• Nicole Hanselmann sped off in a women's cycling event on Saturday, and almost caught up with the men who had set-off 10 minutes earlier.
• Hanselmann said she almost saw the back of the men's peloton, which is a cycling term for the main field of an event, and so officials forced Hanselmann — and the rest of the women — to wait.
• The wait was for safety reasons as Hanselmann could have ended up in the middle of the support vehicles that were following the men's peloton.
• Hanselmann was allowed a head-start when racing eventually resumed in the women's event, but she lost her momentum and finished in 74th place.

A women's cycling event in Belgium had to be momentarily paused as the leading rider almost caught-up with men who had set-off 10-minutes earlier.

Nicole Hanselmann, a Swiss cyclist who rides for Team Biglia, got off to such a fast start at the 13th Omloop Het Nieuwsblad on Saturday that officials had to halt the women's event so Hanselmann did not encroach on the support vehicles that were following the men.

The Guardian reports that Hanselmann even had a two minute lead over the chasing pack in the women's 122.9km race from Gent to Ninove.

But the lead and the momentum she had built-up was cut short when officials forced her to wait at the side of the road until the men's event, and its support vehicles, had cleared once again.

When racing eventually resumed in the women's class, Hanselmann was permitted to ride first so she could pick up where she left off but she ultimately failed to maintain her lead and finished in 74th place.

"I attacked after 7km, and was alone in the break for around 30km… but then an awkward moment happened and I almost saw the back of the men's peloton,"Hanselmann said on Instagram.

"Maybe the other women and me were too fast, or the men too slow," she added.

Chantal Blaak, a Dutch cyclist, won the women's event.

SEE ALSO: 'Mission: Impossible' star Simon Pegg underwent a radical body transformation for his latest role

Join the conversation about this story »

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• Cycling champion Kelly Catlin has died at the age of 23.
• The US Olympic silver medalist died at her California home on Friday.
• Her father and USA Cycling both confirmed the news.

Three time world track cycling champion Kelly Catlin has died aged 23. 

The US cyclist, who also won an Olympic silver medal, died at her home in California on Friday. 

Her father, Mark, said she took her own life, according to VeloNews. 

USA Cycling confirmed her death, with president and chief executive Rob DeMartini paying tribute on its official website.

He said: "The US cycling community suffered a devastating loss with the passing of Kelly Catlin.

"We are deeply saddened by Kelly's passing, and we will all miss her dearly.

"We hope everyone seeks the support they need through the hard days ahead, and please keep the Catlin family in your thoughts.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with the Catlin family. This is an incredibly difficult time and we want to respect their privacy.

"The entire cycling community is mourning this immense loss."

Ms Catlin was part of three successive world team pursuit triumphs from 2016 to 2018 while she was a runner-up in the same event in the Rio Games three years ago.

Join the conversation about this story »

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• A startling new report from the American Psychological Association suggests that depression rates have spiked more than 50% since 2007 in teens and young adults.
• Young people from age 12 to 25 are also reporting more suicidal thoughts, plans, and suicide attempts.
• Last week, 23 year-old Olympic cyclist and Stanford graduate student Kelly Catlin died by suicide. She had sustained a concussion during winter training. It wasn't the first death by suicide at that school in 2019.
• Psychologists are worried that kids are getting less sleep and spending more time on their phones.

Last week, 23-year-old US Olympic cyclist Kelly Catlin died by suicide Friday at Stanford University. She is not the first student the university has lost that way this year, but doctors, psychologists, and coaches across the US are worried about the mental health of the nation's young people far beyond the halls of Stanford.

There's a quiet, deadly, and troubling trend on the rise: More young people of all ages are thinking about suicide, attempting suicide, and dying by suicide. Even though suicide rates are going up in nearly all age groups in the US, the trends that are happening in people under 26 are unique, according to a new study published in the Journal of Abnormal Psychology.

When researchers looked at questionnaire responses to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health from over 600,000 teens and adults across the US, they found that rates of major depressive episodes have more than doubled since the mid-2000s, in kids as young as 12 and young adults up to 25. Suicidal thoughts and suicide attempts are also going up markedly in young people.

"These trends are weak or non-existent among adults 26 years and over, suggesting a generational shift in mood disorders," lead study author and psychologist Jean Twenge said in a news release. "More U.S. adolescents and young adults ... experienced serious psychological distress, major depression or suicidal thoughts, and more attempted suicide."

The trends are not specific to any social group, economic class, sex, or race, but the researchers did see some of the biggest upticks in young women, and people in their young 20s were especially vulnerable. Suicide is now the second leading cause of death for all US teens and young adults from ages 10 to 35, after accidents.

Kelly Catlin was a first-year master's-degree student studying computational and mathematical engineering and an accomplished cyclist who won silver in the 2016 Rio Olympics. She was also a fraternal triplet, and is now mourned by her brother, Colin, and her sister, Christine.

Her first cycling coach, Charlie Townsend of NorthStar Development Cycling in Minnesota, remembers Catlin as a jaw-dropping star cyclist who rose quickly into national and international competitions in less than two years on the team.

Last winter, Catlin sustained a concussion during training. Her sister, Christine, told the Associated Press Catlin was having "really bad headaches" and was more sensitive to light after the accident. She attempted suicide once in January, but seemed to be doing better recently.

Studies show experiencing a concussion can increase a person's risk of suicide twofold, and while evidence is still scant, there are also indications that elite athletes are at higher risk for anxiety and depression, which are both risk factors for suicide. High-profile athletes like Michael Phelps and Missy Franklin have become increasingly open about their own mental health and depression.

"I think she put very, very high expectations on herself," Townsend said of Catlin. "For the most part, she met those expectations."

He wishes coaches were better at helping young athletes not only achieve success but also deal with setbacks and defeats: "The suicide really has caused me to do a lot of thinking about what the right way to develop kids is, and what they really need to go forward — not just in cycling — but in the rest of their life."

ER doctors are seeing more young kids who've attempted suicide

Athletes are not the only young people at risk. Researchers recently took a look at three different urban emergency rooms across the US and found that a third of kids from ages 10 to 12 screened positive for suicide risk.

"Typically, suicidal thoughts and behaviors are seen in older teens," study author Lisa Horowitz, a clinical scientist at the National Institute of Mental Health, said in a news release. "This study shows that children as young as 10 who show up in the emergency department may be thinking about suicide, and that screening all preteens — regardless of their presenting symptoms — may save lives."

Researchers aren't sure why this is happening, but they think that both more screen time and less sleep may play a role. The two often go hand in hand: Studies show that the glowing lights of a phone or TV affect our sleep quality, and there's plenty of data suggesting people are getting up more often in the middle of the night to check on their buzzing phones.

"Overall, make sure digital media use doesn't interfere with activities more beneficial to mental health such as face-to-face social interaction, exercise and sleep," Twenge said.

What to do if you're worried someone might be suicidal

Depression and mental illness can't be willed away, and it's not a character flaw. Traumatic events that lead to depression can happen to anyone, and more than 1 in 20 Americans suffers from depression on any given day.

There are several warning signs to keep an eye out for if you're worried that someone close to you may be suicidal. These include:

• Threatening to hurt or kill themselves
• Looking for ways to complete suicide, like getting access to pills or a gun
• Talking about death, dying, or suicide out loud or on social media
• Rage and revenge-seeking
• Being reckless or doing uncharacteristically risky things
• Feeling trapped and withdrawing from social activities
• Anxiety or trouble sleeping
• Dramatic shifts in mood

Only a medical professional can diagnose someone as suicidal, but asking the question, "Are you thinking about killing yourself?" and providing a safe space for someone to talk about their feelings without judgment or shame can be extremely helpful.

Tell the person that you care, and let them do most of the talking about how they're feeling. Remember that thoughts of suicide are common and often associated with a treatable mental disorder.

• Read more:
• The US suicide rate has increased 30% since 2000, and tripled for young girls. Here's what we can do about it.
• These 4 short L-words can help reveal if you might be depressed
• Science-backed ways to fight the winter blues
• Men working in construction, stay-at-home moms, and students are committing suicide in alarmingly high numbers, and it's part of a disturbing trend

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Doing this for 5 minutes every day can help people who suffer from depression

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• A bike computer with GPS can be an invaluable training tool and an even more useful navigation tool.
• Modern bike computers gather all kinds of location and training data for amusement and analysis.
• After testing many bike computers, we think that the intuitive and reliable Wahoo Elemnt Bolt is the best of the bunch.

Bike computers, or head units, are a great way to gamify and quantify your training. A good GPS computer can not only tell you how far and fast you’ve ridden, but also connect to other devices on your bike and body via Bluetooth or ANT+. That way, you can gather data from all kinds of sensors like heart rate monitors, power meters, and cadence sensors.

Many bike computers will also include altimeters, barometers, thermometers, and accelerometers to measure weather, feet climbed, and gradient as well as auto starting and stopping rides. Most modern units also feature navigation, so if your ride gets you somewhere you didn’t expect to be, the computer will get you home again.

When selecting a head unit, it’s important to think about what you want out of it. A lot of GPS functions can be outsourced to a cellphone, and if all you want is to log your mileage and share rides to a social network like Strava, you might be able to get away with a phone in your pocket. Putting a phone on your bars isn’t the best idea, it tends to make the front end of your bike cluttered and heavy and puts your cellphone at risk. Basic computers will rely on your phone and mirror the data on a screen.

More advanced devices will offer training metrics on customizable screens and turn-by-turn navigation. If you want a computer to improve your training and racing, something small and black and white will be reliable and lightweight. If you want navigation, shoot for a bigger screen and more memory. If you want to really dig down into the minutiae, a more powerful and larger unit with a color screen is just the ticket.

Here are the best bike computers you can buy:

• Best bike computer overall: Wahoo Elemnt Bolt
• Best bike computer for bikepacking and touring: Lezyne Mega XL
• Best bike computer for data nerds: Garmin 1030
• Best bike computer for the value: Topeak Panocomputer X
• Best bike computer for navigating: Sigma Rox 12.0

Read on in the slides below to check out our top picks.

The best bike computer overall

Why you’ll love it: The Elemnt Bolt connects to every sensor seamlessly, offers intuitive controls, and has a clear display so you’ll have easy access to all the data you could ever want.

When I started using bike computers, the process of installing a wheel magnet, running a wire to a sensor on the fork, and then securing that wire to the frame was almost a training session in itself.

Today, it can still be stressful setting up sensors cadence measuring devices, powermeters, and heart rate monitors to work with your head unit. Add in touchscreen devices that don’t work with sweaty hands and menus that don’t tell you what you want to know but do tell you everything else, and you’ll be ready to return to the days of a simple speed and distance computer.

This isn’t the case with Wahoo’s head units. The Elemnt Bolt paired with every device I tried, never once dropped connection or lost data and proved incredibly easy to use.

The Elemnt Bolt comes equipped with an out-front mount as well as a stem mount, meaning that setup on a road or mountain bike is a 30-second job. Once powered up, the free app makes it incredibly simple to choose the screens you will see, and the big tactile buttons on the device make it easy to navigate between screens. Within five minutes of unboxing the device, you can be out on the road and monitoring any of dozens of metrics.

Should your ride take you away from familiar roads or the device’s claims of aerodynamic advantage lead to you travelling further than expected, the included app can give you effective turn-by-turn directions on the the pre-downloaded map.

Unlike some of the larger screen devices we tested, it is a little hard to browse the map on the device screen, but using the companion app made it easy to find a destination and transfer a route to the device. Once you’re done training, simply connect to Wi-Fi or your phone’s data plan to upload the ride to your preferred training app such as Strava or Training Peaks.

Cycling Tips likened the set up experience of the Wahoo Elemnt Bolt to that of an Apple device, because it is simple and intuitive. I’m no programmer but I found it very easy to determine my data fields and get screens set up for long rides, climbing, intervals, and navigation. It’s equally simple to transfer a route or workout to the device if you find yourself riding in a new area or sticking to a training program.

REI purchasers loved the robust and water resistant design, the ability to integrate electronic drivetrains and see you gearing and battery life on the unit and the zoom in/out functions, which allow you to focus on one data field during a hard interval. I also really enjoyed the option to read and dismiss calls and texts during an interval.

For me, what I liked most about the Elemnt bolt was not having to think about it. I put it on a bike, it picked up the power meter and the drivetrain and off I went. Any data I wanted, I could easily find and setting up my data screens after unboxing was incredibly simple.

There are many other features that some will enjoy, like the LEDs that signal your power or speed relative to average, the aerodynamic shape of the computer, the tiny bolt that holds the head unit on the mount and prevents loss in a crash. 

I really value a bike computer that adds to the experience of riding rather than distracting from it, so I don’t really feel I need a color screen bleeping at me all the time. The Wahoo hides a lot of technology in a small package and it uses that tech to add to your ride experience, which is really all I want from a GPS.

Pros: Intuitive menus and set up, comes with mount, maps pre downloaded

Cons: Black and white screen can make map reading hard, battery life is not as long as some models

Buy the Wahoo Elemnt Bolt on Backcountry for $249.99

The best bike computer for bikepacking and touring

Why you’ll love it: The huge screen and impressive battery life on the Mega XL make it my go-to for navigating multi-day trips in the backcountry.

Nothing is more frustrating than having a map on your device that you can’t quite orient to see if the road you want to take is going to connect you to incredible riding or leave you lost in the middle of nowhere. You zoom in and you can see the road, but you zoom out, and it disappears. You ride down it, get stuck at the bottom of a big hill, and curse the GPS as you haul yourself back up the other side wishing you’d just stuck to paper maps instead of this high-tech nonsense. Then the damn thing runs out of battery.

The Mega XL won’t leave you stranded. The incredible 48-hour run time, combined with the fact that the device can be charged whilst it runs, means that even the most extreme exploring will be recorded on the device’s spacious internal hard drive. Its 2.7-inch high-resolution screen can be run in portrait or landscape mode so you can always see where you’re going and, provided you download maps before heading out, how to get home.

Much like the reviewers at road.cc, I really liked the positive engagement and secure locked-in feel of Lezyne’s 1/8 turn mount. Lezyne also offers a mount that places the light directly in front of the stem and incorporates a mount for a camera or light. The unit is slightly larger, thanks to its big screen and battery, which makes this secure interface even more valuable.

In months of use, the only glitch I found was one ride where the altimeter suddenly began racking up tens of thousands of feet of climbing that I hadn’t done that day. Lezyne’s engineers know such bugs exist with an GPS chip, and engineered an altitude correction into the device’s upload portal, thus robbing me of the record-beating Strava kudos I had been planning to receive for my epic ascent.

Another great piece of software engineering is the Lezyne track function that sends my wife an email whenever I start a ride and updates her on my location using my linked cellphone. It’s also great to be able to read and dismiss calls, texts, and other alerts right from the Mega XL’s huge screen, although I found customizing these alerts a little more challenging than in the Wahoo app.

The included app is generally pretty useable, although uploading of rides is manual rather than automatic as with the Wahoo. Many coaches prefer this as it gives riders a chance to enter their training notes. Amazon reviewers liked that the Mega XL showed the battery levels of all connected sensors.

Setup via the Lezyne app was generally simple, although some users were frustrated by frequent firmware updates. I didn’t find these too burdensome, although forgetting to download a map that covered the edges of one bikepacking trip was frustrating, but largely my own fault. I loved leaving the Mega XL on my bikepacking bike and being able to keep tabs on where I was, the charge state of all my connected devices and my distance covered.

I tended to use the Mega XL in landscape mode, perhaps because it reminded me of the old SRM head unit that I once raced with. In this orientation, the Mega XL displays menus in portrait mode. It’s little glitches like this that keep the Lezyne from taking top honors. It offers great value, all the functions of the best computers tested, and best-in-class battery life and navigation.

