Popular culture rarely if ever gets cycling right, as some of our most insightful film critics have pointed out:However, last night I happened to be watching the new e-bike episode of South Park, and was amused to note that they did an excellent job sending up the middle-aged Fred, or MAMIL, if you prefer:I mean okay, fine, if were going to nitpick then youd be unlikely to see this many non-aero brake levers outside of LEroica or maybe one of those alt-cycling events:But they really did nail a lot of it, including the indignant rants about e-bikes in the bike lanes, and the clickety-clack cleat walk across the kitchen floor:It was also a pretty entertaining and clever look at the whole e-bike thing in general, which in turn made me wonder how Colorados free e-bike program is going.In 2021 it was going to slow climate change somehow:And in 2023 the smuggies told us wed see mass migration to cities with similar programs:Well, its 2026, so youd expect that by now wed be a country of climate refugees and e-bike migrants, and that wed all be wandering across the country with bindles on our shoulders looking for water and free electric bicycles. Well, that hasnt really happened. But Colorados free e-bike program does seem to be going well:Its all a little confusing, but it seems like some guy managed to make over Six Million American Fun Tickets, which have now been seized by the FBI along with his Lamborghini:Hey, they said free e-bikes were going to get cars off the road, so maybe theyre right, since it sounds like theres now at least One Less Lambo on the streets of Denver.Speaking of cars, even in the e-bike age they remain the number one scourge of cyclists, though sometimes its the cyclists themselves who are the worst drivers:Or the best ones, depending on how you look at it:It looks like we have Rally Championships in Montreal instead of Cycling Championships Captured by borrdrou #Montreal2026 pic.twitter.com/YvtHeAvJup Luk Ronald Lukcs (@lucxsronald) September 24, 2026Nicely done.Finally, Ive long chronicled the condition known as JBARA-itis (or technically inflammation of the Just Buy A Rivendell Already), and recently I came across evidence that I myself was suffering from the condition as far back as 2013:Fortunately I found safe and effective treatment:Though be careful, because it may be habit-forming:So if youre looking for a comfortable and versatile bicycle for riding on all types of terrain, consult your doctor and ask if Rivendell is right for you.

At the turn of the new millennium, the UCI introduced perhaps the most talked about rule governing race bikes competing in its sanctioned events: the 6.8kg weight limit.In the year 2000, the rule made a good deal of sense. Carbon manufacture, applied to bicycles at least, was still a young technology, and there were question marks over the materials safety in a sport obsessed with weight.The rule formed part of the wider-reaching Lugano Charter, which was established in 1996 as an effort to curb increasingly outlandish bike designs and broadly govern racing bike technology.That charter, while it has been poked and prodded numerous times since, is set for its most serious overhaul since its inception 30 years ago, if the UCIs statement yesterday is anything to go on.I invite you to share what youd like to see from this update in the comments section below, but here are the things I want to see changed with a new charter and why.Removal of the 6.8kg weight limit Time to end this particular sight. Our Media This ones easy, because we (and just about everyone else) have been going on about it for 10 years or so.In 2014, Canyon demonstrated what was possible by revealing it had built a 5.6kg Ultimate CF SLX road bike. Granted, that bike had rim brakes, but the frame weighed 790g, upon which fancy kit such a Meilenstein Obermayer wheels was draped.The latest Canyon Ultimate CFR launched eight years later. Its still the current model today, and has a claimed frame weight of 641g in a size medium. Of course, this bike features heavier disc brakes, and in theory could also be built using ultra-light components. Lightweight bikes have arguably hit their zenith because of this now-arbitrary rule. Dan King / Canyon It isnt unreasonable to think you could get even lighter today. Importantly, this bike and those components are safe they pass all the mandatory tests for them to be put on sale, and Ill bet youll find most listed as approved in the UCIs rulebook.Scott has also said a 5.9kg normal build was a target for its latest Addict RC, while Dangerholm has had a custom bike built up weighing under the 5kg barrier.There are other examples, but the point is this: with such a light weight possible in 2026 with approved parts, theres no logical reason why the 6.8kg limit should apply today. It's now quite easy to hit 6.8kg, even if you haven't got exotic kit on the bike. Scott Windsor / Our Media Here, the UCI has two choices: offer a nominal drop in maximum weight to, for example, 6kg which would remain challenging for a full aero bike to hit or go even further to effectively challenge bike and component brands to push right up to their technical capabilities.The latter is what I want to happen, but I suspect the former is more likely, because pushing limits requires investment. Although I suspect pros and paying customers alike