Brilliant full-suspension touring and leisure bike with a powerful motor

Remco Evenepoel could make his debuts at Milano-Sanremo and Paris-Roubaix in 2027 as part of an ambitious four-Monument spring, potentially leaving his unfinished Giro d'Italia business on hold for another year. Belgian cycling commentator Renaat Schotte has raised the possibility following the unve...

Cannondale Factory Racing has officially wrapped up more than three decades of World Cup mountain bike racing, and Cannondale is giving the program one final sendoff with What We Leave Behind, the last episode of its Fresh Dirt series.The film isnt really about results, even though CFR has plenty. Instead, it focuses on the people who made the program work: riders, mechanics, coaches, staff, families, and the behind-the-scenes team (like Lefty Larry) that kept one of mountain bikings longest-running factory teams moving from one World Cup to the next.If youve followed mountain bike racing for any length of time, theres a good chance Cannondale Factory Racing is tied to at least one era of the sport you remember clearly. And unfortunately, that run is over.(All Photos/Cannondale)More Than 30 Years at the FrontCannondales factory-backed mountain bike program dates back to the Volvo-Cannondale team in 1994 and eventually grew into one of the most recognizable programs in World Cup racing.Over the years, the roster included riders like Tinker Juarez, Missy Giove, Gunnar Shogren, Marco Aurelio Fontana, Manuel Fumic, Henrique Avancini, Maxime Marotte, Alan Hatherly, Mona Mitterwallner, Simon Andreassen, Charlie Aldridge, and Jolanda Neff.The bikes were usually just as recognizable as the riders.(Photo/Cory Benson)Cannondale racing was where the Lefty got pushed at full race speed, where Scalpel development happened under actual World Cup pressure, and where some wonderfully odd Cannondale ideas went from engineering experiments to race-winning equipment.CFR wasnt just a logo and a tent in the paddock. For years, it functioned like a traveling R&D department with number plates. Tech-nerds like us loved visiting the CFR compound on the World Cup circuit; you never know what youd find. No Mistake CFR Was Still FastThe strange part about Cannondale shutting the program down is that CFR wasnt fading away.The final roster of Luca Martin, Charlie Aldridge, Cole Punchard, Jolanda Neff, and Ana Santos was still competitive right through the end. Aldridge closed Cannondales World Cup run with an XCO victory at Lake Placid after a season that also included European titles and World Championship silver medals.Not exactly a farewell tour from a team limping toward the exit. That makes What We Leave Behind hit a little differently. This wasnt a program that ran out of speed or talent.Cannondale Factory Racing What We Leave BehindThe final Fresh Dirt episode looks past podiums and race results, focusing on everything that happened between them. Years spent traveling together. Mechanics keeping bikes alive between rounds. Coaches and staff working behind the scenes. Riders coming through the program and carrying what they learned into the next part of their careers.Factory teams are easy to reduce to results because those are the numbers we can see. Whats harder to quantify is how much knowledge gets passed between riders, mechanics, engineers, and staff over decades of racing.Where Will the CFR Riders Go?The end of CFR dropped one of the strongest XC rider groups onto the transfer market. Most didnt stay available for long. But its not just the riders transferring teams; the entire staff is looking for a new home, and some have already found it. Luca Martin & Cole Punchard Go To Decathlon Ford RacingLuca Martin and Cole Punchard are headed to Decathlon Ford Racing on two-year deals beginning in 2027.The move is interesting beyond the riders themselves. Decathlon Ford is also entering a new technical era with Van Rysel, including the teams 32-inch-wheel XC development program.Martin arrives as one of the biggest names on the mens circuit, while Punchard made a major jump during his first elite season. Both should play an important role in Van Rysels push deeper into top-level mountain bike racing.