Wren Sports recently announced a drop bar version of their Perseverance bar. It's built for long distance unsupported bike adventures with an emphasis on all-day comfort and wilderness utility. The expedition geometry and integrated aero loop make it a unique option for adventure bars. The Perseverance drop bar is currently in production and will be available at Wren December 2022. The cockpit is a tough part of your bike to get just right and that goes even more so for long distance adventures. The stress on your hands, the ability to have gear carrying flexibility, and the need for multiple riding positions makes finding the right handlebars extremely important, but also really difficult. Wren sports is currently in pre-production with a drop bar version of their Perseverance Bars. It's a handlebar that they've built specifically for epic, unsupported adventures and their goal is to strike the balance of maximum comfort and adventure utility. Riding With the Perseverance Bars These bars were new to me on so many levels I kind of can't believe they've been such a great fit so far. For starters, I've never customized my cockpit outside of pretty standard and traditional drop bars. I've long admired the trend in wider gravel bars with swept drops but just haven't made the switch. I also only did my first gravel century just this year and have never ridden with aero bars. In a lot of senses I've been a pretty traditional adventure cyclist who hasn't wandered too far from your out-of-the-box gravel bike. The wider hoods, shallower drop, and integrated aero bar were new to me and so much fun to try out. I was so stoked when they showed up on my doorstep about 10 hours before driving away to the Filthy 50, a local gravel race in Lanesboro, Minnesota. Then two weeks later I had a local overnighter planned and I got to load up the handlebars with a full width tent which had never fit on my handlebars before. Climbing in the wide hoods and grinding in the shallow drops felt extremely natural. The Filthy 50 race was uniquely dry, dusty, winding, and slippery and the extra width gave me noticeably more handling confidence. Now to be fair, these are really purpose built for expedition bikepacking and less for gravel racing. I rarely get out for more than a 3-day bikepacking trip but felt like the advantages carried over really well for shorter adventures and day gravel rides as well. For non-climbing and non-maneuvering, I would personally prefer the hoods to be a little narrower and just flare out to the existing width of the drops. I'm pretty short at 5' 6" and the width at the hoods is definitely more than I need. Hand Positions & Mounting Options The only extra hand positions you really get with these bars is in the integrated aero loop as well as more places to rest your hands on the flats. Some people will wish the aero loop wasn't integrated and others will love that it's always there and ready to send. I'm pretty fidgety even on long rides and enjoy full stretching out, giving my back a break, and getting out of the wind in the aero bars. The aero loop also gives more mounting options for devices, lights, and cameras. One thing I really love is that the width of the bars gives room to strap a full width tent right up front. I don't have an ultra light bikepacking-specific tent with short poles and both of my traditional MSR 2-person tents have plenty of room to attach to these bars with bikepacking straps because of the extra width. All the Numbers The most notable specs are the width at the hoods and the size of the aero bars. At 530mm width at the hoods, they're just about the widest handlebars you'll find. The Redshift Kitchen Sink handlebars, for example, come in four sizes and 530mm is the widest. The Salsa Cowchipper bars comes in eight sizes with 520mm being the widest. There are a few wider options than the Perseverance drop bars but not many. The second point to notice is the large integrated aero loop at 250mm in length with a 78mm rise. I can't find length specs on the Redshift Kitchen Sink or Farr Aero Gravel Bar but the Perseverance loop appears quite a bit bigger which allows for you to be fully stretched out and tucked downward and the other brands bars' integrated loops only seem to scratch the surface of that. Full Perseverance Handlebar Specs 530mm width at the hoods 105mm Drop 29 degree flair 6 degree backsweep from clamp to hoods Clamp Diameter: 31.8mm Drop: 105mm Flair: 29 degrees Material: 6061 Alloy Finish: Anodized Gold/Bronze with Black Decals Aero Loop Specs Rise at the Nose: 78mm Backsweep from Clamp to Hoods: 6 Degrees Length: 250mm Width at Base: 301mm Tube Diameter: 22.2mm Aero Bars for Adventure Cycling? I'll be the first to say that the aero bar threw me for a figurative loop. I think of