will see great appeal in new ultra-light road (and, yes, gravel) bikes, brands may be reluctant to invest as heavily as needed to establish themselves as market leaders not when sales appear challenging for many of them.Race bikes fit for the 21st century Letting designers push beyond established limits would help spur greater innovation. Factor Sadly, the same economic pressures apply to any substantial changes, but the next big alteration Id like to see is a complete relaxation to tube profile limits and the double-triangle design.We have already seen bikes with deeper tube profiles appear in recent times because they make the most of the recent 8:1 ratio limit to maximise aero performance.While some brands have had dalliances with seat-tube-less bike designs, these have never been approved by the UCI and have never truly taken off outside of triathlon. Some bikes have done without the traditional seat tube with mixed success, but it might not yet be the end of them. Russell Burton / Our media One of the UCIs principles around the double-triangle design, especially, concerns preserving the classic aesthetic of the bicycle. This is in addition to avoiding a technological arms race not all brands (read: racing teams) could participate in, and that technology from detracting from the physical skill and performance of the riders.I venture that all three of these premises are flawed in 2026 for the growth of the sport.Firstly, in an ever more technologically advanced world, for cycling to remain attractive to younger and new audiences, modern aesthetics are needed. Image is so important to attracting new fans of the sport; tradition can only take it so far (as much as I personally appreciate it). Bikes such as this may deviate from the traditional layout, but there's no doubting they look cool. CarbonWorks Secondly, the technology needed to develop new bikes has become far more democratised in recent years.A glance at all the relatively new Eastern brands on the block developing road bikes comparable with their established Western counterparts shows this, while the traditional brand powerhouses such as Giant, Merida, Specialized, Trek, Pinarello and Colnago (I could go on) arent actively demonstrating new wonder materials or even techniques that are markedly different to anyone else.Finally, its nonsensical that technological enhancements short of introducing outside physical thrust to a bike-rider system from a moving part are in any way detracting from the skill, fitness and capability of the person riding the bike. The rider is still in total control and providing all of the driving force for motion.Bike and wheel brands, for example, have spent hours in expensive wind tunnels optimising tube shapes not only for low aero drag, but also to help make their products easier to ride in crosswinds (and therefore, likely, faster overall). I dont recall that being an issue in the past.Fix handlebar sizes on a sliding scale Handlebar regulations have (rightly) got a tough rap of late. Ashley Quinlan / Our Media The UCI should designate minimum and maximum handlebar widths according to the size of the rider.Currently, for road races, handlebars must measure at least 280mm between the inner edges of the hoods, and 400mm from the outside of the drops.No arbitrary figure is appropriate in a sport where riders range so wildly in size. From personal experience, the minimum-size handlebar allowed by the UCI is the one Id likely get on best with when riding a race bike. I am 188cm tall with particularly broad shoulders. Smaller riders such as Pauline Ferrand-Prvot have to put up with the arbitrary lower limits as things stand. Jasper Jacobs / Getty Images So I can hardly imagine how alien this minimum handlebar size must still feel to riders such as Pauline Ferrand-Prvot (Visma-Lease a Bike, 165cm) and Harold Martn Lpez (XDS Astana, 160cm).While the regulations are now less stringent than they were set to be, more can be done to improve fairness for riders for whom the current minimum size is potentially a significant compromise.A ban on 32in / 750d wheels While I can see the benefits for taller riders Scott Windsor / ourmedia Not everything should be allowed, though. 32-inch wheels should be banned before money is wasted developing them and the frames that will take them for racing.This might seem a strong take, and its not one shared by everyone, but we already know through Warrens testing of the Singular Pterodactyl that 32in wheels cant be made to fit bikes less than a nominal size large without significant compromises.In short (pun intended), its a size that cant be made to suit smaller riders, thereby excluding them from the benefits which I recognise to be potentially great for taller riders, such as Warren and me. the potential for toe overlap here is surely too high. Lukas Schumacher / Scott Bikes Im not convinced the sliding-scale approach Id apply to handlebars works either brands would have to effectively develop two bike layouts, with costs inevitably being passed on to customers.And while larger riders may benefit from bikes designed with larger wheels, those wheels are more likely to influence the mechanical behaviour of the bike in performance terms effectively giving those who can ride one an advantage others cant utilise.Allow deeper wheels in road racing Swiss Side is