Friday Debrief 214 – BIKEPACKING.com
This week’s Debrief brings you the latest in bikepacking news, gear, and events. Here’s what’s new:
Gear Highlights
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Litelok X1 Mini: Litelok introduces the X1 Mini, a compact and portable bike lock featuring Barronium armored construction. Weighing 1.48 kg, it’s slightly lighter than the full-size X1, making it ideal for urban rides and longer tours.
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SHREDLY’s 2026 Collection: SHREDLY unveils a vibrant women’s mountain bike apparel line with bold designs, refined fits, and technical performance. The collection includes updated items, new colors, prints, and a lightweight sun hoodie.
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SimWorks Gettin’ Hungry: 4 Bolt Stem: The Nitto-made SimWorks Gettin’ Hungry stem now features a four-bolt Heart & Arrow faceplate. Available in 25.4mm and 26.0mm bar-clamp diameters, it’s crafted from Chromoly steel and comes in black or silver.
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Velo Orange Heritage Hats: Inspired by Baltimore’s canvas trade history, Velo Orange’s new waxed canvas cap offers a five-panel design that fits flat under a helmet. The refined profile includes a slightly shorter brim for better field of vision.
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Neuhaus GW 32″ Alloy Wheelset: Neuhaus introduces the GW 32-inch alloy wheelset, featuring Glory Wheel high-flange hubs and FX30 TR 30mm internal rims. Priced at $749, it’s designed for 32-inch bike builds.
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Albion’s Unisex Merino Riding T-Shirt: Albion launches a new line of relaxed-fit unisex T-shirts made with a performance merino wool-blend fabric for warm-weather riding. Available in Sandstone, Shale, and Umber colors, the shirts adhere to the Responsible Wool Standard.
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Rodeo Labs Bar Tape: After a hiatus, Rodeo Labs restocks its bar tape with a tackier, more grippy compound. The new laser-etched aluminum compression plugs feature the ‘ride, explore, create’ slogan. The tape is now longer, suitable for wider drop bars.
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BlackHeart Road Plus: BlackHeart Bike Co. unveils the Road Plus model in titanium and aluminum. Designed for mixed terrain, it accommodates up to 700 x 42mm tires. The Ti model features a unique 3D-printed seat tube cutout for increased tire and fender clearance.
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Austere Limited Cam Strap Drop: Austere releases a limited edition 1″ cam strap with a green and yellow anodized buckle and coyote webbing strap. Available with stainless steel or titanium buckle pins, it’s a unique addition to any bikepacking setup.
In Conversation
- Your Ideal Tent: A discussion on tent preferences is underway, with insights from Logan Watts on Dyneema tents and Neil’s review of the silpoly Six Moon Lunar Orbiter. Share your thoughts and experiences in the conversation section.
Around the Community
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MissingParkHistory.org: A project aimed at documenting and preserving information removed or altered from U.S. National Park Service materials. It serves as a public record of deletions tied to federal directives limiting certain historical and scientific content.
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Family Bikepacking with Olympian Erin Huck: SCOTT’s new ‘Cycles of Life’ video follows Olympian Erin Huck on a family bikepacking adventure, showcasing a different side of cycling beyond the competitive arena.
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Free Fork and Headset with Sanitas Frame Purchase: Through March 31st, Sanitas Cycles offers a free fork and headset with the purchase of any titanium frame, applicable to their range of mountain, gravel, road, and adventure bikes.
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Tree to Sea Water Taxi Schedule: The 1,000-kilometer Tree to Sea Loop on Vancouver Island includes a scenic boat ride between Tahsis and Zeballos. Shorebird Expeditions has posted its bikepacker taxi schedule, with options to split the fare among six riders.
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Seth’s Trek 1120 32er: Reader Seth Thomas shares his conversion of a Trek 1120 to accommodate 32-inch tires, highlighting the clearance and ride feel with 32 x 2.4″ tires.
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Esker Lorax 2026: Tim Talk: Esker’s CEO Tim Krueger provides an in-depth look at the latest 2026 Lorax, discussing new features, comparisons to other bikes, and strategies to keep the MSRP down.
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Daniel Yang Works in a Chinese Carbon Factory: Daniel Yang of Neuhaus Metalworks offers an in-depth look at carbon manufacturing at Light Bicycle’s factory in Xiamen, China, detailing each portion of the production process.
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Sklar is Hiring: Sklar in San Francisco has openings for a full-time Director of Operations and a part-time Bicycle Mechanic/Fulfillment Specialist. Learn more about both positions on their website.
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Framework Designs is Closing: Tia of Framework Designs announces the brand’s closure and final sales, sharing a heartfelt message with the community.
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Rivendell Atlantis Build and First Ride: The Woods Cyclery in the UK posts an entertaining Rivendell Atlantis build and first-ride video, featuring components like Hope RS4 hubs on Velocity Cliffhanger rims and Ultradynamico MARS 29 x 2.2″ tires.
Events Starting Soon
- East Texas Showdown: The 2026 East Texas Showdown begins today at 7:00 a.m. local time, with nearly 200 riders registered across various routes. Follow along live on the event page.
Weekly Social
This week, Monkey Wrench Cycles in Nebraska showcases a slice of their impressive vintage MTB collection on Instagram. Explore more at @monkeywrenchcycles_ne.
Please keep the conversation civil, constructive, and inclusive, or your comment will be removed.