BikeTips Staff Learning how to adjust a bike headset is one of the most valuable maintenance skills a cyclist can pick up. A loose or overly tight headset ruins steering, accelerates bearing wear, and creates that unsettling knock you feel through the bars over every bump. In the next few minutes you will learn how to diagnose … Read more
A snapped chain does not have to end your ride. Learn how to fix a broken bike chain with a chain tool or quick link, test the repair, and prevent breaks.
The rainbow jersey is suddenly the most open prize in cycling. When the 2026 UCI Road World Championships roll into Montréal from 20–27 September, the man who has worn the world champion’s stripes will not be on the start line — and that single absence has turned a coronation into a genuine contest. What Happened … Read more
Campagnolo is selling a minority stake to the billionaire who owns Pinarello. What the historic 2026 deal means for the brand and for riders.
Factor’s new Elara aero gravel race bike posted class-leading wind-tunnel numbers, clears 57mm tyres and keeps 2x gearing. Here’s what it means for gravel riders.
Cross-chaining explained: what the big-big and small-small gears are, whether they really harm your bike, how to spot them, and simple habits to avoid them.
One of the most bankable young stars in men’s cycling is making a move few saw coming. Arnaud De Lie — the powerful Belgian sprinter and Classics rider — has officially signed with Tudor Pro Cycling, walking away from the WorldTour to join a second-division ProTeam. The deal runs through the end of 2030 and … Read more
Marco Brenner won Vuelta 2026 Stage 14 on Sierra de la Pandera for Tudor’s first Grand Tour win as Enric Mas kept red and Roglič slipped to third.
A dropped bike chain is a quick, tool-free fix. Learn how to get rolling again and how to adjust your bike so it stops happening.
Wout van Aert timed a late attack to perfection to win stage 13 of the 2026 Vuelta a España in Loja, as Enric Mas kept the red jersey.
Bike stack and reach explained: what they mean, how they are measured, the stack-to-reach ratio, and how to use them to compare bikes and dial in your fit.
Jakob Omrzel produced the ride of his young career on Friday, soloing to victory atop the Calar Alto Observatory to win stage 12 of the 2026 Vuelta a España. The 20-year-old Slovenian attacked from the day’s breakaway and rode the final 12 kilometres alone, holding off Urko Berrade and Santiago Buitrago to claim a landmark … Read more
Learn how to wax a bike chain step by step, from stripping a new chain to re-waxing intervals, for a cleaner, faster, longer-lasting drivetrain.
New orthopedic research shows e-bike injuries are climbing fast, with youth cases up over 300%. Here is what is driving the surge and how to ride safer.
Learn how to brake on a bike safely: how your front and rear brakes work, correct technique, and braking in corners, on descents, and in the wet.
Lewis Askey stormed the Michaelgate cobbles to seize the Tour of Britain lead, with Tim Merlier winning stage 2. Here is the race so far — and what it means for your own riding.
Tadej Pogačar has abandoned the 2026 Vuelta a España after a heavy Stage 8 crash left him with a concussion, a fractured collarbone and a stable neck fracture.
Learn how to do a track stand: a step-by-step method, balance drills, common mistakes, and how to use this bike-handling skill on real rides.
American road champion Kate Courtney has signed a 30-month deal with FDJ UNITED-SUEZ, teaming with Demi Vollering through the LA 2028 Olympics.
Anaerobic capacity intervals are short, brutally hard efforts that build the fitness you need to attack, bridge to a breakaway, and win a sprint after a long race. This guide explains what these intervals train, how to structure a session step by step, five specific workouts to try, and how to pace and recover so … Read more
Stage 10 of the 2026 Tour de France hits the Massif Central on Bastille Day with seven climbs from Aurillac to Le Lioran. Here’s why it could reshape the GC.
A newly published review of the science on cycling and the brain has landed at an apt moment: with much of the sport’s attention fixed on the numbers that make riders faster, researchers have quietly assembled the strongest case yet that the biggest payoff from a bike might be happening between your ears. Drawing on … Read more
A cycling breakaway is one of the most thrilling and misunderstood tactics in road racing. In this guide you will learn exactly how a breakaway forms, why riders commit to it, how the peloton decides whether to chase, and how to ride in a break yourself. Understanding these dynamics turns confusing race footage into a … Read more
Threshold intervals are among the most effective workouts a cyclist can do to raise their FTP and ride faster for longer. By training right at the edge of your sustainable power, you teach your body to clear lactate more efficiently and hold a higher pace before fatigue sets in. This guide explains the science, shows … Read more
Tour de France director Christian Prudhomme has backed a salary cap for pro cycling, saying the richest teams like UAE hoover up the best riders.
