One of the biggest, boldest, and bad-ass aero bikes in the pro peloton

Primoz Roglic and Giulio Pellizzari are both racing Milano-Sanremo this weekend. Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe did not reveal the lineup yet with two days to go, however they released a preview from one of the team's leaders Laurence Pithie in which the New Zealander has revealed the presence of the t...

BTCHN' Bikes in California is the latest maker to offer its take on the 32-inch mountain bike. The new BTCHN Alpina was designed around the idea that composure creates speed, and it features a 120mm travel fork, 32" wheels, and a super boost rear hub. Check it out here...The post The BTCHN Bikes Alpina is a 32er with a Super Boost Rear Hub appeared first on BIKEPACKING.com.

Icelandic brand Lauf, best known for its gravel race bikes, has joined the eMTB market with the eElja an electrified trail version of its Elja XC bike and a keep-it-simple philosophy. The eElja is a true SL eMTB, with a lightweight 130mm-travel frame, 140mm fork, compact 360Wh battery and TQs latest lightweight HPR60 motor contributing to a claimed weight of less than 17kg. Lauf wanted to build an eMTB for those who are happy to put a bit more effort into their assisted rides, who value the bikes handling and motor feel over all-out power. As per the non-powered Elja XC bike, Lauf employs a simple single-pivot design, while a bit of digging through TQs catalogue revealed a simpler solution to motor and battery displays. In doing so, Lauf has built an electric mountain bike that blends on-trail capability with a bit of subtle assistance in a package thats as fuss-free as they come. I travelled to Lauf's home in Iceland to see the new eElja and get in a first ride in its natural habitat. Read more: Best lightweight electric mountain bikes 2026 7 top-rated light eMTBs, plus our buyer's guide Simple but effective As eMTBs go, the eElja might be the most subtle-looking one around. Lauf The relationship to the non-assisted Elja is clear, with the two bikes sharing an almost identical silhouette. The front triangle has a deep head tube, which is slightly bulkier than the XC bike to cope with weight and the additional travel on offer, while the tubes form is a little more angular than on the XC bike. The down tubes svelte cross-section holds the 360Wh battery, with the charging port at the top of the tube. The motor is non-structural to the frame, so it shouldnt impact ride quality. Given its prominent position at the base of the bike, theres a guard to protect its leading edge from damage. Keeping it simple one single swingarm, no fancy linkages. Lauf Above and forward of the motor is the main pivot, from which the asymmetrical rear triangle emerges. In a nod to durability and serviceability, the main pivot consists of a SRAM DUB bottom bracket no proprietary or difficult-to-source bearings here, and as long as you have a DUB BB tool to hand, no bearing presses are needed when the bearings wear out. This system, says Lauf, is durable and stiff, while simplicity is a definite side benefit. Towards the back 2.6in tyres are broad, but they still squeeze in the rear swingarm. Lauf The main pivot is a touch lower than on the non-assisted Elja. This reduces the anti-squat value of the frame, providing a smoother ride, because theres less interaction between the chain and the suspension. With a motor adding some extra oomph, theres less requirement for the suspension to be as pedal-efficient as the XC-focused Elja. Lauf's LSP wings help isolate the shock from side-loading. Lauf The swingarm has two thin arms driving the shock, dubbed LSP. The Lauf Single Pivot systems arms are laterally flexible, designed to isolate the shock from lateral loads, which cause stiction and wear. The forward portion of the swingarm is built to be stiff, while flex is allowed