(Photo/Cory Benson)Charlie Aldridge & More Move To Thmus MaxonCharlie Aldridge is heading to Thmus Maxon on a two-year deal through the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.But Aldridge isnt the only part of CFR making the move. Former Cannondale Factory Racing team manager Phil Dixon (and sometimes commentator) is joining Thmus Maxon as sports director, while Kenta Gallagher moves over as race coach and test rider. Thmus isnt simply signing one of Cannondales top riders. Its bringing over part of the actual racing structure that helped support CFR. Aldridge will arrive with people who already know how he trains, races, develops equipment, and works through a World Cup season. For a rider changing teams after the closure of a long-running program, that kind of continuity could be a major advantage.Its also a notable shift for Thmus Maxon. Aldridge becomes the first international rider in the Swiss teams history, joining a roster that includes Swiss Nationals Alessandra Keller and Mathias Flckiger.Jolanda Neff Goes to Fenix-Premier TechJolanda Neff is joining Fenix-Premier Tech for 2027 on a two-year contract.Neffs move to a multi-discipline team makes a lot of sense. Fenix-Premier Tech gives Neff room to keep racing mountain bikes while opening the door to road and cyclocross. Its a huge setup that already knows how to manage riders who move between disciplines.For Neff, who has raced at a high level across MTB, road, and cyclocross, it gives her more options than a World Cup-only calendar.Ana Santos is Still TBDThat leaves Ana Santos. As of today, the Portuguese rider has not announced a team for 2027. Shes the final piece of the CFR roster still waiting for a confirmed destination.What Happens Next for Cannondale?Cannondale isnt disappearing from mountain biking, but its approach is changing.The company plans to launch Cannondale Rogues in January 2027, moving toward a broader program involving racers, creators, community figures, and riders across mountain biking and gravel rather than maintaining one traditional World Cup factory team.Maybe that turns into something great. It still isnt Cannondale Factory Racing, and with the historic American HQ in Wilton, Connecticut, closing, I dont have much optimism. But only time will tell. Pon. Bike seems to be restructuring all its holdings, and Cannondale isnt the only one. Juliana Bikes was another to be unceremoniously dismissed this year, now absorbed into Santa Cruz Bikes.Once CFR, Always CFRThere will be no more CFR tent or tweaks on familiar jerseys on next years World Cup start line. No more wondering what odd Scalpel setup is hiding in the pits under a mechanics towel.Its going to take some getting used to, and to grieve over.What We Leave Behind is a good reminder that a race program doesnt completely disappear when the last number plate comes off. CFRs expertise and influence will now spread to the worlds best teams. This lets them keep using the knowledge gained at CFR over years of racing at the top. The riders move on. The mechanics and coaches bring what they learned to the next team. Engineers carry ideas into the next bike. Fans will remember the good and bad times. Thirty-plus years leaves a pretty long trail. The racing might be over, but the spirit of Cannondale Factory Racing will live on forever.

I left the bike for about a minute, went to the toilet, and when I came back it was stolen, cyclist Mark Crowther says

Tadej Pogacar has helped UAE Team Emirates - XRG rewrite cycling's record books, but one historic achievement still belongs exclusively to their biggest rivals. Three years after Jumbo-Visma became the first team to win the Giro d'Italia, Tour de France and Vuelta a Espana in the same season, UAE b...

Opening up a fresh round of Collective Reward giveaways, we teamed up with Ergon to offer one lucky winner a touch-point bundle that includes an SMC Sport Gel saddle and a pair of lock-on GMS grips. Find details on our latest prize package here...The post Collective Reward #259: Ergon Saddle and Grips appeared first on BIKEPACKING.com.

On Revel Bikes' recent visit to their carbon manufacturer in Vietnam, they brought along folks from Dream Build Bikes to film a behind-the-scenes look at how they make their bikes. Watch the factory tour video here...The post Revel Bikes Carbon Frame Factory Tour (Video) appeared first on BIKEPACKING.com.

