A secondary school child should be easily able to cycle the three to five kilometres every morning and every evening. Theres no reason why they shouldnt, other than the fact that their parents have serious safety concerns around that actual route to school

The2026 Vuelta a Espaawill be the third and final Grand Tour of the men's calendar and will take place from the 22nd of August to the 13th of September. Starting in Monaco, the World Tour peloton will travel through the eastern and southern half of Spain for a mountain-packed edition. We take a l...

Born in 1992, Bike Friday is a second-generation family-owned business that makes unique, well-made foldable bikes. Theyre based in Eugene, Oregon, where they hand-build the bike to your exact specifications.(Photos / Ron Frazelle)At the MADE Show this year, Bike Friday launched its first-ever gravel-specific bike. We got to see it up close and personal, and its a real looker! Plus, it was all dressed up in a new Bike Friday proprietary color as well. Its called Peridot Green, and I love it.The new Pocket Rocket Further is based on the wildly popular Pocket Rocket; the new Pocket Rocket Further Gravel bike is Bike Fridays first folding bike designed from the ground up for gravel.It looks ready for any terrain. It has bigger tire clearance (up to 1.6 tires), supports thru-axles, replaceable drop-outs, hydraulic disc brakes, and sports a UDH rear derailleur hanger. Its hand-built, custom-fit, and it still folds up into an airline-checkable suitcase.Drop bars are hard to pack, so the new Pocket Rocket Further comes with split road drop bars. This makes the drop bars easy to separate and pack up. But it remains strong and stiff when installed. One-piece titanium seat mastPocket Rocket Further Retail & DetailRetail: $3,200 (base model), $1,400 (frame kit) As seen at the show: $6,151 with the below specsSRAM Rival 113 Electronic shifting and hydraulic brakes, White Industry componentsOne-piece titanium seat mast. Does not fold, but is easily removable for packing down. New Frame FeaturesWidened fork and frame: Adds clearance for up to 1.6-inch tires, including the highly requested 1 38, our widest ever on a road bike.Hydraulic disc brakes: braze-ons and mounts that take Hydraulic cables for several brandsFlat-mount calipers: the universal drop-bar standard; every major brake maker fits.Thru-axles: 12100 front, 12142 rear, stiffer, more precise, no rotor rub.Modular rear dropouts: Swappable and adaptable as standards evolve.Universal Derailleur Hanger (UDH) with SRAM Full Mount provision: hangers available in any bike shop; ready for direct-mount drivetrains.Pre-orders opened on August 20th for a December 2026 delivery. For more details, or to order your own custom-built Bike Friday, hit the link below!BikeFriday.com

