The Vuelta a Espaa 2026 enters its 81st edition with a favorite so clear that it forces the race to be viewed from another angle. Tadej Pogacar reaches the Monaco start as the leading candidate to pull on red in Granada and fill one of the few gaps that remain in his extraordinary palmars. After...

Founded by downhill racing legend Steve Peat, Peatys makes a wide range of products, including lubes, grease, cleaning products, tubeless tire necessities, and more. Just recently, the brand introduced its very first mountain bike saddle, known as the Monarch. With Throne Foam, a flex-tuned base, a pressure-relief channel, a short nose, and crowd-pleasing width, it sounds and looks like a comfortable perch.Peatys sets the Monarch apart from the competition with its serviceable design and removable saddle rails, so you can address any creaking and keep things quiet. Theyve also included a convenient hike-a-bike handle so you can more easily lift your MTB or eMTB when needed. It comes in two rail materials, five color options, and is priced competitively.Using the Monarchs hike-a-bike handle.Peatys Monarch DetailsThe new Monarch saddle looks a lot like some other saddles on the market, such as the SDG Bel-Air V3. It does not appear to be a direct copy or a rebranded version of another saddle, however, as there are some unique aspects of its design that differentiate it from the competition. One such feature is the hike-a-bike handle built into the tail of the nylon base, so you can get a better grip when hoisting your bike off the ground.The Monach has a crowd-pleasing, middle-of-the-road 145mm width with a slightly ramped tail for seated pedaling support. It measures 260mm long, features a 40mm-wide pressure-relief channel, and a compact, flat nose. It has a flex-tuned nylon base which works with the brands Throne Foam to provide supportive cushioning and impact absorption. Its all topped with a seamless PU cover with reinforced tail edges for durability.The Monarch comes with either 4130 CrMo chromoly steel rails or Ti-MX titanium alloy rails. The CrMo rails are black, cost a bit less ($100), and weigh a bit more at 262 grams. The Ti-MX rails are silver, cost a bit more ($130), and weigh a bit less at 240 grams. Either way, the Monach has a 45mm stack height and 7mm round rails with checkered clamp position markings.ServiceabilityIf youve ever experienced a creaky saddle, then you probably already know how annoying it is and how difficult it can be to make it stop. Removing the saddle rails from most saddles is nearly impossible, and getting them back in is even more difficult. Peatys doesnt think it needs to be that way, so they designed the Monarchs rail assembly to be removable, so you can access and service the parts of the saddle that make noise.Under the nose of the saddle, the nose cap can be removed with 2 mm and 3 mm Allen keys, and the rail assembly completely removed from the base. This makes it quick and easy to clean and regrease the contact points and mitigate creaking. Seems like a pretty simple solution to an issue that plagues many saddles, assuming it works as intended.Monarch Specs and FeaturesDimensionsWidth: 145mmLength: 260mmStack: 45mmRelief Channel: 40mmRail Options and Weights4130 CrMo: 262 gTi-MX: 240 gWorlds most serviceable saddle Throne Foam and flex-tuned base take the sting out of rough trailsSupportive design with pressure-relief channel for proper comfortSuspended rail system absorbs trail chatterFlat nose supports seated climbing without restricting movementReinforced shoulders help protect against crash damageHidden hike-a-bike handleSeamless cover with 24% post-consumer recycled PET5 colour options: Black, Slate, Blue, Red, MangoPeatys Monarch Saddle: Pricing and AvailabilityThe new Monarch Saddle is available now and retails for $100 with the 4130 CrMo rails, and $130 for the Ti-MX rails. Regardless of rail material, buyers can pick the nylon base color with Black, Slate, Blue, Red, and Mango as the options. Head to the Peatys website to learn more or buy the worlds most serviceable saddle.peatys.com

CCTV use to track down bike thieves at railway stations has also increased, despite the British Transport Police claiming earlier this year that reviewing footage meant officers had less time investigating crimes which cause the most harm

The Deutschland Tour returns from August 19th to 23rd with five race days in southwestern Germany. The UCI ProSeries stage race opens with a short prologue in Bad Orb before the peloton heads through Hesse, Baden-Wrttemberg, and Rhineland-Palatinate, with the overall decided in Heilbronn. As Germa...

