Friday News And Views

 Note: This edition of the "FN&V" will be a bit of a 'catching up' due to not having a FN&V last week. Some of the 'news' will be a bit older than usual as a result..

A view of the inner workings of an Ochain unit (Image courtesy of Ochain)

Last week SRAM announced the acquisition of MTB component maker, Ochain. The company is well-established in the down hill and enduro circuits. Their claim to fame is a device which decouples the direct interface between a chain ring and chain. The Ochain device allows for a certain degree of rotation of the chain ring without the crank moving, thus allowing full-suspension bikes to achieve a more efficient and 'chain free' operation.

Ochain is a device which solves the age-old problem of suspension 'kick-back' and makes suspension work 'freer' due to the decoupling aspect. SRAM claims the Ochain device results in a 'calmer and quieter' bike.

Comments: SRAM has, in the past, filed various patents on chain ring design to address various aspects of 1X drive trains and suspension use. None of which, to my knowledge, have come to see the light of day....yet. However; it is interesting to note SRAM's history of innovation by acquisition. Ochain being the latest brand to be acquired by SRAM. Many people forget SRAM bought brands like Rock Shox, Sachs, (thus bringing chains into their catalog), and TIME (for pedals), along with Hammerhead for GPS/controller duties.

I doubt SRAM will sit with Ochain only being used for MTB and full-sus e-Bikes. I look for some sort of further development to make this acquisition more versatile. Just what may come of this should be interesting. 

Image courtesy of Wheels MFG.

Wheels MFG Announces New Single Speed Kit For Hyperglide:

Wheels Manufacturing announced last week that their Solo Cog single speed kit will be available for Shimano HG style free hubs on August 22nd, 2025. The SOLO HG Single Speed Kit will be available in various anodized colors. This kit will have several spacers for centering your cog, or Wheels MFG Solo Cogs, which will be sold separately.

Both the kit and the cogs are machined from aluminum. The spacers are from 6061 aluminum and the cogs from 7075 series aluminum. The spacer kit, which comes with a color-matched lock ring, goes for $51.9 USD.

The Solo Cogs come in 16T, 18T, and 20T for now with more sizes promised. These cogs are going for $46.99 each USD. 

Comments: At $99.00 for the full set of spacers, lock ring, and cog, this is not a "cheap" option. (You can get a Surly spacer kit and cog for around $75.00 - $80.00), but it is in line with others I can find in aluminum and anodized hues. 

Image courtesy of Ortlieb

Ortlieb Announces New "Quick Rack" System:

If you have a bike which you'd like to have a rack on, but only occasionally, or a bike that doesn't have rack mounts, you might want to check out Ortlieb's new Quick Rack. 

This rack attaches via a unique collar and axle attachment design, (please click the link for details) and Ortlieb claims this can be installed in fifteen seconds. So, an applicable solution for anyone who may need a rack at a moments notice.

With a load capacity of 44lbs, and ability to accept any of Ortlieb's bags for rear racks, this seems like a pretty cool way to add some versatility to a bike you use for any mission.

The Quick Rack sells for $130.00 USD.

Comments: At first I thought this rack attached with an ordinary alloy type seat post collar, but it is not anything like this. (Again, check Ortlieb's site for details) I'm in a situation where I do not have to rely on one or two bicycles for everything, but, if I were in this sort of situation, the Quick rack might come in pretty handy.

I cannot vouch for the incredible quick change out time, but even if it took three times as long, it would be a pretty easy to consider swap, in my opinion. The only other curious thought I have here is if this would be a steady enough platform to rely upon for commutes, or errands, or even touring.

Rough Stuff MTB Rally:

Wilde Bicycle Company is sponsoring the Rough Stuff Rally August 1 -3, 2025 at Copper Harbor, Michigan. Jeffrey Frane, of Wilde Bicycle Company has this to say about the festival:

 "The Rally is two days of riding, revelry, and community on some of the best trails in the world. Friday we have shuttle runs from 4-8pm accessing legendary trails such as The Flow, Danimal, and Overflow followed by a bluff top sunset Happy Hour. Saturday is the main event, a 22 or 43mile loop of the trail system taking in a highlight reel of singletrack followed by a gourmet dinner at the Campground hosted by Chef Adam Blake with bonfire, music and free refreshments from Fat Tire to follow." 

Interested? Registration is open now and you can join in for $120.00. by checking in HERE. Entry gets you free shuttle service on Friday, an event t-shirt, an stocked aid station on Saturday, the free meal, and free refreshments Friday night and Saturday night. 

A schedule of events for the Rally can be found HERE. 

Image courtesy of Surly Bikes.

