Between September 21st and 29th in Zurich, Switzerland, the 2024 CyclingWorld Championships are on the programme. Right here, you can see the full schedule for the week and find out when each of the Rainbow Jerseys for 2024 will be handed out!The men's road race starts in Winterthur and covers a di...

Earlier this year at Sea Otter, Trek had several new launches including the excellent Carback Radar Tail light. Lately, Trek has been releasing new products in batches, which means that its easy to miss something new like the Bontrager Paradigm Pro 30 TLR Disc gravel wheels. It wasnt until after the show that we found the (very) wide gravel wheels on the Trek website. Naturally, we wanted to know more.Gravel wheels are quickly seeing a race to mountain bike widths, and the Paradigm 30 wheels are no different. In fact, these wheels use the same rim as the Bontrager Kovee Pro 30 MTB wheel. That includes a rim thats 35mm wide externally, 29mm wide internally, and 29mm deep. As a result, Trek says these wheels will pair well with 700c tires in 42-50mm widths like their new Betasso RSL GX. The hooked rims are tubeless ready, and come pre-taped. The tubeless tire set up with the Bontrager Betasso RSL GX TLR gravel tire was a cinch using Bontrager TLR tire sealant.What makes the Paradigm 30 wheels different than the Kovee Pro 30s? It mostly comes down to the hubs. The Paradigms have the necessary 12 x 100mm front and 12 x 142mm rear hubs needed for modern gravel bikes rather than the Boost spacing found on the Kovees. Both wheels are 24-hole with 14/17/14g bladed spokes and alloy locking nipples.That should make the weight very similar as well, with the 1380g claimed weight of the Paradigm 30s just 5g less than the Kovee Pros. Once taped and the included tubeless valves installed, the weight is slightly more at 1428g. Only PARTLY Compatible with Shimano GRX 12-speedThe only catch to consider when purchasing these wheels is that Trek/Bontrager currently does not have a Micro Spline freehub option for their road hubs, and has no plans to add one any time soon. Note that there is a Micro Spline option for their MTB Rapid Drive hubs, but they are not cross-compatible, and cant be used here.That only matters if you plan to run a GRX 112 drivetrain with a Shimano MTB cassette, or any drivetrain combination with a Micro Spline cassette for that matter. Otherwise, the wheels include a Shimano HG 11-speed freehub option that will work with SHIMANO GRX 212 drivetrains with HG splined cassettes.Our sample shipped with the other freehub option, SRAM XDR which is available separately. Both freehub options include Bontragers Rapid Drive tech with 108 points of engagement.New Bontrager Gravel TiresAlong with the wheels, Trek sent over the new Betasso RSL GX TLR and Girona RSL GR TLR tires to check out. As mentioned, the Betasso is a 700c x 50mm size, while the Girona is 700c x 45mm. Due to the difference in width and tread height, the two tires are almost 100g apart. Ive spent most of my time on the Betasso so far, but the Girona tread is very similar to the new WTB Vulpine S which should make it extremely fast on pavement and hardpack dirt and gravel. What are they like to ride?Sometimes, review products show up just at the right time. That was the case with the Paradigm 30 Pros. Ive been reviewing