CyclistWe graded every mens WorldTour teams 2026 seasonAfter the conclusion of the Tour of Guangxi, the WorldTour season has come to a close, with just the African Championships left before the roadies enter their winter slumber.For yet another season, Tadej Pogaar ends the season as the top-ranked rider in the UCI standings ahead of Remco Evenepoel and Isaac del Toro. UAE Team Emirates XRG finish the year as the top-ranked team, with Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe and Visma-Lease a Bike in tow.Those stats are purely numerical though. Today, each team will have their season ranked school-grade style based on how they performed at WorldTour races, Classics and stage races. Well be identifying the overperformers, the flops and those stagnating within the sports top division.Alpecin-Premier Tech: C-Xavier PereyronIt might be suprising to hear that this was Alpecin-Premier Techs worst season since 2020 in terms of UCI points and year-end ranking. Ending the year in 11th, their lowest position since 2020, the squads highlights include three stage wins at the Tour de France, a podium at the Tour of Flanders and a couple of Flemish one-day wins.This is the first season without a Mathieu van der Poel Monument win since 2021. It was close to being the first year without a Jasper Philipsen Tour stage win since 2021 too, if it werent for that win on Stage 17 at this years race. However, 2026 will go down as the first season without a stage win at either the Giro or the Vuelta.Kaden Groves was ruled out of most of 2026 due to injury. We never quite got to see the Tibor del Grosso graduation on the road, and we didnt see much of the team at either the Vuelta or the Giro. Thats with the exception of breakthrough talent Ramses Debruyne.It felt as though the team were very reliant on Van der Poel and Philipsen this year. Luckily with talismen as good as them, you can just about get by.Bahrain Victorious: AChris AuldThis team were in something of a rut before 2026. They had been milling around the mid-table rankings and had suffered from a lacklustre couple of seasons. 2026 however has poven to be one of the teams most exemplorary since losing Vincenzo Nibali back in 2020.There were several standout moments from this team. Antonio Tiberi lit up the early part of the season, Alec Segaert animated the Classics, then won a Giro stage. Afonso Eullios pink jersey run in Italy was something to behold, while Lenny Martinez managed to fly into the top five in GC at the Tour de France and youngster Jakob Omrzel scored a massive top ten result at his debut Grand Tour.Bahrain exceeded at all three Grand Tours, but they kept that momentum throughout the seaosn with a strong of solid GC results in other WorldTour events and one-day races. Everyone seemed to play their part in this major improvement.Decathlon CMA CGM: A+Xavier PereyronA lot has been said about Decathlons rise to WorldTour movers and shakers. With 33 wins, they find themselves comfortably inside the top five in the UCI rankings.Yes, Paul Seixas takes a lot of the glory when it comes to changing this teams fortunes around. He managed to pick up the teams first WorldTour stage race win in over a decade, their best Tour result in five years, plus their first ever Monument victory. 2026 has proved that the Seixas project is worth betting on, thats for sure.The 20-year-old isnt the only GC headline here either. Felix Gall managed to reach the podium of not one, but two Grand Tours this season. Gregor Mhlberger turned out to be one of the best domestiques in the bunch and Matthew Riccitello reaped the reward for his transfer. That comes on top of the usual domestic success achieved at the Coupe de France, despite a gutting of the teams French core over the winter.We cant forget the teams sprinters either. Olav Kooij bagged the French team their sprint win at the Tour and Tobias Lund Andresen proved a reliable force in early season races, bagging a total of three WorldTour wins before April. It seems as though this team have become both a GC threat and a well-drilled sprint force within the past year.This is easily the teams best year ever. If Im to give out a prize for the best complete squad of 2026, Decathlon CMA CGM would be the receipients.EF Education EasyPost: BXavier PereyronEF have managed to carve an identity as the wildcards of the WorldTour. They dont have a rider strong enough to challenge for non-stop victories, but they do have a roster filled with breakaway potential.At the Grand Tours, the team reaped handsome reward. Three stage wins two at the Tour, one at the Giro plus a top ten overall and a polka-dot jersey at the Tour de France. Its not as spectacular as some teams, but its decent for a team on a below average budget like EF.That said, I was disappointed by Ben Healy in 2026. Similarly, the team werent overly influential in the Spring Classics. However, Alex Baudin rode well throughout the spring and summer, and Michael Valgren caught a third or fourth career wind during 2026. As a result of some of these surprise perfomers, the team scored a total of six WorldTour wins.Its what you come to expect from EF. Some big results plucked out of somewhere, complimented by some smaller wins here and there. Theyre hardly Goliaths of the WorldTour, but they manage to scrape through every year.Groupama-FDJ United: DXavier PereyronGroupama-FDJ United only won twice outside of France this year. Sure enough, winning in France is what they do best, but it often felt as though this team had lost its international sparkle.David Gaudu was near invisible throughout 2026, and the teams young sprinters like Paul Penhot and Thibaud Gruel appeared toothless. They were nowehere to be seen at either the Giro or the Tour, and the team left zero impact on the Classics or major stage races like Paris-Nice and the Dauphin.In fairness, the team pulled some results out the bag at the Vuelta. Clment Berthet ended up in the top ten, Guillaume Martin rolled back the years and Bastien Tronchons win at the Vuelta will go down as one of the biggest sprint surprises of the year. If it werent for that, this team would be looking down the barrel of a complete nothing-burger season. However, the results sheet looks more Cofidis than Groupama.Jayco AlUla: CXavier PereyronIf