One of the most interesting and confounding things about the rise of radial tire construction in mountain biking is that you cant actually see it from the outside. The angle of the casing inside a tire makes all the difference in the world as weve come to learn by riding modern radials. But you simply cant tell anything is different by looking at the tire either from the outside or inside. So how do we know that Schwalbe cross-country radials are here?(All photos/Cory Benson)Lets leave that up to a few pro mountain bike teams and their diligent mechanicsSchwalbe Radial versions of Rick & Rocket Ron XC race tiresLets start with the first hint. Schwalbe often likes to label their all-new prototype tires with First Ride on the sidewall. But when they are trying to be a little more sneaky, or just changing up something inside, a little white Tech Notes box on the sidewall provides a good spot for team mechanics and tire engineers to keep track of variations that could otherwise be overlooked.Pretty much every in-development Schwalbe cross-country tire we saw this weekend featured this white box. But only a rare few got a tracking number. Could that mean that theyve already ironed out the details?Now, we head to a well-organized team truck. Were no snitches, though, so no need to call out who mis-typed Thunderbird for Thunder Burt.Keeping equipment for a professional XC race team organized certainly isnt easy, so this team has stackable crates to keep them all straight. Thunder Burt, Rocket Ron, Racing Ray, and just Rick. But whats especially notable are two of the bottom crates: Rick Radial V3 and Ron Radial with maybe a 6 or 7? Undeniably, those are two of Schwalbes fastest-rolling, lightweight XC tires. And when we previously asked Schwalbe about whether the same radial construction that has revolutionized their trail & gravity tires, would also work for cross-country, they pretty much dismissed the idea. The radial construction does deliver a lot more grip at the same tire pressures. But that extra grip simply added additional rolling resistance at the same time, making it a no-go for XC where any loss of a riders power is a sacrifice a racer isnt ready to make.Someone actually raced Radials in Nove Mesto?While unnamed team 1 did have the radials at the World Cup, we couldnt confirm that any of their athletes actually raced them. Remember, radials look the same on the outside. But in a different team paddock, we spotted some revealing bike setup notes. But no hiding here, the name of the current XC World Champion gives this one away breaking down her different settings for Saturdays XCC & XCO races. Saturday short-track meant a bigger chainring, stiffer suspension, narrower Thunder Burt tires, and higher tire pressures. But Sundays Olympic-distance cross-country race toyed with either Thunder Burt Radials or Rick Radials. Jenny Rissveds custom-painted 2026 Canyon Lux World Cup CFR race bikeUltimately, the dry dusty Nov Mstoconditions determined the choice of 2.5 Schwalbe Thunder Burt tires, with foam inserts. Jennys mechanic lvaro noted T.B. RED for her final race-day setup, with awesomely low 1.05bar front (15.2psi) & 1.15bar rear (16.7psi) tire pressures!The question is, does the RED make reference to the Red stripe denoting Schwalbes fastest Addix Speed rubber compound? The Thunder Burt only comes in Speed no blue Mid (previously Speed Grip), orange Soft, or purple Ultra Soft rubber for an XC race tire. And for the most part we only saw red-striped Schwalbes around the pits (but there were a few with no visible color stripe). Plus, all of lvaros other notes primarily mention casing. In any case, XC World Champ Jenny Rissveds is clearly riding, testing, and maybe racing Schwalbe Radial XC tires. And they are doing pretty well for her. She finished second in the second round of the XCO World Cup, her first time back to the Nov Msto track where she won her U23 World Championship stripes a decade ago, then on some unique XC tire tech, too!The post Spotted: Prototype Schwalbe Radial XC Tires Raced on the Cross-Country World Cup appeared first on Bikerumor.

Tom Pidcock made it five wins in a row at the demandingNov Msto Mountain-bike World Cup round on Sunday, stamping his authority in the second lap to take an emphatic win, delivering a flawless solo performance to finish well ahead of French rider Luca Martin and Switzerland's Filippo Colombo. The...

