Friday Debrief: Gadgets from Cotic, Petzl, and Growtac, Tarptent ProTrek, Ti Starling Cranks, 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…

BTCHN’ Top Cap

Made in USA / $40 at BTCHN’ Bikes

The new BTCHN’ Bikes Top Cap is guaranteed to bring some bling to your bike. Each cap is 3D-printed from aluminum, hand-finished at BTCHN’ in Chico, California, and includes a titanium bolt for massive weight savings. As BTCHN’ puts it, “We aimed to make your buddies jealous and give your cockpit some added bling.”

Fairlight Faran Now Available in Iridescent Plum

Made in Taiwan / £830 at Fairlight

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Fairlight is carrying over one of its most beloved paint schemes to the new Faran 3.0. Iridescent Plum is now available for their fat-tire tourer, with no surcharge or extra fee. This wet paint shifts from deep blue to quality street purple, depending on the angle of view.

Stellar Werks is Converting Kyoots into Cargo Bikes

Made in the USA / $1,250 at Stellar Werks

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Small builder Stellar Werks has teamed up with Kyoot Bikes to offer a unique way to turn their bikes into cargo-ready rigs. For $1,250, Thomas Epling of Stellar will braze on a removable 12″ x 15″ platform to the front of the mini-velo. Based on the standard milk-crate size, installation and removal of the platform are a breeze, with just four M8 bolts mounting the rack to the frame. It’s a unique way to repurpose these mini-bikes and an addition that might make them that much more practical.

Tarptent ProTrek

Made in USA / $249 at Tarptent

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The new Tarptent ProTrek features a unique shape that offers dual front and side entry, space for tall users, and a compact footprint that allows it to fit into nearly any campsite. The rear corners, sides, and front of the tent roll up for ventilation and visibility while maintaining bug and overhead rain protection. It sets up with five stakes, two trekking poles or optional tent poles, and weighs just 757 grams (26.7 ounces) with all bags, extra cord, and five stakes. It’s not available just yet, but you can sign up to be notified on Tarptent.com.

Petzl Swift LT

Made in France and Malaysia / $54 at REI

The new Petzl Swift LT is a compact, lightweight headlamp for activities where weight matters. It weighs just 43 grams, is small enough to fit in the palm of your hand, and casts 380 lumens. It offers three white light levels, a strobe mode, and a red mode so you don’t blind your friends at camp.

Mazama M!GO is Back in Stock

132 grams / Made in China / $18.95 at Garage Grown Gear

The award-winning Mazama M!GO bottle is back in stock at Garage Grown Gear. The M!GO offers the best of both worlds between a Nalgene and a Smart Water bottle. It’s made from BPA, PFAS, and PVC-free LDPE and has a dual-cap system that offers a wide mouth for fast filling/cleaning and a narrow 28mm opening compatible with popular filters (e.g., Sawyer), bidets, and other accessories. Ounce/milliliter markings aid measuring for camp cooking and it has a generous 1,000–1,070 mL (32–38 oz) capacity.

Growtac Click Plate

Made in Japan / $25 at C&L Cycles

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The Click Plate is an optional part for the Growtac EQUAL control lever that provides a distinct “click” sound and tactile feedback during shifting. The basic operation remains unchanged, making it a recommended option for riders who prefer to clearly feel the lever stroke, similar to conventional levers. Learn more about it here.

Starling Bingo-Wing Ti Cranks

Made in Taiwan / £833.33 at Starling Cycles

Starling Cycles’s new Bingo-Wing titanium cranks are made by Ora in Taiwan. They feature a three-piece design, a 24mm axle (perfect for Beady Little Eye frames), and a SRAM 8 Bolt chainring interface. They weigh 454 grams and are available in 165mm or 170mm lengths. There are only a few available right now, but additional stock is expected in November.

Cotic Rack Adaptor Bracket

£40 at Cotic

Cotic bikes in the UK has released an adapter bracket for bikes using a 31.6mm seatpost. The adapter bracket adds mounting points for rear rack systems, and while intended for use on their Solaris frames, this would likely work with any bike using a 31.6mm standard in need of more mounting points.