If you’re looking for a bikepacking computer that reliably delivers the functions you want, the Mega XL is great, but it lacks the finesse of some of the other products here.

Pros: Huge screen, incredible battery life

Cons: Maps need to be downloaded, out-front mount sold separately

Buy the Lezyne Mega XL on Amazon for $199.99

The best bike computer for data nerds

Why you’ll love it: The Garmin Edge 1030 gives you every possible piece of data analysis you could want in real time, as well as a capacitive color touchscreen.

I remember when the Nintendo 64 launched with the tagline that it was more powerful than the computer that put man on the moon. These days that’s not that remarkable, but when you consider that a dozen years ago, people were still riding with magnetic bike computers that they had to manually input wheel diameters into, the Edge 1030 is nothing short of miraculous.

The technology in this head unit rivals that of a laptop and there’s nothing it can’t tell you about your training or route. For people who love tech and data, this will be the perfect head unit.

The 1030 works via a combination of buttons and a touchscreen, the former can be a little hard to access when using an out-front mount, and the latter can be a little frustrating when trying to access data whilst riding at 25 miles an hour. I did find that the 1030’s touchscreen responded much better to gloves, sweat, rain, and dust than previous units, but compared to the Sigma, I accessed the wrong page more often on the Garmin.

Certainly, with all that data literally at my fingertips, it was fun to swipe through and see everything from left/right balance to training load and recovery time. Data such as weather information isn’t available on other computers that we tested and proved genuinely useful in my testing.

Other notifications were less useful (I don’t need to know when there is a sharp corner coming up, I can see it and I am trying to pay attention to steering around it), but could easily be turned off on the device, or using Garmin’s excellent app.

I did find that the Garmin crashed once or twice, something that less complicated computers never do, but the sort of rider who wants a bike computer that tells them their projected recovery time as soon as they finish a ride will understand that this requires more delicate electronics.

The Edge 1030’s navigation features are excellent and are only challenged by the Sigma Rox 12.0. Not only can you browse the full color map for places of interest, you can also see routes based on user generated data to ensure you take roads cyclists prefer, which usually means safer routes.

I tested this in downtown LA, and I’m here to tell the tale, which is a ringing endorsement indeed. I also enjoyed being able to navigate to points of interest, because I didn’t even have to stop riding to find the nearest café.

Road.cc testers did note that you’ll need to check longer routes as those generated can be a little bizarre, but I found that most of the time I navigated with the 1030 it did a great job of finding me a safe way home. A satisfied Amazon buyer noted that the powerful processor and connected cellphone app allows for the Garmin to auto upload rides to online platforms like Strava and easily configure screens and setup.

Now, is it worth $600? Only you can decide that. It does come with an out-front mount, so at least you won’t have to shell out anything extra to set it up on your bike. If you plan on navigating with your bike a lot without uploading routes, the Garmin and Sigma units are leaps and bounds ahead of the competition.

Features like weather reporting and clean app integration set the 1030 apart from the Rox12.0, and both use the same mount and Micro-USB charge cable, so if you feel the extra features justify the extra price tag you certainly won’t be disappointed with the Garmin 1030.

Pros: Incredible data analysis, colour screen, navigation based on where cyclists ride, touchscreen

Cons: Touchscreen, expensive

Buy the Garmin Edge 1030 on Amazon for $599.99

• Trek on Tuesday unveiled the Bontrager WaveCel, a new helmet that the company says represents the biggest advancement in protection against cycling concussions.
• Trek says a rider wearing a Bontrager helmet with WaveCel technology is "up to 48 times less likely" to get a concussion from common cycling accidents compared with a standard foam helmet.
• Michael Bottlang, who codeveloped the new technology, tells Business Insider that the WaveCel is a ground-up redesign of the bicycle helmet 15 years in the making.
• The WaveCel is initially being offered in four models — commuter, MTB, road, and road race — from $150 to $300. WaveCel is available exclusively in Bontrager helmets sold online and through Trek and Bontrager retailers.
• Business Insider tried on a Bontrager WaveCel, which could prove revolutionary for the bike-helmet industry given the claimed innovative safety benefits and overall quality and design.
• See photos of the new WaveCel helmets and read a Q&A with the developer below.

Good news, bike riders: There's a new helmet on the market that's not only sleek and lightweight but proven to help protect you from getting a concussion far better than the standard foam helmets.

That's according to Trek, which on Tuesday introduced the Bontrager WaveCel helmet, calling WaveCel "a major innovation in a category that has remained largely unchanged in 30 years."

Bontrager, a Trek-owned brand, says the WaveCel helmets are up to 48 times as effective as standard foam helmets in preventing concussions from common cycling accidents (read the WaveCel whitepaper here).

"Unlike a standard foam helmet, which is designed to protect against direct impacts, WaveCel accounts for how most cycling accidents actually happen — ungracefully, with twists, turns, and angled impacts," Trek said.

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According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, in a majority of bicyclists' deaths the most serious injuries are to the head. The institute says helmet use has been estimated to reduce the chances of head injury by 50% and the chances of head, face, or neck injury by 33%.

'The most advanced helmet technology ever designed'

WaveCel, a collapsible cellular structure that lines the inside of a helmet, "works like a crumple zone that absorbs the force of an impact before it reaches your head," Trek said.

Here's how WaveCel works, according to Trek: "To protect your head and absorb the energy created by an angled impact, WaveCel goes through a three-step change in material structure. First, the cells flex to reduce the initial frictional forces. Next, the cells crumple like a car bumper at impact. Finally, WaveCel glides to redirect energy away from your head."

In a statement to Business Insider, Trek's president, John Burke, said WaveCel was the most advanced helmet technology ever designed.

"Every Bontrager WaveCel helmet received a five-star rating in Virginia Tech's safety rating system," Trek said. "That's perfect marks on every helmet in the lineup."

You can watch Trek's video announcing WaveCel here:

First impressions

Business Insider got a look at a Bontrager WaveCel, though we haven't gotten time to ride with it just yet. The outside shell is just as sleek-looking as that of rival foam helmets, and the WaveCel is in the same weight range as many comparable offerings.

The yellow-green WaveCel liner in our matte-black XXX model definitely makes the helmet stand out visually from the competition you'll find in your local bike shop and online (see photos below). It feels good on your head and secure. It has the "quality feel" we've come to expect from Trek and Bontrager.

Trek has been pushing the envelope with its bikes and gear for years, and winning awards left and right, and as the US's only billion-dollar bike company, it's poured real money into R&D, with WaveCel being the latest manifestation of that investment. If the safety claims are right, WaveCel should be another winner for Trek and Bontrager.

Check back for a full review.

Q&A with WaveCel codeveloper Michael Bottlang

The new WaveCel helmet technology was developed by the orthopedic surgeon Steve Madey and the biomechanical engineer Michael Bottlang, who pioneered advances in fracture care, thoracic and pelvic trauma, and head-injury prevention. On the engineering side, Tony White from Trek led helmet production for Bontrager. Business Insider spoke with Bottlang and White. Here's what they had to say.

Daniel McMahon: Not long ago, helmets using MIPS, the multidirectional impact protection system, scored highest in Virginia Tech's safety ratings. Now WaveCel has taken top honors. How is WaveCel different, and how does it improve on MIPS?

Michael Bottlang: I'm really from the research world — we didn't set out to make a better helmet in the beginning. But I had a grant in 2004 on brain injury and became really aware of the effective rotational forces on the brain and that they need to be better mitigated. In 2004 we started making helmet tests for impact, and of course we tried slip liners. We found out that they do some things, but that there are certain limitations.

And then we spent about 11 more years to find out how we can overcome these limitations, and it turned out we needed the three-dimensional structure, so that, upon impact, we can divert the impact force transversely away from the head and help to initiate the sliding motion, to basically get the rotational force away from the brain. So it wasn't really straightforward.

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The slip-liner technology — it is really kind of the first intuitive approach. But very often in research, once we do all the testing we think it should do great things, but then we learn, well, there are limitations to it. And it really took detailed research to find out what we need, and once we found out we really need a three-dimensional structure, we tried out every commercially available honeycomb-type material we could find.

But through the research we could really see it didn't fulfill what we needed because the typical honeycomb is made for a structural panel — it doesn't like to fold on itself. So we wanted the good linear-impact performance of a honeycomb, but we also wanted to fold over. So that's something we had to develop, from the ground, a three-dimensional structure that has exactly what we wanted. And once we implemented that, we really overcame the main hurdle and unlocked the potential that we know as WaveCel.

McMahon: Why would anyone buy another helmet, say, even with the highly rated MIPS technology, if WaveCel is up to 48 times as safe as foam helmets?

Bottlang: I bought my son a MIPS helmet for skiing because no other helmet technology was available. Today, I would by him a WaveCel helmet as soon as I can get one.

McMahon: How did you and Dr. Madey team up with Trek and Bontrager? Could you describe the business relationship?

Bottlang: We had made inventions before — in the orthopedic space with metal implants — and we know that transferring technology from a research lab into a consumer product is a very challenging step if you want to do it as good as possible. So we looked at several companies, but then Tony from Trek visited us in response to an article that described our technology, and he saw the data.

It was really a meeting of minds: Trek had the engineering power to really come up with a helmet that really properly integrates our technology. It's not just a quick add-on; it's a ground-up redesign of the helmet to make WaveCel most effective. I was literally blow away by the engineering resource within Trek. And that has been a four-year collaboration, to bring that to market, and that was fantastic.

Read more: Why the tires at the Tour de France keep getting wider and the pressure lower

Tony White: Just over four years ago I was given the initiative to look at the helmet space and to try to learn a lot about what causes head injury. I was very lucky that Trek gave me the time and the space to learn about the problem because it's exceptionally complicated, and if you're not keeping up with the state of the art, then you're going to fall behind. So in doing that I went to conferences all over the world and spoke with a lot of the brightest minds in helmet safety. I did a lot of patent research.

And from doing that I stumbled upon some of the NIH, the National Institutes of Health, grants that Michael and his team received, and that was a big indicator that what they were doing had a lot of merit. From there, I reached out to his team, and since then it's been a really fantastic, mutually beneficial relationship where we could criticize each other in order to create a better product.

McMahon: How long did it take to make the Bontrager WaveCel helmet, from start to finish?

Bottlang: Research always takes way longer than planned. [laughter] And it's good that way, because we do a lot of testing. It was really 11 years of research, plus four years with Trek for product integration. And it wasn't that we worked 11 years on making WaveCel work; it was 11 years of testing and finding what works, what does not work, and keep iterating until we get this big jump in performance that we were looking for.

We were never interested in an incremental tweak to something. It was, like, if we can reduce the incidence of brain injury, then it's worth putting in as much time as it takes. And of course the National Institutes of Health has been phenomenal in helping that. They recognize the challenge of concussions, and they believed that with our strategy we could come to the goal.

There's a saying from Einstein that I think sums up the challenge of engineering: to make a solution as simple as possible but not simpler. And that's really where the 11 years come in. We wanted to really integrate it, that you don't have the negatives, but that we protect the brain as good as we can.

Editor's note. Eric Bjorling, Trek's spokesman, told Business Insider: "Other manufactures are free to discuss WaveCel potential outside of the cycling space. We believe that the technology has applications outside of cycling in sports such as climbing and equestrian." Bottlang added: "WaveCel will move toward snow and other sports — absolutely."

Find more information about WaveCel at Trek, and see more photos below.

SEE ALSO: 'The world's fastest bike': Cannondale unveils new SystemSix

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• A cycle safety campaign launched by the German government is being criticised as "sexist" and "outdated."
• The adverts, with images shot by Rankin, feature models in their underwear and bike helmets, with the slogan, "Looks like s---. But saves my life."
• The campaign was designed to reach young people, but the use of "naked skin" to promote policies has been widely criticised.

A German government ad featuring underwear-clad models with bike safety helmets has been criticised as "embarrassing, stupid, and sexist."

The transport ministry's new marketing drive is aimed at boosting the take-up of head safety gear among cyclists and uses the slogan: "Looks like s---. But saves my life."

But the head of the Working Group of Social Democratic Women (ASF), part of the Social Democratic Party (SPD), has urged the department to ditch the poster campaign.

"It is embarrassing, stupid, and sexist for the transport minister to be selling his policies using naked skin," chairwoman Maria Noichl told the Bild am Sonntag newspaper.

The posters are reportedly set to begin appearing in cities across Germany next week.

Read more: These 14 powerful photos show what it’s like to live with body dysmorphia

Both the BMVI transport ministry and Germany's road safety association DVR has argued the ads are a good way of getting safety messages across to young people.

A spokesperson for the department said: "A successful road safety campaign should jolt people and can be polarising."

Katja Mast, the deputy leader of the SPD's parliamentary group for women, also called the campaign "embarrassing, stale, and sexist."

She told the Passauer Neue Presse newspaper: "Taxpayer money should not be spent to put half-naked women and men on posters."

Josephine Ortleb, also from the SPD's parliamentary group for women, told the same paper a good campaign needed "neither women as objects, naked skin nor sexism to make young people aware of cycling safety."

Christian Kellner, the DVR's chief executive, said: "It's important to reach the target group of young people because the helmet wearing rate in this age group is terribly low. We succeeded in doing that.

He added: "The helmet cannot prevent accidents, but it can protect against life-threatening head injuries."

Join the conversation about this story »

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• The exercise startup Peloton has exploded in popularity, surpassing even the spin giant SoulCycle in customers, data from last year suggested.
• With a WiFi-enabled touchscreen, the bike allows you to join high-intensity spin classes remotely and, according to the company, get a studio-grade workout anywhere.
• Over two weeks, I put it to the test by taking a 45-minute Peloton class every day. To measure my progress, I did a before-and-after fitness assessment, which had some surprising results.

For $1,995, a stationary bike from the exercise startup Peloton could be yours. After paying for delivery and setup ($250), essential equipment ($179), and a monthly membership fee ($39), you'd be good to go.

So, right, these bikes aren't cheap.

But that doesn't mean people aren't paying for them. Since launching in 2012, Peloton has sold more than 400,000 bikes and amassed more than 1 million members, which helps explain why the company is worth an estimated $4 billion.

Peloton's recipe for success includes community and convenience. It's not like other popular cycling workouts, which typically involve classes at a studio. With Peloton, you can join thousands of other members for a studio-grade workout, all without leaving home, the company says. Just log into a class through a touchscreen tablet attached to the bike, and boom, you're cycling in a New York City studio with some of the nation's best spin instructors.

That sounds pretty ideal. High-intensity workouts. Good instructors. No cold morning walks to the gym. No attempts to look attractive in activewear. But are those alleged benefits really worth that high sticker price?

Over two (very) long weeks in February, I set out to see whether they are. Every day, I took a 45-minute Peloton class in my 300-square-foot apartment. And to determine just how good of a workout I was getting, I did a before-and-after fitness assessment at the Sports Science Lab in Staten Island.

I documented the experience on camera too.

Peloton's equipment makes biking feel smooth and comfortable

Yes, I had to rearrange the furniture in my small apartment to accommodate the bike. No, I will not complain about it.

Peloton bikes are sleek and relatively easy to use, assuming you follow the "Peloton 101" tutorial, accessible through the monitor. It took a few days to feel snug in the seat, which is barely padded. But once I did — or once my butt grew numb, I'm not sure — biking felt smooth and comfortable.

The touchscreen is basic, but it does its job. It has a schedule of live classes and a library of recorded workouts. And there are tons of them.

Most frustrating is the audio, especially if you get outraged when cords get caught on things. You have little choice but to use wireless headphones, as most cords aren't long enough. I used Apple's AirPods, which worked well.

