The new Portland Design Works Oxrack Front Rack is a utilitarian front rack designed for discerning basketpackers and commuters. It boasts a set of unique braces that hold baskets in place so users can forgo fumbling with zip ties. Find details hereThe post The Portland Design Works Oxrack Front Rack Features Built-In Basket Keepers appeared first on BIKEPACKING.com.

Thymen Arensman turned Stage 10 of the Giro dItalia into a major personal breakthrough, climbing onto the provisional podium after a superb ride in the 42km individual time trial from Viareggio to Massa. The Dutchman finished second on the stage behind teammate Filippo Ganna, completing a dominant...

On paper, the stage 11 of 2026 Giro d'Italia was made for a breakaway. Placed just a day after a key 42-kilometer time trial, there was no chance any of the GC favourites would be willing exert an excessive effort with little to gain, despite the undulating parcours.But if you expected the peloton...

Stage 1 Portlaoise to Kilmallock As it happenedRs Tailteann 2026 Stage 1 ReportStage 1 of the 2026 Rs Tailteann opened with an aggressive and nervous day of racing from Portlaoise to Kilmallock, as riders battled for position from the very start of the race. Early attacks repeatedly tried to establish a breakaway while the peloton remained tightly organised, unwilling to let dangerous moves gain too much time. The stage featured rolling terrain and several Category 3 climbs that gradually increased the pressure on the field heading into Limerick. As the race approached Kilmallock, a breakaway of 4 riders had opened up a gap of over one minute following the final categorized ascent at Old Pallas after 120km of racing. Sprint teams took control and the pace intensified dramatically, but it was too little too late to catch the leading group of 4 riders.Rowen Baker of Isle of Man CC proved strongest in the final high-speed sprint for the first yellow jersey of the race. Ewan MacKie (Connaught Cycling) was second, followed by Danylo Riwnyj (Foran CT) all on the same time.Rs TailteannStage 1 Photos by Lorraine OSullivan [See image gallery at www.irishcyclingnews.com] Results Rs TailteannLoading results

