26 January, 2022

Further Adventures in Rough Stuff

 By Scott

The folks at Isola Press and author Mark Hudson, who first published the Rough Stuff Fellowship Archives in 2019, are back with a new book: Further Adventures in Rough Stuff. This 208 page book is broken down into four sections: Scotland, England, Wales and Abroad, each with a mix of photos and ride descriptions. The ride reports are taken directly from the pages of the club journal and have a lovely sense of prose that are very in tune with British nature and travel writing.


Of particular note in this edition is the report in the "Abroad" section, about the 6th annual Crested Butte to Aspen MTB ride in 1981. Lots of denim, klunker bars, and folks out amongst the Rocky Mountains on bikes of all sorts.

The photos continue to amaze - lots of bobble hats, mismatched socks, walking bikes through immense landscapes. The publishers have done a great job of reprinting these photos, keeping a wonderful tone to these vignettes of a past generation. While temperatures remain well below our normal here in Maryland, it's great to sit with a cup of tea or coffee and a treat and look over the photos and be inspired by riders who did not let a lack of a tarmac road stop them from going one more mile.

As a further throwback to the high times of exploring the off track world, the inside front and rear covers have historical ads from the RSF magazine for some further insight into the world of the Rough Stuff rider.

We also received more of the original Rough Stuff Fellowship books with this shipment. So if you haven't picked up the first one, here is an ideal position to get both editions and reserve a night or two of sitting by a fire with a warm beverage close by and admire these hardy souls and the places they went.

18 January, 2022

Piolets and Crazy Bars are Back + More!

by Igor

If you're looking for a sturdy and capable off-road tourer, then look no further than the Piolet! It features mounts for every rack you'd ever want as well as a geometry and fit that is suited for both flat bars and drop bars. We've done a bunch of builds, so check out our favorites in Bike Build Ideas, under Piolet.


Here's one of my favorite builds: Charlie's CDT (Continental Divide Trail) Rider. It has 27.5" tires, previous generation Crazy Bars, and super sturdy Cutlass Velo built wheels.


We also restocked VO Crazy Bars! These rad bars are intended for touring on paved and unpaved roads, single and double track, gravel and crushed limestone, and everything in between. They're a fan favorite for good reason. 

The main, swept back section provides excellent control and leverage on rough and tumble surfaces, while the the bullhorn section offers an aero position for smoother roads and headwinds. The junction of the horns and sweeps feels similar to being on the hoods of drop bars and makes for a nice, neutral position.

We currently have them in Silver with Noir arriving in about a month.

We also received a shipment of other parts and accessories to button up your bike: