The Tour of Flanders is one of the most difficult races in pro cycling, both for its duration, resistance to tension, dangerous situations and the multiple steep and cobbled climbs. Hence, every single rider on the Top10 this year obtained it via having the best version of themselves, which includes...

It looks like the latest RockShox suspension forks arent the only ones to have all the LinearXL fun. The new Super Deluxe and Vivid Air shocks dont have the aggressive Air Annex bump out like the forks, but they do have a new air spring system that claims to deliver consistent and predictable ride feel that can be tuned with bottomless tokens on the Vivid, and o-ring tokens on the Super Deluxe.Super DeluxeThe updated Super Deluxe rear shock incorporates the new LinearXL air spring technology, which aims to reduce speed-sensitivity in the air spring system and provide position-sensitive control across all terrain.The shock includes a redesigned RCT2 damper system that is designed to match with RockShoxs new Charger 3.2 fork damper. The redesigned base valve claims to reduce internal floating piston (IFP) forces by 40% compared to previous versions. The damper features adjusters with visual indicators to help riders identify settings without counting clicks, streamlining the tuning process.The Hydraulic Bottom Out system engages during the final 20% of the shocks travel stroke and uses a needle valve to control oil flow as the piston moves through its stroke. If thats not enough, theres also a jounce bumper to cushion when you case. The system works alongside Progression Tokens, which can be adjusted simply by moving an o-ring. One notable improvement is that the updated Super Deluxe doubles the air can service interval from 50 to 100 hours of riding time. Thats a significant increase in the amount of time you can keep riding without having to take your shock apart for maintenance. The Super Deluxe is available with a Flight Attendant version of the Ultimate level at $1,049, plus the Ultimate, Select+, Select, and Base model. Vivid AirThe new RockShox Vivid Air also features a new LinearXL air spring system designed to provide consistent suspension performance. The shock targets bike parks, enduro courses, and downhill tracks, where predictable suspension behavior is essential for maintaining control and reducing rider fatigue.The Vivid also gets the redesigned RCT2 damper with a redesigned base valve that reduces internal floating piston forces by 40 percent. RockShox claims this improves small-bump sensitivity while maintaining mid-stroke support for larger impacts.Key features include an Adjustable Bottom Out (ABO) system with a five-setting dial. This complements the LinearXL air springs jounce bumper system for total end stroke control. The shock also features visual indicators on adjustment dials, eliminating the need to count clicks during setup changes.Geared towards gravity riding, there is no Flight Attendant version of the Vivid, but a Vivid Ultimate at $779, Ultimate DH, Select+, Select, and Base models.SRAM.comThe post RockShox Adds LinearXL Air Spring to Rear Shocks on New Super Deluxe & Vivid Air appeared first on Bikerumor.

Cannondales Habit has been given the enduro treatment as the US brand unveiled a new long-travel version of its longstanding trail bike. The new Bad Habit appears to be the bike I've been craving. There are no wild standards and no headset cable routing; the seat tube and standover are super-low, while the wheels are mixed-size only and the geometry prioritises fun over everything else. The Habit has a carbon frame and 155mm of travel, there are no flip chips and there's proportional geometry, with chainstay lengths growing on the larger sizes. Read more: The best enduro mountain bikes of 2026 18 top-rated enduro MTBs Simple and traditional standards The Bad Habit has a threaded BB shell, internal cable routing and no flip chips simplification was one of Cannondale's key aims. Cannondale Cannondale set out to simplify the Habit as much as possible, as well as giving it more travel and mullet-only kinematics. In a move that will please traditionalists, the Bad Habit has a BSA threaded bottom bracket, internal cable routing and a full-length (34.9mm-diameter) seat tube. However, the bike is modern, with an Acros cable-routing-compatible headset, which can take reach-adjustable +/- 6mm headset cups (not included). The frame is designed around a super-low top tube and seat tube, which enables the use of long dropper posts (210mm on the small and 240mm on all other sizes). This means that, even for shorter riders, there will be ample clearance between your body and the bike for the most aggressive riding. Enduro World Cup pedigree The Bad Habit was developed by Cannondale's team riders in the Enduro World Cup. Cannondale Team riders Ella Conolly and Iago Garay have been racing a prototype of the Bad Habit during the 2025 Enduro World Cup season. As such, the new bike is expected to replace Cannondales Jekyll 170mm-travel 29er platform as the enduro race bike in the line-up. Cannondale's designers say keeping the