· about 3 minutes · Issue 010
Elite's Square takes on the Zwift Ride. Bianchi has until May to fix €100m of debt.
Friday's brief: Elite's smart frame gets a long-term review, Bianchi enters a debt restructuring, and Zwift turns an awkward video moment into a sprint.
🏠 Indoor
Elite Square: the Zwift Ride's main rival, reviewed (€1,049.99, frame only)
Cyclingnews has ridden Elite's indoor smart frame for over a year. It is steel, belt-driven and uses virtual shifting you can set up as 1x, 2x or 3x, and unlike the Zwift Ride it isn't tied to Zwift. The catch: you still need a compatible smart trainer, and at 23 kg it's a two-person job to move.
Source: Cyclingnews
📱 Tech
Zwift's new video route gets a "When You Gotta Go!" sprint
A rider spotted someone answering nature's call at the roadside in Zwift's new real-world Colorado Sunrise video, part of the new Zwift Plus tier. Zwift can't edit the footage, so it patched in barricades in front of the spot and named the sprint segment there "When You Gotta Go!"
Source: Bikerumor
🔧 Gear
Redshift Mousetrap now fits road pedals ($59.99)
Redshift's tool-free flat-pedal adapters now come in SPD-SL and LOOK Keo versions, so you can ride a road bike in normal shoes without swapping pedals. The SPD-SL one also fits Garmin and Favero power pedals. Bikerumor weighed it at 168 g a pair; it's $44.99 in Redshift's early Black Friday sale.
Source: Bikerumor
Bianchi has until May 2027 to renegotiate its debts
The Italian brand owed over €100m in its latest full accounts, €64.3m of it to banks, per Escape Collective. It has entered a voluntary Italian restructuring process that runs to 28 May 2027 at the latest, or it may face insolvency. Its Bahrain Victorious sponsorship ended last week after one year.
Source: Cycling Weekly
Look 795 Blade RS: aero and still a joy to ride
Cyclingnews calls Look's new race bike "very, very good": much more aero than before and up with the best all-rounders, at 6.95 kg measured. The catch is a low front end, and only the Scope wheel option impressed.
Source: Cyclingnews
🏁 Racing
Biggest races this weekend
Nothing qualifies again. The road season is over, and the UCI Gravel World Series is resting until Dustman in Thailand on Sat 14 Nov, with The Gravel of Marathon in Greece the next day. Next week finally has something on the calendar. This weekend, the best race available is you against the coffee stop.
💰 Deals
Checked on each shop's own page on 5 Nov. Prices move.
- Elite Rivo with Zwift Cog & Click: €399.99 (RRP €499.99) at Bike-Discount, Germany, ships across the EU. Cheap way into a smart trainer before winter.
- Hammerhead Karoo 3: €341.95 (RRP €500) at Rose Bikes, EU. Mount included. Still the low price.
- Garmin Edge 840 Solar: €359.90 (RRP €549.99) at Probikeshop, France, ships across the EU. Gets some Edge 1060 features.
Not sure which trainer fits your budget? See our smart trainers by price guide.
That's Friday. Tuesday brings gear and deals.
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