Stage 12 of the Tour de France 2024, although decided by a sprint, had movements in the general classification. Primoz Roglic was brought down by a crash 12 km from the finish line, with the Slovenian losing considerable time on the rest of his GC contenders.As a result, the Red Bull - BORA - hansgr...

Following the release of the updated Cutthroat, Salsa's updated EXP bikepacking bag lineup includes a frame bag, a holster-style seat bag, and waterproof panniers. Find everything you need to know about the new Salsa EXP Bikepacking Bags here...The post Refreshed Salsa EXP Bikepacking Bags Drop Today appeared first on BIKEPACKING.com.

The Eritrean won a third Tour stage of 2024 on Thursday, stamping his authority on the race

Whilst stage 12 was supposed to be a more relaxed day for the general classification challengers, both Tadej Pogacar and Primoz Roglic were caught up in crashes, with the latter losing significant time as a result.Although Soudal - Quick-Step leader Remco Evenepoel was the biggest inadvertent benef...

The Slovenian's hopes of winning yellow appear over, yet again

The 2024 Tour de France is heating up and we look set for an almighty fight for the Maillot Jaune between current leader Tadej Pogacar, reigning champion Jonas Vingegaard and Tour debutant Remco Evenepoel.Notably absent from that list now is Primoz Roglic after the Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe leade...

Did you know that you should be refreshing the tire sealant in your bike tires every six months? And if youre riding in hot and dry conditions, you might need to do it even more frequently. Regularly refreshing your tire sealant is crucial if you want to avoid slow leaks, and even worse, flats! The good news is that this is a bike maintenance task that even the most mechanically uninclined folks can manage. In this guide, Ill walk you through the simple steps to refresh the sealant in your tubeless tires. Why Refresh Your Tire Sealant?Tire sealant works by filling small punctures and creating an airtight seal, allowing your tubeless tires to hold air even without an inner tube. If youve ever heard a sudden sudden rush or air gushing out of a puncture, only to have it bubble and seal up within a moment or two, then youve seen tire sealant in action! However, over time, the sealant can dry out, especially in hot and dry climates, losing its effectiveness. By refreshing the sealant regularly, you ensure that your tires are always ready to handle whatever the trail or road throws at them.What Youll NeedBefore we get started, youll need a few essential tools and materials:Tire sealant: I recommend using Stans NoTubes Tire Sealant, but there are plenty of other popular brands including Orange Peal. Buy a big bottle, and it will last for a while. Valve core remover tool: This tool is essential for removing your valve core, and replacing it when your done. Injector syringe or a sealant bottle with a nozzle: Either will work to inject the sealant thru the valve. Personally, I like the small 2 oz Stans bottles. They are cheap, convenient, and you can refill them later.Bike pump: Youll need this to inflate your tire after adding the sealant.Step 1: Prepare Your SealantWhether youre using a bottle with a nozzle (like me) or youre using an injector syringe, fill it up with the appropriate amount of sealant. For road tires, youll need about 2 oz of sealant. For mountain bike tires, youll want between 4 and 6 oz, depending on the width of your tires. The fatter the tire, the more sealant youll