Peloton instructors' motivational language didn't work for me

I've gone through training to become a spin teacher, so I feel slightly above average in my ability to critique instructors. But just slightly. I showed a few Peloton classes to Sean Kuechenmeister, a certified athletic trainer at the Sports Science Lab, to get an expert opinion.

Peloton instructors are strong cyclists and instructors. They have good form. They'll tell you to draw your shoulders away from your ears, which is good for avoiding injuries and tightness, Kuechenmeister said. And throughout the class, they'll cue you, on the beat, to rise out of the saddle.

"To avoid a lot of these overuse conditions, you need movement variability," he said.

Peloton instructors are also undeniably fit and attractive. In fact, they look far more like TV actors than indoor cyclists (which makes sense when you consider that there are thousands of riders watching them on what is, effectively, a TV).

And that's what I found most irritating: not their beauty, but their behavior. Much of the instruction felt like acting, or at least it felt inauthentic. You'll hear phrases like "Rise up out of the saddle, literally and metaphorically," or "You're here to overcome your biggest obstacles," somehow by upping the resistance on your bike.

I'm all for creative forms of motivation; anything that encourages exercise is probably a good thing. But the language that the Peloton instructors used made me feel uncomfortable — especially because I'm riding from home, where it's hard to ignore the problems in my life that a 45-minute spin class cannot, in fact, fix.

Don't trust the bike's calorie count

Peloton says you can get a studio-grade workout from home, but I found that hard to believe. For a competitive person like me, riding in a studio next to dozens of other people is a great way to push myself. Plus, with thunderous club music, it offers a much-welcomed distraction from the pain of working out.

So I tested that. For my eighth ride, I signed up for a live class at the Peloton studio in Chelsea, where the company films its classes. That's right: Peloton isn't just for the home — you can still take gym classes if that's more your speed. But if you like mixing it up between home and the gym, the calorie readouts might be different for different bikes.

While I was biking at home, for example, my independent heart monitor, strapped around my chest, indicated my average heart rate was about 145 beats per minute per ride. And the Peloton display indicated I was burning about 530 calories in that time, calculated from the bike's speed and resistance coupled with factors like my weight and age.

But during the studio ride, my average heart rate jumped significantly, to 165 bpm, according to my chest monitor. So I did push myself harder, as expected. But to my dismay, the display on the studio bike indicated that I burned 130 fewer calories than my average ride at home. In other words, I worked harder but somehow didn't burn as many calories.

A studio employee said that it's because "each bike is calibrated slightly differently." That means the calorie readout and work output, one of the metrics the calorie count is based on, isn't accurate across bikes.

Peloton says that the "more information a rider provides in their rider profile, the more accurate their calorie count will be." But if you want a precise benchmark, you should compare your stats only with previous rides on the same bike.

My before-and-after stats were impressive

After cycling every day for two weeks, I lost — wait for it — a pound and a half.

According to Kuechenmeister, that's actually a lot for two weeks. But more importantly, I lost 2 pounds of pure fat, according to a machine that sent tingling electrical currents through my legs and arms to measure body composition.

"Most doctors will recommend that about a pound to a pound and a quarter of fat per month is a healthy rate to be losing fat," Kuechenmeister said. "So you're actually well ahead of that."

I also improved my endurance, measured by something called VO2 max.

"That's a measurement of how well your body is utilizing the oxygen that you're taking in when you breathe," Kuechenmeister said. "The better the use of oxygen, the more it's going to be transported throughout your body and the more efficiently you're going to be able to move and perform whatever exercise it is you're doing."

In two weeks, my VO2 max jumped from the 47th percentile to the 79th percentile, ranking me with "an elite class of aerobic competitors."

Finally, I gained some muscle, but only in my left leg — again, according to those electrical currents. Kuechenmeister said that was probably because of stiffness in my right knee, which I had told him about earlier. With my right knee in pain, I favored my left, building muscle there as a result.

Would I buy a Peloton bike?

I probably wouldn't.

Realistically, I don't want to spin every day. And when I am looking to cycle, I'm confident that I can get a better workout in a studio, whether it's at Peloton, SoulCycle, Flywheel, Swerve, Cyc, Crank, Monster, Ryde, or one of the other cycling studios available to me in New York.

For me, the cost is hard to justify.

But if you love spin classes and don't live near a studio, don't want to leave your house, or hate working out in public, then you might find Peloton worth it.

Join the conversation about this story »

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Insider Picks writes about products and services to help you navigate when shopping online. Insider Inc. receives a commission from our affiliate partners when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.

• High-quality commuter bikes are comfortable to ride, react quickly to obstacles in your path, and handle a broad array of weather and road conditions.
• The Brooklyn Bicycle Co. Franklin 3 is our top pick because it has an attractive upright design good for visibility and comfort, features high-quality parts, and is available in several styles.

Working from home, I miss having the opportunity to commute to a job. Depending on the weather, I would either roller skate or bike the 13-mile commute each day. Sure, it might take a little longer than driving, but I started the day on a positive, energetic note and was in the best shape of my life.

More cities are now encouraging their residents to commute by bike, creating bike-only lanes in urban areas. Therefore, now is the best time to use a bike to get to and from work, school, or just about anywhere.

The most important consideration when buying a commuter bike is comfort. If riding a bicycle isn’t enjoyable, then you're never going to keep at it. Fortunately, when you purchase a bike online, the retailer will often work with your local bike shop to assemble the bike and provide the necessary final tweaks to ensure the fit is right for your body.

When purchasing online, you may have the option of assembling the bike on your own. In my experience, it’s worth the extra money to have a professional do it. The experts have the right tools, plenty of experience, and will likely finish the job in a fraction of the time it would take you.

We chose to focus on affordable entry-level bicycles so all of the options in this guide are non-electric and cost under $700. If you are looking to spend more, we recommend considering an electric bicycle, or e-bike. With e-bikes, you can get as much or as little help as you want on your commute. This is especially helpful when you have killer hills on your route and you just want to get home after an exhausting day. Don't be confused: An e-bike provides powered assistance, but you still need to peddle.

While researching the best commuter bikes, we examined dozens of reviews and ratings of countless brands from experts and buyers. Our guide features bikes that have a track record of durability, comfort, and minimal maintenance demands.

Here are the best commuter bikes you can buy:

• Best commuter bike overall: Brooklyn Bicycle Co. Franklin 3
• Best high-end commuter bike: Co-op Cycles CTY 2.1 Bike
• Best bike for longer commutes: Mongoose Men's Elroy Adventure Bike 700C Wheel Bicycle
• Best commuter bike under $200: Schwinn Wayfarer Hybrid Bike
• Best full-featured commuter bike: State Bicycle Deluxe 3 Speed City Bike

Read on in the slides below to check out our top picks.

The best commuter bike overall

Why you’ll love it: If you are looking for a comfortable, attractive commuter bike that comes fully assembled, the Brooklyn Bicycle Co. Franklin 3 is a smart solution that will last you for years to come.

Brooklyn Bicycle Co. focuses on building bikes that are designed for durability, comfort, and style. This focus is apparent in the Franklin 3. The step-through frame makes mounting your bike effortless regardless of what you’re wearing, and it’s made of lightweight steel so you can easily carry the approximately 33-pound bike up and down stairs. The rear hub and shifter are made by Shimano, one of the top names in the industry. And, the bike comes with puncture-resistant tires. Both the saddle and grips are made of vegan leather for maximum comfort.

The Franklin 3 is a three-speed bike, but there are also single-speed and seven-speed options. The bike comes in small/medium or large. And, it's available in five colors: ivory, matte coral, gloss black, sea glass, and cardinal red. If you’d prefer a top tube that is closer to parallel with the ground rather than the step-through frame, check out the Bedford 3.

New York Magazine recommends the Franklin 3 because it hides the gears within the hub so you still get the single-speed look. The reviewer also noted that it’s easy to maintain and operate since the chain doesn’t move when switching gears.

Industry Outsider recommends the Franklin 3 and the Bedford 3. The reviewer notes that the two bikes share a lot of similarities, including the frame material and drivetrain. He liked that the Franklin 3 came with fenders, a durable chain made by KMC, a chainguard, and a sealed bottom bracket. The fender keeps water and mud from flying up onto you, and the other features will help with long-term durability.

A Business Insider colleague tested and recommends the Bedford 3. He appreciated how painless it was buying the bike online and picking it up fully assembled.

About 97% of the customer reviews on the Brooklyn Bicycle Co. site give the Franklin 5 stars. Monique submitted one of the most helpful reviews. She was thrilled with the Franklin because the step-through crossbar made mounting the bike easy with her bad leg. She also found the bike so comfortable and enjoyable that she felt like a kid again riding it. Other buyers were impressed with how quick and hassle-free the ordering and pick-up processes were. And, there are several comments about the bike’s attractive appearance.

Pros: Assembly is included in the price, beautiful design, durable construction, comfortable to ride

Cons: Only three speeds

Buy the Franklin 3 from Brooklyn Bicycle Co. for $499.99

Buy the Bedford 3 from Brooklyn Bicycle Co. for $499.99

The best high-end commuter bike

Why you’ll love it: The Co-op Cycles CTY 2.1 offers a smooth ride, excellent maneuverability, and is light enough to store in your walk-up apartment.

After a hiatus from the bicycle space, REI launched Co-op Cycles in 2017 with the goal of providing fun and freedom on two wheels. As the name suggests, the CTY 2.1 is specifically designed to be used in the city. Several of the parts come from top names in the industry. The crankset, shifters, derailleurs, rear cogs, hydraulic disc brakes, and brake levers are Shimano. The hubs are Joytech. And, the chain is KMC Z8.

The suspension fork features a locking mechanism so you aren’t bouncing around while riding on smooth surfaces. And, there’s 360-degree reflectivity to keep you visible both day and night, though you’ll still want lights.

This is the main bike I use for fitness and when tooling around town. From the moment I picked it up to test, I was blown away by REI’s customer service. I had to drive about an hour away to get to the closest store, and they were insistent on making sure it fit me correctly. The CTY 2.1 is incredibly responsive. On one ride, the brakes reacted quickly, saving me from crashing into a car that pulled out of a drive without looking. And, I have no problem handling the windy trails in my city. The biggest negative for me is that the pedal reflectors fell off after 400 miles.

Bicycle Guider recommends the CTY 2.1 as the “best bike for commuting in urban areas.” The reviewer found the seat to be quite comfortable and noted that he could accelerate quickly from a standstill — a must when you have several traffic lights along your commute. One negative he mentions is that he had a hard time finding fenders and kickstands that matched the bike.

There are 11 reviews of the CTY 2.1 on REI.com, and all of them are 4 or 5 stars. The most helpful reviewer tested a variety of bikes from competitors before choosing the CTY because of its shifting, startup speed, comfort, and overall ride. He also noted that the staff at REI were incredibly helpful in his bike search. Others also mentioned how comfortable it rides. Common positives include that the brakes provide strong stopping power and it’s a great entry-level bike for adults. One buyer even recommended it for people who want to “rip some fat dank wheelies.”

As our high-end pick, it is the most expensive option on our list.

Pros: Comfortable seat, easy for novices to operate, locking front suspension fork, excellent customer service

Cons: Expensive

Buy the Co-op Cycles CTY 2.1 Bike from REI for $699

The best bike for longer commutes

Why you’ll love it: If you are looking for a bike that can take you to and from work during the week while also helping you enjoy the great outdoors on the weekend, the Mongoose Men's Elroy Adventure Bike 700C Wheel Bicycle is a versatile solution.

What sets the Mongoose Men's Elroy Adventure Bike 700C Wheel Bicycleapart from the other bikes in our guide is its versatility. As an adventure bike, it works well off-road. Yet, it’s also designed for speed and comfort for longer commutes. The front rack fits multiple panniers so you can easily transport your lunch, laptop, and a change of clothes.

The Elroy features Shimano derailleurs, a 14-speed micro shift and brake combo, a durable steel fork, and sleek alloy frame. In some areas, Amazon will arrange to have an expert assemble the bike for an additional $85. Or, you can take it to your local bike shop if you don’t want to do it yourself.

Biking Tribe recommends the Mongoose Elroy as one of the best touring bikes. The reviewer found the bike was high-performing, sturdy, attractive, and sporty. Specifically, he appreciated that the dynamic driving system enabled a fun and exhilarating ride in every situation. Thrill Appeal recommends this model because of how it handles on gravel.

Approximately 82% of the Amazon reviews of the Mongoose Elroy are positive. Buyers mentioned that the bike does an excellent job on long tours. One reviewer pointed out that the bag is large enough for a day ride, but if you’re doing more than that, you might want to switch it out. Others liked that the frame could support several mounting cages. Several buyers noted that it took some work properly adjusting the disk brakes. I ran into similar issues when assembling the Mongoose Juneau and ended up turning to a professional to finish the job.

Pros: Great for riding on roads and off, integrated frame bag, large front rack, 14 speeds

Cons: Assembly is an additional charge

Buy the Mongoose Men's Elroy Adventure Bike 700C Wheel Bicycle on Amazon for $385.34 (originally $429.99)

Insider Picks writes about products and services to help you navigate when shopping online. Insider Inc. receives a commission from our affiliate partners when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.

• Working on your own bike not only saves money, but it also gives you the skills to make it home if something goes wrong on a ride.
• With a few basic tools, and some instructional books and videos, you can do a lot of regular maintenance at home instead of going to a mechanic.
• Larger maintenance and repairs should still be done by a professional though, especially if you're not sure about your abilities starting out.
• Even if you don’t want to fix things, cleaning and adjusting your bike will ensure that the bike fits you well and always performs flawlessly.

Bikes have become more and more complicated over the years.

Cables now run inside tubes, there are 12 gears where once there were five, and lightweight carbon parts can crack if over-tightened or slip if they're assembled without the proper grip paste. The complexity makes us bring our bikes to repair shops when something doesn't feel right, but for basic repairs and maintenance, doing them at home can be easy.

You can fix almost anything on a modern bike with a few basic tools, and at the very least, you can keep your bike clean to avoid premature wear and tear of components. Learning how to do a few basic repairs at home also not only saves you money, but it will also ensure that you can get home safely if you suffer a mechanical issue on the trail.

When I need a tool that isn’t in my tool kit such as a hacksaw for steerer tubes or a headset press, that’s when I take my bike to a skilled professional. Over time, your confidence and abilities will grow, but if you ever doubt your ability to fix something, definitely head to a mechanic to check it over when your safety is at risk. 

These are a few tools that I turn to time and again, whether I’m dialing in the fit on a road bike or adjusting the shifting on a mountain bike.

A book about bike maintenance tales from the trails

"Bike Mechanic: Tales from the Road and the Workshop" by Guy Andrews, available on Amazon for $13.86

This is a beautiful book that celebrates the artistry of bike maintenance and repairs during big races like the Tour de France. Artistic photos and insider tips from the best in the business make this book the kind of thing you’ll sit down and read, not just flick through when something on your bike is broken. For more technical advice, Park Tool’s website has an amazing number of how-to guides with videos, which come in handy when you need to follow very specific instructions and want to actually see what's being done.

A tool kit

Park Tool Ak 3, available on Competitive Cyclist for $305.95

Sure, a poor craftsman blames his tools, but low-quality tools do low-quality work. To avoid rounding out bolts or rattling parts on your bike, you’ll want to invest in a decent tool kit. The Park Tool Ak 3 isn’t cheap, and it does make less expensive tool kit for beginners, but the Ak3 is well worth the investment if you can swing it.

By upgrading to the AK3, you get individual Allen wrenches for hard-to-reach areas like the saddle clamp, and a cassette tool and chain whip to change cassettes, one of the easiest ways to maintain shifting in top condition.

There’s also everything you’ll need to re-cable your bike, which is something you’ll want to eventually master even if it seems unfathomable right now, and a tool for removing disc brake rotors, which takes seconds but is necessary if you want to fly with your bike and have brakes that work when you land.

