At some point I will probably get a little bag for the little rack on the Roaduno:The correct bag is this one, which is sold out:Until theyre available once again, being a modern consumer with no ethics, it occurred to me maybe I could get something super cheap on that website named after a giant river. So I took a quick look, and heres what popped up:I shant be getting itits too big for one thingthough I was quite tempted because I love the name:Engwe is, I assume, an homage to the noted guitarist:And Electric Techno-Paranoia is exactly the opposite of Electric Techno-Foolhardiness, which is when you ride an e-bike you bought on Amazon in a large body of salt water:That cant be a good idea.Speaking of techno-paranoia, if youre convinced the Spinergae Ive been riding are going to ass-plode at any moment, youll be either pleased or annoyed to know that Ive now reduced the likelihood of that happening by 50%:I did this for a few reason. For one thing, there was still play in the front bearings, despite my having changed them. (Or maybe because I changed them, who knows?) For another, the front wheel was noticeably flexy when climbing out of the saddle, which was a little disconcertingas was the susceptibility to crosswinds when descending at high speed:Mostly though I did it because the only thing more 90s-tastic than riding a pair of Spinergy Rev-Xs is riding a rear Spinergy Rev-X with a wire-spoked front wheel. It really does seem like the way to go, too, because you get the predictable handling and feel of the standard wheel up front whilst reaping the aero benefits and slightly sproingy ride quality of the rear wheel. Really, the only way you could possibly improve this setup would be to ditch the rear Spinergy too and use a pair of normal wheels.But that would be silly. Another indication that the rider of this bicycle suffers from techno-paranoia is the friction shifters:Friction shifting may not be for everybody, but its three chief attributes are the following:It works very smoothlyIts extremely simple mechanicallyIt offers tremendous compatibility as your shifters dont care how many cogs your rear wheel hasFor these reasons I admit Ive been puzzled by these Growtac integrated friction levers that have been all over the Worldly Wide Internet for awhile now:And which I see Path Less Pedaled has just gotten his hands on:[He should really work on making his videos even more click-baity.]I am, first and foremost, a bike dork, so I appreciate any and all forms of mechanical shifting. I also think these are nifty and intriguing. At the same timewhy?I guess you still get the compatibility of friction shifting, and maybe even the feel (though the levers return to position just like on an indexed shifter, which just seems weird), but what is the point of a friction shifter that is just as mechanically complex as its indexed counterparts? The beauty of a friction shifter is that its pretty much unkillable. Also, you can mount it in different places on the bike, and even a complete numbskull can set one up in minutes. On the other hand, whats great about integrated shifting is the convenience and the comfort, though that comes at the expense of more involved setup and increased vulnerability in a crashthough practically speaking most integrated levers are extremely durable, and barring mishaps will work reliably for decades. Furthermore, even I, an outspoken sufferer of techno-paranoia, have to admit that at least when it comes to mechanical shifting, the whole obsolescence thing is mostly a non-issue. Ive got two bikes with 9-speed Dura-Ace in my possession at the moment, and cassettes and chains are both cheap and abundant. Same goes for 8- and even 7-speed. (Yes there were 7-speed integrated shifters.) And while the bacon-grease smoothness of a good quality friction drivetrain is sublime (yes, I realize bacon-grease smoothness and friction are diametrically opposed concepts), the punchy accuracy of a good-quality mechanical integrated shifter on a race-oriented bike is pretty exhilarating too.I guess what Im saying is I just find these kinda wishy-washy, thats all, and I wonder if maybe weve hit Peak Friction, just as weve hit Peak Gravel, and Peak Flared Bar, and all the rest of it. Like how exotic does a friction shifter need to be? Why not just pick one or the other? Its almost like riding a singlespeed with two speeds:Wait. Oh, also, youre supposed to turn your levers in now:Im not particularly interested in turning my levers in myself, but I see that people do it, so Im sure theres something to it. What I do take issue with is his characterization of the traditional lever position: Youre not giving double hand jobs he notes amusingly. But think about it. If you were to give a double hand job, wouldnt your hand position be more similar to the one you use when grabbing inward-turned levers?If you were giving a double hand job, the only way youd have your hands in front of you and straight up and down would be if the hand job recipients were lying side by side on massage tablesbut even then youd have to be standing in between the tables, so your hands would have to be quite far apart, farther even than on a pair of those crazy-wide Crust bars.Meanwhile, the inward-turned lever position he demonstrates is exactly how youd administer a double hand job if the recipients were standing face to face and in front of you. Clearly riding with your levers turned in is the double hand job position. I mean come on! Its almost like this guy has never even given a double hand job at all! I on the other handWait.