Im honest, I have found Jayco AlUla to be relatively uninspiring over the past few years. Perhaps thats down to their consistent placings toward the bottom half of the WorldTour table, or the real lack of headline performances since losing the Yates brothers a few years back. Nonetheless, this year marks a slight improvement for the team in terms of their year-end ranking.For the first half of the seaon, this team were overly reliant on Mauro Schmid. Yes, he was quite the rider to have on your books, but the rest of the team remained weak and inefficient when it came to scoring big results elsewhere. That said, Schmid proved a great asset, able to contest some tricky profiles and GC contests.Ben OConnor was underwhelming throughout the season, Luke Plapp irrelevant at the Grand Tours, while sprinting signing Pascal Ackerman proved to be more of a dud than a serial champion after having signed a multi-year deal with the Australian outfit. Instead, lesser known names like Andrea Vendrame, Bob Donaldson and Anders Foldager scored more convincing results in 2026.Itll be intriguing to see how this team grows without Schmid. Sam Welsfords signing brings some excitement, but hes hardly the figure you need to change fortunes. The man can hardly win in Europe.Lidl-Trek: BXavier PereyronLidl-Trek are well and truly an A-list team these days. Their transfer season last year proved this, notably with the signing of Juan Ayuso. That said, the teams results this year never quite lived up to that status, or to the roster they had bolstered. That might seem harsh, but the team were consistent when it comes to GC, but not quite A-list. Juan Ayuso was often defeated by another top rider, and Mattias Skjelmose seemed to find himself stuck within that second bracket of leaders although he stepped up at the Tour he was disappointing at a wide open Vuelta. Derek Gee-West rolled up the standings at the Giro, but he remained somewhat anonymous for the remainder of the season.On a sprinting front though, this team had some success. Mads Pedersen winning the green jersey was one, even if he won the classification by getting in the break rather than winning four stages. Dont forget that Jonathan Milan almost left the Giro dItalia without a win. Pedersens return to the Vuelta was blunt too, resulting in no wins and a DNF. Perhaps Im being too mean on Milan there since he did end up winning 12 races this year, albeit without toppling Jasper Philipsen or Tim Merlier.Then theres Giulio Cicccone. The Italian blew hot and cold throughout 2026. His podium finish at Il Lombardia yielded at least a Monument podium for the team, but 2026 as a whole is rather hard to read for Lidl-Trek.This team really wanted to challenge in 2026. In reality, they often bit off more than they could chew. For that reason, they end the season behind UAE, Visma, Red Bull and Decathlon in the UCI rankings.Lotto-Intermarch: CXavier PereyronIll be honest, I had forgotten that Lotto-Intermarch moved up last winter. Until now, I had wiped last years whole merger debacle from my memory. I guess this team just have a forgettable energy to them. Sorry.The results this year somewhat back this up. I mean, I can barely recall a distinctive Lotto-Intermarch moment from the 2026 season.Jenno Berckmoes was peobbaly the most outstanding rider in 2026, earning himself a slot inside the UCIs top 50 rider ranking. He won a stage at the Benelux Tour and almost won the race outright. From a GC perspective, I was let down by Lennart Van Eetvelt. Fine, he won the Tour of Slovakia, but he was subpar at every WorldTour race he entered. Instead, the big WorldTour win as handed to 20-year-old Jarno Widar, who bagged the final race of the season in China. The team will be in good hands for the years to come if Widars neopro results were anything to go by in 2026.I havent mentioned the teams supposed star yet either: Arnaud de Lie. The Belgian was fine this year just fine. He never overly delivered, nor did he bag any big wins. Maybe his mind was elsewhere, given he signed a big money dea with Tudor Pro Cycling, but De Lie should have probably done better in 2026. He is, after all, reaching his prime age-wise.On the whole, its hard to care about this team. That coud change if Primo Rogli makes the rumoured transfer across in January, however.Movistar: B-Unipublic / Cxcling / Miguel EnaWhen it comes to Movistars 2026, theres one big story.Indeed, Enric Mass Vuelta win obviously steals the show here. An unexpected Grand Tour win, but one that was well deserved in the end after Movistar impressed by controlling affairs and sterilising the contest. Plus, Mas managed to transfer that form to a Monument podium to add something of a cherry on the 2026 cake.That cake felt somewhat half-baked before the Vuelta win. Cian Uijtdebroeks, the teams big transfer steal last winter, proved to be underwhelming. Until the Vuelta, the team had managed to finish inside the top five of just one WorldTour stage race. There were no top tens to write about in the Monuments either, nor was there any big spring success.Fair play, Ivn Romeo impressed in 2026, bagging three wins, but the team fet uninfluential until the autumn. I mean, do you remember anything from their Tour or Giro? I assume not. Netcompany Ineos: CA.S.O./Gatan FlammeFrom Ineos Grenadiers to Netcompany Ineos. Whatever name this team had, they felt a sshadow of their former self in 2026.Sure, there were moments of strength. Many of those highlights have to be credited to Dorian Godon, who was ultimately an excellent signing. He ended the season as the teams most victorious rider, with several WorldTour wins to his name. Those wins wouldnt be enough to drag the team above eigth place in the UCI ranking the same spot as last year, and the teams lowest year-end ranking since 2010.Thymen Arensmans Giro was decent, but the Tour proved to be a damp squib for the British team that aspires to be winnig the damn thing within the next five years. Thank God for Filippo Ganna. The Italian saved the team from finishing the year without a Grand Tour win, which would have been a first if he hadnt picked up a stage against the clock at the Giro.Ive neglected mentioning Oscar Onley, who seems to be victim of an unlucky season. Yet, when he was in full form, he