Chinese cycling tech brand Magene has today announced a new partnership with XDS Astana Team. This new partnership will see the team use Magene bike computers this season, moving away from the Garmin models they used previously. The squad will also use the company's smart trainers, radar tail lights, and heart rate monitors.
XDS-Astana also became the first WorldTour team to race on Chinese bikes, after the team switched from Wilier to X-Lab machines at the beginning of 2025, and now they have partnered with another Chinese brand for this season.
Magene was founded in 2015, and the company is based in Shandong, China. It offers a range of cycling technology and hardware products that Western cyclists may not be as familiar with. The brand manufactures pedal and spider-based power meters, carbon cranks, radar lights, and its own Exar carbon fibre wheels.
Astana will have a new C606 bike computer, the T500 smart trainer, L508 radar tail light and H613 heart rate monitor. We don't currently have any details on the nature of the brand's partnership agreement with the team.
The C606 model the team will be using is listed with an RRP of $159. The unit has a colour 2.8" touchscreen, 17-25 hours of battery life in daily mode, and is WiFi, Bluetooth 5.0, and ANT+ friendly. These are at least promising specs at face value for a computer that is significantly cheaper than offerings from established brands like Garmin and Wahoo. We will be putting a request for a test unit in shortly to put it through its paces.
2026 WorldTour mens bike guide
2026 WorldTour women's bike guide
XDS-Astana will not be the only team in the WorldTour using computers from a Chinese brand in 2026.
Groupama-FDJ United have partnered with iGPSPORT, another Chinese company that manufactures a range of bike computers, lights and wearables for the 2026 season, ending their partnership with Garmin. iGPSPORT was founded in 2012, counts Chris Froome as a global brand ambassador and has over two million users worldwide according to its website.
iGPSPORT will provide Groupama FDJ with its BiNavi and BSCC300T bike computers, SR Mini smart radar taillight and HR50 heart rate monitors. We don't currently know if this partnership agreement extends to the women's FDJ team also.
The brand told us that riders from Groupama tested BiNavi computers at last year's Tour of Guangxi. (pictured above)
The BiNavi model is the brand's navigation-focused bike computer and has a retail price of $219. It features a 3.5" colour touch screen and promises a 35-hour battery life alongside the ability to plan routes in mere seconds thanks to an algorithm.
Competing with the big hitters
At the very least, these new partnerships mean two fewer teams will be using Garmin computers and equipment for 2026, and this change could well open the doors for other Chinese brands to make their way into the WorldTour, an excellent shop window for brands to reach a wide cycling audience.
Chinese brands have been growing in popularity in the West for some years. Cyclists generally have a greater knowledge of them now, in part thanks to social media and marketplace sites like AliExpress. There's also a sense of something bigger taking shape now. Chinese brands are more widely recognised and respected than ever before, and cyclists want to show that they know about them; that's to say nothing of their competitive and downright attractive price points for many components.
In the WorldTour X-Lab, Elilee, and now Magene and iGSPORT all stand to receive a lot more exposure from their pro rider use. For Magene and iGSPORT, if the performance is there, their very competitive prices could see both brands' computers being adopted by a lot more riders.
