Paul Seixass Tour de France debut nearly went awry before the race had even begun. The young French rider crashed while reconnoitring the route in Barcelona on the eve of the opening time trial, and even considered withdrawing before the start. His father, Emmanuel Seixas, has revealed details of t...

For years, the bicycle industry has overemphasised the need for the best kids' bikes to be as light as possible myself included, who, for a time, was part of the team that put together the Hoy-branded Kids Bike range. With even the most affordable kids' bikes now considered reasonably light, have geometry and touchpoints been overlooked? That's why for my son's first pedal bike, I put geometry first, and I dont regret it for a minute. His Prevelo Zulu One has set him up perfectly on the pedals and filled him with confidence, culminating in a trip to the Forest of Dean, a mountain-bike haven on the Welsh-English border. But alas, why do kids grow so fast? Just over a year after getting the Prevelo, he was ready for bigger wheels, and it makes our shotgun adventures seem like a lifetime ago. So when I saw that Early Rider had updated the geometry of their Seeker 16, and given the brand's reputation for making lightweight kids bikes, I knew we needed to put it to the test.Design detailsThe latest version of the Early Rider Seeker 16 is once again constructed from a 6061 aluminium frame and fork, which features new dropouts able to accommodate thru-axles; these allow better wheel retention and alignment with the disc brakes when tensioning the single-speed chain and gear. (Image credit: Matt Ischt-Barnard)The biggest change is the bike's geometry: Early Rider has lowered the bottom bracket by 20mm, slackened the head angle by 1.5 degrees from 69.5 to 67, and shortened the seat tube, resulting in a dramatic 40mm drop in standover height. Early Rider claims this should increase stability and make you feel more part of the bike rather than perched atop it.Aesthetically, while Early Rider has recently introduced more colour, they have stayed true to their roots by continuing to offer the brushed finish we tested alongside 3 new colour-accented designs(Image credit: Matt Ischt-Barnard)Unboxing and assemblyI always like to discuss how kids bikes come assembled, as while many reading this might be cyclists, not all parents are, and I think it's helpful, especially when buying direct online. The good news is that the Seeker comes pretty much ready to ride out of the box. Final setup still requires some parent input, though. Early Rider requires parents to fit the handlebar, align the stem, screw in the pedals, and, if needed, shorten the brake lever reach. (Image credit: Matt Ischt-Barnard)That wasnt a problem for me, but if you're unsure, Early Rider provides a video to follow and printable instructions if needed. If you're unsure, your local bike shop should charge only 35/$50 to build the bike for you. The only issue I had was that the handlebar was missing a centring logo, so I had to get the tape measure out. I tend to do this anyway, after losing faith many years ago that those logos were actually in the middle.SpecificationsThe Seeker 16 comes with a raft of kids-specific in-house Early Rider-branded components, as you might expect. Clearly, a lot of thought has gone into the sizing: the stem is a short 35mm, and the narrow 500mm handlebar uses the 31.8mm standard, making changes or room for growth later much easier. (Image credit: Matt Ischt-Barnard)There are shorter crank arms that work in tandem with the lowered bottom bracket, reducing the length from 110mm to just 90mm. The brand has swapped from Vee Tire Crown Gem, a fairly aggressive MTB tyre for a kids bike, to the new Kenda Booster 16 x 2.2in tyre, which looks to offer a better balance of rolling resistance and grip. Early Rider has even scaled up the hydraulic disc brake rotors, matching the powerful reach-adjustable stoppers with 140mm discs. (Image credit: Matt Ischt-Barnard)Given the undeniable premium of the Seeker range, many will be glad to know (especially for those looking to hold on to them as hand-me-downs) that Early Rider has also made smart choices to maximise the longevity of these parts. For example, the wheels feature sealed bearings, as does the bottom bracket. There are tough double-walled alloy rims, and the bike comes equipped out of the box with a very nice set of pedals (although I did fit my son's preferred Red, Funn Taipan pedals; the emphasis here is on the Red colour rather than the pedal itself).All this results in a bike that weighs just 6.5kg/14.3lbs with pedals fitted; that's a kilo/2.2lbs lighter than his smaller 14-inch-wheel Prevelo. Very impressive!