There are some rides where pretty much any pair of bike shorts will do.We arent going very far, the weather is optimal, its just your average run of the mill ride. Some rides, though, require something a little bit more.Any time that I am riding more than 20 miles or so, I want to be wearing bibs, not just cycling shorts, and I want a pair of premium bib shorts.Enter the Terry Madame X Bib short. These shorts are no joke. They are premium bib shorts at a premium price, and they are worth it.These are quite possibly the most comfortable bib shorts I have ever pulled onto my body. The material is so buttery, the chamois doesnt droop at all, and despite being solid black they are pretty. Interested? Read on for our in-depth review of the Terry Madame X Bib Short!Review in a NutshellPros:Buttery soft and light.Straps stay in place and have a lovely cross back design.The attention to detail is incredible, everything from the meticulous construction to the lovely pattern on the mesh back.This is the best chamois I have ever tried from Terry by far. They finally have made a chamois that I can very comfortably wear on a longer ride.The cut of this short is just so flattering. You feel great when you wear them!The cuffs of the bib short do not roll up and stay nicely and comfortably in place.Made in the USA in a green energy-certified sewing facility.The Terry Guarantee states that if you are unsatisfied with your product for any reason you can return it for a refund, credit, or exchange.Cons:No easy access for nature breaks. The whole bib has to come down.The cuffs grip well and stay in place, but kind of stick to themselves. You have to peel them apart when you step in.The price. Its a premium bib so its going to be more expensive than others, but that is industry standard.Price & Where to Buy:$174.95 ListBuy at TerryBicycles.com*Buy at Amazon.com*Buy at Backcountry.com*Terry Set Out to Make a Premium Bib Short, and They Nailed It (For the Most Part)Like many women, I am very particular about my cycling shorts and bib shorts. I tend to prefer bib shorts because they just stay up better and dont roll down.I have tried premium bib shorts from a few different brands, and by and large I expect a few things from any bib short that is $200+.From the moment I removed the Madame X Bib Short from the packaging I was honestly impressed. The stitching and attention to detail is notable. I absolutely love the patterned mesh on the back of the shorts inside the X. Its so very pretty, and that is not usually a word that comes to mind when I am looking at a bib short!I have a few minor issues with these shorts, such as there is no escape for nature breaks and the cuffs stick to each other a bit (more on that later), but for the most part Terry absolutely nailed the creation of this premium bib short.Terry is a Company Created By a Woman for WomenIn the vast landscape of cycling companies, more and more companies are emerging that are made by women for women. Terry was the first. It has been around since 1985 when Georgena Terry, founder of Terry Bikes began building and designing bikes for women.By 1991, Terry was making womens specific bike clothing. This means they have been creating and developing womens bike clothing for over 30 years! The Madame X Bib Short feels like a true culmination of all of these years of experience.The Madame X Bib Short Has an Incredibly Well-Fitting, Comfortable ChamoisI have a few different pairs of Terry shorts, and they literally never disappoint in relation to comfort.However, I find that the padding on my Terry shorts is not as substantial as some other brands, and therefore I often will find myself reaching for different bibs on longer rides.The Madame X Bib Short solves this problem for me. Not only does the chamois fit incredibly well (no drooping which is a must), but it provides just the right amount of padding for a longer ride.I think that if I am doing a 50+ ride I would still lean towards a short that has a little more padding, but I would be very comfortable grabbing the Madam X Bib Short for anything under 50 miles.It should be noted here, however, that if you have a Terry Saddle, such as the Terry Butterfly, these saddles themselves tend to have more padding than other saddles I have tried.I use the Specialized Mimic which is a harder saddle, so I appreciate more padding, but these bib shorts will likely pair perfectly with a Terry Saddle.The Material of the Madame X Bib Short is Flattering and SO Soft and ButteryAs I