seemed to more of a B-lister than the A-lister Ineos forked out for in the off-season last year. I mean, he was only seconds away fom losing the white jersey at the Vuelta to a complete rookie in the form of Omrzel.NSN Cycling: DXavier PereyronThis team was caught between a rock and a hard place last year. Given the ties to Israel before, the squad failed to attract many recruits, instead suffering from big roster losses during the winter.Nevertheless, they seemed to find their feet again somewhat in 2026. The teams sprinters were solid, albeit not on the top echelon. Biniam Girmay, one of the few big riders to sign last year, was consistent, but failed to really take a step up. In fact, he failed to win a WorldTour stage in 2026. That said, his points classification quest proved intriguing at this summers Tour de France.Ultimately, the team scored no Grand Tour stage wins in 2026, no Grand Tour top tens and the team only got one top ten at a Monument (thank you, Corbin Strong). Fine, theyre a team of sprinters for the most part. But even then, the team were relatively inactive beyond the second division. Next year will prove interesting. Richard Carapaz, Santiago Buitrago and Lennart Van Eetvelt have all signed for the newly Catalonia-based team. They could soon morph into a GC team rather than a gaggle of mid-tier sprinters.Picnic-PostNL: FChris AuldIve written a few articles covering the dire state Picnic PostNL find themselves in right now.This team have performed well below any WorldTour standards in 2026. They left zero impact at any of the Grand Tours. They quite literally only scored three top tens on Grand Tour stages all year. They didnt finish in the top ten of any WorldTour races GC standings and the team only posted three wins this year. This team are on historically low points tally and find themselves lower than teams like MBH Bank CSB Telecom Fort and Solution Tech Nippo Rali.Are Picnic PostNL the worst WorldTour team of all time? Quite possibly.Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe: AXavier PereyronFair play, Red Bull lived up to the hype in 2026. This squad were one of the most influential in 2026, finishing the year with a big points tally and a total of over 40 victories. The proof is in the pudding. The team finish 2026 as runners-up in the UCI standings. Thats an all-time high for the German team that only turned WorldTour in 2017. Before 2026, we worried that there were too many GC riders at this squad, that an implosion was imminent. In reality, the squad used their strength in depth across the calendar. At Grand Tours, that resulted in three podium finsihes, all with different riders. Five different riders managed to win stage race titles this year too, and several ended up on the podium of major races. That strength in depth was evident all across the calendar, having scored wins in quite literally every month of the year, and on a broad range of profiles.Remco Evenepoel was the star, of course. He delivered an Ardennes win, Tour de France podium and a top three finhish at the Tour of Flanders. On the whole though, it seems as though the Belgian stepped up a notch in 2026. As did Giulio Pellizzari, who provides this team with an exciting prospect in 2027.Soudal Quick-Step: BXavier PereyronIn their first year post-Remco, Soudal Quick-Step went back to basics: sprints and Classics.Like that, the sqaud found themselves with two of the years star sprinters and one of the springs best Classics riders.Tim Merlier was arguably the best sprinter of 2026. He proved difficult to beat once he returned in the spring, and came away with three wins at the Tour, more than any other sprinter at the race. As for Paul Magnier, the team produced a points classification winner at the Giro dItalia and quite possibly the number four or five sprinter in the bunch this season.As for the Classics, Jasper Stuyven appeared a real force. A podium finish at Paris-Roubaix proved that before he became one of the years top leadout men.Overall, the team won stages at all three Grand Tours, finished on the podium of Paris-Roubaix and found their raison dtre again.Visma-Lease a Bike: BSara Cavallini/Getty ImagesVisma-Lease a Bike started the year in turmoil amid some big-name exits and injuries. However, the team got back to speed once spring rolled around.Jonas Vingegaard was untouchable at early-season stage races, Matteo Jorgenson almost won Tirreno-Adriatico and the team managed to reach the podium of Milan-San Remo. Wout van Aerts renaissance at the Classics was one of the stories of the season, crowned by that victory at Paris-Roubaix.The team went on to dominate the Giro, thanks to winner Vingegaard and helpers Sepp Kuss and Davide Piganzoli. The teams Tour didnt quite go to plan after Vingegaards crash, on the other hand. The Vuelta felt more familiar, with Matt Brennan and Wout van Aert at their best, bagging a combined total of seven stages. That, plus the green jersey classic Visma.There were few races where Visma felt absent in 2026. That said, this has been a top team for some time, so its hard to say whether this is an improvement or not on last year. Is a Paris-Roubaix win equivalent to an extra Grand Tour win? That depends on who you ask.UAE Team Emirates-XRG: AXavier PereyronOnce again, UAE Team Emirates-XRG end the year with plenty of highlights 78 of them if you are judging it based on victories alone.Tadej Pogaar made light work of that by winning three Monuments this spring, while Isaac del Toro ran wild in the pre-Tour stage races. The two of them would prove to be a lethal duo at the Tour, finishing first and third, delivering a combined total of six stages and a record-breaking sum of prize money. In fact, for the first seven months of the year, the two went unbeaten at stage races.Even without Pogaar and Del Toro, they were strong. When the Giro could have gone topsy turvy following a big crash, they went on to win a heap of stages courtesy of Igor Arrieta and Jhonathan Narvez. The Vuelta wasnt quite as plain sailing after Pogaar crashed out, but the team had done enough to salvage the season elsewhere.Jay Vine won the Tour Down Under, Benot Cosnefroy cleaned up in France, Jan Christen won the AlUla Tour and Brandon McNulty won the World Championships.The list of achievements