If you liked the look of Specialized Turbo Levo R when it launched in February, but were put off by the price, that may change now the brand has unveiled the alloy version of its short-travel eMTB. There isn't an option to get the Turbo Levo R Comp Alloy with the top-tier S-Works motor, though. That remains reserved for the priciest carbon version of the bike, which I think is a shame. On the plus side, the standard motor packs a serious punch, delivering 810W of peak power and 105Nm of torque, which is more than many of its rivals. If this new alloy version of the Levo R is anything like its pricier carbon counterpart, it should be a riot to ride, even if it only has 130mm of rear-wheel travel. With only one alloy model, though, choice is limited if youre on a budget. Read more: Best electric mountain bikes: top-rated eMTBs to tame the trails Material choices The alloy version of the Levo R gets the same, standard motor as its carbon counterparts (with the exception of the S-Works bike), the same geometry and the same adjustments. Specialized Specialized has launched the new Turbo Levo R Comp Alloy in a bid to cater for more riders with different budgetary needs. At 5,499 / $7,200 / 6,499, itll save you 1,300 against its carbon Comp equivalent, but features the same powerful Specialized 3.1 motor, which delivers 105Nm of torque and peak power of 810W. Thats more than big-motor brands such as Bosch and Shimano, although the figures fall a little short of Avinoxs 120Nm of torque and 1,000W of power. It's disappointing that theres no option to get the top-end S-Works motor in the alloy frame. Thats reserved for the top-tier carbon bike and delivers 111Nm and 850Nm. You do, however, get the same integrated top-tube screen, remote and motor modes as on the more expensive bikes in the range. As standard, the Levo R Comp Alloy is powered by a massive 840Wh battery, which can be accessed easily using the side-loading compartment on the down tube. There are aftermarket options for a smaller, lighter 600Wh battery and a 280Wh range extender if youre keen to drop some weight or stretch your rides further. Other than that, the alloy frame mimics the details of the carbon bike, with the same 130mm of rear-wheel travel, paired with a 140mm-travel fork up front, and the same geometry and adjustments. Spec-wise, the Levo R Comp Alloy comes with a Fox 36 SL Performance fork and Fox Float Performance GENIE rear shock. Gearing is a mix of SRAM Eagle 70 and 90, while SRAM Motive Bronze brakes take care of stopping duties. More power The solid spec, punchy motor and impressive ride feel should appeal to lots of mountain bikers. Specialized So, why doesn't Specialized spec its most powerful motor on any bike other than the S-Works models? Id compare this to the automotive world. Spending more to get the S-Works motor is like forking out for a high-performance car; think Mercedes AMG, BMW M-Series or Fords ST range. It requires a little more cash and commitment to get all the bells and whistles that are on offer. While I get Specialized's thinking, now the torque and power numbers are so close between the two drive units, is it not worth upping the standard motor to match the stats of the S-Works? After all, the S-Works bike stands out not only for the motor figures, but the top-tier spec you get. That, to me, is enough in itself. I can see why Specialized is holding the motor back, I just wish it wouldn't. If changing the stats on the standard motor equates to more sales, thats no bad thing and means youll get more riders on what I consider one of the best eMTB motors out there. The well-controlled power and torque seemingly work across a wide cadence window, making it a seriously fun bike to ride, especially when taking on tricky climbs. At present, youll need deep pockets to access those extra 40 watts of power. Thankfully, though, this new alloy option for 7,000 less than the S-Works, still comes with a great motor and some solid parts that should help you to have a great time on the trail.

The 2026 Volta a Catalunya takes place from the 23rd to the 29th of March. The Catalan race has been widely regarded as the most important mountain test throughout the spring and is one of the most difficult races outside of the Grand Tours; which often sees many of the best climbers in the world go...