further rearward in the arms, to ensure the rear wheel can track off-cambers and roots effectively. The shock sits lower in the frame, helping boost travel to 130mm over the 120mm offered with the Elja XC bike. To give the extra 10mm of suspension travel the eElja has over the Elja, Lauf has mounted the shock lower in the frame and lengthened the chainstays by 13mm. How its powered TQ's small HPR60 motor nestles behind carbon cranks on the top-end model. Lauf The Lauf team wanted to use TQs new HPR 60 motor because of its "elegant and fascinating" harmonic drive system. The brand was originally founded by a pair of prosthetic engineers, whose experience with glass fibre springs in prosthetic blades gave rise to Lauf's unique Trail Racer and Grit leaf-sprung suspension forks. Prosthetic knees, which founder Benedikt Skulason also worked on, use harmonic drive system motors, similar to those found in the HPR60. From the driveside, it's almost impossible to see the motor. Lauf The recently updated motor is IP67-rated against water and dust ingress something useful in Iceland, where rides frequently involve river crossings, and the wind can whip up rolling clouds of lava-based dust. The motor has up to 350W of assistance, with 60Nm of torque, placing it squarely in the lighter-weight and lower-assistance bracket. The three modes are pre-programmed to give 50%, 100% and 150% assistance up to 350W, although the modes can be tuned via the TQ app. While the 360Wh battery is small in comparison to most other eMTBs, this works with Laufs intention of building a true SL eMTB. The battery capacity and motor strength are subtle rather than punchy, with an aim of giving a more natural ride feel. A range extender can be used to boost your hill-climbing ability and it doesn't stop you from carrying a bottle, either. Lauf Should you want a little more juice, a 160Wh range extender can be fitted into the frame triangle, while still leaving room for a 500ml bottle, even on a small-sized bike. I measured a size-medium bike at 16.7kg, although it had lighter Goodyear Peak tyres fitted, rather than the more aggressive 2.6in Goodyear Escape Trail Max that will come fitted to the bike. Should you want the faster-rolling Peaks, they can be specced when ordering the bike. Keeping it simple Perhaps the neatest integration of a motor display we've seen. Lauf It feels like simplicity has been a key consideration during the construction of the eElja. The single-pivot suspension, with its DUB bottom bracket, is as pared down as it gets. This extends to the motors implementation, too. Rather than fit a large screen into the top tube, which increases weight and price, Lauf noticed the TQ catalogue included a small road bike bar-end display. This simple five-LED display shows basic battery and mode selection data. Lauf has used this as the only on-bike display for the system, placed on the top of the top tube. Its argument goes that if you need more data on the motor, its modes and other information, youre able to get this via your computer. The lineage from Elja to eElja is easy to see. Lauf With bikes designed for riders looking to go further, many will double up on displays, adding a bike computer to the bar for ride data and navigation. Likewise, with the frame being wireless-only gears and dropper the spare button on the SRAM AXS left-hand pod can be used to toggle through the motors three modes, thus removing an item of hardware from the bar. In practice, its an incredibly elegant solution. Well kitted out SRAM's Transmission groupsets feature on both builds. Lauf As hinted at, both models are fully wireless to keep the bike as fuss-free as possible. SRAMs AXS Transmission groupsets and AXS Reverb dropper keep the battery count high and cables non-existent. To keep handling calm, FSAs damped Honey stabilising headset bearings are fitted. These