With the Tour de France men’s race coming to a close this week, we’re looking back at some of the interesting tech roving reporter Ryan Mallon found while he was out at the race, including some lightweight mountain time trial bikes.

We’ve also got Geraint Thomas’s bike, something pretty in carbon and titanium, and loads more in Tech of the Week… 

Demi Vollering’s ‘Dreaming’ Specialized S-Works Tarmac SL8

Demi SL8
Demi SL8 (Image Credit: Specialized)

Even after the former Tour winner’s move to FDJ-Suez, Demi Vollering remains on Specialized bikes. And ahead of the 2025 Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift, the bike brand has released a limited edition SL8 frameset honouring Vollering and her journey from childhood dreamer to one of the greatest female cyclists in the world. 

Only 400 of these S-Works Tarmac SL8 framesets will be produced, and the colourway is inspired by her youth, working in her family’s greenhouses and the flowers that surrounded her. The frames also have the mantra ‘It All Starts With Dreaming’. Perfect inspiration for taking that next Strava QOM, right?

Demi SL8
Demi SL8 (Image Credit: Specialized)

It’ll set you back £5.5k if you want to grab one of these frames. They’re available on the Specialized website now. 

Ben O’Connor’s sub-7kg bike with disc wheel

Ben OConnor TT bike
Ben OConnor TT bike (Image Credit: Ryan Mallon)

Roving reporter Ryan was at the Tour last week when he spotted this pretty cool lightweight bike for Ben O’Connor’s mountain time trial attempt.

Ben OConnor TT bike 3
Ben OConnor TT bike 3 (Image Credit: Ryan Mallon)

It’s fitted with a disc wheel at the back and a 40mm Cadex wheel up front, smaller disc rotors than usual to save weight, as well as titanium bolts. 

Ben OConnor TT bike 2
Ben OConnor TT bike 2 (Image Credit: Ryan Mallon)

O’Connor was running 54/40 chainrings and an 11-30 cassette, but interestingly, not-TT specific tyres. Instead, he ran Vittoria Corsa Pro Speed rubber for the TT. 

Parapera Atmos2: say that three times fast

Parapera Atmos 2
Parapera Atmos 2 (Image Credit: Parapera)

Okay, now we’ve got you tongue-tied, onto the bike details. Parapera is a German bike brand that makes some pretty gorgeous frames. The Atmos2 is no different, and this version is a beautiful combination of 3D-printed titanium joins, and carbon fibre tubes. 

The titanium junctions were developed with Falkenjagd, a brand known for its ti bikes. The tubing is made from Toray T1000 carbon, nd just to add to the overall aesthetic, the bike has been paired with Campagnolo’s Super Record 13-speed groupset and Bora Ultra WTO 45 carbon wheels.

Parapera Atmos 2 (1)
Parapera Atmos 2 (1) (Image Credit: Parapera)

A truly beautiful bike. Those with very long memories in these parts say it reminds them of a modern take on the Merlin Cielo from waaaay back in 2009, when a six grand bike truly was mind-blowingly expensive rather than just expensive. 

Sadly, we don’t have a price for this bespoke build. But, we’re 99.9 per cent sure we can’t afford it.

Find out more on the Campagnolo website. 

Geraint Thomas’s last TDF mountain time trial bike

Geraint Thomas TDF 25
Geraint Thomas TDF 25 (Image Credit: Ryan Mallon)

If you hadn’t already heard, the Welsh great Geraint Thomas is retiring at the end of this year, and he’s probably quite glad he won’t have to do another mountain time trial. 

For the last TDF of his career, Thomas has taken on a role that’s more of a domestique than a GC leader, and that means he can afford to relax a little on TT days rather than giving it too many beans. 

Geraint Thomas TDF Pinarello
Geraint Thomas TDF Pinarello (Image Credit: Ryan Mallon)

He used his Pinarello Dogma road bike for the occasion, with a deeper Princeton wheel up front and a shallower wheel at the rear. 

Snek Cycling releases new on-bike bags

Snek cycling bar bag
Snek cycling bar bag (Image Credit: Snek Cycling)

It seems like bikepackers have all the choice in the world these days for adorning their bikes with bags. From saddle to bar, there are many options to suit all kinds of riding. Now US brand Snek Cycling has released its latest collection of bike storage. 

It features handlebar bags, saddle bags and top tube bags as well as a travel wallet for good measure. Prices start at £42 for a small handlebar bag, and they look quite demure in either brown or black colourways. 

They’re made from 500D Cordura fabric for durability, some closed-cell foam for a bit of stiffness and YKK waterproof zips for weatherproofing. Discover the collection on the Snek website. 

Ekoi’s PW8 pedals are back, plus some new waterproof overshoes

2025 Ekoi PW8 pedal system
2025 Ekoi PW8 pedal system (Image Credit: Ekoi)

Ekoi’s intriguing-looking PW8 pedals are finally back in stock – and this time, you can buy them separately from the shoe. Likewise, it means you can replace the shoe without the pedals. I think my bank account just sighed in relief. 

But perhaps more excitingly, unless you’ve been dying to get a second set of pedals for another bike, is the new PW8 Rain overshoe. According to Ekoi, they offer “100% waterproof protection” with a polyurethane fabric. 

Ekoi PW8 overshoes
Ekoi PW8 overshoes (Image Credit: Ekoi)

The toes and heels are also reinforced and the overshoes are designed to be compatible with the PW8 C12 Pro Full Carbon sole and PW8 cleats, although they can be used with other setups, too. They’re retailing at £90.15 on the Ekoi website now. 

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