Tech

Castelli’s new prototype crash protection system weighs the same as two energy gels, and could soon be used on the WorldTour

This new lightweight take on crash protection, developed with Soudal Quick-Step and Ragaz, is designed to protect riders’ spines, and we're told it will be tested in races imminently - although there's no suggestion riders are using it at this year's Tour de France

Bikes that talk, roads that listen: is this new tech the future of cycle safety? Plus a VERY expensive watch and new bikes (and more) from Specialized, Canyon, Bianchi, Campagnolo, Prologo, MAAP…

This week’s tech roundup includes Campagnolo’s latest do-it-all wheels, a limited-edition road bike from Bianchi, a sub-5kg Specialized special build and a watch that’s priced at just, um, £750k

“The fastest and most efficient bike-rider system”: Orbea unveils new Orca Aero

Orbea says its redesigned aero road bike saves 21 watts over the previous model at 50km/h thanks to a new “Total System Approach” that optimises both bike and rider, with aero refinements, increased tyre clearance and a claimed 900g frame

Giant updates Revolt from the ground up for the ‘professional purist’

Aero gains and weight savings are the order of the day for Giant's racy Revolt and Liv's Devote

Zipp launches new 404 S carbon road wheels promising “industry-leading aero performance” for under £1,000

The new 50mm-deep hookless wheelset brings Firecrest-inspired aerodynamics, a claimed weight of 1,585g and lifetime warranty to the Zipp’s S Series

“The fastest road bike ever made”: Specialized unveils the S-Works Tarmac SL9

Specialized says its new flagship Tarmac combines a 687g frame with improved aerodynamics to outperform rivals – including the Colnago Y1Rs, Cervélo S5 and Factor One – on real-world race courses

Look unveils all new 795 BladeRS 3 aero road bike, with 350 different fit options and “15 watts” of real-world aero savings

Look's updated flagship aero bike boasts more customisable fit options than ever before, and it’s been optimised to deliver aero gains regardless of the rider

Unreleased aero gravel, concept bikes for “safer road cycling” and carbon wheel innovation: new tech from Europe’s biggest bike show

A wave of new gravel bikes, concept bikes, and carbon wheel tech from Canyon, Ridley, Winspace and Vonoa were on show at Eurobike 2026 - here are our top picks

You can now build a 9-speed Shimano CUES road or gravel bike with hydraulic disc brakes

With the launch of 9-speed CUES shift levers, it's finally possible to have a fully CUES-branded 9-speed drop bar bike. Does this have wider significance for the continued existence of Shimano's entry-level road groupsets? As we've come to expect from Shimano recently, that's not exactly clear

Canyon offers a glimpse into the cross-country future with its 32″, Biplane-barred, upside down-forked Luxe Era concept

Canyon's concept cross-country bike aims to solve modern problems with 32-inch wheels, a fancy handlebar and an upside down fork

The “world’s first AI solar e-bike” is coming to Kickstarter, with double-disc wheels featuring integrated solar panels for extra range

17 miles of extra range that is, with a claimed range of up to 120 miles a day utilising the Samsung battery cells and solar power - reservations for the Phosgo City or Hybrid will start from $1,499 on Kickstarter in late July

Hope revitalises the iconic Mono6Ti with the EVO V6Ti… but at £1,400, they’re certainly not cheap

Six piston brakes are back! Hope's EVO V6Ti promises a serious stiffness-to-weight ratio and incredible braking power with titanium pistons

Could this be the safest road bike ever built? Canyon thinks so

Canyon's futuristic Predict prototype uses a 360° sensor network, on-bike AI processing and an augmented-reality helmet system to spot dangers before you do, offering a glimpse into the future of connected cycling

Eddy Merckx launches 525R road bike, claiming “geometry revolution” delivers speed gains without sacrificing comfort

Belgian brand says new model focuses on the rider as much as the bike, using progressive geometry, longer reach and steeper seat angles to help you hold faster, more aerodynamic positions

Shimano brings “flagship innovation” and “thick” brake rotors to its XT mechanical drivetrain

