Mama Coca is a dramatic 460-kilometer bikepacking route traversing the Bolivian High Andes. Michael Jordan recently pedaled it as part of a larger journey around South America, and in this Route Report, he shares impressions from the high-elevation track. Find his notes and a sweeping gallery of photos hereThe post Route Report: Bikepacking Mama Coca, Bolivian High Andes appeared first on BIKEPACKING.com.

Stevens Super Prestige has been vying for the top spot on elite cyclocross podiums for more than two decades. And while a number of bikemakers have pretty much ignored proper cross bikes since the advent of gravel, Stevens continues to refine their benchmark race bike. Now, this new iteration looks to be a solid upgrade over the previous generation. It features revised CX racing geometry for the first time in a decade, improved shouldering and mud clearance, plus substantial weight savings.#crossiscoming2026 Stevens Super Prestige carbon cyclocross race bike(All photos by Markus Greber/Stevens)The Super Prestige has been racing on the World Cup Cyclo-Cross stage since 2003. But Stevens last updated the bike back in 2022, where we caught up with it on the CX World Cup under 15x Belgian champ Sanne Cant and then U23 Mens World Champion Jordan Wyseure. But as far as I remember, it hadnt changed its race-winning geometry in at least a decade. Not since I spent a couple of seasons, Masters racing what is still one of the fastest cross bikes Ive ever thrown a leg over. MY27 Stevens Super Prestige Rival in Fenland greenYet now, Stevens has completely revamped their signature race bike creating a new Super Prestige that they describe as lighter, sharper, faster. a bike that is more agile, more direct and easier to shoulder for sharper handling, faster transitions and an enhanced ride feel, whatever level you ride at.So, lets dig into all that is newLighter and easier to carryReduced weight is always great, especially for a bike youll probably have to carry several times in a race. The new Super Prestige frame is said to weigh just 995g, a full 12% reduction from the previous generation. Its fork is 19% lighter too, losing a lot of weight to clock in at 420g now.The frame also gets a revised top tube design, flattened and sloping down a bit more from its midpoint. The new shape is said to actually make it easier and smoother to transition the bike onto your shoulder. And it provides a more comfortable and more secure resting place for runups. More aero, and better in the mud, tooMarginal gains are everywhere, even in cross. Stevens says the new fork, with its slimmed-down crown and legs, is now more aero than ever. Plus, it appears they have smoothed out the shaping of the head & top tubes, and again taken advantage of fully integrated, but serviceable internal cable routing.More mud clearance is always key for proper cross racing. Stevens doesnt get specific about numbers, because you can still only race on 33mm wide tires anyway. But the new fork legs, crown, seatstays, and chainstays are all noticeably thinner to limit mud build-up for the nastiest race conditions.Updated CX racing geometryThe Super Prestige has always been an elite-level cyclocross racing bike with 18 CX World Champs having raced it or won their rainbow stripes on it. That impressive list includes Mathieu van der Poel, Wout van Aert, Marianne Vos, Sanne Cant, and Laurens Sweeck. So, Stevens hadnt really felt the need to change much on the geometry since it first got disc brakes. But now it is getting some subtle updates claimed to deliver sharper handling, faster transitions and an enhanced ride feel across a revamped 6-size offering to fit a wider group of cyclists.To achieve that, most sizes of the new Super Prestige get a 0.5 slacker head angle (and 5mm taller headtubes), while seattube angles remain mostly the same. Next, while Stack height remains effectively the same, Stevens gives the new bikes about 5-15mm longer Reach for the larger sizes. Other key numbers like chainstay length, fork length & offset, and BB drop appear to remain unchanged. Overall, it looks like a move to keep the same quick handling the bike has been known for, but to give it more consistent Stack:Reach ratios across all sizes, slightly longer wheelbases, while also measurably increasing standover with a more sloping toptube design.Tech detailshi-mod Carbon SL Fiber frame & full carbon tapered steerer fork995g frame & 420g fork (claimed)fully internal routing through 1.5 headset (with separate bar & stem on complete bikes)flat mount disc brakes12mm thru-axlesUDH1x & 2x compatible, but electronic shifting only?removable braze-on style front derailleur mountoptional 1x mini direct mount chainguidePressfit BB86 bottom bracket27.2mm seatpost with side-access internal wedge clampofficially rated for 28-42mm tires, but of course you will run 33mm with lots of mud clearance!UCI-approved for racing6 