need. For instance, for my 2.2 mountain bike tires, I add adding 4 oz of sealant, which equates to two of the small 2 oz bottles.Step 2: Remove the Valve CoreNext, use your valve core remover tool to take out the valve core. Place the tool on the valve and turn it counter-clockwise until the core is completely loose. There will be a big rush of air as all of it is released from the tire. Be sure to set the valve core somewhere safe so you dont lose it.Step 3: Add the SealantNow its time to pour the sealant into the valve. Go slowly to prevent the sealant from overflowing. Sometimes, you might encounter a clog in the valve due to old, dried-out sealant. If this happens, use something long and skinny, like the end of a hex wrench, to push the clog loose. This will allow the new sealant to flow in smoothly.Step 4: Reinstall the Valve CoreOnce youve filled the tire with the appropriate amount of sealant, its time to reinstall the valve core. Finger-tighten the valve core as much as you can, then finish tightening it with the valve core remover tool. This ensures that its securely in place and wont leak air.Step 5: Inflate and Distribute the SealantThe final step is to inflate your tire to the desired pressure using your bike pump. Once inflated, give your tire a spin to help distribute the sealant evenly throughout the tire. This helps ensure that the sealant can quickly fill any punctures that might occur while youre riding.Step 6: Repeat With Your Other TireThat was the process for a single tirebut your bike has two! Repeat the whole process on your other tire. Additional TipsKeep a rag handy: Even the best of us spill a little tire sealant during this process. Just wipe it up right away or it will become sticky and hard to clean. (Dont ask me how I know this). Store sealant properly: Keep your sealant bottles tightly sealed and store them in a cool, dry place to prevent them from drying out.Use quality sealant: Not all sealants are created equal. Using a high-quality sealant like Stans NoTubes can make a significant difference in performance and longevity.If replacing the tire, just pour the sealant in: If your tubeless tire is already seated (aka inflated and holding air), the easiest way to add sealant is using the process I described it here. If, however, you are replacing your tubeless tire or setting them up tubeless for the first time, you can pour sealant directly into the tire while its partially off the rim rather than thru the valve. Ready To Learn More?Go refresh your tire sealant, and then come back to learn more about how to maintain your bike. There are lots of small, simple bike maintenance tasks that we can do to help prevent issues and to save money! Working on your bike doesnt have to be overwhelming or intimidatingjust learn one task at a time.About The AuthorKristen Bonkoski is the founder and owner of Femme Cyclist.An avid cyclist for a few decades now, she took to cycling during her late teen years a time when she needed something to help boost her self-esteem and confidence.Mission accomplished, the sport has become an important part of her life. Kristens favorite disciplines are mountain biking andbike commuting, although youcan also find her crankingout a century on her road bike and touring with her husband and son. If it has to do with two wheels, she enjoys doing it.Kristen is a certified USA Cycling coach, and she runsRascal Rides, a website about biking with kids.IG:@femme_cyclistThe post How To Refresh Tubeless Tire Sealant appeared first on Femme Cyclist.