isnt quite as eye-watering as last year, but its hard to argue against anything other than an A grade.Uno-X Mobility: AXavier PereyronAfter making their way onto the WorldTour in thunderous fashion, Uno-X Mobility have proved their worth as a team that deserves to be in the sports top flight.A lot of that applause comes as credit for their phenomenal Grand Tour cycle in which they managed to win a total of four stages spread across all three Grand Tours. That included a sprint victory and several breakaway attempts. Thats before we mention the real highlight: wearing the yellow jersey at the Tour de France.While the team didnt manage to replicate their big GC result from last years Tour at any three-week race this year, the team bagged some strong top ten results and WorldTour stage wins along the way. Anton Charmig, in particular, really punched above his weight this year, adding another key player into the mix come 2027. Uno-X end the year in ninth place in the UCI rankings. As debutants at this level, that feat is beyond impressive. Importantly too, they have proved that they are more than just a novelty act. This is a genuine WorldTour project that should set example to plenty of teams underperforming right now.XDS Astana: B+Chris AuldXDS Astana were undoubtedly the success story of 2025. This year, the team consolidated their position as real powerhouses in the top divison and finish well within the top ten of the UCI rankings.Like last year, the teams riders continued to overperform. Riders like Max Kanter and Guillermo Thomas Silva rose to the occasion, the latter by picking up a Giro stage and a stint in the pink jersey, while older names like Davide Ballerini and last years smash hit Cristian Scaroni continued the work from 2025. Thats not the whole picture either, as this team continued to excel in the sprints, with Matteo Malucelli a winner of nine stages in 2026.The team werent as animated in the Classics as last year, but their Grand Tour performances were more consistent. They picked up two stages at the Giro, rubbed shoulders for stages at the Tour before a solid GC performance from Cristin Rodrguez and Harold Tejada at the Vuelta.While the team blew us out the water in 2025, it was another season of overdelivery for a roster that should be destined for the lower ranks of the UCI rankings. 2025 was no fluke it seems.The post We graded every mens WorldTour teams 2026 season appeared first on Cyclist.

ED Education-EasyPost team manager Jonathan Vaughters have confirmed that the team allowed Richard Carapaz to leave, citing increased financial contraints leading to the team with no choice but to allow the Ecuadorian to leave. It was confirmed last week that the Tour de France stage winner was head...

If you've recently taken to gravel riding, you might have already realised that it often requires a bit more technical know-how than riding on the road. Here's how you can channel your inner mountain biker to improve your offroad skills

Ben O'Connor is ready for a fresh start, or perhaps a return to familiar pastures. The Australian climber has officially signed with Decathlon CMA CGM from 2027 after two years with Jayco AlUla. In an up and down homecoming with the Australian team, O'Connor struggled to find the heights he reached...

hlins is the latest brand to join the growing gravel suspension market with its new GXF30 M.1 fork. The Swedish suspension specialists are applying their control creates performance philosophy to gravel with a fork that they say smooths rough terrain, increases grip, and inspires confidence without sacrificing efficiency or dulling the ride. The GXF30 M.1 has 40mm of travel, 30mm stanchions, and a new gravel-specific FTX14 damping system.We are not the first suspension company entering the gravel segment, but we wanted to do it with our own philosophy. Our objective was simple: improve rider comfort, increase grip on technical terrain, and provide greater confidence and safety on every ride. These three principles guided every engineering decision throughout the development process. The result is a suspension fork that allows riders to go faster while feeling more in control.-Terje Hansen, Engineering Managerhlins GXF30 M.1 Detailshlins says it didnt create this new fork because gravel became fashionable, but because they believe every off-road discipline benefits from suspension. As such, the brand set out to leverage its decades of performance suspension expertise into a new fork designed specifically for gravel riding. According to hlins, the GXF30 M.1 combines a purpose-tuned chassis and dedicated damping platform to achieve the ideal balance between comfort, efficiency, and control.40mm TravelSo far, most gravel suspension forks have been available with 30mm or 40mm of travel, and recently, some brands have offered even longer travel options, like the RockShox Rudy XL, for example. For its first gravel fork, hlins has chosen 40mm of travel as the sweet spot based on extensive engineering and field testing. They say that 40mm provides the ideal balance between rider comfort, pedaling efficiency, steering precision, and modern gravel bike geometry.They also go on to say that while changing the travel is possible, it would require replacing the piston rod assembly. Thats why the GXF30 M.1 will initially only be available with 40mm of travel. But it sounds like that possibly leaves the door open for other travel lengths in the future.30mm Stanchionshlins says that one of its design objectives was to build the smartest chassis. They say they targeted the stiffness of their 100mm travel XC platform, but at a much lower weight. With shorter travel, they say bushing loads are naturally lower, even with the smaller 30mm stanchion diameter. Likewise, the narrower gravel axle spacing also helps to create a torsionally stiffer chassis and further compensates for the smaller stanchion diameter.According to hlins, The result is a fork that delivers precise steering, exceptional front-end accuracy, and enough controlled compliance to remain comfortable through rough gravel, loose terrain, and muddy ruts.FTX14 DamperThe brand also tells us that it designed its new FTX14 Damper specifically for the gravel application. They say it doesnt rely solely on traditional shim-stack