Friday Debrief: Universal Racks, Mostly Forever Frame Giveaway, 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…

Fizik MTB Grips

$32.99 at Fizik

Fizik delved into mountain bike grips with their new Racefeel Grips and Comfortfeel Grips. Both feature an ergonomic shape, soft rubber construction, cushioning inner core, and slip-resistant details. They’re available in four colors and cost $32.99 USD/pair.

Veloci Plan Big V3 in Washed Denim Blue

Made in Taiwan / $670 at Veloci Cycle

• 
• 
• 

The Veloci Plan Big V3 features a double-butted 4130 Chromoly steel frame and fork, clearance for 27.5 x 2.1″ (XS/S) or 29 x 1.95″ (M-XL) tires, and pretty much all the mounting points you could ever need for commuting and touring. Veloci says the latest version offers a more upright riding position and a longer front end that works with drop bars and flat bars. The curved top tube lowers the frame’s standover to make getting off the bike easier. The newest color is called Washed Denim Blue, but it’s also available in Starry Maroon.

Samaya Dyneema Handlebar Pack

€150 at Samaya

• 
• 

The new Samaya Dyneema Handlebar Pack is an all-in-one handlebar roll made from Dyneema Composite Fabrics. It weighs just 170 grams (6 ounces) and holds up to 6.5 liters of gear weighing up to 6.6 pounds (3kg). The roll has a single roll-top opening and attaches to your handlebar using two locking cam buckles with a third strap that loops around the headtube. Foam spacers are included.

Velo Orange Neutrino Pre-Sale

Made in Taiwan / $875 USD at Velo Orange

The Velo Orange Neutrino has gone on pre-sale with a celery green paint color. While there aren’t any changes to the bike Miles reviewed, it’s a nice new color and one that you can actually get as a complete from VO. These tend to fly off their shelves, so if you’re interested, it might be worth moving quickly!

Rons Clap Trap Back in Stock

Made in USA / $190 at Ron’s Bikes

In case you missed it, Ronnie Romance’s bag making operation is back in full swing. With a few new US partners making their bags, products from the bike industry media mogul have been in short supply. Their new rando-style closure bag, the Clap Trap, is something that doesn’t usually last long on the site, but as of writing is in stock in black and blue color options.

Omnium x DT Swiss Cargo Wheels

€418 at Omnium

The Omnium Cargo Wheelset is a new collaboration with DT Swiss that marks the brand’s release of its first ever cargo-specific wheelset. While Omnium has obviously delved into the release of cargo wheels before, this is the storied wheel maker’s first endeavor. Helped along by field testing through brand ambassador Erik Binggeser, or truemarmalade on Instagram, the Omnium Cargo Wheelset by DT Swiss contains a variety of features fit for loaded cargo touring and bikepacking.

Sea to Summit Frontier Collapsible Cook Set

$90 at Sea to Summit

The new Frontier Collapsible One Pot Cook Set is an ultralight and ultra-packable cook-eat-drink system. It includes a collapsible 1L pot that doubles as a bowl, a collapsible cup, and a short aluminum spork that all nest inside the pot for transportation. The set packs down to just over 1″ (25mm) high and weighs 259 grams. The pot is available as a standalone purchase as well.

CampAndGoSlow Summer Sock Drop

$20+ at CampAndGoSlow

• 
• 

Casey from CampAndGoSlow is back in the sock game with a fresh summer drop. Complete with shirts and socks, this new set of designs is a veritable way to up your riding style. So, head on over before they’re all out.

In Conversation

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

Are Universal Racks the Way Forward?

When we posted about ORTLIEB’s axle-mounted racks this week, it led to a conversation about the specifics and complexities of using the axle as a rack-mounted system. While creating a near-universal rack system is great achievement for any company, it brings to mind a few intricacies—like the added difficulty of removing your rear wheel, etc. And, with the availability of “universal-mount” rack options like those available through MICA, Tailfin, and Ortlieb, brands have even suggested that they decided not to add rack mounts to their frames because they’re no longer necessary. That being said, the axle might be a better load-carrying point that doesn’t put undue stress on the frame, and with tubeless tires, how often do you really need to remove your rear wheel? Not to mention, there is the actual universality—you can mount it to about any bike with a thru-axle. Where do you stand? Are universal racks a better way? Let us know In Conversation below…

Around the Community

News from around the bikepacking world…

10 Minutes per Hour: A Solo Chilcotin Ride

Earlier this summer, Peter Wojnar set out into the Chilcotin Mountains of British Columbia to meet some friends. Each time he stopped for a breather, he set up his camera and put together a fantastic little edit of a bike day out on the bike. Watch the video and then make sure to check out our Best of the South Chilcotins route, if you haven’t already.

