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Introducing the Ron’s Bikes x Crust Bikes Alumalith 27.5 ATB

Reportage By: john watson

Introducing the Ron’s Bikes x Crust Bikes Alumalith 27.5 ATB

Good ol’ Ronnie. How many bikes have we shot together now? It all started with a chance encounter in Austin in 2014 when I documented his Trek 970. Back then, he was known as Benedict and dressed in his post-Wooly Mammoth roadie persona; lumberjack meets blast beats, sprinkled with some Tolkien lore and usually seen astride either a vintage MTB or a Rivendell, dribbling olive oil on his vintage Suntour components. This was early Ultraromance—the genesis of his persona—when he had just begun to crack open the internet with his wild style and über cøøl bikes. I love this man, no matter what name he festoons his internet crown with. Always have. Always will.

Fast forward to the 2022 Philly Bike Expo, where I recently met this gentle yet patinated gent once again to document a bike that picks up where our Duralcan post left off.

The Alumalith is the latest model to be released from the Ron’s Bikes x Crust Bikes cache and the first US-made aluminum bike he’s designed, with Frank the Welder at the helm, speccing tubing diameters and laying down iconic beads on brushed, raw aluminum. Let’s check it out below!

Uncle Ron’s Orthopedic Back Bar Is In Stock Now at Crust Bikes

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Uncle Ron’s Orthopedic Back Bar Is In Stock Now at Crust Bikes

With the Duralcan love in our Top 10 Beautiful Bicycles of 2021 post, this couldn’t come at a better time. These bars have been in development for a while now, and are featured on Ronnie’s Duralcan in our gallery. Crust Bikes just got a full order up on their website. Here’s the gist:

“Uncle Ron’s Orthopedic Back Bar “Ron’s Ortho Bar” is a high-performance spinal alignment tool for the aging athlete.  3 unique comfort tech hand positions matched with the industry-leading width tame the wildest of 2 wheeled stallions.  A handlebar that you can point down the Boca boardwalk, GDMB trail, and everywhere in between… spinally aligned like a stoic statue of your departed youth.

A long 110-130mm stem is recommended for the Xtreme comfort tech sweepback of these bars.  No end shifter compliance to prevent trail stabbing from the pointy protrusion.  Made of 7000 series aluminum. 400 grams. 69cm wide, 69º backsweep, 69mm rise.”

In stock now at Crust Bikes for $120.

An Ode to Bicycle Touring: A Look at Buckhorn Bags’ New Made in New Mexico Waxed Panniers

Reportage By: john watson

An Ode to Bicycle Touring: A Look at Buckhorn Bags’ New Made in New Mexico Waxed Panniers

When I first fell in love with bicycle touring, I used panniers, mounted on a front low-rider rack, on a mid-low trail bike. We used to ride from New York to Philly with similar kits in 2008 or so, actually using newly-released Revelate saddle packs in conjunction with traditional “touring” garb. In the following years, makers were starting to move towards more customized bicycle bags, leaning away from Berthoud, Ortlieb, and the mix of classic, timeless, and staple brands.

There are so many idiosyncratic ways to camp by bicycle and these days, I feel like the soul of bicycle touring, vis a vis Adventure Cycling’s Bikecentennial in the summer of ’76 and even the 1983 Pearl Pass tour (complete with MTBs equipped with racks and panniers), still exists and is cherished by many, myself included. Many brands have since picked up this torch to carry on similar vibes. Brands like Swift Industries, whose image feels as timeless as the Bikecentennial, began launching their first randonneuring and touring bags at the 2012 Philly Bike Expo where I had the pleasure to meet Jason and Martina.

Here in New Mexico, we’ve got a few bag makers, one of which is Buckhorn Bags that just released its own pannier design, in line with the tourers of yesteryear. Let’s wax poetic about some waxed canvas vibes below!

Ronnie Romance’s Specialized DURALCAN S Works Stumpjumper M2: Cry of the Duralcan

Reportage By: Ronnie Romance & John Watson

Ronnie Romance’s Specialized DURALCAN S Works Stumpjumper M2: Cry of the Duralcan

I grew up working at a Specialized shop, and learned how to mountain bike by watching Ned Overend’s Performance Mountain Biking technique VHS. While I always appreciated the refreshing ideas of small makers, I thought it advantageous for larger brands to be able to invest more in their materials and construction. This was a time when top-end bikes were made of metal, and made domestically.