Surly Shows Updated Ogre:

Surly Bikes showed on Thursday an update to their Ogre 29" inch wheeled commuter/bike packing bike. With tire clearance for 29" X 2.5" tires, or 27.5" X 2.8" tires (with fenders!!), this bike could be a very versatile bike in a person's bike stable. Or it easily could be your only bike.

As one might expect from Surly, the Ogre has a plethora of mounts, is Rohloff compatible, and has a mount for Surly's own Bill or Ted trailer. This version of the Ogre is in a hue Surly calls "Orlock's Shadow". Se mor about the Ogre and other surly products by clicking the link HERE. 

Comments: The Ogre has, in my opinion, "old school" 29"er geometry. If it looks like the front end has been pushed in, this is because the Ogre has a 72° head tube angle, which most 29"er's haven't used for well over a decade now. Not that this is "bad", but it is unique now in 2025. 

This Ogre reminds me a lot of what a modernized version of my 2003 Karate Monkey would maybe look like. It even is close to the same color, which is Campstove Green. So, the comparison is easier for me to make, I suppose. 
 

Thanks for reading Guitar Ted Productions! NOTE: A press release from Pinarello will be featured at 7;30am CST today here. Stay tuned...

Review: Ortlieb Fuel-Pack & Toptube-Bag - Final Word

The Fuel-Pack mounted using the Toptube-Bag removable base.

Note: Ortleib sent over their Fuel-Pack and Toptube-Bag for test and review at no charge to Guitar Ted Productions. I am not being paid, nor bribed, for this review and I will always strive to give you my honest thoughts and opinions throughout. 

In my last update on this Ortlieb bag review I asked the question, "What about cross-breeding these two bags? Maybe I could use the fact that the two bags use the two-bolt top tube bag mount standard, swap the base from the Toptube-Bag to the Fuel-Pack, and then I could have the bag I really want? "

So, that is what I did. This is only possible because the Toptube-Bag and the Fuel-Pack use the same two-bolt mount pattern for the bottom of each bag. The idea here was to use the removable base from the Toptube-Bag and swap that over to the Fuel-Pack. Then the Fuel-Pack could snap into the fixed base already mounted to my bike. 

Here you can see the removable base plate screwed onto the Fuel-Pack using all provided hardware from Ortlieb.

After the swap it was a simple click-in procedure to mount the Fuel-Pack securely onto my bike.

Riding with the Toptube-Bag was okay until I had to stand to sprint or climb. It was then that I noticed my legs grazing the back corners of the bag at times. Of course, I already mentioned the dismount difficulties due to the size of the Toptube-Bag. The Fuel-Pack, in contrast, is tapered and smaller than the Toptube-Bag and therefore it stays out of the way on standing eforts and mostly stays out of te way on dismounts. 

However; the Fuel-Pack isn't as smooth when it comes to closing the magnetic lid while riding. The bag has always had a slightly misshapen look ever since I received it, and part of this is due to how the "lid" and webbing are sewn or bonded together. 

The front/right corner seems to want to overlap oddly and not close .

It seems the front/right corner of the bottom part of the bag sticks out oddly and the upper right corner of the 'lid' seems to want to fold back and down slightly. This almost always ends up causing the foremost magnet to not land in its pocket. I have to tap the lid with my hand to get it to close rightly. 

Besides that, the bag now is solidly attached to the bike and does not want to rotate around the top tube at all. The bag is big enough, being fairly close in size to most other top tube bags I have here, and it looks classy with its sand color on my dark blue Noble GX5. 

I have the bag that works as I would expect now. Not too big that it gets in teh way, solidly attached, and removable to boot. That said, the lid closure isn't as smooth as it should be. The base looks a bit clunky with those straps and all. Plus, I'm not used to seeing a top tube bag not nestled up against the stem and steer tube. The last thing I can get over, the other two things? 

Final Word: I'm not sure that you can get a Fuel-Pack with the Toptube-Bag's base plate and removable mount. But if you want a bag the size of the Fuel-Pak, its stock mounting system is pretty poor, unless you have the option to bolt the bag on. That or you'd have to have a wide, more rectangular than round carbon or aluminum top tube on your bike.  Then the Fuel-Pack mounts may be okay. 

The Toptube-Bag is just too rectangular. Too big. I would think that you'd maybe get along with it if you are on an XL sized bike. Smaller riders with short top tubes will find this harder to get along with than I did, I would imagine. If that bag was tapered toward the rider, maybe then it would be okay. 

The Fuel-Pack never really ever "sat" right.