help filter out trail chatter through the bar. The Weekend Warrior build, priced at $6,990, comes with a GX Transmission, RockShox Pike Select fork and a Deluxe Select shock. If wireless brakes existed you know Lauf would spec them. Lauf The Race build ($8,490) comes with Select+ level Pike and Deluxe suspension, an X0 Transmission, carbon rims and cranks, and, in a nod to keeping the ride as smooth as possible, e*thirteen Sidekick hub. The hub disengages itself while freewheeling, so the chain cant tug on the rear wheel when the suspension compresses as such, theres little to no pedal feedback. Lauf eElja initial ride impressions Scurrying down a rock-laden ridge line in northern Iceland. Lauf So, how does the eElja ride? From the off, as per any lightweight eMTB, the eElja rides trails much like a non-powered mountain bike, but with a hint of additional smoothness and stability. The suspension system may be simple, but it's effective, offering decent control over hits large and small. With the pivot placement designed to give less intersection between chain and suspension, as well as the Sidekick hub in the rear, its incredibly smooth over trail ripples. On bigger hits, the bike eases into its mid-to-late stroke without any harshness. Wider tyres mean lower pressures I was running these well below 20psi even in rocky terrain. Lauf I didnt spend enough time on the bike with the more aggressive Goodyear Escape tyres, but my experience of the Peaks is that, even with minimal tread, in all but muddy conditions, there is far more grip on tap than the tread pattern might suggest. The Escapes have much chunkier tread blocks, so I should imagine grip levels will be high. While the travel figures aren't huge, the suspension is well-controlled, and those broad tyres do a good job, too. Lauf While Lauf hasnt gone wild with the geometry, the bike's shape is definitely modern. The head angle sits at 65 degrees, while reach figures across the four sizes range from 416mm to 502mm. Chainstays are moderately long at 448mm across all sizes, boosting the wheelbase for increased stability. The eElja proved confident on swooping woodland trails, wide-open rocky tracks and through the bike park at least in the context of it being a shorter-travel, lightweight trail bike. I was certainly happy giving it as much of a hammering as I was able to on blind tracks. The lightweight motor and battery dont offer the same punchy uphill performance as a full-power ebike motor does, and so if you were moving from a full-fat eMTB to a bike such as this, you will be putting more effort into your ascents. The HPR 60 motor isn't as punchy as full-fat motors see it more as a gentle push on your back, rather than a shove. Lauf But if youre coming from a non-assisted ride and are looking for a little extra help, the TQ HPR60 motor is one of the best out there. Its quiet, with minimal whirring or buzzing, adding to the very natural ride feel the motor provides. Theres no jerk as you set off from standing, instead a nice feed-in of power. Likewise, on rolling terrain, the motor doesnt give you a boot up the backside when you put in a few pedal strokes; it massages your efforts into something just a little more impressive. Push past the assistance level and the motor's resistance is almost zero, meaning the bike doesn't lose any zip when you're hauling. Lauf Laufs simple integration of the motor and battery is a nice counterpoint to the jungle of wires, displays and controllers that some eMTBs can suffer from. The system is integrated very neatly and not in your face. If you want a simple but effective assisted ride, where the motors performance isnt front and centre of your experience, Laufs eElja might be right up your street. Four colours will be offered Sley Yellow, Basalt Black, Geysir Gray & Borealis with bikes available directly from Lauf.