the Kona Ouroboros Supreme which came stock with Zipp 101 XPLR wheels that I have not been able to successfully run tubeless (this seems to be a known issue with these wheels, but more on that in the Kona review).I needed a different pair of wheels as a result, and the Paradigm 30 Pros seemed like the perfect answer for a gravel bike like the Ouroboros thats meant to get rowdy. The Ouroboros ships with 700c x 50mm Maxxis tires, so the 50mm Bontrager Betasso RSL GX tires seemed like an ideal fit as well. Setting up the Bontrager wheels tubeless couldnt have been easier. Just dump in some sealant, inflate, seat the bead, and youre done. After the tire pinged into place, there werent any leaks to be found, and the tires hold air for the long term better than most. It took a while, but the tires have now stretched to nearly their full labeled width at 49.70mm. In this case, it seems that the extra wide rims have had little to no effect on the tires overall width. Thats good news if your frame or fork is tight on tire clearance. My immediate first impression is that this is one of the fastest 50mm tire setups Ive ridden on pavement or hard-packed dirt/gravel (which is to say, still slower than many 45mm setups). Having changed both the wheels and tires at the same time, I cant say which one is more responsible, but I can say that they make a great combination.Usually with gravel tires, fast on pavement means youll be missing out off-road, but the Betasso gripped well in our humidity-slicked conditions, followed up by bone-dry late summer dust.Starting out with 32psi in the rear, and 31psi up front, I quickly found you can get away with much lower pressures if you want to. The new WTC Pressure App recommended that I go 30.5 in the rear and 28.5 up front, which felt good but I was riding at 25 psi at one point and it still didnt feel like the tire was squirming uncomfortably under the pressure, and I have yet to bottom the tire out on the rim.During testing, I purposely hit every root, rock, and curb that I could find in an effort to see if the wider rim would result in more pinch flats. Happily, I had no such issues even when charging at full speed on lower pressures head first into a wall of roots. You can also charge into root and rock gardens with abandon knowing that the wheels are covered by Treks Carbon Care Wheel Loyalty Program for the first two years if you manage to break them, Trek will replace them for free. That coverage continues after two years but transitions to steeply discounted rebuilds or replacements. Theres also a lifetime warranty which covers manufacturing defects.This is not the combination that I would choose if outright speed for gravel racing is the goal. But if you are looking for a lightweight gravel wheelset optimized for wide tires that can take a beating, the Paradigm 30 Pro TLR wheels are very enticing as long as you dont want to run a cassette that requires a Micro Spline freehub body.These wheels are sold separately with the front selling for $679.99, and the rear priced at $819.99 for a total of $1,499.98 before tax. The wheels come pre-taped with the tubeless valve installed and carry no rider weight limit. trekbikes.comThe post Bontrager Paradigm Pro 30 Gravel Wheels Bring MTB Width & Durability to Drop Bars appeared first on Bikerumor.

