Despite recently unveiling a handful of new models at Watches & Wonders Geneva, Tudor has just announced another new timepiece that will be joining its catalog for 2024. While the Pelagos started its life as a titanium dive watch, the collection has slowly expanded in more recent years, and the new Tudor Pelagos FXD Chrono “Cycling Edition” represents the most significant deviation from the original concept that the brand has created thus far. Rather than being built for saturation diving, underwater navigation, or boat racing like previous versions of the Pelagos, the new FXD Chrono “Cycling Edition” is created for members of the Tudor Pro Cycling Team, and it features a carbon-composite case with a fixed bezel and a dial that includes a spiral tachymeter scale specifically calibrated for cycling speeds.

The new Tudor Pelagos FXD Chrono “Cycling Edition” (ref. M25827KN-0001) is the second version of the FXD Chrono the brand has put forward, and both models have been racing-themed offerings. Last year, Tudor released a duo of Pelagos FXD watches with the Red Bull Alinghi yacht racing team; however, the new Pelagos FXD Chrono “Cycling Edition” isn’t just a different colorway of the regatta-inspired model that we originally saw a year ago. Both watches feature carbon composite cases with titanium used for their screw-down crowns and pushers, although unlike the Red Bull Alinghi version, which was fitted with a rotating countdown bezel, the new “Cycling Edition” offers a slimmer case profile with a fixed bezel that is graduated to 60 units.

Beyond the different style of bezel, the new Tudor Pelagos FXD Chrono “Cycling Edition” also offers slightly different dimensions than its Red Bull Alinghi siblings. While it retains the same 43mm diameter with a flat sapphire crystal protecting its dial and 22mm fixed bars between the lugs, its case offers a thinner overall profile with a height of 13.2mm. Additionally, since the Pelagos FXD Chrono “Cycling Edition” is designed for competitive cycling rather than boat racing, it offers a lower depth rating than the Red Bull Alinghi version, with a fairly standard 100 meters of water resistance. To complement its largely black and red appearance (the colors of the Tudor Pro Cycling Team), the various titanium components have been given a matte black finish, and fitted through the fixed lugs is a 22mm single-piece strap made from black jacquard-woven technical fabric that is completed by a chunky black tang-style buckle.

The dial fitted to the Tudor Pelagos FXD Chrono “Cycling Edition” also represents a departure from what can be found on other models from the collection, and it features a large angled chapter ring with a spiral tachymeter scale that has been specifically re-worked to correspond with the speeds of bicycles (rather than automobiles). To accommodate the increased size of the tachymeter chapter ring, the hour markers are positioned slightly closer to the center of the dial when compared to the Red Bull Alinghi version, although they are still made from the same luminous ceramic composite material and applied directly to the surface of the dial. Beyond the slightly revised proportions and tachymeter chapter ring, the rest of the dial is very similar to its Pelagos FXD Chrono sibling, with a set of “snowflake” hands, a running seconds register at 9 o’clock, a 45-minute totalizer at 3 o’clock, and a date window at the 6 o’clock position.

Powering the new Tudor Pelagos FXD Chrono “Cycling Edition” is the Caliber MT5813 automatic chronograph movement, which is based upon the core architecture of the Breitling Caliber 01 and can also be found inside models such as the original Red Bull Alinghi version of the Pelagos FXD Chrono and brand’s various Black Bay Chrono watches. Running at a frequency of 28,800vph (4 Hz) with a power reserve of approximately 70 hours, the 41-jewel Tudor Cal. MT5813 movement features a silicon balance spring with a monobloc tungsten rotor, and since it is based on Breitling’s Cal. 01 design, it also operates with a column wheel and a vertical clutch. In addition to being an officially certified COSC chronometer (which guarantees an accuracy rating of -4/+6 seconds per day), Tudor goes one step further and tests its fully assembled watches, while holding them to even more stringent timekeeping standards of -2/+4 seconds per day.

Despite being created for the members of the Tudor Pro Cycling Team and even appearing in the squadron’s colors, there doesn’t appear to be any additional logos or branding on the new Pelagos FXD Chrono “Cycling Edition” (although we have yet to see its caseback). Additionally, since Tudor’s logo and company colors inform those of its cycling team, this release hardly feels all that out of character for the brand, despite its rather unusual cycling-themed chronograph concept. While tachymeter scales are most frequently calibrated to the speeds associated with cars or aircraft, the fundamental function of a tachymeter can be applied to a wide assortment of different uses, and it is especially enjoyable to see Tudor re-calibrate the tachymeter to create a purpose-built sports watch that is designed for competitive cycling.

A key part of Tudor’s history is creating purpose-built tool watches, and while a watch designed for competitive cycling isn’t necessarily the most obvious concept, neither is a timepiece built for saturation diving. While the Pelagos started out as Tudor’s contemporary take on an ultra-capable diver, the collection has ultimately grown into a surprisingly diverse lineup with the common trend being modern materials and purpose-built functionality. Despite its differences, the new Tudor Pelagos FXD Chrono “Cycling Edition” costs the exact same as its Red Bull Alinghi sibling, and it is accompanied by an official retail price of $5,275 USD. While the pair of Pelagos FXD Chrono models are the most expensive options from the continuously growing series, they are also priced right in-line with Tudor’s other chronograph watches, with the actual difference being just fifty bucks more than the strap-equipped versions of the stainless steel Black Bay Chrono. For more information on the Tudor Pelagos FXD Chrono “Cycling Edition” watch, please visit the brand’s website.