Three proven methods to set your saddle height, plus fore-aft, tilt, and how to fix knee pain from a saddle that is too high or too low.
A red-alert heatwave in Corrèze forced Tour de France organisers to shorten stage 9 by 30km — here is what happened and how to ride safely in extreme heat.
The CPSC has proposed making lithium-ion battery safety standards mandatory for e-bikes, chargers, and conversion kits. Here is what it means for riders.
At the first rest day, Tadej Pogačar leads by 2:42 — but the 2026 Tour’s punishing second week and back-to-back Alpe d’Huez finishes could still upend it.
Microburst intervals build top-end fitness with very short on/off efforts. Learn the science, key workouts (15/15s, 30/15s, 40/20s), and how to use them.
Two years ago, Paula Blasi was riding for close to the women’s WorldTour minimum salary. Now the 23-year-old Spaniard is at the center of the most dramatic pay story in the history of women’s cycling — and the sport’s long-awaited €1 million contract has never looked closer. The money debate is not confined to the … Read more
Meet Isaac del Toro, the 22-year-old Mexican rider sitting third at the 2026 Tour de France on his debut – his rapid rise, his role alongside Tadej Pogacar, and the training lessons everyday cyclists can take from him.
Decathlon CMA CGM riders rolled out an unreleased Van Rysel prototype at the 2026 Tour de France — here is what the mystery lightweight bike could mean.
Tim Merlier timed his effort to perfection in Bordeaux on Friday, powering out of a chaotic, high-speed bunch sprint to win Stage 7 of the 2026 Tour de France. The Belgian champion of Soudal–Quick-Step held off Søren Wærenskjøld and Biniam Girmay on the wide finishing straight, while race leader Tadej Pogačar rolled home safely in … Read more
What is crank length, how does it affect comfort and power, and how do you choose the right size? A complete, practical guide for road and gravel cyclists.
The 2026 Tour de France Femmes starts August 1 with a Mont Ventoux summit finish. Can Pauline Ferrand-Prévot become the first back-to-back champion?
Fartlek training for cyclists blends hard efforts with easy recovery in a playful, flexible format. Learn how it works and try three sessions.
Tadej Pogačar soloed to a dominant stage 6 win on the Col du Tourmalet, retaking yellow as Torstein Træen crashed out of the lead.
Tempo training is one of the most underrated tools in a cyclist’s toolkit: a moderately hard, sustainable intensity that builds a huge aerobic base without the deep fatigue of interval work. In this guide you’ll learn exactly what tempo is, how to find your zone using power, heart rate, or feel, the specific workouts to … Read more
Giro is back in the premium road-shoe game with the lace-up Empire SLX II and dial-equipped Imperial II — and both are turning up at the 2026 Tour de France.
Police clocked an “e-bike” at over 70mph and found most machines they tested were illegal. Here is exactly what makes an e-bike road-legal.
Hill repeats are one of the most efficient ways to build cycling power, raise your threshold, and turn climbs from a weakness into a strength. By riding hard up the same gradient several times with recovery between efforts, you overload the exact systems climbing demands. This guide explains what hill repeats are, how to structure … Read more
Four-time Tour de France winner Chris Froome has confirmed his retirement at 41 after a career-ending crash. What his era meant and what riders can learn.
Learning how to sprint on a road bike can turn the final 200 metres from a scramble into a decisive, repeatable skill. Whether you are contesting a club race finish, a town-sign sprint, or simply want more explosive power, this guide breaks down body position, the sprint sequence, gearing, training drills, and race tactics so … Read more
Olav Kooij announced himself on the sport’s biggest stage on Wednesday, powering to victory on his Tour de France debut in Pau to claim the 2026 race’s first bunch sprint. The 24-year-old Dutchman, riding for Decathlon CMA CGM, edged Germany’s Max Kanter and Belgium’s Tim Merlier after a chaotic finale on the 158.3km run from … Read more
Torque intervals build cycling strength with low-cadence, big-gear efforts. Learn the science, three ready-to-ride workouts, and a four-week progression.
