After seeing Harriet Harnden finish first in qualies in Korea, then 4th overall in the DH finals, we started digging into her AON Racing Gates belt-drive bike setup, quickly finding these prototype Gamux gearbox downhill bikes under the three men on her team. Completely CNC-machined with a single massive open U-shaped frame member, its one of the wildest race bikes weve seen beyond the high-pivot, gearbox & belt-drive setup. Plus, the AON Racing team are hiding a lot of unreleased kit on these gravity sleds. New fork & shock tech, new brakes, new grips, wild stems, and more! Lets dig right inAON x Gamux DH Prototype belt-drive, gearbox downhill bike(All photos Grega Stopar/AON Racing)OK, so first off, a micro-refresher on AON Racing. The team was established just last year by 2020 DH World Champion Reece Wilson to create a pure prototype downhill race team free from bike sponsor pressures, allowing them to develop innovative race bikes and components. Swiss CNC bike maker Gamux was a core partner, enabling the AON team to develop what they thought could be the best DH race rig, without being locked into an existing commercial bike model. Sure, Gamux already had the Sego. But even that bike allowed them to customize the platform tailored to the racer, just like the bike Harnden raced isnt exactly the same as the one you would buy directly from Gamux.Now onto the next new bikeAgain, built around a Pinion gearbox to get weight low, protected, and to drop unsprung mass. And again, a high-pivot design, driven by a Gates belt-drive system with an idler pulley and a belt tensioner, which put AON Racing in the running for a shot at the 100,000 Gates Belted Purse offered to the first Elite man or woman to win a UCI MTB DHI World Cup on a Gates belt-drive bike.But thats where the similarities with the previous Sego end. Everything else has changed.unnamed AON Gamux Prototype DH race bikeRidden by the 3 guys on the AON Racing team Reece Wilson, Henry Kerr & Stan Nisbet the prototype bike doesnt have a name yet. Actually, a contact inside the team confirms that it does have a name, they just arent ready to go public with it yet. But while the team couldnt officially share photos of Wilson or Kerrs bikes because of how many secret unreleased products are on both, they were happy to share still photos of Nisbets rig. And dont worry, it has plenty of tricks up its sleeves, too.Is a wild-looking bike, so we have plenty to talk about without a name. First off, it looks more like some kind of off-road cruising moto than a bike, right?The heart of the AON Gamux Prototype is the completely new, all-aluminum CNC-machined construction, opting for a single monolithic but hollow main frame tube instead of a more conventional front triangle. Then, a seat mast gets bolted on top, the gearbox hung down below, and an all-new high-pivot 4-bar suspension system bolted onto the back.Pinion gearbox + Gates belt-driveWhile the Sego is a high single-pivot with a linkage-driven shock, this new AON Gamux Prototype is a more classic Horst-link, four-bar. Its still a high-pivot, maybe even a tad higher if my eyes dont deceive me. And it still has a chainstay-mounted i-track idler pulley, plus a quite complex belt tensioner pulley to keep the Gates connection happy and tight.No official word on length of rear wheel travel, other than that the team is still tweaking and playing with different figures via various link and shock setups.It also appears to get a decently low bottom bracket height, and has tons of travel. So North Shore Billet supplies their short and strong Talon cranks to put power into the Pinion gearbox.Of course, the bike also gets a bashguard / skid plate that wraps around the gearbox for protection, as well. Intricately CNC-machined U-shaped main frame beamBut much of the beauty of the bike comes from the intricate CNC machining by Gamux. Instead of a simple I-beam structure reinforced with bonded-in carbon, this new AON Gamux Prototype is 100% Swiss CNCd aluminum.The main frame is a single massive U-shaped beam. Completely open on the top, it forms the wide backbone of the downhill bike. The sides of the mainframe tube are mostly smooth, just with wider reinforcing ribs along the upper edge. But the underside of the downtube(?) features a honeycomb relief machined into the main U-shape, before ribs taper out to form the mounting points for the gearbox and skid plate.The team explains that this externally relieved design allowed Gamux to significantly increase/control the frames torsional & directional stiffness and strength, without adding unnecessary weight. And it also lets them showcase some sweet machining style.Plus, the external honeycomb machining makes it much easier to manufacture, allowing Gamux to smoothly machine out the inner well of the frame, only keeping a few side-to-side