Friday Debrief: Ninja Mermaid, Omnium Titanium, new Skull Tee, 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…

Ninja Mermaid Curve Kevin of Steel

Australia’s Curve Cycling just released their latest Kevin of Steel colorway, Ninja Mermaid. From Curve: “This extraordinary hue is the ultimate chameleon, inspired by the depths of the ocean and the magic of legendary ninjas and mermaids.” You can choose between a complete build or frameset, and the pre-sale is open now for a June delivery.

Made in Taiwan / $6,999 AUD at CurveCycling.com.au

New Skull Tees Coming Soon

Bikepacking Collective members: watch your email inbox over the next couple of weeks. As mentioned in this teaser, we have a bunch of new merch on the way, including this new Skull Tee (V.5!?), which just arrived from the printer. As always, members will get first priority and 20% off. If you’re not yet a member, consider joining to support us here.

Rogue Panda Revamps Top Tube Bag Lineup

Flagstaff, Arizona’s Rogue Panda just revamped their top tube bag lineup with beefier zippers, a more refined look, and several new sizes. Their Alamo (front top tube bag) is now available in a third massive 2.5-liter Gordito Grande size. Additionally, the Rogue Panda crew analyzed hundreds of PandaVision photos from their archive to figure out a set of designs that should fit a majority of bikes, and their Rincon (rear top tube bag) has now been split into six shapes (.8L to 1.2L) to fit various frames. Bags are made to order and are available in 13 solid colors, 32 printed fabrics, and you can even submit your own design for custom printing.

Made in Arizona / $65+ at RoguePanda.com

Omnium Titanium On-Demand

Now through May 14th, there’s another ordering window open for Omnium’s titanium models, including the Cargo, Mini-Max, Mini, and CXC. With this batch, they’ve also introduced Titanium V3 IR (Internal Routing) versions of all models, which feature internal cable routing, updated dropouts, improved welding, and other changes. You can find full details and order a titanium Omnium via the link below.

€2,179+ at OmniumCargo.com

NEMO Forte Sleeping Bag: 100% Recyclable

The updated NEMO Forte is the brand’s first fully recyclable sleeping bag, and it’s available in men’s and women’s versions rated to 20°F or 35°F. The Forte is also the first of many upcoming products in NEMO’s new Endless Promise series, which will include products designed to be repairable, resellable, and recyclable to keep them out of the landfill.

$179+ at NEMOEquipment.com in Men’s / Women’s

Restrap 18L Saddle Bag

Restrap just introduced a new larger 18L size of their Saddle Bag, which adds 4L of carrying capacity over the 14L version and maintains the same tried and true holster design. It’s made in their Yorkshire workshop, is 100% waterproof to keep your kit dry, and weighs 645 grams.

Made in UK / $194.99 at Restrap.com

Moss Green PNW Loam Pedal

Now available in Moss Green, the PNW Loam Pedals are made from forged and CNC’d 6061 aluminum, utilize sealed cartridge bearings, and have 22 replaceable steel pins per pedal. They weigh in at 445 grams per pair and cost $99 USD.

Made in Taiwan / $99 at PNWComponents.com

NOCS Provisions Field Issue

The newest member of the NOCS binocular family is the Field Issue 32mm, which is designed as a lightweight, do-it-all binocular for any environment. The Field Issue binoculars feature an oversized focus wheel and multi-coated optics, and they weigh in at just 473 grams (16.7 ounces).

$175 at NocsProvisions.com

High Above Venture 2 Presale

Washington-based bag maker High Above just opened up orders for their first-ever preorder of Venture 2 hip packs. Buys can choose their fabric and color, including Black Dyneema, Coyote X50, Black X51, and Ranger X50. There are three buckle types and a QuickDraw version with a magnetic Fidlock bottle built into it for extra water storage.

Made in USA / $135 at HighAbove.net

In Conversation

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

Advanced Tire Inserts

Tire inserts are something we haven’t covered much on the site, but it’s clear they’re gaining in popularity. The 2023 edition of Sea Otter saw the release of two new lightweight options from Vittoria and Cushcore. Vittoria’s new Airliner Lite weighs a scant 50 grams, and Cushcore’s new Trail offering has some unique features, although it’s a bit heavier at around 200 grams. The benefits of tire liners are pretty clear. They prevent pinch flats, offer sidewall support, and allow riders to run lower air pressures, which is especially beneficial to heavier riders. However, what’s the hidden cost? Do lighter options have a shorter lifespan and just end up in a landfill? How long do they last, anyway? And is the weight penalty worth it for the heavier (and maybe more durable) options? If you have any thoughts or experiences with them, let us know in the conversation below.

Around the Community

News from around the bikepacking world…

“Monte: Can’t Stop. Won’t Stop.” Film Premiere

Our good friend and regular contributor Jess Daddio picked up Demonte Cosby’s story a few years ago, got Patagonia involved, and it’s finally coming to light with the help filmmaker Joey Schusler and director Dave Mayers. The premiere is taking place on Saturday evening at Warren Wilson College near Asheville, North Carolina. If you’re in the area, you can register to attend here for free. The event includes a pre-screening bikepacking workshop with Jalen Bazile, a raffle, a screening of the film, and an exclusive Q&A session with the Demonte and the director.

Registration opens for the 2023 Arkansas High Country Race

The 1,000-mile Arkansas High Country Race is back for 2023 and will be hosted by Hot Springs for the second year in a row on October 7th, 2023. Only 46 of the 75 participants finished the event in 2022, including a record-breaking time by Ernie Lechuga of 4 days, 14 hours, 13 minutes. We’re excited to follow along in October! Learn more and register here.

2023 Selle Royal Van Tour

Selle Royal’s mobile bike workshop and coffee bar has been supporting Europe’s cyclists for free since 2018. In that time, its dedicated team has fixed over 3,000 bikes, served around 7,000 high-quality coffees, and offered maintenance and comfort advice to countless cyclists. The van will be touring around Europe this spring and summer, stopping in Rotterdam, Brussels, Copenhagen, Berlin, and Salzburg. Find dates and details here.

Events Starting Soon

What to watch this weekend and bikepacking events starting soon…

The Traka

The Traka is a gravel event with four route options that range from 50 to 360 kilometers and explore the endless gravel roads surrounding Girona, Spain. There are a whopping 1,200+ riders registered for the event, which runs from April 26th to the 30th. You can follow the 360-kilometer event here.

A-Cross The 3 (ACT3)

A-Cross the 3 (ACT3) is an unsupported bikepacking adventure across three countries (Belgium, Germany, and Luxemburg). It starts and ends in Eupen (prov. of Liège in Belgium). The total distance to be covered is about 500 kilometers with around 10,000 meters of elevation gain. There are 100 riders signed up for this year’s event, which took off yesterday morning 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…

Lucas Winzenburg: The Oglala Loop

I’ve always thought Nebraska is one of the most underrated states in terms of its subtle beauty, and the Oglala Loop from Carly Gauger and Vince Asta is living proof of that. The northwest corner of the state around the Oglala National Grassland is especially stunning, and I hope to finally make it back over there to experience it from the saddle this year.

Weekly Social

Some things we found around the ‘gram and elsewhere. This week, we’re sharing “The Good Line,” a video we missed when it was released last year. In it, Jeremy Kershaw shares some thoughts on his experience of the intersection of gravel cycling and mental health.

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