frame light was a priority, but stress the Bad Habit's frame has been built to the same crash-testing standards as the Jekyll. Cannondale says the weight of full builds comes in around the 32-34lb (14.5-15.4kg) mark. Cannondale says both the Jekyll and the Habit LT will remain in the inventory, but intriguingly hints that something new, designed to replace the Jekyll, could be on the horizon. Four-bar suspension Four-bar suspension and a shock shuttle mean the designers had freedom to decide how the rear suspension on the Bad Habit should work. Cannondale As with the current Habit, Horst-link suspension with a shock-shuttle link is used, allowing for an uninterrupted seat tube, and enabling Cannondales designers to tune the axle path, anti-rise and shock progression ratio as they wished. The shock-actuation ratio has been designed to suit both coil and large-volume air shocks, with Cannondale engineers describing the kinematics as having a linear rising rate. With 155mm of rear travel, the bike sits between Cannondales existing offerings; 15mm shy of the current Jekyll with its 170mm travel and 15mm more than the Habit LT. Mixed wheel size Cannondale's designers chose to make the Bad Habit mixed wheel size only, which they say aids cornering. Cannondale Unlike the Habit and the Jekyll, the Bad Habit is available only as a mixed wheel size (mullet) and with no flip chips. Cannondale claims it is one of the best cornering bikes weve ever made. Cannondales proprietary Ai dished rear-wheel spacing is not used on the Bad Habit, so the bike will fit any 27.5in Boost rear wheel. Cannondale Bad Habit geometry and sizing Geometry is fixed, with no flip chips, but optional headset cups that adjust the reach of the bike can be purchased separately. Cannondale Four sizes are available: S, M, L and XL, with a relatively short reach of 430mm (small), 455mm (medium), 480mm (large) and 515mm (XL). Cannondale says the carbon layup is bespoke to each frame size. To keep the bike feeling natural, the reach and chainstay length are proportional; as the front-centre reach measurement grows, so does the chainstay measurement 430mm on the small and medium, and 435mm on the large and XL. However, each bike uses the same physical chainstays, which is good news if a replacement is needed. Instead, Cannondale increases the chainstay length by moving the main pivot rearward. This is why there's only 5mm variation in chainstay length between the size options. Weve seen a similar method of creating proportional geometry on bikes such as the Forbidden Druid and Mondraker Zendit. The length of the cranks and dropper post changes with the different sizes on offer, too. Small and medium Bad Habits get 160mm cranks, whereas the large and XL bikes have 165mm cranks. The dropper posts specced are long-travel, with 210mm on the small and 240mm on all other sizes. Cannondale Bad Habit special features The Bad Habit gets Cannondale's first down-tube storage box on an MTB. Cannondale Cannondale says this is its first MTB with the StashPort down-tube storage. All Bad Habits come with two StashPort bags to go inside the storage box. There is also a bespoke chainstay protector with air pockets designed to minimise noise from chain slap. The frame uses internal cable routing, and Im pleased: its refreshing to see a new bike without the divisive new headset cable routing standard, where the cables travel through the upper headset bearing. However, do not fear if youre a fan of headset cable routing, because the Acros headset included with the bike is compatible. If you are between the Bad Habit sizes on offer, +6mm or -6mm reach-adjustment headset cups are an option (not included). There are pins to align them so theyre specific. Cannondale says there is not a lot of proprietary anything; its easy to fix and easy to own. Cannondale Bad Habit build options The Bad Habit 2 build features a RockShox Lyrik fork and mechanical SRAM Eagle 90 rear derailleur. Cannondale There are two builds on offer, as well as a frame-only option. The Bad Habit 1 gets a RockShox Lyrik Ultimate fork with 160mm travel; Cannondale says the Zeb is too burly, so it opted for the lighter Lyrik. At the back, a RockShox Vivid Ultimate shock provides the 155mm of travel. Reserve provides aluminium rims laced to DT Swiss hubs. The drivetrain is SRAM Eagle AXS with an XO derailleur and GX parts. Cannondale claims a weight of 34.4lb (15.6kg). The lower-spec Bad Habit 2 gets a RockShox Lyrik Select+ fork and Vivid Select+ shock. Bolted to the SRAM UDH is the mechanical SRAM Eagle 90 derailleur and a mix of Eagle 90 and Eagle 70 components. WTB provides its i30 wheels, with Zipp rear and Formula front hubs. Theyre wrapped in Kryptotal Enduro Soft tyres There is also a frame-only option in Cannondales Thermo Inferno colourway, which comes with a Vivid Ultimate shock. Cannondale Bad Habit pricing and availability The Bad Habit 1 has an electronic SRAM AXS XO derailleur and RockShox Ultimate-level suspension. Cannondale Bad Habit 1: 7,795 | 7,999 Bad Habit 2: 5,995 | 4,999 Bad Habit frameset: 3,750 | 3,499 USA pricing is TBC.

