{"id":337029,"date":"2025-12-26T19:17:13","date_gmt":"2025-12-26T19:17:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/337029\/"},"modified":"2025-12-26T19:17:13","modified_gmt":"2025-12-26T19:17:13","slug":"the-7-biggest-cycling-tech-stories-of-2025-from-the-ucis-rulebook-changes-to-a-divisive-gravel-bike","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/337029\/","title":{"rendered":"The 7 biggest cycling tech stories of 2025 \u2013 from the UCI\u2019s rulebook changes to a divisive gravel bike"},"content":{"rendered":"

Every year, bike tech takes a step forward in some way \u2013 and 2025 was no different. New bikes came down the launch conveyor belt and there was hot pro tech aplenty at the major races, alongside many smaller stories throughout the year that caught our eye.<\/p>\n

It also wouldn\u2019t be a year in cycling tech without controversy and polarising opinions.<\/p>\n

The UCI\u2019s rulemakers have been at it again; hookless technology continued to be a talking point and a divisive bike design or two came along that may yet prove to be the future.<\/p>\n

So grab a drink and settle in: these were the biggest tech stories of 2025.<\/p>\n

Poga\u010dar\u2019s race bikes
\n\"TadejWhat Tadej Poga\u010dar saw in 2025, he generally conquered. Tim de Waele \/ Getty Images <\/p>\n

Whenever Tadej Poga\u010dar raced, everyone wanted to know what he was riding. This came to a head at the Tour de France, where he had the option of using Colnago\u2019s very new V5Rs<\/a> lightweight race bike or its Y1Rs<\/a> aero bike.<\/p>\n

Despite being launched in December last year, Poga\u010dar hardly used the Y1Rs until his win at the Tour of Flanders, where even the Slovenian eventually gave way to the inevitable performance charms of aerodynamics.<\/p>\n

In the end, he used exclusively the Y1Rs during the Tour, and even a special lightweight version<\/a> for the stage 13 uphill time trial to Peyragudes, and he has since largely remained on the aero bike. That bike sold for $190,500 at auction, which speaks volumes about how he\u2019s captured the public interest.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Naturally, his CarbonTi chainrings and custom bells and whistles drew attention, but is anyone really in any doubt whether the rider or the bike was the real hero?<\/p>\n

It\u2019s Tadej\u2019s world now and we\u2019re just living in it.<\/p>\n

Shimano changes its age-old cleat design
\n\"ShimanoThe Shimano CL-MT001 cleat represents a first major design revision of the SPD cleat in 30 years. Shimano<\/p>\n

The Shimano SPD pedal system is one of the most influential pieces of cycling tech ever, and the Japanese brand only went and updated it<\/a> in 2025 after nearly 30 years of uninterrupted production.<\/p>\n

Enter the CL-MT001 cleat, one of the more sterile names for a product in all of cycling, you must admit.<\/p>\n

Shimano says the CL-MT001 makes clipping in easier. Where previously you needed to enter the pedal mechanism by the front edge (essentially, in one direction), the new cleat features a modified leading edge, enabling riders to enter via the front, rear or by pushing straight down.<\/p>\n

\"SM-SH51There’s not a lot to differentiate the cleats at a glance, but the new cleat (pictured bottom) features a clearly modified leading edge. Scott Windsor \/ Our Media<\/p>\n

For many, this all but eliminates clip-in anxiety \u2013 the rush to put your foot in the right position before you try to connect to the pedal \u2013 and in theory will prove far more forgiving to those who sometimes struggle with accurate cleat-pedal spotting.<\/p>\n

Of course, Shimano could have chosen to make the new cleats bespoke to a new generation of pedals, but instead opted to make the CL-MT001 backwards-compatible with its pre-existing SPD-based pedals.<\/p>\n

In short, you don\u2019t need to spend more than the \u00a319.99 \/ $20 \/ \u20ac22.99 asking price to upgrade and experience the benefits of the new design.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s the kind of news we like to hear.<\/p>\n