The Fuel-Pack just never really ever seemed to sit right on my bikes. It always was misshapen in some way, unlike the Toptube-Bag which always looked "right" in terms of shape. I was constantly trying to smooth out the top of the Fuel-Pack to make it look "right" and not wrinkled or bloated up in the middle of its lid. 

I loved the magnetic lid pockets!  This part of the design blows all the other magnetic lid bags I've tried or seen out of the water. It is by far the best thing about either bag. 

The fabrics used are great. I liked that Ortlieb thoughtfully put a Velcro strip on the inside floor liner to hold it down after you get done accessing the mounting holes. The softer, lofted fabric floor also keeps harder objects from rattling off your top tube as well. A very nice touch there. 

The fabrics are waterproofed and Ortlieb's commitment to reducing the carbon footprint of their manufacturing processes is commendable. I appreciated that Ortlieb can actually ascertain this data and allow the rider to know when they have accumulated enough miles to offset that carbon footprint. Ortlieb is one of the few companies in the World providing us this type of information, and that doesn't go unnoticed. 

That all said, I believe that these two products need a little fine-tuning. The removable base idea should be standard across their range of top tube bags. The two-bolt mounting option is great, but the implementation of the "stand-off" mounts on the Fuel-Pack are not effective in the real-world use of that bag. The Toptube-Bag could use refining as well. The shape of that bag is going to be difficult for many riders and I think either a tapering of the bag's shape, or shortening of it a bit, or both things, would go a long way toward making it a better bag. Perhaps making another Fuel-Pack in a bit smaller size wouldn't be a bad option either. 

There are good things here, but in my estimation, the bags need refinement before I would recommend them.

Review: Ortlieb Fuel-Pack & Toptube-Bag - Mid-Term

  Note: Ortleib sent over their Fuel-Pack and Toptube-Bag for test and review at no charge to Guitar Ted Productions. I am not being paid, nor bribed, for this review and I will always strive to give you my honest thoughts and opinions throughout. 

This is the second installment of the Ortlieb bag review. The introduction and first impressions can be seen by clicking HERE. 

This post will be focused on how the Toptube-Bag fared on a recent ride and how the Fuel-Pack has "evolved" to make it work for my bicycles. First up, the Toptube-Bag.

This bag and its removable feature utilizes a snap-in base with a spring-loaded release. The base is the part that straps to your bike while the matching rail which attaches via the two-bolt hole standard, is attached to the bag. Together they work to provide a rock-solid base for the Toptube-Bag and one that is stable despite the lack of any attaching strap around the head tube/steerer area, which is common for bags like this. 

So, you can load this bag up and it will not rotate around the top tube, nor does it move when you open the magnetically closed top flap. I found the bag easy to get into and it closes with a reassuring 'snap!' when you flip the lid closed. I was also happy to find that a crosswind was unable to flip the top open, which I have had happen on two other bags with magnetic closures. 

The base without the bag mounted on it.

This bag is pretty big. Almost too big for me, and I wonder if it wouldn't be a problem for riders of smaller stature. Many bags that sit on top tubes taper toward the back end of the bike in profile and in width to accommodate dismounting riders, and legs moving alongside when standing and climbing, or accelerating. My legs slightly grazed the sides of the Toptube-Bag when standing and pedaling. I also had several instances where I jumped off the saddle at a stop and I smashed the Toptube-Bag a bit. 

Part of the problem is that due to this design the bag has to sit back from the head tube a bit more than a typical top tube bag would. But besides those issues, the bag works great. It has a cavernous interior which my smartphone could lay flat in. You could probably get a lot of packable rain jackets inside this bag, for instance. It's just a big volume top tube bag.

The Fuel-Pack was just not viable as sent. This was mostly due to how Ortlieb designed the mount, which set the bag, essentially on stand-offs, in a position where it was easy to rotate the bag around the top tube of any bike I put it on. Now - mind you - almost every bike I own has a round cross-section metal top tube. So there is that. 

The bag mounts are supposed to be held on with silicone rubber straps, but these straps are made from a material that is more plastic than rubber and this doesn't help when you are relying upon friction to stabilize the bag. Furthermore, the hooks the straps were to anchor to were pointed upward into the base of the Fuel-Pack making it almost impossible to strap on the bag. I could do it, but it was a lot harder than it should be to get the bag on the bike. 

So, I ditched the straps Ortlieb sent and modified the plastic base pieces a bit. Then I used Velcro strips and laced these through the plastic base pieces. The Velcro strips made it far easier to mount the bag, but the rotation issue was still there. So, I punched a couple holes into the front of the Fuel-Pack with my hole punch pliers I have and laced a Nylon string through the front, went around the stem/steer tube, and tied it on to stabilize the bag. 

