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Jay Ritchey of Bags By Bird (BXB) recently started offering custom bags not only for fabric choice and all the usual options but also specifically tailored to the height of your bars and your desired width. For riders with a lot of front-end real estate or those with a minimal amount, this can be an amazing way to maximize your gear space. In true BXB fashion, the bag looks incredible and functions equally beautifully.
When Josh posted up his Alumalith, with a custom Portage bag he collaborated on with Cedaero, it caused a rukkus! Karl from Cedaero got flooded with requests for these throwback MTB bags from the 1980s and 90s, so we decided to make a run for our readership!
We made two colors; waxed canvas burgundy ($134.95) like Josh specced and all-black cordura ($124.95). These bags are bike geometry/size specific and Karl made them to fit the Alumalith but they will fit any bike but you’ve gotta be mindful with the sizing! Read on below for more information on how to size this for your bike…
⌀22.2mm or 7/8″ bars were all they had back during the genesis of the almighty MOUNTAINBIKE. Riders would take the entire cockpit off their dirtbikes and flat track racers: Magura L363.20 bars, Magura brake/clutch levers, and even Magura grips, mounting them to SR or Cinelli quill stems. A lot has changed since the late 1970s but one thing remains: people love these small-diameter clamp bars for their mountain cruisers, klunkers, hardtails, and rigid MTBs. You know, the bikes that get ridden super hard!
Paul Component Engineering offers their normal Boxcar stem in a ⌀22.2mm clamp, but today they announced a 6-bolt faceplate Boxcar Limited stem ($147.50 – $166.50).
John got his hands on one before the drop and has some photos and thoughts below…
Reviewing a group of high-end, North-American-made pedals is, perhaps, best compared to reviewing a group of gourmet cheeseburgers: They are all going to be delicious, and you’ll need a pretty distinguished pallet to pull a lot of the finer details out—is that a Wisconsin smoked cheddar or Vermont? Ok, maybe I’m getting a bit off the rails here with the comparison, but the reality is: Just like two people may have differing opinions on what makes the best burger, each pair of these pedals has its own slightly distinctive flavor that may satisfy one rider more than another, or, even the same rider on different trails, bikes, or conditions.
Continue reading for Ryan LaBar’s roundup of six North American-made flat pedals including Blackspire, North Shore Billet, Tectonic, Tenet, Wolf Tooth, and Yoshimura…
We love the products Austere Manufacturing is producing in Northwest Washington state. Uriel Eisen’s clever designs have taken a critical look at items you can buy from hardware stores and injected real engineering into the design process, resulting in more robust, longer-lasting products that operate as well as they look.
We’ve been using the Cam straps for a while now on our bike tours and even in our 4×4 buildouts, but today, we’re checking out Uriel’s latest creation: a 1″ Pin Ladder Lock buckle (stainless pins $16.95 / ti pins $19.85). These are meant to replace the plastic ladder buckles found on your bags and packs that can break out in the backcountry.
John took delivery of some early production 1″ Pin Ladder Lock buckles and put them to work on his trusty Realm Crossbody Pack. Let’s check out the process below!
Keeping your bikes organized in your home, apartment, office, or while on the road usually requires many different solutions. Wall hooks, ceiling-suspended racks, and cheap stands from eBay or Amazon certainly do the trick, but I’ve never seen something as well designed as the AhHa Toaster for all the above bike storage solutions.
This unique bike rack folds from flat into a sturdy, secure 5-bike rack, designed to fit up to 2.6″ tires, and still fold down to be tucked away under a bed, behind a desk, or even in the trunk of your car, your van, or road-trip mobile.
Last week I took delivery of the AhHa Toaster and immediately put it to use in my home office where I stash my vintage bikes, so let’s check it out in detail below.
Motivated by the renewed interest in American manufacturing following the COVID pandemic, Erik Mathy shares part one in a new series where he will document how American makers of fine bicycle parts make a single part from the very start to the finish. At each stage he will ask the person doing the work two questions and take two portraits: One of the part and one of the worker. In his own words, this is a project to “explore both the processes and the people who make some of the most interesting, purpose-driven and—in their own way beautiful—bicycle parts in the world.” Read on for his first installment with a visit to Paragon Machine Works and an in-depth look at how they are making their new SRAM Universal Derailleur Hangar dropout.
Does it get much better than small makers addressing niche demands within a niche sector of the bike industry? I don’t think so. One of my favorite parts about running this website is showcasing and highlighting cottage industry bike businesses. Shovel Research is a small machine and fabrication shop that makes well-designed products that address a niche demand. One of which is its Rod Steward, a bag support designed for the Fab’s Chest by Ron’s Bikes, but as I found out on my Rivendell Bombadil, it works well with a Rivendell Sackville BagBoy bag.
Let’s check out a quick review below…
According to the internet, The Beatles’ song “Yesterday” has been covered between 1,200 and 3,000 times, which even on the low end of that range makes it the most covered song in history. The spare lyrics, describing the ever-relatable ache of lost love, and string arrangement make it a simple yet sophisticated work that has managed to transcend the six decades since Paul McCartney first dreamed (literally) up the melody. The uncluttered elegance has rendered “Yesterday” truly timeless.
