This spring, 51-year-old Katrina Hase participated in her first bikepacking race on the Grand Loop. While her ride didn't go exactly as planned, she learned valuable lessons for when she returns for another attempt. Watch the short video she put together from her ride here...The post Lessons Learned: My First Bikepacking Race on the Grand Loop (Video) appeared first on BIKEPACKING.com.

Yesterday I mentioned Australia, and the algorithm clearly noticed, because it placed this video in my path:I really hoped that this was a story completely unrelated to bikes in which a reporter just happened to get nearly hit by one, which would have been entertaining, but in fact its a story about bike lanes in which they claim the reporter was nearly hit when in fact the cyclist basically just rides around him and the reporter doesnt even have to break stride, which is just derivative:We then hear from the bike lanes opponents:Who bear an uncanny resemblance to the couple in American Gothic:Except the glasses are reversed, because its the southern hemisphere.While objection to the bike lane in this case is ostensibly because its ableist, the real issue seems to be that the street reconfiguration has reduced four lanes of car traffic to just two:Ironically, the reporter makes a big deal about how he almost got hit by a bike, but doesnt seem to notice that he and his camera crew can now shoot an entire news segment in a spot where he once would have been run over immediately.Nevertheless, as cyclists we should concede that the Antipodean Gothic couple and the guy who recently graduated from a university with a major in communications (or whatever the Australian equivalent is) do have a point, which is that we suck at yielding to pedestrians. A little over a year ago now, I became a regular bicycle commuter again, and my route consisted mainly of the Hudson River Greenway, which runs the length of the entire island of Manhattan:The further downtown you get, the more pedestrian crosswalks there are, and I was aghast at the complete and total lack of consideration on the part of virtually all cyclists towards pedestrians in the crosswalk with the right-of-way. To yield to someone on foot means to risk being rear-ended by some doofus on an e-Citi Bike, and its so bad that when you slow to allow people to cross they often thank you profuselyeither that, or they talk loudly amongst themselves about how these cyclists never stop, which they do on purpose so you can hear it, which is ironic, since youre the one cyclist who actually stops for pedestrians.Even in the case of the Australian reporter, while he was probably at little to no risk of being hit, and in fact probably didnt even notice the cyclist until his cameraperson pointed him out, its important to understand that riding past someone without slowing, or swerving instead of yielding, is still inconsiderate:Sure, you may have seen them in plenty of time and adjusted your path accordingly, but they dont know that, and given the overall ineptitude of urban cyclists theres no reason for any pedestrian to assume anyone on a bike has anything resembling good judgement or bike-handling skills.As for my own bicycle commute, I must confess Ive largely abandoned it these daysnot because of cars or anything like that (my route was almost entirely car-free and therefore very low-stress), but simply because of time. At 17 miles each way I cannot compete with the subway unless I put in a massive physical effort, and while I enjoy a spirited bike ride, thats not what Im looking for when Im riding a bike for transportation:As for getting an e-bike or something like that to close the gap, why would I get a type of bike Im not personally interested in owning just to keep commuting by bike?For e-bike money Id rather have an old motorcycle. Once upon a time I did commute by motorcycle and I do miss owning oneand yes, Ive always got at least one eye on the classifieds:[Dear Moto Freds: I just pulled what seemed like a cheap bike at random, but Im totally out of the loop on stuff and have no idea if this is a good deal or not, so dont overthink it.]But old-fashioned unassisted bicycles remain my first love, and I try to remind myself a motorcycle would merely divert time and resources from them at a time in my life when even being able to fritter away time and resources on bicycles is a luxury.No, for now the subway nets me about an hour of time savings per commuting day, and as a bonus I can also do something Ive barely done since becoming a semi-professional bike blogger, which is read books. Since starting this blog Ive probably written more books than Ive read, but now that Im taking the train Ive read multiple books, including Moby-Dick, which has many analogues to cycling despite predating the safety bicycle by like half a century. Consider:To make them run easily and swiftly, the axles of carriages areanointed;and for much the same purpose, some whalers perform an analogous operation upon their boat; they grease the bottom. Nor is it to be doubted that as such a procedure can do no harm, it may possibly be of no contemptible advantage; considering that oil and water are hostile; that oil is a sliding thing, and that the object in view is to make the boat slide bravely.Now tell me that doesnt evoke the greasing-the-tapers debate. No doubt people became whalers back in those days because they didnt have bicycles to distract them. Most people assume we stopped commercial whaling because petroleum made it both unnecessary and impractical, but I believe it ended because the bicycle was invented and eventually men with weenie-ish tendencies realized they no longer had to ship out to sea for three years in order to experience a sense of adventure or bicker over the application of lube.Of course riding the subway isnt as much fun as riding a bicycle, but I doubt too many people in New York City are enjoying their bicycle commutes anyway:Screaming at cars is not saving your life, its making you depressed and miserable:This is a textbook case of Pathological Bike Lane Obstruction Fixation Disorder (PBLOFD), and riding around screaming is no way to go through the city or through life.