With this tool kit, you can do everything you’d ever wanted to do at home with the exception of building a bike from a frame. Some of the tools required to do that are expensive and frankly, scary, because they can hurt you or damage your bike if used incorrectly.

I don't know about you, but I’ve never personally enjoyed hacksawing carbon tubes, so I take my bike to someone I trust and get a coffee while they do it for me. Once my bike is built, then I can do everything I need to in order to keep it in tip-top condition. (There’s also a bottle opener in this kit, which is part of the reason why I'm not in such tip-top condition these days.)

A workstand

Park Tool PCS 10.2 Deluxe Home Mechanic Repair Stand, available on Amazon for $199.95

I used to think I could work on my bike without a workstand. I would squat down next to my bike or hang it by the saddle. But once I acquired an old stand from a friend for the price of a six-pack, I've never looked back and my lumbar spine has thanked me every time I work on my bike.

Having the bike securely clamped at a suitable height with my tools accessible makes working on my bike a pleasure, not a chore. It also makes cleaning areas that I always miss much easier.

I've had several workstands since I first started using my friend's, and the PCS 10.2 is my current favorite. Not only is it delightfully finished in Park Tool Blue, it also provides a very sturdy base (enough to work on some electric bikes), has a reliable clamp, and a tray to hold the small parts that I'm forever dropping. When I’m not using the PCS 10.2, it folds and stores easily in my shed.

It’s worth noting that you shouldn’t apply direct clamping force to carbon tubes. If in doubt, clamp the bike by the seatpost — not the top tube. Some clamps don’t fit around aerodynamically-profiled seatposts, but I didn't have any issues with the broad interface and smart adjustable cam design of the PCS 10.2 clamp on even the chunkiest posts.

• A number of prominent former athletes, including Martina Navratilova and Paula Radcliffe, have been openly critical of transgender women competing in women's sports.
• One of their main arguments is that it is theoretically possible for a cisgender man to "decide" to be a woman, take hormones, win and earn money while competing as a female, then go back to living as a man.
• Leading trans athlete Rachel McKinnon told Business Insider this is a nonsense argument.
• It is also implausible from a medical standpoint, according to a prominent clinician at the Gender Identity Clinic in London.
• McKinnon said the idea that cisgender men could game the situation shows an "irrational fear" of trans women and is "the dictionary definition of transphobia."

An increasing number of former athletes are speaking out against transgender women competing in women's sports — but one of the main arguments they have against their participation may be fundamentally flawed.

The UK government estimates that there are between 200,000 to 500,000 transgender people in the country, which accounts for 0.3% to 0.75% of the British population. The statistic is similar in the US — in 2015, The New York Times cited a 2011 paper that estimated that 0.3% of the population, or 700,000 adults, identified as trans, a number that has likely risen since.

Despite this, it is uncommon for trans women to compete — let alone excel — in women's sports.

In 2003, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) allowed the participation of athletes who had undergone sex reassignment, ushering in the possibility that, from 2004, transgender athletes and indeed trans women could compete in the Olympics.

The IOC modified these guidelines somewhat in 2015 so that testosterone levels must now be kept below a certain limit for transgender athletes to compete.

Still, despite the fact that more than 50,000 total Olympians have participated in the tournament since 2004, there has never been an openly transgender athlete at the Olympics.

Trans women have attracted attention for their participation in sub-elite, national-level women's sport, however.

Sprint cyclist Rachel McKinnon, who competes in the women's 35-44 age range, won a track world title in her age category at the UCI Master Track Cycling Worlds in Los Angeles last year.

Afterwards, she received thousands of death threats and faced criticism against trans women participating in women's sports in the mainstream media.

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The former Olympic swimmer Sharron Davies said in The Telegraph that "those with a male sex advantage should not be able to compete in women's sport."

Paula Radcliffe, the former Commonwealth gold medal-winning long-distance runner, also told the BBC it would be "naive" not to think transgender women would become "a threat to female sport" because, in the future, "people will manipulate the situation."

Earlier this year, the 18-time Grand Slam tennis champion Martina Navratilova even said in The Sunday Times that "a man can decide to be female, take hormones if required by whatever sporting organisation is concerned, win everything in sight, earn a small fortune, and then reverse his decision and go back to making babies if he desired."

Interestingly, Navratilova was once coached by tennis player Renee Richards, who was the first trans woman to compete in women's sport. Richards notably played in the US Open before and after the sex reassignment surgery she underwent in 1975.

Her US Open results after her surgery were not markedly different to earlier in her career, though it's important to note she no longer had youth on her side.

Still, Navratilova said in her Times op-ed: "Letting men compete as women simply if they change their name and take hormones is unfair — no matter how those athletes may throw their weight around."

However, there is one big problem with Navratilova and Radcliffe's arguments, according to McKinnon, who called their comments "the dictionary definition of transphobia."

'The dictionary definition of transphobia'

Speaking to Business Insider, McKinnon said: "Martina and Paula's core argument is that we should ban all trans women, all innocent trans women because of a fabricated, fictional fantasy of a fraudulent cisgender man."

The term cisgender describes someone who personally identifies with the sex they were assigned when they were born.

McKinnon says a key component of Navratilova's argument is that she wants to ban "innocent" and "real" transgender athletes from competing in women's sports "because a cis man in theory, but not practice, could commit fraud" by gaming the system.

Fraud, in this case, could occur if a cis man managed to convince a gender clinician to diagnose him with gender dysphoria, live as a woman for the specified time period, and then compete in women's sports categories at events like the Olympics, only to detransition and return to living as a cis man.

"We should never deny people's rights because a select few, in theory, could commit fraud," McKinnon said.

"The idea we should ban all immigrants because one or two might be terrorists is the height of racism, bigotry, and xenophobia. So their argument is the very definition of an irrational fear of trans women, the dictionary definition of transphobia."

The IOC already grants trans women the right to participate in Olympic sports providing they have declared that they identify as a woman and that their blood testosterone level is below 10 nanomoles per liter, a number which is set to be lowered to five nanomoles.

But not all sports are this inclusive.

USA Powerlifting, the sanctioning body for the strength sport in the United States, does not allow trans women to lift competitively because it says that men "naturally have a larger bone structure, higher bone density, stronger connective tissue, and higher muscle density than women. The argument put forward by the organization could explain why the same debate doesn't occur for trans men competing in men's categories.

"These traits, even with reduced levels of testosterone do not go away,"the organization says. "While [trans women] may be weaker and less muscle [sic] than they once were, the biological benefits given them at birth still remain over that of a female."

Whether or not you agree with USA Powerlifting's line of reasoning, Navratilova's argument — that a man can just decide to be a woman, win, then go back to being a man — isn't a practical one.

"Generally, you can't just walk into a doctor's office and say 'give me hormones,'" McKinnon said. "Not in the Canada or UK. If you wanted a vasectomy, they don't just whip out the scissors. They ask questions, 'These are the risks, do you understand the risks?' It isn't the case where you walk in and they have a pocket full of hormones to give you like candy."

She went on: "You have to make an appointment with a mental health professional like a psychologist or a psychiatrist and generally, not always, they have to diagnose you with gender dysphoria."

The gender dysphoria diagnosis

Gender dysphoria, according to the Gender Identity Clinic's website, is "the distress experienced by those whose gender identity feels at odds with aspects of their body and/or the social gender role assigned to them at birth."

Treatment varies from individual to individual but can include hormone therapy, mental health support, and/or genital reconstructive surgery, according to Britain's National Health Service (NHS).

"They will want to see you for six to 12 months before they are willing to diagnose you," McKinnon said. "There cannot be a whiff of fraud the entire time. If the mental health professional thinks you're faking it for a moment, they will not support you."

Dr. James Barrett, the lead clinician at the Gender Identity Clinic in London, agreed.

We would notice that you didn't appear to be a trans person…we're not a shop. You can't just walk in and say you fancy living as a woman.

"We would notice that you didn't appear to be a trans person," Barrett told Business Insider. "We're not a shop. You can't just walk in and say you fancy living as a woman, and oh by the way you're a tip-top athlete."

He added that "hardly anyone" then tries to change back.

"It's an incredibly rare thing to detransition," he said.

"We've been doing this for a very large number of years and we'd be skeptical. The person would have to actually have gender dysphoria rather than talking athleticky stuff."

Barrett added that it would be incredibly impractical to just "decide to be female" only to change back to living as a man at a later date.

First, it would take a two- to three-year process simply to live as a woman.

"If you wanted to get to the stage where ... you were legally female, you'd have to live in a different gender role for at least two years according to current UK legislation," he said. "A couple of years just for a kick-off."

With the current legislation, you don't have to have any hormones or surgery to go from being a man to a woman on your birth certificate, he said.

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"But I think it would be surprising to have a certificate in the absence of any hormone treatment. You might end up with a certificate in the absence of surgery, but that's usually because the hormone treatment is such that it's rendered the testosterone levels down to where they'd be if someone had had surgery."

If you do get a diagnosis, you'll receive a letter, according to McKinnon.

"You now have to find a physician willing to treat a trans person," she said. "There are sometimes years-long waiting lists for an endocrinologist who will treat a trans person."

From there, it takes approximately six months of hormone suppression to get below the limit of 10 nanomoles of testosterone per liter of blood, although the IOC has plans to lower this further to five nanomoles per liter.

Then, McKinnon said you must keep that level below 10 for a 12 month period, and document it with tests.

Any sign of fraud and "you will be banned" before you can even begin to compete in events, she said.

Testosterone suppression has lasting effects

Another reason a cisgendered man may not want to "manipulate" the system and become a woman is that testosterone suppression has lasting effects.

"When you want to go back to being a man, you will now have breasts," McKinnon said. "The idea that anyone would do this, fine, it may be theoretically possible, but it's never happened."

McKinnon then said that over the last two Olympic Games there have been thousands and thousands of Olympians, but no trans person ever even qualified to participate in the events.

This could suggest that trans women aren't as big a threat to women's sports as critics would have us believe.

"The idea that this fantasy should stop real innocent people from accessing their right to sport is an irrational fear of trans women and the dictionary definition of transphobia," McKinnon said.

Speaking from a medical standpoint, Dr. Barrett from London's Gender Identity Clinic agreed that transgender athletes should be granted an equal chance to participate in sport

"Trans folk have every right to compete as everybody else," he said.

Martina Navratilova declined to comment to Business Insider regarding McKinnon's statements. A representative for Paula Radcliffe had not responded to Business Insider's requests for comment at the time of publishing.

SEE ALSO: 3 ugly incidents show racism is running rampant in English soccer, and we're all to blame

SEE ALSO: Serena Williams is a feminist hero

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• REI offers classes, outings, and events for nature lovers. All levels are welcome to sign up and attend.
• Prices do vary based on the event, but there are hundreds of free classes available as well.
• You can visit its website to choose from more than 1,000 activities including biking, hiking, camping, and photography.

I don't know about you, but the only thing I want to do is be outside as spring settles in. Whether I'm just walking home from work or heading to a state park for a hike, if it's green and it grows, I want to be around it. 

Living close to the city has its perks, but when it comes to the outdoors, I'm not sure where I can go to scratch my itch (and I'm not talking about poison ivy). If you find yourself feeling the same way, then try signing up for one of REI's classes, outings, and events. They're available in 37 states, including Washington D.C., for members and non-members.

Here's how you can get in on nature's fun.

Where to find classes:

REI's website has a tab called "Classes and Events" where you can filter through more than 1,000 activities to find something for your level and interest, and there's really something for everyone. Filter classes by level (beginner, intermediate, and advanced) depending on how comfortable you are with a specific activity, the activity itself, date, location, and of course, price; there are a lot of free events, but prices vary.

What's offered:

So what can you do? REI offers thousands of classes on climbing, cycling, hiking, camping, outdoor photography, navigation, paddling, and so much more.

For example, if you're a novice photographer and love the outdoors, you can sign up for the Smartphone Photography for iPhone and Android class. If you're a die hard cyclist, join the Bike and Brew in the Hudson Valley event. And if you're looking for something exhilarating, grab your friends and sign up for the Hiking Camp Muir, Mt. Rainier National Park excursion.

Besides day adventures and short workshops, REI has also planned more than 30 overnight campouts that are available for both members and non-members now through the fall. Each campout usually starts on a Saturday morning and runs until Sunday afternoon. Some upcoming camping locations include Memorial Park Redwoods, Catalina Island, and Boston Harbor Island National and State Park. 

REI welcomes everyone so don't be shy about trying something new. Try a beginner class now and who knows, this time next year, you might be signing up for an intermediate class. Families are also welcome to join in on the fun. One of the best-selling family classes is How to Ride a Bike, which is offered at a ton of locations all over the U.S. 

How to sign up:

Once you're ready to sign up for a class that you're interested in, you'll go through a quick registration process that consists of filling out some paperwork and completing the payment. Then go forth and enjoy the great outdoors.  

Sign up for an REI class or event here.

Search for a class via state and city.

Sign up for an REI Campout here.

Join the conversation about this story »

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• The best bike locks are backed up with a guarantee, have thick steel shackles or cables, and they make stealing a bike a long and arduous task.
• The Kryptonite New York Fahgettaboudit Mini Bicycle U-Lock has all of these features along with anti-theft protection, easy mounting, and a double bolting system.

Whether you live out in the country or in a major metropolitan area, there is no bike lock system that will stop a well-equipped thief. However, there are a number of locks that will either slow down or completely discourage a criminal.

Though some thieves will try to drill the lock, the most common way bikes are stolen is when crooks cut through the lock's shackle, cable, or chain. Of these options, the shackle of a U-lock is the hardest to cut through. The thicker the steel, the longer it will take to get through. Also, if the lock has a double bolt system, then the robber will need to make two cuts to free the bicycle.

If the idea of slowing down a thief or hoping to just discourage them with a bulky lock is not enough to let you rest easy, there are a few products you might consider adding to your bike protection arsenal. Though they are still relatively primitive and expensive, GPS tracking devices can help you track down the location of a stolen bike.

Of course, locating your bike is half the battle. We do not recommend confronting thieves. The Scout Universal Vehicle GPS Tracker is one of the highest-rated trackers available. But, as with most GPS Trackers, you will have to pay a monthly service fee. You might also consider the Pinhead Bicycle Locking Skewer Set to thwart wheel thieves.

The bike locks we are recommending were chosen based on their price, durability, manufacturer guarantee, and reported performance based on thousands of reviews and ratings from experts and novices.

Here are the best bike locks you can buy:

• Best bike lock overall: Kryptonite New York Fahgettaboudit Mini Bicycle U-Lock
• Best heavy duty U-lock bike lock on a budget: Sigtuna Heavy Duty Bicycle U-Lock with Cable
• Best bike lock on a budget: Titanker Bike Lock Cable
• Best standard-size U-lock bike lock: Kryptonite New York Standard Bicycle U-Lock
• Best U-lock/cable bike lock combo: Kryptonite Kryptolok Standard Bicycle U-Lock w/ 4-foot Flex Cable

Updated on 05/10/2019 by Les Shu: Updated links, formatting, and prices. Replaced one budget option with the Titanker Bike Lock Cable.

Keep scrolling to read more about our top picks.

The best bike lock overall

If you live in a high crime area, the Kryptonite New York Fahgettaboudit Mini Bicycle U-Lock does an excellent job of warding off criminals and protecting your bike.

Kryptonite is the top name in the bike lock industry. That's why we've included three of its locks in our guide. One of the factors that set Kryptonite apart is its Anti-Theft Protection Offer. Basically, when you get your lock, you must register it with the company right away. Then, if your bike is stolen while it is covered by the anti-theft protection, the company will pay to replace your bike. For the Fahgettaboudit Mini, the first year of registration is free. After that, it is $24.99 for five years of coverage.

