New bikes, racing fever and dolce vita: Bike Festival Riva del Garda - Day 2

On Saturday, too, technology enthusiasts and inquisitive minds can get their fill of new high-tech and exciting products from over 200 exhibitors and a total of 400 brands. Those who don't just want to watch, but also want to experience the latest developments for themselves, are in luck: more than 1,500 test bikes - from MTB to gravel to e-bike - are available for visitors to test.

And to round off the second day of the festival in style, marathon races will provide the necessary racing excitement. There will also be spectacular shows, live music and plenty of dolce vita flair in the green, dreamlike setting of Riva del Garda. Here is the highlight show from Saturday, 2 May 2026.

Pole Hiisi: Radical CNC-E-MTB with Maxon drive

At the Bike Festival in Riva del Garda, the new Pole Hiisi is also a talking point - an e-MTB that deliberately breaks away from classic categories. The Finns consistently focus on their own unique concept: a completely CNC-milled aluminium frame that is not welded but glued together from precisely manufactured half-shells. The result is maximum manufacturing precision and a design that clearly stands out from the carbon mainstream.

The platform approach is particularly exciting: one frame covers several areas of use - from trail to gravity - with 150 to 200 mm of suspension travel and various wheel setups from full 29 to mullet. Pole thus aims to combine several bike categories in one system. The Hiisi is also going its own way with the drive. Instead of relying on the usual top dogs, a lightweight Maxon motor is used, combined with an integrated battery (600 Wh) and optional range extender. The new Pole is strictly limited. For the time being, there will only be 40 complete bikes and ten framesets available. Prices start at a breathtaking 15,000 euros. According to Pole, the lightest bodies start at 19.6 kilos.

Radon Recap: Carbon trail bike with Bosch CX drive

At the Bike Festival in Riva del Garda, Radon showcased its fresh E-MTB offensive with the new Recap. The bike appears as a lightweight trail platform with a full carbon frame - a first for Radon - and relies on the latest fifth-generation Bosch Performance Line CX motor.

With 150 mm front and rear suspension travel, modern geometry and an integrated 600 Wh battery, the Recap is positioned between trail and all-mountain and prioritises weight and handling over maximum range. The capacity can be optionally extended to up to 850 Wh using a range extender. The aim is to achieve the most agile riding experience possible with full motor power. All in all, the recap shows where development is heading: powerful drives, well thought-out integration and lighter, versatile platforms. An exciting new addition that will also attract a lot of attention at the festival.

Abums E-001: Steel enduro meets high-power motor

Also the Abums E-001 should not be missing from our highlight show - if only because of its design language. The Spanish custom label combines a handmade steel frame with state-of-the-art e-bike technology, bringing an exciting alternative to the usual high-end enduro bikes to the trail.

The centrepiece is the new Mahle M40 enginewhich, with a weight of around 2.5 kilograms, up to 105 Nm torque and 850 watts peak power, is a clear contender in the full-power segment. Nevertheless, the Mahle unit is not quite as powerful as the latest systems from Bosch and DJI.

Particularly striking, apart from the engine, is the High-pivot rear trianglewhich causes the rear wheel to move slightly backwards during compression. This is intended to provide more traction and control, especially on rough trails. Handmade in Spain, only available in small quantities and with a price above the €10,000 mark, Abums is unmistakably positioning itself as a boutique brand.

Fantic Sierra: New carbon platform with Bosch power

At the Fantic stand, you can marvel at the brand new Sierra platform. The bike is based on a completely newly developed carbon frame, comes with Bosch's latest CX motor and is aimed at ambitious trail and all-mountain riders.

With 160 mm travel at the front and 155 mm at the rear and modern geometry, the Sierra is ideally equipped for demanding tours. Details such as the so-called Cobra design and a coaxial Horst-Link rear triangle are intended to provide more stiffness and as much rear-end traction as possible during braking manoeuvres. The newcomer is available in several equipment variants - from the entry-level model to the sophisticated high-end version with Fox Factory suspension, electronic shifting and carbon wheels. The Sierra starts at around 5,800 euros and ranges up to just under 9,000 euros.

HoheAcht Bazalto Monto: New E-MTB all-rounder celebrates its premiere

New product alert: The Bazalto Monto from HoheAcht celebrates its official launch at the Bike Festival in Riva del Garda. According to the manufacturer, it is a versatile e-MTB for sporty trail use. The centrepiece is the Mahle M40 drive. The compact mid-motor delivers up to 105 Nm of torque and scores with powerful acceleration combined with sensitive dosing. The system is complemented by the fully integrated 800 Wh battery, which offers plenty of reserves for long trail days. The bike is based on a carbon frame with 150 millimetres of travel at the rear, a 160 mm fork and 29-inch wheels at the front and rear. The top model with Fox Factory suspension costs 6,999 euros - sounds fair!

