The Belgian Competition Authority (BCA) has announced the Market Court (Brussels Court of Appeal) has dismissed the UCIs appeal against its interim order suspending the maximum gear ratio technical standard. In a press release, the BCA notes it had ordered the suspension of the standard as it amounted to a prima facie [on the face of it] restriction of competition because it had not been adopted by means of a transparent, objective, and non-discriminatory procedure. The announcement likely means cyclings international governing body will not be able to implement its trial of limiting the gear ratios used in professional road cycling, plans for which were revealed last summer. Responding to the announcement, SRAM CEO, Ken Lousberg, issued a statement in support of the groundbreaking ruling and called for reform of the UCIs rule making processes. Read more: The UCI rule changes for 2026 you need to know about Why the UCI lost its appeal against the BCA The BCA says the Market Court dismissed the UCI's appeal "in its entirety". Simon von Bromley / Our Media Laying out the reasons behind the decision, the BCA notes that the Market Court upheld the notion that the BCA had the jurisdiction in this case because of possible effects of the technical standard on the Belgian territory. The Market Court agreed with the BCAs view that the UCIs standard could restrict competition, and its decision to suspend the trial as a result. Damningly, the BCA says the Market Court ruled that the UCI had failed to justify why the maximum gear ratio standard was necessary and proportionate to achieve the objective of improving rider safety. And that the proposed standard created a risk of serious, imminent and irreparable harm to SRAM and the cycling teams equipped with its drivetrain systems. Concluding its statement, the BCA states sports federations must comply with competition law requirements when they produce economic effects and need, in such a case, to be based on transparent, objective, and non-discriminatory criteria. It also notes its investigation into the case remains in progress". When approached for comment, SRAM sent BikeRadar a statement (shared in full below) from its CEO, Ken Lousberg. He calls the ruling groundbreaking and says the UCIs process for adopting the proposed standard was deeply flawed. Lousberg also called for the UCI to engage with the World Federation of the Sporting Goods Industry (WFSGI) as a neutral voice of the cycling industry, and to make it a full partner in its rule making processes. How did we get here and what next for the UCIs maximum gear ratio standard? SRAM AXS cassettes start with a 10t sprocket, to increase their gearing range without adding weight. Warren Rossiter / Our Media This ruling is undoubtedly another hammer blow for the UCI, which was forced to suspend its proposed maximum gear ratio trial at the Tour of Guangxi last October. As noted when we first reported on this story, the proposed maximum gear development meters was set at 10.46m equivalent to a 54x11 tooth gear combination, as used by many riders on Shimano- and Campagnolo-sponsored teams. Given this, the standard appeared to specifically target SRAM-sponsored teams and their AXS drivetrains, which use cassettes starting with a 10t sprocket. In order to comply with the proposed standard, SRAM-sponsored teams would have been forced to use smaller, less efficient chainrings. Alternatively, SRAM could have supplied teams with cassettes starting with 11t sprockets but this would have upended the gearing philosophy the brand has used since 2019, and the launch of its Red eTap AXS groupset. Opinions on whether limiting gear ratios would make pro racing safer are mixed. Dan Bigham, head of engineering at Red Bull BORA Hansgrohe previously told BikeRadar that restricting gear ratios simply distracts from making meaningful changes to rider safety. Following the reveal of the UCIs plans, Tom Pidcock said limiting gears will only make everything more dangerous, as he believed it would mean riders end up closer together on descents. In contrast, both Wout Van Aert and Chris Froome have voiced their support for the idea of limiting gear ratios. SRAM says its sponsored pro-teams would have been forced to compete on an unequal footing under the UCI's proposed rules. Simon von Bromley / Our Media For its part, SRAM said its concerns about the proposed standard went unheard by the UCI, which led it to file a formal complaint with the BCA in September 2025. SRAMs legal action was taken, Lousberg said, not just to protect SRAM, but to protect the right to compete on equal footing. Although the BCAs investigation into the case is ongoing, it appears likely that the UCI will need to go back to the drawing board with this idea, if it wishes to push forward with plans to limit the maximum gear ratios used in professional cycling. So far, the UCI hasnt commented on the BCAs announcement or the Market Courts decision, but BikeRadar has asked for comment, and will update this article if we receive a response. SRAM statement in full Ken Lousberg, CEO, SRAM: "This case began as a dispute about our 10-tooth cog. This ruling is much bigger than that. "The Brussels Court of Appeal has issued a groundbreaking ruling on how sports federations across Europe must exercise regulatory power. The Court upheld the Belgian Competition Authority's previous findings that open, transparent, objective, and non-discriminatory governance is the legal standard for rule-making in sport. It endorsed that reasoning in full, applying well-established European Court of Justice case law in a way that will guide federation governance well beyond this case, and sharply rebuking the UCI's appeal. "Safety matters deeply to us, and it always has. While the UCI framed its gearing restriction as a safety measure, the science showed it wasn't, and the process used to adopt the rule was deeply flawed. For SRAM, our legal action was always about how the stakeholders of this sport work together to improve every part of it, including rider safety, in a clear, transparent, and fair way. The Court rejected the UCI's arguments on every ground, including the claim that safety justified the closed process it followed. "What comes next is the work this sport has needed for a long time: building that process together, with the common goal of improving our sport. The WFSGI, as the neutral voice of the cycling industry, is the natural partner in that work alongside the teams, athletes, race organizers, and the UCI. The door is now open, and there should be a seat for everyone willing to help build the future the sport deserves through collaboration, not exclusion. The first step is straightforward: the UCI should bring the WFSGI into rule-making as a full partner and start this reform now. SRAM is excited to get to work."

