Radar Roundup: Wombat, Expé, Squidcross, Wild About Bikepacking, and Outer Shell

Our Radar Roundup compiles products and videos from the ‘net in an easy-to-digest format. Read on below for today’s findings…

Crust Bikes Wombat 27.5 Rigid MTB $875

Designed around a 27.5×2.6″ tire. You may be able to cram a 2.8″ in there but it will be a bit tight in the rear triangle. If you’re looking for a super speedy XC style setup the 2.2?” UltraDynamico MARS is ideal. If you want to run some fenders you could probably fit something like a 2.4″ tire in there with some Honjo Flat 80s.

The Wombat is designed with V-Brakes in mind. You can use Canti brakes if you’d like, but the V’s stop better which you will want if you’re riding this thing down the side of a mountain as intended. The V’s stop just as well as a disc brake right up until you get into some icey snowy conditions and your rims get cold and freeze over a bit, but even then they work fine.

This frame looks like a real blast. Roll on over to Crust Bikes to see more!

Cycles Manivelle Expé Rack 133,00€

he EXPÉ is one of the biggest fork cage available on the market, and also one of the most off-road ready! Thanks to its adjustable mounting kit, they fits most of forks, including those touring forks with one central eyelet and one bottom mudguard eyelet. This rack is all metal, so you don’t have to worry about plastic parts breaking and can haul 4kg, 12L of goods.

See more at Cycles Manivelle.

Squidcross Frames Are in Stock $2,000

New for 2022, Squid Bikes made some updates to the trusty Squidcross to make things a bit more modern. These include a new flatmount dropout, and updated chainstay yoke to accommodate those chunky 650b gravel tires. The Squidcross will take you where you’re going; whether that means UCI podiums, desolate roads, hefty gravel excursions, or a quick post-work shred on your local trails.

Hand made here in California, you can paint it, or let Squid paint it for ya! In stock at Squid Bikes.

Wild About Bikepacking

‘Wild About Bikepacking’ is the third short film from Markus Stitz that is set in Argyll, self-filmed in October 2021 when he travelled along the new Bikepacking Argyll’s Islands route, created by Bikepacking Scotland and commissioned by CalMac Ferries and Wild About Argyll. The route maps a 496km-journey (308 mi) connecting the Isles of Mull, Jura, Islay and Bute on a mixture of gravel tracks, singletrail, cycle paths and roads. The route also makes great use of ScotRail’s Highland Explorer, which provides space for up to 20 bikes, including tandems. The newly introduced train carriage offers a bike-friendly train connection between Glasgow, host city of the UCI Cycling World Championships in 2023, and Oban, where the new route begins. Bikes travel free on trains and all ferries along the route.