This weeks Debrief features "cold dead hands" gear, the all-new 2025 Cotic BFe, a documentary about bike industry waste, the Route Werks Big Handlebar Bag, a pawl hub to ratchet conversion kit, events to follow live, and more. Find it all hereThe post Friday Debrief: Cold Dead Hands Gear, Bike Industry Waste Documentary, and More appeared first on BIKEPACKING.com.

It's October, and the summer has most definitely run its course.However... What a day we were treated do at the latest #fustlefamily ride out which tooks place this past Saturday 12th October.We revisited the familiar surroundings of Gosford Forest Park, which is well known for its family friendly camp site, play parks and extremely well build trail centre routes which may have been design with MTB riders in mind, but is the perfect terrain for a casual and fun filled loop on the a gravel bike.We were joined by an incredible number of Fustle customers on this occasion, and despite the forecast, the sun shone brightly and the rain stayed at bay until the final few pedal strokes of the homeward leg which was a real treat.These ride outs are a fantastic way for us to get to know our customers, and hear their stories, as well as an invaluable opportunity for us to see first hand how our bikes are used, and to explore potential new product development opportunities.We had a mix of different riders join us, but they all shared the same smile on their face as we set off around the flowing trails that Gosford Forest had to offer. For some, it was their first time visiting, and for others, their first time realising just how well suited the location was to a gravel bike.I want to say a huge thank-you to everyone who turned out, and for those who couldn't make it, we welcome you on the next one, which we hope to host before the Christmas Holidays. (Location TBC)Huge thanks to Colin Tuff @unpaved_ireland for capturing the days craic with his camera.

Our Reader's Rig of the week comes from Ben on the south coast of England, who offers a look at the 2014 Specialized AWOL Deluxe he uses for everything from jaunts around town for pastries to loaded tours abroad. Get to know Ben and his bike here... The post Readers Rig: Bens Specialized AWOL Deluxe appeared first on BIKEPACKING.com.

When it works, crowdfunding can be a great way to get a new idea off the ground. When it doesnt, crowdfunding can often leave the customer holding the bag. That seems to be the case with eBike and electric motorcycle brand, Fuell. After raising millions through Indiegogo and Prelaunch campaigns, one of those backers reached out to us yesterday to point out that Fuell had apparently just filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in the US Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin. That news was first reported on bankruptcyobserver.com, though it quickly spread through the internet and seems to be legit. Our first thought was to reach out to the PR team which has communicated with us in the past for Fuell launches, only to find those email addresses to be terminated. A quick look at LinkedIn also revealed that Fuell CEO Franois-Xavier Ternys tenure was marked as ending in October 2024. The final nail in the coffin comes in the form of a letter to creditors by Paul G. Swanson, that was recently uploaded to the Indiegogo campaign site as well as a notice of Bankruptcy filing. Since Chapter 7 bankruptcy involves selling off nonexempt assets to pay off creditors, its unclear if those waiting on delivery from the crowdfunding campaigns are likely to receive their bikes. The letter states that they dont have the money to assemble and ship products to its customers, but it does state that they have the parts necessary to assemble the bulk, if not all of the pre-ordered electric bicycles on hand. It will be interesting to see how this plays out given that the Indiegogo campaign clearly (and boldly) calls out that this was a guaranteed purchase. If they guaranteed bicycle delivery and that doesnt happen, does the obligation then fall on Indiegogo?Well update this if we get more info. fuell.comThe post After Successful Crowdfunding Campaigns, Erik Buells Fuell Files for Bankruptcy appeared first on Bikerumor.

Swiss mountain bike superstarMathias Flckiger came close to taking Olympic gold back in 2020 before being denied by Tom Pidcock.In June 2022 though, he tested positive for 0.3 nanograms per millilitre of the anabolic substance zeranol, during the Swiss national championships, which he won. Since,...

British debutant stuns with 'unbelievable' qualifying ride at World Championships to go into gold medal final

Cycling activists in Paris have called for an end to road violence, after a SUV driver was charged with the cyclists murder, reportedly sparked by a roadside row when the motorist cut across an unprotected cycle lane

Qhapaq Nan, which translates to the Royal Road in the Quechua language, refers to the endless ancient road system that connected the Inca Empire. Leonardo Brasil and Adam Pawlikiewicz Mesa set out from Bolivia intending to traverse Qhapaq Nanbut it wasn't easy. Watch In Search of the Qhapaq Nan, the film they made from the trip here, alongside a written reflection and a stunning collection of photos...The post In Search of the Qhapaq Nan (Film + Story) appeared first on BIKEPACKING.com.

