Way back in 2014 I rode in LEroicathe one in Italy, no less:I rode it as a guest of Brooks, makers of fine dead cow bicycle saddles, and apart from the aforelinked post everything I wrote about it was for their blog, which no longer exists.They say the Internet is forever, but as someone whos been writing on the Internet for a long time now, I can assure you that a lot of what you put on there completely and irretrievably vanishes. (Though if you get fired from your corporate job for your next social media screed dont blame me.)Anyway, LEroica was easily one of the highlights of my blogular career. Not only was the ride itself fantastic, but I also hadnt yet discovered I had a weird middle-age-onset wheat allergy, and I ate all sorts of bread and pasta with a wanton abandonand none of it gave me hives! This might prompt those of you prone to social media screeds to surmise this is because Euro wheat is full of natural goodness and USA wheat is full of chemicals and GMOs or whatever, and maybe so, who knows? All I do know for sure is that it was a brief but delightful cycling and eating tour of consequence-free decadence, and perhaps one day Ill get to do it again. (Or, you know, just go to Tuscany myself and ride an old bike, its not like you need to sign up for a special ride to do that.)In addition to the ride itself, I also appreciate the bicycles it celebrates, and I even ride one thats LEroica-compliant:Okay, well, thats not entirely true, since currently it has clipless pedals and aero brake levers on it. Here are the LEroica criteria, in case youre unfamiliar:Still, I could easily get it back into LEroica condition at a moments noticeor maybe several moments, but definitely inside of a day.LEroica started in 1997, and I assume at least part of the reason it became so successful was that the people nostalgic for classic bicycles had reached the age where they now had the money and time to partake in lavish cycling vacations, and maybe still had that old Colnago in the basement, even if they now rode a Calfee with Dura-Ace or whatever. As for me, as much as I loved the ride and still love the bikes, I cant say its born of nostalgia. The Cervino is from 1982, and at that time I would have been riding a Schwinn Scrambler BMX. Even in 1987, the LEroica bike cut-off, I was still riding BMXs and skateboards, not road racing bikes or the nascent mountain bikes, and while some people in their early-to-mid teens do in fact transition from BMXs and skateboards to road bikes and mountain bikes, I was mostly just transitioning to mosh pits and cigarettes, and I didnt take up road-type cycling until the end of my college years. And by 1997, when the first LEroica took place, I was definitely not looking backwards; I was still in the first half of my 20s and in the throes of Fred-dom.But a lot of time has passed since 199729 years in fact, if my math is correct. Now my peers and I are entering Peak Nostalgia, as evidenced by the fact that all the bands I used to go see during my smoking years are touring, presumably because their aging nostalgia-addled fans now have money to spend, as well as children of their own who are old enough to be left at home alone while their parents stand around not smoking and watching the surviving members of the bands they used to idolize as teenagers limp around onstage.Given this demographic, it seems to me the time is ripe for an updated LEroicanot to replace the current one, but to complement it. Think of it as a LEroica, Jr., or perhaps a Meh-roica. So what would the bicycle criteria be? Well, as far as a date range, Id say a Meh-roica bike should be from between 1990 and 2009. This covers the period between the introduction of the Dura-Ace STI lever to the advent of Di2 electronic shifting, which obviously marked the beginning of the end for bikes. As for materials, this was very much a transitional period, so Id say Meh-roica should allow anything from lugged steel:To titanium:To crabon:To aluminum:And yes, obviously sloped top tubes would be allowed, since that look eventually came to define the era, and you might as well ban bell bottoms from a 70s revival night.Similarly, while youd of course be able to use your traditional wheels[Pic from here]this was also the dawn of the Proprietary Wheelset (for better or worse), so feel free to show up on anything from ass-ploding Spinergys (shown here on an otherwise non-Meh-roica compliant bike)to Mavic Cosmics, which were my first proprietary wheelset, and which I thought were extremely cool because they said Cosmic on them:[Pic from here]Youre also welcome to use anything from classic bend aluminum handlebars to period-correct crabon wing-style ones to early integrated systems like this one:Though if you need a new pin-up for it be warned, they aint cheap:However, this isnt a total free-for-all, and the following are all banned:Integrated headsetsIntegrated bottom bracket systems (threaded only)11-speed drivetrains or above(I shouldnt even have to list dick breaks, and if you show up with those your bike will be destroyed in the on-site crusher.)And yes, plenty of bikes had integrated headsets during this time, but once you start in with that things get all funky. Same with the 11-speed, which started just before Di2. And yes, Meh-roica bikes must have integrated shifters, though a single downtube shifter for the front will be allowed la Pantani and that guy with the podcast who rode a bike like this:Finally, yes, you can use a triple, like I have on my own Meh-roica bike:Perhaps I should organize a Meh-roica ride myself.

