Comment & Analysis: The North Circular Road active travel project is about to go to construction, so whats the point in dissecting it now? First, to give people an overview of what to expect, but more importantly to say: Dublin City needs to be doing better and outline some of the ways how.Heres how we covered this project so far:September 2022: A news report outlining how the interim cycle route is planned ahead of a permanent projectDecember 18, 2022: A look at the initial interimproject and outlining how two-way would be betterAugust 25, 2023: Making the case more strongly for two-wayFebruary 2025: A news report covering councillors berating the lack of urgency on the projectJune 16, 2025: Outlining the issues with the revised plans.Now: Looking at the issues with the final plans.One of the main issues with the project is that it has taken so long to get to construction on just 1/5 of the full route:For all of the drawings below, heres the legend: This is the western end of the project at Dorset Street Lower significantly, with no plan for a connected route, the current interim project seems to include removing the existing advance stop line, which in this case allows people cycling to get into the straight-ahead lane shown in colour below.Getting in the right location is significant at this location more than most, as the road narrows to one lane in each direction ahead:The westbound cycle lane is also substandard in width at just 1.5 metres wide with no buffer or kerb: The project includes a mix of:Parking protected cycle lanes.Concrete buildouts with continuous footpaths or raised crossings at minor junctionsProtective islands at some junctions but not at othersBus stop platformsShort unprotected sectionsWider and renewed footpaths in parts Extra greenery in build-outs and other locationsAt different points along the route, narrow sections, kerbs and buffers often make the cycle path narrower than it needs to be. This is an example circled below:This is where the route crosses Belvidere Road and PlaceHere there are more examples of narrow points which are needlessly narrowed to what could be below very basic accessibility requirements. Even allowing for space for a turning lane, the concrete buffer here makes the cycle path too narrow:The space for the turning lane within the cycle path is also far too narrow, especially where the concrete buffer beside it and/or the extra-wide footpath could be narrowed locally:It feels like the project team were really trying with this design, but maybe with their hands behind their backs. Filtering Sherrard Street Upper (bottom left) which could possibly form part of a cycle route around the pinch point at Dorset Street Lower (see the start of the article) is a real positive. But there are too many issues with this design, and I dont think it will function as the designers expect it to. No formal contra-flow entry point is provided at Sherrard St Lower (top middle above, and see red arrow and question mark below) I dont think there should need to be entry markings in cases like this, but it seems to be required by guidelines.Its unclear why the cycle path at the number of minor junctions bends out the way at these locations, the cycle track bending in or going straight would provide at least some buffer space for motorists turning into the side road to stop partly off the carriageway:This is a minor junction, but even at this junction, the sightlines between the point where people cycling (green arrow) would pass the tree to the left of the image below and motorists exiting (purple arrow).This next junction at Portland Street North slightly bends out, but this is more understandable given the need to protect the tree to the right of the junction. But its unclear why pedestrians are not being given priority, at least by way of the stop line set further back or a junction zebra, which are allowed in Ireland and could be put in place just using signs and markings.Some of the reasoning for not providing a high-quality cycle route includes more pedestrian priority, yet at these types of locations where motorists are exiting, there is no pedestrian priority.Also note that at this side road and at others, theres no provision for people cycling to exit the side street and turn right into the cycle lane on the opposite side of the street:Note: The cycle lanes on both sides of the green buildouts below are just paint:The junction of the North Circular and Russell Street and Fitzgibbon Street (circled in yellow below), which links Croke Park and Mountjoy Square, is where this route links to a planned primary cycle route (highlighted in yellow) in the Greater Dublin Area Cycle Network Plan.So youd expect a high-quality north-south connection as part of this route at least between the North Circular Route and the Royal Canal Greenway just north of this junction:But instead there is a mass of concrete and stone, and no protected cycle route just painted cycle lanes mentioned a few images above just continue through the junction going east-west.This design effectively blocks a number of solutions for a high-quality north-south route without major reconfiguration of the junction:The above is a stunning design given the space available so, why was it designed that way?This is what the original Dublin City Council consultation report said about this junction:Due to requirements to facilitate large crowd movements through Fitzgibbon Street/Russell Street junction on the North Circular