This week’s Debrief features a new Supernova in-handlebar light, Apidura’s watt-saving bags, Sand Beige tires from SimWorks, a final call for Swift Campout videos, two excellent events to follow live, and much 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…

Trek Checkpoint ALR Gen 3

Made in Taiwan / $1,050 to 2,500 at Trek

Trek quietly unveiled the Checkpoint ALR Gen 3, a thoughtfully updated aluminum gravel bike that blends durability and versatility at an approachable price. Featuring a high-quality alloy frame paired with a carbon fork, it offers increased tire clearance up to 50mm, Trek’s Gravel Endurance Geometry for all-day comfort, and compatibility with racks, fenders, bags, dropper posts, and even a suspension fork. With features borrowed from its carbon sibling, the ALR Gen 3 is built to handle everything from bikepacking adventures to everyday rides. There are several build models ranging from $1,500 to $2,500, or you can get a frameset for $1,050. Find more details over at Trek.com.

SUPERNOVA Starstream Mini Light Bar

€150 at Supernova

SUPERNOVA recently introduced the Starstream Mini Light Bar, which is integrated into the Ergotec low-riser handlebar and delivers a 500-lumen StVZO-approved low beam that’s passively cooled for consistent performance. Designed to pair with the Ergotec BASS SM stem, the handlebar allows subtle angle adjustments that can noticeably extend beam reach—just a one-degree tilt can push the light 10 meters farther down the trail. An internal Supernova Universal Interface adds flexibility, making it possible to swap the headlight for a USB-C module, external light mount, or other compatible accessories. The setup is rated at Ergotec Safety Level 6 and comes with a 31.8 mm clamp diameter, 12° backsweep, and 5° upsweep.

Dyed in the Wool Bar Taco

Made in Poland / €69 at Dyed in the Wool

Poland’s Dyed in the Wool just launched a compact handlebar roll, the Bar Taco, which features quick-access mesh, a zippered top, a light attachment and key holder, and reflective details. It’s available now in four stock colors and many custom options.

Feedback Sports Pro Air Lift

$725 at Feedback Sports

The Pro Air Lift stand is a soon-to-be-released bike stand from Feedback Sports that uses a standard floor pump to pneumatically lift bikes up to 100 pounds. With the proliferation of e-bikes across the US market, this stand could provide legitimate means for home mechanics to more easily service bikes that can weigh an excess of 60 or even 70 pounds. While certainly not cheap, it’s nice to see a non-electronic lift option.

YellowBird Threadworks Oxeye Top Cap

Made in Chester, Connecticut

Brian from YellowBird Threadworks out in Chester Connecticut likes to counteract the negativity in this world by doing giveaways for his new and upcoming products, and he’s at it again. The Oxeye will be available for purchase sometime down the road, but the only way to get one right now is to tag someone who makes your days brighter in the comment section of this post. So, get to it!

SimWorks by Panaracer’s The Homage Tire in Sand Beige

Made in Japan / $68 at SimWorks

SimWorks’ The Homage tire is being released in a new colorway, Sand Beige. This limited edition model is being released in a color exclusively for 26-inch wheels. The 26 x 1.95″ tire is designed as an homage to the classic semi-slick tire “Mach SS,” with a subtle but vivid color that doesn’t stand out too much on dirt or in the city.

Apidura’s New Aero System Saves Five Watts

$278 at Apidura

Debuted at Unbound and ridden to a podium finish, Apidura’s new Aero System is a combination frame bag and top tube bag said to save a whopping five watts at “real race speeds.” Featuring aero-optimised transfer panels, a fast-entry magnetic closure, an ultralight Hexagrid construction (system weight 201 grams for the small/medium size), Apidura’s aero system is the go-to for anyone looking to optimize their bikepack racing setup.

In Conversation

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

What Makes Something Waterproof?

Earlier this week, Wizard Works launched their Badjelly, a new saddle bag that promises a waterproof main compartment. We dove into the journey behind their road to aquatic impermeability, but the announcement got some people talking about their definition of what makes something waterproof.

In a response to a question, Harry Major of Wizard Works wrote: “Waterproof means quite a few different things to different folks, same with the term water-resistant… Waterproof in bike bags generally refers to IP66 – essentially waterproof above ground – impervious to rain. What I think of as “under-waterproof” (IP67 and IP68) are a level of waterproofing that some bike bags (like Ortlieb panniers) have, but is beyond a threshold that is need to describe something as water-proof rather than water resistant. The Ortlieb Ultimate Handlebar bag for example is waterproof, but you couldn’t submerge for even 5 seconds without your stuff getting damp… The reason we call this bag waterproof, and the previous version of it (and most of our range), water resistant is because in those cases water can seep through the needle holes at the seams in prolonged heavy rain. With this bag the seams of the floating liner are taped, and this means water can’t get into the main compartment, and so Badjelly is functionally waterproof for its use case (bikepacking).”

It provided a great insight as to how bag makers have to think about these terms and what is most applicable for our purposes. But, what are your experiences with “waterproof” product? Does this categorization make sense? Let us know in the conversation below…

Around the Community

News from around the bikepacking world…

Last Call for 2025 Swift Campout Videos!

The deadline to submit your 90-second video from the 2025 Swift Campout for a chance to win $5,000 in prizes is this Sunday, June 29th! Use this form to upload your video, and we’ll announce the winner by Tuesday, July 9th. Good luck!

Events Starting Soon

What to watch this weekend and bikepacking events starting soon…

The BC Epic 1000

The BC Epic 1000 kicks off tomorrow at 7 a.m. local time with nearly 70 riders following a 1,040-kilometer route from Merritt to Fernie using a mix of service roads, doubletrack, and singletrack trails along a good portion of the Trans Canada Trail. Follow along on Trackleaders.

Bones to Blue

Beginning and ending in Truckee, California, Bones to Blue consists of two loops: a smaller loop above Truckee (Bones) and then a big loop around Lake Tahoe (Blue). The route is mostly well-maintained singletrack with some fire roads. There are roughly 40 riders set to depart tomorrow at 6 a.m. Follow along on the Trackleaders map here.

Wish We Were Here

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

Nic Morales: Sage and Saddles

This week’s entry comes with a special purpose. I’d be more than happy to take on our Sage and Saddles route, ideally with our very own Neil Beltchenko, but I’m highlighting this route because these lands are in danger. Despite public pressure removing a few million acres of land off of Senator Mike Lee’s proposed legislation, they’ve already revised the bill to still include over a million acres of land, including much of the area traversed by the route. Unfortunately, that’s often the plan with modern legislation. They want you to think the fight is over so they can continue to undermine the nature of democracy. Please, if you care about your lands not being exploited for their natural beauty, reach out to your local representative and hold them accountable. Act now before the next piece of legislation is voted in… more here.

Weekly Social

Some things we found around the ‘gram and elsewhere. This week, brands showing their displeasure in the series of proposed and ongoing bills to sell millions of acres of public lands. The fight isn’t over, and now’s not the time to be passive. More here.

Please keep the conversation civil, constructive, and inclusive, or your comment will be removed.