one brand known to have fielded deeper-than-65mm rims in races in 2025, only to be stopped in 2026. Simon von Bromley / Our Media The UCI limits rim depth to 65mm in road races. I think this should be expanded to 80mm.That said, the UCI could introduce a parcours- and conditions-driven framework, which would limit their use to races and courses deemed suitable for their use.For flat sprint stages, the 80mm limit could apply. Then, for designated hilly or rolling stages, and those with significant crosswinds, the current 65mm depth may be more suitable. For mountain stages, a shallower maximum depth of around 50mm could be mandated.In doing this, the equipment choice is wider over the course of a stage race, offering more variety and marketing opportunities for brands, but also scope for more specialism in sensible circumstances should riders choose to set their bikes up accordingly.

The Dutch women have rarely lacked riders capable of winning the world title, but getting all that talent to work towards the same result has sometimes been the harder part.In Montral, too, the seven-rider roster is packed with possibility, and there could be several cards to play. There's Puck Pieterse, winner of La Flche Wallonne in 2025, whose explosive climbing makes her a threat on short, steep ascents. Multi-time national champion, Riejanne Markus, brings a combination of climbing strength and time-trial power. And, of course, there's Demi Vollering, one of the peloton's biggest stars and winner of this year's Giro d'Italia Women and Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift.Even the absence of Anna van der Breggen and Mischa Bredewold has done little to diminish the roster's fire power."We have a really strong squad here, and we're in a privileged position as the Netherlands," Vollering told the media on Thursday night, adding that the roster changes impacted the team's strength little."I don't necessarily think we have a weaker team here," she said. "That's something really special about the Netherlands having so many riders to choose from."But the leadership question is settled: the team is all in for Vollering."The girls are all fully on board with it, and we have a really strong squad," Vollering said. Her role comes with the pressure to deliver. Vollering welcomes it, starting that the responsibility can bring out the best of her."The past has shown that when we have a good Plan A, I respond really well to that," Vollering said ahead of Saturday's road race at the UCI Road World Championships. "Because then I can't hide behind other strong riders."I actually like that kind of pressure, knowing that all those riders are doing it for you. Ultimately, that gives me that extra little percentage during the race to finish it off."There is good reason for the Dutch to value this clarity. They have won five of the past 10 women's world road race titles, but their strength in numbers has sometimes been undermined by disjointed teamwork.In Leuven in 2021, a succession of attacks left them short of riders to deliver Marianne Vos in the sprint, where she took silver behind Italy's Elisa Balsamo. In Zrich in 2024, Vollering accelerated behind a break containing teammates Vos and Riejanne Markus, helping bring it back before finishing fifth as the Dutch missed the elite podium altogether.This time, national coach Laurens ten Dam has explicitly built the selection around Vollering, with conversations over the preceding weeks and months helping establish a shared understanding of her leadership role."I think [ten Dam] has done a really good job with that," Vollering said, explaining that he had been in regular contact with the riders and relayed their positive feedback to her.Vollering is already seeing evidence of that commitment. During the course recon, Femke de Vries offered to set the pace for one of her planned climbing efforts. Puck Pieterse enthusiastically joined the idea, and the exercise became a shared challenge one that took Vollering well beyond the intensity her coach had prescribed."We enjoyed it and had fun, so that was nice," she said. "I really like seeing that the girls came up with the idea themselves. That shows confidence in me."The confidence within the group does not mean Vollering considers her own performance guaranteed. She believes she is in good form, but said the real answer will only come once the race is underway and she can measure herself against the opposition.She also expects a long race to demand patience. An unpromising feeling early on need not dictate the outcome."Even if you don't have the very best legs, I think you can still get a long way on this course," she said. "You should never let your head drop, because it's so long. Things can change again during the race."What the Dutch intend to do with that distance remains private. Asked whether they had already identified the point, or the lap, on which she would make her move, Vollering offered assurance without revealing the details."I think we have a really good plan, and it's super clear to all of us. But of course I'm not going to tell you," she said smiling. The elite women's road race takes place on Saturday, 26 September, starting in Brossard at 9 a.m. local time (EDT). The 180.4km route includes eight laps of Montral's 13.4km Mount Royal circuit and a total of 2,570 metres of climbing.