Industry holds optimism for recovery, despite continued losses

CyclistPro race history: Marianne Vos wins her first world title in 2006It is 2.32pm on 23rd September 2006 and 135 of the best female cyclists in the world are rolling out from Salzburgs Mirabelleplatz for the womens World Championships Road Race. Ahead lie six laps of a 22.2km circuit featuring two climbs, the second of which to Elixhausen has the potential to be the most tactically important part of the course given it is pretty much a 9km downhill run from there to the finish. It is considered a difficult course too difficult for the sprinters in the bunch, some are saying. Time will tell.Among the riders rolling away from the start is 19-year-old Marianne Vos. She is in her first season at elite level, rides for the DSB Bank team, and has enjoyed a remarkable debut year. She has ten victories to her name, including the European Under-23 Road Race and two stages and the overall at the Tour Fminin en Limousin. In June she became The Netherlands national champion. And that is just on the road. Before shed even turned a professional pedal on tarmac she had performed spectacularly during the 2005/2006 cyclocross season, taking seven wins including the World Championships. Related Posts The best photos from the UCI Gravel World Championships 2024 Gallery: Marianne Vos is the Greatest Of All Time Cyclists 31 Inspirational Women No21: Marianne Vos But today Vos is riding with little or no pressure on her young shoulders. The seven-strong Dutch team has more experienced riders such as Chantal Beltman in their squad. Anyway, most eyes are trained on the likes of Germanys Judith Arndt and Regina Schleicher, winners in 2004 and 2005 respectively, and Britains Nicole Cooke, the worlds number one ranked rider who two weeks earlier had been crowned the winner of the World Cup.The race starts. Breaks go. Breaks are brought back. Arndt works hard to control things for her team. On the penultimate lap Cooke attacks at the bottom of the second climb the British rider will later recount in her autobiography The Breakaway that the timing of this move had long been planned with the intent of forging a small break of talented climbers to go to the finish together.Marianne Vos in the green jersey at the 2024 Tour de France.A.S.O./Thomas MaheuxAt first it works. Only Vos and Switzerlands Nicole Brndli go with Cooke, but Arndt throws herself into the chase and the three are brought back. Attacks and counter-attacks fly. Its an aggressive race and as a result the small group of leading riders now has a gap of more than a minute. Cooke tries again on the final lap. Again Vos and Brndli go with her. Again they are brought back. And so it is that with 1km to go, 15 women are preparing themselves for a sprint to the line.The sprint winds up. Vos is in sixth spot, behind Germanys Trixi Worrack. Cooke is fourth, on Australias Oenone Woods wheel. With 400m to go the road bends to the left. It will prove to be an important moment: Vos hugs the left-hand barrier, while Cooke takes a longer line further to the right. With 200m to go Vos opens up her final sprint and hits the front. No one looks close to catching her and the 19-year-old first-year professional takes a stunning sprint win to claim the rainbow jersey. Worrack comes second, Cooke third.Marianne Vos surprised herself and the world, the Dutch newspaper NRC Handelsblad will later report. It cant be true, Vos says. Im surprised if I win a criterium can you imagine how I feel now?Marianne Vos celebrates victory at the 2024 Gravel World Championships.Jasper Jacobs/Belga/AFP via Getty ImagesThe most complete rider in historyGoing into those World Championships I was totally without pressure. I was an outsider, a first-year elite with nothing to prove. I just had to try my best, Vos told this writer in 2017 for the book Chasing The Rainbow. I knew I had a chance I had already won against all the girls that were in the Worlds and it was a course that sort of suited me. I thought, OK, I might not be the biggest favourite but lets see. I might have a chance for a good result.Once that lead group had formed in Salzburg, Beltman, who was with Vos in the break, told her young teammate that she was the best sprinter in the group and to make sure she was ready should it come to a sprint.She was the one who really pointed it out, Vos reflected. From that moment we discussed things.Beltman told Vos she wanted to try a long-range effort before things came down to a sprint. Vos concurred, knowing it would make the final phase harder for the rest of the group, who would be forced to chase while she could sit on the wheels.We were trying to play our cards, to make the most of the possibilities, and it worked out really well.Vos knew that Cooke and Worrack were the riders to watch going into the sprint. She also knew that every small detail would matter and that by sticking to the left side of the road around that final left-hand bend she would have a slightly shorter distance to travel than the others.I didnt really think that they could maybe close the gap to the barriers and leave me no room, Vos said. But if you feel good you make the right decision and I just felt that was the best side.And so it proved. Fast forward 18 years from that Salzburg win and today Marianne Vos is surely the most complete rider in history.Home favourite Marianne Vos crosses the line to win the 2012 World Championships Road Race in Valkenburg. Photo: OffsideOver an incredible career she has amassed a remarkable haul of titles across road (three World Championships, an Olympic Gold, three Giri, five Flche Wallonne, and a Tour of Flanders), track (two world titles and an Olympic Gold) and cyclocross (eight World Championships). Back in 2006, though, winning major titles was still a relatively new experience for the young Dutchwoman.We all went out as a team to celebrate, she recalled. I was a 19-year-old in a group of somewhat older girls who were already prepared with all their clothes to go out and party.Vos had to search through her suitcase for something to wear, looking for her jeans.Then they forgot me, Vos continued. They were already on their way until at some point Chantal realised, Hey, wheres Marianne? So they came back to pick me up! I had some difficulties to find my place but of course I didnt care. I was World Champion and everything was cool. This article originally appeared in issue 157 of Cyclist magazine. Click here to subscribe Related Posts The best photos from the UCI Gravel World Championships 2024 Gallery: Marianne Vos is the Greatest Of All Time Cyclists 31 Inspirational Women No21: Marianne Vos The post Pro race history: Marianne Vos wins her first world title in 2006 appeared first on Cyclist.

Although earlier today the women's peloton faced tough weather conditions and a lot of rain at Tre Valli Varesine it's been decided conditions are now too bad for the men to continue, as the riders have been sent back to the team buses.According to several teams, in the last minutes it has been conf...

Cycling Leinster has entered teams in races at home and abroad in recent years, providing excellent opportunities for young riders, and now the provincial body is looking for the next generation to step up at least put their hands up. An event being held by Cycling Leinster later this month is a must for []The post Cycling Leinster calling development riders for racing chances in 2025 appeared first on Sticky Bottle.

Just announced, the Tailfin Bar Bag System is a radical new suite of handlebar packs designed around a CNC-machined handlebar mount, the brands X-Clamp quick-release cam, and four sizes of welded waterproof bag options for both flat and drop bars. Find our complete Tailfin Bar Bag System Review after a few of us have been testing it for several monthsThe post Tailfin Bar Bag System Review appeared first on BIKEPACKING.com.

Indoor training platform Rouvy has launched its new Route Creator, designed to enable riders to create video-based routes from their own local rides.You can now record video of your routes, which can be uploaded to the Route Creator and turned into a 3D-generated rideable route, complete with avatar, for use in indoor training.Rouvy says the new Route Creator allows for extensive customisation and a richer, more interactive experience than its previous system of simple first-person videos.The Route Creator is in its beta phase for subscribers who sign up via the website.Not just a simple videoPrevious Rouvy videos were simpler affairs. ROUVY Previously, Rouvy offered the ability to upload videos to the platform, which could then be played alongside a workout.The new Route Creator evolves this, by taking a video recorded of a route, before overlaying it with a 3D-mapped render. Rouvy says this makes use of augmented reality technology.This means that, instead of a simple video to be played back, the route is more immersive, with ride pace accurately simulated, and allowing other virtual riders and features (such as hoardings and road graffiti) to be integrated.The videos created in the new Route Creator are said to be more immersive. RouvyRouvy also says inserted riders can be dropped (or drop you) en route, disappearing behind oblique corners and up or down the road this is in a manner similar to Zwifts virtual worlds.Importantly, the source videos can be submitted with GPS data, which Rouvy says creates an accurate representation of the real-world road through your smart trainer.The brand says this replication of real-world gradients is sourced from the GPS file and Google API data.User customisationYou can add more immersive features onto the 3D-overlaid route. RouvyAlthough Rouvy says its algorithms will process and produce a rideable route based on the video and GPS data submitted, the Route Creator platform also offers the ability to edit the route.This can take the form of adding supplementary features such as advertising hoardings, finish lines, crowds and TV camera helicopters, but also more realism-driven elements such as lane keeping, traffic avoidance (in the event your route recording featured traffic), and traffic light and stoppage clipping.The Route Creator also enables users to edit details such as weather and shadows, so they can make the route as realistic (or fantastical) as they wish.How does it work?You can pre-define the 'lane' in which your avatar will ride. RouvyBikeRadar was given a one-to-one tutorial on the new system before launch, in which it was explained that users require a high-definition-plus video recording device with image stabilisation, such as a GoPro, to record the route.Ideally, this is fixed to a car windscreen around 1.5m above the ground, with the route then recorded in one cut from start to finish. Users can, of course, use a bike or motorbike, but the additional camera movement is said to be less optimal for the Route Creator.Rouvy takes GPS data to make the smart trainer gradient cues, but you can edit this too. RouvyRouvy provides a host of guidelines (such as recommended speed restrictions and conditions for recording), but the end file can be uploaded complete with the GPS track.At the time of launch, only a GoPro with GPS combined file can be submitted, although Rouvy says this is a temporary limitation separate files from a video device and bike computer will be uploadable in the future, were told.Once uploaded, the file is processed by Rouvys server, which provides a 3D-overlaid version of the video recorded, as well as a gradient track for the smart trainer.Users can then edit it to set the exact start and finish points, smooth out the route (cut out traffic-induced stoppages) and add custom immersive features.What about privacy?Original files will be held securely, according to Rouvy, while processed videos will be stripped of identifying data. RouvyWhen asked, Rouvy said its servers are secure, so all data held is safeguarded.This is important, because sensitive data such as pedestrians faces, licence plates and personal front gardens (for example) will be captured by a video recording albeit, in passing.Rouvy says all identifiable data is stripped from the source file, so should a rider choose to make their custom route publicly rideable, unwitting subjects shouldnt be exposed.

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The 2024 season is coming to an end. It will be remembered as the year of Tadej Pogacar. Although being only 26 years old, it is possible that he will improve it in the future, but it seems difficult. In this final stretch, the UAE Team Emirates superstar is once again facing history. He could achie...

Very heavy rain, leading to flooding, has forced the cancellation of Tre Valli Varesine (1.Pro), the 200km event featuring Irish riders Ben Healy and Archie Ryan, both EF Education-EasyPost, among the field. The weather was conspiring against the race from the start today, after the womens race was run off in wet conditions. The poor []The post Tre Valli Varesine abandoned mid-race due to very heavy rain | Video appeared first on Sticky Bottle.