The New York Fahgettaboudit Mini offers the highest level of security of any of Kryptonite's locks according to the company. The shackle is made of 18-millimeter hardened "MAX-Performance" steel. For extra security, the crossbar has an oversized hardened steel sleeve. The lock comes with three keys, which disengage the lock using a high-security disk-style cylinder. The cylinder is protected by a sliding dust cover. And, the center keyway is designed to make leverage attacks difficult.

Many industry experts state that the New York Fahgettaboudit bike lock is one of the best options on the market. The only reason The Wirecutter rated this model as its second pick is that it is so heavy at 4.55 pounds. Other than that, the reviewers liked that the shackle is thick and would require a thief to make two time-consuming cuts to steal a bike.

Consumer Search found this to be the top option for the above reasons as well as the location of the keyway in the center instead of the side, where most locks locate it. The Best Bike Lock ranked this Kryptonite model one of the most secure mini U-locks.

Around 84% of the reviewers on Amazon give the Fahgettaboudit Mini either 4 or 5 stars. Buyers are impressed with how heavy duty and secure the lock appears. The biggest complaint is that the U-lock is fairly small. This is helpful for security, but it does make it hard for you to lock up all of the elements of your bike, including your seat post and seat. Users recommend that you buy multiple U-locks or a cable to lock to the U-lock. Also, one verified purchaser pointed out that Kryptonite does not honor any guarantees if you do not register your lock.

Pros: Takes longer to cut through than any other lock

Cons: Small, heavy

Buy the Kryptonite New York Fahgettaboudit Mini Bicycle U-Lock on Amazon for $81.47

The best heavy-duty U-lock bike lock on a budget

If you want a high-security lock without the price tag of the Kryptonite models, then the Sigtuna Heavy Duty Bicycle U-Lock with Cable is your best bet.

The Sigtuna Heavy Duty Bicycle U-Lock is thick at 16 millimeters and comes with a braided steel flex cable, mounting bracket, two keys, and an ebook, plus, it costs less than $40. One of the reasons we did not rate this as our best overall lock is that it does not come with any sort of warranty or guarantee. The lock does feature a double bolt mechanism that requires a thief to make two cuts to free the bike, which increases the likelihood they will be caught in the act. And, the cable allows for flexibility in how you lock up your ride.

ApexBikes ranked this Sigtuna as the best U-lock because of how convenient it is to use along with how resilient the thick shackle is. AmaPerfect included this model in its list of the best bike locks. The reviewers liked the convenience and reliability of it. They were also impressed with the 1200 mm (slightly less than four feet) braided steel cable. The Z9 found nothing wrong with the Heavy Duty Bicycle U-Lock and listed the price, quality, and ease of use as the main benefits of this unit.

Around 66% of the buyers who reviewed the Sigtuna U-lock on Amazon gave it 5 stars. Users like how durable and thick the U-lock is and that the cable is long enough to lock up several bikes. One verified purchaser mentioned that a thief tried to use bolt cutters and a drill on their U-lock and was thwarted in their attempt to steal the bike. Some reviewers found the U-lock to be a bit heavy (3.1 pounds), but that was generally considered a benefit.

Pros: 16-millimeter steel shackle, durable

Cons: Reports of the keys not fitting well/sticking

Buy the Sigtuna Heavy Duty Bicycle U-Lock with Cable on Amazon from third-party sellers

The best bike lock on a budget

If you live in a low-to-moderate-crime area, the Titanker Bike Lock Cable is an affordable alternative that offers a variety of locking options.

The Titanker Bike Lock Cable is made of flexible steel cables that measure a half-inch in diameter. The 4-foot cable is covered with PVC coating and recoils back into its original shape when not in use. The four-digit combination lock has 10,000 possible passcodes. This lock is the lightest option in this guide at 11.2 ounces, and it mounts to your bike with the provided bracket.

The cable design offers flexibility in what you can lock a bike to, and the combination key is also convenient. While a lock is a good deterrent in general, this option doesn't offer the level of protection as the other locks on this list. We recommend this lock for people who live in areas with low-to-medium crime. Otherwise, you should consider spending more for a heavier-duty lock. Still, the thick cable should deter most thieves.  

The Titanker Bike Lock Cable has more than 3,000 reviews on Amazon, with 65% of them giving the lock a 5-star rating. Users with positive experiences like the build quality and the nice rotating combination dials, while 13% of one-star commenters didn't think the cable was solid enough and wouldn't recommend for city use.

Note: We previously recommended the UShake Bike Lock Cable, which is nearly similar to the Titanker option. Although many reviewers also recommended the UShake, that lock is not available at time of posting.

Pros: 10,000 possible combinations, four-foot reach, flexible

Cons: Cable is relatively easy to cut

Buy the Titanker Bike Lock Cable on Amazon for $9.99-$11.99

The best standard-size U-lock bike lock

The Kryptonite New York Standard Bicycle U-Lock is large enough to easily lock your bike to most racks, and it offers you protection that rivals our top pick.

Whereas the Fahgettaboudit Mini features 18mm hardened MAX-Performance steel, the shackle for the Kryptonite New York Standard Bicycle U-Lock is slightly thinner at 16mm. The other major difference is that the New York Standard is larger at 4 x 8 inches versus 3.25 x 6 inches.

This gives you more options for locking your bike up, but it also makes it easier for criminals to get bolt cutters and other devices around it. Other than these two differences, the two models are essentially the same, including the center keyway, double deadbolt, and high-security disk-style cylinder.

Outdoor Gear Lab tested out the best locks on the market, including the Fahgettaboudit Mini, and the New York Standard got the highest score. The reviewer said it is the best lock for biking in urban areas. The Best Bike Lock included this Kryptonite lock in its short list of the best standard size U-locks because of the anti-theft protection as well as the double deadbolt locking and 16-millimeter-thick shackle. The Bike Tool Box recommended the New York Standard to anyone who wants to protect their bike while it's unattended or inside a locked shelter.

Of the users who reviewed the New York Standard bike lock on Amazon, 61% gave it 5 stars. Buyers commented that this Kryptonite lock is heavy (it weighs about 4.45 pounds), which makes them feel more secure. They also like that it's easy to install the lock mount on your bike, and the lock can even be mounted on the side so the space inside your bike frame can be reserved for a water bottle or other accessories. One user did have trouble keeping the mounting assembly on tight.

Pros: Large enough to allow for more locking configurations, requires thieves to make two cuts to remove

Cons: May have trouble keeping mounting bracket in place

Buy the Kryptonite New York Standard Bicycle U-Lock on Amazon for $105.95

The best U-lock/cable bike lock combo

The Kryptonite Kryptolok Standard Bicycle U-Lock w/4-foot Flex Cable is one of the most affordable locks, and the 4-foot cable makes locking up easy.

The design of the Kryptolok Standard Bicycle U-Lock is fairly similar to the Kryptonite locks we covered in previous slides. It has a center keyway, high-security disc-style cylinder, reinforced hardened crossbar, and a hardened MAX-Performance steel shackle. However, there are some key differences. The shackle is 13 millimeters thick, the U-lock is 4 x 9 inches, and there is not a double locking mechanism.

Kryptonite rates the security of the Kryptolok as 6 out of 10 (versus 9 for the New York Standard and 10 for the Fahgettaboudit Mini). The company states that it should be secure enough in rural areas, in the suburbs, and when traveling with your bike on a car rack.

The Best Bike Lock rated the Kryptolok as the "best mid-security lock" because it is strong enough to dissuade criminals without being too expensive or heavy. However, the reviewers didn't like that the U-lock isn't double locked so it only takes one cut of the shackle to remove it. Outdoor Gear Lab called this model a "best buy" and praised the ease of use and versatility. The reviewers recommend this U-lock if you will mainly be locking your bike up overnight in rural areas or during the day in college towns or urban areas.

The Kryptolok U-Lock has more than 2,000 reviews on Amazon, with 78% giving it 4 or 5 stars. Buyers like that it works well in areas with little crime, the mounting mechanism is easy to install, and the lock is lightweight compared to other U-locks (approximately 3.3 pounds). However, there are several users that have had their bicycles stolen while using this lock for long periods of time in metropolitan areas. They also report that they didn't have much luck getting Kryptonite to cover the cost of replacing their bike. Remember to register your bike lock with them immediately after you purchase it to take advantage of their theft protection program.

Pros: Easy to use, lightweight, inexpensive

Cons: Only requires one cut to defeat

Buy the Kryptonite Kryptolok Standard Bicycle U-Lock w/4-foot Flex Cable (Original) on Amazon for $53.95

• A growing chorus of medical experts and personal trainers have suggested that spin classes might not be the optimal exercise for health. 
• My own experience with spinning has led to back pain and the unsettling feeling that I'm going to fall off the bike. 
• If the option is between spinning and lying on the couch, then a spin class might still be the healthier choice. 
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

There's a moment in Amy Schumer's 2018 comedy "I Feel Pretty" where she climbs onto a spin bike, struggles to clip her shoes in the pedals, then comes crashing to the ground in the middle of a ride. It's a scene played for laughs, but it's also one of my greatest fears when I enter an indoor cycling class. 

While some of the more expensive spin bikes are designed to be ergonomic, sitting atop a piece of equipment that's in many cases lighter than you are feels like begging for an accident.

There's also something about being hunched over a stationary object for an hour that seems antithetical to fitness. By the end of a class, I'm left feeling exhausted, but not necessarily more agile. In some instances, my back even aches, despite my attempt to maintain proper form.

Personal grievances aside, I'm aware that spinning is a 30-year phenomenon that's become popular among celebrities, personal trainers, and the workout-obsessed. But there's evidence to suggest that my complaints are well-founded. 

In recent years, medical experts have started to raise concerns about spin classes producing back injuries and muscle trauma. At the same time, a growing chorus of physical trainers has argued that spinning doesn't offer the kind of resistance training that's helpful in weight loss (a goal of some, but certainly not all spinning enthusiasts). One study even found that the music in spin classes could potentially damage your hearing, a claim backed up by multiple spin instructors. 

While these concerns aren't enough for me to advise my friends against spinning, they've made me reconsider it as a form of exercise. 

There's little evidence to suggest that spinning is better than any other kind of exercise routine

The "indoor party" atmosphere of a spin class is undeniably fun, but over the last few years, I've found far greater fitness results ditching the machines altogether. 

When it comes to weight loss specifically, the "evidence doesn't suggest" that spinning is more effective than any other exercise routine, said Anthony Hackney, PhD, a professor of exercise physiology and nutrition at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

That's because weight loss results from expending enough energy to create a caloric deficit. When you spin at a low resistance, you're not likely to create the kind of deficit that would help shed pounds. 

There's also the danger of making resistance too high. Hackney said the optimal setting for energy expenditure is around 80 to 90 revolutions per minute — a pace that's difficult to keep when the resistance is cranked up.

Though I've often tried to ignore an instructor's commands to bump up the resistance when I'm feeling fatigued, this puts me off pace with the rest of the class — a huge "no-no" in spin. 

Even when I achieve the perfect balance of resistance and speed, spinning mostly engages the muscles in my lower body. "There are 616 muscles in the human body, and spinning barely uses half of them," personal trainer Jimmy Minardi told Livestrong in 2017. "You're way better off going out for a brisk walk."

Hackney said "a better, well-rounded workout" involves exercising both the upper and lower body. "The more muscle you have involved in the activity you're doing, the more energy you're going to expend," he said. 

While some of my spin classes have incorporated upper body weights, Hackney said it can be challenging to perform this activity while pedaling, which creates "a likelihood of people not executing things well." 

The same goes for trying to pedal as fast as we can. "Unless you're a professional cyclist ... we're not very good at it because it's really a quick movement," said Hackney. Suddenly, the fear of falling off a bike doesn't seem so irrational. 

Spinning also poses a risk of back injury 

Just as I predicted, Hackney said one of the major health risks related to spinning is back issues. Though spin instructors will often tell you to push your shoulders back so that you're not slumped over the bike, that posture can be difficult to maintain over the course of a workout. 

"If you're laying over the handlebars because you're fatigued, you're putting a lot of stress on your lower back," said Hackney. "The bike's not designed to give you support in that context."

Jason Walsh, the founder of fitness company Rise Nation, doesn't recommended spinning for that very reason. "The human body was never meant to sit in a flexed [bent-forward] spinal position, performing hundreds if not thousands of repetitions," he told Livestrong. 

But Mark Tarnopolsky, PhD, the director of the Neuromuscular and Neurometabolic Clinic at McMaster University in Ontario, told me that spinning shouldn't present an issue unless someone has an existing neck problem. I'd wager that could be any of us who hunch over our computers each day. 

There's also a possibility that spinning could expose muscles to unnecessary strain. A 2017 study in the American Journal of Medicine found the spinning newcomers could be vulnerable to rhabdomyolysis, a muscle syndrome that can lead to kidney failure. The condition is frequently associated with car accidents or other forms of trauma.

When it comes to exercise, Hackney said rhabdomyolysis is more commonly associated with strength training, where people are lifting extremely heavy weights. Though he said it's possible for spinning to trigger the condition, he believes it would be "an extremely rare occurrence"— unless someone had incorporated other exercises into their routine. 

Spinning might not be the best exercise, but you can do it if you love it

At the very least, spinning can serve as a good form of cardiovascular exercise, which helps raise your heart rate and prevent or manage health issues such as high blood pressure, heart disease, and diabetes.

If you hate all other forms of exercise and have to decide between spinning or lying sedentary on your couch, then choose spinning.

"Just getting folks to do the activity is the most important," Tarnopolsky said. "Intensity is good, but doing anything is better than much of the population."

Hackney agrees. When choosing an appropriate exercise, he said, you should first look for something you enjoy and then find a community or support system that keeps you committed and engaged.

"The secret [to exercising] for health is to be consistent and be regular," he said. 

When I first started spinning, I found that it was a great way to spend time with friends while sneaking in a workout. There was also a certain euphoria that came with being in a dark room, listening to my favorite songs among a community of determined riders.

But, given my concerns about back pain and falling off the bike, it's not the type of workout that will get me to show up each week. 

Exercise "is a personal choice," said Hackney. "But I think people, when making those personal choices, need to say, 'Gee, what are the good things about this? What could potentially be bad?'"

SEE ALSO: Peloton is reportedly a step closer to an IPO that could value it at more than $8 billion. Here's how this high-tech fitness company compares to SoulCycle.

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• Hauling things on a bicycle? What you need is a container that attaches to a bike, called a pannier.
• High-quality bike panniers have enough room to fit everything you need on your trip, are easy to attach and remove, and they are built to last.
• The Ortlieb Back-Roller Classic Panniers are our top pick because they're incredibly waterproof, can fit 20 liters of gear in each bag, and are backed by REI's limited lifetime warranty.

When deciding whether to drive or bike as you run errands, commute to work or school, or even take a weekend jaunt, the decision often comes down to how much stuff you'll want to carry. Without good bike panniers, you'll likely decide to just hop in your car. It's scenarios like this that make panniers, also called bike bags, a must for living a green lifestyle.

When shopping for a bike pannier, it's important to have a budget in mind and to consider what features you want. For example, you can save some money buying water-resistant panniers instead of waterproof if you live in an area where it rarely rains or if you just don't bike in the rain. Water-resistant panniers can keep your contents dry if they are lightly splashed with water. Waterproof bags can typically handle torrential downpours without soaking your stuff.

Panniers are typically sold in pairs so you can mount one on each side of your rear rack. However, there are some brands that sell single bags. If you want two panniers, make sure the product description specifically states that you get two with your purchase. Or, if you want to save money and only need one, look for models that are sold individually.