Both races were special, but behind paywalls

Paul Seixas has won stages 1 and now 2 of Itzulia Basque Country by a country mile. The 19-year old prodigy has won the first mountain stage of the race with an exhibition that saw no-one even come close; with an extension of his race lead. The start of the stage was quite hard with some climbs, an...

Craig Lambard of the 2nd Life Bikes YouTube channel has been making a series about designing and fabricating his own bike frame. In his latest video, he dives into the specifics of learning to miter and weld the frame he designed. Watch the full video of the build process belowThe post Making My Own Bike Frame (Video) appeared first on BIKEPACKING.com.

Specialized is updating its popular urban e-bike lineup with the all-new Vado 3 and Vado 3 EVO. While the latest versions of the Vado have been pretty extravagant, the new Vado 3 and 3 EVO seem to be a bit tamer.That is, however, until you see the power Specialized packed into this commuter.Specialized Vado 3 & Vado 3 EVOs Drive UnitBoth the Vado 3 and Vado 3 EVO share the Turbo Levos SuperNatural DNA. Specializeds 3.1 motor assists the new Vado 3 and 3 EVO, boasting 810W of power and 105Nm of torque.To put that into perspective, that is 45% and 50% more power, respectively, than the Vado 2. In fact, both the Vado 3 and Vado 3 EVO can reach 25 kph in just three seconds.So, while they may look like humble commuters, these new offerings from Specialized certainly pack a punch. And, paired with an 840Wh battery, they can go pretty far too. The range can be extended further with Specializeds 280Wh range extender.The batteries also charge fast, with a dead battery reaching 80% charge in less than an hour.Integrated into this system is the Specialized touchscreen display. The display is set into the bar/stem (one-piece combo) and provides all the typical information youd expect. Further support comes in the form of an app that lets you fine-tune many aspects of the bikes, including power output, torque, and overrun.New Features for the New VadosFeature integration is key to any good commuter. At the heart of the Vado story was a push to get people out of cars and onto bikes. Why not ride to work, to school, to the cafe? More people on bikes means less congestion, less pollution, and fewer issues.And providing ways to make travel by bike easier helps significantly. The Vado 3 and Vado 3 EVO have an optional front rack that can hold up to 10kg of cargo. (This rack is included on the Vado 3 6.0 model) A rear rack option is also available, boasting a 27kg carrying capacity. The rear rack also has child seat mounts, pannier mounts, and an integrated rear light plus Garmin Radar! We assume this is all powered off the main battery meaning youll never be without a rear light and radar system which seems like a big step in the right direction for rider safety. Five separate mounting points on the Vado 3 and Vado 3 EVO let you carry water bottles and other essentials.Specialized equipped the new Vados with an integrated wheel lock, a turbo system lock, and a battery lock. If you forget to set those while youre sitting in the cafe, the Apple Find My system can help you track down your Vado 3.Vado 3 and Vado 3 EVO DifferencesVado 3 EVO (left) / Vado 3 (right)There are a handful of things that differentiate the Specialized Vado 3 and Vado 3 EVO. The Vado 3 is the speedy commuter, ready to tackle all urban adventures. The Vado 3 EVO can handle the same urban setting as the Vado 3, but it is also capable of a bit more. It is for those who want to stretch their adventure just a bit further and perhaps beyond the pavement.Here are the key differences between the Vado 3 and Vado 3 EVO:Vado 3Vado 3 EVOSuspension90mm suspension fork120mm suspension forkWheels29 Front Wheel / 27.5 Rear Wheel27.5 Front Wheel / 27.5 Rear WheelTires2.3 Infinity Touring Tire2.6 Hemisphere All-Terrain TireHere is the pricing. Note: Specialized doesnt provide a dollar amount for the Vado 3. We assume this means that they are either not available in the United States yet or will not be.PricingUSDEURVado 3 EVO 6.0$7000 6999Vado 3 EVO 5.0$5200 5299Vado 3 EVO 4.0$4500 4199Vado 3 6.0N/A 6999Vado 3 5.0N/A 5299Vado 3 4.0N/A 4199For more details, head to specialized.com.The post Specialized Vado 3 & Vado 3 EVO Commuters Get Integrated Garmin Radar & More appeared first on Bikerumor.

