Migo is now a title defender, full-time pro, Life Time Grand Prix contender and one of the most closely watched riders in gravel

On trips to continental Europe over recent years, Ive seen Ryzon kit everywhere, and now having test-ridden a pair of the brand's bib shorts, I can see why. If youre looking for refined, sleek women's bib shorts thatll deliver the support you need over longer rides, the Velas could be the ones for you. From the moment you put these bib shorts on, the luxuriously smooth fabric and excellent cut are evident, with a true-to-size fit and compressive, figure-fitting fabric. The raw leg hem is excellent, at a mid length, and kept securely in place thanks to a wide band of gentle silicone dots that dont irritate the skin. The Ryzon bib shorts have a central pillar strap design at the back. Sam Voaden / Our Media There are four cargo pockets one on each thigh, big enough for a phone or snacks, plus two smaller pockets at the base of the back so you could opt for either a jersey or technical T-shirt, depending on your mood. These are well constructed from a very fine fabric, not prone to snagging unlike some alternatives, and are cut so well into the main body of the shorts that you dont even notice theyre there when youre not using them. There's a cargo pocket on each leg. Sam Voaden / Our Media Up top, the fine-mesh bib straps are comfortable and aid breathability. Ryzon has opted for an Elastic Interface chamois, covered with a super-soft microfibre, which it claims is suitable for rides of up to seven hours. On test, the chamois proved very comfortable, with the thicker, higher-density centrepiece flanked by a much thinner layer, giving ample support. If youre interested in the eco credentials of your kit, Ryzon has got you covered. The shorts use recycled polyamide incorporating ECONYL, which is generated from nylon waste such as fishing nets and carpets, and recycled elastane. They are also made in Europe. Read more: I've tested countless women's bib shorts and these are the 4 things you need to know Two storage pockets live on the rear. Sam Voaden / Our Media How we tested | Women's bib shorts Each pair of bib shorts was tested over multiple rides and laundry cycles in late spring and early summer, both on- and off-road. The key factors tested were comfort and functionality (not to forget style); the most crucial aspects of this cycling wardrobe staple. The selection of bib shorts features standard and cargo bib options, reflecting the market demand for both. In terms of value, the Ryzon Vela Cargo bibs are comparable to many rival shorts of the same ilk at 170 / 190 / $220. There are certainly several bibs priced considerably higher than these that have come up short in terms of fit and comfort. If you want to forgo the cargo pockets, the standard Vela shorts are 155, which is good value for shorts of this quality. The only thing that lets down the Ryzon Vela bib shorts is the lack of an easy-pee function. I am surprised to see Ryzon doesnt have any easy-pee bib shorts in its womens offerings, because most brands now offer at least one pair of easy-pee bib shorts in their range. The grippers are textured silicone. Sam Voaden / Our Media However, Ryzon has easy-pee bib tights with elasticated cross-over bib straps, so we can only hope this design makes its way into the bib shorts soon. It would make the Vela Cargo Bib Shorts five-star contenders. Ryzon Vela Cargo Bib Shorts bottom line The lack of an easy-pee design stops the Ryzon bib shorts being among the very best. Sam Voaden / Our Media Ive been mightily impressed by the Ryzon Vela shorts' fit, comfort and eco credentials, but they would be the perfect shorts if they had an easy-pee design. Ryzon Vela Cargo Bib Shorts spec Sizes XS, S, M, L, XL Black, grey, olive, cream and green colourways Recycled material construction Raw leg seams Four cargo thigh and back pockets

Dundee-based team to be known as Spokes RT-Oscar Onley Development

Jonas Vingegaards Giro dItalia dominance has carried the familiar calm of a rider who rarely looks rushed, rattled or remotely interested in theatre. Yet Nathan Van Hooydonck says that quiet exterior should never be mistaken for softness once the race is on. The Dane has built his reputation on co...

The Velo Orange There and Back Rack features ample mounting points and a modular design compatible with a variety of bikes and packing styles. With an adjustable vertical position, the flexible stainless steel rack claims to work seamlessly on both the front and rear of bikes with the appropriate mounting points. After six months with one, Nic weighs in on whether its really as versatile as advertised. Find his Velo Orange There and Back Rack review hereThe post Velo Orange There and Back Rack Review appeared first on BIKEPACKING.com.