Road, full segregation was not possible at this location. However, specific pedestrian and cyclist traffic signals as well as improved road markings are proposed to improve pedestrian and cyclist safety through the junction.But this is strange, as large-scale events at Croke Park include the closure of at least Russell Street and if not, also a section of the North Circular Road, at least for the peak of events. Unless there is a planned change in that policy?Turning movementsAlong the route, the design does not even provide for turning movements towards the Royal Canal or towards Mountjoy Square and the city centre. Even with the design chosen for the footpaths and no segregated cycle paths, turning movements could still have been facilitated via advance stop lines or, more preferably, two-stage right turns, as this example provides for in the Cycle Design Manual:These advice stop line designs seem to be also very strange, especially exiting Russell Street where the general traffic lane is marked as 4.35 metres:Without any turning restrictions (unlikely with the Garda Station just south of the junction), and none have been signposted, the access to Emmet Street being via a continuous footpath on the North Circular Road directly seems needlessly risky. It is likely to confuse other road users and cause issues.While Emmet Street is a low-traffic street, people making these manoeuvres at such a junction likely makes a continuous footpath an unsuitable solution.Access via Fitzwilliam Street with the crossing shifted north would likely be a better solution which makes the movments into Emmet Street more perdictable and at a lower speed. The proximity of the street in this case at St. Margarets Avenue North may be more of an issue but Im not sure when the designer has tried to split the lane in half and include a sharrow in one direction when the carriageway here is hardly wider than a single car:This junction at Charles Street Great is a huge improvement on the current (see second image below), but again: Why no zebra crossing? It would make priority so much clearer:At the DublinBikes station just west of Richmond Street North, a two-way cycling crossing is to be welcomed, but there are also some odd design choices here:Why are there bollards needed inside a kerb-protected cycle path and a DublinBikes stand? Could some of that space be used for DublinBikes stands instead of removing them? With the crossing, the first question that springs to mind is why provide a link to the DublinBikes station but not to Richmond St North, where theres a secondary and primary school and more?This design is also not following TL606 in the Cycle Design Manual: Which looks like this:As with other projects, Dublin City Council claims to be pedestrian-minded, yet vulnerable pedestrians with the councils design are expected to wait at the A points below and then when they get a green light they will have to cross the equivalent of 4.5 to 5 lanes in width.The other solution is to put zebras over the cycle path and have people wait at the dots marked with Bs below then theyd only have to cross two lanes on the carrgway at once.This is both a safety and accessibility issue, and poor choices have been made here:The junction at Summerhill is a Dublin-style junction, similar to whats provided at Five Lamps junction just down the road people cycling at the junction are continuing to complain about motorists turning over the cycle crossing when cyclists have a green light, and motorists have a flashing amber to turn left.This junction will also have right turns over the cycle paths, which only exist on one movement at the Five Lamps junction but in three directions here if these turning movements are not separated by time, it will likely cause more issues.The approaches are also needlessly narrowed to under 2 metres, and the green space is provided inside the cycle path rather than as a buffer between it and the carriageway:There is also very limited turning capacity before the protected corners are blocked up and people cycling straight will be blocked by those waiting to tunr right:Nearly the full stretch eastbound along Portland Row is just painted cycle lanes in an area where a painted cycle lane has been used for car parking for maybe two decades or more:Heres just one example Google Street View has many:This is the mid section on Portland Row:In the UK, some experts report that cycle paths at bus stops where the path has a restricted width cause more conflicts. Here we have a bus stop platform with a cycle path of just 1.3 metres; going downhill is likely to cause more issues 1.3 metres is not acceptable even on flat ground.While this is an improvement over this original narrow platform, the narrowness of the cycle path is too narrow for such an incline. This has to perform safely even when there are no bus passengers around.At the crossing theres no formal provision for cycling despite Dunne Street being an access route to a school, and in the bottom left corner, Empress Place does not have contra-flow provision:This is the tie-in to the Clontarf to City Centre route at the Five Lamps junction:The cycle lanes here are just 1.5 metres which is sub-standard in both directions and is segregated only in one direction:Sadly, because of higher-level decisions to reject a two-way cycle path, the cycle route will be left disjointed, with large gaps in segregation.Im not expecting any of the above changes to be integrated into the project

