The Tour de France again painted a worrying picture for Jonas Vingegaard. The Team Visma | Lease a Bike leader saw once more that, right now, Tadej Pogacar is a step above on the climbs, but the issue for the Dane was not only losing time to the Slovenian. The bigger concern was conceding seconds to...

Good morning and welcome to the Tour de France liveblog! Today sees the 11th stage of the 113th edition of the Grand Boucle, on a day that, on paper, looks set to end in a bunch sprint. However, only the road will decide who gets to raise their arms at the finish line. So join us and keep us company...

Last year, Alba Xandri and Ricard Calmet traversed three Central Asian countries, bikepacking some 4,000 hard-earned kilometers across Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Western China. In this detailed report, they recount their dynamic journey and share a sweeping gallery of photos from the rugged region. Find it hereThe post Closing the Circle: 4,000 Kilometers Across Central Asia appeared first on BIKEPACKING.com.

Norco made waves four years ago when it introduced its refreshed lineup of reasonably priced aluminum-framed Fluid mountain bikes. Those models earned very high praise and won numerous awards for their on-trail performance and budget-friendly prices. Today, Norco is announcing the next generation (Gen 3) of its affordable and highly regarded Fluid MTBs. Its not a massive departure from its predecessor, but a refinement of Norcos award-winning platform.The Gen 3 Fluid is still the 130/140mm travel 29er that folks already know and love, but Norco says it now has a lighter frame, user-friendly guided internal cable routing, and some differences in frame sizing. It also comes in three new complete builds with prices starting at $2,299 and topping out at $3,899.Fluid has always been about delivering real trail performance at a real-world price. This new generation refines that formula with a lighter frame, improved ride quality, and thoughtful details that make the bike easy to maintain and more capable on the trail.-Paul Burnett, Senior Product Manager at NorcoNorco Fluid DetailsNorco says one of the most notable changes to the Fluid is a full 6066 aluminum frame, which is lighter than the previous generation with reportedly no compromises to strength or durability. Norco does not specify the actual weight savings, but complete claimed bike weights now start at 35.2 pounds (size S3). Along with a lighter frame construction, Norco has added nylon guide tubes to the internal routing to simplify maintenance tasks.Its also covered by Norcos No Other Way Limited Lifetime Warranty.The Fluid has 130mm of rear wheel travel and comes with a 140mm travel fork. It comes with29 wheels front and rear and is compatible with a 27.5 rear wheel via a link-arm flip chip that maintains both geometry and suspension performance.Like its predecessor, the new Fluid relies on Norcos VPS (Virtual Pivot Suspension) layout, which is a simple and effective Horst Link design. Norco worked with suspension brands for custom shock tunes, and the Fluid is supported with the Ride Aligned setup guide for dialing in suspension settings.GeometryThe Fuild has a trail-oriented geometry with size-specific details.Norco already had a crowd-pleasing geometry formula with the previous generation Fluid, and it remains largely the same for Gen 3. The 130mm travel Fluid is intended as a versatile all-around trail bike, and that is reflected in the geometry chart. Specifically, the 65-degree head tube angle, which lands squarely in do-it-all trail bike territory. Reach numbers increase in 20mm increments across the five frame sizes, starting at 432mm on S1 and topping out at 512mm on S5.Like its predecessor, Norco gave the Fluid Gen 3 some size-specific geometry details, which isnt super common at its lower price point. Still, whether youre just starting out or are a seasoned rider, the steepening seat tube angles and increasing chainstay lengths are meant to provide similar proportions and a balanced ride feel across the size range. Chainstay/rear center lengths increase in 4mm increments, starting at 428mm on S1, and topping out at 444mm on S5. Likewise, seat tube angles increase by 0.25 degrees per size.Norco Fluid: Builds and PricingAlong with 130mm/140mm of travel and capable all-around trail-riding geometry, Norco recognizes that components play a huge role in a bikes performance. So, theyve included size-specific droppers, 4-piston brakes, and grippy Schwalbe Radial tires on all builds, even the entry-level Fluid A3. Additionally, all builds share the same cockpit setups, including Norco Alloy riser handlebars, stems, and WTB Wavelength grips, plus TranzX droppers and WTB Solano saddles.Norco Fluid A1: $3,899 USD / $4,700 CADFork: RockShox Lyrik Select+, 140mmShock: RockShox Super Deluxe Select RTBrakes: Shimano SLX 4-piston w/ 203/180mm (f/r) rotorsDrivetrain: Shimano XT 12-speed w/ Deore cranksWheels: WTB KOM Team i30 rims w/Shimano TC500 hubsTires: Schwalbe Magic Mary Trail Radial 2.5, Rear: Schwalbe Roamy Trail Radial 2.4Weight (S3): 16.2 kg /35.7 lbs.Color: Gloss Blue AlloyNorco Fluid A2: $2,899 USD / $3,800 CADFork: RockShox Psylo Gold RC, 140mmShock: RockShox Super Deluxe SelectBrakes: Bhimano BR-MT420 4-piston w/ 203/180mm (f/r) rotorsDrivetrain: Shimano Deore 12-speedWheels: WTB ST i30 rims w/ Shimano TC500 hubsTires: Schwalbe Magic Mary Trail Radial 2.5, Rear: Schwalbe Roamy Trail Radial 2.4Weight (S3): 16.0 kg / 35.2 lbs.Color: Satin Raw Alloy SilverNorco Fluid A1: $2,299 USD / $2,800 CADPistachio GreenFlat BlackFork: RockShox Recon RL, 140mmShock: DVO OpalBrakes: Tektro HD-M535 4-piston w/ Tektro TR203 203/180mm (f/r) rotorsDrivetrain: Shimano Cues 10-speedWheels: WTB ST i30 w/ Formula hubsTires: Front: Schwalbe Magic Mary Trail Radial 2.5, Rear: Schwalbe Roamy Trail Radial 2.4Weight (S3): 16.9 kg / 37.2 lbs.Color: Gloss Pistachio Green, Gloss Flat BlackAvailabilityNorcos Gen 3 Fluid bikes are available now. Head to the Norco website or your favorite Norco dealer to learn more or buy yours. norco.com

Tadej Pogacar is already disappearing into the distance at the 2026 Tour de France, but the Maillot Jaune and a 3:36 advantage over Jonas Vingegaard have done little to temper his pursuit of stage victories. The UAE Team Emirates XRG leader has won three of the opening 10 stages, taking his career...

Tadej Pogacar added another stage victory and 54 seconds to his advantage over Jonas Vingegaard at Le Lioran, the same finish where the Dane defeated him two years earlier. Before Stage 10 of the 2026 Tour de France, Vingegaards Danish compatriot Michael Valgren predicted that Pogacar would target...

Launched yesterday, the new Canyon Lux Trail is the brands latest full-suspension mountain bike, said to offer peak efficiency on climbs and descents. For more on this new model, check out all the details belowThe post The Canyon Lux Trail Is a Downcountry Ripper appeared first on BIKEPACKING.com.

Good morning and welcome to the Tour de France liveblog! Today sees the 11th stage of the 113th edition of the Grand Boucle, on a day that, on paper, looks set to end in a bunch sprint. However, only the road will decide who gets to raise their arms at the finish line. So join us and keep us company...

Earlier this year, 100 cyclists from across the globe set out on an extraordinary journey: a 3,000-kilometer crossing of Patagonia, from Chile to Argentina. Southbound is a video that documents the inaugural edition of Final Frontier Patagonia, an adventure that pushed human limits and forged lasting bonds. Read a recap and watch it here...The post Southbound: Final Frontier Patagonia (Video) appeared first on BIKEPACKING.com.