Photos by Jake Stern and Colton Johnson The Basin and Batholith is a 90-mile loop that indulges riders in varied non-technical terrain with grand views and geologic wonders. The route is located near Mammoth Lakes in the heart of the Eastern Sierra Nevada. It winds its way through pine forests and sagebrush expanses. Primarily utilizing []The post Basin and Batholith appeared first on BIKEPACKING.com.

Jonas Vingegaard has performed more than admirably at the 2024 Tour de France after months away from racing following his horrific crash at the Itzulia Basque Country. In fact, the Dane has been so good, some have called into question just how bad Vingegaard's injuries actually were.There's no doub...

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As you know, I recently received George Plimptons Y-Foil, and yesterday morning I took it out for its first proper ride:[You can read more about the bike at the Classic Cycle siteif you can handle more Y-Foil, that is.]Id be lying if I said I wasnt self-conscious about being seen on this thing, but I figured in the wee hours the only people out are fitness freaks who think flogging yourself on an aero bike first thing in the morning is normal behavior. (Even my wife laughed at the Y-Foil, and shes become so inured to all the bikes that come and go around here that she hardly notices them anymore.) Despite its outlandish appearance, from the cockpit youd almost think you were on a normal road bike, save for the zeppelin-like girth of the Y-Foils top tubewhich, I might add, is nicely complemented by the portly Frog stem:For a brief yet exuberant time around the turn of the last century, cyclists could choose from a number of theme stems. The Frog was by far the most family-friendly option, and there was also the bawdy Alter:As well as the unapologetically schlong-like Mutant:But these days if you want to express yourself via cockpit curation youre mostly limited to irreverent top caps:Rider 1: Hey, wanna go for a road ride today?Rider 2: DID YOU NOT READ MY TOP CAP?!?!?I started out tentatively, but once I was sure the jaws of the Frog had a decent grip on those vintage non-oversized crabon bars I brought the Y-Foil up to speed, and before long I was going fast enough to flatten my leg hairs:You must have leg hair in order to ride a Y-Foil, its in the manual. Balding is optional, but recommended. And a beer gut is just assumed. Yes, life is full of firsts: your first kiss, your first child, your first colonoscopy But there are milestones, and then there are seismic events that change you forever, and my first Y-Foil ride was very much the latter. From this day forward, I shall divide my life into two distinct chapters: Before Y-Foil, and After Y-Foil. I am forever changed.While were at it, I should also dispel certain myths. For example, despite what you may have read on the Internet, Y-Foils do not occur naturally:Also, this is not Grant Petersens Y-Foil:His is red and has Spinergys.What is true is that Trek only offered the Y-Foil in 1998 and 1999, and the sun set on it just as the Armstrong era was dawning:[PDF]For some reason, in the 1990s Trek were deeply obsessed with making bikes in the shape of a Y:Its almost like there was something motivating them subconsciously:Whats also true is that the Trek Y-Foil has a devoted following and has become something of a cult bike. On bike forums youll find numerous instances of people writing reverently of their sublime ride quality, and asking prices on the used market are correspondingly high:Treks line on the Y-Foil was that it was simultaneously more aerodynamic than a regular road bike while offering more comfort and compliance:And there is absolutely a subtle yet discernible suspension effect to the suspended seat tube:Its not dissimilar to the effect of a Brooks saddle, though of course by 1998 the idea of mitigating rough road surfaces by using a more compliant saddle or wider tires was considered patently insane, and the far more logical solution was to keep using plastic saddles and narrow tires and instead build an entirely new type of composite frame to address the problem.As for the 34% more aerodynamic thing, I have no way of quantifying that one, though It certainly felt like it was true. It could have been the Tri Spokes, it could have been the frame, or it could have been my imagination coupled with the psychological effect of the helicopter-like sound the wheels make, but once I got the thing going it felt like it wanted to keep going. But yes, between the built-in compliance and the speed (or at least the illusion thereof), it really does ride quite nicely, and I can understand why people speak highly of itespecially the kinds of people who get excited by non-traditional frame design. As far as that goes, it does come with certain compromises (the chief one being the bike holds only one small water bottle, unless of course you go for butt rockets or something like that), but setting those aside I find it noteworthy that despite being totally out there the Y-Foil is totally compatible with all the standard components of the time. It also rides and handles like a normal road bike, and if anything it probably does offer a smoother ride than many of its contemporariesthough I might have felt differently if there had been any hint of wind during my ride, as I imagine youd get pretty blown around on this thing. So while I dont think theres any danger of my becoming a Y-Foil convert, as a bike dork I do appreciate the bike as a relic of a time when designers were exploring the potential of carbon fiber, and this indeers me to it:Sorry, for both the pun and the bike.

