When the news that Raleigh was facing insolvency broke it was of no great surprise to me, though its downfall hits hard and way beyond the business of simply selling bikes for many of us, and to me in particular

The ADAC Cyclassics Hamburg returns on Sunday, 16 August 2026, with another strong field set to tackle one of the most distinctive one-day races on the UCI WorldTour calendar. Starting in Buxtehude and finishing in the centre of Hamburg, the 205.7-kilometre race brings together some of the fastest s...

Our Reader's Rig of the week comes from Tom in Japan, who shares a detailed look at the custom Liminal Machine Works he'll be racing at this year's Silk Road Mountain Race. Meet Tom and read the meaningful story behind his flowery titanium drop-bar bike here...The post Readers Rig: Toms Custom Liminal Machine Works appeared first on BIKEPACKING.com.

This year's Tour de France was the hottest on record, with temperatures close to 40C for many hours of several stages. At the roadside, fans placed newspapers on their heads as ad hoc shelter, while cold drink were more elusive, and more craved, than a Tadej Pogaar autograph. Even so, the 184 riders who started the race in temperatures of 34C in Barcelona seemed largely unaffected. And thats not just thanks to the ice socks and slush puppies that they were fed on a daily basis it was thanks to their preparation. Heat training has become an indispensable part of a riders schedule, particularly in the last five years. Now, alongside 25-hour training weeks and leg-sapping efforts to get into Tour de France shape, riders complete hour-long indoor training sessions dressed in winter gear, with the aim of getting as hot and bothered as possible. Meanwhile, trips to the gym now include an obligatory 30-minute stay in the sauna. These sessions are designed to help riders adapt to racing in the heat, particularly sweltering Grand Tours yet not just to survive but to actually perform better. Studies over the past 15 years have consistently shown that both active and passive heat training have a positive effect on a riders performance. When you do heat training, you increase blood plasma volume essentially, you dilute the blood, explains Tim Podlogar, a lecturer in exercise physiology at the University of Exeter and a staff member of the Tudor Pro Cycling team. This reduces the haematocrit the percentage of blood volume made up of red blood cells which serves as a trigger for the body to produce more of them. Research has shown that over a few weeks it can increase red blood cells in the same way as EPO or spending time at altitude. Crucially, these physiological effects are not reserved exclusively for WorldTour professionals. Amateur riders looking to conquer a summer sportive or improve their local time trial times can reap the exact same blood-boosting benefits from a few targeted, sweaty turbo sessions. If that feels like a step too far, then pity the pros. Training indoors in a boiler suit without a fan might seem like a grim prospect, but its a sacrifice that riders have to make nowadays if they want to be competitive in the worlds biggest race. Like with any training, youre getting better no matter what, but if you dont do heat training then you do definitely notice it, says Australian climber Chris Harper, who is riding at the Tour for Pinarello Q36.5. If you havent spent the time doing it then when you get into a race you feel underprepared. The benefits are the same as going to altitude but you can do it from home. Pros like Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe's Aleksander Vlasov seen here dousing himself with water at the 2025 Tour de France appreciate the value of heat training (Image credit: Getty Images)The history of heat trainingClimate change might be giving us more extreme temperatures and the hot weather affecting Europe this summer has already broken several records but training and racing in hot weather isnt new. France in July is hot and thats when the race has been held since its first edition in 1903. What is relatively new is the Tours participants realising that they stand to gain from specifically training in the heat. Maybe theyve been a little slow on the uptake, as Podlogar explains that the science isnt novel: The history of heat acclimatisation improving exercising performance in the heat dates back to the early 19th century, when people were sent to work in hot climates. After a few days of exposure to hot environments they became better accustomed to work in the heat. This was especially true in the American Civil War of the 1860s, where heat casualties were mostly limited to new recruits, with veterans faring much better under the summer strain. Yet for cyclists, training for warmer climes didnt become popular until the mid-2010s, and it took a few more years for it to become ubiquitous. A study in 2010 showed that heat acclimatisation improved exercise performance in both cool and hot conditions, and teams began using it, Podlogar says. That study, by Santiago Lorenzo of the University of Oregon, USA, showed a performance improvement of 5% in cooler environments after just 10 days of heat acclimatisation. Ahead of the Tour de France, and before other races in warmer climes, coaches now incorporate heat training into a riders schedule at least twice a week. Scientific evidence is clear that to include heat acclimatisation, an athlete needs a minimum of five to nine sessions to get the benefits, Podlogar says. Men need at least five days of exposure, and women nine days. Heat training also forms part of a riders schedule in the latter part of an altitude camp. I normally do it in December before going to the Tour Down Under, as you have the double benefit of coming from a cold European winter into a warmer climate, and I find that its a really great tool to get in shape in the winter, says Jayco-AlUlas Swiss rider Mauro Schmid. I also try to do it a little bit in the summer as I can really achieve some great results with heat training. How to heat train safely The methods of heat training are not complicated. The most common involves dressing up in winter gear or a one-piece impermeable suit such as painters overalls and pedalling on the turbo or rollers for around an hour at Zone 2. The key is not to stress the body further with high-intensity effort. The principal aim is to gradually raise the core body temperature to between 38.5C and 39.5C. Any hotter and the effects are counterproductive. You dont just want to make the surroundings hot, but also humid, so that you cant easily lose the heat, says