Cycling — Feeds

Tour de France 2027: What Do Extra TT Kms Mean for Evenepoel’s Prospects?

2026-10-24T22:04:49.000Z

Next year’s Tour plays to the strengths of Remco Evenepoel. Could it be enough for yellow?

Read the full article at Tour de France 2027: What Do Extra TT Kms Mean for Evenepoel’s Prospects? on Velo.

Why Flying With a Bike is Always a Gamble (And How to Improve Your Odds)

2026-10-24T17:51:08.000Z

There are no guarantees once your bike disappears on the luggage belt. But understanding TSA habits and airline loopholes gives your frame a fighting chance.

Read the full article at Why Flying With a Bike is Always a Gamble (And How to Improve Your Odds) on Velo.

Two More Teams Said to Be Interested in Roglič, Including a Major Wildcard

2026-10-24T16:18:54.000Z

Decision on retirement or return due ‘soon’ for European champion Primož Roglič.

Read the full article at Two More Teams Said to Be Interested in Roglič, Including a Major Wildcard on Velo.

Moto and Mountain Bike Icon Öhlins Debuts a Lust-Worthy Gravel Fork

2026-10-23T20:09:05.000Z

The GXF30 M.1 from the Swedish suspension brand offers clean functionality and bold aesthetics to the gravel market.

Read the full article at Moto and Mountain Bike Icon Öhlins Debuts a Lust-Worthy Gravel Fork on Velo.

Advantage, Evenepoel? The Tour de France 2027 route attempts to stop the inevitable

2026-10-23T18:50:59.000Z

Cyclist
Advantage, Evenepoel? The Tour de France 2027 route attempts to stop the inevitable

After rumours, speculation and sleuthing, the parcours for the 2027 Tour de France was finally revealed in Paris yesterday in front of an audience that included former Tour winners, legends and esteemed local politicians.

Starting in Scotland on 2nd July 2027, the race will spend three days in Britain before heading to France, where the GC will rip open. In total, next year’s Tour will feature seven sprint stages, six hill stages, six mountain stages and 71km of time-trialling. Between those numbers lies our first clues of where the GC could be won or lost, and who the route designers seemed to have favoured going into the 2027 edition.

It’s clearly been a tough ask to create a Tour that avoids a certain Slovenian from ending up with a bucket full of stage wins and building a winning advantage so large it looks like a timing error. But have Thierry Gouvenou and his band of merry men made any inroads into hampering Tadej Pogačar in 2027? Who has this course been created to benefit?

Who would the race organisers be considering?

Xavier Pereyron

How do you stop a five-time Tour de France winner from what seems like an unchallenged sixth win? Not much, but you can try to help out the challengers.

Jonas Vingegaard has been the runner-up to Pogačar on three occasions. The Dane was once said to be stronger on pure mountain stages, which perhaps motivated the mountain-heavy course in 2024 and 2025. That has since been dispelled, and now he just seems to be a bracket behind Pogačar in the mountains. He doesn’t seem to have the time-trial legs to set him apart, neither is he a gifted enough puncheur to warrant several steep finishes in his name.

Instead, the Tour could look to Remco Evenepoel as the possible challenger – or at least the man to suspend Pogačar’s yellow jersey tyranny. The Belgian finished last year’s Tour over six minutes behind Pogačar, but the Red Bull rider seems to be growing in confidence and strength. Physiologically, he should be entering his best years too, as he turns 27 in January. He also has a distinct advantage, being the world’s best time-trialist.

Then there’s Paul Seixas. It’s no secret that Gouvenou has tried to design routes that favour certain French riders in the past. Particularly in the age of Thibaut Pinot and Romain Bardet’s peak, the Tour’s route map seemed to favour the pair – the race even visited both of their hometowns in 2019 and 2020.

But how can you tailor a Grand Tour to Seixas? It’s not clear yet. He seems to thrive on punchy parcours, but so does Pogačar. So at this point in time, you can’t hand Seixas a huge advantage – besides visiting his hometown (which won’t happen in 2027).

Historic levels of time-trialling

Xavier Pereyron

A noticeable feature of this Tour de France is the whopping 71km against the clock. The Tour de France hasn’t featured this much time-trialling since 2012, the year they whacked in a bunch of kilometres against the clock in the favour of Bradley Wiggins – around 100km on that occasion.

The only domain Pogačar has genuinely felt behind his rivals is in the time-trials. That reason has no doubt motivated the big shift toward adding time-trials into the race, notably in the favour of Remco Evenepoel, a four-time world champion in the discipline.

The Belgian’s team have already clocked onto this assumption.

‘It’s not bad at all for us,’ Red Bull boss Ralph Denk said after the route presentation yesterday. ‘Remco is currently the very best time trialist in the world, so that is an aspect of this Tour we are certainly going to take into account. That he can gain time on Pogačar, Vingegaard, Seixas and co in those? In theory, yes.’

His confidence is justified. Evenepoel has won three of the five time-trials he has ridden at the Tour. The only ones he missed were considerably uphill, favouring stage winner Tadej Pogačar instead.

Given the addition of a huge 38km flat time-trial on Stage 7, Evenepoel has been touted as the first serious yellow jersey wearer. Judging from recent performances, he has been handed the chance to make early inroads on Pogačar, potentially setting him up for a several-day stint in the race lead.

For those tired of seeing Pogačar take yellow early, this would be an improvement. Plus, it would at least give the illusion that the race is more undecided than it was in previous years when Pogačar went into the jersey with ease during week one.

Xavier Pereyron

The time-trial in Toulouse could also fling Evenepoel closer to the GC lead if he is to lose it in the Alps. Again, it’s over 30km in length, so there’s a chance for another 30 seconds to be picked up here. Combined, you could guesstimate that a total of 1 minute to 1 minute 30 seconds could be gained by Evenepoel in these two stages alone.

There is an important caveat to be made here.

We are assuming that Evenepoel will be much stronger, and thus, will gain a handsome amount of time. This is founded on his results at championship races like the Worlds, Olympics and Europeans. But when Evenepoel and Pogačar have gone head-to-head against the clock at the Tour, the gaps have been tighter than you might have thought.

In a 33km flat TT in the first week of the 2025 Tour, Evenepoel gained just 16 seconds on Pogačar. In a 25km stage the year before, he gained just 12. Sure enough, he gained 28 seconds on a 26km course in 2026, but these gaps are far from the minute-or-so margins we see him winning by at the Worlds.

Based on average speeds and time gaps, the maths suggests Evenepoel may only stand to gain around one minute from these 71km against the clock. That’s if our sample of previous Tour performances is to be believed.

That’s hardly an open goal when you’re up against Pogačar, but it definitely hands Evenepoel a leg-up in his GC quest.

Fewer mountaintop finishes

Xavier Pereyron

While time-trialling is in, summit finishes are out.

In 2027, the organisers have included only three finishes atop mountain passes. That’s the lowest figure since 2017, when the Tour tried their best to stunt the ‘Sky Train’ and natural climber Chris Froome. To some extent, it feels as though the same tactic is being employed here against Pogačar, who has seemed near unstoppable in the mountains over the past few editions, having developed a successful copy-paste approach to these types of finishes.

On closer inspection, it looks like the route is trying to avoid big mountain days in general, particularly within the race’s opening week. It’s a logical approach after recent editions at which Pogačar has forced race-deciding results in the mountains early on.

That fear might have tempered the route organisers from delivering a blockbuster mountain stages filled with hors catégorie climbs after hors catégorie climb. Instead, the mountain profiles look tamer than in previous years. The thinking goes that this approach should limit the opportunities for big GC gaps to be created, as riders will have more teammates at their disposal and less mountain fatigue in the legs.

Xavier Pereyron

The stages in the Alps are noticeably less extreme than 2024, 2025 and 2026, when the riders would be served at least one stage with over 5,000m of elevation gain. In 2027, we have nothing of the sort. The stage to Sallanches ends with shorter climbs, while the stage to Les Saisies limits the usage of monster climbs before the final test.

In fact, the length and altitude of many of the climbs selected seem to be much tamer. The Tour’s highest point will be the lowest it’s been since 2013, and the longest climb of the race is just 20km. These stages are shorter than before too, with few mountain days set to be above 170km.

I guess that’s one way to stunt Pogačar. Take out the mountains because he’s too good at them.

That approach, however, should place extra emphasis on GC gains elsewhere, notably the time-trials. And while Evenepoel might have won his first mountaintop finish at the Tour this summer, he’s not the most gifted on these blockbuster days in the Alps. A move away from summit finishes, where the climbing is the ultimate variable, could therefore be seen as something else in his favour.

It’s impossible to Pog-proof a Tour

Xavier Pereyron

While the Tour has done its best to give Evenepoel a leg-up and deter fatal Pogcineration before the end of week one, the race can’t protect itself too much from what has felt like an inevitability for the past few years.

Let’s face it, it’s impossible to make a route that hampers Tadej Pogačar. He’s proven that he can take time on any and all terrain, from cobbled to time-trials, hills and Pyrenean passes. He also has the world’s best team at his disposal and a pre-Tour programme that is well-proven for French success.

However, what we have learnt is that placing the mountains early on is a risk. When before it added a light dusting of GC intrigue, Pogačar has taken the opportunity to strangle the race early on. That’s been noted this year, and the mountain stages have been made much easier than in previous years. The placement of the time-trials also feels like a wise choice, giving purists like Evenepoel somewhat of a GC handicap coming into the Alps and Pyrenees.

Pogačar will probably end up winning the Tour in 2027. But we just might have to wait until week two for him to take yellow and start putting minutes into his rivals. That’ll be an improvement at least on the 2021, 2024, 2025 and 2026 editions, when Pogačar seemed the winner-in-waiting already by the end of week one.

In an age of five-minute winning margins and two-week stints in yellow, something needs to be done to change the current course of action. If long time-trials are the answer to that – and I believe they could be as long as Evenepoel remains a contender – then so be it. Let’s throw them in and make the Tour feel more up in the air, even if it isn’t really.

Picture this. Evenepoel ends up in the yellow jersey after Stage 7, picks up a lead of maybe one minute, just to be dumped once the race reaches the Alps. We’ll get a second wind of optimism after the second time-trial, only for it to disappear once Pogačar reminds us of what dominance looks like in the Pyrenees. The outcome is the same, but the journey there has been engineered differently to the five Tour wins before.

In that case, Remco, I am afraid you are ASO’s Trojan Horse.

The post Advantage, Evenepoel? The Tour de France 2027 route attempts to stop the inevitable appeared first on Cyclist.

Anti-Pogačar Tour? ‘We Want to Keep the Suspense,’ Says Prudhomme

2026-10-23T18:33:22.000Z

Tour de France boss Prudhomme denies the 2027 route targets Pogačar, saying more TT kilometers could keep the yellow jersey fight alive.

Read the full article at Anti-Pogačar Tour? ‘We Want to Keep the Suspense,’ Says Prudhomme on Velo.

Winners and losers of the 2027 Tour de France route

2026-10-23T18:05:20.000Z

Cyclist
Winners and losers of the 2027 Tour de France route

It’s time to get your calendars at the ready because the 2027 Tour de France route is finally out in the open.

Get the macaroni pies and Buckie while you’re at it because the 114th edition will begin in Scotland for the first time, with a send-off scheduled in Edinburgh on Friday 2nd July 2027. From there, the route cuts down through England and Wales before meeting the race’s homeland, where the fight for the yellow jersey will no doubt take shape. The Grand Colombier, Col du Portet and Col de Marie Blanque are among the big mountain passes to feature, but all the talk after yesterday’s route reveal seems to be centred on the 71km of time-trialing sprinkled into the first and final week of racing.

So, what are the takeaways from this parcours reveal? Who looks to benefit the most, and who is already booking their flight to Italy after seeing next year’s Tour route for the first time?

Winner: Remco Evenepoel

Xavier Pereyron

After finishing second at the 2026 Tour de France, Evenepoel has been considered to be Tadej Pogačar’s closest threat.

This can be seen in the parcours, which features 71km of individual time-trials, the largest sum in 15 years. That should be enough to not only guarantee the four-time world champion’s participation, but also secure him as a shoo-in for the final podium.

Along with the potential for two stage wins, Evenepoel has the chance to gain yellow after Stage 7’s time-trial to Chambord. It’s an open goal wider than the English Channel, and as long as he stays close enough to Pogačar in the Welsh hills, the Belgian will be in prime position to take the maillot jaune.

If he moves into yellow, Evenepoel could end up leading the race for a few days. The position of the second time-trial before the Pyrenees could also slot him into a healthy GC position coming into the final mountain stage. Given he’s never worn yellow before, I presume he’ll be sure to seize the moment when it comes next July, potentially handing us our first genuine challenger to Pogačar in several years.

Winners: The sprinters

Xavier Pereyron

The 2027 Tour de France will give the sprinters much to think about.

The chance to fight for the yellow jersey comes early on, not once but twice on British roads.

This is because Stage 1 looks to be a sprint-friendly finale, albeit with a false flat arrival in Carlisle, while Stage 2 looks to favour the sprinters again by Liverpool’s Pier Head. So if you don’t manage to get yellow on day one, you can always pick it up after Stage 2 if the bonus seconds are on your side. In that case, we could have the rare chance that two sprinters end up in yellow during the Grand Départ.

The green jersey battle was by far the most compelling contest to follow at the 2026 Tour. However, the way in which it was fought was somewhat atypical, with riders heading off into the breakaway instead of relying on sprint results. The outcome was a green jersey winner, Mads Pedersen, who failed to crack the top five in a bunch sprint.

On the whole, I’d say the 2027 route leans more toward the traditional sprinters, given there are seven flat stages. Many of them come early on, so there’s an even higher chance of them ending in a sprint and thus the green jersey points going toward a traditional sprinter instead of a fast rouleur like 2026 green jersey winner Mads Pedersen.

I say this, but Tim Merlier has already said that he’s going to the Tour solely to win stages instead of fighting for the green jersey. The sprinting field is also more fragmented than ever, evidenced by the fact that four different sprinters won stages at the 2026 edition.

Winner: Mathieu van der Poel

Xavier Pereyron

The Tour de France route designers have every reason to give Mathieu van der Poel a leg-up. He’s hugely popular domestically and abroad, and he has a star quality that seems to transcend the sport’s usual borders.

In that case, it’s not shocking to see several Van der Poel-friendly profiles in week one. In particular, there are a pair of finishes that come back-to-back on Stages 4 and 5. The finish to Cherbourg was last used in 2016, when a reduced group made it to the line. Watching that stage back reinforced my belief that Van der Poel could be in with a shout there. That’s the same for Stage 5’s finish to Plumelec, which boasts similar stats to the Mûr-de-Bretagne, where he won his first Tour stage back in 2021. It’s worth remembering that Marianne Vos won on the same climb when the Tour de France Femmes visited last year, and we all know the similarities the two Dutch riders share.

If he’s brushed up his climbing legs, as he did in preparation for the Worlds in Montréal last month, then he could even be in with a chance for a stage win and yellow jersey in Cardiff. He’s a former winner of the Tour of Britain, after all.

Winners: Polka-dot purists

Xavier Pereyron

All too often we have seen the winner of the Tour de France end up in the polka-dot jersey without even trying. It happened in 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2025, when either Jonas Vingegaard or Tadej Pogačar won the polka-dots without ever wearing it on the road.

However, the 2027 Tour de France will feature just three summit finishes. That’s the smallest number of mountaintop finishes since 2017, when the Tour de France removed the prospect of endless Chris Froome victories in the mountains.

A byproduct of this summit finish shrinkage could be a return to proceedings for the polka-dot jersey. The GC monopoly in the mountains classification has typically been a result of the summit finishes, which yield high returns in the fight for the polka-dot jersey. If you remove the opportunities for Pogačar and Vingegaard to score points, the traditional breakaway candidates gain an advantage.

Another advantage of this route is the early placement of several key mountains. On the stages to Sallanches, Mende and Laruns, the breakaway should have free rein to contest the bulk of the day’s points. That should favour their chances in the overall contest rather than having UAE and Visma domestiques rake in the points by default.

Loser: Lenny Martinez

Xavier Pereyron

The race organisers have often been accused of creating routes that favour French riders. However, those accusations fall short when discussing Lenny Martinez – who finished fifth at this year’s race, don’t forget.

Why is this parcours unfavourable for him? Well, he’s far from a natural on the TT bike. At this year’s Tour, he shed almost three minutes in the 26km time-trial. In a Tour with over double that, we could see Martinez struggle to replicate his top five finish next July.

To add insult to injury, Martinez won’t benefit from a parcours littered with summit finishes either, his usual terrain for success.

If I were him, I’d go for the polka-dots instead of a top ten overall. Just don’t go grabbing any sticky bottles this time, Lenny.

Losers: Anyone who thrives at high altitude

Xavier Pereyron

Sorry to all the riders born in the Andes or Rockies. This Tour is not going to give the high-altitude babies any advantage. In fact, the Tour only passes the 2,000m marker on one stage, Stage 18.

This is the lowest-altitude Tour de France in a long time – and that’s judged by several metrics. The 2,115m summit of the Col du Portet is the lowest highest point used since the 2013 Tour de France. The 2027 race only goes above 800m altitude on six occasions. So if anyone was planning on acclimatising to 2,000m altitudes, it’s not worth bothering.

We used to talk about how Colombians thrived on high-altitude finishes, but perhaps that line of thinking is démodé in an age where riders born in Scandinavia and Benelux climb among the best in the world. 2,000m also insinuates longer climbs. If that means more space for Pogcineration, the less the better.

Losers: Weekend viewers

Xavier Pereyron

There are a few confusing choices at this Tour de France – and I’m not talking about the choice to send the riders to deepest, darkest Cardiff.

Weekend viewership is almost always higher than it is during the week. That’s the race’s chance to get the race on more eyes, and potentially capture new audiences channel hopping on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon. In that regard, it should be in the race’s best interest to have exciting stages on Saturdays and Sundays, of which there are eight at next year’s Tour.

Fair enough, the opening weekend will attract viewers regardless, but there are two sprint stages scheduled for the second and third weekends. For new viewers, the prospect of seeing the peloton roll as one big blob will probably look rather boring. Not to mention the lack of jeopardy these stages hold in the GC.

The final weekend is a particularly lucrative window for viewership ratings. The Montmartre finish has helped to increase viewing figures in France, as revealed during the route presentation yesterday, but the decision to make Stage 20 a transitional stage feels rather silly. Chances are, the stage will be fought out by a fatigued breakaway or a peloton just wanting the race to be done and dusted. I mean, the same happened in 2025, when a slightly more interesting profile was chucked in to keep the Ain and Doubs départements happy.

I understand the choice to minimise transfers to Paris – especially after the Tour committed to using rail instead of flying domestically – but Stage 20 should be a GC showpiece. Why not move the route around to have the final Pyrenean stage then?

Losers: Tougher sprinters

Xavier Pereyron

While sprinters like Tim Merlier and Olav Kooij have a right to be happy about this route, there are few reasons for the likes of Mads Pedersen and Biniam Girmay to feel overlooked. Similarly, it’s hard to see the likes of Paul Magnier or Arnaud De Lie having a breakthrough Tour de France either.

That’s because there aren’t many stages suited to a reduced bunch sprint, or any that suit a tougher sprinter of the Pedersen type. The finish to Cherbourg could prove too steep, as is the finish up to Plumelec upon the race’s return to France. A lot of the early chances for the fast men look like out-and-out sprints. The hillier stages, on the other hand, look too difficult for a sprinter to get their hands on victory.

If you’re Pedersen or Girmay, the most appetising profile is Stage 15 to Albi. With it coming so deep into the race though, it’s likely a breakaway ends up contesting the win anyway. Knowing Pedersen, he’ll try his damn hardest to get into the day’s escape group, however.

Losers: Fans wanting to go to the Team Presentation

Xavier Pereyron

This one isn’t quite related to what we heard yesterday morning, but rather the events around the Grand Départ.

This morning, tickets went on sale for the Team Presentation of next summer’s Tour de France, which is set to take place just outside Edinburgh Castle. The setup will feature a stadium-like setup – just like the Edinburgh Tattoo – instead of the usual town square rig that the Team Presentation has adopted in previous years.

Tickets started from £27, but the pre-sale already sold out this morning due to high demand. More tickets are due to go on sale next week, but I have certain reservations about this approach.

I say the fans in Edinburgh are losers here because you don’t usually have to get tickets for this. What’s more, you don’t usually have to pay to access the event. It’s just as free as the rest of the Tour. In fact, this is the first time since 2014 – the last time the UK held the race – that tickets have been required.

I understand the need to organise crowds and generate revenue, but it feels a shame to have paid-for tickets at an event with free access at its essence. If tickets were required for safety/logistics reasons, then they should have been free, just like at screenings for BBC shows or National Lottery events.

That said, there’s still a chance that you’ll be able to see the riders for free as they roll around Edinburgh that same evening. Insider tip: they have to park up somewhere nearby for the obligatory rider photoshoot and press conferences before the presentation begins.

The post Winners and losers of the 2027 Tour de France route appeared first on Cyclist.

In the Drops: Panaracer’s durable race tyres, Silca’s drip wax update, Coospo’s rear radar, Icesupp performance lollies, and the Canadian Rizzler

2026-10-23T15:46:17.000Z

Cyclist
In the Drops: Panaracer’s durable race tyres, Silca’s drip wax update, Coospo’s rear radar, Icesupp performance lollies, and the Canadian Rizzler

It’s Friday, it’s In the Drops, the clocks go back (I think?) this weekend, we’re officially locked in for winter. But seriously can someone tell me if we’re gaining or losing sleep and can we stop this nonsense and just keep one time throughout the year? We’re all adults here we can deal with that surely?

The big story in the cycling world this week is the full routes for the 2027 Tour de France and Tour de France Femmes have been unveiled, you can find our stage-by-stage breakdown of the men’s route here and the women’s route here.

That’s far from the only thing we’ve had on the website, though. There was big computer news, with Coros’s very interesting super-thin Dura 2, which will practically never run out of battery unless you live in the far northern hemisphere in winter, as well as Garmin’s new 1060 plus Explore updates.

We’ve also published reviews of the also very interesting Ekoï PW8 pedals and tidy Asgard Access Plus shed, and there are more excellent articles coming today to spend your weekend reading.

Right, enough of that, we’re freewheeling into the weekend it’s time to get In the Drops.

Panaracer Agxero tyres

‘Race-day speed with the puncture protection to keep you rolling’ is how Panaracer describes the Agxero tyres. Sold.

More specifically, the Agxeros have been designed to combine the speed of very good Agilest tyres with added durability thanks to the use of a new ZSG Agile-X compound, which brings lower rolling resistance as well as improved grip and puncture resistance.

They come in 28c and 30c, weighing a claimed 270g and 300g respectively, and there are options for black or tan sidewalls. This particular set are the 30mm tanwalls, which couldn’t come at a better time for me as my bike currently has a 28mm tyre on the front and a 32mm on the back because the 28mm rear sidewall got slashed and 32mm is a bit tight of a squeeze for non-dry summer riding.

Buy now from Panaracer (£64.99)

Silca Super Secret 2.0 chain lube

Drip wax changed my life in 2026, I had a tester bottle, tried it, and have ridden with a massive smile and a healthier drivetrain ever since.

The second generation of Silca’s Super Secret drip wax was made in collaboration with Visma-Lease a Bike and the brand says the new formula both lasts longer than the first and has vastly improved wet-weather performance.

Silca claims that while hot wax is still cleaner and lasts longer, Super Secret 2.0 has near-identical efficiency and protection. That’s enough for a lazy so-and-so like me who tends to value ease of use very highly.

Buy now from Silca (£25)

Coospo TR70 Smart Radar tail light

Coospo’s TR70 rear radar and light has a 220° light with seven modes for all conditions to be seen on the road whenever you ride.

It can connect to both bike computers and phones to keep the rider aware of the traffic up to 140m away, even providing an alert when a vehicle comes around a blind bend, and it also has an emergency brake alert.

The TR70 is IP67 dust and waterproof, weighs a claimed 64g, and the mount and adapter make it compatible with different seat post shapes. Coospo claims battery lasts for up to 50 hours.

Buy now from Coospo (£77.72)

Icesupp lollies

Icesupp does what it says on the tin: it’s an ice lolly and a nutritional supplement in one package – perfect for training in hot temperatures but also if you’re having trouble getting food down.

They’re made with real fruit, include 5g protein and 2.5g fibre per 100g as well as key vitamins, and can be eaten either as a lolly or defrosted slightly to drink as a smoothie, with two potential ways to open the pouch for each use.

Buy now from Icesupp (£27.75, 12-pack)

What we’re into this week: Quebecois culture

If you’ve not seen this you are in for the treat of the century. In the last month, the internet has been swept by videos from French Canadian TV show Soirée Canadienne, which ran from 1960 to 1983 in Quebec. In particular clips of call-and-response folk songs, with the two most popular, absolute earworms fronted by a pair of charismatic kids, Serge Veilleux and Joël Legendre.

Veilleux’s is the most popular one online, partially because it looks as if the footage has been enhanced by AI to make it clearer, which adds a very weird visual aspect to the song about a dodgy doctor who keeps chopping off body parts. Veilleux, who has been dubbed the Canadian Rizzler, is a fantastic performer and demolishes this performance. I challenge you not to get stuck singing this all day.

The other one, which is the French folk song ‘J’ai vu le loup‘ (I saw the wolf), I actually prefer; it’s musically more interesting and gives me Les Choristes vibes.

Consider this the perfect way to round out Quebec’s big cycling year.

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The post In the Drops: Panaracer’s durable race tyres, Silca’s drip wax update, Coospo’s rear radar, Icesupp performance lollies, and the Canadian Rizzler appeared first on Cyclist.

Velo Podcast | We Recount the War Stories of 109 Degrees One Day and Hurricane Winds the Next

2026-10-23T15:00:00.000Z

We headed into the desert and it turned out it's hot. We talk about crazy winds and surviving the heat just to get to the climbs. Plus, answering your questions on aero math and looking at the new Garmin Edge 1060.

Read the full article at Velo Podcast | We Recount the War Stories of 109 Degrees One Day and Hurricane Winds the Next on Velo.

Jolanda Neff Follows Kate Courtney in Latest MTB-to-Road Pivot

2026-10-23T14:39:50.000Z

Neff joins Courtney in road racing transition as flexible teams and new points rules give top stars more freedom to race across disciplines.

Read the full article at Jolanda Neff Follows Kate Courtney in Latest MTB-to-Road Pivot on Velo.

Priority Bicycles’ E-Sauce Is a Versatile, Low-Maintenance, Single Speed… E-Klunker?

2026-10-23T14:04:17.000Z

As ebikes infiltrate the cycling world, we’re seeing motors and batteries added to all styles of bicycle, and it does beg the question: would it really hurt to offer pedal assist on any type of bike? Inspired by the success of their non-assisted Sauce single-speed MTB, Priority Bicycles went ahead and added a motor to create the new E-Sauce.

Yes, it’s a single-speed e-bike, designed for urban and light trail riding. It’s driven by a Gates belt drive system, and with the ability to host front and rear racks, it can haul plenty of cargo. As the nearest thing I’ve yet seen to an e-klunker, it does offer a lot of versatility despite its simplicity.

“We have had great success with our e-Coast beach cruiser line and wanted to bring something more versatile to our electric lineup,” said Connor Swegle, co-founder of Priority Bicycles. “The E-Sauce is that perfect mix of performance and ruggedness for any surface, with simplicity and low-maintenance aspects that make a Priority bicycle easy to take on a quick spin around the city.”

Priority E-Sauce – Key Specs and Features:

The E-Sauce features a 6061 aluminum hardtail frame, with a 100mm SR Suntour XCM 32 front suspension fork. The bike rolls along on 27.5” wheels featuring double-walled alloy rims and 2.4” WTB Intersector multisurface tires.

Priority equips all their bikes with Gates carbon belt drive, a low-maintenance system with a long-lasting drive belt that requires no lubrication. The single-speed E-Sauce comes with a 55t front sprocket and a 20t rear cog. All-weather stopping power is ensured by 2-piston hydraulic disc brakes on 180mm rotors.

Keeping things fun and your riding position comfortable is an 80mm rise, 740mm wide BMX-style handlebar, bolted to a 50mm stem. One nice touch included on the E-Sauce is a sealed bearing headset.

A Selle Royal Essenza saddle offers comfort without bulk, and Priority includes a set of composite pedals with chromoly spindles. The E-Sauce also comes with a frame-mounted rear kickstand.

For nighttime riding, the bike includes a front headlight mounted to the handlebar and a rear light built into the seatpost.

The E-Sauce is the first Priority bike to include their new Headway cargo mount. The mount allows you to bolt a front cargo rack directly to the bike’s head tube. If you don’t have a rack attached, a Priority head tube badge covers the mount neatly. This frame-mounted design keeps the weight of the cargo from affecting your steering. Priority’s Headway Front Cargo Rack (sold separately) can carry up to 55 lbs.

Out back, the E-Sauce frame offers mounts for standard pannier racks as well, providing more options for hauling cargo or attaching child seats. There is one water bottle mount on top of the bike’s down tube.

The E-Sauce weighs 59 lbs complete. Its max capacity is 300 lbs (rider, bike, and cargo). Frames are available in two sizes – S/M or M/L. These sizes should accommodate riders from 5’4” to 6’2”.

Drive System:

Powering the E-Sauce is a 750W rear hub motor, with five assist levels and a throttle mode. This is the most powerful motor Priority stocks on any of their bikes. It uses both torque and cadence sensors to ensure smooth, natural-feeling power delivery.

The E-Sauce ships out in a Class 2 configuration, assisting up to 20mph, but it can be adjusted to assist up to Class 3/28mph with pedal assist only – The throttle stops assisting at 20 mph to keep the bike from exceeding many state and local regulations. Priority recommends checking your local laws to ensure compliance.

Providing the juice for the E-Sauce is a 720Wh battery integrated into the down tube. The bike’s range is listed at anywhere from 20-60 miles depending on terrain, assist level, rider weight, etc. The battery is easily removable from the frame and can be charged in or off the bike. A key locks the battery into the bike, and the push of a button releases it when unlocked. A full battery charge takes about 4 hours.

A display unit sits on the left side of the handlebar. Its backlit display shows your assist level, speedometer, tripometer, and odometer, powers the bike on/off, plus controls the lights and activates walk mode. The twist-grip throttle is integrated into the right grip.

*Images c. Priority Bicycles

MSRP for the E-Sauce is $2199. It comes in the colorway shown above and is available now through Priority’s website.

prioritybicycles.com

BH Ultralight <700g Road Bike is More Aero, Of Course Lighter & More Affordable

2026-10-23T10:53:22.000Z

BH updated their Ultralight road bike, once again making it more aerodynamic, even as they shave grams away. Now 11% lighter than its predecessor, at less than 700g for the frame. Plus, it also gets a 12% aero drag reduction, care of subtly refined Kamm tails & other tube shaping. The fact that it’s also quite a bit cheaper – from the entry 105 level to the top-tier, UCI-illegal weight Dura-Ace level – is simply icing on the cake.

(Photos/BH)

No more need to pick a lightweight climber’s bike or an aerodynamic sprinter’s bike. Just get one Ultralight.

2027 BH Ultralight and aerodynamic carbon road bike

The new MY27 BH Ultralight looks pretty similar to the version they launched back in 2023 to upgrade the aerodynamic performance of their lightweight road bike. But this new one is both lighter and more aero, developed in CFD together with the University of the Basque Country (EHU). And it’s still as stiff as before, creating a solid all-rounder for fast riding whether heading to the mountains, sticking to the flats, or all the rolling terrain in between.

What else is new?

Dropping the frame under 700g makes the new BH Ultralight one of the lightest production bikes on the market these days. But there are other updates besides its improved aerodynamics, too.

For one, BH finally gives the Ultralight bigger tire clearance. Officially, it’s only 32mm, because of the number of ultrawide rims out there. But they say that most 35mm tires will fit, with their required 6mm clearance between the frame & fork at its closest point.

They’ve also refined the bike’s geometry around a steep 74° seat tube angle for more forward weight balance. And BH claim new super short 405mm chainstays for faster acceleration and a more “direct responsive ride feel”. Although their geometry tables still show the same 410mm stays of the previous generation.

“The result is a bike that moves beyond the traditional concept of a pure climbing machine to embrace a much more versatile approach. The new Ultralight retains weight figures that place it among the lightest road bikes in its category, but now combines this advantage with more efficient aerodynamics, greater integration and clearance for wider tyres. It is designed to accelerate quickly on climbs, but also to maintain high speeds, tackle technical descents and compete effectively on a wide variety of routes.”

Tech details

hi-mod Toray T1100G carbon monocoque frame
‘Air Bow’ aerodynamic tapered steer, full carbon fork
Hollow Core Internal Molding (HCIM) for ECL Evo carbon layup
claimed tire clearance up to 35mm (guaranteed max 32c tire clearance on wide rims)

fully integrated internal cable routing through the headset
electronic shifting only
proprietary D-shaped aero seatpost with hidden wedge-style clamp
integrated Planck taillight magnetically attaches to the post (included on top models)
new lightweight, 55mm deep BH Evo Stealth aero carbon wheels (included on top models)

PressFit BB386 EVO bottom bracket
flat mount disc brakes
lightweight machined 12mm thru-axles with integrated hidden levers
UDH rear, removable front derailleur braze-on mount
UCI-approved frame
5 frame sizes (XS-XL)

2027 BH Ultralight – Pricing, options & availability

The new Ultralight is available on five stock frame sizes (XS-XL), three standard frameset colors (marbled red, crystalline white & raw black carbon), and the BH Unique custom paint program. Four complete builds of the new bike are on offer, all with Shimano Di2 electronic groupsets and all with a new unnamed one-piece carbon integrated Vision cockpit.

BH Ultralight 6.0

Ultralight 7.0

Ultralight 8.0

The 2027 BH Ultralight 6.0 sells for 5000€ (12% less than the previous generation) with 105 Di2 and Vision TC45 carbon wheels. At 7000€, the Ultralight 7.0 upgrades to Ultegra Di2 and SC45 wheels. Then, at 7500€, the Ultralight 8.0 adds a powermeter crankset to the Ultegra groupset, and includes the Planck taillight. Plus, the 8.0 adds BH’s own new 1350g Evo Stealth 55mm deep, 23mm internal carbon wheels with aero-bladed carbon spokes and ceramic bearings.

2027 BH Ultralight 9.0

At the top-tier, the 8500€ BH Ultralight 9.0 gets a Dura-Ace group, the BH Evo Stealth wheels, and the Planck taillight. That’s a 15% lower price than the same spec level four years ago, and now in a bike that claims a complete weight of just 6.7kg (size S, without pedals).

2027 BH Ultralight 9.0

The new bikes will be available in BH dealer bike shops starting in November, while custom-painted BH Unique bikes would start shipping at the end of January.

BHbikes.com

Tour de France Femmes 2027 full route revealed with Puy de Dôme set to host explosive finale

2026-10-22T20:01:24.000Z

Cyclist
Tour de France Femmes 2027 full route revealed with Puy de Dôme set to host explosive finale

The Tour de France Femmes 2027 route has been unveiled today alongside the men’s route, with nine stages starting in Leeds on Friday 30th July and coming to a dramatic finale on the legendary Puy de Dôme on Saturday 7th August.

Three stages in England get things underway including a central London team time-trial – a first for the Tour de France Femmes, before heading across the Channel, where a couple of punchy stages and a sprint await before the climbs come calling.

Two of the three stages in the mountains are summit finishes, including the enormous finale on the steep slopes of the Puy de Dôme, which finishes off a stage that packs in nearly 4,000m of elevation.

Tour de France Femmes 2027 key information

A.S.O./Billy Ceusters

Dates: Friday 30th July – Saturday 7th August
Grand Départ: Leeds, England
Finale: Puy de Dôme, France
Total kilometres: 1,156km
Total elevation gain: 17,665m
Total prize money: €250,000
Live television coverage: TNT Sports, HBO Max, TG4, SBS, Sky Sport, NBC/Peacock, FloBikes, France Télévisions, ARD
2026 winner: Demi Vollering (FDJ United-Suez)
Most overall wins: 2 – Demi Vollering (FDJ United-Suez)

Tour de France Femmes 2027 route

The 2026 Tour de France Femmes starts in Leeds, which welcomed the men’s peloton for the 2014 Grand Départ. But while that day culminated in a sprint at Harrogate, this race will see the women battle it out in Manchester to decide the first yellow jersey of the race. With Manchester to Sheffield on Stage 2 comes the hills, including several British classics, and that should see the maillot jaune change hands straight away.

Stage 3 hosts the first team time-trial in the Tour de France Femmes’s short history. There will be no individual TT in 2027, so the specialists will have to rally their teams to make the most of the 18km route and those GC contenders who are weaker against the clock will be hoping their teammates can keep them in the fight.

After that it’s over to France for Stage 4 for what should be a sprint, but there are enough hills for an attack to get away. Stage 5 is a true hilly day out, with six climbs at the tail-end of the route plus an uphill finish. There’ll be chance for a breather the following day, which is flat as a pancake.

The mountains come calling on Stage 7, which features the first of two proper summit finishes on La Loge des Gardes, where climbing legs should still be relatively fresh. Stage 8 sees the road to Clermont-Ferrand packed with ascents with six categorised climbs before a downhill run into town for the finish.

Stage 9 is the jewel in the crown of the 2027 Tour de France Femmes. It’s the longest day of the race, with elevation topping over 3,800m, with climbing straight out the gate. Seven categorised climbs will soften the legs before the explosive last dance on the legendary slopes of the Puy de Dôme volcano.

Tour de France Femmes 2027 stage-by-stage preview

Stage 1: Friday 30th July, Leeds – Manchester, 86km

The Tour de France Femmes begins in Leeds in 2027. Home to cycling greats including Millie Robinson, who lived there in 1955 when she won the first ever women’s Tour de France, Leeds hosted the men’s Tour for the start of the race in 2014, and will host the Tour de France Femmes’s UK debut next year.

After rolling out into Yorkshire a trio of Francified climbs will keep riders on their toes as they leave the county to finish the first stage in Manchester, where it will almost certainly be a bunch sprint.

Stage 2: Saturday 31st July, Manchester – Sheffield, 154km

The race stays in Manchester overnight to get an early night before a hectic Stage 2 to Sheffield via a selection of classic British hills. Staples of the hill climb scene in Winnats Pass and Snake Pass – which not even the Tour de France dares to rename – will split the bunch, and a trio of climbs will make the selection for the finale in Sheffield. Even Lorena Wiebes will struggle to hold onto yellow on a day like this.

Stage 3: Sunday 1st August, London – London, 18km (TTT)

On Stage 3, the Tour de France Femmes’s first ever team time-trial hits central London, where they should be met by big crowds on the 18km route, which takes in pretty much every landmark possible on the way to the finish on the Mall.

Stage 4: Monday 2nd August, Le Touquet-Paris-Plage – Calais, 123km

Stage 4 begins in the same location on the north coast of France as Stage 4 in the 2014 men’s Tour, when Marcel Kittel won the sprint finish.

Riders will navigate a series of short but punchy hills towards Calais, with the final climb the Côte du Cap Blanc-Nez, which featured in the 2022 men’s Tour, where Wout van Aert took a solo win in the yellow jersey. With that in mind, this could well see a split bunch reach Calais, but teams will be well aware of what could happen, so don’t rule out a sprint.

Stage 5: Tuesday 3rd August, Neufchâtel-en-Bray – Magnanville, 161km

Eight categorised climbs are packed into the Classics-like Stage 5, which will almost certainly see a very select group reach Magnanville for a punchy uphill finish. They’re far from the hardest climbs in the race, but all just about tick over a kilometre in length and hide stinging gradients, including a couple average north of 10%.

Stage 6: Wednesday 4th August, Orléans – Bourges, 138km

At long last, Stage 6 provides a certified sprint stage, and it will be the last one as the mountains are coming. Given the lack of flat days, this could be decisive for the green jersey competition.

Stage 7: Thursday 5th August, Nevers – La Loge des Gardes, 155km

Stage 7 will be a tense affair, with 100km of pan flat riding before the climbing starts. The road starts to head upwards long before the race officially hits a categorised climbs, with plenty of uncategorised climbing before the 2.1km of the Côte du Point du Jour brings the first mountain points of the day.

A brief downhill follows before the peloton hits La Loge des Gardes.

At nearly 7km in length, it’ll be enough for a proper GC battle, with the gradient sticking around 8% for almost the entire climb. This test should see the hierarchy start to form, but there are two tough stages incoming to defend positions.

Stage 8: Friday 6th August, La Bourboule – Clermont-Ferrand, 151km

Stage 8 has climbing from the start in La Bourboule, with six categorised test to battle it out on. After the final ascent on the Côte de Charade, the peloton speeds descends into Clermont-Ferrand for a fast finish, likely either for one solo leader or a sprint for just two or three.

Stage 9: Saturday 7th August, Clermont-Ferrand – Puy de Dôme, 170km

The final stage is the Queen Stage in its truest form, with the most kilometres and the most elevation – it’s also this year’s Etape du Tour de France Femmes. Unlike 2026’s Mont Ventoux stage, which was flat before the Bald Mountain, there are a mass of smaller climbs to contend with before the decisive finish on the mythical Puy de Dôme.

Whoever wins on the Puy de Dôme will write their name into cycling folklore, with its list of conquerors packed with big names including in the Tour de France Féminin, with Maria Canina taking the stage in both 1986 and 1988. It was last scaled in the men’s race in 2023 when Michael Woods broke Matteo Jorgenson’s heart with no fans watching roadside.

It has a deceptive start, easing off from its 7.5% gradient after just 3km, but the final 4km are consistently over 11% for a brutal sting in the tail.

Will Demi Vollering make it three yellow jersey wins or will someone else be crowned atop the volcano?

The post Tour de France Femmes 2027 full route revealed with Puy de Dôme set to host explosive finale appeared first on Cyclist.

Juliana Bicycles Announces the End of Its 13-Year Run as Santa Cruz’s Sister Brand

2026-10-22T19:26:46.000Z

Last week, Juliana Bicycles quietly ceased independent operations with an announcement on its website saying, “Forward Together: Juliana and Santa Cruz as one brand.” Of course, the two brands have been very closely linked all along, but this announcement marks the end of an era for the pioneering women’s mountain bike brand. Since 2013, Juliana has operated as a standalone sister brand to Santa Cruz with separate operations, branding, and its own identity, helping inspire more women to get out and ride.

The Juliana story started years before it became a brand. In 1999, Santa Cruz debuted the first women’s-specific mountain bike named the “Juliana,” after mountain bike legend Juli Furtado. Fourteen years later, Juliana Bicycles spun off from Santa Cruz, becoming a standalone brand producing numerous women’s-specific models and operating more or less independently.

An old-school Santa Cruz Juliana.

While Juliana’s frames have always been essentially identical to their Santa Cruz counterparts, they typically featured lighter shock tunes and different touchpoints to suit female riders. Of course, the bikes also stood out with different paint jobs, branding, sponsorships, and marketing intended to inspire women to ride and feel welcome in a male-dominated sport.

The Next Chapter

On the Juliana website, they call this the next chapter, and say, “It’s always been more about the rider on the bike than the name on the downtube. Juliana’s goal was to create a space for women to be seen, heard, and recognized. We don’t think it’s absolutely mission accomplished, but we believe that now is the time to bring our sister brand into the same tent and solidify that space for the future.”

While Juliana-branded bikes will no longer be produced, Santa Cruz will continue to maintain the Juliana website. There, Juliana owners can still make warranty claims or reference the archives for model information. On that note, Juliana warranties will still be honored, but handled by Santa Cruz. If you’re a Juliana owner, julianabicycles.com still has everything you need.

A Couple Takeaways

The industry has almost completely shifted away from women’s specific bikes. A decade ago, many of the major mountain bike brands, including Specialized, Cannondale, and Canyon, had women’s-specific models in their lineups. Over the years, those brands slowly phased them out in favor of unisex models and their bottom lines, leaving Juliana and Liv as the last women’s brands standing. Not because women don’t have different bike fit needs than men, but perhaps because those fit needs can now be met with today’s unisex models and sizing. There’s certainly no shortage of bikes and sizes to choose from these days.

Additionally, the discontinuation of the Juliana brand is undoubtedly linked to the ongoing belt-tightening across the industry. Santa Cruz and Juliana, among other brands, are owned by Pon.Bike. Yes, the same Pon.Bike that announced the closure of Cannondale’s Connecticut offices just yesterday. Beyond eliminating some redundancy, consolidating Juliana’s operations under the Santa Cruz name is surely another cost-saving measure, as is moving Cannondale’s North American operations to the West Coast to join them next year.

More info at: julianabicycles.com

The Tour de France Just Made the Anti-Pogačar Route for 2027

2026-10-22T19:19:03.000Z

Or about as anti-Pog as you can get, that is. Can 71km of time trials and fewer summit finishes help Evenepoel challenge for the 2027 Tour? Here's why it still won't matter to Pogačar.

Read the full article at The Tour de France Just Made the Anti-Pogačar Route for 2027 on Velo.

I’ve Ridden Thousands of Miles in the Ornot Park Jersey. Right Now It’s 40% Off.

2026-10-22T18:38:21.000Z

I use it for everything from quick spins to all-day endurance routes. Here is why you should grab one while past designs are heavily discounted.

Read the full article at I’ve Ridden Thousands of Miles in the Ornot Park Jersey. Right Now It’s 40% Off. on Velo.

WTB Launches 1,300-gram CMR Light Carbon XC Wheels

2026-10-22T16:52:20.000Z

Today, WTB is adding to its lineup of carbon mountain bike wheels with the launch of the CMR Light wheelset. This new XC-oriented wheelset pairs lightweight high-performance carbon rims with WTB’s World Cup-proven Frequency 7X hubs to deliver wheels “built for speed, but engineered to last.” WTB says they were designed for riders seeking to maximize climbing efficiency while maintaining a lively and responsive ride feel both on the race course and off.

CMR Light Wheels Details

Just about three weeks ago, WTB introduced its new CGR i28 Carbon Gravel wheels. Now, the new CMR Light slots into the brand’s lineup for the XC crowd with a different rim shape/profile but utilizing the same Frequency 7X hubs. Here’s what you need to know.

Frequency 7X Hubs

WTB is clearly proud of its new Frequency 7X hubs and highlights them before any other part of the new CMR Light wheels. These are the same hubs raced by the Cannondale Factory Racing team on the World Cup XC circuit this year. That includes Luca Martin, who rode them to multiple World Cup victories, podiums, and the overall XCC and XCO titles. When WTB says World Cup-proven, that’s what they mean.

One of WTB’s main talking points for the 7X hubs is the DLC (Diamond-Like Coating) on its ratchets. This reportedly increases the ratchet’s hardness while also significantly reducing friction compared to hard-plated chrome. Additionally, the inner ratchet ring uses a patent-pending splined interface, instead of threads, which is claimed to withstand twice the torque of threaded designs and makes it easier to service. It isn’t specified in our press materials, but we count 36 teeth on those DLC ratchets, which results in 10 degrees between engagement points.

On top of that, WTB says it uses “larger-than-typical” Enduro bearings throughout, including the freehub, which it claims increases the load rating per bearing by up to 38%. The stated benefits of this are a stiffer axle assembly, greater reliability, and longer service intervals.

The Frequency 7X hubs are designed for use with straight-pull spokes and centerlock brake rotors. They come in regular Boost 15x110mm / 12x148mm axle spacing only, with options for SRAM XDR and Shimano Micro Spline freehub bodies.

Lightweight Carbon Rims

Light is in the name of the new CMR Light wheelset, and WTB designed a purpose-built lightweight carbon rim for the application. According to WTB, it has been engineered to deliver strength, stiffness, and impact resistance while also balancing small-bump compliance and precise, responsive handling.

Like most modern mountain bike rims, the CMR Light has a 30mm internal width optimized for today’s tire width and profiles. It has a hookless bead and a wide bead top to help reduce the chances of pinch flats. Each rim has 24 spoke holes with external reinforcement and 4D spoke drillings to optimize load distribution. Of course, the rims also include WTB’s patented TCS technology for reliable tubeless performance.

Lightweight Design

According to WTB, the complete CMR Light i30 wheelset weighs in at 1,300 grams (front: 609g, rear: 691g), including valves and rim tape. While there are obviously lighter XC wheelsets on the market, that’s still pretty light and competitive with similar high-performance models like DT Swiss’s XRC 1200 Spline (1,303 grams), for example.

Specs

Rim: Carbon
Size: 29” only
Internal rim width: 30mm
Spoke count: 24, straight-pull
Hub: Frequency 7X w/ DLC ratchets
Rotor Interface: Centerlock
Freehub bodies: SRAM XD, Shimano Micro Spline
Weight: 1,300 grams (front: 609g, rear: 691g)

Ride With Confidence

Like its other carbon rims, WTB backs the new CMR Light with its Ride With Confidence Guarantee. “If you break a WTB carbon rim while riding, as long as you’re the original owner, we’ll send you a replacement for free. No exceptions.”

Pricing

USD: Front $850 /Rear $950 / Wheelset $1,800
EUR: Front €727.45 /Rear €822.45 / Wheelset €1,549.90
GBP: Front £609.50 /Rear £689.50 / Wheelset £1,299

Availability

The new CMR Light wheels are available directly from the brand or through authorized North American and European WTB dealers. Head to the WTB website to learn more or find a dealer near you.

wtb.com

Smart cycling tech just got a whole lot smarter

2026-10-22T16:17:19.000Z

Cyclist
Smart cycling tech just got a whole lot smarter

Since its inception in December 2015, Chinese-based cycling brand Magene has blazed a trail in forward-thinking smart devices and cycling technology, making our rides more convenient and helping us push the boundaries of performance.

The level of trust placed in the company’s products has even led to its sponsorship of numerous UCI Continental squads as well being a team partner of UCI WorldTeam XDS Astana since early 2026, supplying technical support and products to a team racing at the highest level. And now, with a comprehensive overhaul of its global identity, the brand is not only refreshing its appearance but also continuing to push the boundaries of technological development.

The story so far

This rebrand builds on more than a decade of growth and innovation. Founded in 2015, Magene has been dedicated to smart cycling technology, with a comprehensive portfolio spanning smart GPS computers, smart trainers, power meters, sensors and smart lights. Together, these products provide connected solutions for a wide range of indoor and outdoor riding needs. As Magene continues to grow, the brand is expanding its presence in international markets and further strengthening its position as a professional smart cycling brand you really need to know about.

But the rebrand goes beyond simply a refreshed visual identity. Magene is focused on continuing to advance its brand philosophy, product technology, and customer experience, marking the beginning of a new chapter in its development.

The vision

Through a unified brand identity, Magene aims to strengthen its connection with cycling around the world. And, as discerning cyclists familiar with the early days of a certain grey-and-pink UK kit brand, or visitors to certain bright orange-branded virtual cycling worlds, know, this starts with colour.

Magene’s refreshed colour system retains what the brand calls ‘Energy Orange’ as its brand signature (which embodies the spirit of competition), alongside ‘Performance Blue’ to signify professionalism and precision. The core palette is completed with low-saturation, neutral tones which they’ve dubbed ‘Elite Grey’ and ‘Metallic Silver’. In terms of visual style, it’s a purposefully restrained choice of tones which – alongside a simplified design – the brand says ‘returns to an authentic experience and strengthens users’ perception of professional performance’.

The thinking behind the brand’s new logo also comes from a considered approach. Now featuring the company’s name in capital letters, the italicisation of the custom typeface is designed to convey a sense of speed, dynamic energy, and movement.

Forging onwards

The future is bright for Magene. Beyond the fact that its rebrand will no doubt strengthen brand recognition, understanding, and consumer trust across the world, the job of continuing to develop and refine its products continues at full pace. At its heart, Magene aims to deliver better solutions for cyclists, with intelligent products designed for all scenarios. And this will only be enhanced with its pro cycling connections.

The brand’s newly formed bond with UCI WorldTeam XDS Astana involves the supply of smart GPS bike computers, smart trainers, smart radar tail lights and heart rate sensors. By getting these products on the bikes of riders competing at the top of their game, Magene will receive invaluable feedback from pro racers – as well as race data and product testing insights – that will directly influence product development.

Backing up the rebranding of Magene with products that are proven on the world stage, as well as with internal R&D innovation, will not only improve the overall user experience but also strengthen the position of this exciting brand across the globe.

To learn more about Magene’s products, visit www.magene.com

The post Smart cycling tech just got a whole lot smarter appeared first on Cyclist.

Competition: Win a set of Scribe Gravel Ultra wheels worth £999

2026-10-22T16:13:34.000Z

Cyclist
Competition: Win a set of Scribe Gravel Ultra wheels worth £999

We’re giving you, our loyal readers, the chance to win a set of lightweight Scribe Gravel Ultra Steel Spoke wheels worth £999.

The Gravel Ultra wheels are designed for speed, resilience and real-world performance, weighing just 1,390g, providing support for heavier race and adventure setups and reducing aerodynamic drag and rolling resistance for off-road speed.

With a combination of T1000, T1100, T700 and T900 carbon fibres, Scribe has managed to minimise weight while also improving compliance and keeping structural durability when impacts are unavoidable.

The hooked rims have a 30mm internal width, to provide the choice of adding more stable, wider tyres, and they’re built with Scribe’s ULTRA J-bend hub, with a 45-tooth ratchet drive system and ceramic bearings for maximum efficiency. This pair have been assembled by hand with Alpina Ultralite Aero Stainless Steel spokes to balance strength, responsiveness and light weight.

To be in with a chance of winning, write the answer to the question below in the form before Sunday 25th October 2026.

What is the claimed weight of the Scribe Gravel Ultra Steel Spokes wheelset?

A. 1,390g
B. 1,400g
C. 1,500g

Please write the correct answer in the form below.

First Name

Last Name

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Country^*

Post Code^*

Answer^*

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To find out more about the Scribe Gravel Ultra Steel Spokes 700c wheelset, visit scribec y cling.com

The post Competition: Win a set of Scribe Gravel Ultra wheels worth £999 appeared first on Cyclist.

Exploring San Marino on 6 Different MAHLE e-Bikes

2026-10-22T16:00:48.000Z

Shoddy Dave takes on a big ride in Italy with the help of six lightweight e-bikes, all powered by MAHLE motors.

Read the full article at Exploring San Marino on 6 Different MAHLE e-Bikes on Velo.

BlackHeart Bike Co Road Ti

2026-10-22T16:00:24.000Z

Today, BlackHeart Bike Co. introduces the new evolution of Road Ti. A reflection of modern carbon aesthetics in a metal form, built to last. The latest version brings over the 3D-printed details that make a difference, first introduced on the Road Plus Ti earlier this year, making BlackHeart’s Road Ti a fast, refined road bike…

Road Ti Details

The ride stays true to the original. Premium 3/2.5 double-butted titanium tubing and dropped, slightly curved seatstays deliver a smooth yet snappy ride, while a kammtail downtube, one-piece carbon cockpit, and fully integrated cabling give little away to the fastest bikes on the road, regardless of material. Pro fit geometry keeps the handling quick and sharp. It carries forward the ride characteristics that earned the previous Road Ti Cyclingworld Europe’s 2024 Best Race Bike award, now paired with a more refined, modern platform.

The same thoughtful 3D-printed frame elements found on the Road Plus Ti, named one of Bicycling Magazine’s 2026 Best Bikes, now come to the Road Ti. A seamless seat tube cutout adds tire clearance and room for fenders. The T47-68 bottom bracket shell features a lower channel with a retaining clip for cleaner brake hose routing, while a solid brake mount with a self-guiding hose port makes building and servicing the bike simpler.

