· about 3 minutes · Issue 001
Shimano changes the road cleat. Old Dura-Ace gets cheap.
No affiliate earnings on this issue, no sponsors. We earn nothing if you buy. Welcome to the first real Pedal Brief. Shimano changed the road cleat, the outgoing Dura-Ace got cheap, and the GP5000 is on a real sale.
🔧 Gear
Shimano SPD-SLR: the first new road cleat since 2003 (Dura-Ace pedals $300 / £199.99)
New Dura-Ace PD-R9300 and Ultegra PD-R8200 pedals use a new cleat with 2.3 mm less stack and a quicker, shallower clip-in. The catch: old SPD-SL cleats don't fit the new pedals, so switching means new cleats for every pair of shoes (which cleat fits which pedal). Worth it if you need pedals and shoes anyway. Not a reason to re-cleat a working setup.
Source: Bikerumor
Moots Routt: one titanium frame, 57 mm tires (frameset $5,499)
Moots merged the Routt 45, CRD and RSL into one frame with calmer geometry, UDH dropouts and room for 57 mm tires. Electronic shifting only, and builds start at $9,999. A decade bike, if you're done with cables.
Source: Velo
Castelli Perfetto 4 and Perfetto Pro (from €260 / $330 / £280)
Both jackets move to Polartec AirCore fabric and go PFAS-free. The Perfetto 4 is the warmer one, rated 4 to 12°C. The Pro is the lighter race version for 6 to 14°C at €280 / $350 / £300.
Source: Bikerumor
💰 Deals
Checked on each shop's own page on 28 Sep. Prices move.
- Shimano Dura-Ace R9270 Di2 groupset, 175 mm 50/34: £1,625 (RRP £3,579) at Sigma Sports, UK, EU/US shipping and import extra. No BB or Di2 cables included. Outgoing generation, same shifting.
- Michelin Power Cup TLR, 700x28, 30 or 32: £42.95 per tire (RRP £70) at Merlin Cycles, UK, pre-order. US buyers pay import duty. Cyclingnews' best budget road tire.
- Continental GP5000 S TR: $99.95 to $101.69 (MSRP $114.95 to $116.95) at BikeTiresDirect, US. About 13% off, sale ends Thursday. Last week it was 6%, which we'd have called not a deal. This one is.
New tires? Get a starting pressure from our tire pressure calculator.
📱 Tech
Next Dura-Ace spotted again (13-speed, per Cyclingnews)
Mathieu van der Poel rode the Montréal Worlds circuit with parts of the unreleased groupset: new shifters with extra inside buttons and what looks like a still-wired rear derailleur. Shimano isn't commenting, and a launch is expected next year. That's why current Dura-Ace is suddenly cheap.
Source: Cyclingnews
Moon Argus: a radar-style rear light without the app (£69.99)
Shown at the UK's CIN show: vehicle detection, a brake light and a loud beep when something approaches. No Bluetooth, no app, no head unit needed. Garmin's Varia RearVue 820 costs £250+, but nobody has tested the Argus yet.
Source: road.cc
🏠 Indoor
Zwift Ride V2 + KICKR CORE 2: reference price ($999.99 / €999.99 / £899.99)
Sale was $999.99 / €999.99 / £899.99, down from $1,299.99 / €1,199.99 / £1,099.99. Banner said it ended 28 Sep; US store still showed $999.99 that evening. Reference only, for later "Black Friday" numbers.
Source: Zwift Insider
That's 001. Friday brings tech and indoor, just as the weather turns.
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