It almost felt like spring was in the air in the UK earlier this week, before wet and miserable normalcy returned towards the end of it! Since your big weekend rides are likely cancelled (again) you might as well catch up on all the latest cycling tech news we’ve found this week…
SKS introduces “premium quality” Smartgrab 360 smartphone mount
2026 SKS Smartgrab 360 phone mounted (Image Credit: SKS)
If you’d like to fix your smartphone on your handlebar to use performance and navigation apps as you ride, SKS reckons that its new Smartgrab 360 mount is a cut above the norm “thanks to its first-class workmanship”.
It’s made from stainless steel and “high-quality plastic components” at SKS’s HQ in Germany.
“This is also where the specially developed scissor mechanism for the Smartgrab 360 was designed,” says SKS. “The mechanism enables automatic clamping of all common smartphones. Self-closing retaining arms securely grip the phone at the upper edge and prevent accidental activation of the side buttons.”
You can rotate the mount to view your phone in both portrait and landscape.
The clamp fits handlebars with a diameter of 22.2mm to 35mm.
We don’t yet have a UK price, but the SKS Smartgrab 360 is €24.99. We’ll request one for review.
4iiii launches new HRM, claiming over 540 hours of battery life
Not many people are going to fancy heading out for a 540-hour ride, but if you ever do then you’ll be glad to know you can now track your heart rate for that long thanks to 4iiii’s new Viiiiva Heart Rate Monitor.
As well as the huge battery life, 4iiii are claiming “medical-grade” accuracy, a redesigned lightweight strap for optimal comfort, and very reliable performance data. It runs off a single CR2032 coin cell battery, it weighs under 46g including the battery, and it has an IPX7 water resistance rating. 4iiii says the Viiiiva measures heart rate with precision from 30 to 240 BPM (a prime Miguel Induráin would have been left disappointed, then).
Will your next cycling bottle be able to clean itself? The Sans self-cleaning water bottle launches in the UK (and we’re told it could be used by cyclists)
We got all giddy when we were sent a press release about a self-cleaning bottle, wondering what kind of sorcery would be involved to wipe all the mud, grit and sweat from the bottles in our cages… alas, it turns out this isn’t a cycling-specific bottle and of course, the self-cleaning happens on the inside to cleanse and purify the water within it. We’re grateful it landed in our inboxes anyway, because a representative had plenty to tell us about how cyclists could use the current iteration of the bottle, and what could happen down the line:
“The self-cleaning technology was designed with portability and daily use in mind, so there’s absolutely potential for sports and cycling applications.
“The UV-C system is particularly relevant for riders who are refilling bottles mid-ride at different locations, travelling to events, or training in warmer conditions where bacteria build-up can become an issue.
“While the current product wasn’t developed as a cycling-specific bottle, the technology itself is adaptable and it isn’t particularly heavy either.”
So, Sans recommends the bottle as it is now for travelling cyclists, and reckons we could see it on sport-specific bottles in future.
The bottle uses ‘UV-C light purification’ to cleanse it, claiming to eliminate 99.9% of bio-contaminants such as E.coli and Staphylococcus by pressing the cleaning button. Capacity is just under 500ml, and it’s also insulated to keep cold water cold for 24 hours, and hot water hot for 12 hours.
Though there are other self-cleaning bottles out there, and the Sans one appears to have been around since at least 2024, it’s new to the UK and is retailing at £79.99. Check it out here.
Continental’s new Terra Competition tyre “blurs the line between road and gravel”
If you like to spice up your road riding with a little light off-road, Continental has unveiled a new tyre that’s designed for you. It says the Terra Competition is its fastest-ever gravel tyre.
“The Terra Competition features a specialised tread pattern optimised for rough tarmac, compressed soils, and light gravel in dry to moist conditions,” says Conti. “The design incorporates an almost continuous centre area designed for straight-line speed, while pronounced shoulder knobs provide the necessary soil interaction for off-road performance.”
The Terra Competition is available in two different casings: Race and Trail.
“The Race casing and Rapid compound is the go-to option for maximum speed and acceleration on flats and inclines,” says Conti. “The Trail casing with the Grip compound is engineered for more demanding off-road use, utilising a more robust one-ply construction for improved ground compliance and puncture protection.”
Both versions feature a textile breaker under the tread for improved puncture protection. They’re Tubeless Ready and hookless compatible.
Conti says that the Competition was developed with a focus on reducing aerodynamic drag and increasing efficiency. At a claimed 345g, the Terra Competition Race is said to be 16% lighter than the existing Terra Speed (both in a 35mm width), with 17% lower rolling resistance.
The Continental Terra Competition is also available in 40mm and 45mm widths, each priced at £59.30.