Funding affects all road users, including those cycling and using public transport. Dublin subsidises other areas while it is left to fund their own road resurfacing.Ministers for Transport announce over 1.5 billion for national,regionaland localroads, said a recent Department of Transport headline, and youd be forgiven for thinking Dublin would get a chunk of it. But the total received by the four Dublin councils was just over 3 million, or 0.2% of the total funding. Its an issue that affects not just motorists but also bus users as they get bounced around on a double-decker, and people cycling as they try to keep away from the bouncing bus and taxi drivers, and private motorists illegally in bus lanes, and on junctions, missing a pothole can do all sorts of damage from putting your bike out of action to leaving you out of action. Maybe one of the worst examples of road surfaces was Castle Street in the heart of the city, right beside Dublin Castle. For years, it remained in the state shown in the picture above, and it was only resurfaced last year. Its surely only a coincidence that it was fixed ahead of the castle hosting most of the event for Irelands Presidency of the Council of the European Union this year. The recently announced road spending includes new roads and the maintenance of existing roads and streets; it includes, for example, a massive amount of resurfacing around the country. While there were some relatively small amounts of funding for national roads, there was almost no funding forregional and local roads in Dublin.Funding for national roads in Co Dublin accounted for most of the 3 million, and of that, street lighting on motorways received the bulk of the funding, with over 1,731,307 over half of the allocation for Dublin. Other higher amounts include the N3 Clonee to M50 Bus Priority Project and Active Project, which was given 500k and the N11/R827 Junction Improvements, which was given 350k.When a North County Dublin TD, Grace Boland (Fine Gael), used her time at the Oireachtas transport committee to raise the funding of an long-planned upgrade of the Naul Road in Dublin from a rural road to an urban one with footpaths, cycle paths and other provision to service develoment the Minister for Transport said it was out of the remit of national funding.Similar roads are funded nationally. The main condition is that they are outside Co Dublin. But its different for the four Dublin councils.Deputy Boland said: The town has expanded by over 200% in 30 years, and theres the Fingal County Council Stevenson industrial site, and, as you know, theres a huge amount of housing planned for Balbriggan, we badly need [M1] junctions five and six, and on the Naul Road, to be upgraded. Yet, we are making no progress. Could you shed any light on a free Minister?Minister for Transport, Darragh OBrien, said: This matter has been raised with me as well. The Naul Road itself, which I know very well, is off the main M1. So the road itself is the responsibility of the local authority.They are a well-resourced, local authority, he said, thanking all the councils for the work that they do, especially after the extra rainfall and flooding in recent months.But added: Theres no funding that we [the Department/national Government] would deploy for the Naul Road upgrades because that sits outside of my own remit because its within one of the four Dublin local authorities.A spokesperson for the Department of Transport confirmed this situation to IrishCycle.com (see their full response at the end of this article).How Dublin subsidises the rest of the country, and the lack of transparency around it, is a source of anything from annoyance for some politicians in the capital. Not only does Dublin not get much funding from the national Government for roads, even when a good chunk of the funding was raised in Dublin, but a section of the Local Property Tax raised in Dublin is also reallocated around the country. At this months South East Area Committee of Dublin City Council, the issue was raised, with road resurfacing among the largest complaints, according to some local councillors. While housing is more often the largest issue in other parts of the city, transport issues take up a large share of attention in the affluent area, which includes Dublin 4. Local councillors acknowledge this difference from time to time.Cllr David Coffey (Fine Gael) said: I just want to clarify some numbers. I think you said that there was a 750,000 increase that came as a result of the Local Property Tax increase that we got out of that this year. So my understanding is that we made about 16 million odd extra out of the Local Property Tax, and I was led to believe that we would have more of that going into the roads programme.Speaking to an