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Last week, we announced our limited edition Otso Voytek with proceeds going to Protect Our Winters and thanks to Kurt from Otso, we got some exceptional snow photos of the Voytek. Yet let us remind you that the Voytek is a great 29+ platform. While at The Mid South this year, John photographed a sample bike with 29+ wheels, so check those photos out below!
As far as production hardtails are concerned, the Esker Japhy is one of the most excellent all-rounder options out there. Truthfully, I had very little to critique with the steel Japhy, and so I was elated when they reached out asking if I’d like to throw my leg over a new titanium Japhy. Read on below for my thoughts and a full gallery of details…
With the pandemic driving up prices of vintage mountain and road components, many people are turning to modern recreations of these staple parts to finish out their build projects. Whether it’s a Salsa Pro Moto stem or in this case, Suntour’s legendary XC “bear trap” pedals, there are modern components inspired by these classic components but how close are they to the original? In this post, John looks at what makes the XCii so unique and how close the XCiii comes to the original…
Based in Southern California, Urban Armor Gear makes quality and rugged protective gear for essential tech devices. Tech that every cyclist uses like cellphones and more. UAG’s mantra is “built to go further” and, today, we’re introducing the brand’s mission to engage their community and produce useful gear, along with some of their key products…
*This introduction is part of a sponsored partnership with UAG. We’ll always disclose when content is sponsored to ensure our journalistic integrity.
People have been strapping dry bags to their bikes since long before the word “bikepacking” joined the cycling vernacular. It’s a simple way to add a bit of storage capacity but that extra space comes with obvious drawbacks. Typically those drawbacks include bag shapes that aren’t especially bike-friendly and instability if the bags are not meticulously secured. I’m not a huge fan of my cooking kit flying into my wheel or having bags constantly shift out of position on a rough downhill, so functional and stable bags are essential to me.
“Gooseberry” is the fourth layout of the Radavist 2022 Calendar. It was shot with a Sony A9 and the Tamron 28-200 lens outside of Hurricane, Utah.
“I realized a few weeks back, that we never featured the exceptional riding on Gooseberry Mesa here on the site, so last weekend, Sinhue Xavier and I made it happen! Expect some rad red rock coverage on the way!”
For a high-res JPG, suitable for print and desktop wallpaper*, right-click and save link as – The Radavist 2022 – April. Please, this photo is for personal use only!
(*set background to white and center for optimal coverage)
The mobile background this a geomorphic landscape from this zone. Click here to download April’s Mobile Wallpaper.
Our Radar Roundup compiles products and videos from the ‘net in an easy-to-digest format. Read on below for today’s findings…
A while back, I saw Ira Ryan from Breadwinner Cycles at a Cross Crusades race in Portland prepping his bike for his race. He had ridden to the event from his home so he had two cages and two bottles and with less than a quarter rotation of an allen key had removed his bottle cages and was ready for his race.
I review a lot of bikes and tend to put frame bags and bottle cages on and off my bikes that I’ll use for touring, so I adopted his trick. Check out the details below.
“Grasslands” is the third layout of the Radavist 2022 Calendar. It was shot with a Sony A9 and the Tamron 28-200 lens outside of Elgin, Arizona.
“Our recent ride with Sarah Swallow in Elgin, Arizona served as a reminder that the roads in Southern Arizona are from a dream…”
For a high-res JPG, suitable for print and desktop wallpaper*, right-click and save link as – The Radavist 2022 – 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 of this image. Click here to download March’s Mobile Wallpaper.
The Doppo ATB has been a popular frame for Sim Works since its original release in 2018. Over the years we’ve documented multiple ATB builds (like this, this, and this) highlighting the frame’s versatility. With the updated model that’s available today, Sim Works has made it even more capable by using a lighter tubing spec, changing from quick-release to 100×12 thru-axles, Paragon rear dropouts, and three-pack mounts on fork legs and underside of the downtube. Continue reading for more details from Sim Works…
With so many brands tossin’ their crusty, salty caps into the drop bar touring bike ring, Surly decided to do the Surly thing and offer something a little different with the Ghost Grappler, a 27.5×2.5″ wheeled, steel chassis, horizontal track ends, multi-surface tourer with a lot of stack for a comfortable riding position. Looking at this bike, you might be compelled to compare it to the Salsa Fargo, the Otso Fenrir, the Moots ESC, AWOL, and Kona’s Sutra ULTD. The Retail is set at $1899, pending availability with supply chain shortages. Check out more at Surly.