Back in April, we spotted what looked like (totally is) a new set of Mavic wheels quietly sitting on a beautiful LOOK road bike. The wheels in question had deep rims, carbon spokes, and (maybe more importantly) a noticeably wider rim than what weve come to expect from Mavic over the last few years. At the time, it felt like a hint that something had changed.(Photo/Jordan Villella)Now its official. The new Mavic Comete 50 is here, and its pretty clear this isnt just a routine update. Its more like Mavic resetting their aero road wheel. The French wheel powerhouse is fairly conservative when adopting new trends, but this new wheel is on a different tune. Hell, Mavic even has a 32 carbon mountain bike race wheelset that is ready to hit the shelves. Its a new modern Mavic. The new Comete 50 brings Mavis closer to where the rest of the market has been heading, and maybe pushing things a bit further in the process.(All Studio Photos/Bergoend-Aymeric Lassak/Outdoor Perspective/Pierre Maullet/3SO)More Than A 50mm WheelOn paper, the Comete 50 lands right where youd expect when we say modern. The new carbon all-arounder is 50mm deep, 23mm internal width, with a 30mm external rim width pretty daring for Mavic.But the way Mavic is hyping it up, the info suggests this isnt meant to be a niche aero option. Its supposed to be the wheel you leave on the bike all the time, well, like 85% of the races. Were seeing this all-around-aero wheel becoming a common feature, and its a welcome change. Climbing, rolling terrain, fast group rides, racing, the Comete 50 is attempting to cover all of it. Yeah, there are lighter sets in the Mavic family (the Cosmic Ultimate 45 is 1260g), but at 1315 grams for the pair, its light enough that youre not making a big compromise (about 55g) to get that aero benefit.That balance is really the story here. Riders dont want a garage full of wheels. Well, we do, but wed also like a team mechanic to service them and put them on for the days terrain Back to reality one wheelset that does most of the work is an option that will keep your setup simple. And simplicity means less fuss and splitting hairs on equipment choices.A System Not Just a RimOne of the more interesting shifts here is how Mavic approached the wheel as a whole.Mavic developed the Comete 50 as a system, or more like an idea. That system includes: rim profile, carbon spokes, hub internals, and even tire pairing. Everything is designed to work together from the start.(Photo/Jordan Villella)The 23mm internal width is a big part of that story. It finally puts Mavic in line with modern tire trends (no longer playing catch-up), with the wheel clearly optimized around 28mm rubber as the baseline. Wider tires sit better, airflow is cleaner with most modern aeroframes, and youre not fighting the rim to get real-world speed. I think most of the modern road world can agree wider tires are pretty great. It sounds obvious now, but its something Mavic had been slow to fully commit to, until now.(Photo/Jordan Villella)Carbon Spokes With a Very Mavic ApproachThe spokes are the most obvious visual change. The spokes are full carbon, flat-profile, and shaped to reduce both frontal and rotational drag. Mavic claims around 18% less rotational drag than standard carbon-spoke designs.More interesting is how theyre used. Each wheel runs 21 spokes, split between 14 crossed and 7 radial. Its a very deliberate layout. Mavic says this specific layout balances power transfer, tension stability, and aerodynamics, plus it looks pretty great.(Photo/Jordan Villella)Because this is Mavic were talking about, theres also a lot of attention on long-term reliability. The new Locked-In Spoke Head system is designed to stabilize spoke tension over time, something that matters more with carbon spokes than most realize.Aero Gains Mavic is putting numbers behind the aero claims, but theyre framing them in a way that feels a bit more grounded. Mavic claims the new Comete 50 saves up to 12 seconds over 50km compared to its previous Cosmic SLR 45, and delivers measurable wattage savings once crosswinds come into play.Because wheel manufacturers dont only test for straight-line speed, they spend over 250 hours in the Geneva wind tunnel refining how the wheel behaves once wind angles shift. Thats where most riders actually live, not in perfect headwinds, but in messy, real-world airflow. The result is a wheel designed to remain stable and efficient when things get unpredictable, which is arguably more important than pure tunnel numbers.Adaptive Layup & Ride FeelMavic is also leaning into what they call Adaptive Layup, blending different carbon fibers (T700, T1000, 3K) to tune stiffness, weight, and vibration.Thats not unique on its own, but paired with the carbon spokes, it gives Mavic a bit more control over how the wheel actually feels on the road. Historically, Mavic wheels have leaned toward a slightly smoother, more forgiving ride. But with the Comete 50, it looks like theyre adding additional stiffness with an aero focus.Hubs: Small ChangesThe hub updates dont scream for attention, but theyll make for a better ride overall. The updates include; 40-tooth ratchet systemUpdated spring for reduced dragCeramic bearingsLighter hub shells (-22g rear / -5g front)Individually, none of that is groundbreaking. But together, its all about reducing friction and improving efficiency, especially once youre up to speed. Its very much a marginal gains approach, but one that fits the overall direction of the wheel.Built For Riding HardWhat good is a wheel if it only lasts for a season? Mavic claims the new Comete 50 test 50% above UCI standards for impact resistance and fatigue testing equivalent to roughly 700,000km of riding. Marketing numbers aside, their intent is clear: the wheel is built for use. Its not a race-day-only wheel, unlike the 4,399.00 Cosmic 45 Ultimates. Comete 50 Tech SpecsRim Depth: 50mmInternal Width: 23mmExternal Width: 30mmRim Construction: Hooked carbon clincherCarbon Layup: T700 / T1000 / 3K Adaptive LayupSpokes: 21 Mavic Aero Carbon spokes front & rearSpoke Pattern: 14 crossed / 7 radialHub System: ID360 with 40T ratchetBearings: Mavic CeramicAxles: 12mm thru-axleBrake Interface: Center LockFreehub Compatibility: Shimano HG-R 11/12-speed, SRAM XDR 12/13-speed, Campagnolo N3WFront Weight: 600g, Rear Weight: 715gClaimed Wheelset Weight: 1315gRecommended Tire Size: 28mmTire Compatibility: 2865mmTubeless Ready: YesMaximum System Weight: 120kgIncluded: Tubeless tape installed, tubeless valves, wheel bagsWarranty: Lifetime warranty + 7-year spare parts supportPrice: 2,299 Mavic.comThe post New Mavic Comete 50 Now Lighter, Wider, & Finally Feels Current appeared first on Bikerumor.