official, Cllr Coffey said: The roads program is excellent on the roads that you do. Its just a very disappointing outcome every year, and because its the number one issue I have I know, there are bigger issues across the city, and I appreciate that. But, especially after all the bad weather weve had in recent weeks, its roads, roads [in the messages] to me every week from local residents.Cllr Dermot Lacey (Labour) said: The Government, a couple of weeks ago, announced a 781 million roads programme and Dublin City was allocated 41k. So out of the 781 million allocated nationally, Dublin City got 41,000. [The 781 million figure is only a section of the total funding of the 1.5 billion funding]And the excuse the Government makes is that we are able to self-fund the road program from the Local Property Tax (LPT). Now, if the Government view is born out, we must be collecting hundreds of millions in LPT, because every time we raise an issue of funding, the Government says fund it through the LPT, he saidCllr Lacey has been vocal about this issue for years. He said that he supports Local Property Tax but accused the national Government of stealing funding from Dublin to reallocate elsewhere. This is known as the equalisation fund, where the Government takes funding from Dublin areas and reallocates it to other counties.Its not just Dublin councils; in total, 10 councils were deemed to have a surplus of LPT funding, which was relocated. The ten councils are Cork City Council, Cork County Council, Dn Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council, Dublin City Council, Fingal County Council, Galway City Council, Kildare County Council, Meath County Council, South Dublin County Council and Wicklow County CouncilMany counties without cities, where property taxes are lower, gain more from LPT funding. Many counties are receiving more funding from cities than they raise locally; these are Cavan, Carlow, Donegal, Leitrim, Longford, Mayo, Monaghan, Offaly, Roscommon, Sligo, and Tipperary. Other counties also get substantial funding from the equalisation fund (you can check yours at localauthorityfinances.com/income). Based on the 2025 and 2026 estimates, Donegal was to raise 9-10 million locally but gain over 17 million from cities and their hinterlands. And in each year, both Longford and Leitrim were to take in around 2 million locally, but both were to receive over 8 million from other counties. Its important to highlight that LPT is not just used for roads it also funds other council services throughout the country. At the South East Area Committee meeting in Dublin, an official explained that resurfacing is prioritised depending on the category of the road (everything from a regional road to a purely residential street), the condition as ranked by surveying, and feedback from councillors and the public.The official said that out of the 16m increase in funding gained by councillors agreeing a higher rate of LPT in Dublin City for 2026, roads were allocated 3m, and that was divided up with 700k to each area, like the South East Area.Dn Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council is another of the four Dublin councils where councillors see road funding as lacking, but a large chunk of local property tax raised locally is being used to balance the books elsewhere. Another councillor who raised the issue before and talked to IrishCycle.com about it for this article said they expect some level of equalisation, but fairness comes into it.I support the redistribution of central government funds around the country, and there will always be a world where Dublin councils need to self-fund road and path maintenance more than other councils, explains Oisn OConnor (Green Party). I just dont think that 0.3% of funding for Dublin and 99.7% for the rest of the country is the right balance.He said: This lack of financial support doesnt just affect drivers. It affects anybody who walks, cycles or takes public transport in our capital, because the money that should be on local footpath improvements is stretched to cover main road maintenance too.He said the situation puts pressure on Dublin councils to balance the needs of road maintenance vs footpath or cycle path maintenance.Anyone whos ever wondered why a footpath or pothole takes years to repair in our capital city, one of the reasons is that central government sends 99.8% of the maintenance funding to the other 25 counties, said Cllr OConnor.He said: Of course, we would expect Dublin to get less roads funding than other councils, for reasons everyone would see as obvious. But investment from central government in road maintenance is 3 per resident per year in Dublin, and 300 per resident per year across the other 25 counties. This just means the 4 Dublin