Lidl-Trek riderMax Walscheid has confirmed his retirement from professional cycling after a career of over ten years. Despite having a contract for 2027, the rider will join the team's sporting structure. The German rider bids farewell to professional cycling on October 3rd in the Sparkassen Mnste...

After several years of absence, Norco has announced the return of the Team DH downhill bike. A full-bred race machine designed to take Norcos team riders to the podium, the new Team DH was fine-tuned with input from racers Greg Minaar, Danny Hart and Gracey Hemstreet. After five years of development on the World Cup Circuit and many design revisions, the bike launches today with some clever features to show.Most notably, the new Team DH debuts Norcos new HVP6 six-link suspension linkage. This downhill-specific linkage features adjustable progressivity and adjustable anti-squat via two idler positions. To ensure a proper fit, the bike also includes reach-adjustable headset cups and size-specific rear ends. The Team DH was designed to remain stable and composed on the track, hold lines through rough terrain, and allow the rider to find speed wherever possible.Norco Team DH Construction Features:The new Team DH is built around an aluminum front triangle and a carbon rear end. The aluminum front provides optimal stiffness and durability, while the carbon rear is tuned to find traction and offer a responsive ride while reducing unsprung mass. The bike features 200 mm of rear travel and runs MX wheels. Norco makes no mention of full 29 compatibility.One significant feature of the Team DH is its new HVP6 Suspension linkage A patented, High Virtual Pivot Six-link layout optimized for downhill racing. Norco says by adding linkage elements between the main suspension system and the shock, they can eliminate inherent compromises of four-bar linkages. The HVP6 linkage offers more tuning control over individual suspension characteristics and how they affect the bikes braking behaviour, axle path, and leverage curve. The Team DHs linkage is tuned to stay highly active to absorb repeated high-speed impacts, but remain supportive in corners and composed under hard braking.Next up is the Team DHs progression adjustment. Flip-chips at both rear shock eyelets offer two leverage rate curve settings (P+ and P-) to suit different riders, terrain, or track conditions. Both eyelets get flip-chips because the Team DHs entire shock moves backwards or forwards on the frame to achieve the different rate curves. Norco says this alters the bikes progression but maintains its initial sensitivity; this enables riders to play with the progression settings without requiring other adjustments to compensate between them. Bikes will ship in the P- position, and switching to the P+ setting increases progressivity by 2.5%.To allow fine-tuning of anti-squat, Norco gave the Team DH an adjustable idler position, using a patent licensed from i-Track. This provides riders with control over drivetrain response and pedal feedback. Via interchangeable mounting plates and guides, the idler can be set at two positions (AS+ and AS-). Bikes ship in the AS+ setting, and moving to the AS- setting reduces anti-squat by 20%.Before the rider even starts tuning, the Team DHs rear shocks are already custom-tuned for each frame size to ensure the bikes intended kinematics remain consistent for everyone.As for key fitments, the Team DH features a UDH derailleur hanger, an 83mm threaded BSA bottom bracket, and runs a 148mm Boost rear axle. The frame fits 31.6mm seat posts and includes an ISCG-05 mount.With race-day maintenance in mind, the Team DH features oversized bearings, low-hassle frame hardware (like top hat spacers), and external cable routing. Norco notes that no special tools are required to work on the Team DH, and service kits will be available so riders can keep their bikes race-ready throughout the season.As a Norco-specific bonus, buyers can use their Ride Aligned website to help tune their bikes settings including the Team DHs reach, progressivity, and idler position adjustments.Geometry:For additional fit tuning, the Team DH comes equipped with reach-adjustable headset cups that allow for neutral, +5, or -5mm positions. They also feature size-specific rear ends, with only the S1 and S2 