This week’s Debrief features Weird Bars from RatKing, crochet cargo nets, a DIY rear rack, the winner of our Garage Sale giveaway, a couple of new bikes, Big Mouth Billie Bags, discounted Spurcycle Bells, three events to follow live, and more. Find it all here…

The weekly Debrief highlights small but important bits of news, products, and things that caught our attention on the website, in the conversation, and elsewhere around the community. These include upcoming events and interesting items our readers shared in the comments. Check out this week’s findings below.

Bits & Bobs

New products that are worth highlighting but didn’t make the Dispatch…

Gurp Big Mouth Billie Bag

Made in Canada / $110 at Gurp

The new Gurp Big Mouth Billie Bag is a larger version of the Canadian maker’s standard stem bag, purpose-built to carry a mirrorless camera with a medium-length lens. It features thicker padding, more structure, and shoulder strap attachment points, with a one-handed cinch closure, front stretch pocket, and a removable lower shock cord attachment for extra stability. The Big Mouth Billie Bag holds 2.25 liters, weighs around 130 grams, and is available in camo (Cordura) or white/black (Ultra).

Spurcycle Frankenbells (While they Last)

Made in Oregon / $38+ at Spurcycle

Spurcycle’s discounted “Frankenbells” are back for a limited time. These are their best-in-class Bells with very minor cosmetic imperfections, and they’re sold at around a 35 percent discount. For now, they are available in three color combinations: Raw + Gold, Black + Gold, and Denim + Indigo. We expect these to be gone by the end of the day, so now’s your chance to pick up a discounted Bell or two.

Buffalo Bags Crochet Cargo Net

Made in Thailand / $55 at Buffalo Bags

The folks at Buffalo Bags in Thailand just released a new crochet cargo net that’s designed to work with the Big Buffalo handlebar bag but could likely work with other bags with the right attachment points. It’s handmade from strong polyester nylon cord that won’t stretch out like standard bungee cargo nets, includes D-ring carabiners, and is available in three sizes.

The Standert Erdgeschoss is Back With Two New Colors

Made in Italy / €2,399+ at Standert

Berlin’s Standert Bicycles just announced two updated colors of their stainless steel Erdgeschoss gravel bike. It clears 700C x 50mm or 650B x 54mm tires, has internal dynamo light routing, and features a rake-adjustable Columbus’ Cross+ carbon fork and sliding dropouts. Other specs include a T47 bottom bracket, UDH, rack and fender mounts, and a Chris King headset. Framesets are priced at €2,399, and complete builds start at €4,499. This year’s model is offered in Golden Brown or White Rabbit color schemes.

Safety Donut Expands Shipping

Made in Canada / $30 CAD at Safety Donut

Made by our friend Taryn in British Columbia, Canada, the Safety Donut is a donut-themed bike reflector finished with a bright pink glaze and reflective sprinkles. Taryn let us know that she’s introducing shipping to Europe (including the UK), Australia, and New Zealand, and has plans to expand this if it goes well. The next drop is next Friday, November 7th, at 10 a.m. MST.

Ornot Nuyarn Merino Boxer Briefs

Made in USA / $48 at Ornot

Ornot’s new boxer briefs are made from Oeko-Tex-approved Nuyarn Merino fabric that masters moisture-wicking and breathability. Tailored with a comfortable waistband and a full gusset to eliminate pressure points while riding, they are available in black or blue, four sizes, and are hand-sewn in Oakland, California.

The Paper Clip: Issue One

$25 at The Paper Clip

The first issue of The Paper Clip’s print magazine is available for pre-order until November 14th. Made possible by Abdulrahman Alkhamees, the first release is “a collection of stories from riders who see the world differently, who find something special in the miles, the places, and the people along the way.” It includes 148 pages of stories and photography, and part of the proceeds will be donated to support the Gaza Sunbirds/Team Palestine Journey to the 2028 Paralympics.

RatKing Weird Bars

Made in USA / $110 at RatKing Frames

Levi at RatKing in Seattle, Washington, has started offering one-off handlebars with unique specs and is selling them separately from his standard options. The first Weird Bar has a 37.5° sweep, 79mm rise, and 60mm forward sweep. Grab it for yourself or keep an eye on the RatKing Instagram page for more.

Billy Flamingo’s Fat Bike Tires

$129 at Billy Flamingo’s

Bill Fleming, co-founder of 9:ZERO:7 Bikes and FatBikes.com, and owner of the Anchorage, Alaska Trek store, has put his love for fat bikes to work with his new brand, Billy Flamingo’s. The brand currently has two fat bike tires available: a studable 27.5 x 4.5″ option called Big Quill Pig, and a non-studable 27.5 x 4.0″ tire called Lil’ Swamp Donkey. They also make fat bike studs, a stud installation tool, and a bear spray bottle cage holster.

Bombtrack Munroe AL SG

Bombtrack

Bombtrack released this video featuring their Munroe AL SG the other day. This bike mixes city savvy with off-road chops via a lightweight, triple-butted aluminum frame, wide bars, and 45mm tires. The build features a Microshift Advent 9-speed with an 11–46T cassette. It also has a decent set of frame and fork mounts for bags and bottles—and internal fork routing for a dynamo hub.

