Tom Pidcock finished seventh in the Mens Elite Road Race at the UCI Road World Championships on Sunday, with some extra help from Australian brand Partington.Pidcocks Pinarello-Q36.5 cycling team officially uses Zipp wheels, but the British rider employed Partington's R-Series road bike wheels on his Pinarello Dogma F during the race in Montreal.According to Peter Nicholson, a principal at Double Digital Communications, Partingtons marketing agency, Pidcock chose the R-Series wheels for their balance of power transfer, low weight, and aerodynamics.Put simply, he chose the way they perform as he sought every advantage for one of his biggest targets of the season, Nicholson says.Two versions of the wheels Tom Pidcock racing at the Mens Elite Road World Road Race in Montreal. Dario Belingheri / Getty Images Nicholson says Pidcock used two versions of the R-Series wheels during the race, both with 50mm-deep rims.Pidcock started on the R-Series Performance wheels, but after being involved in a crash with 80km to go, he switched to a bike fitted with the R-Series Performance Ti wheels.The Performance Ti wheels have several upgrades over the Performance wheels. They use titanium hardware and a titanium ratchet system, and also feature ceramic bearings.Pidcock typically uses Zipps 454 NSW wheels, but the R-Series wheels offer one immediate advantage on paper. Zipp says the 454 NSW wheelset weighs a claimed 1,428g, whereas Partington says the R-Series Performance wheels weigh 1,200g.Partingtons wheels also use carbon spokes, compared to Zipps steel spokes. As well as saving weight, this could have offered Pidcock a stiffer and more responsive ride. The hubs on Partingtons R Series wheels have 68 points of engagement.With an internal rim width of 23mm, the Partington wheels are designed to be used with a 30mm tyre, and Pidcock opted for the Pro Corsa tyres from his team sponsor Vittoria in this width at the Worlds.Hand-built as a complete systemNicholson also stresses that the Partington R-Series wheels are hand-built as a complete system.From the Perform hub, to the Flexon continuous carbon fiber spokes, to the Multi-Material Composite AERON Carbon Fiber Rim with PMI foam core, each wheelset delivers a complete performance advantage something that is simply not achievable using off the shelf components, Nicholson says.For most of the season, riders will disguise any kit that isnt sponsor-correct with tape or permanent marker (think back to the Castelli Gabbas origins). But for the World Championships, they are allowed to use other equipment because they are representing their country rather than their team.However, Nicholson says Pidcock was in touch with Partington through Pinarello-Q36.5.Partington and Tom have multiple mutual contacts via some of his existing sponsors including Pinarello, Q36.5, and Amacx, he says.

Brandon McNulty now holds one of the greatest prizes any professional cyclist can win: the rainbow jersey. The American was crowned road world champion on Sunday at the Montral 2026 World Championships and entered cycling history, although the direct financial reward for taking the world title is a...

UAE Team Emirates - XRG have a welcome headache on their hands as the Montreal World Championships saw them keep hold of the rainbow jersey. They had one of the favourites among their ranks in Isaac del Toro, but after an exhilerating race, Brandon McNulty kept the prestigious title close to home. T...

Bad parking, consistent rules and a "safety clampdown" all feature in the mayor's vision for dockless e-bikes but he also expressed frustration at the government for slowing down the process

