Bikes and Gear Archives - Adventure Cycling Association https://www.adventurecycling.org/tag/bikes-and-gear/ Discover What Awaits Tue, 16 Apr 2024 21:41:47 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.5.5 https://www.adventurecycling.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/cropped-web_2-color_icon-only-32x32.png Bikes and Gear Archives - Adventure Cycling Association https://www.adventurecycling.org/tag/bikes-and-gear/ 32 32 Road Test: Tumbleweed Stargazer https://www.adventurecycling.org/blog/road-test-tumbleweed-stargazer/ https://www.adventurecycling.org/blog/road-test-tumbleweed-stargazer/#respond Tue, 16 Apr 2024 21:41:47 +0000 https://www.adventurecycling.org/?p=57360 Immediately after unboxing and building up the Tumbleweed Stargazer, I took it out for a neighborhood shakedown to make sure everything was tight and straight. I had first-date jitters and […]

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Since around 2017, Tumbleweed riders have piloted their Prospectors to rugged, remote parts of the world in harsh conditions with confidence. Daniel designs his bikes to be field serviceable with oversized steel tubing, threaded bottom brackets, internal dynamo wire routing, and mechanical disc brakes. In 2022, the Stargazer hit the market, which is billed as the companion bike to the Prospector, enabling riders to fill their whole quiver with two perfect adventure bikes instead of seven (guilty). Between these two, they do it all. The Stargazer shares a lot of the same tubing and mountain bike geometry as the Prospector, but it’s optimized for dropbars and an overall lighter-weight bicycle. A blend of dropbar and mountain bike feel makes for a super comfortable riding position, like a gravel bike but with all the tire clearance and gear range of a mountain bike. Paired with Tumbleweed’s new Big Dipper drop handlebar, whew — it’s a thing of beauty. The Stargazer shares a lot of the same tubing and mountain bike geometry as the Prospector, but it’s optimized for dropbars and an overall lighter-weight bicycle. A blend of dropbar and mountain bike feel makes for a super comfortable riding position, like a gravel bike but with all the tire clearance and gear range of a mountain bike. Paired with Tumbleweed’s new Big Dipper drop handlebar, whew — it’s a thing of beauty. In true Molloy fashion, he couldn’t find the perfect match for the Stargazer on the market to complete his vision, so he set out to make one. Developed specifically for the Stargazer, the Big Dipper boasts width options of 510mm, 540mm, and a colossal 570mm (if you’re wild). Remember earlier how I said this bike felt like an armchair? The Big Dipper can mostly be held responsible for that. With minimal reach (50mm) and flare (20°), these bars are solidly on the comfort end of the comfort-to-aero spectrum, which is why I converted to a wide-bar lover while traipsing through the North Cascades. So far, my wide-bar love is reserved for the Big Dipper alone. In addition to a handlebar that sings, the Stargazer I tested was adorned with 29 x 2.35in. Maxxis Ikon tires that ate up bumps on lightly chunky descents. I never felt sketched out or lacking in confidence speeding down unfamiliar roads. It’s obvious this bike was meant to be versatile and fancy with DT Swiss 350 hubs, a 32T RaceFace chainring, and a 10–52T SRAM GX Eagle cassette. The Boost hub spacing, thru-axles, dropper post, and 1x drivetrain are welcome specs borrowed from mountain bike standards. Speaking of dropper posts, I’ve been running the PNW Rainier dropper that comes spec’d with the Stargazer on my personal adventure gravel rig for a few years, and I think it’s a great choice for this bike. The Stargazer comes built with SRAM Rival road shifters modified with a Ratio Technology 1×12 Wide Upgrade Kit to shift the GX Eagle derailer — even more special, the left lever that would be used to shift between front chainrings has been modified to actuate the dropper, which is brilliant. I had to get used to how seamless that was, but once I did, I appreciated it far more than the typical thumb-actuated dropper lever that tends to be a bit awkward on dropbars. Photo focused on top tube and down tube triangle. I’d be negligent if I didn’t shine a light on the biggest opportunity for this bike to polarize: the price. At just shy of four grand, the Stargazer isn’t a viable impulse purchase for most, and there are plenty of other comparable bikes out there for a fraction of the cost. So what makes those dollars add up? For one, Tumbleweed’s bikes are made in limited runs, so they don’t realize the benefits of making thousands and thousands at once like the big brands. Each size of each frame is made with slightly different sized triple- and quadruple-butted tubing with internal gussets, which adds a lot of complication to production but also adds strength to the frame. The Ratio Technology kit adds time to the build because each bike has a modified drivetrain, and Tumbleweed hand-builds the wheels in-house. The only components that appear to be cost-saving measures are the Aeffect crank and Tektro brake calipers, which are still great choices. (Tumbleweed also offers a Shimano GRX build with a dropper post and hydraulic disc brakes for $4,225.) This bike — this brand — is special. I value the time any individual takes to solve problems in the bicycle industry with grace and wit. It’s no small task to design a bicycle to match a dream, down to the small details of millimeters and degrees. Every decision of the Stargazer feels not just intentional but well-researched; there’s a reason this bike came five years after its predecessor. Endeavors like Tumbleweed Bicycle Co. take time, heart, and dedication to the product. There’s no detail that I don’t like about the company, from the ethos to the names of the products to the clever design. The Stargazer loves to be ridden on dirt roads and swoopy singletrack sporting a couple bikepacking bags. On both climbs and descents it feels supple, stable, and, above all, comfortable. Fully loaded, it feels relatively the same. I’d even venture to say it would be comfortable as a long-haul touring bike for routes that bounce between pavement and dirt roads. You’ve got plenty of ways to attach racks and bags that add up to an impressive carry capacity: a huge inner triangle for a framebag, upper and lower rack mounts, fender mounts, triple mounts on each side of the fork, and three sets of triple mounts on the frame, including one set on the underside of the downtube (my personal favorite). Plus, the massively wide bars would accommodate an extra-large handlebar bag. If you want to dress the bike up in slick tires, it plays nicely as a commuter, too. Even though it’s designed with durability and resiliency at the forefront of priorities, the Stargazer never comes off as being overkill for a shorter adventure. A lot of folks I met through Cascade Bicycle Club that weekend remarked that I had brought the absolute perfect bike for the adventure at hand, which I didn’t need to carry a ton of gear for. In addition to my three-day Winthrop adventure, I rode the Stargazer around Missoula’s old logging roads plenty. The group ride reviews are in: “The prettiest gray bike I’ve ever seen!” said someone (I don’t disagree). “Looks big, feels small!” puzzled a very tall person after dismounting. “Those bars are massive, they’re crazy!” It’s true, they are massive! I also chose this bike for a fully loaded, two-day, rugged-as-all-heck weekend loop with a couple of Adventure Cycling colleagues, David Barth and Daniel Mrgan. During one final chunky descent down Brewster Creek Road, we went from 7,200 to 3,800 feet in about nine miles. My tires were about as low pressure as they could have possibly been (a risk I’m probably too comfortable taking) and the bike was easy to maneuver down the complicated terrain. It felt appropriate that one day I set off for an afternoon ride and budgeted only an hour and a half — I ended up returning home three hours later. Maybe if I’d been riding the two-pound-lighter titanium version ($2,850 for a frameset), I would have made it home earlier, but deep down I know I would have spent the extra time getting distracted by a gorgeous vista or a unique ponderosa pine tree. The Stargazer inspires wonder and curiosity, and you’d be hard pressed to find a bike more likely to make you late for dinner. Fully loaded Stargazer with front, frame, and rear bags.

Tumbleweed Stargazer

Best uses: Trails, singletrack, and gravel roads, loaded or unloaded Price: $3,875 (complete), $1,350 (frame) Weight: 28.3 lbs. (without pedals) Available sizes: Small, Medium, Extra Medium, Large, Extra Large Size tested: Medium Contact: tumbleweed.cc

Components

Frame: Heat-treated, size-specific chromoly tubing, oversized triple- and quad-butted front triangle with integrated gussets Fork: Unicrown chromoly steel with rack/fender/bottle cage mounts aplenty, internal dynamo wire routing Drivetrain: SRAM GX Eagle 12spd Brifters: SRAM Rival 22 Cassette: SRAM GX Eagle 12spd, 10–52T Brakes: Tektro MD-c550 Handlebar: Tumbleweed Big Dipper, 510mm Bar tape: Camp and Go Slow Rattler, extra long Seatpost: PNW Rainier, 27.2mm diameter, 125mm travel Hubs: DT Swiss 350, thru-axles, 110 x 15mm front, 148 x 12mm rear Tires: Maxxis Ikon EXO 3C TR, 29 x 2.35in.

Notable Geometry

Head tube angle: 69° Reach: 372mm Stack: 597mm Seat tube length: 430mm BB drop: 63.5mm Head tube length: 140mm Standover: 784mm

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Who Needs Fenders? https://www.adventurecycling.org/blog/who-needs-fenders/ Mon, 30 Jan 2023 09:00:00 +0000 https://advcycle.wpenginepowered.com/blog/who-needs-fenders/ This article first appeared in the July 1999 issue of Adventure Cyclist magazine. It has been updated to reflect changes in technology and product quality by Paul Buchanan (@thecasualroadie). Purists can […]

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This article first appeared in the July 1999 issue of Adventure Cyclist magazine. It has been updated to reflect changes in technology and product quality by Paul Buchanan (@thecasualroadie). Purists can read Brown’s original version here.