Lastly, a rear bike rack is necessary for attaching panniers. Most panniers will work with just about any rear rack. But, we recommend checking out the Ibera PakRak Touring Carrier Plus+ Rack.

While researching the best bike panniers, we examined hundreds of expert and buyer reviews and ratings of dozens of brands. Our guide features panniers that have a track record of performance, durability, and utility.

Here are the best bike panniers you can buy in 2019:

• Best bike pannier overall: Ortlieb Back-Roller Classic Panniers
• Best affordable bike pannier: Roswheel 14892 3 in 1 Multifunction Bicycle Expedition Touring Cam Pannier
• Best affordable waterproof bike pannier: Ibera PakRak Clip-On Quick-Release All Weather Bike Panniers
• Best for groceries: Bushwhacker Omaha Bicycle Grocery Pannier
• Best eco-friendly bike pannier: Green Guru Gear Dutchy Bike Pannier Bag

Keep scrolling to read more about our top picks.

The best overall

The Ortlieb Back-Roller Classic Panniers can handle anything the weather throws at them and are easy to mount and remove from any rack style.

The PVC-coated polyester of the Ortlieb Back-Roller Classic Panniersis designed to stand up to the elements. And, thanks to the roll-top closure, it's nearly impossible for moisture to sneak in. The bags come as a pair and measure 16.5 inches by 12.6 inches by 6.7 inches. Together, they hold an impressive 40 liters of gear.

These panniers use Ortlieb's proprietary QL2.1 mounting system for a very secure hook-and-latch mount to your rear rack. This makes it easy for you to attach your panniers and remove them quickly, yet provides a strong hold. The bags also have inner pockets for your smaller belongings and shoulder carrying straps. Lastly, Ortlieb also offers a level of safety by adding large reflectors to the sides of the panniers.

Several expert sites recommend the Ortlieb Back-Roller Classic Panniers. Outdoor Gear Lab gave it their Editors' Choice Award because it performed consistently across many long, demanding rides. The reviewer appreciated the "bombproof" construction and effective waterproofing. The only negative he noted is that there are no outer pockets. Dave's Travel Pages recommends the bag because it leaves contents nice and dry after cycling in torrential rain. The reviewer was also impressed with the mounting system.

The majority of the buyers who reviewed the Ortlieb Back-Roller Classic Panniers on REI.com gave it 5 stars. One customer rode more than 6,000 miles with these bags, on three bikes. He appreciated that his items remain dry in the bag no matter the weather, and never had issues with the panniers coming loose.

There are a couple of complaints about the clips on the mounting system busting after limited use, but these reviews were posted three years ago, and it appears Ortlieb has addressed this. REI also offers a one-year 100% satisfaction guarantee and an excellent limited lifetime warranty.

Pros: Exceptionally weatherproof, large 40L capacity, quick mounting system, backed by REI's limited lifetime warranty

Cons: Expensive, no outer pockets

Buy the Ortlieb Back-Roller Classic Panniers from REI for $142.99 (originally $190)

The best affordable pannier

The Roswheel 14892 3-in-1 Multifunction Bicycle Expedition Touring Cam Pannier provides you with plenty of space to carry your things without breaking the bank.

With the Roswheel 14892 3-in-1 Multifunction Bicycle Expedition Touring Cam Pannier, you are essentially getting three bags for the price of one. There are two side bags (12 inches long, 12 inches deep, and 5 inches wide) and a top bag (14 inches wide, 12 inches long, and 5 inches deep) connecting them, for an impressive 37 liters of volume. The bags are made of 1000D reinforced polyester with a water-resistant polyurethane coating. You can keep your gear organized with the many compartments, and the angled design keeps you from hitting your heels while cycling.

Tactical Gears Lab recommends the Roswheel 14892 Pannier because it was waterproof, durable, and solid in their tests (the manufacturer does not claim it's waterproof). The reviewer also noted that thanks to the large reflective handles and logos, the bag was easily visible in low light. However, he found the zippers to be weak. Stats Pros, C Top Reviews, and Ezvid Wiki also recommend this pannier.

The Roswheel 14892 Pannier has garnered 5-star reviews from around 64% of the buyers who rated it on Amazon. Riders are impressed with how well a pannier in this price range works for commutes. One reviewer found it can handle light splashing, but it's definitely not waterproof: wet pavements or downpours will drench your contents. Some commenters appreciate that there are so many pockets, while others wish there were fewer pockets and larger main storage compartments.

Pros: Affordable, has plenty of pockets, durable and large enough for touring, reflective elements

Cons: Isn't waterproof, no taillight hanger

Buy the Roswheel 14892 3-in-1 Multifunction Bicycle Expedition Touring Cam Pannier (Black) on Amazon for $41.95

Buy the Roswheel 14892 3-in-1 Multifunction Bicycle Expedition Touring Cam Pannier (Army Green) on Amazon for $41.95

The best affordable waterproof pannier

Whether touring or commuting, the Ibera PakRak Clip-On Quick-Release All Weather Bike Panniers provide waterproof protection of your items at an affordable price.

The Ibera PakRak Clip-On Quick-Release All Weather Bike Panniers are different from the other bags on our list because they come with rain covers that ensure your gear stays dry. Made of water-resistant 1680D nylon, the panniers come as a pair — each holding up to 15 liters and 20 pounds of content. And, they rely on a three-point quick release and clip-on system for secure attachment. Each bag has a top zippered pocket, two large inside pockets, and a drawstring pouch to keep items organized.

Average Joe Cyclist recommends the Ibera PakRak All-Weather Bike Panniers because the reviewer found they were easy to attach and remove. He also noted that the bags kept their contents dry in nasty weather. And, he was impressed with the appearance and the many compartments. The site recommends the panniers for both touring and commuting. Rydoze, Runner Click, and The Elite Product also recommend this model.

The Ibera PakRak All-Weather Bike Panniers has more than 200 positive reviews on Amazon. Buyers appreciate how spacious the bags are and that the rain covers do a good job of protecting gear from the elements. One reviewer used these panniers on a five-day tour and was impressed with its ability to hold all of his stuff, including a sleeping bag, hammock, and cooking equipment; even after a night of driving rain, the contents were dry.

Another commenter was disappointed that the zipper broke after two months of use, but the vendor provided him with a full refund.

Pros: Waterproof, 30L of storage, easy to attach and remove, attractive design, excellent customer service, reflective trim

Cons: Some concerns about durability

Buy the Ibera PakRak Clip-On Quick-Release All Weather Bike Panniers on Amazon for $72.99 (originally $86)

The best pannier for groceries

With the Bushwhacker Omaha Bicycle Grocery Pannier, you'll have room on your bike for all of the items on your shopping list.

When most people are heading to the market in an SUV or minivan, it's sometimes hard to imagine going grocery shopping on a bicycle. But, products like the Bushwhacker Omaha Bicycle Grocery Pannier make this task easier without forcing you to buy only what will fit. These panniers come as a pair; each is 14 inches long, 9 inches wide, and 11.5 inches deep so you'll have plenty of room.

The panniers attach to the top of your rear rack with two metal cooks. An S-hook and bungee are used to attach to the bike frame or bottom of the rack for added security. When not in use, you simply fold the panniers up.

There are relatively few expert reviews of the Bushwhacker Omaha Bicycle Grocery Pannier. However, BMX Online recommends this product as the best grocery pannier for your bike. The reviewer appreciated how spacious the baskets are and that they could accommodate full-sized paper grocery bags. He also pointed out that installation was effortless, and when the panniers are not in use, they fold up for a sleek look.

Approximately 84% of the people who reviewed the Bushwhacker Omaha Bicycle Grocery Pannier on Amazon gave it a positive rating. The most common positive from buyers is that the panniers hold a lot of groceries. One commenter fit six 2-liter bottles into a single side. Another found each could hold full grocery bags. On the downside, there are reports that the panniers bow when loaded up with heavy items. And, there are some complaints about how you can't easily use them as grocery bags because of the protruding hooks, and there's only one handle.

Pros: Folds flat when not in use, can hold full paper grocery bags, easy to install

Cons: Hard to use as a standalone grocery bag

Buy the Bushwhacker Omaha Bicycle Grocery Pannier on Amazon for $69.95

The best eco-friendly pannier

The Green Guru Gear Dutchy Bike Pannier Bag is made from upcycled materials, is easy to install, and holds up to 22 liters of gear.

What sets the Green Guru Gear Dutchy Bike Pannier Bagapart from other panniers is that it's made of upcycled truck tarps, banners, and billboards. This is great because many of us ride bicycles to do our part for the environment. The downside is that no two bags are alike. The look of your bag is based on whatever upcycled material is used. However, the bag performs well. It's weather resistant and can hold 22 liters of stuff.  And, the reflective webbing light loops will help you remain visible.

Outdoor Gear Lab recommends the Green Guru Gear Dutchy because it's excellent for when you're riding around town running errands. The reviewer found the pannier to be incredibly easy to use and install. It also felt comfortable to sling over his shoulder. However, he does note that it isn't ideal for long, wet rides that require greater resilience. Men's Journal recommends this pannier because it's easy to attach and remove, fits groceries or a gym bag, and is weatherproof.

Out of the 38 Amazon reviewers, 36 gave the Green Guru Gear Dutchy 4 or 5 stars. One likes the pannier because it can hold a significant amount of groceries, including 22 pieces of produce, a bag of rice, and three 16-ounce cans. That customer also likes how visible it is and that it rides low enough to still use the rack for carrying a bag of cat food. Others like how the bag folds up easily and has hard sides and a base to protect its contents. There is one complaint about the banner material tearing, but that appears to be an outlier.

Pros: Made from upcycled materials, holds 22 liters, easy to install, has reflective elements, reinforced sides

Cons: Not waterproof, you don't know exactly what design or colors you are getting

Buy the Green Guru Gear Dutchy Bike Pannier Bag on Amazon for $64.95

• Chris Froome is out of the Tour de France after suffering a broken femur, elbow, and ribs in a "very serious crash" on Wednesday.
• The incident is understood to have occurred when Froome took his hands off his handlebars to clear his nose when he lost control and crashed into a wall.
• He was treated at the scene before being airlifted to the hospital. His recovery time is unknown right now.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Chris Froome has been ruled out of the Tour de France after suffering a broken femur, elbow and ribs in a "very serious" crash before stage four of the Criterium du Dauphine.

Team INEOS manager Dave Brailsford confirmed the incident in Roanne, central France, which occurred during a reconnaissance of the day's individual time trial.

Froome is understood to have lifted his hands off his handlebars to clear his nose when he lost control of his bike on a fast descent, crashing into a wall.

He was treated by an ambulance on the scene before being airlifted to hospital. His bike was later spotted being returned to the team truck with damage to the right handlebar and its chain removed.

"He crashed in the downhill section of the course at high speed," said Brailsford. "He hit a wall. The ambulance came quickly, he's been taken care of and waits for an helicopter to be transferred to Lyon or Saint-Etienne.

"It's a very serious accident. Clearly, he won't be at the start of the Tour de France. It'll take quite a long time before he races again."

His team-mate Wout Poels, who was travelled with Froome at the time, said they were riding at 65kph when the crash occurred.

"We were after the climb on the downhill and the wind took Chris Froome's wheel and he went down like really, really hard on the floor, and I think we were going 66 or 65kph. It was really bad," Poels said.

"It was pretty windy out there and especially on a TT bike. I mean especially with the high wheels and you're also in a little bit of a less comfortable position of course. Yeah, it can happen. If you go down at 65kph, and he went down really, really hard, then you know it's not really good."

Full recovery from femur fractures typically take several months, and Froome is set for a long road to recovery which is likely go beyond the end of the current season.

Earlier in the day, Brailsford had said he would do everything in his power to help Froome, 34, achieve his goal of joining an elite band of four riders to have won five Tours de France.

Instead Team INEOS will now focus their attentions on last year's yellow jersey winner, Geraint Thomas, and the talented young Colombian Egan Bernal who played such a crucial role in helping Thomas to victory.

Aged 22, Bernal was set to lead the team at the Giro d'Italia before a crash on a training ride in his home country of Colombia forced him to pull out, and reset his sights on the Tour de France.

Bernal and Thomas will both race the Tour de Suisse, which starts on Saturday.

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: This is what the number of calories Tour de France cyclists burn daily actually looks like

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• Whether you're bouncing down the trail on a mountain bike or sprinting on a racing bicycle, without proper tire inflation, you'll have a bad ride. Fortunately, there are a lot of great bike pumps out there that can fill those tires fast.
• The Vibrelli Performance Floor Pump is our top pick, thanks to its high 160-PSI pressure capacity and low price.

The first device that looked like the modern bicycle was developed in the early 1800s. It was known as a velocipede, and it had as many disparities as shared traits with modern bikes. Early pedal-driven cycles used steel bands or solid wooden wheels instead of pneumatic (air-filled) tires, so its little wonder that one variety of early bike was known as the boneshaker. Pneumatic tires were developed in the 1880s, and cyclists have been enjoying fewer headaches ever since.

But even the latest greatest modern pneumatic bicycle tire is useless without a good pump to fill it with air. If you have a bike manufactured any time after the late 19th century, you also need a good bike pump to keep the tires ready to roll. But how to choose the right bike pump?

First, you need to think about the most basic consideration: What type of bicycle will the pump serve? Road bikes with narrow tires require a fair amount of pressure, generally between 80 and 130 pounds per square inch (PSI). Mountain bikes with large, thick tires use much lower pressures, generally down around 30 PSI. A general-purpose bike, commonly called a hybrid, will, not surprisingly, fall in the middle, with an average range of 50 to 70 PSI.

It logically follows, then, that the racing bike enthusiast needs a pump capable of creating plenty of pressure and ideally that can do so quickly, while the mountain biker will be served just fine by a pump with a lower output capacity.

Beyond basic PSI capacity, next, think about pump size and design. Do you need to carry the pump along with you during a multi-day bike camping trip? Or during an all-day road race that will take you far away from the nearest support infrastructure? Then a lightweight and portable pump is a must. Or are your rides mostly around town for commuting and recreation? If so, a larger floor pump stored in the closet or in a shed is just fine.

And finally, how serious of a cyclist are you? If you have to dust off your bike before each ride, a lower cost pump of midrange quality will suit you fine. If you ride every morning and afternoon, then, by all means, invest in a professional-grade pump that fills the tires fast and that will last for years of regular use. Don't worry about the budget too much, as even an excellent pump can be yours for less than 50 bucks.

Here are the best bike pumps you can buy:

• Best bike pump overall: Vibrelli Performance Floor Pump
• Best electric air pump: EPAuto Portable Air Compressor Pump
• Best budget bike pump: Bell Windstorm 400 Floor Pump
• Best professional grade bike pump: Topeak Sport II Floor Pump

Updated on 06/18/2019 by Les Shu: Updated selections, prices, links, and formatting.

Keep scrolling to read more about our top picks.

SEE ALSO: The best bike locks you can buy

The best bike pump overall

The Vibrelli Performance Floor Pump has a strong, smoothly-operating steel barrel that inflates up to 160 PSI with minimal effort.

For about $30, the Vibrelli Performance Floor Pump is a bargain for a quality tool. With a maximum output rating of 160 PSI, this pump can inflate just about any bike tires you will ever come across, and it does so rapidly with minimal effort thanks to its efficient and reliable design. Its nozzle can rapidly convert to accept Schrader, Presta, and Dunlop valves.

The Vibrelli has an extra long barrel that makes each pump productive, saving you time and effort as compared to shorter options. Its wide nylon foot base and broad ergonomic handle work in tandem to keep the unit stable even during vigorous operation.

The highly accurate gauge, which displays air pressure both in pounds per square inch and bar units (a metric system measurement; one bar is equal to 14.5 PSI) makes it easy to know just when you've hit the optimal pressurization for your bike's tires.

