Visma | Lease a Bike's Fabio Jakobsen experiment will see its first chapter close this weekend. After taking on four bunch sprints since his move to the Dutch team, there are early signs that the former Grand Tour stage winner can improve ahead of 2027. The 30-year-old former European champion has w...

As the deadline for the Meh-roica Whatever-Its-Called Contest (sponsored by Dumonde Tech, the Dom Prignon of Bicycle Lubricants) approaches, the entries are flowing in so smoothly its almost like the entire contest has been doused in Dumonde Tech, the Dom Prignon of Bicycle Lubricants:[Dumonde Tech, the Dom Perignon ofyou get it.]For example, consider this fine Serotta with just a soupon of JBARA:The Mutant stem alone is worth 20 bonus pointsalthough Im not judging the contest using a points system, which is unfortunate for the owner.Speaking of the owners unfortunate circumstances, this had to be rough:In 2012 I moved from Walnut Creek, CA to New Rochelle, NY. Our friend, Stevil, connected you and me. You suggested I try the Gimbals ride. I did. Twice. And then parked the Serotta for 13 years. I was spoiled by Bay Area roads and cycling culture; Westchester drivers are nuts and the roads are shite, so I built up a commute bike and satifsfied by cycling needs by riding to work in Union Square, passing right through the wino gantlet (not the wino gauntlet, although some winos might also wear protective gloves) and past the pistol factory.To put that move from Walnut Creek to New Rochelle in Meh-roica terms, from a cycling perspective, its like going from 9-speed Dura-Ace to that old Sora stuff with the little shift nubbin:People who had never used Campagnolo liked to say, Its just like Campy!, but I can assure you it was not.Also, Im sorry for recommending the Gimbels ride, and Im not sure what I was thinking, though presumably something in the initial inquiry led me to believe he might enjoy it. Also also, not like it matters, but its G-I-M-B-E-L-S, because the ride is named after the now-defunct department store that used to be where the ride starts:Anyway, happily for the contestant, he has since moved from New Rochelle to Connecticut, where he is greatly enjoying the riding, and he really shouldnt have told me that because if I thought he was still miserable in New Rochelle and experiencing PTSD from his Gimbels experiences then maybe I would have felt guilty and gifted him the win.Still, its a strong entry.But is it strong enough to beatthis?!?Wow! Minus 20 points for the aerobars, but plus 150 points for the Cosmics. And while Im feeling generous lets throw in another 500 points for the clever analogy:If Meh-roica bikes are the Gen X of bikes, then Saturn Cycling was the Gen X of US pro teams. While USPS was sucking up what little attention was being paid to US pro cycling around the turn of the century, Saturn sponsored a very successful American team from 1992 to 2003, and the 99-00 team that rode this particular bike was one of the winningest. But they are, like Gen X, now a largely overlooked and forgotten relic of that period.Very trueand we can take that even further by nothing that Saturn was the Gen-X of cars:My mother bought pretty much that same car and I remember going to the dealership with her to look at it. The salesman jabbed his knee into the door to demonstrate that it was plastic and would pop right back instead of denting. Huh, we noted, mildly impressed. After that he pretty much ran out of selling points, but she bought it anyway, and it hung around just being a boringly functional white car for longer than anybody expected.Not much of a story I know, but youll have to remember that this was the same era that gave us OK soda:In those days, not trying was its own form of salesmanship.And what does trying look like? It looks like this:That is very early Meh-roica; in fact it barely squeezed in there, just like those tires barely fit in the frame. But it is a strong contender indeed.Meanwhile, this bike may just be the most Meh-roical bike Ive ever seen:Plus 1,000 points for the crabon stays and plus 2,000 points for complete Record all the way down to the pedals:I used to use those, they were fantastic.Oh, and heres an invalid submission that doesnt even come close to meeting the criteria but Im sharing it anyway because its a Faggin and we Faggini look out for each other:Though lately Ive been riding this:I timed yesterdays ride to perfection because I managed to head out during the one hour it decided to rain during an otherwise sunny day.Of course we cant all operate with the precision timing of an amateur New York City bicycle racing team on Pinarellos:Having now visited the Pinarello store Bottega di PinarelloI watched this video with interest:And when I say interest I mean deep embarrassment for all involved:Oh sure, theres the usual cutting off pedestrians:And cursing out pedestrians:[He should try that in the Bronx.]And Im sure they cut off at least a thousand people blasting through Central Park:But by far the most disturbing part was when the host says he loved riding through the park because so many iconic movies were shot right there:And then proceeds to list the following titles:ElfHome Alone 2The AvengersOkay, fine, who doesnt enjoy Elf? And yes, Home Alone 2 includes a memorable dramatic turn from our current president. (I have not seen The Avengers, nor do I ever plan to see The Avengers.)But holy crap. Iconic movies with scenes in Central Park? WHAT ABOUT BAREFOOT IN THE PARK?WHAT ABOUT ANNIE FREAKING HALL???AND WHAT THE HELL IS MARATHON MAN, CHOPPED LIVER?!?Dear Lob!And before you say, Youre old, that has nothing to do with it. The most recent movie here is Annie Hall, and I wasnt even in kindergarten. But Ive seen these movies anyway because Im not a philistine.Visiting Central Park and thinking immediately of Home Alone 2 is like seeing Marlon Brando and saying, Hey, thats the guy from Superman!'[A foil-wrapped Brando in his most iconic role.]If Pinarello want to be a true luxury brand then maybe they should think about lending their bikes to someone whos a bit more culturally astute:Now thats how you attract a sophisticated New York clientle.

