This week’s Debrief features the new Ratio cage, Waxed Canvas Camp Caps, Neuhaus HBSL hardtail, Olive/Pink Splatter bags, two events to follow live, and much more. Find it all here…
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…
Neuhaus HBSL Pre-Order Open
Made in USA / $3,000+ at Neuhaus Metalworks

Pre-orders for the new Neuhaus HBSL that Logan shared in his recent coverage of Sea Otter are open. To summarize, the HBSL (Hummingbird Superleggera) is a super lightweight version of their Hummingbird hardtail that’s designed around 110mm of travel. It has 29 x 2.4″ tires, a 67-degree head tube angle, a 74-degree seat tube angle, and is meant to go fast. It’s available as a frame-only or complete build, the former starts at $3,000.
Rene Herse Handlebar Roll Bags
Made in Japan / $62+ at Rene Herse

The newly released Rene Herse Handlebar Roll Bag is a simple burrito-style bar bag made from recycled Ecopak fabric, Waterproof YKK zippers, and reflective trim. The bag attaches using two velcro handlebar straps, and it comes in three sizes ranging from 1L to 3.7L of volume. Medium and large sizes come with an internal stiffener, so they hold their shape when they are only partially filled, and they also have a side strap for attaching an Ostich Easy Access Pocket.
Dyed in the Wool Olive/Pink Splatter
Made in Poland / Dyed in the Wool

Following on their limited edition leopard print Ecopak from a few weeks ago, Dyed in the Wool’s latest pattern is an olive with pink splatter. Available now for no extra charge, the olive and pink splatter is an option for any of their made-to-order bags and is perfect for anyone who prefers a more subdued look with a little twist.
Ratio SR52T Cage for SRAM Transmission
Made in UK / $98.67/$77.70 at Ratio Tech
Ratio, makers of one of our favorite components of the last few years—the 1×12 Upgrade Kit—just released a replacement cage for Transmission derailleurs. In contrast to the standard cage, Ratio’s outer cage plate on the SR52T aligns with the lower jockey at the leading edge. This design choice was influenced by Ratio’s testing in the rugged terrain of the UK’s Lake District, which revealed that conventional cage designs were prone to having the outer plate dislodged from the lower jockey due to rock strikes. In response, the structure and chamfering on the SR52T allow it to deflect away from obstacles, mitigating this issue, according to Ratio. The new cage uses the same 14 and 16 tooth jockey sizes as SRAM’s original cages, with an angled lower jockey so that the chain tracks the chainring across the cassette.
Similar to Ratio’s other cages, two extra screws reinforce the structure, enhancing its stiffness compared to the cage it replaces. Despite this reinforcement, the SR52T cage weighs only 90 grams, making it lighter than both the GX and XO alternatives. Installing the SR52T on a GX derailleur reduces its weight from 464 grams (excluding battery) to 426 grams, surpassing all models except SRAM’s top-tier XXSL in terms of lightness.
The cage comes in silver or black and includes 7075 aluminum plates and acetal jockeys, both machined by Ratio in Cumbria, UK, assembled with stainless bearings and hardware.
Knog Scout
25 grams / $60+ at Knog

The Knog Scout is a new bike security accessory that features an extremely loud 85db bike alarm and integrates with Apple’s Find My app for accurate relocation services. The Scout bolts to a bike’s bottle cage mounts, is 0.3” (0.8cm) thick, snd is designed to be discrete and hidden underneath a bottle cage. Arming or disarming the Scout alarm can be achieved in two ways: via the button on the side of the device when the connected iPhone is in close proximity (< 1.5 m) or via the Knog app when the device is within Bluetooth range. The Scout is USB-C rechargeable with two- to six-month battery (pending usage) and has low battery notifications when you have just 20% remaining.
Exploring Wild Essentials Kits
Made in USA / $25-36 at Exploring Wild

The new Bikepacking Essentials Kits from Exploring Wild give riders everything they need for problem-solving on the trail. There are two kits to choose from: the Fix it Kit and Tubeless Flat Tire Kit, and both include hand-selected items all bikepackers rely on in an affordable, lightweight, and packable pouch.
Quoc x Restrap Sandals Back in Stock
Made in UK / $139 at Restrap

After their initial launch last year, the Quoc x Restrap Sandals quickly became one of Restrap’s best-selling products of 2023. Although they’ve been out of stock for a while now, Restrap just let us know that they’ve been restocked and are available to purchase once again. Make sure to check out Lucas’ review here for all the details.
New MAAP Alt-Road Collection
$135+ at MAAP.cc

MAAP just released their latest Alt-Road cycling apparel collection, which includes several updated items and some new offerings, including a new Cargo Bib Liner, Overshort, Tech Tees, and Wind Jackets/Vests. According to MAAP, the collection is “meticulously designed performance cycling apparel for off-grid adventures in wild terrains.”
New Randi Jo Fab Linen and Camp Caps
Made in USA / $35+ at Randi Jo Fab