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Cross-party support for more cycle lanes in Herefordshire, after council's transport chief suggests "16,000 people who live in Hereford, drive to work in Hereford", figures he called "appalling"

CyclistThe 2026 collection of premium cycling helmetsChoosing a helmet is one of the most important decisions a rider can make. Not just because of safety although modern designs are better than ever in that department, using features such as integrated Mips liners and internal skeletons to improve energy dissipation and impact strength but also because the helmet has an outsized influence on performance. Your head is one of the first things to hit the wind, so it makes sense to find a helmet that cuts down on drag.Youll find plenty of aerodynamic features in the ten-strong lineup featured on the following pages. Treks Ballista design uses a trip strip halfway along its shell to manipulate airflow behaviour; Scott supplies special plugs to fill the vents on its Cadence Mips helmet; while Giro uses specifically shaped vents and internal channelling to speed airflow through and across its new Eclipse Pro model.That said, there are still those that major in ventilation. You cant go fast if you overheat, which is why Lazer and POC use huge vents and exhausts to encourage air throughflow in their Z1 and Omne designs, while Fiziks Kudo has low-slung vents at the front to pull air across the forehead area.Finally, because the bike industrys love of carbon fibre knows no bounds, carbon wing, blade and arch features are now being incorporated into the latest helmets, dropping weight and improving strength. Check out METs new Trenta 3K Carbon and ABUSs Airbreaker 2.0 for some fine examples.Helmet brands at a glance: Sweet Protection Scott Eko POC Lazer Giro Trek MET Fizik ABUSSweet ProtectionSweet Protection may feel like the new kid on the helmet block, but the Norwegian brand has a long history that started with skateboard helmets back in the 1980s, moved into snowsports in the noughties and eventually into cycling in 2017. And youve already seen Sweet Protection on the top step of the podium at the Tour de France. On Stage 11 of last years Tour, Uno-X Mobilitys Jonas Abrahamsen broke early from the pack and held on to win in a two-up sprint while wearing the Sweet Protection Tucker III 2Vi Mips helmet.Having proved itself at the top of the sport, the Tucker III is now available to the rest of us, with the emphasis being very much on speed. Developed in collaboration with the Uno-X Mobility WorldTour team and designed using the engineering expertise of a Formula 1 aerodynamicist, the Tucker III has undergone extensive wind-tunnel testing and CFD analysis to minimise drag.Erik Hegbom, general manager at Sweet Protection, says, Its important for us to work with teams that share our commitment. With Uno-X Mobility were focussed on creating the safest, fastest, best-performing products to train and race, and this partnership is central to our strategy.Despite the focus on speed, the Tucker III still manages to be well ventilated thanks to vents that direct air through the helmet and across the head, and there is no compromise on safety. Incorporating Sweet Protections 2Vi technology, the helmet has a variable-density shell that encloses a complex, shock-absorbing structure made from four densities of EPS, while on the inside is a unique double-layer Mips slip-liner to mitigate rotational forces in the event of a crash.It all adds up to one fast, safe helmet.Sweet Protection Tucker III 2Vi Mips, 309, buy now at sweetprotection.comScottAlthough best known for its bikes, Scott has one of the biggest product portfolios you can find. It spans most categories within cycling and the brand also has established relationships with riders at the sports highest level. Rather than spreading itself too thinly, Scotts helmet product manager, Jose Pereira, says thats the secret to the performance of products such as the Cadence Mips helmet.We can design products holistically rather than in isolation, he says. In the case of the Cadence helmet, that meant its aerodynamic development could be aligned with our road bike projects. Then, using our riders, we could understand how the helmet interacts with their posture on the bike and design accordingly.The result is one of the lowest-drag road helmets on the market. The latest Cadence variant is more compact than before, to make it faster in a wider range of wind angles, and can be made even speedier by fixing dedicated plugs into the forward vents.It