New disc brakes that feel weak, grabby, or squeal loudly usually are not faulty — they simply have not been bedded in. Learning how to bed in disc brakes takes about ten minutes and transforms braking power, modulation, and noise. This guide walks you through what bedding in does, exactly when you need it, and … Read more
How sodium bicarbonate (bicarb loading) buffers acid to boost cycling performance — the science, dosing, timing, and how to avoid stomach upset.
Norway’s Torstein Traeen took the Tour de France yellow jersey from a Stage 4 breakaway as Mads Pedersen won in Foix — Uno-X’s first-ever race lead.
While the general classification battle grabs the headlines, one of the most interesting stories of the 2026 Tour de France is rolling out underneath Team Cofidis. Days before the Grand Départ, French brand Look unveiled its all-new 795 Blade RS 3 aero road bike — and it arrives at the race as the only machine … Read more
Tadej Pogačar powered clear of Jonas Vingegaard on a wildfire-shortened stage 3 at Les Angles to win and seize the Tour de France yellow jersey.
How to pace a time trial: set a target power from your FTP, hold back early, defend the number, and finish empty for your fastest time.
Canyon’s Roadlite:ON V2X is billed as the first production-ready bike that talks directly to cars, buzzing your handlebars to warn of vehicles you can’t see.
Pyramidal training is one of the most effective ways to organize your intensity as a cyclist — yet it is often overshadowed by the more talked-about polarized model. In a pyramid, you ride the most time easy, a moderate amount at threshold, and the least at your highest intensities. This guide explains how the pyramid … Read more
VLaMax measures how fast you burn carbohydrate for energy. Learn what it means, how it’s tested, and how to raise or lower it to match your cycling goals.
The UCI ordered riders to remove ice socks before the Tour de France team time trial, citing a rule against changing a rider’s shape. Here’s what happened and what it means.
Muscle cramps ruin rides. Learn what causes cycling leg cramps and how to prevent them with hydration, fueling, pacing, bike fit, and conditioning.
Reverse periodization for cyclists builds intensity first and endurance later. Learn how it works, who it suits, and how to structure your season.
Block periodization is a training approach that concentrates your effort on a small number of fitness qualities at a time, in focused “blocks,” rather than trying to develop everything at once. For time-crunched cyclists chasing specific goals, it can deliver sharper adaptations than traditional plans. Here is how block periodization works and how to build … Read more
A wildfire near the Stage 3 finish has forced the 2026 Tour de France to race without spectators, with Stage 4 also under threat from drought and heat.
Queensland’s tough new e-bike laws took effect 1 July 2026: police can seize illegal bikes on the spot, issue $621 fines, and enforce 12 km/h path limits.
A deload week is planned recovery that turns hard training into real fitness. Learn the science, the warning signs, and how to structure a deload week for cyclists.
Vingegaard leads Pogačar by 12 seconds after Visma’s Barcelona TTT masterclass. We break down every GC gap and what it means for the next three weeks.
Stage 2 of the 2026 Tour de France crosses Barcelona’s Montjuïc three times today. Here’s the route, the favourites, and what it means for the GC battle.
Learn when and how to replace a bike chain: choosing the right chain, removing the old one, sizing, routing, and joining the new one correctly.
How beetroot juice boosts cycling performance: the nitrate science, correct dosage, timing, the mouthwash mistake, and a race-week protocol.
Visma | Lease a Bike won the Tour de France 2026 opening team time trial in Barcelona, putting Jonas Vingegaard in yellow on day one.
Learning how to bunny hop a bike is the single most useful skill upgrade for any rider who wants to clear roots, curbs, potholes, and trail debris without slowing down. In this guide, you’ll learn the two-stage technique the pros use, the exact body movements behind each stage, and a drill progression that takes you … Read more
Front jersey pockets are banned and a tougher equipment sanctions table is live as the 2026 Tour de France begins. What the new UCI rules mean for riders.
Training Stress Score (TSS) explained: how it is calculated, how CTL, ATL, and TSB track fitness and form, and how to plan weekly load with it.
What do electrolytes actually do for cyclists? Learn how much sodium you lose in sweat, how to test your losses, and how to build a simple replacement strategy for rides of any length.
Bosch’s new Certified by Bosch scheme grades used e-bike batteries and motors, flags stolen or tuned bikes, and launches with Rebike in July 2026.
Hookless rims explained: how they hold a tire without a bead hook, the 72.5 psi pressure limit, tire compatibility rules, and who should ride them.
Two mudslides in a week have hit the Col de Sarenne, the key climb on stage 20 of the 2026 Tour de France, raising fears the queen stage may need re-routing.