80-year-old Patricia Jenkins suffered a fatal brain injury after she was hit by a cyclist taking part in the Tour de Manc sportive, an inquest concluding that there was no evidence to suggest the rider had exceeded the roads speed limit

Today's Weekend Snapshot is all about remembering to slow down and enjoy the view. In it, we join community members on scenic rides around Colombia, Slovakia, and England, showcasing vignettes from their rides. See the latest scenes and use the form to share something from one of your recent outings here...The post Weekend Snapshot appeared first on BIKEPACKING.com.

There are a lot of sexy wheel options out there, and the trends of wider and more aero quickly drown out anything not pushing the boundaries of size or weight. And yet, Fulcrum sits back, nods, and makes some darn fine gravel wheels for regular riders who just want something thats easy to setup, spins like glass on ice, and handles superbly.If that sounds like youre kind of wheel, read onWhen I agreed to test these wheels, it was in part because I wanted something lighter for a Campagnolo Ekar-equipped bike. Fulcrum, which is the sister brand for Campy, made sense. And, when you compare specs, Fulcrum wheels often have most of the design features and technology of Campagnolo wheels, but cost a lot less, so it was intriguing.The TL;DR is this: these things spin like theres no tomorrow, set up tubeless super easy, and handle great. Theyre also reasonably light.Actual Weights, Measures & Tech DetailsClaimed weight is 1490g, without accessories. Actual weights are:Front wheel: 682gRear wheel: 793gValve stems: 8gRotor lock rings: 23gCombined, the wheels are 1475g with a Campy N3W freehub body. They offer HG, XDR, N3W, and Micro Spline options.Total weight, ready to roll with included accessories, is 1,506g. Thats without tubeless tape, and thats because these need NO rim tape to set them up tubeless. Heres why:Save for the valve stem hole, their rim bed is undrilled, yielding a continuous surface with no holes to cover with tape. This is convenient during setup, sure, but theres an even more important reason why this is awesome. Ever plugged a tire and pushed the poker all the way in and through the rim tape? I have, and it sucks, and then you have to put a tube in. Cant happen with these rims, and thats awesome.Spoke nipples are inserted through the valve stem opening, then they use magnets to pull the spoke nipples through the rim cavity. Its called Mo-Mag, and the solid rim bed is their 2-Way Fit, meaning, you can fit tubeless or tube-type tires.The rims are also ultra smooth. They call this the C-Lux Finish. Its supposed to make tire installation easier, and along with the recessed center channel, it seems to work.Theyre hooked, with small lips on the bead seat, too. Combined, these help hold the tires beads in place even with low pressures. In addition to the more robust Schwalbe G-One Bites shown in the pics here, Ive been running some super-supple, lightweight Challenge TLR 40mm tires on them and both fit and perform great at reasonably low pressures.Claimed dimensions are 25mm internal and 30.5mm external, with a 30mm depth. I measured them at 24.68mm internal and 30.88mm external.Fulcrum says theyre compatible with 29mm to 76mm tires. Id say the sweet spot is 40 to 45 for gravel, but theyll work with a wider range, making them great for all-road days with 32s, too.Its worth noting that they make no claims about aerodynamics, but these have a basic oblong profile with an S-shaped asymmetry (see next photo).Nowadays, it seems the aero focus is on tire+rim optimizations, hence the explosion of ultra-wide, deeper rims, but not everyone needs that. Most of my rides are at a more casual