Tubeless has taken over nearly every corner of cycling, but walk through the pits at a cyclocross race, and tubulars are still very much alive.Theres a reason. A good tubular still offers a ride thats hard to match with tubeless, especially in cross. With no suspension to work with, much of the grip and compliance comes from the tire. Tubulars let racers run extremely low pressures while keeping a round, supple profile that works especially well on grass, off-camber, ruts, and loose terrain.The problem is that tubular wheels are getting harder to find.(All Photos/Jordan Villella)Tires are still available from companies like Challenge, FMB, and Dugast, but fewer brands produce dedicated tubular wheelsets each year. That makes the Rotation Engineering RaceLab CX35 interesting before you even ride it.The CX35 is a 35mm-deep carbon tubular wheelset built specifically for cyclocross. Rotation claims a weight of 1,150g 40g, with DT Swiss Aerolite spokes and the companys own Axis Pro hubs. Theyre proper race wheels with a proper race-wheel price: $1,950.Who Is Rotation Engineering?Rotation Engineering is a relatively young name in cycling, but founder Seth Carlson brings more than two decades of precision manufacturing experience from motorsports, including Formula 1, IndyCar, NASCAR, and rally.Carlson started Rotation Engineering in Ellington, Connecticut, in 2021, initially focusing on bearings, bottom brackets, hubs, and headsets.Since then, the catalog has grown to include drivetrain bearings, chain wax and waxing equipment, wheel-building tools, hubs, and complete RaceLab wheelsets for road, gravel, mountain bike, and cyclocross. Rotation designs, engineers, and tests its cycling components worldwide, and hand-builds its RaceLab wheels in-house in Connecticut.The Competitive Edge Racing cyclocross squad also races the CX35, which makes sense. The Comp Edge Elite team boasts Nationals Champs, Pan-American champs, and a healthy group of up-and-comers. This group isnt racing on road wheels that happen to accept a cross tire (though they have those). They need a full-on, purpose-built cyclocross race wheelset.RaceLab CX35: Cyclocross SpecialistThe CX35 uses a dedicated 35mm-deep, 28mm-wide carbon tubular rim. The 35mm depth hits a nice spot for cyclocross. It gives the wheel enough structure and stiffness without making it overly deep, heavy, or awkward in windy races. Its near the Bontrager Aeolus RSL 37 tubular depth that many cyclocrossers (and Team Baloise) use as their only wheelset for the season. Rotation uses a high-modulus carbon layup with extra material around the nipple bed rather than reinforcing the entire rim. The finished wheels use 24 DT Swiss Aerolite straight-pull spokes front and rear with DT Swiss Squorx nipples.We recommend glue and tape when gluing tubulars. (Photo/Jordan Villella)Why Are We Still Racing Tubulars?For most riders, tubeless makes more sense. Its easier to mount, easier to change, and far less intimidating than gluing tires onto carbon rims. Cyclocross remains one of the places where tubulars still earn their trouble.What the hell is a tubular tire? A tubular tire is sewn around its inner tube and glued directly to the rim. Theres no bead trying to stay seated, which lets racers run pressures that would be sketchy on many tubeless setups without worrying about burping the tire off the rim.A stockpile of Dugast Tires ready for glue prep in the Dutch Team camp at Cyclocross Worlds (Photo/Jordan Villella)A supple tubular also deforms beautifully over roots, ruts, bumps, and off-camber. The tire can move underneath the rider while maintaining traction, and its round profile keeps the tread working as the bike leans farther into a corner.Tubulars arent magic. Theyre expensive, they take time to mount, and changing tread usually means changing wheelsets. But when traction is limited and every second matters, theyre still hard to beat.Rotation RaceLab CX35 Wheelset SpecsRim depth: 35mmRim width: 28mmSpoke count: 24 front / 24 rearSpokes: DT Swiss Aerolite straight-pullNipples: DT Swiss SquorxWeight (XDR Driver): 1170g* Actual Weight (Pair); 640g rear, 530g front Hubs: Rotation Engineering Axis ProAxles: 12x100mm front / 12x142mm rearRotor interface: CenterlockWarranty: 3 yearsPrice: $1,950Mounting the TubularsFor testing, I mounted Challenge Grifo Team Edition tubulars using Vittoria Mastik and CX Tape.The 29mm-wide rim bed works especially well