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The Synchwire-constructed shoes Giro has been developing lately are really looking great. This construction is stitchless, vented, and reinforced. The Rincon is the latest in this new family of footwear. It’s a shoe for MTB riding, gravel riding, bicycle touring, and anything dirty. The Rincon features BOA closure and lots of rubber reinforcement areas for protection. Best of all, these high tech shoes only carry a $150 pricetag and yes, they come in black. See more at your local Giro dealer.
James and Pete from Upshift Velo take on an amazing 100-mile route heading out from Backyard Bike Shop to Kielder reservoir and back including some of the Dirty Reiver route. 50/50 road and gravel, but surely some of the most premium gravel riding there is to be had in the country.
The Santa Rita Pricklypear, Opuntia santa-rita, is a brilliant magenta-colored cactus, specific to the Sky Islands of Southern Arizona. The Ruta Del Jefe gravel race traverses this magical mountain range and this unique opuntia are the inspiration for Shimano’s new RX800 gravel shoes in a “purple and green” colorway. Pulling inspiration from the natural world brings awareness to these delicate ecosystems and the Santa Rita Mountains are still under attack from mineral extraction companies. Find out more about the fight to save these mountains at Save the Scenic Santa Ritas and see more details of these beautiful shoes at Shimano.
One of the best gravel rides in SoCal gets some light shed on it in this video from Gravel Bike California. Mount Lowe used to be a railway, bringing visitors up to the top of the mountain. The remnants of this railway are still evident today…
The Far Quarter film explores the past, present, and future of rural Colorado through the lens of gravel cycling. We can’t wait to share the feature-length!
I think we can all say that we might as well cancel all bike racing in 2020. People need to STAY HOME, wear masks when they leave their house, and ride in small groups until this pandemic subsides. Remember, bike racing during a pandemic is not socially conscious. Check out the press-release on why Grinduro California is postponed until September 18, 2021. Bike racing can wait…
My dream was to ride all of the major roads in Alaska and I did in 2017. I’m fourth-generation Alaskan. It’s where I got into endurance riding on my mom’s Specialized Ruby in between bartending shifts in 2014. Examining the map and fitting in the biggest rides I could on my two days off led me to the goal of riding them all, imagining what the 2D map could look like in real life and why the roads existed in the first place. Three years later, I had a wide open summer and I was ready for an open-ended adventure. Four thousand five hundred miles took me past Wiseman to the north slope at Prudhoe Bay on the Arctic Ocean, through Chicken to Eagle on the Yukon River, to the three hot springs north of Fairbanks, into Denali National Park and across the Denali Highway to Paxson. I used The Milepost, the local guidebook that chronicles every mile of Alaskan road with conditions and services. If the road is listed in The Milepost, I had to ride it. About two-thirds were paved and a third, high-quality dirt.
“I’ve always looked out to the east, where the Earth’s curvature is pronounced, and wondered. Living at the base of the Rocky Mountains, in Boulder, Colorado, sometimes feels like being at the edge of a vast ocean. Well, at one point in geological history, it was, but now Eastern Colorado is a sea of grass. I wanted to see what was out there.
With little warning or time to prepare, I stumbled upon an opportunity to immerse myself in that unknown swath of plains. I had a chance to ride my bike to Kansas.
My friend Alex Howes posted something coy about the route on Instagram. “Plotting a long bomb,” he wrote in the caption. I texted to ask if he was really doing what I thought he was doing. He was. I asked what I meant to be a leading question: “You doing it alone?” His reply: “That’s the plan for now.” Then, “Want to come swap turns for 12hrs?”
I had about four days to get ready. I was in, 100%.”
Check out the full story at the Pro’s Closet!
On June 9, 2019, the second annual Hunt of the North tested more than a rider’s speed. Not a race in the traditional sense, this gravel event pushed participants onto terrain that had no boundaries or course markings to rely on. Left only with their orienteering skills and proficiency on dirt, riders became Hunteurs as they searched for five pieces of uniquely colored gravel throughout the North…
After DK was canceled this year due to Covid19, Ted King took off on his own 310-mile ride with over 35,000′ feet of climbing across Vermont.
