Tadej Pogacar will pin on a number again this week to lead UAE Team Emirates XRG at the Tour de Suisse, one of the few one-week stage races still missing from the world champions formidable palmars. The Swiss race also carries special meaning for the Emirati squad, winner of the last two editions...

For a change of pace, Josh Meissner evaluates Le Petit Porteur OG V6, an impressively affordable and capable mini cargo bike purpose-built for life in the city. In this review, he shares his experiences of hauling a variety of cargo and passengers in and around Berlin and beyond. Read it hereThe post Le Petit Porteur OG V6 Review: The Little Cargo Bike That Could appeared first on BIKEPACKING.com.

Thank you from the bottom of my saddlebag for the heart-felt (Im assuming) Blog-A-Versary well-wishings and for your generous contributions, in return for which you will now receive another half-assed blog post, which hardly seems fair. But life isnt fair, is it? Just ask the guy who was embarking upon the 2,700 Tour Divide race but had to quit about 50 miles in when his crabon bike touched a rock:This story comes via a reader named John, and of the many ways I am fortunate, perhaps chief among them is that I have readers who slog through ultra-endurance race reports so I dont have to. See, my feelings on these undertakings are well-known, and any race that involves following dots that are 150 miles apart is virtually attention-proof as far as Im concerned:Low clouds draped over the mountains beneath a drizzling rain, but the mood was electric as 221 riders gathered in Banff for Fridays 7 a.m. start of the 2026 Tour Divide. The group was divided into 10-minute waves to prevent bottlenecks, but the field rapidly spread out from there. Within 12 hours, nearly 150 miles separated the first and last moving dots.By the way, there was some discussion regarding The Crabon in the comments recently, with readers pointing out that its obviously a robust material since they make airplanes out of it and stuff. This is obviously true, though it fails to take into account that theres a tremendous amount of oversight and regulation of the aviation industry, whereas in cycling its some German guy strapping a bunch of luggage to a few scraps of the stuff hastily designed by some bike bros and attempting to ride it from Banff to the Mexican border. Also, whether its attacking another country or flying to Fort Lauderdale to visit grandma, people are generally using airplanes in the manner for which they were designed, whereas in cycling is like some overweight middle-aged mortgage broker who started flying three years ago deciding to buy a Lockheed Martin F-35 because he read a glowing review of its lightning-fast acceleration.So yes, absolutely, a competent person purchasing a competently-designed crabon bike and using it the way it was meant to be used is almost certainly going to have a satisfactory experience, but this is cycling and the word competent is doing a lot of work herethough even I have to admit he probably could have fixed that seat stat with some Gorilla Glue and some duct tape.Speaking of sports, and my Blog-A-Versary, is it a coincidence that on the very same day this blog officially turned 19 the New York Basketball Knickerbockers won their first championship since 1872? I mean sure, its convenient call this a coincidence because it frees us from having to confront the idea that the universe is governed by forces too great and profound for us to comprehend, but nothing really happens by accident, now does it? And while nobodys dyeing bagels in my honor (at least as far as I know)i maintain that I am just as much of a New York institution:By the way, it occurs to me that yesterday I rode my own personal Tour Divide, since I rode about as far as that German guy did, and on a bicycle that would easily survive a two-meter drop:In fact, if it were to fall on a rock, Id be much more concerned about the rock.Some people may need to ride from Canada to Mexico to get their kicks, but I get tremendous satisfaction and enjoyment from having figured out how to connect the various mountain bike trails north of the city and ride off-road for several hours without having to resort to driving or doing the same loop over and over:These range from popular destination trails in county parks to uncharted ones deep in unnamed woods:I used to ride over stuff like that until I reached A Certain Age, but now I seldom do, since Ill take the virtual certainty of not falling over the moderate possibility of falling. Sure, the bicycle would no doubt shrug it off, but my body might not be so resilient, and Id hate to have to stay off the bike for awhile because I had to prove to myself I can ride over a log. Plus, my job as the Old Crap Test Pilot is perilous enough as it is:Still, there are certain hazards you cant always avoid, such as wildlife encounters:The hissing geese were frightening enough, but it was the rabbit I was most concerned about:For obvious reasons:Fortunately the rabbit overshot me and I kept my head, and the rest of the ride was delightful:By the way, a reader recently commented on the weight of the Jones:Its a hefty bike, to be sure, though for this sort of riding Im not sure it really matters that much, at least to me.But dont give me any ideas.

