CyclistA tale of tandems and togethernessLegend has it that Ernest Hemingway once bet a rival he could write a six-word story that would make the reader cry. The result was: For sale. Baby shoes. Never worn.I found a real-life cycling equivalent to this in the classifieds of a Facebook group Im a member of: Tandem for sale. Surplus to requirements.It turned out I knew the person selling the bike. About eight years ago wed gone on a ride together and found ourselves stranded at dusk in the middle of Scotlands remotest glen without lights or a phone signal.He was a Super Randonneur, a title awarded to audax riders who manage a series of punishingly long rides in a year. Before taking up cycling hed been an accomplished mountaineer who named his three daughters after Scottish peaks and once abseiled overnight down a glacier in the Dolomites. So when he suffered a puncture at the head of Glen Cassley in the dying light of an October day, I assumed hed have everything needed to deal with it in his bungalow-sized saddle bag.I was only partly right. He had a spare tube but only a pencil torch for illumination, and soon it was too dark for him to complete the repair. What followed was a sequence of events straight out of Carry On Up The Glen, which saw him and his bike being given a lift in a carful of armed Slovenians a party of hunters and their deerstalker returning from a day on the hills while I tried to keep up behind using his pencil torch as a headlight, at one point almost colliding with a startled stag. Related Posts Classic climb: Transfgran, the epic driving road that's also pretty stunning by bike Cycling history in 6 items in the Vandystadt Collection Big Ride: Reach for the sky in Spain Meet the audaxers Fortunately wed already bonded over a shared love of Echo and the Bunnymen so there were no recriminations about whose idea it was (mine) that we wouldnt need bike lights because wed be finished by dark.We kept in touch. He and his wife spent many summers drifting about Europe on a tandem so, when I saw his ad, I knew it could mean only one thing.Selling the tandem is a painful break with the past, he replied after I messaged my condolences. Fortunately I have the diaries from our trips to remember her by.A tandem makes unique demands of its riders. It requires trust, confidence and commitment. The bond is often emotional as well as physical.On a tandem youve both got the same objective but one cant ride without the other, says 84-year-old Colin Scargill who, with his wife Veronica, became the first couple to circumnavigate the world by tandem in 1975. I think thats why we never got homesick we had each other.Veronica, now 80 and still stoking for her husband, adds, The other thing is it encourages you to talk. Colin was steering and so had to keep his eyes on the road, but at the back I could look around and see things and share this information. As the Tandem Club says, Riding a tandem is twice the fun.Sometimes, however, it is distinctly Type 2 fun, testing even the strongest of relationships.We functioned like clockwork robots, each doing their own jobs with a sense of routine that needed little interaction, is how Laura Massey-Pugh recalls the final few weeks of her and husband Stevies 2022 attempt to break the mixed pair record for riding a tandem around the world.In her gripping book about the 180-day adventure, Backseat Rider, she continues, There was no intimacy, no closeness and very little expressed in the way of love and care; we functioned independently. There were no hugs or kisses, no softness; we had been hardened by the road.Spoiler alert: they broke the record and are still happily married.Riding a tandem isnt just an activity, its a statement: were in this together. And seeing one for sale may be the saddest story in the world.The post A tale of tandems and togetherness appeared first on Cyclist.

Michael Woods is a former professional runner turned cyclist in his mid-20's, with a transition that was achieved to perfection as he won 16 pro races including a stage at the Tour de France and three at the Vuelta a Espaa. He retired from pro cycling at the end of last year, but in 2026 will becom...

Meg Fisher, Kristen Legan, Jim Cummins and Paul Erringtone make up the inductee class of 2026

