Friday Debrief: New Camera Pack, Bedrock Gneiss, Timmermade Serpentes, and Lightweight Racks

We started “The Debrief” on our YouTube channel last year as a way of highlighting the week’s news and things that caught our attention on the website, in the conversation, and elsewhere around the community. To take this a step further, we’re posting a weekly Debrief here on the site to highlight all of those things and more, including upcoming events and interesting things 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…

Cedaero Viewfinder Camera Pack

Just released, the new Cedaero Viewfinder Camera Pack is designed to be the perfect solution for on and off-bike camera storage. It’s large enough to fit a small camera with room for a spare lens, flash, or other goodies, includes a divider to keep things organized, and all sides are padded. The flip-top lid has a single buckle opening for quick access, Cedaero offers an optional shoulder strap ($24.95) for off-bike use, and it’s available in a wide range of fabric and color options.

$124.95 / Made in USA / Details

New Timmermade Serpentes Sleep System

Similar to their Wren false bottom sleeping bags, the new Timmermade Serpentes uses a full-length non-insulated bottom to reduce unnecessary weight. It relies on 1000fp down, lightweight 7D shell fabrics, and an updated temperature rating that is meant to be more accurate and suitable for more people. This newer rating system builds in a large cushion to help cover all users, especially those who run cold, without sacrificing features like weight and packability. As always, Timmermade offers lots of customizations and options to dial in the bag for each customer, and they are handmade in an off-grid cabin in central New York.

$398 / Made in USA / Details

Bentley Components Nubbins

The UK’s Bentley Components just released some flashy replacement rivets for Brooks saddles. The Bentley Nubbins are machined brass rivets, with five engraving options, and fit Brooks Cambium C15, C17, and C19 saddles—both original and all-weather models. They are designed and machined in Yorkshire, UK, and are available now.

£8 / Made in UK / Details

Framework Designs Hybrid Sight Seeker

The latest batch of Australia-based Framework Designs’ Sight Seeker basket bags combines their canvas fabric with Ecopak EXP200. It’s super light, waterproof, and made from recycled plastic bottles, resulting in a lighter bag without sacrificing durability or structure. The Sight Seeker Hybrid is available now in Carbon and Olive colorways.

$310 AUD / Made in Australia / Details

Limited Edition Bedrock Gneiss Sandals

Bedrock Sandals’ limited edition straps pay homage to their roots with a collection inspired by the metamorphic rock Gneiss. Available in purple and gray colorways, these limited edition straps are made from recycled polyester and are offered in three Bedrock styles.

$105 / Made in USA / Details

OneUp 27.2mm V2 Dropper Post in 90mm and 120mm Drop

British Columbia-based OneUp Components just added 90mm and 120mm drop options for their popular 27.2mm V2 Dropper Post. The shorter-travel options look suitable for lightweight XC or gravel bikes or anyone with limited dropper post clearance. We’ve been using the V2 Dropper Post for a few years now and haven’t had any issues to date.

$199 / Made in China / Details

Updated SimWorks Super Yummy

Three years after its debut, SimWorks just updated their versatile Super Yummy tire to be even more supple and efficient without sacrificing durability. They’ve removed rubber from the sidewall, replaced it with a puncture-resistant layer, and claim that they “succeeded in striking an outstanding balance in the overall lightness and flexibility of the tire while sacrificing little in strength and durability.” The Super Yummy comes in 26″, 27.5″, and 29″ sizes in a 2.22″ width.

$76 / Details

In Conversation

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

Are Lightweight Rear Racks the Future?

In our rig roundup from the 2022 Silk Road Mountain Race, we spotted an astonishing number of Tailfin rack setups being used. A few of us have had the chance to try out some of the latest and greatest in rear rack technology, and we’ve found that they make a lot of sense for bikepacking, commuting… and apparently ultra-endurance racing as well. This leads us to the question: are lightweight rear racks the future of bikepacking?

Around the Community

News from around the bikepacking world…

TNGA Seeking Volunteers

Once again, Mulberry Gap in Ellijay, Georgia, is providing pre and post-event support for this year’s Trans North Georgia Adventure (TNGA), and they need your help! They are looking for volunteers to help out during the event, which could include shuttling riders, washing bikes, cleaning cabins, and more. Mulberry is providing a bunch of different incentives to help out, and it sounds like a cool opportunity to be part of a fun event. Learn more and sign up here.

The Art of Grind

Shimano’s latest film explores the duality of “grind” by looking into Peter Stetina’s approach to training for gravel events and a more artistic approach to grinding and finishing El Mestizo, a beautiful steel lowrider bike, made by Leo Martinez, Kevin Garcia, and Justin Williams.

Events Starting Soon

What to watch this weekend and bikepacking events starting soon…

2022 Silk Road Mountain Race

The Silk Road Mountain Race is a fixed route, unsupported, single-stage cycling race through the mountains of Kyrgyzstan. The clock does not stop and there are no prizes. It follows gravel, single and doubletrack and old Soviet roads that have long been forgotten and fallen into disrepair. There is some walking, and at times there is great distances between resupply points. The grand depart takes off today from Osh, in southern Kyrgyzstan, at 10 p.m. local time, and you can follow along live here.

2022 GBDURO

GBDURO is a 2,000-kilometer self-supported bikepacking enduro race from Land’s End to John O’Groats on road, gravel, singletrack, and everything in between.​ There is a grand depart tomorrow morning, taking off from the south end of the UK at 8 a.m. local time. Follow along live here.

Wish We Were Here

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

The Tree to Sea Loop: Miles Arbour

The Tree to Sea Loop is the route I’m most proud of. It took some serious planning and research to dial in before my scouting trip last fall, and the response this summer has been unbelievable. A few months back, I checked in with one of the local boat charter companies offering shuttles between Tahsis and Zeballos, and they mentioned that over 40 groups had already been through. I know there have been many more since, too. Hearing about these bikepackers has me thinking about riding the route again—a feeling I don’t often have after completing a big ride. If time allows, I might head out and tackle the lower loop before the rain settles in on the island this fall.

Weekly Social

Some things we found around the ‘gram and elsewhere. This week, more Tree to Sea Loop shots from the last few weeks…

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