Heres a geography quiz:Which Of The Earths Great Rivers Is This?A) The GangesB) The MississippiC) The AmazonD) The Saw MillWell, if you answered D), youre correctand no doubt you did, too, because the mighty Saw Mill River is instantly recognizable to anybody anywhere in the world, even now when it is muddy and swollen from days of rain from the noreaster that has been sitting on our face since Saturday like a plus-sized commuter with a pantful of sweat on a subway train with a broken air conditioning.Yes, from its source in [Intern: look it up] this fabled waterway flows along the bike path until it eventually finds its way into the Hudson:Indeed, this is the very same bike path where only this past spring I ran afoul of some drunkards:If youre disinclined to read about it, the short version is that the winos gave me some crap, and so I did what any real man does, which is yell something really mean at them and then ride away quickly.For awhile after I steered clear of the Hobo Gauntlet, because they really did want to kill me, and I worried that next time I saw them theyd succeed in getting a hold of me, like when the bums get their revenge on Alex in A Clockwork Orange. Fortunately, the pickle jars that are their brains did not retain memory of the incident for long. In fact, now when I pass them, not only do they refrain from attacking me, but they actually give me a great big friendly drunken greeting, go figure.This is yet more proof (as though you even needed it) that there really is no problem so big that alcohol cant solve itjust as long as you dont consider spending your days and nights beneath an overpass on a suburban bike path a problem.But that was spring, and now its falland very suddenly, too. Any second now the trees will start to turn:And its already wool jersey weather:I received this jersey from Wabi Woolens three years ago now and its become one of my most trusted cycling garments. If youre looking for a wool jersey I highly recommend it, and dont let my misshapen torso dissuade you, because heres how it looks on a normal person:It really is luxurious!Also, if it looks a little twisted on me, thats only because I stopped to pick up a combination lock for my younger son and I think the weight of it is causing the jersey to sag a little.As for the fender line on the Milwaukee, I have no excuse for that:Still, it too is luxurious.Really, the only complaint I have about the Wabi Wollens jersey is that it doesnt have a dedicated pocket for the pet squirrel who I trained to check my tire pressure and perform other basic mid-ride maintenance tasks:This should not be confused with the chipmunk who changes my gears for me:[BK Jimmy]The Mammo-drive system appeared on this blog (or technically this one) so long ago I can no longer even find the post, but it prefigured Rotors ridiculous hydraulic group by many years, and in fact I suspect its where they got the idea:Not only that, but this was also years before AI, so consider this image a testament to human ingenuity.Anyway, after the ride I left the squirrel to clean the bike while I settled in for some aprs-cycle reading:And yes, I always read in cycling clothing, dont you?Thats the fourth installment of The Farbman Chronicles, of course, which Ive quite enjoyed:And speaking of made-to-order bicycles, if you couldnt get enough of last months MADE showNow theres the CRAFTED show:MADE, CRAFTEDwhats left, HEWN?I guess that would be an all-wooden bike show:As for CRAFTED, all I wanted to know was if there were any bikes with rim brakes, and it looks like there is one exhibitor who still uses them:[Rim brakes and disembodied hands? Maybe theres still hope]This inspired me to start my own rim brake-only bike show called RIMMED. However, when I went to register a URL every conceivable variation of the name was already in use by some kind of adult website. So I quickly abandoned the idea in favor of a new concept, which Im calling the THROWN TOGETHER show:By the way, did you know why the Homer is called what its called? Heres why, from OMP himself:Originally the A. Homer Hilsen was going to be the Honus Wagner (old time shortstop for the Pittsburgh Pirates, good hitter and fast runner despite his bow legs). I started collecting bits of Honus Wagner paraphernalia. The plan was to make 206 of them, only, because that was the number of H.W. baseball cards that made it into circulation back in the 19aughts. Only 206 because, as I remember from reading, these werent bubblegum cards; they were cigarette cards, and Honus was able to stop production, because he didnt think kids should smoke. They didnt instantly become collectible, and over the years most were lost, and then in recent decades one of those cards in great condition became worth millions. I think Wayne Gretsky bought the best one a while back, but I dont keep up, OK? Google it yourself.Anyway, I prudently looked into the legality or whatnot of naming a bike the Honus Wagner, and found out that a law firm then in Colorado was guarding his name, on behalf of two sisters, both HWs heirs, aand one of whom was named Linda Blair, if that name means anything to you. They received royalties from HW bobbleheads and coffee mugs that sold for $5 to $15 each. We at first made a deal, where wed pay $1,000 or so and offer the sisters the first prototypeso they could have a Honus Wagner bicycle. Wed already had the decals made and were working on the head badge. They said Yes at first (thru their lawyers), and all was going well until they sensed that wed reached a point of no return and were so invested in this that we couldnt turn back. So they then wanted access to our books, 24/7<they actually used that phraseand wanted to be able to buy as many HW bikes as they wanted at our cost. It was too weird and shifty and just too much, no thanks, so I changed the name to something I couldnt imagine was trademarked, and thats how it became the A. Homer Hilsen.I dont count sales, but Ill guess that weve sold about 2,700 of them, and I still ride the prototype the sisters never got.I think we can all agree that the name A. Homer Hilsen is a lot better than A. Habeas Corpus, which is what I would have called it had I found myself in that same predicament:Sorry, Im sure every time I use AI to generate an image I bring us all just a tiny bit closer to mass extinction, but its oddly addicting and I just cant help it.