(Image credit: Matt Ischt-Barnard)One last thing: the Seeker 16 comes with a bottle cage mount, which is rare on kids' bikes, even in larger sizes. I tried fitting an Elite CEO Jet cage, but the front triangle gap is too tight. However, Early Rider offers a Universal Utility Plate and Strap designed for small bottles. This shouldnt be a negative, as I said; so many kids' bikes dont offer bottle cages at all.PerformanceBefore I get into how the bike performs, I just want to remind you all that our reviews of the best kids' bikes are based solely on our observations of our kids riding. We, of course, cant ride them ourselves, and some younger kids, like my son, can't always articulate or critique precise handling characteristics.First and foremost, I think the Early Rider's lower overall weight has really turbo-charged my son's riding. He immediately felt at home, given the bike's geometry isnt all that different from his Prevelo, and built speed very, very quickly. As I mentioned at the beginning of this review, I dont regret him riding a slightly heavier bike to start with for a minute, but it is clear geometry and weight need to go hand in hand more often.This most notable difference has been on inclines, not so much on hills, as most parents will know hills just take time, muscle, size, and we have a towline for those; however, small rises on a path or terrain now have been a fun challenge and, in most cases, unnoticeable to him, where previously it wouldnt have been possible. Some of that is his age, height, wheel size, and increased experience, but I have no doubt weight is a big factor, since he generally looks more comfortable moving the bike around. (Image credit: Matt Ischt-Barnard)The geometry changes Early Rider has made are clearly valuable, and I have noticed a marked improvement in my son's confidence hitting scary terrain since putting a leg over the Seeker. For us, that's rocky, steeper sections of trail or longer descents on the local bike paths. A good example is the old railway line near us, which drops down to several road crossings where bridges have been removed over the years. Where he might have hopped off and walked down before, he is racing down, a heart-stopping moment for me, praying he stops for the road. There is one quirk, though. Given the prevalence, rapid construction, and investment in pump tracks across the UK & US as great places for kids to learn to ride bikes and hone their skills, I noticed my son striking his pedals more often on the Seeker.(Image credit: Matt Ischt-Barnard)We frequent a number of them here in South East England, including a local BMX track. The lower bottom bracket, which is now as low as his smaller-wheeled Prevelo (Early Rider is 185mm w/90mm arms, Prevelo 181mm w/85mm arms), combined with the slightly longer wheelbase of the 16-inch Seeker, means the pedals, depending on the style of track, are very close to the ground. The bike isn't entirely to blame; I need to coach my son to keep his pedals level, but it's something to watch for. On the trail, this has not caused any issues yet, and this lower stance, as I said, is rapidly building confidence.Value Let's address the obvious elephant in the room: The Seeker 16 is 599 or $749 direct in the US, which is undeniably a lot for a kids' bike. However, I have no doubt the Early Rider is worth every penny. I'll use the Prevelo example again, not just because we have experience with the Zulu, but because there arent many bikes in this part of the market. The Zulu Two, which is the size up from our Zulu One, is $50/35 cheaper than the Seeker however, claimed weights dont match the actuals in my experience, and it also isnt quite there in terms of specification and finish kit.The Orbea Kimu was our first choice and was set to be only 399. Unfortunately, Orbea decided not to sell the bike in the UK or the US. Another popular bike in parent-cyclist Reddit threads is the Nukeproof Cub, which is also only 399 but has a much lower specification and only mechanical disc brakes. (Image credit: Matt Ischt-Barnard)I'd go a step further: even in a more crowded market, the Early Rider offers so much for the price, even compared with some adult bikes, especially if you plan to hand it down. There is also a thriving second-hand market for these bikes, so they hold their value well. So once you take all this into account, I cant fault the Seeker; many will pick at the price, but if you want to save some cash, you could consider the more affordable Belter 16, which is very similar but forgoes the disc brakes, thereby also saving a considerable amount of weight. Right now, Early Rider has the market, and for good reason: the Seeker is brilliant and builds on years of dedicated focus on solutions to improve kids riding experiences. However, if Orbea, Nukeproof, or Prevelo start to catch up on spec, weight, or availability, that higher cost could be more troubling. Tech specPrice: UK - 599, US - $749Weight: 6.5kg/14.3lbs with pedals fittedAge: 4-6 yearsStandover: 41cm/16.1"Max seat height: 56cm or 22"Min seat height: 47cm or 18.5"Frame & Fork: AL6061, brushed finish, forged dropoutsWheels: 16" 24h, double-walled on sealed bearing hubsTyres: Kenda Booster 16" x 2.2"Brakes: ER Crux Hydraulic brakes w/14mm RotorsStem: 35mm - 31.m clampHandlebar: 500mm, 25mm/1" rise & 19mm grip diameterCranks: ER Crux 90mm long