Finishing

Each frame is reamed, chased, and faced at the factory, ensuring it is build-ready straight out of the box. Consistent with the entire BlackHeart line, the Road Ti is backed by a lifetime warranty against manufacturing defects for the original owner.

In collaboration with ENVE, SRAM and Zipp, signature launch editions are now also available.

BlackHeart Road Ti Geo

BlackHeart also offers its Perfect Fit Program to help riders get it right the first time. Riders can book a free 30-minute 1:1 consultation with the team to dial in size, build spec, and geometry, using their own measurements and current bike as a reference point. It’s part of a human-first approach to customer service, backed by a fit guarantee: if a rider who completed the Perfect Fit Program is unhappy with their size, BlackHeart covers shipping to swap it for a different frame size.

Road Ti Specs

BlackHeart Road Ti Frameset – $3,499
- Includes frame, ENVE fork, seatpost, headset
- +$300 for custom fork paint – we can match any automotive paint available BlackHeart Road Ti Signature Builds – starting from $5,799
- Includes BlackHeart Carbon barstem, SRAM Rival AXS or Shimano 105 Di2 groupset, and Hunt Allroad Alloy wheels.
BlackHeart Road Ti ENVE Edition – $13,749
- SRAM Red AXS 2X Power groupset, ENVE SES Aero Pro barstem V2, ENVE SES 4.5 Pro Carbon wheelset, ENVE Carbon seatpost,
- CeramicSpeed Alpha BB
- Size 56 = 17 lbs 0 oz
- BlackHeart Road Ti Zipp Edition – $13,499
- SRAM Red AXS 2X Power groupset, Zipp SL 80 Race Carbon Handlebar with Zipp SL Service Course Alloy stem, Zipp 202 NSW wheelset,
- BlackHeart Carbon seatpost, CeramicSpeed Alpha BB
- Size 56 = 16 lbs 12 oz
Available in 9 sizes to fit riders from 5’0″ to 6’7’
Tire clearance up to 700x35mm (with fenders)
100% recyclable premium 3/2.5 double-butted titanium tubing
3D-printed details carried over from the Road Plus Ti for real-world usability Removable direct mount front derailleur hanger
Cane Creek HCR headset, T47-68 bottom bracket, Round 31.6mm seatpost, UDH
2x/1x electronic

The new Road Ti will be in stock in November at blackheartbikeco.com and through BlackHeart’s growing dealer network.

The post BlackHeart Bike Co Road Ti appeared first on The Radavist.

BlackHeart Updates the Road Ti with 3D-Printed Details from the Road Plus Ti

2026-10-22T16:00:00.000Z

Truckee, California’s BlackHeart Bike Co. just rolled out an updated Road Ti. This time, the titanium frame reflects a subtle carbon aesthetic with new 3D-printed highlights. But the 3/2.5 double-butted titanium, dropped and slightly curved seatstays, and pro-fit geometry mean that the titanium ride character stays. That formula helped the previous version grab Cyclingworld Europe’s 2024 Best Race Bike award. So yeah, leaving that part alone is a defensible call.

(Photos / BlackHeart Bike Co.)

The Road Ti’s new 3D-printed details, which originally debuted on the Road Plus Ti earlier this year, trickle down to the new Road Ti. You get a seamless seat tube cutout for extra tire clearance and fender room. The main difference between the two? The Road Ti fits up to 35mm tires with fenders. The Road Plus Ti fits up to 42mm. There are other differences, but start there.

Also, a T47-68 bottom bracket shell with a lower channel and retaining clip for tidier brake hose routing, and a solid brake mount with a self-guiding hose port. Some of these features could lead to fewer colorful words in the garage when you’re building or servicing this beaut.

ENVE Edition

Race Bike Checklist

The rest reads like a modern race-bike checklist: kammtail downtube, one-piece carbon cockpit, and fully integrated cabling. BlackHeart says it gives little away to the fastest bikes on the road, regardless of material.

Frames are reamed, chased, and faced at the factory, so your mechanic doesn’t have to do it. The lifetime warranty against manufacturing defects covers the original owner.

BlackHeart Road Ti Geo

Signature launch editions with ENVE, SRAM, and Zipp are also available (see below). Then there’s the Perfect Fit Program: a free 30-minute 1:1 consult on size, spec, and geometry. If you complete it and still end up unhappy with your size, BlackHeart covers shipping for a swap. That’s kind of unheard of.

Road Ti Retail & Detail

Retail: $3,499 (frameset)

Includes frame, ENVE fork, seatpost, headset
+$300 for custom fork paint – we can match any automotive paint available
Available in 9 sizes to fit riders from 5’0″ to 6’7’
Tire clearance up to 700x35mm (with fenders)
100% recyclable premium 3/2.5 double-butted titanium tubing
3D-printed details carried over from the Road Plus Ti for real-world usability
Removable direct mount front derailleur hanger
Cane Creek HCR headset, T47-68 bottom bracket, Round 31.6mm seatpost,
UDH
2x/1x electronic

BlackHeart Road Ti Signature Builds

Retail: $5,799 (starting)

Includes BlackHeart Carbon barstem, SRAM Rival AXS or Shimano 105 Di2 groupset, and Hunt Allroad Alloy wheels

BlackHeart Road Ti ENVE Edition

Retail: $13,749

SRAM Red AXS 2X Power groupset, ENVE SES Aero Pro barstem V2, ENVE SES 4.5 Pro Carbon wheelset, ENVE Carbon seatpost
CeramicSpeed Alpha BB
Size 56 = 17 lbs 0 oz

BlackHeart Road Ti Zipp Edition

Retail: $13,499

SRAM Red AXS 2X Power groupset, Zipp SL 80 Race Carbon Handlebar with Zipp SL Service Course Alloy stem, Zipp 202 NSW wheelset, BlackHeart Carbon seatpost
CeramicSpeed Alpha BB
Size 56 = 16 lbs 12 oz

The new Road Ti will be in stock in November at the link below, as well as through BlackHeart’s growing dealer network.

BlackHeartBikeCo.com

Cyclocross Explained: What It Is, How It Works, and Why You Should Try It

2026-10-22T15:03:17.000Z

What’s the sport where the riders race in the fall and love it when it’s raining and muddy? You know, the course is twisty, and they get off their bikes and run when they can’t ride? IT’S CYCLOCROSS. For most, cyclocross looks strange at first, but the more you watch, the more you get pulled in, and the more you want to try it yourself.

You might be noticing some #crossiscoming hashtags, or seeing your riding friends posting about or looking for tubular or tubeless 33mm tires, parts for cantilever brakes or 140mm rotors. The leaves changing colors, and those questions are all signs that it’s indeed cyclocross season. But if you don’t know that #crossiscoming, or you’re simply asking ‘what is cyclocross?’ Let us get you caught up and into the fold of the greatest (I might be biased here) cycling discipline of them all.

(Photo/Pinarello)

#CROSSISHERE

Cyclocross, usually shortened to CX or just “‘cross,” is a fall-and-winter bike racing discipline that sits somewhere between road, gravel, and mountain biking. It’s tough to explain it like that, because it was around before mountain biking and gravel…but I’m gonna stop while I’m ahead.

The races are short, hard, and held on closed courses that mix grass, dirt, pavement, mud, sand, stairs, steep hills, and barriers (planks). It’s bike racing with fewer tactics than road, less speed than crits, more/less running than anyone wants to admit, and a much higher chance of ending the day with mud in your ears.

Plus, it’s one of the easiest forms of bike racing to try.

(Photo/Markus Greber/Stevens)

What Is a Cyclocross Race?

A cyclocross race takes place on a short lap, usually in a park, field, fairground, school campus, or any venue with enough open space and terrain to make things awkward and highlight bike handling. Riders follow the same loop repeatedly, usually marked with tape, stakes, cones, and fencing.

Races are timed and start with a mass-start sprint for the field. Beginner races are often around 30 minutes. Faster amateur (Category 3/4) fields may race 40-50 minutes. Elite (Category 1/2) races usually run close to an hour. Officials watch lap times, decide the number of laps based on the current times, and then put out lap cards near the finish: three to go, two to go, one to go/bell lap.

(Photo/KTM)

That part is an important and distinct part of cyclocross racing. You are not racing a fixed number of laps from the start. You race until the officials decide how many laps fit the time. Then you try to survive the bell lap without letting anyone overtake you, or you decide to make your move.

(Photo/Cory Benson)

What Makes the Course Different?

A good cyclocross course isn’t just a dirt loop or a grass crit; it has challenging features and varied terrain.

For a typical race, you might start on pavement, dive into grass, hit a tight turn, run over barriers, remount, cross a bumpy field, ride through sand, climb a hill, brake into an off-camber corner, then do it again. Some laps include pedaling and driving sections in between, but they’re usually action-packed. The lap is short enough that spectators can see riders multiple times, but hard (and long) enough that every lap feels different once fatigue shows up. Think of a lap as anywhere from 7-10 minutes depending on conditions and rider.

(Photo/Markus Greber/Stevens)

The course changes during the day. The morning grass is slick and dries out later in the day. The mud gets deeper, ruts form, and the sand gets choppy. The line that worked in warmups might be gone by lap three.

That is why cyclocross is not only about fitness. Power matters, but so do carrying speed, choosing lines, braking early, clipping in quickly, and staying calm when the bike starts moving sideways, which pays off big time.

(Photo/Canyon)

Why Do Riders Get Off the Bike?

Because some sections are faster on foot. Cyclocross courses can include wooden/natural barriers, stairs, steep run-ups, deep mud, or sand pits. Riders dismount before the obstacle, lift or shoulder the bike, run through the section, remount, and start pedaling again.

It looks hard, because at first, it is. But it’s also one of the easiest parts of the sport to learn. You don’t need to bunny-hop barriers or look smooth in your first race. You need to dismount safely, move through the obstacle, and remount without taking out the rider behind you. A good dismount/remount comes from practice and experience, which you’ll gain by staying in the sport. Smooth comes later. Safe comes first.

(Photo/Cory Benson)

What Bike Do You Need For Cyclocross?

You don’t need a dedicated cyclocross bike to start. A gravel bike works well, and some beginner fields also allow mountain bikes. The main thing is checking the rules for your event. At higher-level cyclocross races, the UCI-only field limits tires to 33mm. At many local beginner races, promoters may be more relaxed, but do not assume. Read the tech guide or ask before race day.

(Photo/Jordan Villella)

The best first upgrade is tires. A true cyclocross tire changes the bike more than almost anything else. File treads are fast on dry grass and hardpack. Mud tires are for proper slop, and the Grifo tread is best for everything in between. (Check out our Cyclocross Tire Guide for all the CX tire info) If you only want one set, start with an intermediate tread; the Challenge Grifo or the Dugast Typhoon is perfect. It won’t be the key tread for every weekend, but it will work in most conditions.

(Photo/Cory Benson)

How Does the Start Work?

Cyclocross starts are fast and messy. It’s like XCO racing, but usually with a short sprint to the course’s pinch point, where positioning matters. Riders line up by category, series points, registration order, call-up ranking, or whatever system the promoter uses. Then the whistle blows, and everyone sprints toward the first corner.

For a beginner, the best advice is simple: start hard, but not stupid. It is easy to get caught up in the sprint and blow the doors off yourself in the first two minutes. A cyclocross race might be shorter than a gravel race, but it is still long enough to punish bad pacing.

Ride the first lap under control. Find your rhythm. Then start picking people off – what I like to call “A PAC-MAN Ride”.

If this dude is in your race, watch out! (Photo/Pinarello)

What Category Should You Race?

Start in the beginner or novice field.

Don’t worry about how strong you are on group rides or in other disciplines. Cyclocross has its own rhythm, and the first few races are about learning the sport. You’ll learn what the start feels like, how to pre-ride, how to pass, where to run, how to remount, and how much tire pressure you can get away with. Watts are useless unless you can use them because you can’t stay on your bike.

(Photo/Speedvagen)

Masters, juniors, singlespeed, open, and category-based fields are common, depending on the race. Some local events are very structured. Others are more relaxed. The promoter’s registration page will usually explain the options.

When in doubt, race beginner. Nobody gets a prize for entering a category too high and hating every minute. Cyclocross racing should be fun; good competition is part of it.

UCI Cyclocross World Championships (Photo/Easton)

How to Watch Cyclocross

Cyclocross is one of the best cycling disciplines to watch live because the course is compact. You can stand at the barriers, walk to the run-up, catch the leaders again by the sand pit, then make it back to the finish before the bell lap.

Bring boots, a jacket, and low expectations for staying clean.

For televised racing, start with the big European races. Look for the World Cups, Superprestige, X2O Trofee, national championships, and the World Championships. You can find most of them on FLOBikes or on UCI replays on YouTube. Belgium and the Netherlands are the sport’s center, and the atmosphere is exactly what cyclocross should be: loud, muddy, packed with fans/frites, and slightly unhinged – like a good concert.

(Photo/FELT)

Streaming Cyclocross Races

Broadcast rights change by country, but in the U.S. and Canada, FloBikes has carried much of the major cyclocross coverage. In Europe, races often appear through Eurosport, Discovery+, HBO Max, national broadcasters, or race-specific streams. The UCI also lists viewing options for major events, but geo-blocking is common, so get familiar with TunnelBear or a VPN of your choice.

The pro race shows the sport at full speed. The local race shows why people actually fall in love with it.

Find local races and cool weekly practices on Bikereg.com

How to Find a Local Race

The easiest place to start is BikeReg. Search “cyclocross” and your region. USA Cycling’s event calendar also lists sanctioned races. “Bike Races Near Me” can help if you are just trying to see what is nearby.

Local bike shops are often even better. A small group of promoters, clubs, shops, and volunteers often builds cyclocross scenes and knows every venue within driving distance. Ask your local shop; they have the real knowledge. Search for regional CX series. Look for weeknight practices. Those practice nights are gold for beginners or anyone looking to work on the basics.

Useful search terms:

“cyclocross near me”
“CX series” plus your city
“BikeReg cyclocross”
“USA Cycling cyclocross calendar”
“cyclocross practice” plus your region

A local practice is the best way to learn the local scene, dismounts, remounts, starts, and cornering, without the pressure of a number pinned to your side.

(Photo/Cory Benson)

What to Bring to Your First Race

The cyclocross first-timer shortlist: Bring your bike, two pairs of kit (warm-up and race), a helmet, cycling shoes you can run in, a pump, a reliable pressure gauge, water, snacks, clean clothes, a towel, and a trash bag for muddy kit.

When arriving at the race: Arrive early. Pick up your number, high-five your friends or make new ones. Hit the Porta-John. Ask when the course opens for pre-ride, then get ready. Ride one lap slowly to see the course. Ride another lap at speed where it is safe. Note the features and critical “bottleneck” points for the start and passing. Plan where to recover on the course and where to give it the beans – get ready to rock and roll.

Do not make major changes five minutes before the start. That rarely ends well.

Portland, OR, 2016-Single-Speed Cyclocross World Championships. (Photo by Rob Kerr.)

Why Cyclocross Is Worth Trying

Cyclocross is hard, but it is not precious. You can race badly and still have fun or get lapped and still learn something. You can slide out, roll at tire, miss a pedal, and still have people cheering because everyone knows cyclocross is about the effort, giving it your all, and respecting the craft.

Racing cyclocross makes you a better rider; there is no question about that. You learn bike handling, cornering, braking, pacing, line choice, and above all, how to persevere in adverse conditions.

For beginners, it is one of the best entry points into bike racing. The races are short, and the courses are closed. The community is usually friendly and easy to break into. Spectators can actually see the race. And when it goes wrong, which it will, it usually makes a better story.

That’s cyclocross. Mud, grass, tape, barriers, bad starts, good heckles, and one more lap than you wanted.

Try it once. You’ll probably be terrible, then you’ll probably sign up again.

Did we miss something?
Do you have more to add?
Do you race and have advice or good heckles?

Let us know in the comments!

Tour de France 2027 full route revealed with 71km of time-trials and 3 summit finishes

2026-10-22T15:01:54.000Z

Cyclist
Tour de France 2027 full route revealed with 71km of time-trials and 3 summit finishes

The 2026 season might have just come to a close, but the wheels are already in motion for 2027 now that the route for the 114th Tour de Fance has now out been unveiled.

As revealed last spring, Great Britain will host the Tour de France Grand Départ for the third time, starting from Friday 2nd July 2027. On this occasion, it will be a cross-border affair, with Scotland hosting first before passing the rights onto England then Wales.

Once in France, the riders will face a string of sprints and punchy profiles in Normandy and the Loire Valley before facing the race’s first mountaintop finish atop the Grand Colombier. The Alps will follow, with summit just the one summit finish expected in the range in the second week. The Pyrenees will host the race’s final GC battles, with a return to the high-altitude Col du Portet tabled before a return to Paris and the much-loved Butte Montmarte loop.

Only three summit finishes will feature at next year’s race. Instead, time-trialling is expected to play a bigger role in the GC picture, as a whopping 71km against the clock makes its way into the final route – the most seen at a Tour since 2012.

Tour de France 2027 key information

Xavier Pereyron

Dates: Friday 2nd July to Sunday 25th July 2027
Grand Départ: Edinburgh, Scotland
Finale: Paris (Champs-Élysées), France
Stage profiles: 7 flat, 6 hilly, 6 mountains including 3 summit finishes, 2 individual time-trials, 3 rest days
Mountain ranges: Jura, Alps, Massif Central, Pyrenees
Total prize money: €2.3 million, including €500,000 for yellow jersey winner
Live television coverage: TNT Sports, HBO Max, TG4, S4C, NBC/Peacock, SBS, Sky Sport, Eurosport, France Televisions
2025 winner: Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates-XRG)
Most overall wins: 5 – Jacques Anquetil, Bernard Hinault, Miguel Indurain, Eddy Merckx, Tadej Pogačar
Most stage wins: 35 – Mark Cavendish

Tour de France 2027 route

The Grand Départ will hit British shores on Friday 2nd July, when the 114th edition will get started in Edinburgh. From the city’s Royal Mile, the Tour will head southward into England, with a stage finish in Cumbria before visiting Liverpool on day two. The third and final British stage could pose a threat in the GC, as the riders tackle the Welsh valleys before taking the P&O across to Normandy.

The first week will offer something for everyone, with a mix of punchy and sprint stages as the race follows the Loire eastward across France, although a 38km-long ITT to Chambord could prove the most pivotal in the fight for the yellow jersey.

The race’s first summit finish comes on Stage 9, when the peloton reach the Grand Colombier. That’ll preface a two-day stint in the Alps, characterised by a warm-up for the World Championships in Haute-Savoie before another summit finish at Les Saisies.

The climbing then takes a pause for a few stages in order to navigate across Provence and Languedoc, where the next GC duels could arrive on the way to Mende during Stage 14.

After a final rest day, the riders will reach for the TT bikes again in Toulouse before a final sprinkling of mountains in the Pyrenees. That’s where the Queen Stage will come into frame, taking the riders up to the race’s highest point, the Col du Portet. If that hasn’t decided the outcome, there’s one last day in the Pyrenees before a transitional stage takes us closer to Paris, where Montmartre will feature once again.

Now, for the stats. There’s a total of seven flat stages, six deemed to be hilly, six in the mountains, three of which finishing at altitude. That leaves the two individuall time-trials, which total over 70km, the highest number at a Tour in 15 years. Your move, Remco.

Tour de France 2027 previews for every stage

Stage 1: Friday 2nd July, Edinburgh – Carlisle

There are no suprises to be found in the opening three stages. The routes for this British section have been known for some time now.

Nonetheless, Edinburgh has been handed the rights to host both the Team Presentation, set to take place outside Edinburgh Castle, and the opening stage.

From the Scottish capital, which will become the most northerly city to ever host the Tour de France, the course will head southwards, cutting through the Borders and Pentland Hills. There, the race will hand out its first KOM points before crossing Hadrian’s Wall and heading into Cumbria, where the stage concludes in a probable sprint in Carlisle.

Stage 2: Saturday 3rd July, Keswick – Liverpool

The second stage starts in in Kewsick, right in the heart of the Lake District. This stage, which takes place solely in England, then heads out of Cumbria and into Lancashire via the county town. There are a few bumps around the Forest of Bowland before sweeping down into Merseyside, where a sprint is expected on Liverpool’s Strand, right by the city’s infamous Three Graces.

Stage 3: Sunday 4th July, Welshpool – Cardiff

The final stage on British shores – at the men’s race – takes the riders into Wales, starting from Welshpool. From mid-Wales, the race heads southwards and into the Brecon Beacons on a profile that tables over 3,000m of climbing. The climb to Caerphilly, named the Côte de Caerfilli for the Tour, will be the final ramp before diving down into the Welsh capital.

Stage 4: Tuesday 6th July, Cherbourg-en-Cotentin – Cherbourg-en-Cotentin

After a rest day, the Tour picks up where it left off on French soil, albeit in its most northerly flank in Normandy, right at the tip of the Cotentin peninsula. It’s the 1,000 year anniversary of Normandy’s William the Conqueror’s birth, after all.

As for the stage, the loop aroundd the peninsula offers some punchy ramps. The approach to the line in Cherbourg will be a false flat, similar to the one featured when the city played host to the Tour de France back in 2016.

Stage 5: Wednesday 7th July, Pontorson – Plumelec

The fifth stage moves into Brittany, where a hilly finale is expected after passing through Tour de France champion Louison Bobet’s hometown. The finale offers a double-ascent of the Côte de Cadoual near Plumelec, last used as a stage finish on the Tour back in 2008.

Stage 6: Thursday 8th July, Vannes – Angers

From the Atlantic coast, the sixth stage gives the sprinters a chance, possibly their first on French soil.

Angers hosted a stage finish at the Tour de France Femmes in 2025, but it hasn’t hosted the men’s race for some years now. Home to old Anjou dynasty, the city is surrounded by flatland, so expect a sprint by the city’s medeival castle.

Stage 7: Friday 9th July, Blois – Chambord (ITT)

The race’s first time-trial is set to be a royal affair in the Loire Valley, taking riders on a 38km-long course from from Blois to Chambord. It’s the longest time-trial we’ve seen so early in a Tour, so it’ll give plenty of chances to gawk at the wealth of castles in this corner of western France.

The Château de Chambord last hosted a Tour de France stage in 2005, but it’s more known for its blackberry-flavoured liquor, which bears its name.

Stage 8: Saturday 10th July, Bourges – Le Creusot

According to race director Christian Prudhomme, the eighth stage ‘will inspire the audacious’. That tagline is perhaps down to the long 224km length and the five classified climbs are expected in the finale, including the Signal d’Urchon, last featured in 2021 on a stage won by Matej Mohorič.

Stage 9: Sunday 11th July, Villars-les-Dombes – Grand Colombier

The race’s first summit finish comes at the end of week one, when the race heads into the Ain. Starting at the Villars-les-Dombes Bird Park, the peloton will cross the département in the direction of the lower Jura mountains, where they will face a mountainous finale in the Bugey. The 17km-long climb is steady in gradient, providing a real challenge at the end of a week set for some GC switch-ups.

The Grand Colombier has hosted two summit finishes at recent Tours de France in 2020 and 2023. Recently, it was visited by Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, when Isaac del Toro took the honours. Next year, it could be the turn of Paul Seixas, who grew up nearby to the so-called ‘Pyramid of the Bugey’.

Stage 10: Tuesday 13th July, Annecy – Sallanches

After a second rest day, the Tour restarts on the banks of Lake Annecy.

With 3,750m of elevation, the tenth stage will be a looped Alpine affair. This will give us a taster of the UCI Road World championships, which follow the same finale the following month. More specifically, it’ll give us a chance to see how the riders fare on the Côte de Domancy, which is will be integral to both races’ outcomes.

Stage 11: Wednesday 14th July, Cluses – Les Saisies

Stage 11 resembles a more traditional Alpine stage, despite its usage of new climbs. Yes, after almost 4,000m of climbing, the Tour will visit Les Saisies for the first time via the Montée de Bisanne (12.4km at 8.3%).

This is the stage selected to host the Étape du Tour sportive the weekend prior to the Tour’s arrival. For those brave enough, it’ll take place on Sunday 11th July.

Stage 12: Thursday 15th July, Chambéry – Valence

Stage 12 takes riders out of the mountains southwestwards. Despite the nearby peaks, the stage will be very flat. That said, there’s the chance that the course will be exposed to wind toward the run into Valence.

Spinters often win in Valence, nicknamed ‘gateway to the south’. André Greipel, Peter Sagan, Mark Cavendish and most recently Jonathan Milan have struck gold here.

Stage 13: Friday 16th July, Aubenas – Montpellier

The Tour makes a a return to the medeival town of Aubenas last used in 2009. From there, the race will head toward the Mediterranean, with a sprint expcted in Montepellier.

Stage 14: Saturday 17th July, Montpellier – Mende

From Montpellier, the race enters a pocket of mountains rarely visited by the Tour de France.

The profile is constantly rolling, totalling over 4,000m of elevation gain through the Languedoc peaks. The finale is a little more familiar though. The Côte la Croix Neuve has featured on several recent Tours, most recently in 2022.

Stage 15: Sunday 18th July, Rodez – Albi

Week two closes with a rolling stage that could be built for the breakaway.

The final 50km or so follow a stage used by the Tour de France Femmes in 2023, won by Ricarda Bauernfeiund from the escape group. The last time the men’s race visited however, it was Wout van Aert who took the day.

Stage 16: Tuesday 20th July, Toulouse – Toulouse (ITT)

Toulouse, known as ‘the pink city’, has been included in the Tour since its first edition in 1903. It has never hosted a time-trial, however. That’s set to change next summer as Toulouse plays host to a 33km-long race against the clock.

The stage is mostly flat, apart from the Côte de Pech David, used at the 2025 race. After taming its gradients, which reach a maximum of 20%, a technical finish will spit the riders out in the city centre for a final run to the line.

Stage 17: Wednesday 21st July, Muret – Pau

What’s a Tour de France without a visit to Pau? This place always finds its way onto a Tour route, and in 2027 it’s likely to host a sprint finish.

Stage 18: Thursday 22nd July, Pau – Saint-Lary-Soulan Col de Portet

Christian Prudhomme has described this stage as the hardest of this Tour de France. That’s for good reason, as it clocks up a total of 5,400m of elevation gain.

After hitting the first climb, there’s very little flatland. From there, we tick off Pyrenean classics, including the Tourmalet and Hourquette d’Ancizan. The final challenge however takes the riders to this edition’s highest point: the Col du Portet.

The Col du Portet is one of the toughest and highest mountains you can find in the Pyrenees, at an 8.7% average gradient over its 16km ascent. The col has hosted the Tour twice in the past decade, most recently in 2021, when Tadej Pogačar won atop the 2,215m-high pass in the yellow jersey.

Stage 19: Friday 23rd July, Hasparren – Laruns

The final mountain stage begins in the French Basque Country. In Basque fashion, we’re straight into the hills, with a double-whammy described by Christian Prudhomme as ‘a Basque Col de la Croix de Fer’.

After the Col du Soudet, the peloton will simmer before the steep test up the Col de Marie Blanque. The summit is 18km from the finish, so any attacks there could prove decisive in the final fight for GC positions.

The finishing town of Laruns has become a staple in recent years. It was conquered by the Slovenians, with Primož Roglič and Tadej Pogačar victorious here in 2018 and 2020 respectively. Most recently, Jai Hindley took the honours, and the yellow jersey, on the back of a Marie Blanque-Laruns finish.

Stage 20: Saturday 24th July, Maubourget – Libourne

After the Pyrenees, the Tour will return to flatland on Stage 20. Why? I’m not sure.

Stage 21: Sunday 25th July, Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines – Paris (Champs-Élysées)

We can only hope the Tour is still in play by the time the peloton reaches the national velodrome in Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, where the final stage sets off.

As has now become customary, the race will head into Paris to first tackle four flat laps of the Champs-Elysées before heading up to Montmartre for three laps up the Rue Lepic.

The post Tour de France 2027 full route revealed with 71km of time-trials and 3 summit finishes appeared first on Cyclist.

Cane Creek Invert Tuxedo: Limited Edition Gravel Suspension

2026-10-22T14:00:53.000Z

The Cane Creek Invert, now in a handsome white-and-champagne colorway for a limited-edition release dubbed “Tuxedo.” While the normal Invert might fit in at a black-tie gala, the limited-edition version is sure to steal the show. Read below for all the well-dressed details.

Invert is the most fun you’ve ever had on gravel. It smoothes your ride and gives unbelievable control so you can relax into rough roads, loose turns, and steep descents. It’s surprisingly lightweight, easy to live with, and will help you unlock speed and comfort you never thought possible. This is the suspension fork that gravel bikes have been waiting for.

Beneath the Tuxedo is the Invert CS, with 40 mm or 30 mm of fork travel and a Climb Switch. When clicked, the climb switch dramatically reduces the amount of fork movement for pedaling out of the saddle. The Climb Switch button is inspired by the simple click of a pen and is as satisfying to click as the feature is to use.

This limited edition pairs a gloss white upper with ‘champagne’ natural, hard anodized lower legs and black accents. Only 50 will be made. Each is hand-built in Fletcher, NC.

See the Invert Tuxedo at Cane Creek.

The post Cane Creek Invert Tuxedo: Limited Edition Gravel Suspension appeared first on The Radavist.

When a Lot of Trees Fall in the Woods, OMM Makes “Second Growth” Bikepacking Video of Alex Schultz

2026-10-22T13:59:19.000Z

Hot on the heels of the release of the updated Axle Pack, Old Man Mountain (OMM) launches a new film. OMM employees Erich Weidenkeller and Zach Emerson recently spent a week out of sight, hiding in the Oregon woods. Why, you ask? Well, they were tracking Alex Schultz, a member of Old Man Mountain’s Experimental Bikepacking Team. They were tracking him down to film his winning run of the 2026 Oregon Timber Trail, and wanted to do it with minimal intrusion. The result is the new film Second Growth.

(Photos / Old Man Mountain)

Paired with interviews with Alex and the race directors, as well as footage from Alex, they produced a film about conquering a trail that is battling a forest recovering from forest fire and wind storms.

Burn scar

Erich wrote a blog post that pairs nicely with the film. In it, he talks about their experience making the film. I didn’t know, and in case you didn’t as well, the Oregon Timber Trail is almost a 700-mile mountain bike trail that just about spans the state of Oregon.

I mean, it goes from the California border to the Columbia River, so yeah, pretty much the whole state.

Anywho, enough talkin’, let’s take a look at the film.

Old Man Mountain’s Second Growth

OldManMountain.com

The Best Gifts for Biking Families

2026-10-22T13:26:51.000Z

Give 'em more two-wheel fun with these eight products

Read the full article at The Best Gifts for Biking Families on Velo.

COROS Dura 2 Solar In-Depth Review: The Good, the Bad, and The Ugly

2026-10-22T13:00:34.000Z

COROS has just announced the new COROS Dura 2, a unit that more than doubles the price of the existing and now discontinued Dura 1, while still maintaining its industry-leading battery life claims. Atop that, there’s a handful of new features in here, along with a reduction of mounting hardware. I’m going to dive into everything that’s new, and more critically: Whether it actually works.

As is often the case with new products, there are both things that work super well, and things that fall short. In the case of the Dura 2, it’s not hard to figure out which things fall into which camps. So, let’s get right into it!

What’s New:

Unlike some products where you can’t tell at a glance if it’s new, there’s absolutely no denying the COROS Dura 2 is a totally different product. Heck, I’d have said it came from Motorola, not COROS. But yes, it’s both visibly new, and features-wise new. So let’s get into it:

– Completely new external design:
— Ditched the rotating Digital Crown (thank fudge!)
— Shifted solar panel to bottom of unit
— Placed two new touch areas (kinda like buttons) atop solar panel
— Added left-side button
– Added full speaker
– Added bike bell feature
– Added turn-by-turn voice prompts (e.g. Turn Left)
– Added Microphone
– Added voice control (with button held)
– Added ability to save voice pins
– Added ability to cancel manual laps
– Added power curve chart
– Added tire pressure sensor support
– Added media control page on device (e.g. to control phone music)
– Slightly revamped on-device user interface
– Revamped COROS App data page customization piece
– Increased screen size from 2.7″ to 3.5”
– Increased refresh rate to 38hz (38 times a second), claims fastest of any MIP display
– Can now do some offline re-routing (but uses/requires phone)
– Doesn’t include any mounts of any sort (even tiny cheap rubber ones)
– Price increased from $249 with mount to $549 with mount (or $499 without any mounts)
– Available to purchase November 3rd, 2026

Now, as is the trend for many products these days (Apple and Google especially), companies have shifted new features to later dates, rather than including them upfront. In this case, COROS is promising additional features coming later this year, which include:

– Will add multiple bike profile support
– Will expand support for up to 32 sensors
– Will add cycling-specific heart rate recovery metric for interval workout rest period and post-activity analysis
– Will add Campagnolo electronic drivetrain support by end of 2026

In any case, beyond all the new/coming features, here are the current battery chart claims (but see my battery section below for the real-world testing on that):

And finally, here’s all the global pricing information:

Ok, with that, let’s get into the box.

In the Box:

As you can see below, this is pretty straightforward. There’s the unit itself, a lanyard, some paper junk, and a nice braided USB-C cable. But no mounting pieces, not even cheaper rubber mounts. I’d have traded that nice braided USB-C cable for a crappier one (or none at all), and then included a pack of cheap rubber mounts.

Again, as a reminder, there are zero mounts in here. Not even simple rubber/plastic on-handlebar ones that cost pennies to make. Your best bet for finding such things is ironically a bag of Garmin mounts. You can get the Garmin-made one for $9 (pack of one), or a no-name brand pack of two for $7. I haven’t tried the no-name one in terms of durability or such, but some reviews are mixed on the long-term durability of the bands.

Either way, again, it’s ridiculous that COROS isn’t including at least one rubber-mount in the box of a $500 bike computer.

In any case, here’s the back of the unit, with the Garmin standard quarter-turn mounting hardware:

It is removable in case of breakage, which is good to see.

And for fun, here’s the thickness compared to an Edge 1050 I had handy sitting nearby at the time. They’re roughly the same length, but clearly the Dura 2 is much sleeker.

With the box bits sorted, time to ride.

The Basics:

With everything unboxed and mounted to your bike, you’re good to go. In my case, I have an existing Garmin-compatible mount on this bike, so I just placed it there. Though ironically, on my mountain bike I have a Garmin-branded out-front mount that I solidly stripped the screw on years ago and can’t exactly get removed without snapping it, so out of humor (and to make a point about lack of mount) I probably should have shot the review on that bike.

In any case, as you can see, the unit itself looks stunning. Mount-gate aside, this is one of the nicest-looking form factors out there. Some have compared it to a Motorola Razr phone in terms of styling, and I’d agree; I see some aspects of that. Either way, it looks nice case-wise.

Next then to discuss are the display, buttons, and solar touch area. Starting off with the buttons, there are two physical buttons on the side. The left-side one is purely for marking laps, though COROS says in a later firmware update it’ll allow customization there (which is good, cause right now other button functions would be helpful). Meanwhile, the right-side button is for start/stop/select.

Then, down at the bottom, you have the solar touch area. Basically, the solar piece that was on the older Dura 1 was on top, causing a larger ‘forehead’ look. Now it’s down at the bottom and feels much more natural, like other bike computers with a larger ‘chin’. Now, I’ve got a section entirely on solar/battery burn reality down below. Instead, I want to look at the buttons here. There are two pressure-sensitive buttons, which act as up/down buttons. These change menu items in menus, and then change data pages while riding.

Note these are *NOT* capacitive buttons, which means they work just fine with rain, gloves, etc. That’s because they feel for pressure. Once you get past one ride with them (in terms of the right amount of pressure), they’re good. But if sitting inside on a couch, you might press a bit too lightly and it won’t register.

But again, rain with gloves? Zero issues. For better or worse, all those Spain rainstorms you heard about in the news the last few weeks? Yup, I was out testing in the rain – zero issues on the pressure buttons.

However, that’s not the only touch surface. Then you’ve got the screen itself, which is also a touchscreen. And if you want to swipe-down from the top to access a menu, you *have* to do that with the touchscreen swipe. And when it comes to those same rains there? Not as awesome. Generally speaking, I found that with light rain, it was fine. However, as the rain got heavier, or in cases where water pooled a bit, then the touchscreen was mostly useless.

While touchscreens becoming useless is hardly a new thing in bike computers, the main difference is that most other bike computers still have the ability to get to every menu feature via buttons. The COROS Dura does not. So adjusting things like display brightness (because the automatic brightness feature doesn’t work well), or volume, or bike alarm, or system, or satellite settings, etc., can’t be done without the swipe-down, which brings you to this menu:

Which now seems like a good time to talk about screen clarity/brightness/etc. Overall, on a nice sunny day, it’s quite good. Zero issues there at all, easy to read, nice and large, and virtually identical to the screen size on the older Edge 1040 Solar (it’s a smidge shorter, but also a smidge wider…so a wash).

(Full sun on the screen, no problems!)

Meanwhile, on cloudy days, things are fine, or even in early evening, still fine. Sure, you can see below the Wahoo & Garmin units are (in automatic mode) brighter than the COROS Dura 2 even on its brightest setting, but I had no issues seeing any units here.

Where things fall apart, though, is anytime the unit is in the shade on a bright day. For example, when the sun is behind me and my body is blocking the screen. Here it’s unreadable:

And likewise, something like this, where you’re quickly in/out of the shade by trees), the screen is far dimmer than most others.

To be clear (because I know people will get all upset about things like this), you can still see the COROS Dura 2 display. And my better than 20/20 vision eyes can still read it. However, there is a difference there. Pretending there isn’t is silly.

The key thing is you’ll pay for that difference, though, in battery life. Those other units above were set to ‘Default’ auto backlight settings, so they adjust based on the outside brightness. No matter which backlight setting you choose, you’re gonna burn more battery on the Wahoo ROAM V3 & Garmin Edge x50 series than the COROS Dura 2. So again, there are trade-offs.

Ok, with that out of the way, let’s talk about sensor pairing. In terms of sensor types the Dura 2 supports, it’s got all of the following:

ANT+ & Bluetooth Heart Rate Sensors
ANT+ & Bluetooth Power Meters
ANT+ Radar
ANT+ Lights
ANT+ eBikes
ANT+ drivetrain/shifting Support (SRAM)
Bluetooth FTMS Smart Trainers
Shimano drivetrain/shifting support

Pairing up is pretty easy. Note that any other COROS wearables you have paired in your account will ‘count’ towards a limit of sensors. COROS automatically pulls these in, and they can’t be removed/disabled (which…is kinda annoying). This should be somewhat resolved in the upcoming update to increase it to 32 sensors.

Next up then is the bike bell, which follows Garmin, Hammerhead, and Wahoo in adding an electronic representation of a bike bell. To ding the bell, you just double-tap the screen. This works well enough, and the bike bell sounds like a legit bike bell.

Generally speaking, this is good, but it’s not quite as loud as the others. I measured it with a decibel meter, and it’s just slightly below each of the others. However, while the ‘tone’ of the bell is quite pleasant, it’s not a pitch/sound that travels well at the lower volumes of the speaker. Even when set to the highest volume, virtually nobody ever turned around due to the bell. Compare that to the Garmin Edge bike bell, and people in the next town turn around. While COROS probably can’t fix the overall volume, they could certainly change the pitch to make it more ‘piercing’, which might help the situation. Again, this is hardly a big deal, and I think it should be easy for COROS to tweak.

The other catch is that unlike those other units, COROS doesn’t have any SRAM/Shimano button integration. For example, in the case of the others, you can tie the extra buttons on your handlebars to the bike bell. Meaning a simple tap of the bonus button on my SRAM handlebars (near the shifters) will trigger the bike bell. No need to take your hands off the handlebars (especially when trying to navigate around people with dogs/etc.)

Meanwhile, we have to talk about voice control. The idea here is that you long-hold the lower left button down (side button), and then speak your mind. From there, the unit can perform certain tasks. But there are so many problems that the feature is beyond useless. Setting aside the fact that you need to hold a button for what should be a hands-free feature, once you do, you can ask it to do something:

And while that might work sitting at a desk pretending to do a review, it definitely does not work out on the road with any wind noise at all. Even just 15-20KPH renders the feature useless, never once correctly understanding basic things:

As you can see, even at just 15KPH here doing these test photos, it didn’t work. Let alone all the crazy things it thought I said at normal riding speeds. Only when I slowed down below 15KPH (10MPH), and slowly spoke one of the handful of phrases below, could it get it right.

But let’s pretend it did understand you. That’s still useless, because the list of commands that it actually knows/support is so limited, and so silly. It doesn’t support things like asking how much distance remains (in a route), or ascent remaining (in a route), or any number of other things that might not be easily on your current data page:

Start an activity/ride

Open navigation, End Navigation, Navigate Back to Start

Navigate to pin

Set Heart Rate Alert

Set Nutrition Alert

Media control

Control Smart Trainer Resistance/Power

Instead, it has a few leftover options from COROS watches that you just wouldn’t do via voice control. The only one that you might use is ‘Back to start’, but as you’ll see, the last thing you want your COROS Dura 2 is off-the-cuff navigation. For example, if you were to say ‘Navigate to London’, you’d literally have no idea where in London it’s navigating you to or how it’s doing that (likely the official city center, but c’mon…). Instead, voice control features should be for things you want to know but require extra swipes, or might be messy to get to/find out.

Again, as I said in the Edge 1060 piece regarding voice control, I’m not entirely sure how often I’d use voice control. Though, at least when I asked the Edge 1060 how much distance was remaining (while descending at 50KPH), it easily and correctly understood me perfectly. And I never had to take my hands off the handlebar to hold a button down either. Point being, if a company is gonna waste our money putting voice control in a bike computer, at least make it work.

Navigation & Mapping:

When it comes to navigation, the COROS Dura 2 can take an existing route and navigate it, or navigate on-demand to certain locations if your phone is connected.

In my case, I mostly navigated with routes from Strava, which synced from Strava to the COROS App, and then I had to manually push them to the COROS Dura 2 (as I’ve noted before, please, COROS, just let favorited/starred routes automatically show up on my device like every other bike computer).

Once that’s done, then you can select a route to see more details about it, as well as toggle some of the navigation settings – such as whether or not to re-route automatically.

And from there you can start navigating. The unit will give you a turn prompt 100m before a turn, which is generally OK at normal speeds, though while descending fast, it could use a bit more warning (fwiw, Garmin is 200m out). Still, unlike with the Dura 1, this actually correctly told me all my turns. Previously, the Dura 1 would often miss turns entirely, tell me to turn the wrong direction (literally, left instead of right, etc.), so this is an improvement.

The maps here are super easy to read (setting aside display brightness issues), so I’m happy with that. Likewise, I like that on the main map page, if you hang out there, it shows distance till your next turn – nice and clear (even if that’s 11.5km away).

Additionally, if approaching a climb, you’ll get notified of a climb. However, oddly, it won’t change your data page to the Climb page. Something every other bike computer does. Instead, the map page (below) gets some extra bits on the bottom showing climb status (including distance/ascent/grade remaining), and you can manually change to this page:

But there’s also the dedicated Climb page, which you can manually change to. But that incorrectly shows my distance to the start of the climb I’m already on, increasing. Huh? Why would I care about the distance to the start of the climb behind me? Show me distance remaining, ascent remaining (the ascent field below stays static), etc. Sigh.

In terms of re-routing, things get a bit rough there. To begin, whether or not it re-routes me is certainly a question – regardless of cellular coverage (remember, it can’t re-route without your phone connected, but it is able to re-route without cellular coverage). However, pretending it does successfully do so, my experience in the routes it chooses are very hit or miss. Sometimes the re-route is downright wonky.

For example, this re-route here worked perfectly fine. I missed the turn I had on my route slightly, and it was easy to catch back up at the next block. You can see it counting down the 3 seconds till it reroutes.

Yet this one below? It’s literally asking me to take a tiny trail running goat path that includes bouldering/climbing up actual cliffs above the ocean. This is the actual picture of what it wants me to do.

But all of this still assumes it actually re-routes. Yesterday on the final firmware, I went out and did some super simple tests in my neighborhood, including missing a turn. I have full cellular coverage, big simple grid streets; all it had to do was pick the next block and be done with it. Yet, it can’t. Like, it just can’t:

No matter how many times I tried, it simply failed to re-route. Which then takes it into a re-routing hell loop.

And look, I know there is a sliver of the ultra-riding population that keeps saying re-routing doesn’t matter and somehow isn’t even wanted. But for the remainder of the world (which is 99.9% of people), re-routing due to road blocks, or just missing a turn and not realizing it, is important. And while this is definitely better than Dura 1, it’s still clearly far behind what Wahoo and Garmin have had for a decade in their bike GPS units (with no phone required).

Solar & Battery:

When the going’s good, things are really good on the battery side here. But as is often the case with solar gains, it only really happens when you’ve actually got sunny days. Otherwise, the battery life is still very good, but much more in line with existing units.

Further, and most critically, there’s a simple balance here that exists between COROS Dura and other units: Other units trade battery life for a more easily viewable screen. COROS trades that screen for better battery life. This is not debatable. It’s factual, and you can see it out on the road (or…err…you can’t see it).

As a reminder, here are the battery claims:

(COROS says the claims are without any solar added)

What’s cool here is that COROS automatically tracks battery life in two ways. First is that at the system level, there’s this nifty page showing battery usage since last charge, solar gains, and so on:

I did play around with some testing in direct Mallorca sun, off the bike, and it seemed to gain about 0.5%/hour in battery life. That’d be actually quite meaningful if you just left it in the sun each day for many hours, given how little battery life it consumes per hour. Of course, that assumes you live in a vaguely sunny place.

The second area it shows you solar gains is at the end of each ride; it lists exactly your battery usage and solar gains:

From there, I can input these values into the DCR Analyzer, and it’ll show me how this tracks against other units, but also just total estimates, such as this:

So, looking at all my rides, they’re basically broken into the following categories:

Full blue-sky sunny Mediterranean conditions
Very thin clouds, but mostly sunny conditions
No sun at all, either rain, dark clouds, or night conditions

For the most part, the first two conditions are relatively similar in my testing in terms of solar gains. I just don’t see much difference there. Whereas the last one essentially removes the solar piece from the equation, and simulates UK or Netherlands mode. Thus showing what non-sunny users should expect.

Then, within that, you’ve got basically two different battery burn levels:

Without navigation (free riding)
With navigation (following a route)

When it comes to battery burn, following a route is pretty high on the list of things that drive battery burn. There are also aspects like sensor connectivity, though that tends to be quite minimal for most bike computers in terms of battery burn. In the case of all my testing, I had a simple heart rate (Bluetooth) and power (ANT+) connection to the COROS Dura 2. Sometimes I had shifting connected, but again, that’s even more negligible since data is quite infrequent there.

So with all that backstory, here’s where things stood overall on rides just focused on the last week alone:

Fully sunny blue-sky day with navigation (previous firmware, tons of solar gain): Burned ~4% in 5 hours, battery estimate of 123 hours (previous firmware)

Fully sunny blue-sky day with navigation (latest firmware, tons of solar gain): Burned 1.6% in ~50mins, battery estimate of 47 hours

Rainy day thunderstorms with navigation (no solar gain): Burned 5% in 62 mins, battery estimate of 22 hours

Overcast early evening with navigation (virtually no solar gain): Burned 1.3% in 60 minutes, battery estimate of 80 hours

Point is, things are all over the map here. There are obviously some crazy good days, like yesterday (albeit on the not-final firmware), and then we look at today with the exact same setup, and it’s half the battery life. I suspect some of that is due to orientation and length of ride. Sometimes you’re perfectly facing the sun, other times you’re blocking the sun.

When it comes to no-sun days, the battery burns a heck of a lot faster. I also have another ride that’s very similar to the 22-hour one, where I had tossed it in my back pocket (because I was riding with people). In that case, with no sun, it was estimated at 29 hours (no navigation, no sun, rainy anyways). But I typically don’t include data sets like that when they are typical usage. Still, it’s a data point in line with some of the other no-sun data points.

Still, while it can be all over the map – that map is still really good in terms of battery life. Yes, I think on the whole it falls short of COROS’s official 120-hours sans-Solar claims (since my best numbers above still required Solar). But equally, even setting aside those claims, this still has incredible battery life on most days. There’s no disputing that.

(P.S. – Relatedly, back this past summer I did a fun test comparing Dura vs the Edge 1040 Solar, might be interesting if long battery is your jam. Maybe I’ll do it again soonish.)

Accuracy (GPS & Elevation):

Good news, folks! Everything is good here across all my rides. I’m going to save you a whole lot of charts and such for the moment, and show a few quick ones from my longer 5-hour ride into the mountains, which covers lots of terrain, as well as altimeter data.

Here we can see a switchback section in the mountains, without any issues across the units.

The same goes here, again – no problems at all (and I believe this section was downhill too):

Or this section here, again, all good:

Meanwhile, a quick look at the elevation shows the COROS & Garmin units very close, though a bit of offset from Wahoo. There’s maybe a smidge of initial elevation offset from COROS in the first 10-15 minutes of the ride (it’s reading too high), but it stabilizes quickly.

Anyways, all my other rides look pretty good across the board, nearly always matching the Garmin Edge units and other barometric altimeter devices.

The Bugs:

As has been the pattern this year, companies are getting more and more iffy with their product launches. Thus, I’m going to keep hammering it here until morale…err…quality, improves. As always, my general line in the sand is that if I include a dedicated bugs section, then things were pretty rough. Whereas otherwise, I’ll pull those (usually minor) bugs into the rest of the review as needed.

In the case of COROS, they delivered an updated firmware just last night that claims to fix a number of the issues I’ve been seeing. But upon delaying my review to re-test all of the issues, they’re all still here.

My main issue here is that this is *exactly* the hot mess of a product launch Dura 1 had. Where they pushed back/delayed the production ship date (just as they did here for Dura 2) to theoretically fix issues, but in reality it took far longer for issues to actually be resolved. And none of these are ‘quirky’ hard-to-find bugs. They’re fundamental things that just don’t work.

– Voice control is entirely useless, it just can’t figure out anything you’re saying
– Constant ANT+ dropouts of sensors & phone connections
– Climb metrics just not showing useful information on the climb page (e.g., not actually showing distance remaining or ascent remaining, just showing current distance within the climb)
– Navigation re-routing rarely works properly, suggesting mountain-climbing (like with ropes) routes for cyclists
– Offline re-routing also struggles, seemingly due to the Bluetooth connection issues to the phone (even when the phone says it’s connected just fine in the COROS app)
– Strava Live Segments aren’t triggering at all for any routes, even Strava Routes (apparently by design)

Here’s an example of the ANT+ dropouts during my ride yesterday. This is with an ANT+ HR strap that was also connected to both a Wahoo & Garmin unit without issues. Further, it was totally fine until I connected a Bluetooth power meter to the head unit, then it fell apart. I re-tested this earlier this morning on final firmware, and still the same issue. If I connect via Bluetooth, then it stays fine.

(Note the drops you see at the ~2hr marker on the Garmin are when I was in a cafe, and the bike was across the street a bit)

Either way, every reputable reviewer has pointed out in their reviews reporting numerous issues with the unit, all to receive a firmware update the night prior. Note, COROS says this final firmware that I tested on above is what users are receiving in 10 days when the unit launches. Again, I’m sure some of these will be fixed eventually, but did we not learn anything from the Dura 1 launch?

Wrap-Up:

COROS has developed a very loyal fan base of users, both runners and now also a segment of the cycling population. And in particular, that segment became friends with the COROS brand under the Dura 1-era, which had exceptional battery life with even more exceptional pricing. The brand’s positioning was to undercut the competition on price, and deliver the core cycling functionality with amazing battery life. And sure, things got off to a rocky start, but for long-life battery-needing folks, the trade-offs were mostly easy to make. And over that first year, COROS eventually sorted out most of the bugs.

This time around, COROS is aiming to compete head-on with the well-established premium players at their premium markets. The problem is, COROS isn’t delivering a premium device. Sure, it looks premium on the outside (seriously, I think it looks great), but both the software features and the stability of those features aren’t worth anywhere near $549. Even if everything had worked, it’s still far from what Hammerhead, Wahoo, and Garmin deliver at $499. Sure, they all show your speed and distance accurately, but that’s not really the bar for success here, is it? The others have had on-device mapping, navigation, and re-routing for a decade now. And it works.

Had COROS come in at $349-ish, that would have been a very reasonable price increase over the $249 of the past. At that price you could still give them a pass on phone-dependent re-routing (as long as it worked). Sure, they’d still need to get the other bugs fixed, but at least the pricing would have been semi-logical. Oh, and some rubber band mounts too. But at $549?

Ironically, included in every COROS wearable box is a sticker that says “Explore Perfection”, along with another sticker that protects the watch display, and also says “Explore Perfection”…Neither was included in the Dura 2 box.

With that, thanks for reading!

Coros Dura 2 Solar Review: The Infinite-Battery Garmin Alternative (And the Detail Everyone Will Miss)

2026-10-22T13:00:11.000Z

The 120-hour battery life and ultra-thin design steal the spotlight. But the real reason to consider this head unit has nothing to do with how long it lasts.

Read the full article at Coros Dura 2 Solar Review: The Infinite-Battery Garmin Alternative (And the Detail Everyone Will Miss) on Velo.

Massive Improvement: COROS DURA 2 Solar Gets Bigger Screen w/ Carbon Shell, Voice Control + 120hr Battery

2026-10-22T13:00:00.000Z

COROS is taking a much bigger swing at the high-end cycling computer market with the new DURA 2 Solar. It’s not that we didn’t like the OG Dura (reviewed here), because we did; it just wasn’t enough to pull most away from their beloved Garmin or Wahoo ecosystem. The newest COROS DURA 2 Solar, however, took all the cycling-world feedback and delivered a hell of a sophomore effort. Plus – in a polarizing move, they eliminated the signature thumb dial.

(Photo/COROS)

COROS DURA 2 Solar: What’s New?

The second-generation DURA gets an entirely new chassis, a larger (UCI-compliant) 3.5-inch touchscreen, carbon-and-aluminum construction, voice controls, updated navigation, and a claimed 120 hours of battery life on all systems (70 hours for dual frequency on all systems).

It also comes with a significantly higher price than the original DURA. The new computer starts at $499 without a mount, while the DURA 2 Solar with COROS’ aluminum standard mount sells for $549.

(Photo/COROS)

Carbon, Alloy, and 99 Grams

COROS clearly wanted the DURA 2 Solar to look less like another plastic rectangle (cell phone) bolted to the front of a bike. The new design shows creativity, and some cool out-of-the-box (but still a box) thinking.

The body construction combines an anodized aluminum upper bezel with a woven carbon-fiber backplate. The computer measures 117 x 58 x 17mm and weighs 99g (technically 100g on our scale), or 138g when paired with one of COROS’ new mounts.

(Photo/COROS)

The low profile is intentional and gives the head unit an excellent look. COROS says the tapered aluminum upper section gets as thin as 5.7mm, with the computer designed to sit flatter in front of the bars.

COROS CEO Lewis Wu says aesthetics were part of the brief from the start.

“We set out to create a bike computer that looks like it belongs on a great bike, not something you have to overlook because of what it does.”

Looks are subjective, but COROS has definitely moved the DURA away from the chunky GPS-computer shape most of us are used to.

(Photo/COROS)

Bigger 3.5-Inch SHARP MIP Touchscreen

The front (larger screen) is dominated by a new 3.5-inch SHARP Gen 3 Memory-in-Pixel touchscreen.

