I play a number of roles in life: father, husband, former semi-professional bike blogger turned gentleman wordsmith of leisure Theyre all pretty important, too. But when it comes to sheer responsibility, none of them comes close to my official position as the Classic Cycle Old Crap Test Pilot.Alas, I am deeply ashamed to say that of late I have been guilty of dereliction of duty. See, my current mission is to test this 1999 GT XCR 1000, seen here when I first received it back in April of this year:I began testing it immediately, though there were a couple of obstacles I needed to overcome. Specifically, I needed to lengthen the front derailleur cable housing, and I needed to overhaul the rear shock:Just kidding!Commanding Officer Paul Johnson at Classic Cycle overhauled the shock. I didnt do crap.With all that done, I resumed testingthough I havent been on it for at least a month. Or could it be two months?!? Im not certain, which is exactly why I should be keeping a journal. Anyway, between the lapse in testing and the wanton disregard for journaling you now see what I mean when I say Im a derelict in the duty department. Still, I do have my reasons, even if they are pretty feeble. For one thing, last time I rode the bike it was making a noise, so I told myself Id look into it as soon as I had time, which I never did, even though I did subsequently find the time to overhaul both the Farman and the Homer. For another, I must admit Im generally disinclined to go mountain biking during the dog days of the summer, when its hot and muggy and the woods feel like an Amazonian rainforest and youre riding around with a halo of mosquitoes. In fact even Very Small Rocks riding can be unpleasant for this reason, which is why I invented the concept of the GVL LZRD:But now autumn is approaching and recently the air has been cool, with even a hint of crispness, in that way that makes you thing of stuff like school supplies and cyclocross. Also, as it happens, I had to use THE CAR THAT I OWN AND STORE FOR FREE IN THE PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAY this morning. So yesterday morning I donned my uniform:And made for the Forbidding Trails Behind The Mall:Mind you, I had still not addressed the noise, but either it somehow fixed itself or I was having too much fun to noticeand I was having fun, quite a bit of it in fact. Maybe it was just the weather, or the fact that I hadnt been properly off-road in awhile, or probably both, but the whole ride from beginning to end was almost preternaturally pleasant. So what about the bike, certainly that must have been a factor, right? Well, Ill say this much: it certainly didnt get in the way. Really, I didnt think about the bike at all. I didnt think about 26-inch versus 29-inch wheels, I didnt think about turn-of-the-century geometry versus that of today, and I didnt think about rime breaks versus dicks. I didnt even think about suspension versus rigid, how about that? I just rode the bike that was under me and it worked.Well, okay, fine, thats not completely true. I did kind of think it would be fun to try the GT with a 1X drivetrain, like an Advent X or something:So after bemoaning the loss of the front derailleur recently does this make me a hypocrite? Nowell, I mean yes, Im obviously a giant hypocrite, but not because of that. Not only was I specifically talking about road bikes (which is where the front derailleur truly shines), but also I was using 1X drivetrains on mountain bikes back when you still had to make them yourself:But yes, on one hand putting a modern drivetrain on an old bike would be counter to the spirit of the exercise: Yet on the other hand isnt exploring the extent to which you can update an older bicycle in order keep it going in the modern era part and parcel of the Old Crap Test Pilots mission?I dunno.But I do know changing the drivetrain would require a modest amount of money as well as a modest amount of work, so it probably wont be happening in the immediate future.All I know that as the weather continues to cool and a busy autumn forces me to drive Ill certainly be sneaking in more rides on the test-cycle.Speaking of drivetrains, Id actually go out of my way to avoid both 14-speed and electronic, but Id also make an exception just to use one called Whaleroad:Yes, Whaleroad is in fact a 1X drivetrainWhaleroad says its 114-speed cassette offers a 418 per cent gear range, spanning from an 11-tooth smallest sprocket to a 46-tooth largest sprocket.The cassette fits a conventional Shimano HG freehub body, meaning theres no change needed to proprietary standards.Squeezing the extra gears into that space has seen the cogs on the bottom of the block become significantly narrower.and not Raphas new line for plus-sized riders, as youd naturally expect. Indeed, Raphas failure to capitalize on this market could be why their CEO has resigned:Now theyll be making significant organiZational changes to reduce cost:To support that, the business will make significant organisational changes to reduce cost and drive efficiency, and those changes call for a different governance and leadership structure. With that in mind, I proposed to the board that I step down as CEO.What Rapha really needs to do is the equivalent of killing the front derailleur, so perhaps they can reduce their offering to a single one-size-fits-all bodysuit:It could be unisex, good for all weather, and you wouldnt even need to spend extra for socks or gloves:They should make me CEO, Ill right that ship in no time. When were flush with cash Ill then introduce an alt-cycling line called Ralfalpha:The Little Rascals were the original Alt-Cyclists.