When Specialized launched the S-Works Tarmac SL9 ahead of the Tour de France, it proclaimed it the fastest road bike ever made. While Remco Evenepoel couldnt prevent Tadej Pogaar from securing his fifth win at the race, his second-place showing, achieved largely aboard the SL9, did no harm to the US brands bold claims. And now its time for the Tarmac SL9 S-Level, a more affordable version of the WorldTour-proven machine with an equally persuasive moniker: "the second fastest bike ever made".(Image credit: Specialized )Unsurprisingly, then, the S-Level SL9 shares much in common with the more expensive S-Works model. Essentially, the bikes DNA is a match. That means the S-Level is shaped by the same aerodynamic blueprint that informed much of the S-Works version's development. (Image credit: Specialized)Heres a quick 101 in case you missed the details at launch. In creating its Time to Finish metric, the Specialized engineers used the kind of computational race simulation data (inputs include aerodynamics, weight, rolling resistance, surface roughness, environmental conditions, and rider power) that pro teams typically rely on to fine-tune bike set-ups and race tactics to help them design a faster bike. Using a moving-legs mannequin in the wind tunnel, they were able to better understand how a cyclist in motion impacts airflow across the bike. From here, they redesigned tube shapes accordingly.(Image credit: Specialized)Like the S-Works Tarmac SL9, the S-Level version features the redesigned Speed Sniffer headtube, seatpost and WinFin, the reconfigured seat tube and rear triangle junction. A quick recap on these design details. The headtube is now slimmer than its predecessor the SL8, made possible by a combination of rerouting the rear brake hose and an offset steerer tube. The result is a refined hourglass shape that reduces the bikes frontal area by 10%. (Image credit: Specialized)Similarly, the new seatpost is more streamlined, with a thinner, deeper design to improve airflow from the riders legs into the space between the legs and the frame before it hits the seatpost.(Image credit: Specialized)As for the WinFin, its a product of Specializeds analysis of racing behaviour. In this case, breakaway riders ditching a water bottle. By losing the second bottle, airflow around the seat tube and rear triangle changes, so Specialized reengineered the rear of the bike around this realrace configuration. It says the change saves 0.5 watts compared to the SL8. A marginal gain for sure, but if true, a gain nonetheless. (Image credit: Specialized)So if the similarities are plentiful, what are the differences? In short, material, weight, and price. The most impactful of those is likely price. To bring worldtourlevel performance to more riders than ever, Specialized needed to reduce the cost. While an S-Works SL9 with SRAM Red AXS or Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 will set you back 11,999 or $14,000/ $13,500 in the US, an S-Level with the same groupsets retails at 8,799/ $10,500. Its a significant chunk of change, achieved in no small part by the first two measurables mentioned above: material and weight.While the S-Works model uses Speshs top-of-the-line Fact 12r carbon across the frameset, the S-Level adopts Fact 10r for the frame and 12r for the forks. Its a recipe that comes with a weight penalty, but not as great as you might imagine given the price differential. The claimed frame weight of the S-Works SL9 is 687 grams. The S-Level version tips the scales at 882g. With less than 200 grams between them, complete builds for the cheaper bike are still suitably svelte, with options as light as 7.13kg. (Image credit: Specialized)Lower price. Competitive weight. It makes the Tarmac SL9 S-Level a compelling new entry in the second-tier race bike category. It also raises the question of why anyone who pays for their kit might choose the S-Works over the S-Level? For amateur racers, a few hundred grams is negligible and can be made up with a bit of componentry switcheroo, especially when you have 3,200 more cash in your pocket; the S-Level complete builds come equipped with Roval CL III and a Power Pro Mirror saddle, while the S-Works uses CLX III wheels and the S-Works version of the saddle. Both share the same integrated Roval Rapide carbon cockpit.(Image credit: Specialized )Yes, the S-Works marque carries a certain cachet, and for the finely tuned athlete, there might also be a discernible difference in performance between the two models. But for many cyclists this wont be the case, and the design attributes that are likely to positively impact your performance are those shared by the S-Works and S-Level.If your purse strings are tighter still, the Expert and Comp versions of the Tarmac SL9 are available, starting at 3,999/ $4,500, and rising to 5,999/ $7,000 for an Expert model (built using Fact 10r carbon) with SRAM Force AXS, Roval C38 wheels and a two-piece Specialized cockpit.S-Level specsFrame: Fact 10r carbonForks: Fact 12r carbonWheels: Roval Rapide CL IIISaddle: Specialized Power Pro w/Mirror SaddleBars/stem: Roval Rapide CockpitGroupset: SRAM Red AXS or Shimano Dura-Ace Di2Price: 8,799/ $10,500/ $10,000

Specialized has introduced a new S-Level tier that pairs flagship SRAM and Shimano groupsets with a more affordable frame, while expanding the Tarmac SL9 range with Expert and Comp models that bring prices down to 3,999

Jarno Widar finished the first major mountain stage of his first Grand Tour ahead of Primoz Roglic, Enric Mas, Richard Carapaz, Sepp Kuss, Felix Gall and every other rider in the 2026 Vuelta a Espana bar Tadej Pogacar. The 20-year-old took second place in Andorra la Vella after an assured ride throu...

