On the 8th of April 2026, the peloton will take on one of the most important sprinter races of the year: the Scheldeprijs. Placed right in the heart of the spring classics, between the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix, the Belgian classic provides a perfect opportunity for the sprinters to succeed...

In David Lamb's latest video, he takes on our 270-mile Fool's Loop bikepacking route in Arizona, sharing a detailed look at what it's like to ride the challenging trail and some lessons learned along the way. Find the 30-minute video, photos, and a brief written introduction to the trip here...The post Bikepacking the Fools Loop (Video) appeared first on BIKEPACKING.com.

Easton Cycling has added some brand-new cranks to its EC90 ALX lineup. With the EC90 ALX Crankset, Easton aims to set the new benchmark for all-road and gravel drivetrains. These cranks are a completely new design, slotting into the lineup as the brands flagship carbon cranks, and the lightest theyve ever made. On top of that, Easton claims that theyre the strongest on the market, based on the results of in-house testing.They come in five lengths, two spindle widths, and 1x and 2x configurations for the ultimate in fitment options and compatibility. Theyve also been designed for the long haul, with a stainless steel wear plate and a lifetime warranty. Easton says the new EC90 ALX is a crank thats lighter, stronger, and built to perform wherever the road takes you.The EC90 ALX cranks are made from lightweight carbon fiber with a unique look thanks to the stainless steel wear plate.Easton EC90 ALX Crankset DetailsIf you werent already aware, Easton Cycling and Race Face are part of the same family of brands. This explains why the new EC90 ALX cranks have the same design language as the latest Race Face Era SL and the standard Era cranks. The crank arms themselves are shaped the same, but its the stainless steel wear plate that really makes them look like they could be the exact same cranks.According to Easton, the new EC90 ALX replaces its longstanding EC90 SL as the new flagship carbon crankset. This new model is a complete redesign. The crank arms, inserts, and spindle were engineered from the ground up to eliminate every possible gram of material, and address rider pain points, says Easton, We maximized power transfer, minimized weight, increased heel clearance, and incorporated unscuffable protection.Eastons new EC90ALX cranks are claimed to be lightweight and super tough. They look pretty nice, too.Easton says the new cranks are the strongest on the market thanks to a unique carbon fiber layup, advanced resin system, and proprietary insert bonding process. This gives them excellent power transfer and durability to meet and exceed the demands of any road or gravel ride or the cyclocross racecourse. Additionally, the stainless steel wear plate was shaped and positioned specifically in the area typically impacted by heel rub to prevent scuffing and wear.The length is not specified here, but 322 grams is pretty darn light.WeightReshaped crank arms reduce bulk and weight as much as possible, and Eastons new Lite-Spline (LS) spindles take it even further. Available in both standard and wide, the LS CINCH spindles were designed with shorter splines, aka wave taper interfaces, thereby reducing interface dept, bulk, and protrusion of the outboard crank edge. Easton states this design achieves 2mm more heel clearance and a 35g weight reduction versus the outgoing EC90 SL.Easton says the weight of the EC90 ALX crankset in a 170mm length with a 40T Shimano chainring weighs just 419 grams, making it one of the lightest cranks in its class without sacrificing strength or durability. According to the spec chart below, the 170mm crankset with the standard LS spindle without a chainring weighs 329 grams. The picture above of the cranks on the scale shows a 322-gram weight, which is perhaps a shorter crank length.All the options.LengthsSpeaking of lengths, the EC90 ALX cranks come in five lengths, which should cover the needs of virtually every rider out there. The options are 160, 165, 170, 172.5, and 175mm.SpecsCompatibilityStrongest on the MarketEaston says the new EC90 ALX cranks are the strongest on the market based on the results of its in-house strength testing. The chart below has a description of the test, along with the results, if youre interested in seeing where that strength claim is coming from.Easton EC90 ALX Crankset: Pricing and AvailabilityEastons new EC90 ALX crankset is sold with the crankarms and spindle separately, so buyers can ensure they get the crankarm length and spindle length that fits their setup. So, when you purchase, were told the website prompts the customer through these steps, and the pricing is as follows:Crankarms: $415, choose your length, theyre all the same priceLS Spindle: $70, choose between wide and standardSpacer kit: $25, only necessary for T47 or BB36EvoChainring: Sold separatelyBottom bracket: sold separatelyThe new EC90 ALX cranks are available now. Check them out at the Easton website.eastoncycling.comThe post Easton Says its New EC90 ALX All-Road and Gravel Crankset is its Lightest and Strongest Ever appeared first on Bikerumor.