It has a 336 x 620 pixel resolution, a tall 17:9 aspect ratio, roughly 200 ppi, and a 38Hz refresh rate, which COROS says is the fastest for any MIP display. COROS also uses an anti-reflective coating and hardened mineral glass over the display. The result is a super easy-to-read screen (in sun or dusk) and a responsive touch pad with or without gloves.

(Photo/Jordan Villella)

The touchscreen handles the usual swiping, selecting, zooming, and map movement, but COROS hasn’t gone all-in on touch controls. The unit provides haptic feedback (which you can also turn off) when you scroll and select.

(Photo/COROS)

There are two mechanical side buttons plus two pressure-sensitive haptic buttons built into the solar panel area (small screen). The haptic controls work with thick gloves because they respond to pressure rather than capacitive touch, and COROS says you can handle every important riding function without the touchscreen (though it’s not ideal imo).

(Photo/Jordan Villella)

But if you’re a hell or highwater rider, this “no-touch-screen” approach will help in foul weather and when you’re sweating over the bars during interval sessions. COROS says the display can distinguish rain from intentional touches, and I found this true most of the time. It worked well during our test period with moderate rain and a sweaty trainer 40/20 interval session. COROS did mention that if the screen gets thoroughly soaked, touch performance may drop, but the physical controls remain available.

Battery Life: 120 Hours Before Solar

Battery life is still one of COROS’ biggest talking points. The DURA 2 Solar is rated for 120 hours of operation without solar charging. Switch on dual-frequency, full-constellation GNSS and COROS still claims 70 hours.

Then there’s the solar panel.

(Photo/Jordan Villella)

COROS claims one hour of riding in direct sunlight can add up to two additional hours of battery life. That doesn’t make the computer perpetually powered. But if you’re on a long tour/bikepacking trip, ultra event, or even a week of riding without charging, the numbers get pretty wild.

The DURA 2 Solar supports GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, BDS, and QZSS, along with L1 + L5 dual-frequency positioning.

(Photo/Jordan Villella)

Voice Control Comes to DURA

COROS is also adding a microphone and speaker. Voice controls let you quickly start an activity and change settings. Talking to your head unit is the new jam, as we just covered the updated Garmin Edge 1060 with voice control. Unlike the Garmin unit, COROS says voice-based destination searches for navigation are coming soon and won’t be available at launch.

(Photo/Jordan Villella)

It also offers offline MP3 storage and media-player functionality, with controls available directly from the DURA 2 Solar. The computer includes a barometric altimeter, accelerometer, gyroscope, electronic compass, temperature sensor, microphone, and speaker.

(Photo/Jordan Villella)

New Maps and Navigation

COROS gives the DURA 2 navigation a major overhaul. The DURA 2 Solar uses Mapbox mapping and offers free global maps (though you must download map regions rather than having them pre-installed). There are no map subscriptions or ongoing fees.

The updated maps include street and trail names, surface indicators, turn-by-turn directions, and route creation through the COROS app.

COROS also lists offline rerouting, but there’s an important detail here.

The COROS app calculates the reroute, so your phone needs to stay connected to the DURA 2 Solar over Bluetooth. You don’t need cell service as long as you’ve already downloaded the necessary map region to your phone. If you haven’t downloaded the maps, rerouting will require an internet connection.

Off-route warnings trigger at roughly 20 meters, and riders can choose to receive an alert or have COROS automatically start rerouting. Routeless climb detection should also let the DURA 2 Solar identify climbs without requiring riders to follow a preloaded course.

(Photo/Jordan Villella)

Training Gets More Serious

Like other devices, COROS offers “coaching.” The device taps into the brand’s EvoLab training ecosystem, with a massive dataset covering recovery, fatigue, training load, VO2 max, and more.

It also supports left/right power, time seated versus standing, heart rate, camera controls for select GoPro, DJI, and Insta360 cameras, and customizable button actions.

The activity profiles include Road, Indoor, Gravel, MTB, E-Bike, and E-MTB, each with fun little animations.

(Photo/Jordan Villella)

Riders can start structured workouts after a normal ride and pause the workout while continuing to record the overall activity. A software update is also planned to add multiple customizable bike profiles before the end of 2026.

Screenshot

The COROS app combines DURA rides with data from COROS watches and its arm-worn heart-rate monitor. Third-party syncing includes platforms such as Strava, Komoot, Ride with GPS, TrainingPeaks, and TrainerRoad.

There’s no app store. COROS says it has no plans for a third-party app library and will stick with direct integrations.

New COROS DURA 2 Solar Mounts

COROS is offering the computer with or without a proprietary aluminum mount.

Both the standard and out-front mounts weigh 38g and use a three-prong accessory interface underneath for a light or camera.

The out-front mount extends up to 70mm and adjusts between roughly -7 and +5 degrees. The standard mount fits 25.4 to 31.8mm round handlebars.

It also includes a locking mechanism to prevent accidental release. Riders can also use the same feature with a burglar-alarm function, which requires a SIM eject tool to unlock.

COROS says the mount-free $499 version is for riders who already have a compatible mounting solution and don’t have to pay for another one, while the complete package with the aluminum standard mount costs $549.

The OG COROS DURA (Photo/Jordan Villella)

What Happens to the Original COROS DURA?

The first-generation DURA is going away. COROS says it will stop selling the original computer, but existing units will keep receiving software updates. Some of the features introduced with DURA 2 Solar are also expected to make their way to the original model.

That makes DURA 2 Solar the sole cycling computer at the top of COROS’ lineup going forward.

(Photo/Jordan Villella)

COROS DURA 2 Solar Pricing and Availability

Compared to Dura 1, the price for the Dura 2 Solar has doubled. According to COROS, that’s due to it being positioned more as a premium product, and the amount of design work that went into to making it bigger with a similar battery life, at almost the same weight as the original. It will be sold as computer only, computer + mount, or mount only.

DURA 2 Solar without mount: $499
DURA 2 Solar + Aluminum Standard Mount: $549
Aluminum Standard Mount: $79

The DURA 2 Solar goes on sale November 3 at 6 a.m. PDT.

(Photo/Jordan Villella)

COROS DURA 2 Solar First Impressions

We’re not big “box-opening folks” here, but since there was a bit of hype around this new shape, I wanted to capture my authentic reaction. It’s damn sweet-looking, and it’s much lighter than it looks. The packaging is also really well done with minimal plastic.

My first thought was, “This is gonna break,” but I think it’s better phrased as, “You better not break this.” The top of the carbon-backed screen is much thinner than any head unit I’ve used. And I thought about how many times I haphazardly throw my computer in my pocket after a race or ride and forget it’s there. But we tried to twist the screen, and it feels impressively solid… something to keep an eye on during the long-term review.

(Photo/Jordan Villella)

We had limited time on the DURA 2, but the impressions are good, and the promise of updated maps and software has us waiting. It’s worth pointing out that our units have something like 25.3GB of map data preloaded to them, which is enough to cover the entire world. When added to the system data, 30.1GB of 32GB total storage is already accounted for. Consumer units will ship without any maps preloaded, so you will simply load areas you think you’ll be riding in, which will take much less storage space. It’s really easy to then add maps in the future if you plan to travel to a new region, just open the map, select the area, and it will load to the device.

For now, we’re gonna hit the big features and questions; look for a full, in-depth review later next month.

(Photo/Jordan Villella)

COROS DURA 2 Getting Started

To wake up the unit, just touch a button. There is no loading screen or waiting unless the unit is completely powered down – that’s one of the benefits of the huge battery; you never really have to power it down completely if you don’t want to. To get started, download the COROS App first; when you turn on the computer, you’ll see this call to action. It’s a simple app to navigate, and if you’re familiar with any fitness apps, you’ll breeze through setup.

Screenshot

In the app, you can configure screens, set zones, get training advice, etc. To pair sensors and other bits, you have to do that from the unit itself.

(Photo/Jordan Villella)

Pairing Sensors

The COROS DURA 2 screen layout is super intuitive and very user-friendly. It took me a bit to noodle around how to pair my sensors (instructions be damned), but it’s fairly straightforward.

Go to the accessories section, press “add accessory,” and find your power meter, trainer, heart rate strap, or other bits. This is where you’ll calibrate your meter and monitor battery life for accessories. You will get in-ride updates if a unit is running low on power (not watts).

COROS DURA 2 vs. Garmin Edge 1050 (Photo/Jordan Villella)

Install And Setup

The install is super easy, and truthfully I didn’t have to do anything. The mount used the same half-turn mount as the Garmin 1040 this replaced on my bike.

COROS DURA 2 vs. Garmin Edge 1050 – profile (Photo/Jordan Villella)

It’s large, but I had zero issues fitting it on my gravel or road bike. While on the bike, the unit looks classy, especially when you see the COROS logo straight on. Something that no other computer can provide.

(Photo/Jordan Villella)

Ride Impressions: DURA COROS 2

I took my first couple of COROS DURA 2 review rides on my road bike. I paired my Wahoo Radar without fuss and quickly learned the DURA 2 interface. The saved data points/screens are pretty straightforward. There are screens for heart rate, power metrics, elevation, and a map. You can customize them all, but I didn’t find too much to move around. I moved the 3-sec power, lap time, lap NP, and a few others to a new screen, but the default setup was good from the start.

(Photo/Jordan Villella)

The graphs are a cool touch, though not 100% necessary. I like being able to glance down and see if I’m in the right zone. The color-coded graphs help with that, especially if you’re trying to stay “in the zone,” since it’s not just a number but a spectrum. Then you just look to stay in “green” or “yellow”, rather than number chasing. It’s nice to get a visual break from those.

(Photo/Jordan Villella)

The screen visibility in bright sun is decent, but it could be brighter. Also of note, to find the brightness settings while an activity is recording, you’ll need to swipe down from the top of the screen. It’s a little confusing at first since you can’t find this menu with a physical button. Ours is just set at max brightness, where it will probably stay.

Touch Screen

I find the touch screen to be very responsive, and I love the pulse when engaged. Going from screen to screen indicated a pulse; same with touches and selections. The experience is the same with and without gloves, though we haven’t had bulky glove season here in Pittsburgh yet.

Did you use the buttons? Yes and no. For laps, yes, but for everything else I used the solar pad and the screen. Mostly, I used the screen, but that’s a habit from years of using Garmin touchscreens. The buttons are large and slightly textured, so they are easy to hit when you’re taking a lap or finishing one.

(Photo/Jordan Villella)

Mapping

So far, the mapping is solid, but navigation needs some improvement. The previous Dura struggle with rerouting when following a downloaded route, and it seems that Dura 2 does as well. With Dura 1, we saw a number of features that improved over time with firmware updates, and that seems to be the trend here too, but the overall view, zoom in/out, and panning are excellent.

As for voice control, I’ve used it a few times, but it’s not a major selling point for what I’m looking for in a head unit (nor does it work particularly well yet). The unit has to be connected to the COROS app for the voice control to work. It’s a cool feature, similar to your phone and kind of like Siri, but for everything on the head unit. Obviously, wind noise is going to make it hard for it to understand anything, so voice control is really only useful when stationary. Even then, it can struggle with responding to commands if they’re not erased exactly right.

I’m still playing with it, so look for more in our full review.

Solar Charging

The COROS DURA 2’s solar charging and battery life are exceptional. But the OG DURA was the same; I didn’t need to recharge that unit. As of now, I have about two weeks of riding on the unit, and about 79% of the battery remains from the initial 100% charge. 10% of that comes from “total solar charge” via the solar panels. I did use the unit for a few indoor rides; no solar benefit there.

Waterproof charging port (Photo/Jordan Villella)

Will I be Ditching My Garmin?

This is a valid question, and it’s one that’s got me thinking. The DURA 2 head unit is much more refined than the original, and it’s worth considering. It’s lighter than the Garmin I usually ride with, and it has a brighter, more playful look.

(Photo/Jordan Villella)

There have been zero drawbacks (except for the default loading into my Garmin Connect), but I like to see all my data in one place, and for years that’s been TrainingPeaks or some other training app.

(Photo/Jordan Villella)

Surprise Features

I LOVE the “find my device” feature because I always forget where I put mine. It’s a small thing, but it’s a big deal when you’re heading out for a group ride and realize you don’t have your head unit. You can activate this feature from the COROS App, and the head unit plays a small ding similar to the “Find My” feature.

(Photo/Jordan Villella)

Is The DURA COROS Worth The Price?

Calling a $499/$549 bicycle head unit affordable is not the reality here. However, so far, the COROS DURA 2 offers nearly the same (but around 60-100g lighter) experience as the Garmin 1050 ($699) and Wahoo Ace ($499).

Yes – there are some trade-offs, and COROS doesn’t have the depth (yet) in the market and accessory offerings. Since this is only their second cycling head unit offering, they’re on the right track. I’ve enjoyed my time so far on the COROS DURA 2 and hope the steady flow of updates only adds to that stoke.

Sales begin November 3.

The new Coros Dura 2 Solar bike computer has an ultra-thin carbon case and 99g claimed weight

2026-10-22T13:00:00.000Z

Cyclist
The new Coros Dura 2 Solar bike computer has an ultra-thin carbon case and 99g claimed weight

Coros has launched the Dura 2 Solar bike computer with a carbon fibre case and an anodised aluminium bezel that tapers to just 5.7mm deep. The brand claims the Dura 2 weighs just 99g and battery life lasts 70 hours and beyond in full dual-band GPS mode, with solar charging adding two hours for every hour in the sun.

The Coros Dura 2 incorporates a 3.5 inch memory-in-pixel touchscreen with an anti-reflective coating, 336 x 620 pixel resolution and fast refresh rate. Coros claims its screen can be used effectively with gloves or without and says it meets the UCI’s computer size regulations for racing.

According to Coros CEO Lewis Wu, ‘For too long, bike computers have looked like functional tools attached to otherwise beautiful bikes… We wanted to build a bike computer that cyclists are proud to put on their bikes.’

The Coros Dura 2 is priced at £429 / $499 / €499, and will be on sale from 3rd November.

70 hours-plus battery life and solar charging

As well as using the touchscreen, the Dura 2 can be operated via voice control and offers a button interface via two side-mounted physical buttons and two haptic buttons built into the solar collector at the bottom of the front face. As a default, you swipe up and down to scroll through data screens, but side to side to access maps, media and camera controls.

There’s full mapping built in, including street names and surface indicators, and it offers turn-by-turn navigation, with route generation on the Coros app. Coros also offers free training plans and workouts and there’s the full suite of ANT+, BLE and WiFi connectivity.

Other features typical of many of the best bike computers, include live tracking and on-the-fly climb detection and there’s a digital bell and onboard playlists. Coros says there are new fitness metrics for cyclists in the Coros companion app too, and it has a long list of planned enhancements, including voice notes post-workout and multiple bike profiles.

The Coros Dura 2 also includes offline rerouting, for when you’re out of range of a mobile signal or don’t want to carry your phone.

It automatically uploads rides to the Coros app post-ride, collects data from Coros cycling watches and Coros’s heart rate monitor, for a view of on-bike and off-bike fitness, and feeds out to Strava, Komoot and other third party apps.

Coros quotes a battery life of 70 hours with dual band GPS, which can be extended to over 120 hours even without solar charging. A full recharge via USB-C is claimed to take 2.5 hours.

While Garmin has abandoned solar charging on its latest Edge x50 devices, Coros claims the Dura 2’s solar charging will add two hours of battery life for every hour of sun exposure.

Coros Dura 2 prices and availability

You can buy the Coros Dura 2 either with a mount or stand-alone. Coros says it’s compatible with all standard quarter-turn mounts.

Coros sells both a mount with a standard round bar clamp and a two-bolt out-front mount stand-alone, the latter incorporating a GoPro-style adapter for an action camera or light. Both are made of aluminium and cost £69 / $79 / €79.

The Coros Dura 2 Solar is priced at £429 / $499 / €499 on its own or £479 / $549 / €549 with a mount in the box, which is around double the price of the original Dura. It’s available to buy from 3rd November.

The post The new Coros Dura 2 Solar bike computer has an ultra-thin carbon case and 99g claimed weight appeared first on Cyclist.

Coros Dura 2 Solar GPS First Impressions: Stay Tuned – Travis Engel

2026-10-22T12:58:17.000Z

The new Coros Dura 2 Solar GPS has more features, a bigger screen, and a sleeker design than the original Dura Solar, which it has now officially replaced. And its battery life is still measured in days, not hours. Travis dives into the details to answer the question: Is it worth more than twice the price?

Coros did not play it safe when it launched its first on-bike device in 2024. The Dura Solar boasted a 120-hour run time on a single charge despite a relatively small battery. And it could run even longer if it got enough sunlight. That was possible thanks in part to its MIP (memory-in-pixel) display that doesn’t refresh the whole screen when displaying motion, just the pixels that change. The thing was so frugal with its Watts that the “off” button was hidden deep within a settings sub-menu.

On top of that, it was controlled with a rotating knob, it featured a not-small-but-not-big 2.7” screen, and it cost just $250. That’s more than $200 cheaper than a Wahoo Elemnt Roam, less than half the price of a Hammerhead Karoo, and much less than half the price of a Garmin Edge 850. The original Dura Solar’s software was a little flawed at launch, but Coros released updates and added features until it earned its place in the pantheon of high-end GPS units. And the designers at Coros didn’t even have a previous model to iterate upon. There was no telling what would happen when they did.

Coros Dura 2 Solar Quick Hits

3.5” screen, up from 2.7” on original Dura
336 x 620 resolution, up from 240 x 400 on original Dura
38hz refresh rate, faster than original Dura
100g, same as original Dura
Memory-in-pixel display
Touchscreen control, plus pinch & zoom
Two physical side buttons, plus two haptic face buttons on solar panel
Optional voice control
Offline re-routing when connected to companion app, no cell signal required
Displays street and trail names, even when offline when maps are downloaded
IP67 waterproof rating
120 hours of battery life, 70 hours in dual-frequency mode (claimed)
2 hours of additional run time per 1 hour of direct sunlight (claimed)
$549 with alloy mount ($79 mount only, available in 25.4-31.8 clamp or 2-bolt out-front)
$499 (device only)
Available for purchase Tuesday, November 3rd

The Dura 2 Solar is what happened. And although its price point stepped right in line with the old guard of prestige devices, its package and polish leapfrogged past them. Half of the Dura 2 Solar’s 115mm X 55mm total footprint is just 5.7 mm thick. And it’s partially bordered by aluminum with a siiiick carbon fiber backplate. It’s got 63% more total screen area and significantly higher pixel density. But it still weighs almost exactly the same as the original. And most importantly, Coros is claiming the same runtime of 120 hours, or 70 hours when in the more accurate dual-frequency mode.

I’ve only been using my Dura 2 Solar for about ten days, having done several long rides at full brightness and performed a fair bit of off-bike fiddling. I’m sensing that it’s draining slightly faster than my original Dura would in the same conditions, but not meaningfully faster. I have full confidence that I could take it on a week-long tour with no hotel nights and I wouldn’t have to even ask the fine folks at Carl’s Jr. for an outlet. And if I did, the small battery (Coros is keeping the exact size a secret) charges extremely quickly. My test unit has barely lost 40% of its battery, and the power has been on non-stop aside from a number of restarts during setup. I think those restarts make for a good segue into a quick sidebar.

Stay Tuned…

A week and a half using the Coros Dura 2 Solar was the perfect amount of time for me to outline its features and offer a general critique of its feel and function. And given what a splash the original Dura made, I wanted to do it as soon as possible. But for various reasons, my experience hasn’t been the whole experience. Some of the Dura 2’s most interesting perks won’t be available until a few of its post-launch firmware updates hit. And that’s fine. This is how digital product launches sometimes work these days.

Yep, I’m making another one of my beloved video-game analogies. No Man’s Sky, a galactic exploration sim, and Cyberpunk 2077, a dystopian action RPG, saw significant improvements in the months and years after they went on sale. The Dura 2 Solar is already much more polished than either of those games were at launch. But regardless, Coros is planning a laundry list of useful updates coming in the near future. So, I decided it wouldn’t be fair for me to deliver a definitive verdict until the device itself delivers on more of its promises.

And there are a lot of them; The Dura 2 Solar will very soon allow you to have multiple custom bike profiles, enter a destination via voice control, tweak how turn-by-turn direction alerts behave, customize the function of the left physical button, pin and save your location mid-ride, and get even deeper under the hood of your training regimen. Then, the day before I handed this in, an update dropped that I haven’t had time to test, including tire-pressure-sensor support and an optimized activity-settings page.

And then there are the bugs that will be submitted and addressed as Coros responds to initial feedback on the Dura 2 Solar. First on my list is its annoying tendency (shared with the original Dura) to briefly spin the map around when I come to a stop. Coros has told me that this bug “will be fixed.” I’ve also been experiencing an odd inconsistency in receiving text, email, and other notifications on the device. The Coros tech-support team has been very responsive. They’ve walked me through a lot of troubleshooting, hence the aforementioned restarts and fiddling.

That’s why I added the nebulous phrase “First Impressions” to this review title. We’re discouraged from using it unless we plan on returning to update a review. And I do plan to. But for now, I definitely can judge some things. So, let’s get into it.

Buttons

The first-generation Dura’s rotating knob was polarizing, to say the least. Probably a smart move to ditch it for the second gen. The Dura 2’s generously textured side buttons protrude drastically. Even through gloves, you know your fingers are in the right place. And those buttons require a firm press. I never started, stopped, or paused a ride accidentally. The right button is essentially an “enter” button. The left is “back” or “cancel,” and a long press will enter voice-control mode.

The haptic ↑ and ↓ face buttons effectively take the place of the original Dura’s knob. The haptic function is off by default, but I recommend turning it on. The simulated tactility trained me to use the correct amount of pressure. These buttons are “resistive,” not “capacitive,” meaning they respond to force, not flesh. They work great with gloves and don’t get the least bit confused in the rain. I might have preferred traditional buttons, but their current design allows them to double as the solar panel.

Overall, it’s an intuitive, familiar layout that’s persisted since the days of Cateye and Avocet. You can access and navigate most features using only physical buttons. The face buttons scroll between data pages, while the side buttons are more for entering and exiting menus and activities. But that does leave a few tasks to the touchscreen.

Touchscreen

Scrolling is not quite as smooth as a smartphone, displaying a very slight visual stutter. But it’s close. It’s as good as I’ve seen from an on-bike device. And mine almost never ignores a single-point tap, especially without gloves. Single taps, by the way, are how I selected my activity type before starting a ride. It’s the only technically mandatory touchscreen operation, but it’ll likely happen in a controlled environment.

When not in a controlled environment, the screen’s wet-weather performance is perfectly average. You can’t fight physics, and even a benign mist will eventually collect into droplets. I’d have to wipe it dry before I could tap or swipe again. But the only phantom action I witnessed was an occasional unwanted ringing of the new bike-bell function, normally actuated with a double tap.

The performance gap between the Dura 2 and a smartphone becomes a bit more noticeable when you use its touchscreen to manipulate the map. The visual stutter is slightly more drastic when moving around more data in more dimensions. And it occasionally took an instant for the map’s incoming edge to load if I swiped too far or too fast, though I’ll admit that was when I was intentionally trying to push its limits. So, this is totally fine within the scope of a GPS’s specific duties. And tapping the map screen’s + and – buttons is a quick, reliable way to zoom in and out.

Display

It’s impressive that Coros increased the screen size without significantly increasing the device footprint. That certainly allows the map page to provide more information, and pairs well with the improved street- and trail-name integration. But until Coros fixes the compass-spinning bug, that map page is literally disorienting when I’m not in motion. And when I am in motion, I’m mainly just following a bright blue line of breadcrumbs. The original Dura did that fine.

Complex tasks like changing plans or researching points of interest have always been better handled on a phone anyway. But I’d prefer to leave my phone in my pocket whenever possible. Once the compass bug is fixed, I have high hopes that the Dura 2’s bigger, higher-definition screen will eventually allow it to handle frequent tasks like checking if a shortcut goes through or ensuring I should take that sharp right and not that really sharp right.

I actually found the larger screen had the most impact when viewing ride data. It offers ample real estate to see elapsed time, time of day, distance, elevation gain, elevation loss, and even an elevation profile all on one page. That’s really all the information I needed. I don’t have a power meter, and my heart couldn’t maintain its target beats-per-minute even if I had Bonnie Tyler’s Holding Out for a Hero to guide it. But for the biometrics nerds out there, the Dura 2’s big color screen really gives those ever-fluctuating graphs and numbers room to breathe.

The MIP screen’s brightness and vibrance still doesn’t match those of an AMOLED display like you’d find on a smartphone. But I can’t point to a moment when that bothered me on a ride. By design, the information displayed by our on-bike devices is simple. Sure, the Dura 2’s reds and oranges may look a little similar when you suddenly pass out of even shade into harsh sunlight. But our brains are wired to help fill in those gaps. As long as I had the brightness at 50% or higher, I never struggled to make meaning of what the device had to tell me. It’s not a 3D Super Mario game. That minor cosmetic compromise is worth the major increase in battery life.

Voice Control

I always feel a little silly when talking to a machine. I avoid it when I can, especially in public. My limited experiences using voice control on the Dura 2 did not change my mind. When I once told it to “set backlight level to maximum,” the screen displayed the response, “command not supported.” But when I said “set brightness level to maximum,” I was met with, “backlight set to 100%.” At least the thing has a sense of humor.

I had a hard time thinking of functions I’d use the voice control for. The Dura 2 can monitor my AXS drivetrain battery life, which would be nice to access via voice because I don’t need it to be on my data screen for an entire ride. But either that can’t be accessed via voice command, or I didn’t use the right words. One category of functions that would be easier to control by voice is training. You can tell the Dura 2 to alert you when you cross the threshold into a specific heart rate or power zone, neither of which are settings you’d need always at your fingertips.

And then there’s the voice-activated navigation function Coros is working on adding in the future. I’ve had great success using the original Dura to navigate me to places I choose on the Coros app. Since voice control requires the phone to be paired, I assume most of the phone-based navigation functions will be accessible through it. When I’m in a city I don’t know, I’d love to hold a button and say, “Take me to Carl’s Jr.” Unless I’m east of the Mississippi, where I’ll have to remember to say “Hardee’s.”

Accessory Integration

Not much is changing in terms of wireless accessory integration aside from the addition of tire-pressure sensors, but I wanted to touch upon it. You can easily pair biometric sensors and even various radar-alert rear lights. But I’m most interested in how it integrates wireless bike components, and I think it could use some refinement on that front. I have multiple SRAM AXS components spread across two bikes, but as of now, there’s no way to collect any of them under a single bike’s umbrella.

For those who do want a constant reminder of their wireless drivetrain’s battery life, it’d be nice for their gravel-bike activity profile to include data fields for their gravel bike’s drivetrain. That may be a feature available in the upcoming update allowing for custom bike profiles, but we’ll have to wait and see. As for wireless dropper post battery life, Coros tells me that likely isn’t possible. I had to use my SRAM AXS phone app to check my Reverb battery, which already groups it together with my drivetrain battery. So in my case, it wouldn’t be worth bothering to involve the Dura 2 in checking either.

App Functionality

Speaking of apps, the Coros companion app stays the same. But it’s worth a brief visit. Even without voice help, the in-app map and navigation function is pretty impressive. As long as it has a data connection, you can search for businesses and intersections just as intuitively as you would on Google Maps. And making a custom route has all the basic functions you may already be used to, plus a freehand “erase” feature that’s more precise than the undo button.

The app can still orchestrate a head-spinning number of training functions, but again, I’m unfortunately not qualified to evaluate them. Coros’s head start in the fitness wearables space naturally gives it an edge in this category, so the app will have everything you’d expect. But Coros still managed to add a little more.

Other New Features

Coros offers a number of “workouts” that guide you during a ride, jumping back and forth between heart-rate and/or power zones. Those workouts can now be started and paused mid-ride. There’s also an improved FTP testing function, and a couple new power metrics available as data-page items. But again, I’m not the one to critique training utilities. I’d rather listen to podcasts.

While the original Coros eventually added media control as an optional data cell, the Dura 2 accesses a media-control screen via a left swipe. It can pause, adjust volume, skip music tracks, or skip forward a few seconds in a podcast. I’d love to be able to scroll through my downloaded episodes, but maybe that’s asking too much.

There are also a handful of other tweaks. There’s that digital bike-bell sound I mentioned, which is impressively loud and surprisingly convincing. I’d prefer to map it to the left button, but that’ll have to wait for an update. And even offline, the Dura 2 has a remarkably accurate database of street and trail names that are visible when zooming in on the map, or in turn-by-turn directions. You can now edit the data fields directly on the device; you can add pinned locations to your library for easy navigation to your favorite spots from wherever you happen to be; and supposedly, you can get climb notifications even when you’re not following a saved route. Despite multiple attempts, though, I never got that feature to work. Really, the update I’m most stoked about is offline re-routing.

Offline Re-routing

There’s not much to say about this feature other than “it works.” Or more accurately, “it works really well.” Previously, the best you’d get was a dotted line pointing at the nearest segment of your route, which may be over a mountain. Now, it does real-time recalculating if I go off course. Even in the middle of nowhere. For as long as is reasonable, it would direct me to turn around and get back in line. But at the appropriate moment, it would pick a modified path towards the nearest intersection on my original route. The trail names would update, as would the distances to intersections. It works really well.

All you need to do is download the map for your region to both your phone and to the device, both of which are totally free and very thorough. But they take up surprisingly little data. The devices Coros sent to the media had literally the entire globe saved to them, and they still had 2 gigabytes of the 32-gigabyte storage left over. And I have all of Southern California downloaded to my phone, and it takes up less than 100 megabytes.

Construction and Mounting

The Dura 2 can be purchased with or without a handlebar mount. Now that Garmin-style mounts are as ubiquitous as USB-C cables (which the Dura 2 does come with), you probably already have a mount you like. Plus, the slim and sleek alloy mount may be a little too slim and sleek for some. I don’t like its 2.5mm hex-head bolt. I prefer the 3mm bolts used in the plastic Garmin-style mounts I had on hand. And there’s a techy locking mechanism to help prevent theft, but I once accidentally activated it after removing the device during a late-ride grocery run (can’t be too careful with unreleased products). I didn’t bring the included SIM card removal pin required to disengage it, so I rode the rest of the way home with the device in my pocket.

*Quick side note: We weren’t sure who would have time to review the Dura 2, so Mara here at The Radavist got a test sample as well. And the night before I handed in this review, she also accidentally engaged the locking mechanism with the device uninstalled. It made me feel seen.

The structure of the device itself is more impressive than the mount. The aluminum frame might seem unnecessary, but the stronger, thinner materials likely bought Coros some precious cubic millimeters when maximizing space for the screen, processors, and battery. Plus, the aggressively stepped profile actually makes it quite ergonomic to hold when off the bike. And on the bike, it concentrates most of its mass just above the mounting interface. It’s the definition of “refined.” Although I think vibes should never be a primary concern in product design, I’ll admit I really like the Dura 2’s vibes.

Value

Let me start this section by saying clearly that I like the Dura 2 more than the original Dura. It offers a meaningfully better user experience. And as the updates roll in, it will get better still. Although Coros is now boutique buddies with Wahoo, Hammerhead, and Garmin, its mastery of battery life puts it well beyond the stagnant status quo. For me, GPS units are most crucial on multi-day rides. The Dura 2 Solar is the only one that actually lasts multiple days. It is the one to buy. But until we see a few more updates, I say that with acceptance, not excitement.

If the original Dura had remained in the lineup as-is for $250, I believe that model would still be the one to buy. It had all the most valuable features of the Dura 2 for less than half the price. When I first learned the original Dura would be discontinued, I wondered if the sudden AI-driven boom in tech-hardware pricing might have made its low price impossible in 2026. I asked Coros CEO Lewis Wu whether that’s been a factor, and while he said GPS units aren’t immune to that trend, they’re not getting hit as hard as things like graphics processors and solid-state drives. “The cost tends to be a marginal difference per unit,” Wu says. “And it hasn’t driven up our pricing across any products directly.”

Photo: Coros

Wu tells me the shift to a higher-end focus was just Coros giving the people what they want. “We identified a clear demand among consumers for a premium bike computer that matches the quality and aesthetics of their high-end bikes,” Wu explains. “[The Dura 2 Solar’s] pricing reflects the investment we’ve made in premium materials, engineering, and design.”

Photo: Coros

I guess I can’t argue with that. Such a fundamental redesign just two years into a product’s run is an expensive endeavor. Plus, keeping the original Dura in the lineup would come with costs of its own. It would take up production bandwidth and add market confusion. Personally, though, I think it’d be a bit like Toyota discontinuing the Land Cruiser and only offering the Lexus GX. But what do I know? I’ve got a base-level 2006 Tacoma.

If this ship has sailed, and GPS manufacturers are prioritizing the luxury market, I think we should start expecting more from them. You can get a lot of technology for $500. Like a Nintendo Switch 2 after its recent price increase. Or like my third-generation iPhone SE. It isn’t made anymore, but it cost $450 when it was released in 2022 and $150 on the refurbished market today. Yet, the list of things my iPhone can do that the Dura 2 can’t is miles longer than what the Dura 2 can do that my iPhone can’t.

I asked Wu about this as well. I’m not an engineer or an economist, so I’m sure there’s something I’m missing here. “While you can get all the cycling data you want on your phone, there isn’t a single app that optimizes it all for use while cycling the way a cycling-specific computer does,” Wu tells me. “We weigh every feature against battery drain to make sure cyclists are getting the functionality they need without impacting the battery life our customers expect.” He has some points there. It was probably vital to keep the Dura 2 Solar’s list of capabilities lean to avoid too many sub-programs fighting for battery life. And a phone app called Cadence can track and display data, but it doesn’t integrate navigation and routing. It also requires a paid subscription. Wu points out, Coros “does not and will not” charge extra for software functions.

Maybe I’m being impatient. Offering smartphone-like features on third-party devices is clearly a complex process. The first dashboard screen I ever used was in a rental car with only a janky native navigation app and no brightness adjustability. My parents’ late-model luxury sedan now allows me to port Google Maps along with all the preferences saved to my phone, though the pairing process is often a comedy of errors. It’ll take time, but I trust that progress will come. In fact, as I’m writing this, Garmin just updated its 1060 model to include voice-controlled navigation. But it costs $800.

Presumably, Coros intends this hardware update to stick around for a while. So, there may be lots of time to add features that we haven’t even considered. I’m optimistic that I’ll speak of it with a more glowing tone when I come back to this. And while I’m being optimistic, Coros played it coy when asked about a lower-priced device someday entering the lineup. I hope that happens. The 2006 Tacoma crowd is staying tuned.

Pros:

Maintains its class-leading battery life by a wide margin
Modestly sized device
Luxuriously sized screen
Simple, familiar interface
Touchscreen use not required
Excellent offline re-routing
High-quality free downloadable maps
Deep training functionality
Useful in-app route planning
Convenient pinned destinations
Future updates hold almost limitless promise

Cons:

It needs those future updates soon

See more at Coros

The post Coros Dura 2 Solar GPS First Impressions: Stay Tuned appeared first on The Radavist.

When a Lot of Trees Fall in the Woods…

2026-10-22T12:23:46.000Z

Through deadfall and determination, Alex completed the grueling course in 6 days and 12 hours. Second Growth is a short film about the Oregon Timber Trail, seen through Alex Schultz’s 2026 race across the 700-mile route. Come along for a look at the challenges faced along the way, and a glimpse at what lies ahead for this triple-crown-level route.

The post When a Lot of Trees Fall in the Woods… appeared first on The Radavist.

Tour de France 2027 Route Reveal: Brutal Mountains, Big Time Trials, and a Wide-Open Fight for Yellow

2026-10-22T12:13:58.000Z

Tour de France 2027 packs 71km of time trials, three summit finishes, and a brutal Pyrénées showdown in deceptively challenging course.

Read the full article at Tour de France 2027 Route Reveal: Brutal Mountains, Big Time Trials, and a Wide-Open Fight for Yellow on Velo.

Tour de France Femmes 2027 Route Reveal: Savage Puy de Dôme Finale to Decide Everything

2026-10-22T11:04:46.000Z

Yorkshire hills, a historic London TTT, and a volcanic showdown. The 2027 Tour de France Femmes saves its hardest for last.

Read the full article at Tour de France Femmes 2027 Route Reveal: Savage Puy de Dôme Finale to Decide Everything on Velo.

Gritt Cleaning Products by Leatt

2026-10-22T11:00:24.000Z

Leatt, the South African brand behind some stellar mountain bike protective wear and clothing, has joined the bike-cleaning game with their new brand: Gritt. Given that so much of their catalog contains gear to help you ride in the grime, it’s likely they know a thing or to about cleaning up when you get home. Read below for all the dirty details.

For over 20 years, Leatt has built its reputation for performance and innovation by protecting riders in the toughest conditions. Now, the company is bringing that same focus to protecting bikes with the launch of Gritt by Leatt – a new, premium range of cleaning, maintenance, and protection products designed to keep every ride – motorized or pedal-powered – performing at its best.

Gritt combines superior performance with industry-leading value, ensuring every bike gets the care it deserves. The comprehensive range includes bike wash, bike shine, chain lubricants, degreasers, tubeless sealant, and complete product care solutions for bicycles and beyond.

Every Gritt product has been rigorously tested in the lab, on a wide variety of bikes and across multiple materials. Professional athletes have also put each formula through real-world conditions to guarantee performance you can trust. All products are safe for use on chrome, carbon, anodized metals, and plastics.

Gritt’s Products use a variety of formulas and technologies:

Anti-corrosion additives protect metal components from rust and wear, extending their lifespan.
Advanced Ceramic Technology creates a durable, exceptionally smooth protective coating that helps repel contaminants, reduces metal-to-metal friction, and extends chain life.
Hexagonal Boron Nitride (h-BN) significantly reduces wear and friction, delivering more efficient power transfer, a quieter drivetrain, and long-lasting, smooth performance even in demanding riding conditions.
Gritt cleaning products are formulated for increased viscosity (ViscoClean) to cling to any surface, allowing them to work more effectively.
Many of Gritt’s products have ‘Shake To Activate’ technology – the products will combine upon shaking, and liquids will transform into liquid gels for less run-off.
Next-Gen polymers leave a smart protective layer that helps water and dirt slide off more effectively.

Sustainability is also at the core of the Gritt range. Every ingredient in the TrueBIO formulation has been carefully selected to naturally break down in the environment, leaving nothing harmful behind. Finished with a distinctive cherry scent, Gritt delivers not only performance and protection, but an enhanced maintenance experience riders will appreciate.

All bottles are made from fully recyclable rPET and were specially developed for Gritt to provide better grip, improved usability and a premium shelf appearance.

With Gritt, Leatt extends its innovations beyond the care of riders and into the care of bikes. Advanced technologies, sustainable formulations, and real-world performance set a new standard for bike care, helping riders get even more from every ride.

Gritt by Leatt is available to order now.

The post Gritt Cleaning Products by Leatt appeared first on The Radavist.

Castelli’s Maillot Jaune Collection Celebrates Official Partnership with the TdF and Tdf Femmes avec Zwift

2026-10-22T10:00:00.000Z

Castelli is using its new status as the official apparel partner of the Tour de France and Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift as the inspiration for its new Maillot Jaune Collection. For 2027 and beyond, Castelli will be designing and producing all of the classification jerseys for the TdF, TdF Femmes, and the rest of the cycling races owned by Amaury Sport Organisation (A.S.O.). Since most of us won’t be racing the Tour next year, the Maillot Jaune Collection gives us mortals a chance to look and feel like part of the action.

“Returning to the Tour de France and Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift is an immense honor for everyone at Castelli. Working in partnership with A.S.O., our goal for the Maillot Jaune Collection was to capture everything that makes those jerseys so special and make that emotion accessible to the rest of the cycling world.”

-Andrew Montgomery, Castelli Product Line Manager

Maillot Jaune Collection

Castelli’s Maillot Jaune Collection is split into two dedicated lines: Classement and Échappée. According to Montgomery, “Our Classement Jerseys bring the speed and performance of their race-worn equivalents in understated, elevated designs you’ll be proud to wear every day. Our Échappée line shares the same distinctive appeal, meticulously built to look fast, feel fast, and turn heads.”

All of the garments also include subtle details, including bespoke elastic grippers with stage profiles, custom zipper pulls, and other internal details. Both lines are designed to complement each other, so you can mix and match every piece in the collection.

Classement

The premium Classement jerseys are built with the same exact race fit and lightweight aero construction that Tour de France classification leaders will be wearing in 2027. The Aero Race 8.1 Jerseys are being “paired with modified colorways, reimagined designs, and discreet branding for a sleek, clean, and sophisticated look.”

The Classement line includes three looks, starting with an understated nod to the iconic yellow jersey: Lemon Yellow Sorbet. Oversized Red Polka Dots on white pay homage to the King and Queen of the Mountains jerseys. Interestingly, the third colorway is Ultraviolet, which doesn’t exactly fit the classification leader theme, but looks pretty darn good regardless.

Specs and Features

CFD-based fabric placement and seam construction
Engineered shoulder fabric used specifically to reduce drag at race speeds, up to 6% savings in CdA
Raw-cut sleeve ending for comfort and seamless fit
Lightweight body fabric for optimal cooling, breathability, ad comfort
Bonded front hem to keep jersey in place and support loaded pockets
3 rear pockets with bonded top edge
YKK Vislon zipper
Sizes: S – 3XL
Claimed weight: 137 grams
MSRP: $250

Échappée

The Échappée line incorporates the fabrics and fits of the brand’s popular Espresso and Corretto ranges “with a quintessentially French sensibility.” It starts with the Échappée jersey, which pairs the breathable body of the Espresso 2 jersey with the aerodynamic sleeves of the Corretto to create a uniquely comfortable and fast new garment. It comes in short-sleeve and long-sleeve variants in Outer Space and Silver Moon/Clay colorways. An additional Shadow colorway is offered in the short-sleeve version only.

The Échappée Vest features a tailored fit with a wind-resistant stretch woven front and breathable Air_O Stretch fabric on the back. The Vest has a two-way zip, three rear pockets, and comes in the Outer Space and Silver Moon/Clay colorways in sizes XS – 3XL.

Échappée Jersey Specs and Features

Castelli engineered Air_O Stretch fabric for breathability, comfort, and perfect fit
Optimized for breathability and aerodynamics
3 rear pockets, plus 4th zippered security pocket
YKK Vislon zipper w/ custom Maillot Jaune zipper pull
Custom Elastic at waist with TdF mountain stage profile
UPF 30
Sizes: S – 3XL
MSRP: Short-sleeve – $190, Long-sleeve – $200, Vest – $180

The Échappée line also includes a Maillot Jaune version of the popular Espresso 2 Bibshort. These bibshorts are made with the same soft and supportive Espresso Doppio fabric, Progetto X2 Air Seamless seat pad, and quality construction as the standard Espresso 2, but with the distinctive branding and color options to tie in with the rest of the Maillot Jaune Collection.

Échappée Bibshort Specs and Features

Castelli-engineered Espresso Doppio fabric
Progetto X2 Air Seamless seat pad
Raw-cut leg opening with silicone grippers
Stretch mesh bib straps
Pocket on rear for added storage
Sizes: S – 3XL
Colors: Black, Outer Space
MSRP: $235

Last but not least, the Perfetto 4 Jacket completes the Échappée line and brings Catelli’s exclusive Polartec AirCore fabric into the Maillot Jaune Collection. Dressed in Black with Maillot Jaune branding, the Perfetto Jacket brings breathable protection with a race-ready fit for cool conditions and light rain showers.

Maillot Jaune Perfetto 4 Jacket Specs and Features

Exclusive 219 gsm Polartec AirCore Fabric w/ electro-spun air-permeable membrane
Lightly insulated for cool conditions
Chameleon-taped shoulder seams for extra rain protection
2-way YKK Vislon zipper, covered for rain and wind protection
3 rear pockets with drain holes
Drop-tail for extra coverage from wheel spray
Reflective accents for visibility
PFAS-free
Sizes: S – 3XL
MSRP: $350

Availability

Castelli’s new Maillot Jaune Collection is available exclusively online. Head to the Castelli website to check it all out.

castelli-cycling.com

What’s One More?

2026-10-21T23:46:41.000Z

What’s one more? One more lap, one more climb, one more descent, one more hour.

It’s a simple question, but after nearly 23 hours, it’s not as simple an answer as it may seem. At a point, it stops being a physical limit and becomes a conversation with yourself. How far are you willing to go, and how much more can you squeeze out of the already nearly empty tank?

“This ride wasn’t about numbers or records. It was about following curiosity wherever it leads, even when it takes far longer, hurts far more, and makes far less sense than anyone, including yourself, could imagine. That’s the story I want to share. The finish matters, but so does the thinking that gets you there: where the idea comes from, how the goal changes, and the decision to commit again when you’ve already done a huge amount.”

The post What’s One More? appeared first on The Radavist.

The Tout Terrain Catalina 29er is a Hardtail Touring Bike

2026-10-21T22:35:28.000Z

There’s a new name in Tout Terrain’s adventure-bike lineup, and its launch signals two key firsts for the German brand: the first derailleur-based 29er and the first model to be offered as a standalone frame kit. Meet the Catalina ($4,099), a steel-frame bikepacking hardtail designed to go from afternoon trail laps to big backcountry overnighters and beyond…

Tout Terrain Catalina 29er Quick Hits

Frame: Tout Terrain Thermocrom steel with Matte Black finish
Fork: RockShox Reba Gold 120mm
Groupset: Shimano Deore 1×12 drivetrain
Wheelset: WTB KOM Tough i30 29” with Tout Terrain hubs
Seatpost: OneUp V3 150mm dropper post
Sizes: S, M, L, XL
Select model price: $4,099 / €3.199

Teased at this year’s Sea Otter Classic, the Catalina feels fast and fun on flowy trails—while maintaining the key pillars of capability, long-distance comfort, and long-term durability. Staying true to the brand’s touring roots, the Catalina features multiple mounting points throughout its powder-coated Thermocrom frame, making it easier to add bags and accessories for extended trips off the grid.

For the launch, Tout Terrain is introducing the Catalina in an approachable yet capable Select 7.1 configuration, with a price point that appeals to first-time bikepackers and seasoned explorers alike. Details include a RockShox 120mm suspension fork, 2.4” Continental tires, and a OneUp 150mm dropper post to easily tackle rough, technical terrain. The Shimano Deore 1×12 groupset ensures fast, reliable shifting—while keeping Tout Terrain’s entry into the category accessible for most customers.

The Catalina is also available as a customizable frame kit in the customer’s choice of color, starting at $1,625 / € 1.300.

Preorders placed for Select 7.1 models and custom frame kits are expected to begin shipping before the end of the year.

See more at Tout Terrain.

The post The Tout Terrain Catalina 29er is a Hardtail Touring Bike appeared first on The Radavist.

I Tried Bikepacking with a 17-Foot Canoe and a Velduro Phantom

2026-10-21T20:00:07.000Z

I went bikepacking and canoepacking all in one with the Velduro Phantom e-gravel bike. Not everything went to plan.

Read the full article at I Tried Bikepacking with a 17-Foot Canoe and a Velduro Phantom on Velo.

Cannondale Announces Closure of Connecticut Offices as Pon.Bike Consolidates North American and Global Operations

2026-10-21T19:31:06.000Z

Earlier today, we learned the unfortunate news that Cannondale is closing its Wilton, Connecticut offices as its parent company Pon.Bike consolidates operations. According to a report by Bicycle Retailer and Industry News (BRAIN), Cannondale filed a notice with the Connecticut Department of Labor today, Wednesday, notifying them of the upcoming closure. Cannondale’s Connecticut operations are scheduled to wind down by mid-2027, with the closure and layoffs being permanent and impacting up to 143 employees.

The BRAIN report also included information from a letter to the Connecticut Department of Labor signed by Maggie Lansdale, Global VP of People for Sports Group, Cannondale’s business unit within Pon. It read: “The entire office will be closed and almost all employees there will be impacted. The first separations are expected to occur on December 21, 2026, and separations are expected to continue in phases through December 31, 2027. The closure and separations will be permanent.”

Cannondale’s Team Dream CAAD14

Consolidation

With the closure of Cannondale’s Wilton, Connecticut office, Pon.Bike is aiming to consolidate and streamline both its North American and global operations. According to the media statement (see below), Cannondale’s current European headquarters in Woudenberg, Netherlands, will become its new global headquarters. Cannondale’s Engineering and R+D will remain based in Freiburg, Germany.

In North America, Cannondale will be getting a new home on the West Coast, bringing operations closer to a couple of Pon.Bike’s other brands, Santa Cruz and Cervélo. According to the media statement, this move is intended to strengthen North American operations and retailer support. They state they will also be adopting a new sales model with outside sales representatives covering multiple Pon.Bike brands to make it easier for retailers to work with Cannondale and other brands in the Pon portfolio.

End of an Era

Cannondale’s founder, Joe Montgomery.

This closure also marks the end of Cannondale’s 55 years calling the state of Connecticut home, a damn good run by any measure. Cannondale was founded by Joe Montgomery in Wilton, CT, in 1971, where it was named after a local train station, and its first product was a bicycle trailer. After many years of growth and some of cycling’s most interesting bikes and innovations, Cannondale ultimately became part of Dorel Sports, which was later acquired for $810 million by Pon.Bike in 2021, creating “a leading bicycle company in the world.”

But as we’ve seen in the past few years, the cycling industry has been going through its fair share of financial struggles. Bike brands and their parent companies have been tightening belts and consolidating in the face of ongoing economic uncertainty. This includes Cannondale, which recently announced that Cannondale Factory Racing (CFR) would not be returning to World Cup racing in 2027. That announcement already made it feel like the end of an era for Cannondale, and today’s announcement reinforces that notion.

CFR team member Jolanda Neff racing in 2026. (photo / Cory Benson)

More than anything, though, we feel for the 143 employees who are now facing an uncertain future in the face of layoffs and the imminent closure of the brand’s Connecticut offices. We wish nothing but the best to all of the Cannondale employees affected by this decision.

Cannondale North America Media Statement:

Cannondale Announces Next Chapter of North American Operations and Retailer Support

Cannondale today announced plans to strengthen its North American operations and retailer support. The changes include a new home for its North American activities on the West Coast and offering its retailers easier access to other Pon.Bike brands, including Santa Cruz and Cervélo, through a single point of contact.

Over the next six months, Cannondale will adopt a new sales model in North America, with outside sales representatives covering multiple Pon.Bike brands. This builds on two years of closer commercial collaboration between the brands to offer retailers greater choice. For retailers carrying more than one brand, this means a single point of contact and simpler ordering and support services. The aim is to make it easier for retailers to work with Cannondale and access more of the Pon.Bike portfolio. Each brand will retain its own identity, models and relationship with riders.

As part of this next step, Cannondale is creating a new home for its North American business on the West Coast, a region known for its cycling culture. A dedicated commercial, retailer and rider support team will be based there, providing Cannondale expertise and services to retailers and riders across North America.

Alongside these changes, Cannondale is bringing its global teams closer together. Woudenberg (the Netherlands), currently Cannondale’s European headquarters, will become its global headquarters. R&D and Engineering functions, long based in Freiburg (Germany), will continue to engineer and develop the best bikes, building on Cannondale expertise already there.

As part of this transition, operations at the Wilton (Connecticut, USA) office will wind down by mid-2027. For more than five decades, Connecticut has been instrumental in shaping Cannondale into one of cycling’s most influential brands. Cannondale is deeply grateful to the team members whose passion, creativity, and commitment built this incredible foundation. The innovative spirit they fostered remains a core part of Cannondale’s DNA as the brand proudly carries its legacy into this next chapter of growth and rider-focused innovation.

Cannondale Closing Connecticut Office and Relocating to California; Over 100 Jobs Impacted

2026-10-21T19:27:20.000Z

Operations will be consolidated with Santa Cruz and Cervélo, two brands owned by Pon.Bike.

Read the full article at Cannondale Closing Connecticut Office and Relocating to California; Over 100 Jobs Impacted on Velo.

Movistar Signs Spanish Star Paula Blasi in Blockbuster €1.8 Million Deal

2026-10-21T17:47:24.000Z

MARCA reports that Blasi will earn 600,000 euros per season in three-year deal with Movistar, making her one of women's cycling's highest-paid riders.

Read the full article at Movistar Signs Spanish Star Paula Blasi in Blockbuster €1.8 Million Deal on Velo.

Cyclist’s 2026 men’s pro cycling team of the year

2026-10-21T16:40:31.000Z

Cyclist
Cyclist’s 2026 men’s pro cycling team of the year

With the Tour of Guangxi accounted for, the 2026 men’s road cycling season has come to a close.

After ten months of WorldTour racing, Tadej Pogačar tops the year-end UCI rankings for the sixth year in a row, having built up a total of 9,331 points in 2026. That’s just 2,000 points clear of second-placed rider Remco Evenepoel and third in line Isaac del Toro. They could be considered the three best riders of the 2026 calendar, but there’s more to the season than that.

Today, we’ll be fielding an all-star team of the eight best riders from 2026. The candidates have been chosen to reflect the general narrative of the season, factoring in 2026 achievements, UCI points and growth from previous years. Just think of this as your team of the year, and a team is what it is, it’s not just the eight riders at the top of the UCI rankings, we’ll be choosing a GC leader, Classics riders, sprinters and support riders from the cream of the crop in 2026..

Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates XRG)

Xavier Pereyron

It’s a no-brainer to pick Tadej Pogačar. To be honest, I should have banned him from this selection process, but here we are.

The Slovenian was unbeaten in stage races this year – at least, the stage races he finished – meaning he completed the season with a Grand Tour victory and three Monuments. Given he was so dominant, it’s impossible to look past him as the best rider to pick as a GC leader.

Sure, Jonas Vingegaard also went unbeaten in his completed stage races, but there’s no real argument to be had here. Pogačar is the best rider in the world.

Tim Merlier (Soudal Quick-Step)

Xavier Pereyron

After choosing Jonathan Milan as my top sprinter last year, I have backed Tim Merlier as the all-star team’s dedicated sprinter in 2026.

The Quick-Step man had a near 100% hit rate in sprints this year. He’s only lost five of the sprints he’s contested this year – mostly to Olav Kooij, mind you – which doesn’t dampen his 14 wins this season. The only rider with more is his teammate Paul Magnier, who ends the year with 15 wins.

Whether it be Classics, stage races or Grand Tours, Merlier rose to the occasion at them all, and to be honest, he looked head and shoulders above his opponents at many.

Merlier has been incredibly consistent since joining Soudal Quick-Step in 2023. This year might not have been his most dominant, but the sprinting field has fragmented in 2026 more than in previous years. Merlier has nonetheless been the constant throughout this period.

Jasper Stuyven (Soudal Quick-Step)

A.S.O./Charly López

What’s a sprinter without his leadout man? And for the second year running, I have paired up my sprinter of the year with his own leadout man.

Jasper Stuyven proved to be the signing of the season in my opinion. Fresh in Quick-Step colours, the Belgian started the Giro, where he piloted Paul Magnier to three stage wins and a points classification victory. Then at the Tour, Stuyven acted as the final leadout man for Merlier, who also scored three stage victories. In football terms, Stuyven clocked six assists at Grand Tours this year.

We can’t forget his Classics performances either. With a third place at Paris-Roubaix, plus top tens at the Tour of Flanders and Milan-San Remo, Stuyven offers good bang for your buck.

Gregor Mühlberger (Decathlon CMA CGM)

Unipublic / Cxcling / Naike Ereñozaga

It’s not been a big year for domestiques. The fact that Isaac del Toro could contend for the best domestique prize says it all.

On the whole, it feels as though everyone has been scared of Tadej Pogačar or Jonas Vingegaard. Domestiques feel redundant when those two launch a move with 50km to go.

