CyclistVan Rysel RCR-R vs RCR-F: Decathlons road race bikes comparedVan Rysel made a splash when it launched the RCR-R in 2024, offering a pro-level bike at a price that undercut the majority of its WorldTour competitors. Its Decathlon parent backed up its investment by sponsoring, for the first time in 20 years, its own WorldTour team, now named Decathlon CMA CGM.Alongside the RCR-R Pro, theres also the non-Pro RCR-R, which is made of less exotic carbon fibre, adding a little to the weight and reducing the stiffness a little too.Van Rysel has changed the name to RCR-R since the bikes launch as the RCR (denoting Racer), helping to differentiate its all-round road race platform from the aero RCR-F, which it released in 2025 and is the bike usually ridden by the Decathlon CMA CGM pro team on the flatter stages. Seixas has been riding an unreleased RCR-R in the mountains of the Tour de France, but until we get more details on that well stick to the existing bike here.But for the non-pro rider, which is the best Van Rysel road race bike? Well break down the design and spec choices and help you choose the best Van Rysel performance road bike for you.Van Rysel RCR-R and RCR-F key featuresVan Rysel RCR-RAll-round road race bikeTwo frame grades: Pro and non-Pro790g Pro frame weight, 830g non-Pro, 380g fork33mm tyre clearanceRead our full Van Rysel RCR-R reviewVan Rysel RCR-FAero road bikeSingle Pro grade frameset1,010g frame weight, 420g fork weight33mm tyre clearanceRead our full Van Rysel RCR-F reviewVan Rysel RCR-R and RCR-F framesetsThe RCR-R frameset is available in two carbon grades. Bikes labelled Pro are made in super high modulus carbon, while non-pro frames are made of high modulus carbon. While the Pro grade frame has a 790g claimed weight in size M, painted, Van Rysel says that the non-Pro frame weighs 830g in the same size. The same fork is fitted to both frames and, painted, weighs an additional 380g.Thanks to the pricier carbon used, the RCR-R Pro is also claimed to be 10% stiffer at the head tube than the standard RCR.In contrast, the aero RCR-F frame is available in one carbon grade, which Van Rysel also describes as super high modulus and is comprised of 40T and 60T carbon fibre. The deeper frame profiles result in a 1,010g claimed frame weight in size M, while the fork adds 420g. Van Rysel says that the RCR-F frame is 7% stiffer again at the front than the RCR-R Pro.Van Rysel RCR-R and RCR-F aerodynamicsJoseph BranstonVan Rysel worked with Onera, the French aerospace agency, to develop the RCR-R, using Oneras wind tunnel located close to Decathlons HQ in Lille. When it launched the RCR-R in 2024, Van Rysel claimed that it was among the ten most aero bikes in the pro peloton, based on Tour Magazins testing protocol. The pros wanted a more aero bike still though and now usually ride the RCR-F.Van Rysel again used Oneras facilities and developed the RCR-Fs aerodynamics alongside Swiss Side, which supplies the pro teams wheels too. It claims that at 45km/h the RCR-F is 13 watts faster than the RCR-R.Van Rysel RCR-R and RCR-F componentsJoseph BranstonVan Rysel has worked with component specialist Deda to develop the cockpit for both its road bikes. Top specs of the RCR-R are equipped with a one-piece integrated cockpit with 7 flare that is purpose-designed for Van Rysel. Lower specs have a separate Deda Superzero RS handlebar on a Deda x VR Superbox Evo stem, offering semi-integrated hoses. Van Rysel says this is 11 watts less aerodynamically efficient at 45kmh than the integrated cockpit.All RCR-F specs have a one-piece fully integrated aero cockpit, which is compatible with Deda extensions. We loved the RCR-Fs Ergodrops when we reviewed the bike, due to the comfort offered by the ovalised drop shape. As is common with aero bars, theres a pronounced flare, with the 420mm width between the drops tapering to around 350mm at the hoods thanks to a 12 degree flare, promoting an aero tucked position. Van Rysel claims the cockpit is 2.7 watts more efficient than that of the RCR-R.Van Rysel RCR-R and RCR-F groupsets and gearingJoseph BranstonBoth the RCR-R and RCR-F are fitted, in Shimano specs, with 52/36t chainrings and an 11-34t cassette. This gives them slightly higher gearing that matches their performance orientation, but some riders may find a little high for steeper climbs. Van Rysel fits a power meter to all specs of the two bikes. While Shimano doesnt sell a 105-level power meter, the Ultegra and 105 Di2 specs have an Inpeak-E single-sided rechargeable power meter fitted. Shimano Dura-Ace and SRAM Red AXS specs come with the in-series dual sided power meters.The Decathlon CMA CGM pros now ride SRAM