The Radavist

Last year, Ryan Wilson met up with fellow bike traveler Joe Sasada to tackle the dirt road version of the Trans Ecuador Mountain Bike Route.  In Part one, they got their feet wet on this classic route, but in this chapter, Ryan and Joe visit the heart of Ecuador’s iconic volcano corridor and run into the trials and tribulations that come with any good bike tour.  Read on for a slice of the highlights and lowlights of their ride across the Andes.

We’re seeing an influx of silver components from manufacturers in recent years. From Shimano’s GRX Limited kit to now Wolf Tooth, it’s getting easier to build your bike with silver parts. The Minnesota-based manufacturer just announced raw silver as a “color option” for its entire catalog. That means everything from Waveform pedals to headsets, across the entire Wolf Tooth line is now anodizing-free. Roll on over to check it out.

Exciting news! Oveja Negra are stoked to support Bikepacking Roots’ BIPOC Bike Adventure Grant fundraiser. So stoked that they are giving away a $300 gift certificate to one lucky supporter!

Every $25 donation will get you an entry into this giveaway which runs until Sunday March 10th, so don’t wait!

Calling in Sick Magazine are planning a Calling in Sick group ride (comin up in March) so the Bay Area riders decided to pre-ride the route to make sure it is chill for human consumption. It is bumpy as hell but we still gonna do it. If you want to join, the date and meetup location will be announced this week on their Instagram.

Issues 09 and 10 of Calling in Sick Mag are also available now!

Switch Industries just announced its newest bag, the Gemini Cargo Pack ($70). Read on for more information.

When it comes to suspension components, Push Industries is truly pushing the envelope. The Colorado-based manufacturer just announced its Nine One fork with adjustability from 140 mm through 170 mm travel, features a coil with silent-surround noise cancelling technology, and a independent externally adjustable Pneumatic Bottom Out Piston. The Nine One looks trick but the price is sure to dampen your expectations of trying one: $2,600 at Push.

A study in materials, textures, and composition, ILE’s Blackout Patchwork collection features tonal renditions of ILE shop favorites. The brand’s latest bag is a Laptop Bag…

With Dune Part 2 hitting theaters this past weekend (please see it if you haven’t yet!), we’d thought it’d be a good time to re-up our Fear is the Mind Killer stem caps first debuted here on The Radavist in 2015!

“I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me. And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path. Where the fear has gone, there will be nothing. Only I will remain.”

― Frank Herbert, Dune.

Swoop one up at The Radavist Web Shop!

Wilde launches a new lightweight carbon gravel fork, the Waypoint. At 478g with an uncut steerer, it is among the lightest fully featured carbon forks on the market. Available to consumers, bike shops, and to other small framebuilders and bike companies…

UK-based Brother Cycles, profiled by Petor last year, just rolled out their new 2024 Kepler touring bike frameset pre-order (£799). Read on for a closer look at these all-steel, versatile frames below!

On Wednesday, February 28 the gang from Rivendell went on a ride to catch the good trail conditions before the next rain and take some fresh photos. They rode 10 minutes to get on the trail then about 10 miles in 4 hours. Talk about a leisurely pace!

One of the more innovative mini panniers on the market are back in stock at Outer Shell Adventure. The Pico Panniers ($220 pair) mount to standard bottle cage or 3-up cargo mounts with a polycarbonate panel that offers rigidity to the bags as well. Available from a plethora of colors and shipping from Outer Shell today!

Those of us who grew up in the 1980s and 1990s remember these pedals. Or at least our shins do! Before clipless foot retention, having a flat pedal with “bite” was necessary! The BM 10 pedals, aka the “Foot Jaws” feature a cage wrapped with teeth that grab onto your sneakers for a premium grip. These iconic pedals are coming back for MKS day 2024 and are in stock at Blue Lug today.  The US should be getting these in stock any day now as well!

Rivendell’s new Nitto stems feature a little less rise but still have ultra-long quill insertions…

If you’re a rule breaker who values individualism over warranties, snubs the naysayers, and likes to customize everything they own, read on for how you can strip your entire dropper post, making the whole thing silver, not just the stanchion!

Today, we’ve got a fine selection of used goods from the Rad Bazaar, our Group Ride subscribers‘ selling platform, featuring some unique offerings. Let’s check it all out!

“Palo Verde Oasis” is the third layout of the Radavist 2024 Calendar. It was shot with a Canon R5 and a Canon f2.8 24-70, in the Mojave Desert of CA. Photographed by John Watson.

“While Palo verde trees (Parkinsonia aculeata) don’t thrive in the northern reaches of the Mojave Desert, there are stragglers present thanks to migratory birds passing the seeds. On a recent trip out to Los Angeles, Cari and John came across this beautiful scene…”

For a high-res JPG, suitable for print and desktop wallpaper*, right-click and save link as – The Radavist 2024 – March. Please, this photo is for personal use only!
(*set background to white and center for optimal coverage)

The mobile background this month is a vertical crop from the same evening. Click here to download March’s Mobile Wallpaper.

When the Surly Cross-Check got discontinued last year, fans of the rim brake do-it-all bike were rightfully upset, yet over at Black Mountain Cycles, the Monstercross frameset picks up where the Cross-Check left off, with an arguably better geometry (with proper stack numbers!), 50mm tire clearance, and a stunning Pacenti PBP fork crown. What more do you need? These framesets are now available at Black Mountain Cycles ($875), so let’s check out more below.