After Valentina Cavallar revealed she was subjected to a drug test in the same house where her mother had just died, the International Testing Agency insists that the control was conducted as discreetly, respectfully, and swiftly as possible

Visma | Lease a Bike's Matteo Jorgenson had grand plans when he began his 2026 season. Now that he's raced his last of the season, he looks back on those goals and sees that he didn't tick any of the boxes. But for the American, not all is lost as he heads into the 2027 season. Planning the first pa...

Previously found on only select bikes DT Swiss unleashes its gravel bounce to the masses with two models available, with the top-end F 132 One priced at 999.99

Photos by TJ Kearns, Nic Morales, Daniel Jessee, and Leila Husain. Western North Carolina is home to the biggest mountains on the East Coast, and some of the oldest in []The post The Great Smoky Mountains Traverse appeared first on BIKEPACKING.com.

DT Swiss has announced the release of a pair of new suspension forks featuring 40mm of travel and 50mm tyre clearance.The new DT Swiss F 132 and F 132 One come with plenty of options, heaps of adjustability, remote control and internal routing options.Its not the first time weve seen an F 132 fork from DT Swiss. The original fork was designed in partnership with Canyon, which had an exclusivity clause on the design until now.The two new aftermarket options now come with three fork offsets to better match your bike's geometry. There are adaptors to route the brake hose internally and add-on bikepacking mounts.The new F 132 One comes with a drop-bar remote, which uses the PUSHCONTROL technology from DTs mountain bikes to switch between open and closed modes at the touch of a button. What you need to know about the DT Swiss F 132 gravel forks 40mm travel across the F 132 and F 132 One Weights from 1,340g Fork offset options of 45mm / 50mm / 56mm 130kg system weight limit F 132 One offers wide-range spring and damping adjustment and remote lockout Bikepacking adaptors available Internal-routed cockpit compatible The F132 has both external and internal hose-routing options. DT Swiss The premium F 132 uses a combination of the Lineair SL air-spring cartridge and a second Plaingain damping cartridge. Its the lightest configuration of the design and comes with a claimed weight of 1,340g.The F 132 is a light fork, but bettered by Cane Creek's Invert at 1,250g, Foxs 32 Taper-Cast at 1,320g and RockShoxs Rudy XPLR Ultimate at 1,300gWhilst the F 132 uses a simpler OPENFLOW system that keeps the 40mm of travel always available, the F 132 comes in only 40g heavier at 1,380g. The DT Swiss F 132 gravel fork comes in three fork offsets. DT Swiss The DT Swiss option could well be one of the better gravel suspension fork options thanks to its availability in 45mm, 50mm and 56mm offsets, giving it a broad range of compatible fits to more bikes.Both models come with 40mm of travel and a 130kg maximum system weight.F 132 One adjustability The F 132 One has a rebound adjuster in the lower leg. DT Swiss The F 132 One combines of the Lineair SL spring cartridge, with its positive and negative air chambers, and the Plaingain damping cartridge. DT Swiss says this enables the fork to be adjusted over a wide range of air pressures and the rebound adjusted through nine progressive clicks using an easily accessible dial at the bottom of the fork leg.F 132 always on The F 132 can carry up to 3kg per side with the bikepacking adaptors. DT Swiss The F 132 is a simpler fork, which uses the same Lineair SL spring cartridge, but here combined with the OPENFLOW oil system. It forgoes the lockout and rebound adjustment in favour of a simpler 'get out and ride' approach.However, you can tune the F 132s air spring via a Schrader shock pump connection hidden under a cover on the fork's crown.Cable and hose integrationBoth the F132 and F 132 One have semi-integrated brake hose routing. The front brake hose can be routed through the crown and into steerer. This makes it compatible with internally routed cockpit setups.The F 132 also has provision to route the bar-mounted remote control cable in the same way.DT Swiss F 132 and F 132 One pricingThe premium F 132 One is priced at 999.99 / $1,269.90 / 1,149, including remote lockout lever, cable, and kits for both standard and integrated routing.The F 132 is priced at $893.90 / 809 / N/A.The bolt-on bikepacking adaptors, which enable you to carry up to 3kg per side, are priced at 44.99 / $TBC / TBC.