You may have heard about Spain's new cycling rules, which come into force this Thursday (1 October). For the country's cyclists, they're a mixed but mostly positive bag which, assuming the drivers of Spain and its island territories take note, should theoretically mean that the nation's bike riders will be just a little bit safer.The new regulations include welcome, tougher new rules for car drivers overtaking cyclists, more flexibility for riders out on the road, and less popular with some, perhaps tighter rules on wearing helmets. If you're planning on a bit of spring sunshine in Majorca next year, take note.The Spanish government's state gazette says: "[The New] Bicycle regulations have several objectives: firstly, to promote cycling as a healthy and sustainable mode of transportation that helps reduce urban pollution, and encourage greater bicycle use in the city. Secondly, the regulations introduce measures that enhance the safety of cyclists, who are vulnerable road users."A quick run-down of the most salient points includes the removal of all previous exemptions regarding the wearing of helmets. Currently, riders can forgo helmet use on long climbs, in extreme heat, and for medical reasons, but the new General Traffic Regulations call these "no longer justifiable". So, if you get caught out on Sa Calobra next March with your helmet hanging from your bars, that'll be a 200 fine.Anyone under-16, or who rides a bike for their job, must use a helmet at all times and on all roads, while over-16s are only obligated to do so on intra-urban (rural) roads.The most welcome rule changes are likely to be the ones pertaining to drivers overtaking riders. They must still give the rider 1.5m space while overtaking, but must now slow to 20kph below the speed limit on rural roads as they do so; as well as hang back "at least" five metres from the rider until they choose to make the manoeuvre.The gazette says: "When overtaking pedestrians, animals, animal-drawn vehicles, mopeds, personal mobility vehicles, cyclists or groups of cyclists, the overtaking driver must take special care with the manoeuvre, in order to avoid creating any dangerous situation for them."Cyclists are also encouraged to take the primary position and ride in the centre of the lane. This makes the cyclist more visible to drivers, makes their movements more predictable, and discourages risky overtakes. Urban one-way roads with speed limits of 30kph or less could also see cyclists allowed to travel both ways, subject to signage.All good for the cyclists of Spain and those visiting any time soon, which could include a fair few readers and plenty of WorldTour pros. But what's in it for the rest of us? Sadly, probably nothing immediately. But give it time. There is more than one political and philosophical theory postulating that when things improve in one country, they are eventually likely to improve in its neighbour in a similar way.Importantly, the rest of Europe is witnessing its neighbour taking progressive strides strides which don't involve wholesale replanning of town infrastructure, but simple guidelines. We probably shouldn't kid ourselves that Spain's doing this so that the local group ride can have a more untroubled crack at setting a new PR for its usual course. Instead, this is about wider issues: reducing road deaths and pollution important issues on (almost) any nation's 'To Do' list.It could take time, but we have already seen the UK adopt measures grounded in the cycletopia of Europe's most bike-friendly cities. The Dutch reach, for example, or the hierarchy of road users, which puts the onus on the drivers of bigger, heavier vehicles to look out for those who are more vulnerable.In North America, Portland, Oregon and Montral have introduced Dutch-inspired intersections, while Minneapolis has experimented with them too.Progress like this advances incredibly slowly, and for us in the UK or the US, the new regs are not a signal to attach tassles to bar-ends and throw a party. Even for Spain's riders, introducing new traffic laws is one thing, but educating drivers and then ensuring they adhere to them are separate challenges. Similar issues exist in the UK, where it remains largely down to cyclists with cameras to report overtaking transgressions by motorists, despite clear Highway Code guidelines.What the new rules are though, is another strike of the hammer in just one of the nails in the coffin of the unfettered dominance of motor vehicles on our roads. Bit by bit, regulation by regulation, we're getting there.

Tadej Pogacars push to defend his European title on home roads this weekend looks to have finally hit a dead end, with UAE Team Emirates-XRG team principal Mauro Gianetti insisting the Slovenian will not race despite his desire to return. Pogacar has made remarkable progress since the Vuelta a Espa...

After chainrings, one of absoluteBLACKs earliest products was an ultralight disc brake rotor called the Ravel SL. Now, 14 years later, theyve introduced v2, with less focus on weight and more attention paid to performance. Just not in the way you think.The new Ravel SL is still super lightweight, but now it apparently works better.If you look at most modern rotors, theres a proliferation of slotted designs. The goal is to create gaps for cooler air to flow through and keep the rotors from overheating. absoluteBLACK says theres a problem with this all those slots cause uneven pad wear, which leads to lower braking performance.The new Raven GT trades a few grams for more consistent braking performance under harsh conditions.They started figuring this out while developing their GRAPHENpads brake pads. With regular slots, or other common designs, theres a big difference in the amount of metal making contact with the pad as you move outward from the center of the rotor.And, because the circumference at the inner part of the circle is smaller than the circumference at the outer part, a slot that maintains the same shape actually allows for a different amount of surface contact across the rotors surface.Think of the red line as one single measured point in the rotors circumference.The important part of that finding is that the heat created differs in relation to how much surface area the rotors are touching. And if that material contact is different, than the heat is different, which means things start to get weird. The area of the rotor producing more heat starts to lose performance before the rest of the rotor. What feels like brake fade is really just part of the rotor losing friction compared to other parts.absoluteBLACKs solution was to even out the amount of material the brake pad saw. The TL;DR version is this: Holes need to be sized and placed so that the brake pads see the same amount of material at every point on the rotors circumference.Obviously, there will be increased material at the inner and outer areas where there are no holes, but getting it as even as possible everywhere in between took them years of testing and resulted in more than 500 individual perforations. They call it a mathematically uniform braking path.And then they adjusted the design for harmonics, steel hardness, surface finishing methods, and manufacturing complexities.And here we are, with the new Raven SL and Raven GT brake rotors. The SL gives up a tiny bit of these findings to save weight, and the GT is fully optimized for evenly distributed braking power. Options include:6-boltRAVEN SL 160 mm 85gRAVEN GT 160 mm 99gCenter LockRAVEN SL CTRL 140 mm 81 gRAVEN SL CTRL 160 mm 94gRAVEN GT CTRL 160 mm 108gWorth noting, these are designed only for road and gravel bikes, not MTB. Prices range from $159 to $172, available now. The center lock ring shown in some photos is sold separately.absoluteBLACK.cc