with a modern 33mm cyclocross tubular. Theres plenty of surface area to build a solid glue bed and get full contact with the tires base tape.The matte finish also hides the inevitable glue marks (and eventual battle scars) that come with mounting/racing tubulars. Its a small detail, but anyone who has spent an evening with Mastik knows the process rarely stays clean.Ride Review: Rotation RaceLab CX35Light Where It MattersThe first thing I noticed with the CX35s is how easily they get moving. The CX35s are about 500g less than the tubeless wheels I train on, and they felt like nothing to spin up. Since cyclocross is basically an hour of accelerating, braking, turning, and accelerating again. You dont spend much time sitting at one speed, which makes wheel weight more noticeable than it might be during a steady road ride.You feel the weight mostly coming out of slow corners, punching over short rises, and getting back on the pedals after a remount. They make the bike feel eager without bringing the nervous or overly delicate feel that can come with some ultralight equipment.They also make the bike easier to throw around when the course gets tight and to pick your bike up for barriers or carries. For cross, thats exactly what I want from a light wheelset.The Right Amount Of GiveThe other half of the equation is the rim. The CX35 is stiff and responsive under power. Sprinting out of corners or getting on top of the gear doesnt produce that vague feeling where the wheel winds up before the bike responds.You put power in and the bike moves. That stiffness pairs especially well with a tubular tire because the tire is handling the compliance. You get a precise, responsive carbon rim underneath a supple casing instead of asking the wheel itself to smooth out the course.The CX35 feels appropriately race-focused without beating you up, and I never wished the rim were softer or less responsive. Why not run a deep rim if you want stiffness? A deeper rim will also be less compliant. For cyclocross you need to make a trade-off: sprinting stiffness and compliance over bumps and (when the time comes) frozen ruts. Most cyclocross wheelsets land in the 25-40mm range. But youll see some deeper on grass crit-style courses.The Tubular Bed Gets It RightThe 28mm-wide tubular bed also works well with a modern 33mm cross tire. With the Challenge Grifos mounted, the tire gets a broad, supportive base while maintaining the rounded profile you want from a tubular. At low pressure, the casing can move and conform underneath you while the wheel itself stays precise. It doesnt feel like its going to roll off the rim the way a 34mm tire would on the 17mm tubular rims we had back in the day. That combination is where the CX35 really shines. On off-camber and loose corners, you get the predictable movement and grip of a good tubular.Axis Pro Hubs: Nothing to Fix HereRotation started out making bearings and rotating components, so I expected the hubs to be good. They are.The Axis Pro hubs are smooth, engage quickly, and feel appropriately high-end for the wheelset. Theres no noticeable drag or slop, and engagement is plenty quick for the constant on-off pedaling that comes with cyclocross.More importantly, they disappear underneath you.They dont have the very specific personality of something like a Chris King or Industry Nine hub, where the hub itself becomes part of the experience. The Axis Pro hubs are more restrained. They simply work very well without demanding attention or extra pampering.Thats probably the best compliment I can give a race hub.I never wished for quicker engagement, smoother bearings, or any other real change. Theyre light, precise, and very well suited to the wheelset.How Do They Stack Up?The CX35s belong at the top of the cyclocross wheel pile. Id put them in the same conversation as the best tubular wheels Ive raced from ENVE and Bontrager. The ride is very similar, almost as if Rotation pulled the best attributes from each.Theyre light enough to notice immediately, stiff enough to respond when you jump on the pedals, and the Axis Pro hubs are excellent. More importantly, the package feels cohesive. Nothing stands out because something else is holding it back.The rim, spokes, hubs, and tubular bed all feel like they were chosen specifically for cyclocross, not assembled into a wheelset that could theoretically work for it.The Catch: $1,950Theres really only one part of the CX35 