ribs remaining inside for stiffness.Gamux kept the AON Racing team prototype a bit simpler by designing a modular bolt-on seat mast. That gives them freedom to tweak geometry a bit. But it also simplifies production again keeping the overall height of the CNC-machined part low, and allowing the frame to remain completely open on top.Then with a single mainframe member, AON & Gamux are free to tweak the ride and performance of the prototype DH bike by iterating separate suspension parts, like: the rocker link, various length seatstay bridges for different wheel sizes (all mullets so far, but full 29er will be possible, too), or different chainstays and seatstays to fine-tune geometry or rear end stiffness.Weird and wild cockpit setupContinuing the wild-looking concept, Nisbet and his teammates were riding various high, set-back cockpit setups.Prototype negative setback stem?Here, it looks like Nisbet is riding a ~80mm tall stem with -40mm of offset relative to the steerer tube. Thats also holding a high-rise Ergotec 70mm rise handlebar for a very upright and back position. The unconventional cockpit is uniquely set up to race super steep tracks, on a bike with longer frame Reach designed that way for extra high-speed stability.We only slightly get a peek at it, but that big silver headset suggests (unsurprisingly) that theres also plenty of space available for head angle adjustment to further fine-tune geometry to each track. AON Racing works closely together with the Hayes group which means Hayes brakes, Manitou suspension & Reynolds wheels. And the team generally has raced on purple Hayes Dominion A4 brakes, plus Sinter brake pads. But those rotors arent from the Hayes line-up, though. They appear to be 2.3mm Hope Fixed Rotors, instead.Prototype RevGrips with integrated bar ends?Next to the purple Hayes brake levers, we also spot a curious unreleased product on the AON x Gamux Prototypes.Medium shock-absorbing RevGrips get fitted with an external bar end flange, designed to let racers push outward on the bars for added control. And they claim to allow a looser grip in the roughest sections of a DH track, without worrying about your hands slipping off the end of the bars. Its a concept that seemed niche until a few weeks ago, when Joe Breeden and Wolf Tooth made a strikingly similar setup more readily available.Many more unreleased secrets on Reece Wilson & Henry Kerrs bikesWe didnt get still life bike pics from the other guys, but theres still plenty of Mona Yongpyong, South Korea World Cup race photos to spot more prototype tech on AON bikes.Prototype Hayes Dominion brakes?First, notice that there are no purple Hayes on either of these guys bikes.A closer look reveals the brake lever bodies are, in fact, hidden under what looks like a soft neoprene cover. The silver brake calipers on both racers bikes look to have the same layout as the 4-piston Dominion A4s on Nisbets bike, but with sharper edges. And the silver levers have a gold piece visible that looks like the end of the tool-free reach adjust on current Dominions.Perhaps these are the more premium set of Dominion brakes weve heard rumored for a while?Both bikes also appear to have that same mysterious extra wire run along the left/rear brake line like Nisbets. Were guessing its just an easy access to charge the Pinion Smart.Shift battery that is tucked inside the frame, right?Prototype Manitou Dorado fork?One last key secret we can clearly see is a big piggyback hanging off the damping side of Reece Wilsons Manitou Dorado fork, with a special blue anodized fork end screaming, Look at me! The standard Dorado puts external TPC+ (Twin Piston Cartridge) high-speed compression damping control at the bottom of the right fork leg. The bottom of Wilsons fork is clearly missing that adjustment, which likely moved into an extra external piggyback reservoir for more oil volume, adjustability, and control.Whats also interesting, though, is that Wilson didnt race exclusively with this fork prototype. So clearly, it isnt yet the best solution for all DH racing situations, just yet.Also, all of the team are on Manitou forks labeled as Dorado Pro, which would normally come with carbon upper legs, but they all have alloy upper legs. AON confirms that these are all MRD (Manitou Racing Development) prototype forks using alloy uppers that the team riders are testing for Manitou R&D.And lastly, what could be hiding under that sock over Wilsons rear shock, tucked inside the top of the frame? It definitely isnt the same Mara PB Pro air shock thats on Nisbets & Harndens bikes.Could it finally be a Mara Coil shock from Manitou? Who knows for sure, but were going to keep on the lookout!AONracing.com & GamuxBikes.comThe post Prototype AON Racing x Gamux Gearbox DH Bike Hides Many Secrets on the World Cup! appeared first on Bikerumor.