them for ultra distance racing but less for adventure riding. Cons are that you can't take them off because they're integrated. Pros are that they give you more hand options for long hard days bikepacking on mixed terrain and wind plus they give your back a break and allow you to stretch out. These are definitely not for everyone, but for certain riders these are going to be perfect for their exact needs on bike adventures. With a 301mm width where the aero meets the handlebar, this particular aero integration is fairly wide which is going to give you more control than racing aero bars to navigate tricky terrain right from the tucked position. It should be noted that without the armrests (currently in preorder with expected shipping of November 2022), the aero loop is not really an option for long periods of time. You'll definitely need the arm rests for longterm comfort which is also another expense. Pros Cons Thoughtful adventure-specific geometry Aero loop isn't detachable Many different hand positions Hood width is very wide and won't be for everyone Shallow & wide drops give stability and comfort ​ Aero loop allows light & gps mounting in front of handlebar bags ​ Internal cable routing ​ Even though these bars are built for longer unsupported adventures than I've tested them out for, I really like the comfort and confidence I can feel instantly. The aero loop will likely be more than I need most of the time but I like the having the option to stretch out. Being a short rider, it'll be interesting to see how the 530mm hood width will play out over time, but for now I know it's already hard going back to the narrow bars I was once used to. I think the nicest thing is to have a full range of position and gear attaching options for the spontaneous and varied adventures that lie ahead.

UK-based Tailfin Cycling just announced a new line of weatherproof top tube bags to add to their options for technical bikepacking equipment. Two years in the making, they've designed all components, materials, and bikepacking straps for these bags in house and aim to address gaps in other top tube bag options on the market. Styles & Sizes The new range of top tube bags comes in either a zip-opening or flip-lid opening. The zip-opening bag comes in 3 sizes of .8L, 1.1L, and 1.5L and the flip-lid opening bag comes in two sizes of 1.1L and 1.5L. Both styles arrive compatible with both straps as well as well as direct mount options. This is a great feature because it means you easily move your bag to different bikes without needing to buy multiple mounting versions. Top Tube Bag Issues Tailfin Aims to Address Working with their R&D division of riders, they set out to innovate on conventional top tube bags by addressing what they consider to be the main weaknesses with other options such as: Instability Knee rub Frame rub Waterproofing Bags lacking both strap and direct mounting options Aesthetics Stability Using their V-Mount system, the top tube bags grip tightly to any top tube bag and ships with a variety of strap lengths to be compatible with virtually any bike. Due to the extra stability of the V-Mount system, the bags don't even need to be strapped to the head tube like other top tube bags. Frame Rub Along with instability generally comes the additional problem of frame rub. As bags wag back and forth, traditional velcro straps and abrasive bag materials can rub the gloss and paint off a bike. Tailfin claims that the V-Mount system completely eliminates all instability and won't cause frame problems even on long expeditions. All-Bike Compatibility Tailfin has done several things to make these compatible on all bikes. First, the three sizes across two opening styles helps pick a configuration that fits your bike size and carrying needs. Second, the fact they come with straps and direct mounting hardware means you won't need to buy both versions for different bikes. Lastly, the bags ship with an extra long strap to be compatible on bikes with extra long top/head/down tube union. Fat bikes generally have a very tall top/head/down tube union so I'll be curious to see if the long strap will cover that distance on a fat bike. Pricing 0.8L Zip: $65 1.1L Zip: $70 1.5L Zip: $75 1.1L Flip: $75 1.5L Flip: $80 Wrap-Up While Tailfin doesn't make every bag option on the market, they're known for pouring an incredible amount of innovation, engineering, and testing into each product they announce and that's extremely evident in these bags. With every component and material designed in house and tested over several years before going to market, including their patented Mag-Lock closure system on the flip-lid bags, you can bet these are going to perform at an extremely high level. To learn more, head to their zip-opening page or flip-lid opening page.