mentioned, I own (and have reviewed) many premium bib shorts, and the Madame X Bib Short is easily the softest and most streamlined pair that I have tried.The lines are incredibly flattering, and I love that the bib comes up and over my belly button. Its so nice to have that extra little bit of compression and coverage. Its not a huge deal when my tummy rolls kind of peek out of my bib shorts, but I would just rather they not.Also, I have to mention that the material just feels SO luxurious when you pull them on. Buttery is not a word that I usually use with any cycling short or bib short, but these really DO feel buttery!Theres Just the Right Amount of CompressionI will be very honest, I do not love intense compression in my bib shorts.I like a little bit so that I feel like I have some support, but not so much that I feel like a stuffed sausage that is squeezed to the point of no return.The Terry Madame X Bib Short delivers exactly the right amount of compression. I have always felt that Terry Shorts are just so comfortable and easy to put on, and these are no exception.Additionally, I hate feeling like I have to squeeze and contort myself into a pair of bib shorts. I love that these suckers just slide right up and on but still hold in all the parts of my body that can use a little extra support.There is a SIDE POCKET for a Phone! I seriously could not contain my excitement that Terry added a side pocket for a phone. I have never seen this on a bib short. Maybe there are other companies that are doing this too, but this is my first pair of bibs with a side pocket for a phone and I couldnt be more excited about it. I dont always want to wear a jersey with a back pocket, but I do always want to carry my phone for safety. These bib shorts completely solve that problem, and I am here for it! You Do Have to Take These All the Way Off for Nature BreaksI am not sure what it is, exactly, but I feel like every time I find a wonderful bib short that fits great, it does not have any kind of way to get out of it other than taking it all of the way off.Usually premium bibs have a clasp in the back or front, or a drop seat, but not the Madame X Short.This is another reason why I am less likely to grab it for longer rides. No one wants to have to get completely undressed in the middle of a ride in a port-a-potty. I have never done this, and I probably never will, so on a longer ride I do really need a bib short that is easier to get out of.The Elastic On the Cuffs Sticks to ItselfI almost didnt mention this, because its truly not a big deal, but I found that the elastic that holds the cuffs in place does tend to stick to itself when you store your bib shorts.As a result you kind of have to pry them apart a bit when you step in.Once they are on and your skin is in between though, they are really perfect. I would much rather the elastic on the cuff stick together a bit than have my bib shorts rolling up on me, and these bib shorts absolutely stay in place.Bottom-Line: A Premium Bib ShortThat Doesnt DissapointThe Terry Madame X Bib Short is a premium bib short that really delivers on comfort and performance.It is so incredibly comfortable, streamlined, and attractive. When I put on these bib shorts I simply feel great.It feels like a company has taken the time, energy, and effort to craft a bib short experience for me that is truly next level and effectively combines comfort, performance and a flattering fit.I absolutely recommend the Terry Madame X Bib Short to the Femme Cyclist community. Terry is an amazing, women-first company that has put together yet another top-notch product, and I am thrilled to have a pair of these shorts in my Bib Short collection.I find myself reaching for them first above all others right now, and given the amazing choices I have, that is certainly saying a lot!More Stuff You Might LikeBest Womens Padded Bike ShortsBest Womens Bike Saddles & How To Choose!7 Solutions For Saddle Pain & Discomfort Down ThereAbout The ReviewerStacy Ann Smithis a New England-based cyclist who strives to stay upright on her bike. She is the founder of Sascy Cycling, and her mission is to encourage women to love their body and focus on what it can do, not what it looks like. When Stacys not cycling she is teaching high school history and eating pizza with her husband and son.IG:@sascycyclingThe post Terry Madame X Bib Short Review appeared first on Femme Cyclist.

We tested Wilde's new carbon adventure fork - a serious contender to Enve and Whisky offerings.

