Its front suspension will enrage the haters, but no matter. The Giant Revolt X Pro is a legit ride when the gravel turns fast, furious and fun!

Biniam Girmay has returned to winning ways with a powerful punchy sprint win at the 2024Circuit Franco-Belge this Wednesday afternoon.After five men got themselves into the day's breakaway, with 60km to go, they had already been caught by a peloton that was sparking into life incredibly early on. S...

A Palestinian paracycling team based in war-torn Gaza now uses its bikes to transport food and supplies to local neighborhoods while keeping the Paralympic dream alive

This Wednesday, May 29, 2024, Miguel Angel Lopez has been surprised by the harsh 4-year sanction that the Anti-Doping Court has imposed on him forthe use of menotropin during the Giro d'Italia 2022, the maximum sanction for doping, which will keep him out of competition until July 24, 2027, since h...

"Ride the Divide," the film that captured the essence of the inaugural 2008 Tour Divide, is back again with a commemorative re-release featuring unseen footage, a fresh edit, and an all-new soundtrack. Watch the "Ride the Divide Returns" trailer and learn more about the upcoming world premiere here...The post Ride the Divide Returns: Trailer and World Premiere appeared first on BIKEPACKING.com.

In this episode of the BikeRadar Podcast, technical writer Luke Marshall is joined by video presenter Tom Law and digital writer Nick Clark to discuss how you can make the most of the summer months on your mountain bike.The team discuss summer essentials, from riding destinations to must-have kit to improve your riding this season.Tips for hydration, component choice and boosting motivation are revealed, with the team listing their favourite preparations for a summer of fun on the trails.Remember, we'd love to hear your opinions on anything discussed in this episode drop us an email at podcast@bikeradar.com with any questions or comments.How to subscribe to the BikeRadar PodcastThe BikeRadar Podcast takes you to the heart of the issues that matter for bike riders, whether you're a roadie, mountain biker, gravel rider or commuter.From the latest tech news, reviews and debates, to interviews with the biggest and most interesting personalities in cycling, the podcast is your direct line into the BikeRadar team.To make sure you dont miss a future episode, you can subscribe viaApple,Spotifyor wherever you get your podcasts.

Lengthy ban relates to findings from 2022 Giro dItalia

Will Jonas Vingegaard make it to the Grand Depart of the 2024 Tour de France in Florence? It's one of the biggest questions in the cycling world at the moment as the Dane recovers from a horrific crash at the Itzulia Basque Country.According to the Team Visma | Lease a Bike leader's coach,Tim Heem...