Puck Alkemade, the lead physiology researcher of Core, whose real-time core body temperature sensor is used by the majority of Tour de France teams. If youre exercising in a full-body suit, you are creating a micro-climate around you, from which the heat and sweat you produce cannot escape. This warms you up quicker, makes your body work even harder to keep sweating, and this causes the adaptation. Schmid admits that it can be quite hard mentally on the rollers when its nice outside but he trains regularly indoors all in the name of heat adaptation. Over the years, the 26-year-old has learned the best methods. I think a lot of people go a bit too hard it shouldnt be super uncomfortable and you need to be careful that your heart rate doesnt go too high, he says. Im a believer in not overdoing it and Id rather do a few more sessions without really pushing myself to the absolute limit, rather than doing fewer sessions but destroying myself. If you dont fancy getting exceptionally sweaty on the turbo, an alternative is the passive approach: sitting in a hot bath or a sauna for 30-40 minutes. Again, the goal is targeting an elevated core temperature, being careful not to exceed 40C. In the bath, you wont notice it, but youll be sweating buckets. Up to two litres of sweat loss over an hour is not uncommon. As you become heat-adapted, you start to sweat earlier and produce more sweat, meaning your core temperature doesnt rise as quickly during exercise than it otherwise would, Podlogar explains. Most riders opt for a hybrid approach, getting hot on the turbo, then having a hot bath. But which works best? The science is not completely sure on this yet, Podlogar says. What seems fundamental is that you need to have a high core body temperature coupled with a high skin temperature, which together increase the sweat rate and acclimatise you to the heat. Is simply riding outside in warm weather not good enough? No because no matter how hot it is, theres still so much airflow around you, cooling you down, Podlogar says. Indoors, you can really control the environment. (Image credit: Future)The role of the Core sensor Core claims that two-thirds of the Tour peloton are wearing their Core sensor, either through official team partnerships or private agreements. Before the sensor, the only other way to measure the bodys core temperature was via a rectal thermometer and thats not viable while riding a bike. Cores non-invasive sensor sits on a chest band that pairs with a heart rate sensor. It estimates the bodys real-time core temperature from a calculation that takes into account skin temperature and heart rate. The company claims medical-grade accuracy, whereas a comprehensive scientific review of the sensor in 2021 reported that, compared to a rectal thermometer, the Core sensor is acceptably reliable albeit often underestimating core temperature by up to 0.3C. More recent studies have supported these findings. The Core sensor remains the thermometer of choice for the pro peloton and theres one key reason. Sometimes how you feel doesnt match with how hot you actually are, says Alkemade. The Core sensor is objective, and it tells you whether youre overheating or not. This gives you a better understanding of how to hydrate and fuel, which is especially important for pro riders. In other words, the sensor helps them to optimise their adaptations from heat training. You cannot always trust technology to the maximum, but the Core sensor is a good tool and I use it to watch my core temperature and to figure out where my limit is, Schmid says. When my temperature gets really high I stop earlier. Its especially useful in racing as if you see you have a super-high temperature you need to be careful about pulling and not overdoing it. With a high core temperature its not a good idea to attack with 40km to go, for example, so its a good reminder to save the legs a little bit because sometimes you cannot feel that youre overheating. Making heat training individualisedAs Podlogar highlights, sciences understanding of how to maximise the benefits of heat training is incomplete. A decade from now, Tour riders will no doubt be using more advanced, precise methods. Heat training, though near-universally adopted, is still in its relative infancy. In literature we say that we should aim for a core temperature of 38.5C during heat training, but we dont actually know if this is the optimal temperature for everyone, Alkemade admits. The future points towards a more individualised approach. A rider might respond in a totally different way from one heat training session to another due to fatigue, a lack of sleep or for many other reasons, Alkemade says. Its therefore hard to predict their response, and thats where individual monitoring becomes more important. Podlogar, who co-authored that 2021 review into the Core sensors accuracy, is more interested in really understanding whats driving these adaptations is it the skin or the core temperature? And how can we optimise the load of heat adaptation? Hes also curious to find out which method, passive or active, is more beneficial, and how best to heat-train while at altitude. Theres still lots were unsure of but its very clear that heat training does help, he says. What we do know is that you cant win races in the summer without first doing some proper heat training. HEAT TRAINING IN NUMBERS38.5-39.5C The optimal core body temperature riders aim to reach while heat training. 5% The potential boost in cycling performance after just 10 days of heat acclimatisation. 5-9 The minimum number of heat exposure sessions required to trigger meaningful adaptations. 2L The amount of sweat a rider can lose during a single, hour-long heat training session. >40C The danger zone that core temperature must not stray into. TRY AT HOME WITH CAUTIONBe warned, heat training places extreme stress on the body and carries a risk of heat exhaustion or heatstroke. Pro riders perform these sessions under expert supervision using real-time core temperature monitors. Attempting this at home without accurate temperature tracking or medical clearance can be dangerous. Approach heat training with caution: ensure you are pre-hydrated with electrolytes, and stop immediately if you feel dizzy, nauseous, or faint. Never attempt to push through the warning signs of overheating.This feature was originally published in the 9 July 2026 print edition of Cycling Weekly magazine available to buy on the newsstand every Thursday (UK only). Digital versions are available on Apple News and Readly. Subscriptions through Magazines Direct.