You know your friend who cant stop flicking corners, throwing roost, or doing questionable side hits? The one who is always complaining about the durability of their wheels after slapping every berm and landing slightly crooked ~20 times a ride. Well, apparently the folks at Boyd know that rider too, so they created their new Bracken Trail wheels. The Bracken Trail combines the brands Sixtus gravity hubs with a new high-impact rim and spoke set.Lets be honest, everyone has a different definition of trail riding. The Bracken Trail was created for our friends who are on the more playful side of Trail. These wheels remain very flick-able, but can take the beating of rowdier riders.-Boyd Johnson, Chief Innovation Officer and Founder at Boyd Cycling.Boyd Bracken Trail DetailsThe Bracken Trail is built around the Sixtus gravity hubs with a new, high-impact alloy rim.The new Bracken Trail wheels are built around the brands recently launched Sixtus gravity hubs. The Sixtus hubs were built for chaos with a durable construction and design to handle the rigors of modern enduro and downhill riding. With a 102-tooth driver ring and six phased pawls that engage separately, the Sixtus has nearly instant 0.5-degree engagement. The Sixtus hubs are available in Boost spacing only with a 6-bolt brake rotor interface and interchangeable end caps to switch between 15mm and 20mm front axles.Boyd says the Bracken Trail rim features an all-new heat-treated 6061 alloy extrusion with a reverse hook at the leading edge to deliver high impact resistance for those less-than-elegant landings. Those tough rims are attached to Boyds fast-rolling Sixtus hubs with a new spoke set. According to Boyd, the new spokes feature a reinforced elbow that boosts tensile strength by 30%, enabling further questionable behavior.With gravity hubs, tough rims, and reinforced spokes, the Bracken Trail wheels weigh in at 2,060 gram/pair. The brand didnt provide us with all of the specifics, but we assume they will probably be available in 29 and mixed wheel size configurations with SRAM or Shimano freehub bodies.Pricing and AvailabilityThe Bracken Trail wheels retail for $800 / 820 / 700 per pair and are available now. Head to the Boyd Cycling website to see full specs and learn more.boydcycling.com

Specialized has finally expanded its Tarmac SL9 range with three cheaper models, including a new Tarmac SL9 S-Level, as well as Expert and Comp models.In June, Specialized released its flagship S-Works Tarmac SL9, which it called the fastest road bike ever made, but left a gap in its range for those after a latest-generation race bike at a more affordable price.The new SL9s fill this gap and all use a cost-saving Fact 10r carbon frame in place of the Fact 12r frame found on the top S-Works models.The S-Level Tarmac SL9 replaces the previous Pro level bikes and costs 8,799 a 3,200 saving over the flagship bike while retaining a near pro-spec build.Beneath this, the Tarmac SL9 Expert costs 5,999 and Tarmac SL9 Comp at 3,999. Weve included prices for the United States, Europe and Australia at the bottom of this story. Read more: Specialized S-Works Tarmac SL9 AXS first-ride review: why "the fastest road bike ever made" left me underwhelmedThe closest experience to S-Works S-Level replaces the Pro nomenclature in Specialized's Tarmac SL9 range. Specialized S-Level was first introduced by Specialized for the Crux 5 gravel bike in May, and it essentially replaces Pro spec bikes. Specialized describes it as delivering the closest experience to S-Works without the flagship model's Fact 12r carbon frame.The S-Level, Expert and Pro bikes feature Fact 10r carbon frames, which are said to deliver the same stiffness and compliance levels as the Fact 12r S-Works frames, just at a heavier weight.The SL9 10r frame is said to weigh 822g, compared to 687g for the 12r frame, in a size 56cm. The bike gets similar dressings to the S-Works Tarmac SL9, but some components are from a 'lower' level. Specialized The one-piece Rapide cockpit remains, though. Specialized The tube shapes, and therefore aerodynamics, of the new SL9 models are identical to the S-Works SL9.That includes the aerodynamic revisions introduced with the S-Works Tarmac SL9, such as the narrower head tube and offset steerer, revised fork and down tube, 'Win Fin' behind the seat tube and new aero seatpost.These improvements were developed around Specializeds 'Time to Finish' metric, for which it says it has balanced aerodynamics, weight and ride quality to meet the finish line in the shortest time possible.The flagship S-Works Tarmac SL9 is claimed to be 4 watts faster than the outgoing Tarmac SL8 at 45kph, while Specialized's own models put it ahead of rivals including the Colnago Y1Rs, Cervlo S5 and Factor One.The Tarmac SL9 lineup now neatly mirrors the Crux with S-Works, S-Level, Expert and Comp tiers. So youll get short odds from us on the same being repeated for future generations of Specialized's other bikes, such as the Roubaix.S-Works performance for less? S-Level bikes feature pro-level drivetrains SRAM Red AXS (pictured), or Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 R9200. Specialized The S-Level bikes feature SRAM Red AXS or Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 groupsets with dual-sided power meters, Fact 12r carbon forks, Roval Rapide cockpits, and S-Works Turbo Cotton TLR tyres, which is the same spec as the S-Works bikes.However, second-tier Roval Rapide CL III wheels, Specialized Power Pro with Mirror saddle, and a standard SRAM DUB bottom bracket and steel headset bearings round out the build.As with most bike component mixes weve seen over the years, downgrades of this type are unlikely to make much tangible difference to the overall ride experience. That said, were looking forward to testing an S-Level bike to find out for sure.Despite these differences, Specialized says complete S-Level builds weigh 7.1kg, while the S-Works SL9 starts at a claimed 6.5kg.2027 Specialized Tarmac SL9 full range and prices The lower Expert (pictured) and Comp-spec bikes make more concessions to value. Specialized The new models give the Tarmac SL9 a much broader price range than when Specialized offered only the two 11,999 S-Works builds.Alongside S-Level, the Expert and Comp models are available from 5,999 / $6,600 / 6,999 and 3,999 / $4,500 / 4,499. The two-piece alloy bar-stem arrangement is one such compromise. Specialized These feature SRAM Force AXS or Shimano Ultegra Di2 R8100 groupsets, and SRAM Rival AXS or Shimano 105 Di2 R7100 groupsets respectively. Neither come with power meters.The Tarmac Expert features a two-piece alloy cockpit with Rovals entry-level C38 carbon wheels fitted with S-Works Turbo tyres, while the Comps entry level spec features alloy DT Swiss R470 wheels and the same cockpit and tyres. Model US Europe UK Australia S-Works Tarmac SL9 AXS $14,000 13,999 11,999 $21,500 S-Works Tarmac SL9 Di2 $13,500 13,999 11,999 $20,500 Tarmac SL9 S-Level AXS $10,500 10,499 8,799 $15,500 Tarmac SL9 S-Level Di2 $10,000 10,499 8,799 $14,500 Tarmac SL9 Expert AXS $7,000 6,999 5,999 $10,200 Tarmac SL9 Expert Di2 $6,600 6,999 5,999 $9,500 Tarmac SL9 Comp AXS $4,500 4,499 3,999 $7,200 Tarmac SL9 Comp Di2 $4,500 4,499 3,999 $7,200 S-Works Team Replica Framesets $6,000 5,999 5,499 $9,500 S-Works Tarmac SL9 Frameset $5,800 5,799 5,249 $9,500 Edit Table

