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New products, bold claims, and clever slogans – start-ups, heritage brands, and global giants are all vying for our attention. But what counts as real progress – and what’s just a slick marketing campaign? At the Design & Innovation Award, we put the industry’s hottest new releases through the wringer to see which ones truly deliver and offer real added value.
The Design & Innovation Award 2026
Since 2013, the Design & Innovation Award (DI.A) has been rigorously testing the most promising new releases under real-world conditions with an experienced test crew – all to spot the standout products and key trends of the upcoming season before anyone else.
Who Are the 2026 Award Winners?
Bike parks, alpine passes, and urban commutes – before a product can earn the Design & Innovation Award, it must survive rigorous real-world testing by our seasoned test crew. Only then do the jury discussions begin, where a wide range of factors are considered: groundbreaking technologies, outstanding performance, clever details with major impact, or fresh ideas that bring real benefits to users – these are just a few of the reasons a product might deserve the award.
Here you’ll find the standout products that proved themselves in the real world and claimed the coveted Design & Innovation Award 2026.
The Mission Behind the Design & Innovation Award
The Design & Innovation Award (DI.A) is more than just a badge of honor. It’s the only award that combines real-world product testing, holistic evaluation, and critically grounded insights. As a trusted seal of approval and benchmark for the most outstanding products in the outdoor, bike, and fitness industries, the DI.A cuts through the noise of an increasingly complex market flooded with new launches and supposed trends — while acting as a catalyst for future innovation.
The Goals
As a truly authentic mark of quality, the award offers clear guidance for consumers. When you spot the award logo on a product, you can be confident you’re making a smart buying decision. By drawing a sharp line between genuine innovation and passing hype, the DI.A spotlights groundbreaking ideas, gives them the stage they deserve, and unlocks their potential for real-world impact.
There’s no such thing as the perfect product for everyone – but there is a perfect product for everyone!
The mission of the Design & Innovation Award goes far beyond being a trusted seal of quality or a benchmark for the best products in the bike world. It’s about giving bold ideas and true innovation the spotlight they deserve – especially when they come from smaller players. Because it’s often the passionate tinkerers and visionaries behind the scenes who drive real progress in the cycling industry. With the Cycling Innovation Accelerator (C.I.A.), the Design & Innovation Award has a powerful partner by its side – offering the most promising contenders the support they need to take their ideas to the next level.
Who’s Behind the Award?
Behind the scenes of the Design & Innovation Award is an interdisciplinary test team of more than 20 experts, all united by one thing: a deep passion for cycling in all its forms. That shared enthusiasm is what drives the crew to uncover and honor the very best products each year. The team consciously breaks away from traditional thinking, examines every new release from multiple angles, and doesn’t get swayed by big names or flashy marketing claims. This approach gives underdogs a real shot to shine – and ensures even the biggest brands won’t pass unless their innovations truly deliver.
CREDIBLE. KNOWLEDGEABLE. PROFESSIONAL.
The 20-member international award team is made up of journalists, test riders, and engineers – some of the most respected experts in their field.
Every year, the team invests countless hours into the jury process of the Design & Innovation Award. Every nominated product is thoroughly tested, deeply analyzed, and fiercely debated. Behind every single award lie endless hours of sweat, hard work, riding fun, the occasional bit of pain – and more than a few heated discussions.
The Design & Innovation Award isn’t just the industry’s leading accolade – it’s also the most authentic.
Where Are the Products Tested?
You can’t judge the potential or value of a product in a meeting room or by running lab tests alone. To really understand how it performs, you need to throw it into the unforgiving reality of everyday use – in scorching heat and pouring rain, over brutal root carpets, fast tarmac descents, and technical trails.
That’s exactly what makes the region around Brixen and its local mountain, the Plose, a true paradise for cyclists of every kind. Mountain bikers can tackle demanding trails and serious elevation gains, while drop-bar enthusiasts find their flow on endless gravel roads and winding alpine passes. Urban bikes, meanwhile, are pushed to their limits in real-world conditions, from cobblestones and bike paths to tight, narrow alleyways.
Brixen is also pushing boundaries in the cycling world, as proven by the bike festa Südtirol. This event brings together brands, people, and movement – blending them with culture, art, and cuisine. It invites visitors to ride, create, and celebrate: from test rides through the city, vineyards, and Dolomites to creative workshops and indulgent moments with local South Tyrolean delicacies.
More than just a festival, the bike festa is a meeting place for locals and visitors, young and old – a sustainable GreenEvent that makes Brixen’s unique mix of urban flair, nature, and zest for life truly come alive.
Test Team Basecamp
Tucked between vineyards and framed by views of a historic monastery, the Boutique Hotel Pachers in Neustift served as our basecamp – and more. Run by the same family for three generations, the hotel has been thoughtfully and sensitively brought into the present day.. For our test crew, it wasn’t just a place to stay – it was the perfect launchpad for every test ride around Brixen and the Plose.
There was space for our team, a fleet of bikes and parts, and – just as important – the kind of calm, focused atmosphere you need when diving into test protocols in the morning and rolling back dusty, muddy, or sunburnt in the evening.
The lobby is open and airy, shaped by a modern take on Alpine architecture that refreshingly avoids kitsch or clichés. At Pachers, sustainability isn’t just a buzzword – it’s a lived principle: local South Tyrolean wood, furniture made in nearby workshops, and a renovation that values substance over show. A hotel that gets how people travel today – and one that gave our crew the perfect setting for some seriously intense days of testing.
The best products of the year don’t just shine with innovation and performance – they stand out with real-world benefits and fresh approaches to cycling. Tested on trails, alpine passes, and urban routes around Brixen, the Design & Innovation Award delivers a credible selection of standout gear. The 2026 Award winners? More than just highlights – they’re the Oscars of the bike industry!
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Words: Susanne Feddersen Photos: Diverse