RockShox has overhauled its Vivid Air and Super Deluxe rear shocks for the 2027 model year. Both have had a reduction in friction, with all-new reservoirs and a host of other internal changes that promise to make them more sensitive, capable and better at absorbing bumps. They should also be easier to set up and tune, in order for riders to get the most out of their bikes. Mountain bike shocks tend to be overlooked, but they form a key part of any suspension system. While a fork can deliver feedback that's easy to pick up on through the hands, working out the ins and outs of a rear shock's performance can be a little more complex, largely down to the fact that theyre part of a more complex suspension system (the frame). However, the control required from shocks helps to dictate the all-important balance of a mountain bike. Having ridden the Vivid Air for a while now, I can confirm it's impressively supple, yet still delivers support when needed, with plenty of control deeper into the stroke. Critically, the adjustments make a notable difference on the trail. Read more: The radically redesigned RockShox ZEB is so good I'd buy it Super-slippery The new Vivid Air shock is designed to be paired with the latest ZEB fork. Callum Wood / SRAM In a bid to create the supplest shocks possible, RockShox took both the Vivid Air and Super Deluxe back to the drawing board and completely reworked them. One area that got a lot of attention was the reservoir. RockShox revised the oil-flow paths extensively within the reservoir, making it easier for oil to flow in and out of the shock, with a particular focus on the rebound refill. Making these changes, coupled with the switch to a new base valve, enabled RockShox to lower the internal floating piston (IFP) pressure. This results in shocks that have a lower breakaway and that could, in theory, be more effective when it comes to finding rear-wheel traction. Both shocks also get new main piston compression tunes, designed to better match the new Charger 3.2 damper found in the updated Lyrik and ZEB forks. These, according to RockShox, should help boost mid-stroke support. They also now use the new LinearXL air spring, said to help smooth the progression curve at the end of the stroke to deliver a more consistent feel. In the case of the Super Deluxe, the air spring can now accommodate higher pressures to better suit a wider range of rider weights. Super Deluxe details The new Super Deluxe shock features revised adjusters and a reworked reservoir. Callum Wood / SRAM While both shocks share a number of details, the Super Deluxe differs in several ways. To help simplify tuning the tail end of the Super Deluxes spring curve, RockShox has reworked its token system. It now uses an O-ring, which can be shifted between the five positions within the positive air chamber, beneath the air sleeve. By moving the O-ring up and over one of the ribs on the shock body, you effectively close off (or open up) some of that positive air volume, creating a change to the tail end of the spring curve. RockShox has revised the way in which you tune the spring curve, replacing the spacers with an O-ring that can be moved between channels within the positive air chamber. SRAM If, like me, you werent a huge fan of the rebound-damping adjustment bezel, its nice to see RockShox going back to a more traditional dial, which should be easier to tweak. This can be removed to tweak the high-speed compression-damping adjuster. It's a sleek little touch and saves reaching for the multi-tool. The Super Deluxe also gets a new bottom-out bumper to boost end-stroke control and hopefully prevent any harshness if and when you make the most of all that rear-wheel travel. Although the Super Deluxe forgoes the adjustable bottom-out feature found on the Vivid Air, it offers hydraulic bottom-out control (this is optional and will vary on bike design as to whether it's required or not). Dialled in There's plenty of adjustment to fiddle with to ensure you're getting the most out of the new Vivid Air rear shock. Callum Wood / SRAM Like the updated fork and Vivid coil rear shock, the Vivid Air and Super Deluxe also gain damper dials with numbers on. And, like those other units, the damping adjustments are designed to work independently of one another. As ever, though, rear shocks can often be squeezed into awkward spots on the frame, making adjustments tricky. The Vivid Air which is a chunky unit features a rebound and low-speed compression dial, but requires a tool to tweak its adjustable bottom-out feature and high-speed compression. Cleverly, the rebound dial can pop out of the shock and be used to adjust both of these if you need to. While the Vivid Air doesnt get the same tweaks when it comes to how it accepts volume spacers, they can still be added should you need to change the spring curve. Once I've had more time aboard the Vivid Air Ultimate, I'll write a full review, so stay tuned. RockShox Vivid Air and Super Deluxe range overview While RockShox includes Select+, Select and base-model shocks for both the Vivid Air and Super Deluxe rear shocks, because theyre not available aftermarket, they're not included here. RockShox Vivid Air Ultimate RockShox has overhauled the Vivid Air in a bid to make it more sensitive and predictable. SRAM Damper: RC2T with Adjustable Bottom Out Air spring: LinearXL Price: 760 / $779 / 850 RockShox Vivid Air Ultimate DH The new Vivid Air comes in a DH version, too. SRAM Damper: RC2T with Adjustable Bottom Out Air spring: LinearXL Price: 760 / $779 / 850 RockShox Super Deluxe Ultimate Flight Attendant The new Super Deluxe offers a wide variety of features and comes with plenty of adjustment. SRAM Damper: RC3 / RC3 Hydraulic Bottom Out Air spring: LinearXL Price: 1,020 / $1,049 / 1,145 RockShox Super Deluxe Ultimate New numbered adjusters should help make setup easier. SRAM Damper: RC3 / RC3 Hydraulic Bottom Out Air spring: LinearXL Price: 680 / $699 / 765

