6 min read
Of the world’s most prestigious sporting events, the Tour de France stands apart from others in many ways. It’s a long and grueling event, spanning three weeks and covering various terrain and changing weather conditions. Another thing that differentiates road races—such as the Tour de France—from most other major sports is public accessibility.
Imagine tossing a football around with your friends in a stadium that hosts the Super Bowl, driving on an F1 track, or swimming laps in the pool the day before the Summer Olympics. While you can’t easily do those, anyone on any bike can ride the Tour’s roads and fabled climbs, as I did last week.
The gear used by racers in the Tour de France is also publicly available. Article 1.3.006 of the UCI’s rule states, “Equipment shall be of a type that is sold for use by anyone practicing cycling as a sport,” and must be available for sale within twelve months of its first use in a race. So, if you want to spend the money, you can purchase and use the same equipment used by the pro racers and teams.
Five Under Fifty
Vittoria Competition Latex Tubes
Supacaz Super Sticky Kush Bar Tape
While this rule applies to big-ticket items like frames, drivetrains, and wheelsets, it also pertains to the other gear used during the Tour de France’s thirty stages (twenty-one for the men and nine for the women’s event in August). This means that you can buy and use the same equipment used by your favorite pros on your home roads.
From tires to helmets to cycling computers and everything else, the gear used by Tour de France racers can all be purchased—some of it costs a lot less than you think. These are some of our editors’ favorites, and are items we use on our daily rides.
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While we might not be as fast as Tadej Pogačar (right) or Jonas Vingegaard (right), we can buy the equipment they use to reach the Tour de France podium.
Used by World Champion and defending Tour de France winner, Tadej Pogačar, the Grand Prix 5000 TTs are Continental’s fastest road tire. Pogi has been known to switch tire widths depending on the road conditions (he reportedly rode the 700x25c version, which measures 28mm on his Enve wheels on the opening day time trial). So far in this year’s Tour, it appears he has chosen the 700x28c version for most stages.
Currently sitting in second place behind Pogačar, Danish rider and two-time Tour de France winner Jonas Vingegaard rides Vittoria tubeless tires on his Visma-Lease a Bike team Cervélo S5 race bike. The team changes tires based on the stage and rider, with Vingegaard often using the lightweight and fast-rolling Corsa Pro Speed TLR model in 700x30c and the 29WR sizes.
Wahoo Fitness supplies Pogačar’s UAE Team Emirates-XRG with the cycling computers that the Tour leader uses to track his rides while he’s setting new records on climbs. And while he can choose from any of the brand’s three computer models, he opts for the smaller, lower-cost Elemnt Bolt V3.
Vinegaard looks to be using a custom pink Garmin Edge 850 at this year’s Tour (perhaps from his win at the 2026 Giro d’Italia in May). The 850 is a powerful computer and training aid, and when used with Garmin’s Varia RearVue 820 radar, it provides enhanced vehicle tracking features not found on other brands’ devices.
The Visma-Lease a Bike is sponsored by Giro, which supplies the squad with two road helmet models: the Eclipse Pro aero helmet and the Aries Spherical. Although the Eclipse Pro is a faster helmet, Vingegaard and his teammates have mostly opted to wear the lighter-weight and more ventilated Aries Spherical in the historically hot weather seen so far in this year’s Tour.
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Specialized sponsors two teams (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe and Soudal-QuickStep) in the 2026 Tour de France, so there are plenty of riders using the brand’s gear. Along with a brand new Tarmac SL9 model, Specialized-equipped teams are also sporting its new S-Works Evade 4 helmet. The new lid features a BOA system for improved fit, and Specialized claims the Evade 4 is 2.4 percent cooler than the previous generation, thanks to redesigned vents.
If you look closely under the bar tops or in the drops of many pros’ bikes, you might notice these levers. These satellite shift buttons, sometimes called Blips or sprint shifters, allow you to shift from almost anywhere on your bike’s handlebar giving you more comfort and control. Choose AXS Wireless Blips for SRAM AXS wireless drivetrains or SW-RS801-S (drops)/SW-RS801-T (tops) for Shimano Dura-Ace and Ultegra Di2 12-speed systems.