If you are a fair-weather, day-tripping cyclist, you don’t need fenders, but if you are a touring cyclist, and you’re not traveling exclusively in a desert climate, you really should have fenders on your touring bike. Fenders by themselves won’t keep you dry in a pounding rain, but they make a tremendous difference when you are riding roads that are wet from drizzle, recent rain, or snowmelt.

Even in hard rain, you will become wet with clean rain from above, but your body and bicycle will be protected from the mud and sand kicked up from dirty puddles and rivulets.

Fenders Protect Your Bicycle

Many cyclists protect themselves from rain by wearing rain gear, but they forget that their bicycles don’t like dirty water any better than their bodies do.

A full-length metal fender on a bike with a rusted chain
This bike chain has seen better days, but at least it’s protected by a fender!
Daniel Mrgan

The water kicked up by your wheels is much worse for your bicycle than the clean rain falling from the sky. If you ride in wet conditions without fenders, your chain, derailers, and brakes will all get sprayed with sandy, muddy, scummy water, often mixed with gasoline residue. This is very bad for these parts. Your derailers will work better and longer, and your chain will last considerably longer, if you protect them from this filthy spray.

Even more vulnerable is the lower section of your headset. Headsets are designed to shed water like the shingles of a roof, and are basically rainproof, but the gritty spray from below has easy entry to the bearing surfaces of the heavily loaded lower races. All-weather cyclists who don’t use fenders need to service or replace their headsets on a regular basis, but those who use fenders hardly ever need to deal with headset problems.

Types of Fenders

Utility bikes generally have steel fenders, but most fenders intended for high-performance bikes are made of plastic, very thin aluminum laminated with plastic, or an aluminum alloy. 

At one time, some of these, specifically the brand SKS, permitted the embedded aluminum foil to be used as conductors for lighting systems, permitting “wireless” taillights to run off a centrally mounted generator, but the hardware for this isn’t always available at bike shops in the U.S.

Full-length Fenders

There is no substitute for full-length fenders, such as those from brands like SKS, Portland Design Works, SimWorks by Honjo, Velo Orange, and Planet Bike. The rears run from the chainstays all around the rear tire until they are pointing almost straight down at the back. The good ones have two pairs of stays (wire struts) to hold the rear part in position, and also attach to the seatstay and chainstay bridges. Some riders opt for a ‘buddy’ or mud flap on the rear fender as a courtesy to fellow riders and some fenders will even come with these standard.

Mud flap attached to a metal full-length fender
Mud flap on a full-length fender.
Daniel Mrgan

The corresponding front fenders extend from about six inches in front of the fork, down well below the “equator” of the front wheel, again with stays. Ideally, the front should also be equipped with a mud flap to protect your feet from spray. This traditional fender design really works to protect you, your bicycle, and your baggage from spray kicked up by wet roads. 

Clip-Ons

Since people find full fenders to be a bit of a hassle to install, a number of companies make “clip-on” fenders that snap on to the frame. Without stays to support the ends, clip-on fenders are necessarily much shorter than full fenders, which means that they offer much less coverage than full fenders. The clip-ons are slightly better than nothing, but very much worse than real fenders.

A plastic clip on fender with a paint splatter design below a leather bike saddle.
A clip-on fender from Portland Design Works.
Daniel Mrgan

Unfortunately, some bikes are designed so that it is difficult or impossible to install real fenders. These bikes are designed for fair-weather use and are not intended for year-round cyclists. This is particularly true of racing or racing-style bikes, which often are made without frame eyelets to attach the fender stays to, and with insufficient clearance under the brake bridges and calipers to allow fenders to clear the tires. If you are stuck with such a bike, clip-ons may be your only option.

Shorties

A number of folks are making new shortie-style fenders for front and back. Muck-off, A$$ Savers, SKS, MSW, RockShox, Fox, WTB, and Topeak all make shorties, each about eight inches long and all variations on a theme. These were popular a few years back and are making a comeback, but they’re really next to useless. A front “shorty” will protect the headset, but that’s about all the benefit they have to offer.

Plastic fender for the front tire attached to a fat bike.
Clip-on short fender from Portland Design Works.
Daniel Mrgan

Flat-top Pannier Racks

Many newer “mountain”-style pannier racks include a wide flat center section, which is sometimes represented as being a fender. This does help somewhat to keep you from getting your back sprayed by the rooster tail from your rear tire, but does nothing to protect your feet and legs, as a real fender does.

Installing Fenders

Proper fenders attach to the fork crown (front) and the chainstay and seatstay bridges (rear). On bikes with caliper brakes, they attach with the brake bolts; on bikes with cantilever or drum brakes, you need extra 6mm bolts to attach them (though you may already have these holding reflector brackets onto your bike.) If installing onto a bike with disc brakes, you may need a spacer to hold the stays away from the disc caliper.

The stays attach to the fork ends with (usually) 5mm bolts. I’d recommend using stainless-steel Allen-head bolts for this. The threads should be lubricated with grease or oil so that you can get them nice and tight. There are special large-diameter stainless-steel washers available at bike shops, which provide a better match between the bolt head and the loop of the fender stay, so that the loop doesn’t get deformed when you tighten the bolt. 

The stays attach to the fenders with small eyebolts and nuts that use an 8mm or 10mm wrench. These allow you to adjust the fenders to follow the shape of your wheel. Make sure to lubricate these threads and tighten the nuts REALLY tight. I use a 14mm open-end wrench to hold the tab of the fender so that it won’t rotate/bend while I am tightening these nuts.

On fenders with stays that have ends pointing up, especially on the front fender, the stays should be trimmed off so that they don’t protrude far past the hardware of the fender, and be sure to sand the sharp end of the stay after trimming.

The first time you install a set of full fenders on a bike, it is a fairly time-consuming task, but after that, it isn’t that big a deal to take them on and off. Follow the installation instructions that come with whatever fenders you have.

If you have any questions or misgivings or have a single worry at all about your fender install, take it to a shop. Most shop folk are happier that you try and admit you aren’t 100 percent confident than for you to come in with a fender wrapped around your wheel and frame after a bolt came loose on the first ride.

Safety Issues

There is a potential hazard with fenders: it is possible to get debris caught between the fender and the tire, or between the moving spokes and the fender stays, which can cause some fenders to crumple up and lock the front wheel. 

A lot of new fenders come with a snap-away fitting that connects the front fender stays to the fork ends. This is a very worthwhile feature, and these fenders are generally considered the best.

Toe Overlap

It is quite common for bikes with fenders to have some overlap between the rider’s toe and the front fender. Cyclists encountering this for the first time sometimes freak out a bit, and the unwary may have a low-speed fall or two before adjusting. Toe overlap tends to not be a problem at normal cycling speeds, because you only turn the handlebars far enough to cause a problem when you’re maneuvering around at a walking pace. With a bit of practice, it becomes automatic to avoid this sort of interference.

Mud Flaps

Fenders don’t extend down as far as they might for maximum protection, because the ends would be vulnerable to damage from curbs and the like. Instead, flexible extensions called “mud flaps” are a valuable addition. A suitable mud flap will extend spray protection all the way down to your feet.

A rubber mud flap attached to a plastic full-length fender
Planet Bike mud flap.
Daniel Mrgan

Triangular rubber mud flaps were formerly a standard accessory item, became hard/impossible to find for a while, but are back in resurgence! These flaps used to be a bit heavy and stiff for mounting on plastic fenders, but their modern counterparts are much easier to install on all fender types.

Many rain-savvy cyclists make their own mud flaps for plastic fenders out of plastic milk/cider jugs, commonly secured by “pop” rivets or small screws and nuts.

If you mainly ride alone, you only need a front mud flap, but for touring with a group or riding in the city, it’s nice to have one on the back as well, for the benefit of whoever is riding behind you.

The Unbearable Lightness of Cleaning

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Pee in Style https://www.adventurecycling.org/blog/pee-in-style/ Tue, 13 Dec 2022 12:07:00 +0000 https://advcycle.wpenginepowered.com/blog/pee-in-style/ Twelve years ago, I worked in a bike shop with all men and raced mountain bikes on a team with only three other females. My fellow women racers were wonderful […]

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Twelve years ago, I worked in a bike shop with all men and raced mountain bikes on a team with only three other females. My fellow women racers were wonderful riding partners, but my work schedule usually matched the boys’, so I rode with them. Morning rides before work and weekend trips to races were my life. Bikes, bikes, bikes, all day every day. Me and the boys. They were a great group for the most part, cheering me on at races, helping me get tougher and faster on the mountain bike. When they jokingly told me about a funnel type thing made for women to be able to pee standing up, I was offended. I didn’t even look into it. “I’ll pee how I pee, thank you very much.” I thought, Just because I’m ‘one of the guys’ doesn’t mean I want to pee like a guy.  

Fast forward to November 2021, in the foothills of the Sierra Nevadas. It was 20°F, and the sun was setting fast, the cold sinking into my bones, slithering between my skin and my clothes. My all-female work crew was camping for 10 days, working on a forestry project measuring trees. The weather forecast called for more freezing temperatures, rain, and possibly snow. As we were considering starting a fire, my coworker and longtime friend Claire handed me a ‘present’ wrapped in cloth. It wasn’t Christmas or my birthday. I hesitantly unraveled the cloth to find an odd-shaped plastic thing.  

“What is this?” I asked. 