But that's not all as there are also two new pedals on the way

Bianchi’s updated Specialissima is its lightest ever, with aero gains designed to make it “the ultimate all-rounder”

Italian brand gives flagship model a ground-up redesign featuring a 750g frame, more aero cockpit and fork, and updated vibration-damping tech

Can Magene’s top-end bike computer as used by Astana compete with the best? Plus Specialized’s 3D-printed Mirror saddle and more from Rapha, Joe Blow and Gaciron

We have smart bike tech, comfort upgrades and clever bike storage in for review this week. Here are the previews with the full reviews landing on the site soon

This £299 reinforced child bike seat promises calmer, safer rides (and even comes with aero claims) – plus Brooks upgrades legendary B17 saddle, new Van Rysel Menstrual bib shorts tackle “the realities of riding as a woman” + more

Luxury child bike seats from the son of a legendary inventor, luxury adult bike seats from a legendary brand, ups and downs in the niche world of real-time drag measuring devices... it's all going on in this edition of Tech of the Week

120 redundancies at Cannondale as production facility to close

Pon.Bike is moving the production of Cannondale Bikes to Germany and Lithuania as the Almelo site “no longer fits” multi-brand strategy

Megamo launches dedicated e-road bike powered by super-powerful Avinox motor

The new Megamo Upon is designed from the ground up as an e-road bike, pairing a carbon frame and integrated 600Wh battery with Avinox’s powerful M2S motor system

Premium eyewear from POC, lightweight and low cost Van Rysel shades, plus more cool things from Adidas, Uvex and HJC

It’s a helmets and sunglasses edition at road.cc HQ this week, with kit from Van Rysel, POC, HJC, Uvex and Adidas arriving for review

Will this AI bike light with “real-time intelligence” and automatic turn signals prove a hit on Kickstarter? Plus Kask joins the OTT TT helmet party (yours for £600), China’s Seka Bikes lands in UK + more

It's time for Tech of the Week... anyone got 600 quid so we can save between 6-11 watts, please?

China’s Pardus makes European push with sub-£4,500 6.7kg carbon road bike

With a new European operation, dealer network and bikes that appear to offer a lot of spec for the money, Pardus is aiming to put established Western brands under pressure

“A serious risk of injuries”: recall for Specialized Turbo Como SL e-bikes announced in the UK due to failing fork steerer tubes – months after US recall notice

The Office for Product Safety and Standards says affected Turbo Como SL bikes pose a serious injury risk after a fault was identified that could cause the fork to fail; Specialized first announced a problem in January

Are you riding the wrong bike? Ribble thinks so as it launches Ultra-Road and Allroad Carbon

The Ultra-Road combines race-bike technology with a higher-stack, shorter-reach geometry aimed at delivering better real-world performance, while the Allroad Carbon targets riders seeking one bike for everything from smooth tarmac to rough country lanes

The next big thing in bike manufacturing? Flit claims adhesive bonding helped it to make a lighter and tighter folding e-bike

Flit has unveiled what it claims is the first folding e-bike to use adhesive bonding rather than traditional welds. So, is the future of bike building looking stickier? Flit's managing director certainly thinks so

After Porsche-owned Fazua’s demise, YT Industries confirms it will still provide parts and support for customers with Fazua-equipped e-MTBs

In a fresh statement, YT Industries has confirmed that it'll continue its support for its Fazua-equipped Decoy SN e-MTBs

Ursus wheels with spokes made from “the world’s strongest man-made fibres”, plus more cool things from Mavic, Pirelli, Parcours and Industry Nine

From gravel and aero wheelsets to sustainable designs and premium race tyres, here’s what’s in for review this week

Administrators appointed at major cycling distributor Saddleback

The news comes shortly after both Enve and Cannondale announced they would end their agreements with the British distributor

Specialized says new Crux 5 is “the fastest gravel race bike ever made”

Specialized says the new Crux 5 combines aero gains, low weight and “unparalleled ride quality” to deliver more speed – and you get space for 55mm tyres