CyclistOpinion: Stop griping about the price of bikesAs Cyclist magazine editor, I receive three main types of letters from readers. Type one begins, Dear Pete, love the magazine, and you might be interested in publishing the story of the time I Type two goes, Love the magazine, but gravel riding is the work of the Devil and should be Type three says, Love the magazine, but how on Earth is anyone supposed to be able to afford the bikes you review?Type three is among the most popular (note that no one writes to say they dont love the magazine, bless you all). And what can I say? Its true, the bikes we showcase are often really expensive. Recently we have covered a Giant TCR at 12,000, a Colnago C68 Allroad at 14,000 and a Seven Axiom at 14,300. Even our latest issue (available now at the Cyclist Shop) includes an Orbea at 12,000. You can get a good second-hand car for that money. So is this just the bike industry taking us all for a bunch of mugs?Actually, I would argue that we should all stop getting so hot under the collar whenever were presented with a lot of noughts. Related Posts Opinion: Your tyres are wrong Opinion: Bike weight doesnt matter Opinion: Weight matters Aston Martin and J.Laverack collaborate on visually boltless road bike Opinion: Down with electronic shifting! Best road bikes: Best bikes from under 1,000 to over 10,000 Splashing the cashBikes are high-tech. Taking something unbelievably light and making it even lighter requires huge investment in materials and moulds, plus months of trying carbon fibre layups and creating and testing prototypes. Then theres aerodynamics CFD modelling and testing in wind-tunnels and developing features such as fully internal cable routing. And thats all before the costs of manufacturing, marketing, UCI registration, pro team sponsorship, global distribution, retail overheads and ten-year contracts with Mathieu van der Poel are taken into account.Joseph BranstonWhen you compare a top-end race bike to something like an Herms Birkin handbag 25,000-plus for a few bits of leather stitched together then suddenly the bike seems like a bargain. And Im pretty certain the Herms Birkin hasnt been optimised for minimal drag at 12 yaw.Whats more, comparing a bike to a designer handbag isnt entirely flippant, because the bikes featured in Cyclist are luxury items. Just like the clothes you wear and the handbag you carry, the bike you ride says a lot about the person you are. Like it or not, road bikes are status symbols, and brands are want their bikes to be highly covetable. They do this partly by looks and performance, partly by association with top pros and partly by price.An expensive bike is a desirable bike and the most expensive is the most desirable. This is why if brand X prices its top bike at 10,000, brand Y feels the need to price its own at 11,000. Of course, this results in a pricing arms race to the point where the pricetag ceases to have any relation to the intrinsic worth of the bike and everyone sits down to write a letter to the editor of a cycling magazine.Mike MassaroBut do you know what? Its all OK. Why? Because no one is making you buy the top-end bike in any brands range.The top bike (and we usually feature the top model of any line-up) is the shop window, the tease, the drool-worthy lure, built for the pros and bearing that outrageous pricetag. But further down the line-up will be very similar-looking bikes of almost equal performance and at a much more accessible price point. Those are the ones you buy, and theyre worth it because they will boast the tech that has trickled down from the top.See, the prices arent mad. They are like they are for a reason, and it all makes sense if you can just get past the initial rage and incredulity that is generated by all those noughts.Finishing touchesHaving said that, I do have a bone to pick with the big brands and their top-end models. I saw a guy the other day riding a sleek black-and-red Colnago, and stuffed in his bottle cages were a pair of bright yellow PowerBar water bottles. It totally ruined the look.So come on, bike brands. If youre going to put a five-figure pricetag on your super-luxury, high-performance race bike, at least give us some matching bidons. I bet Herms wouldnt make that mistake. This article originally appeared in issue 153 of Cyclist magazine. Click here to subscribe Related Posts Opinion: Your tyres are wrong Opinion: Bike weight doesnt matter Opinion: Weight matters Aston Martin and J.Laverack collaborate on visually boltless road bike Opinion: Down with electronic shifting! Best road bikes: Best bikes from under 1,000 to over 10,000 The post Opinion: Stop griping about the price of bikes appeared first on Cyclist.

Inspired by his Oregon Timber Trail rig from MADE last year, Max Keegan just finished a small batch of his new Mostly Forever Livingwell frames, a steel hardtail designed around a 120mm fork, 2.75 or 29 x 2.6" rubber, and an included rear rack. Learn more here...The post Introducing the Mostly Forever Livingwell appeared first on BIKEPACKING.com.