Full disclosure: I have an e-bike. In fact, I currently have a couple of e-bikes in my garage. Due to working in the bike industry, I have ridden many of them.And, full disclosure: I love e-bikes. But I also love their acoustic counterparts, and spend a significant amount of time on trail and enduro bikes.And downhill bikes. I love downhill bikes, but now Im getting into bike park and chairlift territory, which dilutes the argument.(Photos/Max Rhulen Photography)Or does it?Very few stand at the base of a chair lift, telling those aboard to earn their turns! Seldom do we see social media posts about bike park users who arent real mountain bikers because they refuse to pedal up.But perhaps that is because the downhill rider, the chairlift/shuttle user, isnt at your trailhead. An e-bike, however, might be. I might be at your trailhead. On my e-bike. But before you assume that I must be lazy and not a real mountain biker because of a bit of pedal assistance, hear me out.There are a lot of reasons I ride e-bikes, and none of them have to do with not being able to pedal up a hill.E-Bikes Prioritize More DescendingI would be lying if I didnt say that a big reason I ride e-bikes is to maximize the number of laps back down the hill. While Im not opposed to climbing, and even enjoy a good challenge once in a while, the main reason I ride is for the descent.Simply put, I want to be faster on the way down. I want my skills and abilities to grow exponentially more on the downs than on the way up. In fact, I dont really care at all to improve my climbing skills.For me, climbing is a means to an end.At one of my local trail systems, I usually have the time and energy for two laps on my trail bike. The climb is nearly four miles, and ascends 1,200 feet over that distance. There are one or two punchy sections, but, for the most part, the trail generally meanders up the hill.There is also a good amount of rocky tech mixed in, which can be fun at first but becomes a drag, especially on my second lap.When Im really on it, Ive made it to my descent in 45 minutes. When I pushed hard like that, my second climb was significantly slower, if it happened at all. On average, with a few short breaks here and there, Id say the climb takes me about an hour.On my e-bike, that climb takes roughly 30 minutes. And what is maybe two laps on my trail bike is extended to four or five on my e-bike. I am also less fatigued on each descent, though the e-bikes added weight is noticeable.But, bottom line, on an e-bike, Im able to at least double the amount of descending I would normally do on my trail bike. This is the fun part for me. It is why I ride, and the area I want to improve.I want to ride faster and push harder. I want to be more comfortable in the steeps, on rock rolls, on techy descents, and on fast, flowy sections. I want to corner better and faster, and just be more confident.This sort of progress comes from lap upon lap of descending. This sort of progress is what Ive gained from riding an e-bike.Time ConstraintsLook closely, this is an e-bike. Be careful and dont let them sneak by. Okay, go ahead and shame me now.Another reason I ride e-bikes quite a bit is that I can squeeze in a full ride in significantly less time. This is especially true during the winter.The winter season ushers in the shortest days of the year. I live in the Pacific Northwest, not too far from the 45th parallel (halfway between the equator and the North Pole), and dusk can set at 4:30 in the afternoon.This means absolutely no after-work rides, unless youre strapping on lights. The sun isnt rising as early either, which may eliminate the possibility of a morning ride.In fact, quite a few of my friends will hang up their bikes for the season, waiting for warmer, longer days. If I did that, I would go crazy. If I dont get out for a ride every two or three days, I start to get cranky and feel like my head is filling up with too many things.Bikes level me. They let my world pause and allow me to take a breath.My wife would also go crazy. Now, she doesnt mountain bike, but having to put up with me after I havent pedaled for a week is enough to do it. These are the times when she will politely take over whatever I am doing and say, Hey, I feel like you need to go for a ride.Without an e-bike, I would likely be quite a mess this time of year. My normal time to ride is early in the morning. Most of the year, this isnt an issue, as I can be climbing while the sun is coming up around 6:30 AM, or even earlier.During the winter, that gets bumped back at least an hour. That is an hour taken away from the window of time I have to ride. Thinking again of the trail system I mentioned earlier, the four-mile, 1,200-foot climb will likely take me an hour. A nearly two-mile descending trail will have me back at the bottom in less than ten minutes.Being conservative, that is an hour and ten minutes of bike time. With the drive to and from the trailhead, and the time needed to clean up and change, that leaves me very little time. If I have something at 9:00 AM, a winter morning ride is likely out of the question. However, if I jump on my e-bike, bike time is more than cut in half, and I can easily get out for a lappotentially two.Also on the subject of winter riding, ebikes make it easier to dress for winter laps. Youre not working quite as