Theres a real thrill to using a hired e-bike: the sudden speed, the way they make the city smaller, and their ready availability. The machines, which have popped up across our cities in the last few years, are a simple way of nipping across town if you dont want to use your own bike or walk, and are a blessing in places with poor public transport, like where I live in Bristol. They are hugely popular, with millions of Lime, Bolt, Voi, Dott, Beryl and Forest bikes to name but a few operators used a year across the UK. The pedal-assist is always welcome, particularly on hills. Theyre limited to 25km/h, which you might be able to beat on your road bike, but theyre not slow. Micromobility schemes are a great idea, especially if they get people out of cars; more bums on saddles and feet on pedals is always a good thing.However, there is another side to the hired e-bike, which has become increasingly prominent at the same time as their success. Their popularity has led to a rise in concerns over the cluttering of pavements, to the detriment of pedestrians, and antisocial and illegal riding, such as riding on pavements, jumping red lights and using the bikes while under the influence. This could be ignored as pearl-clutching from the anti-cycling brigade, but it does go beyond that. Not only is the improper use of hire bikes annoying and potentially dangerous to other cyclists, but there is a temptation for the general population to tar us all with the same brush.Hire bikes are transportation devices that anyone can jump on, any time, anywhere; theyre popular with lots of people, whether theyre cyclists or not. Often, then, these are people unused to riding on the road, without a helmet, just looking to get around. Thats the beauty of the system, but it comes with drawbacks, such as users not necessarily being aware of the dynamics between cars and cyclists, or cyclists and pedestrians, or cyclists and other cyclists.In a world of culture wars, cyclists are vulnerable, and as such, its helpful if we can present the best version of ourselves. Theres also the acknowledgement of the fact that a sudden take up of a new mode of transport, might just require some new rules or regulations. Thats why I welcome government proposals to crack down on inconsiderate and dangerous behaviour by shared e-bike users, and also sort out the issue of parking.Its easy to engage in whataboutery, and, it should be obvious that dangerous and illegal driving is a bigger and more impactful issue, putting all of us at risk. But saying what about bad drivers is to distract from the problem that antisocial riding is for a lot of people. How this proposed law will actually be implemented is yet to be seen, but the government feels that they lack the regulatory powers needed, which could then allow local authorities to licence schemes better. Even just better rules around parking would make peoples lives better. Prime Minister Andy Burnham said last week that while the hired e-bikes have many positives, they can also be a real frustration when left lying on pavements or when used irresponsibly. I want to sort that by giving communities more control over where they are parked and making sure companies and riders play by the rules, he said.The thrill and usefulness of a hire e-bike wont go away, tempering that thrill by ensuring theyre not a nuisance to other road users is no bad thing.This piece is part of The Leadout, the offering of newsletters from Cycling Weekly and Cyclingnews. To get this in your inbox, subscribe here.If you want to get in touch with Adam, email adam.becket@futurenet.com.

Jai Hindley will return to the Tour Down Under for the first time since 2023, with the former Giro d'Italia champion confirmed for the opening WorldTour race of 2027 following his return to the Grand Tour podium earlier this year. The 30-year-old Australian is the first major name announced for Janu...

What if discarded plastic could become the next clever bikepacking accessory? Precious Plastic is a global, open-source initiative helping small makers turn plastic waste into useful products using accessible recycling technology. Their latest video offers a fascinating look at the possibilities, and it's not hard to imagine how this approach could inspire small gear makers...The post Make Your Own Gear From Recycled Plastic? (Video) appeared first on BIKEPACKING.com.

