In the latest Friday Debrief from BIKEPACKING.com, several noteworthy developments in the bikepacking community have been highlighted. Here’s a comprehensive overview of the key updates:
Innovative Gear Releases
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Stringbean Bags Fayot: A versatile zippered stem bag that doubles as a shoulder bag, featuring an exterior stretch pocket, a snap-closure pocket, and an all-over daisy chain. It holds approximately 2.5 liters and is available in various colors.
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Nutrak Gravel Tire Range: In collaboration with Vee Tire Co., Nutrak has introduced a lineup of gravel tires with four distinct tread patterns, catering to diverse terrains from fast road riding to technical backcountry adventures. Sizes range from 700 x 40/45mm to 26″, 650b, and 700 x 50mm.
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Rene Herse Knobbies Price Reduction: Rene Herse Cycles has reduced the prices of their original dual-purpose knobby tires by 10-15%, making them more accessible while maintaining their renowned performance.
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Party Bars Bar Tape: A new bar tape company, Party Bars, has launched with two unique designs: Serape and Sprinkled Donut. Each kit includes wooden bar end plugs, aiming to add a touch of personality to handlebars.
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Too Tired Cycles Flipside Chainring: This innovative chainring offers a modern narrow-wide design compatible with 94 and 110 BCD five-arm cranks. It features an integrated offset, allowing riders to adjust the chainline by ±1.5 mm by flipping it over. Available in 36T, 38T, and 40T sizes.
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Stomplox Trail Worm: The latest iteration of the Stomplox Trail Worm barefoot flat shoes includes stronger rivets, a lower heel pad height, and a new smaller size (US5) to accommodate a wider range of riders.
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Rene Herse Ultralight Organizer Bags: A set of four cinchable ditty bags made from ultra-tough Silnylon fabric, designed to keep small items organized on the bike. The set weighs just 29 grams.
Community Highlights
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32-Inch Handmade Big Kev: Curve Cycling has unveiled a handmade steel Big Kev drop-bar prototype featuring 32-inch wheels. This bike showcases Curve’s commitment to innovative design and in-house craftsmanship.
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End of MTB YouTube’s Golden Age: Seth from the Berm Peak YouTube channel reflects on the evolution of mountain bike content on YouTube, discussing the factors that contributed to its peak and subsequent decline.
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Axel Keller’s European Divide Trip: Axel Keller embarks on a 5,000-kilometer journey on the European Divide Trail, sharing his experiences of bikepacking with an ostomy.
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Lael Wilcox’s Global Circumnavigation: Ultra-cyclist Lael Wilcox begins her second pedal-powered circumnavigation of the globe, aiming to set a new speed record. Daily podcast episodes provide insights into her journey.
Upcoming Events
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Dead Ends & Cake: A self-supported bikepacking event in eastern Switzerland, covering approximately 500 kilometers with 9,000 meters of climbing. Participants must ride to five remote checkpoints, each at the end of a dead-end road deep in the mountains.
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San Juan Ultracruise: A self-supported bikepacking challenge linking the best trails around Durango, Colorado. This year’s route is just over 200 miles with over 31,000 feet of elevation gain.
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Veneto Trail: A self-supported bikepacking adventure in the SE Italian Alps, covering approximately 500 kilometers with 10,000 meters of elevation gain. The route includes a mix of doubletrack gravel roads, rocky singletracks, and secondary paved roads.
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Kenai 250: An epic endurance bikepacking race in Alaska, featuring singletrack trails like the Resurrection Pass, Russian Lakes Trail, and Lost Lake Trail. Just under 20 riders are participating in this year’s Grand Depart.
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Great Northern Colorado Route Race: A 460-mile self-supported bikepacking race through Northern Colorado, starting from Boulder. This year’s grand depart takes off tomorrow morning at 7 a.m. local time.
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NorthCape-Tarifa: A 7,400-kilometer self-supported bicycle race starting at the North Cape in Norway and finishing in Tarifa, Spain. The race starts at midnight tomorrow, and you can follow the riders live.
These updates reflect the dynamic and evolving nature of the bikepacking community, highlighting new gear innovations, personal journeys, and upcoming challenges that continue to inspire and engage riders worldwide.