frame sizes available (48-61cm)MY27 Stevens Super Prestige Pricing, options & availabilityWhile the new lighter, sharper, faster Super Prestige frameset is technically 25% more expensive than what the previous generation sold for last season, Stevens has done a killer job in getting complete bike prices down. In fact, a new Ultegra Di2 2x build is a couple hundred euros cheaper than back in 2022, and a 13sp Rival AXS build is a full six hundred euros cheaper than the old 12sp Force spec. This new Stevens Super Prestige Ult build in Cross Spectrum white retails for 4400 with Shimano Ultegra Di2 212 and a pair of mid-depth carbon Leeze CC 45 Basic AR tubeless wheels fitted with 33mm Schwalbe X-One R tubeless tires, at a claimed 7.7kg complete. Sorry, youll have to supply your own tubulars, if you are still gluing up race rubber.The more affordable Super Prestige Rival in Fenland green, unsurprisingly gets a SRAM Rival AXS Xplr 113 groupset, paired to the newly revamped & lighter DT Swiss E1800 alloy wheels, again with 33mm Schwalbe X-One tires at a weight of 8.0kg complete.But if you still want to build up your own perfect cross racing build, Stevens will also sell you a frameset on its own for 2500. You can pick from either color, or get one of each to build a matched set for the serious CX racer. Stevens bike shops will also be able to put together custom builds for you, too.The all-new Super Prestige is available now. Get yours now from your local Stevens dealer, and get ready for a new season of cyclocross!StevensBikes.de

You cant escape the tagline of the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift. Its everywhere, on casquettes, on musettes, on advertising. Its simple: Watch the Femmes. Its a neat idea from title sponsors Zwift to encourage people to tune in to what has quickly become the biggest womens bike race in the world.I wish it was that easy. Only three of the nine stages of the Tour de France Femmes have been, or will be, broadcast in full: stage one around Lausanne, five from Mcon to Belleville-en-Beaujolais, and the closing day in Nice. It means for the other six days, fans will have to put up with reduced television coverage. On top of the fact that the race is behind an expensive paywall in the UK and the USA, Watch the Femmes seems more like a dream than a reality.Broadcasters TNT Sports (UK) and Peacock (US) cannot be bashed for this. Warner Bros. Discovery bought the rights to show all ASO races on its channel TNT in the UK; ASO commissioned France TV to produce the feed, and in that transaction made the apparent business decision that fans dont need to see huge sections of the race. This is the same ASO that gave us less than 90 minutes of footage from Paris-Roubaix Femmes in April. For all the deserved praise ASO gets for putting on marquee womens races like this albeit years too late it is clear that the organiser should also be criticised for providing an average of less than two and a half hours a day of footage. Screening the closing kilometres of races is nothing new, but the decision means that key moments are missed. This was made patently clear on Mondays stage three, when Uno-X Mobility rider Sigrid Haugset attacked before the TV cameras began rolling, with 88km to go; this came well after overall favourite Demi Vollering (FDJ United-Suez) crashed, with 143km to go. Fans could see it on social media, which is exactly how womens cycling fans kept up with races over a decade ago. Times have moved on, ASO should, too. On a stage like Mondays, with a first-category climb in the first 24km, it was obvious that things would happen before the film crews were in action. Start-to-finish coverage is not a pipe dream. It happened for every stage of the mens Tour de France last month, and its available for plenty of WorldTour races, including the concurrently-running Tour of Poland. Fans wanting to watch all of the biggest womens race of the year could instead watch all 232km of a forgettable sprint stage in Poland, but couldnt see Haugsets winning attack.Choosing not to film huge sections of the race is a business decision made by ASO. Clearly, its one that holds back cycling, prevents fans from seeing key moments, denies smaller squads the opportunities to get television time by going in early breaks, and makes it harder to understand the whole picture of the race. Stage fours individual time trial saw 59 rider's start's not shown on TV, with coverage beginning at 3:45pm CEST, almost an hour after the first person headed down the start ramp. The winner could be in that cohort. (Image credit: Getty Images)Fortunately, the cause of start-to-finish coverage is not something that myself and Cycling Weekly are alone in arguing for. On the eve of this fifth edition of the Tour de France Femmes, The Cyclists Alliance (TCA), the independent body that represents the womens peloton, warned that partial