The Vuelta a Espaa is almost here, and fantasy cycling fans have another challenge waiting for them. Alongside the main Fantasy Vuelta a Espaa game, Zweeler has launched a Budget Game with $8,675 / 7,500 / 6,410 in guaranteed prizes, including $1,735 / 1,500 / 1,280 for the overall winner. Thi...

Part two of our massive Rigs of the 2026 Silk Road Mountain Race roundup features another 50 loaded bikes taking on the 2,052-kilometer bikepacking race across Kyrgyzstan. Find photos, bag and gear highlights, and more details on all of them hereThe post Rigs of the 2026 Silk Road Mountain Race (Part Two) appeared first on BIKEPACKING.com.

UAE Team Emirates XRG have been reduced to just four riders at the 2026 Volta a Portugal after Julius Johansen, Luca Giaimi and Marcos Freire were eliminated on the time limit following Thursday's Stage 7, with Johansen claiming neither the riders nor the team's sports directors had been informed...

Well, its that time of year again:I am officially signing off, starting at the very end of this post until the very start of the next one, which will appear at some point during August 31st, 2026.But before I leave, Ive got some complaining to do:Like all my complaints, this too is a well-worn furrow, and its me complaining about people complaining about how much it costs to ride motorized Citi Bikes. First the argument was that Citi Bike motorbikes are so expensive its forcing people to ride recklessly, which wascute. Now advocates want to cap the cost of a 45-minute Citi Bike ride at $3, which would require a city subsidy:Theyre getting plenty of local media attention, too:See, the problem is that a 45-minute ride on a Citi Bike with a motor in it is too expensive for the working class:Working class people I dont know that they can do that. Thats a luxury, Alex said.Another rider echoed those concerns.Pretty expensive. Its not cheap enough that I can pay a regular commuting toll, the rider said.According to transit advocates, a 45-minute ride on an electric Citi Bike costs four times more than a subway or bus ride and nearly three times more than a ferry trip.Oddly this was the same argument people used against congestion pricing for drivers:Look, obviously I dont associate directly with working-class people. Their coarse manners and calloused hands make me extremely uneasy. For this reason I have no idea how they actually get around, but I really do wish someone would decide once and for all whether the working class are a bunch of motorists or a bunch of cyclists, because I dont think they should get to have it both ways.I suppose the problem here is that in real life the people speaking for them avoid them just as assiduously as I pretend I do.So how much is a motorized Citi Bike ride, anyway?Well, if you guessed $12.15, youd be right:Transportation Alternatives said the cost of that ride in New York has increased from $4.50 in 2020 to $12.15 in 2026, making it the most expensive bike-share program for riders in the country. The advocacy group said the same ride costs $4.50 in Boston, $2.30 in Paris, $1.35 in London and $1.05 in Tokyo.As a result, cyclists and advocates are backing a bill that would set the cost of every ride at $3.Is that so expensive though? Yes, maybe its expensive compared to those other places, but Citi Bike is larger than any of those other systems, and thus more expensive to maintain. Someones got to pay for all those abandoned Citi Bikes Im always finding dumped in Yonkers, right?