hard on the climbs, so you dont need to dress to be able to vent a ton of heat before bundling up for the descent. Instead, you can dress warmer for the whole rides with fewer layers which makes for faster preparation and cleanup. Im also a dad. I envy those who seem to climb on their bike on a Friday evening, finally dismounting Monday morning. But with two kids, my days of riding all day are over. Or they are at least very few and far between and require significant planning.The reality is, for as much riding as I like to do, and as many rides as I need to do for this line of work (I try to ride at least four days a week), a few of those rides need to be on an e-bike. I dont want to miss dinners together or Saturday afternoons at the park or Sunday morning breakfast because Im constantly gone riding.I dont want my kids to start referring to me as Travis and shaking my hand rather than hugging me because Dad is just gone too much riding his bike. With a little pedal assist, I can do a few laps and still get to the dance recital or play performance.E-bike ExplorationMake no mistake, I absolutely consider all the e-bikes I get to ride as another fun bike option for me to choose from. To use an already overused analogy, it is another steed in the stable. There are many reasons, some of which Ive mentioned, that I might choose an e-bike over a trail or enduro bike, with its a fun bike certainly being one of those reasons.However, I also see e-bikes as an incredibly impactful tool, and I use them as such. And, if I had to choose one reason to have an e-bike, this would probably be it.About a year ago, I was able to explore a new-to-me trail system about an hour away from my sisters. We were on a little family vacation, and I always try to bring a bike. It was my first time on these trails, and while I did a bit of research and looked at trail maps, I still had no idea which trails to prioritize. Fortunately, I brought my e-bike for that first trip there, and I was able to ride them all.I always try to take an e-bike for my first time at a trailhead. This allows me to explore the system and weed out some of the trails by taking a lap on the e-bike first. If I dont like the descent, I havent wasted an hour of climbing and a ridiculous amount of effort. In my opinion, there is nothing more disheartening than putting in a ton of effort, having a mediocre experience, and finding out the real gem is the next trail over.Often, after first exploring all the trails on my e-bike, Ill return with an enduro or trail bike. And that is exactly what I did with this trail system near my sisters house. On our next visit, I opted to pedal under my own power, but knew the trails I wanted to hit.Thanks, e-bikes!Again, this is especially handy given my job. I often get opportunities to visit and write about trail systems that are pretty far from home. If I have the choice, I opt for an e-bike every time.When visiting these places, I may only have one or two days (if Im lucky) to ride the trail system. That is hardly enough time to experience all the trails and get a good feel for them. But on an e-bike, I can typically ride all* (I mean, it depends on how many miles were talking about) the trails, likely with multiple laps on a few standouts.Okay, Time for my RantThese are my pretty calm, pretty respectful, and pretty understandable reasons why my e-bike usage doesnt make me lazy. Likely, they dont piss many people off.But this might.Im tired of the hardcore mountain bikers. The earn your turns mountain bikers. Let me explain.Often, in my experience, on the topic of e-bikes, there will be a slew of these types of mountain bikers who like to comment about how they dont need a motor, or this is a cheater bike. Comments such as these are often accompanied by frustrations about e-bikes at their local trailhead (where ebikes are legal).In many cases (especially in local social media groups), these trailheads are mentioned by name.In some cases, I have ridden at these trailheads. And, I have to say, for as hardcore as these anti-e-bike mountain bikers are, they are riding some pretty vanilla trails. I look no further than frustrations about the most popular trailhead in my hometown.There isnt a trail above green that leaves that trailhead. Yet, so many hardcore mountain bikers complain about the e-bikers there.And that isnt to say that I even think e-bikes should be riding there. Much of the frustration stems from rental shops sending customers (tourists) to that trailhead after renting a bike. I dont ride my e-bike there. In fact, I dont ride any bike there.I also dont have a problem with riding green trails. You dont have to exclusively ride black and double blacks to be a good mountain biker.Beginner trails are there for a reason to help introduce people to the sport, and provide a mellow option for those who want it. As long as everyone is following the rules of the trail, it shouldnt matter to you what the other riders are using. You do you and ride what you like. But, if you want to view yourself as superior and a more hardcore mountain biker than someone just because theyre using a bit of pedal assist, maybe you should first take your hardcore self to some more difficult trails first.The post Dear Bike Industry: Just Because I Ride an E-Bike Doesnt Mean Im Lazy appeared first on Bikerumor.