The Trek Checkout split the crowd, but could be a sign of things to come
\n\"TrekProgressive or an abomination? You’ve been vocal on your opinions of Trek’s most adventurous gravel bike. Nils Laengner <\/p>\n

When the Trek Checkout unofficially broke cover in June<\/a>, it polarised opinion thanks to the gravel bike\u2019s full-suspension design.<\/p>\n

On the one hand, the trend for full-suspension gravel riding is one that has (slowly) gained pace over the past few years, and Trek\u2019s approach showed how far that tech development has come without straying fully into cross-country mountain bike<\/a> territory.<\/p>\n

In theory, this kind of gnarly gravel bike could be perfect for that cross-over terrain, where a rigid or front-suspended gravel bike just won\u2019t cut the mustard, but a hardtail or full-sus MTB would prove to be too slow.<\/p>\n

\"CheckoutThe new Checkout certainly has a whiff of the ’90s mountain bike about it. Dylan Remis \/ Trek bikes<\/p>\n

On the other hand, detractors filled the comments section on our coverage of the bike. The soon-to-be-called Checkout was whimsically heralded the ‘CheckBounced’ in one of the funniest comments we read in 2025, a reference to the industry\u2019s struggles in recent times.<\/p>\n

And, when the Checkout officially launched in September<\/a> with an explanation that the suspended design aimed to reduce the need to get out of the saddle, thereby helping the rider save energy over long endurance events, it still garnered a mixed response from a tough crowd.<\/p>\n

\"CheckOUTThe full-suspension design is said to make it Trek’s most capable gravel bike on tough terrain. Dylan Remis \/ Trek bikes<\/p>\n

That said, life would be boring if some things weren\u2019t different. As \u2018Joe Totale\u2019 commented: \u201cTo my eyes it looks hideous but I’ll give Trek kudos for trying something different instead of releasing another bike that looks the same as the competition.\u201d<\/p>\n

Time will tell if the Checkout proves to be a sign of things to come or a failed experiment.<\/p>\n

The UCI\u2019s latest shenanigans
\n\"\"Handlebar width was an even hotter topic of conversation than usual in 2025, thanks, chiefly, to the UCI. Simon von Bromley \/ Our Media<\/p>\n

The UCI made its voice heard in 2025, and was frequently met with widespread outcry.<\/p>\n

In June, it announced sweeping changes to its bike regulations<\/a> that would take effect from 1 January 2026. These specified:<\/p>\n

That handlebars had to measure 400mm (outside-to-outside) in all UCI-sanctioned races
\nThe distance between the brake hoods had to be a minimum of 320mm
\nRims had to be 65mm deep or less
\nNew fork-width limits
\nNew regulations on helmets
\nAn expansion of its remit to investigate \u2018technological doping\u2019<\/p>\n

\"FactorFactor says it designed the One with the latest fork-width regulations in mind. Factor<\/p>\n

While the fork-width regulations will have had some designers rushing back to the drawing board and the helmet regulations were vague, the handlebar limits drew most criticism<\/a>. At the time of the initial announcement, one source suggested the UCI had ignored all the advice offered by stakeholders, and another called it discriminatory to women and smaller riders<\/a>.<\/p>\n

In the end, the furore surrounding the handlebar-width limits prompted a U-turn from the UCI<\/a>, with the proposed changes relaxed. The between-hood measurement will now stand at 280mm (40mm narrower than first announced), with a 65mm maximum-flare figure introduced.<\/p>\n

UCI shenanigans, part 2
\n\"WoutWout van Aert’s Tour de France setup would have been illegal at the Tour of Guangxi, had the UCI’s proposed test gone ahead. Ashley Quinlan \/ Our Media<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, the UCI also proposed a trial on maximum gear ratios<\/a> at the Tour of Guangxi, in a bid to improve rider safety.<\/p>\n

This effectively disadvantaged SRAM-sponsored teams, which rely on the brand\u2019s 10t sprockets. When combined with the brand\u2019s native chainrings, this led to overgeared (and illegal) setups, forcing riders to be undergeared with the equipment available.<\/p>\n