Garmin is taking LiveTrack beyond friends and family. The company has announced a new integration with the Waze driving app that lets compatible Garmin devices share a riders real-time position with nearby drivers. The idea is simple: if a cyclist is on the road ahead, Waze can show that rider as a moving alert so drivers know theyre there before theyre right on top of them. For riders, it adds another layer of visibility without requiring anything extra on the bike. Just LiveTrack, a compatible Garmin device, and a phone.(Photo/Screenshot of Waze website)How Garmin + Waze Live Cycling Alerts WorkThe feature builds on Garmin LiveTrack, which has traditionally let friends and family follow a riders location, speed, route, and other ride information in real time.Now, riders can opt in through Garmin Connect to share their LiveTrack position with Waze while recording a ride. When a participating rider (you have to opt in) is nearby, Waze shows drivers using the app an active, moving cycling icon on the road.Location sharing is temporary and tied to the activity session. Garmin says it doesnt display or share the cyclists personal information with Waze drivers. Drivers dont see your name, profile, or other identifying information. They just get an alert that a cyclist is moving nearby. Safety is a top priority for Waze, and were excited to collaborate with Garmin to help keep cyclists safer on the road. By bringing Live Cycling Alerts to Waze, were giving drivers a helpful heads-up so they can slow down, stay aware, and safely share the road.Gai Berkovich, VP and GM of Waze(Photo/Garmin)You Have to Opt InGarmin doesnt quietly turn this on in the background. Riders have to enable the feature through Garmin Connect, and LiveTrack still requires a compatible Garmin Edge cycling computer or smartwatch paired with a smartphone.Once enabled, sharing happens only during the outdoor cycling activity. The Waze integration is more like an extension of LiveTrack than an entirely new safety system. Importantly, it keeps control with the rider.Garmin is well-known in the cycling industry for its safety-focused products and features, and we are excited to work with Waze to bring this unique feature to cyclists and drivers alike. By increasing awareness between cyclists and motorists, this new tool is designed to foster a safer riding environment for Garmin customers by giving drivers valuable real-time visibility to their whereabouts, helping to create a more connected experience for everyone on the road.Susan Lyman, Garmin Vice President of Consumer Sales and Marketing(Photo?Lezyne)A Step ForwardMost cyclist-safety tech has focused on helping the rider detect the car. This is a totally new approach and could be a huge step in the right direction. Volvo has a similar idea with its cyclist-detecting radar system, but this has a lower barrier to entry. Now the driver gets the warning just like any other update on Waze. Instead of relying entirely on a blinking light or waving hands. Waze can give them an earlier heads-up that someone on a bike is ahead.It wont replace being a cautious and tolerant driver (obviously), and it doesnt make every driver suddenly attentive. www.garmin.com

The team currently known as TotalEnergies will continue next year, after French IT company XEFI was brought onboard as title sponsor.The future of the French ProTeam set up by former pro rider Jean-Ren Bernaudeau in 2000, which has been in serious doubt for months, has been secured with the inking of the new deal, believed to be a three-year agreement. The Vende-based team has been in limbo since well before the Tour de France, when its principle backer TotalEnergies made it clear they would be concluding the relationship at the end of the season, to become name-jersey sponsors for rival WorldTour team Netcompany-Ineos, and to further cement its partnership with the Tour race organisers ASO.During the period of uncertainty that prevailed while the team was effectively without a name-sponsor, which coincided with the transfer season, the squad haemorrhaged a whole host of riders, including Anthony Turgis (who has joined XDS Astana), Jordan Jegat (who has gone to Lidl-Trek), Pierre Thierry (pictured, who has jumped ship to Cofidis), Alexandre Delettre (who will now ride for Groupama-FDJ) and Nicolas Breuillard (who will line up with Turgis at XDS Astana). The new deal, means that the team would be able to line up at the start of the 2027 Tour de France if invited, but as things currently stand, they only have one rider remaining under contract. Nevertheless, team boss Bernaudeau is breathing a sigh of relief this week. "I am particularly pleased to see XEFI partnering with Vende Cyclisme, a company with which we share much more than an ambition: a true vision of the human and the future," he told the media. Stphane Heulot remains the team manager, and Bernaudeau has also brought fellow former French pro Tony Gallopin in as the new sport director. A Tour stage winner, who pulled on the yellow jersey in 2014 and has previously worked with Heulot at Lotto, Gallopin will join in January, having accompanied TotalEnergies during this years Tour de France. "The fact that Jean-Ren and Stphane can now plan years ahead again after a season finale that was disrupted by circumstances is a great reward for their work," he said. "Im joining a historic French cycling team with a strong identity and a rich history, and Im eager to contribute to it."

