Friday Debrief: Silk Road Mountain Race Tips, Any Bottle Cage, Phone vs. GPS, 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…

Bikase Sidewinder Any Bottle Cage

$30 at Bikase

The Bikase Any Bottle Cage (ABC) is an adjustable side-loading cage designed to fit bottles that are 2 1/4″ to 4 3/4″ and can be mounted as left or right-handed using a swappable bottom retainer. The ABC secures with two standard cage mount bolts and ratchets by turning the knob to tighten or loosen.

Tunitas Creative Bottle Sling

Made in California / $80 at Tunitas Creative

Maker Jessica Chan of Tunitas Creative (formerly Tunitas Carryall) just launched the new Bottle Sling, a collaborative bag with Deathless Coffee that’s designed to carry a 32oz water bottle and other essentials, helping you remember to stay hydrated. The lightly padded bag has a 1L volume, weighs 130 grams, and features two exterior pockets, drawstring closure, MOLLE webbing, and detachable hand and shoulder straps. It’s available now in Obsidian or 90s Retro.

New Spurcycle Bell Colors

Made in Oregon / $69 at Spurcycle

Spurcycle just dropped two fresh Bell colors for summer, and the first batch is sure to sell out quickly. Although they’re pricey, we think Spurcycle’s Bells are the best on the market, and the new Ultra Black and Black + Pink Colors look great.

North St. Bags Custom Bag Collection

Made in Oregon / $105+ at North St. Bags

Portland’s North St. Bags is now offering a limited run of custom versions of their Woodward Backpack Pannier, Pioneer 9 Hip Pack, and Davis Daypack. Buyers can pick from a range of base fabric colors, stripe colors, and zipper cord colors, along with add-ons like a padded mesh back, webbing loops, or a handlebar kit (depending on the product) to create one-of-a-kind, bespoke bags.

Brother Cycles x Chris McNally

£15+ at Brother Cycles

Earlier this week, Brother Cycles shared a new capsule collection of goods made in collaboration with our pal Chris McNally, who designed a water bottle, poster, and T-shirt for the UK-based brand. All three are in stock in Brother’s online shop now.

SID in Blue Crush

1,485 grams / $999 at RockShox

For those who didn’t read between the lines in our RockShox SID Ultimate review yesterday, the fork also comes in a unique “Blue Crush” colorway. The sparkly finish has pearl white graphics and all the same features as the gloss black model.

In Conversation

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

Phone vs. GPS Unit

Lucas’s review of the Peak Design Out Front Bike Mount stirred up some good comments about the merits of using a phone on your handlebars vs. a dedicated GPS unit. Some commenters agree that having your phone front and center can be distracting or nerve-wracking and prefer the simplicity of a GPS unit, while others think it’s the most convenient way to navigate. What are your thoughts on using a phone vs. a GPS unit for navigation duties? Any experiences with other mounts we should check out? Let us know in the conversation below.

Around the Community

News from around the bikepacking world…

Bombtrack Welcomes Ezequiel Gignone

Ezequiel left his apartment in Argentina in 2017 and has been living on his bike since ever since. He has now crossed more than 25 countries and ridden in three continents. Bombtrack just added Ezequiel as a sponsored rider, and we look forward to seeing more of Ezequiel’s imagery and hearing his stories from abroad.

6 Keys to Finishing the Silk Road Mountain Race

In his latest video, two-time winner Sofiane Sehilli walks through six tips to finishing the Silk Road Mountain Race, one of the most challenging races on the bikepacking circuit. He highlights what he thinks are the most important aspects of preparing for this adventure and what will help folks make the best of an adventure that is as challenging as it is rewarding.

Events Starting Soon

What to watch this weekend and bikepacking events starting soon…

2023 Basajuan

The 2023 Basajaun kicks off on Sunday at 8 a.m. local time in Álava, Spain. This self-supported, long-distance gravel event is on the edge of Basque Country and traverses 780 kilometers—70% of which is off-road—and gains 15,000 meters as it shows the most extreme contrasts between wild forests, deserts, and the Pyrenees and the Sierra de la Demanda. Follow nearly 300 riders on the live tracking map here.

2023 Log Driver’s Waltz

The Log Driver’s Waltz kicks off Saturday at 8:30 a.m. local time in Ontario, Canada. This is an 800-kilometer self-supported bikepacking event through the Ottawa Valley of Ontario and Quebec’s Outaouais region, and it’s quickly gaining a reputation as one of the most challenging and picturesque routes in Canada. With ~9,500 meters of climbing in 800 kilometers, the route offers a variety of surfaces, views, challenging climbs, and exhilarating descents. Follow along on the live map here.

Wish We Were Here

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

Kyle Ponce: Armenia

It’s just been over four years since I returned home from the Georgian Caucasus Crossing in 2019. That trip pushed me to my limits and completely transformed my perception of bikepacking for the better. It was a journey full of surprises, companionship, and genuine adventure. The days I spent in those mountains are some of my most cherished memories.

Today, I’m wishing I was right back there in the Caucasus Mountains, except this time venturing further into Armenia. I long to see an unfamiliar place and experience a culture that I’ve heard so many fantastic things about. It’s an opportunity to reunite with the familiar and challenging landscape of the Caucuses, all while immersing myself in an exciting new adventure.

Weekly Social

Some things we found around the ‘gram and elsewhere. This week, some random posts from our team and friends…

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