there’s a new integrated bar and stem, with both carbon and alloy options.

This bar has been designed with modern demands in mind – a 780mm width, ‘stem’ lengths of 50-70mm and a nod towards comfort with a stiffness profile that shouldn’t leave you white-knuckled.

Giant Anthem Advanced SL and Anthem X Advanced SL models

There are five XC-focused Anthem models and four Anthem X bikes, as well as frameset options for both (including a World Champion special). However, not every model will be available in every territory.

Giant’s women-focused brand Liv has a range of Pique and Pique X models, based on the Anthem and Anthem X.

Prices and territories are listed as subject to change, so consult your local distributor for full pricing and availability.

Giant Anthem Advanced SL 3 specifications and prices

This is the entry-level build, and is listed as available in Canada ($6,299), France (€4,499) and Germany (€4,500).

It comes with Performance-level suspension from Fox, Deore gears from Shimano, alloy finishing kit from Giant and Maxxis Aspen tyres.

Giant Anthem Advanced SL 2 specifications and prices

This is the entry-level model listed in the UK and US, at £5,299 and $5,600 respectively.

RockShox’s Select+ SID and SIDLuxe suspension is paired with a SRAM Eagle 90 Transmission and alloy finishing kit.

Giant Anthem Advanced SL SE specifications and prices

This is the top-end model, found in all listed territories.

In the UK, it’ll cost £10,499, $14,500 in the US, and between €12,499 and €14,000 in Europe.

Befitting a high price point, RockShox’s Flight Attendant electronically controlled SID and SIDLuxe suspension features, along with an XX SL Transmission. Super-fancy carbon wheels and finishing kit complete the package.

Giant Anthem X Advanced SL 3 specifications and prices

At $4,800 or CAD$6,199, this is the cheapest Anthem X model, and not listed as available in Europe.

It comes with a Fox Rhythm 34 fork and Performance-level Float shock, a Deore groupset with TRP Slate EVO brakes, and Maxxis Rekon and Rekon Race tyres.

Giant Anthem X Advanced SL 2

In the UK, we’ll be able to purchase this second-cheapest Anthem X for £4,999 – it’s also available in the US ($5,600).

It’s specced with a Fox 34 SL Performance shock, an Eagle 90 Transmission and Shimano SLX brakes.

Giant Anthem X Advanced SL 0 specifications and prices

Jump a couple of levels and you get this top-end machine, which I’ve tested.

It’s listed only in Canada, for CAD$11,699.

The bells and whistles are very much present here, with Factory-level suspension from Fox (a 34 SL and Float SL), and a full Shimano XTR Di2 groupset.

Cadex’s fancy carbon wheels are shod in Maxxis tyres.

The third race of Zwift Racing League 2025/26 Round 2 happens Tuesday, November 18, and we’re back in London for a scratch race on London Loop Reverse. Hopefully your climbing legs have recovered from the previous Tuesday, because this is a pitchy one as well, with Fox Hill featured on each lap!

There’s much to discuss, including crucial course segments, powerups, bike decisions, and strategic options. Let’s dive in!

Looking at the Route

London Loop Reverse is a 14.9km long circuit with 231m of elevation per lap. A and B teams will be racing three laps for a total of 44.6km with 694m of elevation, while C and D teams will be racing two laps for a total of 29.8km with 463m of elevation.

Clearly, Fox Hill is the big feature of this route. While this is a designated KOM segment, it’s a scratch race, so segments don’t matter. And in the case of the Fox Hill KOM, paying attention to the timed segment just confuses things, since it begins 600 meters after the climbing actually starts, and keeps going up and over the climb to end after a fair amount of flat and even downhill riding!

What you need to know about the actual climb is that it’s 2.3km long, averages 6.4%, and this is where the big selections will happen. If you’re struggling on Fox Hill, the only good news is there’s a long descent just up the road. Do what you can to hold on to those wheels!

The Box Hill descent begins 5.4km into the first lap. This is a 2.8km downhill averaging -5%, so if you’re a larger rider who is tired from the Fox Hill climb, you should be able to sit in and recover nicely for a few minutes.

From here, it’s mostly flat/rolling riding to the end of the lap. Just watch out for that upramp out of the subway, as this isn’t New York City with its fancy futuristic escalators!

Wash/rinse/repeat one time for C and D teams… twice for A and B teams.

The finish here is an interesting one, as it’s in a direction that isn’t commonly raced in London.

With 1.4km to go, the road tilts up, making this a great place to launch a long attack. Then with 500 meters left the road tilts downward, giving us a very fast run-in to the finish line. You’ll want to be well-positioned by this point, because if you’re too far back when the pack speed lifts, you’ll have to work extra-hard to move forward in the group. Keep calm, carry on, and good luck to all!

