Weve seen a lot of different additives infusing themselves into our wax-based chain lubes in recent years, and now CyclingCeramic adds ceramic particles to that list.Their new Liquid Wax chainlube range comes in Road and Offroad versions and adds extremely fine ceramic particles to the formula, saying they act like micro-bearings inside the chain. Were thinking it might actually work, considering the ultra hard, smooth nature of the material could act as a buffer between sliding metal parts.Theyre backing it up with charts and graphs, too, claiming it extends chain life well beyond competing products by reducing wear.Its not just the ceramics. Wax lubes inherently slough off dust and dirt, keeping your drivetrain clean and quietall claims theyre making here, too. They say it also dries very quickly, and, for the Offroad version, also lasts through repeated water and mud exposure. The Road version is optimized for dry and dusty conditions.Lastly, both are bio-based formulas that are 99.5% biodegradable, made exclusively from all-natural components. Both versions come in 100ml bottles for $18.00 / 14.90. Available now.CyclingCeramic.comThe post CyclingCeramic Adds Ceramic Micro Bearings to Wax Chain Lube appeared first on Bikerumor.

Alpkit has entered administration after three difficult years, and is in talks with a new owner and investment partner in an attempt to secure the bicycle and outdoors brands future. In a letter sent to shareholders via the investment platform Crowdcube, Alpkit CEO and co-founder David Hanney writes: It is an extremely sad day for everyone at Alpkit, and for us co-founders in particular. Today, we are confirming that the Board has accepted that we must place Alpkit into administration. Weve faced incredible challenges over the last three years, Hanney adds. These include cost inflation, a challenging market and new trade barriers coupled with the rising weight of interest rates and recovery loan repayments. Hanneys letter, forwarded to BikeRadar by a shareholder, explains that Alpkit is in talks with a new owner and investment partner, with the company set to share news of the deal soon. Everything is in place to complete the deal. We expect that all jobs will be saved, our stores will remain open, and all customer orders will be fulfilled, Hanney writes. Alpkit, which also produces Sonder bicycles, grew its number of shareholders through crowdfunding campaigns via the Crowdcube investment site. In 2020, the company raised 1.5m from 1,350 customers. It then raised over 2.3m in 2022. Hanney says the value of the shares is now lost, but that the company is doing something rare. Every shareholder who joined us through either of our crowdfunding campaigns will be given shares in the new company, he explains. Alpkit incurred a net loss of 1,457,902 in the year ended 31 October 2024, following a loss of 1,118,397 in the year prior, according to its accounts filed in November 2025. According to Hanneys letter, Alpkit wrote to shareholders to explain its financial challenges in October. It then engaged an advisory firm, which helped the Nottingham-based company decide on its next steps after it had considered all options, including a third round of fundraising and breaking up the business. We weighed up the pros and cons to all these options and believe this financial restructuring through a pre-pack gives the best outcome overall balancing all our Stakeholders, the letter says. Alpkit says it will take several steps to focus on its products and service, and reach good profitability. These include resourcing production from high-wage and tariff to lower-cost and tariff territories. It will add new products after it acquired the intellectual property of Scottish outdoor and travel bag manufacturer Trakke in April 2025. It will also keep a relentless focus on our cost base. This does not mean we are going cheap, downmarket or anticipate a drop in our product standards we remain totally committed to technical performance, social justice and environmental responsibility it will let us compete better on performance and price in a challenging market environment. And gives us the profit margin so we can make money on the products we sell, the letter says. According to the letter, all staff will transfer to the new company. The letter also says Alpkit remains committed to the Alpkit Foundation, which receives 1 per cent of the companys sales and provides grants to individuals, small community groups, schools and organisations to encourage participation in the outdoors.

Germn Daro Gmez tested positive for Boldenone

Jonas Vingegaard's crash this Monday in training has sparked a debate that seemed to be in the making for a long time. Pro cyclists train on open roads, and often alone - even if they are on training camps - however when does the request for pictures and following wheels become too much? It is a fin...