Metal Matrix (M2) composite is a prime example of this. The big S sourced a 6061 alloy infused with an aluminum oxide ceramic particulate by Alcan. Say that again, backwards now. Alcan called it Duralcan, and I am proud to display their logo on my top tube—that cool typeface!

Tour Divide Bikes: Arya’s Tour Divide 2021 Crust Bikes Romanceür Tourer

Reportage By: Arya Namdol & John Watson

Tour Divide Bikes: Arya’s Tour Divide 2021 Crust Bikes Romanceür Tourer

This bicycle named Lil Romeo was chosen for my first attempt at the Tour Divide based on trust built over the years of adventuring together. A Reynolds 853 steel Crust Romanceür that I’ve ridden for 4 years in 4 different United Nations recognized countries. The custom frame bag that held food, 3 liters of water, and often a can of nitro coffee has the Tibetan national flag that is not recognized by the United Nations. I love this flag almost as much as I love this bike. Not for the sake of Nationalism, but for the sake of Beauty. Lots of parts on this bike were selected for beauty, practicality, and nostalgia.

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Nutmeg Nor’Easter 2020

The Helmet Kids Youtube channel pulled together an edit from the Ron’s Bikes Nutmeg Nor’Easter this year and it’s got all the vibes we need for a Monday morning.

Some of John’s Favorite Products from 2020

Radar By: john watson

Some of John’s Favorite Products from 2020

If 2020 brought anything, it was an unexpected amount of time spent locally and at home. It feels like ages ago that we were spending seven months of the year on the road, traveling to events, races, and bike rides throughout the American West living out of our truck, grinding our morning coffee and cooking dinner under the stars. While it was and is a huge downer to be stuck at home with the Nation’s strictest Covid-19 restrictions, I cannot deny how much fun we had sticking to a radius close to our new home in the Land of Enchantment. While we didn’t do any month-long road trips, quick weekend jaunts provided plenty of inspiration as we familiarized ourselves with this beautiful state we now call home.

This year, a handful of products made my life easier in one way or another. Check out a quick list of some of my personal favorite products I used this year.

Cool Breeze in Nutmeg Country: Crust Chapter II

Reportage By: Ronnie Romance

Cool Breeze in Nutmeg Country: Crust Chapter II

Sometime back in late February the event calendar for Team Brooks Cool Breeze looked like any stadium tour you’d expect for such a glamorous gaggle of athletes.  Grav’l, touring, MTB, hang gliding, street luging…. you name it, we were gonna do it.  Times were fast, relaxing, and exciting, but little did we know that even lifestyle celebrity “athletes” would have little fun in the months to come.

Ron’s Bikes: New Made in Connecticut Waxed Canvas Fab’s Chest

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Ron’s Bikes: New Made in Connecticut Waxed Canvas Fab’s Chest

Ron’s Bikes recently moved the production of the popular Fab’s Chest to Connecticut where they are being made from entirely East Coast materials. While the size small (pictured) sold out faster than we could write this post, the size large Fab’s Chest is in stock. Head to Rons Bikes to see these new bags in detail, read more about them, and if you’re looking for a new bag for your touring bike, place an order for the best in the biz at Ron’s Bikes.

Nutmeg Nor’Easter 2020 Information

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Nutmeg Nor’Easter 2020 Information

Ronnie and Namz from Ronsbikes.com have just announced the details for the Nor’Easter 2020. How does one throw an event in a Pandemic? Well… they have that figured out:

“This year is a hard one for more reasons than the human brain can comprehend— therefore, the way we will be conducting this event is a little different from years past.
First and foremost we seek to avoid any sort of large group congregation in any place that might funnel folks together. Our plan to prevent this is to have no specific event space as we have in the past; and sadly no Pizza truck from Fire in the Kitchen. You wanna eat food, you gotta bring it and make it yourself. You wanna drink beer—- same thing. You wanna poop—- dig a hole in the woods and have at it, etc.”

Head to Ronsbikes.com to RSVP for the event and read more about this event!