Continuing our exploration of the list of road bicycle technologies that have been the biggest innovations since our inception, today we talk about e-bikes. Amongst cyclists, a discussion about e-bikes was more likely in 1899 than 1999. Seriously. However, things can change quickly. In 2023, e-bikes are by far the greatest growth sector of the…
From handlebars to saddles, we have been happy to see a variety of ergonomic improvements and broader options in a host of fit based components. It is great that all riders are not being treated alike and that there is more understanding that there are many people who need handlebars wider and narrower than 40cm…
Top Road Bicycle Technologies of the Past 20 Years – On-Bike Electronics While electronic shifting, ebikes and the second generation of Smart Trainers are deserving of their own separate categories on our list of most innovative road and triathlon cycling products of the past twenty years, other electronic innovations merit mention too. Some of the…
We recently released our list of the top road and triathlon bike innovations that have come out since the inception of Fit Werx in 2001. Smart indoor bike trainers is definitely on this list. While the first readily available smart trainers came out in the ‘80’s, computer technology has come a long way since. With…
As Fit Werx heads into its 22nd year of providing rider first bike fittings and rider matched bike sales, it seems like an apt time to take a trip down the memory lane of cycling technology. Since our inception, a lot has changed in terms of the products and services we offer. In a number…
A Pandemic Accelerated Divide The pandemic has accelerated a divide that has been developing for years now in the bike industry. Many of the biggest bike companies are aggressively pursuing factory owned stores and more online sales over independent bike dealer representation. In some cases this will mean a new “Trek Store” may move into your neighborhood. …
The front derailleur has long been the bane of the mechanical components of a bicycle. While some perfectly set-up front derailleurs, like Shimano’s Di2, are immense improvements over what front derailleurs used to be, there is no escaping that the front derailleur is a rather primitive component by necessity. There remains room for improvement in…
Ride Throughout the World from Home With the time change and colder temperatures, trainer time is here for many of us. While the CompuTrainer arguably started the smart trainer revolution decades ago, the current crop of options is like comparing a video game on the original Atari to a X Box Series X. The courses…
I am admittedly late to the virtual riding/training experience. This being said, I’ve used CompuTrainer products (the original “smart” trainer) at work for decades and I’ve worked with different smart trainers from TACX, Wahoo and Saris/Cycleops through the years. However, until last winter, I did not ride a smart trainer consistently and had not experienced…
While today’s gravel bikes see a range of component and gearing options, ranging from compact road to subcompact wide gravel, this was not always so. Just a few years ago, gravel road bikes all included a “compact” 50/34 crankset that was the same crankset as a dedicated pavement road bike had. In 2017 Praxis Works…
The latest crop of gravel specific road drivetrains offer lower gearing than a typical road bike. Groups like Shimano GRX, SRAM Force AXS Wide and Campagnolo Ekar are designed to help you deal with steep dirt roads with loose surfaces as best as possible through wide range gearing. In the case of 2x gravel groups,…
Shimano introduced their first “gravel specific” group over a year ago, so writing about Shimano GRX 800 is not new news. This being said, we wanted to get a little time with the new Shimano GRX 800 components before providing an overview. With this in mind, here is what GRX does and doesn’t do after…