Nonetheless, contenders could have included Davide Piganzoli for the job he fulfilled at the Giro, Pablo Castrillo for wingmanning at the Vuelta or Isaac del Toro for poaching a podium while on lookout duties. My domestique of the year is Gregor Mühlberger, however.

The Austrian was fantastic at the Vuelta, teeing up Felix Gall for attacks throughout the race’s first two weeks, back when Decathlon looked like the only team willing to shake things up. Mühlberger could have contended for the top ten overall, but he was forced to abandon ahead of the race’s final week. The Vuelta wasn’t his only success either, with a strong domestique performance also posted at the Giro earlier this year. It’s no wonder he managed to land a joint move with Gall to Lidl-Trek.

Wout van Aert (Visma-Lease a Bike)

Xavier Pereyron

For the Classics, I could have gone with Mathieu van der Poel, although his 2026 form looked the most fragile it has been for some seasons now. I could have gone for Remco Evenepoel after his bold Flemish discovery in the spring. Heck, I could have picked the Tour’s green jersey winner Mads Pedersen in order to strike two birds with one stone.

However, after something of an off-year in 2025, Wout van Aert returned from injury this winter as one of the best all-rounders in the sport. For that, he has to be considered one of the best riders of 2026.

Of course, Van Aert’s magnum opus this year came at Paris-Roubaix. However, the Belgian was consistent all spring long, with a podium finish at Milan-San Remo, a fourth at the Tour of Flanders and a second place at Dwars door Vlaanderen. This was later backed up by stage wins at the Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, albeit just before he was forced to skip the Tour de France.

Besides Van Aert’s ability to underpin a Classics squad and deliver sprint wins on tougher profiles, he can also slot into the role as leadout man. That was made evident at this year’s Vuelta, where he acted as the bodyguard for five-time stage winner Matthew Brennan. Despite taking more stages, Van Aert would bag the green jersey too, having gone in breaks and made the selection on tougher days.

That versatility is what Van Aert is known for, and we may have lost sight of that before his rampant return this year. Maybe all it took was for his ankle to be snapped or for him to launch his own mobile network. Who knows.

Paul Seixas (Decathlon CMA CGM)

Xavier Pereyron

Last year, I smuggled several GC names into the final selection. This year, I’ve limited it to two GC riders.

I’ll let you in on a secret. I was split between choosing Remco Evenepoel and Paul Seixas. On one hand, you have a rider who finished second at the Tour de France, won the rainbow jersey against the clock and finished the year with a European title to his name. On the other, you have a kid who finished fourth at the Tour, finished on the podium at Liège-Bastogne-Liège and Strade Bianche, then won a Monument. That’s before I mention that Seixas is the only one of the two to have won a WorldTour stage race this year.

It’s a tantalisingly close call, but I have sided with the 20-year-old from Lyon. Seixas has shown that he might be the closest thing we have to a Pogačar slayer. We saw that at both Strade and Liège, when he was the first rider in years to follow the yearly long-range attacks on the Monte Santa Marie and La Redoute.

Although his debut Tour only resulted in a fourth place, Seixas was a strong force in GC. He was up there at TARA and he dismantled the field at Itzulia Basque Country. Don’t forget the bronze medal against the clock at the UCI World Championships and the Flèche Wallonne win either, or the frenzy of hype he stirred up around every corner of the 2026 calendar.

This guy is the future, but he is also the present. Seixas will surely get a mention in next year’s list (and the year after’s), but you can’t deny that he has shaped the outcome of 2026.

Mauro Schmid (Jayco AlUla)

A.S.O./Morgan Bove

Last year, my wildcard was Cristian Scaroni. The Italian scored an absurd amount of UCI points and managed to win a Grand Tour stage. For almost the exact same reasons, Mauro Schmid ends up on my list this year.

The Swiss rider ends the season 13th on the UCI rankings, above the likes of Enric Mas, Giulio Ciccone, Mattias Skjelmose and Matteo Jorgenson.

Schmid has been climbing well in 2026, evidenced by an overall victory at the Tour of Oman and a string of podium finishes on Tour de France stages. Pair this with his engine and ability to make key selections, and it’s clear that this guy becomes one of the best all-rounders in the bunch.

His 2026 performances have landed him on a big-money deal at Pinarello Q36.5 next year. Reports suggest the Swiss rider will be on a salary of €2 million per year at his new home. However, I reckon Schmid would have been a lethal domestique at a squad like UAE, Red Bull or Visma. Surely this guy has the hallmarks of an annoying domestique de luxe.

Tobias Halland Johannessen (Uno-X Mobility)

Unipublic / Cxcling / Antonio Baixauli

We’ve gone even more rogue with our eighth and final pick: Tobias Halland Johannessen.

The Norwegian has been something of a constant in the 2026 calendar, resulting in a seismic shift in the UCI rankings, leaving Halland Johannessen as the ninth best-placed rider in 2026.

Halland Johannessen didn’t necessarily take a huge leap forward this year, he just remained consistent across the calendar. A podium at Itzulia Basque Country, top fives at both TARA and Tirreno-Adriatico. He finished inside the top five on four Tour de France stages and helped support his teammate Andreas Leknessund to a first Grand Tour victory. That was all topped off with a stage victory of his own on the final stage of the Vuelta a España.

How does Halland Johannessen fit into this squad? Well, he’s something of an everyman when the race goes uphill. He can get into the breakaway, contend for Classics, and ride for GC. He’s a jack of all trades this guy.

Honourable mentions

Chris Auld

Making a final selection of eight was far from easy. Some riders had to miss out. Here’s our chance to sing their praises.

In a GC department, we could have gone for Jonas Vingegaard, who seemed untouchable during the spring, winning Paris-Nice, the Volta a Catalunya and the Giro d’Italia in dominant form. When pitted against Pogačar though, it feels like an easy choice to make.

Similarly, Giulio Pellizzari could have snuck in as a back-up GC leader. The Italian was a real asset to Red Bull this spring, with several impressive performances at week-long stage races. His GC performance at the Giro might have let him down, but his domestique work for Jai Hindley proved Pelizzari might be more versatile than first imagined.

Ben Healy managed to make the cut last year. In his place, Tom Pidcock could have fit in. The Brit was painfully consistent this year, despite missing a big-name victory in 2026. His skillset also gives us two bites of the cherry, following a Monument podium and a Grand Tour top ten in 2026.

Mathieu van der Poel fans, I hear you seething. The Dutchman was on my list last year, but not in 2026. Despite winning Omloop Nieuwsblad and E3 Saxo Classic, Van der Poel faced his weakest Classics season since 2019. For the first time in five years, there were no Monuments to report this spring. Sure, bad luck ruled him out of Paris-Roubaix, but he just seemed a little below his usual standard. I’m just hoping this line of argument helps us to look past the two stage wins he picked up at this year’s Tour de France.

I didn’t even get to justifying Evenepoel’s exclusion or spinters like Mads Pedersen, Jonathan Milan or Paul Magnier, who I admit was the ‘winningest’ fastman of the season. Alas, it’ll give them something to work on for next year.

The post Cyclist’s 2026 men’s pro cycling team of the year appeared first on Cyclist.

Garmin Revamps and Opens Up Connect Developer API Program: All the Details

2026-10-21T15:41:36.000Z

After some 7 months of being ‘closed’ to new entrants, Garmin has re-opened and revamped the Garmin Connect API developer program, focused specifically on 3rd-party platforms that want to receive data files from Garmin devices via Garmin Connect, or send certain types of data to Garmin devices. Things like receiving your completed activities/workouts, sending routes/courses or structured workouts to Garmin devices, receiving general health/wellness data, and so on. All of these leverage the Garmin Connect API today, and have for many years.

Before we get into the details of the new program, Garmin closed it to new applications back in March due to an overwhelming number of inbound applications. With the rise of AI-generated apps, Garmin went from a handful of (mostly legit) applications each week to a tsunami of new AI vibe-coded applications each day. Fun fact: Less than half of all applications that were requesting access even bothered to use it, once granted.

Of course, it’d be easy to blame vibe-coded AI apps for everything, but the reality was Garmin’s process was equally to blame. They treated every inbound request as if it were an enterprise-level company, rather than perhaps just a hobbyist developer or early-stage startup. That meant that everything from business case validation, policy validation, and such was all done at a level far beyond any other wearable in the space. Applications could take weeks to months (easily), compared with sometimes instant access to credentials from other companies like Polar, Wahoo, Suunto, and more. Garmin didn’t differentiate between the credential types: Everyone got the same full-fledged access, whether they really needed it or not.

That changes today, with three distinct tiers that essentially allow an app to ‘grow’ from hobbyist level, to startup level, to full ‘enterprise’ level access with 24×7 support/etc. The first two tiers are free, and greatly expand access to individuals wanting instant access to Garmin’s platform, effectively creating an MCP level of sorts…minus actually creating an MCP.

With that, let’s dive into it.

What Changes:

In short, Garmin Connect now has three different API levels, versions the previous level that required a bunch of paperwork and verifications. These three levels are now:

– Personal: Designed for a single person to have access to their activity and health data via the Connect API
– Startup: Designed for organizations that need to support up to 1,000 users, adds more API areas
– Enterprise: Everything above, plus more API areas, technical support, and historical data. Oh, and it costs money.

All of this is best shown in the chart below, which I’ve copied from Garmin’s Connect API site, but we’ll keep it here for long-term historical reference. Cause, if we know anything from the past, it’ll probably change again.

The key thing here is that both the Personal and Startup levels get both JSON summaries (which is what that means in this context), as well as full .FIT file with the activity data in it. Though, it does sound like Garmin is annoyingly stripping out some data they consider proprietary, whereas if you upload it manually from your watch/device, that data is there. I’m hoping they’ll change that, partially because it’s dumb, and partially because it just increases the ways things can go wrong and is overly complicated.

Still, I’m glad to see they’re offering the full .FIT file, as anything less would have mostly been useless when you start talking more interesting application ideas. Beyond that, you also get both general Health Data and Women’s Health Data JSON summaries (which is fine in this context, I think).

The process to create a Personal API key takes a few seconds in total.

I just did it again, end to end; maybe 8 seconds?

Meanwhile, stepping up to the ‘Starter’ level adds the Courses & Training API’s. These allow developers to *push* routes/courses to Garmin Connect, which can in turn end up on your device. And the same is true for structured workouts. Think things like Strava and Komoot Routes use this for routes, and TrainingPeaks or Final Surge uses this to send planned workouts. It sounds like approvals for this tier should be virtually instant.

Which then takes us to the ‘Enterprise’ level, which adds the Golf API that does small ball things, as well as, more notably, the Historical Data backfill. This means when someone connects a new account to their app, it’ll allow the user to backfill a predefined amount of historical data, versus just data from that moment forward. Further, it provides technical support and allows for more than 1,000 users.

But of course – there’s a catch. Once you hit that 1,000-user realm, you’re now in ‘pay-for-play’ land. Garmin is joining Whoop in charging a fee here. There’s essentially an initial $1,000 entry fee, which is a credit towards your monthly active user bill. That means as a company you’ll pay on a per-user basis, for “active monthly users” that are connected. That’s a big shift from the current ‘totally free’ realm that’s been the case for Garmin Connect since 2019, when they dropped the previous $5,000 entry fee.

Garmin is essentially saying they’re trying to recoup some of the costs of supporting the platform, while also being able to provide support at this higher tier. There’s also a reality here that many other companies are trying to build full businesses on the backs of Garmin’s platform (e.g. Bevel), and Garmin basically feels like if they want enterprise-level support, they should pay for it.

So what does that ‘monthly active users’ fee cost? Well, that’s to be negotiated on a per-company basis. It sounds like what Strava or Komoot would pay is undoubtedly different than what a smaller company would pay. However, for funsies, you may not know that the DCR Analyzer actually supports the Garmin Connect API today (along with Amazfit, COROS, Hammerhead, Polar, Suunto, Wahoo, Google Health, and Apple Health via HealthFit). So I asked what it’d cost us. We have roughly 20,000 total users, but a much smaller portion of those are monthly active users with Garmin Connections. While I can’t share the exact amount, it’s fair to say it falls within the rough category of ‘pennies on the dollar’.

This brings the next question: when will companies start to pay this? By April 1st, 2027. Between now and then, Garmin will work with existing Garmin Connect API partners to sort out that financial piece. By default, though, all existing partners become ‘Enterprise’ automatically. Further, no existing partner has to pay the $1,000 Enterprise entry fee.

I don’t love the idea of Garmin charging anything to access this data, and I largely feel like this should simply be the cost of doing business in 2026. If not, stick that cost into the marketing budget, because that’s what it is. It’s marketing for Garmin devices. Every single 3rd-party platform that integrates with Garmin is marketing for Garmin. That said, if I put on my DCR Analyzer hat, the cost here is pretty negligible – at least for one company. If a user wants to connect all of these platforms, then perhaps it’s slightly more notable, but even then, it still wouldn’t really matter to the bottom line.

Oh, and for lack of a better place to stick it, the existing Garmin Connect IQ program remains free and unchanged (that’s for widgets/apps/etc. on Garmin devices).

The Enterprise Competitive Landscape:

So what does the ‘API’ competitive landscape look like? Well, it depends. There’s no real question here that Garmin provides the most robust API in terms of features (e.g., routes, structured workouts, completed activities, health data, women’s health, etc.). That part honestly isn’t really debatable – it’s factually true. Equally, while platforms like Apple provide free access, they don’t offer a web-based API to push data into Apple Health. Meaning, a partner *has* to develop an iOS app to push/pull it there. That’s why for the DCR Analyzer we use HealthFit as our partner to pull data from Apple Health. The last thing I wanted to do was develop an app simply to get my Apple Fitness data; that solved our need.

Anyways, as for other device platforms – like COROS, Suunto, Wahoo, Polar, Amazfit, etc. – all of them today provide some level of API, but whether or not they provide it for the end-user to do something is heavily mixed. For example, COROS rolled out their MCP access for free for all COROS users. And Suunto announced the same thing last week for some time in the future. Wahoo and Amazfit have programs for companies, but those aren’t really available for individuals. Suunto and Polar also have programs for companies too, and both of those are pretty easy to access. In fact, fun tidbit: Out of all the API partners we implemented for the DCR Analyzer, by far Polar was the fastest and easiest to do.

Historically speaking, Whoop, for example, has charged for more detailed API access (such as the full workout files), while allowing free summary information. As an example, in the case of the DCR Analyzer, that’s not super useful, so we haven’t pursued it. Update: Whoop is no longer charging for API information, at any level, according to the company.

One of the things that companies are trying to avoid is ‘aggregator’ type platforms, such as Terra. Generally speaking, when I talk to platforms/companies in the sports tech realm, most have a strong disdain for Terra. It’s mostly for two reasons. The first is that most companies have felt that Terra consistently misleads their customers into thinking they have legit partnerships with the big platforms, when historically speaking, many of those platforms had never even heard of Terra. Second, Terra wasn’t using proper APIs (e.g. OAuth) for many of the sites they accessed, which makes it a notable security concern for the platforms in question. This 14-month-old community support question best exemplifies the issue in one efficient thread.

We saw this play out recently when Terra got themselves in a pickle as Garmin shut off access to the API for them, until they followed the rules that had been in place for years. Terra responded by asking people to e-mail Garmin’s CEO directly (and provided his e-mail address). Likewise, I got flooded with e-mails as well.

Still, Garmin’s shift here towards charging for API access will set a dangerous precedent for the industry. Especially for a company that bills itself as a (or the?) premium sports hardware provider. On the flip side, there’s simply no ignoring the flood of mostly AI apps that take up resources at Garmin and elsewhere to support. Heck, my inbox is flooded with these apps daily requesting reviews. It sounds like when Garmin shut off access to the API last spring, they were seeing inbound API requests at a daily scale that they’d previously only seen over a period of weeks. Simply put, there’s no good answer.

Going Forward:

Ultimately, there’s sorta a few groups of winners and losers here. For hobbyists, this is a huge win. A massive one. This is the first time that Garmin has provided access (and instant access) to their API for individual users to grab and play with their own data without having to deal with manual .FIT file uploads/management. Likewise, those users can easily/instantly get into the ‘Startup’ category and do more things – all for free up to 1,000 users. So for companies trying to test out a theory, it’s all good news there.

Where things get fuzzier is the bigger companies, though of course, 1,000 users is hardly ‘big’. Strava has 200 million users, for context. At least now the gates are back open again, and companies can start working their way through the process accordingly. It sounds like part of the goal here is that by offloading the lower-tier access, they can increase the response time for enterprise tiers, minimizing the delay to get through that paperwork approval pile. Plus, those bigger companies can get proper technical support too.

Anyways, interesting times indeed.

With that – thanks for reading!

P.S. – I found an old picture of Garmin’s Connect Developer Summit from 2019 when they first abolished the API fee. Seems appropriate here, even above.

It’s coming home: Assessing the 2026 seasons for the Grand Tour host nations

2026-10-21T15:26:38.000Z

Cyclist
It’s coming home: Assessing the 2026 seasons for the Grand Tour host nations

Pro cycling’s three Grand Tours are hallowed ground for the riders of the men’s peloton. With history dating back over a century, these three-week events are exalted above all other stage races as the pinnacle of achievement in the sport, featuring storied climbs and landscapes that serve as a stage to some of its greatest legends.

For France, Italy and Spain, success not only at their home Grand Tours, but throughout the cycling season at the top level, is not just desired but expected. Fans and media alike place a heavy burden on the shoulders of their athletes to maintain the status of the trio of influential European nations. While the sport still has a way to go when it comes to diversity and representation from nations outside of its European heartlands, nations such as Slovenia, Colombia, Great Britain, Denmark, Ecuador and more have joined and even eclipsed France, Italy and Spain in the modern era, competing comfortably alongside and often surpassing riders from the nations that historically dominated the development of the pro cycling calendar at the top level.

The low countries are just as exacting in their drive for success as the Grand Tour home nations, but where France, Italy and Spain have arguably faltered in recent seasons, Belgium and the Netherlands continue to deliver reasons to celebrate for partisan supporters. In 2026, the two cycling strongholds can lay claim to 12 Grand Tour stages (the same as France, Italy and Spain combined, and including nine at the Tour), one Monument win, and two special jerseys courtesy of Remco Evenepoel, who retained his world ITT title along with winning the European Championship road race. Not a bad haul for one season.

When viewed through the lens of history, it’s fair to say none of the three great cycling superpowers that play host to the trio of Grand Tours are at their peak. These three nations developed pro cycling to where it is today, partially because of these races; just as Belgian names are the most numerous when casting your eye down a list of winners at the cobbled Monuments, so the Giro d’Italia, Tour de France and Vuelta a España contain within their list of winners the greatest ever riders from each nation.

What can we surmise from a fascinating 2026 season, if we view the successes and failures of these three nations as a barometer of their relative health in the sport? Which is most likely to continue populating the sport’s history books in the coming years, and which may become a footnote, despite hosting one of the three most important stage races of the year? It’s time to review the season for the Grand Tour home nations to look for answers.

Reasons to be cheerful for the French

Xavier Pereyron

The wait for a male French Tour de France winner is one of the most discussed topics in cycling; since Bernard Hinault in 1985, no Frenchman has been able to repeat the feat, despite the near misses of Laurent Fignon and the romanticised expectations for Thomas Voeckler, Romain Bardet, Thibaut Pinot and Julian Alaphilippe.

The Tour is arguably the hardest race to win in pro cycling, the most hotly contested of the three Grand Tours, and the primary goal for the sport’s elite. Even claiming a precious stage win is a tall order given the quality of the start list, so perhaps it’s not surprising that on paper, the French appear to be the biggest losers in 2026 when it comes to success at their home Grand Tour, given the lack of stage wins for the hosts. It’s only the third time in the race’s history that no French rider has won a stage – a concerning statistic in isolation, but there were other reasons to be cheerful. Three French riders finished in the top ten on GC – fourth, fifth and tenth – with the quiet but steady improvement of Lenny Martinez and consistency of Jordan Jegat adding to the remarkable result on debut by Paul Seixas, the man the French are looking to to end their 41 (and counting) years of hurt.

Away from home, two surprise wins at La Vuelta courtesy of Bastien Tronchon and Bryan Coquard and a trio of victories for Paul Magnier at the Giro d’Italia brought France five Grand Tour stage wins in 2026, with Magnier also claiming the ciclamino points jersey, though their GC strength at home could not be replicated (just 11th at the Giro and eighth, 11th and 12th at the Vuelta).

Despite financial issues plaguing many of their domestic teams, the French have raised their game for the fourth consecutive season: the nation notched up 94 victories 2026, including 24 at WorldTour level. Has the French obsession with winning the Tour obscured reality? Putting aside their preoccupation with the La Grande Boucle, success has come across profiles – the nation boasts one of the strongest young sprinters in Paul Magnier; rising talents in the shape of Aubin Sparfel and Antoine L’Hote, and riders who still haven’t approached their full potential, such as Lenny Martinez, Romain Grégoire and Kévin Vauquelin.

Throw in a Monument win and the tour de force that is Paul Seixas in general, and you have a recipe for future success that should have the French faithful rubbing their hands together.

Italy on an even keel

Dario Belingheri/Getty Images

Of the three nations, Italy occupy the middle ground in terms of their scorecard in 2026. A solid performance at their home Grand Tour, with four stage wins from four different riders (Davide Ballerini, Alberto Bettiol, Filippo Ganna and Jonathan Milan), along with a KOM jersey courtesy of Giulio Ciccone, proved the nation is still performing across all different race profiles. There was less to celebrate at the Tour and Vuelta with no Italian stage wins, and modest GC performances (eighth and ninth at the Vuelta and just 14th at the Tour).

Italy scored 16 WorldTour wins in 2026, from a range of sources – they have top sprinters (Jonathan Milan scored over half of their top level victories), one of the world’s best time triallists, and hope for the future at top stage races after a period in the weeds since Vincenzo Nibali’s retirement. Ciccone flew the flag throughout the season, notching up podiums and top tens at a wide range of races including most recently an agonising second place at the European Champs road race; Giulio Pellizzari continued to make steady progress, recording a clutch of victories at lower tier races, and a notable third on GC at Tirreno-Adriatico; and Davide Piganzoli impressed for Visma with a top ten at the Giro as a domestique, a GC win at the Tour de Luxembourg and Italian Classic victory at the Giro dell’Emilia.

They are the nation that has struggled the most in the past 20 years to produce successful GC riders; Antonio Tiberi had a difficult season and Damiano Caruso’s consistency will be missed, though he was unable to recreate the kinds of results he enjoyed at his peak this year. When it comes to the future though, there is cause for optimism. Lorenzo Finn completed a historic hat-trick in the past calendar year, winning the U23 World Road Race aged just 18, then claiming crushing victories at both bellwether events for development riders in 2026 in the Giro NextGen and Tour de l’Avenir. Finn made his elite debut for Italy in Montréal and will step up to Red Bull’s WorldTour team in 2027 with a view to following in the footsteps of Paul Seixas and making an impact in his first year as a pro – possibly head-to-head against the man who he has clashed with throughout their junior careers. Throw in the promising Matteo Scalco who turns pro with XDS Astana in 2027, and Italy can be cautiously optimistic.

Spain still await long-term successors to their golden era

Unipublic / Cxcling / Antonio Baixauli

The inspiration for this piece began with a dive into the state of Spanish cycling. The golden era for the nation that began with Miguel Indurain in the 1990s and continued into the 2000s with the likes of Alberto Contador, Carlos Sastre and latterly Alejandro Valverde has tapered into a less fruitful decade, with Spanish victories at WorldTour level declining year-on-year.

Despite this – and here it’s worth noting that Spain has half the number of top-level pros as France and Italy – when comparing the three Grand Tour host nations, Spain’s 2026 looks like a slam dunk. A GC victory, and on home soil no less – it’s the stuff dreams are made of, and the first time the Spanish fans have been able to celebrate a Vuelta victory since Contador’s final win there in 2014.

The Spanish have won just six WorldTour races in 2026, including just a single Grand Tour stage – Igor Arrieta’s scintillating breakaway victory at the Giro d’Italia. It’s approaching a decade since their last Monument win, and with their best-placed riders on GC at the Giro and Tour 14th and seventh respectively (David de la Cruz at the Giro and Juan Ayuso at the Tour), the state of play appears comparatively bleak for the nation, which, on paper, enjoyed the best of 2026 in Grand Tour terms. Enric Mas’s surprise Vuelta victory combined with stage wins along the way for both Mas and a revitalised Mikel Landa offered respite for the languishing Spanish, Mas discovering form that saw him become one of a handful of riders to be able to match Tadej Pogačar; but taking nothing away from his deserved victory, it’s fair to say both he and particularly Landa are heading towards the twilight of their careers.

As for the future, there are a host of young Spanish talents rising through the ranks that will hope to compete with the likes of Seixas and Finn. Among them, Lidl-Trek’s Héctor Álvarez, who has scorched his way through his second year at U23, taking victory most recently at the European Championships. The same year group as the French and Italian hopes, Álvarez has a slightly different profile to the two climbers, more likely destined for Classics success than three-week stage races.

Add in Netcompany Ineos-bound Junior World Road and Time-Trial Champion Benjamin Noval, whose new team and home nation are hoping he can be a Seixas-like figure, and there is real cause for hope in Spain’s future. Both join Seixas and Finn as WorldTour pros in 2027, and alongside the likes of Pau Marti, Iván Romeo and Markel Beloki – who’ll join Noval at Netcompany – will look to kickstart a new era of Spanish success, hot on the heels of Juan Ayuso, who himself will hope to rediscover his best level after a faltering first season with Lidl-Trek.

Tangible routes to glory

Xavier Pereyron

All three nations had reasons to celebrate in 2026, but though Spain arguably came out on top with a Grand Tour GC win, France can perhaps feel the greatest sense of optimism, particularly given the way their season has ended with a first career Monument win for Paul Seixas – a confirmation of the prodigiously talented 20-year-old’s vast potential. His impressive fourth place in his Tour de France debut strikes an ominous note for the other cycling superpowers too, who will hope their young talents can eventually be a match for the rising French star, otherwise the French may finally be able to reclaim their dominance at not only their home Grand Tour, but across cycling.

Italy and Spain have their own Seixas-esque figures, but as far as future-proofing goes, France finally has the most tangible route to victory already mobilised and ready to deliver the glory they’ve been so craving.

The post It’s coming home: Assessing the 2026 seasons for the Grand Tour host nations appeared first on Cyclist.

Goodbye, Quick-Step: 24 Years of Cobbles, Glory, and Swagger

2026-10-21T13:51:51.000Z

Quick-Step’s historic run as title sponsor ends. From Boonen’s cobbles to Remco’s Vuelta, here are the moments that built a cycling powerhouse.

Read the full article at Goodbye, Quick-Step: 24 Years of Cobbles, Glory, and Swagger on Velo.

Pechtregon L’Antilope Morse Attachment System: 2026 Concours de Machines Winner – John Watson

2026-10-21T06:20:46.000Z

John and Cari were originally supposed to attend the 2026 Concours de Machines, but logistics proved to be too much. Luckily for them, the winner of the framebuilding challenge event, Matthieu Chollet‘s framebuilding brand Pechtregon, had his photographer, Laurent Belando, document his L’Antilope touring bike with a unique and cleverly designed Morse System. Read on for a rundown on the Morse bag attachment system, along with a brief on L’Antilope.

Concours de Machines: Background

The Concours de Machines is an annual event sponsored by the Association des Artisans du Cycle (the French Association of Bicycle Artisans), which revived the historic competition in a modern format starting in 2016 (originally initiated with help from Victoire Cycles and 200 Magazine).

For a thorough background on the event, we kindly request that you read Petor’s Reportage in our Archives: 2022 Concours de Machines.

One of the great things about the Concours is that the challenge changes from year to year. The Association des Artisans du Cycle presents a technical brief for framebuilders to build a bicycle that will adapt on the fly to meet a list of specific requirements. The bicycle is fabricated specifically to meet those challenges while riding a specified route. Post-event, a panel of judges rates how well the bicycle performed, met its standards, and was constructed.

This year, the brief asked for a lot from a single machine: stay quick on tarmac, make room for wider tires and the gear for a night outside, and shift between the two in under 20 minutes. In road mode, bikes could weigh no more than 8.8 kilograms and run tires no wider than 32 mm. In off-road mode, rubber had to measure at least 40 mm.

Then there was the accessibility requirement, which may be the most compelling part of the whole exercise. Working with the French Handisport Federation, the Concours asked builders to rethink how luggage is managed with one hand. This detail prompted some creative thinking about where a bag is grabbed, how it attaches, how it releases, and how it stays secure once it’s on.

For 2026, Pechtregon’s L’Antilope with the Morse Attachment System won the event. We’re lucky to have Matthieu Chollet from Pechtregon submit his winning bike to The Radavist.

Matthieu wrote a brief on the Morse System and L’Antilope below…

Pechtregon L’Antilope

I thought my bikes were simple and clever, but only for a cyclist with two hands. By putting yourself in another’s shoes, you see things differently.

We start to think differently, to not do what we are used to doing, to take one or more steps to the side. This approach allows us to evolve our human environment, the objects and services that surround us.

The Morse System

A simple answer to a gesture that has become complicated. Morse addresses the problem of attaching and detaching luggage with one hand. Initially designed to attach directly to a truss fork, it expands thanks to additional stainless steel supports that allow carrying capacity to be tripled.

The luggage module remains the same: it attaches to any of the bike’s six mounting points. A safety lock prevents the bag from flying up in the event of an impact.

Why “Morse”?

On a lathe or milling machine, the Morse taper allows a tool to be fitted in a single movement: the taper centers the workpiece and holds it in place with simple pressure. The Morse taper device applies this mechanical principle to the bicycle.

The plates are cut, perforated, and then anodized black: light, rigid, and engraved with Morse code.

Bag Attachment in Three Movements

Input
The bag is carried by its strap. The Morse module is attached to the back: it’s the same interface on all the bags.

Engage
The module is mounted on one of the six support points on the stainless steel fork or luggage rack. The bag is attached.

Roll
The safety lock secures the luggage in place during impacts. To remove it, reverse the action, always using one hand.

One Module; Six Slots

Truss fork at the front, additional stainless steel luggage racks at the rear: the same Morse module is used for both. The supports are also mounted and dismounted by hand, using knobs.

See more on the Morse System at Morse Equipment.

Pechtregon L’Antilope

A streamlined, sporty road bike weighing less than 8.8 kg, on which everything has been designed for speed and inclusivity: one-hand luggage, turn signals controlled from the handlebars on the left or right, wheels that can be replaced in one gesture, automatically connected lighting.

Legend Wheels Dual System

L’Antilope utilizes the Legend Wheels Dual system, which allows the rider to remove the wheel without faffing with the chain, derailleur, or cassette. Legend Wheels’ system revolutionizes the “one bike, two wheel setups” system: perfect for Concours de Machines.

Pechtregon L’Antilope Specs

< 8.8 kg: for a pilot of 188 cm
GRX 12s: mechanical single-chainring transmission
Legend Wheels Dual: rear wheel removal without touching the chain (see the video of it in action here)
SON SL: automatic electrical connection

Thanks to Matthieu Chollet for sending us this story and to Concours de Machines for hosting this wonderful event.

The post Pechtregon L’Antilope Morse Attachment System: 2026 Concours de Machines Winner appeared first on The Radavist.

One Million Feet Of Climbing In 2026: Third-Quarter Update – Travis Engel

2026-10-21T06:12:11.000Z

Travis is now in the home stretch of his attempt to log a million feet of climbing in 2026. He’s gotten through the hottest months of the summer, as well as a weeks-long content-producing cram-session to make room for a trip to Europe. But he had a setback between the months of August and September, and between vertebrae T-12 and L-2.

Photo: Brian Vernor

It’s not looking good, folks. Three months ago, my quest to climb a million feet in 2026 was in a real “trust-the-struggle” stage. I had been consistently behind schedule by 10,000 to 15,000 feet since late spring. But that proved to be an oddly educational experience. It wasn’t fun being in a rut, even an imaginary rut on my way to an arbitrary goal. It had an antimotivational effect. Thankfully, a ten to fifteen K debt is not insurmountable. And by mid August, I was back on track. That shifted my reinforcement from negative to positive, and the future was bright. Then, something happened.

Like most people entering their late 40s, I have back problems. And like most people with back problems, I’m best at physical therapy when the pain is at its worst. I had slacked off my stretches during six months of quiet comfort. That quiet was suddenly shattered when I apparently had a careless posture and / or an underinflated sleeping pad during a chainsaw mission / campout on August 22nd / 23rd. I barely made it back to the car. My back was frozen for the next two days, and my neck soon followed.

No worries, though. This has happened before, and I have a handful of simple exercises to fix it. That’s fortunate, because less than a month later, I would be leaving for Europe to hang with family and then embark on an 800-mile ride from Switzerland to Spain. A little last hurrah on the CheckOUT full-suspension gravel bike before I finally send it back to Trek.

Spoiler alert: I didn’t finish the ride. My physical therapy did eventually get me back into pedaling shape, but then came a week-long wall of unrelenting rain across most of western Europe. I was at a train station and on hold with Virgin Atlantic Airlines before you could say, “Je ne parle pas français.” But that’s another story.

Back in August, my excitement around this trip was utterly intoxicating. Maintaining my lead on the million-foot mission took a distant back seat to the more urgent task of rest and rehabilitation. Riding was painful, so I stayed off the bike for a week. Then another week, and another still. And to my surprise, I couldn’t care less that my goal was slipping away at the rate of 2,739.73 feet per day. In fact, as I write this paragraph, I still haven’t checked to see how far behind I am. Let’s do that now…

Wow. I’m about 70,000 feet behind. That’s almost three times the deficit I had at my lowest point this year. And since I’m currently in the middle of a pretty brutal heat wave here in Los Angeles, I’m not that motivated to start catching for a few more days. By then, the gap will have grown to 80K. But I think I’ve made peace with it.

Even though that Europe ride only lasted for five days, those days were devoid of pain and full of pleasure. I ate some great food, bagged some gorgeous peaks, and got woken up in the middle of the night by a wild French boar. I even took a detour to visit the H.R. Giver museum, which I had wanted to visit since I was 17.

During the preceding month, the pain was too severe and too acute to ride through. But had I tried, none of these things may have happened. My attempt to bag a million feet of climbing has taught me a lot of lessons, and this latest one was to keep my priorities straight. To not be too precious about things that don’t really matter. In the future, I feel like I’ll be better equipped to let go. And anyway, I’m pretty proud of what I’ve achieved so far.

Until just before my back started acting up in August, the most climbing I’d ever recorded in a year was 672,355 feet. I’m now at 691,782. So, every foot I climb is setting a new record. It’s like Samwise Gamgee stopping in the cornfield to say that, if he took one more step, it’d be the farthest from home he’d ever been. I know that scene isn’t anywhere in the books, but it’s a character-accurate contemplation on the struggle between comfort and growth. Between probable safety and potential failure. More than ever, failure feels very likely. But I’ve got some of the best months of the year ahead of me. Anything can happen. And more importantly, it doesn’t really matter.

The post One Million Feet Of Climbing In 2026: Third-Quarter Update appeared first on The Radavist.

Garmin Edge 1060 Cycling GPS Hands-On: Everything You Need to Know!

2026-10-20T22:07:34.000Z

Garmin has just announced three new cycling products in a rare mid-October cycling-focused drop. This includes the new Garmin Edge 1060 flagship cycling GPS, the Garmin Edge Explore 3/3 Plus cycling GPS, and the Tacx Nera smart trainer. But for this post, I’m going to focus on the new Edge 1060.

The new Edge 1060 got what is best described as ‘upgrades around the Edges’. It’s got a slimmed-down case, added an internal microphone for voice control and voice messaging, some new USB-C port features (and location), as well as some new routing-related features. Plus there’s a boatload of smaller enhancements, like tweaks to Strava Live Segments, the structured Workout Player, and more.

The best part is a number of these software changes are coming back to the Edge x50 series (550/850/1050), and some of them also to the Edge x40 series too. I’ll detail all of that in a post tomorrow after I finish getting everything a bit more structured.

With that, let’s simply dive right into things.

What’s New:

The Edge 1060 takes the core guts of the Edge 1050 (including the bright display, bike bell, speaker, battery life, etc.) and puts it in a smaller/lighter case, while adding in a microphone and a number of other software features. This does not feel like a major step forward for the Edge series, yet at the same time, it does bring the device in line with other voice features found on recent Garmin Fenix & Forerunner units.

Here’s what’s changed:

– Added 4 physical buttons (now 7 in total, matching Edge 550/850)
– Added microphone (already had full speaker)
– Added voice control
– Added voice messaging (via Garmin Messenger app)
– Added support for Garmin Messenger app
– Added Ride Readiness Checklist
– Added additional route details for on-device created routes (elevation graph, expected time, etc.)
– Added Free Flow Routing (routes with less slow/stop & go bits)
– Added Route Preview Metrics (Closure, Hazards, Traffic, etc.)
– Added Up Ahead Points of Interest (POI) both on route, and off-route
– Adding Google POI transfer to Edge for Android (iPhone already has), on November 3rd
– Added QWERTY keyboard
– Added predictive text when typing on said keyboard
– Added GroupRide feature to broadcast group ride if in group of other Edge users
– Added alternate data field feature
– Redesigned Workout Page to allow for collapsible portions
– Redesigned Strava Live Segments page for collapsible portions
– Redesigned Strava Live Segments page for competitor icons on map & elevation profile
– Now allows Strava Live Segments on *any* route (not just Strava Routes)
– Adding GarminLink for seamless watch heart rate broadcast (Q1 2027)
– Adding Carbon Savings feature to show benefits of bike commuting (Q1 2027)
– Moved USB-C charging port from back/end to underside (makes it easier to charge while riding)
– Added Reserve Charging Feature
– Unit now has an end-user serviceable battery like Edge 550/850
– Decreased weight from 161g to 142g
– Decreased case/bezel size: Now 58.5 x 107 x 16.3 mm (was 60.2 x 118.5 x 16.3 mm)
– Moved speaker location for better audio to the bottom (previous charging port area)
– Tweaked backlight design to have more even distribution
– Same 3.5” LCD display as before
– Same 480x800px display resolution (1,000nits)
– Same 64GB internal storage
– Same 20 hours battery life & 60 hours battery saver mode as before
– Still power charging mount connector compatible
– Same IPX7 waterproofing as before
– Price increased from $699 to $799

I’m a little bit surprised to see the price increase there. While Garmin has increased prices on many devices over the last 2-3 years, the general Garmin trend for 2026 was actually not increasing prices. Most products stayed the same this year. I suppose it is worthwhile noting that back when the Edge 1050 came out, it actually saw a price reduction (from $749 for the previous-gen Edge 1040 Solar, down to $699 for the newer Edge 1050). So I could see some logic in that this is finally keeping up with things. I guess.

Now, for lack of anywhere else to put it below, I just want to briefly note the extra 4 buttons. This matches the Edge 550/850, which have 7 buttons, and allows you to do *anything* either via buttons or touch. This is much appreciated, and I’m glad we’re seeing the comeback in buttons across the board from numerous companies.

Here’s the left side:

Here’s the right side:

And here’s the end, though, these buttons got slightly smaller, but now do sit more on the edge, which should make them easier to hit with gloves and a tight-fitting Edge out-front mount.

With that, let’s dive into the new features.

The Voice Features:

(Above: Me hands-free sending a voice message that I’m going to be late to a meeting, while riding as fast/hard as I can to not be late for said meeting.)

Now, as I’ve said countless times here before on all assortments of wearables – I don’t tend to like voice-control wearables. I just don’t see the value of it most of the time. Especially for wrist-based things, where I can grab my phone far faster in almost all cases (the only real exception is something like surfing, but…I don’t surf).

Still, let’s look at what Garmin is doing here to see if it makes any sense. With that new microphone, they’ve basically added two main features:

– Added voice control
– Added voice messaging (via Garmin Messenger app)

Remembering that there’s already a loudspeaker there from the Edge 1050, and that they already brought in the voice prompts (e.g., telling you to ‘Turn Left’, etc.). So this is all about you talking to your unit; your unit already was talking to you. Note that, technically speaking, the speaker remains the same, but is now moved down to the bottom of the unit where the charging port used to be. The microphone sits to the left of that.

So, starting off with when it comes to voice control, you’ll say “OK Garmin”, followed by whatever your quest (or question) is. There’s a surprising number of things it’ll respond to, albeit zero of them I can seem to remember mid-ride. Still, over time you’ll use the ones you use, and occasionally learn new ones.

At speeds up to about 50KPH, on both roadway (with rain) and gravel (with splashing water), it never missed responding to a single ‘OK Garmin’. Though whether it fully understood my question was a different matter. Most of the time, if it subsequently ignored me, it was because I phrased something differently than it expected. You’ll know whether or not it detects the ‘OK Garmin’ as it’ll have the little blue squiggly audio thing pop up at the bottom:

Now, with the voice control sorted, then we move into voice messages. This allows you to send someone a voice message purely hands-free. No touching of anything is required. You’ll say “OK Garmin, send a Voice Message to Des”, and boom, it opens up this page to send a voice message to Des. It waits about 2-3 seconds before it starts recording:

From there, you can send a 30-second voice message. At the end of which, you’ve got 10 seconds to either cancel it (manually), or simply let it fly (it’ll send automatically). Again, the goal here is being hands-free.

If, however, the speaker is triggered (e.g., a radar alert or navigation prompt), it’ll pause the recording. This can be a bit annoying in heavy traffic, making it a bit tricky to successfully finish recording a voice message. Otherwise, it worked flawlessly. The only slight downside is there isn’t a way to hands-free end a message earlier than the 30 seconds. You can certainly tap the screen, but hands-free today, you’re sending a 30-second message otherwise.

Also note that if you want to use your hands, you can assign a shifter button (like SRAM bonus buttons), or simply long-hold the lower left button to access voice control.

Once all that’s sorted, the message is sent via the Garmin Messenger app. The same Garmin Messenger as all their other devices use (e.g., inReach, Fenix, MARQ, etc.) for sending and receiving both cellular and satellite messages. This means the person on the other end must have the Garmin Messenger app. There’s no ability to tie in to either iOS or Android native messaging at this time.

What’s cool here, though, is that the Garmin Messenger platform will automatically transcribe things as well. So you can see this transcription for any voice messages sent to you (they’ll also play audibly, but that was very tough to hear while riding). And then on the other side, your recipient will see a transcription of your message. Note that you can play back the messages you receive (on your Edge 1060) via headphones from your phone instead. You cannot use your headphones/helmet/glasses Bluetooth mic, though to record messages.

Now, in the video I show three different speeds (0kph – standing still, 20MPH/30KPH on gravel, and 30MPH/50KPH on roadway) with you hearing the raw/original audio from the unit. In all three cases, it was pretty understandable in the recording, though slightly harder at the highest speed (with rain) to make out every word.

Ironically, it was as I was rushing back to a conference call with the Garmin Edge team that I found this feature most useful. DesFit had texted me to remind me of the meeting as I was definitely not close to home, so I was able to send him back a voice message while riding my ass off, to say I might be 3-4 minutes late. Super handy use of it.

New Navigation & Data Page Features:

Next, there are a few new navigation tidbits that I want to briefly cover. First, is you can now see details about the route as you load the course, pulled in real-time from Garmin Connect, including hazards, traffic, closures, etc.

Then, once out on the course, it’ll show you nearby POIs (points of interest), such as cafes or toilets. You can configure your two favorite categories to show above the map page, like you see here. These will be POIs on your specific route.

If you aren’t riding a route, it’ll just show the two categories as a dedicated page (which you can disable).

Next, when it comes to routing, there’s a new ‘Free Flow’ routing option that’s designed to minimize stop-and-go type routes. This routing option looks at more than just distance and heatmap/popularity data, but also looks at Garmin Connect activity data (from billions of activities) and calculates the average cyclist speeds relative to the expected cyclist speeds over that stretch of roadway. Meaning, if the roadway has a 30KPH limit, yet cyclists’ average segement/section speeds are far below it with frequent stops, that indicates it’s likely to have lots of traffic lights or junctions that slow down cyclists. This option lets you skip those routes for more ‘clean’ routes.

Next, when it comes to structured workouts and Strava Live segments, both features have been updated to allow for collapsible sections, allowing you to remove pieces you don’t want (or minimize them):

And then for Strava Live Segments, they’ve added icons on both the map and elevation profile of the things you’re chasing (e.g. KOM). Further, and this is a biggie – they’ve now enabled Strava Live Segments on *ANY* route, regardless of source. Previously, if you had a Komoot route, for example, you couldn’t see Strava Live Segments. Now you can. Finally!

Lastly, there are alternate data fields. The idea here being if you’ve got data fields with power meter data in them, but then ride a bike without a power meter, it’ll swap out those power meter fields for something else:

Personally, I’d just use a different ride profile, but I can see how folks might find this a good alternative as well. To each their own.

General Ride Tidbits:

Now, I’ll dive into a full in-depth review here shortly, after some longer rides. The crazy southern Spain rainstorms and such you’ve undoubtedly heard/seen about in the news are finally starting to pass, and I’ve got some nice long rides planned from tomorrow. Though, I don’t expect much of concern here, since this is largely a minor update to the Edge 1050 in terms of features. Meaning, I expect things like battery and GPS to be identical to before, since the battery and GPS haven’t changed.

Nonetheless, heading out for a ride today, both split on-road and off-road on some gravel/MTB terrain (in the rain), the unit pretty much felt just like the Edge 1050 with a few new tweaks. And of course, there’s nothing wrong with that; that’s not only Garmin’s flagship device, but is widely considered the best bike computer in the market.

In terms of all the core bits there from the past, like the bike bell (by far the loudest on the market), routing and navigation (the deepest), and just general basics like sensor connectivity – it’s all just as before. Though, I will say it’s slightly annoying that when it comes to migrating your sensors over from past devices (which it of course supports), you get penalized for being on all Garmin’s latest sensors (e.g., Rally pedals and HRM-600). Those require deletion and re-pairing because of the secure Bluetooth channel. Whereas my Quarq power meter ‘just worked’. So, I stayed with the Quarq for this ride. This is an area where I continue to think Garmin has either over-engineered their secure Bluetooth choices, or over-legal-team’d it. Nobody else has these issues.

But again, all of these things worked as expected. I’ve got a longer ride tomorrow where I’ll dig into the battery burn in more depth, plus things like the Strava Live Segments with non-Strava Routes.

Wrap-Up:

If you step back for a second and look at the larger set of Garmin features across all Garmin devices, it’s interesting to see the commonality starting to set in more than ever before on these ’smart’ features. Things like voice features, messenger integration, and predictive type-ahead text, etc. I’m a touch bit surprised we didn’t see an Edge 1060 Pro inReach model or something this time around, with satellite connectivity in it. After all, Garmin’s investor goal is to increase subscription revenue. To me, that’d have made the $100 price increase a bit more palatable.

At the same time, as noted before, the prior flagship Edge 1050 didn’t see a price increase, but rather a price drop from the previous flagship Edge 1040 Solar before it (from $749 in 2022). So in many ways, this was the ‘last’ of the Garmin products to finally get a price increase – despite almost every 2026 Garmin product launch seeing prices stay constant (following 2025’s hot-mess disaster of a pricing increase bonfire). Of course, we’ve seen other companies test these higher waters in recent weeks, and it won’t be the last company this week either. Whether or not consumers buy at these prices remains to be seen.

Either way, I’ve got more testing to come on this unit and an in-depth review – so stay tuned for that, and of course, stay tuned for the Tacx Nera and the Garmin Edge Explorer 3 series. I actually think the Explorer 3 & 3 Plus units will be the hidden sweet spot for many people now, especially with the increase in features they got. Sadly, I think the naming scheme still struggles to attract the core cycling audience for whatever reason. But that’s a separate post.

With that – thanks for reading!

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Thanks for reading! And as always, feel free to post comments or questions in the comments section below, I’ll be happy to try and answer them as quickly as possible. And lastly, if you felt this review was useful – I always appreciate feedback in the comments below. Thanks!

Garmin Brings Voice Control to Your Handlebars with the New Edge 1060

2026-10-20T21:32:39.000Z

Garmin just overhauled its cycling lineup with three major releases: the microphone-equipped Edge 1060, the touch-friendly Explore 3 series, and a new indoor smart trainer that brings built-in motion to a more accessible price point.

Read the full article at Garmin Brings Voice Control to Your Handlebars with the New Edge 1060 on Velo.

Reserve Wheels Announces New 32” 30|XC Wheels: Big Wheels, Big Performance

2026-10-20T18:20:00.000Z

32 inch wheels are the latest performance revolution at the highest level of World Cup XC racing. Reserve Wheels is excited to offer Reserve 30|XC in the new 32” size as either a wheelset or rim-only.

The 32 inch 30|XC is designed to deliver the same level of stiffness and responsive ride-feel as the 29” version. To achieve this, Reserve reinforced the rim and refined the profile to accommodate the larger diameter. The result is a high-performance World Cup XC wheelset
that can stand up to real-world trail riding, backed by Reserve’s lifetime warranty. Larger wheels give riders the benefits of better rollover angle and a larger contact patch for more grip. This gives riders a smoother ride and more control.

Reserve Wheels 32″ XC Quick Hits

Intended use: XC Racing, Trail Riding
Wheel sizes: 29” and 32”
Rim: 30mm Internal Width / 37mm External Width
Hub specs: 110×15 Front /148×12 Rear
Disc mount: 6-Bolt
Weights: 1911g (Including tape, Fillmore valves, and an XD driver body)
- Wheels: 882g Front, 1029g Rear
- Rim only: 523g
Price
- Wheelset: $1,799 USD
- $699 USD per rim
Hub: DT Swiss 350
Spoke Count 28
Asymmetric Offset 3mm
Recommended Tire Width 2-2.4″
Driver Options XD, MS, HG
Pricing
- $1799 US
- $2499 CAD
- €1799 EU
- $2199 AUS
- £1600 GBP

30mm Internal

A 30mm internal width delivers an ideal tire profile, providing ample sidewall support and a large contact patch. We recommend using tires between 2-2.4” wide.

Optimized Stiffness

The new refined rim profile balances radial and lateral stiffness. 28h lacing delivers the ride-feel we wanted, without adding excess weight or compromising on performance.

Lifetime Warranty

If you break a Reserve rim or Fillmore valve while out riding, we’ll replace it for free. We’re
available through email, chat or by scheduling a video call. We want to be here when you need
us most.

Learn more at reservewheels.com

The post Reserve Wheels Announces New 32” 30|XC Wheels: Big Wheels, Big Performance appeared first on The Radavist.

32-inch Gravel Gains Steam with New Tires from Continental and Rene Herse

2026-10-20T16:08:20.000Z

The tire offerings from both big and small brands build on the rumors that 32-inch wheel gravel bikes from big brands will be rolling out early next year.

Read the full article at 32-inch Gravel Gains Steam with New Tires from Continental and Rene Herse on Velo.

Jayco, Picnic Confirm WorldTour Plans for 2027 Despite Registration Hiccups

2026-10-20T15:50:31.000Z

Jayco-AlUla and Picnic-PostNL explain their UCI registration delays and confirm both plan to race in the 2027 WorldTour.

Read the full article at Jayco, Picnic Confirm WorldTour Plans for 2027 Despite Registration Hiccups on Velo.

Why Does an Event Like BorderLands Gravel Matter?

2026-10-20T15:43:32.000Z

A gravel race along the Arizona-Mexico border is introducing riders to Douglas, where history, hospitality, and the Geronimo Trail meet.

Read the full article at Why Does an Event Like BorderLands Gravel Matter? on Velo.

My Death Valley Heat Training Failed Miserably. Here Is What I Learned.

2026-10-20T14:32:12.000Z

If you are prepping for a huge ride in the desert, consistency beats intensity. Learn exactly what heat training is, how to do it outside, and why my approach completely backfired.

Read the full article at My Death Valley Heat Training Failed Miserably. Here Is What I Learned. on Velo.

No Hands: The Wild Ride of the Schwinn Bicycle Company

2026-10-20T14:00:17.000Z

Unfeatured Films, an independent studio focused on telling culturally resonant, character-driven stories, has released the first trailer for its upcoming feature documentary – No Hands: The Wild Ride of the Schwinn Bicycle Company…

No Hands is a nostalgic, mystery-driven sprint through a century of Americana, tracing the rise and fall of the iconic Schwinn Bicycle Company while opening into a larger story about childhood, cycling and American culture. Narrated by Lance Armstrong and directed by Unfeatured Films Founder Daniel Clarke, the film is coming for the first time to audiences in Southern California and Chicago.

After selling out every festival screening to date, from Boulder International Film Festival and Woods Hole Film Festival to Mill Valley Film Festival, and drawing strong emotional audience reactions, No Hands continues its fall festival run with upcoming screenings including:

Newport Beach Film Festival (Southern California premiere)
- Sunday, October 18 at 4:30 p.m. at the Lido Theater
- Tuesday, October 20 at 2:30 p.m. at Big Newport, Screen 4
Chicago International Film Festival (Midwest premiere)
- Saturday, October 24 at 6:00 p.m. at the AMC Newcity
- Sunday, October 25 at 3:00 p.m. at the Chicago History Museum.

More than a century after Schwinn’s founding – and more than three decades after its 1992 bankruptcy – the No Hands filmmakers reveal the dramatic, largely untold story of a legendary American brand that once rivaled Coca-Cola and McDonald’s in popularity. They trace the company’s rise, cultural impact and mysterious fall while examining how bicycles changed the way people moved through the world.

The documentary feature spans Schwinn’s storied history, from the iconic Sting-Ray to its influence on BMX and mountain biking.

Fans, collectors, and cycling pioneers – including Trek Bicycle President John Burke, mountain biking pioneers Gary Fisher, Joe Breeze and Charlie Kelly, and Richard Schwinn, great-grandson of co-founder Ignaz Schwinn – recount how the brand changed cycling forever while navigating the pressures of American manufacturing, family drama, fads and business forces…

The post No Hands: The Wild Ride of the Schwinn Bicycle Company appeared first on The Radavist.

Old Man Mountain Updates the Axle Pack With V2: Now 20% Lighter

2026-10-20T13:30:17.000Z

Old Man Mountain’s Axle Pack was launched in 2024 to transform any fork into an adventure-worthy one, with sturdy 3-Pack mounts. Now Old Man Mountain is releasing the Axle Pack v2. Coming in at a minuscule 59g per side, Axle Pack v2 is 20% lighter than its predecessor….

Most bike mounts are rated to just 1.5kg each. Add to that low weight limit the possibility of an impact to the bags on a tree or rock, and you have a fair chance of ripping the eyelets out of your fork, especially a carbon fork. Axle Pack v2 is rated to 10kg per pair and, because it is axle-mounted, protects your fork from potential damage.

Axle Pack is a lifesaver on suspension forks when clamping can compress seals. Axle mounting is also ideal on carbon forks that taper and cause clamps to slip. Fork-mounted gear helps balance the weight on your bike and keeps your bike’s center of gravity low and stable.

OMM Axle Pack V2 Quick Hits

Fits any fork using OMM’s thru axle Fit Kits.
Made from 6061 aluminum, Axle Pack is lightweight, stiff, and strong.
A svelte 59g per side.
It securely mounts to our axle studs.
Cannot slide down or rotate around the fork legs.
It can carry a lot more than a fork that has 3-pack mounts.
Made in Taiwan.
Lifetime warranty!

Get yours today at OMM

The post Old Man Mountain Updates the Axle Pack With V2: Now 20% Lighter appeared first on The Radavist.

Ornot Fog Eater: Carl’s Nemesis

2026-10-20T13:00:48.000Z

The new Ornot Fog Eater is the San Francisco brand’s first waterproof layer. It’s designed to eat whatever Carl, San Francisco’s resident fog, throws at it. It will also work with other unnamed atmospheric events in any place where atmospheric moisture occurs. Read below for the details.