councils have to spread funds thinly across road maintenance, footpath maintenance, etc.Cllr OConnor said: If we compare Dn Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council to Kerry County Council. In 2026, the Minister for Transport announced Transport Infrastructure Ireland granted Kerry County Council 62m for maintaining existing national, regional and local roads, and DLR received 0.9m. DLR has 50% more people living here than Kerry, and significantly more people commuting in from surrounding counties.To keep comparing DLR and Kerry, DLR put 37m of their own funds into transport in 2026 compared to Kerrys 25m of their own money. To put this another way, Kerry fund 29% of their road maintenance needs themselves, while councils like DLR fund 98%, he said.Cllr OConnor adds that he thinks that this funding disparity will grow even wider over the coming years because of the binge planned by the current Government on road-building alongside cuts to public transport.The Department of Transport said that Dublin councils are self-funding for regional and local roads.A spokesperson for the Department of Transport said: The improvement and maintenance of regional and local roads is the statutory responsibility of each local authority, in accordance with the provisions of Section 13 of the Roads Act 1993. Works on those roads are funded from Councils own resources supplemented by State road grants, where applicable.Arising from the arrangements in place in relation to Local Property Tax receipts, the four Dublin councils are self-funding for regional and local roads under the main road grant categories and are required to self-fund their normal road works programmes.Accordingly, these Councils do not feature in most of the grant programmes but are eligible for certain grants such as the training, speed limit signage and road condition survey grants and may apply for monies under the Strategic Grant programme (improvement schemes costing over 6m), the spokesperson said.The spokesperson said: Any road improvement projects proposed by local authorities for consideration for funding under the Strategic Grant Programme are assessed by the Department on a case-by-case basis. All projects put forward by local authorities for consideration must comply with the requirements of the Infrastructure Guidelines and the Departments Transport Appraisal Framework.The department said that it should be noted that there is a limited budget available for projects under the Regional and Local Road Strategic Grant Programme.It provided the following table, which sets out the 2026 regional and local road grant allocations to the four Dublin local authorities: CouncilPSCI: Survey SupportTraining GrantTotalDn Laoghaire-Rathdown5,00033,00038,000Fingal10,00023,00033,000South Dublin8,00025,00033,000Dublin City8,00033,00041,000The full details of the 2026 regional and local road grant allocations by local authority are available atGov.ie.A Department of Transport spokesperson said: In relation to national roads, the Minister for Transport has responsibility for overall policy and exchequer funding in relation to the National Roads Programme. Under the Roads Acts 1993-2015 and in line with the National Development Plan (NDP), the operation and management of individual national roads is a matter for Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII), in conjunction with the local authorities concerned. This is also subject to the Infrastructure Guidelines and the necessary statutory approvals.The spokesperson added: As part of the national roads allocations for 2026, which were announced on February 17th, funding was provided for Fingal, South Dublin, and Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Councils. With the exception of the Dublin Tunnel and short sections of the M50, which are operated by TII, there are no national road routes in the Dublin City Council area.The following table compiled by IrishCycle.com using Department figures shows national road funding for Dublin: CouncilCapitalInvestment Protection &RenewalMaintenance Protection & RenewalTotalDn Laoghaire-Rathdown350,000591,069941,069Fingal500,000617,0811,117,081South Dublin170,000795,183965,183Dublin City000NOTE: Dublin City was given no national funding, as all roads were detrunked (reclassified as regional roads) after the M50 was built, except for the M50 between the start of the Port Tunnel and the junction with the M1, which is under direct control of TII.

The new Bedrock Rockhound Sandal is a flip-flop with a supportive footbed and a tough Vibram outsole. And just like Bedrock Sandals' other models, they are repairable and resoleable. Take a closer look here...The post Bedrock Rockhound Sandal: Adventure Flip-Flops? appeared first on BIKEPACKING.com.

