Fishing in SLC
Jumpin’ back in time about 3 months when I got to hang out with @fish_ski.designs for a few days in SLC ridin’ bikes and river dippin’ and makin’ stuff.
Chicago to Portland
I’ve been away from my laptop for a week now so won’t be able to post updates from my journey from LA to Chicago so instead here’s some good roads and other interesting things I’ve seen on my way from Chicago to Portland for the @made.bike show.
Number 1 bikepacking pro tip
DT Swiss x Omnium Cargo wheel launch
For over 30 years DT Swiss has been building and innovating bicycle components of the highest quality. Known for combining Swiss craftsmanship with cutting-edge design to deliver products with lightweight performance, durability and reliability. Their wheels are the choice of high-performing athletes and everyday cyclists alike, whether you’re racing cross-country, touring cross-continent, descending alpine trails, or pushing heavy loads around town, DT Swiss wheels are a global benchmark for quality and consistency.
We are excited to introduce this new DT Swiss wheelset designed specifically for OMNIUM, with intended use on our flagship bikes including the Mini, Mini-Max and Cargo.
Cargo bike against things
Twenty photos of my true love in different places. It’s come a long way in the last three years, with iterative updates as things break and get fixed or annoy me and get swapped out, but I truly feel like I’m only a couple steps away from the ultimate final form of this bike. Is there anything I’m missing? Anything y’all would improve or add?
Support your LBS
This is an appreciation post both for local bike shops for letting me interrupt their queue (thank you @stevens_bicycles) and companies trusting the stuff they make (thank you @ethirteencomponents) enough to believe it’ll hold up to the type of riding I do. I recently passed 3,500 miles with 110,000ft of 📈 (5,600km / 33,500m) on this beauuutiful orange cassette and it’s still running as good as day 1. Having a 9t small cog lets me keep spinning up to 25mph and that 52t on the high end means I can cross mountains nooo problem. Place yer bets on how long y’all think this’ll last? Another 3500?
Interstate 80
Leaving Tahoe and getting on Interstate 80 began one of the more enjoyable parts of my tour east. The expected response of “omg cycling on the highway MUCH DANGER!!!” is honestly hilarious once you get rolling. It’s actually some of the easiest riding I’ve ever done! Huuuge shoulder the entire way, grades never over 10%, free camping at rest areas, food rescue from truck stops (damn Maverick y’all the best), and being statistically safer than riding across town to grab a coffee means I was chilllllin for the next thousand miles. So many good chats with truckers and travelers at rest stops, incredible views as valleys opened up exposing mountain ranges in the distance, and little towns along the way for me to ramble around for some extra flavor. Quiet country roads are nice riding but I’ll always take a highway if it’s legal for bikes.
Bedrock
I’m sure someone’s thought of a better line than “once you go Bedrock you never go back” but that’s honestly all you really need to know. For bikepacking, bike touring, any kind of 99% outside sort of life it just makes sense to become a sandals person. Letting your feet BREATHE while riding feels OH so good and never having to wash socks is a huuuge added bonus. I put 32,000 miles (51,000km) into this pair before swapping to a fresh set when I got new pedals, but I’m sure they woulda kept going for another year or two nooo problem.
