Friday Debrief: A Truss-Forked Singlespeed, No.22 Drifter, Great Bike Deals, 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…

Allez LA x SimWorks Konbini Bag

Made in USA / $119 at SimWorks

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The Allez LA bike shop and SimWorks collaborated on a special version of SimWorks’ Konbini handlebar bag, complete with a custom patch and US-made headset cap strap buckle. The Konbini has a flap opening for weather protection, a zippered compartment underneath that, and maintains its shape thanks to internal foam padding and a plastic form. It holds 3.5L and is available in three limited color combos: Allez LA!, Pacific Blue, and EL P Green.

Shimano WH-M9220 Enduro/Trail wheels

$1,715 at Shimano

Launched alongside Shimano’s new wireless XTR drivetrain, Neil had a lot of good things to say about the new WH-M9220 Enduro/Trail wheels. They feature a 28-hole carbon tubeless rim with a 30mm internal width and hookless design, stainless-steel spokes, and Shimano’s updated FH-M9210 hubs, which now include optimized seals and bearings for reduced rolling resistance and easier maintenance. At the heart of the rear hub is a refined Direct Engagement freehub with a rapid 3.5-degree engagement angle and lower drag while coasting.

Silca’s Elettrico Mini Inflators Now in the U.S.

$129-159 at Silca

Remember Silca’s new Elettrico Mini Inflators not being available in the U.S.? Well, that changed. Both the Micro and Ultimate versions are now in stock in the States and worldwide. We got to peek at the Elettrico at Sea Otter, as pictured above. Weighing just 111 and 222 grams, respectively, and small enough to fit in a pocket or saddlebag, both models are travel-friendly and charge in just 25 to 60 minutes. The Elettrico Micro delivers inflation equivalent to four CO2 cartridges and features an automatic shutoff at 72psi to protect hookless rims. The Ultimate packs even more punch, matching the output of 10 CO2 cartridges and featuring a precise digital gauge with a 3–100 psi range and 1% accuracy when used with the hose.

Co-op Bike Deals

Bike Camp Co-op

If you’re looking for a second-hand bike, there are around 100 in the Bike Camp Co-op now, with quite a few added during our Garage Sale event earlier this week. This sweet Singular Peregrine frameset went fast, but there are many great deals on frames and completes. How about Ross’s Black Mountain Mod Zero, this pre-production XL Stargazer frameset for $700, Logan’s Faran 2.0 with a reduced price, Neal’s lovely Brother Cycles Mr Wooden frameset, Brian’s solid-looking Chromag Rootdown 29er, or Nic’s USA-made Crust Dreamer frameset?

2025 No.22 Drifter Lineup Expanded

Made in USA / $6,199+ (frameset) at No.22 Bicycles

No. 22 in upstate New York just updated its entire Drifter lineup with updated geometry, new features, increased tire clearance, and a fresh look. The Drifter family now consists of three models: Drifter X, Drifter, and Drifter Adventure, and each bike is handmade in either stock or custom geometry. The Drifter, pictured here, now has clearance for 29 x 2.2″ tires and a 3D-printed yoke. It starts at $6,199 for a frame, carbon suspension-corrected fork, Ti headset, and Ti seatpost clamp.

Fresh Surly Merch

$15+ at Surly Bikes

With an updated website that allows direct purchasing of parts and accessories, the crew at Surly Bikes in Minnesota rolled out some fresh merch that includes hats, T-shirts, and more.

In Conversation

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

On Buying Second-Hand

In a recent video, Gary from the Gary’s Projects YouTube channel picks up an old toolbox and shares some thoughts on the value of buying things second hand as he cleans it up and loads it with his bike tools. His sentiments resonate with our editors, especially as the Budget Bikepacking Build-Off remains a recent favorite project of the whole team. Our belief in the importance of keeping things going is also a big part of why we launched the Bike Camp Co-op for our members to be able to buy, sell, and trade used gear. This has us curious: Do you like buying second-hand gear? Are there things you’re always searching for or try to avoid? What’s your best find? Let us know in the conversation below.