pace, exploring random backroads and trails. For that type of riding, shallower wheels are typically more compliant, and these balance ride quality with weight and price in a way that justworks.The rims have an asymmetric profile, with a bit of a groove on one side. Fulcrum adds a raised platform for the valve stem so that it seats flat and stays straight. Its a nice touch.Photo above shows the groove more clearly. Its not subtle, but also not obnoxious. If visual symmetry is your thing, you may not like that the groove is on the drive side in the rear (offsetting against the cassette) and non-drive in the front (offsetting against the brake rotor). Honestly, I hadnt even noticed this until I checked it while writing this reviewits never bothered me.Other details you should know:Stainless steel double-butted, straight-pull spokes24 spokes front and rearAlloy nipplesAluminum hub shellsAdjustable cup-and-cone bearingsCenter Lock brake mounts3-Pawl / 40 teeth / 9 engagement100% hand builtWeight-balanced to offset valve stemThe low-gloss black ano on the hub is further muted with laser etched graphics. Typically, Im not a fan of a lot of graphics, but these are subtle and add a little something without standing out. I like it, and Im glad theres no bright right Fulcrum logo on them. Same goes for the rimstheir decals are dark gray for a clean apparence no matter what color bike you put them on.The wheels come with this little pouch, valve stems, tire levers, and valve core removal bits.Fulcrum Racing Red Carbon Ride ReviewMost of my gravel riding happens at Uwharrie National Forest, on and around the OHV trails. Why? Because Greensboro has a severe lack of dirt roads, so we travel for gravel. Which means the rides are day killers, typically with 3-5 hours of riding on everything from packed gray gravel to orange Carolina clay.Also plenty of rocks. From small to chunky to slabs, theres plenty to smack a tire on. While I dont recall any particularly hard impacts during my testing, I can also say theres not a scratch on the rims. Just dust. And dirt. But no scratches. Which is saying something, because Ive had these wheels for a long time nowthey came out in 2021 and I received them shortly after that.By the numbers, a 9 hub engagement sounds slow. And it isfor mountain bikes. For road and gravel its fine, and this is another area where I hadnt even noticed until I counted the teeth inside the hub to calculate the number (Fulcrum doesnt publish this spec).The upside is that theyre really quiet when coasting. Not silent, but not even half way to obnoxious. So, you have the satisfying sound of a freewheel coasting, but you can still hear nature and your buddys dad jokes.Overall, Ive enjoyed these wheels and continue to do so. Theyre all around great performers, but there is one thing that stands out about them they spin so gosh darn smooth.This is a hard thing to put into words, but once youve held a wheel like this and spin the axle between your fingers, youll know. Some hubs just spin more smoothly than others, and when you get one this sublime, you remember it. Its just a delicious feeling and you wanna keep spinning it. Its like a complete absence of anything. No vibration, friction, draganything. Which is everything.The only downside? Theyre still not cheap. MSRP ranges from 1,582 to 1,596 depending on freehub body. Thats about $1,856 as of May 2026. In a world where you can get pretty good wheels for $1,200 to $1,500, its a question of whether flawless tubeless performance and ultra-smooth hubs are worth a premium to you. If youre on the fence, just go spin them in your hand and youll be sold.FulcrumWheels.comThe post Fulcrum Rapid Red Carbon Gravel Wheels Review appeared first on Bikerumor.