It was a rocky journey to qualify for the UCI Gravel World Championships, but Matt Page finally got to line up last weekend in Nannup, a far-flung part of Western Australia. Here's how his race went

The UCI WorldTour rider rankings are entering the final stretch of the season with little change at the top, but several interesting moves among riders looking to improve their tallies before the calendar closes. Results from Il Lombardia, the Italian classics and the European Championships have res...

It hasnt happened to me yet. But Ive heard the horror stories. Youre excited to ride, and halfway through your favorite route, your shifting stops working. Ugh! You forgot to charge the battery for your rear derailleur. Or your shifter pod battery is depleted. Either way, its not going to be fun to get back to the trailhead. Well, K-EDGE might have a solution for you with their new SRAM AXS Battery Holder.And Im giving it a quick lil review!(Photos / Ron Frazelle)Yes, people, this is where we find ourselves these days. I mean, the obvious solution to this is a cable-actuated drivetrain. But that would be downright silly and barbaric.The other obvious solution to dead drivetrain batteries is to bring extra batteries with you on your ride. But where do you put the spares? Sure, you can drop them in a hip pack or jersey pocket. But do you want to take the time to search for them when you need them? Or risk damage to the terminals from bouncing around in your bag? Wouldnt it be easier if the spares were mounted right there on your bike, all charged up and ready to roll?You bet it would be!K-EDGE SRAM AXS Battery Holder As an industry, weve fully committed to electronic drivetrains, more specifically the SRAM AXS system. That system needs batteries to work. K-EDGEs new SRAM AXS Battery Holder is designed to carry your extra SRAM AXS eTap battery (and coin cell!). You know, just in case.It attaches under and just below your bottle cage. I have it mounted to my Aventon Ramblas at the moment (which is kinda silly that an ebike needs extra batteries for the drivetrain, but thats a different story). I found it easy to install and precise and robust in its construction, though its not the typical CNC-machined aluminum the battery holder itself is 3D printed fireproof plastic with a spring steel mounting bracket. This is K-EDGEs first production 3D-printed part, to which they commented, As CNC machine guys, we are quite discerning and defensive about the 3D-printed connotation, that perhaps its not of quality. So we took extra time in designing and printing and testing and printing and testing and printing and testing, to make sure we were proud to go to market with this.The cover of the coin cell holder doubles as a battery door key for the AXS shifter pod.In UseI havent needed it yet, but it is nice to know that its there, securely holding my spare battery if I need it. It fits and feels secure when mounted. Its got a positive, confidence-inspiring snap when securing the battery. When loaded and closed, the system feels very secure, and I dont anticipate it coming loose during heavy trail use.I appreciate the clever, built-in key on the button battery cover to use to open the back of the SRAM shift pod. There is also a rubberized insert to help protect the batterys electrodes. Not to mention, its made right here in America, in good ol Boise, Idaho. Battery Holder Retail & DetailRetail: $30Secure latch mechanism for the roughest ridesHidden CR2032 watch battery holder for SRAM ShifterCoin-shaped removable battery cover for opening shifter coverWaterproof rubberized inset patch to protect battery electrodesFireproof plastic body and spring steel mounting armAvailable at the best bike shops and online partnersIn ConclusionI like this kind of organization in my life. Does it seem a little overkill? Perhaps to some, but not to me; I use the life philosophy of a place for everything, and everything in its place. If this is how you think as well, then this is an easy $30 for you to spend.More than anything, this mount mostly guarantees youll never leave home without a battery for your bike. You can still leave your battery on the charger at home, but as long as you always keep a spare mounted to the frame, youll spare yourself that oh sh*t moment when youve driven all the way to the trailhead without a battery in your derailleur. I would highly recommend this product to anyone who likes clever solutions that help keep you not only prepared, but organized, with the solution to your problem right at your fingertips.Check out all of the cool, precision bike bits that K-EDGE has to offer at the link below. K-EDGE.com

