Isaac del Toro and Paul Seixas went into the 2026 World Championships among the riders most naturally suited to Montreal's brutal climbing circuit. Yet when the race first properly exploded with more than 90 kilometres remaining, both found themselves chasing a move packed with riders they could har...

Over the weekend, Cane Creek hosted the inaugural edition of CRAFTED, a bike show spotlighting small builders and brands in the American Southeast. Nic popped by to see what was on offer and returned with details on some of the best dirt-focused bikes on display. In his report, he speaks to the events significance and highlights the best and brightest of CRAFTED 2026The post The Bikes and Builders of CRAFTED 2026 appeared first on BIKEPACKING.com.

Slovenia came away from the 2026 World Championships in Montreal without a medal, despite Primoz Roglic spending a sizeable part of an extraordinary race right in the thick of the fight. The 36-year-old repeatedly worked his way back after losing contact and even found himself at the front alongside...

Brandon McNulty has taken a career-changing victory at the Montral World Championships. But how did the American rider succeed in this tactical hit? On the CyclingUpToDate Podcast, Rben Silva and Gavin Quinn have discussed the race. "It was the kind of race that you don't see often, where everyon...

It rained all weekend, and in fact its still raining, but fortunately I was prepared:Im still enjoying the new clicky shifters very much, though for the first time since installing them I did need to stop and make an adjustment, which is perfectly normal after everything settles. So I stopped at the side of the road in order to do so, twiddling away as a light and gentle rain fell. As I did this, a driver slowed, rolled down his window, and asked, Do you need anything, a bottle of water, maybe?It certainly was very kind of him to offer, and I really dont mean to sound ungrateful, but at the same time it was a little perplexing. If I appeared to be stranded with a broken bicycle I could see someone offering a tool or the use of a phone or even a ride if they were especially magnanimous (or a serial killer), and if it had been a scorching hot day and Id been sitting on the curb with my head in my hands I could also see the offer of a beverage to slake my thirst. But a bottle of water in the rain on a cool day was clearly of no use to me, and therefore struck me as sort of a weird thing to offer in the first place.Then again, when stopping to render aid its probably best to just offer something that you know the person will decline, or else is really easy to provide in the event that they do accept. Not too long ago I asked a couple of stopped riders if they needed anything and naturally would up repairing a flat for one of them, which to be honest was a real pain in the ass. Had I simply slowed and asked if they needed any water they would have declined and Said no, but and Id have been well on my way before I even heard the end of the sentenceor, had they said yes, I could have thrown my water bottle at them and then kept going.In short: when offering help to stranded cyclists, avoid open-ended questions. Dont ask, Do you need anything? Instead ask, Do you need a calculator?, or Can I offer you a can opener? This will save you a considerable amount of time whilst keeping your karma intact.Unless theyre struggling to open a can of fruit cocktail.But yes, the LoNo drivetrain is working wonderfully:Speaking of which, over a week or so now a reader left the following comment:This elicited a reply from Old Man Petersen himself:BUT!I only just noticed today that the reply seemed to have wound up in the Disqus spam folder. Why? I have no idea. Perhaps the words free, eBay, Etsy, and offer expires triggered their algorithm or whatever. So Ive un-spammed it, but now the offer has long since expired, and I dont know if it still stands, or if the original poster even saw it. But this was technically my fault*, so to the original poster, if youre reading this, feel free to drop me a line and Ill see if theres anything I can do.As for the rest of you, dont get any ideas, and just because this guy may have won the kvetching lottery that doesnt mean youre also going to critique your way into free stuff.*[Related: every so often I get an email from someone wondering what happened to their comment. Please note that Disqus has a mind of its own. I do my best to regularly check the various folders where these things wind up and approve them as necessary, but sometimes I miss something. So please forgive me, and also please keep in mind that, while I deeply value your commentary, I also didnt start a bike blog in order to do work.]Meanwhile, last week I addressed alt-cycling. In so doing, I also pondered for like two seconds whether I belonged to any particular category of cyclist. Of course I really dont care about any of that, but apparently there are people who do care so much that they write entire articles about it:Im not sure he answers the question posed in the headline, but he does successfully prove that introspection and self-awareness are not the same thing:Theres a lot of talk these days about lowering the barriers to entry in cycling, and while we may not all agree on just how low they should go, I think most of us will concede you shouldnt need to read a book called Intrinsic Motivation and Self-Determination in Human Behavior to fully understand your relationship with your GRVL bike:Anthropologically speaking, community is, and has been, everything. Through virtually any lens, youll see it at the center of our well-being, decision-making, religion, and our species evolution. What started as a survival requirement has evolved into groups of people who share common interests and values. Sharing interests makes us relatable, and experts say that sense of belonging is crucial to our well-being. Psychologists Edward Deci and Richard Ryan, in their book Intrinsic Motivation and Self-Determination in Human Behavior, talk about three basic human needs that must be met for sustained motivation: autonomy, competence, and relatedness.Wait, Im sorry, am I reading a bike website or a Sarah Lawrence College undergraduate course catalog?Either way, this is a person who really seems to care what other people think:When my ego starts to creep in, I think back to a mountain bike clinic led by a local rider, Lindsey Gosnell. One of her first pieces of advice when considering tackling a new feature was to take a moment to ask yourself whether youre doing it because you want to or because of peer pressure or another outside influence. For me, its often the latter.And its strange how sometimes the people who try hardest not to be judgmental wind up being the most judgmental:These days, the self-titled alt cyclists should be the ones fighting against these expectations, but theyre failing. Being anti-mountain bike or anti-gravel bike is cliquey in its own way, and it paints an unrealistic picture of what it means to be alternative. I prefer our agnostic approach to running this website, which leaves us curious about everything, rather than bashing certain styles of riding, dressing, packing, or being. You dont need to run a front basket and wear no helmet to convey your disdain for larger cycling cliques. Just do what feels right. But, for what its worth, I dont believe not wearing a helmet makes you alt. Rather, it simply puts you at a higher risk for brain injuries.Setting aside the helmet debate, alt cyclists are at extremely low risk for brain injuries since they rarely exceed speeds of 8mph, and they spend 75% of the ride off the bike and engaged in either the preparation of coffee or the consumption of cannabis.As for labels, in the real world nobody cares about this stuff 95% of the time, though 5% of the time they do come in handy when you want to break someones balls.I mean does anyone actually take any of this seriously? For example, when I say mountain bikers are the worst, I dont mean all of them, I just mean almost all of them. And most cyclists have a sense of humor, thats why parody sites like these are so popular:Ostensibly Im writing a humorous blog here, and maybe youll even find a laugh or two here in all the drivel, but Im in awe of how each of the above sites can be so consistently hilarious on a daily basis:I recently finished testing the brilliant new Canyon Grail CF SLX, which in its Shimano GRX Di2 guise retails for a very impressive 3,899 / $4,999 / 3,999.That got me thinking, has Canyon just returned to its roots as an impressively priced online bike retailer, or is it shifting to be more competitive against the rise of Chinese brands?The latest Winspace aero gravel bike, the G5 Gravel Plus, costs 4,240 with mechanical GRX. The Di2 version is available in the UK for 4,520. That makes Canyons wonderfully capable new gravel racer a better value proposition than Winspaces market-disrupting offering.What is impressive exactly about a Canyon that costs Five Thousand American Fun Tickets? Also, what is a value proposition, and how is that different from a value? And before you answer, yes, I did look it up:Value: Is experienced and perceived subjectively by the customer.Value Proposition: Is crafted and declared proactively by the business.Okay, so value is justvalue, whereas value proposition is a line of complete bullshit.So just say value.Finally, speaking of years of blogging, heres proof from 2008 that very large wheels are nothing new:Remember: you saw it here first.