Read more about the London Loop Reverse route >

PowerUp Notes

Anvil powerups will be awarded at the KOM arch atop Fox Hill, while feathers will be awarded at the start/finish arch at the end of each lap.

Lightweight (feather) (given at start/finish banner): reduces your weight by 10% for 30 seconds. Use on Fox Hill climb, when weight matters the most.

Anvil (given at Fox Hill KOM banner): makes you heavier for up to 15 seconds, so you can descend faster. The amount of weight added is based on a percentage of your body weight, and that percentage increases as riders get lighter. It won’t hurt you, as it only adds weight when the road is at a -1.5% decline or greater. Use it on descents, including Box Hill and the run-in to the finish line.

Bike Recommendations

This race’s key climb is long and steep enough that we’d definitely steer away from pure aero setups and look at climbing bikes and all-arounders instead. Our recommendation is to use the new ENVE SES 4.5 PRO or DT Swiss 65 wheels paired with one of these bikes:

• Specialized Aethos
• S-Works Tarmac SL8
• Cannondale SuperSix EVO LAB71
• Pinarello Dogma F 2024
• Canyon Aeroad 2024

Of course, your frame’s upgrade status should impact your decision. A fully upgraded Aethos will outclimb the other four frames, but that’s not the case when comparing un-upgraded versions.

Related: All About Zwift’s New “Bike Upgrades” Functionality >

See Speed Tests: Tron Bike vs Top Performers for more nerd-level detail on frame and wheel performance, and check out Fastest Bike Frames and Wheels at Each Zwift Level to determine the fastest setup available to you.

More Route Recons

Lots of recon events are scheduled on upcoming ZRL routes, led by various teams. See upcoming ZRL recons for this race at zwift.com/events/tag/zrlrecon.

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

J Dirom

John Rice

Strategic Options

How will the race unfold, and what strategies will riders employ on London Loop Reverse? Here’s what we predict:

• Saved anvils: expect riders to save their last anvil, using it in the finish instead of the Box Hill descent.
• Major selections on Fox Hill: expect the field to be reduced by 50-60% the first time up Fox Hill, then further reduced each successive lap. Your 5-8 minute w/kg will be crucial.
• A wild finish: with all the points waiting at the finish line, riders will be putting extra thought into how to finish strong. Expect long attacks from 1.4km out, and a very fast final 500 meters thanks to saved anvils.
• Chasing on the flats: riders who lack the W/kg may find themselves dropped on Fox Hill, but able to chase back on during the Box Hill descent or the flats that follow. But climbers will want to work on that final lap to stay away from chasing sprinters! Who will win the game of tug-o-war?

Your Thoughts

Any insights or further thoughts on this race? Share below!

Eurobike has scrapped plans for its controversial Mobifuture e-mobility spin-off show, but offered little concessions in other areas of concern, with the show’s organiser saying it will “remain open to everyone in 2026”.

The new spin-off show is one of the key issues highlighted in a plan for change presented by Germany’s two most influential industry associations – ZIV (Die Fahrradindustrie) and Zukunft Fahrrad (Future Bicycle).

The 10-point plan states: “EPAC25 and muscle-powered bicycles should be accorded equal status as the core of Eurobike. The former should not be treated as a separate category and… moved to the Mobifuture [show].” 

Eurobike’s organiser, Fairnamic, says it cancelled Mobifuture because “key market participants see the need for further clarification of [the show’s] concept and direction”. 

More on Eurobike 2026

• Eurobike’s future in doubt as two key partners pull out of world’s biggest cycling trade show
• Uncertainty deepens over Eurobike as Bosch withdraws from show
• As Eurobike struggles, the cycling industry makes the case for its future

“Eurobike has the responsibility to remain international, neutral and open to technology”

The 10-point plan also acknowledges Eurobike’s role as “the world’s leading trade fair for the global bicycle industry”, but adds that, with its location in Germany, the show “needs a clear European footprint”.

However, the statement does not appear to offer concessions or amendments to the show’s format or specific concerns around product safety.

In the statement, managing director Stefan Reisinger says: “Eurobike will remain open to everyone in 2026”, affirming the show’s view that Eurobike remains a platform “of exchange with the entire bicycle industry”.

The statement continues: “As the world’s leading trade show, Eurobike has the responsibility to remain international, neutral and open to technology, while also giving due space to offerings from non-European markets.

“Innovative and forward-looking mobility concepts will continue to be showcased alongside sports bikes, leisure vehicles and today’s mobility all-stars such as e-bikes, cargo bikes and many others under the Eurobike umbrella.”