“It’s a pStyle! So you can pee without having to take off all your warm clothes and rain gear! Because you are so cold-natured! I got myself one too.” 

Skeptical, I tucked it away while smiling politely, wondering if it would fit in my vest pocket along with a thermos of tea. 

The next day, I used my pStyle for the first time, wearing long underwear, bib overalls, bib rain gear, wool sweater, thick rain jacket, and forestry vest. I peed standing up, it was smooth and easy, and my worries that I would get urine everywhere proved to be unfounded. Best of all, I didn’t have to freeze my butt off, huddled behind a huckleberry bush, getting rained on. It doesn’t have to be about peeing like a guy unless you want it to be. For me, it was about peeing standing up and remaining comfortable. I yelled out, “Claire! This thing is awesome!” 

A woman stands in the bushes near some rocky cliffs overlooking the Pacific Ocean.
No undressing and freezing with the pStyle.
Hollie Ernest

According to their website, the pStyle is a Personal Urination Device (PUD) that “allows women, nonbinary folks, and trans men to stand and pee while fully clothed.” The design is simple: it’s about the size of a stapler and weighs only 0.8 ounces. It’s made of rigid plastic, and now there’s one made of recycled ocean plastic! Even with my stiff, thick rain gear, it was easy to move it into position, and the funnel is shaped so it’s easy to direct the pee away from you. The rounded edge acts like a squeegee, meaning that there are no drips. This was impressive to me; after 10 days in the backcountry, there were no mild pee-like smells on leggings or underwear. 

I used it that whole winter on all our work trips, without having to remove my double layers of overalls or any other layers. I then started taking it on camping trips and cycling trips. When it fell out of my pocket somewhere in a swath of steep creek drainages, I immediately ordered a new one from my phone, right there in the woods. I knew it was now a crucial piece of gear for me. 

Just for fun, I looked into who else uses pStyles. The list is long. Not only people in the woods with a ridiculous amount of clothes on like me, but people anywhere who want to pee without removing a backpack, a climbing harness, chaps, or waders. A researcher in Antarctica, people on a salmon fishing boat, a rope-access welder, and those with physical restrictions that make squatting difficult. And now I’ll add traveling cyclists to the list.  

Hollie shows how the pStyle fits easily into the side pocket of her backpack.
pStyle is fairly small and compact.
Hollie Ernest

They are easy to clean, and with a good shake, most of the urine simply comes off. You can rinse it with water and wait to wash it with soap and water when convenient. They are also dishwasher safe. There are custom carrying cases sold from the website, but you can carry yours in any small bag, preferably with Velcro.    

Now pStyles come in a rainbow of colors, and a range of skin tone shades too. At only $12 each, I highly recommend adding this to your packing list for your next bike tour. With the holidays around the corner, go ahead and get one for a friend too.  

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Stocking Stuffers Gift Guide for 2022: $50 and under https://www.adventurecycling.org/blog/stocking-stuffers-gift-guide/ Wed, 16 Nov 2022 16:37:02 +0000 https://advcycle.wpenginepowered.com/blog/stocking-stuffers-gift-guide/ We put together a list of small items $50 and under that you can get straight from our online store, Cyclosource. Some of these are gift ideas you may have […]

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We put together a list of small items $50 and under that you can get straight from our online store, Cyclosource. Some of these are gift ideas you may have thought of yourself (like awesome socks) and others will be complete surprises, but we recommend them all based on our years and years of collective bike travel experience. 

Important: The holiday shipping cutoff is Dec. 16 for standard-rate mail!

BruTrek Ovrlndr Travel Press, $50

Few adventures take you right by a coffee shop, so it’s crucial to be able to brew your morning cup at camp. The BruTrek Ovrlndr Travel Press is a truly easy-to-clean French press perfect for tours, bikepacking adventures, road-trips or just brewing in the kitchen. The patented removable bottom makes cleanup a breeze, and the patented Bru Stop press makes for a smooth, never-bitter tasting cup that won’t leave grounds in your smile. 

Quad Lock Handlebar/Stem Mount, $30

If you’re always digging through your pockets or bags for your phone to check directions, you know why you need a mount. And this mount is particularly rad! The Quad Lock® Bike Mount is the lightest, strongest and most secure smartphone bike mount on the market. The patented dual-stage lock is strong enough to lift up to 80 kg (176 lbs). Yep, we tested it. So you can ride with confidence over bumps and jumps knowing that your fancy phone won’t fly away. 

BruTrek Bottle, $30

BruTrek bottle in red with Adventure Awaits design an Adventure Cycling Logo

Daniel Mrgan

No more scalding yourself with your extremely hot beverage of choice. The BruTrek 18fl oz. Bottle has a dual lid system that keeps liquid in while making sipping and pouring easy.

Defeet Four Season Socks, $17

Give the gift of comfy feet. The cyclist in your life will love the Defeet Four Seasons Socks in spring, fall, and summer, as well as this winter season. Wooleator Comp is Defeet’s proprietary fiber combining equal parts USA merino and Repreve Fiber made from used, recycled plastic bottles. These come with our snazzy logo in yellow on blue to show your love for bike adventures. 

Salsa EXP Series Anything Cage HD with EXP Rubber Straps, $35

This is the least intuitive item we have in our gift guide. Why would someone want a water bottle cage for the holidays? Hear us out! It’s not just for water bottles. The Salsa EXP Series Anything Cage HD is a unique cargo mounting system that allows you to carry lightweight gear or large bottles on forks and down tubes that have Three-Pack mounts. You can carry up to 3kg (6.6 lbs) with one of these. That’s a big deal if you are bikepacking (rather than touring with big panniers) and have limited storage space. If you want a bag that fits this system perfectly, here’s the cage bag, but you can also strap in a secured bundle (like your sleeping bag). Want to check out another option? We also carry the Topeak Versa Cage Rack, a similar product at a similar price.

Maps

Finally, you can always give the gift of inspiration. We’re well known for our long distance cycling maps all around the country. Gift a cyclist a section of a great route and watch the wheels start turning in their head. It’s an inexpensive, low commitment way to get an adventure in motion.

When you buy holiday gifts from Cyclosource you support our mission of creating better bicycling adventures for all and get great gear that we stand behind. So you’ll be able to tell the recipient that their present is both recommended by us and will help Adventure Cycling Association pedal onward. 

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Solar-Powered Bikepacking https://www.adventurecycling.org/blog/solar-powered-bikepacking/ Mon, 07 Nov 2022 12:39:58 +0000 https://advcycle.wpenginepowered.com/blog/solar-powered-bikepacking/ When planning to solo bikepack the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route, I romanticized that I would finish preparations with a healthy cushion of time before embarking on my journey. In […]

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When planning to solo bikepack the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route, I romanticized that I would finish preparations with a healthy cushion of time before embarking on my journey. In reality, I learned that I would never feel completely ready to take on an adventure of that scale and that I simply had to start anyway. One thing that provided peace of mind, however, was carrying solar panels. By doing so, I knew I could charge my navigation tools almost anywhere and continue planning on-the-go as needed. 

The 10W PWR Solar Panel by Knog fits easily at the bottom of my framebag. I mostly needed juice for my smartphone, to navigate with the Adventure Cycling Bicycle Route Navigator app, and for my satellite phone, to update my apprehensive family. Although I could charge these devices when I resupplied in towns, I was reassured to know I would not find myself in a desperate situation if cold nighttime temps drained my batteries. Additionally, having the Knog Solar Panel gave me the rejuvenating option of taking a rest, or “zero,” day in the beautiful backcountry (as long as I had enough food and water) rather than in a costly or damp motel room. 

The Pros 

The panels worked very effectively in unobstructed sunlight. I would charge my phones directly if hanging out or, more often, I would charge an external power bank that I could use much more conveniently later, even while riding, if I needed to. I also discovered, when my framebag filled with rain one night, that the panels are as water-resistant as advertised (as long as the cable port protector is closed). 

The Stuff to Consider 

First, the technology has “solar” in the name for a reason. Without direct sunlight, like on an overcast day, the panels can maintain a device’s existing charge, but they hardly add any power, if at all. On a trip like mine, at altitude in the summer, finding sunshine was hardly a problem. But the panels might not be so helpful on a route like the Arctic Postal Road … 

Secondly, I realized a tiny bit of strategy is involved to charge a device in the sun without overheating it. My favorite method was to use a fairly long cable so I could place the panels in the sun and still have my plugged-in phone tucked away in the shade. 

The Knog solar panel lies unfolded in the sun on a field of tall, green grass.
Knog 10W PWR Solar Panel
Rebecca Saulsberry

Lastly, the Knog solar panel price ($99.95) matches that of all the comparable products I’ve seen. But I really appreciated investing in an external battery ($55–$120 from Knog), too, for the convenience. My power bank held 36 Wh (about three phone charges), so I usually only charged it once while resupplying in town and once more in between stops on longer stretches. 

All of that said, the solar panel and external battery were super worth the price and weight (roughly 16 oz and 7 oz, respectively) for me because they allowed me to feel safer on my ride and spend more time outside, protecting and enhancing my bikepacking experience! 