Unless youre a regular reader of BikeRumor, the Avona brand may still be a bit of a mystery here in the States. Officially launched just a year ago, the brand was started by ARC8 cofounder Jonas Mller (who has also worked for BMC, Santa Cruz, and DT Swiss) and MK Bicycles Founder, Max Koch.This Swiss/German duo wanted to use their collective industry experience to create bikes that were better in real life, not just on paper. But a lot of brands say that. What makes Avona different? It all comes down to an extreme level of bicycle nerdery, the willingness to test out everything, and a refreshing honesty about what actually matters to everyday riders. Its at this point that Id like to make it clear that I rode the Avona Velum before I got any of the details. It was immediately clear that there was something special about this bike, which then seemed to validate all of Avonas testing and design choices that went into the bike.How to optimize a bike for performance that actually matters?In order to optimize a bike for real-world benefits, Avona points out that first you need to analyze what needs to be optimized. The brand based its parameters on real rides and metrics like normalized power, time above Critical Power, and W Prime (your work capacity, sort of like an internal battery for efforts above C).The calculations were then based on hypothetical equipment changes:1 kg weight savingroughly the weight difference between a lightweight bike and an all-out aero bike7 W in aerodynamic dragroughly the difference between good all-round race bikes and aero specialists8 W in rolling resistancegoing from a Continental Grand Prix TT to a Grand Prix 5000 S TR2% in drivetrain efficiencygoing from a not ideally maintained chain to a clean waxed chainAvona built their own computational tool to calculate all the parameters and see their effects on the rider for real-world results, specifically from a physiological point of view. Avona has published the white paper on their testing, if you want to nerd out, but basically they discovered that while aerodynamics shouldnt be ignored, rolling resistance is a bigger factor in performance. And when you compare weight and drivetrain efficiency, drivetrain efficiency is a bigger factor than overall weight.Each chain is waxed from the factory. This experience may be what finally gets me to wax my chainsAs a result, the best tires and a waxed chain are non-negotiable for Avona. Every bike will come with a Ceramic Speed waxed chain and low rolling resistance tires. Thats actually a pretty big deal if you want to try a waxed chain since you can simply maintain it with the drip wax lube, rather than having to strip and clean a chain from the factory and then wax it yourself. That isnt to say that Avona is completely overlooking aerodynamics. To the contrary, theyve spent a lot of time on the Velum figuring out just what makes the most aerodynamic benefit without adding weight or unnecessary stiffness. That mostly came down to two things: the extended head tube in front of the steerer, and the sloping top tube. Apparently an aero seatpost offered surprisingly small aero gains, so they went with a proprietary seatpost that offers more compliance. In total, Avona tested 44 different frame configurations with Jens Christensen in CFD and FEA (Computational Fluid Dynamics and Finite Element Analysis).These few aero treatments are said to offer excellent aero gains without adding much weight. It is worth pointing out here that tests are run in CFD with a rider on the bike, but without moving legs. That will have some effect on the aero performance testing, but the biggest gains were from the head tube, which wont be affected by whether the rider is pedaling or not.The first bike I rode was set up with a 29mm front and 30mm rear tire. I made sure to ride it again with the 29/32mm combo and didnt notice a huge difference maybe a slightly more forward bias with the bigger tire out back. Another surprising aero touch? Running a narrower tire up front. The Velum comes equipped with a 29mm Continental GP 5000 TR in the front, and a 32mm GP 5000 TR in the rear. The front is more important for aero, while the rear is more important for rolling resistance. Note that these arent aero-specific tires, but simply running a tire with a narrower frontal profile to help cut into the wind (although 29mm isnt exactly narrow).In the end, Avona claims they saved 15W at 45 km/h compared to their reference model at the start of testing. When compared to the Specialized Tarmac SL8 in the GST Wind tunnel, Avona claims that the difference after applying the weighted average was within the margin of error (1W), despite having wider tires (26mm tires on unspecified rims vs 29/32mm on DT Swiss ARC1400 55mm rims).Youll find an integrated seat post and an aero head tube, but youll also find features like a threaded bottom bracket. Avona really focuses on what makes the biggest difference in performance and what is better for keeping it simple for ease of maintenance. Avona also hit their targets for stiffness and vertical compliance, even though they dont have a way to yet