Gaia Realini's four-year spell with Lidl-Trek will come to an earlier-than-expected end, with the Italian climber and the German-registered Women's WorldTour team agreeing to part ways after the 2026 season. The decision is surprising because Realini was previously tied to Lidl-Trek through the end...

The K-Series is Kendas designation for its top-tier road, gravel, and mountain bike tires. Made with premium materials and developed alongside its professional athletes, the K-Series mountain bike range includes everything from fast and light XC tires to burly and aggressive gravity treads. Today, Kenda is adding a brand-new model to the lineup, the Ripper.According to the brand, the Ripper bridges the gap between efficient XC/downcountry tires and heavy enduro rubber. Its designed as a versatile, do-it-all trail and all-mountain tire that rolls fast and delivers consistent, predictable cornering and braking traction. The Ripper is launching in the K-Series Trail casing to start, with a next-gen All-Mountain Casing version to follow.Kenda sent me the new Ripper Trail along with the Double Diamond (Trail and Enduro casings) to check out before launch. Ive got a couple of rides on them so far, and Ill share my initial impressions at the end of this article.The new K-Series Ripper Trail is made for ripping trail.K-Series Ripper TrailAccording to the brand, the Ripper was designed for Riders who want a fast, efficient trail tire with confident traction but dont need enduro-level aggression. Within the brands K-Series range of mountain bike tires, it sits directly between the XC-oriented Dagger and more aggressive Double Black models. As such, it aims to combine the performance attributes of both tires, balancing the formers rolling speed with the latters traction.Ripper Trail tread.The Rippers center tread is an alternating 2-2-3 pattern of medium-height knobs, all of which feature ramped leading edges and horizontal sipes. The spacing is fairly close and spreads into the intermediate/transition zone, and Kenda refers to it as a neutral void tread. The shoulders consist of a uniform row of fairly substantial cornering knobs, each with 2 vertical sipes. According to the brand, the broad bases of the tread knobs provide stability for consistent cornering and braking traction.The Ripper Trail uses a dual-layer rubber compound with a softer, high-traction rubber over a fast-rolling base layer. This is intended to provide a balance of rolling speed, grip, and durability. That sits atop Kendas 60 tpi K-Series Trail casing, which is meant to balance protection, durability, ride quality, and low weight. Kenda says the 62mm casing and tread width are optimized for modern wheels and riding styles, and the Ripper Trail is compatible with analog bikes and eMTBs.The Ripper Trail is intended for use in the front and rear for a balanced, quick-rolling setup. For more aggressive riding, Kenda recommends running it as a rear tire paired with the Double Black in the front. Or, for a faster-rolling setup, try the Ripper in front and with the Dagga in the back.SizesThe Ripper is currently available in the Trail version only, but Kenda says a slightly more robust All-Mountain version is in the works. The Ripper Trail comes in 27.5 and 29 diameters in 2.4 and 2.6 widths. All of them come with black sidewalls, and the 29x2.4 is also available with a coffee colored sidewall. Claimed weights range from 915 grams to 1025 grams, depending on the size.Additionally, Kenda says that 20, 24, and 26 sizes are coming soon.Pricing and AvailabilityThe new Ripper Trail retails for $84.95 and is available now. Head to the Kenda website to learn more or purchase some fresh tires for your fall mountain bike adventures.kendatire.comFirst ImpressionsI was a pretty big fan of the Kenda Nevegal back around 2005-ish, but I havent ridden any of the brands mountain bike tires in well over a decade. So, when they offered to send me some of their latest tires, I was intrigued and interested to see how they perform. In addition to the brand-new Ripper Trail, they sent me the more aggressive Double Black in both the Trail and Enduro casings.Actual Weights and Measured WidthsThe 2.4 Ripper Trail (photo / Jeremy Benson)Before mounting the Ripper and Double Black Trail tires, I weighed all of the tires I have on hand. Interestingly, the 2.4 Ripper Trail weighs more than the 2.6; I triple-checked to make sure I wasnt mixing up the sizes. The 1012g measured weight