Friday Debrief: Holy Mountain, Majestic Moss, and the Tree to Sea Loop

We started “The Debrief” on our YouTube channel last year as a way of highlighting the week’s news and things that caught our attention on the website, in the conversation, and elsewhere around the community. To take this a step further, we’re posting a weekly Debrief here on the site to highlight all of those things and more, including upcoming events and interesting things 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…

Surly Bridge Club in Majestic Moss

The wonderfully versatile dirt road tourer and super commuter Surly Bridge Club was just updated with some fresh Majestic Moss paint and new build kits for 2022. Complete bikes now feature Tektro hydraulic brakes, chunky WTB Trail Boss 27.5 x 2.4″ tires, and a wide range Shimano Deore 11-speed drivetrain. The Bridge Club is available as a complete or as a frameset for just $699 USD.

$699-1499 USD / Made in Taiwan / Details

Search And State’s May Collection

Search And State in New York City just released their May Collection, which includes new jerseys, bibs, shirts, shorts, and baselayers that are all in stock. Head over to SearchAndState.com to learn more.

Orders Open for Black Cat Bicycles Holy Mountain

Based in Aptos, California, Black Cat Bicycles designs, fabricates, and paints some truly impressive custom bikes, all in-house. Every frame and fork is custom sized for the rider and available as a frameset or a custom complete build. Orders just opened for the Holy Mountain, their signature mountain bike. It has clearance for 29 x 2.6″ tires, a 140-160mm travel fork, and boost hub spacing.

$4,200 USD (frame only) / Made in USA / Details

Ornot Mission Shorts in Mesa

The Ornot Mission Shorts are made from 95% recycled nylon woven into a lightweight and durable 4-way technical stretch fabric. They have an 8.5″ inseam, a full panel gusset, and are sewn in Oakland, California. Ornot just restocked the Slate version and added a new Mesa colour that we think looks pretty smart. Check out our review of the Mission Shorts here.

$118 USD / Made in USA / Details

Apidura Racing Handlebar Pack

Taking design cues from their Accessory Pocket and City Handlebar Pack, the new Apidura Racing Handlebar Pack is a lightweight 2L bar bag designed for racing and moving fast. It has a velcro flap closure that’s easily accessed with one hand, a waterproof/seam welded construction, and internal mesh pockets to keep the contents organized. It attaches to the bars via two reinforced velcro straps and has an additional lower strap for attaching around the headtube.

$93 USD / Details

Topo Designs 2022 Dirt Collection

Updated with new colours and styles for 2022, the Topo Designs Dirt Collection is a versatile, sustainable, and comfortable line of apparel that’s suited for wearing on and off the bike. The 2022 line includes pants, shorts, button-up shirts, and more in both men’s and women’s sizes. Each item is made from organic cotton and is garment dyed to reduce water consumption.

$69-129 USD / Made in Vietnam / Details

In Conversation

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

More Women in Bikepacking Events

Lauren commented on our recently published Rigs of the 2022 Pinyons and Pines roundup that she found it tough to scroll through 40 rigs to only see a few women participating. According to Trackleaders, there are just 8 women out of the 49 riders registered. Last year’s GBduro and a few others in Europe have set out to ensure 50/50 attendance, and we hope other events will follow suit.

Around the Community

News from around the bikepacking world…

Jack and Chris race Basajaun for Headway

After suffering a stroke last summer and relying on cycling as a primary form of recovery, Chris Johnson has decided to ride the Basajaun, a 760-kilometer gravel ultra-race in Spain with his brother Jack to raise money for Headway—a brain injury charity. The brothers intend to finish the route in under 72 hours and are hoping to raise £4,000 for Headway. Learn more about their project here.

Southeast Gravel (What Pressure?)

The Pierson Collective is currently producing a video series on Southeast Gravel, a gravel series in North and South Caroline. The first episode digs into a couple of races and asks participants what tire pressures they use for gravel racing. Watch it above and check out more on Southeast’s YouTube channel.

Events Starting Soon

What to watch this weekend and bikepacking events starting soon…

Doom 2022

Doom is a beautifully evil bikepacking route in the South consisting of soul-sucking climbs, rough roads, and a whopping 41,000 feet of elevation gain. The 375-mile route follows a mostly gravel track that includes a few Arkansas High Country classics. The grand depart took off from Oark, Arkansas, this morning at 7 a.m. Follow along live here.

Seven Serpents Gravel 2022

Seven Serpents Gravel is an unsupported 800-kilometer bikepacking challenge from Ljubljana to Trieste through the Croatian islands following gravel and side roads. There are over 70 riders registered for this year’s grand depart on May 15th at 8 a.m., and you can follow along live here.

Wish We Were Here

Shedding a little light on a route one of us is dreaming about riding at the moment…

Lucas Winzenburg: Lost-in-Brandenburg Loop

This week, with spring in full swing and everything greening up in northern Europe, I’m wishing I could get out to finish riding Josh Meissner’s Lost-in-Brandenburg Loop, an overnighter or weekend route just beyond Berlin’s city limits that takes in the subtle sights and sounds of an unexpectedly fascinating corner of Germany. Based on what I’ve seen from the bits of it I’ve pedaled, the route’s quiet roads and trails perfectly match the slow pace of life in the sleepy towns it traverses, and I’m long overdue for that kind of low-key tour (with some Spargel and Fischbrötchen along the way for good measure).

Weekly Social

Some things we found around the ‘gram and elsewhere. This week, a couple of posts from some early spring riders out tackling our Tree to Sea Loop on Vancouver Island, British Columbia…

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