In episode three of the "Edge vs. Everyone" podcast, host Conor Barry sits down with rookie finisher Josh Hicks to talk about his singlespeed ride at the 2025 Colorado Trail Race. Watch and listen to the interview here...The post Edge vs. Everyone Podcast Episode 3: Racing the Colorado Trail (Video) appeared first on BIKEPACKING.com.

The new NOBL FAR Series rims are the widest, strongest, and lightest theyve ever made, and they come with lots of build options to turn them into complete wheels.Designed to optimize aerodynamics with wide tires, theyre also exceptionally lightweight while claiming toughness inspired by the brands mountain bike rims. An impressive trio of features, so lets see how they do itThe FAR Series rims come in 40mm and 50mm deep options. Internal width for both is 29mm, which is on the upper end of whats available. Compare that to Hunt 40 Limitless (26-27mm), Zipp 303 XPLR (32mm), Reserve 40/44 (27mm), and Parcours FKT (27mm), and you get the ideatheyre pushing the envelope, just not sealing it.The other two interesting features are the semi-hooked bead wall, using a mini-hook for tire security and mounting/dismounting ease, and the bulbous shape thats slightly wider just below the bead wall.The former also helps create a broader face on the top of the rim to help prevent pinch flats, a good thing since these allow very low tire pressures when paired with very wide tires. See cross-section images below.The latter helps improve aerodynamics with wider tires, too, smoothing air flow around the bulbous leading and trailing edges. They say this design also helps with crosswind stability.Theyre also really light. The FAR40 is just 360g, and the FAR50 is 400g. They say wheelsets can be built as light as 1,135g with Berd composite string spokes, and that both exceed 140 J in lab impact testing, making them more impact-resistant than many mountain bike rims. Theyre backed with a lifetime warranty, too.NOBL FAR Series Specs & DimensionsNOBL FAR50 Specifications:The FAR50 is their fastest rim, designed for high speed racing on open terrain, with a more teardrop shape for the best aerodynamics.Weight: 400gDepth: 50.0mmInner Width: 29.0mmOuter Width (widest point): 38.0mmWheel Size: 700cTire Size: 38-57mmHole Count: 24hBead Design: NOBLs Fusion HookPrice: $550 USD ($740 CAD)NOBL FAR40 Specifications:The FAR40 rim is rounder, making it a bit more compliant for rockier, rougher courses. Or races where theres a ton of climbing and turns, where a little less weight is more important than all out aero.Weight: 360gDepth: 40.0mmInner Width: 29.0mmOuter Width (widest point): 38.0mmWheel Size: 700cTire Size: 38-57mmHole Count: 24hBead Design: NOBLs Fusion HookWheel Build OptionsRims are sold a la carte to build your own wheels, or get them with any of the following options:Hub Options: DT180, DT240, DT350, Onyx Vesper, i9 Solix R, Hope Pro 5, and Chris KingSpoke Options: Alpina Extralite, Sapim Bladed CX-Ray (in black and silver), and BerdPolyLight spokes.NOBLs recommended builds include:Best Value Wheelset: 1406g | 1606.80 USD // 2164.18 CADFAR40/50 mixer rims, DT350 hubs, and Alpina Extralite spokesNOBL Racers Aero Wheelset: 1333g | 2023.80 USD // 2763.58 CADFAR50 rims, DT240 hubs, and Sapim CX-Ray spokesLightest Wheelset: 1135g | 2940.80 USD // 3965.08 CADFAR40 rims, DT180 hubs, Berd PolyLight spokesNOBLwheels.comThe post NOBL FAR Series are New, Ultra-Wide, Very-Light Gravel Racing Wheels appeared first on Bikerumor.