From the 22nd to 26th of July we have got the race that transitions cycling fans from the Tour de France towards the rest of the season. For five days, the World Tour peloton and more will race the Tour de Wallonie which always delivers spectacular finales.The startlist features riders such as: Ben...

UPDATED July 17, 2024BY Shanny HillINSouth American Epic no comments Facing Adversity on the South American Epic Cycling ExpeditionA few days ago, the cyclists started the day by climbing over 1700m in the first 35 km of stage 10. The first 18 km were on a gravel road with rough, steep sections. The temperatures when they reached the 4055m pass were at around 7C with strong wind gusts. Some of them were able to overcome the steep climbs, rough roads and challenging weather to descend on a narrow but smoothly paved road with gentle curves and light traffic to reach camp. Others struggled mightily on the first ascent and got a lift to the finish line.The story of this tour started out not in the mountains but in the lowlands of the Caribbean coast in Cartagena. We were tested early the humidity and intense heat followed us through the first 5 stages. It was a constant challenge to stay hydrated and consume enough fuel to keep us pedalling through the sweltering heat. The lack of cool breezes made the humid air claustrophobic. We were relieved to cycle early each morning as it was the only way to generate a breeze and lower our temperatures.How did you sleep?, I asked Katie, from the UK on our 3rd morning Terrible! she replied with a big smile on her face, spooning oatmeal into her bowl. Adversity has come in waves and the riders are handling it as best they can. Are they tired and frustrated at times? Of course, but this group is staying positive and looking ahead to the next challenge. Andrew commented that the stage leaving Medellin (stage 8), was the best morning of riding hed ever had. Marie-Josee from Quebec said that even when she is tired and struggling up a climb, she remembers to stop and look around at the beautiful scenery we are riding through. Carolina, the tours leader, ran her pre-dinner meeting asking how riders were feeling after a very hard day. She then laid out the details for the next stage saying, tomorrow is not an easy day.She was right. Although it started with a long descent, the stage ended with an equally long climb that culminated with a vicious thunderstorm towards the end of the ride. When Joanne had a mechanical issue early in the ride, there was a group of riders (among them some of our slower riders) that pulled over and helped her resolve the leaking valve lending her their pumps and expertise and helping to inflate her tire. What made yesterday and today and all the days so far a success had nothing to do with how many completed the stage, or how fast or slow they rode, but rather the attitude and the resolve among the group. When riders chose to stop and assist their fellow rider on the roadside, they were making their own day a little longer, but they were increasing the chances that the group moved forward as a team.The rain in our current humble camp on the edge of Viani has stopped now and there are beer and snacks for sale. The owner put on some traditional horn and drum music as we ate our dinner. Riders have set up their tents under a simple tin roofed shelter and lights have gone out before 9pm with everyone resting up for yet another day on the road.RELATEDTOURSouth American EpicThis challenging expedition offers you the best opportunity to explore the vastness and diversity of South America by bike. In keeping with the TDA... Related Posts:Leave a Comment for "Facing Adversity on the South American Epic Cycling Expedition" Cancel reply

UCI bans Fazli Ahmad Fazli following almost three-year investigation

Riding in his first Grand Tour since moving to Lidl-Trek over the recent off-season, Carlos Verona has been battling away at the 2024 Tour de France without much reward so far. Despite the rising fear of the returning Covid amongst the peloton however, the Spaniard's Tour de France has not been made...

Simon Yates takes second place behind Carapaz after battle on the slopes of the Col du Noyer

Comfortable, breathable and classy, but expensive 7/10