In case the high quality and low price weren't enough for you, the Vibrelli Performance Floor Pump also comes with an inflation needle for balls as well as with a puncture repair kit.

With more than 3,000 reviews posted on Amazon, the Vibrelli has a 4.5-star average rating. One customer calls it a "fantastic pump" with a gauge that is "accurate and responds quickly."

PedalSwift calls the Vibrelli a "high performance" option at a reasonable price and notes its "all steel barrel design."BuytheBest10 says it is "affordable" and "durable" and praises its "multipurpose T-valve."

Pros: High-efficiency pumping, good price point, durable barrel, accurate pressure gauge

Cons: Proper nozzle attachment takes practice

Buy  the Vibrelli Performance Floor Pump on Amazon for $29.98

The best electric air pump

The EPAuto Portable Air Compressor Pump does all the hard work for you, effortlessly inflating tires to an exact pre-set pressure goal with the tap of a few buttons. 

When used to inflate bicycle tires, there are three issues with the EPAuto Portable Air Compressor Pump that we should deal with at the outset. First, it requires a 12-volt DC power outlet, AKA the cigarette lighter port you found in an automobile. Second, it has a maximum pressure output of 100 PSI, which is too low for some road bike tires. And third, to inflate a tire with a Presta valve, you will need to purchase a separate adapter.

Those drawbacks aside, for most cyclists who also own a car, the electric EPAuto Portable Air Compressor Pump will make inflating bike tires easier than ever. Once the nozzle is screwed in place onto a tire's valve, all you need to do to achieve the exact level of inflation desired is pre-program the target PSI using the Plus or Minus buttons, then start the unit up. 

The compressor's LCD screen displays pressure in PSI, BAR, or KPA measurements, and the unit features a built-in flashlight for use after dark. This compressor is also more than suitable for use with auto tires. That, after all, is the EPAuto Portable Air Compressor Pump's primary purpose.

The compressor scores an admirable 4.4-star average rating. One owner said its "gauge is accurate" and appreciated that it was relatively "quiet for a compressor." Another said that despite its small size it "packs a punch" or pumping power.

A review from WoodWorkingToolKit appreciated the fact that this compact compressor has an "auto shutoff feature that shut[s] down the unit when the desired pressure is achieved "that can "prevent over inflation."

Pros: Fast inflation time, pre-set air pressure target, built-in flashlight

Cons: Requires access to auto battery, maxes out at 100 PSI

Buy the EPAuto Portable Air Compressor Pump on Amazon for $22.38

The best budget bike pump

The Bell Windstorm 400 Floor Pump can create up to 100 PSI and accommodates both common bike valves as well as sports needles.

At $17, the Bell Windstorm 400 Floor Pump isn't the least expensive option on our list, but it is the most affordable all-around bike pump. This is a bonafide floor pump that can quickly and reliably inflate a tire all the way up to 100 PSI.

Granted, 100 PSI is a bit too low for certain racing bikes, but for most of us, the Bell Windstorm 400 Floor Pump, with its Schrader and Presta valve compatibility, its sturdy base, and its broad handlebar is more than adequate for our inflation needs. Just know that you will probably need to replace it within a year or two if you start cycling daily in the run up to a Tour de France attempt, as it's not as durable as its pricier counterparts.

An owner named Jen was frank in her assessment, saying the pump "does what it's supposed to do," inflating tires without issue. A cyclist named Charleston agreed, saying it "gets the job done" and that he had "no complaints."

A write up from Top5Best notes that this Bell floor pump costs "only 50% [the price] of other bike pumps" yet calls it effective and easy to use. The piece goes on to caution that it likely won't "last more than one season" with heavy use, though.

Pros: Great low price point, relatively lightweight

Cons: Maximum output of 100 PSI, no gauge

Buy the Bell Windstorm 400 Floor Pump from Target for $16.99

The best professional grade bike pump

The Topeak JoeBlow Sport II Floor Pump is a top-quality pump that works fast and is built to last, yet it still fits the budget of any avid cyclist.

The Topeak JoeBlow Sport II Floor Pump is suitable for use in a bike shop or by a professional cycling team, but at just a bit more than $47 in price, it's hardly too pricey for the amateur rider, either. Because this pump should outlast most similar devices by many years, it's a worthwhile investment.

The quality of the materials used to build the Topeak JoeBlow Sport II Floor Pump set it apart from the competition, but so do a number of clever, intuitive design features. For example, like many pumps, this one has an extra long air hose that makes it easy to access tire valves no matter their position and even when the bike is up on a rack. Here, though, the hose is connected to the pump via a rotating connection point that prevents tangles and makes positioning the nozzle even easier.

The pump's large pressure gauge is easy to read whether you are checking PSI or BAR measurements, and the smooth operation of the barrel makes the pump easy to use even as you approach its 160 PSI maximum output. The Topeak JoeBlow Sport II's double-sided "twin-head" nozzle makes it simple to connect to both Presta and Schrader valves, and you can screw in adapters with ease, too.

With nearly 1,500 reviews in, this floor pump has a commendable 4.4-star average rating. An owner named Karen said it makes "pumping very ease" without the need for "a lot of muscle power." A gentleman named Andy called it "a very good floor pump" and noted its "large base" that keeps it "stable when pumping air."

A reviewer with Outdoor Gear Lab called the Topeak JoeBlow Sport II Floor Pump versatile and durable, noting its "easy-to-read" gauge and dual valve nozzle. A write up from Bike Radar called the pump's inflation "rapid and comfortable thanks to the generous sized T-handle."

Pros: Rugged and durable, pivoting air hose, accurate gauge, sturdy base design

Cons: Nozzle too large to fit between narrow spokes

Buy the Topeak JoeBlow Sport II Floor Pump on Amazon for $48

• A$AP Ferg recently released his single, "Pups" and is a featured artist on E-40's new song "Chase the Money."
• Ferg taught us how to ride a bike in New York City's Thomas Jefferson Park.
• He went over the basics of seat height, gliding, pedaling, and showed us how to pop a wheelie without falling.
• Visit INSIDER's homepage for more stories.

Following is a transcript of the video.

A$AP Ferg: This is A$AP Ferg, and I'mma teach you how to dougie. Nah, I'mma teach you how to ride the bike.

Narrator: We caught up with A$AP Ferg, and he taught us some bike-riding basics, as well as some advanced techniques. You'll notice that Ferg isn't wearing a helmet, but you definitely should. Like this guy. First up, let's talk seat height, which is ideally at the hip.

A$AP Ferg: First, y'all gotta make sure your seat is at the right height. I like to wheelie, and when my seat is too low, I can't keep the bike up too long. I gotta keep it up a little higher so I can just throw it up one more time.

Narrator: Next up, brakes. Because before you can ride, you have to know how to stop.

A$AP Ferg: These are the two brakes right here. You have a back brake, and you have a front brake. Front brake on the left. Back brake on the right. Make sure that they're nice and quick. You've got the adjuster right here, just in case it's a little loose. It works like this.

Narrator: Gliding can help you get a feel for balance. Here's how it's done.

A$AP Ferg: I'mma start y'all off with something very simple, very easy. You take your left foot, and you pedal down, give yourself some motion, and push.

Narrator: Now that you've got balancing down, it's time to pedal.

A$AP Ferg: I'mma teach you guys how to pedal now. It's not hard at all. You'll be like me. And then it's all about the flow. Don't be scared. Let it flow. You have to be fearless. Don't be afraid to fall off the bike a little bit sometimes. It's just the flow.

Narrator: Once you're confident in your basic skills, you can move on to tricks, like the wheelie.

A$AP Ferg: It has to be like this. And you tap your brakes like this to prevent yourself from falling back. I'mma demonstrate it right now. You've gotta give yourself some speed. See how you tap. You tap, tap, tap. And that's how you wheelie a bike.

Narrator: You can catch more of Ferg's moves in the "Plain Jane" music video.

A$AP Ferg: Haha. A little bit. I ain't do that in a long time. That was a little scary just now. Woof. I feel 9 again. Thank you. I'm gonna go ride around and (censored.)

Join the conversation about this story »

Just like that it's Tour time, and, as with every Tour de France, new bikes are rolling out in the buildup to the Grand Départ.

That includes the Connecticut-based Cannondale, which on Friday unveiled the new SuperSix EVO, billed as the world's "fastest lightweight road bike." The riders on the US-registered EF Education First team are expected to race fresh EVOs at the Tour, which starts July 6 in Brussels. (They've actually been riding them in stealth mode for some time, in pro cycling's open tech secret.)

Cannondale says the new bike is significantly faster and more comfortable than the previous iteration, which Business Insider reviewed in 2017. An all-rounder, the EVO slots in between Cannondale's two other race bikes: the hyper-aero SystemSix, which debuted last summer and is the company's fastest bike, used in flatter road races, and the compliant Synapse, its most forgiving ride, preferred in punishing events like the cobbled Paris-Roubaix.

"We've hit a weight that's the same or lighter than the previous bike, but we've added so many features," Nathan Barry, a Cannondale design engineer, told Business Insider. "The drag at 30-mph race speed is 30 watts less drag than the old bike. It's the same stiffness numbers and handling, but there's bigger tire clearance, more integration, thru axles front and rear, internal cable routing, and more. It's a perfectly rounded race bike."

In addition to the more-aero tubes, the standout design feature with this EVO is the rear triangle and its dropped seat stays, which, according to the company, make for better aerodynamics — "because there's just less stuff in the way of the wind"— and a more comfortable ride. It follows numerous brands that have incorporated dropped stays into their frame designs, notably Specialized with the Tarmac and BMC with the Teammachine.

"By having the seat stays into the seat tube, below the top tube, if you develop your layup correctly, it can allow the seat tube to flex, and that gives you some comfort in the saddle, which is restricted when you have the seat stays forming a perfect truss with the front triangle," Barry said.

"The reason we're seeing dropped rear stays across multiple brands is that it's an engineering solution to a problem that multiple people are trying to solve. If your goal is more comfort and to reduce drag, that is a good way to further that to the back half of the bike."

Another difference is the wider tire clearance. With the previous frame set, the EVO could run tires up to 28 mm wide, which was already generous, but the new bike can accept tires as wide as 30 mm and still have 6 mm of clearance around the tire, according to Cannondale. That's welcome news, because generally a wider tire is not only more comfortable but also faster, as we learned at last year's Tour.

Unlike with the disc-only SystemSix, riders interested in the new EVO can opt for discs or rim brakes. Cannondale says there's no difference in stiffness or geometry between the two versions.

Also different from the older bike is that the new EVO is integrated, à la the SystemSix. Combined, the aero frame tubes, fork, wheels, seat post, handlebar, and stem make up Cannondale's system-integrated design, which, the company says, saves a rider those 30 watts at 30 mph (48 km/h). Also impressive, the company says the new bike increases compliance by up to 18%.

Cannondale has also launched a mobile app that pairs with an integrated wheel sensor to deliver speed, route, and distance, as well as other information about your bike, including the serial number and service reminders.

The new line begins with the SuperSix EVO Carbon 105, at $2,200, and runs all the way up to the SuperSix Hi-Mod Disc Dura-Ace Di2, at $11,500. You can get a built-in power meter in the crankset as well, for an additional charge. Cannondale said the new EVOs would start shipping immediately.

Last week, Cannondale sent Business Insider a SuperSix EVO Hi-Mod Disc Ultegra Di2, a $7,750 bike (it has the same carbon frame set the pros are expected to race at the Tour). And while we had enough time for just a few rides, here are some initial impressions of the most talked-about new bike heading into the Tour.

SEE ALSO: Why the tires at the Tour keep getting wider and the pressure lower

DON'T MISS: I've been biking in traffic for decades, and this is one of the best safety gadgets I've used

This is a great-looking bike that handles beautifully and feels impossibly smooth on the road. Whereas the previous EVO we tested, in size 58 cm, weighed 18 pounds even, without pedals, our new EVO tipped the scales at just over 17.2, in 58 cm.

It's a clear departure from previous EVOs: This is more of an aero bike now, not that classic EVO you used to know. That's good if you're into the slippery aesthetic, but fans of the older look may not dig the wind-tunnel vibes, at least at first.

For instance, this was the most recent EVO, before the launch of the new bike. It has a classic look compared with that of the new bike, which now looks a lot more like the SystemSix.

While the new EVO isn't a true aero bike, like the SystemSix (below), it now has more in common looks-wise with the SystemSix than it does with the previous EVOs.

Here's Tejay van Garderen racing on the new EVO in stealth mode this spring. Note that with his setup the EVO has a slightly more classic look. So you could configure the new EVO differently, depending on whether you want more of a speedster or a classic road bike.

As such, the new cockpit is fairly well integrated through bar and stem and comes with a nice out-of-the-way mount for our go-to Garmin computer.

We like a clean bar, so we were happy with this setup.

No matter which way you look at it, the new EVO oozes wind-cheating intention.

There's a stack of plastic spacers under the stem that remove easily. (Were this our bike for keeps, we'd pull another two spacers out and cut off the extra steerer tube for an even cleaner look.)

Welcome to the new minimalist EVO. (The binder bolt is hidden under the top tube.)

There's even more clearance for bigger tires now. You can run up to 30 mm-wide rubber and still have 6 mm of space around the tires, according to Cannondale. (Pictured are 25 mm Vittorias.)

That's a lot of room for wider tires in back too, should the desire hit you.

For the data-savvy, for an extra $500 you can get a built-in power meter in the crankset.

With the rollout of the new EVO, Cannondale announced new wheels too, the HollowGram 45 mm-deep KNØTs.

In addition to the powerful discs, our bike came with a wheel sensor that works with the Cannondale mobile app, which records your ride data in one place.

A sample screenshot from the new Cannondale mobile app shows our newly registered test bike.

Bottom line: This is a crazy-good road bike that even the most finicky roadies would love to have in their quiver.

While our time with the new EVO before launch was very limited, we did get in a few rides, but we were left wanting more — a good sign. The bike does everything exceedingly well, beyond expectation even. The most notable strengths are, no surprise, superb handling and a velvety-smooth road feel. It's the most comfortable performance road bike we've ridden. With the fresh six-point integration and aero design, the bike feels faster at speed, noticeably more so than the EVO we rode in 2017.

Downsides? There really isn't one we could spot off the bat. Perhaps in a bike that costs over seven grand we'd like a 58 cm EVO that weighs less than 17 pounds, but with discs and a bigger frame that is most likely unrealistic at this stage. And some might at first lament the loss of the classic EVO look, but others will surely embrace the design innovation and the performance benefits it yields. As for us, we'll keep pedaling. Check back for a long-term review.

Head to Cannondale.com for more information about the new EVO.

• Most sunglasses are not designed for strenuous activity, like outdoor runs.
• Austin-based brand Rōka has helped alleviate this issue with a line of unisex sunglasses designed to never slip off your face no matter what.
• Beyond being super lightweight and actually staying on your face without sliding down on your nose, these glasses also look great. I've gotten more compliments wearing my Rōkas than any pair of sunglasses I've ever worn.

Since 2011, Rōka has established itself as a leader in performance technology. Originally designed for competitive athletes like runners and cyclists, the Austin, Texas-based brand has pivoted to offer a more widespread variety of styles suited for everyday wear without sacrificing its performance identity. 

The brand was started by two former collegiate athletes with a passion for creating technology that helps people maximize their potential. It began with the goal of creating high-performance wetsuits, and have since pivoted to performance eyewear. 

The main value proposition of Rōka sunglasses is that they're guaranteed to stay glued to your face. No annoying sliding down on your nose while you're out for a run, no risk of them flying off your face while enjoying a boat ride on the lake, and no nagging pain on the side of your head after long periods of use. 