Offering "SuperNatural performance", the Vado 3 collection comes in two models - standard and Evo - each with three levels, starting at 3,599

CyclistThe best photos from the Tour of Flanders 2026Just like that, the stone has been rolled back and the Flemish Week has come to a conclusion following Sundays Tour of Flanders.Rising to the Monument occasion, Tadej Pogaar sprung a move off the Oude Kwaremont, leaving Mathieu van der Poel in his wake. The Slovenian would continue on to win his third Flanders title, with Van der Poel second and Tour of Flanders debutant Remco Evenepoel in third.In the womens race, the Tour de France favourites prevailed once more. Demi Vollering profited from the same launchpad as her European champion contemporary Pogaar. And like Pogaar, she wouldnt be caught, leaving reigning Tour champion Pauline Ferrand-Prvot and Puck Pieterse to complete the podium spots.Photographer Xavier Pereyron was on the ground for the mens and womens races, crossing the country in search of these yellow jersey names-come-Classics contenders. Related Posts The best photos from the Women's CiCLE Classic Pro bike: Tadej Pogaar's Strade Bianche-winning Colnago Y1Rs The best photos from men's Strade Bianche 2026 Xavier PereyronThe race returned to Antwerp after a year in Bruges.Xavier PereyronUntil Sunday, Pogaar hadnt won a Monument as World Champion with black shorts.Xavier PereyronRemco Evenepoel announced his participation just four days before the Tour of Flanders.Xavier PereyronBeers, bergs and Belgians. It must be Flanders.Xavier PereyronThe Lion of Flanders (the flag, not Johan Museeuw) on full display.Xavier PereyronThe weather was temperamental, but the sun would come out again for the final 70km.Xavier PereyronRemco Evenepoel rode the Tour of Flanders like a seasoned Classics man. Third on debut is impressive.Xavier PereyronThe two leaders hit the Koppenberg. On a rainy day, most riders are forced to walk up its 20% slope.Xavier PereyronGiven Mads Pedersens grimace, walking isnt a bad option up here.Xavier PereyronAny extra protein needed?Xavier PereyronLike yin and yang.Xavier PereyronPogaar crests the Oude Kwaremont alone, just like he did in 2023 and 2025.Xavier PereyronThat only means one thing. Its a proven formula for victory.Xavier PereyronHow long until someone asks about Roubaix?Xavier PereyronVan der Poel hasnt finished outside the top two of this race since he won in 2020.Xavier PereyronNow to the women. By the time the TV cameras cut to their race, Demi Vollering was in prime position.Xavier PereyronCrucially, she had distanced rival Pauline Ferrand-Prvot, who was runner-up for the second year in a row.Xavier PereyronAfter getting pipped to Dwars door Vlaanderen glory, Vollering adds another Monument to her palmars.Xavier PereyronClink clink, boys.Xavier PereyronIts all hugs now between Vollering and Ferrand-Prvot. The two will go head-to-head this summer at the Tour de France. Exciting times ahead.The post The best photos from the Tour of Flanders 2026 appeared first on Cyclist.

Itzulia Basque Country has become the Paul Seixas show. After dominating the first stage's time trial, the youngest rider in the race went on to take an equally dominating victory on stage 2, attacking the day's most difficult climb and putting in an extensive gap over all of his competitors. The s...