architecture; their engineers developed a monotube hydraulic system introducing a new valve philosophy designed to maximize damping precision within an extremely compact package. This system is claimed to provide excellent small bump sensitivity, responsive rebound behavior, and great support during larger impacts.hlins says the FTX14 Damper was designed to provide great traction over loose surfaces along with excellent control during high-speed compressions. It includes multiple compression settings, including a full manual lockout to maximize efficiency on paved roads or extended climbs. Overall, the gravel-specific design and tuning is claimed to provide a predictable performance that is easily tunable to find the traction and support you need to ride faster.Tire ClearanceGravel tires seem to just keep on getting wider, and hlins says it designed the GXF30 M.1 for modern high-volume tires. The maximum tire clearance without mudguards is stated at 52mm, and that goes down to 47mm with mudguards installed. That clearance will likely work for most riders, but might leave the bigger-is-better 55mm+ crowd a bit underwhelmed.Weight and Other DetailsThe GXF30 M.1 uses a flat mount brake interface, which is the road and gravel standard. It is designed for use with 160mm brake rotors to provide the optimal balance of braking power, integration, and weight. It has a 445mm axle-to-crown measurement. According to hlins, the GXF30 M.1 fork weighs 1,249 grams, which seems competitive with comparable options from Fox and RockShox.Limited Editionhlins says the first production run of the GXF30 M.1 gravel fork will consist of just 300 Limited Edition units. These will be available exclusively through the brands Fast Forward Program and painted in hlins signature Racing Yellow, a color that has become synonymous with five decades of racing success.Pricing and AvailabilityThe new hlins GXF30 M.1 is available now at the retail price of $995 USD / 895. As mentioned above, the launch edition is limited to 300 units worldwide through hlins Fast Forward Program. Head to the hlins website to learn more.ohlins.com

This past Friday saw the submission deadline for The Seventeenth Inaugural Tan Tenovo Meh-Roica Bike Pageant:Brought to you by Dumonde Tech, the champagne of lubes:Since then I notice one or two of you have inquired about the winner, which[Deep breath.]Okay, lets get something straight here. That deadline was for you, not me. I dont know how many times I have to say it, but I didnt start a bike blog because I wanted to do work, and Ill announce a winner exactly when Ive chosen one and not a moment sooner. And there are lots of submissions, too, including this one:Look familiar? It should:Yes, thats the Surprise Marinoni I rehabilitated to the best of my meager ability:It now belongs to the commenter knowns as Some Guy From Upstate, and it is a rolling testimony to the enduring nature of the Meh-roica bicycleforgotten and neglected, yet resurrected with a little love and a lot of Dumonde lubricant:No doubt it will serve its new owner faithfully for many years to come.Oh, and heres another Marinoni:Quite different than the first, yet still within the Meh-roica parametersas is this contestant:Heres more from the owner:I made absolutely no effort to tart it up for the contest, so its a bitdirty and still has a quick-release rack and bag combo attached. I dontknow whether thats in the Meh-roica spirit, but I figure its in the BSNYCspirit.Regarding the contest criteria: Bought new around 1997. 9 speed (converted from 8 some time within the Meh-roica period). Triple crank because this bike was bought as a race bike, up 25%gradients. 23mm tires (the only size available). Threaded *and* threadless headset (quill to ahead adaptor fitted during 9speed conversion) Good old Italian steel.Sure, the no effort thing is certainly a fundamental part of my ethos, but whats most Meh-roica about this bicycle is that it embodies the can-do spirit of these things. Sure, its great that wide tires and rack and fender mounts have come back into fashion, but its important to remember that a Meh-roica bike can also be a highly serviceable workhorse with a few simple clamp-on components, even if it was meant for racing.Indeed, my only quibble here is that I have a personal prejudice against threaded-to-threadless adaptors. Look, sorry, we all have our weird things, thats one of mine. I fault nobody for using them, and they certainly make a lot of sense if you want ready access to a whole variety of stems without fundamentally changing your bicycle. But for some reason I cannot make myself use one under any circumstances, even though I happily pedaled around on a Wife Oil for well over a year:Speaking of personal prejudices, while Im on the subject, Ive noted some objection to the criteria here and there; for example, I seem to remember someone objected to the fact that the guidelines do not prohibit sloping top tubes, which some traditionalist blame for all the ills of society.[Deep breath.]Okay, Meh-roica isnt about whats better, or about whats beautiful. If it were this whole contest would basically be just Rivendae and Farbmans. No, Meh-roica is about the generation of road bikes for which everyone seems to have suddenly developed a blind spot: neither classic nor modern, theyre simply dismissed. For years the reviewers told us these were the bikes we had to have, but now apparently riding tires narrower than 30mm is downright suicidal. But I refuse to let these bicycles be forgotten, and instead Im celebrating them as a symbol of the cycling medias fickle hypocrisy.By the way, the same thing goes for the GT test-cycle:Even though its against my principles Ive grown quite fond of itpartly because its fun, but mostly because these are the bikes reviewers fawned over for years until suddenly they decided they were obsolete and unrideable. Now these same people feel all smug because theyre riding bicycles with single-ring drivetrains and stubby stems and low bottom brackets and slack headtubes because a few bike designers finally figured out how to copy Jeff Jones, but guess what? Sooner or later theyll completely about-face on those too, and theyll be onto something new, like 32-inch offroad e-cumbents. I mean, come on, doesnt it make you