Have you ever bought a bike and then found out it's not QUITE the right size but you can't return it? Don't panic; today we're talking with Paulie from GO PHYSIO about some of your options. Let's unpack this question and discuss what you can do before and after buying a bike. About Paulie Glatt: As a competitive cyclist with a history of low back pain, Paulie has a great understanding of how critical a proper bike fit is to our experience on a bicycle. He rides Road, Gravel, Mountain, Bike Packs, and commutes by bicycle throughout the entire year. His longest race was The Day Across Minnesota, a 240-mile gravel race that he completed in 17 hours. To learn more about Paulie or to schedule a professional bike fitting, visit GO PHYSIO . Hey Paulie, I bought a bike online and it's just a little too big or too small. Can I just make up for it with saddle, stem, handlebar, and seatpost adjustments? Paulie Glatt: Frame sizing has become fairly inconsistent across brands so this happens quite often. The short answer is, it depends. The ability to modify seatpost setback and stem length/angle certainly allow for a decent amount of wiggle room when buying a stock bike, but some important factors need to be considered. For example, significant changes in stem length will affect how the bike handles. If your mountain bike stem goes from 40mm to 100mm in order to fit, you will feel like you are riding a different bike when you hit singletrack. Additionally, a significant change to the fore/aft of your saddle with a straight vs setback seatpost will change your position relative to the bottom bracket/crank arms which can influence muscle activation during your pedal stroke. Every rider has a different tolerance for these types of changes. In general, I caution against buying a bike before you are able to test ride it. I realize that this can be difficult with the growing popularity of direct-to-consumer brands, such as Canyon. And although I think some of these brands make a concerted effort to get riders on the proper size, their methods are far from fail-safe. That said, there are bike fitters who offer pre-purchase services to ensure that you order the correct size. GO PHYSIO utilizes a ‘fit bike’ and takes the necessary body measurements to help you determine your ideal size. You then bring your new bike into our studio for a proper fitting once you have received it.

Gray Duck Grit took its inaugural "lap" last October and is making year 2 even better with a new distance plus gravel group rides. Learn more about Gray Duck Grit and get ready to register for early bird pricing starting this Monday, May 1. The 2nd annual Gray Duck Grit gravel race is taking place on Oct 6-7, 2023 with registration opening this Monday, May 1 . Learn more and get registered at Gray Duck Grit . Interview with Mark Jesse, Race Director: 2022 was your first year. How did that go and what were the highlights? We knew there would be challenges our first year, which we welcomed knowing it’s all part of the package when doing business. We knew we were the “latest new event” in the fastest growing segment of cycling. In addition, despite several years of participation, passion, and love for the sport as local gravel cycling enthusiasts, we were perceived somewhat as outsiders. We knew we would have to prove ourselves and would need to make an impression coming out of the gate. That said, our team believed in a singular vision and mission from beginning to end. Gravel cyclists are passionate about their beloved sport. Almost all share opinions about how, where, and why we do it. Listen, I know why I do it and what I get from riding, but it would be unspeakable and foolish for me (a white, 40-something male) to suggest what this experience should be for anyone else, how they should go about it, or how much they should give to do so. How fast you ride, when you ride, what gear you use, and where you do so is up to you, and we respect that. Inviting ALL is our approach. It’s the simplest and easiest approach of “the more, the merrier.” At the end of the day, we were confident those who gave us a chance would be grateful they did. Therefore, for us, the highlights came from watching these amazing cyclists give it everything they had. To see them battle the elements, the darkness, the hills of driftless Minnesota, experience “the flow” of an ultra-distance route and take on the overall challenge we laid out before them. The overwhelmingly positive feedback and love we received from our cyclists left us speechless at times. Hearing that we’re “proof that perception can be reality” and we’re “changing gravel cycling” exceeded all expectations, but it was proof of the collective passion for gravel we shared.. Sounds like a great inaugural event; anything new for 2023? Yes, a few things: 1. We’re moving to a tiered pricing structure for all our distances. This way early birds can take advantage of our discounts when they register beginning on May 1st, 2023. It is also important our final price point this year will not exceed what participants paid last year. There is no price increase for GDG II which takes place October 6th & 7th this year. 2. As a “thank you” to the sixty-nine cyclists who believed in us by registering for GDG in 2022, we added a sixty-nine-mile distance for Gray Duck Grit II in 2023. This will be the shortest route at GDG II, but it won’t be a walk in the park. It is intended for those who don’t want to go ultra- long or simply aren’t prepared for a gravel century yet. Taking place in October, GDG is a nice end-of-the-season test and culmination of your spring and summer training miles. 