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Road Test: Marin Pine Mountain 2 https://www.adventurecycling.org/blog/road-test-marin-pine-mountain-2/ Mon, 03 Oct 2022 16:35:54 +0000 https://advcycle.wpenginepowered.com/blog/road-test-marin-pine-mountain-2/ This article first appeared in the August/September 2022 issue of Adventure Cyclist magazine.  The Pine Mountain, Marin’s 29er bikepacking hardtail, is like that one teenager we all know who’s stuck finding their […]

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This article first appeared in the August/September 2022 issue of Adventure Cyclist magazine. 

The Pine Mountain, Marin’s 29er bikepacking hardtail, is like that one teenager we all know who’s stuck finding their own place in a growing world. Like having a famous parent, the Pine Mountain has a lot to live up to as it shares its name with one of Marin’s original production models, yet it’s also trying to stay relevant with the rapidly growing adventure bike category. Zit jokes aside, it’s wrestling with finding its identity, but I believe it has a lot of potential for adventure.

I tested the Pine Mountain 2, the more expensive of the two available models, and my first impression was good. The Pine Mountain 2 frame is made from Marin’s series 3 double-butted chromoly steel and comes with a respectable build kit fit for a bike of its caliber. The RockShox 35 fork up front paired with its progressive geometry gave it a fun, capable feel on descents and climbs while not sacrificing speed in the flats and flowy sections. However, there is no question that this is still a hardtail, which I was reminded of quickly on my local rocky limestone trails here in central Texas.

First, the downsides: the handlebar is aluminum with a crossbar that to some may share a cool resemblance with moto and BMX bars, but that crossbar makes for an unforgiving feel over anything other than smooth hardpack. The frame also felt stiff in the rear. I was hoping that the 2.6in. gumwall tires would be able to relieve some of this stiffness, but they always felt either too low and loose or too high and bouncy, which made it hard to hold a line and feel confident in rougher sections. The Vee Tire Flow Snap did not work well at any pressure I tried them at, even set up tubeless. I received many comments on the look of the bike, and it does have a certain retro vibe going for it, but the first upgrades I would recommend immediately are new bars and tires, which, depending on the tires and bars chosen, may change that throwback aesthetic.

Marin Pine Mountain 2 Road Test

I tested the Pine Mountain 2 on some local trails and did not like the way it handled loaded on rough singletrack. The stiffness in the frame combined with a high enough tire pressure to carry me and the gear caused the bike to bounce around and lose lines and traction. Taking it into corners, especially following a descent, was also pretty shaky. After trying it loaded on trails, I decided to take the Pine Mountain 2 on a gravel route in the Texas Hill Country, which is more popular with dropbar 29ers. This route had steep climbs, plenty of washboard, and a lot of loose sand. This is where the Pine Mountain 2 shined. The 2.6in. tires gripped the loose sand and gravel even on climbs while loaded where most bikes would have to air down, compromising the rolling resistance. It carried the load well, but the tires still always felt like they had too much pressure even into the mid-20 psi range, once again making cornering difficult. On the gravel, the Pine Mountain 2 carried speed well. I would have liked to try it out with an alt bar, like the Surly Moloko, for more hand positions on the long, straight sections.  

The rest of the bike fits what I would want in an off-road adventure rig. The Shimano SLX 12-speed shifting was smooth and reliable, and the 10–51T gearing is ample for keeping up on the flats and scaling features that otherwise would have me on the run — in other words, on my feet instead of in the saddle. The brakes were the plenty capable MT520 four-piston up front and the MT500 two-piston in the rear. The brakes felt balanced and sufficient, always stopping me before I got in over my head. I tested the size large and, at just shy of six feet with a 32in. inseam, I’m the shortest person I’d put on the large with the stock seatpost. The braze-ons on the seat tube prohibited the seatpost from fully bottoming out in the frame. Fortunately, the 170mm travel dropper post at its lowest possible extended position was the perfect height for me to achieve proper leg extension.

Packing gear on the Pine Mountain 2 was a breeze. With so many braze-ons in the front triangle, I assumed that Marin would offer a bolt-on framebag, but that’s not the case. If you want a bolt-on framebag, it’ll have to be purchased elsewhere. Marin has images on its website showing braze-on locations and measurements for each frame size, which makes it far easier to either order something custom made or shop with confidence for a pre-made bag; I found my medium Salsa EXP framebag fit the frame well. The Pine Mountain 2 also has mounts on the top tube for a direct-mount feed bag, which I always like, as well as rear rack mounts and room for a bottle cage under the down tube. One positive aspect of the crossbar on the handlebar is that it allowed for more mounting space for lights and other accessories without a front bag blocking the light or getting in the way. There are plenty of other places to mount racks, fenders, and bottle cages, but like most bikes with front suspension, there’s nowhere to mount accessories on the fork. I was still able to pack plenty of gear on the handlebar, in the framebag, and under the saddle.

My overall opinion of the Pine Mountain 2 is that it’s a good bike, but not great. The aesthetics and packability were great, but the off-road performance was lacking. I know it’s a lot to ask from a hardtail to handle things a full-suspension would do, but a lot of steel hardtails these days are more compliant and forgiving through rougher sections. I would recommend this bike to someone who wants a bikepacking rig to do some gravel tours and light trail tours and also take it on well-groomed cross-country trails. The Pine Mountain 2 looks the part of an adventure bike and has the potential to be a great one, but out of the box, it would need new tires and a new handlebar to start. As a mountain bike, it has everything that I would be looking for in this price range: thru-axles front and rear, 120mm of suspension travel, powerful brakes, a 12-speed drivetrain, two-piece cranks, a dropper seatpost, and slack, progressive geometry. However, all of that is hindered by how stiff the frame and handlebar are. I’d give the Pine Mountain 2 the same advice I’d tell any teenager who seems lost but has a lot of potential: find the things you’re good at and you enjoy and focus on getting better at them. Don’t worry about what anyone else is doing.  

Marin Pine Mountain 2

Price: $2,499

Sizes available: S, M, L, XL

Size tested: L

Weight: 34 lbs. (without pedals)

Test Bike Measurements

Stack: 635.2mm

Reach: 455mm

Head tube length: 105mm

Head tube angle: 66.5°

Seat tube length: 482mm

Seat tube angle: 74.5°

Top tube: 619.3mm (effective)

Chainstays: 430mm

Bottom bracket drop: 60mm

Bottom bracket height: 315mm

Fork offset: 44mm

Wheelbase: 1186.5mm

Standover height: 784mm

Specifications (as tested)

Frame: Marin series 3 double-butted and heat-treated chromoly, rack and fender mounts, three bottle mounts, bolt-in framebag mounts, top tube mounts

Fork: RockShox 35 Gold RL, 120mm

Handlebar: Marin Bedroll Bar, 50mm rise, 780mm width

Stem: Marin 3D forged alloy, 35mm

Rear derailer: Shimano SLX 12spd, clutch

Shifter: Shimano SLX 12spd

Brakes: Shimano MT520 four-piston front, MT500 two-piston rear, hydraulic disc

Rotors: Shimano Center Lock, 180mm front, 160mm rear

Bottom bracket: FSA, threaded

Crankset: FSA Grid, 175mm, 32T chainring

Cassette: Shimano SLX 12spd, 10–51T

Headset: FSA Orbit

Seatpost: TranzX YSP23 dropper with remote, 170mm

Saddle: Marin Pine Mountain Trail

Hubs: Shimano 148 x 12mm rear, Marin 110 x 15mm front, thru-axles

Rims: Marin alloy, 32h, tubeless compatible

Tires: Vee Tire Flow Snap 29 x 2.6in., tubeless ready

Gearing Range

         32

10    95.0

12    79.3

14    68.0

16    59.4

18    52.8

21    45.1

24    39.5

28    33.8

33    28.8

39    24.3

45    21.1

51    18.7

Contact: 1450 Technology Lane, Suite 100, Petaluma, CA 94954, marinbikes.com

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Geared Up: Heat Wave Edition https://www.adventurecycling.org/blog/geared-up-heat-wave-edition/ Tue, 06 Sep 2022 16:08:20 +0000 https://advcycle.wpenginepowered.com/blog/geared-up-heat-wave-edition/ Waterfield Jersey Pocket Tool Case, $69 Waterfield’s Jersey Pocket Tool Case is a handy and stylish way to carry your phone, tools, keys, and whatever else you can fit in […]

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Waterfield Jersey Pocket Tool Case

Waterfield Jersey Pocket Tool Case, $69

Waterfield’s Jersey Pocket Tool Case is a handy and stylish way to carry your phone, tools, keys, and whatever else you can fit in it while out riding your bike. It comes in two sizes, small and large (or Pro and Pro Max, to denote which iPhone model fits), and has an outer zip pocket for cash or cards and a main zip pocket with a phone sleeve and a couple of smaller pockets for organization. It’s available in leather in several colors, or in a nylon weave called Forza in a few other colors. 

I tested the size small and can report that my ancient iPhone 8 fits with room to spare. I mainly used the Tool Case to carry my phone, keys, and a multitool while riding my road bike. The Tool Case fits perfectly in a jersey pocket, and its textured nylon back serves two purposes: it keeps sweat from seeping into your goodies and helps the Tool Case from unintentionally sliding out of your jersey. The zippers and nylon back are waterproof, but Waterfield makes no claims about the Tool Case itself being entirely waterproof. With the leather outer, I wouldn’t want to subject it to a heavy rain. Not that I had to worry about that, considering I live in Salt Lake City. 