Red AXS-equipped bikes, having switched from Shimano at the start of the 2026 racing season.Van Rysel RCR-R and RCR-F wheelsetsJoseph BranstonVan Rysel honed its bikes aerodynamics alongside Swiss Side and fits most specs with Swiss Side wheels, which are also used by the pro team. While Swiss Side now sells its wheels as 3 versions, Van Rysel still shows its bikes fitted with 2 wheelsets, with slightly different depths to the newer Swiss Side wheels and with 20mm internal width rather than 22mm. To match its aero design, the RCR-F is fitted with deeper section Swiss Side Hadron2 625 wheels, with a Continental Grand Prix 5000 S TR 28mm rear tyre, alongside a Conti Aero 111 TLR 26mm front tyre, which was the product of another Swiss Side collaboration, in this case with DT Swiss and Continental.The RCR-R Pro, meanwhile, is fitted with Swiss Side Hadron2 500 wheels, Ultimate in the top specs, Classic in lower specs, in both cases with 28mm GP5000 S TR tyres front and rear. The non-Pro RCR bike has Swiss Side Hadron Classic 470 wheels fitted, with the same 28mm Conti tyres.The sole exception among UK specs is the SRAM Red AXS spec of the RCR-R Pro, which has Zipp 353 NSW wheels with 28mm Conti tyres.Van Rysel RCR-R and RCR-F geometryRCR-RRCR-FFrame sizeLLTop tube length571.4566Seat tube length513518Seat tube angle73.573.5Head tube length174157Head tube angle73.073.0Fork rake4545Bottom bracket drop6767Chainstay length410410Frame reach395.5399Frame stack572561Wheelbase1001.51002Many of the frame angles and tube lengths of the RCR-R and RCR-F are similar or identical and they have similar wheelbases and the same 33mm tyre clearance. The RCR-Rs stack was already lower than many competitors, but the head tube of the RCR-F is 17mm shorter than the RCR-R, which results in a significantly reduced frame stack, while the RCR-Fs reach is also longer.For an aero bike this makes sense, as around 80% of the wind resistance comes from the rider, not the bike. Placing the rider in a lower position is likely to reduce their frontal profile and hence the drag of rider-plus-bike, which along with the frame aerodynamics should result in a faster ride. Van Rysel RCR-R and RCR-F ranges comparedAt present, Van Rysels UK spec options are predominantly equipped with Shimano groupsets, with the exception of a single RCR-R Pro spec with SRAM Red AXS (and Zipp wheels) but in other markets there are additional specs offered, with SRAM Force and Rival alternatives for the RCR-R and RCR-F.RCR-RMike Massaro / CyclistRCR-R Pro Dura-AceGroupset: Shimano Dura-AcePower meter: Dura-Ace dual sidedWheels: Swiss Side Hadron2 500 UltimateClaimed weight: 6.9kg (size M)Price: 9,000RCR-R Pro Red AXSGroupset: SRAM Red AXSPower meter: SRAM Red dual sidedWheels: Zipp 353 NSWClaimed weight: 6.7kg (size M)Price: 9,000RCR-R Pro UltegraGroupset: Shimano UltegraPower meter: Inpeak-E single sidedWheels: Swiss Side Hadron2 500 ClassicClaimed weight: 7.4kg (size M)Price: 6,000RCR-R 105 Di2Groupset: Shimano 105 Di2Power meter: Inpeak-E single sidedWheels: Swiss Side Hadron Classic 470Claimed weight: 8.0kg (size M)Price: 3,699RCR-FJoseph BranstonRCR-F Dura-AceGroupset: Shimano Dura-AcePower meter: Dura-Ace dual sidedWheels: Swiss Side Hadron2 625Claimed weight: 7.5kg (size M)Price: 10,000RCR-F 105 Di2Groupset: Shimano UltegraPower meter: Inpeak-E single sidedWheels: Swiss Side Hadron2 625Claimed weight: 8.0kg (size M)Price: 7,000RCR-F 105 Di2Groupset: Shimano 105 Di2Power meter: Inpeak-E single sidedWheels: Swiss Side Hadron2 625Claimed weight: 8.2kg (size M)Price: 5,000Van Rysel RCR-R and RCR-F: Which should I choose?According to Van Rysel product manager Jeremie Debeuf: The RCR[-R] range is for the global market for Granfondo riders as well as pros whereas the RCR-F is just for racers. This is a demanding bike which is undoubtedly for powerful racers who want to ride at high speed. For other use cases, it might be a mistake and we would suggest trying the RCR[-R].Helpfully, Van Rysel offers some pointers as to which type of terrain each bike is suited to as well, stating that the RCR-R Pro is ideal for routes with more than 1,500m of positive gradient over 100km, ridden at average speeds between 25 and 35km/h.Meanwhile, it suggests that the RCR-F is the better choice for routes with less than 1,500m of elevation gain and for faster average speeds between 35 and 50km/h.That seems pretty clear-cut, although riders looking for an extra turn of speed may be tempted by the RCR-F. The bike comes with an extra spacer over the RCR-R, which would go some way to redressing the lower frame stack. We found even the non-Pro RCR-R to be quite stiff and also fast, with Van Rysel