Tadej Pogacar's Vuelta a Espaa return is upon us as the UAE Team Emirates rider returns to the race where he made his first major breakthrough - seven years on from his debut. Six Grand Tour victories and dozens of marquee victories later, the Slovenian is favourite to complete the Spanish Grand To...

Litespeed has been handcrafting titanium bike frames of all kinds for many years. Today, the Chattanooga, Tennessee-based brand is entering the trail category and introducing the all-new Pisgah hardtail. With a frame engineered for enhanced strength and designed for aggressive trail riding, Litespeed intends for the Pisgah to slay any notion of what a titanium hardtail trail bike is capable of.Litespeed Pisgah DetailsThe Pisgah is Litespeeds first hardtail made for aggressive trail riding.The original Pisgah hardtail was cross-country oriented and launched way back in 2000. Litespeed is located near the Pisgah National Forest, and tells us that, unlike its XC-oriented predecessor, the new version has a DNA inspired by Pisgahs demanding trails and terrain. Indeed, the area is renowned for its challenging, rocky, and rooty trails.Frame DesignHardtail mountain bikes made for aggressive trail riding need to be super tough, and Litespeed says that its advanced titanium tube shaping and a unique rear-end design built around a Tubular Yoke increase strength and stiffness where it matters most. With the Pisgah, the brand is introducing Superform X, a stronger titanium tubeset. They say it provides the highest levels of strength while also hitting desired flex and stiffness characteristics with variable wall thicknesses and custom-formed, cold-worked 3D shapes.Litespeed claims its engineers have also reimagined the traditional hardtail rear end for both strength and performance. The seat tube passes through the ovalized Superform top tube, which they say allowed them to reduce wall thickness by 30% while also increasing the strength of the joint. Allegedly, this design is resistant to the forces of vertical and lateral loads, even before welding.The Tubular Titanium Yoke and seat tube/top tube junction on the Pisgah frame.At the back of the bike, Litespeed says, the visual star of the show is a new Tubular Titanium Yoke, which significantly widens the seatstay stance. Without any bends, they claim increased lateral stiffness while maintaining the compliant ride feel that titanium is known for. Additionally, the seatstays tapered ends lock into position in the yoke before welding for maximum strength to stand up to the aggressive riding this bike is designed for.The frame has clearance for tires up to 29 x 2.6.GeometryThe Pisgah is designed to be used with a 150mm fork, rolls on 29 wheels front and rear, and has a geometry that reflects its intended use. Overall, the Pisgahs geometry certainly qualifies as aggressive for a hardtail, and thats the point. This is apparent in the head tube angle, which increases from 64 on the XS frame to 64.5 on the S, M, and L, and 65 on the XL. Stack heights are also fairly tall, and reach measurements are right in the wheelhouse of modern standards with 475mm on a size Large. Chainstay length is 445mm on all sizes, and the sliding dropout upgrade gives riders some room to fine-tune if desired.UDH Sliding DropoutsThe Pisgah comes with a UDH interface and is designed to work with any drivetrain setup. Riders can also upgrade to Litespeeds sliding titanium dropouts to fine-tune chainstay length or run a singlespeed setup.Sliding dropouts let you fine-tune chainstay length or run a singlespeed setup.Litespeed Pisgah: Builds, Pricing, AvailabilityLike Litespeeds other frames, the Pisgah is handcrafted in Chattanooga, Tennessee, not far from the Pisgah National Forest. Litespeed says it will be available in a singlespeed configuration with the sliding dropout. The base build starts at $6,999 and comes with Shimano XT Di2, a Fox 36 Factory Grip X fork, and Industry Nine 1/1 Sector V2 Alloy wheels.The Pisgah can also be configured in numerous ways through the brands website. Buyers can choose between Satin Ti and Bright Brushed Ti finishes, as well as numerous logo colors for an additional fee. Upgrade options include drivetrain, wheels, fork, tires, dropper, saddle, stem, handlebar, and grips.The new Pisgah is available to order now. Head to the Litespeed website to learn more or configure yours today.litespeed.com