The Radavist

The Durango Derby brought racers from all over to experience the mountain bike pedigree of Durango and its surrounding mountains. We sent Reportage affiliate Kyle von Hoetzendorff out for the weekend to report back on its vibe and he delivered a stellar piece, including an interview with the event’s co-founder, Dylan Stucki, and exceptional photos by Alex Roszko, so read on to check it out!

Unveiled at the 2022 Philly Bike Expo to much fanfare, the Alumalith is a realization of Ronnie Romance‘s dream to incorporate his favorite aspects of vintage mountain bikes into a deciededly modern offering. Featuring a non-suspension corrected Switchblade-style fork, rim brakes, sharp angulation, and 6061 aluminum fabricated by renowned craftsman Frank Wadelton–but with internal dropper routing, clearance for 27.5 x 2.6″ tires, and a contemporary approach to geometry–the Alumalith is nostalgic delight for riders of today. Josh picked up an Alumalith earlier this year and has spent months building it, riding, refining, and riding some more. Continue reading below for his review of this niche yet capable and fun machine…

Reviewing a group of high-end, North-American-made pedals is, perhaps, best compared to reviewing a group of gourmet cheeseburgers: They are all going to be delicious, and you’ll need a pretty distinguished pallet to pull a lot of the finer details out—is that a Wisconsin smoked cheddar or Vermont? Ok, maybe I’m getting a bit off the rails here with the comparison, but the reality is: Just like two people may have differing opinions on what makes the best burger, each pair of these pedals has its own slightly distinctive flavor that may satisfy one rider more than another, or, even the same rider on different trails, bikes, or conditions.

Continue reading for Ryan LaBar’s roundup of six North American-made flat pedals including Blackspire, North Shore Billet, Tectonic, Tenet, Wolf Tooth, and Yoshimura…

You know those weekends whose arrival you count down for months, to clock out of work, load up your bike, road trip 1,200 miles, and then readily acquiesce to stunts that question your health insurance coverage? Welcome to Single Speed USA.

Two common ingredients create this one-of-a-kind recipe; bicycles with only one gear, and a guaranteed let-loose atmosphere. This year, Kansas City hosted the annual gathering and it was a surprise to no one that that the weekend proved to be for the books (if you could even remember it, that is).

Registration: optional. Length of course: unknown. Number plates or organized timing: none. Prizes: gold placard bricks. Trophies this year included: “DFL thanks for making us wait,” “Well that was both brave and stupid,” “Never Stood a Chance,” “First to finish? Well f*ck you!,” “Captain No Fun” and “The highlight of SSKC was the sewer I fell in.” This is where the fun begins.

Held in the high mountains of Kyrgyzstan, the Silk Road Mountain Race is known as one of the toughest ultra-endurance competitions in the bikepacking world. It earns its demanding reputation as riders not only have to deal with a very tough course profile and terrain conditions, but they also have to overcome other obstacles such as high altitude, scarce and basic resupply points, sickness, unforgiving weather patterns, river crossings, and remoteness.

Tristan Bogaard was among the starting group in this year’s edition and his partner, Belén Castelló, decided to wait for him at the finish line while volunteering at the last checkpoint. Going into the event, Belén had no reference for what to expect and below she shares her experience dot-watching and soaking in all the first-hand stories.

It was back in 2020, during my first bike tour through southern Turkey, that I first became aware of Soulrider Frameworks via Instagram. Based in the heart of Istanbul, just a stone’s throw from the Bosphorus Strait that separates Europe and Asia, Yasin Bingöl runs a one-man show, building custom bikes from the first design ideas to the final build and everything in between.

“I walked off the Alaska Airlines jet and into the tiny Kodiak, Alaska airport on a classically rainy day in May with a wide grin on my face. For as transient as I’ve been over the past five years—calling Maine, Alaska, Hawaii and Vermont all home—there is something both bittersweet and utterly lovely about landing at an airport that imbues that nostalgic feeling. As I waited in the cluttered baggage claim area I giggled to myself at the familiarity of all manner of luggage rolling out on the baggage carousel. Everything from rifle bags and tackle boxes, to coolers with red and white stickers emblazoned with “FROZEN” stickers to standard-issued Coast Guard bags arrived before my REI duffle and bike bag. I wheeled them out to my friend’s waiting truck thinking to myself: ‘Now the adventure starts.'”

Continue reading for the rest of Gretchen Powers‘ recap about her experience riding in Kodiak Crab Festival‘s Pasagshak to Kodiak Bike Race, which is quite possibly the smallest organized bike race in the US…

According to the internet, The Beatles’ song “Yesterday” has been covered between 1,200 and 3,000 times, which even on the low end of that range makes it the most covered song in history. The spare lyrics, describing the ever-relatable ache of lost love, and string arrangement make it a simple yet sophisticated work that has managed to transcend the six decades since Paul McCartney first dreamed (literally) up the melody. The uncluttered elegance has rendered “Yesterday” truly timeless.

While first unveiled in 1994—incidentally, the same year that both LeAnn Rimes and Boyz II Men covered the McCartney classic—Merlin’s cruiser-inspired mountain bike, the Newsboy, has also reappeared in various forms throughout the intervening years. Like McCartney’s paired down lines, the Newsboy shares an on-the-surface simplicity and a nostalgia-driven design that has contributed to its lasting appeal. Merlin has just launched its latest Newsboy redesign, let’s take a look below…