In March, Paragon Machine Works sent shockwaves through the framebuilding world with the surprise announcement of its abrupt closure. As of today, its officially in the safe hands of a new owner, Portlands Firsthand Framebuilding. Find details and learn what this means for the future hereThe post Firsthand Framebuilding Buys Paragon Machine Works appeared first on BIKEPACKING.com.

Victor Papon claimed a surprise victory on Stage 2 of the 2026 4 Jours de Dunkerque, winning from the breakaway after the peloton ran out of road in Lievin. The Nice Metropole Cote d'Azur rider was part of the five-man move that shaped the day, before Jaakko Hanninen was dropped inside the final 3km...

This case began as a dispute about our 10-tooth cog. This ruling is much bigger than that, the components brand said, following an appeal courts groundbreaking ruling to uphold the decision to suspend the UCIs controversial gearing trial

Should you replace your helmet just because manufacturers say its time? How and when do helmets degrade?

Mikkel Bjerg has put fresh focus on Team Visma | Lease a Bikes cautious Giro dItalia strategy, with the UAE Team Emirates - XRG rider pointing out how little work Jonas Vingegaards squad have done on the front despite the Danes status as the overwhelming favourite for overall victory. Visma rema...

British brand says its climbing-focused wheelset offers an aero advantage over Enves Tour-winning 4.5 Pro while weighing as little as 1,156g, as Hunt also adds a more affordable steel-spoke option to its 5AM Limitless range

SRAM argues that the UCI should work with cycling industry more over rules

Specialized has unveiled the new Evade 4, which is said to be 2.4 per cent cooler than before and features an updated internal shape to improve fit and comfort. The brand says the improved cooling and comfort come with zero aero penalty, compared to the highly-rated Evade 3 though this also implies it hasnt managed to move the needle any further in the pursuit of speed. Theres also a small weight penalty, with a size medium Evade 4 now weighing a claimed 290g up from 272g for the previous model. Perhaps, with the UCIs updated helmet regulations banning the use of ear coverings and visors in mass start events, weve reached the peak of what can be achieved with aero road helmets. Peak aero helmet The Evade has long been an 'all-rounder' aero helmet, making it a popular choice amongst racers. Specialized Specialized was one of the first brands to introduce an aero helmet that was versatile, and good looking enough to wear day-to-day, rather than just on cool days. The original Evade, which launched back in 2014, stole a march on existing options, like the Giro Air Attack, by using a more aggressive-looking shape and a decent amount of ventilation holes for cooling. Since then, the Evade formula has remained consistent, with the biggest changes coming for the second-generation model, in 2018, and only minor tweaks since. The Evade has retained a largely consistent shape and style throughout its four generations since the original (top left) launched back in 2014. The Evade 4 is the bottom right model, with 2 and 3 top right and bottom left, respectively. Specialized Its fair to say its a successful formula, too. Not only is the Evade 4 a popular pick amongst Specialized-sponsored pro racers, but its always scored well in our testing (the Evade 3 earned an almost perfect, 4.5 stars). With the UCI putting the kibosh on time trial helmets in road racing, it seems Specialized is instead focusing its development resources on the fact that critical races such as the Tour de France are increasingly ridden in extreme heat. Specialized says it focused on improving the Evade's ventilation as critical races like the Tour are now often raced in extreme weather conditions. Specialized According to Specializeds global category leader for mountain bikes, Sam Benedict, the number of days in the Tour where temperatures reach over 90 degrees [fahrenheit] is higher than ever. So while 2.4 per cent might not look like an enormous improvement on paper, Benedict says it means riders will be more inclined to select the more aerodynamic Evade 4 over the better-ventilated Prevail 3, more of the time. The Evade 4 features an increased number of ventilation holes on its shell. Specialized In terms of physical changes, the Evade 4 features seven ventilation holes on the front of the helmet, compared to just five on the Evade 3, plus an additional slotted ventilation hole on either side of the rear half of the shell. As before, two of the front vents double up as sunglasses storage. Specialized says it took design details from its time trial helmet, the TT5, to inform the Evade 4s aerodynamic design. The Evade 4 features a truncated tail that Specialized says won't penalise riders for looking down. Specialized Lionello Bardina, who manages Specializeds Win Tunnel (its in-house wind tunnel) and its CFD modelling, amongst other things, says the Evade 4 is designed to be flexible in terms of its aero performance. This means it should (in theory) work across a variety of riders and riding positions, and its truncated shape doesnt punish the heads down position riders often adopt during sprint finish, for example. The brand also claims the Evade 4 remains "class-leading" in terms of aero performance, though it hasn't supplied any evidence to back this up. Comfort improvements Improving the Evade's comfort was a key design goal for the fourth generation. Specialized While its hard to quantify how improvements to fit and comfort affect performance, Specialized nevertheless made this an area of focus for the Evade 4. The primary changes, according to the brand, are a change of headform the model head around which a helmet is shaped (similar to a last for a shoe) and an update to the retention system and cradle. The Evade is modelled around a rounder headform than before. Specialized Benedict says the new headform is slightly rounder and less ovalised than before, with the intention it better fits a wider array of people. It also gets an upgrade to MIPS Air Node Pro padding, which is claimed to provide improved protection against rotational brain injuries, in the event of a crash. There's a now an additional side vent on the rear half of each side of the Evade 4, to improve airflow. Specialized As noted previously, the claimed weight from a size medium Evade 4 is up slightly, at 290g for a CE-certified model, or 330g for a CPSC equivalent. Our size medium CE sample, in the White/Red colour scheme, came in just under that at 287g 15g heavier than the Evade 3 we tested in 2023. The retention system and cradle has also been overhauled. Specialized The Specialized Evade 4 costs $350 / 329. UK pricing to be confirmed. It is available now in six colours; Black, White, White/Red, Root Beer, Silver/White and Multi Aurora.

