Pez fans, Gear Break is between tours. The Tour de France and the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift are both in the books, the yellow jerseys are folded away, and the peloton gets a breather before La Vuelta a España rolls out and the GC battles fire back up. It’s the perfect lull to catch up on the tech, apparel and recovery gear that’s piled up in the inbox these past few weeks. We’ve got a lot for you: Wahoo’s revamped training app, a travel-ready women’s short from Castelli, a heated massage gun from Bob & Brad, a new gravel tire compound from Maxxis, an anti-microbial bottle from Fabric, and Continental Tires taking a well-earned victory lap on its standout Tour de France Femmes campaign. Let’s get into the gear!
The Wahoo App
A New Chapter in Connected Training
Wahoo Fitness announced the latest evolution of its software platform this week. They’ve introduced a broader vision for a connected training ecosystem that brings together training insights, athlete intelligence and expanded running capabilities in one seamless experience.
This moment marks the next step in the evolution of Wahoo’s ecosystem. Wahoo aims to help athletes connect, understand and improve every aspect of their training. Supporting this evolution is a new three-tier subscription model for the Wahoo App, making it easier for athletes to access the features and insights that best suit their needs.
Expanding Beyond Hardware
Long recognized for its cycling hardware, Wahoo is building on its connected ecosystem with enhanced software to gives athletes a deeper insight into their physiology, performance and progress across cycling and running.
The Wahoo App has evolved significantly over the last 12 months. They have introduced new training insights, athlete intelligence features, running-specific tools and third-party integrations. Taken together, Wahoo has created a more connected training experience.
New Capabilities Across Cycling and Running
Wahoo has continued to invest in software powered by its proprietary sports science, developed over years of working with elite athletes and coaches. Combining technologies like Four-Dimensional Power (4DP), Three-Dimensional Pace (3DP), athlete profiling and advanced training analytics, the platform helps athletes better understand the relationship between training, recovery, and performance.
Developments include:
- The introduction of Three-Dimensional Pace (3DP), a profile that identifies three distinct speed-based performance metrics – Threshold Pace, Maximal Aerobic Pace, and
- Anaerobic Capacity – helping runners better understand their individual performance characteristics and training needs. Inspired by Wahoo’s cycling-specific Four-Dimensional Power (4DP) profiling system, which assesses an athlete’s strengths across four key power metrics, 3DP brings a similar personalised approach to understanding running performance.
- Compatibility expansion through a recent integration with COROS, creating a seamless, connected running experience across Wahoo and COROS platforms.
- Strength, yoga, mobility, recovery and mental training sessions through SYSTM, designed to complement endurance performance and support long-term progression.
A Simpler Way to Access the Wahoo Platform
Wahoo is introducing three subscription tiers that reflect different stages of an athlete’s training journey:
- Base Tier is included with compatible Wahoo hardware and provides the essential connected experience, allowing athletes to pair devices, sync activities and access their training data.
- Core Tier is designed for self-guided athletes seeking deeper insight into their training. For $4.99 USD / £4.99 GBP per month, or $49.99 USD / £49.99 GBP per year, subscribers gain access to advanced performance metrics and training insights that help explain how workouts influence fitness and progression, providing a more informed connected experience.
- Pro Tier is built for athletes looking for greater training guidance. For $17.99 USD / £14.99 GBP per month, or $179.99 USD / £149.99 GBP per year, it includes personalized workout recommendations, a comprehensive workout library and advanced tools that help athletes plan their training for a fully optimized connected experience.
Gareth Joyce, CEO of Wahoo, sez: “For years, Wahoo has helped endurance athletes train and perform through industry-leading connected fitness devices. As athletes’ needs have evolved, so have we. Today, the Wahoo App transforms complex sports science into simple, actionable insights that help athletes better understand their workouts, track their progress, and make more informed decisions about achieving their training goals. By bringing the same proprietary sports science trusted by elite athletes to the palm of every athlete’s hand, we’re making our connected devices even more intuitive and easier to use. This announcement marks an important step in our journey as we continue building a connected training experience that helps every athlete spend less time interpreting data and more time becoming the athlete they aspire to be.”