CyclistHow much is the 2024 Tour de France prize money?For the 2024 edition of the Tour de France a grand total of 2,308,200 is on offer. Theres an 11.82% sub to the riders union on top, which takes that up to 2,581,029 (around 2.2m/$2.8m).The majority of this is split between the top general classification riders, with ample returns also going to stage winners, the top sprinters, each stages most combative rider, and the rider who crosses the Tour de Frances highest peak first.The total prize money is unchanged from last year, when Jonas Vingegaard topped the podium. The Dane enters the Tour de France having seen his season derailed by the fallout from a severe injury picked up at the Itzulia Basque Country in the spring. Eternal Tour rival Tadej Pogaar, meanwhile, returns to the Tour having won the Giro dItalia in dominant fashion in May.The overall winner of the maillot jaune will win 500,000, with the runner-up taking home 200,000 and third getting 100,000.The Tour prize pot is considerably greater than even the likes the Giro dItalia, where the total prize money in 2024 was 1.5m and the race winner Pogaar received 265,000, with second place Dani Martnez getting 133,000 and third 68,000.Its also worth mentioning that whereas many one day races now offer equal prize money for the mens and womens races, the winner of the Tour de France Femmes wins just 50,000 and the total prize pot is 250,000, despite both races being owned by the ASO.Of note is that the Tour de Frances press office posts regular updates on how much money each team has earned throughout the stages, which can be a good indicator for how each of them is doing overall. This also includes fines picked up for minor rule breakages as well.For now, lets dig into the Tour de Frances money bags. Related Posts How are the favourites preparing for the Tour de France? Does the combination jersey at the Tour de France have a place in modern cycling? In celebration of the yellow jersey Mens Tour de France 2024: Route, how to watch and all you need to know History of the Tour de France jerseys and how they got their colours Yellow jerseyA.S.O./Pauline BalletAside from the coveted final yellow jersey, the overall winner of the Tour de France will take home 500,000. For every stage along the way that a rider wears yellow, meanwhile, they will add 500 to their winnings.Outside the 200,000 and 100,000 prizes for whoever ends up on the lesser two steps of the final podium, riders down to 19th in the general classification will earn diminishing cash prizes from 70,000 down to 1,100.After that, each rider will collect 1,000 if they cross the finish line in Paris sitting above 160th. Think of this as a financial participation medal.The majority of the overall prize money is given out in the GC classification.500,000200,000100,00070,000Stage winsA.S.O./Charly LopezAll 21 stages are given the same amount of prize money, regardless of the stages status or difficulty.The winner of each stage gets 11,000and every rider in the top 20 on each day will rake in some prize money, with 20th place taking home 300.11,0005,5002,800Green jerseyA.S.O./Charly LopezThe green jersey, or maillot vert in French, is worn by the rider who accumulates the most points at stage finishes and intermediate sprints. The leader of this classification is usually the best sprinter in the race.For every stage they keep the maillot vert,riders will get 300.Not to be snubbed, victory at an intermediate sprint affords 1,500, while second and third take home 1,000 and 500 respectively. This is usually fought out by the breakaway.The final overall points classification has a bigger prize pot, with the winner claiming 25,000.25,00015,00010,000Polka dot jerseyA.S.O./Charly LopezIt gets slightly more complicated for the King of the Mountains jersey.Riders first over the summit of each categorised climb rake in between 5,000 and 200, depending on the difficulty of the climb as deemed by the race organisers. This is on a scale from hors-catgorie (out of category) often written as HC to categories 1, 2, 3 and 4. This scale of difficulty dictates the points distributed over the climb and the prize money dished out (as well as how many riders are categorised).Hors-catgorie climb800450300First category climb650400150Second category climb500250For a third category climb, the first rider over the top gets 300, while its 200 for a fourth category climb. Everyone else gets nothing.A.S.O./Pauline BalletTo add to the complexity, there is a special prize on offer, the Souvenir Henri Desgrange, named in honour of the Tours creator and first race director. Its awarded to the rider that is first over the Tours highest peak each year, which is often the 2,642m Col du Galibier in the Alps, where a monument to Desgrange sits. This year the Galibier is scaled on Stage 4, but wont be the highest point of the race. Instead the Souvenir Henri Desgrange will be awarded on the 2,802m Cime de la Bonette, which the riders face on Stage 19. The prize is worth 5,000.Theres a second 5,000 prize, the Souvenir Jacques Goddet, for the first rider to the top of the 2,115m Col du Tourmaleton Stage 14. Its named in honour of the second director of the Tour de France.Wearing the polka-dot jersey is worth 