Free new kit: check out the app that lets you earn rewards by riding your bike – plus more tech news from Rapha, POC, Rouvy, Koo, Apidura…

We have stacks of product news to tell you about this week, including high-tech releases from Polar and Suunto, clothing from Rapha and POC, and shoes from Sidi and Northwave, but we’re starting with an app that allows you to earn rewards as you clock up the miles...

“Like Air Miles for athletes”: check out the new app that lets you earn new kit just by riding your bike

A new app-based fitness platform called Muuvr allows you to earn rewards by cycling – so you can turn your activity into equipment and gear. These rewards aren’t discounts; you get credits that act as a currency that can be directly exchanged for sporting goods and services in the Muuvr marketplace. 

Muuvr – pronounced ‘Mover’ – is a new concept so let’s get the idea straight. You download the free Muuvr app (iOS and Android) to your smartphone and connect it to fitness-tracking platforms like Zwift, Apple Fitness and Fitbit. The app will also connect to other devices like bike computers and fitness watches, including Google, Garmin and Wahoo. 

Once set up, you earn credits – called Muuvs – through activity. The more you ride, run or swim, the more Muuvs you stack up. When you’ve earned enough, you can exchange your Muuvs for real-world items from Muuvr’s partner brands.

“Activity equals Muuvs and Muuvs equals rewards,” says Muuvr’s chief marketing officer James Vickers. “It’s like Air Miles for athletes.

“We capture your activities based on your level of effort. We then reward you and you spend those rewards in the Muuvr marketplace. The aim of all of this is to keep people motivated and to keep people active.”

Muuvs are allocated according to the duration, distance and intensity of your exercise, benchmarked against your activity level. It’s essentially based on a training stress score (TSS), a concept used by many training apps. The idea is that everyone’s earning potential is the same, regardless of age, gender or ability.

You can also earn Muuvs by taking part in challenges, for example, but the basic concept remains the same: activity leads to rewards.

“At launch, reward partners include mass participation events organisers Limelight Sports and Challenge Family, plus sports apparel brand HUUB (with many more to come over the next few weeks and months),” says Muuvr.

You can exchange your Muuvs for cycle clothing, triathlon wetsuits, and so on. This is likely to develop because Muuvr says it has had a lot of interest from many big brands keen to be involved since its launch last week.

As well as the whole rewards thing, Muuvr offers typical fitness app features, like allowing you to track your times and compare your results with your personal performances or other members of the Muuvr community.

Earning rewards for the riding you’d be doing anyway might sound too good to be true. What’s in it for Muuvr?

“We use user data and we use some of the marketplace commission to fund what we do,” says James Vickers. “We’re really transparent with what we do with your data. We’re keen to make sure it’s obvious how your data is being used, where it’s being used, and give you an opt-out.

“For a marketeer, Muuvr enables you to connect with an audience and get the data on users to understand how active they are, what they're doing, where they are… And that enables you to provide them with much more meaningful content and serve them brand-based content that they’ll actually be interested in.”

What do you think, is Muuvr a concept that you’re likely to buy into? Let us know in the comments.

Find out more here 

Rapha expands Brevet collection

Rapha has launched a short film titled "Rapha Brevet - Distance Yourself", paying tribute to French cyclist Paul de Vivie's century-old cycle touring commandments, and at the same time, the brand has introduced two new environmentally-conscious additions to its Brevet collection, designed for long-distance cool weather cycling. Well, it is autumn.

The Brevet Insulated Jacket (£185) and Brevet Insulated Gilet (£160) boast lightweight Octa insulation for warmth and breathability, with recycled materials to minimise environmental impact. The Brevet Collection is available for purchase now. 

Find out more here

Grab your pals and make Rouvy cheaper - the app now offers Duo and Group subscriptions

Rouvy has introduced new subscription models - the Duo and Group subscriptions -  which allow pairs or groups of up to five riders to split the cost of the virtual training platform. By introducing these new ways to subscribe - perhaps inspired by services such as Spotify and Netflix - Rouvy has become the first virtual cycling platform to offer group subscriptions.

> Best indoor cycling apps 2023 — push your fitness to new levels with immersive virtual cycling experiences

Individual subscriptions will remain priced at £14.99 per month, but with the Duo package, two riders can ride for £19.99 per month. The Group package, available for up to five riders, is priced at £32.99 per month. The multi-person subs don't require the people to live at the same address. 

Find out more here

Polar introduces new Vantage V3 watch with the "most advanced and precise optical heart rate tracking abilities" 

Polar has unveiled its Vantage V3, the latest addition to its premium multisport watch series. The new device incorporates Polar Elixir, a sort of biosensing technology, to monitor and translate a range of physiological parameters into digital insights. It offers data on blood oxygen saturation, electrical heart signals via Wrist-ECG, and nightly skin temperature.

The watch features a high-resolution AMOLED touchscreen display, dual-frequency GPS, offline maps, and a powerful processor. The Polar Vantage V3 is available for pre-order now and will be in stores from 25th October. Prices start from £519. 

Find out more here

POC releases autumn/winter collection

POC says it new autumn/winter cycling collection is designed to tackle extreme conditions while enhancing rider protection. The collection – catering to road, gravel, mountain bike, and urban cyclists – focuses on layering for maximum warmth.