Rapha knows that for many women, traditionally tight-fitting cycling gear is not always the most comfortable way to dress to ride. So to inspire more women to feel confident on the bike, they developed a more inclusive and often times more modest, range of warm weather performance womens cycling gear. Yes, it includes the first-ever cycling-specific hijab. But theres also some more common clothing items seen in activewear off the bike. Like a new skort with a premium cycling chamois (and cargo pocket) inside. And an extended long jersey and padded long pants that simply deliver extra coverage.Rapha This is How We Ride inclusive womens cycling kit(Photos/Rapha)Raphas new womens cycling clothing collection is designed by women riders for women riders. The idea is to break down barriers that keep some women from getting on the bike in the first place. Their new inclusive womens clothing campaign is called: This is How We Ride. All the classic jersey & shorts favorites are still there, just now with more options for riders looking for a different way to show their on-the-bike style.For too long, women in cycling have been overlooked, undervalued and made to ride and wear kit that limits self-expression. Rapha is determined to help change that narrative and strives to create cycling apparel that makes all riders feel empowered, comfortable and confident. Designed from the ground up by an all-female team, Rapha Women is a new and expanded range of womens riding apparel developed through years of research. The result is a range of all-new and unique silhouettes, including the Womens Padded Skort, Womens Rapha Wind Gilet, Womens Rapha Jersey, Womens Rapha Wind Jacket, Womens Cropped Cargo Top and Womens Regular Cargo Shorts, to offer more options for self-expression to women on the bike.This new Rapha Women launch is a continuation of the British brands commitment to further promote and grow womens cycling. Weve seen several women-specific Rapha collaborations over the years, from pro cycling to fashion, to the playful spirit with Outdoor Voices. It was really exciting to take on a project like this and work with an all-women team to create a whole new collection that enables women to express themselves and feel comfortable and confident on the bike Were continuing to work on projects and innovations that open up the sport for women, so this is just the beginning! Lauren Hunt, Rapha Womens Apparel DesignerAnd again at the end of this summer, the biggest global annual womens cycling event the Rapha Womens 100 will again encourage women around the world to come together to ride 100km on that Sunday. This year will be the 12th running of the Womens 100.Whats new?The collection includes Raphas first range of modest wear developed alongside London-based cycling collective Cycle Sisters, an award-winning charity which inspires and enables Muslim women to cycle. That includes the headline-grabbing hijab. But theres also a new Long Jersey and Padded Riding Trousers that maximize rider performance and warm weather comfort. And yet, they still deliver the extra coverage that will help get more women on the bike. The new Padded Skort and Cropped Zip Tank top go the other direction, opting for less coverage, but with style. They are just about giving women more options for how they look when riding. Because not everyone always wants to feel like theyre aspiring to be a road racer. Some cyclists just want to ride their bikes, and feel good at the same time.2024 Rapha Womens Inclusive Cycling KitThe new $120 / 115 Rapha Womens Padded Skort comes in black or blue & 6 sizes (XXS-XL). It features Raphas award-winning womens chamois pad & a cargo pocket on the right leg. The new $100 / 90 Cropped Cargo Top gets black or sea green and 6 sizes. Its a short-fit tee, big on rear pocket storage. Not nearly as crop-top short as the full-zip $75 / 68 Cropped Zip Tank with its zippered rear essentials pocket. Or the $90 / 80 Half Zip Tank with more fabric, so more rear pocket storage.In the modest line-up, the new $45 / 40 Rapha Womens Hijab comes in dusted blue, mushroom gray, or black. Fully covering a riders head and neck, its made from a light 100% recycled polyester with a mesh neck panel for max breathability. And of course, it fits comfortably under a helmet. The $135 / 125 Long Jersey in 6 sizes and mushroom gray or black, is simply a longer cut extending past the hips. It features a half zip, backed by a mesh panel for ventilation without exposing skin. Then, new Rapha Womens Padded Riding Trousers are $240 / 222 technical long cycling pants in 3 colors. With a slightly loose but tailored on-the-bike fit, they promise comfort, full range of pedaling movement, and a bit of water-repellant weather protection.The latest $120/ 115 Rapha Womens Jersey comes in jeweled blue, sea green, or black. Theres also an updated Wind Gilet (vest) for $135 / 125 in jeweled blue or tan. And a new $190 / 170 Wind Jacket in those same two colors. Plus, theres an updated pair of Rapha Womens Regular Cargo Shorts for $179 / 160 in dark navy blue or classic black.All of the new Rapha Womens collection are available now.Rapha.cc/story/How-We-RideThe post The First Cycling Hijab, a Padded Skort & More Define Inclusive Rapha Womens Clothing Line appeared first on Bikerumor.