Castelli Movement Travel Short
Cycling Comfort Without the Lycra Look
The Castelli Movement Travel Short is aimed at women who want proper on-bike comfort without looking like they’re dressed for the start line every time they get off the bike. It’s essentially a cycling short and lightweight overshort combined into one piece, creating something equally suited to casual rides, bike touring, commuting and exploring a new town by bike.
Design and Specs
Underneath, Castelli uses its W Summer Travel seat pad. They designed this foam chamois to provide cushioning for coffee rides and recreational riding without the bulk of a race-oriented piece. Over that sits an ultralight stretch-woven taffeta shell. The outer short has a relaxed, mid-leg cut and enough stretch to move naturally on and off the bike. Two side pockets plus a zippered rear pocket add some genuinely useful storage. Castelli lists the complete short at just 187 grams, with a recommended temperature range of 15–35°C / 59–95°F and a regular fit.
What makes the Movement Travel Short interesting is that Castelli hasn’t simply put a baggy short over a conventional cycling liner. The whole package has been designed around the idea of moving easily between riding and everything that happens after the ride.
Smart use of silicone grippers eliminates the dreaded “sausage leg” effect
That’s particularly appealing for cycling travel. They’re the kind of shorts you could wear for a morning exploring back roads, a stop for lunch, a walk around town and then carrying on with the rest of the day without feeling — or looking — like you’re still in full cycling kit.
Side pockets are ideal for phone storage
The trade-off is that this isn’t intended to replace Castelli’s performance bib shorts for long, fast road rides. The more casual cut and lower-bulk Travel seat pad prioritize versatility over maximum support and aerodynamic performance. Castelli itself describes the short as being for riders who value comfort and style over outright speed.
Zippered rear pocket for credit cards and keys
At US$210 / CAD$249, they’re also a premium proposition. But you’re effectively getting an integrated padded cycling short and technical overshort in a very light package rather than having to buy and wear two separate pieces.
PEZ Take
The Movement Travel Short fills a useful gap between traditional Lycra cycling shorts and casual clothing. It’s probably overkill if your rides always start and finish at your front door, but for cycling holidays, touring, commuting, e-biking or any ride where the bike is part of the day rather than the whole day, the concept makes a lot of sense.
The understated styling is the attraction: proper cycling functionality when you’re on the bike, normal-looking shorts when you’re not.
Weight: 187g
Fit: Regular
Temperature range: 15–35°C / 59–95°F
Seat pad: W Summer Travel
Storage: Two side pockets + zippered rear pocket
Colors: Black, Deep Bordeaux, Silver moon
Canadian MSRP: US$ 210/ CAD$249
Castelli Movement Travel Short — product details
Bob & Brad Q2 Ultra
Heat Meets Mini Massage
The Bob & Brad Q2 Ultra Massage Gun takes the company’s compact Q2 platform and adds an infrared heating head, combining percussion massage with warmth in a device small enough to travel easily.
At just 0.95 lb / 430g, the Q2 Ultra is genuinely compact, but still offers five speeds from 1,800–3,000 percussions per minute and 7mm of amplitude. The brushless motor operates as quietly as 40dB, while USB-C fast charging can recharge the unit in a claimed 1.5–2 hours.
The distinguishing feature is the infrared heating massage head, designed to add penetrating warmth while you’re using the percussion function. For cyclists, that makes it particularly interesting for warming up or working on tired quads, hamstrings and calves after a ride. I can attest that heated head really warms a up nicely.
PEZ Take
The Q2 Ultra isn’t intended to compete with a big, high-amplitude massage gun for maximum deep-tissue power. Its 7mm amplitude makes this more about portability, convenience and regular use.
And that’s where it makes the most sense for cyclists. At less than a pound, it’s easy to throw into a race bag, suitcase or car without wondering whether it’s worth bringing along. The heated infrared head adds a useful extra dimension and helps distinguish it from the dozens of conventional mini massage guns now on the market.