Did you notice the rider protest and eloquent speech calling for improved rider safety and expressing the fear of the risks involved? You might have heard Remco Evenepoels version but Dorian Gordon also made an appeal at the start of Paris-Tours on Sunday. It didnt resonate as much in the media. Both speeches and rider actions were poignant but they were too modest.Through these words Im speaking for all cyclists, male and female. For those still here, but also those who have deceased. As riders were unified to denounce the irresponsible behaviour and unnecessary risks were exposed to. Dorian Godon (translated).A five minute delay with a short speech is at the mild end of the scale. In 1978 a rider strike saw the Tour de France peloton protest half-stages by riding a go-slow and then dismounting to cross the finish line. However that did have an obvious policy outcome that was in the organisers power to stop. Things are more complicated now, you cant write a rule that stops errant vehicles getting onto a race course but you can write standards, set duties and even impose liability. The peloton might have the power to make this happen but more collective action will be needed, probably stronger measures.CPA sidelinedLess important but the rider protests happened without the CPA rider union. Its not crisis time for the union but is telling that this time the riders didnt bother using it when normally a union ought to offer help for support, planning and so on.Picnic-PostNLs culture of fearOne thing where a union could act is workplace relations but the CPA seems missing in the news today from Dutch broadcaster NOS and podcast De Waaier that spoke to many inside the Picnic-PostNL team and its various incarnations over the last decade with talk of a culture of fear and where managerial hierarchy and strict protocols reach the point where the individuals and humanity seem to be sidelined. The team has responded, promising an independent investigation into this. As if their season could not be worse so farPicnic cheerbut Frits Biesterbos has got Picnic-PostNL their first World Tour win of the season, beating Paul Magnier and Olav Kooij in a bunch sprint. Theyd been the only World Tour team without a win at this level and close to ending the season without a win at the top level. Astana did this in 2022 when it only had five wins, two at .Pro level, one at .1 and of course two Kazakh national champs titles. Biesterbos has been making a name for himself a great name, any more Dutch and hed be riding in clogs drilled for cleats with some sprint results and now his first win. He hasnt popped up for the win by coming off someones wheel when racing into a headwind, instead hes been able to have a lot of power on tap which suggests he can not only win more but also have range for the classics.Down to the wireTheres a battle for teams to get in the top-30 on the UCI rankings because only those in this group are eligible for a wildcard invite to the grand tours, so Euskaltel-Euskadi moving up to 29th place is some cheer for them and their marquee signing of Mikel Landa when it comes to starting the Vuelta. Theres a week left and so far Fritz Biesterboss win in the Tour of Guangxi and Alessandro Fancellus 6th place in the Giro del Veneto yesterday with 80 points imperils them. Meanwhile Bardiani are outside the top-30 and so, as things stand, ineligible even for the Giro next season. The UCI rule in question says teams have to be in the top-30 for this season but this includes teams that may not exist next year so you can make a case for it being re-written; equally the top-30 is a clear metric rather than second-guessing the viability of each team for next year. Final 2026 rankings will be published next Tuesday.Deadline dayTalking of UCI deadlines, today is the soft deadline for teams registering for next year. Every pro team has to submit details to the UCI by 15 October with details such as their name for the following season, copies of signed sponsorship contracts, the rider roster and more. Teams can miss this deadline if the paperwork really is just days away from being completed but theres a daily fine for the delay. Its with this we ought to know whether Visma-LAB have managed to find a title sponsor for 2027, likewise EFs sponsor search; probably not as neither has held a press release to unveil anything. Similarly well see if the Total Energies team has found a backer for 2027 and beyond because it also appears not no press release either and so the team looks destined to vanish, or more likely drop down and continue as a third tier Continental team where it already has the Vende U-Primeo Energie team. The UCI normally names all the teams involved in the review in a press release a week later with the approval or not due for November but it can stretch to December.Staying the UCI, its announced reform proposals and in a separate announcement has mandated business consultancy Deloitte to help. Just as it did in 2013 when a similar set of reforms were suggested (calendar reform, no overlapping races, shrinking stage race length etc etc) right down to hiring Deloitte to gather feedback and put this into something that could be implemented. You can be forgiven for forgetting that episode as not much came out of it although the three year promotion-relegation system we have today and started in 2020 can be traced back to this. So will more happen this time? Possibly but ideas like shrinking the grand tours down to two weeks have already been shot down by race organisers to the point of why were they even evoked? Its a challenge explored here before On Calendar Reform, February 2024 in that everyone will say yes please to reform but start to spell out the changes and you create winners and losers and it gets harder to advance.Nairoman, no es un ciclistaNairo Quintana has retired as a rider. An impressive palmars and a massive personal legacy in Colombia where its been hard to overstate his popularity. In part because he represented his roots, once a boy who would rise early to run a vegetable stall, he spoke up on behalf of farm workers and small shopkeepers and also led campaigns for womens rights and improved road safety. Only theres a proverbial asterisk here, the trial of Arka team doctor Fredy Gonzalez concluded with a conviction but Gonzalez appealed this and theres no timeline for the conclusion of this case. Which means the UCI, WADA and other anti-doping agencies are sitting on the sidelines waiting for the criminal and civil court cases to conclude before deciding whether to invite Nairo Quintana to a potential anti-doping hearing.Lavresens wardrobeNormally this blogs Christmas quiz sticks to road cycling so no point saving this for December: track sprinter Harry Lavresen has just won his 22nd UCI world championship title in the keirin, thats a lot of rainbow jerseys. Winning team sprint yesterday meant he was on 21 titles which makes him the most-decorated UCI world champion, surpassing the Pospil brothers who ruled cycle ball with 20 titles between 1965 and 1998.To finish, some culture. While reading yet more about the 1989 Tour de France and runner-up Laurent Fignon, a mention that Studio Ghibli founder Hayao Miyazaki made drawings of runner-up Laurent Fignon, the Oscar-winning film maker and artist is interested in cycling. Going down an internet rabbit hole and then emerging, thats the image above from 5 July 2009. One of the recurring themes in Miyazakis works is technology and how humans can find a balance between it enabling us but without dependency. The handwritten title seems to be fusion but is Fignon escaping from his helmet, sunglasses and race radio or merging with them?The post Thursday Shorts first appeared on The Inner Ring.