angry!?! First its BUY BUY BUY, then suddenly youre an idiot for riding the thing they insisted that you buy in the first place.Fortunately though there are people out there with integrity who are willing to care for these poor bikes when the fashionistas have abandoned them. Yeah, thats right, I just called myself a person of integrityand while Im at it I might as well throw compassion in there, too. What, dont think Im compassionate? Wanna fight about it?!?The point is, dear bikes of the past, when the BikeRadars and PinkBikes and Mountain Bike Actions and Bicyclings of the world have turned their backs on you, Ill be there for you, and Ill love you for your rim brakes or your 26-inch wheels or your 23mm tires, not despite themand itll be real love, too:Not the fake love you find on sites like the R*tardavist, where you have to be suitably vintage complete with a pedigree and a provenance, and people leave comments like this:[Barf.]No, give me your tired, your poor, your ugly-ass out-of-style bicycle yearning to breathe free.Anyway, it should be clear to you by now that while I may refuse to do work, I take this contest VERY SERIOUSLY. Thats why if you sent me an email in which you flippantly said something like, Oh, heres my submission, its a bit late, but whateverNO LUBE FOR YOU.Or if you took liberties with the email subject header in any way, however clever you thought you were beingNO LUBE FOR YOU.Or if your bicycle deviates from the guidelines NO LUBE FOR YOU.See, Im as serious as I am lazythough thats mostly because eliminating entries means less work for me.No lube for you, no work for me.Speaking of which, I find this sort of thing rather vexing:Basically he rode LEroica and it made him appreciate how much better bikes are nowand okay, fine, even I will admit there have been a number of meaningful improvements since the LEroica cutoff dates. Still, do we really have to act like we havent also taken several steps backwards, or that riding older bicycles is profoundly arduous and challenging, like churning your own butter? Ive ridden some pretty old bikes as the Classic Cycle OCTP, but you get used to most of the differences in like the first 15 minutes:[Except for that saddle. I never got used to that saddle.]I also question whether some of these things are really improvements. For example, he complains about the lack of power when braking from the hoods:But spending 90% of the time with your hands on the hoods is a post-integrated shifting phenomenon, and it really defeats the purpose of drop bars in the first place:He notes that thanks to modern ergonomics you can now ride around like this:But when you have drop bars youre supposed touse the drops. Not all the time, but certainly under the sorts of circumstances where youre going so fast you might need to apply the brakes with a decent amount of force, because not only do they make you more aero, but they also give you more control. Otherwise why use drop bars at all? Im certainly not saying he doesnt use the drops, but Id guess that the majority of people dont. This is why gravel bars are basically moustache bars at this point:[From here]But sure, lets stop and appreciate just how far weve come:Certainly were pushing the boundaries of pricing:Gotta keep upgrading!There is one more thing I want to highlight when I think about these two bikes, and its part of why you might pick one versus the other. The Specialized Tarmac SL9 looks like a regular bike. Not just a regular bike, either. The Tarmac is an incredibly well-known bike that hasnt appreciably changed for multiple generations. Theres a group ride I sometimes join that has multiple SL8s and a couple of SL7s. They all look the same, and they dont especially stand out. In some ways, that is part of the charm. Like a Porsche 911, you buy into the family and you know exactly what you are getting. Upgrade after a number of years and sell the old one. Its easy.Todays modern speed equation is tomorrows Meh-roica bike.

No. 6 is a Chinese brand that has gained popularity over the last few years due to its growing reputation for making lightweight carbon wheels that, in independent testing, have been found to be on par with some halo offerings from well-established European and US companies.The No.6 G45R in all their splendourFuture - Andy TurnerThey look good paired with the 50mm tyresFuture - Andy TurnerNot the widest rim however, in a pursuit of lighter weightFuture - Andy TurnerDesign detailsThe No. 6 G45R (R for race) is the brand's lightest gravel bike wheelset, part of its ProjectSpeed, which aims to make light, fast-accelerating, responsive wheelsets. Unlike the G45W (W for wide), these feature a narrower rim profile to shave off as much weight as possible. The rims are hooked, made from Toray T700 and T800 carbon fibre, with a unidirectional glossy finish similar to the Campagnolo C-Lux finish. Both measure 45mm deep, but the front is 34.5mm wide externally and 28mm internally, while the rear is 33mm wide externally and 26mm internally. The claimed weight is 1,195g, and the scales of truth match this closely at 1,198g with rim tape, but no valves or lockrings. The narrower rim relative to the 'W' offering reduces rotational mass, making the wheels more responsive to acceleration, changes in direction, and braking. This design philosophy continues into the carbon-fibre spokes. The rear spokes are wider at 5mm and are claimed to be more aerodynamic, while the front are still bladed but narrower at 3.8mm. The front uses just 16 spokes in a one-cross 1:1 pattern (eight on either side), while the rear uses 20 spokes in a two-cross 1:1 pattern. Spoke nipples are external for ease of adjustment and made of an aerotitanium alloy. The hubs are No.6s own Zero Gravity v.3, featuring a 45-tooth ratchet engagement system, Tripeak ceramic bearings, and compatibility with all Shimano, SRAM, and Campagnolo hub types. No.6 claims optimal tyre widths of 40-50mm, while the maximum rider weight is 110kg and max. pressure is 110 PSI. Black, white, silver, and holographic decals are available. The rims are slightly different profiles, but so are the tyres here (45mm L, 50mm R)Future - Andy TurnerThe rear spokes are wider than the frontFuture - Andy TurnerSilver hubs are neat and house the ceramic bearingsFuture - Andy TurnerThey give a similar vibe to the Enve 4.5 SES Pro hubsFuture - Andy TurnerPerformanceThe wheels come with valves, lockrings, and pre-taped rims, and the taping quality is good. I fitted a pair of Pirelli Cinturato Gravel M tyres for testing, in both 50mm and 45mm options. These are tougher tyres to fit, but that is not on the rims. A lever easily slotted the tyres on and the wheels were good to go.A brief word on rim width, as this is fairly subjective. Both wider and narrower rims have pros and cons. In terms of aero performance with 50mm tyres, the 34.5mm external width is probably narrower than optimal for watt savings. But there are a few potential benefits. Firstly, fitting tyres can be a little easier with a narrow rim, as you have less distance to get the second tyre bead on. Next, at low pressures on wider tyres, if you have wider rims, there is potentially more chance of a rim strike, so reinforcements need to be made. Finally, narrower rims without the required reinforcement are lighter, and on gravel in particular, where speeds are lower and inertial force is harder to overcome, this can be more beneficial when accelerating, especially up climbs.As I said, this is all very subjective, but I've enjoyed the performance on the No. 6 wheels, even if the aero benefits at the average speed I raced the Gralloch UCI gravel race at are negligible (just over 32km/h). Trekking around the Forest of Dean offered great opportunities for fire road and more rugged terrain to testFuture - Andy TurnerHighland Cow approvedFuture - Andy TurnerWhat I did find is that, for climbing, they are frankly dreamy. From sustained-pace efforts to the starting climb at The Gralloch, they changed speed rapidly, a trait I really like in bunch events like this. The low weight also means more responsive braking and direction changes, which, on technical sections and fast descents into tight corners, proved a brilliant combination. The hub engagement also helps with acceleration, with the 45t ratchet quick to respond and with no give. I cant comment on the performance gain of the ceramic bearings or the subjective feel of the aero performance, but I can say these wheels are no slouch; tellingly, they roll fast on the road, too. Off-road, tyres make the biggest difference to speed, on tarmac, they play a part but the reduced rolling resistance swings the scales in favour of aero performance and hub rolling. I actually spoke with some of the DAS Hutchinson team and a few of them have used the G45R wheelset as a road race wheel option with wider road tyres. Again, from rim to rim, even at race speeds, the differences are usually a handful of single-digit watts, and they depend on the frame. All I can say is that these wheels feel like they perform at a comparable level to other high-end offerings I've ridden, including Scope, Black Inc, Enve and DT Swiss. I'm far less fond of carbon spokes. I find these somewhat superfluous on road wheels, as they are stiff in some directions but not as strong in others, like torsional forces. On gravel, they just don't make sense, given their lack of resilience against side impacts. On the road, this is rare; on gravel, stones regularly fly up into spokes. I suffered a stone strike at The Gralloch, which caused a splinter to come off one of the spokes. No.6 do supply spare spokes for both front and rear, with no need to remove tyres and rim tape to fit, but, as a rule, carbon spokes for gravel wheels are not something I think is needed. Alloy spokes perform brilliantly and are more durable. On a mix of fast terrains and rocky surfaces at the 2026 Gralloch the wheels performed wellFuture - Andy TurnerA race notorious for large sharp stones, the narrower rim may have helped reduce the incidence of rim impactsFuture - Andy TurnerValueCertainly, $2,199 isn't cheap for a wheelset, and for a Chinese wheelset, its significantly higher than it has traditionally been. Those worried about Chinese wheels not being made to the same standard as European and US wheelsets need not worry, however, given that the majority of carbon wheels from those brands are made in Asia. The main differences are marketing budget and occasional quality control, but the No.6 wheels run true and have a better finish and roundness than some big-brand wheels I have tested.However, with the ceramic bearings, 45T engagement, carbon spokes, and a CFD-designed rim that has performed well in independent testing, these wheels are taking on the likes of the Enve G SES 4.5 Pro (3500 /$3300), Scope Artech 4.G (3,500 / $4,398), and Roval Terra CLX Aero (2998 / $3400). Compared with these options, the No.6 wheels offer good value.Of course, import taxes are an issue, as European dealers are currently limited. However, customer care and service are impressive, with spares easy to purchase and supply. But at this price, the Hunt Limitless 40 UD spoke wheels, which are similarly specified and priced at 2,449, might be a more attractive offer to UK customers at the moment, given Hunts proven customer care and service. However, those wheels are shallower and heavier, and are hookless only. Personally, I have no qualms with purchasing wheels from China. The quality and finish of the No.6 wheels have been superb; the performance matches any top-of-the-range offering, and the customer care has been great. ]So, are these wheels good value? Yes, compared to the high-end performers they compete against. However, they aren't cheap and still represent a large investment for a set of wheels. You can get similar performance for less. The wheels helped me qualify for amateur WorldsFuture - Andy TurnerThe wheels felt good across the fast descents and steeper inclinesFuture - Andy TurnerTech specPrice:1,699 / $2,199Weight:1,195gHubset:Zero Gravity v.3Freehub options:Shimano HG11/12, SRAM XDR, CampagnoloRim depth:45mmSpoke count:16/20 front/rearRim:Hooked

With only 300 units available worldwide, hlins has stepped into the gravel suspension game

EF Education-EasyPost have confirmed the signing of Colombian Ivan Sosa, with the climber joining from Equipo Kern Pharma on a two-year deal. Bolstering their options in the high mountains, the team hope he can hit his stride after some difficult seasons. Sosa rode with igneous from 2019 to 2021 bef...