stating: The RCR is not comfort-focussed, its speed-focussed.Weve not ridden the Pro bike, but given Van Rysels claims would expect this to be accentuated. Our experience of the RCR-F was more nuanced and we found it to be firm without being punishing and a bike that feels right when you ride it fast. Both the RCR-R Pro and RCR-F offer you the chance to ride the same frameset as the pro team and the ride reflects this.Decathlon and Van Rysel clearly target the majority of amateur riders with the RCR-R and theres more depth to the range, with a lower entry price and a lower price for the premium spec. Its likely to be a better choice on UK quality roads too.Van Rysel markets a range of other performance bikes stretching from gravel and cyclocross to time trial and its EDR CF provides an alternative for those looking for an endurance-oriented Van Rysel road bike. The post Van Rysel RCR-R vs RCR-F: Decathlons road race bikes compared appeared first on Cyclist.

CyclistIs it time for the UCI to relax its 6.8kg minimum bike weight rule?Whats the current situation?For the past 26 years, article 1.3.019 of the UCIs technical regulations has specified that the weight of the bicycle cannot be less than 6.8kg to ensure both the safety of riders and the fairness of competition while at the same time making the most of the advantages that technological evolution can bring to cycling.In the early days of carbon composite frame construction, the rule helped ensure that manufacturers didnt compromise safety in the pursuit of weight advantages, but by the early 2010s race bikes could already laugh in the face of that limit while maintaining safety standards. However, lobbying around weight limit reductions was short lived, as developments in aero tube shapes and disc brakes saw bikes naturally regain weight. But now, a decade on, its back.Manufacturing advances mean bikes are once again pushing the UCI weight limit, and when Lorena Wiebes was disqualified from this years Giro dItalia Women for using a bike that broke the 6.8kg barrier, it reignited the debate over whether it was time for the UCI to revise its rules.Headquarters of the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) in Aigle, Switzerland. RvS.Media/Basile Barbey via Getty ImagesWhat does the UCI and the cycling industry think?Cyclist has made repeated attempts to get an answer from our sports governing body, but as yet has received no response. However, when we spoke to a few manufacturers with bikes that can easily dip under the 6.8kg mark, their responses werent quite what we were expecting.No, the UCI shouldnt change the rule, says Stefan Christ, head of R&D at BMC. It helped to bring the development focus away from pure weight optimisation to functional improvements such as electronic shifting, disc brakes and bigger tyres. I doubt we would have all of this if the weight limit wasnt there.Factors head of engineering, Graham Shrive, is on a similar page.Its a bit of a radioactive discussion, he says. The problem is that weve made all these cool gains with aero and strength, but the pros, being the geniuses they are, would likely abandon most of those to save another 100g. Frankly, I would prefer the weight limit to stay as is. If it was reduced, the first changes riders would make would be to hyper-light components as thats easy to do, but that introduces safety issues. If a failure occurs, that would reflect badly on the framemaker, not the component manufacturer.Unipublic / Cxcling / Antonio BaixauliMax Koenen, Scotts road engineer, takes a different stance but suggests there have to be caveats.They should drop the weight limit and replace it with a requirement for standardised testing certificates for UCI-certified equipment. Currently the UCI certification process does not require any safety-related documents and is purely based on frame shaping and dimensions.A higher bike weight is no guarantee of good structural properties, he adds. Its possible to build strong bikes at 5.8kg or weak bikes at 9kg. If the UCI wants to improve equipment safety, the focus should be more on testing procedures than on bike weight.What would happen if the weight limit did get lowered?Probably not much, says Shrive. Our strategic direction is to track the shift towards aero. Demand for the dedicated climbing bike is effectively dead.Koenens opinion represents the other side of the coin, however.It could see the return of pure climbing bikes to the pro peloton, he says. The best modern aero bikes are close to 7kg, so there is no big benefit for teams to switch. If climbing bikes could be raced at 5.8 to 6.0kg, the benefit on mountain stages becomes more significant.Chris