Updated Therm-a-Rest Parsec Sleeping Bags

Made in Vietnam / $469+ at Therm-a-Rest 20F/-6C 0F/-18C

The Therm-a-Rest Parsec sleeping bag has been updated to be warmer, more comfortable, lighter, and loftier. Available in two temperature ratings (0F/-18C and 20F/-6C) and regular and long sizes, the Parsec sleeping bags use premium 900-fill-power down insulation and recycled shell and liner fabrics. Each bag features an internal storage pocket, a dedicated foot-warmer compartment, circumferential draft tubes, and weighs 820 grams (20F) and 886 grams (0F).

Esker Hayduke Sale

Made in Taiwan / $935+ at Esker

Esker Cycles is down to the last handful of 2025 Haydukes and has put them on sale for 25% off. It looks like there are smalls and larges available as a frameset or complete. If you want to be prepared for those early spring adventures, grab one while you can.

New Bearings for Madrone Jab

$34.50 at Madrone

Madrone announced an upgrade to its Jab derailleur. Now, all units ship with sealed ball-bearing pivots in place of Delrin bushings. The bearings purportedly deliver smoother, more consistent shifting, greater durability, and longer service intervals—especially in harsh, dusty conditions. Existing owners don’t need to act unless shifting feels sticky or imprecise; a ball-bearing/link retrofit kit is available at 50% off ($34.50) with code jab_bb_links, supported by step-by-step instructions and a video, and new Jabs are 20% off with 20_off_jab. For folks who prefer not to DIY, service options are offered.

In Conversation

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

What’s Your Oldest Piece of Gear?

In his 2025 Editor’s Dozen earlier this week, Lucas shared some thoughts on how he’s grown to appreciate many of his oldest pieces of outdoor gear, maintaining them rather than rushing out to buy the latest versions. Among his favorites are a 15-year-old spork and ground sheet. We’d love to hear about the oldest piece of gear you still use today in the Conversation below. Bonus points if you have a photo to share!

Around the Community

News from around the bikepacking world…

2026 Tour Te Waipounamu Preview

The fourth edition of the Tour Te Waipounamu in New Zealand starts on January 25th. Rob Dawson of the Ride Productions NZ YouTube channel touched base with riders past and present as well as Founder Brian Alder to set the scene for the upcoming event. Watch the video for some inspiration, and then visit the event listing to learn more.

2026 BESPOKED Japan Dates Announced

The folks behind BESPOKED, Europe’s largest custom bike show, have been teasing a new location to expand beyond the England and Germany shows. The details are finally here! The inaugural BESPOKED Japan show will take place on October 23rd-25th, 2026, at the Glion Museum in Osaka. The venue is perfectly suited to BESPOKED, with over 100 years of history and a collection of rare vintage cars housed within its red brick walls. Keep an eye on BESPOKED.cc for more.

xTx Route Update

Two years ago, we shared details on the 1,500-mile xTx route, which, at the time, was still very much in its infancy. This week, the group behind the route shared an exciting update and a RWGPS map for a look at the current state of the route. Dig into the map above, and then head over to xTexas.org for more.

The Stinner Team Talks Bikepacking Setups

In their latest video, Aaron from Stinner sits down with friend and cyclist John Benett for a conversation about his experience through bikes, what his bikepacking setup looks like, and the method behind what he packs and why. John also speaks about bikepacking through New Zealand and a variety of other trips he’s put his Stinner hardtail through.

The Midwest Mountain Bike Fest is Back

Back for its second year, the Midwest Mountain Bike Fest is a non-competitive weekend cycling festival put on by Jeffrey Frane, owner of Wilde Bicycle Co. Weekend passes are $50, and the event runs from June 19th-21st in Cuyuna, Minnesota. Learn more and grab your tickets here.

Venture Handmade Teases New Lineup

Venture Handmade is the new name for Freewheel Mission Gear, which was started after Joey Ernst, the co-owner of Bedrock Bags, re-launched the brand. He has big things planned for 2026, including some fresh designs and updated versions from the Bedrock lineup. Keep an eye on VentureHandmade.com for updates, and we’ll be sure to share more as products become available.

Wish We Were Here

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

Miles: Baja, Mexico

It’s not unusual for Emily and me to head south each winter in search of warmer temps and drier conditions, but truthfully, Baja hasn’t been high on our list of places to visit. That was before Emily took a kite-surfing clinic on Vancouver Island and began convincing me that we should drive to Baja so she could take another lesson. We’re about to make that a reality and I look forward to working in some big day rides, short rips, and of course, a bikepacking trip or two. See you soon, Baja!

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