Reporting from the Pan American Championships near Cape Cod (that’s Martha’s Vineyard territory, although my understanding is there isn’t much actual wine).

Between races this weekend, I’ve assembled a gear guide to help my fellow offroad riders charge into winter riding and beyond. Here are my gear staples:

1. *Wide* handlebars. 

You know that the wider they are, the more snacks you can fit on them? Food you’ll hate. The driest granola bar you’ve ever had will be held snugly in a bar bag, and will never taste like the chicken sandwich you wish you had at hour 4 of a ride. 

I’ve been riding the EC90 SLX in 42cm, which carry straight over from UCI cyclocross races to bikepacking, and sometimes steer me straight into stationary objects (a fence) depending upon how tired I am.  

2.  Velcro OneWrap 

This one slowly grew into an essential, but now I won’t leave for a ride or race without at least enough to secure a rolled up jacket under my stem. This is great for doubling down on a frame bag or handlebar bag that needs an extra hand in being snug, but mostly for securing ‘ground-scores’ to your bike when they come along. Find someone’s hatchet that fell off their truck? Strap that thing onto your top tube and you’ll also be ready to fight a bear if necessary. 

There’s gotta be 4 feet of OneWrap on this setup:

3. Catch-All hoops. 

By ‘catch-all’, this means outfitting the same pair of wheels that you use for a CX race, with 40s for ripping singletrack where rigid bikes probably don’t belong. 

The EC90 AX wheel set quickly took that top spot for me this year. I probably take this principle too far by using the same wheels for creek crossings and for grocery runs/as a bar bike, but the simplicity of less equipment that does more can’t be beat. Plus, nothing feels faster than riding to pick up takeout on carbon wheels. 

5.  A Legitimate Coffee Making Apparatus 

This applies more so to the traveling cycling enthusiast or bike racer, but with each Airbnb Keurig cup I have to make, a piece of my spirit leaves my body. Driving to start an early morning big gravel ride is made so much better by a jetboil-made aero press under the back door of your station wagon. The Miir Pourigami is a new favorite too, but stop drinking keurig cups please if you’d like to improve your performance. 

6. A Reasonable Chainring 

Stop acting tough. Riding a 36 tooth chainring is sick when you get to ride up features other people have to walk, and when you get to climb comfortably while others are mashing a big gear. Death to toxic masculinity. Spin to win. 

7.  Honorable mention: the Prandus Longspoon

Is it gear? Probably. Is it necessary? Do I need an extra long spoon to safely feed the squirrels outside my window? Absolutely not. Stay tuned for 2023 adventures where I secure the longspoon to the top tube and find ways to use it on the ride. I think there’s a chance I could dip into someone else’s Haribo stores if they’re cracked enough

Reporting from the Pan American Championships near Cape Cod (that’s Martha’s Vineyard territory, although my understanding is there isn’t much actual wine).

Between races this weekend, I’ve assembled a gear guide to help my fellow offroad riders charge into winter riding and beyond. Here are my gear staples:

1. *Wide* handlebars. 

You know that the wider they are, the more snacks you can fit on them? Food you’ll hate. The driest granola bar you’ve ever had will be held snugly in a bar bag, and will never taste like the chicken sandwich you wish you had at hour 4 of a ride. 

I’ve been riding the EC90 SLX in 42cm, which carry straight over from UCI cyclocross races to bikepacking, and sometimes steer me straight into stationary objects (a fence) depending upon how tired I am.  

2.  Velcro OneWrap 

This one slowly grew into an essential, but now I won’t leave for a ride or race without at least enough to secure a rolled up jacket under my stem. This is great for doubling down on a frame bag or handlebar bag that needs an extra hand in being snug, but mostly for securing ‘ground-scores’ to your bike when they come along. Find someone’s hatchet that fell off their truck? Strap that thing onto your top tube and you’ll also be ready to fight a bear if necessary. 

There’s gotta be 4 feet of OneWrap on this setup:

3. Catch-All hoops. 

By ‘catch-all’, this means outfitting the same pair of wheels that you use for a CX race, with 40s for ripping singletrack where rigid bikes probably don’t belong. 

The EC90 AX wheel set quickly took that top spot for me this year. I probably take this principle too far by using the same wheels for creek crossings and for grocery runs/as a bar bike, but the simplicity of less equipment that does more can’t be beat. Plus, nothing feels faster than riding to pick up takeout on carbon wheels. 

5.  A Legitimate Coffee Making Apparatus 

This applies more so to the traveling cycling enthusiast or bike racer, but with each Airbnb Keurig cup I have to make, a piece of my spirit leaves my body. Driving to start an early morning big gravel ride is made so much better by a jetboil-made aero press under the back door of your station wagon. The Miir Pourigami is a new favorite too, but stop drinking keurig cups please if you’d like to improve your performance. 

6. A Reasonable Chainring 

Stop acting tough. Riding a 36 tooth chainring is sick when you get to ride up features other people have to walk, and when you get to climb comfortably while others are mashing a big gear. Death to toxic masculinity. Spin to win. 

7.  Honorable mention: the Prandus Longspoon

Is it gear? Probably. Is it necessary? Do I need an extra long spoon to safely feed the squirrels outside my window? Absolutely not. Stay tuned for 2023 adventures where I secure the longspoon to the top tube and find ways to use it on the ride. I think there’s a chance I could dip into someone else’s Haribo stores if they’re cracked enough