British Cycling and the Great Britain Cycling Team have implemented an action plan "focused on leadership, development, feedback and wellbeing" after a rider and staff survey revealed that some thought parts had a "toxic" culture.According to a report in The Times on Wednesday, an independent survey, funded by UK Sport and conducted by a company called the Happiness Index, uncovered a fall in morale among its elite riders, and an alleged lack of accountability in the GBCT's senior leadership. A spokesperson for British Cycling said that the wellbeing of its staff was "fundamental to everything we do", and said that an action plan was being implemented to address concerns. This is not the first time that the culture at BC has been criticised, with a 2017 report into the GBCT saying that a "culture of fear" existed.Separately, this week, British track sprinter Matthew Richardson was withdrawn last-minute from this week's UCI Track World Championships amid reports of serious misconduct, also revealed in The Times.As part of the survey conducted most recently, athletes and staff were asked for three words to describe the culture of their World Class Programme; "driven" was most-used by athletes, but that was quickly followed by "toxic". Other words included "cold", "unconcerned", "distant", "unclear" and "restrictive".According to The Times, the Happiness Index calculated saw a satisfaction score of -42 for male riders and -31 for female riders, the scale running from -100 to +100. The male and female staff scores were -4 and -5, respectively, all of which was a dramatic drop from the last time it was taken. "The wellbeing of our staff and riders is fundamental to everything we do at British Cycling," a BC spokesperson said."The Culture Feedback Survey, which has been the subject of recent reports, is independently run to provide a valuable tool to help us learn and improve. The majority of team members say they love their jobs and overall favourability has increased, ranking very good in the latest study. "However, it is important to recognise others want to see improvements, and we are committed to listening and acting on this."As a result, the Great Britain Cycling Team has developed an action plan that is being implemented alongside wider work across British Cycling, focused on leadership, development, feedback and wellbeing. UK Sport is aware and supportive of the action we are taking."The action plan is also focusing on "psychological safety, empowerment, and colleague experience", The Times reported. A spokesman for UK Sport said: "It is critical to us that the sports we invest in have a safe, healthy and high-performing culture where athlete voice is included in decision-making. That is why the sports we work with undertake periodic, independent surveys of their athletes and staff within performance programmes to form one part of the assessment of the culture within those environments."We have engaged with British Cycling on the findings of their most recent culture survey and are aware of the action plan that they are already implementing to address some of the themes it raised."We will continue to work with British Cycling as they embed this plan and ensure their performance culture is of the highest possible standard."

Unpredictable, open racing made a comeback at the world championships and the Italian one-day races. But thanks to Paul Seixas, we shouldnt get used too used to it

Jakob Sderqvist has won the Stage 2 individual time trial at the 2026 Eneco Tour, backing up his victory in the opening prologue with another dominant ride against the clock in Tilburg. The Lidl-Trek rider completed the flat 13.5-kilometre course in 15:04.71, averaging 53.792km/h and beating Finn F...

For the first time in nearly a decade, State has updated its fat bike model. With a slacker front end and clearance for 26 x 4.8" tires, this aluminum fat bike could be the rig that helps riders get out in the most brutal conditions...The post The State 6061 Trail+ Fat Bike V2 Is Built for Winter appeared first on BIKEPACKING.com.