CyclistAero vs all-round race bike: Which one is best for you?These days shopping for a new bike can be tricky. With so many different options across more genres than ever, finding whats right for your kind of riding isnt easy.If youre craving speed on the road, whether that be in levelling up your current setup, taking part in sportives, doing actual races or simply riding faster day to day, the choice boils down to two types of road bike: an aero road bike or more of an all-rounder lighter in weight but slightly less aerodynamic.That goes some way to make the choice easier on paper, but do you actually know which of the two would make your ride faster? To answer that, lets take a look at the pros and cons of aero and all-rounder bikes separately, and how they compare to bikes that attempt to balance the two.Which is faster and where?By breaking down the different kind of riding you might do or want to do, if youre preparing for a big challenge you can then make an informed decision on what your next bike should be (and read on for specific suggestions on a pair of highly capable models).One big change in the bike industry over the past few years is the sidelining of the outright lightweight road category at the pro level. Thats largely down to brands now being able to find enough general weight savings to get all-round race bikes down to the UCI minimum weight limit of 6.8kg without the need for major aero sacrifices. Yes, you can still get lighter, but not while staying within the UCI rules, and the latest all-rounder bikes are as light as previous generations of outright lightweight bikes anyway.Conversely, while you might also see the top pros riding aero bikes on mountain stages, thats because the speeds theyre hitting on the WorldTours toughest climbing tests are high enough for aerodynamics to still make a difference.The consensus from extensive real-world testing is that aerodynamics generally starts to come into play at around 15kmh, meaning that from those speeds, the scales start to tip in the favour of aero bikes and kit over lighter weight equipment; and the faster the rider the more difference it makes. In terms of gradient, its generally on gradients of around 6% that weight starts to gain in importance though that is still dependent on speed.With all that in mind, for most regular riders a fully flat ride will be quicker on an aero bike than on a slightly lighter but slightly less aero all-round race bike.From there, the hillier the ride the quicker the speed balance tilts in favour of the all-rounder. But where is the sweet spot?If youre doing big days in the mountains, the weight savings of an all-round race bike is what you need. Testing has shown that a 100km ride with a big climb such as a Cyclist magazine Big Ride is considerably faster with that kind of bike.The same could be said for tough British sportives such as the Fred Whitton. but unless youre seeking out all the hardest climbs in your area, most riders averaging 30kmh or more will gain more from an aero bike.Its important to note that spec plays a massive part in this too, and a bit of extra investment often goes a long way in saving weight or adding aero when it comes to wheels, groupset or handlebars.Something else to consider is that part of the gains that many aero bikes provide come from putting the rider in a more aggressive riding position, reducing the area that has to cut through the wind. For many people this can become uncomfortable over long rides, so unless speed is your only concern, all-round race bikes generally though not always put the rider in a more sustainable position.You should also factor rolling resistance into your equations, with tyre width playing a big role in how smoothly you roll over the tarmac. That again depends on where you actually ride, with poor road quality something British riders will be all too familiar with making a wider tyre a highly recommended spec choice. For smooth tarmac, 28-30mm is ideal, otherwise 32mm tyres set up tubeless allow you to run lower pressures without the risk of pinch flats, helping you roll over most lumps and bumps.Which race bike is right for me?Taking all of those considerations forward, each bike type still offers many options, but British brand Ribble seeks to make the choice easy.If speed is what you need, its ULTRA-AERO and ULTRA-RACE models tick all the boxes that road riders could need.The ULTRA-AERO SL R is Ribbles all-out fastest bike, with the frame design and component choice heavily influenced by extensive wind-tunnel testing to make it the only choice for flat and fast riding. The super-aero component list is headlined by Ribbles ULTRA-AERO handlebars and full bike weight ranges from 8.2kg to 9.3kg, depending on spec.For hill-seekers, the Ribble ULTRA-RACE comes close to the lowest limits of the UCIs rulebook for racing, with the lightest spec choices coming in at just 7kg in a medium size, and the frame itself comes in at just 775g.The breadth of those two bikes ranges includes both pro-race level builds and more affordable options for those looking to level up their riding within a more restrictive budget.Save up to 1,550 on Ribbles aero and racing bikes this Black FridayRest assured, though: affordable doesnt mean slow, and with Ribbles Black Friday discounts, the ULTRA-RACE and ULTRA-AERO SL R are at more accessible prices than ever.Until 11.59pm on Tuesday 1st December, you can get a black colourway ULTRA-RACE specced with Shimano 105 Di2 for just 2,799 a saving of 650 or with Ultegra Di2 for just 3,599 a huge saving of 1,050. Youll struggle to find that kind of value for a racing calibre bike equipped with electronic shifting anywhere else.The Ribble ULTRA-AERO SL R has similarly mouth-watering prices, with the ULTRA-AERO SL R 105 Di2 reduced to 2,549 a saving of 1,200 and the Ultegra Di2 build a massive 1,550 cheaper at 3,199. Or you can opt for the range-topping ULTRA-AERO SL R Dura-Ace Di2 for 5,549, saving a phenomenal 1,900.These prices are exclusive to Black Friday, so whether youre a speed demon in the market for an upgrade or youre eyeing up a dream Christmas present for a fast loved one, youll need to be quick with this one. Shop the Ribble Black Friday saleThe post Aero vs all-round race bike: Which one is best for you? appeared first on Cyclist.