Ornot Fog Eater Quick Hits

3-point adjustable hood w/ rain peak
Hem adjuster
Hand warmer pockets (left pocket is a stuff sack)
Internal drop pockets
Zippered rear pocket
Reflective details
Colors:
- Men’s: Stone Green / Citron
- Women’s: Citron
MSRP: $325 USD

Fog Eater Overview

The Fog Eater is Ornot’s new waterproof rain jacket. Designed with 3L Pertex® Shield fabric, a dropped hem, and PFC-Free DWR treatment, it keeps you dry on wet rides without using forever chemicals. Pack it into its own pocket, and stuff it in your bar bag when the skies clear.

Other details include: a 2-way waterproof zipper, a fit optimized for the bike, but casual enough to wear with Mission Pants, and all the adjustments and cinch cords you could ask for. Wear it on your bike, Ornot.

See the Fog Eater at Ornot.

The post Ornot Fog Eater: Carl’s Nemesis appeared first on The Radavist.

These 5 Transfers Will Transform Pro Cycling in 2027

2026-10-20T10:28:57.000Z

Broken contracts and big promises: All the stakes and key narratives behind the 5 transfers that will reshape the men's peloton next year.

Read the full article at These 5 Transfers Will Transform Pro Cycling in 2027 on Velo.

Leanne Bentley “The Bike Changed Everything”

2026-10-20T10:00:07.000Z

Our friends at Schwalbe launched a YouTube series called “Heart and Hustle” last year and today, we’re sharing a Leanne Bentley profile.

Leanne rides to places most people only dream of — and sometimes, riding changes everything.

An ultra-distance mountain bike racer, graphic designer and bag maker, she has built a life around adventure, creativity and independence. From the Dale Divide to racing 2000 km across Kyrgyzstan, she knows what it means to push beyond your limits — and to let the road change you along the way.

For Leanne, cycling isn’t just about racing. It’s a way of seeing the world, finding freedom and discovering what’s possible when you keep moving forward.

The post Leanne Bentley “The Bike Changed Everything” appeared first on The Radavist.

Specialized and Quick-Step End One of the Most Important Partnerships in Pro Cycling

2026-10-20T06:58:14.000Z

Wildly successful 18-year era comes to a close: US brand shifts focus to ongoing partnerships and Belgian team moves on with Merida.

Read the full article at Specialized and Quick-Step End One of the Most Important Partnerships in Pro Cycling on Velo.

SSCXWC26BHAM: The Facilitators Made Me Do It – Summer Hanson, Bobby Arispe, Zach Hale, & Quinn Kelly

2026-10-20T06:26:36.000Z

Summer Hanson raced the Women’s and Non-Binary (WNB) Single-Speed Cyclocross World Championships in Bellingham. Why? Because the facilitators made her do it…

“It won’t be where you left it,” a stranger tells me as I approach the bikes strewn in the mud at the start line. I lay my bike down, pausing to consider taking off my lights to hand them to someone I vaguely know nearby. “Don’t overthink it!” someone shouts at me. I leave the bike on the ground and run off to the crowd of women and non-binary folks on the other side of the imposing wooden gate.

Commanding facilitator voices direct us, “Walk backward! More! Okay, come back this way a little!” I’m jostling with ladies and theys with tops bursting to reveal pregnant bellies and titties with hamburger pasties. I’m swimming in colorful wigs, human banana slugs, and psychedelic quilted shark people. I am captivated by the most toned legs I’ve ever seen on display beneath stretchy daisy dukes.

Someone in a tutu compliments my outfit, admiring my confidence. I look down at my tiger-print underwear (with a tiger’s face on the butt) and tell them I’d planned to wear shorts, but after finding out we’d be watersliding into the quarry, I decided I’d rather not spend the rest of my day in wet denim. This is just what I had on underneath.

Better Together

A facilitator, Katie Staver, announces that this is the biggest field of women and nonbinary racers in a Single Speed Cyclocross World Championship race in its 20-year history, with around 100 women and 21 non-binary racers. I ponder the collective peer pressure that helped make this happen, and question how we are defining “world championship,” as I look around at the mostly white American (and perhaps some Canadian) people around me.

The Single Speed Cyclocross World Championship in Bellingham was only my second cyclocross race after stoking a tandem at last year’s Woodland Park Grand Prix. Until I removed the shifter and pushed in the derailleur limit screws on the ’90s Bianchi Advantage hybrid bike I borrowed from my workplace two days earlier, I had never ridden a singlespeed bike in my adult life. I’ve always thought singlespeeding seemed stupid and unnecessarily difficult, but I’m learning that’s the point. I’m here because of the storm of excitement in Seattle’s “alternative” cycling culture, not far from the glorious bike utopia of Bellingham, the event’s host city this year.

I’m a mechanic at Bike Works, a social justice-oriented bike nonprofit in South Seattle, whose work includes restoring and redistributing tons of used bikes that are donated by the community. It’s the type of job that people dream of doing when they retire, but it’s actually a job one can have, with some acceptance of being kind of cash poor, but rich in obscure vintage bike parts, tattered bike zines from the ’90s, and bike nerd friends to hang out with all day. I also organize events and lead social rides for Sound Break, a new bike shop and café in Pioneer Square that’s made its way onto the map as a community gathering place for local and traveling cyclists of all stripes.

Single Speed Fervor

My first introduction to the cumbersome acronym SSCXWC26BHAM was during the 7 Deadly Sins of Cyclocross, a cyclocross season kickoff ride/event that I helped promote at Sound Break alongside Becca Book and Rez (Justin Resnick), two facilitators of the World Championship event. The hype continued to drip into my ethosphere from my seasoned superiors at Bike Works. I’d been hearing breathless reviews of the Lookout Arts Quarry, this year’s race venue, from Recycle & Reuse Director Steve Gadingan. He described his otherworldly experience at the Sh’Bang Art Festival as we wrenched on bikes in the warehouse and urged me not to miss the rare chance to attend a bike event there. I’d never heard of SSCXWC before September, but the crazed look in Steve’s eyes convinced me to go watch the final race on Sunday.

A week or so after getting the low-down from Steve, my partner Quinn and I attended our second Lopez Island Time Trial (LITT), a kooky alleycat style campout + race, organized by SSCXWC facilitator Mike Udelhofen & co, in its second year open to the public (and longstanding tradition between friends before that). They offered 100 bonus points to those who registered to either volunteer or race at the SSCXWC26BHAM. As a defending trophy winner at the LITT, I was hungry for any points that were easier to earn than chugging a can of condensed tomato soup, so I signed up to volunteer.

I couldn’t make it to the qualifiers, and I didn’t ride single speed or cyclocross, so I didn’t exactly consider racing. The facilitators, many of whom were at the LITT, didn’t accept these excuses. Before my conversation with facilitator Becca Book ended that Saturday night at Spencer Spit State Park, I was handed a green SSCX26BHAM-branded zip tie for my derailleur and looped into an email thread with Katie, who assured me I could compete in just the Sunday championship race. Yes, Becca was facilitating whilst partying and camping; are you surprised?

I Tried Not To Race

I continued to attempt to weasel my way out of the race by trying to sign up for a volunteer shift, but all of the Sunday slots were closed. Turns out, sponsors adopted sections of the course, lightening the load for facilitators and volunteers. Evil, Transition, PNW Components, Kona, Outbound Lighting, and Cascade Cross all dialed in the course with obstacles, spectacles, smoke machines, jumps, etc. They wore full costumes and came stocked with handups (snacks or beverages that spectators hand to racers) and noisemakers to heckle us. With little race-day help needed, I offered my skills as a photographer and bike mechanic to the facilitators, and they met me with a resounding “RACE!!!” Finally, with a waived registration fee thanks to the Beard Scholarship Fund, and the facilitators’ appreciation for The Radavist, I finally surrendered to the inevitable. This, reader, is how to get over 100 women and nonbinary riders to sign up for a cyclocross race.

For my surrender, I was rewarded with the most fun race I have ever participated in: I slid down a waterslide into the quarry 3 times, biked through bubble and smoke machines, and rammed a 6′-tall beach ball with my front wheel, bouncing it high enough to bike underneath. I’m doused with buckets of water, whipped (with consent) by a dominatrix, and pushed up hills in a genuinely helpful manner. By my third lap, I worked up the courage to take a couple of jumps, screaming, “I’m so scared, I’m so scared!”

Along the way, I had four cherry tomatoes expertly popped into my mouth by strangers’ hands, as well as a pickle, an Oreo, three Nerds Gummy Clusters, several tiny cups and swigs of Rainier beer, bagged wine splashed on my face, a choked gulp of a mystery liquor from Steve’s gigantic flask, and a mouthful of a White Russian that I immediately spit all over the ground (thanks, but I’m vegan!). On multiple occasions, I peered into a cup as I drank the contents, only to see a healthy amount of dirt sprinkled in. That was just part of the experience!

During the race, communication was polite; plenty of “On your left!” At one point, I heard, “Mind if I take this descent first?” before witnessing a red fishnet-clad racer ahead of me skillfully bike down the gnarliest dirt descent on the course. Sheesh, I see you! My cyclocross skills might not have prepared me for the deranged obstacles of this course, but I rode 3 full laps, pushing my bike up hills and keeping my balance while riding 35 mm tires through some of the chonkiest gravel you ever did see. I put my heart into it, and I have the mysterious bruises to prove it.

Badminton

By afternoon, the sun was high in the sky for an unseasonably warm October day. I ran around photographing the men’s race, and swam to a floating dock in the quarry with the Wet Boyz. They’re Steve’s crew of Bellingham homies who brought the party to the waterslide area.

We rounded out the day with an afterparty at Structures Brewing on the waterfront in Bellingham, where delegations from Asheville and Missoula duked it out for next year’s hosting rights with a game of badminton, an obviously important part of singlespeed cyclocross dominance. The stamina of this haggard crowd to party on after three days of chaos sheds light on the depth of some of the long-distance friendships around me.

If the open arms that pulled me in were any indication, cyclists from around the world who like to push their limits without taking themselves too seriously will be warmly welcomed to Missoula next year.

The post SSCXWC26BHAM: The Facilitators Made Me Do It appeared first on The Radavist.

Industry Nine Revive 2.0 Wheelset Review – spencer harding

2026-10-20T06:05:33.000Z

With Industry Nine‘s acquisition of We Are One, the Asheville, North Carolina-based company can keep the entire wheel manufacturing process in North America. The product of this merger, along with many other wheel combinations, is the WR1 Revive 2.0 gravel rims featuring I9 Solix classic hubs. The rims feature WR1’s Convergence technology and the Solix hub’s continuously phased engagement, yielding 605 points of engagement or .59 degrees. See what Spencer thought about these tech-filled wheels below…

Not to beat a dead horse too many times, but wheel reviews are difficult. Ron Lewis did a splendid job speaking to the difficulty with an eloquence I can’t match in his review of the Teravail Fluent wheels recently. Wheels, by design, disappear and aren’t a contact point akin to saddles, grips, bars, or pedals. Wheels connect us to the ground, but even then they are buffered by the endless permutations of tire choices. I will do my darndest to dissect these wheels, but these are really high-end, machined in the US hubs and Canadian-made carbon rims, and to none’s surprise, they are sweet. I still remember the joy when I got to ride/review my first set of carbon wheels, which happened to be the same pairing of WR1 and I9, though this was prior to the acquisition. Many of my thoughts ring true from that review; carbon wheels are still frickin’ sweet, and the freehub noise is, likewise, a bit much.

Industry Nine Revive 2.0 Wheelset Quick Hits

Revive 2.0 Rims
- Material: Carbon
- Size: 700c
- Hole Count: 24h & 28h
- Internal Width: 25mm
- Rim Depth: 19mm
- ERD: 602.5mm
- Weight: 360g (24h & 28h)
Hubs: SOLiX J-Bend
- P.O.E: 605 points
- Engagement: .59 degrees
- Mechanism: Continuously phased, 5-pawl x 121-tooth drive ring
- Spoke System: Direct-thread machined aluminum for System hub or J-Bend Steel (reviewed) on classic scalloped hubs.
- Bearing Spec: Equalized spec, full-contact endcap seals + proximity dust/water shield
- Preload System: Bore-diameter contraction – eliminates play, maximizes longevity
$1899 as reviewed
Freehub options: Campy N3w, HG-11, Microspline-R, and XDR.
Hub shell colors: Black, Bronze, Gold, Orange, Purple, Red, and Silver (reviewed)
Available in standard 12 x 100/142 thru axle and 9 x 100/135 QR
Spokes: I9 System alloy, Sapim CX-Ray bladed (reviewed), and Sapim Race

Revive 2.0 Rims With Convergence Technology

The most aesthetically pleasing part of the Revive 2.0 rims is the convergence pattern of the spoke bed. Each spoke is offset +/- 6 degrees from flat to perfectly align the spoke head and nipple for each spoke. The back-and-forth sinuous luge of the rim bed is as elegant as it is practical. Also, gotta shout out the name Convergence in the context of the company’s name, We Are One. Convergence really ties the room together; well played.

If you have worked on wheels at all, you have probably seen nipples pull through rims or cracking around the spoke holes. Convergence creates “360-degree full contact” between the nipple and rim. We have seen offset spoke beads to keep spoke length equal between both sides of the rim, but I haven’t seen a rim truly equalize the point pressure at the nipple/rim interface. I have experienced zero issues with the Revive Rims during my testing period, so I’ll have to believe their claim for now.

Solix Hubs

Featuring I9’s continuously phased freehub mechanism shared with their Hydra2 hubs, the Solix hubs have 605 points of engagement, creating a .59 degree of engagement. While that is not technically instant, it’s pretty damn close. Basically, you are never going to feel any lull in the engagement of these hubs when you put the hammer down. The five pawls each have three small teeth per pawl that allow the first pawl to engage nearly instantly, allowing the subsequent pawls to progressively engage to catch the coming torque. The 121-tooth drive ring and pawls are spaced as such that there is almost always a pawl engaging, unless you can feel .59 degree of slop in your pedal stroke, which you surely can not.

The Solix hubs feature low drag via reduced pawl spring pressure, smaller drive ring diameter, and relocated freehub seals. The axle and bearing layout has been updated with equalized bearing spec and the best seals I9 has used.

Setup

Now the only, and I mean the only, issue I had with these wheels was the tubeless tape, which may or may not have been the manufacturer’s issue. These wheels came to me after Miguel had too much on his plate, and when I set them up, I found something curious I had never come across before. The tubeless tape for this 25mm rim was something like 15mm and wrapped twice, but once on each side of the rim bed. This left a seam right on the spoke holes and subsequently led to slow leaks.

Miguel could not recall if he had the rim locally retaped or if it was factory spec. I9 mentioned that this style may have been used in the past before their acquisition of WR1, but that a new tape was being implemented at the moment. A simple wrap of some fresh tape and zero issues since then. Whatever the oversight or issue was, it was easily rectified. Do you tape rims like this? Im sure someone in the comments will tell me this is superior for saving 3 grams and 2.75 watts at 23 kph or some shit.

Wheels Disappear but the Buzz Lingers

With great design, we hope it just disappears from our perception. The convergence rim tech and incredible engineering of the I9 hubs mean I just forget about my wheels; they work flawlessly. The only reminder of all that tech, research, and machining is the damned freehub noise. I9 has toned down their freehub noise since the initial Hydra hubs, but the insane engagement of the Solix hubs comes with buzzing. Occasionally I’ll find myself becoming accustomed to the noise, but if I am on a downhill with friends, they tend to chide me about the noise.

I don’t know if I need absolutely silent Onyx hubs. My last foray into quieter pawls on WTB hubs led me down a rabbit hole of chasing every rattling zip tie or housing on my bike. The Solix hubs exist not as an absolute outlier in terms of buzz, but definitely far from the center. I think we have superseded the need to have loud hubs as a signifier of quality, or of just how impressive the engagement of your hubs is. I9, can we get quieter hubs just as exquisitely engineered as your loud hubs one day?

Warranty

When I encourage people to get carbon rims, it is usually after they have destroyed other rims, hubs, or just whole wheels. At that point, they need a warranty for their abusive riding. So, to that point, I find that above any engagement spec or weather seal, it is the warranty on the product I am curious about. I9 has a great warranty that includes:

Carbon Rims are covered for life against defects in material or workmanship, and impact damage while riding within the intended use of the wheel
- They offer rim replacement or a factory rebuild for $100-125
Hubs are covered for five years against defects in material or workmanship.
- For the first two years, coverage includes parts, labor, and return shipping. From years three through five, parts are covered, but labor and shipping are not. Bearings and other normal wear items are excluded

I didn’t get to test the warranty on this review, but the warranty is pretty damned comprehensive.

Conclusion

I have very much enjoyed my time on the Revive 2.0 rims. Minus the tape issue, the experience has been without fault. After many months of hard riding from rough pavement to low-class singletrack, the rims only show the slightest deviation from true, an amount I’d scarcely fix even if they happened to be rim brake wheels. My initial time with an incredibly high engagement I9 hub was on a mountain bike wheelset where the near-instantaneous engagement felt more necessary in techy rock sections. Being far from a performance gravel or road rider, that level of quick engagement felt unnecessary for my style of riding, but I’ll be damned if it wasn’t sweet. If you want to support domestic manufacturing, demand high engagement hubs, love anodized color options, and want impressively handcrafted carbon rims, the I9 Revive 2.0 wheelset might just be for you.

Pros

Lightweight carbon rims are fucking sweet
Near-instant engagement with Solix hubs
Lifetime warranty on rims
5-year warranty on hubs
Convergence rim technology is as elegant as it is well engineered
Hubs (Asheville, NC) and Rims (Kamloops, BC) are North American-made

Cons

25mm internal feels safe at the moment but behind the ever-wider tire trend in gravel
Only 24h and 28h rim options may leave folks accustomed to more spokes spooked; let the warranty soothe your concerns
Stock tape was an issue, but I9 has changed their tape in the interim
.59 degree engagement feels superfluous for gravel
Loud freehub noise can be distracting

See more at Industry Nine.

The post Industry Nine Revive 2.0 Wheelset Review appeared first on The Radavist.

Tailfin R&D Builds a Singular Peregrine Inspired by Pass Hunting

2026-10-19T16:10:56.000Z

Inspired by Japanese Pass Hunting from the 1980s, UK bag company Tailfin pinged its in-house R&D company to develop a modern rendition of the classic Japanese sport to be displayed at the brand’s Bespoked Osaka booth this weekend. Let’s check it out!

Archival photos via @niigata0252

Pass Hunting

Pass hunting began in the 1980s as a non-competitive cycling and mountaineering sport focused on finding, riding, or carrying a bicycle over mountain passes. Both the Japanese and the French perfected and documented this adventurous form of cycling. Finding inspiration from over forty years of Pass Hunting, Tailfin pinged its R&D department to reimagine what a modern Tailfin lineup would look like if it were used in a traditional Pass Hunting setup.

In-House R&D

Tailfin’s prototyping department, whose workshop sits right next to the kitchen at Tailfin HQ, principally exists to build prototypes for the R&D Division, the brand’s roster of ultra athletes, kitting out some of the best ultra riders in the world with bleeding-edge bikepacking tech and enabling a fast, iterative way of developing products. A couple of times a year, the department also takes on an R&D Kitchen project, with one goal in mind: to have fun and experiment.

These projects have no commercial target. They are about creative freedom and play: throwing aside restrictive thinking and looking at things in a different way. Some ideas might come out of them, but that is not the goal. It’s fun, energizing, and very unserious. Tailfin’s usual briefs lean towards lighter and faster. On this one, the team asked themselves what they would want to take, and the answer was extra time and extra luxuries: a trip built around the stops rather than the distance.

Tailfin Inspiration

The kit started with a film camera, in keeping with an analog approach. Theo, from Tailfin’s product department, designed a front bag to carry it, with a map pocket for a real paper map, included for the romance of it. Molly reimagined one pannier as an insulated cool bag for cold beers and a refrigerated picnic, and made a separate bag for a small espresso maker. Callum, Soft Goods Prototyper, redesigned the frame bag with flip-top closures in place of zips. It is divided vertically rather than horizontally, with access at the front so it can be used while riding.

The rest of the kit includes a sketchbook, watercolors and pencils, a fishing rod, a Helinox chair and a towel, but no swimming costume, in case a remote wild swimming spot turns up.

Singular Peregrine Built For Pass Hunting

The result is a British take on that tradition, built around the new Singular Peregrine Mk5. Singular founder Sam Alison launched the Peregrine in 2008, combining fat tires, drop bars and disc brakes on a classically styled lugged steel frame, and it was a gravel bike before the category had a name. The fifth generation keeps that character and refines it.

The British-designed frame is paired with a mix of British and Japanese components, and with Tailfin’s own versions of two touring classics: low front panniers and a randonneur handlebar bag. Both are made in British waxed canvas that weathers naturally, and both use the same mounting hardware and stability engineering as Tailfin’s race gear.

Making the aesthetic British gave the team another muse: a friend of the team and Bristol tailor David Darby Minns, who brought fabric samples and books full of vintage tailoring, old waxed jackets and pictures of fly fishing.

The setup is not a product in development, though Tailfin expects ideas from the project to inform future work.

Where to See It

Bespoked Osaka, 23–25 October 2026, GLION Museum, Osaka, Japan. Press and trade day: Friday 23 October.
Kendal Mountain Festival, 19–22 November 2026, Kendal, UK.
Velofollies, 22–24 January 2027, Kortrijk Xpo, Belgium.

The post Tailfin R&D Builds a Singular Peregrine Inspired by Pass Hunting appeared first on The Radavist.

Campandgoslow Blue Lug Collection

2026-10-19T15:02:45.000Z

Bar tape and accessory company Campandgoslow has been working with Tokyo bike shop Blue Lug as a supplier of its handlebar tape for years, but this marks the two brands’ first collaboration. Within this drop is a Tool Roll, Duckbill Cap, Triangle Reflector, and a Half Messenger Bag that can be used as a basket bag.

Camp + Blue Lug: Tool Roll $58.00

The Blue Lug Tool Roll is perfect for keeping your bag organized. With two drop-in pockets and a zipper compartment for your small stuff, it’ll fit your coffee kit, repair kit or a couple Kit Kat bars. You can also strap it underneath your saddle for bagless adventures, but all you off-roaders may want to swap in a Volié strap.

1000D Cordura with Great Horned Owl, Brown Trout or Western Rattler trim
500D Cordura with Eastern Rattler
Folded: 6.5″ tall x 5.25″ wide, Unfolded: 6.5″ tall x 15″ wide
Drop-in and zippered pockets: 5″ tall x 4.25″ wide
Adjustable locking buckle
Made by Blue Lug in Japan

Camp + Blue Lug: Duckbill Cap $46.00

The five-panel Duckbill Cap is made from water-repellent, breathable nylon and trimmed with our custom woven tape. The caps are designed with a relaxed silhouette so they are comfortable for wearing or stuffing in your pocket. On the back end, there is an adjustable webbing strap with a low-profile buckle.

One-size-fits-most with a max of 25″ head (8 hat size)
Unstructured, packable brim, length 2.75″

Camp + Blue Lug: Triangle Reflector $14.00

Everyone’s familiar with Blue Lug’s iconic Triangle Reflectors. We just added a few little touches with a trim tape loop and a center fabric that matches the tool rolls and messenger bags. These small but mighty reflectors fit pretty much anywhere on your bag or bike.

Do not leave different colors face to face for a long time as the color may transfer.

3.3″
Made by Blue Lug in Japan

Camp + Blue Lug: Half Messenger Bag $125.00

This pared-down half-size messenger bag works well for commutes and grocery runs. It also easily drops into a Wald 137 basket when you’re ready to get the weight off your back.

1000D Cordura with Great Horned Owl, Brown Trout or Western Rattler trim
500D Cordura with Eastern Rattler
Nylon upper, tarpaulin lining
2 inner pockets, 12.25″ wide x 9.5″ tall x 6″deep, longest point of flap 19.5″
Strap is 1.5″ with a metal adjuster buckle
Velcro closure with straps for carrying bulkier, oversized loads
Made by Blue Lug in Japan

See more at Camp and Go Slow.

The post Campandgoslow Blue Lug Collection appeared first on The Radavist.

The Fauna XL Cargo Cage Is Here!

2026-10-19T14:02:29.000Z

The XL Cargo Cage is an oversized version of Fauna’s original cage, which has been an aesthetic, functional, and affordable addition to the cargo cage market since launching last August. Building on that success, the XL keeps the same proven design as its smaller sibling, but doubles the carrying capacity from 3kg to 6kg. That means more room for stuff like the rain gear you don’t want to cautiously bring but probably should, or that extra cozy fleece for downtime at camp…

Fauna XL Cargo Cage Quick Hits

Body: 3 mm 304 stainless steel
Foot: 5 mm 304 stainless steel
Finish: Black sandtex powder coat, or raw tumbled stainless
Weight 185 g (body), 88 g (foot)
Includes 1× cage body, 1× foot, 3× M5 × 16 mm bolts, 3× TPU spacers
Made in Canada
Load Capacity Tested to 6 kg. Always consider the strength of your mounts, particularly on carbon frames.
Pricing
- Single – $79.00 CAD/ $59.00 USD
- Two Pack – $139.00 CAD/ $99.00 USD
Free Shipping Worldwide (over $25.00 CAD)

The XL also carries over the functionality of its petite predecessor, with an adjustable foot that raises and lowers to help dial in the perfect fit for whatever bag or cargo you’re carrying. The foot can be removed entirely to make room for extra-long cargo, shave off a few grams, or to pair the cage with Fauna’s Front Cargo System.

Fauna keeps it local, with production based in BC. The XL Cargo Cage is manufactured in Delta, and packaged right here in Vancouver. It’s built tough, pairing the 3mm tumbled 304 stainless steel body with a burly 5mm removable stainless steel foot. The body weighs in at 185g, with the foot adding another 88g for a total weight of 273g. Beyond its strength and durability, the stainless steel construction offers excellent fatigue life and enough resilience to be bent back into shape without cracking if it takes a hit out on the trail.

The XL combines thoughtful design, plenty of capacity, and a value-focused price, all while keeping production close to home Modelled after the original Fauna cargo cage, the XL is everything we’ve loved about Fauna so far, only bigger, bolder and ready for more.

Like the original, the XL Cargo Cage comes ready to mount with everything you need to get rolling. Each cage includes three M5x16 bolts and three TPU spacers, alongside the cage body and adjustable foot. It’s a straightforward package designed to make mounting simple and get your cargo secured without unnecessary fuss.

Get yours today at Fauna Components.

The post The Fauna XL Cargo Cage Is Here! appeared first on The Radavist.

The New Repete G3:Verne

2026-10-19T14:00:31.000Z

The Repete G3:Verne answers the age-old question every roadie has on a ride: “What is down that gravel road?” With clearance for 45mm tires, this made-in-the-Czech-Republic frame delivers light, fast, road-bike-like riding off-road. Read below for all the details.

Repete G3:Verne Quick Hits

Frame Material Columbus Spirit HSS | Hi-performance Omnicrom Steel Alloy
Fork Columbus Trefoil Allroad | 1 1/8″ – 1 1/2″ or ENVE All-Road In-Route 1 1/8″ – 1 1/2″
Headset IS52/28,6 – IS52/40
Dropouts Stainless Steel Dropouts | Flatmount | UDH
Head Tube Tapered | 1 1/8″ – 1 1/2″
Bottom Bracket Shell T47 – 68mm
Rear Dropouts Spacing 142×12 | M12x1 | 167,7mm
Front Dropouts Spacing 100×12 | M12x1,5 | E-thru
Max Rotor Size Rear 160mm | Front 160mm
Seatpost Diameter 31,6mm
Seat Clamp Diameter 34,9mm
Front Derailleur Clamp Diameter 34,9mm
Maximum Tire Clearance 700×45 (Columbus Trefoil Allroad) | 700×40 (ENVE All-Road In-Route)
Cable Routing Internal Routing | EPS, Di2 and eTap Compatible

Repete G3:Verne Overview

Czech bicycle manufacturer Repete introduces the new steel gravel model G3: Verne. Refining a concept proven over seven years of riding, the bike delivers what riders in this segment seek most: a balance between speed on tarmac and confidence on unpaved surfaces. The G3: Verne arrives with fully integrated cable routing, UDH standard compatibility, and continues to rely on precise handcraft in Prague.
The philosophy behind the G3: Verne is a lively ride character and responsive handling. The frame is purposefully optimized for tire widths from 35 to 45 mm. This choice made it possible to retain a shorter fork and chainstay length, keeping the G3: Verne’s geometry compact and agile. Rider feedback over recent years has clearly shown that a fast gravel bike — one that flies on the road while easily handling off-road terrain — is the most versatile category.

Repete Refined

The new G3 model brings significant visual and structural refinements. Following the brand’s road model R3: Reason, it features fully integrated cable routing through a shaped head tube with stainless steel cups (IS52/IS52 system). The frame is fully compatible with electronic groupsets including eTap, Di2, and EPS, forming a clean aesthetic unit with the fork.

Repete’s signature dropouts have been redesigned: they are now 3D-printed from stainless steel and fully support the UDH standard. This ensures effortless replacement part availability anywhere in the world, alongside direct Full Mount derailleur compatibility for maximum shifting precision.

Customers can choose between two internally routed carbon forks: the Columbus Trefoil Allroad (tire clearance up to 45 mm) or the ENVE All-Road In-Route (clearance up to 40 mm).

Frame Details and Finish Options

The frameset is available in three standard colors (Digger, Birch, Termix). Repete also offers custom paint options, with a palette ranging from pure pastel tones to distinctive shades inspired by the automotive world.

The frame is crafted from Columbus Spirit HSS high-strength chromoly steel (Omnicrom alloy). Triple-butted tubing with wall thicknesses down to just 0.4mm maximizes mechanical strength at the lowest possible weight. Steel naturally provides high ride comfort and vibration damping without material degradation or changes in characteristics over time. Rear-end comfort is further enhanced by flattened seatstays. Stiffness in the bottom bracket area is ensured by oversized tubing combined with a threaded T47 bottom bracket, which also guarantees simple servicing.

Made in the Czech Republic

All frames are built in Repete’s Prague workshop. The brand emphasizes in-house development of structural frame details and segments, collaborating closely with local Czech manufacturers for CNC machining, stainless steel and nylon 3D printing, and stainless steel casting.
Numbered Launch Edition: To celebrate the release of the G3: Verne, Repete has prepared a limited edition of 10 numbered frames. Customers ordering their frame from this edition directly via the Repete website receive a custom frameset color of their choice at no additional charge (400 EUR value).

See the new Repete R3:Verne.

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Tech Tidbits: Withings Adds $100/year Apple Health sync Fee, and Omata is Back!

2026-10-19T12:26:24.000Z

Amidst what might end up being one of the more ‘robust’ weeks of the year in terms of new product announcements, I wanted to briefly mention/cover two items I thought were interesting.

Let’s get right into it, cause I’ve gotta get back outside capturing data!

Withings Adds $100/year Apple Health Fee:

I’m putting this solidly in the category of ‘Wait…what?’. In short, Withings, the maker of the original WiFi weight scale, and generally speaking one of the best bets for a mainstream weight scale, has decided that if you want to update your weight in Apple Health, it’s gonna cost you $99/year going forward. This ‘feature’ will now be rolled into their Withings+, which offers a bunch of other features that most weight scale purchasers simply don’t need.

In response to the backlash, Withings noted that:

A) This won’t apply to existing users, only new users from Oct 13th, 2026
B) That you can export your data to CSV or PDF, for free, as well as other 3rd-party sync integrations, which are free

The problem with CSV/PDF is that it’s virtually useless to end users. There is no standard ‘weight data format’. For the most part, anytime a company skips using an industry standard fitness format and instead says “Oh, we can export as CSV”, that’s a solid red flag for me. Sure, on the surface it sounds good. But in practice it’s just annoying AF.

The kicker is, Withings probably thought they were being clever here by announcing this before the holiday purchasing period, to capture new revenue there. And there’s no product in the sports tech landscape that seems more predictable in sales/discounts than Withings connected scales. Like clockwork around Black Friday, every…single…year.

Except the thing is, they screwed up and announced this annoying change too close to Black Friday. Now, it wouldn’t surprise me to see many tech sites out there that will caveat their Withings Black Friday deals. I certainly will. Which will drive users to the boatloads of even cheaper random connected scales that do nothing more than measure weight.

And as I’ve proven many times over, when it comes to basic weight measurement, even the cheapest scales on the market get it correct. Inversely, when it comes to body fat and BMI measurement, virtually no fancy scales are getting that right. Thus, if you just want weight, Withings is saying: “buy the cheaper competitor scales”.

After all, this connected scale here costs $20, has an astonishing 40,000 units per month sold on Amazon (I don’t think I’ve ever seen any electronic product that high before), and has 4.7/5.0 ratings. And of course, Apple Health integration is free (along with Google, Fitbit, etc.).

The same goes for this $34 travel weight scale that I use. It’s tiny, fits easily in the bottom of my suitcase without weighing much (~2 pounds/1kg), but still syncs to Apple Health and everything else on the planet. And the accuracy is spot-on with all the expensive scales I’ve tested.

Point being, Withings has long been the premium-priced scale with a few more bells and whistles, but moves like this will quickly alienate future buyers.

Omata is Back?

Silca has announced the acquisition of Omata and, with it, resumed sales of an updated Omata bike computer.

For those not familiar, nearly a decade ago I unboxed the Omata bike computer (photo above). It never ended up having a full review, as there was delay after delay in getting the software ready. And eventually, it fell by the wayside.

The gist of the Omata is that it’s a watch/gauge style bike commuter that simplifies things to just what you see on the display. Behind the scenes, it’s still recording extra data to review later and/or upload to Strava. Internally, it has GPS as well as Bluetooth & ANT+. So it can connect to power meters and heart rate sensors.

But in terms of what you see during the ride? Just three metrics:

– Distance
– Speed
– Ascent
– Time

It uses analog hands to do this, which are made in partnership with Seiko. Oh, they’ve upgraded the charging to USB-C, which gets it about 17 hours of battery life.

The company says, though, that this batch is a “limited re-release” of the unit, though they don’t really say how limited that is. Unlike Withings above though, they do support industry-standard .FIT files, and can sync to various platforms/apps like most other bike computers. Note, though, that they are iOS-only, however, and don’t have an Android app.

The price is $800, which is obviously the most expensive bike computer on the market. You choose between two versions of it, seen below (Imperial and Metric):

You can head over to Silca’s site to enter your credit card.

While I think it looks really pretty on a shelf with other bike-themed things, it’s just not super practical out on the road for me. I want details like power and other metrics. But of course, there are plenty of people who prefer a more ‘minimalist’ experience – yet still want at least the core/basic metrics seen above.

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With that – thanks for reading!

Suunto Race 3S In-Depth Review: A Pricey Upgrade

2026-10-15T13:38:59.000Z

Suunto has just announced the new Suunto Race 3S, a small-form-factor watch that believes it needs a big-form-factor price increase. On top of that, Suunto has also launched a new subscription service, Suunto AI Coach, where new Suunto App features are being funneled into. I’ve been using the Suunto Race 3S over the last few weeks, and in this review I’ll dive into how it all works, and whether Suunto can justify the price.

The new Suunto Race 3S includes a brighter display, more storage, and some software feature updates that the existing Race S didn’t get this past summer. This isn’t really a major change from the previous model, but nonetheless these updates are appreciated. It also features upgraded materials, shifting from a stainless steel bezel to a titanium bezel.

In any case, I’ve been putting it through its paces over the last little bit, across all sorts of activities to see how it holds up, and how it compares to other newly announced watches from the last few weeks.

With that, let’s dive right into it!

What’s New:

Now, as you probably know, the Suunto Race 3S is an upgrade to the existing Suunto Race S. There was no Suunto Race 2S, and equally confusingly, there is no larger Suunto Race 3 companion at this point. When I asked about the Suunto Race 3 elephant in the room, Suunto simply said a variant of ‘No comment’. Thus, that elephant will stay with us for now, joining other elephants I’ll talk about later.

Of course, when you look at changes vs. the original Suunto Race S, that watch continued to get meaningful firmware updates until this past April. So I’ll ignore all of those things and focus on the new stuff otherwise (software and hardware).

Starting off with the hardware changes:

– Upgraded peak display brightness from 1,000 nits to 2,000 nits
– Upgraded lens cover material from Gorilla Glass to Sapphire Crystal glass
– Updated bezel material from stainless steel to titanium
– Upgraded optical heart rate sensor
– Faster processor (Apollo 510)
– Increased GPS time from 30 hours to 38 hours (dual-frequency), 45 hours (single-frequency)
– Increased smartwatch daily battery life from 9 days to 12 days
– Increased internal storage from 32GB to 64GB
– Added support for offline music playback (MP3 files, no streaming services)
– Increased number of SuuntoPlus apps in a single profile from 2 to 3
– Slightly increased official case size from 45mm to 46mm
– Decreased weight from 60g to 56g
– Increased retail price from $349USD to $599USD (and 349EUR to 499EUR)

Do note that while you might see NFC listed on some spec sheets, that’s only applicable for the China market. There’s no contactless payment integration elsewhere. Unfortunately, like the music streaming services piece, those industry gates closed a decade ago.

Then there are a few new software features, mainly ones that rolled out on the Suunto Race 2 this past summer:

– Added Tide Widget
– Expanded map labels (road names, water, mountain peaks)
– Added Ascent as an exercise target

Finally, Suunto has noted that there’s a new ‘Race Planner’ feature coming later this year to the Suunto Race 3S, though it’s not there at launch. Here’s a quick blurb on that:

This sounds super interesting, and so I’m keen to see how this works. Especially the pieces looking at weather. For example, does that also look at your historical training weather (e.g., if you train in cold temps, but then arrive at a hot-temp race day). And, best of all, it doesn’t require Suunto AI Coach.

Finally, when it comes to model colors, here are those three options – purple, white, and black:

With that, let’s get into the box.

In the box:

This section is pretty straightforward. Above is the Suunto Race 3S box, following the same design as other recent Suunto watches.

Below are the contents of said box:

You’ve got the band/strap, the pod (separated from the band), the braided charging cable, and some paper stuff.

The charging cable follows other recent Suunto models, and is magnetic and much better than the one that came with the original Suunto S model, which I found would often become misaligned.

In any case, you simply embark on a 10-15-second IKEA assembly project to attach the standard band straps to the watch pod, and you’re off and running.

The Basics:

In this section, I’m going to look at some of the basics of the watch, including daily usage such as activity tracking, sleep, etc. As well as pieces like responsiveness and general usability.

The Suunto Race 3S has a three-button layout, as well as a touchscreen. You can mostly use either touch or buttons for navigating around the user interface. The upper right button accesses the sport menu, the middle Digital Crown allows access to pinned widgets during smartwatch use (and of course scrolls up/down), and the bottom button acts as a back/escape button.

The left side has no buttons. Meanwhile, the touchscreen is a 2,000-nit display that’s perfectly viewable in both bright sunny conditions or shade conditions. I live on a Mediterranean island, and I’ve had no issues viewing the display in any scenarios out on the trails. Oh, for fun, here are three watches side-by-side: Suunto Race S, Suunto Race 2, and Suunto Race 3S

That said, it can’t be left unstated that virtually all watches released in 2026 are using 3,000-nit panels. The COROS Pace 4 Pro released a few weeks ago is using a 3,500-nit display (which is also larger), and atop that, the more-capable watch is $150 cheaper. To be super clear here, I have no issue with seeing the display at all. Period, hard-stop. However, we can’t ignore the fact that Suunto is putting in kinda old tech but with over-the-top premium prices. To me, the ‘savings’ on this display panel should be reflected in the price. It’s clearly not.

The only minor ‘nit’-picking I’d have with the display is that their power-saving algorithms seem a little bit aggressive at times, quickly dimming the panel within a few seconds of wrist-raise. Again, the display is still visible, but this could use a bit of work.

Speaking of brightness, note that for whatever weird reason, there’s no physical LED flashlight like there is in the Suunto Vertical 2 watch (which is priced the same at $599). You still have a screen-based flashlight, but obviously that’s not the same.

Perhaps given Suunto’s lawsuit with Garmin concerning the topic, they got a bit skittish. Either way, it’s a bit of a bummer.

In any case, scrolling down into the widgets, you’ve got a customizable set of quick-access data bits. I will note that if you watch the video, you’ll see it’s more laggy here than the older Suunto Race S – despite the claims of a faster processor. This is such a good example of why processor specs mean absolutely nothing in most devices. You can have the fastest processor in the world, but if the firmware/operating system isn’t optimized for it, it’ll still be slower than an optimized processor. Again, check out the above video for that.

As for those widgets, they all work just as before. Aside from the new Tides one, there’s nothing new here. You can tap into any given smaller widget in this list to open up details about that topic, such as steps, sleep, weather, etc.

When it comes to things like sleep tracking, the times I went to sleep and woke up have largely been correct here, usually matching the other wearables within a few minutes. The same goes for the HRV status values. I don’t compare sleep phases/stages, because doing so is peak faux-science. The best-case reference devices you can use to do so are only about 80% accurate, which isn’t all that great (and again, that’s a best-case scenario in perfect lab conditions). Thus, we’d never compare a heart rate sensor to a chest strap that was wrong 20% of the time. Therefore, I’m not gonna do it here either.

Meanwhile, most of the data around heart rate-driven metrics comes from the new optical heart rate sensor seen on the bottom. As I’ll show you within the accuracy section, this heart rate sensor is a huge jump up over the previous Suunto Race S sensor, which wasn’t super awesome.

Speaking of other internal-ish things, the unit now has 64GB of internal storage, which is ostensibly mostly for offline music (yes, it’s also for maps, but Suunto’s maps are so well optimized that you simply don’t need anywhere near that much storage…more on that in the next section).

Now, with Suunto’s offline music playback, it requires you to transfer MP3 files via USB cable to the device. There are no offline streaming services (e.g., Spotify/etc), and that’s simply not going to happen anytime soon. Those industry gates closed nearly a decade ago now, and the only way Suunto would gain access to them is by going back to WearOS. Nonetheless, if you’re one of 12 people who are still transferring your owned/“borrowed” MP3 files to your watch via cable, you can do that here. You’ll pair up any Bluetooth audio device (e.g., headphones) to the watch, and off you go. It all worked pretty easily for me, and you can also load in playlists as well.

Finally, when it comes to smartphone notifications, you’ll get the basic text and emoji from your phone.

Ok, with all that sorted, let’s get into the sports bits.

Sports Usage & Mapping:

Next up, we’ve got all things sports, including mapping and navigation.

To access a sport mode, you’ll tap the upper right button, which opens up the workout panel. Here it’ll automatically open your last sport mode, and start searching for GPS (if outside), as well as get heart rate lock. Further, if you’ve got paired sensors (like cycling sensors or an external heart rate sensor), it’ll pair to those too.

You can change the sport mode to one of a boatload of other sport modes in the list:

Back on that main page though, you can select to load a course (within Navigation), as well as select/load SuuntoPlus apps. The Suunto Race 3S supports up to three concurrent enabled SuuntoPlus apps within a given sport profile (you can have additional apps loaded but not enabled). In addition, you can also load up ‘Guides’, which would include things like structured workouts. However, you can only load two apps + one concurrent guide, if using guides.

Finally, there are also the exercise options, where you can tweak various display, map, and other target settings. For example, the Suunto Race 3S added the ability to set an Ascent target (similar to how you might set a calorie or distance target). This came in a firmware update for other newer Suunto watches this summer, but the existing Suunto Race S was skipped.

In any case, circling back, I’m gonna add a course to navigate for my trail run. So I’ll select that back in the Navigation/Routes area:

In terms of maps, the Suunto Race 3S doesn’t have any maps pre-loaded, though they are easily downloadable via WiFi from Suunto. You simply go into the app and choose the regions you want. Here are some random sizes to get a feel for things:

Since I’m here, one thing I really wish Suunto would sort out is their app to watch syncing/configuration situation. For years it’s been that as soon as the watch thinks you want to tweak something, it starts syncing, which in turn prohibits you from actually tweaking the thing until it’s done, taking forever to do that. It’s just very 1990s-modal style. I can’t think of a single other wearable device that still has that restriction left. And more critically, there’s no way to cancel the app from syncing once it starts. That’d at least half-way solve it.

It’s in this area of the app that you’d modify things like the data fields/pages of your sport modes, add new SuuntoPlus apps, create interval workouts, and more. Of course, like in the past, you still can’t modify default sports profiles; you have to create a new custom one if you want to tweak something. And it needs to sync a bunch back and forth too. These are the types of actual useful things I wished Suunto would focus on, rather than adding offline MP3 music support that virtually nobody will use.

With that all sorted, synced, and re-synced, we’re ready to start our workout. Off I go for a run. While running, I’ll of course see my data pages as configured:

From a navigation standpoint, I’ll get a little chirp and then an on-screen notification when a turn comes up. And then if I miss a turn, I’ll get a notification about that too, such as this:

Otherwise, the route shows as expected, and in terms of the responsiveness of the map, it’s a double-edged sword. For rotation, things were instant, and I didn’t experience any black square tiles. You can see this in the video.

But for zooming in/out, there was always at least a second or two of black square tiles. Ironically, a runner friend was with me as I was sitting there filming this, and not being familiar with Suunto watches, he was a bit surprised and asked “Is that normal?”

And ultimately, different companies handle things in different ways. For Garmin, when it slow-map renders, it has a fuzzy look or other color-matching tiles (or shows a tile at a higher zoom level first, before enumerating the detailed tile). Most other companies do the same. But in Suunto’s case, they’re just showing black tiles, which looks a bit sloppy.

Even more so, because I’d also notice these tiles as I run, if I had the map screen just open. Meaning, visible at a glance on my wrist even when not fully raised. Again, we can have an academic debate on slow-map-loading differences (more detail vs less detail, etc.), but I think we can all agree that the black tiles just look rough.

In any case, you’ll also be able to see your progress on the elevation and climbs, both for the full course, and then specific climbs as you trip them:

All of this worked perfectly fine. After the workout, you’ll get a summary of your workout as expected on the watch:

And then likewise you’ll see the additional detail within the Suunto App:

Assuming you have your account connected to one of Suunto’s boatload of partners (e.g., Strava, TrainingPeaks, etc.), it’ll automatically push that data off to those platforms. Again, all of that worked without issue for me.

So then, let’s talk about the accuracy of that data.

Accuracy of Heart Rate & GPS:

The new Suunto Race 3S has a new optical heart rate sensor compared to the existing Suunto Race S. Suunto says this new sensor has six LEDs and four photodetectors behind 2.5D curved sensor glass. No matter what it has behind it, I’ll just state things up front: It’s really darn good in my testing.

I’ll also cover the GNSS/GPS side of things, as well as battery and elevation bits down below. But the GNSS piece hasn’t changed here, so we’ll keep that efficient.

Let’s start off with this slightly hilly run I did. It started off with a long and occasionally steep descent, before some flats, and then going all the way back up again. As a reminder, hills (going down), can often be challenging for optical HR sensors. Still, the Suunto nailed it here. I’ve got zero complaints.

Next, we’ve got a 90-minute long trail run across plenty of varied terrain (steep stuff, shallow stuff, rocking spicy stuff, etc.). And again, overall very good.

About the only thing I could nitpick here is this section for about 20 seconds, where it’s off by about 3-5bpm. That’s nothing in a 98-minute long workout. Again, really good job here.

Here’s another trail run from yesterday. Setting aside whatever happened with the chest strap at the 28-minute marker for a few seconds, things here were quite good as well. Again, there’s virtually nothing to be upset about, and this also included some steep ups/downs.

Next, just for fun, check out this shorter morning gravel ride thing I did a few days ago. I was taking photos and such on this ride of a few different devices. So lots of stop-and-go. Lots of pretty spicy typical Mallorca gravel chunk (most would call it MTB material). And yet, it absolutely nails this. Like, really solid job while cycling.

Now, I’m going to continue to test this sensor, but switch over to the new Suunto Run 2 sensor over the coming weeks, so stay tuned for that. I don’t expect a difference though. Either way, this represents a major improvement for Suunto over past sensors.

Meanwhile, on the GPS side, let’s quickly run through some of these. Here’s that city run from a few nights ago. At a high level, obviously all look pretty good.

Meanwhile, in the actual city/downtown parts with tall buildings, none of the units did amazing. None were bad, but across the board (Garmin, Suunto, Apple), all of them were ‘blah’ accuracy-wise. I’m not quite sure why.

You can see this here as well. Again, nothing was crazy-bad, but all four units took turns crashing through buildings slightly, cutting corners, and generally acting like the drunk tourists that fill this area.

That said, as soon as I left the buildings behind, it was perfectly fine on the rest of the run:

Moving along, looking at yesterday’s trail run, which includes cliffs, ravines, trees, etc., things at a high level look good:

I could quibble about each unit being a few meters offset at different parts of the route. Here the Fenix 9 Pro briefly goes across the road, then the COROS and Suunto do the same some 20 seconds later.

Still, we’re talking less than a 5-meter difference in most cases, such as this here:

Or going around this gate for cars. The Garmin & Suunto were most correct here; the COROS went a bit more lazily around it.

Anyway, this is the pattern over and over again – basically all these units were spot on across runs, rides, etc. I’ve got some actual swim tests to do this weekend (I’ve spent a bunch of time in the water swimming with it, but wasn’t doing accuracy testing).

As for looking at the elevation, no major concerns on any of my activities. Here’s that 90-minute trail run:

This is the one I showed the other day in the Garmin MARQ Gen3 review, where for some reason both Garmin units started sliding downwards while I stood and took some photos (27min marker). Garmin’s already digging into it, as it’s likely firmware-related if two different units do it. I will say there’s a little bit of separation early on in the above that seems a bit odd between the Suunto/COROS and the Apple/Garmin watches. Though those all eventually bundled back up together again.

As for the battery bits, here’s the official battery chart:

Looking at my battery life in always-on display, with roughly 60-90mins of GPS time per day, I’m closer to about 5ish days, maybe a touch bit more, but a little shy of the 7-day above (which is spec’d as 60mins per day, versus my times a bit higher). Also, my routes had navigation enabled, which would draw more battery.

Speaking of which, looking at that 98-minute trail run, you can see it burned about 5%, putting me on a 28-hour battery estimate in dual-frequency/multiband mode. This is a touch bit lower than the always-on specs above, but again remember I did have navigation enabled, which draws more battery.

Also, kudos to Suunto for including battery data in their .FIT files (Garmin, Wahoo, and others do so, though unfortunately COROS does not).

In any case, in terms of all my accuracy bits, I’m good across the board here; I’ve got no concerns in any category. Again, for the heart rate sensor side, this is a big upgrade.

Suunto AI Coach Subscription:

Next, Suunto has announced a new Suunto AI Coach subscription feature, which let’s you use your current and historical Suunto data to get race planning information and tons more. This feature is launching on/with the Suunto Race 3S, though it is expected to go to other watch user bases. It’s currently fully on the app itself, as there’s no on-device component.

Suunto has a pretty good 10-minute video that explains the boatload of features that exist there.

My one (kinda big) quibble here is that Suunto Race 3S users get 3 months free to the service, yet Suunto hasn’t defined what said service will actually cost once that free trial ends. And somehow that rubs me the wrong way. Perhaps it’s because my inbox is filled with AI vibe-coded slop apps that often attempt to hook you into the platform before eventually charging you down the road. In this case, Suunto is clear they’ll be charging you eventually, but aren’t saying what that is. Thus, once you get hooked on it, you’ll feel compelled to start paying for it.

Now mind you, what Suunto is offering certainly seems a heck of a lot more compelling than what Amazfit, Garmin, and others are doing. It doesn’t seem as deep as what Fitbit/Google are doing, but again, we don’t know Suunto’s pricing yet. Suunto says that part of the reason they haven’t decided pricing is because they want to see what people actually use, and get feedback. Which is fair enough, but still seems like something they could have done before they launched it.

Now, despite my annoyance with Suunto’s AI Coach rollout, I will give them all the credit in the world that they’ve also announced a new Suunto MCP that’ll be free for all Suunto users. This joins COROS in offering such a thing for free. I have a feeling we’re going to see similar announcements in the near future from others. Note that in the case of Suunto’s MCP, the details are thin at this point, other than it’ll be free, and it’ll exist. Still, I take both of those for the moment.

Wrap-Up:

Suunto has had a string of solid product launches over the last couple of years, paired with frequent and meaningful firmware/feature updates on the app side. And good expansion on the developer side. They’ve been on a roll across the board. But I struggle to put the Suunto Race 3S in that category of wins. This watch feels…off.

To begin, the biggest issue is the price. At $599USD/499EUR, it’s more than a 70% USD price increase over the launch price of the Suunto Race S just two years ago. And it’s not like they’ve drastically changed the hardware. Sure, it has a brighter 2,000-nit display panel, but that panel is what other companies were putting in their watches two years ago, not the 3,000-3,500-nit panels that companies are putting in watches in 2026. Further, while they increased the storage from 32GB to 64GB, it doesn’t really serve any meaningful purpose. Suunto’s maps are tiny in size, and easily fit within even just 16GB of space. And while in theory the extra space is for music playback, the reality is virtually nobody is downloading MP3s to their watches in 2026 (since Suunto doesn’t support offline music from any streaming service). Plus, where are the other hardware features that other companies are putting in their watches for half the price (e.g., flashlights, voice, microphone & proper speaker, etc.)?

After a string of wins, I think Suunto missed the boat on this one. It feels both overpriced, and kinda seems like it’s just a collection of leftover hardware parts, rather than representing the start of a new Race 3 series generation of watches. Perhaps if it was priced at $399 or at most $449, I’d feel differently. But with the just-released COROS Pace 4 Pro being at $449, that’s a very tough spot for Suunto to be competing in with the specs they have in the Race 3S.

With that, thanks for reading.

Garmin MARQ Gen3 In-Depth Review: Worth $3,100?

2026-10-13T11:00:49.000Z

The first thing to understand about Fight Club…err…MARQ Club, is that it’s oddly not about the price. Nor is it supposed to be a classical timepiece meant to hand down to your grandchildren. Just like people who buy a business class ticket across the Atlantic for 7 hours of flying at $4,000 don’t pass that down to their grandchildren in 20 years.

But more importantly, the second thing to understand about MARQ Club is that for the first time ever, the MARQ actually has a slate of new features and additional hardware that the Fenix doesn’t. Up till now, the MARQ series (and Chronos before it in 2016) was simply a ‘swankier’ Fenix. But it never had any truly unique hardware or features (save getting JetLag software features just barely earlier back in 2022). But certainly not unique hardware components. That pattern ends now, with Garmin giving a good technical reason to ‘upsell’ the MARQ. This comes in the form of real-time ClimbPro *without* having loaded a course. Both for running/hiking/walking, as well as cycling. That’s a first, not just for Garmin, but for any company to have route-less automatic ClimbPro. And Garmin has added additional features beyond that. But, again, more details in a second.

And ultimately, testing out these features and how the watch works day in and day out is what I’m here for. I’ve been testing both the new MARQ Gen3 Diver unit and the MARQ Gen3 Adventurer unit across a boatload of different activities. No really, an actual literal boatload. Boats were involved. Many times. Plus of course, things like running, cycling, diving, gym workouts, swimming, and plenty more.

Note that these two units are media loaner units. Also note that Garmin did hold a media event in Mallorca last month, though since I live in Mallorca I actually pedaled 15 minutes to said event and then changed in the parking lot, James Bond style. Point is, I didn’t take any money for travel or accommodations there, as always. I’m just gonna tell it like it is – the good, bad, and ugly. Though honestly, there’s not a lot of ugly here.