As good as the Jersey Pocket Tool Case is as a tool case for your jersey pocket, it could certainly serve as a large-ish wallet to hold important items while on tour or otherwise traveling. And because it’s not cheap at $69, you’ll be incentivized to keep from losing the Tool Case regardless of what you’re keeping in it.  –Dan Meyer

Specialized Fjallraven Field Suit

Women’s Specialized/Fjällräven Field Suit, $220

I don’t think anyone will be surprised that I have many, varied opinions about the Women’s Field Suit that Specialized and Fjällräven launched this summer. As much as I am a skeptic of a good gimmick, I can’t deny that this garment was made for me. I’ve been wearing it on and off the bike consistently for the past month — all days where the thermostat rarely dipped below 90°F. The Field Suit is undeniably well designed by people who understand (and likely participate in) urban cycling and short bikepacking adventures. I get compliments everywhere I go when I’m wearing it and not a single joke about Moonrise Kingdom (yet).

Aside from being a totally fun garment, its technical assets are plentiful. The cut of the shorts deserves an award for actually being large enough to comfortably fit cyclist thighs, unlike most women-specific technical pants I have ever worn. There’s also room to wear a chamois underneath without feeling too tight or constricting movement. The adjustable cam-lock waistband is a feature that I wish all pants had — with one cam on each hip, adjusting on the fly is super quick and easy. Another win goes to the *functional pockets* scattered throughout the whole garment: eight in total. The napoleon pockets are large enough to fit an iPhone, which makes listening to a podcast during my morning commute very easy (I only wear one earbud, don’t come after me.) Off the bike, I find myself resting my hands in the hip pockets constantly because they feel so natural. There are reflective strips inside the hems of the shorts that are revealed when cuffed for riding in low-visibility conditions. 

Getting into the Field Suit is slightly easier than getting out of it, but it’s really not that bad. I unzip fully and then reach behind my back to pull the suit off one shoulder. The zipper zips from both top and bottom, which I suspect might make it easy to use a urination aid while standing, though I didn’t test this. 

The biggest (and perhaps only) downfall of the Field Suit is that I would hardly consider the G-1000 Lite fabric to be breathable. If I could publish the photo my riding companion took of my entire backside absolutely drenched in sweat after a two-hour ride while wearing a fanny pack and camera slung around my back, I would. The fact that this fabric can be waxed to increase wind- and water-resistance is laughable, but as we head into fall and winter now, perhaps my tune will change. Living in a climate so dry it inspires nosebleeds, I shudder to think what it might feel like to be trapped in this jumpsuit in the humidity of a 90°F day in the South. I’m going on a limb and saying that the hottest weather I would comfortably wear this in for a bike ride in a dry climate is 85°F and 70°F in a humid climate. The good news is that the fabric dries somewhat quickly and sweat marks disappear.

All in all, I totally recommend the Field Suit if you’re someone who appreciates thoughtful, utilitarian design in your clothing. The construction is so solid that I don’t think the price tag is outrageous. And it doubles as your Pokemon Trainer, Steve Erwin, or Amelia Earhart Halloween costume! The Field Suit comes in both olive green and black, sizes XS–L, and is available in men’s as well.  –Ally Mabry

PNW Loam pedals

PNW Loam Pedals, $99

PNW keeps churning out solid, affordable gear, and the Loam pedal is no exception. Made of aluminum with a large platform (105mm x 115mm), 11 replaceable pins per side, and an axle rolling on sealed bearings, it’s an absolute steal at just $99. It even comes in fun colors! 

My test pedals spun smoothly and freely right out of the box, and so far they haven’t developed any play or drag. If they do need some love in the future, PNW offers comprehensive service kits, including a full rebuild kit as well as axles, pins, and washers. The pins are on the tall side and provide a ton of grip, and the platform is large enough to keep foot ache at bay. The Loam pedals might be overkill for some cyclists, but for mountain biking and dirt-focused bikepacking, I think they’re a high-performing, high-value option. If I have any complaints, it’s that aluminum pedals transmit a lot more shock when they come into contact with rocks as compared with plastic pedals.  –DM

Sea to Summit Escapist Tarp

Sea to Summit Escapist Tarp, $239

Key to a solid minimalist camping setup is a good tarp, something light and packable and with multiple pitch options. Sea to Summit’s Escapist Tarp comes in two sizes, is seam-sealed and waterproof, and has eight reinforced tie-outs with adjustable guy lines. It can be pitched any one of a number of ways and even has suggestions printed on the stuff sack. It’s also lightweight and packs down quite small, roughly half the size of a 2L Nalgene bottle. 

I tested the size large, which, at 10 feet by 10, is plenty big for two people, depending on how it’s pitched. Tying it between a couple of trees in a classic A-frame was my favorite setup, but when you don’t have access to tall trees, you have to get creative, and the Escapist’s plethora of tie-outs helps a lot. A couple of times, I camped on a windy ridgeline with nothing but scrub oak for support, and with the Escapist I was able to pitch a sort of low lean-to. I couldn’t sit up all the way, but at least it kept the wind out. You could even use your bike for support if it came down to it, and if you happen to carry trekking poles when touring, you can use them to make a solid structure without any need for trees. After months of use, the Escapist Tarp looks nearly new, with no holes or damage to seams whatsoever. I wouldn’t hesitate to bring the Escapist with me on a long tour, but I would consider bringing some bug protection if I were traveling through various climates.  –DM

Swiftwick Flite XT Trail socks

Swiftwick FLITE XT TRAIL Socks, $24–28

A sock is required to tick a few specific boxes for me to be able to classify it as a quality sock. First, it must stay in place without cutting off circulation — no droopy cuffs, no numb toes. Second, it should probably be made of merino or a fabric that similarly wicks sweat and never smells terrible. Finally, I need to feel confident using it in multiple scenarios, like for both cycling and running (because multipurpose clothing is my jam.) Ultimately, a high-quality sock is one that you don’t think about and that you don’t feel even on the hottest, sweatiest days. 

Swiftwick’s new FLITE XT TRAIL socks hit all those marks and then some — they provide a little cushion on the parts of your feet that make the most contact with your shoe, and they utilize GripDry Fiber in the heel and forefoot to increase stability on uneven terrain while running. Even on the summer days, I didn’t notice my feet sweating in these socks while I was riding or running. They’re thin enough to slip in and out of cycling shoes easily and still allow for room to breathe. And they’re cute! I love a good charcoal heather sock. The FLITE XT TRAIL socks come in small, medium, large, and extra-large sizes and have two cuff height options: two inches and five inches.  –AM

Apidura Backcountry Full Frame Pack

Apidura Backcountry Full Frame Pack, $192

A full framebag is a key component to a good bikepacking setup as it makes the most use of the space in your main triangle. Apidura’s Backcountry Full Frame Pack is available in three sizes (2.5L, 4L, and 6L), is fully waterproof, and arrives with smart details like a dual-zip main compartment, burly fabric, and compatibility with Apidura’s Frame Pack Hydration Bladder. Because the Backcountry framebag comes in generic sizing, it may not fit your bike perfectly. Indeed, the 4L size was a smidge small for my large Kona Unit, but not so small that I could have gone up a size. Imperfect fit aside, the Backcountry worked extremely well for carrying overnight gear and even just a bottle and snacks for a day ride. The heavy-duty waterproof fabric is overkill for my usual desert-adjacent expeditions, but it’s nice to know that a surprise rainstorm or a brush with stubborn scrub oak branches won’t faze it. And if you do live in a wet climate such as the Pacific Northwest or the UK, I expect this framebag will hold up just fine. 

If you’re worried about how well this pack will fit your bike, Apidura has a new sizing tool. Simply take a photo of your bike in profile (ensuring the rear wheel is on the left side of the photo), launch Apidura’s sizing tool on your computer or smartphone, and upload your photo to the tool. After you calibrate your image by matching the rear rim to a yellow circle in the tool, you can then select one of Apidura’s many frame packs and digitally place them in the main triangle of your bike. It works pretty well! I applaud Apidura for putting forth some genuine innovation.  –DM

Ibex Journey Short Sleeve Crew

Ibex Journey Short Sleeve Crew, $88

Ibex calls the fabric in their Journey shirt Weightless Wool, and they’re not kidding around. With merino wool spun around a nylon filament, the Journey feels oddly substantial, almost thick, for something that weighs nearly nothing at all. It makes for a light, airy shirt that breathes and wicks sweat as well as anything else I’ve worn, not to mention feeling incredibly comfortable against the skin. But what sets the Journey apart for me is the fit: I’m six feet tall and fairly thin, and the medium Journey fits me like it was custom made. The torso is just tight enough to feel like a performance piece when cycling but not so tight that you can’t wear it as a casual shirt, and it’s a little longer than most T-shirts I’m used to, providing some extra coverage when you’re bent over the handlebar. And like other Ibex products, it’s machine washable and odor resistant — I could wear the Journey on a daylong ride and then hang it up to air out for a day or two in my basement, and it would smell just fine.

I’ve worn plenty of other expensive, high-performance shirts from big-name brands in the cycling world, and Ibex’s Journey blows them out of the water. I can’t stress this enough: if I can only bring one short-sleeve shirt on a tour, I’m bringing this one. If I can only have one T-shirt for the rest of my life, it’s this one.  –DM
 

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Road Test: Ritchey Ascent https://www.adventurecycling.org/blog/road-test-ritchey-ascent/ Mon, 15 Aug 2022 11:27:03 +0000 https://advcycle.wpenginepowered.com/blog/road-test-ritchey-ascent/ This article first appeared in the July 2022 issue of Adventure Cyclist magazine. Tom Ritchey designed and introduced the first Ascent about 30 years ago with the intent to offer a mountain […]

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This article first appeared in the July 2022 issue of Adventure Cyclist magazine.

