#revelate

Reportage By: Bailey Newbrey & John Watson

Condensare Pack List: Bailey’s Moné Hardtail 29er Loaded Up for Touring the Northern New Mexico CDT

Tomorrow, we’ll be sharing our Reportage from our tour of the CDT in Northern New Mexico but today I wanted to give Bailey a showcase on his Moné and how he packs for a three-day trip…

The poet Basil Bunting, while poring over an antiquated German-Italian dictionary, found the German verb dichten (to write poetry) translated as condensare (to condense/shorten). This became one of the guiding principles of Modernist poetry; which would state; “Great literature is simply language charged with meaning to the utmost degree.” In my early 20s, I fancied myself a student of Modernist writing and, unsurprisingly, many of its ideologies found a place in my daily life. This concept in particular is one that has remained important to me and thus, my approach to touring/bike packing. If one can distill their gear down to items that have the utmost meaning or necessity, while doing away with any superfluities, the result is a light and nimble bike, allowing the rider maximum enjoyment of the terrain to be traversed without compromising their safety and comfort along the way.

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A Perfect Fit: the Revelate Hopper Frame Bag on John’s Starling Cycles Murmur 29er

Full suspension bikes can be used for bikepacking. It just takes a little problem-solving in terms of bag design, fitment, and capacity. Yet, that’s not what we’re discussing here. Modern mountain bikes seem to be designed for shuttle runs in perfectly-groomed bike parts, not all-day rides on backcountry trials. Most new bike models fit a bottle and by “a bottle” I mean a small bottle. I ride XL-sized frames and every time I throw my leg over one, I’m baffled at the lack of bottle carrying capacity. This is a gripe for another day, however, because I recently found a way to solve this problem on my Starling Murmur 29er and it was easier than you’d think.

The Revelate Hopper Frame Bag is an off-the-shelf option that fits like a custom solution. Let’s check it out below. Yes, I’m excited about this one!

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Revelate Designs Releases Terrapin System 8L Seat Pack

Getting bikepacking seat bags to fit on smaller frames can be a hassle, resulting in the rider needing to move the load from the bike onto their back. Revelate’s newest design, the Terrapin 8L pack looks to solve this problem. Based off the concept of their larger seat bag, the Terrapin System, this waterproof seat pack is designed with small clearances in mind.

A notable design feature of the Terrapin System 8L is Revelate’s new saddle rail attachment, which utilizes an active cam locking buckle, resulting in engagement and stability, two crucial elements when it comes to packing a load in on a seat pack. The included drybag is 3D formed with radio frequency welded construction, custom fit for the holster. It includes an air purge valve to allow for proper compression of the system. The Terrapin System 8L will have an MSRP of $135 and is available in black, crush (purple) and Multicam. See more at Revelate.

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Fatbiking Alaska’s Gulf Coast

Back in 2008, Revelate’s Eric Parsons took to the Alaskan Gulf Coast with his friend Dylan and their fatbikes for a memorable experience. You can read more and see some photos from the trip at Revelate!