Tadej Pogacar has flirted with riding the Vuelta a Espana in recent seasons in a bid to add the Spanish grand tour to his illustriouspalmars. But with important races like the World Championships and an often bust Spring schedule, the Slovenian is yet to return to the race he made his first early...

Josh Reid finished his Highland Trail 550 ride in 5 days, 19 hours, and 42 minutes, an impressive feat in itself, but he also documented the entire experience. His latest video provides an inside look at this year's event and the challenges riders faced on the 566-mile route. Watch the 57-minute video and find a short written reflection from Josh here...The post Scotlands Hardest Bikepacking Race: 2026 Highland Trail 550 (Video) appeared first on BIKEPACKING.com.

There was a stretch where every aero helmet launch felt like an arms race. Every manufacturers was the best: the most space-age, the most vents shaped by CFD, the most tunnel data. Proposed Space Balls designs reminiscent of Darth Helmet pummel from the PowerPoint pitch. Because it doesnt matter what you look like, as long as its fast, right? (Photo/Jordan Villella)Well, yes and no. For most, the trade starts to lean towards the comfort side, the hotter the race is. For me, not looking like a total space cadet is a mega-bonus. Given that the bulk of the cycling season takes place in hot weather, heat management and head cooling are big deals for most riders. All the aero advantages start to fade away when youre heads too hot to process the info. Thats where Specialized landed with its all-new Evade 4. Its nearly the same silhouette, slightly heavier (E3 272g vs E4 329g in Medium), but with some additional vents that make it 12% cooler overall.Most would trade those 57g for better airflow any day, and after spending a lot of time in the new Evade 4, Im 100% fine with it.(Photo/Jordan Villella)The Cooler Specialized S-Works Evade 4The Evade 4 looks more like a Specialized helmet than the very recognizable Evade 3. Why? The forehead mouthport vents. Its something Ive come to associate with Specialized since the early days of the Prevail, and its stuck with me.But the Evade 4 feels different. Not because its radically reshaped or dramatically faster. But Specialized seems more interested in refining the experience than in chasing another microscopic aero gain. Its much like what were seeing on the road bike engineering side. Bikes arent radically changing. They are getting incrementally better and more comfortable. Less wasted fast looking aero foil material and performative aero gains more comfort.The headline update this time around is improved cooling, better fit, and overall comfort. Yeah, it keeps the same fast silhouette thats made the Evade one of the more recognizable helmets in the peloton for the better part of a decade. But its making that helmet (one that Ive worn for years) slightly more tolerable on the days you want the aerobenit but hate the heat penalty. Essentially making the Evade an all-rounder.(Evade 1 Photo/Bikerumor)If It Aint BrokeSince its launch back in 2013, its become one of those helmets that quietly became the default choice for a huge chunk of fast riders (and riders looking to be fast). WorldTour sprinters, local crit kings/queens, gravel pros, and even mountain bike racers. I see Evades everywhere. Theyve historically managed to strike a pretty rare balance between aerodynamics, ventilation, and actually looking fairly normal on a human head.(Photo/Jordan Villella)If you go too far with aero shaping, the helmet becomes hot, awkward, or visually ridiculous. Open up the ventilation too much, and you lose the speed advantage people are buying it for in the first place. So instead of blowing the whole thing up, Specialized refined it.(Evade 4 vs Evade 3 Photo/Jordan Villella)More AirflowThe biggest focus for the Evade 4 is airflow. Specialized says the new helmet runs cooler than the previous version, largely thanks to revised vent shaping, a more open rear exhaust area, and the return of the front MouthPort vent that Specialized helmet riders will recognize immediately.(Photo/Jordan Villella)The shell shape also looks a bit more compact than the Evade 3s. Slightly shorter overall, and closer to the head, and designed to sit more naturally on the head instead of towering over it like some aero lids.(Photo/Jordan Villella)More importantly, Specialized also widened the internal shape.That matters because the Evade 3 (while really fast) could feel pretty aggressive around the temples for certain riders. Our EOC Zach had a very hard time getting the Evade 3 to work for his head shape, as did many other riders.The new fit appears noticeably more forgiving without losing the close, race-oriented feel that makes the Evade what it is. In other words: still aero, just less likely to make your forehead feel like its in a vise halfway through a July climb.(Photo/Jordan Villella)Evade 4 Aero GainsWhats interesting about the Evade 4 is what Specialized isnt saying.Theres no dramatic fastest helmet ever made messaging (they love that phrase, btw). No huge watt savings claim. No revolutionary new shape. It was already a solid design.Thats probably because modern aero helmets are reaching the same point aero road bikes hit a few years ago: the easy gains are gone, now its making the system more comfortable while supplying those gains.Especially with updated UCI regulations limiting some of the more extreme helmet designs, manufacturers are increasingly working within smaller margins. Once you have a genuinely fast helmet, theres only so much left to squeeze out before usability starts to suffer.