Manitous 37mm-stanchion Mezzer enduro fork has long offered a unique alternative for mountain bikers looking for something a little different, with its reverse arch lowers and the unique ability to easily change travel to your riding style, plus surprisingly light weight. Now in Mezzer 2.0, Manitou has fine-tuned the fork even more, creating two separate platforms. One lighter chassis tuned for racing and one heavy-duty LT long travel chassis for riders looking to push their enduro bikes harder, and into the bikepark. Manitou Mezzer G2 is really 2 adjustable 140-190mm forks(All photos/Cory Benson)The real headline of the new Manitou Mezzer 2.0 fork is simply that its actually two different forks now. Manitou has always stood out for the ease of adjusting the travel of their air forks just pop open the air spring and clip spacers onto the internal shaft in 10mm increments. That makes their forks versatile for mountain bikers who might want to tinker more with their setup, or even swap the fork from one bike to the next. It is also great for bike shops that dont have to stock a bunch of different travel options to satisfy customers. But the downside has been that building one fork with 40-50mm of travel range adjustment meant that, at the low end of the travel settings, you ended up with a relatively heavy fork. And at the long end, a fork that probably wasnt as stiff as the competition.But Manitou had faith in their wide-ranging 37mm stanchion Mezzer. Their reverse arch design makes it as stiff but lighter than 38mm competitors, with the added suppleness bonus of 5% less seal contact area because of the smaller diameter. So they created a 2nd-generation family that gives mountain bike riders the option to prioritize lighter weight and slightly reduced travel adjustability or a Longer Travel version with increased stiffness and even more travel than ever!Whats new?On the outside, the new Manitou Mezzer 2.0 looks almost exactly like the previous model. Sure, the top Pro spec forks now get the same polished silver crowns, like weve seen on the latest Mattoc, Mastodon & R8. There was even a limited edition all-silver version of the Mezzer a couple of years after it first launched with a silver tease seven years ago. But really, Manitou is super low-key with their fork designs even to the point that the model name is only written on a small shield logo on the side of the fork legs, just above the axle.Whats new, really, is happening inside.Active Spring PistonYou still get the great Dorado Air spring that makes for easy tuning with a separate air chamber and Infinite Rate Tune (IRT) chamber that lets you effectively change air spring volume with a shock pump instead of internal volume spacers. But now, on top of (or actually below) the Dorado Air is a new Active Spring Piston (ASP) that adds a small light coil spring to overcome seal stiction, reducing breakaway force in those critical first millimeters of travel. Think of it like RockShox Buttercups, or better yet, like DT Swiss Coilpair, since they are the ones that actually developed and patented this technology.Its a really effective tech that greatly improves small-bump compliance, so its great to see it added to Manitou forks here.MC2 Pro-X & TPC2, plus HBO and an ABB Gotta love a bunch of silly acronyms, right?Basically, this just means that the Mezzers top-tier damper cartridge in its right leg is better than ever. It has a wider damping adjustment range, and it now adds independent external high-speed and low-speed rebound damping (HSR & LSR) controls. Plus, theres new hydraulic bottom-out protection. And the forks get a new air-backed bladder system (ABB) to maintain oil pressure and eliminate cavitation as opposed to a conventional IFP (internal floating piston) for faster damping, more consistency, increased sensitivity, and less internal friction.More precise manufacturing and an MBAOK, the acronyms are out of hand. The MBA here is a new Micromanager Bushing Alignment solution. Smooth functioning of bushings is critical inside long-travel forks. So first, Manitou increased bushing overlap on the Mezzer G2 to increase smooth action. But them, they also introduced more precise quality control of their machined lowers castings to make sure everything stays aligned perfectly. And to make sure the stanchions, lowers & bushings stay aligned, Manitou added a small new red insert at the dropout of the Pro- & Expert-level forks, so when you tighten down the axle, you dont pull the legs