300 for each stage. Prizes for the King of the Mountains overall are the same as for the points classification:25,00015,00010,000White jerseyA.S.O./Charly LopezA small, but perfectly formed award, the white jersey is given to the highest rider in the general classification under the age of 25. The highest under-25 finisher on each stage wins a 500 boost and a day in the jersey provides 300.The top four young riders overall at the end get the following:20,00015,00010,0005,000Most aggressive riderA.S.O./Charly LopezThe next prize award in our list goes to the most combative rider.For each stage, the rider who has ridden the most aggressively is awarded the most combative rider prize, earning 2,000 and being given a red race number, ordossard, for the next days stage. Nowadays, this is decided by an online poll.The super combatif award is handed to the rider deemed the most aggressive throughout the entire race. The nominees are judged by an online vote and a jury decision. For the lucky winner, a neat cheque of 20,000 comes for all those efforts.Team classificationA.S.O./Pauline BalletFinally, the team award.This is determined by the cumulative time of each teams three fastest finishers on each stage and is distributed between riders and staff. For each stage, its worth 2,800. The team in pole position in this classification gets to wear a yellow helmet.The overall team classification is worth:50,00030,00020,000Best team memberA.S.O./Charly LopezEach week, theres a prize for the rider whom the jury and a public vote consider the best team rider of the week. In French, this is called the meilleur quiper, and is described by the race organisers to honour a rider often in the shadow of their teams star.These are decided after stages 9, 15 and 19. This weekly prize is worth 3,000.In 2023, awards were given to Wout van Aert (week one), Sepp Kuss (week two), and Mathias Skjelmose (week three). Related Posts How are the favourites preparing for the Tour de France? Does the combination jersey at the Tour de France have a place in modern cycling? In celebration of the yellow jersey Mens Tour de France 2024: Route, how to watch and all you need to know History of the Tour de France jerseys and how they got their colours The post How much is the 2024 Tour de France prize money? appeared first on Cyclist.

In his first season at Team Visma | Lease a Bike,Cian Uijtdebroeks has started relatively strongly but in recent weeks, the Belgian has begun to struggle with a build up of fatigue.After leaving the Giro d'Italia through illness whilst sitting fifth in the general classification and wearing the Wh...

Esben Mlsted Christensen and Sebastien Lebowski Starting and ending in the city of Horsenseasily accessible by train or carthe Jutland Backroad Overnighter has been scouted over the last five years, connecting backroads, farm tracks, forest roads, and rail trails throughout the region, with minimum pavement. The unavoidable sections on pavement follow smaller country roads with []The post Jutland Backroad Overnighter appeared first on BIKEPACKING.com.

With great ventilation, advanced crash protection, and a comfortable interior, SMITHs Payroll helmet ticks all the essential boxes. It also offers a well-designed visor, and options for sunglass and goggle storage.Ive been riding the Payroll MIPS helmet since mid-March. The helmet feels quite large, but the retention system holds it snugly and I find it perfectly comfortable. The Payroll isnt super light but is quite reasonable given its head coverage and certification for eMTB as well as trail and enduro riding.SMITH Payroll MIPS Construction and Features:For full details on the Payroll MIPS helmets check out our launch article, but heres a quick rundown on the key specs.SMITHs Payroll helmet is made using In-mold construction and has an internal skeletal structure to add strength. For advanced protection, it includes a MIPS Evolve Core liner, and the side areas feature zonal Koroyd reinforcements.The Payroll MIPS helmet I tested does not come with an Aleck crash sensor, but for $20 more the Payroll MIPS Aleck Edition includes it. The Aleck sensor detects impact forces and can notify emergency contacts with your GPS location if you crash. The sensor will also alert any other Aleck users within a 1.8 mile radius in case someone nearby can provide help. No subscription is required.SMITHs AirEvac ventilation system offers 19 vents, plus airflow channels along the top of your head to keep you cool. The Payrolls visor is cleverly designed to keep the vents wide open. The MIPS Core liner partially covers the side vents, but the liner itself is full of vent holes.The Payrolls Vaporfit retention system and Ionic+ antimicrobial interior padding keep things snug, comfortable, and not stinky. SMITH kept the hardware simple with Y-buckles on the side straps and a traditional chin buckle.A three-position height adjustable visor offers sun protection but lifts to carry goggles or sunglasses on the forehead area. SMITHs Payroll helmet video shows how you can stash sunglasses under the visor by flipping them upside down and putting the arms into the forehead side vents.My scale shows my size medium helmet at exactly what Smith claims 400g.Ride