Welcome one and all to the first Tech of the Week round-up of 2026. We had plenty of fun last year so let’s crack on with more of the same this year. What better place to start than bold aero claims, new kits, shiny bikes and some indoor-training strangeness? Let’s dive straight in…
Just when you though Remco couldn’t get more aero — Specialized reckons its new kit can save 25w (but there’s a catch)
Remco Evenepoel, Specialized and Red Bull – Bora Hansgrohe have had a busy winter at the bike brand’s WinTunnel (yes, that is genuinely what they call the wind tunnel). Featuring ‘SlipLayer’ aero fabric, Specialized says the finished product is a kit that “slices drag by up to 25 watts at 40km/h versus the SL Jersey”, so you’ll have to push on if you want the gains too.
Now, here comes the rather large asterisk. The SL Jersey sits a fair bit further down the Specialized clothing pecking order than the brand’s S-Works Race jerseys, this new Bora-Hansgrohe kit, and the Prime jerseys, so don’t expect Mr Evenepoel already racing in Spesh’s fastest available kits to pull this fresh new Bora-branded one on and suddenly be saving 25w. The other thing worth pointing out is that the 25w saving versus the SL Jersey is reported for when riding at 40km/h.
Either way, Specialized is excited by the prospect of sticking one of the world’s most aerodynamic bike racers in it, telling us the “this kit reflects our devotion to doing everything possible to achieve unprecedented speed”.
“It advances innovation in aerodynamics, fit, and comfort, because a kit this fast was only impossible until we made it,” the brand said. “Every detail is optimized to cheat the wind and prevail on race day.”
Us mere mortals can get our hands on one too, if you’ve got £219 to spare for a cycling jersey. Oh, you’ll need an extra £239 to complete the look with the bib shorts too.
MyWhoosh wants to give riders Bitcoin rewards for using the virtual training platform
Imagine reading this sentence a few decades ago: virtual cycling platform MyWhoosh is running a treasure hunt where riders can find a share of a Bitcoin prize pot. Now, this is the moment I have to break it to you that if you’re hearing this for the first time now, you’re already too late, the first MyWhoosh Treasure Hunt lasting from 1pm to 2pm GST on Saturday 10 January (that’s 9am to 10am in the UK)… however, apparently there’ll be one every month, so maybe next time.
Essentially, MyWhoosh is putting a treasure gate on one of its open world routes. Riders will have an hour to ride around looking for it and if you pass through you’ll win a share of the prize pot. Said prize pot is 1/12 of a Bitcoin, per event (around £5,600).
EF move on from iconic Rapha partnership and debut new Assos kit + Tom Pidcock back on a Pinarello
It was the end of an era as the new year brought to an end Rapha and EF’s iconic long-running kit partnership. What does that mean? Well, there’s a new supplier of pink jerseys in town: Assos.
In a multi-year agreement that covers the men’s, women’s and development teams, the Swiss brand will be stepping up to one of pro cycling’s most highly anticipated kit roles. It’ll be a tough ask to follow all those iconic switch out kits and collabs, but Assos sounds up for the challenge, something team boss Jonathan Vaughters is looking forward to too.
“Assos has a long history of setting the standard for innovation in cycling,” he said. “They’ve been pushing boundaries since before many of our riders were born. My first pair of bibs were Assos, and they were a revelation. Decades later, they’re still leading the way, producing the most technically advanced clothing in the peloton, and our riders can feel that every time they suit up. This partnership is rooted in creating the fastest and best-looking kit in cycling. We’re excited to keep pushing boundaries together.”
The other big kit news this week was the launch of Pinarello-Q36.5’s fresh new look. We’ve got a lot of time for the classy gold touches, and just take a look at Tom Pidcock’s new ride…
Will Strava’s new ‘Instant Workouts’ feature be your new coach in 2026?
January’s full of new goals and positive changes. Maybe you’ve thought about boosting your fitness in 2026 or are considering getting a coach to take things to the next level?
Strava reckons it’s got a neat new feature that can help users find a bit of structure in their training, if not a full-on coach. The subscriber-only ‘Instant Workouts’ feature analyses previous activity data and offers recommendations on what to do next, forming workout plans.
Now, you might be rolling your eyes at this if it’s similar to the AI insights feature that received plenty of criticism in recent times. However, Strava tells us that 85 per cent of the feedback was positive from users who trialled the feature at the end of last year.
A spokesperson said: “Instant Workouts is intended to provide inspiration for athletes to stay consistent, especially for those who are looking to build an exercise habit or get back into things after a break. For users who have a regular workout routine, Instant Workouts can bring variety and fresh ideas to keep movement fun. And, since the suggestions are based upon prior activity, the more users upload, the more personalised the recommendations become.”
So there, if you are at the level where you want a coach then maybe this will be a bit basic, but I’m happy to give it a try.
It’s awards season!
You might have seen our 2025/26 awards are underway, keep you eyes peeled for all the action as it drops. For now, we’ve got round-ups of the best accessories, clothing and components live, but there’s plenty more to come.
3 thoughts on “Just when you though Remco couldn’t get more aero — Specialized reckons its new kit can save 25w (but there’s a catch), plus MyWhoosh wants to give riders Bitcoin rewards”
Yet more useless new features
Yet more useless new features on Strava, yet they can’t be arsed to fix the many, many bugs that I and others keep reporting.
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Not so much the riders, though, if those photos are anything to go by – they all seem thoroughly miserable about the whole business for some reason.
mdavidford wrote:
Lachlan Morton (on the right in the second picture) is obviously pissed off that the stylist has forced him to wear a kid’s candy necklace.