quantify the impact of vertical compliance on performance. The resulting frame weighs 798g for a medium painted frame with FD hanger & seatpost clamp, and a fork weight of 380g cut to fit. Not the lightest, but still very respectable. Component choice is part of the performance storyAll of Avonas bikes are built to order, and with that comes the ability to tune the performance to your style of riding. Wheels are a good example. The DT Swiss ARC 55mm WTS is the most aero solution that Avona offers, but only if youre riding at average speeds above 35 km/h on a regular basis. If not, youd be better off on something like their Faserwerk Windrad (strong riders on most days), Bergreif (average riders on hilly terrain), or Bergreif SL (most expensive, but lowest weight). Faserwerk is a component brand that is also under the Avona roof, though they keep it separate to better position the brand for use on other brands of bikes. In Avonas testing, the difference in real performance gains from component choice was often far greater than the change from one aero frame to another. They point out that you can make these same changes on other bikes, but its easier (and cheaper) when you make them from the point of ordering. The Faserwerk Luftschneider cockpit has an integrated computer mount that is big enough to work with the giant Wahoo Ace although there was a bit of buzzing/rattling noise from the mount on rough pavement. In addition to component choice, cockpits are available in three widths for any stem length, the seatpost comes in 0 and 15mm offset, and you can choose the crank length and number of spacers under the stem. Avona points out that if you care about weight, the cockpit is one of the best places for aerodynamic gains, giving you more benefit per gram than anywhere else on the bike. Thats why youll find the Faserwerk Luftschneider one-piece aero cockpit on Ultegra builds and above.As a result, pricing varies greatly based on component level and spec choice, but it starts at 4,499 for a 105 12s Di2 build, and tops out at 9,999 for the new Sub 6 build (more info below). The frameset is also offered starting at 3,499 with options to make it a rolling chassis by adding wheels at a discounted price. But can you buy it in the U.S.? Avona hinted that this would be a possibility, though the tariff situation is making it far more difficult. Weve asked for clarification on the exact process that North American riders may be able to purchase a Velum, and we will update this soon. Velum goes Sub 6Depending on the rider and the terrain, weight is one of the smaller influences on overall performance, but it can still be greater than aero in some circumstances. Looking to offer a build kit of the Velum that was even lighter, the new Sub 6 bike checks in under 6kg (13.23lbs) for a painted 54cm bike without pedals.The build starts with the Shimano Dura Ace Di2 12s kit and adds the Faserwerk Bergreif SL wheels with Tufo Comtura Prima TT tires, a QO Race SL crankset, and a Repente Quasar CR2.0 saddle. The Bergreif SL is a new wheelset from Faserwerk with a 35mm rim depth and a wheelset weight of just 987g. Built with Vonoa carbon spokes and Nonplus Primaro hubs, the wheels are a 2999 option outside of the Sub 6 build.Avona Velum Ride Review(Photo/Road Bike Connection Spring Mirror Media)I got a chance to ride the standard Avona Velum at the Spring Bike Connection eventf in Massa Marittima, Italy. As mentioned, I specifically set out to ride the bike before I learned anything about it from the founders. Thats always a good way to see if what you feel initially, without any preconceived notions, actually lines up with the marketing presentation.From the first pedal, the Velum felt special. Even on relatively rough sections of road, the Velum had a silky smooth ride feel that felt like it wasnt wasting any of the energy put through it. That feeling continued to the climbs, which are plentiful in Massa Marittima. The Bike Connection events are run out of Tenuta Il Cicalino, which is in the valley of the surrounding mountains and hills, so all roads point straight up.(Photos/Road Bike Connection Spring Mirror Media)Even on the climbs, especially on the climbs, the Velum felt like it was maximizing every watt of power. While I wasnt feeling particularly fit going into the event, the Velum left me feeling like I was in peak form. Dont get me wrong, there is still plenty of room for improvement for my climbing abilities, but the bike felt like I was flying, and it felt extremely comfortable without going into the red on the climb. Between the wider tires and seemingly excellent frame compliance, the Velum wont shock you with its lightning-quick handling. The bike is plenty agile, but it comes off as more of a confidence-inspiring ride for real-world cyclists. There havent been many pure road bikes lately that have inspired me to ride more, but the Avona Velum certainly does. If I were going to buy a road bike today for riding, not racing, it would be a Velum.Avona.ccThe post The Avona Velum is the Best Road Bike Youve Never Heard of, Now with Sub 6Kg Build appeared first on Bikerumor.