As is customary here on Tan Tenovos Internet Bicycle-Themed Complainatorium, when a new Rivendell presale is upon us, I let you know, even though Rivendell never ask me to let you know. So this is me letting you know about this one:Look, I dont care if you buy one or not. What you do in your private life is your own business. But Im making you aware because I happen to like this bicycle very, very much:You could put it together all upright with swept-back bars and stuff, you could go flat-pedal sporty like in Rivendells photo, or you could go race-adjacent as I have. Also, if youre an aging roadie, you could probably move over like 80% of the parts on that really nice road bike youve had since the 90s thats now a bit too limited in tire clearance and low in the cockerpit:The best time to move the parts from that Serotta onto a Roadini was ten centimeters of quill stem ago, but the second-best time is now.Or, if your old bike has a threadless steerer, a Roadini spares you the indignity of resorting to something like this:I mean hey, whatever works, but by now we should all be familiar with the dangers of Compulsive Cockpit Curation Syndrome:And I shouldnt even have to mention this one again, but I will anyway:Thats a rolling cautionary tale.None of this is to imply you have to be old to ride a Roadini. After all, new retrogrouches are born every day:Ah yes, it seems like gravel was invented only yesterday, but already were looking back and reflecting on what it used to mean and how it went astray: Gravel cycling didnt evolve from modern mountain biking. It was driven by US geography and a desperate need to escape traffic.Hmmm, I dunno, I would say its both. Certainly getting away from traffic is a major factor, and probably the primary one, but its also important to keep in mind that mountain bikingboth the act as well as the bikes themselveshas changed so much over the past 40 years that in retrospect it was inevitable people would find their way back to what it used to be and the industry would reinvent a way to sell people relatively simple bicycles for riding on trails and unpaved roads. Just imagine if ice hockey went from what it is now to flying in a helicopter onto a glacier and then chasing an electronic AI-driven puck around with a $19,000 telescoping stick made of crabon fiber while wearing a pair of rocket skates. Eventually someone would come up with the idea of simply skating around on a frozen pond with a stick of wood in your hand and knocking a dumb puck into a net, and soon all the sporting goods companies would sell you special equipment for this exciting new sport of pond ball.The other inevitability is that cycliststhe people who ride the bikes, the people who sell the bikes, and the people who write about the bikesare completely lacking in object permanence, and when a new thing comes along its as though everything before it never existed. For example, in a few short years, gravel went from wider tires are nice to if you buy a bike with anything less than 50mm of clearance youre a complete moronand yet tires can actually be too wide, who knew?The problem is that this race-day math ignores the vast majority of people who buy gravel bikes and the terrain they actually ride. Im not about to try and draw a line in the sand when it comes to tire width, but it definitely exists. The trend is to go wider, but we will reach a tipping point where we lose the lively feeling people are actually chasing on a gravel bike.And of course, a by-product of forgetting about everything that came before is that once you remember it again you wont be able to use it anymore because there will be a whole new set of standards:Moving to a 32-inch wheel isnt just a matter of swapping out rubber. If the industry successfully pushes this as the new standard, the cascade of changes will touch everything, and it inherently makes the bike worse for most of the riding we actually do.To be clear, the bike wont be worse, it will just be incompatible with all your old stuff because theyll have had to come up with a whole new way to make the giant-wheeled bike seem lively again.And hows this for cognitive dissonance?This isnt the transition to disc brakes or electronic shifting. Those innovations brought tangible benefits even if what we had was already good. For most everyday riders, 32-inch wheels are actually worse.Ill leave the disc brake thing alone for now, but what were the tangible benefits of electronic shifting? We went from pushing a button to shift to having to charge a battery first in order to