Tom Ritchey designed and introduced the first Ascent about 30 years ago with the intent to offer a mountain bike that would inspire riders to get lost in the woods. The Ascent was resurrected in 2015 as an adventure bike to accept either 27.5in. or 29in. wheels in a shift to be a bit more of a Swiss army knife. The historic Ascent ethos remains in the 2021 model you see here with only minor changes to the geo, but adds modern componentry, a new Ritchey fork with Boost hub spacing, thru-axles, and a whole mess of adventure-ready braze-ons for racks, cargo, and a dynamo. The frame and fork are both made of triple-butted Ritchey Logic steel tubing, of course.

It’s worth noting that the Ascent is only sold as a frame and fork, not as a complete bike. The media bike I received features some pretty luxe components from Paul Component Engineering and White Industries, but a much more affordable build is totally on the table.

It’s my assumption that if someone is interested in owning a Ritchey frame, they’re at a point in their cycling journey where they know what they like and they have at least some opinions about componentry. They also probably love to tinker and switch things up from time to time, though I don’t see that personality trait as a requirement for whoever owns this bike. The seemingly endless manifestations of the Ascent are exciting and impressive even if you don’t know exactly what you like. In fact, this bike is modular enough that you can (with access to the right components) have a lovely bike that makes complete sense in myriad builds.

As I began spending time with the Ascent, I found that it was much easier to define this bike by what it’s not than by what it is. When I first built the bike up, my brain labeled it “mountain bike” because of the 27.5 x 2.2in. knobby tires (Rene Herse tubeless Umtanum Ridge), the flat bars, and the general mountain bike-y geometry with the headtube angle at 70.5° and generously sloped top tube. Knowing it could accommodate up to 29 x 2.6in. tires with the right rims didn’t hurt that assumption either. On one group ride, I was chatting with a stranger who commented that the bike looked like “a really nice beer-getter” (which prompted an involuntary eye roll from me). Still, with my moral disagreement at putting Paul components on a bike whose primary purpose is “beer getting,” this stranger made me scratch my head. Is this a mountain bike?

A seasoned reader of our Road Tests might recall that we (in Missoula) frequently break in trail-appropriate test bikes on a twisty singletrack called MoZ, which spits the rider out right in the middle of town. With “mountain bike” in mind, MoZ seemed like a logical first step. I pointed the bike up and began climbing the smooth, steep terrain gleefully thanks to the SunRace MX80 cassette’s mega gears (11–50T with a 38T chainring). One could even up the ante by choosing a double chainring up front. The microSHIFT/Paul friction shifters made shifting through multiple gears quick, easy, and precise. As I climbed, I quickly learned that Ritchey’s WCS Skyline saddle is not the most comfortable without a chamois (and I later read that it’s ideal for riders who lack flexibility, which is definitely not a limitation of mine.)

Ritchey Ascent road test
The Ritchey Ascent all packed up for a week on the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route.
Ally Mabry

The trail was freshly dry with no signs of winter’s snowmelt, a nice surprise since I’d been a little nervous heading to the trailhead for my first time since spring. Climbing to the top of the trail on such a capable bike was so delightful, though, that I decided to go a little farther into a section where the trail mellows and becomes a flowy doubletrack to the tree line. The angle of the seat tube and relatively long chainstays put my weight almost directly over the rear wheel, which helped a lot with traction. I turned around at the apex, let a little air out of my tires, and took off down the wider, rocky doubletrack.

This bike positively dances back and forth down a good rocky road, and it feels nothing short of a well-coordinated salsa boogie, moving side to side quickly and gracefully. I attribute its dance-like nature to the fact that this steel bike weighs no more than 25 pounds when adorned with Ritchey WCS Trail 30 aluminum rims (which I honestly assumed were carbon this whole time) and Rene Herse tires. I don’t know what “lateral stiffness” or “vertical compliance” mean in a practical sense, but I can tell you that riding this bike is smooth as heck.

My salsa bliss ended in somewhat of a rude awakening when the doubletrack transformed back into singletrack. Although the frame is a medium, which is what I typically ride as a five-foot eight-inch human, the Ascent feels a bit big and unwieldy to me on technical downhills. The Kyote bars sweep back so far that shortening the stem would effectively result in a negative stem length, which would likely compromise the overall smooth handling of the bike. As I careened through switchback after switchback, reassuring myself that the bars were wide as heck and I just needed to get used to them, I wondered if maybe I’d misjudged the Ascent on first glance.

Luckily, the Paul Klamper brakes kept me safe and upright — hands down the only disc brakes I have ever ridden that are completely silent when engaged. The Paul Love Levers are easy to reach and don’t require a lot of squeeze power to lock the wheels up, which was jarring at first before I got used to them. Perhaps adding a dropper post would have helped me feel more in control on the descent.

Ritchey Ascent road test
The Paul Components Love Lever, resplendent in anodized purple, and thumb shifter.
Ally Mabry

Not really fitting squarely into the “gravel bike” category either, the Ascent is much more upright when outfitted with Ritchey’s Kyote bars. The 27.5° sweep and 35mm rise give it a much more casual feel than what I’d consider a proper gravel bike (maybe that’s what tipped the stranger off to call it a beer-getter.) These same qualities lead me to strike “race bike” from the list of possible labels. Though it does feel surprisingly snappy on pavement with the “noise-canceling” Umtanum Ridge tires, the geometry and flat bars don’t lend the rider the power output necessary for racing. Perhaps pairing the Ascent with a shorter stem and dropbars would give this bike a racier feel, but I still have my doubts that it would be my first pick.

To change up the terrain, I joined some friends on a ride up a slightly inclined dirt road that follows a creek way back into the Wilderness. After turning to the Rene Herse tire pressure calculator, I no longer felt like I was skittering around on loose surfaces. (The calculator uses the rider’s weight combined with the weight of the bike to calculate exact pressure amounts depending on the size of the tires.)

A few weeks later, I loaded the Ascent up for a bike overnight taking the same route, and it felt even more at home. What once felt a bit too lively for me was weighed down by camping gear, stabilizing the ride quality considerably. You know a setup is good when you stop thinking about it and turn your focus to your surroundings. It was at this point that I struck the correct chord with the Ascent. Once dialed, this campout taught me that the ideal setting for the Ascent is more than just a wide dirt road that doesn’t require an abundance of technical focus; it’s also being surrounded by chatty friends while churning at a casual pace through the woods. Adventure cruising, you might say. This, I noted, was where this bike was intended to be ridden.

Although I am always skeptical of any bike in the running to be a “quiver killer,” the Ascent is certainly an inspiring contender as far as mountain touring and camping is concerned. I am a firm believer in investing in a bike that you can’t take your eyes off, because I truly think it motivates you to pick it up and roll it out the door more frequently. Though I wouldn’t quite call it a bargain (at least with the build I tested), the newest iteration of the Ritchey Ascent is a fun, versatile choice for anyone looking to salsa dance their way down a chunky dirt road into a dusty, wooded sunset to set up camp for a night or four. And to answer the question “what is this bike?” It’s truly whatever you want it to be.  

ritchey ascent road test
Camping  on BLM land near Polaris, Montana.
Ally Mabry

Ritchey Ascent (as tested)

Price (frame, headset, fork): $1,299

Sizes available: S, M, L, XL

Size tested: M

Weight: 24.1 lbs. (without pedals)

Test Bike Measurements

Stack: 588.5mm

Reach: 380.5mm

Head tube length: 130mm

Head tube angle: 70.5°

Seat tube length: 465mm

Seat tube angle: 73.5°

Top tube: 556mm (effective)

Chainstays: 463mm

Bottom bracket drop: 68mm

Fork offset: 52mm

Wheelbase: 1078mm

Standover height: 795.8mm

Specifications (as tested)

Frame: Heat-treated, triple-butted Ritchey Logic steel, two bottle mounts, triple mounts, rack and fender mounts

Fork: Heat-treated, triple-butted Ritchey Logic steel, rack and fender mounts, triple mounts

Handlebar: Ritchey Classic Kyote, 800mm

Stem: Ritchey Classic C220, 90mm

Rear derailer: Shimano Deore, 11spd

Shifter: microSHIFT/Paul friction

Brake lever: Paul Love Lever

Brakes: Paul Klamper mechanical disc

Rotors: SRAM Centerline 160mm

Bottom bracket: White Industries, threaded

Crankset: White Industries M30, 38T, 170mm

Cassette: SunRace MX80, 11–50T, 11spd

Headset: Ritchey Classic Drop-In

Seatpost: Ritchey Classic Zero

Saddle: Ritchey Skyline

Hubs: Phil Wood, 110 x 15mm front, 148 x 12mm rear, thru-axles

Rims: Ritchey WCS Trail 30, 28h, tubeless ready

Tires: Rene Herse Umtanum Ridge, 27.5 x 2.2in., tubeless

Gearing Range

         38

11    95.6

13    80.9

15    70.1

18    58.4

21    50.1

24    43.8

28    37.6

32    32.9

36    29.2

42    25.0

50    21.0

Contact: 551 Taylor Way Unit 8, San Carlos, CA 94070, 650.517.1841, ritcheylogic.com