French manufacturer Lapierre Cycles has found hope for the future following a court hearing in Dijon that opened the company's receivership.It comes after Accell Group, which owns the company as well as Raleigh, was declared bankrupt earlier this month.Lapierre's directeur general William Perrier wrote about the court hearing in a post on LinkedIn on Tuesday afternoon, saying: "It doesn't mean everything is settled, nor that Lapierre is saved. It means that we have obtained the right and the time to fight."The 20 days since insolvency proceedings began against Accell had been used as "preparation", managing customers, cash flow and suppliers, wrote Perrier.Now, he said, a new phase would start that involved, among other things, securing a new investor."A new stage begins: to make the company run properly and to bring in a long-term industrial or financial investor," he wrote. "These two projects will move forward together."I want to salute the women and men of Lapierre once again," he continued. "Every order processed, every delivery kept, every customer and supplier reassured builds our credibility with investors. They are the ones who make the value of this company. We've got an opportunity. It's up to us to transform it into a future."Lapierre has been a standard fixture in the men's pro peloton for more than 20 years, with French stars Thibaut Pinot and Arnaud Dmare winning major races aboard its bikes. Both men's and women's Picnic PostNL teams currently ride the machines, although to limited success so far this year.Accell Group's Dutch arm was declared bankrupt two weeks ago. Other cycling-related brands in its portfolio include Batavus, Sparta, Koga, Haibike, Winora, Ghost, Babboe and XLC as well as the iconic Raleigh, a brand that is freighted with nostalgia for British bike riders of a certain age.Accell Group said at the time that every "realistic option for the future of the business has been tirelessly explored", but in the end there had been no "viable solution" for it to be able to continue operating "in its current form".A potential life line seemed to have been thrown out from an Irish-based investment firm, Quanta Capital, which has expressed interest in buying the entire group. As a sponsor of the Junior Tour of Ireland, Quanta has links to bike racing. In a statement acquired by Irish site Sticky Bottle, Quanta's chief executive Mel Sutcliffe said: Our main objective will be to put the group onto a more stable footing as it has endured quite a tumultuous period of trading.We have made contact with Accell and its administrators to formalise our interest in purchasing the group.If that purchase does come off, it could secure a future not only for Lapierre and Raleigh, but for all their fellow stablemates.

Crashes, illness and injuries can quickly reduce the Vuelta a Espana peloton, with some riders abandoning during a stage and others only ruled out after further assessment once the racing has finished. This live 2026 Vuelta a Espaa Medical Reports and Withdrawals hub will be updated throughout the...