Friday Debrief: Weird Bars, New Fuel Transfer Device, Waterproof Bag Liners, 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…

Alpenflow Fuel Transfer Device

Made in USA / $11.95 at Zpacks

Similar to the FlipFuel we reviewed, the Alpenflow Fuel Transfer Device is a packable tool for combining partially-filled fuel canisters, so you’re not stuck with a bunch of half-full canisters. It works the same way as the FlipFuel, relying on a pressure differential achieved by cooling one canister to transfer the fuel.

Munro Wheels High-Flow Tubeless Valves

Made in China / €12.50 at Munro Wheels

Munro Wheels in Germany just released some interesting new high-flow tubeless valves that make tubeless setups easier and reduce the chance of sealant clogging the valve. It looks like they used a similar valve core design as the Reserve Fillmore valves, with a floating core and a cap that doubles as a way to release air, but Munro’s version can be completely disassembled for cleaning and maintenance. According to Munro, if they ever get clogged, you can simply disassemble the valve and soak it in warm water to clean it. They come in 40, 60, and 80mm lengths, are sold individually, and work with any standard Presta pump.

Omnium Mini Max Restock + Fresh Colors

€1,600+ at Omnium

Omnium HQ in Denmark just received a fresh container of Mini-Max frames, and they now have a wide range of colors in stock. And for the first time, buyers can pick up a Mini-Max in Lilac Haze and Pirate Black. They’re moving fast, so if you’ve been planning to pick one up, it’s best to act quickly.

Schwalbe Clik Valve Butyl Tubes

Schwalbe Tires

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Released last year, the Clik Valve is an interesting valve and pump combination that clicks together without levers or threads, reducing air loss and floppy pump heads. We tested the pump head and tubeless valve kit and love the concept, but many readers think its solving a problem that doesn’t exist. Schwalbe is expanding their Clik Valve lineup with new Clik Valve butyl tubes now,a good backup for anyone converting to the new system.

Wizard Works Launches Waterproof Replacement Liners

Made in UK / £35 at Wizard Works

With the recent launch of their waterproof Badjelly, a Carradice-style bar bag that replaces the Shazam, UK bag maker Wizard Works also said that they’ll be working to slowly but surely make whatever offerings they can waterproof. That said, there are hundreds if not thousands of existing Wizard Work bags out in the wild without the same degree of impermeability. So, Wizard Works has launched a replacement liner program that allows users to send in their existing bags and have it made waterproof for a small fee. Currently available for Shazams, Figwits, and Alakazams, the liner replacement program is a great way to keep existing bags out and in service. As of writing, this is a UK-only service.

Emily Bei Cheng’s OrNot Cycling Apparel Collection

Made in the USA / $38+ at Ornot

Regular contributor Emily Bei Cheng recently lended her talent to the folks over at Ornot with a custom, road-oriented cycling apparel collection. From a tote bag to a long sleeve jersey and gilet, the pieces feature Emily’s work in a custom print that standouts out quite nicely from your average cycling kit.

RatKing Weird Bars

Made in USA / $110 at RatKing Frames

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The new RatKing Weird Bars were announced yesterday and sold out within a few hours, but if you shoot Smith Levi a message on Instagram saying you’re interested, he’ll put you in the list for the next batch. The bars have a 105mm rise, 15° sweep, 22.2mm clamp size, and come stock at 860mm wide but can be trimmed down to 700mm. Message Smith on Instagram if you’re interested to see more!

In Conversation

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

Judging Ride Quality

In his Neuhaus Hummingbird review, Logan defined “ride quality” as the balance between a lively, responsive feel and a plush, forgiving character. He ultimately ranked the Hummingbird among his top two or three steel hardtails for ride feel. A few readers (including Hummingbird owners) chimed in, which got us thinking: Which steel bikes do you think offer the best ride quality, and how do you define what makes one frame feel better than another?