Shimano has expanded its Deore mountain bike range with new M7200 and M6200 mechanical components, bringing tougher derailleurs, revised shifters and updated brakes to its dependable workhorse groupset family. The components come almost exactly a year after Shimano rolled out its latest Deore Di2 wireless drivetrain. They borrow styling and technology cues from Shimano's higher-end mountain bike groupsets and are pitched as upgrades for riders who value durability, simple servicing and lower running costs. This new generation leans into Deores reputation as the sensible riders choice its not flashy or especially light, but it is dependable and tough while giving the groupset a sharper, more premium feel. A tougher rear mech for rougher riding The Deore M7200 rear derailleur gets Shimanos new Shadow ES design, with a slimmer shape intended to shrug off trail impacts. Shimano At the heart of Shimanos Deore update is a new family of rear derailleurs, led by the RD-M7200 and the RD-M7230. These derailleurs use Shimanos Shadow ES design. Rather than using the same rider-adjustable clutch layout as the older Shadow+ clutch derailleur design, Shadow ES relies on a low-profile dual-spring design to increase chain tension and improve chain wrap. Shimano says Shadow ES increases spring force by 70 per cent, while the slimmer, wedge-shaped body is designed to sit out of harms way and glance off trail impacts more easily. Shimano adds that the derailleurs have a wide, well-braced linkage, solid pulley construction and a slim stabiliser layout inspired by its latest Di2 mountain bike drivetrains. The RD-M7200 is designed for 12-speed Hyperglide+ drivetrains with a 10-51t cassette, while the RD-M7230 is aimed at riders who want the added durability and smooth shift feel of Shimanos 11-speed Linkglide system with a 10-50t cassette. There is still a cheaper RD-M6200 12-speed derailleur in the range, but that uses Shimanos existing Shadow+ clutch design rather than the newer Shadow ES layout. It is compatible with 10-51t Hyperglide+ cassettes. That creates a clearer hierarchy within Deore itself. Riders wanting the toughest and most refined mechanical setup get the M7200 or M7230 rear mechs, while those after a more affordable option can still choose the simpler M6200 derailleur. New wide-range Deore cassettes The new Deore CS-M7200 cassette uses steel sprockets with an alloy 51t largest sprocket to save weight. Shimano Shimano has also introduced two new 12-speed Deore cassettes. The CS-M7200 uses steel sprockets with an alloy sprocket to save weight, while the CS-M6200 prioritises durability and value with steel sprockets and an alloy carrier. Both use Micro Spline freehub bodies and offer a 10-51t range, giving riders the same broad spread as Shimanos higher-tier 12-speed mountain bike groupsets. A solid crankset with steel where it counts The updated Deore crankset uses a two-piece design, 24mm steel axle and direct-mount steel chainring. Shimano The updated FC-M6200 crankset uses a two-piece construction with a 24mm steel axle, 176mm Q-factor and direct-mount steel chainrings in 30t and 32t sizes. Shimanos Dynamic Chain Engagement tooth profile is used to improve chain retention on rough terrain. Shorter shifts and cleaner ergonomics The new Deore M6200 shifter gets revised ergonomics, with a shorter lever stroke and crisper shift feel. Shimano Shimano has also revised the Deore shifters. Shimano says the new lever has a shorter stroke and crisper feel, with a paddle shape designed to follow a more natural path for the riders thumb. There are three shifter options. The SL-M6200 is the standard 12-speed Hyperglide+ shifter and allows up to three shifts with the main lever. The SL-M6210 is designed for high-torque use on electric mountain bikes and limits shifts to one at a time to help protect the cassette. The SL-M6230 is built for 11-speed Linkglide drivetrains and allows up to two shifts with the main lever. All three shifters use Shimanos Rapidfire Plus and 2-Way Release designs, and are available in I-Spec EV and clamp-band versions. The single-shift eMTB option is a neat detail. With heavier bikes, more motor torque and riders often shifting under serious load, Shimano is clearly trying to protect the drivetrain from the sort of abuse that can chew through parts quickly. Deore brakes get trickle-down tech The new Deore brake system can be paired with either two-piston or four-piston calipers, depending on riding style. Shimano The new BL-M6200 brake lever can be paired with either the four-piston BR-M6220 caliper for trail and enduro use, or the lighter two-piston BR-M6200 caliper for cross-country and lighter trail bikes. Shimano says the brakes benefit from trickle-down development from XTR and Deore XT, including revised internal seals and a new low-viscosity mineral oil designed to maintain a more consistent feel across a wider temperature range. The BL-M6200 brake lever uses Shimanos Servo Wave design and architecture from its more expensive models. Shimano The BL-M6200 lever uses Shimanos Servo Wave cam profile, which is designed to bring the pads into contact quickly before delivering a controlled ramp-up in braking power. The hose also runs parallel to the bar for a cleaner cockpit layout, and the lever is I-Spec EV and bar clamp compatible. Mechanical simplicity still has a place The Deore FC-M6200 crankset uses a direct-mount steel chainring with Shimanos Dynamic Chain Engagement tooth profile. Shimano The wider point is that Shimano now has two very different visions of Deore. On one side sits Deore Di2, with wireless electronic shifting, impact recovery and app-based adjustment. On the other is this new mechanical Deore family, which keeps cables, conventional shifters and mechanical simplicity, but adds tougher derailleur construction, improved ergonomics and more polished braking. That feels like a sensible move. Wireless drivetrains might grab the headlines, but there are still plenty of riders who would rather spend less, avoid batteries, and keep a drivetrain they can adjust with a barrel adjuster and basic tools.

Tobias Johannessen couldn't get himself off the podium last weekend, finishing in top three in the final three stages of theTour Auvergne-Rhne-Alpes and capping off an impressive week that saw him battle for breakaway victory before hanging with the general classification contenders. Of course aft...

Matteo Jorgenson and Team Visma" Lease a Bike are taking the good with the bad after a mixed TourAuvergne-Rhne-Alpes. The American suffered a slightly disappointing finale as he finished in tenth place but leaves the race with a fourth overall and plenty to be happy with. Racing for the first time...

Truck driver Craig Frewin was jailed for 16 months for deliberately and cynically dumping the dismantled shed on the road

Every aspiring cyclist dreams and visualises the moment they cross the line and celebrate their first professional victory. When Liam Slock emphatically won the uphill sprint at GP Gippingen, his moment came, but it's made memorable for an unexpected reason. The Belgian, looking behind at Richard C...