This Week in Tech: Vittoria Aero Tires, a Value Gravel Bike with Huge Tire Clearance, and Pas Normal Updates Its Kits

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There are always new bike bits, bobs, products, and gear to share. This week in tech news comes all over the spectrum of bikes. Perhaps the most intriguing update comes from State’s new carbon gravel bike with massive tire clearance. If you’re into e-bike tech, Clip’s new Bolt motor clips onto the fork of a standard bike (which we’re deeply skeptical of, by the way). Pas Normal Studios has an array of new colors for 2025.

Alongside those announcements is a new gravel race tire and matching wheels from Teravail. Roka’s dropped a pair of attractive-looking San Remo glasses. MyWhoosh added a slew of new features to its free virtual cycling platform, including virtual shifting.

Skratch goes for grape flavored energy chews. Google adds Loss of Pulse Detection to its Pixel watches. And the Bike Tailor will tailor your next bike trip with a custom-made bicycle.

In no particular order, here’s what’s new this week in tech.

The second-generation State Carbon All-Road gets massive tire clearance

As much as we were intrigued by the first generation State Bicycle Co. Carbon All-Road, we felt it had some weaknesses that undermined the value the bike represented. This second generation of the Carbon All-Road, however, feels a whole lot more intriguing: SRAM UDH compatibility, a T47 threaded bottom bracket, integrated frame storage, and perhaps most interestingly, 700c x 56 mm tire clearance.

State says its geometry has been completely overhauled, as have its State-branded Sensah groupset and build kit options. Stay tuned for a review of the Carbon All-Road in the coming months, as we think the value for money proposition could be hard to beat.

Just how good is that value proposition? Pricing starts at $1,299.99 for the frameset and $2,299.99 for complete builds. Find more on statebicycle.com. -AH

Pas Normal Studios updates the Mechanism Pro collection

The Pas Normal Mechanism collection is the brand’s race cut collection of products designed for riding hard. It’s said to match “an aggressive position on the bike” and is “optimally suited to fast-paced training, intervals and racing.” It’s also a few years old and Pas Normal has gone a step farther with the Mechanism Pro collection.

Mechanism Pro launched two years ago with less color options and the sizing runs even smaller. Now it’s time for an update. The bibs are getting updated straps to add “extra stretch and breathability” as well as a new design at the front with a higher rise and a switch in fabrics. The chamois will get “zigzag in-seam chamois stitching” to minimize “friction between the seam and saddle” and provide higher durability.

The jersey will also see changes. Both men’s and women’s will now “feature a low-cut collar to reduce chafing and improve the comfort of the jersey.” This will come alongside aero benefits plus an added side pocket with zipper.

The final updates are the Stow Away Jacket/Gilet and Pertex Rain Jacket changing to PFC-free C0 material and new colors. As before the Mechanism Pro collection uses the full PAS Normal name rather than the shortened logo.

Visit the Pas Normal website for more information. –JR

Vittoria releases new aero-optimized Vittoria Corsa Wide tires

Remember how we spotted Visma-Lease a Bike using a set of Vittoria Corsa Pro Wide tires at the Tour de France? Well, they’re finally released, and there are two versions of the tire: the Corsa Pro Wide, and the Corsa N.EXT Wide for folks who prefer vulcanized casing to a cotton casing. Both tires are available in just one 29 mm width, and are aerodynamically optimized to work with 25 mm internal rim width, the minimum tire width for said rim according to ETRTO.

Why use this over a standard Vittoria Corsa tire? With the right rim, Vittoria claims up to a 5-watt savings, although that’s at a somewhat shocking 55 kph (34 miles per hour). We never said the savings weren’t marginal.

Vittoria Corsa Pro Wide tires are available now for $106.99, while Corsa Next Wide tires are available for $91.99. Find more at vittoria.com. -AH

Teravail adds a new high-speed gravel tire, a new carbon rim, and matching tubeless valves

Teravail just dropped three new products: one a go-fast gravel tire, one a carbon gravel rim, and another a tubeless valve. The Teravail Updraft gets a fairly blockly file tread with pronounced knobs on the side for some added grip. Better still, Teravail offers the tires in 700c x 35, 40, 45, and 50 mm with a choice of Light & Supple or Durable casings.

Next up is the Tervail Circos, a lightweight, low-profile carbon rim that offers a 25 mm internal rim width and a hookless profile. Teravail offers it in a rim-only and a complete wheelset build. Accentuating the rims is a new tubeless valve that offers an integrated valve core tool.