of the 2.4 version is only 17g higher than claimed, which isnt too far off. The 937g weight of the 2.6, however, is significantly lower than its claimed weight of 1025g. An 88g discrepancy is fairly significant and could potentially be due to it being a preproduction sample, but thats speculation.The 2.6 Ripper Trail (photo / Jeremy Benson)WeightsRipper Trail 29x2.4: 1012gRipper Trail 29x2.6: 937gDouble Black Trail 29x2.4: 986gDouble Black Trail 29x2.6: 1160gDouble Black Enduro 29x2.4: 1259gDouble Black Enduro 29x2.6:1421gThe 2.4 Double Black measured exactly 62 mm, or 2.4, on my 30mm rims. (photo / Jeremy Benson)Ive only mounted two of the tires so far, and I measured their widths on 30 mm internal-width rims.The Double Black was spot on at 62mm or 2.4. The Ripper Trail measured a touch narrow at 60mm, or 2.36, but its still essentially brand-new, so that might change as the casing breaks in a bit more.WidthsDouble Black Trail 29x2.4: 61mm or 2.4Ripper Trail 29x2.4: 60mm or 2.36The Ripper Trail measured 60mm or 2.36 (photo / Jeremy Benson)InstallationIve been testing the new Santa Cruz Tallboy for the past few weeks, and it came with a matching set of Maxxis Forekaster tires. Its a good, fast-rolling combo, but I wanted a little more grip in the front, so I swapped in the Double Black Trail. A few days later, I mounted the 2.4 Ripper Trail on the rear.Both tires were very easy to mount, and neither required the use of tire levers when installing them on the 30mm-wide Reserve 30 SL rims. I was able to seat both tires easily using the high-volume Topeak Joeblow Mountain X Digital pump, which moves a lot of air per stroke. Still, both tires were shockingly hassle-free to mount.The Tallboy mounted up with the Ripper Trail and Double Black Trail tires. (photo / Jeremy Benson)On the TrailThe Double Black immediately provided significantly more cornering and braking traction on the front of the Tallboy, which is exactly what I was hoping for. Despite its relatively aggressive and widely spaced tread design, it doesnt put up much rolling resistance, and it felt surprisingly quick on pavement and hardpack. At the same time, it dug into the loose and gripped where the Forekaster was slipping. I found 20 psi to be the sweet spot for grip, damping, and support with the relatively light Trail casing.Switching from the Forekaster to the Ripper Trail on the rear initially didnt feel much different. In fact, it was hard to tell them apart. Both tires share a similar, fast-rolling tread design and intended use as a versatile, all-around trail tire. It felt zippy and fast-rolling while riding the roads and bike paths to my local trails. On the trail, however, the differences became more apparent. The Rippers slightly more aggressive tread was less prone to spinning out on loose climbs and offered notably improved braking traction. The beefier row of side knobs also delivered more traction, confidence, and trust while leaning the bike over in corners.Im digging the Ripper Trails balance of speed and traction so far.Again, the Trail casing felt suitable for my needs and a good match for the Tallboy. I landed on 22 psi for the Ripper Trail in the rear and had no issues with squirming, burping, or rimming out.For comparison, Id say it feels a bit more supportive than Maxxis EXO, probably closer to EXO+. The tradeoff is a slight increase in weight compared the 2.4 Forekaster at ~925g.As for other comparisons, the Ripper Trail is positioned similarly to tires like the aforementioned Maxxis Forekaster, the Schwalbe Nobby Nic, Vittoria Aggaro, and the Specialized Eliminator. Like those tires, Id be most inclined to run it in the rear with a more aggressive tire in the front, but that obviously depends on your riding style, terrain, and conditions.The Ripper Trail vs. the Maxxis Forekaster. (photo / Jeremy Benson)My experience with the new K-Series Ripper Trail and Double Black Trail has been very brief, but so far, my initial impressions are positive. The Ripper rear/Double Black front combo seems like a good match for my riding style and the current conditions. Its still quick and efficient, yet a bit more robust, grippy, and confidence-inspiring than the dual Forekaster setup it replaced.The Ripper Trail seems like a great new addition to the K-Series lineup and the versatile trail-tire category. Im looking forward to putting some more miles on them in the coming months to see how they perform and hold up over the long term.