thats hard to get excited about: $1,950 is a lot of money for cyclocross wheels. Thats especially true with tubulars. A tubular wheel is effectively tied to the tire glued onto it. Racers who want a dry tire, mud tire, and intermediate option often end up with several wheelsets. Suddenly a nearly $2,000 wheelset becomes the beginning of the expense, not the end.The CX35 absolutely performs like a premium race wheel, and the price isnt out of line with other high-end carbon tubulars. But it still limits how many racers can realistically build an entire cross setup around them.Id love to see Rotation take what it got right with the CX35, particularly the Axis Pro hubs, spoke package, rim dimensions, and build quality, and offer an alloy tubular version as well.A high-quality alloy tubular built around the same hubs could make a great second wheelset for mud tires or serve as a more attainable way into Rotations cross lineup.Race the CX35s on your main setup, then use the alloy pair for mud or pit duty. That would be a killer combination.(All photos/Jordan Villella)Rotation RaceLab CX35: VerdictRotation Engineering didnt make a gravel wheel that happens to work for cyclocross. It made a cyclocross wheel. And it shows.The RaceLab CX35 is one of the best tubular wheelsets Ive ridden for cross. Theyre properly light, accelerate quickly, and pair a stiff, responsive rim with the supple ride you want from a tubular.My biggest complaint is still the price. At $1,950, these are unapologetically premium race wheels, and building multiple tubular setups at that price gets expensive quickly. Id also change a couple of small things.At this price, Id rather see etched or molded-in graphics instead of decals. Stickers and cyclocross dont always mix well once pressure washers, cleaners, and a seasons worth of abuse get involved.If were not worrying about price, Id also like to see a DT Swiss 240 hub option. The Axis Pro hubs are excellent, but the DT-240 remains something of a gold standard for serviceability and parts support. For team mechanics or racers with multiple wheelsets, standardizing on a familiar hub platform makes sense. None of that changes how good the CX35 is on course. Judged purely on performance, I wouldnt change much.If Rotation eventually adds a more affordable alloy tubular option alongside it, the CX lineup would become even more compelling. As they sit, though, the RaceLab CX35s are top-shelf cyclocross wheels built for racers who still know exactly why tubulars matter.Rotation-Engineering

ContestDumonde TechYou know the rest.So you wanted a winner, right?Well, remember this bike?A real beauty and a true contender, though some of you felt it was a bit too clean.But I doubt youd feel that way now:Heres what happened:The fire broke out in a neighboring house and spread to the owners home. Thankfully he and his family (including two small children) were not harmed. However, they lost not only their house, but a staggering array of bicycles:Ugh.Okay, please turn off your computer or close your laptop or put your phone in your pocket or fold up the piece of paper you printed this out on in the library and observe a moment of silence for one hell of a clowder.Okay. In a way it feels like an insult to award the prize to this contestant. Frankly, if all my bikes burned up and someone handed me a bottle of chain lube Id tell them to go fuck themselves. At the same time, he was already on the short list, and talk about playing the sympathy card! So what Id really like to do is award him the win symbolially and somehow sweeten the pot. Like, I would happily award him my own Meh-roica Bike as a grand prize, assuming shipping to Japan (he lives in Japan if you havent figured that out) isnt completely and wildly prohibitive:Then maybe award some of the lubes and T-shirts and stuff that Dumonde sent to some of the other competitors.Anyway, Im still figuring it out, and I havent even mentioned awarding the Meh-roica bike to this unfortunate contestant, who for all I know may not want the bike at all, since maybe going from 15 dream bikes to one (1) Chris Huber is even more insulting than losing them all in a fire and receiving a bottle of lube.But in the meantime Ill see, and since Ive been shamelessly dragging this contest out I figured I owed everyone an update.So there you go!If nothing else, the contest just got interesting.Count your blessings and all that stuff,Tan Tenovo