"Sprinters always have plenty of opportunities to shine in their specialist discipline but rarely has one of their number enjoyed the kind of absolute dominance that he now wields."These words are not about Matthew Brennan, who has won five stages at this year's Vuelta a Espaa, his debut Grand Tour, but very well could be. The 21-year-old has looked unbeatable in sprint finishes across Spain, becoming the youngest rider ever to win five Grand Tour stages, the latest coming on Thursday in Seville, as he continued to make everything look easy. The above quote, written by Richard Williams in The Guardian in 2009, was about Mark Cavendish long before he was a knight after he won his sixth and final stage of that year's Tour de France. At that year's race, the 24-year-old was leagues ahead of everyone else in fast finishes, popping out at exactly the right time as the line approached, then accelerating out of sight.Brennan has aped this at the Vuelta, timing his efforts to perfection, and winning by a bike length as he crosses the line, such that he's almost gaining time on his rivals. This might be the sprinter-unfriendly Vuelta, and most of the other best fast-men in the world might be elsewhere, but you can only beat what's in front of you, and Brennan has been demolishing the available competition. One sprint win in his first three-week race would have been impressive, but to take five, the final two deep into the third week, shows that he doesn't just have the speed, he has the endurance. The comparisons to Cavendish have been rolling in, understandably so. They're roughly the same height (although Brennan is taller, importantly) and have both stormed into the public consciousness by dominating sprints at Grand Tours. However, these comparisons are arguably overly simplistic, and understood to not find favour with Brennan himself; this makes sense, given he is his own man, with his own future.(Image credit: Getty Images)They are different riders, and I really think Brennan could be even better than Cavendish. Perhaps not in terms of sheer magnitude of victories, given Cavendish won 165 times, including a record 35 times at the Tour de France, but perhaps in terms of the breadth of wins. That said, Brennan has already won 23 professional victories at 21; Cavendish was yet to open his account at the same age. The future is bright.Brennan might look like an out-and-out speed merchant at this Vuelta, but he is a more versatile rider. The man from Darlington is still developing on the bike, but he looks like he has more of a punch than a pure sprinter, and could target the Classics as much as bunch finishes; he won Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurnes this year, and it isn't too much of a reach to imagine him winning Paris-Roubaix. Stage 13 of this year's Vuelta was evidence of Brennan's versatility, as he was the perfect teammate to Wout van Aert in the breakaway, marking moves, chasing down attackers, and setting up the Belgian to take victory. It's not something that Cavendish made a habit of, becoming a domestique for the day, but Brennan is clearly willing and able to use his talent in the service of others.There was some concern that Brennan would never be able to back up his stunning debut season, with 2025 bringing 12 pro wins, which is why we chose him as Cycling Weekly's male rider of the year, but this has been dispelled. He has not only matched his tally from last year, but shown off on one of the biggest stages of them all.Next year's Tour de France begins in Edinburgh, with a bunch sprint expected in Carlisle. The level will be higher, with the world's best sprinters present, and immense pressure, but there is a real possibility of Brennan pulling on yellow after winning his first Tour stage on home soil. Imagine the pandemonium.On Thursday, he said: "I think it's a really good stepping stone for next year's ambitions, and it gives me a lot of confidence to just be in the peloton with all these good guys. It's an unbelievable situation we're in."Brennan is the real deal, and these five victories are no fluke, no flat-track century. There are sterner tests to come, but Matthew Brennan is here, and is the future of British cycling. Tell your friends at the pub, and remember the name the hype. He had better start believing

Team Visma | Lease a Bikes control of the 2026 Vuelta a Espanabegan before the flag had even dropped on Stage 17. Fredrik Dversnes revealed that members of the Dutch team approached him ahead of the start and warned that he would not be permitted to join the days breakaway. The Uno-X Mobility ri...

The 2026 Vuelta a Espana faces one of its most important moments this Thursday. Enric Mas arrives at the Stage 18 time trial as the leader of the general classification, with more than two minutes in hand over Primoz Roglic and Felix Gall, and will have to negotiate a 32-kilometre test that, on pape...

The 2026 Vuelta a Espana faces one of its most important days this Thursday with the time trial between Puerto de Santa Maria and Jerez de la Frontera. The riders will have to complete 32 kilometres on a course particularly suited to the specialists, although the high temperatures will once again be...