While first unveiled in 1994—incidentally, the same year that both LeAnn Rimes and Boyz II Men covered the McCartney classic—Merlin’s cruiser-inspired mountain bike, the Newsboy, has also reappeared in various forms throughout the intervening years. Like McCartney’s paired down lines, the Newsboy shares an on-the-surface simplicity and a nostalgia-driven design that has contributed to its lasting appeal. Merlin has just launched its latest Newsboy redesign, let’s take a look below…
In a world where traditional bicycle touring setups are seemingly overtaking strap-on bikepacking bags, micro or mini panniers make a lot of sense. If you have a rear or front rack, why not run a pannier over a lashed, structureless bag? Panniers are great for many reasons, mainly their ease of loading and stability. They don’t flop all over or rub your tires on smaller frames like bikepacking bags tend to, and if they’re packed and mounted right, they stay out of your way during the inevitable hike-a-bike. Plus, depending on how you load your rear rack, you can still use a dropper post.
John recently took the new Revelate Nano Panniers ($250/pair) out on the Northern New Mexico CDT for four days of navigating deadfall, battling cow shit, and being trounced by Southwestern Monsoons, i.e., the true test of a pannier’s reliability!
Read on for his well-used review!
We just stocked our full Summer 2023 drop over at The Radavist Webshop, featuring new sock designs, including our Rangefinder in obsidian or cobalt, Mycelium in obsidian and natural, and Tecopa in tufa designs, a 32oz Radavist Expedition Bottle, and a new Caninae Jersey in both short and long sleeves in olive or lavender, perfect for year-round riding.
The full drop is in stock and shipping today from The Radavist Webshop.
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While the 2023 Enve Grodeo was chock-full of some of the snazziest bespoke all-road bikes from around the world, Spencer Harding’s eye was caught by an eccentric build noticeably absent from the show floor. Fortunately, he was able to get the bike’s owner, Clint, to stop throwing skids long enough to snag a closeup. Pulling influence from some strange corners of the bike world and outfitting the frame with some amazing and unique parts, Clint’s SaltAir stood out for more reasons than its single rear cog. Clint rode this pink dream on all 92 miles of the Enve Grodeo, a feat in itself regardless of it being a fixed gear 26-er. Let’s have a closer look!
In a strip mall on the north side of Tucson, a small business space houses Moon Dust Apparel (formerly Handlebar Mustache) and Cycle Monkey. One of these you have heard of if you like sweet socks, the other if you are an internally geared hub nerd. Today we highlight these two neighboring businesses you may not have known are now down in Tucson.
Spencer and I have been riding bikes together for 15 years. Since then, Spencer developed a career building and repairing guitars in Nashville, Tennessee. Back when we were younger, we spent a lot of time hanging around our local bike shop, Halcyon, and working on our bikes on their community stands. His bikes are deeply practical, very unique, and kind of clapped out. I’m not here to tell anyone what to do, but I wish more people built and rode bikes like Spencer. Recently I went to Nashville, and I took some time to document his bikes and ask him a few questions about his builds. Below, let’s check out what he had to say…
Inside Line Equipment and The Radavist go way, way back. John helped Eric from ILE design the brand’s first camera pack back in 2011, which has gone through many iterations since. He’s also put the Photo Mini Bag through the wringer, which remains one of his favorite pieces of US-made gear. ILE makes solid bags for on and off-the-bike outings, all sewn in the Bay Area.
Today we’re sharing something a little different. Earlier this year, ILE announced the Travel Pack. It’s a bag designed to be the perfect size for a weekend+ trip, to fit in an overhead bin on an airplane or train, and has a lot of smart features. John recently took it overseas and has some thoughts to share, so read on for his full review.
Back in 2019, cycling apparel company ORNOT dropped a line of casual clothing, and within this announcement was the Mission Shorts. These stretchy minimal shorts have been in my riding and off-the-bike rotation for over three years, so I wanted to shine a light on them in a review. Check it out below…
Today we are back with part two of Spencer Harding‘s ENVE Grodeo and Builder Round-up coverage. If you missed the builds featured in yesterday’s post, we’d recommend going back and giving them a gander—3D-printed parts (most ti but some steel, too!) seems to be the unofficial theme for the year but there’s plenty to see across the creative spectrum! Today, we finish up with the remaining frame builders in the showcase—with a few more overseas features—then we head out on the weekend’s main event, a 92-mile gravel ride on some of the best dirt in the northern Wasatch Mountains. Let’s dive in!
We’re not in Kansas anymore. Certainly not. Unlike the hard bedrock of the flint hills and similar gravel roads that pattern the Midwest, The Mid South (or “Mud South”) hosted in Stillwater, Oklahoma is characterized by its rich red clay. Second only to race director Bobby Wintle‘s finish line hug for every rider, The Mid South has become infamous for its often wet weather that turns that beautiful red clay into drivetrain-eating mud. Re-routing the course is never even a topic of conversation.
Geographic locations and riding can add a lot to the picture when considering what your dream bike may be. Massive tire clearance? Tall or low bottom bracket? Slack or steep head tube angles. Well after riding in an area for so long you figure out what works, what doesn’t, and what you wish someone could just get right. With these thoughts in mind Bobby collaborated with Wilde Bikes to develop a bike that is Mid South approved. How so? Read on to find out a little bit more about this bike from Jarrod Bunk and check out some flicks on the red dirt.
