tag
Sometimes we get cruisers, basket bikes, dialed gravel rigs, and other times we get bikes sent to us that really pull at our heartstrings like Dakota‘s AWOL Expert. These bikes were so ahead of their time and since their inception, we’ve seen lots of bikes that have the same look and feel. So when Dakota sent his in, we had to share it! Check out Dakota’s words and photos below…
Oxford, Kona‘s Chilean distributor shares the beauty of gravel grinding across the Andes with ambassadors Canuto Errázuris and Andrés Tagle, and their cast of friends.
Drop bars have always had a special place in my heart. Don’t get me wrong, I love mountain bikes. That feeling of flying down swoopy singletrack and rowdy trails on a mountain bike is truly hard to beat. But there is one thing that can beat it… Flying down flowy singletrack and rowdy trails on a drop-bar bike. Now that can get exciting!
With the pandemic halting all bicycle shows like NAHBS and various Open House events, we’ve been scouring the ‘net for framebuilders to feature here on the website. Sort of like keeping the NAHBS spirit alive if you will. Today, we’re thrilled to host a showcase Reportage from Jay Sandefur, a framebuilder hailing from Alabama, and owner of Wild Card Bicycles, with exceptional photos and video provided by Jordan Mahy of Mahy Visual, and words by Jay, so let’s drop in…
The Salsa Vaya is a crowd favorite and today’s Readers’ Rides comes from Ryan who presents his 650b converted Vaya 3. Read on below for more words and photos of this sweet bike!
February 28 – March 8, 2021
February 27th
Arrival in Yuma, Arizona
The Impossible Route team arrived about as prepared for it as a groom to a shotgun wedding.
We planned on paper, but this was the Mojave Desert and Death Valley; and they would definitely hold some big surprises.
Cotic, the makers of steel mountain frames, just announced their new Tonic, a titanium gravel bike, compatible with 650bx50 or 700cx44 wheels, built with multiple cable management options, and in a variety of build kits (GRX shown). With pricing starting at £3449 for SRAM Apex 1, the Tonic’s pricing is competitive with similarly-specced carbon frames. Each Tonic comes with a 5 year warranty for the original owner and if you don’t like it when you receive it, Cotic will take it back, no questions. See more at Cotic.
While you’re hopefully enjoying that beautiful Flaat Rod Reportage gallery, don’t miss Rodeo Labs’ recap of their Kokopelli Trail tour. See the full story at Rodeo Labs.
There is often a delicate dance when multiple creative minds collaborate on a project. Let’s take a look at the world of music for an example. The combination of two or more tyrannical artists can often be lackluster if not outright disastrous. Think of all the countless “supergroups” that have fallen decidedly shy of expectations; out of respect for the bands and the fans, we can each conjure up our own lists. There are occasions, however, when minds meld in harmonious magic. There’s a push and pull where something is born amongst the friction that otherwise was improbable. Jay Farrar and Jeff Tweedy come to mind immediately; the brief brilliance of Uncle Tupelo a friendship rooted in creation with a dash of competition, each vying for center stage. Of course, that same recipe would result in the demise of the band. Even as both would achieve tremendous success in their following projects, it’s arguable if it was better music.
The second installment of Gravel and Gratitude has launched, featuring Leonardo Brasil:
“Freedom, adventure and self-sufficiency. This is why I ride bikes. In a world so dominated by motor vehicles and technology, my bicycle represents simplicity, a way to see the world powered by nothing more than my legs, imagination and loads of carbs. I am a Brazilian landscape and adventure photographer living in Colorado, who is passionate about storytelling, coffee and long days in the saddle.
I grew up riding a yellow 26’ aluminum hardtail mountain bike on hard packed gravel roads through farms and old villages with my dad in Brazil. I remember feeling a strong sense of freedom by being able to ride from one town to the next. In a lot of ways, my riding style has never really changed.”
Continue reading this story at Salsa Cycles!
Matt has submitted a Readers’ Rides post before and this week, we’re featuring his “Unicorn” Soma Wolverine build, which he’s documented in detail for your enjoyment below!
In a few short years Trinidad, Colorado has gone from a relatively unknown adventure travel destination on the I-25 border with New Mexico to one of most talked about by Front Range gravel cycling enthusiasts. When the Colorado Tourism Office supported Explore Las Animas gravel cycling tourism campaign was launched in 2019 by Backshop Bicycle Travel Supply, an experiential agency, the goal was to make southeastern Colorado a worthy bike destination in tandem with the growing gravel trend. Now, as the Santa Fe Trail celebrates its 200th anniversary, a host of multimedia cycling tourism related content and ride events in 2021 are poised to carry that objective further down the path as Trinidad reclaims its old west mountain trail town heritage by welcoming gravel cyclists to a distinct travel experience on the Colorado-New Mexico border.