Sigma Sports has slashed the price of a host of cycling products, with some serious savings to be had across bikes, components and kit.We've trawled through the sale to pick out five of the best deals, including more than 1,900 off Shimano's flagship road groupset and a carbon Trek Domane for less than 2,000.There are also big discounts to be had if you're looking to upgrade your gravel bike or treat your feet to some fancy shoes.Here are our top picks, but you can see the whole sale here.Shimano Dura-Ace R9270 Di2 groupset 3,579 1,625 (Save 55%) Dura-Ace is Shimano's flagship road groupset. Simon von Bromley / Our Media Getting Shimano's flagship road groupset for less than 2,000 certainly caught our attention.Sigma Sports has knocked 1,954 off its Dura-Ace R9270 Di2 groupset, bringing the price down from 3,579 to 1,625.Dura-Ace R9200 represented a major overhaul when it arrived, moving Shimano's top-tier road groupset to 12-speed and introducing semi-wireless shifting.The groupset uses wireless shifters, while the derailleurs remain wired to the central battery.It also features Shimano's Servo Wave braking technology and redesigned calipers with increased pad clearance.Despite rumours of a new generation being released soon, at 55 per cent off, this could be a tempting opportunity if you're planning a dream-bike build or looking to give an existing road bike a serious upgrade.This specific deal is for groupsets specced with 175mm cranks, but great savings can be had on shorter-cranked specs too. Buy Shimano Dura-Ace R9270 Di2 groupset now for 1,625Trek Domane SL 5 Gen 4 105 2,800 1,499 (save 46%) This looks a great deal for those wanting a carbon bike. Sigma Sports You can currently pick up a carbon Trek Domane for less than 1,500, with Sigma Sports taking 1,301 off the endurance road bike.The Domane SL is built around Trek's 500 Series OCLV carbon frame and is designed to balance speed with comfort over longer rides.The Gen 4 bike uses Trek's rear IsoSpeed system, which is designed to add compliance at the seat tube, while generous tyre clearance gives the Domane some versatility away from pristine tarmac.The SL 5 is equipped with Shimano's mechanical 105 groupset and hydraulic disc brakes.With a 29 per cent saving, this looks like one of the standout complete-bike deals in the sale.At the time of writing, there are sizes ranging from 50 to 60cm. Buy the Trek Domane SL 5 Gen 4 105 now for 1,499Shimano GRX 825 12-Speed Di2 Groupset Bundle 2,060 1,011 (save 51%) This could be a great upgrade for your gravel bike. Sigma Sports Roadies aren't the only ones getting a hefty Shimano discount.The latest 12-speed GRX RX825 Di2 groupset has dropped to 1,011, representing a saving of 1,049.GRX RX825 brought Shimano's electronic gravel groupset in line with its latest road offerings, using wireless shifters alongside a wired rear derailleur and battery.The shifters also feature additional buttons on the hoods, which can be configured to control compatible bike computers or used as extra shift buttons.If you've been considering moving your gravel bike to electronic shifting, a 51 per cent discount makes this considerably easier to justify.This specific discount is for 170mm cranks, although there are savings on the 172.5mm variation too. Buy Shimano GRX 825 12-Speed Di2 Groupset Bundle now for 1,011Scope R3 Carbon Road Disc Wheelset 1,300 479 (save 63%) Carbon wheels are rarely this cheap. Sigma Sports A carbon disc wheelset for under 500 isn't something we see every day.Sigma Sports has reduced the Scope R3 from 1,300 to 479, saving 821.The R3 uses 30mm-deep carbon rims, making it the shallowest option in Scope's Race Series and positioning it as a lightweight all-round wheelset rather than a deep-section aero option.The rims are tubeless-ready, and the wheelset uses Scope's own hubs.At 63 per cent off, these could make for a significant upgrade over the stock alloy wheels supplied with many road bikes.This specific deal is limited to SRAMs XDR freehub body. Buy the Scope R3 Carbon Road Disc Wheelset now for 479Sidi Shot 