Cristian Scaroni did everything right in the eleventh stage of Giro d'Italia and yet, he walked away with a mere 6th place and multiple scars. The 195-kilometer stage from Porcari to Chiavari brought about an eventful afternoon with a compact breakaway battling for a stage victory while being kept o...

Afonso Eullio finished another day dressed in pink at the Giro dItalia, his sixth, and this time he could breathe a little easier. After intense days defending the lead, highlighted by two summit finishes and an individual time trial, the Portuguese rider from Bahrain - Victorious finally had a mo...

Using Traka as the public proving ground, Factor unveiled the Sarana gravel bike, a low-slung, aero whip of a bike that looks just as fast (maybe faster) decked out with all the bags for riding all the hours.It has the expected claims high-modulus carbon fibers so its stiff where it needs to be for efficient power transfer, and mid-modulus for vibration damping just like many other top-tier bikes. What sets it apart is the ultra-low seatstay junction and short top tube, and its ability to fit massive 57mm tires front and rear.All photos courtesy of Factor Bikes (click any image to enlarge)Its not just the dropped seatstays, which act like a leaf-spring, but also the bowed seat tube that helps manage vibration for a smoother ride. They say it results in an 18% reduction in vibration amplitude compared to their baseline.The dramatic drop in the chainstay is necessary to help it clear big 292.2 tires while also fitting up to a 52-tooth chainring on 1x drivetrains.The geometry includes 425mm chainstays across all frame sizes and 65mm trail measurements, with compatibility for both rigid and 30mm suspension forks.The front triangle includes mounting provisions for bolt-on frame and top tube bags, with custom shaped bags developed with Post Carry. The downtube has an storage compartment under the water bottle and includes an integrated AirTag mount.The Sarana fits into Factors now-three-bike range of gravel race bikes, and its designed for the long game, when races are 200 miles, not 200 minutes. They say its for ultra racing, but not to make it easier, just make it faster. For the way you feel in hour 20, not hour two.Pricing starts at $4,699 USD for the frameset, with complete builds ranging to $10,199 USD depending on component specifications. Two color options include Cyan Blue and Prismatic Gold.FactorBikes.comThe post All-New Factor Sarana Endurance Gravel Bike Goes Low & Long appeared first on Bikerumor.

