Evans is promising big things from freshly-relaunched Vitus range (and will stock Colnago bikes its flash new West End store) — plus gravel race bikes are becoming a ‘thing’, yet another smart helmet, bike bags from Le Col x Wizard Works & more

It’s been a big week in the world of cycling, and we’ve got plenty to catch up on in this week’s Tech of the Week. From Colnago now being stocked at Evans Cycles, Vitus making a comeback, Le Col collaborating on new bike bags, gravel race bikes being the new ‘it bike’ and more.

So settle in, grab a post-ride treat and enjoy…

Vitus is back, and… Colnago?? At new Evans Cycles store in the West End 

Evans Cycles is set to open a store in London’s West End just off of Regent’s Street. 

It’ll include a workshop for “quick fixes and on-the-spot repairs” and over 180 bikes on display. And some of those bikes will be Colnago. A somewhat premium brand for Evans Cycles to be stocking. Alongside this, Vitus is also back in stores, as a “newly relaunched” brand.

Speaking to road.cc, David Greenwood, Head of Marketing at the Frasers Group said, “Following the IP acquisition, we moved quickly to secure existing stock, keeping the brand visible and as many bikes as possible available. Our next focus was re-establishing the supply chain, prioritising core models, reinstating original frame designs and working with familiar supply partners wherever possible.

“We’ve made a few updates where required but held firm on what matters: delivering the same quality, spec and price point that riders expect.”

Speaking about Vitus’s future, and what we can expect to see from the brand, he said:

“Looking ahead, we’re going deep on rider insights to shape the next generation of Vitus. Some classics may return. Others will be reimagined entirely. Honouring the fundamentals that made the brand so popular in the first place and a nod to the riders who made Vitus great, and those who will take it further.”

Sadly if you search on the website there are no signs of Colnago bikes, but there are several Vitus bikes across gravel, road and mountain bike ranges. Many of which are heavily discounted, too. Such as the Vitus ZX-1 EVO SRAM Force AXS 2026. We reviewed the ZX-1 EVO CRS Di2 back in 2021, and gave it a stellar 9/10 score, and the Vitus Venon EVO-RS Force AXS even won our coveted Bike of the Year gong for 2023/24. So it’s great to see the brand back and in stock.  

See what else is on offer on the Evans Cycles website. 

UNIT 1 launches the NEON smart helmet

UNIT 1 hasn’t long-since launches its previous AURA smart helmet along with a complementary kids range, but it’s now getting behind the NEON model. And, it’s already earned 5 stars from Virginia Tech. 

According to UNIT 1, the new NEON is “beautiful, lightweight, packed with smart tech, safe and affordable.” A big claim. It’s designed to be an urban/e-bike helmet, and starts at a price of £119.90. 

It comes with NTA-8776, CPSC and EN-1078 certification and weighs a claimed 430g. It also integrates lights into the helmet, with up to a 30 hour runtime and USB-C charging. It comes with accessories like winter liners, speed visors and rain plugs, too, and is available in a Mips and non-Mips version. 

Find out more on the UNIT1 website. 

Sarto’s new gravel race bike is made with Italian carbon fibre

Saturday seems like a good day to admire a new bike, and everyone knows the Italian’s design fine machines. Sarto, the custom carbon specialist has launched the new Raso Gravel Wide, a gravel racing bike. 

It comes with 48mm tyre clearance (with a 2x drivetrain) or 56mm with a 1x, and is designed for those who race at the highest levels, from international gravel racing to ultra-distance events. 

It takes inspiration from the Raso model but brings it into the gravel riding sphere, with a compact rear triangle for compatibility with chainrings up to 52T, and UDH compatibility for future-proofing. Both fork and the frame include mounts for bikepacking, and a fully built bike without pedals weighs a claimed 8.1kg. 

Interested? Delivery times are around 12 weeks at present, with the geometry made to measure, so we don’t have an MSRP. You can find out more on the Sarto website. 