The International Testing Agency (ITA), the body that conducts drug tests on professional cyclists on behalf of the UCI, has responded to questions from Cycling Weekly about the treatment of Valentina Cavallar, who yesterday took to social media to say that she had been subjected to tests immediately after the death of her mother last month.The 25-year-old, who has been riding for SD Worx-Protime this season, said she was visited by ITA officials on the day in question, in September, and tested in a room next to where the body of her very recently deceased mother lay. In the post, Cavallar decried the lack of discretion shown by authorities, and implied that the emotional trauma caused by this event and the way it was handled had played a part in her decision to take some time away from racing. The Austrian stepped back from racing for personal and family reasons after withdrawing from the Tour de France Femmes and subsequently suffering the loss of her mother."Riders, especially at international level, are subject to testing regardless of their participation in races in order to ensure a comprehensive and sustainable anti-doping program," explained Marta Nawrocka, Head of Communication at the ITA, responding to questions about the timing of the testing. "This includes both in- and out-of-competition testing.""In this particular case, the doping control officer was not aware of the athletes personal circumstances upon arrival. Once these became apparent, the officer sought to handle the situation with sensitivity and respect, completing the procedure as promptly as possible and in accordance with the applicable anti-doping regulations."We fully recognise that this was an exceptionally distressing situation for the athlete and that regulatory compliance alone does not address the human dimension of such circumstances," Nawrocka continued. "According to the information gathered by the ITA since the riders Instagram post of yesterday, Ms Cavallar and her family cooperated fully with the procedure, and no concerns or requests to postpone or discontinue the control were raised at the time or afterwards. Faced with an exceptionally sensitive situation, the DCO, with the rider and her familys support, endeavoured to pursue the procedure as discreetly, respectfully and swiftly as possible.We fully recognise that undergoing a doping control in these circumstances has added to her distress experienced at an extraordinarily painful time. We have been in touch with the rider directly and apologised."The UCI is well within its rights to ask professional riders to supply details of their movements and locations between 6am and 11pm, whether they're competing in a race or not, on the understanding that the ITA can test them at any time. Out-of-competition testing (OOCT) was heralded as one of the biggest breakthroughs in anti-doping efforts when it came into action in 2004, and athletes involved in all recognised Olympic sports have to conform with OOCT under the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) code, not just cyclists. Testers can take blood and/or urine samples and refusing one can result in the same penalty as a positive test. In exceptional circumstances, if they have permission from WADA, the ITA they can also target cyclists outside of those hours, as happened during this year's Tour de France, when multiple riders including leader (and eventual winner) Tadej Pogacar and two-time champion and best-placed challenger Jonas Vingegaard were both tested in the middle of the night.

Looking to take your riding indoors? Heres our selection of the best turbo trainers plus everything you need to know before buying

Groupama-FDJ United have promoted 20-year-oldRmi Daumas from their development team as the French climber joins the WorldTour team on a two-year deal after impressing when called up to the team in 2026. Daumas has shown great promise in two seaso's with the French team's development structure, and...