sharing the same chainstay lengths. The rear end lengths were chosen based on testing with riders on all frame sizes, considering fit and real-world weight distribution measurements. The varying lengths ensure all riders stay centered between the wheels and enjoy consistent balance, grip, and handling. Up front, Norco slacks the head tubes by an additional half a degree on the largest three frame sizes. If you check out the build specs, youll notice Norco stocks lower-rise handlebars and shorter cranks on the two smallest frame sizes.The five available frame sizes (S1 to S5) should fit riders from 5 to 63. Check out the chart above for all the specs.Model Lineup:There will be two complete models of the Team DH, plus a frame kit.Team DH 2 Fox: $7,999Check out Norcos website for full build specs, but heres a quick rundown of some key components: The Team DH 2 Fox model comes with a Fox 40 Performance Elite 200mm fork and a Factory DHX2 rear shock with a Sprindex spring. This bike gets a SRAM GX DH drivetrain, a Praxis Cadet DH9 crankset, and SRAM Maven base brakes. It rolls on RaceFace ARC HD rims with DT Swiss 370 hubs. The Team DH 2 Fox comes in satin silver/blue.Team DH 2 RockShox: $7399For fans of RockShox suspension, this model runs a Boxxer Select D2 200mm fork and a Vivid Coil Base rear shock with a Sprindex spring. It shares the same SRAM GX DH drivetrain and Maven base brakes as the Fox-equipped model, but runs a Praxis Cadet HD crank. The RaceFace/DT Swiss wheelset is the same on both compete models. This bike also comes in satin silver/blue.Team DH Frame Kit: $4599The Team DH frame kit includes a Fox Factory DHX2 rear shock with a Sprindex spring, a seat clamp, rear axle, and an MRP G5 SL chain guide. The frame kit is sold in a gloss black/blue colorway.All images c/o Norco Bicycles. Rider in title photo: Lina Frener. Rider in above photo: Kirk McDowall.Norco covers the Team DH with their No Other Way limited lifetime warranty. Check out their website for more info. norco.com

Not many track bikes can claim associations with Manchester, Milan and Osaka, but this Keirin racing machine, built by Yoshiaki Nagasawa for Mancunian pro Matt Crampton in 2009, does. Crampton, a contemporary of Sir Chris Hoy, has a trophy cabinet bulging from numerous Commonwealth Games and European Track Championships. Still, it was winning the Japanese Keirin Association Race in Manchester in 2008 that led to an invitation to join the Japan Keirin School in Izu, Japan.Beauty in its simplicity for the lugsFuture / Richard ButcherNagasawa bikes are a cornerstone of the Japanese keirin sceneFuture / Richard ButcherNo bar tape needed when you're on the drops for the whole raceFuture / Richard ButcherPart training academy, part spiritual retreat, wholly disciplinarian, the school is as intense as the racing scene, which exists solely to generate 1.328 trillion yen (6,481m) in annual gambling revenue. Keirin is big business in Japan; a contact sport far removed from the sanitised Olympic and UCI versions.Hoy and Crampton raced Keirin frequently in Japan during the late 2000s. Both pros maintain that nothing honed their track skills for international competition more than belting around an outdoor asphalt track in all weathers with a group of eight fiercely competitive Japanese riders.Bike and parts fully approved by the NJS (Image credit: Future / Richard Butcher)Crampton may have been new to the scene, but he knew how to choose a bike, says current owner Richard Hoddinott of vintage specialists The Velo Pages. Nagasawa is a legendary Keirin frame builder who served a lengthy apprenticeship with Ugo De Rosa in 1970s Milan.Back in Osaka, Nagasawa applied his learned skills to Keirin bikes, which, to ensure fair play for those having a flutter, must be near identical. The frames have to be steel, and all components must be approved by the Nihon Jitensha Shinkkai (NJS), the sports governing body. The NJS seldom changes its standards, so the bikes have barely changed since the 1970s, bar contemporary drive chain components.The sports restrictive standards may seem at odds with creativity, yet Nagasawa can work magic with lengths of Japanese Tange chromoly steel tubing and a brazing torch like few others. Note the heart on the forks, a tribute to the late, great Ugo.

