In the Drops: Affordable power, blingy carbon axles, Muc-Off's fastest lube and Gtechniq's smart surface science
It’s all kicking off this week, quite literally. With the 2026 Tour de France starting tomorrow, Cyclist’s pro coverage has obviously been centred around the world’s biggest bike race, but there’s been plenty. . .
It’s all kicking off this week, quite literally. With the 2026 Tour de France starting tomorrow, Cyclist’s pro coverage has obviously been centred around the world’s biggest bike race, but there’s been plenty of new tech to talk about as well. We looked into thebest Tours in the last ten yearsand how much the winner of this one will earn inprize money, before updating our‘how to watch’guide for this year’s race. Wednesday brought a look at thebest parcours from the last ten years, plus some detail on the British riders there this year. We followed that with a look at the Americans in the race, before rating the teams and making our predictions. It’s fair to say we’re covering the race from all angles. Tech wise, there was a slew of releases early doors. We led with the biggest launch of the year so far,Specialized’s new Tarmac SL9, and followed up with stories ongreat value Zipp wheels, another Tour bike in the newLook 795 Blade RS, and a look at Giant’s revisedRevolt gravel racer. There’ll be more TdF content to come today, but in the meantime here’s some new gear to keep things fresh in the latest In the Drops. Overfast Ultralight thru-axlesSam ChallisAn aspect of cycling many riders enjoy is that so much about their setup is customisable and upgradeable. Thru-axles might be one of the most underrecognised areas to change, but options such as Overfast’s Ultralight axles prove it’s not only possible but a move that could unlock a not insignificant weight-saving advantage. ‘At around 30g per pair dependent on spec, our Ultralight axles are around a third of the weight of normal axles,’ says Overfast’s Bryan Huang. You can certainly pay more to get less in other areas of a bike. Quality is a legitimate concern when it comes to a part as safety-critical as a thru-axle, but Huang says the Ultralight axles were a two-year project to develop and every one Overfast produces is individually put through a battery of tests to ensure QC. ‘They have a number of design features that prevent the ways in which they could fail,’ he says. Sam ChallisThe Ultralight axles are comprised of a carbon fibre head and shaft, bonded to an alloy thread. The head and shaft are one piece, to eliminate any prospect of bond failure there, while the shaft and thread cap are shaped to provide a patented mechanical locking interface (concave grooves and a flared end in the carbon is matched by the alloy cap) that is further strengthened by adhesive. Overfast says its axles can withstand over 1,000kgf, while real-world thru-axle loads are much lower. Sam ChallisOverfast currently stocks Ultralight axles for a wide range of modern makes and models, but offers a custom option for bikes not currently catered for at no extra cost. Buyers have the choice of eight decal designs to finish the upgrade off. For more information on Overfast's Ultralight thru-axles, visitpandapodium. ccGtechniq Ultimate Bike Care kitSam ChallisGtechniq's Ultimate Bike Care kit is attempting to be one-stop-shop for most rider's cleaning requirements. Alongside some premium drying towels and buffing clothes, there's a detailing brush to access hard to reach areas on a bike, then a selection of fluids to deal with any and all muck that finds it's way on to a bike during the course of a ride. The Bike Clean solution deals with all common detritus on the frame, while the Drivetrain degreaser has a formula that attacks the oils and waxes that build up on the chain specifically. Gtechniq also supplies its Tri-Clean wash, so the bacteria and dirt that build up on non-washable items of kit, such as shoes and helmets, can be dealt with as well. Sam ChallisSo far so good, but labelling that an 'Ultimate' kit might be a bit of a stretch. The inclusion that might allow the kit to qualify is Gtechniq's Bike Ceramic. There's a clever little solution in that bottle. Gtechniq says when wiped over a frame – which is now sparkling clean courtesy of the other products in the kit – with a cloth, the invisible ceramic solution chemically bonds to the surface of the bike and makes it hydrophobic. This means dust, grime and mud have a much harder job clinging to the bike, and the stuff that does washes off very easily. Sam ChallisGtechniq claims one application will provide 24 months' protection, and includes a bottle of Ceramic Clearcoat – essentially a top-up spray – to help ensure it lasts as long as advertised. For more information on Gtechniq's Ultimate Bike Care kit, visitfreewheel. co. ukMuc-off Dark Energy chain waxSam ChallisAfter years of sticking predominantly to oil-based lubricants, Muc-Off is finally offering a wax-based lubricant. Put simply, wax-based drip-on lubes such as the new Dark Energy product aim to capture most of the efficiency and low-wear gains of immersion waxing (dipping a chain into a pool of liquid wax) but with the ease of use of normal lubes that are simply dripped onto the chain. Sam ChallisMuc-Off says Dark Energy is launching after years of testing recipes, and claims third-party testing shows the plant-derived, biodegradable final formula is among the most efficient options now on the market in terms of friction reduction and drivetrain wear. According to the brand, users can expect up to almost 500km of these benefits per application in dry and damp conditions. For more information on Muc-off's Dark Energy chain wav, visitmuc-off. comCoospo S10 power meterSam ChallisAdmittedly you’ll still need to source a crankset with the Easton Cinch mounting interface and compatible chainring in order to use the Coospo S10 spider power meter (there’s a SRAM-compatible option as well), but it’s still an excellent example of how affordable power measurement is getting. Features don’t seem to be compromised either: Coospo claims a +/-1% accuracy, ANT+ and Bluetooth connectivity, 300-hour rechargeable battery and an IPX7 waterproof rating. Working out your watts has never been easier. For more information on Coospo's S10 power meter, visitcoospo. com