push a button to shift. A 32-inch wheel makes more sense than that.Meanwhile, not too long ago (though Im way too lazy to find the post, and my intern is busy shopping for a new helper monkey for me) I mentioned how surprisingly cheap Lynskeys were now, and I guess this is the reason:Heres whats happening:Lynskey, a Chattanooga-based titanium bike and component manufacturer, was established in 2005. The owners, the Lynskey family, have an extensive history in the cycling industry; David Lynskey, the company founder, was also the founder of Litespeed Cycles in 1984 and led that business to its sale in 1999. Both brands are Chattanooga-based and specialise in premium titanium bikes and componentry; of the two, Lynskey offers a lower-cost, direct-to-consumer alternative.Court filings indicate that Lynskey has liabilities between US$1 million and $10 million, and had approximately US$59,000 cash in hand as of April 30.If they do recover theyre going to have a hard time competing with the likes of ASSISTING FORCE:Ironically, this story is from the same publication and by the same writer as the 32-inch wheel story. In any case, forget Lynskey, these companies are even undercutting themselves:In an effort to bypass those costs directly, Quickpro is inventing a new brand and launching a new platform. The new brand name is Assisting Force, and the first release is actually two slightly different gravel bikes: the Assisting Force AF01 SSL and the standard AF01.Assisting Force indeed.

Jonas Vingegaard has made no attempt to downplay either the scale of Tadej Pogacars achievements or the challenge waiting for him later this summer at the Tour de France. But ahead of his Giro dItalia debut, the Dane also delivered a reminder that no rider in modern cycling has consistently troubl...

White Industries is a precision bicycle component manufacturer based in Sonoma County, California. Best known for its iconic polished cranks, White Industries is just a couple of years away from its 50th anniversary, an impressive milestone few companies of its size have reached. Miles spent a few days exploring the shop, getting to know the people, and learning about their strategies to keep relevant and productive. Find a massive gallery from his visit and learn all about White Industries hereThe post Inside White Industries: Five Decades of Outlasting Trends appeared first on BIKEPACKING.com.

The Swedish watchmaker Bravurs Grand Tours collection is a tribute to the most iconic cycling races, and its latest timepiece honours road racing's most electric and strategically complex roles. The Grand Tour Sprinter is said to be inspired by cyclings fastest finishers and for people who understand that timing is everything. Bravur says the watch translates the visual language of road cycling into restrained watchmaking, calling out four specific features. The watch face has a tarmac-like finish. Bravur The perimeter of the dial is said to have the finish-line markings of a race course, which continue on the caseback. There is also an inverted 13 on the watch face, in reference to the superstitious pro riders or simply those who like to take part in cyclings traditions who wear their bib number 13 upside down to ward off bad luck. At the 12 oclock position there is a triangle like the red triangular flamme rouge flag that marks one kilometre to the finish. The triangle is also loaded with the Super-LimiNova phosphorescent pigment as a "luminous reference point. The dial has a tarmac-inspired texture, grounding the watch visually in the road itself. There is a transparent caseback so you can see the Swiss-made automatic mechanism. Bravur The 15-minute sub-dial is calibrated for interval training. Bravur Bravur adds that the 15-minute sub-dial is a departure from conventional 30-minute timers, and says it's calibrated for interval training. This small detail makes the Sprinter genuinely useful as a training tool, whether for structured efforts on the road or the kind of informal timing that cyclists have always done on the wrist, Bravur says. The watch comes with a steel bracelet, and rubber or leather strap (pictured). Bravur The Sprinter has an automatic Swiss-made Sellita SW511 chronograph movement, with a custom rotor visible through the exhibition caseback. The case measures 38.2mm with the option of a steel or purple aluminium bezel inlay. You can choose between a steel bracelet strap, leather strap or more sporty black rubber strap. Pre-orders for the 2,050 / $2,550 watch opened on 5 May with deliveries expected in mid June.