A sprint stage? With some climbing mid-way this could resemble the race to Cosenza last week where Movistar got to work on cracking the sprinters only for Jhonatan Narvaez to profit but the pickings for the sprinters are running out so they really need a result today.Stage 11 Review: a superb day at the Giro. Show someone footage from this stage on a damp day in late November and it ought to be identifiable as the Giro within three seconds.The first attempt at a breakaway didnt work, on days like this waves of riders might have to attack for the sake of it in order to soften the field so that an hour or two later their higher ranked colleagues can move.Once the flat roads were done and the race climbed out of Tuscany Enric Mas and Jhonatan Narvaez made their moves. We can imagine the sinking feeling others in the lead must have experienced when Narvaez jumped across.You can often break races down into phases, such as when riders fight to go clear, when the breakaway has established a lead and so on. Only such moments of stasis felt brief, riders in the 12 man breakaway kept making moves. With 40km to go there was a crash as well taking out Van Eeetvelt, Zana and Scaroni, all three contenders for the day.Moments later Aleksandr Vlasov attacked with Jasper Stuyven and Narvaez. They were caught and things regrouped. On the last marked climb Mas accelerated and only Narvaez could follow leaving the likes of Chris Harper and Vlasov struggling in the heat.Mas tried a final attack in the streets of Chiavari but this hardly an ambush, he stood up on the pedals and Narvaez responded while seated. In the finish the pair could sense the chasers closing in and Mas was able to put Narvaez on the front but that was as tactical as it got. The Ecuadorians sprint win felt inevitable and he delivered his third stage win.If Mas got smoked in the sprint the consolation is that he is able to make the moves and once the climbs get longer in the coming days he ought to find terrain to suit even more.Narvaez is now second and 19 points shorts of Magnier in the ciclamino points competition. The points scale is weighted to sprint stages so its advantage Magnier but another raid or two by Narvaez, and there are stages to suit, could see the UAE rider take both the intermediate point and the stage gains. Could as in this competition isnt there yet but Magnier cant afford to miss out on days that suit. Talking of whichThe Route: a reverse Milan-Sanremo? Yes, but think of the 2020 August edition which avoided the coastal road so as not to block beachgoers, and instead went via the Colle di Nava. This picks up some of that route but uses tunnels to avoid climbing too much at the start, and all on a big road. A reverse Milan-Sanremo? Again yes, but think of the start of the century when they climbed the Bric Berton as an alternative to the Passo Turchino which was closed because of landslides and roadworks.After 95km the race heads inland. The Colle Giovo and the Bric Berton are solid climbs, its here sprinters can be put under difficulty as they have long 6% sections some some 10% pats too. Theres 50km to the finish via the Gavi vineyards.The Finish: the last three kilometres take a straight flat road out of town.Postcards here have lamented the Giro finishing in humdrum industrial zones when theres a beautiful town to promote, but theres a special reason for the finish and todays postcard below explains more.The Contenders: the sprinters teams will want this stage as theres only the Milan and Rome criterium stages left for them and today is just about within reach. Or Movistar can do a repeat of Stage 4s elimination race and aim to set up Orluis Aular for the win. NSN have been hard to spot in this Giro but Corbin Strong could feature. Todays stage has points to eliminate sprinters but also more chance to get back on.Paul Magnier (Soudal-Quickstep) can handle some climbs so this gives him an advantage today but the long finish is open to plenty of theyre able to cope with the Bric Berton.Magnier, AularMilanStrong, Lund, Turner, Vernon, SilvaWeather: summer is here, 28C.TV: KM0 is at 1.15pm and the finish is forecast for 5.15pm CEST. Tune in for climbing mid-way around 3.30pm.Postcard from Novi LigureTodays finish in Novi Ligure is famous in cycling for Fausto Coppi. The campionissimo started cycling as a delivery boy here. Is it possible that someone delivering takeaway meals for Glovo or Deliveroo wins the Giro in ten years time?Back to the finish town and ask Italians what they associate with Novi and the answer probably begins with a C but its not Coppi. Instead Novi is a brand of chocolate found all over Italy and comes from here. Todays finish is right outside the factory and thats no coincidence: Novi is the official chocolate of the Giro dItalia.The race has a slew of official products. Lauretana is the official water of the Giro dItalia and it markets itself with the strapline: lacqua pi leggera dEuropa, or the lightest water in Europe which could be good to know if you want to save weight in your bidons.Hungarian meat company Kometa is the official cured meats supplier and Wonderful Pistachio is the official pistachio brand. Closer to home Rana is the official pasta brand, Altograno produces the official cereal products like biscuits and Bialetti is the official coffee.If consuming all of these begins to overwhelm, or youve got indigestion from something unofficial, you can head to the toilet, drop your official trousers by Tramarossa and then clean up with Regina toilet paper which which is of course the official supplier of the Giro (yesterdays stage start was outside their HQ).Theres official insurance, official weather forecasting, official wine, official luggage, official shoes and more. Officially theres much more. All these sponsorships are tiered, itll cost you a lot more to sponsor the maglia rosa than to bid for the official trouser ticket.Its possible to ignore the Giro in Italy if its not causing traffic mayhem in your town, if you dont watch RAIs daytime output, or you dont reach the final pages of the Gazzetta Dello Sport newspaper too. But walk into a supermarket and you find pink all over the place. Chilled cabinets laden with Rana pasta, shelves stacked Reginas paper rolls, Bialetti coffee with Giro logos and more, all with pink packaging this month, all this surreptitiously signals the race is on. If you visit a supermarket to see for yourself, make it a Conad because it is the official supermarket.The post Giro dItalia Stage 12 Preview first appeared on The Inner Ring.

The 4 Jours de Dunkerque's opening stage had a not-so-surprising winner with Laurence Pithie conquering the uphill drag sprint in Laon. Much of the credit for his victory goes to his choice of a wheel to follow as opponent Lewis Askey's early launch of sprint placed Pithie in a perfect position to f...