[I dont think people who live in the Manhattan/Brooklyn/Queens gentrification nexus fully appreciate how many Citi Bikes wind up this way.]Also, none of those cities has 24-hour subway service like we do, meaning the Platonic ideal of the working class commuter is ultimately better served here transit-wise. Also also, using a Citi Bike to close a gap in subway or bus service is one thing (were always reminded of the TRANSIT DESERTS and the FOOD DESERTS and HOW COME THERE SO MANY DESERTS IN THE CITY), but 45 minutes? On a bicycle with a motor? Thats nearly enough time to watch the Mets lose at Citi Field then ride all the way to JFK Airport to wait for your severely delayed flight. A luxury? Perhaps. But so is a 45-minute taxi ride, or a Lyft/Uber (Luber?)* ride, or a Circle Line tour around Manhattan island. So that motorbike cruise is actually a pretty decent deal.But far more relevant than any of the aboveWHAT ABOUT THE REGULAR BIKES?!?Those are dirt cheap:Oh, and if youre a member, a 45-minute ride on a regular bike iswait for itFREE!The first 45 minutes of each ride on a classic Citi Bike are included in the annual membership price.Of course you still have to pay for the membership, which costs $239 per year. So just under $20 a month. So Netflix money.Yes, even thats a lot of money for plenty of people, as my make-believe working class friends always remind me when theyre begging for my Netflix password to watch working class shows like Chefs Table, which is why Citi Bike also offers this:And finally, Ive long exhorted people to JBARA, but in this case I would suggest that anybody who feels motorized Citi Bikes are too expensive should JBAPAEBA:**[Just Buy A Pedal-Assist E-Bike Alreadylike this one, chosen totally at random.]Im not talking about one of those mutant freak electric motorcycles, Im talking about a pedal-assist e-bike from a reputable company. It pays itself off in 179 electric Citi Bike trips, which if youre doing the kind of e-bike mileage that makes Citi Bikes pricing truly burdensome will happen in well under a year. Seems like a decent deal to me.And yes, youve got to then deal with bike parking and all that stuff, but then advocates can redirect the $3 Citi Bike lobbying to better bike parking lobbying Im certainly not saying that we shouldnt have electric Citi Bikes. All Im saying is that people have options.Okay, all that complaining should make it abundantly clear that I need a vacation, and it should also make you realize you need a vacation from me. So I will accommodate all of us very, very shortly. But before I do, I will muster the remaining positivity from my depleted reserves to thank you very, very much for reading this blog, and for supporting it so generously. Id say your readership means more to me than you know, but I shouldnt have to, since you should know it, because here I am telling you it means a huge amount and I am extremely grateful. How thankful? This grateful:[Extends arms as far apart as they can possibly go.]Ill see you back here on Monday August 31st so we can give summer one final heave-ho, and until then,I remain,With love and fondness if the love part makes you uncomfortable,Jrs Trli,Tanner T. Tenovo, avid malcontent and gentleman bicycle blogger

Velo De Villes breakthrough HUB-e the brands first personalised e-bike to use Boschs new HUB-Drive motor is now open for registrations of interest. Here's everything you need to know...

The Vuelta a Colombia has been ended after a devastating earthquake struck the country, leading to all stakeholders making the decision to end the 76th edition of the race prematurely. A 7.4 magnitude quake struck the country on Monday and 273 people have been killed while hundreds are still missin...