Boosting expected summer cycling visitation this year is the new Trinidad-Las Animas County Gravel Adventure Field Guide developed by the City of Trinidad to assist visitors wanting to sample the over 1,600 miles of county roads accessible from downtown. The guidebook is produced in partnership with Backshop Bikes, Beneski Design, and People For Bikes. Its 64 pages highlight the region’s distinct culture and history, and includes 11 curated Ride Spot routes that are downloadable. The guide intentionally fosters an online and offline user experience. This handy jersey pocket sized book not only helps navigate the remote southeastern Colorado terrain, but also helps make a more enjoyable trip by directing visitors to local restaurants, shops, galleries, and museums. Accompanying the guidebook’s release is a Beneski short film shot by Justin Balog detailing its contents in a fun and quirky way.
Salsa has launched a sub-site called Gravel and Gratitude and this morning, the first of three videos launched, featuring Krystal Salvent:
“During my time as a fitness professional teaching cycling classes in New York City, my best friend encouraged me to take the “spinning” thing outside. At that moment I thought, “I don’t know how to ride a bike but it can’t be too difficult, right? I teach on a stationary bike multiple times a week. The transition should be easy.” So I signed up for America’s Most Beautiful Ride, a 100-mile charity ride that helps fund leukemia and lymphoma research. With some hope, a commitment to learning something new, and a three-month deadline to figure it all out, my journey into riding was born.”
Head to Gravel and Gratitude to read the full story!
Last week, Otso Cycles announced updates to their most popular gravel bike, the Waheela C. For 2021 it has a new frameset update and four new colorways. This bike was first released in 2019 as the ultimate all-road machine with its massive tire clearance, adjustable geometry, and now Otso has added to its versatility by adding three bottle bosses to each side of the fork for extra storage capacity so cyclists can use the same bike for gravel racing as they do for longer rides like tours and bikepacking.
There are also four new colorways to share: Forest & Coral, Black & White, Burgundy & Red, and Matte Desert & Black (pictured).
Beyond the new fork and colorways, everything we know and love about the Waheela C remains:
-Adjustable geometry: Otso’s patented Tuning Chip rear dropout system allows the wheelbase to be lengthened or shortened by up to 20mm and the bottom bracket height to be raised or lowered by 4mm. This allows the Waheela C to transform from a confident, stable gravel bike (in the rear Tuning Chip position) to a nimble, agile option for CX races or local trails with tight corners.
-Giant tire clearance: this bike can fit 700c x 54mm, 650b x 54mm, 27.5” x 2.2” or 29” x 2.1” tires.
-EPS-molded carbon frame.
-Unrivaled ride quality: the rider is centered over the wheels for extra confidence and stability, while the longer top tube adds an aggressive, racy feel. Meanwhile, bowed seat stays make for a compliant rear triangle that’ll absorb bumps in the road and give you comfort while you’re spending all day on the saddle.
See more at Otso!
The Speedvagen Readymade program returns for 2021 but due to the pandemic, it required some new requirements for this popular program. Right now, Speedvagen is taking deposits for the Drop Bar GTFO and the Disc-OG bikes. A deposit of $1,000 is required to get get the ball rolling and only 11 of each bike model are available. Check out all the information below and if you like what you see, place your deposit at Speedvagen.
The 2021 Easton Overland team is rearin’ up and ready for the 2021 gravel calendar. Here’s their announcement video, check out the athletes below, along with the team’s race calendar.
Wahoo Frontiers takes to one of California’s most breathtaking places, the Lost Coast:
“In this first episode of season two, Ian Boswell, Peter Stetina, and Colin Strickland meet up in California for a bike trip that explores the Lost Coast. This is not just an adventure, it is the new training camp for these privateers. What do you do when you need your competition to get better so you can beat your competition later? Ian, Pete, and Colin find out as they tackle the Lost Coast each seeking something a bit different and each riding away with fresh perspective and motivation for challenges ahead.”
See the route links below…
As someone who documents all sorts of framebuilder creations, it’s always this sort of bike that gets me every time. There’s something really wonderful about a builder’s personal bike, especially when it’s a byproduct of their own journey as a constructeur. Flashback to last month and the Baphomet Bicycles Shop Visit. I spent the day watching Dillen work, discussing his story – which if you’re just now joining us I suggest you read – and eventually, I began documenting some of the bikes had had in his shop. We saw the “Shreddy Rando” bike, which was a crowd favorite with its pristine presentation, chrome bits, and as we say “dialed” build. Now it’s time for the really good stuff. Bikes with beausage and a story will always tug at my heartstrings and this one is no different.