On the 28th of September, some of the biggest names in the women's peloton will fight it out for the Rainbow Jersey at the 2024 World Championships in Zurich. Last year, Lotte Kopecky took the win and the first world title of her career.The preliminary startlist for the race includes: Caroline Ande...

The new Sklar PBJ Handlebar was designed for the Performance Basket Jammer frameset, and it features a lightweight aluminum construction, a nice balance of angles, and clean aesthetics. Miles has been testing one for several months and put together some thoughts on how it compares to other bars and what he likes about it. Dig into his Sklar PBJ Handlebar review here...The post Sklar PBJ Handlebar Review: Another ATB Alt Bar appeared first on BIKEPACKING.com.

From the 18th to the 22nd of September the peloton will tackle the Tour de Luxembourg. The five-day stage-race in the small central European nation features plenty explosive stages which will serve as perfect preparation for the World Championships. We preview stage 2.Stage 2 is not as hard as the o...

The new Tarptent ArcDome Ultra is a four-season, freestanding dome-style tent with room for two people, an Ultra TNT construction, and two vestibules. Check it out here...The post The Tarptent ArcDome Ultra has Landed appeared first on BIKEPACKING.com.

Yesterday I mentioned Bromptons, and the biggest news in bikes right now is of course the launch of the new Brompton gravel bike:Oh, wait, sorry, its not a gravel bike:Its an off-road bike:See, the letter G means different things to different people. For example, in Germany, it means glande:So, basically, gravel.Also, all the press photos seem to feature the bike ridden on glande consisting of very small rocksor, you know, gravel:Seems to me that if it walks like a duck and it quacks like a duck and it has wide tanwall tires like a duckwell, then maybe its a gravel duck:Supple, wide webbed feet are ideal for gravel, as opposed to the narrow and hard ones youll generally find on road fowl:[Pigeons also lack rack mounts and clearance for fenders.]None of this is to impugn the bike itself, which seems like a fantastic idea. No, its merely amusing to watch as the term gravel becomes so pervasive that people are now embarrassed to use itand yet they have to at least allude to it, because everybody responds to it. Its an elaborate marketing dance in which companies must attempt to appeal to the normal consumer without simultaneously offending the cognoscenti. Even during the heady days of Peak Fixie we never saw anything quite like this:[The Bianchi Pista F-Gear. But dont call it a fixed-gear! The F is for freewheel, though the one it comes with simply lacks the necessary mechanism to allow coasting. Also, Pista doesnt necessarily mean track. For example, it some English-speaking nations its simply the past tense of the informal term for urinate.]But yes, as I say, whats not to like about a more versatile Brompton? Though I admit I am deeply concerned about this app:Im willing to bet that e-Bromptons will incorporate an auto-fold feature in the next 10 years.Meanwhile, Lachlan Morton, who is to alt cycling what Jack white is to indie rock, is currently riding around Australia, and he says its a lot of pedalling:No kidding. He also says its not a holiday:Really, though?I mean, it kinda is. Lachlan Morton is ostensibly on a corporate pro cycling team, and presumably gets a paycheck, but instead of having to fetch water bottles or ride team time trials in the Tour de France or whatever he gets to do gravel races and other feats of endurance he concocts himself instead. Anyone whos ever had a job will recognize this tactic immediately: by undertaking involved, time-consuming, and yet ultimately unnecessary projects you not only avoid scrutiny for long periods of time but you also get to avoid your co-workers in the process. I used to do the same thing as a teenager when I worked in a hardware store and used to volunteer myself to reorganize the basement for weeks at a time. Punch in, hide from the customers for eight hours, and then punch out and go home. As for Morton, while his teammates are doing boring training rides and being forced to inhale carbon monoxide or whatever, hes getting plenty of sleep, riding all day through the Australian countryside, then drinking beer with his support crew:Yes, the article is full of blatant information like this. It also claims the reason hes riding anti-clockwise is to take advantage of prevailing tailwindswhen we all know the reason hes doing it is that hes in Australia, where you have to ride backwards, just like the toilets flush:If he wanted to do it clockwise hed have to fit that crazy apparatus to his bike which would result in a significant weight penalty.Finally, youll be pleased to know Ive found the collabo bike of your dreams:RARE SNAPPLE CBS Amazing Race TV Show Collectible Limited Special Promo Full Suspension Mountain Bike1 OF ONLY 500 MADE!Back in 2011 there was a co-marketing contest with Snapple and The Amazing Race CBS TV showCONDITION:All original and in good used condition, but minor rust and a small crack on wheel cover.Bottles NOT Included:)FEATURES: Color: Yellow Wheels: 26 (Custom Snapple Rear Cover) Frame: 19 Gears: 21 Speed SunRun Suspension: Full KeZehn V-Brakes: Yinxing, Includes a kickstand NEW MSRP was $4,000You cant afford not to buy it.

