Friday Debrief: Mica Front Rack, CarboKev, Fresh Bags, Complete Singulars, Linen Caps, 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…

Astral Cycling Releases New 16″ and 20″ Rims

Made in USA / $149 at Astral Cycling

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In response to mini-velos, folding bikes, and cargo bikes gaining popularity in the Unite States, Astral Cycling has taken two of their best-selling alloy rims and added 16″ and 20″ options. The Solstice is for 16” rim brake models and the Outback is for 20” disc brake bikes. Both are available as standalone purchases, but Astral hopes to roll out complete wheels soon.

Mountain Laurel Designs Stem Brûlée

Made in USA / $70 at Mountain Laurel Designs

The new Stem Brûlée from Mountain Laurel Designs is a high-capacity stem bag designed to hold any size bike bottle, a tall 1.5L soda bottle, or a 1L Nalgene bottle. It has a one-handed cinch opening/closure, three large external stretch pockets, and there are webbing daisy chain attachment points for the handlebar, fork crown, and stem. The entire bag is padded with 5mm EVA foam, and the bottom is rectangular to offer a touch more knee clearance. It’s made with a Challenge UltraGrid outer fabric and 100d Robic inner liner.

Revelate Designs B.A.T. Tote Bag is Back

Made in USA / $129 at Revelate Designs

After a brief hiatus, the Revelate Designs B.A.T. Tote Bag is back for all of your gear-hauling and grocery-getting needs. This plus-sized tote boasts a 50L capacity, several pockets, a zippered opening, hand straps, and shoulder straps. According to Revelate Designs, it can fit nine Costco pies with ease.

SimWorks Homage 26″ Tire TLC

Made in Japan / $82 at SimWorks

SimWorks have made a tubeless version of their iconic Homage tire. While the original still exists, there is now a tubeless ready version of the same tire at a wider at 2.13″ width and optimized for tubeless applications. The new Homage is made for 26″ wheels and comes in two colors: Green x Tan and Black x Tan.

Curve CarboKev

Made in Australia / $12,000 AUD excl. GST/VAT at Curve Cycling

Designed, assembled, bonded, and finished in Melbourne, the new Curve CarboKev is a hybrid carbon–titanium gravel race frame and the second frame to emerge from Curve’s in-house bonding program. The CarboKev platform combines 3D-printed titanium lugs with carbon tubes, using double-lap joints at every critical bond and geometry derived from Curve’s established adventure and gravel lineage. The result is a lighter and stiffer platform than its full-titanium sibling while maintaining long-distance comfort and precise handling.

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The CarboKev has clearance for 29 × 2.2” tires, a low, race-oriented front end matched to Curve’s upcoming 40cm Race Carbon Walmer Bars, and fully internal cable routing. Framesets cost $12,000 AUD excluding GST/VAT, a complete build with Red EXPLR costs $26,363, and the estimated lead time is 10–12 months, depending on specification. Given the eye-watering price tag and long wait times, the CarboKev is clearly a very specific bike for a particular type of customer.

Tailfin Speedpack Features

Made in Taiwan and China / $250 to $465 at Tailfin

Next in this video series from Tailfin, their in-house Head Prototyper Molly shares her top five favorite features on the the new SpeedPack. In case you missed it, be sure to check out Neil’s review, too.

Singular Cycles Now Offering Complete Builds

Made in Taiwan / $3,300+ at Singular Cycles

After nearly two decades of selling framesets, Singular Cycles in the UK has decided to offer complete bikes to make getting on a ready-to-ride Singular even easier. All complete bikes are built to order in their Chilterns, UK, and Portland, Oregon, workshops using a selection of high-quality components chosen for reliability, performance, and serviceability. Complete builds start at $3,300 (£2,550). Delivery time on in-stock models is 2-3 weeks.

Ron’s Linen Caps are Back in Stock

Made in Japan / $75 at Ron’s Bikes

The Ron’s Bikes linen caps made by Blue Lug are back in stock. Now with a blue chambray brim, the price has risen by $10 due to increased tariffs. These high-quality hats come in one size with a brass adjuster in the back that fits nicely under a helmet. The brim is also big enough to give good protection from the sun.

Agave Finishworks Juniper Ti Valves Fundraiser

$49.99+ at Agave Finishworks

From now until Sunday night, Agave Finishworks is donating the full purchase price of Juniper titanium valve stems to Hope’s Kitchen, a soup kitchen and food pantry in Cortez, Colorado. The valves are available in a variety of colors and finishes, and cost $49.99 silver or matte, $59.99 for solid anodized colors, $69.99 fades, and $79.99 splatter ano.