Cannondale is introducing a brand-new model in its mountain bike lineup, and theyre calling it the Bad Habit. It joins theHabit (130mm) and Habit LT (140mm)as the longer-travel sibling made for getting a little rowdier, feeding your bad habits, and getting you into good trouble. With 155mm of rear travel, a 160mm fork, mixed wheels, and up-to-date geometry, it could be categorized as a long-travel trail bike, an all-mountain bike, or an enduro bike. It makes a strong case for the latter, as its already proven itself on the course under Cannondale rider Ella Conolly, who raced it to the 2025 Enduro World Cup title. Cannondale says its a full throttle, full-fun tribute to the enduro heads, the big-mountain chargers, and the earn your turns givers who ascend to descend. Born from the input of our pro racers, skilled ambassadors, and in-house flight crew, this rig takes the trail-proven DNA of our Habit and Habit LT and mutates it into a hard-charging modern enduro ripper that balances smash factor with finesse, agility, and playful pedalibiity from top to bottom. It may be a Bad Habit, but we think it looks pretty darn good and like its heaps of fun to ride. Lets check it out.Cannondale Bad Habit DetailsCannondale tells us the Bad Habit has an all-new frame with both the front and rear triangles made of carbon fiber. It has 155mm of rear wheel travel, designed to pair with a 160mm fork (compatible with forks up to 180mm) and a mullet, or mixed-wheel, setup. There is no wheel size flip-chip or 29 compatibility, because, as Cannondale says, we didnt design it that way. This thing is born to be a super-fun, slap-happy pappy to an enduro race rig.Cannondale uses a suspension platform/design philosophy that it calls Proportional Response, with rider-scaled kinematics and size-driven geometry that track with your center of gravity. This is a 4-bar or Horst-Link layout, but along with changes to geometry, Cannondale modifies the kinematics and suspension tunes for each size with the goal of consistent suspension performance and ride feel across all sizes.The Bad Habit looks ready for some questionable decision-making.The complete builds come with gravity air shocks, but Cannondale says the Bad Habit works well with coil shocks, too. The downtube also features the brands Stashport in-frame storage compartment. It comes with one large and one small bag for your tools and other goodies, and Cannondale says its silent. Other frame details include guided internal cable routing and molded frame protection on the chainstay and downtube.Cannondales Stashport in-frame storage compartment.Its been a few years since the Habit and Habit LT launched, but as we saw with those bikes, Cannondale has made a conscious shift away from proprietary features and design choices. That continues with the Bad Habit, which uses standard hardware and rear wheel offset, and is about as normal a frame as weve seen from the brand. This should make the Bad Habit easier to own, maintain, and find spare parts for, and Cannondale will probably sell more of them this way, too.To that end, the frame has standard Boost 12x148mm real axle spacing and does not use the proprietary Ai offset. It has a UDH interface, uses a threaded 73mm bottom bracket, and has a 55mm chainline. The frame has a long insertion depth, and Cannondale went with 34.9mm seat tubes so riders can maximize saddle drop. The small frames come stock with 170-180mm droppers, and the M-XL sizes come with 210 or 240mm, depending on the build. The frame does not have any geometry adjustments, but the 1.5 headtube is compatible with angle-adjust headsets, or those that allow through headset cable routing (if thats your thing).Cannondales Proportional Response suspension and geometry design aims to provide the same ride feel for riders on all sizes.GeometryThe Bad Habit sets itself apart from its shorter-travel siblings with a geometry thats aligned with its intended use and travel bracket. In fact, Cannondale seems so confident in its design that they did not include any built-in geometry adjustments. But, as mentioned above, the 1.5 headtube should allow riders to drop an angle-adjusting headset in there if they choose. But we dont really see why youd need to, given the head tube angle is already 64 degrees.The Bad Habit comes in four frame sizes, S-XL. Reach numbers start at 430mm