Earlier this year, Apidura completely revamped their most protective Expedition series of bikepacking bags. All-new waterproof fabrics, reoptimized pack sizes, and a smart quick-fit handlebar bag with integrated mounting for lights & a cycling computer. Now, they add a new Long Top Tube Pack to fill out your on-bike adventure storage capabilities.Apidura Expedition Long Top Tube Pack (2L)(All photos/Apidura)For longer days out bikepacking, sometimes you need the additional storage capacity of a full-length toptube bag. While, covering the entire toptube reduces standover clearance, a lot of long-distance riders especially like a full-length bag as it is often the easiest to access storage on the bike while riding. Some preferred Apiduras previous Long Top Tube Pack as a standalone setup. Even when they werent out on an ultra-distance tour.So now Apidura updates the bag with their latest Expedition tech.You get the same new durable and waterproof black 3-layer fabric, a full-length 2-way waterproof zipper, an adjustable-position internal divider, plus stretchy mesh pockets up front on the sides to stash snacks or used wrappers. The bag is also tapered front to back for maximum knee clearance while pedaling. And it gets Apiduras standard front cable port. So you can charge a light or GPS with the bag closed to keep the elements out.The PFA- & PFC-free bag has 2L of storage capacity, has lightweight internal stiffeners, and straps just to your toptube & stem. The 44cm long, max 10cm tall, tapered to about 5cm at its widest up front, and weighs 258g. The new Apidura Expedition Long Top Tube Pack sells for 96 / $134 / 117, and is available now.The new Expedition Series updatesThis long toptube bag is just the tip of the revamped Apidura Expedition bikepacking range that came this summer. Ten years since their first seam-welded, waterproof bikepacking bag family, the new line is said to be built around three core principles: Stable. Waterproof. Durable. A big part of all three is all-new Expedition-series fabric. Now in an all-black look that better mixes with their Racing-series for those who prefer to mix-and-match their favorite bags. Its a new, lighter & more environmentally-friendly 3-layer fabric with improved abrasion resistance, plus extra reinforcement in high-wear areas. The bags are all seam-welded for unquestionable waterproofing, and are designed to be repairable.Stability comes from things like more silicone grippers throughout where the bags fit against your frame, new Stability Channel for where the saddlepacks meet your seatpost, upgraded attachment with a lot of cam-locking Hypalon straps (instead of conventional velcro), and reinforcement around big zippers. Apidura also tweaked bag shapes to fit better with modern frame geometries, so they simply tuck more neatly into the corners of your bike. All-new Expedition Handlebar Pack mounting systemAnother big stability (and usability) boost comes from the all-new handlebar bag setup. Instead of a conventional strap-on design, the new bar bag has two built-in rubber contact point for your bar. Then, a simple high-strength cord loops over the bar and under your stem, and a second strap cinches around your steerer to eliminate any bounce. Its a design that shares similarities with both Jack The Rack and Ortliebs QR Handlebar Pack (both of which Ive loved), yet is somehow even simpler. Plus, the new Apidura Expedition Handlebar Pack smartly includes two GoPro-style mounting points on its cradle, allowing you to securely mount your cycling computer or a light with optional accessory arms.Mounting is super stable & secure, and quick. It more-or-less works with most non-round bars. You get room on the bar for your fingers, and mounting points for accessories.Expansive new Apidura Expedition series overview & pricingTheres a ton of bags and options in the new Apidura Expedition series, with the latest Long Top Tube Pack just taking it one step further.The Expedition Handlebar Pack comes in two sizes a smaller 9L version for 158 / $228 / 184 or larger 14L pack for 170 / $248 / 198. You can also separately buy a Front Accessory Pack or Front Cargo Mesh pocket to expand storage, or the GPS Attachment or simple Extension Arm to bolt on your accessories.Now partial Frame Packs come in four sizes: 2.8L, 3.8L, 4.3L & 5.7L (117-132 / $168-188 / 137-152). And Full Frame Pack get four bigger sizes: 4.6L, 6.8L, 8.0L & 10L (158-176 / $232-261 / 183-205). And revamped Saddle Packs come in three sizes: 9L, 13L & 16L (149-169 / $213-241 / 175-195).Expedition Top Tube Packs now come in four variants 56 / $84 / 66 for the 1L Bolt-On, 53 / $80 / 62 for the 1L strap-on, 47 / $71 / 55 for the 0.5L strap-on, or 96 / $134 / 117 for the new Long bag. Plus, there are a few more Apidura Expedition odds & ends bags to mix-and-match and fill out your total bikepacking rig setup. The Cargo Cage Pack (1.3L or 3.5L), the 1.3L Stem Pack, the 1L Tool Pack, or the 1.5L strap-on Downtube Pack.Get all of the Expedition series now, directly from Apidura or any of their retail partner bike shops.Apidura.com