In 2024, a super Jasper Philipsen was able to resist the ascent to the Poggio di Sanremo and then win the final sprint after Mathieu van der Poel closed down late moves. Two years later it's a completely different race in which he believes he stands little chance, but that is certainly not the case...

In the 33rd episode detailing his ride from Alaska to Argentina, Dan Camp reports in with a video highlighting his first month of riding across Peru. See photos and experience 600 miles of travel along Peruvian dirt roads in the 30-minute video here...The post 30 Days Solo Bikepacking Across Incredible Peru (Video) appeared first on BIKEPACKING.com.

Forbidden Bike Company is no stranger to gravity. Aside from the titanium hardtails they just released (yeah, those are rad), all their bikes certainly favor descending. Hell, even the ti Heathen is built for the downs. With mixed-wheel capabilities, a 130mm fork, a high stack, and a slack head tube angle, it looks pretty capable pointed downhill.Jumping to the full-suspension side, the short-travel Druid is easily the downhillers trail bike (sorry for the terrible cliche). The 130mm of rear travel goes much further than expected, with the high-pivot and rearward axle path doing much more than a bike in this travel category should.But what Forbidden currently lacks in its full-suspension offerings is an everyday trail machine. Not the trails of Squamish or North Vancouver, or other steep descending meccas of the PNW, but the pedal-friendly, pump and jump trails most of us ride.I mean, if were honest, it is what most of us ride. And, now, Forbidden has the bike for it. Introducing the Reya.What Forbidden did with the ReyaOkay, lets look at the big picture here and see what Forbidden has drummed up. The Reya is a 120mm trail bike paired with a 130mm fork. Certainly short travel on both ends for Forbidden. And the brand known for high-pivots, idlers, and rearward axle paths included none of them on the new Reya.Stepping away from a high-pivot, the Forbidden Reya features a good ol-fashioned four-bar suspension platform. Anti-squat sits at about 110% at SAG in the climbing gears, providing a supportive pedaling platform while still delivering good climbing traction. But as the bike shifts into harder gears, Forbidden says the anti-squat value increases to maximize pedaling efficiency.Forbidden utilizes a fairly progressive leverage curve on the Reya, providing consistent support throughout the travel. Using air shocks with large-volume air cans then allows them to incorporate suppleness, sensitivity, and traction.While they might have gone away from idlers and high-pivots for the Reya, Forbidden maintains its OneRide geometry philosophy. The reach and rear center of the bike grow proportionally across all four sizes. This keeps the suspension balanced and provides better grip on both the front and rear wheels.The Reya sees a 65 head tube angle and 77 seat tube angle across all sizes. Stack is a touch lower (for a Forbidden), starting at 598mm on an S1 and growing to 639 on an S4. Reach and chainstays (grow proportionally) throughout the size range, starting at 435mm and 420mm, respectively, and extend to 495mm and 464mm at their longest.All of this amounts to a wheelbase that ranges from 1,163mm to 1,285mm across the size range. The Reya sits long enough for quality stability and maintains the brands DNA, while remaining short enough to remain agile, something expected in the short-travel trail category.What They Didnt DoThere are a couple of features that the Reya lacks that other bikes in the category might have. For Forbidden, the choice to omit certain features was intentional.First, youll notice that there is no in-frame storage. This was done intentionally. Forbidden says that little doors in our downtubes add weight (likely cost, too) that cannot be removed. So, they went without.Plus, hip packs and hydration bags work pretty well.Forbidden also didnt bother with providing space for two water bottles in the front triangle, something more common on bikes in this category. Again, this was intentional, as they chose to go with a vertical shock position on the Reya. While the shock configuration leaves no room for a second water bottle, as a top tube-mounted shock would, it also provides much greater torsional stiffness. This means better suspension performance and less strain on the shock.They also use properly sized bearings and keep the cables out of the headset. These are both decisions to prolong the Reyas life and make owners happy (headset cable routing really is terrible).BuildsForbidden currently offers three builds, or tiers, of the Reya. While not available now, they also say they will have frame-only options soon. The frame-only price is $3,399.Tier 1Fork: Fox Factory 34SLShock: Fox Factory FloatDrivetrain: SRAM XXSL TransmissionBrakes: SRAM Motive UltimateWheels: DT Swiss 1500 CarbonHubs: DT Swiss 240Cockpit: OneUp/BikeYoke/FizikPrice: $10,499Tier 2Fork: RockShox Pike UltimateShock: RockShox Deluxe UltimateDrivetrain: SRAM GX TransmissionBrakes: SRAM Motive SilverWheels: DT Swiss 1700Hubs: DT Swiss 350Cockpit: OneUp/BikeYoke/FizikPrice: $7,699Tier 3Fork: RockShox Pike Select+Shock: RockShox Deluxe Select+Drivetrain: SRAM Eagle 90 TransmissionBrakes: SRAM Motive BronzeWheels: DT Swiss 1900Hubs: DT Swiss 370Cockpit: ForbiddenPrice: $6,299forbiddenbike.comThe post Forbidden Has a New BIke: No Idlers or High-Pivots, Just Short-Travel Trail Goodness appeared first on Bikerumor.

Milano-Sanremo is right around the corner, and it is a race where climbing and endurance capacity are just as important as positioning. Hence, even the teams that want to make a difference uphill need a lineup with classics specialists and heavyweight riders. In UAE Team Emirates - XRG's case, Tadej...

The new Forbidden Reya is a full-suspension downcountry bike designed for big days on backcountry trails, cross-country tech, and everything in between. And you won't find an idler or a high pivot, a first for Forbidden. Learn more about the Reya here...The post The New Forbidden Reya is for Downcountry appeared first on BIKEPACKING.com.

