Friday Debrief: JPaks DropperStopper, the Perfect Framebag, Paul Crank Adapter, and More

The weekly Debrief highlights small but important bits of news, products, and things that caught our attention on the website, in the conversation, and elsewhere around the community. These include upcoming events and interesting items our readers shared in the comments. Check out this week’s findings below.

Bits & Bobs

New products that are worth highlighting but didn’t make the Dispatch…

JPaks HBar Spacer and DropperStopper

Made in USA / $7.99-$25.99 at Jpaks

JPaks just added two nifty little accessories that are designed around their Refugi handlebar harness and DropperPak but are likely compatible with other bags as well. The DropperStopper is a Wolf Tooth Valais-style dropper post stanchion clamp that has a few tricks up its sleeve. It includes shims that make it compatible with any type of dropper post, and it’s 1.5″ tall to accommodate the wider strap on Jpaks’ DropperPak, but they also offer a shorter 1″ version and a tall 2″ option for anyone looking to limit their dropper post travel. The DropperStopper comes in four colors and is 3D-printed from a durable PETG (a type of thermoplastic polyester) material.

The Jpaks HBar Spacer is a replacement for standard foam spacers, printed from a flexible yet durable TPU material. They are 1.5″ long to leave room for fingers and cables, come in white or black, and now come standard with their Refugi handlebar harness but are available to purchase separately.

Ornot Bamboo + Organic Cotton Shirts

Made in USA / $65 at PLACE

Cycling apparel brand Ornot just added two new T-shirt options to their lineup of casual riding gear that looks promising for bikepacking. First is a bamboo/organic cotton blend tech T-shirt with bike-specific tailoring and a rear sunglasses pocket. Next is a synthetic T-shirt made from Polartec Power Dry fabric that dries fast and reduces odors thanks to silver etching in the fabric. Both shirts are sewn in the USA and come in a handful of color options.

BTCHN’ PAUL Crank Adapter

Made in USA / $95 at Btchn’ Bikes

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BTCHN’ Bikes recently released an exciting new crank adapter for anyone who has been holding onto a Paul Component crankset with a worn-out chainring. The new PAUL Crank Adapter is made from 3D-printed aluminum, bolts directly onto your Paul crankset, and adapts to any 104 BCD chainring using standard 1x chainring bolts while maintaining the original chainline.

PEdALED Odyssey Collection

Made in Italy / PEdALED

PEdALED just launched their new Odyssey Collection featuring warm colors inspired by the steep roads and endless horizons that PEdALED athletes Quinda Verheul and Adam Kolarski experienced as they explored Morocco at a fast pace during this year’s Atlas Mountain Race.

Updated Race Face Era and Turbine Handlebars

Made in Taiwan / $89-$169 at Race Face

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After five years in development, the entire Race Face Era and Turbine handlebar lineup has been redesigned to offer more consistent compliance to every width and rise for every rider. The carbon Era bar comes in three rise options (10mm, 20mm, 40mm) and three widths (760mm, 780mm, 800mm), a 35mm diameter, and costs $169.99 USD. The Turbine bar shares the same specs but is made from 7075 Aluminum and costs $89.99.

I’d Rather be Klunking T-Shirt

Made in TBD / $20 at The Reichel Cycle

Our friend Chris Reichel at Esker Cycles just released a new T-shirt on his personal website. From Chris, “There are few things better than grabbing your klunker and taking off down the trail. Now you can let people know: I’d Rather Be Klunking.” The shirts come in four colors and six size options.

Updated Rogue Panda Happy Jack Snack Sack

Made in USA / $65 at Rogue Panda

Rogue Panda just updated its Happy Jack Snack Sack (dare you to say that five times fast) with more durable fabrics, including a new exterior mesh pocket fabric and an updated drawcord channel. While these aren’t major changes, owner Nick Smolinske said he’s excited about them. The Snack Sack attaches to your bar and fork crown with three Voile Nano Straps and doesn’t use a strap around the stem.

Randi Jo Fabrications Field Tan + All-Brown

Made in USA / $45+ at Randi Jo Fab

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This week, Randi Jo Fabrications in Oregon added new Field Tan and all-brown waxed canvas options to their lineup of handmade bags. Their solid fabric options now include charcoal, brown, olive, and black, as well as some interesting combination options available for specific bags.