3. In 2021, we started organizing casual weekly no-drop group rides on the outskirts of the Twin Cities area. We used the group name “Level Be” as our label. The meaning behind it was a combination of “level B – minimum maintenance roads” we found ourselves riding and “being” present and showing up. Later that November, we started Level Be Adventures, LLC with my wife, Kris, and this same group of gravel friends. We plan to go back to those roots of casual, fun rides a couple times each month beginning this spring and summer. Be on the lookout for those dates soon! Gray Duck Grit has a pretty huge spread of distances. How did you come up with routes and distances? I like numerology and love the game of baseball. When creating our routes, I combined the two. From the number of strikes, outs, innings, players on the field and so on, the sport of baseball uses the value of “3” in many ways. The reason behind it is the value “3” represents completion. Therefore, the value of “9” represents completion to the 3rd degree (333). It isn’t rocket-science, but it’s still very interesting to me. Our distances of 111, 222, and 333 miles are all variations of this. In striving to be unique and very unlike other gravel cycling events, we used this same approach with the first three GDG routes. Completing the 240-mile Day Across Minnesota twice (2019 & 2020) I learned a lot about what I could physically accomplish and mentally endure. With GDG, I thought about the DAMn levels of determination by some of the best cyclists in Minnesota and beyond. Through all my marathoning and ultra-endurance cycling I saw first-hand countless examples of what people can accomplish if you challenge them. I figured out what was motivating all of us and why the heck I found myself in the middle of nowhere at 2:00am chasing the red blinking lights in front of me dodging chunks of gravel, dirt, and debris for another 13 plus hours. This experience is simply like no other! Northfield has some fun events springing out of it. What's good about the gravel and community there? The gravel south and east of Northfield is known as the driftless region of Minnesota. Having participated in several events, we believe the driftless region is the most beautiful and most challenging in the state. Northfield is conveniently located on the north end of the driftless and serves as a convenient gateway to the driftless for many of us coming from the Twin Cities. Northfield residents and businesses are welcoming and very bike friendly. The town of 20,000 residents still has a small town charm along with several coffee shops, eateries, and breweries for cyclists to enjoy. The city of Northfield along with law enforcement were all on board and provided excellent support from the beginning stages of GDG planning through the final seconds of the inaugural event. We really look forward to growing this relationship in years to come building on what is already a great cycling community in Northfield. In 2022 you gave all proceeds to children's mental health, is that correct? What makes this cause so meaningful to you? While running my 15th marathon in Anchorage, Alaska in 2018, at 43 years of age, I experienced a near fatal health condition. My condition would involve a procedure I needed to have to survive but with it my nurse read to me the risks involved and at that moment I made a promise to myself to “do more” with my life if I survive the procedure. Two weeks later I was in a hospital recovery room grateful to be alive. That “do more” promise was never about doing more for myself but doing more for others with my life if I make a full recovery. Our mission from day one of Level Be Adventures with Gray Duck Grit has been to give all proceeds, literally every penny, to a good cause. Post COVID pandemic, mental health was and still is a cause we could get behind. The Washburn Center for Children was the charity for year one. For GDG II we are proud to be donating all proceeds to Fraser. Fraser is a nonprofit committed to working with individuals of all ages with autism, providing services for their families, treating mental health, and caring for others with disabilities. We believe in the quality of work Fraser does throughout the Twin Cities area and beyond. We love biking in remote areas on sketchy roads, trails, and fields. It’s pretty darn cool! What we love much more is using that passion for gravel to make an impact on other people’s lives. That’s even cooler!

