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What’s in for 2025? More riding! What’s out? Read on to see. 

As we pedal into 2025, we’re pondering our goals, our bucket list destinations, our training plans, and our approaches to cycling, from how we choose to pedal in the winter months to what gear we’re using.

Here, we have a few predictions for what’s going to be ‘in’ this cycling season, and what trends are past their prime.

In for 2025

In: Eating high carb on rides. We love that in recent years, pros are talking about eating 120 grams of carbs per hour (or even more) and feeling stronger than ever. And thanks to brands like Enervit making it easier to consume that amount of carbohydrate on the bike, it’s never been easier to fuel your ride so that you not only are climbing at record-setting pace, you’re also helping your body recover faster afterwards.

In: Heat training. Heading to a bike tour in a warmer climate than what you’re used to, or planning to race in hot weather this summer? A little heat training can go a long way. Exercise physiologist and cold/heat expert Dr. Stephen Cheung (AKA Dr. Freeze) says that even riding in warmer clothing to get a little sweatier during your training in colder temps, and (if time permits) adding a hot tub or sauna session post-ride can help you prepare for hot weather riding.

In: Slower-paced mealtimes. If there’s one thing that you learn on an inGamba trip, it’s how to take your time and linger over a delicious meal, savouring every bite. This year, we’re loving slower living in general (with the exception of when we’re riding, of course!) and mealtime is the best time to experience what it feels like to simply slow down and enjoy the moment. Whether you’re out to dinner or eating at home, try to take just a few minutes longer than normal at mealtime. (Steal some of Borgolecchi’s head chef Tomi Morgade’s Tuscan cooking secretes here!)

In: Kits that are getting smarter. Q36.5’s mission is all about optimizing body temperature, and their revolutionary approach to kit design is why inGamba has partnered with the Italian clothing brand.

In: Massage. Whether that means investing in a sports massage once a week or using at-home modalities like compression boots, massage guns, foam rollers or massage balls, spending time optimizing your body post-ride has never been more important, or trendier. Compression boots in particular are having a moment in the wellness community, and here at inGamba, we’ve always made daily massage during our tours a top priority.

In: Bucket list bike adventures. We may be biased because we have the best bike tours around, but we think that if you’re going to do a bike trip, you should do it right. Make this the year that you treat yourself to the destination you’ve always dreamed of, whether that means you’re pedaling along Italy’s white roads in Tuscany, enjoying the oceanside views in Portugal, or climbing huge mountain passes in the Dolomites.

Out for 2025

Out: Skimping on recovery. The days of getting back from a ride and sprinting to your desk to get back to work are over, especially if you want a happy spine and leg muscles. Even if you do need to be back to work, taking the time to have some water, sip a pre-made recovery smoothie (we like Enervit’s R2 Recovery Drink for this!) and even use a massage ball while at your desk to work into any sore leg or glute muscles can make a big difference. (And we promise no one on the conference call will notice!)

Out: Cold plunging. While cold plunges have their place in cycling—like after a particularly hot Tour de France stage, if you’re Tadej Pogačar—they aren’t actually great for regular cyclists post-ride. Cheung explains that cold plunging helps drop inflammation, which is important for cyclists who are doing huge miles and hard efforts day after day, but for the rest of us, this blunting of inflammation can actually make our workouts less effective. If you still love cold plunging for the mental benefits, go ahead and enjoy—but maybe separate it from your ride if you want to maximize your efforts on the bike

Out: Getting a little too invested in Zwift and ignoring friends and family. We adore Zwift, but we love using it as a tool for training and even a bit of virtual racing, not as an obsession.

Out: Competitive Strava. On a similar note, while we love Strava and will gladly give you kudos, we’re over the competitive feels we occasionally get when scrolling in our feed. Stop comparing your rides to everyone else’s, and instead, focus on spreading positivity on the platform.

Out: Fasted riding. We’re just not into things that are fast, with the exception of our riders on their bikes. Seriously, though, we’re happy to see the trend of fasted state training take a backseat to properly fueling your ride. Not only do you perform better on the bike when you fuel right, but you recover quicker too. The exception? If you’re a busy cyclist who can only manage an easy 30-minute spin in the morning before breakfast, a short, easy ride done fasted is a great option, especially when the alternative is skipping it altogether.

Molly Hurford

Molly is the author of Fuel Your Ride, and a Precision Nutrition-certified coach. Her writing has appeared in many leading publications, including Bicycling Magazine and Outside. When she's not writing or coaching, she loves ultra-running and racing on trails, riding bikes, or hiking with her mini-dachshund DW.