Handmade in California, the redesigned Chromoly steel mountain bike handlebar lineup from BTCHN' Bikes features refined specs and a new bent cross-bar. Take a closer look at the entire lineup here...The post The BTCHN Bikes MTB Bar Lineup Has a New Look appeared first on BIKEPACKING.com.

Despite having raised the avoidance of anything resembling work to an art form (or at least a blog), I do commute to Brooklyn twice a week. These days, I generally do that by subway, which is convenient and inexpensive and affords me the time to read. (I do use a popular brand of e-reader, the e-bike of books). However, long subway rides can be wearyingpsychologically more so than physically, mostly because of people WHO DO NOT USE HEADPHONES WITH THEIR GODDAMN PHONES.If I were to run for mayor I would campaign entirely on the platform of a zero-tolerance policy for e-noise on transit, which I suspect would even be more popular than socialism is here. In fact its gotten so bad I might even support the socialist approach of giving away headphones on the subway. Im sure its only a matter of time before theyre giving out AirPods with the syringes.But now that the days are longer and the weather has improved my thoughts turn once again to commuting by bicycle, which is easy and pleasant and generally stress-free since I can do it mostly on separated paths:Though theres always a chance Ill run into Unhoused Jason Momoa:Or of course the dreaded Citi Bike Beer Fiend of NoLiTa:Yes, life in this city can be like a Grimms Fairy Tale, but Im sure its only a matter of time before all the socialism fixes it. (And if you think complaining about having to rub shoulders with the un-headphoned, unhoused, and untoothed during my commute reeks of entitlement, youre absolutely right, but I make no apologies, for I have reached the age at which one wears ones entitlement proudly on ones sleeve.)But the real issue with commuting by bike is that it takes too long. Generally speaking, when it comes to cycling at a civilized pace versus taking the subway, the break-even point happens around 10 miles; after that, the train is going to win. My commute is quite a bit longer than that, and I generally cant spare the extra time. Yes, I could probably narrow the bike/subway gap considerably with an e-bike, but Id rather continue to enhance my traditional fleet of bicycles than divert crucial resources to some sort of pedal-assisted commuter. And yes, Ive also flirted with the idea of requisitioning a motorcycle for commuting purposes (I have owned and commuted on motorcycles in the past), but not only would that also require diverting crucial resources that could be better spent on bicycles, but its also way too conspicuous. See, nobody in the household even notices when I get a new bike, but a motorcycle is bound to raise questions, and I cant just explain one away by saying, Oh, that old thing? Paul from Classic Cycle sent it to me for testing. Also, having a motorcycle in winter without a garage really sucks.Given the above, sometimes I splurge on a multi-modal binge that involves riding to the commuter rail station, taking said train to Grand Central, then undertaking the final leg of my journey by subway:This is what I did yesterday. The advantages are that I get to enjoy a short ride, I get to luxuriate on upholstered commuter rail seats in relative silence, and the subway portion is short enough that the irritations dont have sufficient time to accumulate compound interest. Its also relatively fast. The disadvantage is that its more expensive, though unlike the e-Citi Bikers Im not complaining.Oddly it hasnt occurred to me until just now to try my commute entirely via e-Citi Bike, even though theres a station fairly close to my home, but frankly I dont find the idea all that tempting. For the record, I was a Citi Bike founding member, and even had the key fob to prove it. But as much as I liked Citi Bike in principle, it seemed like whenever I used it I was never able to find an empty dock at my destination, and so I eventually gave up on it. Perhaps the app and the balancing and all that stuff has improved since then, but between public transit and my own bicycles Ive always felt as though I were more or less covered.Oh well. Maybe Ill just grab an e-bike frame off the street and put one together myself instead:Im assuming thats an e-bike, anyway. Ill just order a cheap battery from the same company that sold me my e-reader, duct tape it to the downtube, and Ill be in business. Unfortunately, the end result will probably be not only flammable, but also too heavy to tie to the end of the flag:Powerful political statement, or just mental illness?[From here.]Increasingly, I dont think theres much of a difference.I also wonder if the bike was stolen:Does it make me a bad person that the first thing I thought was, Wow, I bet they have some pretty sweet bikes in the Boulder unclaimed stolen bike storage unit, and I wonder how I can get my hands on one? Sure it does. But remember: Im the sort of person who complains about having to look at unkempt itinerants. Also, its not like if I scored a bike from the Boulder unclaimed stolen bike storage unit I wouldnt give it back. If anything, heres how it would work:I contact the Boulder police and tell them Im looking for some fancy bike youre bound to find in Boulder, like I dunno, a Moots Routt or somethingCan you describe the bike?, theyd saySure, its unpainted, and its got Enve wheels and parts. [99% of Mootses (is that the plural of Moots?) fit this descrption]Wow, you just described it to a T! Clearly the bike is yours.I ride the bike for awhile and post many pictures of it on my blog under the pretense of exploring The Spirit of Gravel or something stupid like thatEventually the actual owner gets wind of it and contacts meI got to ride a Moots for awhile, and some guy with a first name like Tyler gets his bike back (after reimbursing me for the round-trip air fare I incurred in picking his bike up, but Tyler works for a tech company out there and rides a Moots, he can afford it)Everybody wins!Of course, there is the slim chance that the Boulder unclaimed stolen bike storage unit does not contain a Moots, and you might not want to keep calling back, disguising your voice, and asking for different fancy bike brands. [Why, hello old chap. I am in search of my Mosaic velocipede, which was purloined from in front of an artisanal coffee establishment in Boulder while I was visiting from jolly old England. Would it happen to be in your possession, by Jove? And so forth.] If thats the case, then the sure-fire approach to a free bike would be to ask for one theyre 100% guaranteed to have. For example, its a scientific fact that 1 out of every 100 bicycles in the world is a bonded aluminum Trek 1200, so as long as there are at least 100 bikes in there its a mathematical certainty they have one:Bingo!Do I know what Im talking about? Or do I know what Im talking about?In a place like Boulder the same thing also goes for Surly:Though its only now occurring to me that we have these photos of the actual bike room, so all youd need to do is describe one of the bikes in the photo.By the way whats up with the Reddit r/xbiking cockpit in the foreground?It simply does not square with this comment in the article:This is somebodys baby, and were trying to figure out where they belong, said Boulder Police Officer Mitch Trujillo.Somebodys baby? More like somebodys nightmare. Non-aero road bike levers on some kind of flared bar with Ergon grips and a Salsa stem? Someone was clearly drunk-watching Path Less Pedaled and Ultraromance videos on YouTube and made a bunch of ill-advised eBay purchases.Speaking of people like Path Less Pedaled and Ultraromance, together theyve undermined effete roadiedom and put Lycra into bankruptcyliterally:Wool you look at that!