(Photo/Jordan Villella)BOA, MIPS, and the Little StuffThe Evade 4 also gets a handful of quieter updates that collectively make the helmet feel more polished.Specialized moved to Boas FS2 fit system, which gives the rear retention setup a slightly cleaner and lower-profile feel. Inside, the updated MIPS Air Node Pro system is designed to improve airflow and reduce hot spots while still keeping the helmet light and compact.(Photo/Jordan Villella)None of those changes is individually groundbreaking, but together they point toward something pretty clear: the goal here was making the helmet disappear once its on your head. More on that in the ride impressions.(Photo/Jordan Villella)Slightly Heavier, Probably Doesnt MatterThe Evade 4 does gain a bit of weight compared to the outgoing version, though not enough for most riders to notice outside a spec sheet. And realistically, nobody buys an Evade because its the lightest helmet on the wall.(Photo/Jordan Villella)They buy it because its one of the few aero helmets that works well across almost every kind of riding. Fast road rides, racing, gravel events, long summer training days, the Evade has always been versatile in a category that often isnt.The new one looks like it continues that trend.(Photo/Jordan Villella)Fit & Ride ImpressionsThe biggest thing I noticed immediately with the Evade 4 wasnt aero, it was comfort. Specialized clearly opened this helmet up compared to the Evade 3, and the difference is noticeable the second you get moving.The addition of the MouthPort really works. You can feel air being pulled through the helmet once speeds pick up, especially on longer road climbs or hot gravel sections, where aero helmets usually start to feel a little stuffy.(Photo/Jordan Villella)Overall ventilation feels significantly improved without losing that fast helmet sensation the Evade has always had. It still feels sleek and efficient in the wind, but less claustrophobic than previous versions. The styling also stays pretty subdued, which I appreciate. The color ways offered dont go too overboard branding-wise. Specialized didnt try to make it look futuristic or overly aggressive. It still looks like an Evade, just cleaned up and slightly more refined.The new AirNode MIPS pads are a nice addition. But honestly, the fit of the helmet itself is dialed enough that I didnt notice them much while riding. Which is probably the point. Nothing moved around, nothing created pressure points, and after a while, the helmet just sort of disappeared.Additionally, the sunglasses retention actually works. This seemingly trivial piece of convenience seems to have been designed out of most aero helmets. Recently its making a resurgence, and I love to see it.(Photo/Specialized) Evade 4 In The RacesIve raced the Evade 4 across pretty much everything at this point: road, gravel, and mountain bike. The same goes for the Specialized road and off-road team. (Photo/Specialized) You can see riders in the Giro dItalia supporting them. The same goes for the Specialized Factory Off-Road team at Nove Mesto for the MTB World Cups. Plus, Im gonna bet Keegan and crew will be wearing them at Unbound.(Photo/Jordan Villella)The experience stayed surprisingly consistent regardless of discipline. Yeah, when it gets super rainy (especially if youre on gravel), the front vent can be an insert gravel here port. But, in the end, its not that bad; you might have to itch some gravel out of your mop after the ride.But all in all, the Evade 4 offers excellent cooling performance, a comfortable fit, and that unmistakable fast feel that aero helmets tend to deliver once speeds rise.Overall, the Evade 4 feels like an excellent successor to the Evade 3. Its more comfortable, cooler, and a little easier to live with day-to-day without losing what made the Evade popular in the first place. The only real downside is the slight price bump, which feels a bit annoying given how expensive premium helmets already are.(Photo/Specialized) Refinement Over ReinventionThat might actually be the bigger story here. For the second generation in a row, Specialized isnt trying to reinvent what an aero road helmet is supposed to be. Instead, theyre refining an already successful design and focusing on the parts riders actually notice after four hours in the saddle.At this point, most riders probably benefit more from a helmet that stays cool, fits properly, and disappears on long rides than one that claims another fractional watt advantage in perfect wind tunnel conditions.(Photo/Specialized) Specialized S-Works Evade 4 Pricing$350 USD, 330 EUR, 275 GBPWeight: 329g Medium (actual)Thats a bump over the outgoing Evade 3, which now creates an interesting situation where the older helmet remains a very strong option, especially once sale pricing starts kicking in.Still, for riders wanting the latest version of one of the defining aero helmets of the modern era, the Evade 4 looks less like a reinvention and more like a very polished evolution of an already proven formula.Check it out at Specialized.com The post Review: Specializeds New Evade 4: Heavier But Much Cooler & Still Fast appeared first on Bikerumor.

Thymen Arensman has seen his Giro d'Italia form back up his growing general classification confidence as he looks ahead to the final week. Reflecting on a demanding second week of racing that has seen the Dutchman consolidate his place among the podium contenders, the Netcompany Ineos man has admitt...

One of Schwalbe's most popular gravel tires, the G-One RS PRO, is now available in a fresh 29 x 2.35" width. Launched last week, this fast-rolling mixed-terrain tire has been a standout for those seeking both grip and speed. Find details below...The post The Schwalbe G-One RS PRO Is Now Available in 29 x 2.35 appeared first on BIKEPACKING.com.