The Radavist

In her review of the Hyperlite Mountain Gear Splash Bivy, Hailey Moore writes about why she prefers bivies over tents and offers her assessment of this featherweight dyneema bikepacking, or backpacking, sleeping kit companion.

While John was checking in with Ritchey before Sea Otter, he got a sneak peek at the new Tom Ritchey-built Bullmoose bars and bi-plane forks Tom was working on for owners of these original 1980 Ritchey Mountain Bikes. Tom said he was inspired by both John’s and David Harrison’s restoration work on these non-serial 1980 frames that were sold without Bullmoose bars or forks.

Well, the news is live today that Tom Ritchey will be debuting this collection in person at MADE, so let’s check out the full 411 below!

We’ve ridden a handful of Fusion Fiber wheels, and we always wonder when this unique approach to carbon fiber might make the leap to other components. Well, we can keep on wondering, but the prototype handlebar that Forge+Bond sent to Travis last month has us thinking about the future.

Announced today, SRAM’s RED XPLR AXS groupset combines elements of its UDH-compatible mountain bike components with its high-end road group for an all-new gravel-specific product lineup. SRAM designed it to be light, fast, and durable for the needs of today’s gravel racers and riders wanting the highest performing upper echelon groupset.

To discover how RED XPLR AXS stacks up and who it’s best suited for, check out Josh’s review below.

This is a good time for thick grips. There are more options than ever for anyone seeking a little extra surface area. Travis is a bit of an expert on the subject, and never travels without a set of grips 33 mm or larger in case he needs to borrow a bike. So, he’s gathered a baker’s dozen and gave them a squeeze.

Photographer Wende Cragg has been a pillar of the cycling community since she began documenting road, cyclocross, and the early days of mountain biking in Marin County, California, and throughout the United States over 50 years ago. We are delighted to launch the trailer for our first feature-length documentary film, Camera Corner: Wende Cragg Documents the Birth of Mountain Biking. It profiles Wende’s work and its lasting impact on the cycling industry.

We’re also unveiling a book and merch pre-order, as well as the beginning of a growing list of film screenings, which kicks off with the world premiere at the Marin Museum of Bicycling on August 16th & 17th and another at MADE’s movie night on August 23rd. There’s exclusive early viewing access, pre-orders for an epic photobook featuring Wende’s work, and an associated throwback merchandise run.

Continue reading below for all the details!

Featuring offerings in almost every category, there wasn’t a whole lot State Bicycle Co. was missing from their lineup of approachably priced frames and completes. Today, however, State enters the final frontier of metal frames with a $1299 titanium all-road model and multiple build kit options. Nic Morales has spent the past few weeks with the all-new titanium All-Road from State Bicycle Co. and, below, offers an exclusive in-depth first look…

Hungry, an Aussie bagmaker, makes a killer cross-body/shoulder/hip/bum bag called the Big Lunch ($210 AUD). While Cari and John were in Melbourne at MADE OZ, they picked up V 2.70 of this bag and used it on bike rides, bush walks, and city sightseeing. The V 2.70 of the Big Lunch features the Big Fidlock closure system, making entry to the bag a cinch and the massive roll top allows you to stuff it full of all sorts of stuff. Best of all, the straps tuck into the padding and you can mount it to your handlebars with ease. There’s even a secure zippered pouch accessible without having to unroll the roll-top.

All this to say we’ve got a bag problem and Hungry has our fix. Check out the V 2.70 of the Big Lunch at Hungry.

We’ve got a story coming up tomorrow that references this Mountain and City Biking article written by Black Mountain Cycle‘s Mike Varley from 1991 about drop bars on mountain bikes. Also known as dirt drops, Mike discusses the benefits of the unique riding position offered by these off-road drop bars in the original article text below…

During her review period with the Ibis Cycles Ripley, Hailey Moore attended the 2024 Rowdy Gowdy women’s mountain bike camp outside of Laramie, Wyoming, with hopes of gaining a better understanding of full-suspension fundamentals. In the age of internet tutorials and DIY culture, read on for a recap of what she learned in this directed and supportive setting.

We’re trying something new here at The Radavist. We have been exploring various ways to keep providing free, top-notch photography, reviews, news, and Reportage to our audience, and sponsored content is one way to keep the lights on and the bills paid. We’re unwilling to compromise your trust, so we pledge to always operate with the utmost integrity and be fully transparent about any spon-con on the site.

Full disclosure: this article was supported by Leatt. If you’d like to keep the Radavist independent, please consider joining the Group Ride today – a monthly or yearly subscription is the best way to support the longest-running alternative cycling website.

Whew! Now that that’s out of the way… Our newly-minted Copy Editor, regular Radavist contributor Nicholas Haig-Arack, recently caught up with Leatt’s Dain Zaffke to learn about the brand’s history and discuss matters of safety, both physical and existential. Let’s begin with an intro to Leatt…