ZIV and Zukunft Fahrrad’s plan adds that: “A consistent approach is required when dealing with vehicles that are not authorised in Germany and the EU or for which the classification is misleading. Action must also be taken against exhibitors who offer illegal services.”

The statement from Eurobike does not address these concerns directly. We have contacted ZIV, Zukunft Fahrrad and Eurobike for comment.

The decision follows a turbulent fortnight for what was once the world’s leading cycling trade fair.

ZIV and Zukunft Fahrrad withdrew from Eurobike in late October, citing frustration that the organiser had failed to act on the jointly developed reform plan. 

Days later, major exhibitor Bosch announced it would not exhibit at Eurobike 2026, while German Shimano distributor, Paul Lange & Co, said its attendance was undecided, throwing the event’s future into doubt.

Eurobike’s attendance has been declining since its heyday in the 2010s, and several leading brands – including Specialized, SRAM and Scott – no longer exhibit.

Eurobike 2026 is scheduled to take place in Frankfurt from 24 to 27 June.

Indoor cycling season is the perfect time for you to sharpen your fitness for next year. In this week’s top video, learn about the Zwift Camp training series and watch as one rider tackles the first of the series: “Zwift Camp: Baseline.”

Other topics in this week’s picks include converting a garage into a home gym, beginners’ experiences on Zwift, and bike fitting on the Zwift Ride.

Got a Great Zwift Video?

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

Vittoria has released its new Terreno Pro Gravel range, claiming the new tyres offer 19% more grip and 18% more puncture resistance than the existing Terreno Endurance range.

The Italian brand says the gravel tyres are made of 92 per cent renewable and recycled materials, with an organic cotton casing delivering an unmatched ride feel.

The new range covers the T10 Hardpack, T30 Fine Loose, T50 Mixed and T60 Mixed tyres, each of which features a ‘natural’ brown sidewall and tread pattern.

All tyres in the range are priced at £88.95 / $103.99 / €88.95.

• The best gravel bike tyres in 2025 and our in-depth buyer’s guide
  

Eco-conscious rubber

The new Terreno Pro Gravel range has been made with recycled and renewable materials at the centre of the design, even dictating their ‘natural’ brown colourway.

Stijn Vriends, chairman & CEO of Vittoria, says: “This is the future… As a company, we want natural brown tyres to become the norm in a few years, while the old-school black ones, with carbon black, start to look outdated.”

The brown tread colour complements the cotton sidewall, which features a recycled nylon called Seawastex, which is made from discarded fishnets.

This nylon improves the tyre’s puncture protection by 18 per cent compared to the Terreno Endurance range, according to Vittoria.

The rubber itself also has eco credentials, with Vittoria saying it is fair-trade and uses soy bean oil and rice husk ash silica to make the tyres “naturally fast”.

Vittoria says this gives the tyres 19 per cent more grip than the Terreno Endurance range.

They are also produced in the world’s only ‘CarbonNeutral’ operations certified tyre factory. 

Compared to the Gravel Endurance construction, Vittoria says the new Pro tyres achieve an average carbon footprint reduction of 35%.

All the tyres in the range are available in sizes ranging from 35c to 45c, and there are currently no 650b options in the line-up.

Tomorrow, Cycling Time Trials (CTT) – the national governing body for time trials in England, Scotland, and Wales – launches their Winter Time Trial Series on Zwift. And they’ve clearly done a great job marketing the series, with over 600 riders already signed up for race 1!

Hayley Simmonds, a TT medal winner at both the European and Commonwealth Games and a former National Road TT Champion, is heading up the team running the winter series. She says, “I envisage the Winter Series on Zwift as being a great way for experienced testers to maintain and even improve their race readiness over the winter period. For anyone who is new to Time Trialing, then what better way to give it a go?”

Learn all about the series below…

Routes and Schedule

The series is 14 weeks long and begins this week, with races on Wednesdays at 7pm UTC (2pm EST/11am PST) repeating on Saturdays at 9am UTC (4pm EST/1pm PST).

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

How To Participate

Simply sign up and race an event to participate! (You’ll probably want to read and understand the rules, etc, below, though…)

One easy way to see all upcoming events in the Companion app is to join the CYCLINGTIMETRIALS Club. You can also visit zwift.com/events/tag/cyclingtimetrials to see and sign up for the next week’s event.