coverage would mean fans miss the attacks, the tactics, and the moments that could define the race.Kate Verroneau, director of womens strategy at Zwift, the races title partner, posted on Instagram on Monday: Moments like this are exactly why Im so passionate about getting more eyes on womens cycling. Its no longer enough to broadcast only part of the race.When we miss the opening hours, we miss the attacks, the risks, the stories, and often the very moments that define a stage. Change is coming, but only if we keep working together. Fans, sponsors, media, riders and teams all have a role to play. Keep raising your voices, keep tuning in. These athletes are putting on a show. Lets make sure the whole world gets to Watch the (full coverage) Femmes.Former world champion Lizzie Deignan was perplexed by the lack of coverage on For The Love of Cycling: It was very hard to follow from home, it was like back in the old days, refreshing newsfeeds, trying to figure out whats going on. Theres no substitute for footage. I dont really understand why that can happen.TNT Sports Orla Chennaoui put it simpler in an Instagram reel: What the heck? We still, despite how proven the interest is, we cannot get live TV coverage. ASO, what are you doing?The beauty of a Grand Tour is to see the race play out in its entirety, to see a whole country, to understand a complete storyline. To only show part of the race is to deny fans the whole plot, the whole work of art. Imagine going to see The Odyssey and only being allowed to watch the final 90 minutes. Womens cycling deserves better, and we should be able to watch all of the Femmes.This piece is part of The Leadout, the offering of newsletters from Cycling Weekly and Cyclingnews. To get this in your inbox, subscribe here.If you want to get in touch with Adam, email adam.becket@futurenet.com.

Drop-bar MTB geometry and comfortable frame materials are the order of the day for Salsa's 32-inch gravel bike

Stage 2 of the Tour de Pologne was a day for the sprinters and one with a very tense finale. But in this scenario, Lidl-Trek's Jonathan Milan was able to thrive, taking his second win of the race ahead of Paul Magnier. A pan-flat day with plenty intermediate sprints and only 150 kilometers on the m...

Salsa has never been afraid to jump into something new; they were one of the earlier 29 adopters and went for gravel when it wasnt even a category yet. Thats why, when we saw the Fargo 32, it wasnt a surprise.Now in its sixth generation, the Fargo gets its biggest update yet. Literally. The Salsa exploration machine should be able to make the jump from 29 to 32 and still keep its identity intact, but is 32 ready for gravel adventure? (All Photos/Jordan Villella)Salsa Fargo 32 Whats New?The new Salsa Fargo 32 is built around 32-inch wheels, but thats not its only trick. It arrives in both steel and titanium frameset options, drop-bar mountain bike geometry, and all the cargo mounts you expect from a Fargo. It is still very much a bikepacking bike first, but the bigger wheel size changes the whole feel of the bike.The idea is not hard to understand, and its the same sales pitch we got with the move from 26 to 29: easier rollover obstacles, more contact patch, easier to maintain momentum, and a calmer ride across rough, open terrain. But can it actually deliver on those promises without the years of development to refine the handling? More on that later; first, we have to answer the basics.Why 32-Inch Wheels?Salsas move to 32-inch wheels is the biggest story here. They claim the larger wheel size gives the updated Fargo more rollover, a lower angle of attack, and better speed retention compared to smaller wheels. In simple terms, the wheel has an easier time getting over rough surfaces, and it hangs onto momentum once it is rolling. These benefits would be a welcome addition to any gravel riders setup.That is also the key phrase with this bike: once it is rolling.The Fargo 32 Ti does not feel like a light gravel race bike, but its not claiming that. The Fargo has always been the adventure rig, even more so in the titanium and steel versions. They are for riders looking for the experience and the robust build of the metal frame for packing and ride comfort/quality. Not a lightweight machine to get the next FTK.Fargo 32 Frame DetailsSalsa is offering the Fargo 32 in two frameset options: triple-butted chromoly steel and 3/2.5 seamless triple-butted titanium (tested*). Both use a carbon fork with Three-Pack mounts and clearance for up to 32 x 2.4-inch tires (with room to spare).The frame spec is exactly what you want from this kind of bike. It gets 110mm Boost front spacing and 148mm Boost rear spacing. The frame uses Alternator 1.0 dropouts with UDH Flat Mount plates for easy adjustment and replacement.Some standards are the same, including a threaded 73mm bottom bracket, ZS44/EC44 headset, 27.2mm seatpost, and dropper