Around the Community

News from around the bikepacking world…

Bikepacking: Coast-to-Coast 2025 (Off-Road)

Joshua Gill took on Katherine Moore’s Coast to Coast route, weaving through relentless weather, rugged terrain, and incredible scenery from the Irish Sea in Cumbria to the North Sea. He made this video to document the ride.

SPOT Sale: Save on Emergency Devices

Through September 5th, all of SPOT’s devices are $50 off. This includes the $249 SPOT X two-way satellite messenger, the $149 SPOT Gen4 satellite GPS messenger, and the $129 SPOT Trace satellite tracking device, all designed to help keep users safe and in contact while traveling off the grid. Find details over at FindMeSpot.com.

Esker Hayduke Bikepacking Build

Cody Ferguson, owner of the new Out There Stoked YouTube channel, just released his second video. In it, Cody takes us through his 2024 Esker Hayduke build, a steel hardtail mountain bike purpose-built for rugged trails and long-distance bikepacking adventures.

“Whether you’re looking for a reliable trail companion, planning your next overnighter, or researching durable steel hardtails, this video covers everything from my Esker specs to how the Hayduke performs fully loaded on rough terrain. I also take you on a local ride on one of my favorite trails here in Boulder, Colorado.”

Preston Williams Wins 2025 Flint Hills Ultra Race

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Preston: Last weekend, I finished the Flint Hills Ultra Race. The route is 1,050 miles of gravel and dirt roads showcasing the beautiful Flint Hills of Kansas and Upper Oklahoma. We battled extreme amounts of rain and death mud. By mid race, all other competitors had dropped out. I continued to battle the elements, and ended up setting a new men’s singlespeed fastest known time. I highly recommend this route for both the challenge and the beauty! Learn more about the event here.

Events Starting Soon

What to watch this weekend and bikepacking events starting soon…

Frontier 300

From the organizers behind The Dirty Reiver, the Frontier 300 is a new event that traverses the Northern Borderlands from the west coast of Scotland to the east coast in Northumberland and is far from your traditional “coast-to-coast” route. There are almost 100 riders signed up for this year’s grand depart, which started earlier this morning from Colvend, Scotland. Follow their progress live here.

BAM! Bicycle Adventure Meeting

BAM! is the first European meeting for cycle-travelers. Group rides, workshops, meetings, speeches, contests, books, music, parties… the event for those who choose a horizon, a pair of wheels, and the wind in their face. The 2025 event starts today and runs all weekend in Padua, Italy. Learn more here.

Hamburg’s Backyard

Hamburg’s Backyard is a 650-kilometer gravel race that starts and ends in Hamburg, Germany. There are over 50 riders participating in this year’s grand depart, which takes off this evening at 5 p.m. local time. Follow along live here.

Weekly Social

Some things we found around the ‘gram and elsewhere. This week, a magnificent Brûlé Bicycles x MADE singlespeed with a curvy truss fork and a unique telescoping rear triangle. We reached out to the MADE bike show’s founder, Billy Sinkford, for some additional details and photos…

Billy: “Truss” The Builder. It started with a set of wheels. Roval Control Carbon that I had laced by Sugar Wheelworks to some sweet Paul SS hubs several years ago. 30mm internal rim width meant BIG TIRE single-speed action. Fast forward to starting MADE and meeting Julian from Brûlé Bikes. He wanted to build me a frame and had just shown up with a 100-something-toothed track bike. A new player had entered the game. The only direction was a wild ride with Klampers and one gear with clearance for Ultra D 29 x 2.2 Mars rubber.

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What Julian brought (hand delivered to Portland from San Louis Obispo) was nuts. Truss fork, clearance for days, and a rear end the likes of which I have never seen. It features a telescoping rear triangle, allowing for easy adjustment of chainstay length (what!). The top and down tubes are Super Legeria steel tubing, which is CRAZY light. Combined with the thin stays and truss fork, it reminds me of an old Slingshot after a few rides. You can load into the turn and feel the rebound. And it’s UDH compatible, cause my middle-aged knees will need gears eventually. Sometimes you gotta “truss” the builder and send it.

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