CyclistWhat would a three-week Tour of Ireland route look like?Ireland is one of the most decorated nations when it comes to Grand Tour racing. For a nation of just over five million inhabitants, it has an impressive conversion rate in three-week tours. Out of the 19 Irishmen to have ridden a three-weeker, ten have won stages. Ireland has also won all three Grand Tours plus rainbow jerseys courtesy of Stephen Roche and Sean Kelly. This isnt a rose-tinted homage to the past, either. Irish riders have won stages at the Tour, Giro and Vuelta over the past decade, most recently from Munsterman Eddie Dunbar at the 2024 Vuelta a Espaa.Ireland plays host to some of cyclings top sportives too, such as the Pan Celtic Way and TransAtlanticWay. The island also has a number of bucket list driving routes on some of Europes most stunning roads around places like the Antrim Coast, the Ring of Kerry and the Wild Atlantic Way. There are so many well-trodden routes, yet so few bike races.So with that in mind, and after birthing a three-week long Tour of Britain last month, we though why keep this blueprint to England, Scotland and Wales when Ireland has just as much to give?Why doesnt Ireland have a big race already?Fergus CoyleThis question is a little misleading. The Rs already exists. This week-long race around Ireland has been through leaps and bounds, but after a four-year hiatus, has modestly returned as the Rs Tailteann. No WorldTour team has ever taken part in the race, but the likes of Lukas Pstlberger, Taco van der Hoorn, Davide Ballerini and Michael Storer have all won stages at the Irish race. Giro winner Jai Hindley has finished on the podium of the Rs and a fresh-faced Tony Martin won the whole thing back in 2007.In another form, the Tour of Ireland took place throughout the late 1980s and early 1990s. It received a short-lived reboot in the 2000s which included some top-tier teams including Mark Cavendishs Team Columbia, BMC Racing and Team Saxo Bank, but it eventually fizzled out due to financial troubles.Ireland has also hosted races big and small including the Suir Valley 3-Day as well as Grand Tour starts like the 2014 Giro dItalia which kicked off in Belfast and Dublins Grand Dpart to the 1998 Tour de France. Its hardly the twilight zone for international cycling, therefore.Ireland is a nation tied together by its local sports culture. With so many stunning roads nationwide, a bulked-up bike race feels like a no-brainer. The tourism infrastructure is already in place to host riders, reporters and fans. Around 11 million people visit Ireland yearly (including the north of Ireland), making it one of Europes most visited countries. Game of Thrones, Star Wars, The Banshees of Inisherin and the new Dungeons & Dragons production have all been filmed in Ireland. Its no secret that the Emerald Isle is a top-flight location in person and on camera. Related Posts What would a three-week Tour of Britain route look like? Opinion: How to fix the Tour de France May the road rise to meet you: Riding 2,400km across Ireland on the TransAtlantic Way The must-seesFergus CoyleLike with the three-week Tour of Britain we tabled earlier this month, we need to search out some mountain passes ready to be transformed into Grand Tour classic climbs.Maybe to some readers surprise, Ireland has more mountain roads than the UK. If anything, it makes a better canvas for racing than Britain. There are plenty of national parks and mountain passes to choose from across the four provinces. From the Mourne Mountains in Ulster, the Dartry Mountains in Connacht, the Dingle Peninsula in Munster and the Wicklow Mountains in Leinster, there are steep cols all around the island.Mount Leinster on the border between County Carlow and County Wexford is an easy pitch to Grand Tour fans. The gradients average out at a whopping 9.2% with slopes reaching 16% in the final kilometre. Mount Leinster has been used before in the Rs, mainly in its older days. That said, the summit was reached not long ago during the 2018 edition of the womens race, the Rs na mBan. The climb is closed off to traffic and has a radio transmitter at the top to rival Mont Ventoux. We could even rename the climb to Sliabh Gaofar if we really want to rip off the Giant of Provence.A little less brutal, the Conor Pass orAn Chonair is one of the highest public roads in Ireland. The climb, situated at the fingertip of the Dingle Peninsula, is in equal parts beautiful and tough. A steady ascent at a 5.9% average, the climb offers vistas of the rugged Atlantic coastline on both sides.Thirdly, Mullaghanish is a certain highlight of any two-wheeled tour around Ireland. The Munster mountain is a tough test that is yet to feature in the Rs. Organisers, take notes. Mullaghanish or Mullach an Ois, literally the deers summit is another transmitter service road. The climb features a number of winding switchbacks over the 6.7km-long ascent at an average gradient of 7.7%. Ill say this now, Mullaghanish doesnt feature on the parcours blueprint to follow (spoiler alert), but its good to leave something for next time.Our 21-stage Tour of Ireland routeSo, weve argued the case, located some classic climbs, and laid the groundwork. Now its time to map it all out. For context, this alternative Tour of Ireland parcours is sketched out on existing roads across the all