Do you own several bikes and want to make sure they all fit your your body and riding style properly? We're doing a 4-part series all about bike fit and getting your body more comfortable and healthy on your bike. We're joined by Paulie Glatt from GO PHYSIO who is a Physical Therapist and certified bike fitting professional. About Paulie Glatt: As a competitive cyclist with a history of low back pain, Paulie has a great understanding of how critical a proper bike fit is to our experience on a bicycle. He rides Road, Gravel, Mountain, Bike Packs, and commutes by bicycle throughout the entire year. His longest race was The Day Across Minnesota, a 240-mile gravel race that he completed in 17 hours. To learn more about Paulie or to schedule a professional bike fitting, visit GO PHYSIO . Hey Paulie, I own 4 bikes: Road, mountain, gravel and fat. Do I need to get a separate bike fitting for every bike? Paulie Glatt: In general, once you have been fit it’s safe to transfer measurements from road <> gravel and from mtb <> fat. However, this doesn’t always work due to the fact that there are so many variables to consider. Here are just a few: 1. Are your riding goals similar from one bike to the other? Are you racing crits on your road bike and riding 100+ miles on your gravel bike? If so, then the fit is likely to be different between bikes. 2. Are you wearing different shoes or clothing from one bike to the next? This is especially true when switching from shoes to winter boots because varying sole heights will change the recommended saddle height. Similarly, different crank arm lengths will require different saddle heights. 3. Is the Q-factor (distance between the outside of one crank arm to the outside of the other) different between the two? If so, you may need to consider different shoes/cleats for each bike as the cleat position will be different to accommodate your ideal width of stance. 4. Are you confident in your ability to safely make modifications to your bike? If not, find someone who you can trust to set your bike up properly with the provided measurements. In general , try to transfer the measurements over and see how it feels. If it works, great! If not, come back in for a fitting. Most fitters will offer a discount to bring in an additional bike within a certain time frame.

The 906 Adventure Team recently purchased and moved into a brand new headquarters in Marquette, Michigan. They've also been teasing a new website that promised to bring all of the Adventure Teams and races in their Endurance Trilogy together into one cohesive space that tells the full 906 story as a whole. This is all a part of their goal to continue pushing their mission forward with bigger and bigger impact in more communities. We just noticed that the new website is live HERE . Go explore it and learn more about their youth programs and infamous cycling events.

The Inaugural US Fat Bike Open took place at the Green Bay Country Club this past weekend on January 22, 2022. It was the second of four races in the Broken Spoke Snow Crown Series. Over 220 fat bike riders braved the frozen tundra for the race. In this story Sherry Mix shares her race overview and how she won 2nd place at the inaugural US Fat Bike Open in Green Bay, Wisconsin as part of the Snow Crown Series . Powered by bitter cold temperatures and award winning on-course local cheese, Sherry made it to the podium and even found her lost Wahoo with the help of another racer. Author: Sherry Mix It was literally the frozen tundra out there Saturday with below zero wind chills and 18 mph winds. It’s been a dream of Broken Spoke owner and race organizer, George Kapitz, to bring a fat bike championship caliber race to Green Bay so we were all excited for the race regardless of the freezing cold temps. Trail conditions were in perfect condition in the days leading up to the race. We’re talking hard packed super highway conditions. I was very excited for that since mashed potatoes are not my favorite. The night before the race, Green Bay got 1.5 inches of snow though which made the conditions pretty rough as the day went on. There were categories for all: Junior, Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced, and Elite. Elite started first at 9AM with a near perfect course to start the day. Advanced, Intermediate, Junior and Beginner followed. The course was approximately 3 miles per lap with a good mix of terrain. Elite rode 5 laps, Advanced 4 laps, Intermediate 3 laps, and Junior and Beginner 2 laps each. The course was on the golf course cart path that was all wide open. The majority of the course allowed for passing easily. We all had our sites on first place since the winners of each category received a BorahTeamwear Stars and Bars thermal champions vest and their name engraved on a trophy that will stay at the Green Bay Country Club. I knew it would be a feat to accomplish with fellow Broken Spoke teammates Leia Schneeberger and Leah Vanevenhoven also racing. Living 2.5 hours away from the race and with the 9AM start time, I drove up the day before. Saturday morning I pre-rode the course and rode one full lap. It took me about 20 minutes to complete the lap so I knew it was going to be a fast race. Last year was my first year racing fat bikes so I’m still learning all the in’s and out’s