This week’s Debrief features Alexandera Houchin on the AZT, an updated hip pack from Dispersed, new Chromag clipless pedals, an All-City rack bag, some beautiful builds, two events to follow live, and more. Find it all here…

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…

Dispersed Hip Packs now attach to Handlebars

Dispersed Bikepacking Hip Pack

Andrew Strempke over at Dispersed Bikepacking just updated his small brand’s hip packs so they can be used as handlebar bags as well. The new design allows for the hip straps to be tucked behind the foam back pad, and removable velcro straps (or Voile Nano Straps) are used to attach it to your bars. There’s also a removable paracord loop for the head tube. The main closure is now accessed via a one-handed magnetic buckle as well.

$90-$120 / Made in USA / Details

Orange Anodized Widefoot CargoMount

Widefoot Orange

Widefoot in Colorado just added an orange anodized option for their forever-useful CargoMount cargo cage. Like their LiterCage, The CargoMount was just redesigned with an updated bolt pattern for more versatility when mounting to your bike. It’s made from lightweight aluminum and weighs just 66g.

$45 / Made in USA / Details

New Chromag Pilot Pedals

Chromag Pilot Pedals

Chromag Bikes just released two new clipless mountain bike pedals, the Pilot and Pilot BA. Both are inspired by their line of flat pedals and use a proven, dual-sided SPD compatible cleat engagement system. The Pilot BA has a 105 x 110mm platform with five points of engagement, while the smaller Pilot has an 87 x 110mm platform with four pins on each side.

$215 CAD / Made in China / Details

Mission Workshop x Afterschool Projects Collection

Mission Workshop Afterschool Project

Mission Workshop’s latest collaboration with Afterschool Projects features a unique hand-dying process developed by ASP specifically for Dimension Polyant’s X10 cotton-faced waterproof fabrics, resulting in one-of-a-kind patterns for each bag. The collection includes a backpack, accessory bags, a small handlebar bag, and more.

$21-$395 / Made in USA / Details

All-City Beatbox Front Rack Bag

All City Beatbox Front Rack Bag

The new All-City Beatbox Front Rack Bag is a versatile carry-all bag that’s designed to fit most front racks. It’s kitted out with an assortment of interior and exterior pockets, is made from 100% post-consumer recycled ripstop polyester, and the main body fabric, lining, and hardware are all Bluesign approved. It can hold up to 17L and comes in a single brown colorway.

$150 / Made in China / Details

Breadwinner Celebrates 10 Years

Breadwinner B-Road

Portland’s lauded Breadwinner Cycles is celebrating their first decade in business, and to do so, they’re offering a limited edition 10th Anniversary B-Road with expedited delivery. It features a special paint scheme and is available as a frameset or complete build, with a limited-time price on the complete Shimano GRX build option.

$2,995+ / Made in Oregon / Details

Pelago Fork Racks

Pelago Fork Rack

Helsinki-based Pelago Bicycles just unveiled a new cargo-carrying accessory, the Fork Rack. It’s made of aluminum, bolts onto three-pack fork mounts, and features six mounting holes for height adjustment. The maximum load capacity is 3kg (6.6lbs), and it has slots for two straps to secure your cargo.

$29€ / Details

Bingham Built Titanium Seatpost

Bingham Built Ti Seatpost

Colorado-based Bingham Built Bikes just teased a new titanium seatpost that will be available on their web store soon. The new titanium post features infinite rotational adjustment, which is fully independent from the fore/aft adjustment. There are eight colors to choose from in 27.2mm or 30.9mm diameters with both straight and layback. The posts are 100% machined and fabricated in the USA with help from Paragon Machine Works. Keep an eye on BinghamBuiltBikes.com for more.

Around the Community

News from around the bikepacking world…

Alexandera Houchin on the 2022 Arizona Trail Race

Earlier this month, Alexandera Houchin set a new women’s singlespeed record on the Arizona Trail—completing the challenging 800-mile route in just 12 days, 16 hours, and 38 minutes (12d:16h:38m), a full three days faster than her 2021 record. She just published a self-shot video, all recorded on her cell phone, which provides a raw look at her experience.

The Official Old Ghost Road Video

The New Zealand Mountain Safety Council just released the official overview video for the Old Ghost Road route. The 85-kilometer Old Ghost Road is Aotearoa’s longest singletrack backcountry trail, taking riders and hikers back in time along the long-forgotten shared-use goldminers’ road. Watch the video above and then check out the route guide here.

Dana Ernst and the Verde Valley Randonee

Our friend Dana Ernst was recently a guest on the new Stoke Podcast by Quinn Travis. On the channel’s first episode, the two sit down to chat about Dana’s new route, the Verde Valley Randonnee, and his experience riding the full 250-mile loop in 23 hours and 18 minutes.

Bicycle Film Festival Returns to Amsterdam

Bicycle Film Festival

The Bicycle Film Festival will be back in Amsterdam from December 2-4. It’s the first time the event has stopped in the city since 2016, and this year’s program looks incredible. Among the films being screened is MBOGI AMANI, which tell the story of the AMANI Migration Gravel Race and is directed by regular contributor Lian van Leeuwen. Find details and get tickets here.

In Conversation

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

Flat Mounts and Standards

2020 Kona Sutra LTD Review

In Josh’s recent tech tip article about fitting 180mm rotors on a flat-mount frame, the conversation heated up quickly. Head over to join in if you have any tips or thoughts on flat-mount brakes. And stay tuned on our YouTube Channel as we’ll soon be posting parts two and three of our “Worthy Innovation or Marketing Hype” series addressing standards such as this one…

Events Starting Soon

What to watch this weekend and bikepacking events starting soon…

GranGuanche Audax Trail

GranGuanche Audax Trail

GranGuanche Audax Trail is a self-supported bikepacking event on an 800-kilometer fixed route that goes by five islands and is connected by four ferries. It’s a demanding route with a massive elevation gain for experienced riders. It includes steep climbs, high mountains, and remote areas. Experienced means well trained, technically skilled, and wisely equipped. The event starts tomorrow, and you can follow along live here.

Peak to Pines

Peak to Pines 2022

Peak to Pines is a 380-mile self-supported or relay bike event that takes participants from the Pisgah National Forest in North Carolina to Francis Marion National Forest in South Carolina over the course of 48 hours. Riders can participate solo or build a relay team of three to six people with support during the weekend. There is a grand depart tomorrow evening, and you can 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…

Joshua Meissner (@joshm.de): Southern Europe

Photo by Franzi Wernsing from the Trans Verdon

As the gloomy grey engulfs Berlin, reliably bringing seasonal myopia, my mind soars back to cruising the groomed gravel along the spine of the Black Forest in Germany’s southwest just a month ago. To my right rose the Vosges Mountains from the plain like a perfect reflection mirrored in the mighty Rhine River. That day, I made the turn east into the low hills and timber-framed villages of Swabia to visit the industrious people that build the SON dynamo hubs in Tübingen. Next time, I’ll continue on southward into the Jura Alps and then track the flow of the Rhône until I feel the piercing mistral in my face under what I imagine to be crystal-clear skies on the rocky shore of the Mediterranean Sea.

Weekly Social

Some things we found around the ‘gram and elsewhere. This week, some fun builds that caught our eye…

FILED IN (CATEGORIES & TAGS)

Dispatch

the-debrief  

Please keep the conversation civil, constructive, and inclusive, or your comment will be removed.