Flitedeck's virtual cockpit now available to pre-order (FROM £1,361)... plus new Shimano shades, MAAP's Lando Norris-inspired kit + more

It's time for another round-up of some of the weirdest and most wonderful tech the cycling world has seen this week. And boy, do we have some treats for you.

From some very, very expensive handlebars that want to make cycling computers obsolete, to a new Rotor power meter, Shimano's new sunnies and more, grab a cuppa and dive in...

Turn your bike into a Tesla with the Flitedeck £1,361 digital cockpit

We don't know about you, but we often find ourselves wondering "why couldn’t a handlebar function like a car cockpit, integrating all features seamlessly?" Oh wait, no that wasn't us. That was Flite, the people behind the new Flitedeck handlebar that features a built-in bike computer display, light and bell.

Once you get over the fact your bike can now look like the inside of a certain American automotive brand, you can ponder the price tag. Pre-orders are currently underway, with early bird pricing starting from £1,361. Note we said from...

If you want to design something custom, which in Flite's terms could mean "personalised visible carbon, your favourite colour or a very personal lettering" you're looking at an early bird price tag of £2,807. Crikey. 

One thing we haven't mentioned so far is the way that Flite gained its funding via more... modern methods than your traditional investment/Crowdfunding rounds. In short, at least some of the money was raised through an OnlyFans account ran by Flite's founder Sabrina Fischer that offered "cycling-related content, behind-the-scenes glimpses into our journey, and personal, exclusive interactions." Well, whatever pays the bills!

Pre-orders are now open with discounts available until March, and you can find out more on the Flite website. 

Rotor launches new INspider Road power meter

Described as a "cutting-edge spider power meter", the new INspider Road power meter from Rotor offers dual-sided power data and a rechargeable battery with a claimed 350 hour run time. 

According to Rotor it only weighs 128g and is 12mm thick - for those who are technical about their bike's Q-Factor and whatnot. It offers both ANT+ and Bluetooth connections, and even claims to work with oval chainrings with a +/- 1% accuracy.

It works best with a Garmin computer so if you want all the extra metrics on offer, make sure that's what you're running. The INspider Road power meter is available to buy now for just over £500 on the Rotor website. 

Shimano launches S-Phyre sunglasses with Ridescape lens technology

Shimano has announced its 2025 sunglasses range, with three new models hitting the market: S-Phyre, Equinox and Pulsar. The S-Phyre model uses a one-piece lens and rimless design, and it's aimed at weight weenie racers at just 23.7g claimed weight. You can choose from four Ridescape Road lenses, and the glasses retail for €149.95.

The other two options in the catalogue include the Equinox, which is a half-rim frame retailing at €119.95 and the Pulsar which is more aimed at MTB and gravel riders. Riders can switch between a full or half frame look and plenty of lens options for varying conditions. The Pulsar retails at €89.95.

Cycling kit inspired by Lando Norris? MAAP team up with Bleach Design Werks for moto-inspired collection

The masterminds at MAAP and Bleach Design Werks have released a second collaboration, this time focusing on "moto, street and cycling culture." Bleach Design Werks, based in Los Angeles, have created custom bikes for big names including F1's Lando Norris. 

The new capsule collection contains off-road, road and street wear, including jerseys, cargo bibs, socks and more. And to celebrate the collaboration, the two brands are launching their "Happy to Ride Here" series of rides across the globe. These are community events taking place in cities such as London, Berlin and Melbourne and invite "cyclists to explore paths less travelled and experience the untamed creativity that fuels the collection." 

The capsule collection is available from MAAP now. 

Bianchi gets rid of rim brakes on its new Aquila RC time trial bike... and in turn, consigns the humble rim brake to history on cycling's WorldTour

The Bianchi Aquila remained one of the few time trial bikes running rim brakes, and with the update to the model it looks like the Italian brand has gone to dark side...with discs. It was on paper the only rim-braked bike in the top level of professional cycling after Giant's Trinity finally went official with its move to discs last month, so that means there are now no rim brakes at all on the WorldTour in 2025. 