with tire pressure and riding in the cold temps. I wore my 45N boots, 45N bibs and 45N gloves because they keep me nice and warm. I used 45N Dillinger 4.0 tires with studs. Can you tell I like 45N? It’s good stuff! I started with about 9psi and then let some out during my pre-ride. I was probably around 7-8psi but I didn’t check it after that. Quick bathroom stop and then it was to the line. I got to the line early so I had a good position as it was a mass start with both men and women. It was a neutral start for about 30 seconds until the trail opened up and everyone took off. I was leading the women for about a mile or so until Leia passed me. She was in my sights for the first lap and I saw her when we were lapping through for lap two. At the beginning of lap two, I fell going around a corner and after getting up, I couldn’t see her anymore. I knew I was in second and just told myself to keep going and focus so I didn’t fall anymore. Each lap thru they offered Belgioioso Cheese to everyone. It made me smile every time. The course had good flow with a few short steep inclines and one major hill going up to hole #14 that was a definite lung burner. I was counting down the number of times we had to go up that one. The people cheering at the top definitely helped get me going after each climb up it. I had great traction during the race and was able to stand on most of the hills to give myself an extra push. I was by myself for the entire race unable to work with anyone. A few guys offered but I just couldn’t keep their wheel for very long. So, head into the wind it was. I had Cliff Bloks in my back pocket that came in handy during the race and also a water bottle with Skratch. I didn’t try drinking my water until the 4th lap though and it was already frozen by then. I definitely need to figure that part out so I have water for my next races. I lost my Wahoo bike computer near the end of the 4th lap, too. I wasn’t sure when or where it happened exactly but when I looked down at it going into my 5th and final lap, I noticed it wasn’t there. I looked for it during that entire last lap with no luck. I may have fallen once or twice more throughout the race but I finished in solid second place with a time of 1:12:57.5. I was happy to be finished and felt I couldn’t have rode any faster for this one. Leia Schneeberger finished first and Amber Searer finished third. For the men, Caden Budd finished first, Mike Budd finished second, and Jason Kloptowsky finished third. The Snow Crown Series always knows how to put on a good party so there were campfires, beers, and a big heated tent to enjoy the rest of the afternoon drinking and hanging out. Also, Amber saw my Wahoo computer during the race and she found it afterwards - thank goodness! That saved me a few hundred dollars. Overall, it was a great day and I can’t wait for the next Snow Crown race and to see everyone again. Maybe I’ll win that winners jersey next year at the next US Fat Bike Open, too. Thank you to all the sponsors for making it happen! Nicolet Bank, Meridian Wealth + Retirement , Broken Spoke Bikes, City of Manitowoc, Salsa Cycles, 45NRTH, Berd Spokes, BelGioioso Cheese, Bay Care Bikes, KI Furniture, Oakley, Festival Foods, Dr. Alex Roitstein, Hayes, Hinterland Brewery, Beerntsen's Confectionary Inc. To learn more about the remaining two races in the Snow Crown Series, visit the events page .

The 2023 Dairy Roubaix took place last weekend and delivered a full dose of spring weather and mixed precipitation. Chris Stindt rode the 70 mile race and shares his story of sleet, hugs, and beautiful spring gravel. Author: Chris Stindt I did my first Dairy Roubaix 6 years ago, right when I started riding gravel. Maybe I did my first gravel race in the fall of 2016, and then Dairy Roubaix in the spring of 2017. It was a really neat course, south of Prairie du Chien, WI that ran along the Mississippi River (there was a section of road cut into the bluff with sheer rock on one side and water on the other), and it was pretty and remote. At some point Blue Dog Cycles out of Viroqua took over. Pete moved things a little closer to home and rides now start at Sugar Creek Bible Camp. I believe that my riding buddy Phil Sime is the friendly soul [rotten bastard] who designed these beautiful [soul crushing] courses. I did the Filthy 50 one epic year where I DNF’d in a ditch, curled up in a ball with hypothermia, as my wife and brother-in-law (who wisely quit after 4 miles) raced out in our minivan to find me. I mention that because as I woke up on the morning of the 2023 Dairy Roubaix, I stared bleakly out the window, waiting for my water to boil and make coffee and bring me to life, I could have sworn it was snowing out my window. In fact, it was. The weatherman called for a 30% chance of flurries mid-morning, and yet, at first light, there was a dusting of snow already on the ground and more falling. I thought about going back to bed, but fortified myself with hot coffee instead. My wife wasn’t going to be around to pick me up, so I packed my warm gear. The stuff I have, but prefer not to use unless it’s an emergency, and let’s be honest, when is a bike ride an emergency, oh right now? Ok, pack it. It snowed up to the city limits while songs like “I don’t know why” and “I gotta get away” played over the