More gravel race bikes…this time from Pearson

Seems like everyone is getting in on this gravel racing malarkey these days, and British brand Pearson is the latest to do so with an evolution of its On and On Adventure bike, which has been “optimised for speed and race-day performance.”

The new On and On Race has a UCI-approved frame which is apparently 20% lighter than the Adventure model. Its carbon fibre construction claims to offer “outstanding stiffness-to-weight balance,” and can work with both 1x and 2x drivetrains. 

There’s a 45mm tyre clearance and two builds to choose from: GRX 827 Di2 from £6,100 or SRAM Red XPLR from £7,750. Find out more on the Pearson website. 

New Castelli apparel blurs the lines between jersey and jackets, apparently

The Italian brand is back with new stuff for winter, and one of those things is a new jacket called the Do.Di.Ci. It uses the famed Ristretto technology and makes it a bit more breathable for those riding at high intensity in cooler (but dry) conditions. 

It’s designed to be worn in temperatures between 8-15 degrees centigrade, so in the UK we’d best get the most out of it before temperatures really drop. Castelli says the new jacket “blurs the lines between a jacket and jersey” and evaporates sweat 12 times better than the Gabba jacket does. 

It’s available in both men’s and women’s fits, with men also getting a short sleeve option, and costs £250 for the long sleeve jackets. 

Now you can colour match your lights to your bike

Bike light brand Cateye has launched the AMPP500S Colour Edition, which is a 500 lumen front bike light now available in different colours. It can fit most bikes, thanks to the FlexTight bracket mounting system and offers 5 different light modes including flashing and static with an OptiCube lens. 

It’s USB-C rechargeable and Cateye claims a battery runtime of up to 60 hours dependent on usage. You can now choose from pink, blue, green and orange accented lights among others, and they retail at £42.99.

Two big names collaborate on new bike bags

Bike bag maker Wizard Works has collaborated with kit brand Le Col to create a new collection of bags engineered to “support daily riding with intelligent storage and refined detail.”

Made with Cordura fabrics, they include reflective detailing and are handmade in Wizard Works’ London studio. The collection includes: Lil Presto Barrel Bag, which is a 1.8L bar bag, a Mag-Neato Tool Roll, and a Teeny Houdini Saddle Bag. 

Each bag is designed with a limited-edition reflective pattern, with prices starting at £40 for the tool roll. Find out more on Le Col’s website. 

Quintana Roo debuts Studio Next bikes

US brand Quintana Roo has launched a new line of bikes called Studio Next. They’re designed to be the brand’s most premium offerings, with a more “sophisticated” carbon layup and exclusive colour options. 

The only model released so far is the Service Course, which is the brand’s flagship aero bike. Apparently more in the lineup will be released in “the coming months.”

The Studio NEXT Service Course uses a frame that is apparently 150g lighter than the standard Service Course, but with the same overall shape. Builds will start at $8,999 for bikes with Shimano Ultegra Di2. 

Gobik’s new Team Store aims to change how custom club kit is ordered

Don’t we all love club kit ordering? Waiting for everyone to decide on a design, a clothing brand to order from, and then the kit window that inevitably people forget about. And then it takes ages to arrive, and people who didn’t read the size guides feel like fools when their new stuff doesn’t fit. 

Well, Gobik wants to change that experience with its new Team Store. It means every rider can log into the portal, choose their kit and get a size recommendation personalised to them, and then order themselves so the items don’t need to go to one address and then be redistributed. 

The new system will allow adapted access for each team or club, with flexible payment and shipping options as well as AI sizing systems for better size guides. Sounds like it’ll make things much easier for the person nominated to deal with the kit…

You may also like:

• RockShox unveils new Rudy XL gravel fork, offering 60mm travel and 2.25in tyre clearance
• Trek’s all new CheckOUT proves that full suspension gravel is now officially a thing
• UCI announces minor relaxation of controversial upcoming narrow handlebar rule — but minimum 40cm overall width will remain
• “We believe it’s the future of cycling gear”: Modular carbon storage system hopes to replace “clunky saddlebags” with £150 “aerodynamic capsule” featuring 300-lumen brake-sensing rear light