In Foxs relentless pursuit of the top step of the podium, it has completely redesigned the Fox 40 downhill fork to be faster top-to-bottom. Eagle-eyed folks, ourselves included, have been spotting the FOX 40 RAD (Racing Application Development) prototypes in the wild at events like Crankworx, Red Bull Hardline, and DH World Cups since last summer. Now, months of speculation are over as Fox finally pulls back the curtain on its latest version of the Fox 40 DH fork.Externally, the Fox 40 receives a handful of updates, including a new chassis that aligns it with the rest of the Fox lineups architecture. However, the majority of the updates are internal, with some tech carrying over from the Podium inverted fork and the recently updated Fox 36. That includes the GRIP X2 damper, which has been significantly overhauled to enhance suppleness while maintaining support without harshness.Fox 40: Whats New?Lets start with the visually obvious external updates to the Fox 40, most of which apply to the dedicated 29 version. The existing lowers of the 27.5 version carry over, but it gets all of the same internal updates. First and foremost, the 40 finally gets updated with the generative designed arch, which has small cutouts in the arch and provides a consistent design language across the Fox fork lineup. This reduces weight while maintaining the chassiss stiffness, which has been optimized to minimize friction and allow the damper to perform all of the damping.Additionally, the lower-leg bypass channels have been relocated to the inside of the fork legs, and the bleeders have also been updated. Fox also has a new, larger mudguard that attaches to a new GD4 mount no more bleed valve mount. The air-side top cap now uses a splined cassette tool for simplicity and ease of maintenance.Updated GRIP X2The previous GRIP X2 damperThe updated GRIP X2 damperFox says the GRIP X2 damper was already the pinnacle of performance, but now its been updated to make it even better. Some of these damper updates have been in use in Foxs inverted Podium fork already, and now theyre rolling it over to the rest of the X2 damper models to improve sensitivity across the gravity lineup. Fox tells us that GRIP X2 has an entirely new mid-valve piston and valve stack. The valves have been reshaped, along with porting updates in the pistons mid-valve housing. With the cut rebound valve design, this allows more oil flow at the mid valve. With oil able to flow more quickly through the piston, Fox says the updated GRIP X2 makes the Fox 40 even more supple and responsive. The new GRIP X2 damper still offers four-way adjustability, with external high- and low-speed compression and rebound damping offering extensive tuning capability.Jackson Goldstone raced RAD versions of the new Fox 40 to a World Cup Overall title last season.Other Internal UpdatesFox has also included its GlideCore technology, which debuted on the Fox 36 and 36 SL last year, with a horizontally and vertically compliant air spring to further reduce friction and negate the effects of chassis flex. Inside, theres also an updated MCU bottom-out bumper along with increased negative air volume, which is claimed to increase sensitivity even further.Fox 40 Updates and FeaturesUpdated GRIP X2New Glidecore vertically and horizontally compliant air spring with MCU bottom-out bumper and increased negative volumeNew generative-designed lower legs on 29 modelsUpdated bleeders, relocated bypass channels on 29 modelsNew 40 Mud Guard with GD4 mount on 29 modelsSplined cassette tool air side top capThe redesigned Fox 40 comes in Orange (29 only) or Shiny Black, and the new mud guard is bigger and no longer attaches to the bleed valves.Fox 40 SpecsFactory Series and Performance Series (OE option)203mm Travel (190mm airshafts available)29 and 27.552 Offset for 29 AM forks, 48 Offset for 27.5 AM Forks (44, 56mm Offset OE options)DH Boost 20mm Floating AxlePM 200 29 / PM203 27.5230mm Max Brake Rotor2.5 Max Tire SizeStarting weight 2888g (40, 29, F-S, 200, Grip X2) and 2745 (40, 27.5, F-S, 203, Grip X2)Gracey Hemstreet already owns gravity on the redesigned Fox 40 with a podium at Red Bull Hardline Tasmania.Fox 40: Pricing and AvailabilityThe redesigned Fox 40 is available now in both 27.5 and 29 versions. The Fox 40 29 is offered in your choice of Shiny Black or Orange, while the 27.5 comes in Shiny Black only. Regardless of wheel size, the Fox 40 retails for $1,999 USD / $2,479 CAD / 2,199 / 2,099.Head to the Fox website to learn more or order one directly from the brand. Otherwise, check out your local Fox dealer or your favorite online retailer to buy one and own gravity this season.ridefox.comThe post Fox Wants You to Own Gravity with its Redesigned Fox 40 DH Fork and Updated GRIP X2 Damper appeared first on Bikerumor.