We’re big fans of waxing chains, and so are many Tour de France team mechanics. Not only does chain wax run cleaner and faster than traditional oil lubricants, but it also decreases drivetrain maintenance and reduces component wear. Silca’s Hot Melt Wax is our favorite chain wax and is used by several top teams. However, if you don’t want to remove your chain for cleaning and waxing, check out Silca’s drip wax.
Of the twenty-three teams in this year’s Tour de France, all but one are using tubeless tires on their wheels. However, one holdout remains—Cofidis. The French squad is reportedly using good old-fashioned latex tubes inside the Vittoria tires on its Look bicycles. In addition to being the only ones running tubes, Cofidis is also the lone team running Campagnolo drivetrains.
The Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe team uses Supacaz tape on their Specialized Tarmac SL9 bikes. It’s also a favorite of our test editors because it feels good in the hands, goes on easily, and comes in many color options.
Dario Belingheri//Getty Images
Thus far, the biggest story of the 2026 Tour has been the heat. With temperatures on the road sometimes exceeding 100 degrees, racers and teams are doing everything they can to stay cool. But a big part of riding well in hot weather lies in your upfront preparation. Many pros use Core’s body temp sensor in training leading up to the Tour de France, and for monitoring their condition while on the bike.
While many riders are switching to insulated stainless bottles for hot weather rides, Tour de France racers still rely on trusted plastic bidons—they’re cheap, lightweight, and crush if dropped and accidentally struck by fast-moving cyclists. And the most popular bottle amongst Tour teams is Elite’s 550ml Fly Team model. If the Bahrain Victorious bottle doesn’t suit your mood, you can find UAE Team and Jayco-AlUla models on Amazon, and older team versions for sale on Competitive Cyclist.
Tour racers warm up before each stage and cool down after they finish. Feedback Sports supplies several pro squads, and the brand’s Omnium trainers can often be seen outside team buses. The trainer is lightweight and packs down small, making it the perfect choice for traveling cyclists.
When you’re on the trainer before your race, you often want to be in the zone and focused on the upcoming stage. That‘s why you see many Tour racers wearing over-ear headphones when on the trainer. H2O Audio sponsors Alpecin-Premier Tech and team riders (such as Jasper Philipsen and Mathieu van der Poel) can be seen using H2O’s Ript Ultra noise-cancelling model. I’ve tested them on the trainer, and while a little hot, they’re one of the only over-ear headphones that are washable and sweat-proof.
Unlike most road pedals, Speedplay pedals are famously dual-sized. However, Wahoo also makes a single-sided version that is popular among Tour de France racers (including Jonas Vingegaard and members of the EF Education-EasyPost team). The Speedplay Aero is lightweight and features a dimpled, aerodynamic cover on one side that cleanly matches the cleats on the rider’s shoes.
Most teams are riding tubeless wheel and tire systems in this year’s Tour de France. Muc-Off sponsors EF Education-EasyPost, and the team’s Vision wheels are equipped with anodized pink tubeless valve stems to go with its neon pink team bikes.
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As Deputy Editor, Tara Seplavy leads Bicycling’s product test team; after having previously led product development and sourcing for multiple bike brands, run World Championship winning mountain bike teams, wrenched at renowned bicycle shops in Brooklyn, raced everything from criteriums to downhill, and ridden bikes on six different continents (landing herself in hospital emergency rooms in four countries and counting). Based in Easton, Pennsylvania, Tara spends tons of time on the road and trail testing products. A familiar face at cyclocross races, crits, and bike parks in the Mid Atlantic and New England, on weekends she can often be found racing for the New York City-based CRCA/KruisCX team. When not riding a bike, or talking about them, Tara listens to a lot of ska, punk, and emo music, and consumes too much social media.