out of alignment. Its a small but often overlooked topic that small dropout misalignment can introduce friction into your fork and increase wear. Its the reason why many longer-travel forks use a floating axle design where you have to first attach the thru-axle, then separately tighten a pinch bolt to secure it, even leaving what seems like play between the hub endcaps & dropout faces to ensure fork alignment and smooth action. So, Manitou selects the perfect MBA inserts, measured precisely to fit during their fork assembly, so your hub gets tightened into place with the Hexlock thru-axle, without pulling the legs out of perfect alignment.New Tech Detailsmore travel adjustment ranges: 140-170mm for Pro & Expert, 150-190mm for LT Pro & 140-190 for LT Comp (internal travel adjust spacers included with all forks)same 37mm butted 7000-series alloy stanchionsDorado Air Active Spring Piston with IRTMC2 Pro-X with HBO sealed cartridge compression damping sealed cartridge TPC2 rebound dampingmore adjustability: air spring pressure, IRT pressure, new air-backed bladder, HSR & LSR rebound damping, HSC & LSC compression dampingnew polished silver crown for Pro modelsnew forged & CNC-machined deep hollow bore crown for all lightweight chassis modelsHexlock SL2 15x110mm Boost thru-axle now on lightweight chassis models, and Hexlock SL for LT modelsnow 29er-only, with just one 44mm offset availablesame 2.7 max tire width (69mm)lightweight chassis now rated ASTM Category 5 (Bikepark & DH) for combined rider+bike weights up to 136kg/300lb, or Cat 4 (~enduro) up to 150kg/350lb. LT forks all rated Cat 5 up to 150kg/350lb.First Plush RidesAltogether, theres a lot of smart new tech in these two new Mezzer 2.0 fork families, promising overall suspension improvements that we look forward to digging deeper into over the next few months. Weve just now received a Mezzer Pro gen2 fork to test (actual weight 2058g, uncut steerer with 10mm spacer added to reduce travel to 160mm). And the first couple of rides can be described as incredibly plush. Now its time to dig a bit more into fine-tuning the IRT for the optimal mid-stroke support. And then to test out the wider range of external damping controls. And after that, to pop it back up to 170mm of travel on a bigger bike and get to some enduro racing on a lighter fork!2026 Manitou Mezzer 2.0 forks Pricing, options & availabilityMezzer Pro G2, Mezzer Expert G2, Mezzer LT Pro G2 & Mezzer LT Comp G2 (l-r)The new gen 2 do-it-all trail to enduro to gravity fork is available in four models two each of the lighter or longer-travel versions.The simply named Manitou Mezzer (not listed as G2, even though it is) with 140-170mm travel adjustability comes in a top-spec Pro version for $1200 / 1200 at a claimed 2030g, or a more affordable $900 / 900 Expert spec thats just 20g heavier. The longer travel Mezzer LT G2 comes in the 150-190mm travel $1200 /1200 Pro model at a claimed 2220g, and in an even more travel adjustable 140-190mm Comp fork for just $600 / 600 at a claimed 2330g.There is no entry-level Comp fork in the lighter chassis, or a mid-spec version of the longer travel chassis. Manitou seems to have rightly surmised that those seeing the lightest weight would go for the more premium builds, and those looking for maximum value would be happy with more money in their wallets at the cost of just a hundred grams.All 4 versions of the 2nd-generation Manitou Mezzer fork are available now in the USA & Europe from your local dealer shop, or directly from the Hayes group, now.Manitou.HayesBicycle.comThe post Manitou Mezzer 2.0 MTB Forks Ride Trail to Gravity on Light & Adjustable Long Travel appeared first on Bikerumor.

Seven male riders have won all three Grand Tours in their career, is Jonas Vingegaard about to join this list of greats

Giulio Ciccones Giro dItalia frustration has drawn a sharp response from Chris Horner, with the American former Vuelta a Espana winner questioning the Italians body language during a tense mountain-stage fight. Ciccone has been chasing opportunities in the final week of the Giro, with the Lidl-Tr...

Continuing our new round of Collective Reward giveaways, the Tumbleweed team is setting up a couple of randomly selected site supporters with one of their expedition-ready Macro Pannier Racks. Find details here...The post Collective Reward #246: Tumbleweed Macro Pannier Racks appeared first on BIKEPACKING.com.

The EF Education-EasyPost rider is back at the top, three years after horror crash