The Radavist

Our Radar Roundup compiles products and videos from the ‘net in an easy-to-digest format. Read on below for today’s findings…

People love their Kona Units and with good reason! Marcel breaks down his build for us in today’s Readers’ Rides…

Sour Bicycles, the company that made the Pasta Party John reviewed last month, has just dropped a big bomb of an announcement. The brand will be producing all of its mountain bike frames in Germany, beginning in January 2022. That means if you pre-order any frame right now, it’ll be made in Germany, including its newest model the Big Fun, an enduro/trail/all-mountain hardtail. Check out the geo numbers and details on the Big Fun below and read Sour Bicycles’ full press release at their blog…

Today’s Readers’ Rides comes from Bavaria, Germany. Benjamin walks us through his lovely SOMA Rush in detail below, in all its fixed gear elegance…

Suspension stems aren’t anything new. The 80s and 90s brought about many versions of a damping cockpit and in modern times, we’ve seen quite a few roll across our email with the latest being the Vecnum freeQENCE. This stem comes in 90mm, 105mm, and 120mm lengths and provides maximum suspension travel of 30mm, which is split into 20mm positive travel and 10mm negative travel – similar to the sag of a suspension fork. This stem retails at €299.00 direct from Vecnum and there is a lot more to its design, which you can read all about at Vecnum.

Ortlieb has been making bicycle touring bags for what seems like an eternity but over the past few years, they’ve begun to make bikepacking bags, always offering a few clever details and their legendary waterproof construction. Newest to this lineup is the Handlebar Pack QR, or quick-release. These bags lash to your handlebars in seconds, perfect for big, expedition rides, long gravel trips, and S24O alike.

Specs:
-$160 MSRP
-11-liter capacity, plus two small exterior mesh pockets
-IP64 – dustproof & waterproof to 1-meter for 30min
-Sustainably made in Germany

See more at Ortlieb.

These days, gravel bike designs can be very redundant, something German manufacturers like Nicolai Bikes are looking to overcome. Their newest design, the Argon GX, is as much a gravel bike as it is a touring bike but look closely for some clever manufacturing detailing.

Through 3D modeling and engineering, Nicolai is able to construct durable and lightweight 7020-T6 frame components. Each of these pieces are made on modern 5-axis CNC machines and allows for the construction of so-called “Hollow Mill” assemblages. The bottom bracket and chainstay yoke in the Argon CX use this technology to both shed weight and set their offerings apart from their competitors.

Other details include the option for a Pinion gear box, fender/rack mounts, flat mount disc calipers, internal routing, and designed geometries to fit just about any body type. Head to Nicolai to see more!

A reader from Leipzig sent this short video over for us to enjoy on this Friday morning:

“My name is Jacob and I’ve been a cycle messenger in Germany for more than 10 years now.
This week we had an unusual and unexpected outbreak of winter here in Leipzig with strong winds and heavy snow for multiple days. The city was totally unprepared, I saw snow plows getting stuck in snow and all public transportation was off for multiple days. Since I needed to send out some letters and therefore had to go outside anyway, I decided to take my track bike and camera and try to get some nice videos of the snow-cycling-chaos.”

Thanks, Jacob!

‘Grenzerfahrungen’ (Borderline Experiences) documents a self-supported cycling journey along the European Green Belt. Born and bred in Germany, Markus Stitz traveled 700km along the former Iron Curtain on a gravel bike through the federal states of Thuringia, Lower Saxony, Hesse, Bavaria, and Saxony in October 2020, shortly after the 30th anniversary of the German reunification. The film launches the Iron Curtain Gravel Trail, a new bikepacking route mapped by the round the world cyclist, which is available to download for free at Bikepacking Germany.

With build kits ranging from €1890 through €2690, the new Vasco Gravel Bike by German company Tout Terrain offers up a fully-steel frame with lots of options for riding or touring. The Vasco features 435mm chainstays, 71º head angle, 73º seat angle (size medium), and clearance for 700x40mm or 650x47mm tires. While there are many options in this already packed market, Tout Terrain knows how to design versatile bikes and the Vasco fits right into their catalog. See more information and the entire Vasco family at Tout Terrain.

Over the past few years, the trend of bikepacking has really taken over, and with good reason! Riding on singletrack, fully-loaded is a real treat. You don’t have to worry about cars dusting you out and can truly be isolated if that’s what you’re going for. Yet, I can’t help but feel warm and fuzzy for classic touring bikes as well. I caught my bicycle touring bug on a road bike, then a touring bike, and then bikepacking, yet the lines and functionality of a classic tourer is so timeless. Tout Terrrain, makers of many on and off-road touring bikes, just announced their Blueridge touring models. Pictured here is the GT build spec and it has it all!

Specs:
-Integrated Expedition Rack II with optional EX-Rail system and Ortlieb Quick-Lock3 Mounting Kit
-Rohloff gear hub option for proven reliability
-Derailleur drivetrain option for precise and light shift action
-Thermocrom premium tubing for maximum strength-to-weight ratio
-700c wheelset favours speed and efficiency
-Drop-bar options provide aerodynamics and multiple hand positions
-Gates Carbon Drive belt-compatible frame for a strong, clean and reliable drivetrain

See more at Tout Terrain.

Dyed in the Wool is a German bicycle bag makers and the XL Bar bag is their interpretation of the ultimate handlebar bag. This isn’t a reproduction of a bag, this is 100% designed from scratch with a fully-waterproof shell, reinforced with an HD foam and HDPE liner, making a rigid bag that maintains its shape when it’s attached to the bike, eliminating the need for a rack. If you did want to use a rack, the XL Bar Bag mates nicely with the Nitto F-16.

The outside of the bag is wrapped with Molle webbing allowing you to play with attachment points and mount lights as well as other accessories creating a really versatile platform no matter what you need to carry.

The XL Bar Bag retails for €180,00.

Features:
-YKK Water Resistant zippers
-HDPE liner
-DH foam liner
-Recycled ripstop lining
-1000D coated Codura
-Coated Xpac
-Dyneema Paracord
-MOLLE webbing

The Good Times Roll is a group of friends that like to take on ambitious rides. This past summer they rode from Freiburg to the Bodensee, through Switzerland along the Rheinfalls, through Lichtenstein, over the Vorarlberg where they encountered snow and almost got lost but somehow made it all the way to the Königssee in Berchtesgaden.

Saturday, the 9th and Sunday, the 10th of May, 2020 brings about the fifth edition of the Rando Imperator, a European Randonnée from Germany to Italy. The event is part of the official Italian Audax calendar offering three different brevet courses: Munich-Ferrara (600km), Munich-Bozen (300km), Bozen-Ferrara (300km) and Bozen-Mantua (200km). See more information at Rando Imperator.