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Geared Up: Summer Picks https://www.adventurecycling.org/blog/geared-up-summer-picks/ Tue, 14 Jun 2022 09:59:12 +0000 https://advcycle.wpenginepowered.com/blog/geared-up-summer-picks/ Giro SPF Ultralight Cap, $22 I almost always wear something under my helmet these days, whether it’s a skull cap to wick sweat or a classic cycling cap to keep […]

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Giro SPF Ultralight Cap

Giro SPF Ultralight Cap, $22

I almost always wear something under my helmet these days, whether it’s a skull cap to wick sweat or a classic cycling cap to keep the sun out of my eyes. On hot summer days, I often reach for Giro’s SPF Ultralight Cap. It does a fantastic job of giving my face a little shade, especially on morning rides when I’m heading up-canyon, into the sun, without impeding breathability. The Ultralight is exactly that — it’s so light and comfortable that I barely notice it’s on my head (it only comes in one size, so your fit may vary; I have a smallish head and wear a medium helmet, and the cap fit me perfectly). And unlike every other cycling cap I’ve owned, the brim flips up and back down easily and without losing its shape. The SPF Ultralight is a great addition to your summer kit, and at $22 it won’t dent your wallet.  –Dan Meyer

Sombrio Silhouette Riding Shirt

Sombrio Silhouette Riding Shirt, $133

The most comfortable collared shirt I’ve ever worn to ride, Sombrio’s Silhouette (Vagabond for men) is rugged but not heavy, with bike-specific features like an above-the-hip light loop. But it’s also a great shirt to wear around town whether I’m pedaling or not. The burly snaps are on a reinforced strip, so they won’t pull out. Underarm embroidered eyelet vents let the breeze in, though I never felt sweaty in this shirt because it’s a poly/cotton blend, not straight synthetic. The fabric is stretchy, so this shirt didn’t feel restrictive like some riding plaids. It has a nice weight to it without being too heavy, which was delightful on cool mornings when I left camp and late afternoons after I finally laid down my bike for the day. The fabric felt breathable and good on my skin thanks to the poly-cotton-spandex blend, which also helped it dry efficiently and staved off stink better than pure synthetic. The chest pockets are tacked at one corner, which kept cash and a credit card from falling out.  –Berne Broudy

Lead Out Mini Frame Bag

Lead Out Mini Frame Bag, $70

Like the Mini Handlebar Bag that Berne Broudy reviewed in last year’s Holiday Gift Guide, Lead Out’s Mini Frame Bag is a smart and simple piece of gear for your road, gravel, or touring bike. It’s designed to fit most dropbar frames without obstructing bottle access, and it installs easily with a few hook-and-loop straps and two elastic cords. The Mini Frame Bag fit my 56cm All-City Zig Zag perfectly, leaving plenty of room for a full-size bottle on the down tube. It’s a good size for snacks and a few essentials; I especially liked using it in the winter to hold my phone, a pair of lobster mitts, and a warm cap, just in case. Lead Out claims the fabric is water resistant, though I didn’t get much of a chance to test that here in arid Utah. I very much like the reflective material on the sides, as there’s no such thing as being too visible when you’re sharing the road with cars. The Lead Out Mini Frame Bag is a rare piece of test gear that I have zero complaints about — it’s been on my road bike for months now, and I can’t think of a reason to take it off.  –DM

Smith Bobcat Sunglasses

Smith Bobcat Sunglasses, $209

I get sweaty riding, which frequently fogs my shades. It also frequently sends them slipping off my face. Smith’s full-coverage Bobcat stayed on without fogging, and they sat off my face so the air could flow around the frames while providing plenty of coverage to keep sun, bugs, and mud out of my eyes. The slightly wrap-around Bobcat has a modern-looking, bio-based frame that’s smaller than other shades I’ve tried with the same silhouette. Adjustable, anti-slip temples and nose pads kept the glasses from creeping down as I rode and perspired. Smith’s patented ChromaPop lenses made the world look cheery and bright, and they enhance the details of the trail, helping me see clearly. The Bobcats come with two lenses — one ChromaPop tinted and one clear. Pick your lens and frame; there are six options in each. The lenses are interchangeable, but there’s no way to swap lenses on the trail without smearing them. Fortunately, the shades come with a microfiber soft case inside the hard case for that scenario. And these glasses were so awesome, having to wipe off a few fingerprints was well worth it.  –BB

Waterfield Cycling Tote

Waterfield Cycling Tote, $139

Tally up one more to the I Wish I’d Thought of That list: Waterfield’s Cycling Tote is exactly what I’ve been wanting for years. If you find yourself driving to the trailhead like I do, and you find yourself tossing everything into a tote bag — shoes, helmet, snacks, bottles, tools, etc. — only to find that, when you get to the trailhead, your bottles are upside-down and leaking, your shoes are now somehow inside your helmet, and your expensive sunglasses are getting squished at the very bottom, then the Cycling Tote is for you. 

The Tote has four internal pockets, two for shoes and two for bottles, with a large interior space for layers, gloves, and a helmet. There are also three exterior pockets, one with a zipper. In other words, everything has its place so you’re not rummaging around in a black hole while your friends are impatiently waiting for you to get ready. The Cycling Tote is available in brown or blue waxed canvas or black nylon, and, like everything Waterfield makes, it’s handmade in small batches in San Francisco. All that craftsmanship and attention to detail naturally comes at a price — $139 is a lot of money for something you would otherwise get just for donating to your local public radio station — but the Cycling Tote ain’t your usual tote bag. It’s a beautiful piece of gear that feels as if it should last for years and years. And you might think I’m crazy for saying this, but considering just how well made it is, I’m a little surprised it doesn’t cost more.  –DM

Shredly Cadence Tank

Shredly Cadence Tank, $68

If you love riding in a tank top, check out Shredly’s Cadence tank. It’s got the ideal cut for cyclists — higher in the neck, with a breathable stretch mesh back panel that makes it comfortable to wear in the hottest weather. The recycled polyester/Tencel/Lycra tank is buttery soft, and it does a great job of drying fast, even in the most humid conditions. A tiny zipper pocket on the hip is sized to hold a lip balm or a key. I rarely used that pocket, but on a couple of occasions it came in handy. The Cadence is an antimicrobial tank that’s casual enough to pair with a skirt and wear with something other than Lycra bibs or trail shorts. I wore it to the gym, for hikes, and out to dinner. One other design feature I appreciated is that although it’s a tank, it’s cut just a tad long in the shoulders for a little bit more sun protection. Also, the colors are fun and fabulous.  –BB

Allygn Diamond Rack

Allygn Diamond Rack, $179

Allygn is the component division of Fern Bicycles, a Berlin-based framebuilder that specializes in touring and rando bikes. If you’ve seen a Fern bike, you’ve surely noticed the painstaking attention to detail, and Allygn’s Diamond rack is no different. It’s very lightweight, especially so for a rack made of steel, and as such it’s intended for fast-and-light missions on a gravel or rando bike. Its low weight is enough to set it apart from the pack, but it’s the details that really make this rack special. For one, it comes with a huge amount of hardware to attain the best possible fit on many different kinds of bikes; you won’t have to go hunting for this or that bolt because the Diamond comes with everything you need. But my favorite feature is the dynamo light mount and cable routing: you can either bolt your light directly or make use of the included J-bracket, and there are guides to zip-tie the wiring for a clean look. It’s almost as if the rack was designed by someone with an extensive background in bicycle touring (hint: it was). 

Instead of testing the Diamond on my gravel bike, I got a wild hair and decided to mount it on my bikepacking rig, using the rack mainly as a bag support but also to carry extras like a camp chair or a cot. The rack fit my Kona Unit just fine, although I did have to flip the stays to the outside to accommodate the wider fork. I don’t have a dynamo, but I was able to mount my battery-powered light onto the J-bracket, which worked like a charm. I subjected the Diamond to quite a bit of abuse, as I do, and it’s held up without issue. The Allygn Diamond’s price puts it on the upper end of the spectrum when compared with similar front racks, but the hardware kit and light mounting — not to mention the extensive and detailed instructions — mean you’re getting your money’s worth.  –DM
 

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Road Test: Velo Orange Polyvalent Low Kicker https://www.adventurecycling.org/blog/road-test-velo-orange-polyvalent-low-kicker/ Tue, 31 May 2022 11:49:17 +0000 https://advcycle.wpenginepowered.com/blog/road-test-velo-orange-polyvalent-low-kicker/ This article first appeared in the June 2022 issue of Adventure Cyclist magazine. Bike testing is an important part of what we do here at Adventure Cyclist, but lately, with the pandemic […]

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This article first appeared in the June 2022 issue of Adventure Cyclist magazine.

Bike testing is an important part of what we do here at Adventure Cyclist, but lately, with the pandemic causing havoc in the industry, it’s been difficult to get bikes to review. Hence what you might have guessed about the bike pictured here: it’s a little big for me. But this is what was available, and we weren’t in any position at the time to turn it down.

The Bike

At six feet tall, I’m a size large, but the Velo Orange Polyvalent you see here is of the Low Kicker variety (also known as a drop frame), so the fact that it’s an XL isn’t a big deal. Its standover height, the geometry figure that determines whether I can comfortably straddle the top tube, is a mere 657mm. Compare that to the same-sized diamond frame’s standover of 842mm. (The latter would roast my chestnuts for sure.) The XL size also brings with it a larger stack height and a longer reach, and I adapted easily to both.