Whilemost brandsarepushingtheir full-powereMTBscomplete with massive batteries and enough torque to shift the earth momentarily on its axisitsrefreshing to see something a little different fromOrbea. ThenewRallonRS is based onOrbea'sRallon enduro bikeandletsbe honest, looks very much like it, too.Itsgot plenty of travel and burly components, but despite being aneMTB, itdoesntweigh much more than its non-powered counterpart. Itsa modern take on a lightweight eMTB. Remember those? It was a nice idea butrarely, if ever,came to fruition. However, the newRallonRS takes that concept and harnesses the technological advancements to right the wrongs of the early SL bikes. Housed within the carbon tubes,youllfind a motor one of the smallest on the market capable of only 200 watts of peak power, and the small290Wh battery that powers it, along with a host of other electronics. And thats where things getreally cool.Orbeahas integrated every electroniccomponenton theRallonRS in a waywevenot seen before. Those low power and torque figures will no doubt put people off, but I'm here for it. The dinky motor meansyoullget some help when you need it riding uphill, butyoullstill need to work on the climbs no matter what modeyourein. And I like that. Orbeahas taken a risk with the newRallonRS and clearly ploughed a lot of cash into it, but I thinkitsworth it.Hereswhy Read more: OrbeaRallon/M RS-LTD first-ride review: in 20 years testing MTBs, I've never seen anything like this. It's awesome A different kind ofeMTB Powering the Rallon RS is the TQ HPR40 motor, which can deliver 200 watts of peak power and up to 40Nm of torque. Roo Fowler / Orbea Withthe Wild, Rise (SL andLT)andUrruneMTBsalready inOrbea'sstable, you could argue theRallonRS is less of a risk,and the lower-powered sibling complementstheline-up. But when you consider how theeMTBmarket has shifted sinceAmflowssuper-powerful DJI-motorequippedbikes arrived,launching a bike with power and torque statsat the oppositeend of the spectrum might not make a lot of sense. However, theRallonRS has the potential to appeal to purists riderslooking for a bit of help on the climbs, but whovaluethat regular-bikefeelon the descents. That might sound like a stretch. After all,whodoesntwant more power? Butthis bikeispretty special. When we first started seeing SLeMTBsbeing launched, their promise of minimalassistanceand a natural ride feel was extremely appealing. Letsnot forget,Orbeawas one of the first to the party with the Rise RS, which was a greatbike. The problem was, the motors were still quite hefty and took up a lot of space.The bikes were often quite heavy, and in a bid to keep weight down,generally usedtrail-bike parts,whichwere too fragile. Early 'SL' bikes often had low power and torque figures, and weren't always particularly light. Etienne Schoeman With only a few kilos between many SL models and their full-power counterparts,itseasy to see why those (onlyslightly) lighter bikeswereoverlooked. As ebike motors became smaller and more powerful, SL bikesmorphedinto mid-power bikes, with more power and torque, along with slightly tougher components. But if you wanted to ride with mates on full-power bikes,youdstill struggle, making the whole SL category something of a conundrum. ThenewRallonRS harks back to that original SL concept in a lot ofways, butuses advances in tech to right many of the wrongs and offers somethingvery differentfrom the high-power,torque-tasticeMTBsthat seem to be everywhere right now. The 200 watts of peak power and 40Nm of torque mean theRallonRSisntall about the motor feel.Itsnot the dominant factor here by a long stretch. The silent, compact TQ HPR40 motor and its low weight help, boosting your input and making the climbs feel easier,but this bike is way more than its drive unit.Itssmall form factor and unobtrusive feel have enabledOrbeasengineers to create a bike witha veryspecialride. Weighing a claimed 1,170g, the HPR40doesnttake up much real estate in the frame.At first glance, youdprobably behard-pressed to realise this is aneMTB. Its compact size means, unlike bikes of old,the geometry and suspension layoutaren'tcompromised. Using the small motor limits packaging problems. This meantOrbeacould createa long-travel enduro bikewith tough parts to suit, rather than a shorter-travel trail bike with flimsy tyres. Yet it still weighs just over 17kg (claimed) in size medium. The TQ HPR40 motor is seriously compact, enabling Orbea's engineers to limit compromises when it came to the suspension layout and geometry. Roo Fowler / Orbea Even consideringall ofthe above, along with the impressive ride feel andalmostsilentmotor, the sticking point for many riders will be the low power and torque figures. ButI think this bikeneeds to be considered slightly differently. Ifyourelooking for a bikethatssuper-fast up the climbs and aim to clock up as many laps as possible, thisisntthe machine for you. But, ifyourea bit of purist,whodappreciate a little helping hand when riding with fitter friends on regular bikes or are keen on riding a little further than usual this could be the bike for you. Integration stations The one 290Wh battery located in the down tube powers the motor, rear derailleur, Fox Live Valve NEO rear shock and Orbea's own dropper post. Orbea Orbeahas gone beyond building a great bike with an intriguing motor thats only half of what makes the Rallon RS interesting. It takescomponentintegration to the nextlevel andcould be a sign of where eMTB tech is going next. Orbeahasdesigned the bike to be used with an electronic, auto-adjusting rear shock,itsown electronic dropperpostand electronic gears. These components are hard-wired intothe main 290Wh battery via a central control unit. Whatsmore, they communicate with one another, in a bid to enhance the ride. Havingpartnered with Fox suspension andTQ motors for this project,Orbeasaysenabling the shock to receive data from the motor,itsalgorithm is able to usepower,cadenceand speedto help optimise shock settings more effectively and efficiently. The dropper post plays its part here, too. When the post is fully compressed, the shock knows it needs to keep its damping circuits open to maximise downhill bump absorption. Orbea uses its own electronic dropper post, which includes smart features. Orbea If the post is dropped and the motor sensors detect the bike is on adescent, it can lowerassistancemodes to avoid any unwanted or untimely bursts of power. Thatsa lot of electronics,whichgenerally meansa lot ofbar-mounted buttons and remotes.Thatsnot the case here, though. While you lose the wireless capability of the Fox Live ValveNEOshock and Shimano XTR Di2 gearing because both are wired into the main battery,it hasenabledOrbeato control everything(with the exception ofthe gears)using one remote. Orbea partnered with Fox and TQ, enabling them to build better integration into the Rallon RS. Orbea The HMI (Human Machine Interface) remoteenablesyou to tweakjust about everything. That means altering motor modes, shocksettingsand the dropper post, which has a programmable smart mode. Enduro travel,geoand build It's all about enduro levels of travel and geometry, ready for tackling the toughest trails. Roo Fowler / Orbea Orbeamanufacturesthe newRallonRS fromitsOMR (OrbeaMonocoque Racing) carbon in whatitclaimswasitsmost challenging project to date. Toreduce weight, compensating for the use of a motor and battery, theRallonRS is equipped with a carbon rocker link.Thissaves a reported200g, yetis asstrong and stiffasits alloy equivalent. BecauseOrbeadesigned theRallonRS around a shock that was able to control damping levels automatically,there was less need to build in the ability to resist squatting or bobbing as the pedals are being turned(often referred to anti-squat) into the suspension system. Instead, leaving the automated shock to do the heavyliftingand keep theRallonRS as efficient as possible,Orbeadesignedrelativelylow levels ofanti-squat into the platform (just over 80 per cent at sag), with the aim of keeping the back end more sensitive and active. As with the regularRallon, the RS version also uses a linkage-driven single-pivot system, which places the rear pivot concentric to the rear axle. Theres 170mm of travel on tap at the rear,paired with a massive 180mm-travel fork up front. Should you want to get a little rowdier, the frame is designed to