saves another two watts and makes the Cadence the perfect winter helmet as well, says Pereira.The minimalist Air Node version of Mipss rotational impact protection helps keep the helmet light at 280g in a size medium, and also facilitates air throughflow.Although its fast, we wanted the Cadence to ventilate well so it can be raced in all conditions, says Pereira. We did this by sculpting the shell internally to link forward and rear vents so that air has a clear path across the riders head.Scott Cadence Mips, 229.99, buy now at scott-sports.comEkoFrench brand Eko is one of the most visible names in the pro peloton thanks to sponsorship of WorldTour teams including NSN, XDS-Astana and Lotto-Intermarch, making its helmets a regular feature at the Grand Tours and Classics. Among the options for those pros is the R-Aero, a helmet that manages to be both aerodynamic and cool, with Eko suggesting that weight is less of a priority.There is more and more evidence suggesting the importance of aero efficiency over weight, as well as the large impact of thermal comfort on performance, says Eko product manager, Luca Viano. Venting, and therefore heat transfer, is ordinarily associated with drag, but Eko says it has found a design combination that enables a high heat transfer coefficient.We have created a helmet and sunglasses combination that guarantees the best aero performance, better ventilation than typical aero helmets and maximum adjustability, says Viano. We created 3D files of every WorldTour helmet and analysed them at different speeds and yaw angles, research that informed the design of the Racing R-Aero.By applying to the UCI for permission to use a safety-certified prototype in official events, Eko says it has been possible to fine-tune the helmets performance in race conditions.At this years Tour de France we had 32 racers wearing our prototype helmets and sunglasses for a total of 105,000km, says Viano. This huge data set is a real tool for R&D, quality and durability.The result of this testing is a helmet that Eko claims is 6.8 watts more efficient in crosswinds and has a 10% higher heat transfer coefficient than its closest aero helmet competitor.Eko Racing R-Aero, 318.05, buy now at ekoi.comPOCEye-catching aesthetics mean Swedish brand POCs helmets have always been easy to recognise. The Omne Beacon, POCs all-rounder, continues the use of that same design language but with certain priorities in mind.The idea was to create a helmet that had a strong focus on security, visibility, usability and a seamless design, says Magnus Gustafsson, head of hard goods at POC. The safest helmet is the one you choose to wear.To that end, the Omne provides a 360 fit system and an integrated USB-C rechargeable rear light.The LED light has a host of different settings, and run time from a single charge is more than 30 hours in blinking mode, says Gustafsson. The fit system is different from many helmets, which stop at the temple area. Ours wraps around to create a more precise and comfortable fit.The Omne has a different profile to the ventilation-focussed POC Ventral Air and doesnt employ the same aerodynamic features as the Cytal Carbon, both of which are worn in Grand Tours by EF Education-EasyPost. Instead, the Omne Beacon has been designed to be safe, comfortable and lightweight. In other words, a versatile helmet that wont look out of place in a sportive or on the ride to work.Despite the integrated light and the rotation impact-minimising Mips Air Node layer, the Omne Beacon weighs a competitive 310g in size medium, and is available in a range of colours beyond POCs trademark hot orange.POC Omne Beacon Mips, 220, buy now at poc.comLazerLegend has it that the Z1 got its name thanks to multi-stage-winning sprinter Andr Greipel, who was part of the development team for Lazer. After trialling numerous versions he eventually declared in his German accent, Zis is zee one, and the rest is helmet history.A decade later, the Lazer Z1 KinetiCore is the newest chapter in the story, although the plotline remains the same: ultra-low weight and high ventilation make for a comfortable helmet for all riders in all conditions. James Fox, Lazer brand manager, says, The new helmet is lighter only 220g [size medium] and better ventilated, and theres a more contemporary design to it. It meets the trend for smaller, more compact helmets while maintaining all the safety features.Those safety features include the KinetiCore rotational impact protection