Rich sez: “I particularly like the combination of small size, quiet operation, USB-C charging and heat. It makes the Q2 Ultra the sort of recovery tool you’re more likely to actually have with you when you want it.”
The current listed price is US$99.99, putting it below Bob & Brad’s Q2 Pro while offering a different proposition: the Q2 Pro concentrates on hot-and-cold therapy, while the Q2 Ultra focuses on percussion plus infrared heat.
Weight: 0.95 lb / 430g
Amplitude: 7mm
Speeds: 5 — 1,800–3,000 PPM
Noise: As low as 40dB
Charging: 15W USB-C PD
Charge time: 1.5–2 hours
Special feature: Infrared heating massage head
Price: US$109.99
- Buy the Bob & Brad Q2 Ultra Massage Gun with this link and PEZ receives a small commission.
Maxxis HYPR-X Gravel Compound
Two great compounds walk into a gravel tire…
Maxxis has never been shy about raiding its own back catalog when it finds something worth stealing. Meet HYPR-X, Maxxis’ new gravel rubber compound. It merges their HYPR road compound with the MaxxSpeed mountain bike formula.
The lineup includes Receptor, Reaver, Rambler, and Ravager tires. These range from 700x38C to 700x50C. Maxxis claims 19% better cornering traction and 25% lower rolling resistance. The tires also feature a stronger 120 TPI nylon casing and EXO sidewall protection. The entire range is tubeless-ready.
One compound, four treads
Here’s how the four tire models break down, from fastest for “smoother” surfaces to grabbiest for the gnarliest:
Receptor – built for pavement and hardpack
- Optimized for: pavement/asphalt, hardpack dirt roads, light gravel – Maxxis’ semi-slick, road-leaning option
- Width: 700x40C
- Diameter: 700c (622 ETRTO)
- Weight: ~435-445g (folding, HYPR-X/EXO/TR)
Reaver – the race tire
- Optimized for: pavement, dirt roads and gravel where speed is the priority – Maxxis’ “go-to” gravel racing tire
- Widths: 700x40C, 700x45C, 700x50C
- Diameter: 700c (622 ETRTO)
- Weight: ~430g (40C) to ~510g (45C), folding, HYPR-X/EXO/TR
Rambler – the all-rounder
- Optimized for: mixed surfaces – pavement to hardpack to looser gravel – the do-it-all option in the lineup
- Widths: 700x40C, 700x45C, 700x50C
- Diameter: 700c (622 ETRTO)
- Weight: ~485g (40C) to ~554g (45C), folding, HYPR-X/EXO/TR
Ravager – the control tire
- Optimized for: deep, loose gravel and mud – the widest-tread option for maximum traction
- Widths: 700x40C, 700x45C, up to 700x50C
- Diameter: 700c (622 ETRTO)
- Weight: ~500-545g depending on width, folding, HYPR-X/EXO/TR
Pricing & Availability
All four HYPR-X tires share the same MSRP: $72 / €59.90 / £54.99 per tire. Receptor, Reaver and Rambler are available now. The Ravager – the widest, deepest-tread option of the bunch – is the last to roll into HYPR-X trim. Head to Maxxis.com or your local dealer for exact size availability.
Fabric Gripper V2
Biodefense for your bidons
Fabric continues its return to innovative product development with the introduction of the Gripper V2. The launch marks the brand’s first water bottle featuring permanent anti-microbial protection.
The Gripper V2 retains the ergonomic features that made its predecessor a favourite among cyclists. An integrated, dotted texture around the neck of the bottle ensures easy, secure handling in all weather conditions. Combined with a soft, squeezable, BPA-free body and a high-flow silicone valve, the bottle delivers rapid, drip-free hydration when riders need it most.
For the first time the Gripper V2 now features a permanent anti-microbial agent within the material that helps keep the bottle completely smell and taste free throughout its life. Keeping your water tasting like water with no nasty surprises.