Rōka offers a series of different classic unisex styles, all with the patented technology that sets the brand apart. Also, each pair comes with three different-sized nose pads so the frames fit your nose better. 

While you do have to pay a slight premium for this level of technology, Rōka sunglasses are worth it because its face-sticking capabilities reduce the risk of loss or damage compared to traditional sunglasses — all without sacrificing style.

We tried the Rōka Oslo and Turino frames. Keep reading below to see what we thought.

Rōka Oslo High Performance Sunglasses

The first thing I noticed about my Rōka frames were how supremely light they felt on the bridge of my nose and temples, thanks to the patented GEKO pads that are added to all pairs of Rōka glasses.

These soft, gel-like pads are the secret weapon of Rōka glasses because they make the frames extra comfortable, but they're also the primary reason they don't fall off your face. 

When Rōka made the bold claim that its sunglasses would never slip or fall off your face, my natural inclination was to violently shake my head back and forth to see if the statement rang true. Amazingly enough, even after gyrating my skull like beads of water bouncing on a bass-speaker playing EDM music, my Rōka Oslo sunglasses stayed cemented on the bridge of my nose.

This process has been repeated many times as I insist on making anyone who makes a slight comment on the glasses repeat the head banging routine — the result is the same each time. The glasses — and a look of amazement — remains painted to the tester's face.

Beyond psychotically shaking my head back and forth in my free time, I've also put the glasses to the test in the field. While I am not much of a runner or cyclist, I recently wore the glasses to Central Park and built up a solid sweat during a game of Spikeball. I made sure to unnecessarily dive head-first after the yellow ball as much as possible, and sure enough, each time I got up, my Rōkas remained in place. 

In addition to their incredible performance attributes, the style of my Rōka Oslos has been my favorite part of wearing the glasses. Sure, they're super comfortable and reliable, but ultimately we all want to look good.  Every time I wear my Rōka Oslos out, I seem to get a comment from a friend questioning the kind of glasses I'm wearing and how they can get their hands on a pair. 

I've been able to wear the glasses without a hitch at a variety of events, including chill days at the park and fancier affairs like the Belmont Stakes and a black-tie wedding. At the wedding, my father even talked with someone who called me "the guy with the cool sunglasses."

Buy the Rōka Oslo sunglasses starting at $140 from Amazon (price varies by color)

Rōka Torino Sports Performance Polarized Sunglasses

I'm forever hunting for the best pair of sunglasses for each and every condition, and so far on this life's quest, I've come to the conclusion that an active, adventurous person requires at least three pairs of shades (but probably even a few more, especially where hapless hooples such as I are concerned).

I like thick glass lenses for more serious pursuits and for driving. And I require at least two lens colors because I spend a lot of time fishing and they have to be polarized. I'll wear blue for open, strong light (like the kind you'd experience on the open ocean), and a brown or gray tint if I'm wading streams for trout in waters predominated by dark or drab-colored tannins (like in brown- or green-colored water).

Of course, if you've ever looked at your phone or any screen while wearing polarized sunglasses, you'll immediately recognize their downfall. If you're not spending much time on the water, polarized shades don't have much importance and can even make life a little harder, so a non-polarized pair is just as — if not more — essential. But because I spend so much of my time outdoors on the water, polarized are almost always an imperative.

So I went with Rōka's Torino Sunglasses in Matte Root Beer with Bronze Polarized Lenses. They're a little oversized in the lens department and the frames look clunky, but they're actually extremely lightweight.

I decided that, because Rōka's claim to fame is that its sunglasses are exceptionally grippy and activity-proof and because I have a particularly narrow face, trying frames that would tend to be on the looser side could be a good litmus test for the brand.

So off I went into the Catskills of western New York "where the trout streams flow and the air is nice" with Rōka's Torinos casually resting on the bridge of my nose.

If they wouldn't slip in the sun and if they'd allow me to spot prospecting trout, I was in. It's one thing to wear heavy glass shades when you're driving or sitting there on a boat, it's another to take them on a grueling, sweaty trek along (and into, and up) a stream while wearing waders in the June heat.

What can I say? I spotted fish that my more experienced angling associates did not. Thanks to the hydrophilic elastomer temple and nose pads, the glasses didn't slip (even though they are a little loose on me), and they didn't weigh my head down either. I've also carelessly tossed them into the console of my car without a case more than once and I've yet to discover a scratch.

Rōkas aren't cheap, but they're competitively priced, remarkably lightweight, comfortable, and grippy — which counts for a lot — and they're worth a shot if quality and weight are your parameters. — Owen Burke, Insider Picks Senior Reporter

Buy the Rōka Torino Polarized Sunglasses for $210 on Amazon

• With four-time winner Chris Froome and 2018 runner-up Tom Dumoulin out because of crash injuries, this year's Tour de France is the most wide-open edition in years.
• Whereas there are often three or four riders who have a realistic shot at winning, this year there are up to 10.
• But pretenders will be found out: It's an extra-hard course that will favor climbers who thrive at high altitude.
• Individual time trialing is de-emphasized this year, with one relatively short TT and one team time trial.
• The winner will be a strong climber who can hold his own on flatter stages and keep the rubber side down.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

BRUSSELS — The 106th Tour de France starts here Saturday, and it looks as if it could be a vintage year.

It's the most wide-open race in years, with Chris Froome, the four-time winner, and Tom Dumoulin, last year's runner-up, out because of injury. While Geraint Thomas is here to take the start, the defending champ's form is unclear after a race-ending crash two weeks ago and the fact he's not a won a race since last year's Tour.

It's an opportunity for those who normally wouldn't be considered top favorites for cycling's greatest prize, the yellow jersey. And whereas there are usually three or four riders who have a realistic shot at winning, this time there are more like 10 who could win, depending on how generous you like your prognostications.

Sorry, TT fans, but this year's route is about the high mountains — it's the highest-altitude edition in the race's long history. The winner will be a superstrong climber who can hold his own on the flatter stages and keep the rubber side down.

Here, then, are the riders who have the best shot at winning this year's Tour, ranked from least to most likely.

SEE ALSO: I rode the new Cannondale SuperSix EVO, billed as the 'fastest lightweight road bike'

DON'T MISS: From street vendor to Tour de France star, the extraordinary determination of Rigoberto Urán

10. Steven Kruijswijk

Name: Steven Kruijswijk
Nationality: Dutch
Age: 32
Height: 1.78 m./5.10 ft.
Weight: 66 kg./146 lb.
Team: Jumbo-Visma

How can you not root for a rider nicknamed The Coat Hanger?

To casual fans, Kruijswijk may not be the most familiar name in the peloton, but he's been nothing but consistent in weeklong stage races and grand tours over the past several years, finishing in the top five at the Giro, Tour, and Vuelta. He looked set to win the 2016 Giro but infamously crashed out the day before its conclusion, slamming into a snow bank.

Last year the Dutchman was fifth in the Tour and fourth in the Vuelta. This season he's been finishing in the top 10 in smaller but important races in his build-up to the Tour. Yet with all that consistency and flirting with podiums, he's yet to deliver the big result. He's 32 and it's time for Kruijswijk to step up. Winning seems like a stretch, but a podium could be his.

9. Thibaut Pinot

Name: Thibaut Pinot
Nationality: French
Nickname: Pinot Noir
Age: 29
Height: 1.8 m./5.9 ft.
Weight: 63 kg./139 lb.
Team: Groupama-FDJ

How about a French winner for France's national tour? He'd be the first Frenchman to win since 1985.

Pinot is one of France's best three-week riders, having finished as high as third at the Tour, fourth at the Giro, and sixth at the Vuelta. An excellent climber, he should enjoy this year's high-altitude ride around France, and with Froome and Dumoulin out it could be his year to finally snag the win.

But Pinot has been inconsistent, and hasn't finished a Tour since 2015, when he was 16th. Last year he showed his class by winning the prestigious one-day classic Tour of Lombardy, and this year's he's won smaller but important stage races. You can't rule out the Frenchman on home soil. The podium is a potential, if he can pull it all together.

8. Adam Yates

Name: Adam Yates
Nationality: English
Ages: 26
Height: 1.73 m./5.7 ft.
Weight: 58 kg./128 lb.
Team: Mitchelton-Scott

What about twins on the podium? That'd be a first for the Tour.

Cycling's Yates brothers, Adam and Simon, are teammates, each with his own impressive résumé and a shot at a high place in this Tour, with Adam the protected rider this July. Results-wise, Simon edges his brother because of his big victory in the Vuelta last year, eighth place in the Giro this May, and seventh overall at the Tour in 2017, not to mention a slew of top-five finishes in prestigious weeklong races. Adam was fourth at the 2016 Tour and ninth at the 2017 Vuelta. He too has racked up top-10s at big one-week races.

Simon is coming off an eighth-place finish at May's Giro and should be in good position to support Adam in his bid to better his fourth overall in Paris in 2016. Adam hasn't cracked the top 25 in a three-week race since finishing ninth in the 2017 Giro, but he's shown this season that when he's on form he can climb with the best riders. The Yateses are gritty riders who won't shy from racing hard, but a podium will take a lot of work.

7. Vincenzo Nibali

Name: Vincenzo Nibali
Nationality: Italian
Nickname: The Shark
Age: 34
Height: 1.80 m./5.9 ft.
Weight: 65 kg./143 lb.
Team: Bahrain-Merida

Nothing worse than a shark bite.

The three-time grand-tour champion has already raced 45 days this year, including in May's Giro, where he finished second overall. Surprisingly, he has zero wins so far in 2019. Unsurprisingly, he's played down his chances for the general classification this year, saying he'll target stage wins instead. Yet only a fool would write off the cunning Sicilian, who at 34 is one of the most experienced and successful riders in the peloton.

Will the Shark have the legs after completing the Giro? Nibali's hopes would be that others crack around him and he could follow wheels and strike at the right moments. More likely, he'll end up with a stage win in the mountains and roll into Paris somewhere around top five. But a podium is hardly out of the question, if he can stretch his Giro form. History, though, tells us that few riders have been able to fare well in both the Giro and the Tour.

6. Nairo Quintana

Name: Nairo Quintana
Nationality: Colombian
Nickname: Nairoman
Age: 29
Height: 1.67 m./5.5 ft.
Weight: 58 kg./128 lb.
Team: Movistar

Who's afraid of Nairoman?

Six years ago, the Colombian was set to become the next big thing, with many saying he'd win several Tours. And while he has a record most would die for, including two second places at the Tour and overall wins at the Giro and Vuelta, he's struggled to win the biggest race, failing to crack the top 10 in his last two attempts.

If he's got a chance this year, it's that this edition is all about the high-altitude climbing, something Nairoman should be looking forward to. He's got a strong team behind him, and with a second place overall at March's Paris-Nice and ninth at last month's Dauphiné, this could be the 29-year-old's year to cement his class.

5. Romain Bardet

Name: Romain Bardet
Nationality: French
Age: 28
Height: 1.84 m./6 ft.
Weight: 65 kg./143 lb.
Team: AG2R La Mondiale

For the French, Bardet is panache personified.

The tall rider expresses himself by attacking on steep climbs and going for glory. He's called this edition "the most beautiful Tour" since he's been in position to win, and he's eager to hit the high mountains.

Bardet's record at the Tour is impressive; from 2013 to 2018, he finished 15th, 6th, 9th, 2nd, 3rd, and 6th. This year he's on track for a strong showing, with a fifth-place finish at Paris-Nice, ninth at Amstel Gold, and 10th at the Dauphiné. Bardet is one of the best climbers around, and he'll be well supported by his team. With Froome and Dumoulin out, it's his best chance.

4. Geraint Thomas

Name: Geraint Thomas
Nickname: G
Nationality: Welsh
Age: 33
Height: 1.83 m./6 ft.
Weight: 67 kg./147 lb.
Team: Ineos

How heavy lies the crown?

Thomas is high among the picks to win the Tour again this year, but things are more complicated for the Welshman as he heads into his big defense. He'll be under great pressure to repeat, and whereas by this time last year Thomas had won three races, including the "mini Tour de France," the Dauphiné, this year he's won nothing. Has he basked in the glow of his Tour victory too much?

Two weeks ago he crashed out of the Tour of Switzerland, and though he escaped serious injury, he missed four days of hard racing in the mountains, which could have helped confirm his form alongside his rivals, or revealed where he needed fine tuning. And not only will Froome not be around, but Egan Bernal, the 22-year-old phenom, has been officially granted co-leader status after winning the recent Swiss tour. If Bernal is better than Thomas, even by a bit, will Thomas hand over the reins and work for him?

Thomas has one of the strongest teams, which includes star climbers to support him. Unlike some of his rivals, the Welshman did not race the Giro, and, assuming his training has been perfect, he should be fresh to defend his crown.

3. Egan Bernal

Name: Egan Bernal
Nationality: Colombia
Age: 22
Height: 1.75 m./5.8 ft.
Weight: 60 kg./132 lb.
Team: Ineos

The wunderkind everyone's talking about.

Just 22, new kid on the block Bernal is winning big races and coming in hot to his second Tour. He's not only a phenomenal climber but a strong time trialist, who just won the Tour of Switzerland.

The rising Colombian star was supposed to race the Giro in May but injured himself in a training crash, so he refocused on the Tour and is lining up as a co-leader with Thomas, the defending champ. That could present problems if both riders show good legs: Who would be the leader and who the helper? Team boss Dave Brailsford faced such a debacle in the 2012 Tour, when an emerging Chris Froome proved stronger than Bradley Wiggins but who under team orders was forced to costar in a supporting role.

Bernal got 15th in the Tour last year, though he was working for Froome and Thomas. This year the pressure of being a big favorite could wear him out, and his inexperience could see him make a costly mistake or two, whereas Thomas brings deep experience. Whatever happens, he should light up the high mountains.

2. Rigoberto Urán

Name: Rigoberto Urán
Nickname: Rigo
Nationality: Colombian
Age: 32
Height: 1.73 m./5.7 ft.
Weight: 60 kg./132 lb.
Team: EF Education First

There's nobody more chill at the Tour than Rigo.

Urán nearly won the Tour in 2017, giving Froome his closest victory by finishing just 54 seconds down after three weeks of racing. Nobody picked Urán to be among the top finishers that year, let alone runner-up. This year's Tour is all about climbing, and the Colombian climbs with the best. He's solid in the time trial, having lost only 25 seconds to Froome in the longer TT in 2017 after more than 28 minutes of racing. He will have an even deeper team of climbers to support him, and the squad should do well in the TTT.

The tricky part is Urán has raced only 19 days this year and has no individual wins. He did show good form at a recent tune-up race, but compared to his rivals who raced the Giro, Dauphiné, or Swiss tour, he's coming in with unclear form. Still, the consummate pro knows how to prepare, so expect him to be fighting for the win.

1. Jakob Fuglsang

Name: Jakob Fuglsang
Nationality: Danish
Age: 34
Height: 1.81 m./6 ft.
Weight: 65 kg./143 lb.
Team: Astana

Fuglsang — his name means "bird song."

The Dane comes off as low-key, preferring to let his legs do the talking. He's never come that close to winning a three-week race, with his best result seventh in the 2013 Tour. But this July is certain to be the 34-year-old's best shot, with Froome and Dumoulin out and uncertainty over Thomas.

One of the most talented climbers among the GC riders, Fuglsang in April won the sport's hardest one-day race, the hilly Liege-Bastogne-Liege, and a few weeks ago he also won the prestigious Dauphiné, billed by organizers as the "mini Tour de France." Still, he's never won a race over a week long, and the pressure will be the most intense he's ever experienced.

The world's No. 3-ranked rider is enjoying his best season, and he's going to have the full support of his team as he races for yellow. Given this year's climbing-heavy route, Fuglsang could soar above the rest.