Adidas Five Ten has revamped its off-road shoes line-up with four new Freerider models, aimed at riders of all levels up to World Cup pros.The Five Ten range has built an enviable reputation over the past couple of decades, with a raft of shoes that are as iconic as MTB footwear can get.In 2027, a new range of shoes bearing the Freerider name will hit the shops, with a full rework across the line-up.The Five Ten branding shuffles towards the back of the shoe, where the logo is traditionally located on the brands rock climbing shoes, with Adidas three stripes taking centre stage. The new Adidas Freerider range. Kyle Dewick / Kelsey The shoes have been in development for the past two years, with both Adidas employees and pro riders, including the likes of Greg Minnaar, Danny MacAskill and Vali Hll, testing them.The teams process started by looking at what it felt were non-negotiable performance attributes that could not be lost from the previous range before searching for potential performance improvements, all without adding to price points.Adidas Five Ten Freerider Adidas' Freerider is built to be versatile on and off the bike. Kyle Dewick / Kelsey The entry point into the Freerider line-up is the Freerider shoe itself. This has traditionally been seen as the all-rounder option that works just as well on the trail as it does in the bar after the ride, with its old-school action-sports aesthetic.Internally, the brand has cut weight and added comfort to the sole of the shoe by removing the original waffle structure of the midsole and replacing it with an EVA foam. The classic Stealth sole remains on the Freerider, but the internal structures have changed. Kyle Dewick / Kelsey This is said to feel better when youre walking in it and reduce buzz through the pedals. By experimenting with different EVA foams, the brand says it has maintained the stiffness of the shoe, however.As found across the range, a five-layer toebox is used to bolster protection, which includes a layer of Poron material this is a non-Newtonian material that acts like D3O. Its malleable in regular conditions, but stiffens upon impact, spreading forces across a wider area.The shoe has a suede and mesh finish and uses laces. It will cost $120 / 120.Adidas Five Ten Freerider Pro Freerider shoes now offer a little more side and toe protection, as seen here on the Freerider Pro. Kyle Dewick / Kelsey The Freerider Pro takes the Freerider's design and adds a little more on-bike performance. In Adidas words, this is the shoe that all other mountain bike shoes are judged against, and so the German brand needed to ensure the updates didnt compromise on performance.Toe protection has been beefed up, as has the amount of side-foot protection to ward off glancing blows.With this shoe targeted at serious riders, it needed to be one that riders are comfortable hosing off post-ride, and that would dry quickly. This means closed-cell foam internally and a synthetic upper. The half-moon shaped blocks are designed to boost grip when you're climbing up for another run. Kyle Dewick / Kelsey Looking further down, the classic Stealth Rubber sole remains, however the circular dots that make up the sole pattern at the toe and heel have been replaced with semi-circular dots, to boost grip when scrabbling back up a slope to hit a line again.The Adidas Five Ten Freerider Pro shoes will cost $180 / 180.Adidas Five Ten Freerider Pro BOA Boa dials on the Freerider Pro BOA shoes offer more control over foot tension. Kyle Dewick / Kelsey Much like the Freerider Pro, this shoe benefits from the extra toe and side-foot protection, and the improved construction techniques around the toe. It also has extra grip from the sole when off the bike.The use of the Boa Li2 dial is intended to help lock the foot into the shoe for flat-pedal riders who want to exert the most control out of their footwear.It uses a PowerWrap upper system to pull the two sections of the upper together, which reduces binding of the uppers material. Those half-moon tread blocks, again. Kyle Dewick / Kelsey The Li2 dial has a little shield to protect it, and prevent ventilation from popping it open when youre riding.The dial offers tightening and untightening clicks. This gives more on-the-fly control over tension, compared to laces.These shoes will cost $180 / 180.Adidas Five Ten Freerider Pro BOA Clip Built for racers, the BOA Clip version of the Freerider Pro has a dual BOA system to further enhance fit. Kyle Dewick / Kelsey The Freerider Pro BOA Clip is the shoe built for racers, and takes over from the Hellcat model. Its been developed with input from the likes of Greg Minnaar and Dakotah Norton.While the clip version of the Freerider has a similar aesthetic, the construction has been tweaked to reflect the requirements of a more race-focused shoe. The sole is re-engineered for riding with cleats. Kyle Dewick / Kelsey For example, the upper needs to have little or no stretch in it so the Boa dials can regulate foot tension accurately, while the heel section has to be formed to reduce any heel lift when sprinting for the line.The synthetic upper has a pair of Boa Li2 dials, both with the shield, to help lock the foot into the shoe and reduce heel lift when pedalling.Theres also less slop in the forefoot, reflecting the locked-in feel of a clipless pedal system, and so it should be easy to clip in and out with no flex.The Freerider Pro BOA Clip is a shoe designed to be used with a platform-based pedal because theres still some flex in the sole to provide a bit more feel on the pedals. The cleat channel extends a further 5mm rearward for those who like to slam their cleats. Kyle Dewick / Kelsey To resist damage from pedal pins, harder-wearing Stealth Marathon rubber is used on the soles.The cleat channel has also been extended, with an additional 5mm of rearward cleat placement possible, for those who slam their cleats as far back as possible.These top-end shoes will cost $250 / 250.