handle a dual-crown fork, upping its versatility further thatsnot something many SL-style bikes can boast. The enduro statsdontstop there. Reach figures span 430mm on the small to 505mm on the XL. Seat tubes are short, with the medium coming in at 405mm. All frames use the same 445mmchainstay. Orbeahasntshied away from geometry adjustment.Theresa flip chip on the lower shock mount, enabling you to alter the bottom-bracket height by 8mm and head tube angle by 0.5 degrees. You can also make use of the angled headset cups,whichenable you to tweak the head angle further by +/- 0.75 degrees. In the neutral position, the head angle is 64.25 degrees, while the seat tube angle is steep, at just over 79 degrees. You can run a 29in or 27.5in rear wheel by swapping the rocker link, which ensures geometryremainsthe same between the two rear wheel sizes. Fit for purpose Despite all the electronics featured on the Rallon RS-LTD, the single HMI controller enables you to control everything, with the exception of the Shimano gearing. Roo Fowler / Orbea Orbearealises this bikewontbe for everyone. As well as being a fresh take on lighter-weighteMTBs,itsalsovery expensiveand only available in two models. The top-end RS-LTD build features some drool-worthy kit. But, most importantly, that kit is fit for purpose and suits theRallonRSs intentions.Theresa burly fork, big brakes and suitably tough, grippy tyresthatlltake an absolute beasting. All in,Orbeasays the RS-LTD model weighs 17.45kg in size medium, which is impressiveconsidering this is a big bike with some heavy parts bolted to it. Who will buy it? The single charging port enables you to charge every component connected to the battery. Roo Fowler / Orbea During the presentation,Orbeawasvery openabout the risks involved in creating a bike like this. Whileitsclearly pushing boundaries in terms of integration, those motor stats go against wherewereseeing a lot of the interest in eMTBs. But Ilove theidea of theRallonRS and how it feels on the trails. I wasa big fanof SLeMTBs first time around and,although they had issues, always had fun riding them. TheRallonRShastaken that old blueprint and improved uponit it offers something for those whoarent keen on the big-motoreMTBs. Thisisnta bike for everyone, butImsold. Orbea Rallon RS range details OrbeaRallonRS-LTD (29in or29in/27.5in wheels) Orbea offer both spec levels with either 29in wheels at the front and rear, or a mixed wheel set-up, featuring a smaller 27.5in rear wheel. Orbea Frame:OMR carbon, 170mm travel Motor:TQ HPR40 Battery:TQ 290Wh Fork:Fox 38 GRIP X2 Factory, 180mm Shock:Fox X2 Live Valve NEO Factory Brakes:Shimano XTR Drivetrain:e*thirteen Helix Race alloycrankset, Shimano XTR Di2 gearing Wheels:OquoMountain Control MC32 LTD (29in) /OquoMountain Control MC32 Team (27.5in) Price:12,999 / $14,999 / 14,999 (29in) / 12,499 / $14,199 / 14,199 OrbeaRallonRS-Team (29in or29in/27.5in wheels) The difference in price here isn't in relation to the different wheel size options, but because you can upgrade the Team build, adding a Fox X2 Live Valve NEO shock if you wish. Orbea Frame:OMR carbon, 170mm travel Motor:TQ HPR40 Battery:TQ 290Wh Fork:Fox 38 GRIP X2 Factory, 180mm Shock:Fox X2 Factory Brakes:Shimano XT Drivetrain:e*thirteen Helix Race alloycrankset, Shimano XT Di2 gearing Wheels:OquoMountain Control MC32 Team (29in or MX) Price:9,999 / $10,999 / 10,999 (29in)with Fox X2 NEO shock/ 9,499 / $10,199 / 10,199

From fixing punctures to riding in a group, it might seem like there are a daunting number of things on this list... but most of them are super simple, and once you know you know

The Hulst World Championships will provide Mathieu van der Poel with the chance of conquering an eighth rainbow jersey in cyclocross, and will also provide van der Poel with an opportunity to retire from the discipline whenever he desires. This might be this weekend, or in a few years, but the Dutch...

Originally published in 2021, Updated January 2026 A full-frame bag is the golden ticket for taking advantage of every last nook and cranny of your bikes main triangle. When it []The post Half-Frame Bags and Wedges for Bikepacking appeared first on BIKEPACKING.com.