Although gravel riding and racing have exploded in popularity in recent years, compared with more established cycling disciplines, theres considerably less written about the physical demands of this cycling specialism. No two gravel rides are alike and competitive events can last anywhere from several hours to multiple days. Gravel riding and gravel racing can incorporate flat and severely hilly sections, with surfaces as diverse as gravel, forest trails, fireroads, cobbles, rocky bridleways and canal towpaths.In this article, well run through the physical abilities youll need for gravel riding. Well help you put together a training plan for gravel riding and racing, and provide some handy tips for getting the most from your gravel-focused workouts.The physical demands of gravel riding explainedGravel racing combines aspects of several disciplines, from road riding to XC. - Scott Windsor / Our MediaGravel riding sits somewhere between a sportive and a cross-country mountain bike marathon in terms of physiological demands.Key to all of these disciplines is having a good ability to sustain power for many hours at a time.However, sustainable power is arguably even more important for gravel riding than perhaps all other cycling disciplines.This is because the higher rolling resistance means youll be spending less time coasting or soft pedalling than on the road.The long, sustained climbs that feature heavily in gravel rides also mean youre likely to be plugging away for longer continuous periods than you would on a mountain bike. Become fuel efficient Use long, slow rides to train your fat oxidation ability. - Scott Windsor / Our MediaThe ability to sustain power for a long time has a lot to do with your ability to use fats for fuel.Thats because the body largely relies on carbohydrates and fats to produce energy.Even the leanest person will store enough fat to keep riding for several days.However, the amount of carbohydrates stored in the body is only sufficient to sustain roughly 1.5 hours of all-out riding.Bonking can leave you in a sugar-deprived heap on the side of the trail. - Scott Windsor / Our MediaRunning out of carbohydrates is the key reason for fatigue in endurance events such as gravel rides, and is generally the cause of bonking.If you were to derive energy purely from carbohydrates during a gravel ride, you wouldnt be able to eat and digest enough to replace the fuel thats being burnt. So a good ability to use fats is paramount.The best way to train your fat oxidation ability is by riding for a long time at a relatively low intensity (known as base training) where fat oxidation rates are high.Muscles matterBuilding muscle strength through weight training could help improve your performance on gravel. - Scott Windsor / Our MediaAnother factor that plays into sustainable power is muscle strength.Theres good research that suggests increasing the strength of your leg muscles helps improve endurance.Its not completely clear why this helps, but one theory is that, with each pedal stroke, youre having to contract the muscles at a lower percentage of the maximum contractile force, meaning theres less muscle damage.Although its possible to work on muscle strength on the bike, this is an ability thats usually trained best in the gym, by lifting weights. Well discuss this in more detail later in the article. Dont forget skillsIf you want to ride fast on gravel, you also need to work on your skills. - Scott Windsor / Our MediaOf course, theres more to gravel riding than just having a good sustainable power outputWhen we look at the power and heart-rate data from gravel rides, average heart rates generally range between 70 and 85 per cent of maximum. Average power is between roughly 50 and 85 per cent FTP (functional threshold power).However, riders will spend considerable time at a variety of intensities, both above and below this range.When you hit steep, slippy or technical terrain, or make a move to catch up with a group, you need to be able to put down some higher wattages.Raising your threshold power will mean you are less likely to go into the red when riding on technical terrain - Scott Windsor / Our MediaHaving a decent threshold power can help with this, because it means youll be stepping into the red less often.Broadly speaking, your threshold power is your maximum sustainable power. Above this power, fatigue accumulates much more rapidly than below this threshold.It can be defined in a number of ways, with the most common being functional threshold power (or FTP).Gravel is often raced close to threshold power, so the higher your FTP is the better.Other terms you might be familiar with include critical power and lactate threshold. For the purpose of this article, we can interpret them as pointing to the same thing.Like training for mountain biking, its also wise to spend a little time training your short-duration power (e.g. abilities over 30 seconds and up to 5 minutes) so youre prepared when you need to produce some bigger watts.The shorter the ride or event, the more you should pay attention to this ability.Much like mountain biking, gravel riding is often characterised by lower cadences, compared with road cycling, and this is something youll need to develop specifically in training. Recommended training plan for gravel ridingPulling this all together, here are some of the key workouts you can use to build a good base of fitness for gravel riding. Long endurance ridesLong rides should form the basis of your training for gravel riding. - Scott Windsor / Our MediaThese sessions should be the bedrock of your training, because they help to develop that all-important sustainable power and fat oxidation ability.Ideally, youll want to do one to three of these per week, with at least one being a duration that challenges your endurance capabilities.You should aim to keep the intensity mostly between 55 and 75 per cent of FTP, or 60 to 70 per cent of your maximum heart rate.Importantly, your breathing should be conversational, meaning you can speak in full