Founded in 1974, Specialized has been rolling for 50 years now. To celebrate, theyve set a global goal of getting 1 million bikes back on the road by the end of 2025. And not just Specialized bikes any bike. To do so, Specialized has launched its Reduce, Reuse, ReSpecialized Program. On October 26th (and only on October, 26th), Specialized will celebrate its 50th anniversary by offering free repairs, tune-ups, and bike discounts in hopes of getting any brand of bike back in riding shape and back on the road.The Reduce, Reuse, ReSpecialized Program is a global effort. It offers free minor tune-ups, helmets, and discounted repairs at participating retail locations. The program applies to any rider, with any bike, from any brand.(Photos / Specialized Bicycles)Specialized states the Reduce, Reuse, ReSpecialized Program is the first of its kind. It underlines their mission to move the planet forward, by using the bicycle as a powerful way to deliver mental, physical, and environmental benefits.Its important to point out that the scope of the free service is limited. Dont expect a major overhaul for free, but if your bike has been hanging for years and was in good shape before it took an extended vacation, that should qualify. You also have to pay for any parts needed. If your bike does need a big repair, it seems that Specialized will be offering discount coupons to help offset the cost. Check out the fine print section below for more details. What does Mr. Sinyard have to Say About It?For 50 years, weve been motivated by the pure love of riding and spotlighting the benefits bikes provide for our communities and health, says Specialized Founder Mike Sinyard. For example, we formed Outride, a non-profit committed to using cycling to support the cognitive and physical well-being of youth to underline the power of two wheels as we look toward the future, we dont care what kind of bike you ride, we just want you riding it. By getting one million bikes back on the road and inspiring more to ride, we can collectively reduce our carbon footprint, help our bodies, and steer toward a better future.What is the Impact?To give you an idea of the impact the Reduce, Reuse, ReSpecialized program can have: according to Specialized, if the program were to get 1 million new riders on bikes in the next year, pedaling an average of only 12 miles a week it couldReduce global carbon emissions by 438 million kilograms of CO2Burn 25 billion caloriesReduce screen time by 66.6 million hoursequal the C02 reduction of planting 7,242,368 million new treesThats pretty amazing. I guess bicycles really could save the world if we let them.For more information about Reduce, Reuse, and ReSpecialized events including repair info, participating U.S. retail partner locations, and what will happen on October 26th, visit here. The Fine Print: Terms and ConditionsThe Reduce, Reuse, ReSpecialized program (ReSpecializedProgram) is available at participating Specialized Retailers and will take place October 26, 2024, only. The ReSpecialized Program is limited toselect services, which may or may not include flat tire repair, minor brake and shifting adjustment and repair, component and lubrication, and other similar minor repairs required to service thebicycle and as determined by the participating Specialized Retailer. While there is no cost to the owner of the bicycle (therider) for the select services offered under the ReSpecialized Program, the Rider isresponsible for the cost of parts, which can be purchased at the participating Specialized Retailer. For services and repairs not covered under the ReSpecialized Program, such as minor and major tune-upsand replacement of cables or other componentry, the Rider is able to schedule the service with the participating SpecializedRetailer. The Rider agrees to pay for the services and repairs rendered, as wellas any parts required for the service and repair provided. Each participating Specialized Retailer reserves the right to determine what services and repairs are offered under the ReSpecialized Program, aswell as services and repairs that are beyond the scope of the ReSpecialized program.Specialized.comThe post Specialized Celebrates 50-years with Free Tune-ups for Everyone! appeared first on Bikerumor.