Randi Jo Fabrications just added four fresh colors to their lineup of lovely linen cycling caps, which are perfect for hot summer days on the bike. The new colors are Iron, Adzuki Bean, Tangerine, and Sage. See them here. They’ve also some new waxed canvas camp caps to their webshop that are available in three color combinations with a cotton twill tape finish on the interior seams. Check them out here.
Cycling is For Everyone T-Shirt: The Drive Side
Made in Canada / $24.99 CAD at The Drive Side

The Drive Side in Ontario, Canada, just released a fresh new t-shirt design, and we couldn’t agree with it more. Each shirt is printed in Hamilton using 100% airlume combed and ring-spun cotton with durable plastisol ink, and it comes in sizes XS to 3XL.
In Conversation
Exchanges and ideas that caught our attention in the site’s conversation section…
Camera-Carrying Survey Results

We tallied up the results from last week’s survey on how folks carry their cameras while bikepacking. Despite some commenters expressing reservations about sensitive electronics bouncing around in a stem/handlebar bag, “in a bag on your bike” was the most popular option among respondents at 41.3 percent. The second most popular way our readers are carrying cameras is in a backpack or hip bag, representing 39.6 percent of folks who responded. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the least common camera-carry method is directly on a shoulder strap, which rounds out the total at 19.1 percent. Are you surprised by any of these? Let us know in the conversation below!
Around the Community
News from around the bikepacking world…
Brother in the Wild Germany Tickets on Sale

Brother in the Wild is heading back to the beautiful city of Munich for one of their favourite events of the year: Brother in the Wild Germany—a gravel grinding, adventure seeking, bikepacking weekend in collaboration with the good folks at Guten Biken. Learn more and grab your tickets here.
Bombtrack/Seido is Hiring

Among other positions around their parent company, We Make Things, the crew at Bombrack/Seido in Cologne, Germany, is expanding. They are searching for an experienced bicycle product designer to join the team. You can find details on all the current openings here.
Weronika Szalas Joins Mason Team

Mason Cycles just announced that Weronika Szalas is the latest cyclist to join the Mason rider family. They met Weronika in 2022 at the Zero Neuf Gather Festival in France and connected through an appreciation for riding, photography, and the outdoors. Weronika is currently riding her Mason InSearchOf at the inaugural Accursed Race in Albania, and you can read more about her new partnership with Mason here.
No Whammies! Bikepacking The New Mexico Off Road Runner-Ep 1
In episode one of Ryan Van Duzer’s latest video series, he shares his experience riding from Santa Fe to Las Cruces on the New Mexico Off-Road Runner route. Watch the 24-minute video he put together above and then dig into our route guide here.
Events Starting Soon
What to watch this weekend and bikepacking events starting soon…
Pinyons and Pines

Pinyons and Pines is a self-supported bikepacking race that starts and ends in Flagstaff, Arizona (6,910 feet). The route is a magnificent tour of Northern Arizona, utilizing a mixture of singletrack, dirt roads, and some pavement. The grand depart took off yesterday morning, and some of the fastest riders are already over halfway done. Follow their progress live here, and don’t forget to dig into our Rigs of the 2024 Pinyons and Pines roundup.
Trans Virginia

The TransVirginia Bike Route is a 565-mile, mostly unpaved backcountry cycling route that traverses the state of Virginia from Washington, DC, to Damascus, VA. The grand depart takes off tomorrow morning at 6 a.m., and there are nearly 40 riders signed up for live tracking. Follow them live here.
The Buckshot

For those bikepackers out there not yet up to the full 1,000+ kilometers and 11,000+ meters of elevation of the BC Epic, BC’s ultimate bikepacking race, or those who simply do not have the time this season to commit to the Epic, there’s the Buckshot! The route changes from year to year, and for 2024, riders will be riding 430 kilometers, starting and ending in Kamloops. There are over 60 riders registered for live tracking, and you can follow them live starting tomorrow morning here.
Wish We Were Here
Shedding a little light on a route one of us is dreaming about riding at the moment…
Logan Watts: Morocco
Working with Evan on the updates for the Route of Caravans North and South segments has me dreaming about the Atlas Mountains and the beauty of this incredible country. Interestingly, the Route of Caravans is the longest route project (from inception to completion) in the history of this site. It started a decade ago, and we just finished it after scouting a lot of options and deliberation, particularly in the northern part of the country. I’m hopeful to get back over there one day and ride it in full!
Weekly Social
Some things we found around the ‘gram and elsewhere. This week, a handful of posts from the start of the 2024 Pinyons and Pines race in Arizona…
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