on the small and grow to 515 on the XL, with a fairly standard 480mm on the large. Some of the other important numbers are the seat tube angle, which at 77.7/77.8 degrees is nice and steep. That should go along well with the relatively tall stack, 648mm on a size large, to put riders in a comfortable seated pedaling position while winching up steep climbs to access your favorite descents. Chainstay length is on the shorter side at 430mm on the small and medium frames, though it increases to 435mm on the large and XL for proportionality.Cannondale Bad Habit: Build OptionsThe new Bad Habit is sold as a frame only with a RockShox Vivid Ultimate shock, and is currently being offered in two complete builds.The Bad Habit frame comes in Black with WOW colorsBad Habit Frameset: $3,499 USD / 3,499 / 3,750Shock: RockShox Vivid Ultimate, custom Bad Habit tune, 210x55mmClaimed weight: 3370 grams (w/o shock)Color: Black with WOW colorsThe Bad Habit 1 comes with a Raw Carbon frame.Bad Habit 1: $7,999 USD / 7,999 / 7,795Fork: RockShox Lyrik Ultimate, 160mmShock: RockShox Vivid Ultimate, custom Bad Habit tune, 210x55mmDrivetrain: SRAM XO/GX AXS T-TypeBrakes: TRP EVO Pro 4-piston, 220mm front / 200mm rear rotorsWheels:Rims Reserve 30|HD AL, 30mm inner width, 29 front, 27.5 rearHubs: DT Swiss 350Tires:Front: Continental Kryptotal F, 29 x 2.4, Enduro SoftRear: Continental Kyrptotal R, 27.5 x 2.4, Enduro SoftHandlebar: OneUp Aluminum, 800mm, 35mm riseSeatpost: Oneup V3, 34.9mm diameter, 180mm (S), 240mm (M-XL)Saddle: WTB Solano, Ti railsClaimed weight: 15.6 kg / 34.4 lbs (complete, tubeless w/sealant)Color: Raw CarbonThe Bad Habit 2 comes with a Phoenix Yellow frame. Bad Habit 2: $$5,999 USD / 4,999 /5,995Fork: RockShox Lyrik Select+, 160mmShock: RockShox Vivid Select+, custom Bad Habit tune, 210x55mmDrivetrain: SRAM Eagle 90 Mechanical T-TypeBrakes: SRAM Maven Stealth 4-piston, 220mm front / 200mm rear HS2 rotorsWheels:Rims WTB ST i30 Tough TCS, 30mm inner width, 29 front, 27.5 rearHubs: Front: Formula DC-7131, Rear: Zipp ZM700Tires:Front: Continental Kryptotal F, 29 x 2.4, Enduro SoftRear: Continental Kyrptotal R, 27.5 x 2.4, Enduro SoftHandlebar: Cannondale 3 Riser, 800mm, 25mm riseSeatpost: Cannondale DownLow, 34.9mm diameter, 170mm (S), 210mm (M-XL)Saddle: WTB Solano, hollow Cro-Mo railsClaimed weight: 16.0 kg / 35.3 lbs (complete, tubeless w/sealant)Color: Phoenix YellowBe warned, Bad Habits can be hard to break. Cannondale Bad Habit: AvailabilityCannondale officially launches the Bad Habit today, and the bikes are available now. Head to the Cannondale website to learn more, find a dealer near you, or pick up a Bad Habit of your owncannondale.comThe post Cannondales Mountain Bike Lineup Picks Up a Bad Habit appeared first on Bikerumor.

YT Industries has announced it has officially resumed operations within the UK, with bikes now available for the first time since the brands insolvency last year. The brand says it is excited to reconnect with the mountain biking community, reaffirming its dedication to the grit, rain and Good Times that only the UK scene can deliver. As it returns, YT says it is focusing on service and warranty support by working with two dedicated service partners to ensure access to technical support and care for the YT community. Markus Flossmann, founder & CEO, says: "The UK is in our DNA. Its a community that shaped us and the birthplace of the real-life legend who inspired our award-winning JEFFSY. Implementing a new service network is a massive milestone, and with sales live again, we're looking to come back strong." YT has restructured, but hasn't reopened its UK offices. Laurence Crossman-Emms / Our Media Flossmann founded YT Industries in 2008, and bought it back after entering insolvency last year. The return to the UK market is a positive step for the iconic mountain bike brand, which seemed down and out last year after its struggles with bike sales post-Covid. The brand says customers can also expect reliable and efficient shipping of bikes, parts and soft goods, direct from the EU.

Ion Izagirre again showed he is riding into top form on stage 2 of the Itzulia Basque Country 2026. The veteran Basque from Cofidis, in his final professional season, underlined his consistency by finishing with the first favourites group, moving into a commendable seventh overall. His performance...