There’s something rumbling on the forested flanks of Mt Hood in the beautiful state of Oregon. It’s a new beginning for Oregonian Cedar Coast Kyes as he recently started an Outfitter/Guide/Shuttle service based out of ZigZag. The newly formed Oregon Territory Outfitters is located a stone’s throw from the ZigZag Ranger Station on the Western slope of Mt Hood…
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Reportage
More Kids on Bikes: How NICA is Changing the Culture of Youth Sports
Stacked on a foundation of building strong minds, bodies, characters, and communities, The National Interscholastic Cycling Association (NICA) has been getting more kids on bikes through mountain bike racing, adventure riding, trail building, community outreach, and scholarship programs since being officially established in 2009.
Katie Sox spills the beans on her experience photographing for the Oregon League and how NICA continues to expand its offerings while cultivating a healthier and more equitable approach to youth sports.
Reportage
Southern Oregon’s Coastal Treasures: Riding Whiskey Run Singletrack
Last summer, a group of friends experienced a broad sampling of some of Southern Oregon Coast’s natural wonders and recreational outlets; in hopes of spreading the word to enthusiasts (from near and far) who are on the hunt for that next off-the-beaten-path destination.
Coastal Southern Oregon is quickly becoming a popular destination, with ample access to the outdoors, engaging community experience, and ever-expanding singletrack, like the Whiskey Run Trail Network. Continue reading below for an overview from Steven Smith, accompanied by Chris Hornbecker‘s excellent photography, of what this region offers…
Reportage
Sparking Community in Bend: Chariot Bike Shop Visit
It’s been a few years since we first covered Chariot Bike when it was a mobile-based shop!Katie Sox drops into the mobile-repair van turned full-service bike shop and café to chat with Chariot Bike‘s owner and founder, Julia Sparks, about what the shop has brewing for the future. There’s a good story behind the name and exciting news for the Sour Bicycles fans out there!
Radar
Radar Roundup: DKG Maglite Mount, Stelbel 50th Anniversary 50esimo, Riv Shirts, Suntour Hats, Wilier Adlar Touring Bike, Chris King Open House, PEdALED Odyssey, and Fat Biking the Oregon Coast
Our Radar Roundup compiles products and videos from the ‘net in an easy-to-digest format. Read on below for today’s findings…
Radar
Radar Roundup: Swift Campout Giveaway, The Archive Sussex, CdC Expanded Luggage Collection, Wolf Tooth Aero Chainguide, Fairlight Framebag Guide, New American Classic Tires, Fat Biking Oregon’s North Coast, Annapurna: Not as Planned, and Cargo Bike Park Day
Our Radar Roundup compiles products and videos from the ‘net in an easy-to-digest format. Read on below for today’s findings…
Reportage
Semi-Supported and Ultra Rad: The 2022 Salsa Ochoco Overlander
Fresh pulls of espresso waltz through a cold September morning, dancing alongside a particular brand of nervous excitement. It’s a certain hum I’ve come to understand as unique to the start of bikepacking trips and the suckers who choose such endeavors as their vacation. Strangers who will become good friends in a few short miles clear the frogs from their throats to answer early morning queries about their hometowns, bike set-ups, and handlebar tchotchkes over hot breakfast burritos and steamy lattes slung by Autobahn Coffee as we all wait for the start of the Salsa Cycles Ochoco Overlander.
Reportage
Introducing the Argonaut Cycles GR3 Gravel Bike, Shop Visit, and Interview with Founder Ben Farver
Over the years, we’ve done a lot with Argonaut Cycles, from documenting its first shop location to photographing its race team at the Rouge Roubaix and shooting bikes at various showcases. The brand has come a long way in that time and today, after three years of design, testing, and research, they are releasing the GR3, a next-gen custom carbon gravel bike.
While in Bend, OR, recently, Josh caught up with the Argonaut Cycles team for a tour of their facilities and sat down for an interview with founder and designer Ben Farver. The conversation covers the brand’s fully custom in-house carbon frame and component production methods and more. Below, find Argonaut’s GR3 introduction, Josh’s interview with Ben, and an extensive photo gallery detailing the Argonaut fabrication process!
Reportage
Finding Strength Through Feeling: Insights from the 2022 Odyssey of the VOG
What’s your intention for the race?” Jaimie asked as we gathered with others the evening before lining up at the start line of this year’s Odyssey of the VOG, which is a 350-mile bikepacking event that takes riders through the rural farmland of the Willamette Valley, the rugged and vast Oregon coastal range, and the unrelenting gravel climbs found in the Willamette and Tillamook National Forests.
Excitement and nervousness-filled conversations about bike setups, weight, steep climbs, estimated times… are you going to sleep? Over an inch of rain was forecasted to fall the next day. Some wanted to win. Most were intrigued by the adventure. I told Jaimie, “I want to be present and enjoy while challenging myself. I want to feel it.”
Radar
Help Build the Longest Mountain Bike Trail in the World—Orogenesis
Since their Stewardship Campout deep in Washington’s mountains this past July, the Orogenesis Collective has been busy behind the scenes drumming up support for the ambitious project. A group of generous donors—the Mountain Builders Circle—is matching every donation 10 to 1 from now until the end of the month. Donate $100 and they get $1,100. This is a one-time-only deal, so DONATE NOW.