Auld/NSN CyclingToday we develop aero race bikes with 6.8kg in mind. That means a Foil RC in the NSN Cycling team specification weighs close to 6.8kg, but not less. For most consumers their Foil RC with a lower spec is way above that. If pro bikes are allowed to be lighter, brands would focus on weight optimisation and the consumer would benefit.So will the UCI ever drop it?Only they can answer this question, says Koenen. Most racing bikes today are still above 6.8kg because brands optimise for better aerodynamics instead of lower weight. So there is no pressure from the industry to drop this weight limit anytime soon, even with the Wiebes incident.Shrive says, The only way we could intelligently remove the weight limit is if a real strength standard was agreed upon by all in the industry, like an ISO-style set of tests. However, that would open a can of worms for all involved and would generally be opposed by us as well. The thing with the weight limit is its easy to measure, easy to define, and well understood. Anything that replaces it needs to be just as easy.The post Is it time for the UCI to relax its 6.8kg minimum bike weight rule? appeared first on Cyclist.

CyclistBlack Magic: Inside Carbon Bike RepairThis was CBRs first repair, and wow it was broken. It was in about 15 pieces, says Rob Granville, turning over an intriguing-looking Cervlo frame in his hands thats somehow both scarred yet perfectly smooth. The guy lost his arm on this bike. He time-trialled into the front of this car and his arm went into the grille and he got flung over the roof and his arm got left behind. The bike veered off pretty much intact but then got run over by an articulated truck.He actually came in with a different bike but told me about this one and said we could have it to fiddle around with we had nothing to practise on back then. He said, Itll come in a bin bag, and I said, Yeah well get that going again, and we did, even with all the damage and the missing material. Him? Yeah, the doctors managed to sew his arm back on.Granville is the founder of Carbon Bike Repair, which, you guessed it, repairs carbon fibre bicycles. Judging from the queue of frames hanging on the in rack at the entrance to the main workshop, theres little that cant be fixed, from hairline fractures and chain-suck scars through to severed stays and ripped-off head tubes. They come from far and wide, and if you ever wondered how good such a repair could be, you need only examine CBRs list of customers.Along with the private customers, we deal with insurance company claims, brand warranties and referrals we work with brands like Trek and Specialized and pro teams, and youd be amazed at what we can repair, or what people want to get repaired. Like Luke Rowes Pinarello. It was on the roof of a team car that clipped a gazebo and it punctured a hole in the down tube. That bike was brought over during a race, we fixed it over one night, painted it, and sent it back.I remember saying to Team Sky, Why dont you give him a new bike? The bike is screwed. They said its his lucky bike, and often thats what its about. Everyone feels something for their favourite bike, and we can usually help.Article continues belowMike MassaroMike MassaroMike MassaroMike MassaroMike MassaroMike MassaroMike MassaroMethod and rationaleCarbon Bike Repair has been going since 2013. An industrial designer by trade, Granville found himself inspired into road riding by the 2012 Olympics only to find the carbon bikes he desired were expensive. So instead he bought a broken one a Bianchi Oltre for 80 quid, and I used my background and education to figure out how to repair it.That bike got noticed on a ride and led Granville to his first unofficial customer with a broken De Rosa.After that I was inundated. Everyone had a problem, and I thought, No ones sorting these guys out. I was selling my company so I moved over one of my best employees, Marek, and we set ourselves up in my garage and slowly developed our repair process. There was no carbon fibre repair handbook when we started. We wrote it ourselves.Since then CBR has expanded into larger premises in Leatherhead plus another in Granvilles native South Africa. At the UK branch alone proudly displayed as an ever-increasing number on a giant counter in the office theyve dealt with nearly 20,000 bikes.We can pretty much fix anything so long as the frame geometry isnt totally wrecked or its not something like a fork crown or wheel rim bead hook, where we couldnt guarantee the safety on such high-stress areas.Over the years repairs have become more specialised, but the fundamentals remain the same as the early days.To demonstrate, were