Plan was expected to be put to the Cabinet today before it was withdrawn from the meeting of Government Ministers. A reported plan by Irelands Government to make the wearing of helmets and high-vis mandatory for e-scooter and e-bike users includes all bicycles, even those without a motor, the Department of Transport has confirmed this afternoon. People not wearing the gear would be subject to fines issued by Gardai, similar to the fines issued for offences such as cyclists running red lights or not using bicycle lights.Late this afternoon, a Department of Transport spokesperson said: Requirements for mandatory helmets and high-visibility equipment are currently being considered for e-scooters, bicycles and e-bikes.The Department has referred to it as being considered and under review, but others have said that it is a draft plan that should be taken seriously. Sources told this website that the Tnaiste Simon Harris and Minister of State, Sen Canney, were the main people pushing for mandatory high-vis and helmets at Cabinet today, and that he wanted the issue brought back to Government at the earliest opportunity.The move would make Ireland the only EU country to mandate bicycle helmets, and possibly the only member State to force people to wear high-vis generally. The effectiveness of both high-vis and helmets is widely questioned, including by researchin the areas of road safety and public health.Australia mandates helmets, but this is linked to years of decline in cycling, and mandatory helmets are also linked to low use of bicycle share schemes in Melbourne and Brisbane. 61% of survey respondents said mandatory helmet laws were their main barrier to using bike share in Melbourne and Brisbane, blocking significant health benefits which are linked to such programmes.In Ireland, it is expected that primary legislation will be required to legally require people to wear high-vis and helmets.The Department of Transports confirmation that bicycles are included was in response to questions from IrishCycle.com as to what e-bikes are included after The Journal reported this morning that a plan to make high-vis and helmets mandatory for e-bike and e-scooter users was being brought to Cabinet today.It is understood that the plan regarding mandating clothing and helmets was seen as being too complicated to deal with at this time, as it would distract from work on closing claimed loopholes on the use of scrambler motorcycles and the move to making it harder for seized scramblers to be returned to their owners, which currently happens at least in some cases after a fee is paid.The reason for the delay in making the helmet and high-vis equipment mandatory is reflected in comments from Taoiseach Michel Martin after todays Cabinet meeting. The Taoiseach said that they are very focused on scramber issue, which he said would be named Graces Law after 16-year-old Grace Lynch, who was killed when she was struck by a scrambler being driven by an 18-year-old man who has been charged. He added that they would then move onto work on e-scooters. This refers to the review, which also includes e-bikes and bicycles.The inclusion of bicycles in the plan to force peope to wear building site-like gear was first reported on by IrishCycle.com last week after a parliamentary answer in the name of Minister for State, Canney, said: The Department has begun examining this issue, with a view to considering mandating helmets for these and other vulnerable micromobility users the paragraph proceeding it mentioned bicycles, e-bikes and scooters, and besides e-scooters, micromobility usually refers to bicycles and electric bicycles.This was put to the Department at the time, and they did not deny it, but today was the first time that they have made it clear that all bicycles are included in the draft plans