In Conversation

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

Does Rubber Matter?

Yesterday, Nic and Neil published their reviews of the Cane Creek Invert gravel suspension fork. Commenters shared a few questions about what makes a bigger difference, tire size or suspension devices like the Invert. Although we have our own opinions, we want to hear what you think. Does a bigger tire on a rigid fork serve you better than a smaller tire with suspension? What’s your preferred setup and why? Be sure to let us know in the Conversation below…

Around the Community

News from around the bikepacking world…

Mica Teases Front Rack Prototype

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Mica Cycles, owned and operated by our friend Skyler Des Roches, took the rack world by storm last year with the minimal yet surprisingly functional Rat Tail rear rack. We figured it was only a matter of time before he brought a similar unique design to a front rack, and it appears that time may be coming soon. He fabricated a prototype over the weekend, and Miles had the chance to see it in person. Watch the short video Skyler put together on the rack here, and stay tuned for more.

Cycling Britain on a £10 Bike

Though we covered his gearlist and setup earlier this year, Tristan Ridley’s video about cycling around Britain for two weeks on a budget of £100 went live earlier this week. It’s a beautifully shot video that emphasizes the point that you don’t need super fancy equipment to go on a long and enjoyable bikepacking trip.

The Scarlet Ibis Pub (on the Tree to Sea Loop) is for Sale!

The Scarlet Ibis is Vancouver Island’s most remote pub, located in the small north-island community of Holberg, and a key resupply/rest point for folks riding the 1,000-kilometer Tree to Sea Loop. This week, a friend let us know that the pub, including the rentable adventure huts, is for sale. Check out the listing here.

House of Looptail at BTI

BTI, one of the largest distributors in the bicycle industry, is now stocking House of Looptail products. This means your local bike shop should be able to get their hands on Snake Belly 26″ tires, Suntour dustcaps, and their inline cable adjusters. You can see the entire product lineup at HouseOfLooptail.com.

Wizard Works Customer Survey

The good folks at Wizard Works are looking for some insight on who uses their products and what they’d like to see in the future. It only takes a few minutes, and anyone who fills out the survey gets £5 off their order. Click here to fill it out.

Quinda Verheul on Finding Purpose Beyond Performance

Bikepacker Quinda Verheul went on Mel Webb’s Detours podcast to discuss her run at the bikepacking triple crown. Taking on such big races has endeavored a lot, so they dive deep into the mindset behind doing so, training, the emotional cost of racing, and much more.

Dualist Days Video Premiere with Hudski and Ornot

Today from 6 to 7 p.m., Hudski Bikes is hosting a video premier at Ornot in San Francisco, California. The skate-style edit features riding from Teddy Hayden and local legend Dylan Buffington. RSVP here.

Events Starting Soon

What to watch this weekend and bikepacking events starting soon…

Hunt 1000

Developed in 2016 by Dan Hunt, the Hunt 1000 is a bikepacking route that links Melbourne to Canberra and traverses some of Australia’s most beautiful high country. This year, riders will be pedaling from Canberra to Melbourne and aiming for a grand finish, rather than a grand depart, on November 29th, 2025, in Melbourne. Riders are already out on route, and you can follow them live here.

Renegades Muster 2025

Renegades Muster is a self-supported bikepacking race through the varied surfaces and terrain of the Taranaki/Whanganui hinterland starting and finishing in Whanganui. Over 80 riders started yesterday and are making their way through the nearly 900-kilometer course. Follow their progress here.

Wish We Were Here

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

Miles: Hunt 1000

I’ve been digging through through submissions for our upcoming Rigs of the 2025 Hunt 1000 roundup, and I can’t help but think back to our time touring in Australia in 2023. We rode Dan Hunt’s Sydney to Summit route and were considering continuing on from Melbourne on the Hunt 1000 route, but we ended up heading to Western Australia to ride the Munda Biddi instead. Seeing all these awesome bike setups for this year’s Hunt 1000 has me dreaming of going back to continue where we left off.

Weekly Social

Some things we found around the ‘gram and elsewhere. This week, a handful of photos from this year’s Danger Bird event, following the Monumental Loop route in New Mexico…

Further Reading

Make sure to dig into these related articles for more info...

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