Paul Seixas only has gold on his mind as he looks forward to Sunday's World Championships elite road race. After second place in Montreal almost two weeks ago, the Frenchman hopes to do one better and win the rainbow jersey. After turning 20-years-old this week, the Decathlon rider hopes to come of...

Some cool news out of San Carlos, California. It seems that Ritchey Design is bringing back the Road Logic Frameset. This time, its the Signature Edition, with Tom himself putting his name right there on the top tube. The frame is beautiful and covered in Ritchey Classic Red.(Photos / Ritchey Design)Tom Ritchey has been bending, brazing, and welding steel tubes since before some of us were born; I mean, not me, but some of us. And having his signature on this particular frame is actually making a statement, and not some marketing trick. The statement is a yeah, I stand behind this one kind of statement. There is something very beautiful about a skinny-tubed, svelte road bike frame. Look, I dont even ride road anymore, but I would love to build this frame up. Steel is Still Real Ritchey Design Marketing Director explains, There is still real demand for high-quality rim-brake steel road framesets. Devotees of such bikes know that this special Road Logic will deliver on the promise of a ride feel that moves the soul of its pilot. And theyre going to love seeing Toms signature on the top tube.The new Ritchey Road Logic uses Toms own heat-treated, triple-butted Logic tubeset, with short-butted sections specifically tuned for TIG welding. Toms attention to detail when frame building after fifty-plus years in the game is either admirable obsession or just what happens when framebuilding is literally in your actual blood. Either way, I think its the good kind of stubborn.The new Ritchey Road Logic is specd with Ritcheys carbon fork. A carbon fork on a steel frame is a great idea to keep overall weight to a minimum. But its also great for some vibration damping and steering precision. Not to mention, the fork allows for tire clearance up to 30c tires. Combine the lightweight steel tubset, bigger tires, and a carbon fork, and you get a steel bike doing what a steel bike does best smooth out bad pavement while still snapping back when you stand up and sprint. The new Ritchey Road Logic is built for the long haul, but not scared to deliver the juice when you ask it to.The GeometryRitchey Road Logic Retail & DetailRetail: $1,759Sizes: 49, 51, 53, 55, 57, 59cmHeat-treated, triple-butted Ritchey Logic tubesetTIG-weldedRitchey full carbon fork700x30c tire clearance (depending on tire/rim manufacturer)Headset: WCS drop-in 1-1/8 (included)Weight: 1.77kg (55cm frame-only)If you are a cyclist whos been faithful to the good ol rim-brake, this is a nice reminder that some builders are still making bikes that are simple and light. No discs, no calipers to bleed, no hydraulic lines, and no extra weight. Just a beautiful frame doing its job.RitcheyLogic.com

However, both the local authority and Tour Grand Dpart organisers insist they are proactively managing the state of the iconic Peak District climb to ensure it is safe for the peloton

Follow the mens under-23 road race at the 2026 UCI Road World Championshipslive as the riders tackle 174 kilometres over 12 laps of the Montral circuit. Hctor lvarez, Aubin Sparfel, Elliot Rowe, Henrique Bravo, Niels Driesen, Noah Mller Andersen Lindholm and Vclav Jeek are among the contende...