Ice baths for cyclists are either a recovery superpower or a way to quietly erase your hardest training sessions — depending entirely on when and how you use them. This guide breaks down what cold water immersion actually does to your physiology, when it genuinely speeds recovery, when it blunts the very adaptations you’re training … Read more
How much caffeine improves cycling performance, the right dose per kilogram, when to take it, and a tested race-day protocol.
Double threshold training, adapted from Norwegian endurance sport, lets cyclists stack huge volumes of quality work. Here’s how to structure it.
Creatine is one of the most researched supplements in sports science, yet many endurance cyclists assume it is only for weightlifters chasing bulk. That assumption leaves performance on the table. This guide explains how creatine works, what the evidence says for cyclists specifically, how to dose it correctly, and the side effects worth knowing about … Read more
How sleep drives cycling recovery and adaptation: how much you need, timing training and fueling around it, and an evening routine that works.
British Cycling has revealed the full 2026 Tour of Britain Men route: five stages and 565 miles from Lincoln to the Scottish Borders, 2–6 September.
Canyon’s new Aeroad CFR posted a 198W drag score in independent wind-tunnel testing, making it the fastest bike at the 2026 Tour de France on paper. Here’s what changed and what it means for you.
Altitude training for cyclists explained: how elevation boosts hemoglobin, the three main protocols, camp planning, and how to time your return.
A flat tire is the most common roadside mechanical every cyclist faces, and knowing how to fix a flat bike tire turns a ride-ending problem into a five-minute pit stop. This guide walks you through the exact tools, a clear step-by-step repair for tubed and tubeless setups, how to patch versus replace a tube, and … Read more
New Jersey riders must license and register e-bikes with the NJMVC by July 19, 2026 under law S4834. Here is exactly what applies to your bike.
Colnago has launched the TT2, Tadej Pogačar’s new time trial bike — 550g lighter than the TT1 with less drag — just in time for the 2026 Tour de France.
Learn how to wrap handlebar tape like a pro: removing old tape, wrapping direction, the tricky brake-lever figure-eight, and a clean, durable finish.
The 2026 Tour de France opens in Barcelona with a rare team time trial and climaxes on a double Alpe d’Huez. Here’s the full route, the favourites and what to watch.
A step-by-step guide to truing a bicycle wheel at home, covering lateral wobble, radial hop, spoke tension, and the tools you need.
Wilco Kelderman soloed to the Dutch title while Romain Grégoire, Fred Wright and more claimed national road race crowns across Europe.
Bike gear ratios explained: how to calculate them, understand gear inches, and choose the right gearing for climbing, racing, and gravel.
Filippo Ganna won a record seventh Italian time trial title days before the 2026 Tour de France, passing Marco Pinotti as the discipline’s national leader.
Durability is the ability to hold power deep into a long ride. Learn what fatigue resistance is, how to test it, and how to train and fuel for it.
Lactate threshold is the single most decisive number in endurance cycling: the intensity at which fatigue starts to outpace your ability to clear it. Raise it and you can hold more watts for longer, climb with less suffering, and resist the burning-legs collapse that ends so many races. This guide explains what lactate threshold actually … Read more
Quinn Simmons claimed a third US road title in Charleston while former MTB world champ Kate Courtney stunned the road peloton.
Learn how to ride in an echelon: read crosswinds, find the sheltered diagonal, rotate smoothly, and stay in the front group when the peloton splits.
Just over a fortnight before the Grand Départ, the 2026 Tour de France has lost one of its biggest names. Wout van Aert will not start the race after an elbow injury, sustained in a training crash and later infected, failed to heal in time. It is a significant blow for Visma–Lease a Bike and … Read more
Learn how to climb on a road bike: gearing, seated vs standing, the right cadence, pacing short and long climbs, body position, and climbing drills.
Eddy Merckx — the Belgian brand named after the most decorated rider in cycling history — has launched the 525R, the latest generation of its 525 race platform, and it is leading with an unusual pitch. Instead of headlining raw watts saved in the wind tunnel, the brand is calling its new frame a “geometry … Read more
Organic vs sintered disc brake pads compared: how each compound performs in the wet, on descents, and off-road, plus how to choose, install, and maintain them.
Periodization for cyclists is the practice of organizing your training into structured phases so you arrive at your most important events fitter, fresher, and faster. Instead of riding hard at random, you build fitness in a deliberate sequence. In this guide you’ll learn what periodization is, the building blocks every plan uses, the main models … Read more