R.I.P. Raleigh? Plus Shimano 13-speed Freehub LEAKED

R.I.P. Raleigh? Plus Shimano 13-speed Freehub LEAKED

August 7, 2026 · 29 min

About this episode

The episode discusses the insolvency of Acell Group and the implications for the bike industry, along with a leaked Shimano freehub standard and other bike-related topics.

In this week’s episode of the BikeRadar podcast, Simon and Warren discuss the demise of the Acell Group – a Dutch bicycle maker that owns a number of historic brands, including Raleigh, Lapierre and Haibike. This appears to be the latest fallout from the overstocking crisis that followed the bike industry's Covid boom, but what does it mean for everyday riders? As a veteran of the bike industry, Warren’s seen it all – and he has a few ideas as to why this keeps happening. Simon and Warren also discuss the apparent leak of a new Shimano freehub standard – designed for 13-speed drivetrains. Is another freehub standard what the bike industry needs? We're not so sure... Warren then talks us through his 90s mountain bike conversion, before finishing on the controversy surrounding padded bras and aero gains at the Tour de France Femmes. This podcast is sponsored by Feedback Sports. Read more on BikeRadar: Owner of Raleigh and Lapierre files for insolvency after €1.8bn buyout Leaked details suggest Shimano 13-speed could require new freehub standard I converted a 1990s MTB into a full-suspension gravel bike – here's how it compares to a top 2026 gravel racer Padded bras cause…

People in this episode

Hosts: Simon, Warren

Topics covered

Keywords

Sponsors

Feedback Sports

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Acell Group, Raleigh, Lapierre, Haibike, Shimano

Products: padded bras, 90s mountain bike, full-suspension gravel bike, top 2026 gravel racer

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