Impressions:Due to SMITHs sizing, I wind up just fitting into a medium helmet, so the Payrolls shell is a bit bigger than it needs to be for me. My 56cm head is on the lower end of the mediums 55-59cm range, so with the retention system dialed in there is room to spare in the rear of the shell. I tried squeezing into a size small, but the medium was ultimately the better choice as it offered a deeper fit and more head coverage. Despite the deep fit, my ears fit into the cutouts perfectly.The medium Payroll sits pretty low on my forehead, but aside from limiting eyewear compatibility the shell size is not problematic. Fortunately, the Vaporfit retention system provides a snug fit on me, and with it cinched in the helmet stays in position perfectly well.The Payrolls interior padding is thin but well-distributed and substantial enough to ensure comfort. There are no hard or uncomfortable bits touching my head, yet the padding is trim enough that the helmet stays nice and cool.From all angles, the Payroll helmet provides great ventilation (no doubt the hollow Koyord on the sides helps). I never noticed any areas of my head getting particularly hot while riding. I also found the MIPS Core liner does not hamper airflow in any noticeable way.Eyewear Compatibility:This will vary depending on the size and shape of your skull, but for me, the Payroll was not very compatible with sunglasses due to the deep fit. Unfortunately, I was not able to ride it with SMITHs Motive or Wildcat sunglasses, as there is not enough room on my forehead. Thankfully this helmet does work with my Julbo Edge sunglasses! There is ample room at the forehead, and these glasses arent super wide so the arms fit inside the Payrolls shell.As for eyewear storage, I tried stashing both SMITHs Motive and Wildcat sunglasses into the vents as their instructional video shows. I was not a fan of how the sunglasses hang down in front of the helmet, and found myself tilting my head upwards trying to look below the glasses when I rode with them. Id say this feature works well for pre or post-ride convenience (or with smaller shades), but blocked my view too much for riding purposes. The sunglasses did remain secure on the helmet, so if you have a taller head you could climb with them stashed without worry.With the visor lifted, I had no trouble fitting goggles on the forehead of the Payroll. That said, the lack of room on my forehead makes it impossible for me to wear goggles with this helmet. Even the smallest pair I have (SMITH Squads) pushed the helmet upwards considerably.Visor:SMITH did a good job with the Payrolls visor. In its lowest position, it will keep sunlight off your eyes. In the middle and highest position, the visor is completely out of view, but I did use the middle setting for a few climbs when I didnt need shade from the sun. This opened up a little more upper peripheral vision. I like how the shape of the visor lines up with the shell nicely, so it doesnt look silly when lifted into its higher positions.Another TakeLike Steve, Ive been a medium Payroll since returning from Sea Otter. Im firmly in the middle of most medium helmets, and the Payroll is no different. Physically, it feels like a big helmet, seemingly with a larger volume than something like a Forefront 2. In terms of size and volume, it feels on par with the Specialized Tactic 4 which is the only other helmet that I have at the moment which is NTA-8776 e-bike certified. The Dutch e-bike helmet standard requires additional protection for the back and sides of the head, and protects against higher impact speeds (up to 45 km/h). As a result, it seems you end up with a noticeably deeper fit that has additional material on the back and sides of the helmet. I find the helmet to be perfectly comfortable and well-ventilated. The Koroyd panels are only on the sides of the front of the helmet, leaving the center vents free and clear to funnel air over your head. Due to having a slightly larger head than Steve, I havent had any issues with sunglass fit, but goggles do push up against the front of the helmet. This wouldnt be my choice for a daily MTB helmet (nor would the Tactic 4), but for ebike use, it does the trick and thats exactly what Ive been using it for. Pricing, Sizing and Options:The Smith Payroll MIPS helmet sells for $200. It comes in S/M/L/XL sizes covering heads from 48-65cm. Five matte color options are available Sedona Red/Pacific Blue (as tested), Black, Dusk Pink, White/Cement Grey, and Green Trail Camo.For $220 Smith sells the Payroll MIPS Aleck edition, which comes in Matte Black/Topo Grey. This model boasts an Aleck crash sensor integrated with the retention system. smithoptics.comThe post The SMITH Payroll MIPS Helmet is Well Vented, Protective and eMTB Certified appeared first on Bikerumor.

It seems like its spreading from one shop to the next. Its like an epidemic, said the owner of a shop where the thieves were thwarted by a neighbour

Tadej Pogacar is the heavy pre-race favourite to reclaim the Maillot Jaune at the 2024 Tour de France next month. In preparation for his second Grand Tour of the season, the Slovenian has been working hard at altitude.Joined by three of the men who are expected to support the two time Tour de Franc...