EF Education-EasyPost have become the final team to confirm their lineup for the 2026 Giro dItalia, with the late withdrawal of Richard Carapaz forcing a complete reset in the squads approach to the race. Rather than arriving in Italy built around a Maglia Rosa challenge, EF now head to the Giro w...

Supported by Cinelli, a group of friends took a trip in the summer of 2025 to traverse the most remote corner of the Afghan Wakhan Corridor, searching for the Kyrgyz nomads. For more on this epic journey, watch the full video below...The post Bikepacking into the Afghan Pamir (Video) appeared first on BIKEPACKING.com.

The battle for the final spots on the Tour de France podium already looked brutally competitive heading towards July, particularly with Tadej Pogacar and Jonas Vingegaard having locked out the top two positions between them across the last five editions of the race. Now, according to Jan Bakelants,...

Bluegrass, the MTB protection side of MET, unveils three new lightweight chest & back protectors, and one is my new all-around favorite. First, there are two new Arto protector baselayers the 3/4 sleeve Arto Armour with chest, back, shoulder & elbow coverage; and the Arto Vest with simpler chest & back coverage. But the all-new mesh Venture Vest is the one thats my new go-to for all-mountain, enduro, and even casual bikepark protection. 3 new Bluegrass chest and back protectors for trail riding to downhill racing(Photo by Nina Ludwig/DT Swiss)Each of the three new Bluegrass protectors looks like a solid option for mountain bikers seeking top-level chest & back protection, while maintaining a comfortable fit and unrestricted movement. All three feature flexible, viscoelastic (hardens when impacted) SAS-TEC protection inserts, with perforated face fabrics for adequate airflow and separate trefoil padding facing your body that allows for unrestricted movement. They all feature Level 2 Type B back protectors and Level 1 Type B chest protection.Arto Armour & Arto Vest MTB chest and back protectors(Studio shots/Bluegrass)The new Arto Armour & Vest are essentially refined versions of their baselayer protectors, offering two extents of protection depending on how hard you ride. Both are close-fitting, so wear them under a jersey. They each get an asymmetric off-center zip to make them easy to get on and off, an adjustable wrap-around chest strap with a quick-release buckle to keep the protectors in place as you pedal, and a small rear zip pocket outside of the protector for essentials storage.The simpler 230 Arto Vest is just a simple mesh vest, with chest & back protectors that can be removed for washing. Pick this for all-day pedaling rides trail to enduro or eMTBing.The more complex 300 Arto Armour has the same body, chest & back protectors, but adds flexible protection at the shoulders and elbows in stretchy mesh 3/4-length sleeves. This one is better suited for long days in the bikepark, DH racing, or back-to-back shuttle runs.Both are available now from MET/Bluegrass in 4 unisex sizes (S-XL).Bluegrass Venture Vest chest and back protector with snack & hydration storage(All other photos/Cory Benson)This one is all-new, but also quite simple in concept. Much like the Art Vest, its just a combined chest and back protector in a sleeveless mesh vest. But Bluegrass designed this one to go over your jersey (or over or under a shell) and combines everyday ride storage, too. Essentially, Bluegrass saw how many riders were wearing separate back protectors and backpacks or baselayer protectors and gravel/running hydration vests together. So they decided to combine the two into one.The result is a well-vented, adjustable hydration vest with high-level certified protection inside, and lots of smart storage outside of the protectors so they wont interfere when you crash.The 250 Bluegrass Venture Vest is available now in 3 sizes (S-L). It features elastic cord side adjustment that adapts well to many body shapes and sizes, or even to varying layers of clothing underneath. There are two deep mesh chest pockets (like many hydration vests) with a single secure zippered chest pocket to keep a wallet or keys safe. Out back, theres a bigger thin zipped mesh pocket at the base of the protector, and a big pass-through stuff pocket where you can push a jacket in, open to both sides. Lastly, theres a loop to hang a max 1.5L hydration bladder (not included) inside the pouch that holds the back protector, and routing over either shoulder for your hydration hose.Review: Bluegrass Venture Vest protection for every rideI dont want to shortchange the Arto protectors, because they seem pretty great for anyone looking to add all-day protection in a next-to-skin baselayer type solution. But, thats generally not my vibe. I run hot, sweat tons, and prefer the ability to pop a back protector off or at least loosen it for more airflow on the uphills. So, strapping on a vest sounded like a much better for me personally. And it turns out, I was right.