CyclistOquo adds four carbon spoked wheelsets to its aero and performance rangesBasque wheel brand Oquo, a sister company to Orbea, has added four wheelsets with carbon spokes to its Road Aero and Road Performance wheelset ranges.Oquo claims that the replacement of the steel spokes in its LTD wheelsets which were launched last year with Vonoa aero carbon spokes increases the wheels torsional stiffness by 17%, as the spokes are stiffer and less prone to elongation under stress than steel. This, it says, leads to a more reactive wheel.Oquo/HarryTalbot It also reduces compliance, so Oquo has dropped the spoke count from 24 to 20 in each wheel. Its also re-engineered the carbon layup in the rim to add back compliance to compensate, while its used finite element analysis to reduce stress points in the rim section, ensure impact resistance and optimise load distribution.The wheelset weights have decreased by 6% on average, with the lightest Road Performance 45 LTD CS wheelset having a 1,223g claimed weight.Oquo also claims a 2 watt saving in drag for the carbon wheelsets in its wind tunnel testing thanks to the flatter spoke profile and lower spoke count, despite the rim sections remaining the same as its steel spoked LTD wheels.Four carbon spoked wheelset optionsOquo will offer four carbon spoked wheelsets, two in its Road Aero range and two in its Road Performance range.The deepest section RA80 LTD CS wheels are aimed at time trial and triathlon use, with an 80mm deep, 23mm internal width rim with mini-hooks and a 1,567g claimed wheelset weight.Oquo/HarryTalbot The RA57 LTD CS wheels have the same internal width and a claimed 1,373g wheelset weight. Oquo claims that the 23mm rim width offers optimal aerodynamics for 28mm and 30mm tyres.The Road Performance range includes the RP50 LTD CS with a 25mm internal width and 1,371g claimed weight, which Oquo says targets road, gravel and cobble use and can be used with tyres from 29mm up to 50mm width.Finally, the RP45 LTD CS is, at 1,223g, the lightest wheelset. It has a 21mm internal width, which Oquo says it has chosen firstly to keep weight low and also because its found that, in some markets, riders looking for low weight will want to run tyres narrower than 28mm, and these are better supported by the narrower rim.All four carbon spoked wheelsets are priced at 2,599 / $3,149 / 2,999. Related Posts Best aero wheels for road bikes 2026 reviewed DT Swiss launches its first wheels with carbon spokes Oquo launches premium LTD wheelset range with updated profiles and its own lightweight hubs Free customisationOquo/HarryTalbot The carbon spoked wheels turn on Oquos own Q10 hubs, which have been redesigned for the carbon spokes lower spoke count and to enhance the wheel geometry. Designed and built in its factory in the Basque Country, Oquo claims that their custom bearings and seals and a specially formulated low friction grease help to reduce friction. Theyre also designed for tool-free maintenance.Oquo points out that its one of the few wheel brands with its own in-house manufacturing and assembly, which it says gives it greater control over quality than outsourced manufacture. It has capacity to produce up to 1,500 wheels a day, although it says it aims for quality over volume with hand-assembly of all its wheels assisted by machine verification.Oquo/HarryTalbot It supplies wheels to the Lotto Intermarch pro team, which has been using the carbon spoked wheelsets in competition since Omloop Nieuwsblad in February. Its RP50 LTD CS will be used by its four sponsored gravel racers in the upcoming gravel races in Europe and the US.Since Oquo manufactures in-house there are free customisation options available for the wheels rims, logos and logo colours. Oquo offers a lifetime warranty and a three year damage replacement programme.The post Oquo adds four carbon spoked wheelsets to its aero and performance ranges appeared first on Cyclist.

From the 25th to the 29th of March, the peloton in Italy will continue its racing calendar following Milano-Sanremo with the Settimana Internazionale Coppi e Bartali. The five-day race has high-level competition but nevertheless gathers several World Tour teams in search of results. Download the st...

MBR tests the new Mahle M40 e-bike system on a prototype carbon frame with no name. The motor we tested was pre-production but he still came away impressed. Mahles M40 e-bike motor system consists of a relatively compact 2.5kg mid-drive motor capable of delivering 850watts peak power and Continue reading

The newly released RatKing Orodruin Bars have just the right amount of rise and sweep for any style of riding, and theyre heat-treated for increased yield strength and fatigue life. Check them out here...The post The Seattle-Made RatKing Orodruin Bars are Heat-Treated appeared first on BIKEPACKING.com.

"If we get it right, micromobility can reduce pressure on public transport, cut congestion and give millions more people a flexible, affordable way to move around"