Friday Debrief: Stomp Lox, Aurora Chains, The Hebridean Way, and more…

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…

Rogue Panda’s Food Chain’s a Bitch 2.0

Rogue Panda Designs just released the second iteration of their “Food Chain’s a Bitch” print, which can be used on any type of custom frame bag. Once again, they partnered with New Mexican artist Collette Marie (@nightbird) on the design, and it can be selected using their online custom bag builder.

Stomp Lox x LaRon Slack SPD Shoes

Japan-based shoe manufacturer Stomp Lox has teamed up with Ronnie Romance over at Ron’s Bikes on a special collaboration version of their Slack clipless cycling shoe, and they are available today. The Ron’s Bike version of the Slack features a custom label and is handmade in Japan, unlike the Stomp Lox’s version, which is made in China. They feature the new European/North American last, which is narrower than their standard Asian/wide fit option, and come in a suede or full-leather construction. We’re currently testing a pair, so stay tuned for our review.

$270-300 / Made in Japan / Details

Mason Sustain Apparel Supports Conservation

Mason’s new Sustain clothing line has been completely revamped with a focus on conversation and social responsibility. The line is high quality, uses recycled and naturally derived fabrics where possible, and Mason has chosen muted colours for most garments to reduce dye content. Plus, 20% of all Sustain clothing profits are being donated to chosen local cycling and conservation charities.

£32-50 / Details

New Buckhorn Bags Waxed Canvas Top Tube Bags + Panniers Ready to Ship

Arkansas-based Buckhorn Bags just added some classy top tube bags to their lineup, which are perfect for carrying small essentials like phones, wallets, and ride snacks. In true Buckhorn fashion, the bags are constructed from US-made No.10 waxed canvas, a white VX21 ripstop liner, and a closed-cell foam body. You have your choice of six color combinations and a bolt-on or strap-on attachment. They also have stock of their beautiful waxed canvas panniers, which can ship out Monday, snag some here. Pannier photo by Tom Norman (@dirtsloth).

$75 / Made in USA / Details

Rogue Panda Happy Jack Snack Sack

Announced this week, the Rogue Panda Happy Jack Snack Pack is a new stem bag with a massive main compartment that can fit a 1L Nalgene or up to 16 Snickers bars. It has a one-handed opening/closure, three external mesh pockets, and unlike most other stem bags, it doesn’t use a stem or head tube strap. Instead, the Snack Sack attaches to your bars and fork crown with three Voile Nano Straps, which they say is perfect for modern trail bikes with short stems.

$65 / Made in USA / Details

Challenge Sailcloth UltraGrid Earth Tone Collection

UltraGrid by Challenge Sailcloth is the world’s first recycled nylon grid fabric with Ultra ripstop. UltraGrid is woven at their Bluesign Approved facility with 210d recycled nylon yarn from pre-consumer industrial waste. It has a C0 DWR coating, is free from toxic PFCs, is finished with a waterproof 1500mm PU backing, and was just expanded to include a new collection of earth tone colors. Learn more here.

2023 Fairdale Weekender Nomad

The Fairdale Weekender Nomad is a tweaked version of the standard Weekender, based around a 4130 Chromoly frame and fork, clearance for 27.5 x 2.1″ tires, a SRAM Apex 1×11 drivetrain, and Maxxis semi-knobby tires. Not into drop bars? Check out the riser bar-equipped Weekender Nomad MX or standard Weekender Archer.

$1,699 / Made in Taiwan / Details

KMC Releases Aurora X-Series Chains

KMC has added the Aurora colorway to their 12-speed X-Series chain line. The Aurora X-Series chains are now available for 10, 11, and 12-speed Shimano, SRAM, and Campagnolo drivetrain systems. Along with the Aurora colorway, the X-Series chains are also available in Ti Gold, Ti Gold/Black, Silver, and EPT colors.

$25-40 / Made in Taiwan / Details

SimWorks Solid Black Super Yummy

SimWorks just announced a solid black version of their popular and versatile Super Yummy tire. They are 2.2″ wide, come in 26″, 27.5″, and 29″ diameters, and are otherwise identical to the gumwall version.

$76 / Made in Japan / Details

In Conversation

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

Are 3D Printed Saddles the Future?

In our 2022 Gear of the Year Awards roundup, reader Chris Lowe brought up a good point about our hesitancy to spend money on saddles, but most of us won’t blink at the idea of expensive handlebars or cranks. Logan included a $300+ 3D printed saddle in this year’s awards and has found it extremely comfortable so far, and apparently others have as well. How much would you spend on a saddle?

Around the Community

News from around the bikepacking world…

Brother in the Wild Dorset Tickets on Sale

Tickets for the 2023 Brother in the Wild Dorset event went on sale this week, and while early bird pricing tickets are sold out, regular tickets are still up for grabs. The event takes place on the Isle of Purbeck and includes two days of bikepacking, gravel grinding, and adventure seeking. Grab your tickets here.

Bikepacking The Hebridean Way

Tom Wall recently set off to the Outer Hebrides, some of Western Scotland’s most remote islands, on a 200-mile bikepacking trip following The Hebridean Way. He put together a detailed 26-minute video/trip report that you can check out above.

The Eden Ridge Roundabout

The Eden Ridge Roundabout is an overnight bike camping route that starts and ends in Powers—a small, rural town nestled in the Southern Oregon Coast Range. Dallas Mignano put together a video from the first official group ride this November, which you can watch above. For another route in Oregon, check out Dallas’ Pine Mountain Observatory (PMO) Loop here.

Events Starting Soon

What to watch this weekend and bikepacking events starting soon…

Cross Florida Individual Time Trial

The Cross Florida Individual Time Trial is Florida’s premier off-road ultra-endurance event. It is coast-to-coast bikepacking/ultra-running challenge, the only one of its kind in the United States. 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…

Miles Arbour: Summer on the water

Ian MacLellan’s “Carefree Overnight Bikerafting Trip” video we shared last month has me longing for warm summer days out on the water. I didn’t get out in my packraft this summer nearly as much as I would have liked to, but I appreciated how fun it is to incorporate into day rides, and I look forward to doing a lot more bikerafting next summer.

Weekly Social

Some things we found around the ‘gram and elsewhere. This week, some product restock announcements from a handful of our favourite makers…

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