(Photo by Nina Ludwig/DT Swiss)The Bluegrass Venture Vest is excellent. It is secure, comfortable, and offers adjustable levels of protection and hauling capacity that I can adapt for every ride. Its essentially a lightweight hydration vest like those Jeremy & I surveyed, mostly for gravel riding but here, Bluegrass adds top-tier flexible chest & back protectors on top of the snack, hydration & spare clothes storage.Did I mention that its my favorite back protector now?Riding protected, with snacks & cool water(Photo by Rupert Fowler/Mountain Bike Connection Agency)Of course, I like that it fits well, carries snacks, doesnt move around while riding, and protects me for sure. But what really sold it for me was how it easily kept my hydration bladder secure on the outside of my back protector. I pretty much had abandoned the Camelbak-style backpack about a decade ago, because I got fed up with a bunch of hot water sitting against my back, blocking any hope at airflow or evaporation, on a day I was already super hot and sweaty. And sucking down tepid water at the same elevated temperature as my overheated body simply wasnt very refreshing.But since the articulated Bluegrass SAS-TEC protector against my back allows for a bit of airflow, some heat can escape out the back & sides. And the protector itself acts as an insulator, so my body heat does not significantly heat up the water in the hydration bladder. So far, on warm spring and early summer rides, I can actually refresh myself by drinking cool water off my back. A proper game-changer for this hot & sweaty guy!Low-profile over your jersey, and under or over a shellIt is still quite low-profile when you are just carrying the essentials, so I have no problem wearing it under a jacket or rain suit for super wet or muddy riding. But I can still pop it over a rain shell, too, thanks to the easy elastic cord adjustment. When I pack 1.5L of water, all days worth of snacks, a mini electric inflator, and a rain/wind shell it does get a bit bulkier. But since its easy to adjust the fit, I just throw it over a jacket if the vest is super loaded down.The only real downside is that the waterproof-style side zips are a little tough to manage. But frankly, that also means the zips dont move unexpectedly, and are easy enough to operate with practice. Plus in the end, I only detach one to take the vest on & off, so its really a non-issue in practice.Light, breathable, and adaptable from trail to enduroMy size L Bluegrass Venture Vest weighs 855g with both protector inserts inside. But Ive also seen that for really hot weather on less demanding trail riding, I can drop that down to just 640g by removing the 215g chest protector for extra ventilation without sacrificing back protection or vest stability.Overall, the Venture Vest does a good job of not overheating me too much, while offering a lot of protection. And the fact that I can strap 1.5L of cool water on the back easily offsets the extra sweating that comes from wearing any back protector. I used to only wear any chest & back protection when I was heading to the bikepark, racing enduro, or when I planned to ride out gnarliest all-mountain trails. But that last bit is pretty subjective. I had an unexpected crash last summer on a trail ride that wasnt so extreme, but ended up breaking my helmet and give me a few scrapes. I wasnt wearing any chest/back protection then. But when I ride those same rocky trails now, its a no-brainer to wear this Bluegrass Venture Vest, and get to carry more snacks and cool water, too.BluegrassEagle.comThe post Bluegrass Venture Vest is New Fav Protector, Plus Arto Protection Baselayers, Too: Review appeared first on Bikerumor.

The Belgian also took the overall lead