No Way! Legends meet at Lake Garda

Gravel race shoe: Northwave Extrem X

With over three decades of experience in the development of bike shoes, the Italian manufacturer brings a wealth of expertise to its latest gravel shoe.

The sole of the Extreme X has a stiffness index of 15 and is therefore on a par with classic road cycling shoes - the best conditions for direct and low-loss power transmission, even off-road. Northwave remains true to its line when it comes to the closure system and consistently opts for an in-house solution instead of the widely used BOA system.

The elegant gravel shoe is priced at 249.99 euros.

Raymon Arva Elite with Campagnolo Record 2x13

With the Arva Elite, Raymon has a new model of its aero road bike in its programme, which is now also available with the brand new Campagnolo Record 2x13 drivetrain. The carbon racer with UCI certification is designed with performance and competition in mind. To this end, the chassis has of course been aerodynamically optimised and equipped with an integrated cockpit, integrated thru-axle and cable routing. With 2x13 gears, the Campagnolo Record provides a particularly fine gear gradation with a high gear range. The new groupset is the slightly cheaper version of the Super Record, but is also manufactured in Italy. The Arva Elite is available for 6699 euros.

32-inch gravel bike: Chiru Veldt

There is a lot to discover on the new Chiru Veldt: It is one of the first gravel bikes in the world to utilise the unusual 32-inch wheel size. The titanium frame combines classic tubular construction with partially 3D-printed elements, while the show bike on display is a real high-end one-off with premium components from Garbaruk and Bike Ahead.

The Veldt also stands out technically. The head tube features a specially developed rigid titanium fork, which is consistently designed to the 32-inch standard. The frame itself is made of grade 9 titanium tubes and emphasises the bike's exclusive claim. Carbon wheels from Bike Ahead in 32 inches are used to match, which alone are priced above the 3000 euro mark. They are fitted with the new Maxxis Aspen ST 2.15 tyres, which are now available as standard.

In practice, the large wheel format is surprisingly lively: The acceleration is lively and direct. When manoeuvring for the first time, for example in tight spaces, the handling still feels a little slower than on classic gravel bikes. However, this impression is quickly relativised on loose surfaces - here the Veldt rolls along confidently and efficiently. However, it is also clear that this bike is in an exclusive league and, with its ultra-light components, is clearly aimed at lovers of high-quality technology. So it remains to be seen how 32-inch gravel bikes in the € 2000 class will ride.

Osram mini-compressor

With the Tyreinflate 1600 Essential, lamp specialist Osram has launched a particularly powerful rechargeable air pump. The mini compressor has various modes for balls, bicycle or car tyres. The desired pressures can be saved there to return to the perfect setup even more quickly. The integrated battery has 4000 mAh. The compressor is designed to inflate bicycle tyres to up to 10.3 bar. Price: around 35 euros.

Bike Festival Awards

The official awards were presented on Friday - we give you an overview of the winners in the three categories.

The Festival Marathon

The sporting highlight of the festival this year is once again the infamous marathon. At least the Ronda Extrema is more than tough. 83 kilometres and over 3400 metres of altitude await the starters here - of course in true Lake Garda style with some serious ramps. Those who don't like it so tough will get their money's worth on the Ronda Grande (58 km, 2400 metres of altitude) and the Ronda Piccola (31 km, 1065 metres of altitude) is suitable for cross-country racers or for marathon beginners.

Results Ronda Extrema Ladies

1. Weinbeer, Anna
2. Daubermann, Luisa
3. Peretti, Claudia

Results Ronda Extrema Men

1. Goria Stefano
2. Smeenge Tim
3. Foccoli Davide

Results Ronda Grande Ladies

1. Kuhnlein, Yvonne
2. Somavilla, Bianca
3. Winner, Katharina

Results Ronda Grande Men

1. Dalvai, Armin
2. Laschewski, Noah
3. Plaickner, Simon

Results Ronda Piccola Ladies

1. Eckerle, Anna
2. Decarli, Stefania
3. Leidl, Louisa

Results Ronda Piccola Men

1. Ride Elias
2. Spahn Hannes
3. Brown Max