introduced to Jim Hayward, CBRs principal carbon fibre repair technician, whos busy with an endoscope, moving the camera around a suspected crack on a Pinarello Dogma and watching the image on a big screen. This sort of inspection is the first port of call.This has been sent by Pinarello. Its new but theyre worried it has been damaged in transit so Im trying to determine if this is a hairline crack in the top tube, says Hayward. On this occasion the crack is cosmetic so its off to CBRs paintshop before being returned to Pinarello.This is one side of the business, says Hayward, with CBR offering health checks to frames, verifying their integrity after, say, a crash, using processes such as ultrasound and thermographic imaging. But reaching for another frame, a Specialized Venge, he shows us the other end of the spectrum. The frame was all but severed across the seatstays, seat tube and down tube.This guy was hit by a car he was OK but then the driver drove over the bike. Its an old-generation Venge, so even though the repair will probably be half the cost of a new frame, its for sentimental reasons really.Despite its serious-looking nature, Hayward says the processes for such a repair are relatively straightforward. First, all the broken material is removed from a crack, often ground away with a Dremel. Carbon fibre plies are cut to measure, covered in resin and layered up over the area. The repair is compressed to remove air bubbles and excess resin sometimes with tape, or for larger, more complex repairs, a vacuum bag then cured in an infrared oven. Lastly the repair, which sits proud, is flatted back to match the tube profile before the frame heads to paint.It almost sounds simple, but the reality is anything but. There are special cases that require new tubes to be inserted inside a frame for strength or that require multiple curing cycles due to the intricacy. And thats on top of the years of experience needed to use the tools, plus the expertise in understanding how carbon works. Repairs arent just a case of wrapping a crack in a carbon bandage.You have to repair to the same wall thickness, says Granville. Otherwise you end up with this huge lump of material in a thin tube, and where thick meets thin the stresses are concentrated and the repair can break. So if youve got a hole in a tube, you have to fix the inside bases so that the inside of the tube is represented, otherwise the repair collapses in on itself and you end up with a bulbous lump on the inside of the tube. Thats where the experience and skill of someone like Jim comes in, and the very specific way we grind out the broken area to leave enough material to bond to.On that last point, Granville will say no more the way the edges of a broken area are prepared in a stepped or feathered way (although he doesnt use these words) is crucial to the integrity of a repair and hence a closely guarded secret. Do it wrong and theres either not enough material to bond to or you remove too much, unnecessarily undermining the frame. Its art as much as science, but there are specialist tools CBRs technicians can call on to help, such as an ultrasound scanner to reveal the thickness of a tube wall. Then, more recently, theres Frank.Article continues belowThe journey of a broken carbon frame1: A Specialized Venge snapped through the down tube and stays joins the repair queue.Mike Massaro2 (above and below): Senior technician Jim Hayward ascertains the true extent of the damage using methods such as ultrasound, thermographic imaging and endoscopy.Mike MassaroMike Massaro3: Compromised material is ground away from the repair area in preparation for re-wrapping.Mike Massaro4: Carbon plies are cut and soaked in resinMike Massaro5: then wrapped in layers around the repair area.Mike Massaro6: The new plies are compacted to remove voids and excess resin either with compression tape or vacuum bagging.Mike Massaro7: Repair areas are masked and highlighted to protect existing material.Mike Massaro8: Frames or parts are baked in an infrared oven, which speeds up the curing process over a regular oven, making repairs possible in a day.Mike Massaro9: The cured repair area. Note how the area now sits proud of the tube, which is where Frank comes inMike Massaro10: Frank the robot precisely grinds away the excess repair material to fractions of a millimetre to seamlessly match the tubes original profile.Mike Massaro11 (above and below): Repaired frames are sent to paint. Here, CBRs technical manager, Marek Homola, shows us the huge archive of logos that are necessary, all of which are made in-house.Mike MassaroMike Massaro12 (above and below): The team is constantly learning