system, which as Fox explains, does the same thing as Mips but in a slightly different way.Where Mips adds something the slip-plane liner we take something away. With KinetiCore we make channels in the EPS to create blocks that act like crumple zones and take out the kinetic force in the case of a crash.These channels not only improve safety but help with the lightness and breeziness of the helmet, which thanks to clever vent placement is actually cooler than wearing no helmet at all.Add in the RollSys adjustment system, which uses a thumbwheel on the top of the helmet to fine-tune the cradle pressure all around the head and not just at the rear, and you have a helmet for all-day use on the hottest days in the highest mountains.Lazer Z1 KinetiCore, 229.99, find out more at lazersport.comGiroThe idea for the Eclipse Pro was to look at how to manage not only how we move air over the helmet but how efficiently we could move air through the helmet, says Giros senior industrial designer, Ash Lewin. Looking at CFD simulations gave us the ability to target key areas of ventilation and maintain cleaner attachment of air.The result is a helmet that Lewin claims is 17% more aerodynamic in CFD simulations at 45kmh, which equates to roughly five watts in drag reduction, or a 15-20 second saving per hour at 45kmh wind speed.Lewin explains these figures are derived from the CFD modelling of two head positions, down and up, for a rider in an aero tuck with arms bent and hands on hoods. Of course no designer is going to say their kit won a race for a sponsored athlete, but its interesting to think that Eclipse Pro wearing Pauline Ferrand-Prvot won last years Tour de France Femmes by 3min 42sec, a race that took the French rider a few minutes shy of 30 hours to complete, at an average speed of 39.1kmh. Even if the real-world savings for the Eclipse Pro are significantly less than the theory, its unlikely the French rider will choose a different helmet for 2026.And then theres the safety aspect, says Lewin: We use Spherical Mips, where two shells are tethered by elastomers so one can move independently of the other. It has been shown to be a highly effective way to dissipate forces in a crash, and this technology is still exclusive to us.Giro Eclipse Pro, 294.99, buy now at uk.giro.comTrekThree years have passed since Trek launched the second generation of its Ballista aero helmet, and while cycling technology moves fast, the Ballista moves faster its relative longevity a testament to its own innovation.Despite most of the focus on helmet aerodynamics looking at the front and the airflow through the helmet, the big secret to the Ballistas efficiency gains which Trek says equates to a 17-second saving over an hour at 300 watts compared to the previous model is the small air trip trough that bisects the top of the shell. That helps control the airflow around the helmet like the golf ball effect, assisting the air that doesnt hit the front vents to stick to the almost time-trial-style teardrop profile before detaching with less drag than it would have had on a smooth finish.Importantly, Treks aero testing made sure that the Ballistas performance benefits werent fixed to one riding position, so its gains are real-world rather than confined to the wind-tunnel.You can really optimise a helmet to be good in a specific position, but as youre moving your head around, the air wont be able to hang on and stick to the back of the helmet, says Treks aerodynamics lead, John Davis. It will separate and create a big wake of drag behind your head.Its not just about aero though. This Ballista is better ventilated than the previous model and is impressively lightweight at 255g for a medium. There are also functional features such as the easy-to-use Boa fit system and the handy sunglasses docking ports. Plus it uses the lightweight Mips Air protection system, which has helped it to earn a five-star safety rating from Virginia Techs independent testing.Trek Ballista Mips, 199.99, buy now at trekbikes.comMETImproving performance in low and high-energy impacts was the first step, says METs head of R&D, Matteo Tenni, in explaining what the company was aiming for with this latest evolution of the Trenta. And if the Virginia Tech rating is anything to go by, Tadej Pogaar should be pretty happy with his helmet sponsor: the Trenta 3K ranks as the third safest road helmet on the market. But theres moreVentilation has improved by 16% thanks to the carbon airframe