Lidl-Treks 2026 Tour de France equation may not be as straightforward as a pure sprint train built around one of the fastest men in the world. According to Mathias Vacek, the teams competitive edge lies in flexibility rather than specialisation. Speaking in an interview with the Czech Cycling Fede...

There was no hesitation when the offer came.After a breakthrough first campaign with AG Insurance - Soudal, Urska Zigart has committed her future to the Belgian squad through 2027, reinforcing both her growing leadership role and her upward trajectory in the Womens WorldTour. The extension comes a...

Halo's new Mantadrive freehub offers almost instantaneous pickup. Halo initially announced the Mantadrive last year, but the COREbike show this week was the first time we've seen it up-close. It is being offered in an SS (singlespeed) version designed for dirt-jump bikes and BMX, although Halo says it is developing an option for road and gravel, too. Read more: Freehubs explained standards, compatibility and how a freehub works Near-instant engagement The Cro-mo axle and freehub should make the Mantadrive tough. Warren Rossiter / Ourmedia Halo already had one of the toughest and fastest freehubs on the market with the Supadrive. That hub's combination of three pawls with 12 micro teeth on each pawl creates a fast engagement that Halo claims is more reliable and tougher than standard freehub designs. Halo has upped the game with the new Mantadrive, though. The 750 Mantadrive uses five pawls on a 150-point engagement drive ring (5x150 = 750). The combination creates a near-instant 2.4-degree angle of engagement. Halo tells us the new system differs from traditional freehubs in that the leaf-sprung 'pawls' have a different profile and feature seven machined 'teeth'. Halo claims those, in combination with the 150-tooth ring, make missed engagements a thing of the past. That said, if you're not a fan of noisy freehubs, it'd be best to avoid the Mantadrive its sound has been described as akin to a jet engine. The engagement angle is one of the shortest weve seen on any hub system, only outdone by Industry Nine's Hydra 2 with its 870 points of engagement and Onyx's Vesper with its instant-engagement sprag clutch system. The Mantadrive engagement ring has 150 teeth. Warren Rossiter / Ourmedia According to Halo, the Mantadrive also has higher durability, especially in high-torque situations. The toughness is further enhanced by using a tough Cro-mo axle and freehub. Each of the five sprung pawls has seven teeth. Warren Rossiter / Ourmedia Halo claims the almost-instant engagement is perfect for testing mountain bike applications and dirt jumpers thanks to the near-immediate reaction to pedal inputs that's ideal for navigating obstacles and quick accelerations. Halo's Mantadrive offers a rapid 2.4-degree pickup. Warren Rossiter / Ourmedia The rear hub comes in Boost, 12x142mm and M10x135mm versions, making it compatible with plenty of older frame standards. More options are on the way, including 148/150/157mm widths. There will be mountain bike versions with Boost in XD and HG, and microspline. Halo says it will also offer lightened road and gravel versions. The Mantadrive hubset is priced at 299.99 for this limited-edition purple pair, and from 190 to 220 for the rear hub only, depending on specification.

Several wins and another major off-season of recruitment means there's plenty for Ineos Grenadiers to shout about as long it's not too awkward

A report by the MPCC found that cases of doping in cycling fell from 29 to 20 in the years since 2022

On the 1st of March the peloton takes on Kuurne - Bruxelles - Kuurne. Whilst not part of the World Tour, the cobbled classic - the second of the weekend, following Omloop het Nieuwsblad - is every year one of the most exciting racs of the year, where classics specialists and sprinters come together...

The MPCC also say they're concerned by doping in the lower professional and amateur divisions

The cobbles are calling again, and Soudal - Quick-Step have shown their hand. The Belgian squad have confirmed their selections for both Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and Kuurne - Bruxelles - Kuurne, opening their 24th consecutive Spring Classics campaign with a clear structure built around Paul Magnier. Be...

The Ulster road racing season gets started this Saturday, February 28th, with the Annaclone GP hosted by Banbridge CC in Co Down. It is one of only two races in the opening day of the new 2026 domestic season, which should help ensure it is well supported. Two races will be hosted by Banbridge CC []

The new microSHIFT Advent MX and MX Black groupsets are a redesign of the brands budget-focused Advent and Advent X systems. With claims of better shifting, increased durability, and a wider range, Neil put this fresh mountain bike group through its paces to see if it delivers the same affordable quality. Find his video and written reviews here...The post Microshift Advent MX Review appeared first on BIKEPACKING.com.