routing with external routing along the downtube and internal routing through the seat tube. All meant to make service and parts replacement fairly easy, without needing to recable the whole bike when you need to replace the headset bearings.Salsa also suspension-corrects the frame for an 80mm fork, which keeps the Fargos drop-bar mountain bike DNA alive. You probably are not turning this into a trail bike, but the option is there.Classic CargoCarrying cargo is classic Fargo. Each fork leg gets a Salsa Three-Pack mount, with front low-rider rack mounts, bottle mounts in the main triangle, an accessory mount under the downtube, and compatibility with the Salsa Alternator Plus Rack using a new lift kit for 32-inch wheels.Bottle capacity depends on frame size: one inside the main triangle on small frames, two on mediums, and three on large and XL frames, and thats just on the main triangle.Geometry & SizingThe Fargo 32 comes in four sizes: SM, MD, LG, and XL. Salsa says the small fits riders down to 52, which is notable because 32-inch bikes can easily become tall-rider-only territory.What the Geo Says: From just the numbers, the Salsa Fargo 32 geometry is all about stability. Across the size range, the Fargo 32 gets a 67-degree head tube angle, 75-degree seat tube angle, 106mm bottom bracket drop, 51mm fork offset, and 481.9mm chainstays (with the Alternator dropouts in the rear-most position). Wheelbase runs from 1140.9mm on the small to 1223.8mm on the XL.How Does That Translate To The Road?The 67-degree head angle, big wheels, and nearly 482mm chainstays give the Fargo a calm front end and a very planted rear. On rough gravel and doubletrack, it tracks beautifully. It wants to hold a line, not dance around underneath you. The 106mm bottom bracket drop puts the rider low between the wheels, which helps the bike feel grounded at speed and should pay off even more when loaded.Whats the catch? I found the tradeoff is tight terrain and agile handling moments. In the woods, the Fargo 32 Ti feels huge. It can handle singletrack, but quick direction changes take planning. In twisty, awkward sections, it feels a little like driving an 18-wheeler through the jungle. That is not meant as a dealbreaker. It is just the reality of the platform. This is not a short, sharp, trail-focused drop-bar bike. It is a long-distance adventure bike that will maintain momentum when you have the power, but more on that in the ride review.The Right SpecThe spec for the Fargo Ti 32 is nearly perfect, imo. The SRAM Rival groupset paired with the SRAM Eagle GX rear is a climb-anything setup. There are small neat touches too; the crankset comes with a chomed-out ring that matches the look of the Fargo Ti frameset. The Teravail bars and MSW stem are very standard but in the best way possible. Theres no wild proprietary fittings or internal routing, just a very competent gravel bar with a modern fit and a ride-all-day feel.As for the Teravail dropper, I can safely say that I used it maybe once or twice, and found it more of a distraction on the bars than anything. But maybe Im not the target market on that, so Im not gonna knock it too much. However, swapping for a 27.2mm carbon Teravail carbon post would drop some weight and clean up the cable routing. A Little Help From My Friends The biggest question with any new wheel size is not whether it works. It is whether the ecosystem will show up.The 32 Wheel Watch is quickly becoming one of the biggest pastimes in the cycling industry. Big players are joining the push; companies like Maxxis, Mavic, Trek, and even Schwalbe have tires/wheelsets/bikes ready to roll. That means hopefully your local shop will have them too along with replacement tubes in case you need them.That is where Teravail comes in. Teravail is supporting the 32-inch push with rims, complete wheels, and tires built around the same ISO 686mm diameter. That matters for the Fargo 32 because a bike like this needs more than one tire and one rim option to feel like a real platform. It needs tires for every condition or budget, with repair items to support its riders. Teravail Circos Wide 32 rim (Image Teravail)The specd Teravail Circos Wide 32 rim is the right middle ground for the gravel platform, aimed at 45-61mm tires, or roughly 1.7-2.4 inches. It uses a wide carbon layout with a 29mm internal width up front and 28mm internal width out back. The rim has a hookless bead, a rounder profile than the standard Circos, and carbon layup choices meant to balance lateral and radial compliance. Its an excellent addition to the Fargo 32 and helps keep the rotational weight lower.All In The FamilyOn tires, the two early options make sense for the Fargos split personality.The Cannonball 32 (above) is the faster gravel tire, offered in 32 x 2.2 inches. It uses the familiar Cannonball tread with a fast centerline, ramped center lugs, and cornering knobs. That is the tire I would look at for long gravel, hardpack, and flatter routes where speed matters.