Singletrack/MTB
Gravel/All-road
Dirt-road Touring
Fat-bike
This week’s Debrief features 32 is already dead, Ombraz Blue Mirror lenses, Zpacks Deluxe Camp Shoes, titanium grey chainrings, several events to follow live, and more. Find it all here…
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…
Another Morning
Made in EU / €90+ at Another Morning
Co-founded by Leanne Bentley (owner of Carrie Gere), Another Morning is a new adventure apparel company making technical gear for people who run, hike, and bike. Their first collection introduces a layering system built around insulation and breathability, including a mid-layer made with Primaloft Evolve and merino base layers produced in three colorways. All garments are manufactured in Europe and are available for pre-order now.
Gran Tourer III in Ash
$250 at QUOC
QUOC recently released a third version of the Gran Tourer gravel shoe in a soft lilac color. The brand has now put out a second color—Ash. The Gran Tourer III features a more spacious toe box than prior models, a glass-fiber composite midsole, and a grippy rubber outsole, which they claim to be even better for walking and hike-a-bike.
PNX Camo Series Stem Bags
Made in Portland, OR / $65 at Kyoot Bikes
Portland, Oregon brand PNX Bags has collaborated with Kyoot Bikes to create a stem caddy for their mini velos. Though this 1000 Denier coated Cordura would work on any bike, the Party Pouch works perfectly on a Kyoot with a set of risers. Designed to fit a 22-oz water bottle, it can also hold snacks, your phone, and more.
Ombraz Blue Mirror Lenses
$175 at Ombraz
Last year, the limited edition Blue Mirror Leggero flew off the shelves, so Ombraz decided to add a permanent collection of Blue Mirror lenses with Polarized Zeiss Grey Optics in charcoal frames across the Classic, Leggero, Viale, and Teton styles. Ombraz claims the lenses block 91% of visible light, sharpen color, boost contrast, and reduce eye strain.
Just One More Hill: A Bikepacker’s Tales from the Trails
£11.99 at Mike Raine
Mike Raine, a writer, outdoor trainer, and mountaineering instructor working in North Wales, just released a new book centered around bikepacking in the UK. “Enjoy tales from some of the UK’s most iconic routes, including the Highland Trail 550, Trans Cambrian and Lakeland 300. At its heart is his Cylchdaith Cymru/Welsh 550 ride around his adopted home of Wales.”
Bicycle Pubes 32″ is Already Dead Stickers
$10 at Bike Pubes
Bike Pubes has already had his say on 32, and it isn’t exactly positive. With a fun, playful new sticker, you too can express your feelings about the industry’s latest innovation.
Handup Women’s Collection
$49+ at Handup
Handup, best known for its playful cycling gloves, has expanded its offerings to include a line of garments designed specifically for women. The drop includes the new women’s Hot Lap Shorts, a cropped FlexGRID Button Up shirt, cropped tech T-shirts, and cropped tank tops.
Zpacks Deluxe Camp Shoes
$39.95 at Zpacks
The Zpacks Deluxe Camp Shoes are touted to be more comfortable and secure than the Ultralight Camp Shoes Miles included in his 2024 Editor’s Dozen. They have a closed heel, a 5mm foam sole, and can be worn with or without socks. They are made from 100D Ripstop Nylon with a stretchy, breathable Lycra top fabric to let your feet breathe. There are two colors and five sizes to choose from.
The Woods Cyclery Classic Cord Cap
£30 at The Woods Cyclery
The Woods Cyclery in Lyndhurst, UK, just released a new shop cap designed by Jack Tardif. It is made from a mid-weight 100% cotton with a 16-wale partridge cord and has a classic one-size-fits-all fit and a snapback closure.
Cane Creek Chainrings in Titanium Grey
Made in USA / $99 at Cane Creek
Cane Creek just added a matchy-matchy titanium grey chainring to pair perfectly with their eeWings cranks. They are 100% CNC-machined and use a near-universal tooth design and profile that makes them compatible with the majority of 11, 12, and 13-speed drivetrains. They are available with 0mm or 3mm offsets, 30-44T sizes, and use the now-standard 8-bolt mounting configuration, so they work with more cranks than just eeWings.
In Conversation
Exchanges and ideas that caught our attention in the site’s conversation section…
Slingshots on a Bike Site
As seen on our press release about the new model from Relentless Components yesterday, every time we post about a slingshot on this site, people seem to be up in arms. I get that slingshots are considered to be regulated weapons in some places. But to me—and perhaps others in my generation—they’re a wistful game that carries the same nostalgic pull as getting on a bike and riding “out of your neighborhood.” I had one as a kid, and trying to knock an empty can off a log from 50 feet away wasn’t about honing skills with a weapon, it was just another reason to be out there, passing time in a way that felt playful and self-directed. Sharing something like that on a bike site isn’t about shifting focus; it’s about highlighting the broader spirit of bikepacking. What do you think? Let us know in the conversation below. -Logan
Around the Community
News from around the bikepacking world…
Josh Reid’s Traka 560 Film
Josh Reid has made another fast and fantastic video on one of Europe’s premier cycling events, the Traka. With a number of distance options to choose from, Josh took on the 560-kilometer edition and quickly created a video that encapsulated the ins and outs of the race.
Filming Extreme Bikepacking with Zero Extra Gear
While Terry B is more widely known for his exploits filming fixed gear races, he’s also been known to take on a long bikepacking trip. In his latest video, he discusses filming a fully loaded six-day journey in the desert with a minimal camera setup.
Events Starting Soon
What to watch this weekend and bikepacking events starting soon…
2026 Highland Trail 550
The Highland Trail 550 is a long-distance self-supported mountain bike time-trial route through the Scottish Highlands. The majority of the route is on excellent trails and quiet roads, but includes some boggy and very technical sections. There are extended periods of hike-a-bike, even the best climbers and technical descenders will find plenty of terrain beyond their ability. The 2026 grand depart starts tomorrow morning, and you can follow along live on our Tracker here.
Quixote Bikepacking 2026
Quixote Bikepacking is a 525-kilometer ultra-endurance cycling challenge in some of the most iconic areas of Spain. The route follows that of the fabled Don Quixote de la Mancha and features six checkpoints over 525 kilometers with 2,900 meters of climbing along beautiful dirt and lonely paved roads. There are over 60 riders participating in tomorrow’s grand depart. Follow them live here.
Backyard Gravel Bodensee 2026
Backyard Gravel Bodensee is a 3-day bikepacking adventure that takes riders on a sweeping gravel route around the stunning Lake Constance region. It’s not a race—there are no results and no pressure, just you, your bike, and a story waiting to unfold. This year’s ride started earlier this morning and you can follow their progress live here.
Wish We Were Here
Shedding a little light on a route one of us is dreaming about riding at the moment…
Nic Morales: West Loop, Slovenia
An interesting set of circumstances pointed me towards Slovenia this week. My now-retired parents called me on Monday to tell me they were headed there, only for Logan to update the West Loop the very next day. It’s a country I’ve never really thought about, but as my mom flooded the family group chat with images, I felt compelled to head the same way. The West Loop seems like a fantastic way to spend the spring or summer, so it has been firmly added to my list.
Weekly Social
Some things we found around the ‘gram and elsewhere. This week, custom tube dimpling from Stridsland and …
Please keep the conversation civil, constructive, and inclusive, or your comment will be removed.