The Astana-Qazaqstan rider originally finished fifth, before being relegated

Juan Ayuso had a tough time on the 11th stage of the 2024 Tour de France. The Spaniard crossed the finish line in 15th position in a group with Matteo Jorgenson, Ben Healy, Egan Bernal, Steff Cras and Wilco Kelderman, 4:39 behind the day's winner, Jonas Vingegaard, and his UAE Team Emirates leader a...

Thats right, Dainese D-Air is an airbag for DH racers, offering enhanced chest, back & neck protection in an instant, but no restriction of movement when not needed. The tech is pretty much the same as what they developed for MotoGP and Alpine DH & Super-G racing. But now it has been refined for MTB-specific impacts, optimized bike protection, and improved integration with conventional protectors.(All photos/Dainese)Dainese D-Air Bike Prototype 0.1 DH airbag protectorWe actually already reported on previous Dainese D-Air airbag tech four years ago, as the moto vest was kind of directly applicable to gravity riders, too. But now this dedicated Bike D-Air Prototype 0.1 protector vest really takes it to the next level of performance and safety. Plus, now its given the Dainese Pirelli Canyon CLLCTV team extra protection in World Cup DH racing in Les GetsAirbags protecting cyclists View this post on Instagram A post shared by Cory Wade Benson (@corywadebenson)This isnt the first cycling-specific airbag weve seen. There have been interesting concepts from the airbag ring in a POC commuter helmet, to Helie BSafe vest, to the EVOC commuter backpack that Ive personally had inflated around me in a crash preview, to the recently troubled Hvding hidden airbag helmet in a scarf. The idea of a smart, almost-instantly-inflating airbag for extra personal protection is a promising idea across a wide range of cycling disciplines. But now, Dainese looks to be the first to take it to a full gravity racing level of performance with their Dainese D-air Bike Prototype 0.1 protector vest.So what makes D-Air unique?The Dainese D-air system is a bit different that other bike-specific airbags. Unlike the big puffy airbag pillows weve seen in previous cycling products, D-air is limited to about a 5cm/2 airbag. And that means, it can fit under a conventional chest & back protector like we see here. And it can fit under your loose-fit or stretchy mountain bike clothing.The Dainese D-air system uses a thin airbag with a huge number of microfilaments inside connecting the bladders 2 sides. That way it inflates only to a medium but consistent pressure (1.25-1.75bar / 18-25psi). And a localized impact on one spot will not allow the airbag to bulge or deform the shape of the other non-impacted areas of the airbag. The result is a thinner cushion of protection, but more resistant to impacts. And that means you can even wear it under other clothing.On the motorcycle side, Dainese claims their Level 2 airbag can absorb an impact 7x that of the conventional top Level 1 back protector.Controller tech for the MTB version is pretty much the same as for moto since 2007 or Alpine skiing since 2018. But now, Dainese adapted and reprogrammed it for DH mountain bike crash characteristics. The electronic control unit featuring accelerometers, gyroscopes and GPS together with a sophisticated algorithm means that the system autonomously recognizes the dynamics of a fall and activates the Shield, the patented microfilament airbag, when needed, protecting athletes against impact. Dainese describe airbag inflation as taking a few thousandths of a second, powered by a gas generator. And at least on the moto side, it can be safely recharged 2x by the end user. Then, the user sends it off to Dainese for inspection after 3 crashes with airbag inflation.DH Race-ready prototypeOfficial details remain thin on the D-air Bike Prototype 0.1 airbag protector worn by the Dainese Pirelli Canyon CLLCTV team in practice runs for the UCI DH World Cup in Les Gets last weekend. So, we can only look closely at the photos from Dainese to garner some more info about whats going on.What we see in front is a standard Dainese Rival Bike Chest protector. (A protector already certified L1 on the back & L2 on the chest.) But inside is a thin airbag reservoir that appears to cover the entire outline of the Rival protector. Importantly, there is extra protection at the top of the shoulders and extra wide coverage over the collarbones. Plus, theres extra neck protection where it could rise to meet the helmet in a crash, like a neck brace.Close-up shots show a small D-air controller box on the riders left side. Theres an extra strap across the lowest segment of the chest protector. And an LED armed indicator appears located on the riders right, visible through their jersey. (Maybe thats a different version than the Prototype 0.1 weve been shown?The back features an all-new segmented hardshell design. Dainese looks to have adapted the polypropylene plates over a flexible Nidaplast inner core from their Wave moto back protectors.When is a Dainese D-Air Bike DH airbag coming?Almost certainly not this year. The fact that Dainese said the team only used it for preparatory runs confirms that it hasnt been certified yet. And that the system is integrated under an already-certified Level 1 back protector suggests that no one is putting their full faith in the system, yet. Likely, Dainese are using training as an opportunity to offer the riders a bit of extra security, with the off-chance benefit that if one of the riders crashes, theyll be able to see how it performs in a real-world scenario.Thats the inevitable conundrum of testing & developing new protection. You want to see how it fares in a crash. But you also dont want your testers to crash and risk serious injury.My guess is that well see Dainese collect more ride data with the team on the fit & feel of the D-air Bike airbag system for the rest of this year. And then maybe theyll have a lighter, more open design that doesnt require a full L1/L2 back & chest protector sometime next year.A Dainese DH airbag is definitely an interesting concept though. And if this could provide more wraparound protection, and even maybe neck brace protection without bulk or restricted movement it could really be a gamechanger.Dainese.comThe post Dainese D-Air DH Airbag Prototype Protects MTB Racers on the World Cup appeared first on Bikerumor.