(Photo/Bikerumor)The Camrock 32 is the bigger off-road option at 32 x 2.4 inches. It is more of a fast XC-style tire for hardpack and mixed dirt, with low-profile lugs, siping, and a rounded profile. That is probably the better match for riders using the Fargo as a drop-bar backcountry bike, especially if the route includes rougher doubletrack or loose sections.The parts situation is still the main concern. You are not going to walk into every small-town bike shop and find a 32-inch tire hanging next to the 700c gravel rubber. Rims and tubes will not be as easy to source as 29-inch parts either. That matters on a bike made for big trips.Ride Review: Titanium Fargo 32When I received the Titanium Fargo 32 to review, Ill admit its been a while since my last time on a titanium frame.When the bike arrived, the first thing I noticed was the wheels (obviously they are huge), but the second was the quality craftsmanship in the frame. The presentation and overall vibe of the Fargo was 100% complete; it wasnt a prototype bike or something that was pieced together for a review; it was a complete idea, now a reality.My medium bike with a dropper and the WolfTooth cages weighed in at a stout 26.03lbs. The weight didnt alarm me though; this is a new idea, and an adventure bike at that, so Im not looking for a lighter-weight carbon machine to pack up with camping gear. You want something sturdy that can take a few knocks for those days, and the Fargo 32 could be that.For my first rides, I went to the open road and onto the double-track gravel paths around my area. I feel the 32 on the Fargo makes the most sense once the road opens up. It feels sturdy, calm, and happy to cover ground. Yes, it can take some extra effort to get the 32 wheels up to speed, especially with the overall weight of the machine, but once rolling, youll keep that momentum.The big wheels smooth out chatter, and the long rear end keeps the bike planted. The titanium is a nice touch to complement the larger wheels. The frame takes the edge off rough gravel without turning the ride vague.Steady ChugIt is not quick in the same way a race gravel bike is quick. It takes more effort to get moving, and you feel the size of the bike when the terrain gets tight or points steeply uphill. But on long, flat gravel and rolling hardpack, the Fargo 32 Ti has a clear advantage. It holds speed well, smooths out the surface, and is very stable at speed.Gravel Gear HaulerLoaded, I think the bike would get even better. The geometry, wheelbase, tire volume, rack mounts, and frame feel all point toward bikepacking and long-haul riding. Unloaded, it already feels planted. Add bags, food, water, and a few days of gear, and that calm personality should become even more useful.The limits are pretty clear. Tight woods are not its favorite place; the same goes for technical singletrack and point/shoot steering adjustments. Quick accelerations are not the point. If your idea of gravel is fast group rides, constant surges, and short punchy climbs, this probably is not your bike.But if your rides include long open roads, rough gravel, loaded trips, flat miles, youre gonna dig this.Will It Fit On My Bike Rack?The new 32 wheel size brings a longer wheelbase with it. That might help the bikes feel more stable and confident on descents, but it can make the bike longer than some bike racks can accommodate. But on my Yakima Stage-Two, I had no issues fitting the Fargo 32. It wasnt as breezy as fitting a road bike, but the wheel clamp for the front wheel had zero issues going over the 32 wheels, and the tray has more room for a longer bike.Salsa Fargo 32 Pricing The Salsa Fargo 32 comes in either a titanium or steel-framed option.Steel Frameset: $1799 USD, $2559 CADTi Frameset: $3499 USD, $4969 CADFinal ThoughtsThe Fargo 32 is not for everyone, and that is probably why it is interesting. But Salsa did the work. The geometry, cargo layout, steel and titanium frame options, and Teravails early rim and tire support all make the Fargo 32 feel like a real option for riders ready to make the 32 jump.The titanium version left a good impression. It is not a sharp-steering race machine, and it is not trying to be. It is a big-wheel, titanium mile-eater with a steady ride and a clear purpose. For riders looking for something different, especially those chasing long roads, loaded routes, and an edge on open gravel, the Fargo 32 is easy to recommend. Just pack your spares carefully until the rest of the bike world catches up.Salsacycles.com

Stage 1 of the Vuelta a Burgos provided the opportunity for plenty riders to surprise in what was a very explosive finale on the Alto del Castillo. Team Visma | Lease a Bike ruled over the finale, finishing first and second whilst Matthew Brennan has won the opening day of the race. The first stage...

