The Magic Components Mothbar is a laid-back, swoopy handlebar with vintage-inspired design cues and a mandate to take it easy. Tom Powell swapped out his drop bars for a set on his Singular Gryphon, and they completely changed his relationship to the bike. From local jaunts around British Columbia to a journey across New Zealand, find his Magic Components Mothbar review hereThe post Magic Components Mothbar Review: Wide Sweeps, Slow Adventures appeared first on BIKEPACKING.com.

Tadej Pogacar made his first Tour de Suisse appearance look almost absurdly simple on stage 1, but the world champion insisted afterwards that his race-altering 70km assault had not been drawn up in advance. The UAE Team Emirates - XRG leader blew the opening stage around Sondrio apart long before t...

The Irish teenager raced for British junior team Camsmajaco, the feeder squad for Netcompany Ineos

Rimpact has released a tuned mass damper (TMD) for your gravel bike to reduce fatigue and improve the bike's handling. TMDs are already uses in F1 cars and skyscrapers, and World Cup downhill mountain bikers have used them for a couple of seasons now, with a number of companies now offering production off-the-shelf products for racers. TMDs contain a weight which is suspended between two springs, which absorb bumps by delaying the transmission of kinetic energy. Rimpact already makes a TMD which can be fitted inside most aluminium steerer suspension forks, but the Gravel Tuned Mass Damper is the first we've seen specifically for gravel bikes. It can be run even when there isn't enough space within the steerer tube, which can be the case with carbon gravel forks. It doesnt interfere with any of the fork mounts explains Dan Hicks, the engineer behind the device. So if youre running bags on the forks, it wont be in the way. Rimpact's Gravel Tuned Mass Damper Rimpact's Gravel Tuned Mass Damper bolts onto the flat-mount brake mount of the fork. Rimpact Rimpact says its Gravel Tuned Mass Damper leads to a 3% reduction in the impacts transmitted to the rider. This could have both handling and comfort improvements. A weight between two springs offers a pretty significant benefit, says Hicks. The device weighs a claimed 400g, which is not inconsiderable, but Rimpact believes that the handling benefits are worthwhile. Rimpact says that setting the Gravel TMD up is easy and that it's a one-size-fits-all solution. The Gravel TMD bolts onto the outside of the fork on the flat-mount brake caliper mount. This means that riders using a rigid fork with a carbon steerer tube can take advantage of a TMD. You can also mount it to a gravel suspension fork. Its fit and forget says Hicks, if you want the benefit over bumps, with none of the fuss of suspension. Were very ride it hard and put it away dirty, says Hicks. I love my gravel bike because its easy to look after. The Gravel TMD is designed with this ethos in mind, Hick says: Its all sealed, and it should never need servicing, and if it does, its as simple as undoing one Allen bolt, wiping it off and adding grease. We were keen on this lack of need for servicing, and simplicity. Will TMDs work for gravel riding? Rimpact say that the Gravel TMD is easily serviceable with access granted by just a single Allen bolt. Rimpact Tuned mass dampers could make a lot of sense for gravel bikes with a rigid fork. With no suspension movement, a tuned mass damper can reduce the amount of bump force being transmitted through to the rider. The mass inside the Gravel TMD is 250g the same as the Rimpact MTB TMD but the spring rate has been tailored to gravel riding. The range of accelerations experienced on a gravel bike is narrower than mountain biking, so the Gravel TMDs springs are slightly softer. Hicks says that speed of the impacts is higher for gravel bikes with a much spikier force profile as there is no suspension, the tyres are smaller, and bars are narrower. This makes gravel bikes far less compliant. We cant wait to get one on test and see if it really does lead to a smoother ride, better handling, and less fatigue. The Gravel Tuned Mass Damper is available from Rimpact now for 229.99 / 267.95 / $308.

Last week, SRAM announced that it will be building a new full-product manufacturing facility in Coimbra, Portugal, adding to its existing presence in the region. SRAM states that the investment will enhance its ability to better serve its European OEM and aftermarket partners, while also improving sustainability, flexibility, and supply-chain resiliency.(Photos / SRAM)The purpose-built campus will cover 25,000 square meters (270,000 square feet), bringing SRAMs complete manufacturing operations to Europe. This includes assembly, testing, and quality control. The facility will support production of SRAMs entire component line of more than 7,500 individual parts. The new facility puts manufacturing closer to European OEM and aftermarket partners.The Coimbra facility represents a major strategic step for SRAM, said SRAM CEO Ken Lousberg. Expanding our manufacturing footprint in Europe allows us to work more closely with our European OEM and AM partners, improve sustainability, and operate with greater speed and resilience across our global network.Roots in PortugalSRAM already has roots in Portugal. Their current Coimbra facility is the companys only global manufacturing site for bicycle chains, producing millions of units each year. The campus also handles Zipp wheels and TIME Sport pedal operations, while employing over 300 people. The new facility will operate separately, with the chain, pedal, and wheel assembly staying in their existing locations.SRAM says that one of the main drivers behind the expansion is supply chain efficiency. They say that by shifting more production to Europe, they will reduce long-distance freight between Taiwan and Europe. This greatly shortens lead times, cuts logistics-related emissions, and simplifies day-to-day coordination with bicycle manufacturers across the EU. Having a second full-product facility could also add resilience to SRAMs global production network, while the vertically integrated design is built to support scaling of drivetrain, brake, and suspension product lines.This is a proud moment for everyone at SRAM Portugal.A second facility here confirms what our team has built over decades. And it means European riders will get more SRAM products faster, with the same quality standardstheyvecome to expect.Wereready to deliver on that, said Isabel Gomes, SRAM Portugal General Manager.The project is expected to create more than 500 jobs in manufacturing, engineering, quality, and operations. SRAM plans to work with local institutions on workforce development. Phased operations are set to begin in 2028, with production capacity continuing to ramp through 2032.SRAM.comThe post SRAM to Build New, Full Manufacturing Plant in Portugal to Expand European Reach appeared first on Bikerumor.

Tadej Pogacar put the Tour de Suisse in his grip on stage 1, launching from around 70km out and turning his race debut into a day-one demolition around Sondrio. The world champion accelerated long before the expected finale and quickly bridged across to Frederik Dversnes, who had been alone at the h...

I asked him to apologise and he said, I would, but I dont like your attitude, the cyclist recalled