Path Less Pedaled takes us on a deep dive into Swift Industries and asks the question I’ve personally heard numerous times: why are bike bags so expensive?
#Swift-Industries
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Watch Ronnie Romance Install a Pec Dec
If you have a Fab’s Chest, one of the best bags for bicycle touring, and are looking for some more support, then don’t miss out on this instructional video, produced by Ron and Namz for their Pec Dec bag support system, in stock now at RonsBikes.com.
Reportage
J’s Black Magic Bearclaw Bicycle Co Thunderhawk Gravel Bike
Jacinta, aka J, was on the hunt for a new bicycle. She had some money set aside and began looking at the options out there. There was always the option for custom, but J eventually grew a liking for Bearclaw Bicycle Co’s offerings. The Thunderhawk checked all the boxes but she wanted to make it her own. Enter the wizards at Black Magic Paint…
Radar
Swift Industries releases its 2020 Collection with the transformed Zeitgeist on center-stage.
We at the Radavist are very excited to have our hands on two of these redesigned bags so stay tuned for a full-fledged review in the coming months!
Swift Industries® unveils its 2020 product-line with the Zeitgeist Saddle and Handlebar Bag in the limelight. The improvements to the Zeitgeist mark an inspiring step for the cult brand’s design trajectory as the female-led team went full steam ahead to elevate Swift Industries’ top-selling bag from an already notorious saddle bag to moonlight as an equally hailed handlebar bag.
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Crust Bikes: Corey’s Raw Crust Bikes Evasion Tourer
Yesterday, we took a peek inside Flat Track Coffee and Cycleast. While hanging out there, getting caffeinated and catching up with the shop employees, I got to chatting to Corey, one of the mechanics at Cycleast. Specifically about the sword on his Crust Bikes Evasion…
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Camp and Go Slow Rattlesnake Bar Tape, Bandana and Swift Industries Bags
Camp and Go Slow have quite the drop for us on this Friday afternoon, including bags by Swift Industries, their own “rattlesnake” bar tape, bandanas, and more. Head on over to their web shop right now to scoop up some product. Loving the new logo, team!
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Kitsbow X Swift Industries: Men’s and Women’s Adventure Starter Pack
Swift Industries has teamed up with Kitsbow and artist Chris McNally on a $149 Adventure Pack which includes a men’s or women’s Cyclone riding shirt, a Swift Wanderlust Packer, Swift Seeker Travel Kit, and a one-of-a-kind watercolored letterpress print of Bolinas Ridge by Chris McNally. Head to Swift Industries to check it out!
Radar
Swift Industries Announces the Tamarack Waxed Canvas Collection
Swift Industries has a bunch of new products on the way for the holiday season and today, the Tamarack Waxed Canvas Collection just hit their shelves. These bags use limited-edition waxed canvas, thanks to Otter Wax, and feature the Zeitgeist saddle bag, Paloma bar bag, as well as other accessories. See more below.
Reportage
John’s Titanium Sklar Pack Mule MTB with Tumbleweed Persuader Bars
This bike is the direct result of many experiences, beginning with my 44 Bikes touring bike and culminating with the Moots Baxter I spent a great deal of time on last year both fully-loaded and set up in what I could call expedition mode. After a lot of back and forth, I realized that I like 29+ bikes for bikepacking and yeah, titanium is really nice for desert riding. These mental musings came to the full realization after spending some time talking with Adam from Sklar Bikes this summer in Bozeman.
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Ultra Romance’s Crust Lightning Bolt is Lighter than a Soft Whisper
18 lbs? 17 lbs? 16 lbs? What is weight anyway? Weight doesn’t matter but it doesn’t hurt either. Especially when your golden locks and bronze tan lines float effortlessly across white gravel roads, coating the roadside flora in a light layer of sedimentary seasoning. Dust, baby. It’s good for you. Yes, Ronnie Romance knows how to build a bike from a fine assortment of vintage components, exotic, supple rubber, and a bit of suntan oil. Case in point, his Crust Bikes Lightning Bolt is lighter than a soft whisper.
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Path Less Pedaled and Chris McNally in the San Juan Islands
Russ and Laura from Path Less Pedaled take out a Kona x Swift Adventure Co rental bike to the San Juan Islands outside of Seattle to ride and paint the landscape with water color artist Chris McNally.
