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The Radavist 2022 Calendar: September

Radar

The Radavist 2022 Calendar: September

“SoMo Sunset” is the ninth layout of the Radavist 2022 Calendar. It was shot with a Sony A1 and 70-200 lens outside on South Mountain, Phoenix.

“Stef McDaniel rides South Mountain in Phoenix, AZ on a very warm summer evening. Photo by Josh Weinberg.”

For a high-res JPG, suitable for print and desktop wallpaper*, right-click and save link as – The Radavist 2022 – September. Please, this photo is for personal use only!
(*set background to white and center for optimal coverage)

The mobile background this month is a vertical crop from this photo. Click here to download September’s Mobile Wallpaper.

Product Shout Out: Steve Potts 33oz Bottles

Radar By: john watson

Product Shout Out: Steve Potts 33oz Bottles

Sometimes we find a product that improves the quality of our rides yet is so simple that it doesn’t merit a thorough review, and for those products, we’ve got our Product Shout Out.

If you find yourself with a full suspension mountain bike, or any bike for that matter, with only a single bottle cage, then check out these nifty 33oz Steve Potts water bottles made by SOMA in the USA. I’ve been using this bottle for a while now and it’s proven to be a worthy companion for my upper mountain and back country rides. I’ll pair it with a trail water filter; it’ll be more than enough for an afternoon ride. What’s nice about these bottles, versus other similar products, is the indention around the middle of the bottle, allowing a cage to grab onto it. I use a Voile strap for extra security on the rowdy stuff. These bottles are BPA free, feature the Steve Potts Logo, and retail for $14 a piece.

I bought mine from Sincere Cycles here in Santa Fe but you can pick one up at the Steve Potts Webshop. As for the Radavist Rune Voile straps, those are in stock at our Webshop.

Engin Cycles Port Royal Crankset Review: A Modern Crank With a Vintage Silhouette

Radar

Engin Cycles Port Royal Crankset Review: A Modern Crank With a Vintage Silhouette

Modern tech, bikes, and components were lost on me over the previous few years. Sure, I talk about all that here at “work,” but in my personal life, I have spent more time looking backward, not forward, with bikes. Maybe it was because all the major manufacturers wanted journalists (if I can even call myself that) to review new gear that wouldn’t hit consumers for another year or so. Or perhaps I felt like there was inherently more to learn from the past than new tech and its marginal gains mantra.

Having spent a lot of time curating a few vintage builds, re-evaluating my own stable, and pouring over old bike catalogs, there’s something about the aesthetic found in the 1980s and early 90s mountain bike components that hits the nail on the head. Be it the eeWings cranks, those nifty Cyber Cranks, or these Engin Cycles Port Royal cranks, what’s old is new again in terms of design silhouette.

When I first saw these cranks, I immediately felt like they were an homage to the first gen M700 Deore cranks by Shimano, which did in fact come in black. (Ritchey Commandos were specced with an all-black Deer Head group!) Yet, the thing I liked about them the most was the slim profile, 30mm spindle, and the fact that Engin Cycles, a framebuilder I hold in deep regard and respect for, machines these in Philly!

I’ve had the Engin Cycles Port Royal Cranks ($575) on my Starling Murmur for a while now and finally have some thoughts I can share with y’all, so read on below for a quick review…

Among the Eucalyptus Trees: A Shop Visit with Framework Designs

Reportage By: Bec Norman & Sam Rice

Among the Eucalyptus Trees: A Shop Visit with Framework Designs

I’d only started dating my partner Sam for a matter of weeks before we left to cycle around the world together. Red flag? Romantic? Stupidly spontaneous? – I’ll let you decide. I’ll concede that a multi-year bike tour isn’t exactly a traditional way to start a relationship. But with precisely zero bike touring experience under my belt, cycling around the world with a stranger was ironically the least of my worries. I had to find a bike, learn how to ride it (yes, I’m serious) and figure out how the hell I was going to pack my life into two panniers and a basket bag.

To say I made some mistakes would be an understatement. I mean, who knew hair straighteners and a hardback copy of The Power of Now wouldn’t be suitable for a bike tour? That said, I also made some damn good decisions, not least my choice of basketbag: The Sight Seeker from Framework Designs. That bag has travelled halfway across the world with me, weathering everything from tropical monsoons in South East Asia to numbing snowstorms in Nepal. So when Sam and I returned to Melbourne three years later, I couldn’t wait to check in with Framework Designs Founder, Tia Evans on how the business was going, visit her home studio and, of course, share it all with you.

Initial Reaction: Cedaero Viewfinder Camera Handlebar Pack

Radar By: john watson

Initial Reaction: Cedaero Viewfinder Camera Handlebar Pack

As you might imagine, we’re bag and camera nerds over here at The Radavist. A lot has changed with cycling and photography since the days of pedaling around with a 35mm SLR jammed into an Ortlieb handlebar bag on tours and overnighters. The name of the game is simplicity nowadays, relying on handlebar straps rather than proprietary attachment methods.

There have been several wonderful handlebar-mounted camera bags that have come to market over the past few years, and the latest comes from Cedaero. The Two Harbors, Minnesota-based bag makers announced their new Viewfinder Camera Pack recently and John got his hands on a production model a few weeks before the launch. He’s spent some time with it and is ready to give you an Initial Reaction breakdown review below so read on…

Shimano
Tern
Wolftooth
Argonaut
Brooks
State Bicycles
Paul
RiG'd Supply
Mission Workshop
Rivendell
SimWorks
Maxxis