Forerunner 745 Good For Bikes, Too

by editors on September 16, 2020

Sometimes new bike computer money might be better spent on a new watch. While Garmin’s new Forerunner 745 was designed with triathletes (ahem!) in mind, it works great as an on-wrist bike computer, too. Obviously it is also solid training partner thanks to a load of onboard tech.

To help athletes better prepare for a race or training cycle, the Forerunner 745 includes key performance monitoring tools from Firstbeat Analytics like VO2 max, training load, training status and aerobic and anaerobic training effects. Athletes will even receive on-device running and cycling daily workout suggestions based on their current training load and VO2 max.

But it’s not all training, the Forerunner 745 also includes Garmin Pay, and when paired with music from Amazon Music, Spotify or Deezer the 745 can hold 500 songs. Garmin says the battery will last for a week in smartwatch mode, up to 16 hours in GPS mode, and 6 hours in GPS mode with the music blasting. It is available now in black, neo tropic, magma red or whitestone and has a suggested retail price of $499.99. For all the official details from Garmin, please follow the jump.

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Prudhomme Tests Positive, Negative

by editors on September 14, 2020

[Update September 14, 2020] According to Reuters, Christian Prudhomme has now tested negative for COVID-19 and will be back on the Tour de France in full force tomorrow. Having been only one week since he tested positive are we to believe he was miraculously cured, or was his positive test a false positive? We may never know. Either way it’s great to have him back.

[September 8, 2020] There’s nothing we’ve loved more this month than watching the Tour de France. Seeing the riders in a big old pack for a couple hours a day had us forgetting for a moment that it will still be awhile before we feel comfortable back in the peloton that we miss so much. Then, on rest day, the organizers did massive COVID-19 testing (650 people tested) and five TdF support staff tested positive. One of them was Tour Director Christian Prudhomme, according to a story in The Guardian.

“The testing campaign revealed that Christian Prudhomme has tested positive for Covid-19. The director of the Tour will now quarantine for seven days,” read a statement from race promoters ASO. “Although he was not part of the ‘race bubble’ and had not been in direct contact with any of the riders and their entourage, Christian Prudhomme still decided to get tested.”

So far, no racers have tested positive so it appears that we get at least six more days of racing before the next test. We hope Prudhomme gets well quickly, and that none of riders get sick in the coming days, because damn, it’s so good to watch a grand tour right now.

[Link: The Guardian]

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BWR Cedar City Is NOT Cancelled

by editors on September 8, 2020

The Belgian Waffle Ride Cedar City (The Hell of the South. . . Utah) is on for October 17, 2020. Here’s the word from the organizers:

We have been busy working with our partners, local health officials and city managers, organizing best practices and adjusting formats for our upcoming event in the Canyon Belgian Waffle Ride Cedar City, which is planned for October 17, 2020.

So if you’re in for an epic gravel race, then this is your event. There’s also a store full of pretty cool cams Belgian Waffle merch that is live and ready for orders. Click here for the store or here for info on the ride.

[Link: BWR Cedar City]

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Socked with Swiftwick Pursuit Ultralights

by editors on September 4, 2020

Swiftwick sent us some Pursuit Ultralight socks to try out. They look good and Merlino wool is a super plus. Here’s the lowdown from the manufacturer:

The Pursuit Ultralight wicks moisture and dries quickly, so your feet stay dry and blister-free wherever your adventures take you. The thin, breathable design also features a reinforced heel and toe to maximize durability. It has all the benefits of merino wool but is extremely lightweight, ensuring a great fit in any performance shoe.

We’re looking forward to trying them out on an upcoming roll through the hills.

[Link: Swiftwick]

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BORA Hansgrohe Keeps Tour Team Solid

by editors on August 24, 2020

Despite some injuries and other problems, BORA Hansgrohe will keep their Tour de France team unchanged. So for 2020 they are rolling with Felix Grobschartner, Gregor Mühlberger, Lukas Postlberger, Emanuel Buchmann, Lennard Kamna, Daniel Oss, and Peter Sagan. It will be great to see them racing next week, won’t it? For the official word, please follow the jump.

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BOA’s New Li2 Dials In Style & Function

by editors on August 24, 2020

Our favorite cycling shoe closure company BOA is announcing and even better, smaller, more durable dial for perfect fit on cycling shoes. It’s called the Li2. Here’s what they’re saying:

Li2 is the ultimate in fast, effortless, precision fit. The lightweight and low-profile dial platform offers unprecedented durability against impact, abrasion, and contaminants such as dirt and debris. Compact in size but packed with power, Li2 offers benefits designed to meet the needs of cyclists at every touchpoint during a ride. Multidirectional tightening and loosening allows for incremental adjustment to accommodate foot swelling on long rides, or a tighter fit for steep climbs and sprints.