In Conversation

Exchanges and ideas that caught our attention in the site’s conversation section…

What’s More Important: Freestanding or Weight and Pack Size?

What makes the ultimate bikepacking tent? Is it a freestanding tent with a no-fuss setup, or do you prefer to keep pack size and weight to a minimum with a non-freestanding or trekking-pole-style shelter? Our review of the Big Sky International 1.5P Tent sparked some conversation on what makes the perfect bikepacking tent, and we’re curious to know what everyone thinks. Let us know your opinion in the conversation below!

Around the Community

News from around the bikepacking world…

What It’s Like to Bikepack Passage 16 of the Arizona Trail (AZT)

Sir Bikes Alot posted this stunning short clip from the 400-kilometer Queen’s Ransom loop completed in April 2024. Watch it above.

Slow Spokes: Missoula’s gender expansive bikepacking group

If you live anywhere within rock-throwing distance of Western Montana, tune in to Slow Spokes, Missoula’s newest bikepacking group by and for women, trans, nonbinary, and gender-expansive folks. After hosting their first two community bikepacking workshops in March and their first group ride in April, they’re ready to collaborate and bring bikepacking dreams to life. The goal of the group is to make bikepacking feel accessible, easy, low-barrier, collaborative, and fun for people of all experience levels who bear the brunt of gender-based oppression and discrimination. Slow Spokes will host a bikepacking gear/cycling clothes swap on April 14 from 11 AM to 1 PM at Free Cycles, Missoula’s community bike shop. Follow along on Instagram and sign up for their e-newsletter.

HydraPak Re_Pak Bottle Recycling Program

Re_Pak is HydraPak’s innovative new upcycling program dedicated to transforming old bottles into durable composite construction materials with a lifespan of over 30 years. Drop off your bottles in the Re_Pak Box. All squeezable LDPE and PP sports bottles are eligible, including Polar Bottle, Specialized, CamelBak, UltraAspire, Nathan, Amphipod, Gatorade, and Powerade. All you need to do is drop them in one of their Re_Pak boxes found at retailers and select outdoor events. Learn more here.

Genotoads in SF

The Genosack crew from Minnesota recently released a 70-minute video documenting a full day spent pedaling around San Francisco and visiting several noteworthy spots along the way. See it above.

Tailfin: We Created The Perfect Bikepacking Frame Bag

Curious about what went into Tailfin’s development of what they’re calling “the perfect bikepacking frame bag?” In their latest video, they take a deep dive into their ground-up approach, which included analyzing hundreds of bike images to output size-specific heat maps. Watch the video and then check out our detailed review here.

Johnny Hudski VHS Commercial

With a proprietary frame material consisting of a gold blend of magic and 270mm of boulder-absorbing suspension, the Hudski Doggler is probably one of the most technically advanced bikes out there. Hudski just launched a fantastic new commercial, previously only available on VHS, and we hope you find it as entertaining as we do.

Events Starting Soon

What to watch this weekend and bikepacking events starting soon…

Spring Arizona Trail ITT

Four riders took off from the Southern terminus of the Arizona Trail yesterday and are making their way north along the 300-mile route to the finish at Picketpost, just east of Phoenix. Daytime highs just jumped into the 90s, and it looks like it’s going to be a warm week, which should make for an interesting ride. Among them are Patrick Farnsworth, Alan Jacoby, Gregg Dunham, and Ian Quigger. Chanel Abril is also currently tackling an individual time trial and is closing in on the finish of the 300-mile route.

Norfolk 360

Norfolk 360 is an introduction to bikepacking following both road and off-road segments that lead riders to some of Norfolk’s most iconic sights. The route consists of four loops that make up a 360-mile ride to all four corners of Norfolk. The event kicks off tomorrow morning, and you can follow their progress live here.

Weekly Social

Some things we found around the ‘gram and elsewhere. This week, a handful of photos from Sisters in the Wild’s recent trip on the Jordan Bike Trail. Read more about their ride here.

Further Reading

Make sure to dig into these related articles for more info...

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