If you'd rather just not leave your house, though, POC has also launched an indoor collection for riding comfortably in the virtual cycling world of your choice.

Find out more here

Do you like this cycling-inspired jewellery?

US startup Studio 51 is offering a range of jewellery that’s inspired by cycling and all things bike. The items are handmade in brass, stainless steel, gold, and recycled and biodegradable acetate.

For example, you can get a Polka Dot pendant in stainless steel on a chain for £74…

…or a Cleat pendant with a 14k gold-plated finish, again on a chain, for £90.

If you want to be a bit more overt about your affection for cycling, you could go for the Love Velo pendant (£49)…

…or this Ride Safe charm (£24).

There are loads more designs to choose from. All items are available via the Studio 51 online shop. The company says that 5.1% of profits are donated to cycling organisations.

Find out more here 

Suunto unveils new Race GPS sports watch

Finnish sports watch brand Suunto has announced its latest offering, the Suunto Race GPS sports watch. The watch is said to be perfect for athletes looking to enhance their performance and embrace competition. It features an AMOLED display, advanced training metrics, and detailed offline maps. The claimed battery life of this watch is up to 40 hours of non-stop training with GPS tracking, and up to 26 days in daily mode. 

The watch comes in two versions: the titanium is priced at £479 and the stainless steel at £389. There are also loads of strap designs to choose from. 

Find out more here

Everyone loves a new pair of Sidis

We told you a few weeks ago that Sidi had been busy updating its slinky shoe range with the new Prima and a laced version of the MTB Dust, and it has done a lot of work on existing models too.

The Wire 2S for example, has been tweaked. It has updated aesthetics with fewer logos than previously and, Sidi says, plenty of foot stability. This is a high-end option with a retail price of £399.

The Fast 2 is half the price (£199) with a more traditional and less recognisably Sidi look to it, with the heel cup internal rather than external. You get a microfibre upper and a Tecno-3 dial closure system.

The top-level road shoe is the Shot 2S at a price of – wait for it – £425. It uses Sidi’s C-Boost SRS carbon sole with oval holes that give you an extra ± 5mm of cleat adjustment. The Bioveg upper comes from recycled microfibres and there’s an adjustable heel retention device at the back.

Find out more here 

Need an Alibi?

Summer might be behind us (in the Northern Hemisphere, obvs) but Italy’s Koo has just unveiled new Alibi cycling sunnies and – whaddaya know? – they’ve only gone and sent us pictures… 

“Complete with both road cycling and mountain biking/gravel cycling-specific lenses, the Alibi line features a classic frame style for maximised visibility and uniquely designed shorter arms that harmoniously adapt to both male and female face shapes while offering seamless compatibility with any helmet,” says Koo.

The Alibi is a half-frame design (there’s no frame around the lower section) and comes with “a high-performance cylindrical polycarbonate lens by Zeiss”.

The Alibi collection is available in five colours within Koo’s road bike range and three more within its mountain/gravel biking lineup. Models with mirrored lenses are £170 and those with photochromic lenses are £200.

Of course, we’ll request them for review.

Find out more here 

Apidura debuts 1L Racing Frame Pack

According to Apidura, this is a "compact, minimal pack, aimed at everyday riding, gravel racing, audax and sportives, perfect for storing tools, spares or even a packable layer". 

The waterproof bag is a reversible design so that it can fit multiple frame sizes and it also has a dual entry cable port so you can charge your devices easily on the go. You can buy one for £52. 

Find out more here

Cold feet? Northwave extends winter shoe range

If it’s the middle of October now, it’ll be November soon and then, if past experience is anything to go by, December and January – so you’d better have a plan for keeping your feet warm on the bike. Luckily, Northwave has bolstered its range of winter shoes with new options that use its tried and tested Easyfit neoprene collar to extend over your ankles.

The Magma X Plus is designed for mountain bike and gravel rides, so it takes two-bolt cleats. It features 200g of thermal padding made from recycled material.

“Even at temperatures hovering around freezing, the Primaloft material excels with its unparalleled thermal insulation,” says Northwave.

“Thanks to breathable polyester microfibre and the effective Arctic insole, heat dissipation in the shoe’s interior is reduced to a minimum; its light weight also guarantees excellent comfort and top performance.”

The retail price is £179.99.

The Northwave Flagship R GTX, on the other hand – or foot – takes three-bolt road cleats.

“Thermal regulation is provided by a Gore-Tex Duratherm Kelvin membrane, which shelters the foot from air and cold while ensuring optimal breathability,” says Northwave.

The Flagship R GTX comes with a full-carbon sole and a double rotor closure. It’s priced at £386.99.

Find out more here 

In case you missed it earlier in the week…

• Class-action lawsuit filed against Shimano for "inadequate" cranksets that put "cyclists nationwide at risk of injury” 
• TwoNav unveils Roc bike computer as “the smallest GPS with the most advanced mapping on the market” 
• Best cycling jackets 2023 — keep yourself warm, comfortable and dry on the bike with a quality top layer
• E-bike safety: What to avoid when buying an e-bike, battery or charger
• Zwift launches new Hub One smart trainer with virtual shifting and single cassette sprocket for max compatibility
• Unreleased Merida Silex raced to victory at Gravel World Champs by Matej Mohoric 
• Is BMC’s new Teammachine R really “the ultimate race bike”?