Knog brightens its Blinder lights
Aussie accessories brand Knog has updated its popular Blinder front light series, designed to cover everything from commuting to gravel riding. New Blinder 700, 1000 and 1400 models have been added to the existing Blinder 400, with maximum outputs that are higher than previously.
Knog says, “The key feature is [our] innovative Hype mode, a steady-pulse flash that pushes an additional 100 lumens to the high-quality LEDs for maximum visibility.”
The Blinder lights feature CNC-machined aluminium chassis and each one comes with an IP67 dust/waterproof rating.
Knog claims steady beam runtimes of up to two hours at maximum output (1.5 hours for the 1400 model), and up to 120 hours in Eco Flash mode.
Prices range from £44.99 for the Knog Blinder 400, with a Knog Plus rear light, up to £99.95 for the Knog Blinder 1400 (£99.95).
Met introduces Tadej Pogačar Limited Edition helmets
Helmet brand Met has unveiled Tadej Pogačar limited edition versions of its Trenta 3K Carbon and Manta models. They each come with an iridescent finish to the shell and a Tadej Pogačar logo up top.
These are Met’s top road helmets, which Pogačar has worn to victory in… well, in just about everything over the past few years.
The Met Trenta 3K Carbon Tadej Pogačar is £390 while the Met Manta Tadej Pogačar is £250.
Garmin introduces its biggest software update yet
Garmin has announced new software and feature updates for select smartwatches, including the Forerunner 970 that we reviewed here on road.cc last year.
For example, there’s enhanced gear tracking, allowing you to track stats like distance, hours and days of use for bike components and running shoes, while also including notes and photos of the gear.
New accessibility features allow you to hear the time of day, health data and more, spoken directly from the watch. Colour display options are also available to help with various forms of colour blindness.
You can also get voice alerts from a paired Varia radar to your smartwatch when you’re out on the bike, letting you know about approaching vehicles.
> Check out our Garmin Varia RTL515 review
Garmin has started to roll out these updates to compatible devices. You can update your smartwatch by enabling automatic updates and syncing with Garmin Connect or by using Garmin Express.
Behind on your cycling tech news this week? Here’s what you’ve missed:
- “We believe our combination is safe”: Cadex sticks with hookless for new Max 50 WheelSystem and Aero Tyre
- “I’ve ridden a 32-inch wheel, and now, I think we’re overlooking its gravelly potential”
- Princeton CarbonWorks unveils new Wake 6560 Evolution II, claiming: “fastest UCI-legal wheel we’ve tested”
- Quirk Cycles unveils two very exclusive framesets, including one developed with Rapha founder Simon Mottram to tackle 220-mile Manchester to London ride
- Is the Kinesis RTD the ultimate endurance road bike?
- Halfords freezes bike prices for 2026
6 thoughts on “Could the new SKS Smartgrab be the affordable phone mounting solution we’re all looking for? Plus new Knog Blinder lights, a new 4iiii HRM with huge battery life, self-cleaning water bottles are here (just not for cycling yet) + more”
I have the current generation of 4iiii heart-rate monitor. It’s very good . Will I , when the current one eventually fails , buy this new 4iiii , no. Why you may ask . Well it looks like a proprietary fastener . We all know about proprietary standards and the absolute hassle of sourcing replacements and the associated costs.
It looks like SKS are trying to reinvent the (handlebar mount) wheel. You have to go a long way to beat Quad Lock for smartphone bar mounting. I’ve been using one for 13 years without failure (or theft). It’s a much sleeker, more secure solution than this SKS monster and I recommend it to the house.
P.S. I am not an Aussie, have any Aussie friends or relatives and have zero connection with Quad Lock other than as a satisfied customer..
Been using a Decathlon screw mount alloy one for many years. Cheap, secure and bomb proof. Just make sure you use a silicone jacket on your phone ‘cos it may crack the glass – especially the rear.
https://www.decathlon.co.uk/p/cycling-smartphone-mount-metal/325682/c1c227m8587962
You seem to be completely oblivious to the main difference between this and a Quad Lock (and a bunch of others) – that this type of mount does not necessitate any type of patches or covers with proprietary locking mechanisms to be stuck on your phone to actually work. For example I rate that feature highly, and therefore for me e.g. Quad Lock is far inferior compared to the SKS mount.
Not oblivious at all. I went Quad Lock all those years ago for the in-car (well, van) mount and the belt attachment. Now I have the phone securely mounted wherever I go. It does mean I have to buy a new phone cover every time I get a new phone, but all the other mounts stay the same and the phone 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 bounce if dropped.
This SKS beastie looks to be a good enough single use system, great if all you want to do is mount it to your bike, but how does it cope with your car, your motorbike and your belt?
700, 1000 and 1400 lumen flash modes. How to annoy the feck out of the International Space Station. The steady beams have only been increased to 650, 950 and 1350 lumens, respectively. Maybe increased run time would have been better.