Find more about the tires, rims, and new tubeless values at teravail.com. -AH

Skratch Labs Energy Chews Sport Fuel adds grape

For me what works best to get calories in is to put them in my drink. The only problem with that is if the ride gets long enough then you need variation. I like to carry a few different types of mouth-feel foods with me so I can switch when I need to. One of the options that almost always sits in my jersey pockets are Skratch labs Energy Chews and now Grape is in the flavor rotation.

This is hardly groundbreaking stuff but if this is something you use, a new flavor is welcome news. The new grape adds to the existing raspberry, orange, sour cherry (with caffeine), and lemon + green tea priced at $2.75 per pouch or $26.95 for a 10-pack. More information is available on the Skratch website. –JR

Roka drops new San Remo Air sunglasses

Austin-based Roka has dropped a new set of glasses called the Roka San Remo Air. Roka says it “bridges the gap between its existing sport shield glasses and lifestyle frames,” and I honestly agree. They have a vaguely aviator-like look that I find quite appealing. Atop the lens you get a trio of air vents, Roka’s C3 lens tech, and importantly, an impressive 25 gram weight.

Along with that, Roka offers the glasses in 10 colorways, with one of them coming in a photochromic lens. Find them for $200 to 220 on roka.com. -AH

MyWhoosh 4.0 adds MyShift, its version of Zwift’s Virtual Shifting

Zwift introduced its Virtual Shifting feature in October 2023. It has taken a year and a half for Rouvy to engineer virtual shifting using Zwift’s hardware, and now it looks like MyWhoosh has done the same. MyWhoosh promises 30 virtual gears “through the MyWhoosh Link app.” Also available is in-app custom route creation using an existing .gpx file, expanded trainer compatibility and functionality with speed sensors used on classic trainers, more garage items, and more.

Honestly, it’s a fairly impressive update and one that we’re excited to dig into. That said, we doubt that virtual shifting is all that useful if you need to use an app to access it; unlike Rouvy, MyWhoosh’s virtual shifting is not compatible with Zwift Click buttons. These updates are no charge, just like the rest of the MyWhoosh app. Find more at mywhoosh.com. -AH

Pixel watch 3 loss of pulse detection

For years I’ve been exploring what smart watches from both Apple and Google can do for cyclists. How much data can you get for each one to help with training and how do they compare with Garmin or Coros?

So far I haven’t found quite the right article to include that but the watches both have compelling features. One of those features are various emergency heart health notifications. I explored a number of stories where cyclists found serious issues because an Apple watch alerted them. So far Google hasn’t been able to match that. Now Google is adding a feature that Apple doesn’t have with a “Loss of Pulse Detection.”

This seems primarily aimed at detecting a heart attack then calling emergency services and that seems useful to me. If it sounds interesting to you as well, this is an FDA approved feature and after no pulse is detected “Pixel Watch 3 activates additional sensors’ signals to identify any pulse or motion. If no signs of pulse or motion are detected, it begins an initial check-in to see if you’re ok. If you don’t respond, it will start to play a loud sound and escalate to a countdown. Then, a call to emergency services is automatically placed on an LTE smartwatch or connected smartphone.”

The Google Pixel 3 is $349 and you can find more information at the Pixel Watch Website. –JR

Clip Bolt ebike conversion product

It seems wasteful to leave behind an old and favorite bike only because that’s what it takes to get some power assist. The idea of converting an older bike into an ebike is an attractive idea for a lot of people and there are companies who make it possible.

One of the simpler ways of doing this is with some kind of wheel that rolls against the tire. You can find options for this that hang off the seat post and engage the rear wheel and now there’s a new option for the front wheel.

It’s hard to tell if this is a good idea or a disaster, and only having prototype images supplied doesn’t add confidence, but it does solve some problems. The Clip Bolt, if it works, appears to be easy to carry with you and relatively inexpensive. It’s also not a crowd-funding project, so maybe it will actually show up?

Check out the Clip website for more information. –JR

The Bike Tailor

Much of what makes a bike special is the experience a rider associates with it. The memories of how it came to the owner and the places it has taken that rider. The Bike Tailor is taking that to the extreme.

First you pick a builder between either Braum or Festka. Then you fly to Girona and enjoy a luxury cycling vacation. During the time there you get to ride with Irish ex-pro Nico Roche and receive a comprehensive bike fit as well as talk through your build decisions. Once done you head home and the builder of choice fast tracks your bike including a paint job that’s unique to the program.

Pricing is, as expected, not cheap with the Baum option running £21000 and the Festka £19000. More information available at The Bike Tailor website. –JR