about, and assessing, its work and others, as CBR founder Rob Granville shows us with a cut-up Cervlo. Knowledge is key, and nothing reaches paint unless it has been perfectly repaired.Mike MassaroMike Massaro13: Jim Hayward appraises a repaired Pinarello Dogma, which at one point had all but lost its head tube, among other serious damage. Youd never know it. Repairs take from one to five weeks, while costs range from hundreds to thousands, depending on complexity.Mike MassaroAutomated serviceSitting in a huge metal box with a Perspex window, Frank is a giant, orange robotic arm with a tiny grinding tip for a finger. On Franks jig is a Bianchi Infinito, whose two substantial breaks through top tube and seat tube are wrapped and cured and ready for the reprofiling that will make them all but invisible.Frank allows us to reprofile those tubes exactly to match the original profiles, to fractions of a millimetre, says Hayward as the robot arm comes to life, making tiny vertical movements up and down the top tube as it grinds the excess material away.Key to this process is 3D scanning. The technicians need to guide Frank He cant exactly see or feel the bike, says Hayward which means inputting a virtual model of the repair area then programming Frank to grind away the precise excess but no more. Its ostensibly the same thing Hayward also does by hand, only with Frank its exceptionally precise, something that has become increasingly necessary given how thin modern tube walls have become. Even so, theres huge potential for error. Hayward reaches up to get a broken frame off the wall.This is a reminder of just how powerful Frank is. You have to program the arm to return home [to its folded position] after the grinding, and on this frame we got the coordinates wrong and Frank just tore through the frame on its way back. Its also why you can never be inside the box when its on. It wouldnt stop if you were in the way.Its impressive stuff, but it does beg a question: with brands consistently banging the drum about how their very specific carbon layup affects how a bike rides, could such repairs ruin ride characteristics, and can they truly last?Maybe you could make that argument, but weve never had a customer tell us their bike rides any differently, says Granville, and we give a lifetime warranty on repairs except for areas we call interfaces, like a seat clamp, which can get crushed by the user. Last year we had a 0.04% return rate.Final phaseAfter the structural side of the repair comes the paint, which is all done in-house.The aim is to give you the bike back, and you say, Oh, wheres the repair? says Marek Homola, CBRs original employee and technical manager. But paint is becoming more challenging. What looks like a small, simple area can mean a whole repaint of a tube, so the final part is making a repair disappear. Paint is where the magic happens.Its a complex business of artistry and invention. Paint needs to be mixed and matched often by eye, and logos, for example, arent readily supplied by brands, so Homola and his painters will work off photographs of bikes, painstakingly rendering them as computer images so they can then be printed and applied. The result is an ever-growing archive, as evidenced by the Colnago crib-sheet Homola brings up on his screen, which contains everything from Colnago logos across the years to the highly intricate, airbrushed Master graphics.At the start I used to do every single bicycle, says Homola, who also, perhaps unsurprisingly, is a luthier, making guitars in his spare time. Now theyre too complicated for just one person. It would be too slow and we have too many to restore.Its certainly a good problem to have, and indeed one full of job satisfaction and not just because of the repairs.Its been a pleasure running CBR and meeting the customers, says Granville. My God, the stories behind the bikes we get turbo trainer heart attacks, being attacked by an illegal fox hunt on a gravel ride. One of my favourites was this guy who got up early one morning and hit the road. He got to a roundabout and there was one car on the road. And that one car, she was on the phone, didnt see him, so she hit him as he was going around the corner, launching him into the air. He had a backpack on and that caught him on the roof-rack how he survived, I mean. But the funny thing was, he was trapped on her roof, the bike was there, but he was gone. She was so freaked out that she called the emergency services and from the roof he can hear her saying, I dont know how to say this, but I think I just hit a ghost. Yeah, we fixed his bike.The post Black Magic: Inside Carbon Bike Repair appeared first on Cyclist.