With that, let’s get right into it!

What’s New:

Comparing the MARQ Gen3 to the previous MARQ Gen2 is a bit overwhelming because the previous Gen2 unit was from 2022, and was essentially an Epix (non-Pro). In between now and then, there have been four iterations, once per year: Epix Pro, Fenix 8, Fenix 8 Pro, and now the Fenix 9. The MARQ Gen3 is based on the Fenix 9 series.

Thus, if I were to combine all of my ‘What’s New’ lists, it’d be hundreds upon hundreds of lines long to cover all the features. Instead, I want to focus on the biggest-ticket items if you were coming from a MARQ Gen2. Then below that, the things that are unique going from the new Fenix 9 to the new MARQ Gen3 models. Make sense?

First, here are the biggest ticket items compared from MARQ Gen2 to MARQ Gen3:

– Upgraded 1.4” AMOLED display at 3,000 nits
– Fully borderless display design (meaning, no extra space between display and ceramic bezel)
– Added three-color LED flashlight to front of the unit
– Added LTE communication features (calling, texting, LiveTrack, etc.)
– Added satellite messaging features (for non-cellular areas, such as texting, Emergency SOS, weather)
– Added full scuba diving and free diving features (unit is fully depth-gauge certified to 40m)
– Added microphone and full speaker support, including voice assistant, voice control, voice notes, phone calls from wrist, music playback via speaker, and more
– Added Gen5 optical heart rate sensor, including medically certified ECG & Afib detection
– Added all the Fenix 9 Software features, including Garmin Epic features, indoor rowing connectivity/features, Rucking expansion, Stamina features, Ski Erg features, Field Tools, and plenty more
– Added all the Fenix 8 Pro software features, including custom focus modes, calculator app, Evening Report feature, Running Economy, Running Tolerance, and numerous other Running & Triathlon Features
– Added all the Fenix 8 software features, including the new Fenix user interface, and eventually some months later a boatload of sport modes via firmware updates
– Added all the Epix Pro software features, including Endurance Score, Hill Score, shaded relief on maps, 30+ new sport profiles, faster charging speeds, RedShift mode, multiband GNSS/GPS
– Has full offline mapping and navigation features globally

From an LTE & Satellite messaging features standpoint, all of the following are included in all MARQ Gen3 units (unless sold in a country that doesn’t permit it):

– LTE Live two-way voice calls
– LTE LiveTrack (30-second sampling rate)
– LTE Voice Messaging
– LTE Text Messaging
– LTE Weather
– LTE & Satellite Emergency SOS
– LTE Location Check-Ins
– LTE Incident Detection & Assistance
– Satellite Messaging (basic texting)
– Satellite position/location check-ins
– Satellite Emergency SOS (via Garmin Response)
– Satellite updating of weather (new in the Fenix 9 Pro)

As I said, there’s just a ton of new features here. Next, and perhaps of more interest to folks, are the differences between the Fenix 9 Pro inReach to MARQ Gen 3?

In other words, you’re paying an extra few thousand dollars; aside from all the fancy/premium materials, what else do you get?

– Upgraded 128GB of internal storage (versus 64GB on the Fenix 9 series)
– Added Worldwide Topographic maps pre-loaded (Fenix 9 is essentially your local continent, and the rest you download as needed)
– Added on-device real-time ClimbPro for pedestrian & cycling activities *WITHOUT* a route loaded (Fenix 9 requires a course)
– Added on-device address navigation such as 123 Maple Street (the Fenix 9 can go to POI, but not an address)
– Added Predictive search via the keyboard showing suggestions
– Added Lume Mode, mimicking night lume on a watch
– Added slate of MARQ-only watch faces, including unique calendar ones
– Expanded use of ‘Styles’ feature, increasing customization of watch faces
– Expanded color scheme option, increasing color scheme of watch faces
– All the individual watch vertical features (e.g., flying features for the Aviator unit, extra diving features for Diver, etc.)

Of note for the real-time ClimbPro piece, a big part of why they have the extra storage is to enable this scenario. In order to pull this off, they have to pre-cache all of these climbs, which is a mind-boggling amount of pre-caching. We see that today on the cycling-only side within the Garmin Edge units. But obviously once you add every tiny goat-path of a trail out there in the world, that gets massive.

The only downside is that at present that feature has been slightly delayed, and isn’t yet available for me to test. It sounds like this is a matter of days away, and not months or such. I’ll update things accordingly here, once that happens.

Next, there are a few super-specific hardware differences, aside from all the premium materials, that I want to call out:

– The buttons on MARQ have actual mechanical clicking, while still being induction buttons for waterproof reasons. This is different from the Fenix 9, where the buttons are induction, and the ‘click’ is done through the vibration motor. Here, it’s actually a mechanical system outside the case of the watch, within the button.

Also, here you can see the sealed case design of MARQ Gen3 (and Fenix 9):

– All MARQ units have a full ceramic bezel, and within that, the coloring is ‘baked’ all the way through. Meaning, on the Diver, for example, the blue you see is actually fully blue, so even if it scratches, it’s still blue. The white lettering you see (in the case of Diver) is etched out, and then filled with ink.
– The MARQ Gen3 series has a different charging cable. It’s a magnetic one that snaps to the back of the unit. It’s different than the also-unique MARQ Gen2 cable, because the optical HR sensor and case design are different, and wouldn’t have been compatible. Oh, and it’s a braided cable.
– All MARQ units except the Athlete also get a secondary silicone band in the box, for athletic wear (e.g., to not have substantial water damage to the leather band). The Athlete edition is already such a band.

Ok, now, there are also per-model unique things, but the above covers the across-the-board changes. With that, let’s dive into the models.

The Models – An Overview

Next up are all the models. I know this section might be a bit long, but we’re ultimately talking about six different models. Each of these models aligns to a different top-end unit within the Garmin watch lineup. For example, Golfer aligns to Garmin’s Approach lineup. Commander aligns to the Tactix lineup, Aviator to D2 Mach, Diver to Quatix/Descent, and Athlete/Adventurer to Fenix.

Here are the MARQ Gen3 models and their pricing:

MARQ Athlete: $2,500USD/2,550EUR

MARQ Adventurer: $2,700USD/2,750EUR

MARQ Golfer: $2,800USD/2,850EUR

MARQ Diver: $3,100USD/3,150EUR

MARQ Commander: $3,100USD/3,150EUR

MARQ Aviator: $3,100USD/3,150EUR

Note that, as a quick starting-point reminder, all units:

– Have a full Grade 5 titanium case (which is harder than the Fenix 9 titanium level, which is Grade 2)
– Have a full ceramic bezel
– Have both induction-sealed buttons (the case has no holes for the buttons), as well as full tactical mechanical click
– All watch faces are available to all MARQ models

With that, let’s get straight into each model and some additional details.

MARQ Athlete:

This is effectively the ‘base’ model, and it essentially has the same software features as a Garmin Fenix 9 series, plus the extra MARQ things noted above. But it doesn’t have other-category extra features like you’ll see on the Aviator (flying) or Golfer (golfing) models.

Still, there are some hardware differences here:

– $2,500USD/2,550EUR
– It’s a full titanium case
– Your VO2Max & Recovery Time are shown on the bezel, in the upper left/bottom left, tied to the watch face
– It has so-called ‘AMP Yellow’ accents
– It has the integrated silicone band

I’ve gotta say, I just wish this model was prettier. Or more specifically, didn’t have yellow on it. I get that’s a personal choice (in the same way I like the orange accents on Fenix). But to me, the yellow just feels kinda dated here. But again, my wife would argue my fashion trends are often dated as well. Still, I sometimes feel like the point of the Athlete model is to convince you to buy a better-looking MARQ model.

MARQ Adventurer

Meanwhile, over to the Adventurer, this one might be my favorite-looking model, tied with the Diver. On the regular though, I think the Adventurer is where I’d be if I were to sacrifice a few years of ice cream budget for a MARQ watch.

Like the Athlete model, this unit doesn’t have any specific extra software features over an existing Fenix 9 Pro inReach; instead, it’s still about materials.

– $2,700USD/2,750EUR
– Has a 360-degree compass on bezel
– Has a sunburst brushing effect on bezel
– Has machined notches for N/S/E/W marking on bezel
– Has micro-knurled buttons
– Band is vegetable-tanned Italian full-grain leather on the outside, but has an HNBR hybrid strap on the backside to minimize against light sweat damaging the leather

I’ve been using this model for my dryer actives, occasionally switching to the silicone band for any sweatier activities. I was kinda curious how far I could push the hybrid band piece. In my case, I did two workouts with the leather/hybrid band. One was an easy 90-minute trail run on a windy day where basically I was sweating, but not massively so. Still, after that I could see some slight areas of color change on the band.

I think this is where, once you had a bit more light sweat, the whole band would be the same darker leather color and life is grand again.

Meanwhile, I did an hour or so gravel bike ride where it was low intensity, and no negative change there. As Garmin noted, long-term with occasional rain or such, this would probably age quite nicely. Otherwise, I’d switch to the silicone strap for other workouts.

MARQ Golfer:

Next is the Golfer edition; this ‘Pine Green’ color scheme unit aligns most closely to the features of the Approach S72 unit, though minus two features that require additional hardware. From a MARQ hardware standpoint, notable differences here are:

– $2,800USD/2,850EUR
– 18-hole indicator in white detailing on bezel (aligned with software in the display)
– White detailing on the buttons
– Jacquard woven tri-color band/strap
– Ceramic end links
– All Approach S72 Software features including Virtual Caddie, Putt Break, and Biometric data aligned to each shot on the hole (e.g., first shot vs at the hole, vs transition between holes). However, it does not have the S72 ‘Swing Metrics’ and ‘Driving Range Mode’ features, as those require additional hardware.

MARQ Aviator:

This model aligns with Garmin’s D2 Mach 2 unit in terms of software features. From a hardware standpoint, this unit has:

– $3,100USD/3,150EUR
– Mirror-polished black ceramic bezel
– 24-hour UTC on outside of bezel, they selected UTC vs GMT, as aviation uses UTC
– Italian calfskin padded leather strap
– Strap has a deployant clasp system
– All software features from the D2 Mach 2, including full aviation airspace maps, avionics connectivity to Garmin cockpit systems, Morning Report with flight conditions integration (including IFR condition states).

MARQ Diver:

This watch replaces what was the MARQ Captain last time, focused purely on boating. Now with diving being part of all MARQ editions, the MARQ Diver is a bit of a blend between the Garmin Descent product and Garmin Quatix products, but in MARQ form. The difference though, is that this doesn’t have the added wireless air integration on the dive side that the Descent products have, but it does have the DiveView maps, as well as all the boating bits from a Quatix series device.

Additionally, the following notes:

– $3,100USD/3,150EUR
– 60-minute (up to) quick timer on watch face
– Silicone dive bracelet with deployment clasp and 15mm micro adjustment
– Has Dive Readiness feature
– Has NDL Aware Depth Metrics
– Has Apnea Hunt Mode
– Has Gauge Mode
– Has full global DiveView maps (including depth and dive sites)
– All Quatix Sailing & Boating features except the ‘Boat Mode’ (which is different than the Boat profile, as Boat Mode essentially does some prioritization pieces with the settings).
– Has boating/marine Autopilot Heading hold (with compatible Garmin boat equipment)

This is the second model that I used, mainly when diving as well as out boating. I’ve got more thoughts on that down below. Do note, though, that from a dive functionality standpoint, outside of the added DiveView maps, all of the MARQ units otherwise have the same dive features, as those come from the Fenix 9 series (well technically, started with the Fenix 8 series).

As I noted earlier, this would probably be a close tie for my next-favorite unit in terms of color scheme. It looks really nice out on the water, or even with the right outfit. Obviously, given the blue look, it won’t be for everyone, but dang, it really shines when the light hits it right.

MARQ Commander:

The unit is essentially taking the Tactical features from the Garmin Tactix series watches, and then blending them into a Fenix 9 variant. As with the Quatix and D2 pilot series, there aren’t yet Fenix 9 variants of those watches or the existing Tactix watches. So this is filling the gap at the high-end price point.

Here are the differences:

– $3,100USD/3,150EUR
– Matte carbon gray DLC bezel (no polished or glossy surfaces)
– 24-hour UTC Military Time Bezel etchings
– Jacquard woven camouflage 3-color weave pattern
– Has all Tactix 8 tactical features, including: Applied Ballistics Solver, Stealth Mode, Night Vision Compatible, Xero C2 Compatibility, Stealth Mode, and Kill Switch (which purges data)

I did actually wear this one for about half a day. As with most Garmin Tactix watches, this one kinda depends on what you’re looking for.

This one stands out the least out of the group in terms of the ‘swankiness’ of it. It feels very understated, to the point that I’m not entirely convinced most people would realize it’s a $3,000 watch. Obviously there are some very nice touches, such as the Jacquard woven strap, but again, to each their own.

The Box:

Here’s just a quick look at the box itself. This is a bit of a ‘step down’ from some of the metallic boxes of the past, though Garmin basically said that folks found the past packaging a bit wasteful. This one finds a good balance between being quite elegant, but also totally recyclable.

Inside the box you’ll essentially find your watch, the extra silicone band for sports (except in the Athlete model), the braided charging cable, and then some paper stuffs you won’t read.

Speaking of which, here’s that charging cable:

And you can see how it snaps on:

The simple reason you don’t see this for every Garmin device, is that each device would require a different charging cable for each case design, including optical HR sensor bump, etc.

With that, let’s get into basic usage.

The Basics:

In this section, I’m going to run through the general basics of the MARQ Gen3 unit. This applies to all the MARQ Gen3 models and is virtually identical to that of the Fenix 9 units. Thus, I’ll do a bit of a truncated version of my deeper ‘Basics’ section found on my recent Fenix 9 In-Depth Review here.

Starting off with the user interface, the MARQ uses the standard Garmin 5-button layout, in combination with a full touchscreen. As with other Garmin touchscreen devices, you can choose whether or not you want the touch enabled at both a system level, as well as a per sport level (for example, perhaps not while sailing, but you do want it for running).

The screen on the MARQ is a 1.4” 3,000-nit AMOLED display, and is 36% larger than the Gen2 MARQ, and 2.5X brighter than the Gen2 MARQ. It’s also a fully borderless display, whereas the Fenix 9 series has a secondary border between the display and the bezel. As one who lives on a sunny Mediterranean island, I have had zero issues seeing the display in the brightest of sunny days on the water. And inversely, no issues with the display at night.

In fact, speaking of at night, if enabled (it’s off by default), you can have the watch emulate a lume mode. This can be enabled in the Display settings (same place as Color Shift), and can be either automatic at a certain time (such as 2 hours before bedtime, or after sunset), or just manually enabled.

Personally, I don’t find this look super awesome. But again, as with most style things, to each their own. I find the stock watch faces so good, that this kinda kills the vibe a bit. As a reminder, it’s not on by default.

Anyway, as noted there’s a bunch of watch faces you can choose from.

Additionally, for each watch face, there are additional styling and color options you can set:

Next, down from there are all your widgets and widget glances. You can customize which ones to display and the ordering. The world is your oyster here. Within that, you can open any given widget for more details about the metrics behind it. This could be steps, sleep, barometric altimeter, Training Load, Training Readiness, or many other metrics.

All of this information is of course synced to Garmin Connect, Garmin’s cloud platform, as well as the mobile app. You can access it on your smartphone, or a desktop computer. By default, your watch will sync via Bluetooth to your phone. But it can also sync via both WiFi or USB cable.

The MARQ supports smartphone notifications like most other wearables, and on Android you can do basic replies as well as see photos/images sent to your phone (on your watch). Whereas on iOS, you can’t yet reply to messages (due to historical Apple limitations), nor can you see images yet. Though those restrictions have recently eased in the EU, so perhaps soon it’ll be enabled on Garmin devices.

In terms of battery life, you’re going to see similar stats to the Garmin Fenix 9 series for the 47mm units. Thus, in my case, I’ve been getting roughly 4-6 days of battery for the units I’ve been using, in an always-on display configuration with 1-2 hours of GPS time per day on average. If you turn on gesture-based display (which is the default, btw), then you’re likely going to get 2-3x the battery life, up to about 15 days of battery between charges.

Finally, all MARQ Gen3 units now have an LED flashlight. In this case, it’s the same trim-color flashlight just launched on the Fenix 9, which includes a white LED at four brightness levels, and then a red and green LED mode. This is a real LED on the front of the unit:

And the throw of the light is roughly the same as a smartphone flashlight. Now flashlights on the front of watches might sound a bit Inspector Gadgety, but as any Garmin owner will (happily) tell you, it’s a game changer for just silly night tasks. Sure, you can use it in a tent on the side of a cliff. But it’s simply just something I use every night for getting something in a kid’s room in the middle of the night, getting around an unknown hotel room at 3AM, or finding something under a couch.

Ok, with that, we’ve got a lot to cover, so let’s shift into some of the sports features.

Sports Features:

Next up, I’m going to do a quick look at the sporting features. Keeping in mind that, again, this is a full Garmin Fenix, which is typically considered Garmin’s flagship sport watch, and is further considered the most in-depth sports watch on the market today. Even Garmin’s competitors wouldn’t try to argue that.

As with the previous section, I go even deeper on this in my Fenix 9 in-depth review (breaking out bits like mapping, navigation, training load, etc.). But for here, we’ll keep things a bit more streamlined.

To access a sport mode, you’ll tap the upper right button, which opens up the app menu for both sports and other apps (other apps include satellite messaging, voice commands, voice calling, Music etc.).

From here, you can pin your favorite sports to the top, as well as sift through your favorites (or find ones you want to do):

Within this realm, you’ve got literal boatloads of sports you can do. Here are the sport modes seen on the Athlete and Adventurer models. Other models may have slightly additional sport modes. For example, the Diver model has an additional ‘Gauge’ diving profile. And the Aviator would have flying modes; the Commander has some additional tactical apps/modes, etc.

Again, here’s the starting point that all units have:

Run, Track Run, Treadmill, Virtual Run, Indoor Track, Walk Indoor, Trail Run, Ultra Run, Hike, Walk, Adventure Race, Bike, Road Bike, Bike Indoor, MTB, eBike, eMTB, Cyclocross, Gravel Bike, Bike Commute, Bike Tour, BMX, Strength, Rucking, Golf, Mountaineering, Bouldering, Fish, Hunt, Disc Golf, Horseback, Expedition, ArcheryX, Obstacle Racing, Inline Skating, Pool Swim, Open Water, Triathlon, Mixed Session, Swimrun, Cardio, Mobility, HIIT, Yoga, Pilates, Treadmill, Elliptical, Stair Stepper, Row Indoor, XC Ski Indoor, Climb Indoor, Bouldering, Floor Climb, Boxing, Mixed Martial Arts, Jump Rope, Cow Tipping, Scuba Dive, Apnea Dive, Snorkel, Ski, Snowboard, Backcountry Ski, Backcountry Snowboard, XC Classic Ski, XC Skate Ski, Snowshoe, Ice Skating, Snowmobile, SUP, Kayak, Row, Surf, Kiteboarding, Windsurf, Snorkel, Whitewater, Boat, Sail, Sail Race, Sail Expedition, Wakeboard, Wakesurf, Water Ski, Tube, Soccer/Football, American Football, Basketball, Baseball, Softball, Volleyball, Cricket, Lacrosse, Rugby, Field Hockey, Ice Hockey, Ultimate Disc, Gaming, Tennis, Pickleball, Padel, Racquetball, Squash, Badminton, Table Tennis, Platform Tennis, ATV, Snowmobile, Overland, Motocross, Motorcycle, Meditation, Breathwork, Jumpmaster, Track Me, Tempo Training (Golf)

Once you’ve selected a sport mode, you’ll see a pending screen that’ll get GPS satellite lock (assuming outside), as well as heart rate lock. Further, if you’ve got accessory/sensors paired, it’ll go off and find those.

It’s in the settings here that you can do structured workouts, load up a course to navigate, as well as change any number of data fields and settings. Each sport mode has its own data pages you can configure, with your own data field customization.

Now, I will briefly note one of the MARQ Gen3 unique features is the ability to do an ‘Address Search’ on-device. The existing Fenix 9 series allows you to look up points of interest (e.g., a landmark, restaurant, etc.) and navigate to them. But here you can actually type a street address in:

And then with that, you’ll see the other MARQ-unique feature, which is the ability to use predictive text completion (seen at the top):

After you’ve entered in an address, you can navigate to it. Of course, most people are probably gonna load a route instead, or use the map to find a spot, or so on. All of which work exactly the same as past units. With the MARQ Gen3, you’ll get the faster map rendering (including panning and zooming) that came with the new faster processor on the Fenix 9 Pro series.

Ok, with all that sorted, off you go to start navigating and doing your activity.

One of those features is ClimbPro, which will automatically show climb data as you start ascending. However, with the MARQ Gen3, a big-ticket new feature coming is the ability to get ClimbPro details without having a course loaded. Up till now, every past Garmin wearable has required a course to be loaded in order to see the climb details. But now, that’ll happen automatically, like it occurs today on Garmin’s Edge devices (for cycling). But having it for both cycling and hiking/running/walking on the watch will be a super handy change for those of us who don’t always bother to create a course for things.

In any case, I had no issues in terms of daily usage during workouts. This included road bike and gravel bike rides, trail runs, track run workouts, road runs, some gym workouts, indoor trainer rides, as well as the boating and dive activities I’ll get into later.

At the end of a workout, you’ll see all your stats consolidated into some summary pages:

And then likewise, all of this is available in Garmin Connect too.

You’ll also get all of your Training Load & Recovery metrics, by way of Acute Load (for Training Load), as well as the umbrella Garmin Training Readiness feature. Training Readiness looks at not just your Training Load, but also your sleep, heart rate variability, stress, and more.

And just to be clear, buying a $3,000 watch does not exempt you from the right of passage that is Unproductive. Fear not, I successfully unlocked that for a day:

Ultimately, when it comes to all of the sports features here, they remain top of the line within not just the Garmin lineup, but also the industry. I’m super eager to try out the real-time ClimbPro features once those hit. Stay tuned for that down the road (hopefully not far down said road).

LTE & Satellite Connectivity:

The Garmin MARQ Gen3 includes LTE & Satellite messaging connectivity on all models, unless bought in a handful of countries where such connectivity is legally restricted. In those countries, there is a version without LTE & Satellite connectivity.

From a Garmin standpoint, both of these features are more about keeping in touch with close friends and family, rather than your boat repair guy calling you on WhatsApp. Meaning that for LTE for example, it doesn’t share your existing phone number, nor do you even get a phone number for people to call. Instead, calling routes through the Garmin Messenger app, which your friends/family must have. Likewise for satellite messaging, which is even more limited.

Still, I find the LTE functionality mostly just useful for LiveTracking purposes (it’ll automatically start a LiveTrack session and send my friends/family a link). My wife uses it on her Fenix 9 when she’s out running long at night by herself (she hates running with a phone).

The features are divided into two sections, LTE and satellite. When it comes to LTE features, Garmin offers the following features over their LTE network, via LTE-M (which requires lower power as an ecosystem, including voice calling over LTE-M):

In addition, they also offer satellite text messaging; more on that in a second. Notably, the watches are cross-region compatible due to LTE-M. Meaning, you can use your European model in the US for LTE-M (and satellite), and vice-versa.

Next, for the satellite features, these are more focused on updating status and asking for emergency assistance. Unlike LTE, which just works in the background, all of these features require holding a watch out in front of you to maintain a specific orientation towards a satellite (this is the same with Apple, Google, and others).

– Satellite Messaging (basic texting)
– Satellite position/location check-ins
– Satellite Emergency SOS (via Garmin Response)
– Satellite updating of weather (new in the Fenix 9 Pro)

And then finally, when it comes to the launch of the Fenix 9, Garmin also added a few more things at the same time that are largely tied into the Garmin Messenger app. These aren’t actually dependent on the Fenix 9, but I figured I’d mention it here:

– Added new Garmin Locate feature within Garmin Messenger app
– Added ability to see athlete heart rate, pace, distance, elevation information in Garmin Messenger App

Ok, so with that covered, note that none of these LTE or inReach pieces are free long-term, despite all of their competitors offering the satellite pieces for free. Getting things set up requires setting up an account within Garmin’s inReach platform. This gives you 30 days free, after which it is $9.99/month for unlimited LTE stuffs, and emergency-only Satellite bits. Beyond that, there are additional fees for satellite check-ins/texts that I’ll cover below (or, a higher-priced plan).

From there, you’ll see a menu option on your watch that shows the different connectivity status options, in terms of how and when it leverages both LTE & satellite. Essentially, you can leave it on Auto, force it off/on, and any number of combinations within that.

One of the things I’ve learned over the past year is that this is pretty handy if you actually don’t care about LTE connectivity; it’s best to just set it to ‘Satellite Only’, which means to essentially shut off LTE on the watch entirely, and just use my phone connection. Since the Satellite messaging pieces require a bunch of knowingly manual steps, it’s not something that can happen in the background anyway.

I dive into all the nuances of the LTE & Satellite features in both my Fenix 8 Pro & Fenix 9 Reviews (with a sprawling LTE & Satellite section). This includes voice calling, transcription of voice messages automatically, and plenty more.

That said, in terms of satellite messaging, which requires no cellular service nearby, probably one of the most notable things you’ll need to do first is to pair it up to the Garmin Messenger app on your phone. You don’t need this app again once you’ve done this once. But if you don’t, then all your Messenger contacts won’t sync to the watch. Sure, Emergency SOS will work just fine, but otherwise you won’t be able to send messages to friends/family. Honestly, this just seems super clunky to me. I totally understand all the Garmin technical reasons behind the scenes for this, but I simply don’t care Garmin, figure it out. It shouldn’t be this clunky for any user.

In any case, with that said, note that currently satellite messaging coverage is essentially limited to Europe and North America. And within that, not quite all regions. Here’s a map of it:

Assuming you’re within coverage range, you can open up the Messenger app on your watch, which allows you to select pre-canned messages (both Garmin ones, and ones you can customize), as well as simply type a message out. Likewise, you can also use the Garmin Messenger app on your phone (connected via Bluetooth) to type out messages much faster.

Once that’s done, you’ll choose to send. For this you’ll stick your arm out in front of you, and it’ll give you instructions on orienting your body and wrist accordingly. In my testing with the MARQ Gen3 models, all messages sent within 30 seconds, even including through some light tree branches.

Lastly, as you’d expect, there are the Garmin SOS features, leveraging Garmin’s Response Center, for emergencies. You can access that via the controls menu, which then gives you 10 seconds to cancel it, in case it was accidentally activated. As with the other features, it’ll first try via LTE, then satellite.

Ultimately, I find the Garmin satellite feature handy on Garmin watches. Sure, my phone already has some sort of satellite messaging capability, but I might not always have my phone. And in my case I live barely 2-3 minutes out my front door into no-cellular areas of empty wilderness. Further, as many divers have pointed out, having a way to reach a dive boat after you surface can be handy, especially for drift dives, if the party has broken up a bit. And knowing that’ll work even without cellular can be clutch.

Scuba Diving & Boating:

Now in my case, I had both a Diver unit and an Adventurer unit. Practically speaking, all units support scuba diving & free diving, just like the Fenix 9 units (and since the Fenix 8 units). However, the Diver also has additional integration with Garmin marine systems that the Fenix doesn’t have (but the Fenix cousin, the Quatix series, does have).

The Diver also has a few extra diving features that the Fenix 9 doesn’t have. They are:

– Full Coverage preloaded DiveView Maps
– Dive Readiness Feature
– NDL Aware Feature
– Gauge Mode

The DiveView maps in particular show you depth (both for diving as well as boating), and then also show you nearby dive sites.

So, let’s briefly run through the dive features first. As a brief aside, while digging into a few things, I stumbled upon Garmin’s Dive features technical explainer site, which is surprisingly comprehensive in terms of explaining all their features and the specific science behind it. Note that not all features are on the MARQ Gen3 (for example, features tied to air integration). But if you’re into dive geekery, I thought it was kinda neat.

Anyway, for this post I’ll focus on scuba, simply because that’s what I did the last few weeks (I’ve got some free-diving coming back up again in a few weeks). To start you’ll select a Dive type (e.g., Scuba), and then open it up. One of the options you have though is for it to automatically engage the moment you go 1.5m deep in the water. In any case, by opening it up first, you’ll get your GPS lock, which is then recorded as the entry/exit points in your dive log.

Here you can customize any settings you want about the dive. This includes water type, tank settings, conservatism preferences, etc… Further, you can change your data field configurations to show specific metrics you want to see (or don’t want to see). Again, the MARQ Gen3 doesn’t support air tank integration like their Descent units. I do feel like for the Diver model specifically, this is a bit of an odd omission. I get from a technical conformity standpoint that would have likely opened up an entire manufacturing can of worms for Garmin, but isn’t that the point of a $3,000 watch called ‘Diver’? That’s precisely when that can should be opened up.

In any case, with all that sorted out, off into the water you go. The moment you get down into the water, it’ll start tracking the dive. You’ll see your metrics automatically. One of these days I’ll get good at taking underwater shots of watches. Today was not that day.

As with Garmin’s other dive-certified units, I had no issues with it automatically tracking my dive metrics throughout my dives. It works exactly in-line with a Fenix 9 Pro and Apple Watch Ultra 4 I had on all my dives. All of which are fully certified depth gauge dive computers down to 40m. Remember that’s the certification level of the depth gauge, the actual watch, from a case standpoint, is certified down to 100m.

Once I started to surface, it’ll automatically notify me of my safety stop, and track that. Further, if I ascended too fast at some point, it’ll also have notified me of that too.

After I reach the surface, it’ll start a countdown timer to end the dive automatically. Assuming you raise your wrist above the water, it’ll also track the exit point (via GPS). This is then saved within the dive log.

These logs are accessible via the Garmin Dive app, which pulls from your Garmin Connect account. You can update additional dive log details here, as well as add photos/etc…

In the case of the Garmin MARQ Diver, it actually has a few extra features the Fenix 9 doesn’t have, such as Diver Readiness. This is essentially like Garmin’s Training Readiness, except it also looks at your historical dive data, to see whether or not you dive frequently enough that your body can adapt to the dives quickly. Further, it gives you warnings not to do hard workouts afterwards (just like you also get No-Fly warnings like on the Fenix).

Additionally, when it comes to planning a dive, the extra and included depth maps will show you depth, but also show you dive sites.

You can view this by using the Dive Planner option, which lets you lookup nearby Dive Sites:

Meanwhile, on the boating side, I’ve been using it a bit there, though none of the boats I have access to have Garmin marine equipment on them, so I couldn’t use the autopilot/connected features. If someone would like do donate a fancier boat to me, I’d be happy to ensure compliance.

Instead, I mostly used it from the standpoint of course/speed/etc, as well as checking depth using the marine maps that show depth information:

Note that I did have an odd quirk where, when in a boating profile, the land-based TopoGraphic maps aren’t enumerating correctly. In this case I see the marine maps for the watery portions, but the land portions aren’t properly showing anything except blackness. In talking to Garmin, this is already fixed in a firmware update that’ll likely land in my device in the coming days.

In any case, I do feel like it’s worth mentioning one other quirk, which is around the anchor alarm feature. Perhaps it’s just me being new to Garmin’s implementation of this feature, but frankly, it doesn’t make much sense the way it’s implemented. For those not familiar with boating, an anchor alarm is essentially a GPS-based geofence that you enable so that if your anchor drags and you start drifting, then it’ll sound a loud/annoying alarm to let you know. You can set it on Garmin Quatix watches, Fenix watches, and probably some others.

However, where this kinda falls apart is that you have to end your current boating activity entirely. You can’t merely pause it, or ‘Resume later’. Thus, if you’ve sailed somewhere where you want to anchor for a bit (perhaps a couple hours) before continuing on, you can’t set the anchor alarm without ending that activity. In the hiking world, that’d be akin to being forced to end your hike merely cause you wanted to pause for a few minutes to have lunch.

Now some might argue that you’d normally use this feature when anchoring for the day, going into night. Except that ignores the marine reality here: If you’re anchoring for the night, it’s extremely likely your boat already has an anchor alarm feature built into it. Whereas, inversely, if you’re boat lacks cabins (more of a day craft), then it’s more likely you don’t have an anchor alarm built into it, and thus the benefit of the watch feature.

In my case, the boats I go out with are more for day-use. I just want to ensure when I’m on anchor that I’m not dragging anchor into the rocks. This weekend was a great example of that with a bit of swell, but trying to anchor as close as possible to the shore, to minimize that swell.

Anyway, I know this is a first-world problem, and it seems like one that’s been around a long time. I just can’t decide whether nobody bothers to use the feature, or just shrugs and assumes it’s always this way. Or maybe Garmin Marine products just need more ‘me’ in their life reviewing them to point out these weird issues.

Nonetheless, setting all that aside, I had no issues with the marine or scuba feature I did use.

GPS & Heart Rate Accuracy:

The MARQ Gen3 shares the same Garmin ELEVATE Gen5 optical heart rate sensor as numerous other watches before it, including the Garmin Fenix 9 Pro series. Further, it shares the same GPS components and antenna design as the Fenix 9 Series. Though Garmin did note that they used different nano-molding technology to deal with the layers associated with the antenna design and case on the MARQ series, allowing them to achieve a thinner design than normal bonding found on the Fenix 9.

Nonetheless, I still checked the accuracy of the heart rate and GPS systems across numerous workouts, both inside and outside, and across different sport modes. So, let’s just run through some of those.

First up, we’ve got an interval workout from a few days ago:

As you can see, it’s basically spot-on with the chest strap, so kudos there.

Looking at the GPS track for that, the area was relatively easy, but it was also loop after loop after loop, so any inconsistencies would be easy to see.

Specifically on the turns, where here it nailed each one exactly where I was each time (on the deserted road). The COROS Pace 4 Pro was slightly offset.

After that, I’ve got a trail run I did. Starting off on the heart rate side of things, things look good here, except for one brief spike, which I believe it tied to a short/steep downhill section. Basically, classic cadence lock where the heart rate locks onto your running cadence/footsteps. This is mildly interesting to me, because I run this steep hill at least once a week, and this is the first time I’ve seen Garmin’s Gen5 optical HR sensor trip up on it.

In any case, looking at the GPS side of things, from a wider standpoint, things look pretty solid:

Looking at a section in a ravine with trees, no issues. All the units are all reasonably close, within a few meters of each other:

And likewise, later along some cliffs coming back up a trail, no issues. As with the rest of the run.

I did, however, see both the Garmin Fenix 9 & MARQ Gen3 struggle a bit from a barometric altimeter standpoint here. That section where they split apart from the Apple Watch & COROS unit isn’t correct. I was standing there on a cliff edge taking photos, and you can start to see the Garmin units separate. I don’t know whether that’s a barometric altimeter issue or a terrain-locking issue (perhaps thinking I was off the cliff). Either way, it’s the first time I’ve seen it on any Garmin unit in many years.

Now let’s look at an outdoor run I just did last night. Nothing crazy, but nice and sustained through some high building areas. First, looking at the heart rate, we can see nothing of note there (I used a silicone band here):

And then on the GPS side, at a side level, nothing of note here:

Looking at some tall building areas with taller hotels, as well as under a building with a swimming pool above me (for real, it’s like half a football field long), the MARQ handles well there. Though, it is slightly in the buildings a few meters at a different point earlier for a few seconds. This was with the default GPS settings (which is SatIQ).

Ultimately, I’m seeing performance here that matches the Garmin Fenix 9 series, which is industry-leading in terms of GPS accuracy as well as elevation accuracy. And then further, from a heart rate standpoint, I also see similar performance to that, which tends to be among the best in the industry as well.

(Note: All of the charts in these accuracy portions were created using the DCR Analyzer tool. It allows you to compare power meters/trainers, heart rate, cadence, speed/pace, running power, GPS tracks, and plenty more. You can use it as well for your own gadget comparisons; more details here.)

Garmin MARQ Odds & Ends:

I don’t know where to put these things, but I went to a media presentation about the watch, and I thought these tidbits were interesting, and likely wouldn’t otherwise see the light of day within the general fancy-watch media crowd. Not because they aren’t covering things in detail, but just because I suspect they’re focused on other areas. Anyways, in no particular order:

-Uploads per year: There are “approximately 6 million MARQ workout/activity uploads per year” currently to Garmin Connect (from Gen1/Gen2), as part of the far larger “billions” of workout/activity uploads each year to Garmin Connect from all Garmin users

– Fenix 1 Users: There are still some 4,000 active Fenix 1 users uploading to Garmin Connect daily. While this isn’t MARQ, Garmin’s point is that people do indeed use these watches for upwards of a decade. There’s nothing wrong with it in a few years, aside from consumerism driving you to buy a new model.

– Increase in retailers: They’ve had a 4x increase in MARQ retailers since MARQ Gen 2 launched. Note that there is a huge slate of requirements to be a MARQ retailer, just like any other luxury watch brand would have. For example, you generally won’t find MARQ watches on Amazon. Though sometimes they find their way through random distribution or small resale quirks.

– Increase in sales: They say they’ve had “8x the amount of sales turnover” since MARQ Gen2. Meaning, there’s clearly demand for this product. Given we’re on the 4th generation of it now (assuming you include Chronos as the first generation), Garmin wouldn’t be sticking around if it wasn’t making them money. Garmin has very clear internal rules around financial ROI/margins.

– Driving new Garmin customers: They noted that 50% of MARQ customers are new to Garmin in terms of wearable or sports products (they might have boat or aviation gear, however, in their cockpits).

– The Lack of Metal Bands: You’ll notice there are no metal bands for MARQ Gen 3, just like there are no metal bands for the Fenix 9 Pro series. This is due to the LTE & Satellite antenna communication components in the current design. It sounds like their long-term hope is to be able to engineer some solution in future hardware. This should have no meaningful impact on GPS accuracy or other features.

– The most popular MARQ activities. When it comes to existing owners and what they’re uploading to Garmin Connect, here’s the current breakdown:

That’s it, I’m out of interesting tidbits at this point from the media briefings that I didn’t already include elsewhere.

Wrap-Up:

Writing a review for a watch like this is tricky. There’s a simple reality that for a large portion of the population, this watch will seem like a waste of money. But the same could and would be spent on photography gear, I and many other photographers buy. A $2,000 lens on a $2,000 camera body, and that’s just one lens (a lens that I managed to flood the other day, costing me another $1,000 in repairs…sigh). Sure, that gear will last many years, but as Garmin pointed out with their Fenix 1 metrics above, people can and do still use these watches long term (more than a decade in that case).

And now finally with the MARQ Gen 3 units, Garmin has a watch that doesn’t lag (far) behind their premium Fenix watches. Instead, the opposite – it’s finally a watch that tops the Garmin lineup with all the features of a Fenix and then a slate of additional hardware and software features. Whether or not it’s worth the price Garmin sets is somewhat of an aside; it’s that there’s finally not a caveat on it being a subpar watch feature/spec-wise but with fancy materials. Now, it’s both.

In terms of my usage, overall I had very few bugs over the last near-month with it. And all the items I did identify (mainly around mapping) are slated to be fixed in a firmware update in the near term. Of course, Garmin hasn’t yet released the real-time ClimbPro features, so those will have to wait to see how they shake out. You can of course still use the existing course-based ClimbPro as I did, without issues.

As for whether or not I’d buy one? If I were to buy one, I’m almost certain it’d be the Adventurer, despite the slightly added features of the Diver. But those features aren’t really make-or-break for me. But at the same time, with me testing watches as my job, this just wouldn’t get as much use as it would for someone who puts it on their wrist 24×7. Therefore, it’s hard for me to justify spending the money (especially with all the other toys on my list to buy). But unlike in the past, at least I could see the path to a case in front of the accountant (my wife). Albeit, it’d still probably get rejected – but at least not because she doesn’t find them good-looking. She does. Which, is a pretty big step in getting something approved.

With that – thanks for reading!

Fitbit Edge Announced: Everything You Need to Know!

2026-10-12T13:36:33.000Z

Fitbit has decided there will be no Fitbit Charge 7. Instead, the device will now be known as the Fitbit Edge, and with that, it follows more closely in line with the user interface of the Google Pixel Watch 5, alongside technology stashed inside the recent screenless Fitbit Air. If there were any questions as to whether or not Google remains committed to the Fitbit branding (in name), this would certainly answer that. Fitbit as a brand is clearly here to stay, even if they renamed the app to Google Health earlier this year.

The Fitbit Edge is a small-screen activity tracker, just like the Fitbit Charge series before it. With it, Google has made some big changes, mostly good, but not all good. On the ‘good’ side, they’re claiming the GPS is now actually functional. Previously, on the Fitbit Charge 5 & Charge 6, the GPS only worked if you loosened the band substantially, but when you did that, heart rate stopped working. For real. They even admitted it was a design choice at the time. Now, Fitbit is saying GPS should be “40% better” than the Charge 6. Plus, they added an altimeter, for both stair tracking and elevation tracking.

Beyond that, the Fitbit Edge gets all of the automatic workout recognition pieces of the Fitbit Air, except as of today, that sport list goes from like 10 sports to roughly 100 sports. Meaning even if you don’t press any buttons, it’ll still figure out that you’re pole dancing. Or…maybe that icon is a stand-up paddleboarder. It’s fuzzy. Atop that, the user interface now matches the Pixel Watch 5, which is cleaned up. Oh, and it’s got a ‘real’ button now, versus a touchable pseudo-button. But there are some downsides too – like no more Google Pay (contactless payments). And the price has significantly increased, up to $179USD from the usual $99-$129 that the Charge 6 floats at these days.

In any case, I’ve got a unit that I can start sharing hands-on details on tomorrow, but for now, here’s everything you need to know.

What’s New vs Charge 6:

The Fitbit Edge is the next version of the Fitbit Charge 6, which came out in 2023. Here’s how it’s different:

– Increased screen/display by 46% (has 1.34” display)
– Case thickness is 11.5mm
– Added physical side button that actually clicks (previous was just a touch area)
– Added altimeter (for stair tracking, as well as elevation tracking)
– Added automatic workout detection (now supports 100 sports)
– Increased supported manual workout profiles to 50 workout profiles
– Made user-replaceable/serviceable battery (the first Fitbit-branded product to do so)
– GPS accuracy improvement claimed at 40% more accurate (via new GPS chipset, and new aluminum case design)
– Switched to a more modern user interface, matching the Pixel Watch 5 series
– Added structured workout support
– Added support for dual usage with Pixel Watch and Fitbit Air (e.g., switching back and forth seamlessly)
– Added fast charging (5 minutes gets you 1 day of usage)
– Removed Google Pay (NFC Contactless payments)
– Removed EDA Scan feature (but does have continuous stress monitoring in the background)
– Changed the band attachment mechanism (old Fitbit habits die hard)
– Switched the charger to the same charger as the Fitbit Air (hey, at least they picked something else they already had this time)
– Added a bunch of band accessory types
– Price increased to $179 (officially the Charge 6 was $159 previously, but realistically it sat between $99 and $129 virtually all the time)
– Also a Stephen Curry model at $219 (US, Canada, EMEA)
– Pre-orders start today; availability October 27th.

In terms of some other general specs, just for recap purposes:

– Same claimed 7-day battery life
– Still has heart rate broadcasting feature via Bluetooth (though it can be a bit funky in terms of compatibility)
– Still has music control of your phone’s music (no onboard music storage)
– Still has Google Maps turn-by-turn directions (with phone)
– Still has smartphone notifications (more integration on Android than iOS)
– Still has full sleep tracking
– Still has continuous heart rate monitoring (background and workout)
– Still supports high & low heart rate alerts
– Supports the Google Health Guardian features announced a few months ago
– You can do quick replies on Android, though not on iOS devices
– Has FDA/EU approved medical ECG functionality, including background Afib detection
– Includes skin temperature sensor
– Supports Steps, Distance, Active Zone Minutes, VO2Max, Floor/elevation, Cardio Load, and many more metrics
– Two sizes of bands (see specs below)
– Water resistance level is 5ATM, and IP68 for dust protection

Finally, for lack of anywhere else to stick it, Google also announced a multi-year partnership with Flo Health (which has 80 million users), which will allow bidirectional syncing of data between the two platforms starting early next year. From Flo Health to Google Health, you’ll be able to pull your cycle data in. And then from Google Health to Flo Health, you’ll be able to send resting heart rate, skin temperature, heart rate variability, and sleep metrics. Further, on the Google Health side, it’ll leverage your cycle-tracking information for both general suggestions as well as workout suggestions. Finally, Google also noted:

“We will partner to build new products that are specifically designed for women, with a deep integration of Flo’s women’s health insights and algorithms with our expertise in wearable hardware and advanced sensors.”

It’ll be interesting to see if that’s hardware products or software “products”. Further, they noted there are upcoming plans around dedicated women’s health research initiatives (I assume that means large-scale studies you could opt-in to). Note that in the case of the Flo Health integration, Google says this is all optional, of course, and you can enable and then subsequently turn on/off things as you see fit.

Again, I’ll have much more hands-on details coming, starting tomorrow, but for now, let’s get to all the model options.

Detailed Tech & Model Specs:

The Fitbit Air case comes in 5 different colorways, and then with that there are approximately 2,328 band options. Starting off with the core options you can buy, they are as follows:

– Matte Black Aluminum case / Obsidian Active Band
– Polished Silver Aluminum case / Fog Active Band
– Satin Pyrite Aluminum case / Olive Active Band
– Champagne Gold case / Canyon Active Band
– Satin Pyrite Aluminum case / Stephen Curry Special Edition

And here’s a look at each of these. First, the Matte Black model with black band:

Then the Polished silver model with fog band:

Then the Satin Pyrite Aluminum case model with olive band:

Next, the Champagne Gold case with canyon band:

Oh, and there are the metal link bands too:

Finally, looking at the tech specs, here’s a whole slate of things that may or may not be interesting to you:

– Display is 1.34”/34mm AMOLED display, supporting an always-on configuration
– Display supports adjustable brightness
– Bluetooth 5.4
– Processor: Ambiq AP5 MCU
– GPS chipset supports GPS+Galileo in US, and GPS+Galileo+GLONASS+BeiDou+QZSS outside of US
– Onboard memory: 64MB NOR flash memory, 7 days of detailed motion data (minute intervals), 30 days of daily totals, heart rate at 2-second intervals
– Internal sensors: Altimeter, Accelerometer, Gyroscope, Red and infrared sensors for oxygen saturation (SpO2), Multipurpose electrical sensors compatible with ECG app, Photoplethysmography (PPG) optical heart rate sensor, Ambient light sensor, Far-field skin temperature sensor
– Battery is 65mAh
– Fully end-user replaceable battery
– Charging speed: 5 minutes of fast charging for 1 day of battery life, or 100% in 90 minutes
– Requires iOS 16.4 or newer, and Android 11 or newer
– Fitbit Edge Weight: 17.7g without band
– Fitbit Edge Dimensions: 39.22 x 25.56 mm
– Fitbit Edge Height/Thickness: 11.58mm
– Case is made from 100% recycled aluminum
– Active band: Silicone with “soft-touch coating”
– Active Band Sizing: Small fits wrists 130-170mm around, Large fits 170-210mm around
– Stephen Curry band: “Recycled polyester yarns with water-repellent coating and stainless steel lugs, as well as a raised interior print for increased airflow.”
– Stephen Curry band sizing (US): Small fits wrists 135-170mm around, Large fits 170-210mm around
– Stephen Curry band sizing (EU/Canada): Single-size fits wrists 150-195mm around
– Water resistance: 5ATM/50 meters
– Dust immersion resistance: IP68

On the manual workout profile side, here are the workout profiles that are supported on the Fitbit Edge. Note these are a subset of the automatic detection list, which is around 100 activities.

Aerobics
Badminton
Baseball
Basketball
Bike
Bootcamp
Boxing
Canoeing
Circuit training
Core training
Cricket
Cross-country ski
CrossFit
Dancing
Elliptical
Field hockey
Football
Golf
HIIT
Hike
Indoor climbing
Kayaking
Kickboxing
Martial arts
Mountain bike
Open swim
Outdoor workout
Paddleboarding
Padel
Pickleball
Pilates
Pool swim
Powerlifting
Rollerblading
Rowing machine
Rugby
Run
Skating
Skiing
Snowboarding
Soccer
Spinning
Sport
Stair climber
Strength training
Surfing
Swim
Tennis
Treadmill run
Walk
Weightlifting
Weights
Workout
Yoga

I definitely appreciate having all of these profiles available on-device, rather than just a very basic set. Which I suppose is the general trend in watches/wearables the last year or two: More workout profile options is better.

Next, when it comes to automatic workout types, here’s how those are broken out:

Core sports without any context:

Outdoor Walk
Outdoor Run
Outdoor Bike
Stationary Bike
Elliptical
Rowing Machine
Swim
Racket Sports
Rowing
Golf
Basketball
Soccer
Strength Training
Sports (generic – team sports)
‘Activity’ (generic – periods of sustained elevated HR)

Then this next set requires some sort of historical context, as well as previous confirmations of the activity in the app.

Context-required Automatic Detection Types:

Treadmill Run
Treadmill Walk
Core Workout
Yoga
Stretching
Dancing
Baseball
Football
Pickleball
Hockey
Water Aerobics
Fishing
Shooting
Cleaning
Meditating
Mowing Lawn
Gardening
Carpentry
Archery
Martial Arts
Rock Climbing
Kayaking
Skating
Snowshoeing
Skiing
Surfing
Snowboarding
Paddleboarding
Fencing
Ultimate Frisbee
Gymnastics
Horseback Riding
Orienteering
Polo
Skateboarding
Trampoline
Wrestling
Diving
Sailing
Water Skiing
Trail Run
Incline Run
Power Walking
Hiking
Rucking
Stroller Walking
Nordic Walking
Incline Walk
Walk With Weights
Mountain Biking
Spinning
Snorkeling
Hiit
Crossfit
Jump Rope
Boxing
Kickboxing
Stairclimbing
Zumba
Soccer
Basketball
Tennis
Volleyball
Badminton
Free Weights
Body Weight
Weight Machines
Power Lifting
Calisthenics
Resistance Bands
Trx
Cardio Sculpt
Circuit Training
Pilates
Barre
Tai Chi
Ballet
Softball
Cricket
Rugby
Squash
Table Tennis
Racquetball
Field Hockey
Handball
Lacrosse
Curling
Water Polo
Water Volleyball
Water Jogging
Hunting
Indoor Climbing
Canoeing
Roller Blading
Ice Skating
Roller Skating
Cross Country Skiing
Aerobic Workout
Modern Dance
Jazz Dance
Tango
Ballroom Dance
Breakdancing
Hip Hop
Karate
Jiu Jitsu
Taekwondo
Muay Thai
Musical Performance
Assault Bike
Cheerleading
Parkour
Scootering
Electric Scooter
Electric Bike
Motorcycle
Tabata Workout
Beach Volleyball
Bikram Yoga
Hatha Yoga
Power Yoga
Vinyasa Yoga
Weeding
Hoeing
Household Chores
Shoveling
Painting
Frisbee Playing
Unicycling
Croquet
Motocross

I do want to point out that I’d love to have been a fly on the wall in conference rooms at Google when they debated putting the ‘Hoeing’ activity type in there. I just can’t wait for the Instagram meme jokes that come from that.

(As a geeky aside, it’s astonishing how detailed/comprehensive Google/Fitbit has become with their technical information, imagery, videos, and detailed documents explaining things. While I get full briefings, devices sent on time, and seemingly 24×7 responses within minutes, even on holiday weekends, it’s just such a difference to what some companies do, where every question is almost begging for answers. When companies make it easy to cover your products, you’ll find media tend to cover it with more details.)

Some Fitbit Air Updates:

As part of all of this, the Fitbit Air gets a few quite notable updates. First and the biggest is a massive expansion of the automatic workout detection profiles, from roughly 10 (though realistically it was less than that), to 100 sport profiles. I don’t yet have an official text listing of those profiles, though here is a nifty screenshot of all the icons that are included in this listing:

At present, I can only assume that the one with the person holding onto the pole is pole dancing. Sure, some might argue SUP. But what’s the fun in that? I’ll update this once I have a full listing. [Update: Just added in full list above. No pole dancing…but hey, there’s ‘Hoeing’.]

Do note that Fitbit says some of this is coming from understanding your patterns, rather than straight sport recognition. When it comes to automatic workout detection, there’s sorta two levels. The first is the device/platform (most processing is done in the cloud) actually being able to figure out that you were running, or cycling, or mountain biking. That’s the most ideal scenario. The second level is when a platform knows that you did something, but is a bit fuzzy on what exactly. In those cases, they can look at your history and context and say “Oh, every Saturday morning she goes mountain biking and she updated past activities to specify that, so this must be mountain biking because it’s Saturday morning”. That’s so-so in my opinion, because it’s better than nothing, but still not really nailing the movement recognition as good as Whoop does.

Nonetheless, Fitbit says that with this new algorithm they are “2x more accurate” in detections, and reduced “missed workouts by more than half”. Workouts must still meet the minimum 15-minute threshold as in the past.

Next, there are some new Metal Mesh bands coming out for the Fitbit Air. This includes a Champagne Gold or Polished Silver band for $69, or you can buy the Champagne Gold band with a Fitbit Air for $149 (so basically a $20 savings). Here’s what that looks like:

And here’s the polished silver one:

And finally, as previously announced, the Health Guardian feature will start unlocking reports later this month for existing Fitbit Air users, as well as other Fitbit users.

Once the firmware rolls out for the Fitbit Air and the new sport profiles, I’ll start digging into it and report back.

Going Forward:

Now, starting tomorrow, I can start sharing details from the device itself. Of course, having such lineage to both the Fitbit Charge 6 and their more recent products like the Fitbit Air & Pixel Watch 5, I don’t really expect any sort of crazy surprises here. However, the sport mode expansions are real and quite legit. Up to 100 sports now in auto-detect mode for both Fitbit Air & Fitbit Edge is a huge shift, and now much more competitive with Whoop (at least in theory; we’ll have to see in reality).

While the unit is priced higher, I think some of the added features may make it worthwhile. Notably, the structured workouts support, added altimeter for stairs/elevation, the theoretical improvements in GPS accuracy, plus the bigger display. Of course, the removal of Google Wallet/Pay seems like an odd choice to me. In this scenario, especially for iPhone users, it’s not really pushing those users up to the Google Pixel Watch, because that doesn’t work for iOS (just Android). Perhaps eventually Google will unlock the Pixel Watch for iOS users too.

In any case, plenty more to come shortly on the Fitbit Edge as I dive into testing.

With that, thanks for reading!

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Fitbit Edge (Pyrite/Olive)

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Here's a few other variants or sibling products that are worth considering:

Garmin Enduro 4 Everything You Need To Know: What’s Actually New?

2026-10-09T22:26:25.000Z

Garmin has announced the new Enduro 4, which takes the existing Enduro 3 and Fenix 9-ifies it. This follows the same pattern that Garmin did when it announced the Enduro 3 & Fenix 8 series back a few years ago. This means that the Enduro 4 gets some updated hardware internals, such as a faster processor and more RAM, as well as doubled storage for more offline maps. With those more powerful internals, you’re getting faster mapping features. Plus of course, the Enduro 4 gets all the Fenix 9 software features (which Enduro 3 & Fenix 8 users are also getting).

There are also some slight material changes too, mainly with the band and bezel. They’ve swapped out the UltraFit band for the new ComfortFit ones, which is a great change in my opinion. I’ve been using the new ComfortFit ones with the Fenix 9 series, and they’re awesome. Further, they changed up the color of the bezel, which you may or may not like depending on your personal color palette preferences.