Despite the opening stage ofVolta a Comunitat Valenciana being predicted as a relatively straightforward sprinter day, the opposite was true. Movistar and Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe found an unlikely alliance that attacked the head of the race on the day's only classified climb, thePuerto Los Mad...

For Remco Evenepoel, his transfer from Soudal - Quick-Step to Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe is an opportunity for a fresh start in a new environment. And the Belgian set off to a great start going three for three in his first starts in the new jersey. But the main part of his season will not revolve a...

Emma Jeffers and Erin Creighton were in action in the 1km TT for Ireland at the European Championships in Konya, Turkey, with both smashing the Irish record that had been held by Creighton before these championships began. And in the individual pursuit, former junior European champion in the points race, Lucy Bnzet Minns, went close []

The 2025 edition of Etoile de Besseges was a miserable one, to put it simply. Cars on the road, stages being paused, altered, and almost cancelled at times. The edition had only 52 finishers out of 146 participants. Most of them riders for French teams who were ordered by their management to honour...

A couple weeks ago, Lauf Gravel Worlds announced some exciting changes for the 2026 edition of its signature event in Lincoln, Nebraska. Perhaps most notably, event sponsor GOODLIFE Nutrition is putting up a whopping $150,000 professional prize purse. Additionally, they announced free live coverage of the event on the Gravel Worlds YouTube channel and Outside TV, free entry for juniors, and on-course enhancements to benefit all participants.The best gravel racers in the world will be duking it out for a big payday at the 2026 Gravel Worlds. (photo/Dan Hughes)$150,000 Prize PurseGOODLIFE Nutrition is based in Lincoln, Nebraska, the home of Gravel Worlds, and is completely sponsoring the massive $150,000 prize purse. While it is already one of the marquee events on the gravel circuit, the $150,000 payout makes Gravel Worlds the largest single-day prize purse in gravel racing. This is a major investment from the sports nutrition brand GOODLIFE Nutrition and a milestone for the event and, arguably, for the sport of gravel racing itself.The $150,000 professional prize purse will be divided evenly between the mens and womens elite fields, with payouts going ten deep. The winners will each be taking home $25,000, which is a serious payday. Heres how the rest of the prize payouts break down:1st $25,0002nd $17,0003rd $10,0004th $7,5005th $5,0006th $4,0007th $3,0008th $2,0009th $1,00010th $500That big payday applies to the Elite Women at Gravel Worlds as well. (photo/Clare Paniccia)Gravel Worlds already draws many of the top professional gravel racers in the world, and the big payday is likely to attract even more of the worlds best and make for an even more competitive race. Gravel Worlds states that one of the goals is to bring even more legitimacy to the event and contribute to the professionalization of gravel racing. Additionally, they hope the enhanced media coverage will help to increase exposure for athletes and the sport of gravel riding and racing more broadly.Gravel Worlds started as a grassroots event in 2010, long before most of us thought gravel riding was cool. Now, 16 years later, the event is one of the biggest and the highest-paying in the sport. But Gravel Worlds wants to keep the spirit of gravel alive, which is why its important to note that the entire prize purse is sponsored by GOODLIFE Nutrition, so it wont impact the cost of entry for the rest of the participants. Gravel Worlds aims to remain an inclusive event, and this allows them to keep entry fees steady for amateurs while still elevating the prestige of the event and the sport in general.Gravel Worlds knows the juniors of today could be in the lead group of the elite field of tomorrow. (photo/Dan Hughes)Free and Discounted Racing for JuniorsSupporting the professional field matters, Jason Strohbehn, Lead Director, added. But it matters even more when that support helps elevate the entire ecosystem around the race, from aspiring young athletes to fans discovering gravel for the first time. To that end, they are lowering the barrier to entry even further. Gravel Worlds and GOODLIFE Nutrition are making it easier for juniors to participate and get into the sport by making the U18 categories of the 75-mile and non-competitive 35-mile distances completely free. Additionally, the U23 categories for the 150-mile distance will cost only $50 to enter for up-and-coming racers.Were incredibly excited to continue supporting young riders as they find their way into gravel cycling, said Sofia Gibson, Assistant Lead Promoter of Gravel Worlds. By offering free and discounted entry to our junior categories, were lowering barriers to participation and helping build a stronger future for the sport. Investing in young athletes today is how we ensure gravel cycling continues to grow in healthy, inclusive ways tomorrow.The pros might make the headlines, but Gravel Worlds is an event for everyone. (photo/Gravel Worlds)On-Course and Event EnhancementsLauf Gravel Worlds says that the increased investment in the pro field will also benefit the other 99% of riders who are there to participate and enjoy the ride. This includes course marshals at every stop sign and additional law enforcement on course, both intended to raise the bar in terms of rider safety. Other on-course enhancements include more water and aid stations, spaced no more than 30 miles apart on the 150-mile course.Were also told that theyll be increasing the efforts on entertainment, through the week, and especially at the First2Last Party which celebrates the riders finishing after dark, attempting to make the 9:59:59 cutoff time. From the front of the pack to the final finisher, Gravel Worlds continues to double down on inclusivity and experience.The event has evolved into a full week of festivities, starting with a short-track MTB race, a two-day industry expo, and the USAT Triathlon Gravel National Championships on Friday, leading up to Gravel Worlds. The gravel races go down all day on Saturday, and thats followed by an ultramarathon and half-marathon run on Sunday. The nearly week-long Gravel Worlds event has something for everyone across the endurance spectrum, both for participants and spectators alike.Youve got six and a half months left to train for the 2026 Gravel Worlds. (photo/Clare Paniccia)Gravel Worlds 2026Gravel Worlds takes place in Lincoln, Nebraska, this summer, with the races and festivities spanning from August 19-23, 2026. The gravel race goes down on Saturday, August 22nd. To learn more about the event or to sign up, head to the Gravel Worlds website.gravelworlds.comAbout Gravel WorldsCelebrating its 17th year in 2026, Lauf Gravel Worlds has grown from a grassroots gathering of adventurous riders into one of the most influential gravel events in the world. Built on the principles of inclusion, self-reliance, and community, Gravel Worlds has always existed to celebrate the spirit and history of gravel cycling while challenging what the sport can become. As the event continues to evolve, its purpose remains unchanged: to honor where gravel came from, elevate the experience for every rider, and push the sport forward in meaningful, rider-first ways.About Gravel Worlds FoundationFounded in 2025, the Gravel Worlds Foundation serves as the nonprofit arm of Gravel Worlds, created to be a magnifying glass for the generosity of the gravel community. The Foundation exists to turn participation into impactsupporting cycling, running, and fitness-related causes while reinvesting directly into communities that make the sport possible. Through rider support, partner commitments, and event initiatives, the Foundation ensures that Gravel Worlds leaves a lasting legacy well beyond race weekend. Gravel Worlds Foundation donated over $98,000 in 2025 and will match $50,000 in donations made through the GWF.gravelworldsfoundation.comAbout 1000 Women of Gravel InitiativeIn 2026, Gravel Worlds will again pursue its 1000 Women of Gravel initiative, an effort designed to encourage and celebrate womens participation across all aspects of the event. For every woman who attends or volunteers, $10 will be donated to NICA GRiT Nebraska, supporting programs that empower young women through cycling. The initiative reflects Gravel Worlds commitment to growing inclusivity in the sport while helping foster and fund the next generation of cyclists.The post Lauf Gravel Worlds Announces $150,000 Pro Prize Purse, Free Entries for Juniors, and More for 2026 appeared first on Bikerumor.