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These two brands need no introduction, at least I hope not anyway! State Bicycle Co and Ozzy Osbourne, yes, that Ozzy, have teamed up on a capsule collection with jerseys, fleece-lined jackets, a bar bag, and stem cap. It’s a smaller collection compared to what State has done with musical artists over the years but that doesn’t mean it’s any less bad ass.
See more at State Bicycle Co.
Piggybacking on our recent news that WTB is keeping 29/27.5+ tires in its catalog, we wanted to plug – sorry, bad pun – the brand’s new Tubeless Tire Sealant.
For a company that is probably best known for its tires, WTB cares about keeping you rolling across all aspects of wheel-related goods. This is evident in its wheel development, rim tape, valves, tires, and now its own Tubeless Tire Sealant. It only makes sense that the brand would want to encapsulate its products under the TCS System umbrella. Now, not all sealant is created equal, and while everyone has their favorite sealant to use but WTB is doing something unique with its sealant so let’s check out what details make it different…
As a cargo connoisseur, I often get swept up in the details, the minutiae, and some might argue, the icing on the cake of bicycle travel. These little details can become centerpieces of a final touring package. While I’ll always carry a few extra Voile straps on a tour, there’s something nice about having cam buckles and nylon webbing for the bigger jobs. One of the things I love about touring is the constant need to strap more crap to your bike. Sometimes, it’s a frozen pizza at a gas station that catches your eye or your wet clothes from that swimming hole. Regardless, having these items securely fastened to your bike is important because no one likes a broken pizza box.
Having a few extra straps can go a long way and while there are dozens of options made in China out there, it’s nice when a small company takes it upon itself to make something as simple as a cam buckle in the USA. Austere Manufacturing first popped up in my Instagram feed earlier this summer. I’m not sure why these tan cam buckles caught my eye ;-) but I immediately bought two pairs; a 3/4″ cam and a 1″ cam with webbing. Since then, I’ve used them to carry everything from a fly rod to camp chairs around on my bike and can honestly say, these buckles are some of my favorite things to come from a small, cottage industry maker.
Let’s check them out in detail below.
With a new, steeper seat tube angle of 75.5°, a 63.5° head tube angle, 430mm chainstays, and a bottom bracket height of -58mm, the 2022 Orange Crush Pro 27.5er is right there in terms of existing within the hardcore hardtail geometry. There’s also a new chainstay yoke, promising excellent chainring and tire clearances, and yeah, we love the new paint job!
These frames are made in the UK from 6061-T6 Custom Butted OS aluminum tubing and carry quite the cult following. See more of the new and improved Crush Pro at Orange.
Sometimes videos speak louder than words and Wolf Tooth’s new video showcasing the functionality of the 8-Bit Tool Kit is one of those times. There are three tools in the new 8-Bit System: 8-Bit Chainbreaker + Utility Knife Multi-Tool, 8-Bit Tire Lever + Rim Dent Remover Multi-Tool, and 8-Bit Pack Pliers. A total of 22 functions between the three tools will keep you rolling to the next town or trailhead.
See the full collection at Wolf Tooth.
Bag don’t always have to be big and Ornot‘s new bags embody the “less is more” approach to bag design. Both the new handlebar bag and saddle bag are designed to be compact and to hold the essentials. Both models are available in Stone Blue, Olive, and Morocco (pictured). Head on over to Ornot to see all the details.
So there’s been a lot of chatter on this website about the availability of 29×3″ tires and I can finally share what WTB‘s 29+ offering will be later this year and into 2022. The official word from WTB is that 29×3 is here to stay, with the following coming in soon:
-Ranger 2.8 x 27.5″ TCS Light/Fast Rolling 60tpi Dual DNA SG2 tire
-Ranger 3.0 x 29″ TCS Light/Fast Rolling 60tpi Dual DNA SG2 tire
-Vigilante 2.8 x 27.5″ TCS Tough/Fast Rolling 60tpi TriTec E25 tire
If you’re like me, who invested in a 29+ tourer, you can breathe a sigh of relief. Many thanks to WTB for believing in us chonky weirdos. xo
Also, you don’t need to do anything at the moment but be patient. They’re hoping the 29×3″ Rangers will land in December so you don’t have to email them or anything…
Enjoy the weekend!
Velo Orange’s Crazy Bars have a cult following ranging from commuters to tourers and everything in between. These bars give you the benefit of a riser bar’s riding position with the option for a more aero hand placement. Sure, they look… uhh… crazy but that’s their name, right? For this round, VO widened the bar to 780mm and the sweep has been reduced to a more comfortable 35º. The horns also got massaged by shortening them to 110mm for an overall better riding experience. See more details and on-the-bike photos at Velo Orange.