Designed to last, instead of painted graphics that only last a handful of rides, the Gripper V2 introduces a Fabric logo embossed directly into the surface. As the bottle sustains natural wear, the scratch free logo stands out with greater contrast.
Florian Bont, Brand Manager, Fabric sez: “With the Gripper V2, we wanted to solve the two biggest complaints riders have with water bottles. Unpleasant taste and smell that builds up over time and ugly, peeling graphics. By embedding both the anti-microbial agent and logo directly into the bottle, we’ve created a product that tastes fresh and looks sharp for years.”
Pricing & Availability
The Gripper V2 is available now in both 600ml and 750ml versions across six distinct colorways. Riders can choose from five nature-inspired colours: Smoke, Desert, Crimson, Moss, and Lake, as well as a classic transparent option.
- Fabric Gripper V2 650ml £11.99 / €11.90 / $12.00
- Fabric Gripper V2 750ml £14.99 / €13.90 / $14.00
For all the details on the new Gripper V2, head over to fabric.cc. Availability outside the UK is limited at press time.
Continental Tires at Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift
Two stage wins, and four days en jaune
Continental Tires marks an exceptional campaign at the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift, defined by solo triumphs, time trial dominance, and the final spot on the General Classification podium. Continental teams proved themselves across nine days of racing. Equipped with a combination of Grand Prix 5000 TT TR and Aero 111 tires, they tackled every terrain with aerodynamic efficiency and control.
Stage wins
The race featured several defining moments for Continental-backed athletes, including Sigrid Ytterhus Haugset’s (Uno-X Mobility) stage three triumph. The Norwegian put on a masterclass in endurance. She spent 88.5km riding alone at the head of the race – the longest solo breakaway in the race’s history. The gamble paid off. When she crossed the line, she claimed the iconic yellow jersey with an overall lead of one minute and 24 seconds.
Casper Von Folsach, Performance Coach, Uno-X Mobility, sez: “Sigrid’s Stage 3 victory at the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift was an incredible result for the team. We had reconned the stage with her and some of our other riders beforehand and refined her equipment setup. The Aero 111 (29mm front paired with a 30mm GP5000 S TR rear) was our chosen solution for the stage, balancing puncture protection and rolling resistance on roads that were in relatively poor condition. Alongside its excellent grip, the setup offered optimal aerodynamic performance, improving both speed and handling, and proved to be an ideal choice for a long-range attack in windy conditions.”
Grabbing Yellow
The momentum continued into Stage 4, where Marlen Reusser (Movistar Team) showed her Time Trial dominance. She powered through the course in Dijon and taking the race lead from Sigrid by just 14 seconds. Reusser held the maillot jaune for three stages and played a defining role in the early GC battle.
Elisa Longo Borghini (UAE Team L’IMAD) delivered a consistent performance across all nine stages to secure third place overall, earning a place on the final podium and contributing to securing the UAE Team L’IMAD’s team classification victory.
Continental’s TdFF campaign spanned the two stage wins and six stage podiums across the nine stages. Conti dominantly rolled with stand-out performances spanning sprint finishes, Time Trials, mountain tops and long-range attacks. It also claimed the Team Classification and podiums in the Youth and General Classifications. Victories include:
- Stage 3 – Sigrid Ytterhus Haugset, Uno-X Mobility
- Stage 4 (ITT) – Marlen Reusser, Movistar Team
- Team classification – UAE Team L’IMAD
Note: If you have other experiences with gear or something to add, drop us a line. We don’t claim to know everything (we just imply it at times). Give us a pat on the back if you like the reviews. Or, call us out if you feel the need!
PezCycling News and the author ask that you consult the manufacturers if you have any questions about the products you see here. Only the manufacturer can provide accurate and complete information on proper/safe use, handling, maintenance, and or installation of products as well as any conditional information or product limitations.
The post Gear Break: Between Tours – Wahoo App, Castelli Movement short, Bob & Brad Q2 Ultra, Maxxis HYPR-X, Fabric Gripper V2, Continental at TDFF appeared first on PezCycling News.