The wallet-friendly State 4130 Trail is now available in a fresh Sagebrush Green colorway and still offers great value for a $1,500 steel hardtail mountain bike, with multiple bottle mounts, external cables, and clearance for 29 x 2.6" tires. Take a closer look here...The post State 4130 Trail Now in Sagebrush Green, Still $1,500 appeared first on BIKEPACKING.com.

ENVE released the first Melee in 2022, and four years later the company that made its name through wheels and finishing kit has unveiled the second generation of its race bike.But while the original could fit large 35mm tyres putting it at the forefront of the growing tyre width trend the new Melee v2 sees clearance cut to 33mm.This is part of ENVEs more focused objective for its latest bike. Instead of being a race bike for everyday riders, ENVE has pushed the new Melee to be a lighter, faster and more complete modern race bike.To this end, ENVE says the tyre clearance maintains the volume required for modern road racing, while reducing weight and drag.Reduced surface area and new parts ENVE has reduced the surface area of the Melee by 7.5%. ENVE ENVE hasnt only reduced the Melees tyre clearance, it has also cut the road bikes surface area by 7.5%.The Melee has a new smaller headset, which allows for a refined head tube shape that contributes to the bikes lower surface area. ENVE says the new seatpost has a more efficient aero profile, while cutting weight. Smaller bearings have helped ENVE refine the bike's head tube, while the SES Aero Bar is said to reduce drag. ENVE The new ENVE SES Aero Bar is said to reduce drag, and you can add shaped pads for extra comfort. There is even new bar tape that is 1.2mm thick and minimises the amount of material exposed to the wind".Meanwhile, ENVEs latest SES Aero Bottle Cages reduce the aerodynamic losses that come from adding hydration to the bike.Faster and lighter The ENVE Melee saves a claimed 17 watts compared to the first-generation bike. ENVE All these changes appear to have made a difference when it comes to wind-tunnel testing.ENVE measured a 17-watt aerodynamic improvement over the previous Melee at 50kph. This includes 11.4 watts from the frame, fork and seatpost; 3 watts from the new bar and bar tape; and 2.6 watts from the bottle cages with standard round bottles.ENVEs test results suggest the new Melee is faster than the Specialized Tarmac SL8 and Trek Madone. With bottles, cages and a rider, ENVE says the Melee is 3-4 watts faster than the Madone (with Treks aero bottles) and the SL8.The changes have also lowered the bikes weight. In the Ultralight Black finish, a size-56 Melee v2 weighs less than 800g. A complete bike can hit the UCIs minimum weight of 6.8kg when fitted with a SRAM Red AXS groupset or equivalent build.Tweaked geometry The stack height of the larger sizes has been lowered by 11mm. ENVE ENVE has tweaked the Melees geometry to better suit racing.The stack height on sizes 56 to 60 has been reduced by 11mm through changes to the frame and handlebar designs.ENVE uses five fork rakes across its seven sizes to maintain consistent handling throughout the range.It has also increased the seat tube length of the larger sizes for more flexibility with saddle height.ENVE Melee v2 specsThe new Melee v2 is available through ENVEs Specd for Speed programme. This enables you to configure complete bikes with SRAM Red or Force AXS groupsets, plus ENVE SES wheels and cockpits.An ENVE Melee v2 chassis (with a seatpost and cockpit) costs 5,299 / $5,000.ENVE Melee v2 Pro Red Frameset: ENVE Melee v2 Groupset: SRAM Red AXS Wheels: ENVE SES Wheels Cockpit: ENVE Aero Pro Tyres: ENVE SES Road tyres Price: 13,199 / $13,950 / 15,199ENVE Melee v2 Premium Red Frameset: ENVE Melee v2 Groupset: SRAM Red AXS Wheels: ENVE SES 4.5 Pro or SES 6.7 Pro Cockpit: ENVE SES AR Tyres: ENVE SES Road tyres Price: 12,399 / $12,250 / 14,199ENVE Melee v2 Premium Force Frameset: ENVE Melee v2 Groupset: SRAM Red AXS Wheels: ENVE SES wheels Cockpit: ENVE SES AR Tyres: ENVE SES Road tyres Price: 10,499 / 11,999ENVE Melee v2 Foundation Force Frameset: ENVE Melee v2 Groupset: SRAM Force AXS Wheels: ENVE SES Wheels Cockpit: ENVE SES AR Tyres: ENVE SES Road tyres Price: 8,899 / 10,149

Remco Evenepoel knows better than most how quickly a season at the very highest level can disappear. Six years after his own breakthrough campaign was ended by a terrifying crash at Il Lombardia, the Belgian has recognised an uncomfortable parallel in Tadej Pogacars season-ending accident at the Vu...