2S road shoes 425 96 (save 77%) Another true bargain. Sigma Sports You don't have to spend four figures to take advantage of one of the biggest discounts in the sale.Sidi's Shot 2S road shoes have fallen from 425 to 96, depending on size and colour a hefty saving of up to 77%.The Shot 2S sits towards the top end of Sidi's road shoe range and features the Italian brand's carbon sole and centrally mounted Tecno-3 closure system.There's also an adjustable heel-retention system, designed to help secure the rear of your foot inside the shoe.A 425 pair of shoes is undeniably extravagant, but at this price they become a much more interesting proposition how are they making money here?This specific price is for the Anthracite colourway, with a wide variety of sizes from 40 to 48 available at the time of writing.There are also good savings to be had on the other colourways. Buy the Sidi Shot 2S road shoes now from 96

Bikepacking luggage brand Tailfin is to join Castelli and Sportful in the MVC Group portfolio, after being acquired by the Italian holding company.Tailfin was founded in Bristol, England, in 2017 by engineer Nick Broadbent, and has become renowned in the gravel and bikepacking community for its innovative luggage systems. Among these are the Speedpack and Cargopack systems, which feature a lightweight rack and bag and can be fitted, pretty much, to any machine.Broadbent and his team will maintain a minority stake in Tailfin and continue to manage the company, while at the same time being able to take advantage of MVC's global presence, according to a statement released by MVC. The past five years has seen Tailfin grow by an average 50%, with 2025 seeing nearly 10 million in revenues globally, most in the UK, US and Germany. The company has an enviable register of R&D riders helping to develop its products, Aussie ultra-riding veteran Lachlan Morton and former Paris-Roubaix winner Alison Jackson among them.Broadbent said: "Since Tailfin was founded, we have invested heavily in innovation to develop products that set the standard within the rapidly growing category of bikepacking and adventure cycling. Joining MVC Group will allow us to accelerate this journey further, leveraging the Groups industrial strength and international presence, while preserving the identity, autonomy and innovation culture that have made Tailfin so successful.MVC Group, which is headquartered in the Veneto region of northern Italy and specialises in apparel for cycling and outdoor sports, is in the process of an international expansion, with the Tailfin acquisition forming part of this. It considers the UK brand "highly complementary" to its Castelli and Sportful offerings.MVC CEO Emilo Fo said in a statement: "With Tailfin, we are not simply adding a new product category: we are integrating a leading brand whose positioning around excellence and strong focus on innovation are fully aligned with our own brands, while also being complementary to their offering. "We are delighted to welcome Nick and the entire team, and look forward to working together to unlock Tailfins significant potential for further international growth and to embark on a new phase of shared development."

France are making no secret of what they want from Paul Seixas at Sundays World Championships road race in Montreal. The 20-year-old will lead Thomas Voecklers eight-man team after finishing second at the GP Montreal on essentially the same circuit two weeks ago and then taking bronze in the elite...

With additional photos by Jeff Kerkove South-central Wyoming has a character all its own. Big skies stretch over open ranchlands, immense forests, wildfire scars, and rugged mountains. Just a half-day []The post Through Fire to Snow appeared first on BIKEPACKING.com.

Remco Evenepoel, Isaac Del Toro, Mathieu van der Poel and Paul Seixas head into Sundays World Championships surrounded by expectations of the rainbow jersey. Italy arrive in Montreal with a considerably less heralded name enjoying perhaps the strongest form of his career. Christian Scaroni has quie...