sound of sleet - wait, when did the snow turn to sleet? It stopped coming down halfway there, but picked up again at the camp. This was a harbinger of things to come, the emotional and weather roller coaster that was my day. My friend Josh Shively and I had plans to ride together, and we mostly did, which I’m convinced is the only reason I made it through the 70+ miles. I never considered the 110. Anyway, things started out spicy, with a climb in a group of faster racers, but eventually settled down. Josh and I agreed we had ridden a bit stupid, and started to settle in. We chatted about all kinds of things, and we went up and down steep gravel hills. I only flew off the road once, but things stayed upright as there was a nice patch of lawn for me to overshoot on. I spent 20 miles talking Josh into stopping for the free Wonderstate espresso shot, only to find a line and then convince him that we couldn’t wait. We rode through part of the Pertnear course (where we are arch-rivals) and chatted about the last time he rode his singlespeed and nearly lost his breakfast up a super steep paved climb. Truly, I can’t think of a more enjoyable ride and chat than we had. It kept my mind off the steep hills and silly weather. The weather was flat out comical. Multiple times I actually laughed out loud. The sun would shine as the sleet pelted your face. The snow blinded you as you watched for a rainbow. The wind was never at your back, but come around a corner and it was definitely in your face. We had both overdressed a little, as we’re given to, considering some of the colder spring rides we’ve been on. Occasionally we’d yo-yo, but we stayed together until the steep final climb. He told me to go ahead, I told him I’d wait, and then at the top, cramping, decided I’d better keep my wheels turning, at least slowly. The finish was paved, the sun came out, I rode the beach volleyball course and laid on the ground dramatically after hugging Pete. People always talk about their Bobby hugs, and whatever, cool, but have you ever had a Pete hug? It was his birthday and I got to thank him for putting on an epic event. I don’t like the word epic, but this ride was kinda nuts. Someone asked if we’d gotten hit by the hail - uh, maybe? Wherever my face started to hurt, I just stared at the ground until it stopped precipitating. Anyway, Josh rolled in right after I got done chatting with Pete and we hugged too, and that was it. Another rider called it the true spirit of gravel (unironically in an insta post) and I have to agree. It’s big, but approachable. Grass roots, but legit. Hard as hell (7,000 feet of elevation gain in just over 70 miles, and I don’t care if my wahoo got a bit confused in the weather, I’m keeping that bit of data). When the sun peaked out and the sleet/snow stopped and your legs weren’t screaming as you crested another ‘roller’ at 15%, you could pause and look around and like Beck sang, “it’s like wow! it’s like right, right now”. My legs were empty and my heart was full.

Today we're kicking off a 4-part series all about bike fit and getting your body more comfortable and healthy on your bike. We're joined by Paulie Glatt from GO PHYSIO who is a Physical Therapist and certified bike fitting professional. About Paulie Glatt: As a competitive cyclist with a history of low back pain, Paulie has a great understanding of how critical a proper bike fit is to our experience on a bicycle. He rides Road, Gravel, Mountain, Bike Packs, and commutes by bicycle throughout the entire year. His longest race was The Day Across Minnesota, a 240-mile gravel race that he completed in 17 hours. To learn more about Paulie or to schedule a professional bike fitting, visit GO PHYSIO . Hey Paulie, I have lower back pain. Where should I start in adjusting my bike? Paulie Glatt: Does your back only hurt when you bike… or does it also hurt off the bike? If it only hurts when you ride your bike, then it is likely a fit issue. If it also hurts off the bike then I would recommend working with a Physical Therapist to address the root of your pain and to improve your overall quality of life. This is true for any pain on the bike, be it a knee, neck, wrist, shoulder… Pain is complicated. Anyone who tells you what to adjust without knowing your history is simply guessing. Low back pain that only occurs on the bike can be affected by a rider’s trunk position (too aggressive vs too upright), pelvic position, poor glute activation, limited hip mobility, or even a pre-existing condition. This means that low back pain can result from incorrect saddle height, tilt, fore/aft, width; crank arm length; cleat position; the list goes on and on. To further complicate matters, once you change one variable, others change as a consequence of the bike’s geometry. For example, if you raise your seatpost you are moving the saddle up and back due to the angle of the seat tube. Be aware of this as you make seemingly simple adjustments. That said, if you only get pain on the bike, play around with your fit! Try a different stem length or cockpit height. Move your saddle around. Play with the tilt. See what happens. Change one variable at a time and see if your fit improves. If you don’t have any luck, try a different variable. If you feel like you aren’t making any progress, schedule a fitting.