In any case, I’ve started to put the Enduro 4 through its paces, though given all the other wearables slated for the next 6 days, wrist space is very limited right now. So for the moment, let’s just get into how things are different.

What’s New:

The Enduro 3 to Enduro 4 upgrade of hardware may not seem like a big one, mostly because you have to remember the whole point of the Enduro series is to *minimize* things that burn lots of battery. Meaning, adding in battery-hungry features like LTE & inReach (satellite messaging) are sorta the last thing you want Garmin to do.

However, more critical here is Garmin’s decision to bring virtually all the new Fenix 9 features back to the Fenix 8/8 Pro & Enduro 3 watches. Thus, by definition, with them all being treated as a single software platform, it becomes a more minor hardware update (akin to what Apple does each year). The point isn’t really for Enduro 3 owners to buy up (because you’re getting all the cool new Fenix 9 software features for free), but rather, for Enduro 1 & Enduro 2 folks to buy up. Make sense?

In any case, here’s what’s new hardware-wise:

– Faster processor for maps (specifically the Fenix 9 base processor, not the Fenix 9 Pro processor)
– 50% more RAM for map speed increases
– Doubled storage from 32GB to 64GB
– Went from black titanium bezel to a grey titanium bezel
– Cleaned up bezel to have fewer green/yellow markings
– Changed the GPS mode names to match Fenix 9, though the battery life remains identical
– Changed from UltraFit band to ComfortFit with QuickFit (trust me, it’s far better)
– New band increased total unit weight by 3g, case weight is identical (total weight from 63g to 66g)
– Same $899 price as the Enduro 3 (though the Enduro 3 went on sale this week to $799 with a bunch of other Garmin things for Amazon Prime Days)

Here you can see the new band/clasp system as part of the ComfortFit bands:

Meanwhile, here are the things that stay the same from Enduro 3 to Enduro 4:

– Same exact 1.4” MIP display panel at 280x280px
– Same exact Solar components
– Same exact smartwatch battery life (36 days smartwatch, 90 days with Solar)
– Same rough GPS battery life (see chart), though with new mode names
– Same thickness and case size (51mm)

Here’s the battery ‘chart’ showing all the battery modes/times:

Enduro 4 Battery Specs/Claims:
Smartwatch: Up to 36 days/90 days with solar*
Low Power Watch Mode: Up to 92 days/unlimited with solar*
Activity Mode (Normal): Up to 80 hours/144 hours with solar**
Activity Mode + Music (Normal): Up to 22 hours/25 hours with solar**
Activity Mode (Max Battery): Up to 210 hours/unlimited with solar**
Activity Mode (Extended Battery): Up to 120 hours/320 hours with solar**
Activity Mode (Max Accuracy): Up to 60 hours/90 hours with solar**
Expedition Mode: Up to 77 days/unlimited with solar*

*Solar charging, assuming all-day wear with 3 hours per day outside in 50,000 lux conditions
**Solar charging, assuming use in 50,000 lux conditions; assuming typical use with SatIQ technology

Here’s a side-by-side photo of the two units out tanning in the direct sun.

(At left, Enduro 3, at right Enduro 4)

Then, from a software standpoint, here are all the new features. All but the last few features are coming to the Enduro 3 via software update (in fact, some, like the Ski Erg features, already did last week). However, this just gets you all of them right now. The last few ones are dependent on the new mapping engine, which in turn requires the faster processor/more RAM:

– Added new Garmin Epic features, which group multi-day events/adventures (both on-device, and on Garmin Connect)
– New Stamina zone concept
– Added New Stamina Endurance time concept
– Added New Stamina trending feature (on Garmin Connect)
– Added New Running & Cycling Stamina graphs/curves
– Added New Rucking/Pack-Weight calorie breakout for activities (in multiple sport profiles)
– Revamped algorithms around pack-weight to more accurately cover calorie impacts
– Added New Rucking target calculator on-watch: Can tell you how far you need to go for a certain goal & pack weight
– Added ability to change pack-weight mid-activity
– Added Dedicated Rucking Reports (summarizing pack weight, calories, elevation, pace)
– Added Rucking Multisport mode option
– Added New on-device Rucking structured workouts with GoRuck
– Added New Ski Erg Profile (officially called ‘XC Ski Indoor’)
– Huge update/change for Indoor Rowing
– Added new heart rate zones for rowing, and max heart rate
– Added new power zones and power curves for running
– Added new indoor rowing FTP values/estimation
– Added new indoor rowing VO2Max values
– Added lactate threshold for rowing, and performance condition
– Added indoor rowing activity profile countdown timer (5-second timer, to let you get ready)
– Added support for indoor rowing to update Training Status (e.g., Productive, Unproductive, etc.)
– Added Rolling GAP as a data field (both kilometer and mile)
– Added Rolling GAP as a structured workout target option
– Added new ‘Field Tools’ feature, including ABC, measure height, reference point, and more

And then, here’s another set of new features that the Enduro 4 & Fenix 9 series get, but the Enduro 3 & Fenix 8 series won’t get, due to hardware constraints dependent on the increased RAM & processor (or, in the case of the GPS modes, so they don’t have to re-test all of the existing models’ official specs for new battery claims).

– Mapping: New Perspective view (sorta a tilted map view)
– Mapping Performance: Smoother/faster zoom
– Mapping Performance: More responsive heading updates (orientation)
– Added new ArcheryX feature
– Added new Dynamic Battery GPS modes, which basically simplify the naming of the satellite modes

Again, if you have an existing Garmin Enduro 3 or Fenix 8 series watch, you’ll eventually get all of the features in the first list. The timelines on that remain fuzzy, but Garmin says it won’t be this year for everything, though some features have already started showing up in recent updates.

Key Differences to Fenix 9?

(At left, Enduro 3, center Enduro 4, right Fenix 9 Pro Solar 47mm)

Now, real quick, what are the key differences between the Enduro 4 vs Fenix 9? Just like with the Enduro 3 vs Fenix 8 series, this is mostly about the Enduro series being optimized for higher battery life, but also reduced costs. They do away with extra things required for diving, LTE, speakers/mic, etc., and that in turn gives you more battery life and a ‘cheaper Fenix’ in the name of Enduro. Again, remember the Enduro & Fenix watches are under the same software watch family. All software releases for the Enduro 3 & Fenix 8 series were identical and grouped together, and the same is now true with the Enduro 4 & Fenix 9.

In any case, here are the key differences (when focused specifically on the SOLAR-MIP models):

– Enduro 4 has a bigger solar ring than the Fenix 9 Pro Solar models
– Enduro 4 is far lighter than the Fenix 9 (66g vs 102g for the Fenix 9 Pro Solar 51mm non-inReach)
– Enduro 4 is slightly thinner than the Fenix 9 (15.7mm vs 16.6mm for Fenix 9 Pro Solar 51mm)
– Enduro 4 is offered in one size (51mm), whereas Fenix 9 is offered in three sizes (43/47/51mm, though MIP-Solar only in 47/51mm)
– Fenix 9 series has depth gauge and scuba/freediving features (Enduro 4 does not)
– Fenix 9 series has induction buttons for better water resistance
– Fenix 9 series has a speaker/microphone (Enduro 4 has a simple beeper, no microphone
– Fenix 9 series has voice control/calling features with that microphone (Enduro 4 does not)
– Fenix 9 Pro series has a faster processor than the Fenix 9 base/Enduro 4 units
– Fenix 9 Pro series has full Titanium case options (Enduro 4 does not)
– Fenix 9 Pro series has a green LED flashlight (plus the white/red that Enduro 4 has)
– Fenix 9 Pro inReach models have LTE & inReach Satellite Message (Enduro 4 does not)
– Fenix 9 base starts at $999 (AMOLED only), Fenix 9 Pro from $1,099 (AMOLED/SOLAR), Fenix 9 Pro inReach/LTE from $1,199 (Enduro 4 is $899)

When it comes to those LTE & inReach Satellite features found on the Fenix 9 Pro inReach models, these are those features (none of which are on Enduro 4):

In terms of some quick-hit similarities between the Enduro 4 and Fenix 9, this is things at a high level:

– Both run the same software and all the same features
– Both have Garmin’s Elevate Gen5 optical HR sensor
– Both have medically certified ECG hardware/features
– Both have Sapphire glass display covers (lens)
– Both have LED flashlights (but again, Fenix 9 Pro models have green LED too)
– Both have onboard offline maps
– Both have onboard storage for offline music (Spotify, Amazon Music, YouTube Music, MP3 files, etc.), to play back with Bluetooth headphones
– Both have WiFi syncing support
– Both have full ANT+ & Bluetooth Sensor support

Again, there are a gazillion more things that are the same between those two watches (primarily on the software side), but those are the main things to remember.

Mapping Speed Differences:

Now, with everything essentially being the same software-wise and display/battery-wise, the only real difference between the two is around the increased processing power, increased RAM, and then, in turn, the downstream improvements to map processing that Garmin has touted for the Enduro 4 as well as Fenix 9 series units.

Remember that in this case, the Enduro 4 shares the same processor as the base Fenix 9 units, not the slightly faster Fenix 9 Pro series processor. That new base processor is still faster than the Fenix 8 series units (which the Enduro 3 shared), and Garmin says a fair chunk of the improvements to speed is also coming from the rebuilt mapping engine, which requires that 50% improvement in RAM.

In any case, all that said, in terms of the speed improvements I see, like with the Fenix 9, it’s mostly ‘shrug’. Yes, they are faster, but not massively so. Here are some simple tests I did:

Speed test: Open a course file of 50KM/31mi:
Enduro 3: ~8 seconds
Enduro 4: ~8 seconds
Fenix 9 Pro: ~8 seconds

Speed test: Create a running route to a point across the island over a mountain range ( 23KM away as the bird flew, 30KM as the runner went):
Enduro 3: 1min 15sec
Enduro 4: 45sec
Fenix 9 Pro: 28sec

In the video, I also show some differences panning around, for which there is a notable difference, but mainly about 1-2 seconds of extra render time in my mountain-ish area with just light trails/terrain. Perhaps in some city scenario or such, but realistically that’s not where I tend to use the mapping features of any Garmin watch (I have my phone for that).

Now, as I noted in the Fenix 9 review, it’s easy to compare the maps from COROS zooming around/panning around, but the simple reality is those aren’t fully routable maps. They are essentially pictures/tiles that just load, whereas Garmin is actually rendering up a full routable map that you can route on-device to any other point without a phone. Creating a new route on a COROS device requires a phone. On an Amazfit device, you can create on-device routes only for round-trip routes, and even then, they almost always fail (as every reviewer has pointed out). Likewise, Garmin’s maps have far more information depth than anyone else.

Now, don’t mistake me pointing out map facts from me saying you actually need the on-device route generation that Garmin has in everyday life. As I noted in my Fenix 9 review, I can literally count on one hand the number of times in the real world I use the on-device route creation in real life (aside for review funsies purposes) as roughly twice. And neither time was super critical. Handy, yes…critical no.

In just the same way that while I don’t find that feature super useful, neither do I find just randomly panning around the map like a candy-fueled toddler, like every YouTuber likes to do. I simply don’t do that in real life out on multi-day treks, or even long single-day ultras. Do I occasionally check something a few hundred meters away? Sure. Does it take an extra 1-2 seconds on a Garmin? Sure. Am I upset that I have to wait 1-2 seconds longer in the middle of a 17-hour day? Nah. Do I wish Garmin’s maps were faster? Of course.

All of these things can be true. It doesn’t have to be fanboyism.

In any event, one new mapping feature is the new Perspective View, as seen on the Fenix 9. Here’s what that looks like side-by-side with the Enduro 3’s straight-down view:

(At left, Enduro 3, at right Enduro 4)

I’ve grown to like this view quite a bit on the Fenix 9, though admittedly, half the time I forget to tap the little compass icon to toggle it on. Plus, I don’t tend to stay on the mapping page for very long, since the mapping page on every watch is the fastest way to see just how little battery life you’ll actually get (map pages burn battery life like crazy on every wearable).

Wrap-Up:

Ultimately, the Enduro 4 is one of those Garmin upgrades that really isn’t about appealing to the prior-gen owners. Just like most Apple Watch upgrades aren’t about appealing to people who just bought last year. Instead, it’s primarily targeted at existing Enduro 1 or Enduro 2 owners who would get a big boost in terms of sports features as well as daily life things. And I suppose, for those who simply want the new Fenix 9 features now, versus waiting for Garmin to release those planned updates to the existing Enduro 3 owners.

While some might want even longer battery life, or perhaps a better MIP display, or perhaps changes in solar – the reality is that those are all industry-leading within the category in real-world usage. The Enduro 4 (and Enduro 3 before it) already has the longest GPS battery life out there, even before solar gains are considered, which can push it notably higher. As for the MIP displays, the reality is that there are very few companies making these panels, and they have very little reason to innovate in an area that continues to see dwindling unit volume. Certainly, I’d love to see a more readable MIP display in dimmer conditions, but I have a feeling that’s not happening anytime soon. Especially as AMOLED watch unit overall battery life continues to climb closer and closer to MIP display units.

In any event, assuming you’re choosing a MIP display unit, between the Garmin Enduro 4 vs Enduro 3 vs Fenix 9, I think the question you ask yourself is relatively simple: Do you care about scuba diving, microphone/speaker features, LTE, Satellite Communications, or a smaller 43/47mm unit? If the answer to all of those is ‘Nah’, then the Enduro is the clear winner. If you go for the Enduro 4, you’ll save yourself $200 over the Fenix 9 Solar unit priced at $1,099+. If you want to save a bit, you could pick up the Enduro 3 at a bit cheaper today, knowing it’ll get virtually all those new Enduro 4 software features in a few months or so. What the future in a year or two brings, I’ve got no idea (and I suspect Garmin hasn’t decided yet either).

In any case, hopefully all the above was useful in helping you decide.

With that, thanks for reading!

Found This Post Useful? Support The Site!

If you're shopping for the Garmin Enduro 4 or any other accessory items, please consider using the affiliate links below! As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. It doesn’t cost you anything extra, but your purchases help support this website a lot.

Garmin Enduro 4

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Here's a few other variants or sibling products that are worth considering:

Garmin Fenix 9 Pro SOLAR

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Garmin Enduro 3

Amazon Backcountry REI

More Wild Horses Than Cars

2026-09-30T19:24:58.000Z

Thirty riders, eighty-eight miles, and the quiet fall backcountry of Routt County. Rapha x Moots Brevet, a fall gravel ride out of Steamboat Springs, Colorado.

Words by Richard Jara · Photos by Keegan Ashton, Nate Bradley

Friday

The factory is winding down on a Friday evening. The welding torches are off, and tubing sits racked along the walls in the miter shop. Evening light shines through settling into the corners. On the Friday before the Brevet, the shop floor filled with riders who had driven in, most of them from Boulder and the Front Range. We started the night with a tour, a look into the process behind a handbuilt titanium gravel bike, and a look back at Moots' history as we celebrate our 45th anniversary. Then we shared food and drinks to fuel up for Saturday's ride.

A brevet isn't a race. No clock, no podium, no free socks. There's the route, the people on it with you, and the experience shared after a hard day.

This day asked a lot.

Saturday morning. Thirty riders gather outside the Moots factory for the start.

The Climb

Wolf Mountain to Sand Mountain. The loop strings together some of our favorite roads and surfaces, from champagne gravel to rocky, rooted two-track over the divide.

The Route · 87.6 mi · 8,416 ft of climbing

Ride it yourself: Wolf Mountain x Sand Mountain on Ride with GPS →

The loop leaves the valley quickly, turning onto dirt county roads and winding through Mystic to the base of Wolf Mountain. If you weren't committed to the full route this was your chance to cut the route shorter. Long fence lines, grazing cows, and the quiet chill of morning. Golden, sunburnt hills in every direction, with dark pines along the high ridges, and off to the north sits the watershed divide we'd be crossing hours later. Recent rains had packed the dirt firm. We couldn't have asked for a better window.

More wild horses than cars. Somewhere in California Park, Routt National Forest

The climbing doesn't let up. It builds steadily through the first half, mile after mile, until the high point near mile fifty. By then the group had strung out across the route.

Nate Bradley putting the new Routt through its paces. Meet the new Routt →

Sand Mountain

The descent off Sand Mountain was, in Torin Lackmann's words, "chonky" loose, rocky, and a little above everyone's comfort zone. At the bottom, a pop-up aid station was waiting. Huge thanks to Gina, Keegan, and Indy for being there with food, water, and good spirits for a lot of tired souls.

Food, water, and good spirits at the bottom of Sand Mountain.

Home

From there, thirty miles and about 2,000 feet of climbing stood between us and the finish, most of it trending downhill. After Sand Mountain, the final stretch felt well earned, smooth champagne gravel over long, rolling hills, with the valley and Steamboat slowly coming back into view.

"The absolute fall ride of my dreams. Has to be my favorite single day out of the year. So pretty. So fun. So flowy. All. Time."

— Torin Lackmann, Rapha Boulder

Thirty riders rolled out that morning. They rolled back in dusty, cooked, and grinning. Post-ride beers waiting.

"Although there were a couple of hard, dark moments, everyone seemed to have an amazing ride. One rider told us back at the shop that afternoon it was the best gravel ride he'd ever done, hands down. We're truly lucky to have terrain like this right outside our front door. It validates why we make the bikes we do."

— Nate Bradley, Moots

We build bikes like the new Routt for days like this. Long days, rough roads, and every side of the map to explore.

Thanks to Rapha Boulder for making the trip to our corner of Colorado and making the roads we know by heart feel new again, and to all thirty of you for riding them with us.

Want to ride it yourself? Here's the route.

See you out there.

One of One: The Vamoots CRD × Mavic x Campagnolo

2026-09-11T14:58:54.000Z

Every so often a build comes along that only happens once. This is one of those.

When we were deciding what special project to bring to MADE 2026 in Portland, we kept landing on the same answer. Road. So that is what we built: a one-of-one Vamoots CRD, painted for this collaboration, built with Mavic and Campagnolo. It debuted at the show, and it is the only one we will make.

Handcrafted in Steamboat Springs, the way we have always done it since 1981.

The story

We have been welding titanium by hand in Steamboat for decades. Mavic has been building wheels for over a century. Campagnolo has been shaping road groupsets in Italy for generations. This bike puts all three on one frame, shaping the purest expression of the craft. Road.

The finish is where this one lives. A soft sea-foam green over the front triangle fades to white, with pinstripe detailing running through it. Get the light on it right and the paint stops behaving like paint. Fine flake sits suspended in the clear coat, and for a second, the right light catches it like the surface is still wet. The matching Moots seat post leaves a band of raw titanium exposed, and the Enve one-piece cockpit and fork are painted to match. Chris King's Jade finish on the headset, hubs, and lockrings ties it all together. The Jade Chris King surface is matte, but the color isn't flat, it shifts slightly depending on the light and the angle you're looking from. No two glances land the same. We designed the finish in-house for this frame, one of one.

The build

The Vamoots CRD sits at the top of our road line. It starts with our double-butted RSL titanium tubeset and runs a fully integrated cockpit, so the lines stay clean and the cables stay out of sight.

Frame: Vamoots CRD, 54cm, RSL double-butted titanium tubeset
Wheels: Mavic Comete 55/65
Groupset: Campagnolo Super Record 13, 2x13, 55/39T, 11-36
Finish: one-off MADE 2026 custom paint
Highlights: 3D-printed dropouts, Fully integrated, T47 bottom bracket, 32c tire clearance

See the full spec

The only one

Give us a blank canvas and one bike to make, and this is the result. Our best road platform, the best parts our partners build, and a finish that exists exactly once. An ode to the road, from a shop that has always loved it. Made to last.

There is only one, and this is it. The bike you have been looking at is the one for sale. See the full build and make it yours.

More from MADE 2026

The Vamoots CRD wasn't the only thing we brought to Portland. If you missed the show, here's the rest of what was on the floor:

The limited-edition "Phase" finish on the new Womble — the etched-and-anodized fade that ended up stealing the show. The Radavist has the finish story and a full gallery.
The new Routt — our reworked gravel platform, built around bigger rubber and a 3D-printed yoke, shown as a prototype. More to come soon. BIKEPACKING walked through it.
The new all road - one bike for smooth road, broken pavement, and the gravel shortcut, with clearance up to 42c. Shown a a prototype, more to come.
The 32" prototypes — two big-wheel hardtails we're still testing, including the Scrambler 32. Also in BIKEPACKING's builder rundown.

The conversations, the rides, the stoke, that's why we do this. Events like MADE are never just about the bikes, they're about the people who show up for them. Thank you for being a part of it.

We'll be back on the road later this year. Find us at Bespoked Japan in Osaka, October 23 to 25, and Rouleur Live in London this November.

Until next time.

MEET THE MAKER: KELSEY HUTCHINSON

2026-02-13T00:00:05.000Z

From Fashion to Frames

Kelsey’s path to Moots began far from a welding bench. After stepping away from a career in fashion journalism in New York City, she returned to her hometown of Omaha, Nebraska, looking for something more hands-on. A job at a local bike and coffee shop sparked a growing interest in cycling, but everything changed after visiting Co-Motion Cycles in Oregon. Watching a frame being welded made the direction clear. Two days later, she quit her classes and enrolled in welding school with one goal in mind: to build bicycle frames.

Betting on the Craft

Welding school in the Midwest focused on structural welding, not bikes. The idea of becoming a framebuilder earned skeptical looks and advice about taking a long, traditional path. Moots saw her focus and commitment and hired her before she even graduated.

“I went to welding school with the sole purpose of building bicycle frames.”

The Reality of Building a Moots

While Moots bikes travel the world, Kelsey works within an intentionally small team of makers behind the scenes. Every frame is built by hand, with pride taken in each step of the process and the details that define a Moots.

Challenges and Wins

Most bike welds are smooth curves, which makes the occasional straight-line weld surprisingly difficult. For Kelsey, welding binders onto steerer blanks can be the most challenging. The most satisfying moments come when everything lines up, especially nailing the drive-side front triangle welds.

No Compromises

Kelsey credits much of her growth to the people around her. Teammates who have been welding for years continue to push her to refine her craft and show up striving for that extra one percent. For her, “No Compromises” means honoring the trust riders place in Moots by delivering nothing short of perfect.

Forever Bikes

Bikes are memory makers. Even if a bike eventually changes hands, the rides, adventures, and everyday moments tied to it stay with the rider. Knowing she had a hand in creating something that meaningful is what keeps Kelsey invested in every weld.

Why Titanium

Steel is fine. Aluminum is less forgiving. Titanium is different. Smooth, precise, and endlessly satisfying to weld, it’s the material that keeps her inspired at the bench.

Life Beyond the Bench

Kelsey rides a Routt 45, RCS, Womble, and a Routt CRD. Outside the shop, she stays active year-round with workouts, dance classes, boot packing with her dogs in the winter, and riding or gardening when the snow melts. Her go-to coffee is a light roast with a splash of cream, unless she’s feeling sassy, then it’s a cortado. While others tune into music, she listens to true crime podcasts.

The People

Ask Kelsey her favorite part of Moots, and the answer is simple: the people. The factory feels like family, and that sense of trust runs deep. Being asked by a coworker to weld their frame is still one of the highest honors.

Dream Ride

If she could take any Moots anywhere, she knows exactly where she’d go. Spain, on two wheels, is high on the list.

San Francisco Bay Area Loop by Thomas Woodson

2026-01-23T00:13:38.000Z

The San Francisco Bay Area, despite its massive population, holds an equally massive amount of protected land: networks of multi-use trails and campgrounds stitched throughout. You trade remoteness for convenience, but this kind of variety is something I love to fold into my bikepacking goals. Plentiful food, quality sleep, hard-charging downhills—elements worth remembering the next time you’re really out there and feeling a bit thrashed.

My introduction to the area was the SF Peninsula Traverse, a route I used to start a weeklong ride from San Francisco Airport to Los Angeles Airport in 2019. In 2024, Adam Sklar showed me around some of the Marin and Fairfax classics. I’ve been fascinated by the sheer number of options ever since, to the point that my Gaia GPS maps are now borderline too cluttered to navigate.

Looking for ways to combine the SF Peninsula Traverse with the Bay Area Triple Crossover led us to Bikepack the Bay—a 265-mile, +27,000ft route that we trimmed slightly to fit more comfortably into a three-day window with limited December daylight.

Day 1 covered 64 miles and +5,600ft from Sklar’s shop in the Mission District, following the SF Peninsula Traverse through Half Moon Bay, climbing into the redwoods (at night), and dropping into a Palo Alto hotel. The route starts urban, slowly dissolving into crumbling abandoned roads through the hills, coastline bike paths, and finally a lush, pine-needle climb that’s absolutely grueling. From Skyline Road, the Kings Mountain Road descent—ridden in the dark—was the best road descent of my life. Dynamo-illuminated reflectors twisted through the redwoods like the ultimate video game.

Day 2 began with a long bridge and shoreline crossing, then followed nearly the entire skyline from Fremont to Richmond along the Bay Area Ridge Trail (decently signed). 77 miles and +7,700ft. Spending the entire day on bike paths, wide dirt roads, and ripping singletrack was hard to believe given the proximity to millions of people. Fifty-two-tooth cassettes and the absence of camping gear were especially welcome for just how steep every climb was on this stretch.

Day 3 opened with another bridge traverse and 67 miles of +7,300ft along ridge top fire roads to Lagunitas—the only resupply point—before a final push along Bolinas Ridge, around Tam, and across the Golden Gate back into San Francisco. Once again, a full day without really touching a road. We skipped the Headlands trails as sunset approached, but there are plenty of options to explore there.

The varied, ever-changing terrain kept us engaged. The urban offered a reprieve from the steeps; the steeps, a reprieve from the urban. Staying in cheap hotels felt like a luxury—less luggage, more riding. Kyle is typically the route master when we’re out together, but I believe I showed him some things to change his perspectives this time around. The Bay Area is about to be one of our winter classics.

Tips
– Navigation is constant. A head unit is essential, and having the tracks on your phone as backup is smart. Trail closures around the Baylands in Palo Alto before the bridge crossing added a few miles of backtracking
– The Richmond Bridge closes the bike lane during the week but offers a free shuttle bus in its place. If you want to ride it, check schedules and plan a weekend crossing
– Keeping a variety of Bay Area routes saved allows for easy on-the-fly modifications or side quests
– SFO Airport offers luggage storage and a bike stand if you want to start and finish the loop there

Incredible resources:
SF Peninsula Traverse – https://bikepacking.com/routes/sf-peninsula-traverse/
Bay Area Triple Crossover – https://bikepacking.com/routes/bay-area-triple-crossover/
Bay Area Ridge Trail – https://ridgetrail.org/
Bikepack the Bay – https://www.bikepackthebay.com/

---

Thomas Woodson is a Colorado-based photographer and Moots ambassador known for capturing long days, quiet moments, and the kind of riding that rewards curiosity over convenience. He currently rides a dropbar MXC in our Groundswell finish, a setup well suited to the mixed terrain and exploratory routes that shape his work.

Winter Desert Miles

2025-12-17T23:01:16.000Z

When the temperatures drop and the mountains start to get capped with snow, many of us in the mountains start looking south. As winter settles into the high country and riding up high fades, the desert opens up. Cooler days, fewer crowds, and long stretches of quiet make late fall and early winter the right time to ride White Rim. It’s not about speed or numbers—it’s about choosing the season, committing to the miles, and finding space before winter fully takes hold. Richard takes us on his adventure on the White Rim outside of the famed Moab, Utah.

I just got back from eight days in the desert.

Already checking the weather for the next warm window, planning how I’m going to keep riding through winter, something I’ve always abandoned for skiing. Living in the mountains, you share an unspoken bond with winter. It’s a fortunate place with easy access to snow and the outdoors. I’ve skied resort and earned my uphill turns for the last nine years, but lately the chairlift scene feels played out. So when opening weekend and the first storm of the year rolled through, I did the opposite and headed west, away from the noise. Offseason in Moab.

Bike choice: Routt CRD. 34mm road slicks mounted. 44mm Mezcals in the truck for when dirt was good

One bike. Keep it simple.

Day one: blue sky above the red rock canyons, fresh snow on the La Sals. No wind, just stillness in the cold desert air. Cold start that never really warmed up, but I was out there riding, and that was the plan. River Road to Castle Valley, then out and back to Arches National Park. One hundred scenic miles, and 7k. Easily one of the best road rides in the country. Had to bail into the truck near the end, blast the heaters, and warm up. Then back outside to finish it. Glad I did.

I fell into a rhythm for the next three days. Wake up, coffee, pick a direction, go ride, try not to freeze. Hit all the Moab road classics: 313 out to Island in the Sky, Potash Road, the Canyon Path, Arches, Upper Colorado River Scenic Byway to Dewey Bridge. Missed the window for La Sal Mountain Loop Road, but that was okay.

The views in the Moab desert are magnificent, whether you're on pavement or deep in the desert. I was chasing another route. By the end of the week, after the cold front cleared, it became clear that conditions in Canyonlands would be dry enough. Saturday would be the day. Forecast in the 50s. White Rim.

White Rim is a one-hundred-mile route through the Island in the Sky district of Canyonlands National Park. First rode it in December 2019, but I keep coming back to check in. It's become a benchmark. A testing ground. An escape. Just hard enough. Just remote enough. But this wasn't about PRs or pushing numbers. This was about chasing desert miles and the low winter sun. About being out there and just riding.

Texted Andrew on Friday. “White Rim tomorrow?”

“Yeah, I'm in.”

Quick logistics: 8am start, Mineral Bottom/313 intersection, counter-clockwise. Day permits sorted. Self-supported, everything we needed on the bikes. Keep it simple. Andrew runs a custom bikepacking gear company with his wife Katie, out of an off-grid workshop at the foot of the La Sal Mountains. We first connected on the Colorado Trail back in 2019. It's always good to reconnect with racing friends, and to ride with someone who gets the appeal of long days, minimal setups, and backcountry routes. I’ve taken a lot of inspiration from the way Andrew approaches cycling and racing. Most of the ride was a conversation about gear, bikes, and what’s next on the list. By then, we had already approached the final climb up Schafer Trail, the sun had gone down, and we rolled the final 8ish miles by headlamp. A full day on the pedals, no major mechanical issues, and good conditions. Hard to ask for more.

On the way back to the mountains, I stopped and camped on 18rd in Fruita, spun the legs out once more around the Colorado National Monument, another Colorado classic. Back to winter, for now.

https://www.strava.com/athletes/6042499

- Richard

MEET THE MAKER: ERIC HINDES

2025-12-15T21:18:33.000Z

25 Years of Craft, Curiosity, and Getting It Right

Some people find their way to bike building through formal paths. Others through obsession. For Eric Hindes, it started at home and it stuck.

Eric has been part of the Moots team for 25 years. Today, he programs and runs multiple CNC machines, helps shape how we manufacture frames and components in-house, and carries decades of institutional knowledge across the production floor. But like many great bike builders, his story starts long before his first day at Moots.

A Family Affair and a Pile of Magazines

Eric’s entry into bikes came courtesy of his dad. Mountain biking was new, exciting, and everywhere in the pages of Fat Tire Flyer, Mountain Bike, Dirt Rag, and Bike. Those magazines introduced Eric (and his family) to the early pioneers of the sport: Charlie Cunningham, Joe Breeze, Kent Eriksen and sparked something deeper than riding.

That curiosity led to building bikes. Building bikes led to becoming an “annoying shop rat.” And that, eventually, led to working in bike shops and for a local frame builder. Moots came next and the rest is a quarter-century of titanium history.

What Riders Might Not Realize

There’s a perception that building bikes, especially titanium bikes, is all sparks and welds. Eric is quick to point out that the real work often happens quietly, methodically, and obsessively.

Titanium demands cleanliness and precision. Once a Moots frame has gone through reaming, facing, and hand finishing, it’s essentially done. No paint. No heat treatment. No residue to clean out. No mold artifacts. What you see is the structure itself: pure, honest, ride-ready titanium.

The Challenge and the Reward

Like any craft, framebuilding has its hard moments. But the most satisfying part? Knowing the job was done right.

Eric came up during a time when the Finish Department was just him and Caleb. They forced themselves to slow down when needed, to redo work when it wasn’t perfect, and to always think about the rider on the other end someone who had invested serious time, money, and trust into choosing a Moots.

“Don’t let them down,” he says. That mindset hasn’t changed.

How the Craft Has Evolved

When Eric started, much of his week was spent bead blasting frames. At the time, Moots had a single CNC machine and it wasn’t even set up.

Today, the shop runs four CNCs that Eric programs and operates, producing everything from frame parts to stems, seatposts, and fixtures. Nearly everything you see on the production floor is made in-house. (And yes, he admits he occasionally bribes Bryce and Richard to help with bead blasting.)

The tools have evolved. The standards have gone up. The expectation to do it right has remained exactly the same.

“No Compromises,” Minus the Bumper Sticker

Ask Eric what “No Compromises” means, and you’ll get a laugh before a real answer.

It’s not about slogans. It’s about doing things the right way even when it’s slower, harder, or less convenient. It’s about respecting the rider who chose a Moots and making sure every decision honors that commitment.

The Bikes and the Moments That Matter

Eric currently rides a Womble, a Routt 45, and a Forager. He’s helped build bikes for legendary cyclists like Andy Hampsten and Ruthie Matthes, and even athletes outside the sport, like Reggie Miller.

But the moments that stick most don’t involve famous names.

They happen at Ranch Rally. On group rides. In conversations with riders who are genuinely stoked about their bikes: how they ride, how they feel, and where they’ve taken them.

That’s the payoff.

Life Beyond the Shop

After work, Eric’s ideal recovery involves standing in a cold river with a fly rod. Reality often looks like picking up his kid, running errands, or making sure the “crazy dog” gets some exercise.

His coffee routine is simple: Moccamaster in the morning, and he’s set. Though when the mood strikes, he won’t say no to a vanilla oat-milk latte...even if it costs nine bucks.

The shop soundtrack? A mix that includes Dag Nasty, Spoon, Dinosaur Jr., Wire, and Archers of Loaf.

Dream Rides

If Eric could take a Moots anywhere, the list is long: bikepacking and fly fishing in Japan, an overnighter with the family, or a “dumb” fat-bike adventure in Alaska.

Wherever it is, the bike will be built the same way with intention, care, and zero compromises.

MEET THE MAKER: RICHARD JARA

2025-11-20T18:48:27.000Z

The Creative Force Behind California Dreamin’ & the Topo Scrambler

Every special edition finish that leaves our factory carries a story and this one belongs to Richard Jara, the artist and visionary behind both our California Dreamin’ and Topo Scrambler designs.

This year, a cycling injury kept Richard off the bike for three months.
Instead of slowing down, he turned all of that restless, ride-longing energy into design.
The result: two finishes infused with movement, meaning, and miles.

With over a decade of self-propelled exploration from racing the Tour Divide, to logging more than 2,000 miles on the Colorado Trail, to countless long days spent exploring the backroads of Routt County Richard’s work is rooted in place, experience, and the culture of adventure.

For the Scrambler’s topo finish, he leaned into that connection even deeper. Inside the Moots factory hangs a giant topo map of Routt County the same map we gather around after weekends out, tracing lines, sharing stories, and planning the next ride. Those lines became the foundation of the design: a tribute to terrain, movement, and the freedom of deciding where the trail will take you next.

“I wanted this bike to evoke a sense of exploration,” Richard says. “My hope is that it becomes an outlet for adventure every time you load it up and head out.”

From setback to artwork, from map lines to titanium. Richard’s finishes are more than paint. They’re reminders that the ride always finds its way back.

Sandstone and the Scrambler

2025-11-15T02:20:27.000Z

Reflections on an adventure through Bears Ears National Monument by Kyle Richardson

———

Dropping down the backside of Elephant Hill into the Needles District, Canyonlands National Park feels meaningful and distinct. It feels remote. There is something gratifying about loading your bike with food for a couple of days and 7 liters of water, and then pointing towards remote and quiet country. This feeling only arises when you know you are about to be in the good stuff. Confidence is there because you have everything you need on your bike, even some comfort items, plus the knowledge of managing and repairing your bike. The excitement for adventure is brewing.

It was fitting for this adventure to be riding the new Moots adventure bike, the Scrambler. Firstly, I cut my teeth and made some notoriety for myself scrambling around in the Flatirons and peaks above Boulder, CO. For me, scrambling is one of the peak forms of movement. It's the blurry line between running and climbing. It's an all-engaging and encompassing way to move in the mountains. In the world of bikes, scrambling encompasses taking your bike to those remote and unique places. Seeking out mixed terrain rides that demand all of your attention and skills. Secondly, it was a bit of a scramble to pull off this adventure. From the side quest to acquire the bike in Steamboat Springs, to squeezing this midweek adventure into a few days and hectic schedules, to riding a brand new bike without any prior knowledge or time to really dial in the bags or setup. I think spontaneity and adventure embody the spirit of the Scrambler. A true adventure bike that you can rely on, but also a bike that will push you out of your comfort zone. Okay, back to the adventure.

Bears Ears is a culturally significant and delicate zone. You feel the importance and beauty while riding through these amazing landscapes. Bears Ears is massive, over 1.36 million acres. For this loop, we focus on the interior of the national monument. Over the course of 2.5 days and 153 miles, we rode through 3 distinct zones. The Needles, Elk Ridge, and the Abajo Mountains. One of the most incredible aspects of this route is the change of elevation. From 6,000ft up to 10,000ft and back, each tier of the route is unique and distinct. Each time you climb or descend to a new level, you are rewarded with a brand new landscape with new flora and fauna. From the sagebrush and cottonwoods of Indian Creek, up to the aspen and ponderosa forest of Elk Ridge. This constant changing of environments makes this route intoxicating and exciting.

The roads and terrain around Bears Ears are rugged to say the least. Rocky, sandy, and bumpy. The Scrambler was equipped with a 100 mm Sid fork. In previous years on this route, I have always ridden a fully rigid bike. To no surprise, this iteration with some squish was a delight. Previous sections that were trying and tough, now became rideable and actually enjoyable. The bike's geometry was designed to carry weight well and was a dream on this route. All Moots bikes are beautiful, but I will let the photos speak for themselves. This bike was blinged out and shining among the desert sandstone.

The stars shine brighter when you are in a remote country, tired after a long day of biking. Food and water taste better after hauling them around rugged roads. Climbing from Ruin Park up to Elk Ridge is a fascinating and magnificent climb, one of my favorite climbs in the whole world. This route has many secrets and side quests. Malt shakes and burgers in Blanding are things worth pedaling far for. Circumnavigating beautiful country and sleeping out, it all makes for a memorable adventure. From the desert floor to the high alpine, you see it all in a condensed period of time. This adventure was a good reminder to always seize the opportunity to get outside and ride. It’s always worth it. If you want to see the route, send me an email at kylerichardson.atx@gmail.com or a DM on Instagram @kylerichardson.

From Residency to Routt RSL: A Ride Worth the Reward

2025-11-06T20:09:04.000Z

Photo by Ethan Herrold

For some, a bike is just a tool. For others, it’s a milestone—a symbol of where they’ve been, and where they’re going. After completing medical residency, Dr. Emily gifted herself something extraordinary: a handcrafted titanium machine built for freedom, self-care, and serious fun. In this Q&A, we dive into why she chose the Routt RSL, how the custom build came together, and why this bike—equal parts art and performance—continues to inspire her both on the trail and in the clinic.

What originally drew you to Moots? Was it the craftsmanship, the ride feel, the titanium, or something else?

I learned about Moots from Alpha Bicycle Studio and fell in love with the high quality, their Colorado heritage, and the art like details on their bikes. I wanted a sturdy bike that was comfortable, beautiful and well-crafted.

Why did you pick the Routt RSL?

I chose Routt RS as I wanted a fast, fun and playful gravel bike that could tackle over biking on single track but still be agile enough for riding on the road.

How did you decide on the finish or anodization? Are there any details of the bike you are obsessed with?

I chose the Stanley finish as I am an artist. I love the color and detail, especially on the chain stay. I also love Estes Park and the Stanley hotel; we go annually and always come to the Stanley.

Did you customize the build? Did you build this with a local shop, if so, which?

I customized the build with Alpha Bicycle Studio in Littleton. They completed a bike fit prior to the build, recommended sizes and coordinated with me on each aspect of the build.

Any standout adventures, races, or moments that made you think, “This is why I bought this bike”?

I race Foco Fondo yearly and completed the blue course at SBT GRVL last year. The bike always turns heads, but I really love the bike on gnarly gravel descents where I feel comfortable, fast and confident that my Moots can handle it all.

What does riding a Moots mean to you?

Moots means expert craftsmanship that blends function and fun.

If you had to describe your bike in three words, what would they be?

I describe my bike as a piece of art, reliable and a beast!

Photo by Ethan Herrold

I purchased my Moots after finishing medical residency, the bike represents an ultimate self-care gift and the beginning of freedom to enjoy outside hobbies. I now work as a primary care physician and medical director. I use my moots to clear my head after long days caring for patients. I often bond with patients on cycling and always push for patients to get outside and move!

Precision, Passion, and the Pursuit of the Perfect Ride

2025-11-06T20:07:00.000Z

For George, the journey to Moots didn’t start with a marketing campaign or a showroom test ride—it began with a moment in his own repair stand. A Moots rolled in for service, and what caught his eye wasn’t flashy paint or radical geometry, but something far more rare: absolute precision. The welds, the fit, the finish—it was flawless. From that moment on, he knew one day he’d own a Moots.

Fast forward, and George is now the proud rider of a custom Vamoots CRD finished in our stunning Groundswell anodizing, built with meticulous attention to every component. It’s a bike born from months of careful part selection, dialed for road speed, comfort, and long-haul confidence.

But for George, riding a Moots is more than performance. It’s freedom. It’s connection. It’s the feeling you get when craftsmanship, community, and capability come together in a way few brands can offer. And this summer, George and his CRD are taking on the Tour de Stations, a 1000km bikepacking race across Switzerland with over 21,000 meters of climbing. In his words: “It’s sure to push me and my bike to the limits—but hey, that’s what it’s all about.”

Let’s dive into George’s story—from the spark of inspiration to the ride of a lifetime.

1. What drew me to Moots…

It’s a collection of things really. The first time I saw a Moots was actually in my repair stand for a service - at the time I noticed the weld quality and the overall fit and finish of the bike was absolutely perfect. From then on it was always going to be the case that I would buy one.

2. Why did I pick the Vamoots CRD?

Being primarily a road rider, I prioritise speed, lightweight and comfort over long rides as well as having the rigidity needed when putting the hammer down! Having previously had a Trek Madone, I would say I was a little worried that it perhaps wouldn’t quite have the same level of performance or edge riding at speed - but having done plenty of solo 100 milers over 22 mph avg and having completed many a chaingang, I can say with confidence that box has been ticked. It could be due to the precision of the frame and how aligned everything is, or it could be that maybe aero isn’t everything and that rider comfort and fit play the biggest part to speed… who knows! The geometry is also probably the best I’ve ridden, providing a level of telepathy to the steering that while apexing a corner no other bike has given me, the feedback the frame gives you means you have absolute confidence in the line choice you take. It’s almost magic. No joke.

Bottom line - I can say with confidence the reason why I picked this frame over anything else was probably the best decision I’ve made in terms of bike purchases.

3. How did I decide on finish?

Having ridden an Apex designed Routt CRD, I knew that having the frame anodised for me was the right choice - I quite like gold and deep purple/almost petrol colours, so Groundswell for me was the right choice and oh wow what a finish it is. When the sun hits it right, wow oh wow…

4. Did I customise the build?

Short answer, absolutely!

Long answer, I took months finding parts for this bike, be it handlebars, bottom bracket (even down to the titanium bearing covers), cranks, seatpost… it was a long process but one that when I put everything together just worked and felt absolutely brilliant. I have a few different wheel sets for it of varying depths, each serving their purpose.

5. Any standout rides or adventures?

The first ride obviously was the one with the most excitement and anticipation, having waited a month or two for the frame and then subsequently building it up… That feeling still hasn’t really faded… Every single time I look at it I still think wow that’s a nice bike… I’m lucky to have this.

The main event I’m doing on it this year is the Tour de Stations 1000km bike packing race, which you have to complete within 5 days. Over 21000 meters of climbing on some of the best cycling roads Switzerland has to offer. It’s sure to push me and my bike to the limits! But hey, that’s what it’s all about!

6. What does riding a Moots mean to me?

To answer that question, you first have to ask what does riding a bike mean to me. And to that I say Freedom. The ability to wake up at 5am and ride wherever the road takes you, to cover counties, countries or continents. Riding a bike gives you the ability to go wherever, whenever which is part of the reason we do it, right?

But why on a Moots? Well, having ridden some of the world’s best bikes from the likes of Trek, Specialized and Giant. You start to look less at just the tech specs listed on a website, the weight of a frame, the aerodynamics. And more on the craftsmanship, precision and also the team of people that weld and finish the frames and the passion that they share for what they do. It’s that which I appreciate more and more. To be able to message the owner of Moots and say “Hey, when I come to Steamboat do you fancy going on a bike ride” and to get a response “Hey George, sure - let’s do it”. You don’t get that sort of response from many companies. But you do from Moots.

So yes, I ride a bike for freedom, but I ride a Moots for the little things, things that over time you begin to appreciate more and more. And the team behind that, it all matters.

7. Three words to describe your bike.

Precise, comfortable, understated - just how it should be.

8. Tell us about your build!

Vamoots CRD Custom Geo Groundswell 53cm
SRAM Red AXS E1 Groupset
Reserve 42/49 or Reserve 52/63 or Cadex Max 40 depending on conditions
5Dev Road/Gravel Ti Cranks in DLC Black
ENVE AR One Piece Bars 38cm 130mm stem
Gemini Alsak Seatpost with Fizik Argo 00 Adaptive
Enduro XD15 T47 BB (DUB) with Titanium Dust Covers
Titanium bolt kit from Better Bolts
Moots Ti Cages (coming soon)!

Inside Our Traka Adventure with Artu and the Routt CRD

2025-11-06T20:06:09.000Z

We’ve had a longstanding relationship now with Artu Adventure Club, a truly special place outside of Girona nestled in the hills. You couldn’t find a more perfect escape for your cycling adventures in this part of Europe, so when Artu rang and asked if Moots wanted to come be part of the Traka experience, well, it didn’t take long to change plans and make the bookings.

The Traka has built quite the reputation as the premier gravel race in Europe and having participated in gravel events all over the US, I figured it was prime time to give it a go in the heart of Girona which has been all the buzz for gravel riding. With almost 4,000 riders participating and distances ranging from 100K to 560K, this event has something for everyone. Despite it being early season, I chose the 200K as I like long distances and because the team had built up a special Routt CRD for the season I was dying to show off to my mates at Artu. With Zipp 303 wheels and the new SRAM Red Drivetrain, this bike is truly amazing. Add to that the new California Dreamin finish, and the bike is a stunning beauty to say the least. Without question it was a head turner throughout the day.

As you get older you know what you like and roughing it isn’t exactly in the cards most days. That’s where Artu comes in as they take amazing care of you every part of the day. From meals curated to the needs of a cyclist, guides who tee up the best routes and the serenity and beauty of the surroundings, you can get away from the busyness of a city and simply relax and ride your bike. Having visited here a few times before, I find the best way to enjoy Artu is to just be there with no agenda that doesn’t involve the bike.

The event itself was a load of fun and the experience didn’t disappoint. We had perfect weather on the day of the 200K with a cool start and warmer temps throughout with plenty of sunshine. With almost 9K feet of climbing on primarily gravel surfaces, it isn’t easy either, but seems the organizers worked hard to find the best tracks in the region offering challenging climbs yet amazing views. There were lots of twists/turns and singletrack sections that allowed you to avoid any traffic on these open roads and the crew supporting racers were everywhere to make sure you didn’t get off course as even the Wahoo can be tricky at times. The aid stations were perfect and you really could roll this course without much needed on your own beyond the requirements to get to that first aid station. Nothing was too technical and overall, just a phenomenal ride. It was clear the race organizers had a little fun on the participants behalf though, as near the finish when you could see town and knew you were close, they took you up a nasty little hill that was best served on a mountain bike. I’m sure that was solely to crush some spirits and to get the beautiful shots of riders pushing their bike, but they weren’t getting that from me on this day as I had heard to leave some gas in the tank for that part and was able to clean the climb.

It felt great to finish and then even better to be whisked away shortly thereafter by Aga, our lovely host at Artu, where I could then get a shower and celebrate with friends. They dialed up the perfect finish for the day as well with a lovely meal that evening and lots of stories from the guests. My favorite one was from my new friend Omid, from Cambridge, who had no plans whatsoever to participate in the event but wound up getting so excited and joining for the 200K with no training, no prep, etc. A strong guy from rowing yeah, but no cyclist, yet he rocked up to the start gate and had a great ride and was all smiles in the evening when it was over.

If you want to do the Traka in 2026, better reach out to Artu or our crew at Moots as I can guarantee you won’t find a better way to experience Girona gravel in style. Big thanks to the entire team at Artu for hosting such a wonderful experience!

Brent Whittington

Lauren Hall: Legacy in Motion

2025-11-06T20:03:58.000Z

There’s something about a Moots bike that stops people in their tracks. Maybe it’s the raw titanium finish, the clean lines, or -most often- the flawless welds that are truly in a class of their own. When I’m out riding, people recognize the brand immediately: “Moots! That’s Colorado, right?” Yes. And it’s more than a bike-it’s a legacy.

That word, legacy, had been on my mind a lot lately.

Last week, I had the privilege of returning to my hometown in Mississippi to attend my high school’s athletic banquet. I’ve known for some time that an award exists in my name – the Lauren Hall Award and Scholarship-honoring the most outstanding senior female athlete. But sitting in the audience and hearing the accomplishments of these athletes- how they’ve excelled in multiple sports, won state championships, and shown remarkable discipline and heart-was deeply meaningful.

This year’s recipient is Samantha Edwards, a standout student-athlete who will be attending Mississippi State University, my alma mater. I couldn’t be more proud to see her carry forward the values that matter most: hard work, determination, and the courage to lead by example.

We were-and still are-the St. Aloysius Flashes. That spirit of pushing boundaries and showing up with integrity lives on.

But none of this -my athletic career, the award, even the confidence to pursue cycling-would have been possible without my hero and mentor: my dad. He’s been the steady support and quiet inspiration behind it all. He showed up for every practice, every basketball, soccer, and softball game, every tennis match, every track meet. His presence taught me that consistency, encouragement, and heart matter most. He is a legacy I will always strive to emulate.

And it’s that same spirit I see in Moots.

Moots has built a legacy not just of beautiful, bikes, but of purpose-driven design and enduring quality. Just like those student-athletes, the Moots team shows up every day committed to their craft. Whether its’s refining a new geometry or hand-welding each frame in Steamboat Springs, they’re building more than just bikes- they’re building trust, community, and a standard for others to follow.

I’m honored to be part of that legacy, both on and off the bike. Here’s to Samantha and her bright future, to my dad and everything he’s poured into mine, to every rider who recognizes the excellence behind a Moots frame-and to all of us carrying forward something that lasts.

Rider Spotlight: Mr. Keita Iwao

2025-11-06T20:01:10.000Z

At Moots, we took the time to learn more about Mr. Keita Iwao—a passionate rider from Kagoshima, Japan whose connection to his Routt 45 runs deep. What started with a spark of inspiration online has become a lasting relationship built on craftsmanship, adventure, and personal meaning.

We hope you enjoy this glimpse into Keita’s story, his riding life in Japan, and the special bond he shares with his Moots.

WHERE ARE YOU FROM?

I’m from Kagoshima, Japan.

WHAT ORIGINALLY DREW YOU TO MOOTS?

My first encounter with MOOTS was around 2020. I saw an Instagram post from a bike shop and was instantly struck by how cool their bikes looked, thinking, "Can a bike really be this awesome?" From there, I delved into various content like blog articles and YouTube videos to learn more about MOOTS. As I discovered their honest approach to craftsmanship and the high level of customer satisfaction, I became more and more drawn to their appeal. I was thrilled when I found out that it was possible to purchase MOOTS even from Japan.

WHY DID YOU PICK THE ROUTT 45?

For me, my gravel bike usually serves two main purposes: either gravel rides with buddies and the occasional annual gravel event (race), or more leisurely-paced long rides. When I initially placed my order, the Routt 45 and Routt RSL were the only two frames that met my purpose. In my area, there's not much smooth gravel; most of the forest roads are littered with rocks and potholes. Because of this, I prioritized wider tire clearance over weight or nimble handling, leading me to choose the Routt 45. I was also strongly drawn to the bike's web catalog, which used the unique and playful expression "fast-paced lunch rides"—that sense of fun probably played a big role in my decision as well.

HOW DID YOU DECIDE ON THE FINISH? ARE THERE ANY DETAILS OF THE BIKE YOU ARE OBSESSED WITH?

I had always admired the STANLEY logo design ever since it first introduced me to the cool aesthetic of MOOTS bikes, so for me, there really wasn't any other choice.

What I particularly love are the pattern on the chainstay and the alligator graphic on the seat tube. There's a cuteness within their beauty, and all of these details together create a truly special feel.

DID YOU CUSTOMIZE YOUR BUILD?

I purchased it as a frame, and since I wanted to try out Campagnolo Ekar, which was a hot topic at the time, I went with Campagnolo for everything, including the wheels.

CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT A STANDOUT MOMENT THAT MADE YOU THINK 'THISI IS WHY I BOUGHT THIS BIKE'?

The Grinduro Japan in 2023 particularly stands out in my memory. The timed sections of that event had a lot of intense downhills, and many riders struggled. However, because I was using 45mm-wide gravel tires, combined with the excellent integrated feel of my bike frame, I was able to ride incredibly comfortably and fast. Many people complimented my bike, saying "That's a nice bike!" – so, the entire event was a great memory, largely thanks to my Moots.

WHAT DOES RIDING A MOOTS MEAN TO YOU?

I believe it holds a special meaning, as if it colors my entire lifestyle, not just the time I spend riding.

WHAT TERRAIN OR TYPE OF RIDE DO YOU DO THE MOST ON YOUR MOOTS?

I primarily do hilly and rough gravel rides.

TELL US ABOUT A MEMORABLE RIDE, OR TRIP THAT YOU TOOK YOUR ROUTT 45 ON.

A memorable trip was definitely a bike camping adventure with friends, where I attached a bike trailer and loaded up my solo camping gear. One of my buddies also rides a MOOTS (a VAMOOTS RCS), and sitting around a campfire, praising each other's bikes, is a pretty rare and unforgettable experience.

WHERE DID YOU BUY YOUR BIKE?

I bought my bike from a shop called KOGU Kagoshima.

IF YOUR BIKE HAD A NAME OR PERSONALITY, WHAT WOULD IT BE?

It's tough to give it a name, but I'm thinking of calling it Takamori, after Takamori Saigo, the great historical figure from Kagoshima. I believe his magnanimity and imposing, steadfast image perfectly align with the robust presence of this bike, a fitting tribute given Saigo's large stature and the MOOTS' sturdy, substantial look.

TELL US ABOUT YOUR BUILD!

Drivetrain: Campagnolo EKAR

Wheels: Campagnolo Shamal Carbon

Tires: Panaracer Gravelking X1R 700x45mm

Handlebar: Thomson Alloy Gravel

Stem: Thomson ELITE X4

Seatpost: Thomson Masterpiece

Saddle: fizik Arione R1

Bottle Cages: SILCA SICURO Ti

Headset: Chris King

Inclosing, this bike will always remain special to me, not just because of its quality, but also because my son was born three months after it arrived. He's only two now, but when he grows up and shows interest in sports bikes, I want to proudly tell him, "This is the bike I bought when you were born." I plan to keep riding this bike until then, and I hope to share some of my biking adventures with him as well.