“Snowbirding” is the second layout of the Radavist 2022 Calendar. It was shot with a Sony A9 and the Tamron 70-180 lens outside of Tucson, Arizona. It was shot by Josh Weinberg.
“Reddington Road is a classic gravel climb in the Tucson area with vistas for days and plenty of elevation to make your legs burn.”
For a high-res JPG, suitable for print and desktop wallpaper*, right-click and save link as – The Radavist 2022 – February. 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 of this image. Click here to download February’s Mobile Wallpaper.
Finding the right tent for a bike trip is always tricky. It’s all about striking the balance of size, weight, livability, storm-worthiness, and durability that fits you and your plans.
Before heading to Turkey, I knew I wanted to try to eliminate full-sized panniers from my setup, which meant leaving a few things back home and downsizing a few other pieces of gear to make that possible. The tent was one of the first items I looked at since my Tarptent Stratospire 2, while super bomber and massively spacious, is not the smallest option when packed, and probably a little overkill for this trip.
That’s when I landed on the Six Moon Designs Lunar Solo. On paper, at $250 (minus stakes, pole, and seam sealer) and sub-1kg all-in, the Lunar Solo ticked an awful lot of boxes in terms of size, space, and cost, so I gave it a shot. After a year and countless nights in the mountains of Turkey, the Andean Puna, and the forests of Michigan, I’ve come away impressed.
Let’s just say it’s safe to bet the world isn’t returning to a sense of normalcy anytime soon, so when a deal like this pops up, we’ve gotta share it! The new Crust Disc Brake wheelset offers quality, lightweight, and affordable generator hub wheelset ($525). The rims are made of 6066 series Aluminum with a welded joint and weigh in at 360g, making them a great choice for your gravel-focused bike like the Bombora, or a more road-oriented Lightning Bolt build.
Each wheelset has a Shutter Precision PL-7 dynamo front hub, and a rear hub with either a Shimano 12 speed compatible or Sram XDR driver. Currently, Crust only offer its disc brake wheels in 650b but 700c is on the way (we think/hope/pray). Also, how good is that Crust Bikes Mavic flip?
See more at Crust Bikes.
State Bicycle Co offered up a sneak peek at its new Undefeated Road bike with a fancy tie-dye and pearl paint job. These new framesets have been re-engineered with Y9 aluminum which is 6061 aluminum with added titanium, resulting in a new alloy composition that allows for the thinnest possible wall thickness to be used. And yes, while the new bikes look great, we’re really excited to see those new shirts hit the market too! Check out the new Undefeated Road disc road and track bikes and the “It’s Just Bikes” shirts at State.
Beach Club grew out of Team Dream and The Cub House and offers Made in Los Angeles frames and stems by Darren Larkin…
Discless road? Beach Club? This means rim brakes, cus rim brakes still rule and look the best when surfing the Earth’s surface because that’s what matters most right? In essence, this bike is like looking at the bike you remember loving in the early 2000s thru rose-colored lenses; lithe, comfortable, and intuitive, without the annoyances of non-compact gearing and 23c tires at 120 psi loosening your fillings over pavement seams, literally the best of then and now.
These frames are full Columbus Life tubes with Columbus Futura Caliper SL Forks and clear 30mm tires. Each frame is painted with painted logos designed by The Radavist’s Cari Carmean. No decals here. Read on for more…
Photographers can be a stubborn bunch when it comes to their affinities for particular camera brands, formats, processing methods, etc. For me, camera straps are no different; once I find one I like, I stick with it. Admittedly, I have a lot of cameras and, for the most part, favorite straps for each.
I recently swapped out the straps on my most heavily-used analog cameras for two new rope straps from San Fransisco-based Outer Shell. I also started using their stabilizing wide strap for my primary digital camera setup, which I often cross-body carry while riding. Continue reading below for my thoughts on how these straps stack up in comparison to what I was previously using.
We’ve got some new product trickling through over the next few weeks (hopefully!), including these new Shred Lightly Nalgene bottles in Lavender and Jade colors, featuring our LAND-designed logos. These are available at our webshop, along with all of our other merch at The Pro’s Closet.