Published December 24, 2025 10:21AM
The focus for the Velo Innovation of the Year is less on a specific product, although sometimes that’s here too, and more of an idea. Think about a concept that feels like some person who loves bikes found a way to do things better. It solves a problem and it feels hard to argue there’s a negative to it. It might also be worthy of other specific products picking up the same idea and furthering it but a standard that required further adoption wouldn’t make sense.
See how that’s a tough needle to thread? There’s a little space in the middle where all the pieces fall into place and an idea is worth celebrating. Here’s six ideas that I think thread that needle.
The Velo Innovation of the year is just one of the categories we are celebrating. Check out the rest of the Velo Awards as they post.
(Photo: Josh Ross/Velo)
Clik valve
Practically speaking, there are two types of valves we pay attention to: Schraeder and Presta. Both have their strengths and weaknesses but when it comes to performance situations Presta valves have won. Today they have come to dominate the road and gravel scene but they aren’t without issues.
Those issues have led to an explosion of new designs over the last few years. Reserve was one of the first with the introduction of the Reserve Fillmore but since those hit the market there’s also been contenders from MucOff, Trek, and I’m sure others I’m not remembering.
The problem with most of these new contenders is that they don’t fundamentally make anything easier. The Fillmore is actually a fair bit bigger hassle than a Presta valve despite offering some clear advantages. The other challengers use different strategies to get rid of the Presta Valve core, and they are easier, but they also fail to address the issue of getting a pump on and off easily.
The Clik Valve attempts to fix these issues. John Quintana invented the system after seeing casual users struggle with bending or breaking valve cores. Schwalbe then helped bring it to market as a way to eliminate issues such as leaking air at the pump head or the hassle that it is to get a pump head on and off. Of course it also helps seat tubeless tires.
Here’s the thing though, that’s all cool but not enough people care. Unless you are a convert you are probably reading this thinking “what is wrong with people?” You use a pump and it’s fine, why introduce complications? And that is what makes Clik Valve truly innovative. It just replaces the valve core and works just fine with all the same pumps you already have. You could easily have one bike with the system and one without. You can also convert a pump for a few dollars and more valve cores are cheap too. This is a rare moment of plenty of upsides with no downsides and that’s innovative. For more information visit the Schwalbe website.
(Photo: Alvin Holbrook/Velo)
Wolf Tooth Alt and DEL pedals
I’ll be completely honest and say I initially ignored these pedals from Wolf Tooth. There’s already incredible good SPD pedals from Look and Shimano and if you want to stray from that format you can embrace Time or Crankbrothers options for whatever perceived advantage there might be. It wasn’t until I got some custom insoles made, details in my favorite things in 2025 article, that I realized Wolf Tooth was offering something special.
What I learned while I had insoles made was that I needed to adjust the angle I pushed through my foot into the pedal. Most of the time it’s enough to adjust the cleat position but sometimes it’s not. I need more adjustment and, coincidentally, the special sauce of the Wolf Tooth Al and Del pedals are adjustable spindle widths.
Not only is the spindle length adjustable but you don’t need extra parts. You don’t have to buy new pedals and you don’t need parts. All you have to do is spend maybe 5 minutes per pedal and move a set of internal spacers around.
Part of the way that works also means longevity. You can take apart the pieces to make the adjustment but you can also take apart the pieces to clean and replace pieces as necessary. This is a locally made (Minnesota) product with an eye on long life and a specific solution to a problem that’s likely an issue for a lot of people. You can read more in the Wolf Tooth DEL Single-Sided Gravel Pedal review.
(Photo: Josh Ross/Velo)
Chain waxing made easy
I immediately mentioned chain waxing as we discussed this category. I covered the Silca chain wax system but there’s also options from CeramicSpeed. Both CeramicSpeed and Silca have positives and negatives but the real innovation here is simplicity.
It’s not a huge secret, and hasn’t been for years, that wax is a superior chain lubricant. You can think of that in terms of pure performance, with metrics like watts saved, or you can think of it as money saved from increased longevity. You can also just appreciate having a clean to the touch chain.
The problem was only that it wasn’t worth the hassle. It’s not that expensive for most people to just replace the chain every season and a few watts is not that important. Chain waxing used to be a huge hassle.
Silca and CeramicSpeed changed that formula. In 2025 you can choose to use wax on your chain without jumping through hoops. That’s a very clear and positive innovation.
(Photo: Alvin Holbrook/Velo)
Also TM-B e-bike
Velo celebrates bikes of all kinds. After all, every ride on a bike is a ride that’s not in a car. That’s better for the planet, better for the person riding, and it’s even better for people who still need to drive. Part of celebrating all kinds of bikes is recognizing genuine innovation in a wide range of bikes, including e-bikes and cargo bikes. Also, cargo e-bikes named Also are worth checking out.
This is after all the Velo best innovations of 2025. What’s more innovative than a cargo e-bike built on a cast magnesium monocoque frame with regenerative braking and pedal-by-wire? Maybe it needs a dual motor system with two frame sizes you can change between at any time? I could keep going here. There’s also something a little like a continuously variable transmission, instead of gears, and charging is USB-C charging with PD 3.1 fast charging that takes it 0–80% in 2 hours. It’ll charge your phone too.
The Also TM-B is an offshoot of Rivian and there’s serious bike cred behind it. More than any of the details though, this is a bike that envisions a different future. It’s not made for bike nerds. The Also TM-B is made for people who don’t care about bikes and just want a better way to get around the world. It happens to also be amazing for bike nerds and those of us who happily call ourselves exactly that are here to celebrate some serious innovation disguised as transportation. For more information check out the Also TM-B first ride review.
(Photo Josh Ross/Velo)
3D printed titanium aero bike
This is a category of bike vs a single product. J.Laverack Bicycles and No. 22 are the big names in this space but there are others. In each case the basic premise is about doing things differently and without compromise.
As long as aero bikes have been a thing, round tube metal bikes have been a compromise. You choose a carbon frame if you want the absolute fastest bike you can buy. You choose a metal bike if you want something more intangible that speaks to the heart. Over time the style has also shifted.
(Photo: J.Laverack)
Now there’s a new technology that allows a metal bike to incorporate aero technology. Additive manufacturing lets a designer get the feeling of a titanium bike and the performance of an aero bike. There’s another aspect of this though.
This is in the best innovation category because it’s the first time in history that this product category exists. That’s innovative. It also mixes ride feel and performance which is innovative. Let’s be honest though, a carbon aero bike is going to be a better performance solution. The other aspect of this nomination is that it’s fashion forward innovation. It’s interesting because it’s different and when it comes to fashion, that’s innovative.
(Photo Josh Ross/Velo)
Look Keo Blade Vision
I will often stand on a soapbox and yell at the sky about victim blaming and how it doesn’t matter what you do as a cyclist if drivers don’t look. And yet… I’m not opposed to adding a bit of safety. The two things are not mutually exclusive but it takes smart design and clever packaging to make that true.
Adding a light to a pedal makes sense. Studies show that organic movement is more noticeable by drivers and pedaling movement creates that. People still have to look but it’s the kind of thing that might make a difference. What’s new is that you no longer have to compromise to add pedals with lights.
The Look Keo Blade Vision (Ceramic Vision or Max Vision) are the first performance road pedals with a light. There’s been pedals with lights from RedShift but this time you get that light attached to a Look Keo performance pedal. There’s 40-hours of burn time and no interference with your shoe plus they only weigh 38 grams.
The Look Keo Blade Vision pedals make the list because they might save your life and they don’t require you to change your behavior at any point beyond the moment you choose to buy. This is exactly the kind of innovation I love to celebrate.