Thank you so much Mr. Keita Iwao for letting us get to know you and your Routt 45 more. We look forward to hearing more about the adventures to come.

The Moots Blackbird — A Modern American Classic

2025-11-06T20:00:26.000Z

Each year, the ENVE Builder Round-Up challenges us to think differently—to build a bike that pushes boundaries while staying true to who we are. For 2025, we answered with a showstopper: The Moots Blackbird.

Introducing the Moots Blackbird: a bold, high-gloss showpiece built to turn heads and break the mold. Built exclusively for ENVE’s Grodeo event, the Blackbird fuses our high-performance heritage with striking visual design—and showcases just how far titanium can go when precision meets creativity.

At its core is the Routt CRD chassis, our flagship gravel platform known for clean lines, fully internal routing, and that signature Moots ride feel. We spec’d it with nothing but the best:

SRAM Red XPLR AXS drivetrain
ENVE Gravel IN-Route Fork
ENVE AR One-Piece Handlebar
SES 4.5 wheels
ENVE Hex tires—for maximum grip across mixed terrain

But what truly sets the Blackbird apart is the finish. In collaboration with Black Magic Paint, we departed from our traditional anodized style and went full jet black—then layered it with subtle gold detailing that commands attention without sacrificing classs.

Inspired by its namesake, the Blackbird isn’t just a bike. It’s a statement.
A modern American classic.
A tribute to speed, craftsmanship, and the relentless pursuit of the perfect ride.

Want to see the Blackbird in person? Headed to Grodeo or SBT GRVL We’ll be there—come say hi, take a look, and see why this bike is one for the ages.

Summer Self-Propelled, by Kyle Richardson

2025-11-06T19:58:50.000Z

Kyle Richardson— is a force to be wreckoned with: elite mountain runner, endurance athlete, and the newest addition to our Moots ambassador family. Known for his speed on foot and deep connection to the terrain under his shoes, Kyle brings the same energy, focus, and love for the long haul to two wheels. As he expands his adventures beyond trail running and into the world of titanium, we’re proud to welcome him to the Moots crew. This partnership is all about shared passion—for movement, for the mountains, and for the pursuit of pure performance.

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The adventure is simple: start from your front door, travel under your own power to a compelling destination, have an experience, and return. There are many tools for traveling in the mountains. Instinctively, my background as a runner compels me to seek things out on foot—getting a closer look at a place by running through the terrain. It’s intimate and personal, feeling the rocks and landscape underfoot.

But what if you could expand on that experience and feel the full spectrum of mountain movement? Insert the bike.

[caption id="attachment_53559" align="aligncenter" width="767"]Processed with VSCO with k1 preset[/caption]

Traveling on two wheels introduces a new element: a clean, efficient, logical, and beautiful way to move from the bottom of the foothills to the summits of peaks—experiencing everything the area has to offer. It’s a multi-disciplinary mountain style where endurance, technique, and vision unlock new ways around a landscape. It’s not about the fastest way, but the most aesthetic and challenging route. In return, you’re rewarded with a comprehensive and fulfilling day out in the hills. Don’t ask me about watts or numbers—I’m here for the experience, the surfaces, the views, and the reward of traveling somewhere untethered and free.

From my front doorstep in Boulder, we have access to the Continental Divide, some 20 to 30 miles away. This alluring stretch of jagged, inspiring peaks has been my stomping ground for the past decade. I certainly haven’t climbed every peak in the area, but I’ve spent enough time there to feel familiar and comfortable. Introducing the bike as a means of transportation to the trailheads has opened up a new level of efficiency. I’ve started to think outside the box—searching for new ways to link up these different mountains right from my doorstep. It’s an ongoing project, or maybe just a lifestyle. By no means do I have it figured out. There are no rules—just the idea of doing it yourself.

[caption id="attachment_53560" align="aligncenter" width="768"]Processed with VSCO with ss1 preset[/caption]

The setup is pretty simple: strap your running shoes to your handlebars, toss in some snacks and a water filter, and start pedaling. No matter where you live—big city or small village—I believe it’s universal that there’s something worth exploring in your own backyard. It might take some creativity, but there’s probably something tall, historical, or interesting to go check out.

I’m inspired to take the road less traveled—to get off the tarmac and onto technical backroads. This is where the Moots Routt ESC really shines. At its core, it’s an adventure bike—capable on any surface or terrain. Having a tool like this is critical for me; it supports the vision I have for these big mountain days.

[caption id="attachment_53556" align="aligncenter" width="768"]Processed with VSCO with ss1 preset[/caption]

In Boulder, we’re fortunate to have every style of road and riding imaginable. Want smooth and fast pavement in the mountains? Ride up Lefthand Canyon to Brainard Lake. Looking for rough, chunky, gnarly riding? Go up Kingston Peak or Rollins Pass. Gravel? No problem—head up Fourmile Canyon to Gold Hill.The point is, there’s a full spectrum of terrain. That makes route planning both exciting and challenging. It’s part of the fun—digging into the maps, linking together routes, and exploring every nook and cranny of my backyard. The bike unlocks a new way to travel. Having a bike that can handle anything lets me focus on the movement itself. Instead of worrying about gear or setup, I’m free to dive deep into the experience and feel everything the landscape has to offer. It helps that the titanium frame makes all the rough stuff feel like smooth butter, yet stiff and responsive enough for all the climbing at hand. When you boil it down, for me I go uphill for a long time, I need a bike that climbs really well, the Routt ESC checks that box! So light and snappy. It is an absolute joy to pedal.

This self-propelled way of travel is romantic. Sure, I still use a car now and then. The point of this isn’t to make anyone feel bad about driving to the trailhead. It’s about showcasing the beauty and style of creating your own adventures—right from your doorstep.The bike is the ultimate freedom tool and a perfect companion for long days in the mountains. It opens new pathways of movement, and when paired with a run or a hike, it just might open your eyes to a whole new kind of adventure.

Happy summer—hope you’re enjoying your trails, mountains, and open spaces!

Kyle Richardson

You can read more about Kyle's adventures on his substack: https://substack.com/home/post/p-158319612)KR Self

Rider Spotlight: Mark DeLeon & Mely

2025-11-06T19:56:44.000Z

For Mark DeLeon, it was love at first sight — a gold-accented Vamoots RSL whose flawless welds spoke of true craftsmanship. Named Mely after his grandmother, this bike is a tribute to resilience, strength, and grace.

From city alleys to the Singapore Criterium, Mark rides with intention: “Not to impress, but to express myself.” Three words sum it up: Timeless. Craftsmanship. Resilient.

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What originally drew you to Moots? Was it the craftsmanship, the ride feel, the titanium, or something else?

The titanium caught my attention with its anodized detailing is perfect. I did check the brand out and saw how its built and precisely crafted; thats when I knew I found my forever bike.

Why did you pick your model bike?

I bought it through a friend which collects Moots and the bike really has an appeal to me. love at first sight. I look on bike aesthetically and with that gold accent makes it better. Im a big fan of rim break so having it in the bike works perfectly.

Are there any details of the bike you are obsessed with?

Definitely the welds. Every time I look closely, im reminded that this frame was built by hand not in a factory.

Did you customize the build? Did you build this with a local shop, if so, which?

I got the bike already setup. I just switch some parts and want to have modern component in it. Its built full enve and i’ll keep it that way.

Any standout adventures, races, or moments that made you think, “This is why I bought this bike”?

We got invited to participate in the singapore criterium last November 2024 and I used it in the race. Using it in the street exploring singapore knowing how versatile titanium is gives me peace of mind and security that whatever happens I have a trusted bike.

What does riding a Moots mean to you?

Riding in moots means riding with intention, not to impress but to express myself as a cyclist. I respect the craftsmanship put in the build of every bike and riding it is a work of art.

What terrain or type of ride do you do the most on your Moots?

I love city rides, cruising and discovering hidden alleys from the beach to the track theres a lot of spots you can discover and makes every ride unique.

Tell us about a memorable ride, or trip that you took with your Moots.

The most memorable ride I had with my moots was in singapore where we did an alley cat race, its like having a city tour on a bike. Checking out key destination spot in singapore early in the morning with friends is by far the best experience I had.

If you had to describe your bike in three words, what would they be?

timeless
craftsmanship
resilient

Did you buy your bike from a shop, if so what is the shop's name?

I bought it from a close friend who also collects Moots in Abu Dhabi. shout out to Cromwell!!!

If this bike had a name or personality, what would it be?

I named my moots after my grandmother - mely. Her resilience, strenght and grace continues to inspire me everyday. She taught me the value of patience, of doing things the right way, and of carrying yourself with quiet pride, all qualities I see in this bike. It’s more than just a bike; it’s a reflection of where I come from and who shaped me.

Tell us about your bike build!

my moots is a vamoots rsl with gold accent
carbon ti chain ring
srm power meter
enve wheelset
enve seatpost
enve cockpit
sram red
chris king headset
ceramic speed bottom bracket

Mark DeLeon’s gold-accented Vamoots RSL was love at first sight — a masterpiece of titanium craftsmanship named Mely in honor of his grandmother. From city streets to the Singapore Criterium, it’s carried him through adventures with unmatched trust and style. We thank Mark for sharing his passion for Moots with us — riding not to impress, but to express.

MADE 2025: Wrap-Up

2025-11-06T19:54:21.000Z

What a weekend. The energy at MADE in Portland was incredible, and we couldn’t be more grateful to everyone who stopped by our booth, shared stories, and celebrated titanium with us. To all of our loyal fans, friends, and new faces—thank you for making this show such a success.

This year, we brought a lineup of bikes that each told a different story of what titanium can do.

Adventure Bike, New Model Preview

Purpose-built for big days out, this new adventure platform showed off progressive geometry, tons of mounts, and internal routing—all wrapped in a topo-inspired anodized finish. It’s our vision for the next era of all-surface exploration. More information avaliable this fall.

Routt 45 “City Slicker”

A one-off concept that turned heads at the Shimano booth. Outfitted with Shimano’s new Q’Auto electronic drivetrain, flat bars, custom Sims fenders, and our new CRD Bearing Cap, the City Slicker reimagines a Routt 45 as a sleek, titanium commuter.

Routt CRD Blackbird

Handcrafted in Steamboat Springs and handpainted in Portland, the Blackbird was our ultimate showpiece. This size 55 one-of-one made its final appearance at MADE before being offered for sale—a true collector’s piece of Moots history. If you are interested in purchasing this bike, please inquire with info@moots.com

Womble 29, Cerakote Lavender

Our playful titanium hardtail, shown in a bold lavender Cerakote finish with an MRP Ribbon SL Rally fork. Updated with a double-butted front triangle, UDH dropouts, and optional sliders, the Womble proved just how versatile and modern a titanium MTB can be.

Each bike we presented reflected our constant pursuit of craftsmanship, performance, and timeless design. Remeber...NO COMPROMISES!

The conversations, the rides, and the stoke from MADE remind us why we do what we do. Events like this are about more than bikes—they’re about community. Thank you for being part of ours.

Until next time.

Kyle Richardson’s North East Summits Route Preparation

2025-11-06T19:47:22.000Z

Adventure means something different to Kyle Richardson. This September, he’s setting out on the North East Summits Route—a 20-day, self-supported bike-to-run journey from New York City to New Hampshire. With a Moots Routt ESCas his companion, Kyle is chasing discovery across pavement, singletrack, and summits.

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Wilco’s Yankee Hotel Foxtrot spins on vinyl, filling Kyle’s studio with a relaxed, methodical energy as I find him amidst last-minute trip preparations. He’s headed east for a bike-to-run tour—one he devised as an expression of his intrinsic drive to explore mountain ranges under his own power. When I asked Kyle what it’s all about, he replied simply. “Distill things down. What do you need to travel self-supported? Load that on your bike, toss in your running shoes, and off you go. Find an objective that inspires you, and commit to the journey.” Starting from New York City, Kyle will aim for New Hampshire by way of a series of running and climbing objectives. All told, he’ll spend about 20 days out. “NES or North East Summits is a route that follows the greater Northern Appalachian mountains. From the biggest city to the tallest summits, the inspiration and motivation lies in exploring the in-between spaces of some of the world’s oldest mountains.” Kyle’s riding the MOOTS Routt ESC for its mix of long-range comfort and readiness to handle the unexpected. The terrain will shift between forgotten doubletrack, winding singletrack, and quiet stretches of rolling pavement. Everything fits on the bike—no pack required. Feathers in the seat bag, running shoes in the handlebar roll, tent/tools/water/food in the frame bag. Navigation runs through Gaia GPS, with a solar-powered Garmin Enduro watch logging the journey. We roll the bike outside for a final check. Kyle steps back, admiring the refined setup. I can tell he’s both anxious and eager—ready for the full immersion in discovery.

• MOOTS Routt ESC

• 2.4 Maxxis Ikon tires

• Chris King carbon wheelset

• SRAM AXS drivetrain

• White Industries Crankset

• ENVE Adventure Bars

• Brooks C15 Saddle

• Custom frame bag by Thomas Woodson

Follow his adventure through September at: instagram.com/kylerichardson

Written by Thomas Woodson

Lauren Hall: Summer Miles, New Friends, and Giving Back

2025-11-06T19:45:00.000Z

First, a quick apology for the late post-the end of June and start of July had me sidelined with COVID, and for two solid weeks there was zero exercise of any kind. Once I was back on my feet, though, the summer cycling calendar hit full speed, and I've been soaking up every mile and every moment since.

In July, the team and I hosted the USA Cycling Foundation's annual Tour de France Femmes trip, a tradition we plan for our major supporters. Not just to watch, but to truly experience it - riding up the legendary Cols before the pros arrived, feeling the crowd's roar echo off the mountains, and sharing those moments with an incredible group who believe in supporting the next generation of cyclists and women's cycling! These trips mean so much to me.

From the French Alps, I swapped tarmac for dirt and headed to the Leadville 100 - this time with a microphone instead of a number plate. I had the privilege of commentating for the Life Time Grand Prix series, which gave me a front-row seat to the grit, dust, and determination that make Leadville legendary. Being there to call the action while cheering on my gravel family was such a great weekend.

And now, I'm closing out the season by hosting an athlete at my home - a small way to give back after so many people opened their doors, their wisdom, and their hearts to me during my own racing career. Watching the next generation chase their dreams reminds me why I fell in love with the sport in the first place.

Cycling has always been about more than the miles. It's about the stories we share, the roads we ride together, and the way we lift each other up along the way. This summer has been full of all three - and I wouldn't trade it for anything.

Next up, USA Cycling Foundation event in Aspen, CO - August 21st, followed by commentating Chequamegon in September!

-Lauren Hall

Moots: In Me, the Tiger Sniffs the Rose

2025-11-06T19:43:33.000Z

From the moment Mr. Duan first saw a Moots outside Tsinghua University in Beijing, to riding thousands of miles on Vamoots and Routt models across Asia and beyond, Moots has been a lifelong companion. Through Granfondos, long tours, and even the challenges of the pandemic, each bike has carried him with strength, beauty, and endurance. For him, Moots is more than a bike—it’s a reminder that the journey itself is the reward.

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Whenever a friend with a generous budget asks me to recommend the ultimate metal bike, my answer is always the same—Moots. It has been my favorite brand for as long as I can remember. With cycling at the heart of my life for over 20 years, I have owned—and still cherish—five different Moots bikes: Vamoots, Vamoots RSL, Routt RSL, Vamoots CRD, and Routt CRD. My love for bicycles is lifelong, and I am certain that no other brand will ever surpass the place Moots holds in my heart.

My journey with Moots began in 2007, during my university years, when high-performance sports bikes were still a rare sight in mainland China. Near the entrance of Tsinghua University in Beijing, a well-known bike shop had a Moots on display. The moment I saw it, I froze—it was unlike anything I had ever encountered. At the time, titanium frames were a niche choice, embraced only by a small group of devoted enthusiasts. A masterpiece like Moots, with its flawless craftsmanship, felt almost unattainable—proud, exclusive, and reserved for the few. As a university student surviving on a modest monthly allowance of less than $100, owning a Moots YBB seemed like a distant dream. Yet, that bike left an indelible mark on me—much like an ancient Chinese verse describing the love for the Lotus: a thing of beauty to be admired from afar, untouchable in its grace.

Years later, my dream came true. For my 28th birthday in 2017, my girlfriend—now my wife—surprised me with my first Moots: a Vamoots from Taiwan Province. Although it wasn’t the brand’s top-tier model, it still showcased Moots' hallmark precision welding, timeless design, and exceptional ride quality. I was captivated. I would admire it at home, take it out for a ride whenever I could, and savor every moment in the saddle.

I find it hard to put into words the unforgettable riding experience: stiff yet comfortable, soft as cotton yet as fast as lightning. From that moment on, Moots became my unwavering companion. When AITASHOP started collaborating with Moots to bring these masterpieces to Chinese cyclists, I was overjoyed. They introduced me to my first top-tier model, the Vamoots RSL, featuring custom geometry and breathtaking anodized details—a dream realized.

That bike has been with me through countless adventures, including all six stages and 8,400 meters of climbing at the Granfondo Yunnan in 2019, as well as a 1,000km tour through southern Sichuan. The magic of a Moots titanium frame lies in its unique ability to combine endurance with racing performance—a rare blend. Among all my road bikes, the Vamoots RSL still holds the highest mileage. Wherever I go, it is my soul companion, giving me the confidence to tackle long distances, remote roads, and challenging climbs.

As the popularity of gravel riding grew, I built up a Routt RSL to embrace the new discipline. This bike became my sanctuary during the challenging days of COVID-19, when physical and mental struggles affected us all. It carried me through villages, towns, and open fields, offering new perspectives on roads I thought I knew.

Later, when the CRD series was introduced, I knew I had to experience them, Vamoots CRD and Routt CRD, both of them. With its fully integrated system, MOD components, and new geometry. The Vamoots CRD immediately stood out—particularly its flatter top tube, which improved both compatibility and ride feel. I spent a lot of time carefully selecting each component to ensure a perfect build. Now, for any ride over 120km, the Vamoots CRD is my only choice.

Oh, I almost forgot—Granfondo Yunnan 2024. Despite some unexpected challenges, I am even more grateful for my Vamoots CRD, a bike that now holds even deeper personal significance. Looking ahead to the next five years, I wonder—will anything else accompany me during those defining moments, as the Vamoots RSL did before?

As I reflect on my journey with Moots, I realize that no matter how much time passes or how the market changes, Moots will always be my favourite. Like a steady companion on a lifelong ride, it has been with me through countless miles, challenges, and triumphs. As the saying goes, "The journey is the reward", and every ride on a Moots serves as a reminder of that truth. With each new chapter in life, I look forward to the next chapter in Moots' evolution—because, just like my passion for cycling, it’s a ride that will never end.

Mr. Duan

From Residency to Routt RSL: A Ride Worth the Reward

2025-04-25T22:52:42.000Z

Photo by Ethan Herrold

What originally drew you to Moots? Was it the craftsmanship, the ride feel, the titanium, or something else?

Why did you pick the Routt RSL?

I chose Routt RS as I wanted a fast, fun and playful gravel bike that could tackle over biking on single track but still be agile enough for riding on the road.

How did you decide on the finish or anodization? Are there any details of the bike you are obsessed with?

I chose the Stanley finish as I am an artist. I love the color and detail, especially on the chain stay. I also love Estes Park and the Stanley hotel; we go annually and always come to the Stanley.

Did you customize the build? Did you build this with a local shop, if so, which?

I customized the build with Alpha Bicycle Studio in Littleton. They completed a bike fit prior to the build, recommended sizes and coordinated with me on each aspect of the build.

Any standout adventures, races, or moments that made you think, “This is why I bought this bike”?

What does riding a Moots mean to you?

Moots means expert craftsmanship that blends function and fun.

If you had to describe your bike in three words, what would they be?

I describe my bike as a piece of art, reliable and a beast!

Photo by Ethan Herrold

RANCH RALLY 2025: A CELEBRATION OF GRAVEL, COMMUNITY, AND HERITAGE

2025-04-17T02:12:25.000Z

Event Date: Saturday, July 26th, 2025Location: Steamboat Springs, Colorado

Well howdy, partner! We’re mighty excited to invite y’all to the Moots Ranch Rally 2025, a one-of-a-kind gravel cycling event that brings together world-class riding, Western roots, and a whole lotta heart. This year’s route rolls right out our front doors here in Steamboat Springs, covering the same gravel roads and sweeping mountain views that have inspired our work at Moots Cycles for over four decades. Whether you’re a seasoned gravel grinder or a newcomer to backroad bliss, this is a ride built for connection — to the land, the bike, and the community.

Gravel Riding, Steamboat Style

Home to the well known SBT Gravel and tucked in the heart of Colorado's Yampa Valley, Steamboat Springs is a gravel riding paradise. Known for its expansive ranch lands, alpine vistas, and smooth-as-butter dirt roads, this area offers some of the finest and most scenic gravel routes in the country. The Ranch Rally is built on these very roads — not just as a course, but as a tribute. Riders will pedal through open landscapes framed by the Flat Tops, past working ranches, aspen groves, and winding rivers, all while enjoying the kind of serene solitude and unspoiled terrain that makes gravel riding so special.

BUCKAROO ROUTE

39 miles | 2,500 ft of climbing. View the route: [Click here to see on RidewithGPS]

Expect a well-marked course, support vehicles, and roaming medical assistance to keep everyone safe and smiling. This is a non-competitive ride, so leave the race face at home and come ride for the experience.

40 Years of Moots Magic

Since 1981, Moots has been hand-building titanium bikes right here in Steamboat Springs. Our shop is more than a factory — it’s a workshop of passion, precision, and purpose. For over 40 years, we've been crafting bikes that reflect this place: durable, elegant, and built to ride for a lifetime. Hosting the Ranch Rally on our home turf is more than just convenient — it’s personal. These are the roads that shaped our bikes, and this event is our way of sharing that magic with you. Whether you’re rollin’ in on a Moots or just curious about what makes this place so special, the Ranch Rally is more than just a ride — it’s a celebration. Of gravel. Of craftsmanship. Of community. And of the Colorado ranching spirit that grounds us all.

Rooted in Ranching

The Ranch Rally isn’t just a ride — it’s a community fundraiser that supports the Community Agriculture Alliance (CAA), a local nonprofit dedicated to preserving and promoting the agricultural heritage of the Yampa Valley. This land has been cared for by ranching families for generations, and their stewardship has helped preserve the open spaces we ride through today. We’re proud to partner with the CAA to honor that legacy and help keep our community connected to the food and land that sustains it.

Spots are limited to just 200 riders, so grab your spot before they’re gone.

Each rider gets:✔️ Limited edition Ranch Rally swag✔️ A spot on the ride with aid station support✔️ Post-ride lunch at Moots HQ✔️ Western-style cookout with local ranch fare, cold beverages, live music✔️ Raffle entry for a Moots Routt gravel frame

Click here to register: 2025 Ranch Rally Registration

Rain or shine, we ride. See y’all out there.

Travel Light, Ride Hard: My Moots on the Move

2025-04-16T01:29:29.000Z

From the moment I picked up my Moots, I knew it was special. The titanium frame is not just beautiful -it’s durable, reliable, and can take a beating from TSA without flinching. Whether I’m packing it into a bike bag for a cross-country flight or tossing it on the bike rack on my truck for a road trip, I never worry about it showing up on the other side worse for wear.

My go-to bike bag is the Scion Sports Aerocomfort bike bag. When I pack my bike into the bike bag, I remove the pedals, take the rotors off the wheels, and unplug the Shimano Di2 battery before packing everything securely. I stash my helmet (in it’s case) and shoes in the bike bag, slide bottles into the cages, and always drop an Apple AirTag in there-just in case I need to track it along the way.

The only carbon on the bike is the wheels-everything else is rock solid. That gives me total confidence every time I throw a leg over, knowing it’s all in working order and ready to roll.

I travel a lot for my work with USA Cycling and for events around the country, and let’s be honest-bike travel can be a pain. But Moots takes a lot of that stress off my shoulders. It’s just one of those brands that makes you feel like you’re part of something solid. No squeaks, creaks, no fuss, just smooth riding and peace of mind.

Traveling with a Moots means I always have a little piece of home with me-no matter the airport, the hotel, or the back of a rental car. And for someone who’s constantly on the move with her bike, that’s priceless.

This spring and summer, my Vamoots RCS is hitting the road again. I’ll be taking it to San Francisco in April multiple times, then to the mountains of West Virginia for the USA Cycling Road National Championships, where I’ll be commentating the elite races on FloBikes. And later this summer, it’s off to Annecy, France for our USA Cycling Foundation trip to watch the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift-one of the highlight trips of the summer!

Wherever the calendar takes me next, I know my Moots is ready. And honestly, that makes the travel easier for me- more peace of mind, and more excitement about the destinations and the chance to ride with my cycling community.

If you have more questions about traveling wiht your Moots please reachout and we can guide you with recommendations. Stay tuned for the next Lauren Hall blog in May...

Winter Miles & Community Vibes – Tucson Cycling

2025-03-25T02:47:17.000Z

There’s something special about Tucson, AZ – a place where the sun always seems to shine, the roads are made for riding, and the cycling community feels like family. For the past eight years or so, this has been one of my go-to training locations, offering everything from fast -paced group rides to long solo miles on wide-open roads. It’s a place that keeps calling me back, and for good reason.

One of the best ways to experience Tucson’s cycling culture is the legendary Shootout, a Saturday morning group ride that brings together riders of all levels- from weekend warriors to World Tour and Gravel pros. It’s a staple in the cycling world, a true test of fitness, and one of the best ways to push yourself while soaking in the energy of the local riding scene.

Beyond the Shootout, Tucson offers endless options for both challenging and relaxed rides. The Loop provides over 130 miles of car-free riding, perfect for easy spins or recovery days. And then there’s Mt. Lemmon -an iconic, nearly 7,000-foot climb that rewards riders with epic views. Gates Pass is another favorite, offering one of the most stunning ride experiences in town.

And what better way to enjoy these roads than on my Moots Vamoots RCS? The smooth titanium ride, responsive handling, and all-day comfort make it the perfect companion for Tucson’s terrain.

Giving Back: Tucson Bicycle Classic

For the past four years, I’ve had the privilege of helping with the Tucson Bicycle Classic, a race that has become an incredible launching pad for new women racers. The turnout was fantastic and seeing so many new faces on the start line was inspiring. Supporting women’s racing has always been close to my heart, and Tucson continues to be a place where the cycling community truly steps up to make the sport more inclusive and exciting.

Coming Up…

While I’ve been soaking up all that Tucson has to offer, I’m also gearing up for some exciting events. Next stops: Monterey, CA for the Sea Otter Classic, San Francisco for the Climate Ride on April 22nd

If you’re in the area, I’d love to connect, ride, and talk about how USA Cycling Foundation is supporting the next generation of cyclists!

Tucson has reminded me once again why I love this sport-it’s about more than just the miles. It’s the people, the places, and the experiences that make cycling such a powerful and lifelong passion.

See you on the road!

Finding My Way Back: A Journey of Resilience and Discovery of Moots Express

2025-02-26T02:25:11.000Z

Twenty-two years ago, my life changed forever during a national level mountain bike race in Big Bear, California. As an aspiring mountain biker pushing my limits during a practice run, I suffered a devastating crash that left me with a spinal cord injury. The prognosis was stark: a single-digit chance of walking again.

In the ICU, heavily sedated, I stared at the ceiling as my mind spiraled through an endless loop of regret. The pain was unlike anything I’d ever experienced—deep, relentless. But the physical agony was matched by the mental anguish of uncertainty about my future. The doctors' words echoed like a death sentence: "Mr. Takaki, you won't be able to walk again and you need to adapt to a new life." With my spine fused with rods and almost no chance of walking again, I felt my sense of control over my body and future slipping away. My self-esteem plummeted to the darkest corner I'd ever known, and initially, I gave up on my life entirely.

But from that moment on, my journey became one of continuous small victories, each building on the last. From the first flicker of movement in my right toe two weeks after the accident to learning to stand, walk, and cross a busy street on my own—each milestone wasn’t just physical progress, but a reclaiming of independence.

Yet the emotional terrain I had to navigate was even gnarlier than any mountain bike trail I’d ever encountered. At first, I did my best to hide it,masking my insecurities with the determination to overcome this life altering event. For two years, confined to a wheelchair, I wrestled with a storm of denial, anger, and crushing hopelessness. The contrast was staggering—one day, I was racing down an adrenaline-fueled downhill course, pushing my limits; the next, I was paralyzed from the waist down, struggling to roll over a simple five-inch curb. Basic tasks that had once been second nature—walking, showering, getting dressed—became distant memories rather than the routine actions I had once taken for granted.

But even in the darkest moments, something familiar emerged. As I wheeled myself a little further each day, testing and pushing my boundaries, I recognized the same spirit that had drawn me to cycling as a child—the instinct to explore, to see what lay beyond my current limits. The first time I ventured outside the hospital on my own in a wheelchair, it felt like seeing an ocean for the first time—vast, unknown, and exhilarating. In reality, I had only wheeled 20 feet from the door, but in my mind, I had crossed into something far greater: a new challenge, a new thrill, a new kind of freedom. This wasn’t just recovery; it was the ultimate test of my willingness to face a challenge head-on, to embrace the struggle rather than retreat from it. I was fortunate to regain movement early on, and that gave me enormous hope and motivation—something that became the foundation of my mental strength. When there is light, it can always get brighter. That realization fueled my determination, helping me push past my insecurities and build the resilience I needed.

And I wasn’t alone on this journey. Friends and family anchored me through the storm, offering unwavering support as I processed my new reality. I’ll never forget the day my closest riding buddy showed up at rehab, bringing with him a super burrito—it was spicy, and to my dismay, packed with beans (I hate beans). But somehow, that burrito instantly transported me back to better days. We sat there for hours, not with pity, but with patience, swapping stories of recent rides and future adventures. Their presence became the foundation that helped me push through the mental fog of depression and loss of identity.

Later, my cycling community reinforced that support in ways only they could—riding alongside me on the climbs, never making me feel like a burden, and reminding me that the ride isn’t just about speed but about showing up, pushing through, and sharing the journey together. Their quiet patience and encouragement kept me moving forward, proving that I was never truly riding alone.

The path back to cycling wasn’t immediate or straightforward. Every small victory in physical therapy felt monumental—sitting up independently, taking those first assisted steps while strapped into what felt like an exoskeleton, balancing long enough to dress myself. With every session, my body slowly responded, and my relationship with movement evolved from struggle to possibility.

My return to cycling began modestly. From a wheelchair to an e-scooter, then finally to a pedal bike—at first, just 5 miles at a time. I found a new rhythm in simple routines: daily swims recommended by my doctor, short bike rides to the pool and grocery store. These small journeys might have seemed insignificant to others, but to me—remembering those dark days in the ICU—they were nothing short of miraculous.

The first time I pedaled across the Golden Gate Bridge toward the top of Hawk Hill, I knew it would be a test—not just of my strength, but of my mindset. I had mentally prepared for this ride, but the moment I hit the first steep section, exhilaration quickly gave way to exhaustion. I was pushing my limit, and yet, I was barely moving. Riders of all kinds—weekend warriors, tourists, even a little kid—passed me effortlessly. My ego took a hit, but in that moment, I told myself: It doesn’t matter how others see me. My happiness is what matters most.

Reaching the top, breathless and spent, I was met with a view that made every struggle worth it—the vast expanse of San Francisco Bay stretching beyond the bridge, blue sky reflecting off the water. It was one of my happiest moments, a reminder that effort, not speed, is what truly defines the ride. What started as a single test of willpower became the foundation for something bigger. Little by little, I kept expanding my horizons—short trips to the pool, then to the store, then beyond. What began as a means of recovery gradually evolved into something more—a return not just to cycling, but to regaining my independence.

From then on, I shifted my focus. I set incremental, realistic goals so that even when I fell short, progress always felt within reach. And as I kept pushing, those small wins added up. There was a profound beauty in this simplicity. Each pedal stroke carried me further from who I had been in that hospital bed and closer to who I could become. I took my time, expanding my horizons with each ride, finding freedom in those small adventures. In the end, it all came down to living life on my own terms.

Then COVID hit, disrupting the careful routine I’d built. The pool where I’d spent countless hours strengthening my body shut down indefinitely. What could have been a setback became an unexpected catalyst. Searching for a new way to stay active, I discovered lightweight e-gravel bikes—a revelation. Suddenly, the boundaries I’d grown accustomed to began to dissolve. My limited range stretched to 40-50 miles. The Golden Gate Bridge, the Marin Headlands where I first fell in love with cycling after moving from Japan in 1996—all were within reach again. Even Mount Tamalpais, the birthplace of mountain biking, felt challenging again.

The bike transformed from just a mode of transportation into something much deeper—it became my gateway to freedom and connection. Each component spoke to me of adaptation and possibility: the battery fueling my adventures, the dropper post enabling me to mount, and the suspension fork and tire inserts giving me the confidence to tackle challenging terrain again. These weren’t just bike parts; they were the foundation of my independence.

Though I still walk with a cane, something magical happens when I swing my leg over the saddle. On the bike, the limitations I face on foot seem to melt into the wind. Especially on descents, when gravity takes over and the trail opens up—those are the moments when everything else fades away. The familiar rush of speed returns, the bike responds intuitively, and I’m no longer the guy with the cane. I’m just another rider, carving through the trail, chasing that perfect line. My happiness was stripped away in an instant the day of the accident, but through years of rehab, my joy for the sport has returned.

As these moments of freedom grew, so did my ambitions. The more I rode, the more I dreamed of pushing beyond my limits—exploring trails I once thought were out of reach. Each ride hinted at new adventures, calling me toward possibilities I hadn’t even imagined.

As my confidence grew, so did my desire to explore further. Along the way, I found myself surrounded by a growing circle of riding friends, each one encouraging me to push a little more, try a new trail, or join a longer adventure. Yet my reality was different. Because I needed more power assist to compensate for my weaker legs, my battery drained faster, limiting my range no matter how much I wanted to keep going. The combination of battery range and my physical strength often meant having to decline invitations or turn back while others rode on. Those 50-mile adventures left me wondering—what else might be possible? Familiar routes began to feel less like destinations and more like boundaries. I found myself dreaming of longer rides, more challenging terrain, and the opportunity to experience new horizons alongside my friends. What once was a pessimistic outlook on the constrictions I had with limited movement has now transformed into optimism through exceeding previous plateaus and reaching new heights.

By the time I entered my third year of riding a lightweight e-gravel bike, I started to have a clearer sense of what I truly needed from my setup. I realized I needed more range for longer rides, the capacity for larger tires to increase comfort and traction, and although not absolutely necessary, a bit more motor power to help me tackle steep sections with greater ease and safety. Reflecting on these needs, it became clear that I was searching for something more tailored to my evolving journey—something that could push the boundaries of what I thought was beyond my reach.

Sometimes, discoveries find you in unexpected ways. My discovery path to the Moots Express began at the Sea Otter Classic, where a few unexpected conversations set everything in motion. A friend from Ornot, the San Francisco-based cycling apparel brand, spoke with the president of Moots and later sent me an excited message about the bike. Around the same time, someone at Shimano who I’d met the previous year through my connections had already mentioned my name to Moots, encouraging them to keep an eye on me.

Moots didn’t just check off the boxes—they built the Express for big adventures from the start. More than just specs on paper, every design choice translated into real benefits on the trail. The suspension-ready frame and larger tires didn’t just improve comfort; they gave me the confidence to push my limits, knowing my bike could handle whatever lay ahead. In the Express, I saw more than just a bike. I saw the perfect tool to unlock the next chapter of my riding journey.

What really sealed my decision to get the Moots Express was the complete Shimano integration. The responsive EP801 motor and the Linkglide drivetrain with its Freeshift technology allowed me to tackle tough descents and punchy climbs with ease, letting me conserve energy and stay engaged. After years of riding a modified bike, I found the Moots Express to be purpose-built for durability and long-distance adventures. The trust I have in Shimano’s reliability for parts and service gives me confidence that this bike will be a companion for many miles to come.

Before the Moots Express, I had ridden a similar bike—a carbon gravel e-bike—but the difference in ride quality and performance was striking. The Moots Express isn’t just a bike; it’s a partner in this journey of discovery, delivering the capability and excitement I was looking for.

The new bike’s geometry, combined with the ability to run larger tires, allows me to pick lines with confidence and ride all day without discomfort. The higher cockpit, modern geometry, and quick battery swap feature are just a few of the thoughtful details that make the Moots Express feel like a perfect fit for my adventures ahead.

For a deeper dive into the technical specs and what makes this bike truly stand out, stay tuned for the next blog where I’ll break down the detailed features of my Moots Express dream build.

Through sharing my story, I've connected with new friends and communities that encourage me to expand my horizons. Their support and shared belief in growth through change continue to inspire me to reach beyond what I once thought was possible.

Each ride now serves as a testament to what’s possible. From that hospital room, where walking seemed impossible, to today, where I’m exploring trails I never thought I’d see again—it’s no longer about distance or speed. It’s about the pure joy of being on a bike, feeling the wind rush by, and realizing that with each ride, I'm expanding what I once thought was beyond my reach.

The Moots Express isn't just a bike; it’s become a partner in this journey of discovery. Looking ahead, I see countless trails and adventures, because sometimes the end of one path is just the beginning of another—and with every ride, it’s a reminder that new horizons are waiting to be explored.

In the coming weeks Saboo will share more with our readers around his build and other inspiration - follow him on instagram: iam.fooski

Apacheria Gravel: A First-Year Cycling Adventure with the Moots Routt RSL

2025-02-18T00:45:43.000Z

There's something special about supporting a first-year cycling event-it's a testament to people's love and passion for this sport. On November 16, I participated in the inaugural Apacheria Gravel event in Douglas, Arizona. Organized with heart and grit, this event embodied the spirit of adventure that makes gravel cycling unique.

A Fresh Start with a New Companion

The Apacheria Gravel event was only the second time I'd ridden my new Moots Routt RSL. I picked it up in Steamboat Springs back in early October, greeted by the golden hues of changing leaves and the warm hospitality of the Moots family. Nate gave me a thorough rundown of the bike's features, and I left Steamboat with excitement and anticipation for the adventures ahead. Life and work kept me busy, leaving little time to bond with the bike before the event. But as soon as I threw my leg over the Routt for the 66-mile distance, all concerns melted away. The bike is a masterpiece-responsive yet forgiving, with geometry that perfectly balances a racy feel and all-day comfort. The 44mm WTB tires were a game-changer, soaking up the rough terrain and providing a smooth, comfortable ride that kept me fresh all day.

A Day to Remember

The route was challenging and beautiful, showcasing the rugged landscapes of southern Arizona and a stout headwind on the way home. Surrounded by friends from the Tucson cycling community, the day was filled with camaraderie, laughter, and a shared passion for the sport. To top it all off, I stood on the podium's top step- a sweet bonus to an already unforgettable experience.

Gratitude for the Moots Family

Reflecting on the day, I couldn't be more grateful for my Routt RSL and the Moots family. They've created a bike that performs and connects me to the adventures I hold dear. Since Apacheria, the Routt has been my partner for more rides and new explorations, and I'm excited to see where it will take me next. Thank you to everyone who poured their heart into making Apacheria Gravel a success. And to my Moots family, your support means the world to me. Here's to more first-year events, unforgettable rides, and new memories on bikes.

Test. Order. Ride. – Your Chance to Experience Moots Titanium

2025-02-13T02:44:21.000Z

Have you ever wondered what it’s like to ride one of the best titanium bikes in the world? Now’s your opportunity. With Moots Test. Order. Ride., you can experience our legendary craftsmanship firsthand before making your dream bike a reality.

Why Moots?

At Moots, we’ve been handcrafting premium titanium bicycles in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, since 1981. Our bikes are engineered for performance, durability, and the ultimate ride experience—whether you're crushing gravel, chasing KOMs on the road, or tackling technical trails.

Now, we’re giving you a firsthand opportunity to feel the difference with our Test. Order. Ride. program. Here’s how it works:

TEST – Ride Before You Commit

The best way to understand a Moots is to ride one. Visit a Moots dealer or attend a demo event to experience our world-class titanium bikes. From the first pedal stroke, you’ll notice the buttery-smooth ride, impeccable handling, and incredible responsiveness that only Moots titanium can offer.

ORDER – Customize Your Dream Bike

Once you’ve fallen in love with the ride, it’s time to make it yours. Work with our expert team to select your perfect build—from frame size to component choices and custom finishes. Whether you’re looking for an ultra-light road racer, a gravel adventure machine, or a do-it-all endurance bike, we’ll help you dial in the perfect setup.

RIDE – The Adventure Begins

Once your handcrafted Moots is delivered, the real journey begins. Whether you’re tackling epic mountain climbs, riding endless backroads, or carving through technical terrain, your Moots is built for wherever your adventure takes you. With the strength, longevity, and ride quality of titanium, this is a bike that will stay with you for a lifetime.

There’s no substitute for experiencing a Moots in person. Find a dealer near you or schedule a test ride today. Discover the titanium difference—engineered for the long haul, built to perform, and ready to take you places.

New Bike Day - Moots Trade-Up Program!

2025-02-12T07:08:58.000Z

It’s true, we build bicycles to last a lifetime. There’s no doubt that many of the beloved products we’ve produced since 1981 still make riders smile, 20 and 30 years later. And while Moots owners will tell you they absolutely love their bike, some are curious about how a new premium tubeset, a new geometry, disc brakes, more tire clearance, or an updated parts kit would bring them an entirely new riding joy!

Introducing our “Trade-Up” program - a way for us at Moots to acknowledge the love you have for your bike, and to share our passion of chasing perfection with new bike designs, materials, and updated technology.

We offer Moots owners an opportunity to turn their existing, rideable frame, into a $2,000 credit towards a complete bike direct from your local Moots dealer or directly from Moots.

This program applies whether you’re the original owner, or not. There are no model or production year restrictions!

How it works:

Inspect your frame - it must be free of cracked welds or large dents. (FYI - There’s a second, detailed inspection later in the process, so be diligent!)
Go into your local dealer and speak to a sales representative about the Moots tradeup program. Our dealers are dialed in on the tradeup program and will walk you down the path of your next Moots. Please see our dealer locator to identify a dealer in your area. If there is not a dealer nearby, we are always here for and you can reach us at tradeup@moots.com.
We’ll have a look and give you the thumbs up to ship us your bike. Or we’ll explain why we’re unable to offer you a credit.
Ship us your frame (or complete bike - see FAQ below)
We’ll communicate receipt of your bike and status of your credit via email. Once everything is inspected, we’ll apply your $2,000 credit at the close of purchase of your new bike - if your bike doesn't qualify for the program,
we'll ship it back to you at our cost.

Ship to:

Moots - TradeUp

2545 Copper Ridge Dr

Steamboat Springs, CO80487

FAQ

If I send my complete bike, will I get the parts back?

No! If you want to keep your parts kit (wheels, drivetrain, brakes, etc.), the frame should be stripped. We will not disassemble your bike and return your parts. We will not disassemble your bike and hold your parts for you to come pick up. Whatever you send us, we're assuming you'll never want to see it again! There is no going back on this so please take time to consider your future wants!

What if I’m not the original owner?

Not a problem, we don’t require any receipts or paperwork to credit you towards your purchase of a new complete bike.

Can I trade in my frame for cash?

This program is designed to reward passionate Moots fans. The aim is to offer a credit towards an updated model for the “refresh button” on ride experiences…sorry, no cash value.

Do I have to purchase a complete bike?

Yeah, that’s the deal. No sugar coating here.

My bike is worth more than $2,000 in the used bike market - will Moots give me more credit?

If your bike is worth more than the $2,000 we offer, we encourage you to look to reputable 3rd-party marketplaces like TPC and Bicycle Blue Book to get the most of your bike. Also check with your local retailer to see if they have a used bike program. We can only hope you’ll put that scratch towards a new Moots!

Does this program apply if I want to buy a Moots from my local shop?

Yes!

Moots retailers are the backbone of our 43-year heritage! If you love your local Moots dealer,

they can share the program details and you can purchase your new Moots locally.

They can email tradeup@moots.com, or talk to their sales rep. Regardless if you work with us directly, or your local retailer, the Moots Trade-Up program only applies to complete bike purchases.

Can this credit be applied to a frame or frameset?

At the moment, the $2,000 credit applies to complete bike purchases only. As this program evolves over time, we’ll explore how it might include frame and frameset purchases.

Am I guaranteed credit?

There are no guarantees in life! But if you did a good job inspecting your frame and there are no cracks or large dents….yeah, it’s pretty much a sure thing! If we communicate that we can’t offer you a credit, there will be a very clear reason why. We truly want riders on our latest and greatest bikes and will do everything we can to make that happen! And, we'll ship it back to you.

Does this program apply to Express eBike models?

Of course! A Moots is a Moots! The goal is to support our dedicated fan base with bikes they love and want, and we’re stoked to have two incredible ebikes to offer!

I see there are closeout bikes on the Moots site, can I use this credit towards the purchase of a discounted bike?

No, this offer only applies to new orders and is not applicable to any items that have already been discounted.

What happens to my Moots once it’s been accepted for the Trade Up program?

Some of the Trade Up bikes end up in our museum here in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. Others get refurbished and are placed in retail partner locations, or collaboration projects with some of our favorite companies. In short, they tell a story that can be shared across the world!

From Pro Peloton to the Moots Family: My Journey on and Off the Bike

2025-01-14T06:20:54.000Z

Hi, Moots family! I'm Lauren Hall, a former professional cyclist, lifelong athlete, and proud Moots ambassador. As someone who's spent years chasing finish lines and now thrives on exploring new roads and trails, I couldn't be more excited to share my story with you.

A Little About Me

Growing up in Vicksburg, Mississippi, I was an all-around athlete, playing soccer, basketball, tennis, and running track. My passion for competition earned me a full scholarship to play soccer at Mississippi State University, where I graduated in 2001. After college, I explored different paths, from culinary school to managing child nutrition programs, before discovering cycling at 28 – a little late by traditional standards but just in time to find my true calling. Cycling became my world, and soon, I found myself racing professionally for eight years. During that time, I raced for teams like Optum, United Healthcare, and Team Twenty16, competed in four World Championships, and proudly represented the U.S. National Team in Europe for three seasons. One of my career highlights? Winning a spring classic, Gent-Wevelgem, in 2014- a victory that still feels surreal.

Why Moots?

After retiring from the professional peloton, I sought a bike that would reconnect me with the pure joy of riding, my forever bike. Moots bikes have always been synonymous with craftsmanship, performance, timeless design, and the titanium frame needed with my current travel – all points that resonate deeply with me. When Moots provided me with a Vamoots RCS, equipped with Shimano Dura-Ace, HED Vanquish 45 Pro wheels, and aluminum bars (my choice), it reignited my love for exploring roads less traveled. That bike wasn't just a tool; it became an extension of my passion for riding. I've embraced a new cycling medium with a new Moots Routt RSL gravel bike decked out with SRAM Force, HED wheels, WTB 44 tires, and ENVE bars. Gravel riding has been an exciting way to explore new places and create fresh adventures. It's taken me off the beaten path, offering a sense of freedom and discovery that feels different from my road racing days. From quiet backroads to rugged trails, this bike has opened up endless opportunities for adventure and exploration.

What's Next?

Through this blog series, I'll share stories from my days in the pro peloton, my transition to life off the bike, and how Moots inspires my adventures today. Beyond the bike, I work for the USA Cycling Foundation, where I have the privilege of contributing to the mission of supporting athletes and the sport. This role allows me to be part of some incredible experiences, from attending the men's and women's Tour de France trips to cheering on our U.S. athletes at Road World Championships, Olympics and events across the U.S. Additionally, I've taken on a commentating role for marquee events like the Life Time Grand Prix series (see the YouTube series), SBT GRVL, and more. It's a dynamic and exciting way to stay connected to the sport and community that have shaped my life. -Lauren

Join us monthly as Lauren details her transition from the pro peloton to her now impactful roll in the gravel community.

Embracing Innovation: Moots' Transition to UDH-Compatible Frames

2025-01-07T00:39:35.000Z

Let's talk about something buzzing in the biking world, UDH, Universal Derailleur Hanger. At first glance, it might seem like just another component, but recently, it's become much more.

Thanks to SRAM's recent transmission innovations, T-Type, and now called Full-Mount, UDH is quickly becoming the must-have feature for every serious rider. Are you curious about what all these fancy terms mean and how they impact your Moots riding experience? Follow along, and we'll break it all down.

UNDERSTANDING UDH, FULL MOUNT, AND T-TYPE FROM SRAM

This is our timeline of the SRAM component introductions. Disclaimer: The timeline or naming may not be perfect, but it's how we recall it!

2019 - SRAM introduced UDH to the world, designing a derailleur hanger to simplify maintenance for all riders by having one standard that every bike can use worldwide.

2023 - SRAM introduced Eagle Transmission, T-Type, a drivetrain system that no longer bolts onto a derailleur hanger, but the derailleur/transmission attaches directly to the frame using the same interface as the UDH.

2024 - SRAM introduced the RED XPLR 13-speed gravel groupset. Transmission/T-Type was renamed to Full Mount. Full Mount is essentially the same as the prior Eagle Transmission, using the UDH frame interface to mount the derailleur directly to the frame and bypassing the use of a derailleur hanger.

UDH is compatible with SRAM's Full Mount drivetrain line-up, including the Eagle Transmission and RED XPLR AXS groupsets. Full Mount derailleurs work around the rear axle's center, optimizing shift performance and eliminating unnecessary parts.

I CAME HERE TO HEAR ABOUT MOOTS

Ok, here is what we have been doing here at Moots:

July 2023 - Introduction of the Routt CRD, our first UDH-compatible frame.

January 2024 - Womble, Mountaineer, and Forager all were revised to be UDH compatible.

April 2024 - MXC was introduced as a new model in the XC/adventure MTB sector of the model line-up…obviously with UDH-compatible dropouts.

June 2024 - Routt RSL redesigned to include several updates, one being UDH compatibility.

October 2024 - Routt 45 and Routt YBB reworked to incorporate UDH-compatible dropouts.

Moots may have "taken our time" adapting the UDH interface into our frames. We wish we could've moved faster, but it's not simple! Aside from the three-year bike boom, when everything went well, a few other things slowed our progress in making the transition.

We have always, and will continue, to make practical decisions to enhance the ride characteristics of a titanium bike with all of our design choices. UDH is complicated from a metal bike perspective. Essentially, 7.1mm of the driveside dropout goes away and becomes part of either the hanger or the derailleur. This means the titanium dropouts, in this case, are asymmetric from the center line of the frame and balanced out in the end by the hanger or derailleur. When we set out to build a frame, every step throughout production focuses on creating a dead, straight frame for the end user. Balancing and managing the offset all the way through took time to retool and develop unique processes that we had never done before.

Prior to UDH, the average thickness of our replaceable derailleur hangers was around 7mm. A UDH has a cross-section of 20mm. Our team and partners worked on creating dropout designs that elegantly accommodated the interface, but not all made it past the early design phase.

So, what does this mean? All Moots MTB & Gravel bikes are now available with UDH-compatible dropouts.

GREAT! WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR THE MOOTS THAT I ALREADY OWN?

We understand that many of our loyal customers own non-UDH frames, and we want to assure you that your bikes remain a testament to our commitment to quality and craftsmanship. Each Moots bike, regardless of the derailleur hanger system, is designed with intention, precision, and a deep appreciation for the art of hand-building bikes. We will continue to manufacture and supply hangers for our previous models.

Whether you're riding a well-loved classic or one of our latest models, know that your Moots bike is built to perform and inspire countless adventures. Our journey is about creating exceptional experiences for every rider, and we're excited to continue this journey with you.

Cycling — Feeds

Tour de France 2027: What Do Extra TT Kms Mean for Evenepoel’s Prospects?

Why Flying With a Bike is Always a Gamble (And How to Improve Your Odds)

Two More Teams Said to Be Interested in Roglič, Including a Major Wildcard

Moto and Mountain Bike Icon Öhlins Debuts a Lust-Worthy Gravel Fork

Advantage, Evenepoel? The Tour de France 2027 route attempts to stop the inevitable

Who would the race organisers be considering?

Historic levels of time-trialling

Fewer mountaintop finishes

It’s impossible to Pog-proof a Tour

Anti-Pogačar Tour? ‘We Want to Keep the Suspense,’ Says Prudhomme

Winners and losers of the 2027 Tour de France route

Winner: Remco Evenepoel

Winners: The sprinters

Winner: Mathieu van der Poel

Winners: Polka-dot purists

Loser: Lenny Martinez

Losers: Anyone who thrives at high altitude

Losers: Weekend viewers

Losers: Tougher sprinters

Losers: Fans wanting to go to the Team Presentation

In the Drops: Panaracer’s durable race tyres, Silca’s drip wax update, Coospo’s rear radar, Icesupp performance lollies, and the Canadian Rizzler

Panaracer Agxero tyres

Silca Super Secret 2.0 chain lube

Coospo TR70 Smart Radar tail light

Icesupp lollies

What we’re into this week: Quebecois culture

BOYD Cycling Expands Junior Wheel Trade-In Programme to UK

Velo Podcast | We Recount the War Stories of 109 Degrees One Day and Hurricane Winds the Next

Jolanda Neff Follows Kate Courtney in Latest MTB-to-Road Pivot

Priority Bicycles’ E-Sauce Is a Versatile, Low-Maintenance, Single Speed… E-Klunker?

Priority E-Sauce – Key Specs and Features:

Drive System:

BH Ultralight <700g Road Bike is More Aero, Of Course Lighter & More Affordable

2027 BH Ultralight and aerodynamic carbon road bike

What else is new?

Tech details

2027 BH Ultralight – Pricing, options & availability

Tour de France Femmes 2027 full route revealed with Puy de Dôme set to host explosive finale

Tour de France Femmes 2027 key information

Tour de France Femmes 2027 route

Tour de France Femmes 2027 stage-by-stage preview

Stage 1: Friday 30th July, Leeds – Manchester, 86km

Stage 2: Saturday 31st July, Manchester – Sheffield, 154km

Stage 3: Sunday 1st August, London – London, 18km (TTT)

Stage 4: Monday 2nd August, Le Touquet-Paris-Plage – Calais, 123km

Stage 5: Tuesday 3rd August, Neufchâtel-en-Bray – Magnanville, 161km

Stage 6: Wednesday 4th August, Orléans – Bourges, 138km

Stage 7: Thursday 5th August, Nevers – La Loge des Gardes, 155km

Stage 8: Friday 6th August, La Bourboule – Clermont-Ferrand, 151km

Stage 9: Saturday 7th August, Clermont-Ferrand – Puy de Dôme, 170km

Juliana Bicycles Announces the End of Its 13-Year Run as Santa Cruz’s Sister Brand

The Next Chapter

A Couple Takeaways

The Tour de France Just Made the Anti-Pogačar Route for 2027

I’ve Ridden Thousands of Miles in the Ornot Park Jersey. Right Now It’s 40% Off.

WTB Launches 1,300-gram CMR Light Carbon XC Wheels

CMR Light Wheels Details

Frequency 7X Hubs

Lightweight Carbon Rims

Lightweight Design

Specs

Ride With Confidence

Pricing

Availability

Smart cycling tech just got a whole lot smarter

The story so far

The vision

Forging onwards

Competition: Win a set of Scribe Gravel Ultra wheels worth £999

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Newsletter

Exploring San Marino on 6 Different MAHLE e-Bikes

BlackHeart Bike Co Road Ti

Road Ti Details

Finishing

BlackHeart Road Ti Geo

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