sentences. Sustained lower-cadence tempoModerately steep climbs are good for low-cadence efforts. - Scott Windsor / Our MediaThese tempo sessions help build strength endurance and improve fatigue resistance, while also helping you become accustomed to the high-torque, low-cadence pedalling style thats common in gravel riding.Start with something such as three 10-minute intervals at 85 to 95 per cent of your FTP, or 70 to 85 per cent of your maximum heart rate, using a cadence from 60-75 RPM. Take 2 to 5 mins of recovery between each block.As you improve, you can build towards completing up to 60 minutes of riding in this intensity zone (e.g. 3x 20mins). Long supra-threshold effortsIntervals just above your FTP contribute to a number of useful adaptations. - Scott Windsor / Our MediaLong intervals (e.g. 6-8mins) performed just slightly above your threshold power (e.g. 102 to 108 per cent of FTP, or 88 to 92 per cent of maximum heart rate) are great for a number of reasons.They can really help lift your threshold power, as well as help improve your ability to repeat harder efforts above your threshold, which translates to better endurance on a gravel ride.They also help develop your VO2 max (the maximum rate at which you can take on and process oxygen to produce energy), which can help with short-duration power.Make your supra-threshold intervals more specific by choosing an off-road climb. - Scott Windsor / Our MediaOne of our favourite sessions is five to six 6-minute efforts at 102 to 108 per cent of FTP, or ~88 to 92 per cent of your maximum heart rate, taking four minutes to recover between each effort.You can make this extra discipline-specific by performing it on a loose climb, to work on body positioning and traction.Race-pace gravel riding skillsGravel racing demands a different set of skills compared to other disciplines. - Scott Windsor / Our MediaSkills training should not be neglected for gravel riding. Although the terrain is generally less technical than in mountain biking, the bikes are less forgiving. There's more crossover with cyclocross skills.Therefore, its essential to make sure youre confident handling the bike on various surfaces, particularly loose downhills and unsupported open turns.Recommended skills include:Climbing on loose/slippery surfaces, emphasising keeping your weight on the back wheel and applying power smoothly across the full pedal stroke to avoid wheel slipLine choice on technical terrain. Practise looking further ahead down the trail and focusing on where you want your front wheel to go, rather than looking at the obstacles you want to avoidCornering on loose terrain, working on lightly feathering the brakes to scrub off speed coming into a corner, and getting your line choice and weight distribution right in order to avoid losing gripSkills training at a race-like intensity is recommended, since this helps you get used to riding technical terrain at higher speeds, as well as enabling you to work on your short-duration power. Leg strengthWork on leg strength around once or twice per week. This doesnt need to take long or be overly complex. A quick routine comprising squats and deadlifts will be enough to help with endurance.The most effective type of strength training involves heavy weights (4-8 reps per set, and 3-5 sets per exercise), and uses moderate-speed and controlled movements, with plenty of recovery (e.g. 3 or more minutes) between each set.If youre not confident in lifting weights with good form, consult with a strength and conditioning coach, and consider using equipment such as a leg press.Tips for more effective training for gravel ridingHaving looked at some of the key sessions you might want to focus on, lets look at how you can get the most from these. Build ride length graduallyAvoid the temptation to go all-out with big rides from the off. - Scott Windsor / Our MediaWhen youre looking to develop your endurance, it can be tempting to go all-guns-blazing and take on a really long ride thats highly challenging.However, this can be counterproductive, because the amount of time youll need to recover from a session that stretches you too far will often mean you end up losing fitness overall.Instead, focus on building your endurance gradually, perhaps adding only 15 to 20 mins each week onto your longest ride. Keep rides long and variedBecause long rides will be a cornerstone of your training, it can be easy to get mentally burnt out by these.Try to keep your long rides varied, by doing some with friends, and perhaps entering some low-priority events such as audaxes, shorter gravel rides or sportives. You can ride these at a more leisurely pace to get some mileage in.Another strategy is to break your long rides up with some skills training, or some low-cadence tempo riding, as described above. This can make the time go much faster.Use breakthrough sessionsDo a ride that really challenges you every four to six weeks. - Scott Windsor / Our MediaEvery four to six weeks, we suggest doing a so-called breakthrough ride, which challenges your sustainable power a little more than your usual training.This can be a particularly good strategy for time-crunched riders who have a similar training load from week to week, and therefore need help to cause a big boost to fitness.A good breakthrough session for gravel riding would be to perform your usual long ride, but aim to do this on a hilly route, tackling all the climbs at zone 3 to 4 intensity. Late-stage intensityWhen you're short of time, try incorporating intervals into the latter stages of endurance rides. - Scott Windsor / Our MediaIf youre pressed for time, another good strategy is to include some intensity towards the end of your endurance rides.Although its not a perfect substitute for a long ride, adding some late-stage intensity (and particularly low-cadence tempo efforts as described above) can help bring about some of the adaptations youd usually get from riding longer.Keep well-fuelled and hydratedStaying fed and watered is critical to gravel-racing success. - Scott