New Cycling Time Trials chair Tim Smith talks to Cycling Weekly about his plans to make a difference in the TT world

Dwars door Vlaanderen is the fourth out of five World Tour classics in Flanders which make up for the final block of cobbled classics in the region. It takes place on the 1st of April this year and is the final big race before the Tour of Flanders. We take a look at its startlist, which is estimated...

Toronto's third annual Vintage Mountain Bike Show, hosted by BoneshakerMTB and Gremlins Bicycle Emporium, took place earlier this month and celebrated the bikes and culture of the sport we love. Dismount Bike Shop passed out point-and-shoot film cameras to attendees for a unique look at this year's event. Find those, a gallery of vintage mountain bikes on display, and some words by Jake London and Carson Lessif here...The post Torontos Third Annual Vintage Mountain Bike Show on Film appeared first on BIKEPACKING.com.

Now a World Tour rider for over 10 years, Yves Lampaert have seen many come and go from the battles in the cobbled classics. This also allowed him to see the rise and confirmation of the best Grand Tour specialist in the world, Tadej Pogacar, in the terrain in which he used to thrive in - one where...

Designed with the occasional home mechanic in mind, the Acros DIY Headset Tool is a capable, compact, and inexpensive alternative to headset presses that can cost well over $100. Learn more about the economical gadget from the German brand here...The post Acros Makes a $29 Headset Press appeared first on BIKEPACKING.com.

Welcome to the Volta a Catalunya Liveblog. After two stages with bunch sprints, the race route is starting to get tougher, and today will be another day to test and tire out the riders competing for the general classification. Join us and follow all the action from the race, live and up to the minut...

Now on Kickstarter, the packable Anytimer Rod from Tenkara Rod Co. aims to give those with overlapping outdoor interests the flexibility to cast a line just about anywhere. Get to know all the details of this highly portable fly fishing rod below...The post The Tenkara Rod Co. Anytimer Rod Lets You Fish Anytime appeared first on BIKEPACKING.com.

The Tour of Bruges has seen a lot of crosswind action today and a bunch sprint finish that, as usual, decides the outcome of the race. Unibet Rose Rockets were the team that came out on top, with Dylan Groenewegen taking yet another win, the biggest of the year for the Dutch sprinter who has found h...