Why would you want a drop frame? If you’re of short stature or have mobility issues and can’t swing your leg over the top tube of a traditional bike, a drop frame can be a big help. Drop frames are also great if you often ride in a skirt or dress. Or, heck, maybe you just like the extra-classy looks of a dropped top tube.

Velo Orange describes the Polyvalent as its “do-it-all” bike, “the ideal platform to build a sturdy tourer, practical commuter, comfortable all-day randonneur, or a rugged gravel bike.” The Polyvalent does indeed have a longish wheelbase, braze-ons aplenty, and clearance for big tires, all of which help slot it into that “do-anything” category. Velo Orange also added thru-axles, disc brake tabs, and internal routing for the rear brake housing. In spite of those modern touches, the Polyvalent retains a very classic — and classy — look, much of that due to the elegant French bend in the fork. The brilliant paint doesn’t hurt either. Velo Orange calls it “sage metallic;” I call it an earthy green with metallic flakes that sparkle in the sun. If the swoopy top tube doesn’t get the attention of passersby, the paint sure will.

Interestingly, the Polyvalent is intended for 650b or 26in. wheels, not 700c (if you must have the larger wheels, look to Velo Orange’s Pass Hunter model). With fenders, the Low Kicker will clear 650b x 48mm or 26 x 2.3in. (with smooth tread). Without fenders, you can squeeze 650b x 2.1in. or 26 x 2.3in. knobbies, which verges on mountain bike territory.

The Parts

My test bike arrived with a smattering of components that were new to me. What most stood out on the build were the shiny, silver Voyager wheels in 26in. diameter. I hadn’t ridden a bike with 26in. wheels in almost 10 years, but guess what? They’re round and they roll just fine. In fact, I’m so used to bigger wheels that the hoops on the Low Kicker felt especially nimble, particularly when cornering on dirt trails. At 22mm, the Voyager rims are a little narrow for 2.3in. wide tires, but they’re tubeless compatible (and arrived tubeless on my test bike) and available for disc or rim brakes. Velo Orange’s disc hubs (tested) look similarly sharp in chrome, are thoroughly modern with thru-axles and sealed cartridge bearings, and the freehub body pops right off without tools.

Mounted on the Voyager wheels were strange-looking knobby tires with a strange name. Ultradynamico is a tire brand started a few years ago by Ultra Romance, of internet bikepacking fame. (Haven’t heard of him? Doesn’t matter.) I found the Mars tires to be … interesting. On the one hand, they offered excellent grip and low rolling resistance on dirt, and even pretty good grip in the snow. On the other hand, those big center chevrons are quite noisy on pavement, so much so that I didn’t need to ring a bell to gain the attention of pedestrians: they could hear me coming. What’s more, the tire’s construction is a little unusual in that the sidewalls feel very thin — I mean, err, supple — while the tread casing is pretty thick. I didn’t suffer any punctures or notice any drawbacks to this design while testing, but in the long term I would worry about slashing the sidewalls if riding primarily off-road.

Also new to me were the cable-actuated hydraulic Origin8 Vise brakes. They looked nearly identical to the Yokozuna brakes that former Editor-in-Chief Alex Strickland reviewed a couple of years ago. In fact, Connor Mangan at Velo Orange confirmed that they are re-branded Juintech calipers, the same as the Yokozunas. I never had the opportunity to try the Yokos, but I can confirm that the Vise brakes are very, very powerful. They don’t quite have the smooth feel of full hydraulic brakes, but they’re close. The Vise brakes brought the Low Kicker to a halt easily in all weather, including snowy conditions and even the dreaded smooth pavement covered in wet leaves. These are good stoppers.

The most unusual parts on the Low Kicker were the drivetrain components. My test bike arrived with a 1x clutch derailer, 11–46T cassette, and 1x dropbar shifter/brake levers (also known as brifters), all from a new value-oriented brand called Sensah. Being a 1x setup, the right-hand brifter does the shifting while the left is just a brake lever. And there’s no secondary paddle — the right brake lever is the shifter. A small push with a single click shifts up to a higher gear while a bigger push with two or more clicks downshifts to an easier gear. And you can downshift three gears at a time, which is nice. The shifts were quick, crisp, and unusually satisfying. As a side benefit to the single-lever shifting mechanism, you can ride with mittens in the winter and shift easily.

Unfortunately, the clutch (a device on pretty much all modern off-road derailers that provides tension on the chain and keeps the chain from falling off on a 1x drivetrain) on the SRX derailer didn’t seem to do much. The chain would slap noisily in rough terrain, and adjusting the clutch to its maximum made no difference. Mangan told me he’d seen good reliability from Sensah and hadn’t come across any issues with the clutch derailers. He agreed that I must have gotten a dud. At least the derailer is only $69!

Notable among the rest of the componentry was the handlebar. The Daija Cycleworks Far Bar, in 480mm width, is an appropriate choice for this bike, but the 21° of flare is just too much for my taste. I find that much flare puts the hoods at a weird angle that forces my wrists into an uncomfortable position, and then in the drops I have to really reach to find the brake levers. I know a lot of people love these super-flared bars, but they’re just not for me.

The Ride

I own a fine example of a “do-it-all” bike, my beloved Black Mountain Cycles Road Plus, so I have a good idea of the qualities needed for a bike to really be capable of all the things. The Low Kicker has the easy ones checked off: big tire clearance; braze-ons for racks, fenders, and cargo mounts; and a middle-of-the-road geometry that ensures it handles just as well with a load as without. The other necessary qualities are harder to enumerate, such as ride feel. At 28.2 pounds with pedals, the Low Kicker’s weight is respectable; it’s neither a flyweight nor a porker. Similarly, its tubeset feels sufficiently lively without noodling its way around corners when loaded. Standing out of the saddle and sprinting, the Polyvalent gets up and goes pretty well, which I did not expect. Even with big, knobby tires, I felt encouraged to hammer on the pedals when riding it, and when I would sit back down and resume a pleasant cruise, it just wafted along like an air-sprung Cadillac.

Another necessary quality for a good “do-it-all” bike is the ability to seamlessly go from one type of road surface to another. Tires surely play an important role here, but regardless the Low Kicker felt just as capable and confidence-inspiring on the dirt tracks crisscrossing the Salt Lake City foothills as it did bombing down canyon roads. Indeed, I wouldn’t hesitate to take the Low Kicker on a loaded tour with an even mix of pavement and gravel, although I might opt for 650b wheels with 48mm file-tread tires, but that’s a personal choice.

But maybe the most important — and most intangible — quality of a good “do-it-all” bike is that it makes you feel good, by which I mean your body feels good when riding it and you also look good doing so. Call me vain, but there’s nothing wrong with feeling good when riding a classy bike around town. I certainly felt pretty darn great while riding the Low Kicker all around Salt Lake City, and even got a few hoots (surely directed at the bike, not me). Putting aside my sore wrists from the handlebar’s flare, I also physically felt great while riding the Polyvalent, even hours into a big ride.

At $3,070, it’s hard to call this particular Polyvalent Low Kicker a bargain bike, but I would argue that you’re getting good value for your dollar. I can’t speak to the long-term durability of the Sensah components, but — the derailer’s clutch aside — they performed well for me. For $925, you can get yourself a bare frameset and affix whatever parts you can scrounge up. In any case, I can guarantee you’ll have yourself a handsome-looking rig, and chances are good that it’ll be a pretty versatile bike. It might even do it all.

Velo Orange Polyvalent Low Kicker

Price: $3,070

Sizes available: S, M, L, XL

Size tested: XL

Weight: 28.2 lbs. (with pedals)

Test Bike Measurements

Stack: 619mm

Reach: 399mm

Head tube length: 182mm

Head tube angle: 73°

Seat tube length: 600mm

Seat tube angle: 72°

Top tube: 600mm (effective)

Chainstays: 435mm

Bottom bracket drop: 67mm

Fork offset: 60mm

Wheelbase: 1061mm

Standover height: 657mm

Specifications (as tested)

Frame: 4130 double-butted chromoly steel, two bottle mounts, rack and fender mounts

Fork: 4130 double-butted chromoly steel, rack and fender mounts, triple mounts

Handlebar: Daija Cycleworks Far Bar, 480mm

Stem: VO Tall Stack, 80mm

Rear derailer: Sensah SRX, clutch, 11spd

Shifter/brake lever: Sensah SRX

Brakes: Origin8 Vise cable-actuated hydraulic disc

Rotors: Tektro 160mm

Bottom bracket: SRAM GXP, threaded

Crankset: SRAM Apex 1, 42T, 170mm

Cassette: Sensah SRX 11spd, 11–46T

Headset: VO threadless

Seatpost: VO Grand Cru alloy

Saddle: VO Touring

Hubs: VO Disc, 100 x 12mm front, 142 x 12mm rear, thru-axles

Rims: VO Voyager 26in., 32h, tubeless

Tires: Ultradynamico Mars 26 x 2.3in., tubeless

Pedals: VO Sabot

Gearing Range    

         42

11    101.6

13    85.9

15    74.5

18    62.0

21    53.2

24    46.6

28    39.9

32    34.9

36    31.1

40    27.9

46    24.2

Contact: 6730 Dover Rd Suite 113, Glen Burnie, MD 21060, info@velo-orange.com, 410.216.2988, velo-orange.com

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