Remco Evenepoel needed almost everything to go right - and a few things to go wrong - before finally completing his collection of major championship road titles in Slovenia. According to Belgian cycling analyst Marc Sergeant, the way Evenepoel handled those twists showed exactly why he deserved the...

The 2026 cycling season is heading into the home straight, but plenty is still at stake. The Montral Worlds have already crowned Brandon McNulty as the new world champion and the European Championships in Ljubljana are about to wrap up with Wednesdays time trial, yet the peloton still faces severa...

CyclistPinarellos new X series: X marks the sweet spotDo you ever get the feeling that weve lost track of the essence of why we ride our bikes? The sheer meditative, fitness-boosting, mental health-elevating enjoyment of it all? Well, Pinarello seems to agree, as the second generation of the Italian brands X series range is all about helping riders engage with and enjoy the ride.Pinarellos revised X series seeks to strike a balance between performance, innovation and all-day riding comfort.PinarelloBy building the bikes around a range of features that prioritise practicality and riding comfort, Pinarello has created a roster of road bikes that brings WorldTour-proven design and tech to everyday riders who want to lose themselves in a long day in the saddle, riding along at their own pace. Here we take a closer look at the second-generation Pinarello X series, and what makes it special.PinarelloComfort zoneWhen it comes to endurance bikes, progress, however rapid, is nothing without comfort. To that end, the X series seeks to mitigate fatigue from road vibrations through numerous innovations. At the rear end, double-arm, four-point X-Stays take their cue from Pinarellos flagship Dogma X to smooth out vibrations, with a lower linkage that reduces rebound for more control and a smoother ride overall.PinarelloNearer to the saddle one of the most crucial contact points of the bike an adaptive seatpost supplies 10mm of longitudinal flex to absorb the worst of what our questionably surfaced roads can throw at us. Beyond this, each of the X series models uses three different grades of carbon fibre in its frameset. The UK market top-end X7 models T900 frame is optimised for responsiveness, light weight and damping; the X3 and X5 models feature T700 carbon for even more effective vibration reduction; the entry-level X1 now has a T600 layup, which, while heavier, still prioritises ride compliance.PinarelloPractical magicDown tube storage in the new models adds practical value for the long-distance rider. An integrated port in the down tube houses a compact toolbag, with room for inner tubes, gels and the like without cluttering the look of the bike or detracting from its performance. Frame clearance has been upped to 40mm for the new models, giving a greater choice of tyres for control and vibration reduction on the worst of roads. An elliptical steering tube on the X3, X5 and X7 affords fully integrated cabling, and boosts stiffness and precision for greater handling confidence. The X1 retains the previous generations frame design to maintain full mechanical groupset compatibility. The X series bikes come with Pinarellos distinctive double-arm X-Stays, which feature four attachment points to minimise rebound and distribute road vibrations more efficiently through the frame.PinarelloAfter all, we dont all want and certainly dont need the highest spec of electronic shifting. Sometimes the fuss-free enjoyment of riding your bike is the noblest aim. Geometry for all four bikes follows the if it aint broke, dont fix it approach its long, high, and focused on all-day comfort.PinarelloChoose your weaponThe new X series range starts at 3,000 for the X1, which is available in racing red or racing black, with a 212 Shimano 105 groupset and a Most Fast 27 DB wheelset from Pinarellos in-house componentry arm. The 4,000 X3 gets interstellar alloy and element black colour options and comes with a Shimano 105 Di2 groupset with a DT Swiss A1800 wheelset. The X5 costs 5,000 and comes in iron blue or amber trace with the same groupset but with deeper Most Fast 45 wheels. The range-topping X7 in atlas glow or titan pulse comes in at 6,500, with Ultegra Di2 electronic shifting and Most Ultrafast 45 wheels.For more information on the second-generation Pinarello X series, and to find your nearest dealer, visit pinarello.com/uk/enThe post Pinarellos new X series: X marks the sweet spot appeared first on Cyclist.

The 2026 Arizona Trail Race is well underway, and Wyatt Spalding is on the ground to cover all the action as it unfolds along the notoriously challenging route. In his mid-race report, he catches up with a handful of lead riders and reflects on the beauty and camaraderie he's witnessed on the rugged trail. Read it here...The post A Mid-Ride Update from the 2026 Arizona Trail Race appeared first on BIKEPACKING.com.

Remco Evenepoel has won the European Championships road race this Sunday afternoon in Slovenia and with it, achieved something that no rider has ever done before: Win every Olympic, World, European and national title available in road cycling. On the CyclingUpToDate Podcast, Rben Silva and Gavin Qu...

What does it take to completely revamp the humble rear bike rack? In their latest video, Tailfin pulls back the curtain on years of prototyping, testing, tiny refinements, and the people behind their Journey Bike Rack. They offer a behind-the-scenes look at how an idea becomes a finished product. Watch it hereThe post Rethinking The Bike Rack: Designing The Tailfin Journey Rack (Video) appeared first on BIKEPACKING.com.

Blackwater Bicycles showed something pretty different at the CRAFTED Bike Show at Cane Creek. We saw it online, and now were wishing wed seen it in person. Built in collaboration with Marginal Gain of Colorado, the bike uses a drivetrain concept called Orient. The new chainring has one simple goal: keep the chain straighter across more of the cassette. View this post on Instagram Whats the bit that everyones trying to improve for 1x? Chainline, and no matter how close you get it, theres always a compromise. Wide-range 1x drivetrains ask the chain to run at some pretty ugly angles in the biggest and smallest cogs. A gnarler angle means more friction, more wear, and less efficiency. But, maybe not for long. (Photo/Blackwater Bikes)Orient ChainlineBlackwater and Marginal Gain built the drivetrain around a different layout meant to reduce chain articulation across the range. The idea gets more interesting as cassette counts keep climbing. Marginal Gain says the concept could support 15- or even 16-speed setups while still keeping chain angles more reasonable than many current 1x systems.The setup was on a Blackwater Splitfire at CRAFTED. Where small builders and component makers had plenty of room to bring out the weird (and ultra practical) stuff.(Image/Marginalgains chainring 1X production video from Instagram)Most drivetrain development is focused on adding another cog or making the derailleur smarter. Blackwater and Marginal Gain are looking at the problem from a different angl. Asking whether the chainline itself is what needs to change Mind blown!