Bruno Armirail could hardly have given much more to France at the 2026 World Championships in Montreal. The early break still had close to nine minutes in hand when the race reached the Mont-Royal circuit, but once Armirail moved to the front that advantage started disappearing quickly. For lap afte...

Recently, Barcelona carbon cockpit wizards Eiros made the big jump from making cockpit parts to building a full bicycle. Meet the new Empor-e, a full-power enduro eMTB with a claimed weight of only 18.5 kg (40.7lbs). Itll be released in a limited number of only 100 units.(Photos / Eiros)The EMPOR-e uses a Mahle M40 motor that delivers a claimed 105 Nm of torque and 850 W peak power, plus an 850 Wh battery. Eiros claims up to 150 km or 2,500 m of elevation gain as a best-case battery runtime.The entire frame, including the rear triangle and all of the suspension linkages, bashguard, and handlebars, is carbon fiber. And all are designed and hand-crafted in-house, built specifically for this bike.(Photos / Eiros)Eiros also used full titanium bolts and axles for the Empor-e. This, along with a full carbon frame, might be where the claimed weight comes in. The pivot bearings are oversized and are meant to cut flex and play for snappy handling.(Photos / Eiros)Lets look a lil deeperEiros Empor-e Retail & DetailRetail: 19,500 ($22,207.28). Youll need a 10% deposit to start fabricationClaimed weight: 18.5 kg (40.78 lbs): For a full-power eMTB, this seems really light. Right? I mean, that seems lighter than some light-assist eMTBs with small batteries. Also, remember, this is a manufacturer-claimed weight, and not verified as of yet.Motor: Mahle M40: 105 Nm torque, 850 W peak power. Battery: 850 Wh: Big enough for real long days in the saddle, depending on rider weight, terrain, assist levels, and other variables.Frame: full carbon, exposed finish: Raw carbon weave for all to see. Because if youre going to spend this much on a carbon bicycle, youll probably want people to see it.Swingarm, linkages, and bashgaurd: Same carbon finish as main triangle. Titanium fasteners and axles: For all of you weight-weenies out thereOversized pivot bearings: These are used to add stiffness and to fight rear-end flex/playSuspension: hlins: RXF 38 m.3 TTX18 fork, 170 mm travel up front; TTX2 Air shock out backWheels: DT Swiss HXC 1200, mullet setup: 29 front and 27.5 rearBrakes: Brembo GR-Pro: Yes, that Brembo, the motorsport brake company, now making gravity MTB stoppers.Drivetrain: SRAM XX T-Type Eagle: Wireless SRAM, for a bike that will cost $22k, I would expect this kind of drivetrain specTires: Continental Kryptotal: Enduro Soft front, Downhill Soft rearIn-house cockpit and saddle: A one-piece carbon cockpit and hand-made saddle; this is EIROSs jam, the ultra-light carbon cockpitIf a $22k+ eMTB is something that suits your fancy, then hit the link below for more details or to reserve yours.EiroBcn.com