Im sure you all remember a couple of months back, when Paragon Machine Works (PMW), a well-established manufacturer of bicycle frame-building components and tools, announced that after 43 years, it was closing its doors and shutting down for good. It was really sad news, as PMW was a very major player in the bicycle framebuilding community. The industry-wide response was the hope that Paragon would get picked up and purchased. You know, for someone to carry on the long-standing support they had supplied for so long.Paragon pulled back from the brink by Firsthand(Photos / Firsthand Framebuilding)Well, today we are announcing some great news! It was announced today that Firsthand Framebuilding, a Portland-based framebuilding supply and education company, has purchased Portland Machine Works. And they purchased PMWs complete intellectual property portfolio, too.The acquisition is said to include all of PMWs designs and copyrights. They acquired the brand name, trademark assets, and the manufacturing tooling necessary to produce their entire catalog of frame-building supplies.Whew. This is awesome news!But wait, whos Firsthand Framebuilding?Well, as mentioned, theyre based in Portland, Oregon, and are dedicated to supporting the custom bicycle community. They already do this by providing a large and comprehensive selection of high-quality materials, tools, and expertise. The timing of this acquisition couldnt be better. Firsthand says they will be opening a framebuilding school in the Fall of 2026. The new school will offer a range of bike-making classes both for established framebuilders and those who aspire to be framebuilders.Firsthand Framebuilding was already a longtime Paragon dealer. Theyre also the North American distributor for Reynolds steel and titanium frame tubing. Firsthand focuses on both framebuilding education, as well as supplying tools and equipment for the craft. This existing relationship and the mutual shared focus on the framebuilding community made the acquisition a natural fit between the two companies.With PMWs extensive catalog of components and tools now under Firsthands control, they will be able to offer students AND independent framebuilders access to educational resources and the necessary equipment, all in one place. The consolidation could streamline the supply chain for framebuilders who previously needed to source materials and tools from multiple vendors. This, in turn, potentially makes the craft more accessible to newcomers while serving the existing community of bicycle frame manufacturers.From the Horses Mouth:The Norstad family said of the sale, Were proud of the legacy weve created at Paragon Machine Works. Transitions are never easy, but working with Firsthand to secure Paragons future has been a dream come true. To see the product line not only carried on, but by a company that is truly investing in the future of framebuilding, is more than we could have hoped for. Were thankful for our customers support during the last 43 years, and were delighted that the Paragon product line will live on.Firsthands owner, Chris Blandford, added, Like so many, Ive long admired Paragon. The Norstads and their staff have supported the framebuilding community for decades. I am humbled that they have put their faith in me and Firsthand to uphold and carry forward their substantial legacy. In the coming weeks, we will be contacting Paragons customers regarding our plans, product ordering, and timelines.It Wont be EasyDuring the closure, Paragon cited several reasons for its sudden closure, including declining sales and rising costs. So, the purchase of PMW wont be without its challenges. Blandford is also not naive to those hurdles, saying, If the Norstads cant make this business work as-is, then I definitely cant. What weve bought here isnt an operating business we hope to fix or replicate; its a legacy of framebuilding knowledge and design that needed the right steward. That said, Im extremely optimistic that, with the right approach, manufacturing high-quality, affordable framebuilding bits domestically is still very doable and important in 2026. Paragons closure was a gut-check for all of us. With Paragons IP in hand, Im excited to see what the Firsthand team and I can do to bring a fresh perspective to framebuilding component supply in the future.Well, this is really great news. And Im going to be so bold and speak on the Industrys behalf, and I say, we are really glad Paragon Machine Works will live on! Best of luck to Firsthand Framebuilding on the long road ahead. Im confident you guys can make this work!Firsthand.BikeThe post Paragon Machine Works Legacy Lives On! The Bicycle Industry Celebrates a Win. appeared first on Bikerumor.