A round of the UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup due to be hosted in Glasgow in December has proven so popular with cycling fans that the initial release of 10,000 tickets has sold out two months before the event, and a new raft of 2000 tickets has just been made available, British Cycling announced this morning. Organised by the Union Cycliste International and Flanders Classics, the Cyclo-Cross World Cup is the marquee series of the international cyclo-cross calendar and a winter highlight for cycling fans, with thousands of spectators attending each round to witness the planet's most skilful riders racing across super challenging courses, tackling grass, mud and obstacles. The 20252026 UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup was collected by Dutch duo Mathieu van der Poel, who emerged victorious from every round he contested to take the overall series win for the second time in his career, and Lucinda Brand, who stacked up four wins.The vast majority of the UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup rounds are staged in mainland Europe, and this is the first time the event has come back to Britain for 12 years, since a round was held in Milton Keynes in 2014. The long absence, plus a wave of interest in elite cycling possibly accelerated by anticipation ahead of the 2027 Tour de France and Tour de France Femmes Grand Dparts being hosted in Britain, has meant demand for tickets has exceeded expectations. Contested across a total of 12 rounds, the 202627 World Cup kicks off on Friday 27 November in the Czech city of Ostrava, where competitors will race around a former mining site. Round takes place in Tbor, also in the Czech Republic, on Sunday 29 November, and then it's Scotland's turn.The highly anticipated third round will take place on 13 December in Kelvingrove Park, a 34-hectare Victorian park in Glasgows West End. When the location of the event was first announced, Cameron Mason, the four-time British cyclo-cross champion who hails from the nearby Scottish town of Linlithgow predicted that: Its going to be the biggest moment in my career.Mason, who achieved his aim of securing a stage podium finish during the last World Cup, will be a massive home favourite in December, along with fellow Scot, Anna Flynn, who is the female British cyclo-cross champion and comes from Edinburgh. The last few tickets, which cost around 31.50 per adult (with concessions and family rates available) can currently be bought through Ticketmaster, but they are going fast. After Glasgow, the series will head back to its traditional homeland, with stages held in the Belgian cities of Antwerp, Koksijde, Gavere, Namur, Zonhoven and Hamme punctuated by events in Besanon (France) and Benidorm (Spain) before the World Cup comes to a conclusion in Hoogerheide, the Netherlands, on Sunday 24 January.Passing 10,000 ticket sales with 75 days still to go demonstrates the appetite for world-class cycling in the UK, and were delighted to be releasing additional tickets in response to that demand, said Darren Henry, Managing Director of British Cycling Ventures. We want to build a portfolio of major events across different cycling disciplines, creating more opportunities for fans to experience the sport, attracting new audiences and giving partners more ways to connect with them. Kelvingrove Park will provide a spectacular setting on 13 December. The momentum behind major cycling events in the UK is clear, and our ambition is to keep building on it in the years ahead."