Fem van Empel plans to share the story behind her difficult year away from racing in a new documentary, with her team offering to support the project. The three-time world champion returned to competition in October after almost a year out. Before the European Championships, Van Empel said she would...

For the first time in years, Hyperlite Mountain Gear has turned its attention to technical outdoor apparel. The new Hyperlite Gridline Anorak is an ultralight rain jacket made from Dyneema ripstop fabric, packing an impressive array of features for its weight. Miles got his hands on one ahead of today's launch to see what it can handle. Find his review here...The post Hyperlite Gridline Anorak Review: A 200-Gram Dyneema Ripstop Rain Jacket appeared first on BIKEPACKING.com.

Here at BikeRumor, weve done a lot of factory tours over the years. Its always enjoyable to see what goes on behind the scenes, and to appreciate the craftsmanship that creates the bikes that we love. But even when weve been given access to a carbon bike factory, creating video of the entire process has usually been off-limits. Thats not all that surprising. There is incredible competition between various carbon manufacturers, and the concern of giving away trade secrets is very real. So when Revel Bikes teamed up with Dream Build to offer a video factory tour, it was surprising to see the level of detail included. In fact, the video starts out with one of the processes that weve never been able to share the process of turning raw carbon fiber filaments into prepreg carbon sheets. Obviously, there are still plenty of proprietary secrets the video isnt showing, like the exact process that theyre using to mold the inside of the frame, but based on what appear to be air couplers sticking out of the mold (and the airlines hanging next to the press), you can infer that at some point air pressure is used to inflate an internal bladder to squeeze the carbon fiber into the mold from the inside out. Still, its a surprisingly transparent look into what goes into making your next Revel Bike. revelbikes.com

This is the latest instalment in CyclingUpToDates Cycling Legends series, revisiting the careers, rivalries and defining moments of cyclings great champions. Bernard Hinault won ten Grand Tours from just 13 starts. He claimed five Tours de France, three Giros dItalia and two Vueltas a Espana, fin...