and a reworked internal geometry that optimises air channelling, says Tenni, explaining that the carbon airframe works like a cage that connects all the parts of the helmet, dissipating the energy of an impact across the entire shell, while also being crucial to performance.Thanks to that, we were able to remove some EPS and make the vents wider, with deeper and more efficient internal air channelling. This is proven out in our wind-tunnel, The Tube, where we have a thermal headform that creates a heat map of the head. Tests show the Trenta 3K measures 14% more ventilated than the closest competitor.Depending on the day, ventilation can be just as important as aerodynamics, if not more, in influencing performance. As Jeroen Swart, head of performance at UAE Team Emirates XRG, puts it, The human body only converts about 20-25% of our energy into movement. The rest creates heat. When core temperature rises, the body spends effort cooling itself instead of turning the pedals. Better ventilation means more blood flow directed to the legs and more efficient metabolism.MET Trenta 3K Carbon, 349.99, buy now at extrauk.co.ukFizikBeyond aerodynamics, so tried and tested are the principles of helmet design that its hard to bring something genuinely innovative to the table when introducing new products, yet in one crucial area Fizik believes it has done just that.During our research we uncovered an underground knowledge base, shared between regular riders, store staff and pros, about how each helmet brand fitted, says Fizik product designer Simone Orlando. Some riders had their own go-to for specific head shapes, but most would struggle to find this information without digging through comment sections and forums, which we felt was an outdated way of managing fit.Our solution was the Crown Fit adjustment system, which allows the rider to reposition the retention hardware so they can change the inner shape of the helmet and not just the tension across their head or the location of some foam elements.There are three different horizontal options, for narrow and oval head shapes, and five different vertical settings to adjust the drop and rotation of the retention hardware all this before you even turn the tension dial.Elsewhere, Fizik has opted for Mipss minimal Air Node system, which uses the same rotational-impact dissipation principle as regular Mips but eschews the yellow plastic liner in favour of a low-friction layer bonded to the pads and connected by fasteners that break away in an impact. Rounding off the safety brief, Fizik has designed the Kudo to have no hard angles that risk the helmet sticking and not rolling in a crash, and out back theres a pleasingly neat integrated (but removable) rear light.Fizik Kudo, 269.99, buy now at extrauk.co.ukABUSThe addition of 2.0 to the Airbreakers name reveals the fact that the new version is a refinement of an accomplished design, rather than something totally different.While we were happy that the original helmet was so good, that meant we had the task of trying to enhance it without losing what made it great, says ABUSs Simon Ford.Thankfully, due to ABUSs sponsorship of elite athletes, the brand had a superb talent pool from which to collate feedback that was integral to the design update.Movistar Team helped us with wind-tunnel sessions and real-world testing, says Ford. They helped us with feedback on things like how different head shapes and hairstyles affect comfort and fit. These are things average riders might never articulate, but pros feel immediately. The 2.0s refined Zoom Spin adjustment and padding is the result of their input.Performance attributes have been similarly tweaked.The helmet now employs seven deep air channels on the underside of the shell, with redesigned front eyebrow vents that improve airflow even at lower speeds, says Ford. On top of that, a new carbon-reinforced Aero Blade replaces the top grid design. This influences airflow, reducing drag without compromising ventilation or adding weight.The 2.0s light 215g weight in a medium is testament to that, and enlarged vents add to the helmets airy credentials.We integrated the original Airbreakers Acti-Cage reinforcement skeleton more cleanly in the 2.0, says Ford. This maintained protection and stiffness levels while allowing the vents to increase in size.ABUS Airbreaker 2.0, 270, find out more at abus.com/uk (310 with Mips)The post The 2026 collection of premium cycling helmets appeared first on Cyclist.