But more importantly, is it worth the price tag? And what about the extra fun along the way?

The brand's Adaptive line of 3D-printed saddles are set to become completely custom-made, but the advanced technology doesn't come cheap

The British national championships have begun today and we have had some big results right out the gate. In the individual time-trials, Joshua Tarling and Anna Henderson have taken the victories against the clock in convincing fashion.In the men's event there was one clear favourite for the 30-kilo...

Fizik will now custom-fit 3D-printed saddles for individual riders after introducing its 'game-changing' One-to-One service. Other manufacturers, including Specialized and Selle Italia, also make 3D-printed saddles, which some riders find very comfortable. The lattice of polymers used in their padding is deeper and softer than traditional foam padding.But Fizik will become the first major saddle brand to tailor the density of 3D-printed padding according to a riders individual bike fit data, rather than to a generic formula.The Italians brands One-to-One service will cost 499 / $599 / 499 for its carbon R1 saddles and 459 / $499 / 459 for the brands alloy R3 models. That adds about 200 / $200 to the cost of Fiziks road bike saddles.The custom fitting service is now available in certain Fizik dealerships and you will receive your saddle within two weeks. How will the Fizik One-to-One 3D-printed saddle service work?Fizik will design your saddle's padding based on where you place pressure. - FizikFizik One-to-One in briefCustomer is analysed riding their own bike in a Fizik dealershipPressure mapping data is collected to determine their best saddle shapeData is recaptured on the correct saddle shapeNew measurements inform design of the bespoke 3D padding structureFizik makes the custom saddle and sends it to the riderThe rider can return to their Fizik dealership to test the saddleAt the Fizik dealership, the customer rides their own bike set up on a Wahoo Kickr Rollr.Technology developed by Fizik and bike-fitting specialist gebioMized captures their saddle pressure data in 64 points in a range of riding positions. For example, on the tops and hoods, and in the drops.Pressure data recorded from a variety of riding positions goes into a fitting algorithm. - FizikData from this assessment is fed into a fitting algorithm. This pairs the rider with the most appropriate saddle shape from Fiziks Adaptive range of 3D-printed saddles.Next, the customer undergoes another pressure-mapping session on the new saddle. Fizik says the One-to-One service focuses on eliminating hotspots on the saddle.Fizik claims the software pays particular attention to hotspots on the colour-coded pressure map. These are places where the rider puts excessive pressure, a key cause of saddle sores.Another algorithm uses this pressure data to create a three-dimensional padding structure that's uniquely suited to the rider. For example, the honeycomb of hexagon-shaped polymers will have more layers where more cushioning is required. 3D-printed saddles don't require a mould, so manufacturers can make several designs at once. - FizikThe client can choose alloy Kium or carbon rails before ordering their saddle.Fizik then makes the saddle at its northern Italy HQ and the customer will receive their order within two weeks of the initial consultation. The way in which 3D-printed saddles are made enables this rapid turnaround.Fizik will be the first major brand to make custom 3D saddles. - FizikEvery time manufacturers want to change the design of a traditional saddle they have to make a new mould, sometimes taking weeks. The template of a 3D-printed saddle is stored in a digital file, so the design can be changed almost instantly and the saddles produced much quicker. Once finished, the customer can test their bespoke saddle in a Fizik store. - FizikOnce theyve fitted the saddle to their bike, the customer can return to their dealership for a final consultation.Fizik claims this last pressure-mapping session will indicate how the custom saddle has improved the riders comfort.The brand says it does not have a formal refund policy if a customer is unhappy with their saddle. The Fizik retailer would have to handle such a scenario on a case-by-case basis.

Tarling successfully defends national title in North Yorkshire, winning by over a minute ahead of Max Walker and Ethan Vernon

In this Make Your Own Bikepacking Gear (MYOBG) tutorial, our friend Cody Toth in Berlin shares insights on how to sew an ultralight Rinko bag, allowing you to discreetly bring your bike on trains without paying extra fees. Find his step-by-step guide and some tips for using your bag here...The post Make Your Own Rinko Bag appeared first on BIKEPACKING.com.

A story reminiscent of the 2000's. It is not unheard of in modern cycling but it is a very unusual story. Axel Zingle of Cofidis is set to join Team Visma | Lease a Bike for 2025 and because of this the team is said to be punishing him by removing him from the Tour de France list.At 25 years of age...

New time trial contest pits clubmates against others all over the country, with no travelling required