Points System

Overall series rankings are points-based, with lower points being better. Points are earned in two different ways:

• Finishing Points: 1st place gets 1 point, 2nd place gets 2 points, etc
• Segment Points: fastest 5 through each course’s designated segment will get -5 points for 1st, -4 points for 2nd, -3 points for 3rd, -2 points for 4th, and -1 point for 5th
• Course PB Points: each course (except mountain stages) is repeated twice in the schedule, plus there are two race events each week (one on Wednesday, one on Saturday). Riders who set a new series PB on a course will receive a -1 point deduction.

Championship Criteria

At the conclusion of the 14-week series, riders will be crowned as champions in their respective categories based on their best results in 7 races*. There will be both an open championship and a women-only championship.

* The 7 races must include at least 4 flat races, 2 rolling races, and 1 mountain race, as classified in the table above.

Key Rules

Entry Requirements

You must have a heart rate monitor paired to join these events, along with either a smart trainer or power meter connected as your power source.

If you want your results to count toward the Championships, you must be registered at ZwiftPower.

Learn how to sign up for ZwiftPower >

Categories

Riders are categorized based on FTP in watts per kilo:

• A: 4-6 W/kg
• B: 3.2-3.99 W/kg
• C: 2.5-3.19 W/kg
• D: below 2.5 W/kg

These are mixed races, but CTT says, “We’ll be producing an open leaderboard and female leaderboard for each category.”

Neutralized Equipment

Bike frames and wheels are neutralized for these events, so you can ride any setup from your Zwift garage that you’d like. Maybe it’s time to race that new Brompton P Line?

Questions or Comments?

It’s always fun to see an organization step into Zwift and use the platform effectively, hosting events that reinforce the organization’s mission and connect riders from around the globe. It’s also good to see a thoughtfully designed series structure. Nice work, CTT!

Got questions or comments about the series? Share below!

While tubeless tech has taken over on mountain and gravel bikes, and is the typical choice of pro road cyclists, it still gets mixed reviews from everyday riders. This is despite tubeless’ capability to lower rolling resistance, increase ride comfort and, thanks to the sealant, heal many punctures without you even noticing.

But what if you have a non-tubeless ready wheelset or are using tube-type tyres, or just aren’t willing to jump into the tubeless world? If your tyre setup forces you to run inner tubes, you’re a hostage to flats and roadside repairs. 

Bicycle frame builder and tech journalist Richard Hallett has a solution that provides tubeless levels of anti-flat performance, which he calls faux tubeless.

“I’ve converted all my tyres to faux tubeless,” he says. “It’s the uncertainty of tubeless [that’s the problem], you don’t need to worry if you don’t get a seal, and there’s no mess.

“It solves all the problems with tubeless,” he claims.

Here’s how it works.

• Read more: What is a tubeless tyre? Everything you need to know
  

What is faux tubeless?

Inner tubes with sealant have been around for a long time. But the thin casing and flexibility mean that, if you get a puncture, the tube doesn’t tend to seal properly, and will leak air and sealant into the space between the tube and the tyre casing.

Tubeless tyres also run the risk of rolling off a rim in the event of sudden air loss. Seeing a crash at Paris-Roubaix, where this had occurred, gave Hallett the idea for faux tubeless.

Hallett’s solution is to glue the inner tube to the inside of the tyre. This provides rigidity and thickness to enable the sealant to plug the hole, and no space between the inner tube and tyre for the sealant to leak into.

Hallet published a full guide on how to carry out the conversion on the Cycling UK blog, though he now recommends SVS-Vulc glue over tubular cement.

• Read more: One of the simplest but most confusing parts on a bike for beginners: the ultimate guide to the humble inner tube

As good as tubeless

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A post shared by Richard Hallett (@richardshallett)

Hallett says he’s been running faux tubeless for more than 1,000 miles with several pairs of tyres.

One tyre with a thorn embedded held pressure for more than four weeks.

He cites one customer using faux tubeless who found nine thorns embedded in his tyre when it eventually stopped holding air.

He also claims that performance and ride quality are similar to a conventional clincher setup with tubes.

Other benefits include inflation using only a hand pump or electric inflator, the option to run tyre pressures over 5 BAR / 72psi, avoidance of burping and a volume of sealant that’s around half that needed for a full tubeless setup. 

It’s also possible to remove the tyre from the rim, without bathing yourself in sealant and without the usual struggle of mounting and dismounting tubeless tyres on tubeless-ready rims.

The minuses are that faux tubeless is still prone to pinch flats, as with a standard tubed setup, and you can still get punctures that the sealant or a tyre plug won’t seal.

Hallett reckons a full tubeless setup still works better if you have a tubeless-ready wheel and tyre. It also weighs less and is more pliable, increasing ride comfort and performance.

But, as a halfway house for those running non-tubeless wheels, or if you’re preferred tyres aren’t available in a tubeless option, this could be a worthwhile option.