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The Swift X Kona Rove ST Touring Bike
With only 201 models in circulation, this Swift Industries x Kona Rove ST is a very limited edition project. Built for touring, the Rove ST comes with a limited edition headbadge, Tubus Tara Big Apple front Lowrider rack, fenders with mudflaps, limited edition Swift Industries bags, and Shimano’s GRX 600/800 group. If you’re in the Seattle area, you can rent this bike from Swift Adventure Co. Check out more photos below and all the details at Kona.
Reportage
The Salted, Green, Grassy Hills: a Bicycle Tour Into the Marin Headlands
Long before July’s sweltering heat, we were enjoying the pleasant month of March. I had been sitting on my porch sipping coffee when my friend Todd texted me, “I’m going to email you about the thing, so look out.” We’ve collaborated on many wild ideas, and Todd’s been a good friend for over a decade. I usually perk up when he reaches out about “things” because he’s a great adventure planner, so I kept a close eye on the inbox. Lucky for me, it was an email saying that all the plans were coming together for an idea we had been tossing around for quite a while; a multi-day bike camping trip to uncover the inspiration for the Coal x Swift collaboration project with artist and illustrator, Chris McNally in the Marin Headlands of California.
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Drawn Away
After last year’s Solstice snow fest, the Coal Headwear and Swift Industries crew decided it was time for a redux, prompting them to take to the Bay Area’s rolling hills and coastal vistas:
“When illustrator Chris McNally invited us on a bicycle adventure through his expansive Northern California backyard, we knew we were in for a wild ride. Starting and ending at his Mission District studio, Chris would lead us on an epic 4-day tour of the SF and Marin County landmarks and landscapes that have inspired his work, and also inspired two great Seattle adventure brands—Coal Headwear and Swift Industries—to create “The Headlands Collection”.
“Drawn Away” is a story about creating close-to-home adventures with the freedom that bikes offer; about uncovering the hidden treasures and secret spots at the interface of the built and natural environments, where urban bleeds into rural, and rural into wilderness; about slowing the pace and making space for inspiration and creativity; and about the importance of building community one pedal stroke—and one brush stroke—at a time!”
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Path Less Pedaled Reviews the Fabio’s Chest with the New Pec Deck
The Pec Deck is a mini “rack” designed by Ultra Romance and Hubert from Madrean‘s brainchild. It’s a simple strip of tubing mated to Nitto rack supports, keeping the Fab’s Chest off your tire. Check it out as Path Less Pedaled reviews this setup on a Crust Bikes Bombera.
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Party at the Swift Industries HQ Tonight with Blue Lug Japan!
Party at the Swift Industries HQ Tonight with our friends from Blue Lug Japan.
There is a Blue Lug pop-up opening in the Swift Industries showroom with rad bike parts and accessories, Fairweather bags, and even special edition apparel just for this visit and then…
Seattle area Swift Campout Roundup:
So many groups rolled out on different campouts, let’s get together at Swift HQ for a Swift Campout afterparty. The good vibes are graciously supported by our friends at New Belgium Brewing Fat Tire.
Wednesday June 26th
6pm-9pm
Swift Industries
558 1st Ave South 2nd Fl.
Seattle WA 98104
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Team Brooks: a Grassroots Gravel Performance Art Installation Does Kanzaz
Words by Coach Ronaldo Romance Jr. and photos by Team Brooks
(Gallery Photos are 95% disposable film cams that I handed out to the team. Felt like it captured the inner “race” pretty authentically; and the medium was pretty fun in a “trip to the water park” “safe grad night” sorta way)
Booming Billowing Blooping Blurping Gravel.
Even with DK getting as much coverage as the TDF, I trust the pace of the news these days has left your mind blank of such cognizance once again. That’s good, as my memory of competing in the event 2 years ago has also been selectively erased, perhaps that’s why I reluctantly agreed to participate in this particular edition.
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Fast Friends: Big Thoughts Through Big Sur
Words by Tenzin Namdol, photos by Ronnie Romance
I was looking at everyone’s legs. The group of 13 included professional and semi professional racers, life-long athletes focused specifically on their relationship to the bicycle. There aren’t six packs; there’s, like, eight to ten pacs. Some even have muscular faces! How is that even possible to accomplish? Seeing my own soft animal body as lesser than their impressive builds. The grass kept getting greener and greener on the other side of my eyeballs and I felt myself getting smaller and smaller. Where in my body is this discomfort living? I had three days and the grand views around beautiful Big Sur to find the site of where this discomfort lived in my body. Aside from physical discomfort from physical exertion, I came up empty. Instead, I found an interstice where feelings of awe grew and that became my saving grace.