Around the Community

News from around the bikepacking world…

Crumbworks Launches Farets Bicycles

Crumbworks, a bike shop in Tokyo, Japan, has released a few house-branded bicycles over the years, including the Chunk that Miles reviewed. The bikes are normally made by a local framebuilder and released as a type of collaboration. This week, Crumbworks announced a new bike brand, Farets Bicycles, that will produced in Taiwan at a more affordable price point. That’s all we’ve got for now, but you can keep an eye on their new Instagram page to learn more.

Chris Wilson on the Lodgepole Trail

In his latest video, Chris Wilson headed out over the Fourth of July weekend for an overnighter on the Lodgepole Trail, a backcountry segment of the Oregon Timber Trail that his 2024 OTT ride skipped due to poor maintenance. This return visit was part recon, part fishing mission—linking lakes while sampling a wilder slice of singletrack he’d been eager to see.

DITW x Cyber Cycles

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The folks at Dyed in the Wool in Poland recently put together a complete kit of custom leopard print bags to go with a custom steel all-road bike curated by Steel Fights Back, featuring steel cranks and a Fat Chance-inspired frame from Stefano Agresti of Cyber Cycles. You can read more about the bike here.

Bikepacking Mongolia

Shabong Rider’s latest video follows a group of friends from Korea on a bikepacking journey across beautiful Mongolia, offering an intimate view of their time traversing steppes, mountains, rivers, and swamps. Watch it above.

Starling Cycles Celebrates their 1,000th Frame

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Starling Cycles is celebrating their 1,000th bike frame in style. Per the brand, “We love creating a reaction, taking people by surprise, challenging industry bullshit and getting riders talking. The comments are where that happens-the real talk, keeping-us-honest, unfiltered voice of the community and the genuine, can’t-hide-from-it measure of whether you’ve hit or missed.” This special Murmur is the brand’s 1,000th frame, and it received a custom paint job showing off some of the best and worst comments over the years.

Josh Ibbett’s Alps Divide Bike/Gear Check

In the video above, ultra-distance racer Josh Ibbett walks through the bike and gear he used for the 1,000-kilometer Alps Divide bikepacking event, which started in Menton, France, and finished on the shors of Lac Leman in Thonon Le Bains.

Events Starting Soon

What to watch this weekend and bikepacking events starting soon…

Driftless Dagger

The Driftless Dagger is a self-supported bikepacking race through one of the Midwest’s most challenging and geologically unique landscapes. Spanning Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, and Wisconsin, it takes riders deep into the Driftless Region—an ancient land of rugged valleys, steep ridges, and scenic bluffs overlooking the mighty Mississippi River. This year’s grand depart starts tomorrow at 7 a.m. local time. Follow the riders live here.

East Idaho Epic

The East Idaho Epic is a 430-mile self-supported bikepacking event through east Idaho and a section of western Wyoming. This year, a shorter option, the East Idaho Endeavor, will be run concurrently, sharing much of the trail with the Epic. This option is 260 miles, with 20,000 feet of climbing, 70% gravel, 30% paved. The riders start tomorrow morning, and you can follow their progress live here.

Calder Divide Trail

The Calder Divide Trail offers four routes ranging from 100 to 160 miles along the watershed of the River Calder in West Yorkshire, UK. This year’s ride starts tomorrow morning at 9 a.m. local time, and you can track their progress live here.

Fayetteville Ultra Circuit

The FUC stitches together a hand-picked patchwork of legendary old-school singletrack—some beloved, some all but forgotten—linked by an unpredictable mix of surfaces. There are three distance options to choose from: FUC 400 (The Full Circuit), FUC 200 (The Punchy Middle Child), and FUC 100 (The Fast and Dirty). There are nearly 40 riders signed up for tomorrow’s grand depart, and you can follow them live here.

Iberica Traversa

Iberica Traversa is an unsupported adventure across the Iberian Peninsula, encapsulating 1,700 kilometers of gravel roads and trails or 1,800 kilometers of paved roads. The ride starts on Sunday, and there are nearly 40 riders registered for live tracking. Follow along live here.

Weekly Social

Some things we found around the ‘gram and elsewhere. This week, Joe McEwan of Starling Cycles hits the ‘gram with startling transparency…

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