Santa Cruz has updated its premier suspension-corrected XC race bike, the Blur, for 2026. Featuring geometry changes that make it longer, lower, and more slack, it's also seen some quality-of-life upgrades that benefit the non-racer. Find details on the Gen 5 Blur below...The post The Santa Cruz Blur Gen 5 Is Longer, Lower, and Slacker appeared first on BIKEPACKING.com.

An e-commerce listing on the Bike Discount site suggests Shimanos much-anticipated 13-speed groupsets could require a new freehub standard.The website posted a listing of the new DT G 1800 Classic wheels, launched last week, that included four freehub body standards.Alongside SRAM XDR, Shimano HG 11s and Shimano MicroSpline, the listing included an unreleased Shimano 13-speed standard.When will we see a 13-speed Shimano groupset? The Bike Discount listing included a Shimano 13-speed freehub body. Bike Discounts leak follows speculation that Shimano will follow industry trends and move its GRX gravel groupset to 13 speeds.The mechanical versions of Shimano GRX moved from 11 to 12 speeds in 2023, but the company only launched GRX 12-speed with electronic shifting in June last year.So the listing could suggest were about to see a new 13-speed gravel groupset, but it could first happen for mechanical GRX and well have to wait longer for an electronic 13-speed gravel groupset. After all, we had to wait seven years for Shimano to update its XTR groupset.The other possibility is this unreleased freehub standard will be shared across Shimanos gravel and road groupsets. So, although it has popped up on a DT Swiss gravel wheel listing, we could see it appear on the next Dura-Ace groupset, which is almost due an update.The freehub standard isnt the only clue weve had that Shimano 13-speed is coming. Two years ago, we reported on a Shimano patent that suggested fully wireless 13-speed electronic groupsets were coming.Then, in March, we shared that an update to Shimanos E-Tube Project app showed a new 13th cog on the gear usage rate view. A Shimano spokesperson downplayed the app update, telling us it does not mean Shimano commits to any release of such products in the foreseeable future.Shimano lags behind The SRAM Force XPLR AXS 1x groupset on a Factor Monza bike. Ashley Quinlan / Our Media With cassettes that have a maximum of 12 speeds, Shimano lags behind SRAM and Campagnolo.The troubled Campagnolo has moved to 13-speed across the board and SRAM now offers 13-speed on its 1x XPLR AXS groupset.Regardless of when it comes, the release of a Shimano 13-speed groupset will see the cycling giant catch up with its competitors.It could also see Shimano fill a void in its line-up: a 1x drivetrain for road. All Shimanos road groupsets currently come only with two chainrings, with pro teams such as Alpecin-Premier Tech relying on non-Shimano parts to run their Dura-Ace groupsets with a more aerodynamic single chainring.Why do we need a new freehub body?While Bike Discounts listing suggests any Shimano 13-speed groupsets will feature a new freehub body, some might wonder why this is necessary.Campagnolo and SRAM didnt need to adopt new freehub bodies with their respective moves to 13-speed.Meanwhile, Shimano already has its MicroSpline freehub body, which can accommodate a 9-tooth sprocket and theres even a 9-45t XTR cassette.Let us know in the comments if you have a theory behind why Shimano would adopt a 13-speed freehub body, or whether you think this is likely at all.Shimano did not respond to our request for comment at the time of publication.

The 2026 Tour de Pologne takes place between the 3rd and 9th of August and gives continuation to the WorldTour calendar. Between the Tour de France and the Vuelta a Espaa, it often sees a few riders who participate in both, whilst providing opportunities for many different kinds of riders. We take...