SRAM CEO Ken Lousberg claimed that the brand had \u201ctried to engage the UCI\u2026 in good faith, [its] concerns went unheard\u201d, prompting the legal action. SRAM took the matter to the Belgian Competition Authority (BCA), centred around its claim that the test was unfair.<\/p>\n

In the end, the BCA ordered the UCI to suspend its test<\/a>, citing a lack of transparency for the process, and highlighting the potential for SRAM to be unfairly disadvantaged by the test.<\/p>\n

\"SRAMSRAM argued successfully that the test would have disadvantaged its sponsored teams and riders, and has suggested that damage has already been done to the brand. Simon von Bromley \/ Our Media<\/p>\n

But this story isn\u2019t over. The UCI lodged an appeal and asserted that it “deeply regrets that riders\u2019 safety does not appear to be a shared objective with those who challenged the implementation”.<\/p>\n

We’ll wait to see how this unfolds in 2026.<\/p>\n

Shimano finally goes wireless \u2013 will road groupsets follow?
\n\"ShimanoSatellite batteries on the latest GRX rear derailleurs are the surest sign of Shimano’s development direction. Tyler Roemer \/ Shimano<\/p>\n

Shimano has long resisted the temptation to copy SRAM and go fully wireless with its road groupsets, but that looks set to change sooner than later following the launch of its wireless GRX Di2 RX827 rear derailleur<\/a> in June.<\/p>\n

Given the \u2018groupset\u2019 is effectively formed of this rear derailleur and new wireless left-only Di2 shifter, with other components borrowing from the brand\u2019s pre-existing groupset variations, the launch wasn\u2019t the bells-and-whistles event we\u2019ve been accustomed to in recent years \u2013 but it was as sure a sign of things to come as it\u2019s possible to get.<\/p>\n

This sense was confirmed when Shimano launched a SRAM Rival-rivalling RX717 rear derailleur and lever set<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The staged launches also reveal a new cross-compatibility protocol from Shimano. This means you can mix and match certain components with the new parts. For example, levers from 12-speed Dura-Ace, Ultegra and 105 Di2 groupsets will work with the latest GRX gravel derailleurs.<\/p>\n

\"GRXThe RX827 and RX717 rear derailleurs can pair to any of Shimano’s wireless levers, too. Shimano<\/p>\n

I think this might herald some clues as to what we\u2019ll see with Shimano\u2019s next flagship Dura-Ace R9300 groupset<\/a>, such as a fully wireless design and its own hanger to rival SRAM\u2019s UDH<\/a>, and am excited to see what\u2019s to come.<\/p>\n

Campagnolo heralds a new beginning, but has troubles at home
\n\"SimonCampagnolo made headlines for a mix of reasons in 2025. Eloise Mavian \/ Tornanti.cc<\/p>\n

Campagnolo has had a mixed year. On the tech side, many rejoiced when it launched Super Record 13, heralding what could be the start of a new ecosystem of groupsets.<\/p>\n

Simon von Bromley was impressed by the road-going 2x groupset he tested, and felt that Campagnolo could finally be a tech force to be reckoned with once again.<\/p>\n

Of course, this must be set in the context of the Italian brand\u2019s recent woes. In November, it was revealed that 100 jobs are at risk of redundancy as the storied Italian brand seeks to consolidate its business and make efficiencies.<\/p>\n

\"CampagnoloThe Super Record 13 groupset is a positive highlight of the tech year, and we’re looking forward to 2026. Campagnolo<\/p>\n

Alongside this, we\u2019re assured that Campagnolo is still developing more mid-range groupset offerings, which is a positive sign, but the brand isn\u2019t out of the woods yet.<\/p>\n

Whatever 2026 holds, we\u2019re hoping for more positive news and tech interest from one of cycling\u2019s most legendary brands.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Every year, bike tech takes a step forward in some way \u2013 and 2025 was no different. New…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":337030,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[37],"tags":[4985,101,56,54,55],"class_list":["post-337029","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-cycling","tag-cycling","tag-sports","tag-uk","tag-united-kingdom","tag-unitedkingdom"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/337029","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=337029"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/337029\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/337030"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=337029"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=337029"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=337029"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}