Winter is on the way out and Spring is on the way in! Today we're taking a look at the 5 most popular stories on The Nxrth from the winter of 2023. This roundup covers two new 2023 bikepacking events, our new La Crosse gravel guide, and Arrowhead 135 discussion, and a deep dive into Wyatt Bikes' made-in-Wisconsin story. 1. The La Crosse Gravel Guide This was our very first development of a destination Gravel Guide and we were excited to introduce our readers to the spectacular gravel surrounding the La Crosse area in collaboration with Chris Stindt. Gravel is a La Crosse area specialty - the region is part of the driftless and they have some amazing views, bluffs to climb, a great river, and quality crushed limestone roads, plus the benefit of a mid-sized town to offer breweries, distilleries, great food and places to stay. READ THE STORY . 2. Meet The Wolf: 3 Days & 300 Miles of Minnesota Bikepack Racing & Community. The Wolf is a brand new 3-day, ~100 mi/day bikepack racing event in Northern Minnesota put on by Jeremy Kershaw at Heck of the North Productions. The event connects Two Harbors, Ely, and Grand Marais in a deep northwoods event balancing racing with community. READ THE STORY . 3. What Does it Take to Finish Arrowhead 135? Jill, Kate, Leah, & Ken Share How They Do It. The Arrowhead 135 is known as one of the 50 hardest races on earth. The physical and mental strength needed to ride one of the coldest trails during the coldest time of year is massive. Here we talked with Jill Martindale, Leah Gruhn, Kate Coward, and Race Director Ken Krueger about what it takes to finish the Arrowhead 135. Combined, they have completed the event 30 times. READ THE STORY . 4. Wyatt Bikes Started In College Apartment at Age 21. Now Building 100% Made in USA Bike Frames. Wyatt Bikes was founded in 2011 by a 21 year-old named Wyatt Hrudka. Originally selling asian-manufactured singlespeeds, he now manufactures high quality, fully-customizable, 100% made in USA bikes near La Crosse, Wisconsin. Today we share his bike manufacturing story and take a look at his fat bike, the Maverick. READ THE STORY . 5. The Hodag Country Ramble Is a New Kind of Community Bike Adventure & Gears Up for Year 2 The Hodag Country Ramble took place for the first time last September at Jeff Frane's parents' land near Rhinelander, Wisconsin. Now the sophomore year was recently announced and event tickets and camping reservations are onsale. Learn about what made year one spectacular and what's shaking up for year 2. READ THE STORY .

We're excited to share a new Minnesota bikepacking route that connects the Amtrak stations in St. Paul and Winona. You can "chase the train" out of the metro area and its suburban sprawl and into the river towns of Cannon Falls and Redwing. You'll then climb back out of the river valley and traverses the top of the bluffs before descending back down into Winona. Upon arriving in Winona you board the Amtrak and ride the rails back to Saint Paul. This route is now available to Patrons on our Adventure Team tier. To early access to this route and all future bikepacking routes and gravel guides, join us on Patreon . What the Chasing the Train Route Guide Includes Five route highlights to catch the best parts of this adventure Camping ideas Best restaurants and cafes Places to grab a drink Where to refuel on groceries and water Everything you need to know about Amtrak bike reservations and bike requirements

Today we're opening up the 2023 Gravel Pizza Overnighter 2. This is a community bikepacking event in the middle of nowhere, Wisconsin. We'll ride The Nxrth's handpicked gravel route, stop at our favorite off-grid spots, and camp together at Wedges Creek pizza farm. New this year, we're also adding an optional Friday night which includes car camping at the starting point, a slow-roll social gravel ride, stopping for drinks and apps at Boondock's bar, and Josh's campfire apple crisp back at camp. Find all details, tickets, and FAQs here.