On Wednesday I mentioned Jeremy Vine so I figured Id check in on what the old boys been up to, and I was not at all surprised to learn that he remains aggrieved:I have had it up to here with the Westminster Bridge Cycle Lane. The daily circus on this defies description. This was a single visit on Tuesday at random. WARNING: Includes rude American. PS. The friend of mine who appears with such impeccable timing is @crisortunity pic.twitter.com/c6NGpi1ech Jeremy Vine (@theJeremyVine) October 17, 2024Now I should point out that as an American I know absolutely nothing about Jeremy Vines broadcasting career; I only know about his bicycling exploits. So any comments I make about him are entirely in this context. Also, I believe that when bicycling, people should feel free to clothe themselves any way they choose, and I myself veer from normal street clothing to full suits of stretchy technical garmentssometimes in the same day! At the same time, I cant help askingwhy the hell cant this guy just dress normal while hes riding around London for chrissakes?Thats fine if you want to dress like a SCUBA diver whos gloved up to administer a prostate exam, but hes a public figure, and this getup reflects poorly on all of us. I realize the helmet cam or whatever he uses distorts things considerably, and maybe is just wearing relatively normal clothes and it only looks weird because of the device hes using. But either way, whether it means tweaking his wardrobe or his lens, if he could present himself less freakishly and more proportionately I think it would go a long way towards earning both himself and the rest of us a little more respect.Superficial matters aside, this time Vines problem seems to be the bike lane on the Westminster Bridge, which appears to be the equivalent of the Brooklyn Bridge bike path in that its full of tourists:Of course, New York City actually solved the problem of tourist/bicyclists conflicts on the Brooklyn Bridge by giving the path and all its panoramic views completely over to the tourists and giving the bicyclists a totally separate and non-scenic path on the roadway:If I sound bitter or cynical about this Im not at allthis is a very good and pragmatic solution, even if advocates act like its an unmitigated disaster because sometimes theres a puddle in it:Two ways to look at this:1) The city has failed you, bicyclists should never have to encounter waterOR2) When it rains it gets wet so use fenders*shrug*https://t.co/rlDNSAysYr Bike Snob NYC (@bikesnobnyc) October 17, 2022 But I gather London has not implemented a similar solution and so Mr. Vine must stop repeatedly as he makes his way across the span.To his credit, he is very polite and considerate, unlike that COMPLETE ASSHOLE on the Brooklyn Bridge who used to make videos of himself singing loudly and once hit a little girl. But to the tourists credit theyre also quite considerate, because they eventually do move, and would you move for this? Im not sure that I would:He looks like hes on his way to Lugash to steal the Pink Panther:Strangely, Vine also notes that the pedestrians are mostly not from this country, which in these overly sensitive times one might attempt to interpret as some form of xenophobia. I am not overly sensitive, nor do I think he meant anything negative by it, though I do think its ironic he feels compelled to point out theyre mostly not from this country when he looks like hes mostly not from this planet:I do however take issue with his characterization of one tourist as a rude American:His crime? Asking, Where are you from? and not liking his hot dog:Except in the case of Don Rickles when Where are you from? was immediately followed by a slew of ethnic jokes, asking this question is simply polite discourse in America. Also, What kind of hotdog is this? is a fair question, since British cuisine is indeed deeply vexing. I remember the first time I visited London maybe 30 years ago and saw that they put corn on their pizza. I found this shockingeven more so than pineapple, which is a popular pizza topping in certain cultural backwaters here in Canadas bum bagand so What kind of pizza is this? would have been a perfectly reasonable question for me to ask. As it happens, I didnt ask it, but I did order a slice using standard New York food-ordering protocol, which is to say: Lemme get [insert food item here]. (This may sound brusque, but its all in the delivery.) To my surprise, the person waiting behind me found this offensive and lectured me for being rude. I suppose this is the main difference between our two countries: they think its rude not to say please and thank you gratuitously, and we think its rude not to mind your own business, though I guess we take people minding their own business for granted over here because if you dont you stand a pretty good chance of being shot.So cut the American tourist some slack, is all Im saying. Hes clearly a giant doofus, but I dont think he was being rude.Also he might shoot you.All of this is to say none of this really struck me as a circus that defies description, and my impression didnt change when the driver of a Range Rover actually stops for him:The idea of a Range Rover driver stopping for a bicyclist in New York City is completely unthinkable.Nevertheless, as Vine ends his journey, he concludes, This cycle lane scares the living daylights out of me.The feeling is mutual, weird Space Man.You want scary? Ping me when this happens: View this post on Instagram A post shared by Ethan Minsker (@ethanminsker)Someone must have had a bad hot dog.