Rough Stuff Rally – Non-Competitive MTB Festival

• 
• 

The Rough Stuff Rally (August 1st-3rd) in Copper Harbor, Michigan, is two days of riding, revelry, and community on some of the best trails in the world. On friday, there shuttle runs from 4-8 p.m. accessing legendary trails such as The Flow, Danimal, and Overflow, followed by a bluff-top sunset Happy Hour. Saturday is the main event, a 22 or 43-mile loop of the trail system taking in a highlight reel of singletrack followed by a gourmet dinner at the campground hosted by Chef Adam Blake with bonfire, music and free refreshments from Fat Tire to follow. Learn more and register here.

King of Chaos Screening: Colorado

This Saturday (tomorrow), Outer Range Brewing Co. in Frisco, Colorado, is hosting the US premiere of the new Tailfin Cycling film, King of Chaos. The film documents Justinas Leveika’s outlandish adventures as he attempts the Triple Crown, racing the Tour Divide, Colorado Trail, and Arizona Trail in one calendar year. The show opens at 7:30 p.m. and the film starts at 8:15 p.m. Learn more here.

2025 Bones to Blue Winners!

• 
• 

Joshua Johnston finished first and Katya Rakhmatulina finished second at the 2025 Bones to Blue race, completing the 250-mile route in 41.5 hours and 45.5 hours, respectively. Katya set a new women’s fastest known time, but Jeff Kerkove’s 2023 record-setting ride still stands. 13 riders of the 39 participating scratched from this year’s event. A big congrats goes out to everyone who finished!

2025 Oregon Timber Trail Giveaway

The Oregon Timber Trail Alliance is fundraising for future trail projects and is raffling off a custom frame from Mostly Forever Bicycles along with a custom wheelset from Eastern Wheelworks. Additionally, the winner will take home a set of tough and durable bike bags from Outer Shell. Tickets start at $10 per entry, and is open to Continental United States residents only. The raffle ends at September 7, 2025 at 11:59 p.m., and the winner will be announced on or before 11:59 p.m. on September 14, 2025. Get your tickets here.

Events Starting Soon

What to watch this weekend and bikepacking events starting soon…

North to South Colorado

The North to South Colorado Bikepacking Race is a 600-mile bikepacking race that starts in Fort Collins and ends in Trinidad. 2025 marks the fifth year of the event, and there are nearly 30 riders registered for the grand depart, which started this morning at 6:00 a.m. local time. Follow along here.

Montenegro Mountain Madness

Montenegro Mountain Madness is a 700-kilometer off-road unsupported bikepacking race around Montenegro. The route crosses the rocky mountain ridges of the Dinaric Alps and its remote huts, the misty canyons and deep gorges of Tara and Piva rivers, and the Adriatic’s dramatic coastal cliffs. Over 30 riders are signed up for live tracking, and this year’s grand depart started earlier this morning. Follow their progress live here.

Three Peaks Bike Race

Three Peaks Bike Race is a 2,150-kilometer unsupported bikepacking race across the Dolomites and the Alps, from Vienna to Nice. The 2025 grand depart starts from Vienna tomorrow afternoon with nearly 300 riders registered. Track their progress live here.

Bright Midnight

The Bright Midnight is a 1,100-kilometer self-supported bikepacking adventure in Norway through small villages by way of gravel roads. There are almost 200 solo riders and 50 pairs participating in this year’s grand depart, which starts from Tolga on Sunday morning local time. Follow along here.

Alps Divide

The Alps Divide RALLY is a group tour, weaving along the Western Alps, from the Mediterranean Sea to Lake Geneva/Lac Leman. The route showcases the spectacular and diverse landscapes of the Alps, taking riders on paths less travelled, including a mix of 4×4 tracks, quiet paved lanes, and a little singletrack. The 2025 grand depart kicks off on Monday morning local time. Keep an eye on their Instagram for updates.

Wish We Were Here

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

Logan Watts: The Celestial Mountains

It’s unbelievable that it was almost exactly nine years ago when Lucas, Joe, Joel, and I set out on the Tian Shan Traverse. It was the trip of a lifetime, which makes it hard not to dream about those incredible mountains this time of year. Malik’s new route connecting it to the south via the Celestial Divide has been on my mind since we posted it a few weeks ago.

Please keep the conversation civil, constructive, and inclusive, or your comment will be removed.