The UCI has confirmed it will launch a full review of the Lugano Charter, cycling's foundational equipment rulebook, opening the door to the biggest shift of bicycle design regulations in three decades.Announced following the governing body's latest Management Committee meeting in Montral, the review will produce a draft charter before an industry-wide consultation set for February-April 2027.While the UCI has not proposed any specific rule changes yet, the Lugano Charter underpins many of road cycling's most influential technical regulations including the 6.8kg minimum bike weight, tube-profile limits, geometry restrictions and gearing rules.The new charter is set to be developed in closer consultation with brands and industry experts, with the establishment of new technical committees for specialist areas. UCI president David Lappartient says this illustrate[s the UCIs] commitment to evolving our rules in consultation with all the families of cycling.A chance to rewrite cycling's design rulebook It has become increasingly clear in recent years how easy it is for brands to achieve a sub-6.8kg total bike weight without resorting to specially developed lightweight parts. Kyle Dewick / Our Media Originally adopted in 1996, the Lugano Charter established the principles that govern bicycle design in UCI-sanctioned races. It was created to balance technological innovation against safety, while intending to ensure sporting fairness and sustainability.It defined the double-triangle bike frame design, but perhaps its most famous rule is the 6.8kg minimum bike weight for UCI races, introduced in 2000 as an amendment to the charter.At the time, carbon manufacture was in its relative infancy, with concerns for safety in the event of a war on weight. But for years the rule has increasingly been questioned by engineers, manufacturers and commentators, with some arguing the rule is outdated given the advancements in the technology since.BikeRadar explored that debate in our 2023 feature on whether the UCI's bike weight limit should change. Designers have suggested modern testing standards would be a better measure of safety versus a blanket weight threshold. More progressive bike designs have popped up recently, and more may be set to come. Factor The charter also governs the more recent 8:1 tube aspect ratio rule, limits on frame geometry and rider position, and regulations surrounding drivetrain and gearing dimensions.Those rules have evolved gradually over recent seasons, notably allowing designers greater freedom around head tube proportions and aero optimisation.Riders have also been seen to be adopting ever more forward positions (within current limits) in the search of greater efficiency and in response to more recent revisions designs borne out with the likes of the Eddy Merckx 525R and Factor One.Any new regulations could be set to allow for even greater freedom in this area, or indeed restrict it.New technical committees could help prevent future controversies The UCI and SRAM were embroiled in a controversy surrounding a gearing ratio trial in 2025. Simon von Bromley / Our Media Alongside the charter review, the UCI has announced a new consultation framework intended to give manufacturers and independent experts a formal role in developing future equipment regulations.Rather than relying solely on its existing Equipment and New Technologies Commission, the governing body has stated it will establish specialist technical committees covering: Frames Wheels and tyres Rider equipment Protective equipment Data and technologyOfficially, the UCI says the aim of these new committees is to strengthen collaboration between the governing body and manufacturers. It also appears to address one of the biggest criticisms levelled at recent equipment rule proposals: a lack of meaningful stakeholder consultation.That issue came to a head just before the 2025 Tour de France when the UCI announced plans to trial gearing restrictions in professional road racing.The proposal prompted immediate opposition from riders, teams and component brands, with SRAM publicly criticising the process before the governing body suspended the trial. Gearing limits could be reconsidered under the new structure and review. Warren Rossiter / Our Media We also reported on Tom Pidcock's concerns about the wider package of UCI rule changes, while technical editor Dan Bigham argued in his feature on why gearing restrictions were the wrong solution to rider safety that evidence-based regulation should come before blanket equipment limits.The dispute ultimately culminated in the UCI losing its appeal over the proposed gearing restrictions. The new committee structure could be interpreted as a deliberate attempt to build consensus before future technical regulations (or experiments) are introduced.The UCI says each committee will feature equal representation from the UCI and the cycling industry, alongside independent technical experts, albeit exactly which brands and stakeholders have a seat at each respective table isnt yet defined.Via the UCIs official communiqu, UCI president David Lappartient said: From a regulatory perspective, the opening of a new consultation framework with cycling industry members, together with the launch of the review of the Lugano Charter thirty years after its adoption, illustrate our commitment to evolving our rules in consultation with all the families of cycling.New finish-line safety barriers approved Barrier designs are set for an update next season in a bid to improve safety in the final 200m of races. Getty Images Alongside this, the UCI says it has formally approved new barrier standards for the final 200 metres of mens and womens WorldTour races from the start of the 2027 season.It says the regulations are based on research by the University of Applied Sciences and Arts Western Switzerland Valais-Wallis.The UCI hasnt confirmed if and when these new regulations will come into effect at other levels of the sport.GPS rider tracking set for wider rollout GPS trackers are set to be ever-present in the future. Dario Belingheri / Getty Images The UCI has committed to introducing a regulatory framework for real-time GPS rider safety tracking, with the system set to be deployed across professional road racing starting with the mens and womens WorldTours.Last season, five teams were disqualified from the Tour de Romandie Women after refusing to