Reportage
Fish Pedalers: A Bike-Snorkeling Micro Movie by Skid Lizards
It is true in cycling and in life, that unique combinations make for unexpected outcomes. Equal parts scientific and spiritual, exhaustive and reactive- planning an epic bike ride starts with finding contradiction. Modern rigid mountain bikes meets old-school singletrack. Pedaling meets snorkeling. Average Joe’s meets filmmaking pros. Cold beer meets used-to-be-frozen pizza. Skid meets lizards.
Adventure is the alchemy of people and place. Get these right and the story will write itself. Get one right and you can always make the best of it. Get ‘em wrong and you might as well have eaten that frozen pizza alone on your couch. Luckily, we got all the chemistry just right for one magical summer weekend that we get to share forever through the wonders of streaming cinema.
Radar
Radar Roundup: RIGd RambleRack, Win a Dreambike, La Virado, and Bend Gravel
Our Radar Roundup compiles products and videos from the ‘net in an easy-to-digest format. Read on below for today’s findings…
Reportage
Alone Together: The Big Lonely Bikepacking Adventure
Sometimes we don’t understand our reasons for doing something until we’ve fully emerged. That was my lesson learned from waffling around the start and finish lines of The Big Lonely with a camera and disconcerted heart. What is this big and lonely thing that I speak of? Described in one word by the riders themselves: it’s “relentless”, “jarring”, “cold”, “delightful” – “resilience.” It’s “incomplete” and it’s “grueling”. It’s “epic”, “stoke” and “go.” For one rider it was “mom.” Most commonly though, it was described as “community” and I found this to be a curious notion. The dichotomous idea that a 350-mile self-supported ultra-endurance bikepacking race called The Big Lonely cultivated the word “community” more than any other is sort of like a metaphor for life and all the funny ways our experiences are everything at once.
Radar
Radar Roundup: Cycle Oregon, 1Up Recon, Grinduro California, and Pit Viper
Our Radar Roundup compiles products and videos from the ‘net in an easy-to-digest format. Read on below for today’s findings…
Radar
Valley of the Giants
This video was showcased in today’s Reportage but we’ll put it here in Radar as well:
Odyssey of the VOG is a 350 mile self-supported bikepacking race through some of the most rugged terrain through the old-growth forests along the the Oregon Coast. The event name pays respect to a section of the route comprised of 51 acres of massive old-growth forest found on the North Fork Siletz River at the western edge of Polk County, Oregon. Most of these huge trees are Douglas-firs, with a few large western hemlocks as well, many of which are close to 500 years in age. 2021 was the inaugural year for the Odyssey of the VOG. This film provides a glimpse in to the experiences of a few of the participants.
For more information: odysseyvog.com
Reportage
The 2021 Odyssey of the VOG: Event Recap and Film
The Odyssey of the VOG (Valley of the Giants) is a 350-mile bikepacking event that takes riders through the rural farmland of the Willamette Valley, the rugged and vast Oregon coastal range, and the unrelenting gravel climbs found in the Willamette and Tillamook National Forests. The event name pays respect to the Valley of the Giants forest preserve, 51 acres of old-growth forest that are home to some of the largest Douglas Firs and Western Hemlocks on the Oregon coast range. Many of these towering giants have existed for over 400 years, and have grown to heights of 200 feet or more. While the route does not go through the hiking trails of the forest preserve, riders are still embraced by the dense trees and lush overgrowth that the remote forest provides. The Odyssey of the VOG route consists of bold landscapes, remote forest roads, and unrelenting climbs, all of which invigorate and challenge those who choose to ride it. The grand depart for the 2022 event takes place on May 28, 2022, at 7:00 am PST. Registration is now open here!
Radar
Abbey Bike Tools Announce Three New Tools
Abbey Bike Tools manufactures its entire tool catalog in Bend, Oregon and today, we’ve got three new tools to announce on its behalf. The Saw Guide ($100) assists in cutting exact lines on your steerer. The guide is two-sided and is compatible with 1″ and 1.125″ steer tubes. Next up is the DUB Crank Dust Cap Tool ($30) which loosens and tightens those pesky DUB bottom bracket dust caps. Perhaps the cleverest design is the Lever Setter ($35) which when used in conjunction with the Abbey Bike Tools HAG to help align your brake levers and shifters.
Abbey Makes great tools with a favorite being the 4-Way Multi-Tool ($40). See the entire catalog at Abbey.
Reportage
The Trans Cascadia 2021 Race Report from the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest
Trans Cascadia explored a new region this year in the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest. This land is the traditional indigenous territory of the Wenatchi and Syilx people. As a blind enduro, racers are given each day’s map the night before, with no chance to explore the trail prior. Race Director Nick Gibson was excited to get started. “I’m stoked to get people on course after a year’s delay. We’re excited to show people this area, this is the first-ever bike race on these trails.”
With a full volunteer staff, spending countless hours in preparation, racers shuttled into Foggy Dew Campsite, their home for the next 5 days. A remote backcountry experience with all the amenities save cell service, racers are treated to a camp that feels more like a living village. After Covid testing and orientation, participants devoured a stunning southern-inspired meal prepared by Hannah Carlos of The Bayou Catfish under the stars…