In Conversation

Exchanges and ideas that caught our attention in the site’s conversation section…

Your Bike Storage Systems

In Miles’ GearBlocks Sliding Bike Storage review yesterday, a handful of commenters shared tips and photos of how they store their bikes. Figuring out space-efficient solutions for stashing bikes is something all of us on the team struggle with, and we’re curious to hear your recommendations and see photos of your systems. What works for you? Let us know in the Conversation below!

Around the Community

News from around the bikepacking world…

My Pace – Life of Goro

Released by Amundsen Sports last month, My Pace – Life of Goro is a five-minute video that shares a glimpse into the life of Goro Obata in Hokkaido, Japan, who traded city rules for freedom, backcountry skiing, tooling around on his bike, fly fishing, and a café that sometimes closes on sunny days.

5 Bikepacking Tips from the Mid South Team

In the video above, two friends of the Mid South team share their insights and tips for riders attempting the Mega Mid South 300. It’s a worthwhile watch for anyone considering taking on a bikepacking race.

Bikepacking Simulator (In Development)

Diego Bardelas is currently developing a new “Bikepacking Simulator” video game, and he shared some video footage of how it’s shaping up. In the game, players will survive with the resources they carry on their bike as they travel through different environments and routes. Camp in your tent, buy food, manage your energy and inventory, and embark on the adventure of “freely” traveling by bike. It was just announced for PC and Steam, and you can learn more here. As for us, we’ll keep riding our bikes in the real world as long as we can, but if you’re in the Arctic Circle for a work assignment and you’re itching for some multi-day riding, this might be something to toy with.

COROS Updates Include Women’s Health Functions

COROS recently updated some features of its sport activity watches, its app, and other minor functions, but what caught our eye was a mention of a women’s-specific health update. Available now through the COROS app, female users can track and update their health data in sync with their menstrual cycle. Per COROS, “Your cycle plays a key role in how you train and recover. Now, your COROS helps you plan smarter—track symptoms, understand patterns, and view predictions for your next six cycles, all from your watch and app.”

Announcing the Fall Bikepacking Garagle Sale Winner

A few weeks ago, we announced our Fall Garagle Sale promotion, which outlined that Bikepacking Collective members who listed an item in the Bike Camp Co-op would be entered to win a pair of Old Man Mountain Hemlock bags plus matching Flip Cages. Having sifted through the entries, we have found our winner: Max S. from Washington State! We’ll be in touch to make sure you get your FLiP Cages. If you’d like a chance to win prizes, benefit from discounts at over 70 brands, and support our content, consider joining the Bikepacking Collective.

Easter Roads: Bikepacking Sardinia

In Kask’s latest video, the Enough Cycling crew set of to the island of Sardinia in the Mediterranean Sea for a holiday bikepacking trip. The trip was an opportunity to embrace the old Italian saying, “Natale con i tuoi, Pasqua con chi vuoi,” which translates to “Christmas with your family, Easter’s up to you.”

A DIY Minimal Rear Rack

In the Adventure Bikepacking Group on Facebook, Ken Boer shared some photos on a nifty DIY rear rack. It’s made from 8mm aluminum rod, and he made a handlebar harness using the same materials. According to Ken, it hasn’t failed yet. Find his original post here.

Kahtoola Garage Sale with Rogue Panda

Kahtoola has partnered with a handful of businesses in Flagstaff, Arizona, to host a garage sale to snag past-season, gently used, or factory second products. It looks like a great chance to grab some discounted gear from Kahtoola, Rogue Panda, Canyon Coolers, and Flagstaff Climbing. The sale runs tomorrow from 12 to 4 p.m. at Kahtoola in Flagstaff.

Events Starting Soon

What to watch this weekend and bikepacking events starting soon…

Mega Mid South

The second edition of The Mid South’s bikepacking event, Mega Mid South, is taking off this weekend from District Bikes. With the grand depart on Saturday, the second edition of this 301-mile ultra is set to be a good one as temperatures drop and the weather lines up almost perfectly for a weekend in the Midwest.

GRAVAL Bikepacking Adventure

The GRAVAL Bikepacking Adventure follows a 400-kilometer mixed-terrain route in Eastern Spain, and riders have 60 hours to finish. The route passes through forest tracks and rural roads, focusing on the southern area of Valencia, northern Alicante, and the Almansa region in Castilla-La Mancha. Riders started earlier this morning, and you can follow their progress live here.

River to Sea Loop

Put on by Karlos Bernart, aka the Singletrack Samurai, the River to Sea loop is a group bicycle tour that takes riders to scenic springs, the ocean, and iconic towns using as much dirt as possible. The ride starts this morning from Seville, Florida, and it’s capped out at 50 participants. Learn more here.

Wish We Were Here

Shedding a little light on a route one of us is dreaming about riding at the moment…

Lucas Winzenburg: Corfu

Some years back, I caught the ferry from the Greek city of Igoumenitsa over to the island of Corfu, anticipating a dreamy bikepacking getaway. It poured rain for the first couple of days I was there, and with winter quickly creeping in, it didn’t take long for me to bail and catch the boat back to the mainland, continuing my ride further south. Since that failed ride, I’ve often thought about going back, and the four-day Korkyra Groves route looks like the perfect way to appreciate the island in sunnier weather.

Weekly Social

Some things we found around the ‘gram and elsewhere. This week, Erin of Redshift Sports does a primo fall ride on The Wilson’s Ramble and an amazing little Halloween shreddit …

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