The brand claims it is "pushing the boundaries of time trial performance" with the new Aquila, and collaborated with WorldTour team Arkea-B&B Hotels to develop the bike. Some stats for the bike nerds out there: Bianchi claims the new Aquila saves 16.1 watts at 50km/h versus the previous model. 

It also apparently beat the previous Aquila by 37 seconds over a 40.7km course. It can accommodate tyres up to 28mm and of course comes in the famed celeste colourway. It's set to the make its WorldTour debut on 9 February at Étoile du Bességes, but if you want to set the local TT course alight, it'll set you back £4,799 for the frameset.

Don't you know, Torque it up...

Sorry, that was a terrible pun. But also, we're quite proud of it on a Friday afternoon. Alas, we digress. Torque has brought out a whole range of new multitools, and we're going to quickly tell you all about them. 

Ranging from the RT10 Mini Ratchet Set, which does as it suggests, for the reasonable sum of £34.99. It comes in a neat package with plenty of bits and heads to keep your bike running. 

Then there is the Slimline range, which consists of the 6, 10, 12, 12 Co2 and 16 options. As you can probably guess they're multitools with varying amounts of useful bits. The 6 being the more simple of the range and the 12 Co2 and 16 the most hefty. These range from £14.99 to £29.99.

Finally there's the Mighty 20, which comes with pretty much everything you'll ever need to fix a roadside mechanical. It's chunkier than the Slimline range and costs slightly more at £34.99. You can find out more on the Oxford website. 

Ride with Sir Chris Hoy on Zwift for the Tour de 4

Sir Chris Hoy is launching Tour de 4 rides on Zwift to raise money for cancer charities across the UK and to change the perception of those living with stage 4 cancer. The rides will be hosted by Zwift from 8 February through to August 2025, and the platform has announced it will be matching donations up to £50,000. 

> Sir Chris Hoy’s “brave” terminal cancer revelation prompts near sevenfold increase in prostate cancer advice searches

The rides will be run every two weeks on Zwift until May, when they will switch to a monthly routine. For the first ride on 8 February, you will be able to ride with Sir Chris Hoy alongside "special guests" such as Lucy Charles-Barclay, Freddy Ovett and Philip Hindes. 

The events are run as social rides, starting at 10AM for 45 minutes around the Watopia course, Tempus Fugit. Sign up and find out more about the Tour de 4 on their website. 

You can now buy Vision Metron wheels as used by the professionals

The Metron SL wheels by Vision are the brand's "fastest and most aerodynamic model line," and now even the humble amateur can get hold of a pair. The new "Silver Edition" wheelsets are launching in two profiles: 45mm and 60mm to appeal to both "climbers and sprinters."

Vision recommends the use of 28-30mm tubeless tyres with these wheels, which will come with a new Power Ratchet System hub to provide claimed faster engagement. The Silver Edition wheelsets will be priced at £2,099 for the 45mm rim depth version and £2,149 for the 60mm. They will come with silver mirrored colour decals, hence the name. 

Get ready to spend a fortune, Assos has dropped a new collection. Oh, hang on...

Are we about to do the unthinkable and suggest the Swiss brand's newest collection isn't going to require you taking out a bank loan? Quite possibly. The new Equipe R and Dyora R collections take aim at those looking for "technical excellence and lifestyle aesthetics at an accessible price point."

The range includes bib shorts and jerseys in both masculine and feminine fits, taking inspiration from some of the brand's more premium ranges like the Equipe RS. The shorts feature compressive materials, and a patented three-layer foam chamois pad.

 The jerseys off a four-way stretch and a circular knit fabric with a hexagon pattern for better cooling. The jerseys are available in sizes XS to 2XL in a range of colours and are priced at £130. The bib shorts come in black, blue and green and retail for £165. 

In case you missed it:

•  “A new benchmark for steel all-road bikes”: Fairlight Strael gets a huge redesign
• Wallet-friendlier wheels and bib tight triumphs: a super six of top cycling products from Gorewear, Hunt, Scribe, Galibier, Assos + Lezyne