participate in a tracker trial, highlighting disagreements over how the devices should be supplied and operated.The UCI says the system is being used again at this year's Road World Championships after its introduction last year in Rwanda.Women found to have more severe, more frequent injuries than men at the highest level of road racing The UCI says an early finding of an ongoing study suggests women suffer more severe injuries than men, leading to longer return-to-competition timelines. Photo by Dario Belingheri/Getty Images The UCI says it has received updates on its ongoing road crash injury study, which it began in March.It says initial findings indicate injuries are currently more frequent and more severe in women's WorldTour racing, with average return-to-competition times roughly twice as long as recorded in the men's peloton.No regulatory or advisory outcomes have been defined, but the UCI says the study is ongoing as its database is built, with the idea to introduce future risk-reduction measures in the future and assess their effectiveness.Genetic testing to align with International Olympic Committee The female category is set to be regulated in line with IOC guidelines. Luc Claessen / Getty Images The UCI has also confirmed it will conform to the International Olympic Committees (IOC) guidance on the definition of the female category for its IOC-recognised competitions by the end of the year.Because the UCI is a member body of the IOC, the news comes as little surprise, but it defines that only biological women who do not carry the SRY gene on the Y chromosome, which triggers testosterone production at puberty, are eligible to compete in womens events.The presence of the gene will be determined by a one-time test. The UCI says an awareness programme will be rolled out to athletes, teams and national federations shortly, and that all results will be kept strictly confidential.Racing calendar changes confirmed for 2027 The men's and women's WorldTours will start simultaneously at the Tour Down Under in January 2027. Finally, the UCI approved the majority of its 2027 international calendars, with the full schedules due to be published on 29 September.The headline road changes include: La Vuelta Femenina moves to 310 October, immediately after the men's Vuelta. Vuelta a Burgos Feminas returns to an early May slot. EschbornFrankfurt reverts to its traditional 1 May date.The governing body has also confirmed the inaugural UCI Junior Road Nations' Cup calendar and approved several scheduling changes across mountain bike, track and other disciplines ahead of the 2027 season.

A 104 million funding package has been made available to the Walk Wheel Cycle Trust (WWCT) by the British government, to be spent on improving walking and cycling routes around the country, making them safer and more accessible for more people.The health and societal benefits of encouraging people to cycle are well documented, but, just like last year, were left wondering whether this sum is even close to being enough to achieve meaningful updates to a network that the charity charged with looking after them admits are in need of much improvement.The WWCT is a Bristol-based charity, formerly known as Sustrans, which is responsible for developing, maintaining and improving the National Cycle Network (NCN), a web of signed cycling routes that roll across the country, covering a total distance of 12,739 miles (20,501km), which was initially launched with a 42.5 million National Lottery grant 30 years ago, in 1995. The funding package was announced at the Active Travel Englands (ATE) Making Active Places conference in Manchester on Tuesday by transport secretary Heidi Alexander, when the Government positioned it as part of what they described as a 'record investment' in non-motorised travel, saying the sum builds on their commitment to establish the basis of a national active travel network by 2030, which will benefit millions of people across England.In reality, the funding package (which is utterly dwarfed by the 27 billion investment the government recently pledged to spend upgrading the country's motorways and A -roads) had already been earmarked for use in improving active travel routes as part of the Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy, but what will be interesting is how and where the WWCT choose to spend the money, and how far it can possibly be stretched. According to the announcement, the cash will be spread across hundreds of projects aimed at establishing more traffic-free routes, improving surfaces and making crossings safer, and there was also talk of consolidating local active-travel plans into a single national digital platform. Cycling Weekly subsequently asked the charity for more details on how it intended to use the 104 million."Funding will be allocated to projects across England, benefiting a wide range of communities," said Carole Patrick, National Cycle Network Director at Walk Wheel Cycle Trust. "Major projects under development include upgrades to the English portion of the Avenue Verte [the National Cycle Network route linking London and Paris], as well as new walking, wheeling and cycling routes that make use of opportunities created by the HS2 corridor."The National Cycle Network is an incredible resource. However, it faces challenges. Many routes need to be improved to make them more inclusive and the network is vulnerable to climate impacts. This funding will allow us to make it safer and more accessible moving on-road sections to new traffic-free paths, removing barriers, resurfacing and widening paths, and making the network safer for women and girls."This last goal relates to a gender gap that the charity has identified through their Walking and Cycling Index, published annually each March, which clearly and persistently shows that twice as many men are regularly cycling as women, and that women and girls feel less safe while riding bikes than their male counterparts. In March this year, Patrick wrote about how the WWCT are working to build safer active travel networks that are better designed for women and girls, with campaigns to achieve improved lighting being a big focus.These are laudable objectives, but concerns remain about how realistic such goals are with such relatively modest levels of funding.

The retailer posted a pre-tax profit of 171,268 in 2025, the first time since 2021 its been out of the red