Windsor / Our MediaAs mentioned above, theres often minimal let-up in gravel rides, due to fewer coasting and drafting opportunities, which can mean you deplete the bodys stores of carbohydrates more rapidly than you might if you were riding on the road.Because youre riding at a slower speed, theres also less air cooling, and you may find you sweat more.Its therefore important to stay on top of fuelling and hydration. For gravel rides lasting two hours or more, aim to eat between 30 and 60g of carbohydrates per hour that's one or two typical energy bars.Increase this to 90g per hour if riding for more than four to six hours, provided you fuel using multiple transportable carbohydrates such as energy gels with a mixture of maltodextrin and fructose.Tailor your fuelling to the duration and intensity of your race or training session. - Scott Windsor / Our MediaThere is evidence that sports products containing branched-chain amino acids may also help stave off muscle damage in very long rides.Aim to drink largely to thirst, but be mindful to drink in smaller and more frequent amounts, rather than downing a bottle all in one when youre gasping for a drink. Electrolytes are usually recommended, especially if its hot or you know youre a salty sweater.Start eating and drinking within the first 30 minutes, so youre not playing catch-up in the latter part of the ride.Dont forget recoveryEasy rides and days off the bike are essential to improving your fitness. - Scott Windsor / Our MediaFinally, dont forget recovery is a vitally important part of training periodisation. Its the period of time when training adaptations actually occur, and without it you can end up in a spiral of ever-decreasing performance, which ultimately can lead to overtraining.Try taking between two and three days per week to recover from your regular training (which can either be full days off from training or just a very light spin no longer than an hour).Most riders should also take a lighter recovery week every four to eight weeks. How often you take this depends on your weekly training volume, how challenging you find this, and how much fatigue you accrue from non-training activities, such as work and family life. Targeting a gravel eventTraining plans are usually divided into three phases. - Scott Windsor / Our MediaHaving talked in general terms about how to train for gravel riding, lets look at how you might put together a plan geared towards a specific event.It can be helpful to break your plan into three phases: general preparation, specific preparation and a taper phase, as outlined below.General preparationGeneral preparation is synonymous with base training. - Scott Windsor / Our MediaThis phase should ideally last between 12 and 16 weeks, although if youre short on time, you could cut it down to eight weeks.Through this period, the focus is mostly on building up your sustainable power, focusing on endurance rides, sustained low-cadence tempo and leg strength sessions outlined above.Try gradually building up the length of your long rides through this phase, aiming to complete up to 80 to 90 per cent of your expected race length for shorter races (e.g. six hours or less) or 70 per cent of your expected race length for longer races.If youre targeting a long race, it can be helpful to do very long training rides (e.g. longer than six hours every two weeks), rather than every week.This is frequent enough to keep your endurance progressing forward, while also allowing time for you to recover and to focus on other aspects of your training. Specific preparationThe specific preparation phase is the time to dial in your fuelling and hydration race plan. - Scott Windsor / Our MediaThis phase can last between four and eight weeks, depending on how much time you have available.Through this phase, you will look to maintain or slightly reduce your normal riding volume and long-ride duration, but make your training a little more high-intensity and race-specific.This is a good time to include supra-threshold intervals, race-pace skills sessions, and to add one or two breakthrough sessions, as described above.In order to get the right balance of intensity, recovery and low-intensity riding, youll usually want to significantly cut back on the low-cadence tempo intervals and decrease the frequency of your strength sessions to one per week.This is also a good time to test and finesse your race nutrition strategy in training, and get used to riding with all the kit youll be carrying on race day, because this will affect how your bike feels and handles.TaperYou should continue to ride in the run-up to an event, but dial back the intensity. - Scott Windsor / Our MediaFinally, its time for the taper, which should last between seven and 10 days, depending on the length of the event, and how quickly you as an individual find you recover (use a longer taper for longer events, or if you are slow to recover).Something of a golden rule with tapering and something many cyclists get wrong is that you should continue to ride quite frequently through the taper phase.If you usually ride five days per week, then continue to ride approximately five days per week while tapering. Otherwise, you can be left with legs that feel heavy.Sprinkle a little intensity into your taper period. - Scott Windsor / Our MediaYoull just need to make most of these rides nice and short, and very easy no more than 60 per cent of FTP or around 60 per cent of maximum heart rate.In addition, youll want to include a bit of intensity in one to two sessions during your taper. This can help to keep your legs feeling activated, minimise fitness loss, and prime your aerobic system ahead of your race.If the race is on a Sunday, for example, an abbreviated interval session on Tuesday, and an openers session on Friday or Saturday, which includes some short, high-intensity surges, can work well.These shouldnt be sessions that push you to your limits, but should leave you feeling youve done something reasonably challenging that got you breathing heavily.