If you’re looking for a dynamo light-powered commuter or light tourer, then check out the new Standert Bürgermeister*In. Standert really did everything they could to make this bike as versatile as possible. The frame can be built up as 1x, 2x, hub geared, singlespeed, or a Gates Belt Drive. It’ll clear 700x45c and 650x47c tires. The limited-edition (pictured here) features a painted to match one-piece bar/stem. If you’re not feeling this aqua color, there’s also a white and eggplant livery available. Check out all the details at Standert.
If you’re looking for a non-custom and more affordable version of John’s Sklar that we posted today, then check out the newly-released Kona Unit and Unit X. For 2022, these popular models return with the Unit ($1,399) offered as a singlespeed and the Unit X ($1,599) comes with Deore 12-speed. You can even buy a frameset for $699. See all the details at Kona and throw your leg over one at your local dealer.
As MTB geometry changes over the years, so do forks, and eventually, this progress trickles down to stems. That’s the motivation for component brand Tenet who just updated its Nora stem. The Nora V2.5 stem is designed with modern bike geometry and short offset forks in mind. These are designed for a ø35mm clamp bar, thus the shortest length you could go is 32mm. From there, Tenet increased the stem length by 5mm increments, matching the fork offsets of 37mm and 42mm nicely. Most brands that offer bikes with modern geometry recommend running a stem as close to your fork offset as possible. These stems are machined in Bellingham, Washington, from North American sourced 6061-T6 aluminum and carry a retail price of $134. In stock and shipping today from Tenet.
If you’re on the hunt for a 144 or 110 BCD chainring, look no further. Our buddy Aaron from AARN just released his stock for the year at the AARN webshop, including some very limited pieces like we’re showcasing here. These special edition rings are commemorating over a decade of making unique chainrings in the USA. Hop on over to his shop to check out the stock!
There’s no shortage of bag makers out there but it’s rare to find a company bringing some new ideas to the table when it comes to bicycle portage accessories. San Util is doing some fun stuff with an interesting spin. They have a Kickstarter campaign, along with some stock on their website, so head on over and check it out. Our favorites include the Salmon Big Stache Daddy, MTB Hip Pack, and the Mini Beer Tote.
The Esker Cycles Hayduke is one of the most capable production hardtails on the market and now it’s available in four new colors including this “bluebird” color. Head on over to Esker to check out the other new colors available this year.
I’m a collector of goods by nature. When I find a pair of pants, backpack, shorts, or even shoes I love and cannot live without, I tend to buy a “backup” or secondary set to hold onto. Sometimes, this can get expensive, especially when it comes to bike parts but with the uncertainty of the current supply chain shortage brought on by the pandemic, my hoarding has been elevated. Take for instance these Yoshimura Chilao Pedals. When we first posted about them back in 2020, I bought a set for a few reasons…
Cooler and frigid temps are on the way and Kitsbow has merino tights that are developed for a perfect on-the-bike fit but can be used in any number of situations. Complete with a phone pocket on both legs and available in two ankle-lengths to ensure the optimal fit, the Rockstacker might be the most robust merino tights on the market. These are made to order in North Carolina at Kitsbow and thus carry a premium price of $199 but in this case, you get what you pay for. Check out more at Kitsbow.
Titanium hardtails offer the best riding experience out of any material, ATMO, and seeing more US companies offering them is always a good thing. Alchemy’s newest offering is its Argos, a 140mm travel hardtail. This frame is made from Alchemy’s own blend of titanium, feature a sculpted rear triangle, and come available as completes with packages from GX to AXS. Head to Alchemy to see more from this beaut!
For those riders and racers who don’t like hydration packs but need to carry extra water, Hydration vests make a lot of sense. They don’t get as hot, since they ventilate better, and vests like Evoc’s HYDRO PRO, utilize a series of small pockets to hold your essentials. These vests come in 1.5 or 3L capacities, feature two 150ml mesh pockets on the shoulder straps for gels, snacks, or your keys, and more.
Further convenient features:
-HYDRATION BLADDER 1,5 included
-Mesh ventilation
-Body Hugging system for better fit
-Compression straps that prevent the load from jumping around inside the pack
-AIRO FLEX belts for flexible, yet firm fit
-Compartment for hydration bladders up to 1.5 litres
-Clip to attach hydration system hose
-Height-adjustable chest strap with clip to attach hydration system hose
Retail is $115 at your local Evoc dealer.