Better is better, right? This dial is showing up on shoes from Fizik, Scott, Rapha, Gaerne, Lake and DMT this fall, with Bontrager, Giro, Louis Garneau, and Specialized jumping in for 2021. For all the official details from BOA, please follow the jump.
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Specialized, Lance Armstrong & VeloNews

by editors on July 21, 2020

While doing a little web cruising this morning, wondering whatever happened to some old media friends, we stumbled onto a press release from June 30, 2020 suggesting that Specialized and The Biggest Liar of All Time (aka Lance Armstrong) have joined forces to possibly control the cycling narrative through media ownership.

Here’s how it goes: VeloNews (and Bicycle Retailer) owner Pocket Outdoor Media just purchased a boat load of “media” titles from another media/events company called Active Interest Media. Not that cyclists should care, but the titles Pocket purchased include: Warren Miller Entertainment, Ski Magazine, Backpacker, Climbing, Yoga Journal, Vegetarian Times, and more.

This got more interesting when Pocket Outdoor Media listed where they got the money to grab the titles. It came from a “Series A” round of funding from three different venture capital groups, namely JAZZ Venture Partners, NEXT VENTŪRES, and Zone 5 Ventures.

Who are these venture firms? Well, JAZZ is a bunch of neuroscience medical start-up brainiacs based in San Francisco, Next Ventures is the BLOAT and friends (yes, he still has some), and Zone 5 Ventures is Specialized’s early-stage investment arm which is run by former and current employees at Specialized.

We haven’t had reason to follow anyone from JAZZ, but before starting Next with the BLOAT managing partner Lionel Conacher was a senior advisor and operating partner at Altamont Capital Partners, LLC which has large stakes in the Billabong, Brixton, Fox (head), HUF, and Dakine brands. Lance’s other partner at Next is Melanie Strong, the former Nike vice president and general manager of Nike Skateboarding.

So why are all these corporate jocks suddenly interested in the action sports media world in general and cycling in particular? Is it because in these COVID times the only thing any of us can do is spend time outside? Is it because distressed action media brands are currently a bargain? Or is it because (as we suspect) The BLOAT and Specialized want to own the cycling narrative from beginning to end?

How do you feel about getting all your cycling news from Specialized and The BLOAT? It doesn’t feel all that good to us. Makes it even more difficult to know what to believe, doesn’t it? For instance, how long will this story on Specialized’s silly trademark lawsuit stay up on the VeloNews website? Click the link to see if it’s still there. 

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Every Cycling Event Is Cancelled

by editors on July 1, 2020

Editors’ Update: United States of America Cycling announced today (July 1, 2020) that all the following National Championship events have been cancelled for 2020: Pro and Am road, mountain, Grand Fondo, and elite, junior, and masters track. If you have a title from last year, lucky you. You get another year to hold on to it!

May 13, 2020

Rather than post a growing list of events that have been cancelled thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic take this as an reminder that EVERY SINGLE CYCLING EVENT that you were looking forward to riding, racing, watching live, or streaming online has been cancelled.

And while many event promoters have optimistically moved their events forward a few months, we’re going to guess that there will no mass start events going down for at least a year. Time to figure something else out. . . TTcross? TTmtb? TTcrit? TTgravel? Maybe? If anyone is hosting any solo racing events, please let us know. In the mean time we’ll be here tickling our keyboards.

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100% Belgian Waffle Collab Sunglasses

by editors on June 10, 2020

The world famous Belgian Waffle Ride has partnered with 100% Eyewear on a collection of sunglasses in the classic colors of red, yellow, and the Belgian blue of the Belgian National team jersey. Here’s what the BWR has to say about them.

The Belgian Waffle Ride X 100% Collaboration was built stylishly and expertly to take on the harsh and punishing conditions of the most treacherous gravel racing in the world, the BWR. . . The BWR Special Edition sunglasses are available in the most popular 100% sport performance sunglass styles… Speedcraft, S2, S3; plus, the active performance style Hudson… for after the race, if you survive.

To check sunnies out in more detail, or to grab a couple pair before they’re all gone, please click the link.

[Link: Belgian Waffle Ride]

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Apple Watch Buckles Up With UAG Bands

by editors on June 9, 2020

We’ve ridden all winter with an Apple Watch safely tucked beneath the cuff of our arm warmers and felt fine knowing the watch was tucked in and safe. Now that summer has arrived and we’re more likely to be riding without arm warmers Apple Watch’s post and hole band closure looks a little more worrisome — especially during a rough MTB decent. Though we’ve yet had our watch band bust open, it doesn’t seem like a good idea to wait and see. That’s why we were stoked to see that Urban Armor Gear has added a Tang buckle to a silicone strap that keeps the clean lines of Apple’s silicone band while adding the security of a buckle.

The UAG bands come in two styles the Scout and Civilian. The Scout is a single color band that comes in three colors (black, olive, and orange) and retails for $29.95. The Civilian features tow layers of silicone, a “branded stainless steel buckle” and  comes in two colors (black/orange and  slate/orange). It retails for $39.95.

We haven’t tested them yet, but we can say for sure that the buckle makes us feel a whole lot better about taking our Apple Watch out into the wilds. We’ll let you know how it goes. For more info, please click the link.

[Link: Urban Armor Gear]

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