but two of the counties of the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland sorry, Louth and Monaghan. The course is also designed to drop by major population centres, all four provinces and a heap of tourist hotspots for TV cameras to salivate over.The Grand Dpart or Ts Mr has been allocated to Belfast and County Down in Cyclists re-imagined Tour of Ireland. For this, the race will roll out of Downpatrick for a days hard racing around the Mourne Mountains of County Down and neighbouring Armagh. The first yellow jersey would be dished out after a punchy finale around Belfasts hilly backdrop.The opening couple of stages roll through Ulster with a challenging stage along the Antrim coast on Stage 2 and a hilltop finish to Strabanes Transmitter on Stage 3. The day after, the race reminds itself of Ulsters turbulent past with a time-trial around Derry which includes a passage through the Bogside. With the historical importance attached to the area, this will be a poignant moment for this race. Crossing the border into the Republic, the race continues with a scenic stage around Donegal before the first summit finish of the race on Stage 6 atop County Sligos Truskmore (8km at 7.1%). Stage 8 brushes past Croagh Patrick and the National Famine Memorial while Stage 9 takes in the Connemara in all its beauty, following the path of the Wild Atlantic Way in parts. Via the Gaeltacht, the first week of racing concludes in Galway.After a rest day in Connacht, the racing continues from Athlone to Lisdoonvarna, a town known for its matchmaking festival. With a passage through Limerick the day after on Stage 11, the race moves towards the postcard-ready Munster hills. A mini-summit finish to Conor Pass in County Kerry on Stage 12 will be a field day for the photographers, but the day after marks an ode to the Ring of Kerry with a passage through the Gap of Dunloe, Killarney and a final climb up the Healy Pass soon to be renamed Ben Healy Pass. County Cork hosts Stages 14 and 15 with a sprint stage in Kinsale and a time trial from Cobh, the last port call of the Titanic, to Irelands second city, Cork.The racing resumes for the third and final week with an hommage to Sean Kelly. Stage 16 finishes in his and equally Sam Bennetts hometown of Carrick-On-Suir. As a tribute to Rsa (thats the plural of Rs) of old, the race concludes on Seskin Hill just south of the town.Stage 17 brings the aforementioned Mount Leinster to the fore. The Co. Carlow climb will be one of the toughest summit finishes of the race, offering a big shake-up in the general classification. The day after, Laois plays host to a wild day of racing on Stage 18, with the inclusion of Arderin and The Cut within the final 50km. The following day, the race takes a tame route towards university town Maynooth before one final mountain stage around the Wicklow Mountains. Climbing right out of Dublins Southside, the final climb up to Kippure is the highest point in this hypothetical Tour of Ireland route.A time-trial around Dublin will bring proceedings to a close in this bumper-edition Tour of Ireland. During this final day, the riders will make their way from Swords in the north down to Dublin via The Liberties with an arrival on Dame Street, right by Trinity College. This isnt too far away from Temple Bar, so expect riders and journalists alike to be flocking there after the race draws to a close. Theyll have earned a Guinness or two.Lets be serious. Can it be done?Fergus CoyleWell, if a three-week Tour of Britain felt like a far-flung prospect, then a three-week long Rs sounds ludicrous. Ireland is a lot more remote than the three other Grand Tour host nations of Italy, France and Spain. The cycling infrastructure isnt quite there yet. The roads are great for a sportive, but a fully-fledged road race might face some trouble travelling across the Emerald Isle. If youve driven through the likes of the Connemara or the Antrim Glens, youll know just how tight those roads can be. Im not quite sure how the Ineos Grenadiers team bus would fare going up the Gap of Dunloe for instance.That said, we can dream. Perhaps one of our readers or indeed one of us in the editorial team at Cyclist should head across the Irish Sea and find out. Hopefully one day Ireland can host a major bike race again. For the moment, the Rs is a great example of how domestic racing is still alive in the country. Ireland is great at celebrating local sports, just look at GAA hurling and football tournaments for example. However, a Grand Tour might be a step too far. For now, lets just cross our fingers that the Rs attracts big teams once again.The post What would a three-week Tour of Ireland route look like? appeared first on Cyclist.

Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe's Roger Adria has taken a gruelling win atGP de Wallonie 2024, outsprinting compatriot Alex Aranburu in a brutal finale.Six riders forced their way into the day's breakaway.With just over 40km to go though, the leaderswere joined by a counter attack, that included some...

Noah Wangerin of Wan Gerin Bikes was showing off an interesting and slightly bizarre cargo fork at the Master Bicycle Builders Show last weekend. Learn more about the Wan Gerin Cargo Fourk here...The post Wan Gerin Cargo Fourk at the Master Bicycle Builders Show appeared first on BIKEPACKING.com.