Photos by David Molina Grande, illustrated map by El Ciento. In the north of the province of Crdoba, across more than 1,350 square miles, lies the region of Los Pedroches. []The post Al-Ballut Bikepacking Experience appeared first on BIKEPACKING.com.

While success in modern pro cycling requires an immense amount of work and planning, acting on the spur of the moment goes a long way too.Powered by such spontaneity, Tom Pidcock stunned himself last Sunday.After winning the MTB XCO World Championships in come-from-behind fashion at Val di Sole, the GP Industria & Artigianato one-day road race was hastily added to his schedule impromptu while he was barely off his flat-bar steed. He went there to find his road legs, two months after his last hit-out on the tarmac, and left with another trophy in his carry-on luggage. That was kind of a surprise win. The momentum is nice, but Ill take what comes. Im just relaxed, he told Cycling Weekly and other media in Qubec on Wednesday night.His back-to-back successes came despite a hard road from the Tour de France to his latest rainbow jersey.After the Tour, it was a bit weird feelings in general. I didnt rush, I didnt push myself, I trained hard the last few weeks before the MTB Worlds, the Pinarello-Q36.5 rider said. It took me a long time to feel good again. Longer than any other grand tour [has before]. It was three weeks really, we were just trying to build up some hours at a lower intensity.Making his debut in the brace of Canadian WorldTour events, Fridays GP de Qubec on Friday and GP de Montral on Sunday provide opportunities to carry on the momentum. They are a puncheurs paradise, defined by steep climbs that do not exceed two kilometres.Pidcock will also have a valuable chance to race the lap on which the World Championships road race (27 September) will be decided by 12 circuits over Mont Royal, 1.6 kilometres at 7.7% gradient.Its more of a goal, Pidcock said of the World Championships. Last years course didnt suit me that well, this one suits me quite well. The Worlds is always going to be about [who has] the legs.The eight-strong Great Britain elite mens line-up is yet to be announced, but Pidcock offered a sneak peek of the leading compatriots alongside him. Weve been hit quite hard with people getting injured so I dont know what the final team will be, Pidcock said. But I think well have me, Adam [Yates] and Oscar [Onley], we have some pretty nice depth there, people who can play offensive roles. Relaxed and riding a wave of confidence; spearheading a strong team on a course that plays to his strengths; racing in a Tadej Pogaar-free peloton this might just be Pidcocks best chance of winning an elite road rainbow jersey. It opens the race up a lot, he said of Pogaars absence. I think everyone knows when Tadej is here, he and his team will dictate the race. Now I think it will be more, dare I say it, interesting, exciting.(Image credit: Getty Images)Although Pidcock has won five races on the road in 2026, despite missing several weeks of competition after a crash into a ravine at the Volta a Catalunya, he is not satisfied with his season. It would be nice to win a WorldTour race, he said. This season started well, then it was a bit crap in the middle. The Tour was good considering everything, but still I didnt do that much. I want to try to finish the year off [well].Racing on the front foot in France at times, Pidcock came close to a stage win at the sports most prestigious race, his chances dented on stage nine by mechanical problems, and finished ninth overall.His attacking, opportunistic nature can seem at odds with a GC contenders need to weigh efforts carefully and race conservatively over three weeks. Grand tours do not strike as his most natural domain.Its not the thing I enjoy the most, but its something I accept I need to do and try and do my best in, Pidcock said. I really enjoyed the Vuelta last year [where he finished third], that was good fun. The Tour was obviously a different beast, but this year was better, more enjoyable.The Britons road programme goes full bore to the end of the year, with the Giro dellEmilia, Tre Valli Varesine and Il Lombardia before a planned Tour of Guangxi debut.We have team camp the week after Il Lombardia, so otherwise Im going to have a week that I cant do anything so might as well race that week!Whatever happens in Canada, another world title seems certain for a British champion who gives himself options because of his aplomb in road, MTB, gravel and cyclo-cross. While there will be no trip to Australia next month for the Gravel World Championships, Pidcock mentioned wanting to go for that race when it suits him better.Although he does not think hell compete in cyclo-cross this winter, Pidcock added he thinks he would come back to the discipline if it got a place in the Winter Olympics. Given the IOCs May announcement that it will not be in the 2030 Games, he and CX fans will likely be in for a minimum eight-year wait.