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Stayer Cycles OG Plus Monstercross

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Stayer Cycles OG Plus Monstercross

The Stayer OG Plus is a frame to take advantage of the mullet, mix and match, mountain bike drive chain, and road bike shifter component options that make bikes like this sort of a strange bird. Monstercross? Adventure bike? Or just a touring bike? Whatever you call it, the OG Plus has a phenotype we can all get behind.

Crust Bikes New Evasion Trail 140

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Crust Bikes New Evasion Trail 140

You might not expect the co-owner of Crust Bikes to have oftentimes preferred a moto for solo touring over a bicycle but it’s true. Matt from Crust Bikes is a longtime lover of mini motos and often found himself on them when he was touring around the world. One bike in particular always met his fancy; the Postie bike. Although, he preferred the bike not only for its whopping 7 horsepower but its step-through design, which inspired the new Evasion Trail 140. Matt gave us a sneak peek at this new all steel chassis tourer, so let’s check out the forthcoming Evasion Trail 140 below…

A First Look at Sim Works’ New Doppo Locust Touring Bike and SimLoaders Bags

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A First Look at Sim Works’ New Doppo Locust Touring Bike and SimLoaders Bags

We got our first look at the made in Portland, Oregon Sim Works SimLoaders bags during our Chris King Open House Reportage this year and today, the Japanese brand announced the full lineup, coinciding with a completely redesigned Doppo touring bike, now dubbed the Locust and with either 27.5×2.8″ or 29×2.4″ tire clearance!

We first showcased the Doppo when John did a bike tour around Mt. Fuji with the Circles crew back in 2016, so it’s exciting to see the newest permutation of this line. Read on for a complete look at the SimLoaders Bags and the new Doppo Locust below!

Falconer Cycles Now Offers Titanium Frames: A Look at Cameron’s Hardtail Touring Bike and Rack

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Falconer Cycles Now Offers Titanium Frames: A Look at Cameron’s Hardtail Touring Bike and Rack

Falconer Cycles is now making titanium frames and last weekend, he unveiled a stunning titanium hardtail touring bike to John…

For creatives – be it sculptors or painters – expanding into other mediums is often fulfilling and cathartic. Learning new methodologies and processes keeps makers engaged with their work. Lots of bicycle fabricators start out TIG welding steel frames and, later, expand into working with titanium. This offers new horizons for not only the brand but also for loyal followers to access a superior material.

Cameron Falconer is the latest builder to be documented here expanding into titanium from steel. While in Southern Arizona last weekend, John caught up with Cam who showcased a titanium hardtail touring bike with a custom titanium rack. This was “John’s modern bike shoot of the year” as he put it excitedly and you can see why below…

Kyrgyzstan Won: The (Uncompleted) Bishkek Spectacular

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Kyrgyzstan Won: The (Uncompleted) Bishkek Spectacular

On their fourth trip to Kyrgyzstan, Belén Castello and Tristan Bogaard return for Tristan to ride the 2023 Silk Road Mountain Race. But with a few days on their hands before the start, they decide to blaze a new 250-mile route that circumnavigates the Ala-Too, from the capital of Bishkek. With hopeful hearts and full panniers, they start their ride by setting out over Kegeti Pass (12,401′). After surmounting the pass, tragedy strikes as Tristan falls ill. Things aren’t always sunsets and tailwinds on bike tours, so come take a journey through accepting defeat in the beautiful mountains and valleys of Kyrgyzstan.

Bikepacking The Lesser Known Corners of Northern Spain

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Bikepacking The Lesser Known Corners of Northern Spain

Armed with bike, camera, and plenty of curiosity Werka Szalas set out for a month on the road in Northern Spain. The main focus of her trip was to visit the Picos de Europa National Park in the province of Asturias but she couldn’t help spending time detouring through Leon and Cantabria, too. Read on and check out her gallery for a closer look at a few of the lesser-known corners of Spain. 

Not About Bikes: 2023 Bikepacking Summit and DangerBird Ride

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Not About Bikes: 2023 Bikepacking Summit and DangerBird Ride

With its mixed-surface riding through four distinct sections of the Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument that surrounds Las Cruces, New Mexico, the Monumental Loop has plenty of spice—and not just from the chile you’ll find in Hatch. Every fall, the Loop’s organizers extend an open invitation for cyclo-tourists to come experience the 250-mile desert figure eight as part of the Dangerbird group ride event. This year’s rolling extravaganza was a coupled with the Bikepacking Summit, which Daniel Zaid attended and reports on below… 

A Multi-Bike Review of the Tumbleweed Big Dipper Drop Bars

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A Multi-Bike Review of the Tumbleweed Big Dipper Drop Bars

Wide bars are becoming more and more prolific in the drop-bar MTB, touring bike, and even gravel bike subgenres. A craze that began with the Crust and Ron’s Bikes Towel Rack bars has now become widespread in the industry, with multiple brands putting their spin on an ultra-wide offering. Among these is Tumbleweed, who have worked to design a model suited for the Stargazer touring bike (one of my favorites in that subcategory of drop-bar bikes). Fittingly dubbed the Big Dipper Bars ($115), I’ve been stealthily test-riding them on two recent review bikes. I have some thoughts on the Big Dippers and the appropriate application for wide drop handlebars in general. Let’s check it out below!

San Juan Splendor: Circumnavigation of Mt Wilson

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San Juan Splendor: Circumnavigation of Mt Wilson

While winter has already set in over in Colorado’s San Juan Mountains, Todd Gillman and a troop of friends snuck in one last hurrah of the year, a two-day leaf peep bike tour to circumnavigate Mt. Wilson while the leaves were still poppin’. Read on for Todd’s lively route description and file this instant backcountry classic away for next year—you won’t soon forget Aaron LaVanchy‘s stunning photo set…

Damn Well Good Enough: A Review of the Shimano Deore XT LINKGLIDE

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Damn Well Good Enough: A Review of the Shimano Deore XT LINKGLIDE

Prioritizing longevity and smooth shifting, Shimano’s LINKGLIDE technology offers an alternative to the weight and speed focus of most 12-speed drivetrains, with a new cassette designed to last 3x longer than their HYPERGLIDE+ technology. It uses an 11-speed chain, a new tooth design, and Shimano’s legacy HG freehub to achieve these feats. Whether it’s going on a new bike or bringing an old rig into the 1x world Shimano’s new LINKGLIDE technology might just be the right fit for you.