One of our favorite new “gravel” shoes, the Fizik Powerstrap X4 just got a facelift thanks to the team at PEdALED. Their “JARY” colorway take-over revamps the X4 in a deep blue, with PEdALED branding marked throughout the shoe in a mustard gold, complimenting the gum sole. The Powerstrap already looked great as it was but these new collaboration shoes take the cake. They retail for $192 and are in stock at PEdALED. See more high res images below…
I hope you’re not experiencing shock fade after yesterday’s post but we’re back today with more gravel bike suspension offerings, this time from Suntour. The GVX fork is their gravel travel fork, offering 40, 50, or 60mm travel options, remote lockout, 700x45c or 650x50c wheel options, magnesium construction, and 32mm stanchions.
GVX Specs:
-Magnesium lowers with a unique aesthetic specifically designed for the gravel market.
-Vertically aligned and tapered dropouts.
-100x15mm or 100x12mm dropouts with a lightweight, hollow-caped, and tool-type axle.
-32mm stanchions from A7000 series alloy, anodized black.
-A6000 forged crown.
-Crown mounted lockout, and rebound adjust. Remote lockout in development.
-Flat Mount brake to match with road and gravel type brake calipers.
-Air spring with 40mm, 50mm, or 60mm travel.
-Corresponding axle to crown by travel 436mm, 446mm, 456mm
-Corresponding offset by travel 45mm, 46mm, 47mm
-Fork offset is built into the crown.
-Max tire 700x45c or 650x50c.
-Mini fender included, stanchion mounts built in for larger fenders.
-Rated for Class 1 / E25 e-Bikes to match the growing e-Gravel trends
-Weight: 1725g
-MSRP: $499 USD
-Availability: August 2020
See more at Suntour.
One of our favorite personalities in the cycling industry has a space on one of our favorite brand’s blogs! Sarah Sturm has a great little read up about the pandemic and what riding means to her. Be sure to check this one out and if you missed it, our Highway 50 Nevada MTB trip features some excellent shots of Sarah ripping that Nevada dust as well!
“We have in front of us a chunk of time. We have a global pause. There are no races, there are no events, there are no parties or gatherings or high fives. We have busy minds and bored bodies and there isn’t an exact day that we can mark on our planners when “this will all be over”. Nope. The only thing that is certain is uncertainty. And we’re getting sick of seeing that phrase plastered all over the media. Yes, we know, things are uncertain right now and saying it over and over doesn’t seem to help.”
Continue reading this piece at Tenspeed Hero!
Thereabouts – Gus and Lachlan Morton – recently interviewed Sarah Swallow, one of the founding members of the WTF Bikexplorers and organizer of the Ruta del Jefe in Arizona, about life and the pursuit of all things rad. Check it out here and head to Thereabouts for their excellent write up about Sarah!
This morning, to coincide with our Verdugo Mountains story, SRAM dropped their new wider Force AXS eTap kit and an announcement that has piqued our ears over here: Force, Rival, and Apex HRD dropper levers. Check out all the info below…
As the only media outlet to cover every single Grinduro California race, I’d say it’s safe to say we’re the official Grinduro coverage website! The proof is in the pudding. With that said, we’re stoked to announce that the 2020 registration for the Mt. Shasta event on September 12th is open tonight at 7pm PDT, with 210 registration spots saved for FTW (femme, trans, women) riders. We can’t wait to provide our exceptional coverage this year, yet again! Especially with this recent announcement. Read the entire press release below…
Today, May 6th at 6pm PST, Martina Brimmer, co-founder and head honcho of Swift Industries is hosting a live talk with the WTF Gravel Team. If you’re free and would like to deep dive into what makes the team so unique, please tune in!
South Africa’s Ride FARR has two new products to their ever-expanding catalog. The 265g Clip-On Arm Rest Kit and Aero Bar Bag, both will be in stock this June. The Aero Bag fits on their Aero Gravel and Aero MTB bars and takes advantage of extra real estate on your bike’s cockpit.
Clip-On Arm Rest Kit:
-Lightweight, Modular Design
-Vertical and Horizontal Adjustment
-CNC Machined Alloy 6061 Clamps and Brackets
-Nylon Injected / Glass Fiber Ergo Arm Rest Cups
-48-Hole Bolt Pattern for Maximum Adjustability
-10mm EVA Foam Pads
Aero Bag:
-Durable 500D Cordura Material
-Easy fitment via double-sided velcro straps
-Custom designed to maximize space in the front extension
-Unique Aero Shape to compliment the styling of your bike
-Inner Mesh Compartment to prevent heavier items from moving around during
riding
-Top Cover with Zipper Pocket with Stem Bungee Cord for Secure Closure
-Underside Bungee Cord for added carrying potential
-Made in USA
See more at Ride FARR.