CyclistChanging gears: The Bafang RG E510 gearhub makes e-biking even easierClunky, assisted gearhubs may well be a thing of the past thanks to leading e-bike manufacturer Bafang and its launch of an automatic five-speed gearbox that aims to do the thinking for you. The Bafang RG E510 system is designed to work with motors that deliver up to 120Nm torque to provide seamless transitions between gears, allowing you to forget about the details and just enjoy the ride.The new RG E510 is a five-speed electronic gearhub that combines both automatic and manual shifting with intelligent motor integration. Recently showcased at PRODAYS 2026 in France and ZEG BIKE SHOW in Germany, the RG E510 has been developed specifically for Bafangs latest mid-drive systems, including the M210 for urban riding, the M410 for trekking and the M430 for cargo applications.Anticipating the road aheadOne of the key performance elements of the RG E510 is its ability to respond to the terrain ahead before it arrives. The built-in 6-axis IMU (Inertial Measurement Unit) measures gradient changes in real time, allowing the system to understand changing road conditions before the rider needs to react.Before the rider even notices the increased load from an approaching climb, the motor proactively boosts assistance and the hub downshifts. The rider simply maintains a relaxed cadence to climb efficiently and reduce unnecessary strain. When coasting downhill, the system automatically shifts up according to speed, eliminating any ghost pedaling sensation and making re-acceleration smoother.In Auto mode, the system continuously selects the optimal gear based on gradient, cadence and speed, combining IMU gradient data with pedal force and cadence input from the motors sensors.Seamless gear shiftsModern gearing systems on bikes are complicated, all the more so when theres an electric motor involved, and so any system that works effectively without requiring much involvement from your side or for you to even notice it working, for that matter has obvious appeal. And thats just what you get with the RG E510: its an intelligent gearhub that automatically balances speed and torque to help you maintain a natural cadence.This is how it works: As the system detects an approaching gear shift, motor torque is reduced, the hub steps in to affect that gear shift and then assistance is restored. Like with an automatic car, riders may well not notice the change at all.You also dont need to worry about shifting down before a red traffic light. The system automatically selects a starting gear when stopped to ensure smooth acceleration when the lights turn green again.Helpfully smartAutomatic shifting is key to the design of the RG E510, but Bafang has also integrated some manual overrides for riders who want to maintain some level of control over gearing.If you move out of Auto mode, Manual mode does what it says on the tin. Riders can affect gear changes via handlebar-mounted controls, with shifts executed instantly and confirmed on the display screen.In that sense the RG E510 has all the bases covered: automatic when you want it to be, and manual when you dont.Economise to maximiseTo make the best use of the RG E510s battery life, the hub uses most power when its most needed. Thats means it delivers more assistance on big inclines or when riding into headwinds. The hub relaxes slightly when on the flat, preserving battery life for harder sections of riding.Riders dont need to determine these decisions the most efficient distribution of assistance is embedded in the RG E510s design.Firmed up firmwareThe RG E510 also benefits from ongoing updates. Bafang regularly updates its software with various patches and updates, meaning the RG E510 will continue to evolve, offering refinements to rider experience where necessary and adding entirely new functionality when it becomes available.A higher powerIntegrating the RG E510 gearhub with Bafangs mid-motors is a significant step forward in the brands ecosystem of electrified assistance.All the hardware is working together to deliver a peerlessly smooth rider experience, anticipating changes before they arrive and allowing time and space for riders to prioritise enjoyment and safety.If you want it to be, changing gear may well be a thing of the past.To find out more about the Bafang RG E510 gearhub, click here.The post Changing gears: The Bafang RG E510 gearhub makes e-biking even easier appeared first on Cyclist.

Pauline Ferrand-Prvot started the 2026 Tour de France Femmes as defending champion. However the dream of back-to-back titles was not met with reality when the Frenchwoman struggled to keep up with her rivals in key stages and ultimately abandoned ahead of stage 8 after Mont Ventoux did not bring th...