Kona's latest drop-bar mountain bike, the LBF, features a steel frame, a suspension fork, and off-road-inspired angles. For the first time since its launch, it's finally available in a fresh color: Gloss Cherry! Check it out here...The post The Kona LBF is Available in Gloss Cherry appeared first on BIKEPACKING.com.

Factor has introduced the ONE SP, a time trial and triathlon version of the ONE built around a new dedicated cockpit.Rather than developing a separate frame, Factor kept the existing ONE chassis and added the ONE SP Bar. The bar lets you have a TT bike while retaining the road platforms geometry, weight, and handling characteristics.The Factor One SP is for riders who want a proper TT position without moving to a traditional time trial frame. (Photo/Factor)The ONE Platform Gets a TT Front EndThe ONE SP came out of the development work behind the standard ONE. Factor says the original frames wide-stance fork, head tube, and front-end layout showed enough aerodynamic potential that engineers started testing it for time-trial use.The answer was a dedicated cockpit, not another frame.The new ONE SP Bar bolts directly to the fork head through a four-bolt interface and uses a high-modulus carbon construction. Factor claims the system also offers plenty of adjustment. Cables remain fully internal, with compatibility for electronic groupsets and hydraulic disc brakes.The bar can gain 10cm of stack at the mount, while the extensions offer up to 35mm of additional stack adjustment in 5mm steps. You can also adjust reach, width, and extension rotation.Designed for Hilly and Technical Time TrialsHow does it ride? The ONE SP has already been raced. Factor used the bike during the 2026 Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift time trial, which included a 2km climb averaging 6.9%.It was also raced at the IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship in Nice, where the course included roughly 1,200 meters of climbing along with technical descending. Those are the kinds of races where the ONE SP makes the most sense.A dedicated TT frame still has obvious advantages on a flat, straightforward course. The ONE SP is aimed more at events where low weight, cornering, climbing, and braking matter as much as aerodynamics. Plus, keeping the ONE chassis also means the bike should feel more familiar to road riders than a long, low-slung TT frame.Same Wide Fork and Aero LayoutThe frame carries over the regular ONEs distinctive front end. The wide-stance bayonet fork is designed to control airflow around the front wheel, while the chin fairing helps manage air through the head tube area. Up to 34mm TiresThe ONE SP keeps clearance for tires measuring up to 34mm. That gives riders some room to tune rolling resistance and comfort depending on the course, particularly for rougher time trials and long-course triathlon. The frame also keeps the adjustable front derailleur mount, allowing for a wide range of gearing options.Groupset compatibility includes electronic SRAM, Shimano, and Campagnolo.Factor ONE SP PricingThe ONE SP is available in Chrome, Onyx Black, Nimbus Grey, and Silverstone, with frame sizes from 47 through 58cm.ONE SP Premium PackageUSA: $7,399Europe: 8,899Canada: $9,799 CADAustralia: $12,499 AUDUK: 7,199Black Inc 62 / SRAM Force + Power MeterUSA: $11,599Europe: 13,899Canada: $15,399 CADAustralia: $19,699 AUDUK: 11,299Black Inc 62 / SRAM RED + Power MeterUSA: $13,399Europe: 16,099Canada: $17,799 CADAustralia: $22,699 AUDUK: 13,099The ONE SP is available now through select Factor dealers and Factors website.

Isaac del Toro could at least take some pleasure from seeing the rainbow jersey stay within UAE Team Emirates - XRG. For Mexico, though, that was hardly much consolation after arriving in Montreal believing they had a genuine chance of leaving with it themselves. Brandon McNulty was the rider celebr...