That solved that issue, but there still is one more thing about this bag that was rather surprising, honestly, and that was that it would not ever hold its shape, Not when new out of the box, nor will it do so now. It isn't a 'bad' thing necessarily, but contrast this with the Toptube-Bag which stays perfectly rectangular even after I inadvertently smash it while dismounting, and the Fuel-Pack seems a step below that. 

The Next Step: So, now what? The Toptube-Bag is too big, really, but has this fantastic, stable base. The Fuel-Pack is a much better size but has a dismal mounting system that just wasn't going to work on my bikes. Well.....

What about cross-breeding these two bags? Maybe I could use the fact that the two bags use the two-bolt top tube bag mount standard, swap the base from the Toptube-Bag to the Fuel-Pack, and then I could have the bag I really want? 

Stay tuned............

Review: Ortlieb Fuel-Pack & Toptube-Bag

 Note: Ortleib sent over their Fuel-Pack and Toptube-Bag for test and review at no charge to Guitar Ted Productions. I am not being paid, nor bribed, for this review and I will always strive to give you my honest thoughts and opinions throughout. 

There are a lot of bag makers out there these days ranging from small, home-based makers all the way through to big factory-made products sold with other company's branding. What bag is best? Where do you go to find the best features and construction for a good value on the dollar spent? 

Maybe I am like you and I see all these bags and get kind of paralyzed by all the ways to go. A sort of Tyranny of Choice, as it were. I guess that is why I was a bit surprised that this press release I received recently spurred my attention and interest in Ortlieb's bags for touring and bikepacking. Of course, the Ortlieb brand is synonymous with high-quality, dependable touring gear. And as I wasn't really interested in panniers or the like, I wasn't expecting to find anything there that I would want to review, but these two top tube mounted bags I have in hand now did pique my interest. 

Ironically the press release wasn't about any specific Ortlieb product. It was a message pointing out the company's efforts in sustainability. Now, generally this can be a somewhat confusing subject and often claims are made that are not verified or even understandable. But Ortlieb owns their own manufacturing plants, and since that is the case, they can verify the carbon footprint of every one of their bags. So, if you go to any Ortlieb bag page on the Ortlieb website, you can see a little green box, (natch) down in the right hand lower corner and it tells you how far you'd have to cycle to offset the carbon footprint for that particular product. 

Now if you know Ortlieb, you know that their products are very durable, well designed, and even repairable, so from that standpoint you have a leg up on many company's bags that aren't made as well, repairable, or both. Another hallmark of Ortleib products is their waterproofness, and these two bags I have should be excellent in that regard. So, enough said about all the sustainability and whatnot. What do I have here anyway?

What It Is: These are two of Ortlieb's top-tube mounted bags from their Bikepacking collection. the first bag here will be the Fuel-Pack. This is a new bag in Ortlieb's Bike-packing range. This bag has a 1L capacity, a magnetic closure "flap" style lid, and attaches via either a top tube boss set, (if your bike is so equipped) or via a two-strap perforated rubber system. If your bike has the two-bolt bosses on the top tube, you can use the rubber straps and included plates to mount a water bottle to a frame member, or use the plates to offset the placement of the Fuel-Pack on a set of top tube bosses if necessary. 

The Fuel-Pack has PU-coated Nylon fabric construction with an outer mesh pocket. There is also an integrated cable port for the recharging of devices. 

The Fuel-Pack weighs in at 110gm for the bag alone and the hardware weighs in at 43gm (rubber straps are included in that) Dimensions of the bag are 8.3"L x 4.7"H x 3.3"W. The Fuel-Pack is available via Ortlieb's website for $75.00. 

The Toptube-Bag is similarly featured when it comes to pockets and the magnetic closure, but it is larger.  9.1"L x 4.7"H x 3.3"W. The weight of the Toptube-Bag with the clip-on rail attached is 194 grams while the hardware weighs in at 53 grams . The Toptube-Bag is $95.00USD.

The Toptube-Bag has a unique rail attachment which allows the Toptube-Bag to be clipped off the bike. More on that in a bit.

The Ortlieb Fuel-Pack

First Impressions: When talking with the representative for Ortlieb I was a bit torn between this Fuel-Pack and the following Top-Tube Bag for a choice. I was wondering if 1 liter was too small but 1.5L sounded huge. Fortunately, for you and I, Ortlieb was okay with sending both bags out for this review. This way we can compare and contrast easily, and hopefully you can be better informed as to which one is right for you. 

The two pockets that receive the magnets can clearly be seen here.

I do know that both are impeccably made and the quality of construction looks top-notch. There are two very strong, I assume neodymium, magnets inserted into the flap-style lids of both bags, which protrude from the lid. But unlike many other magnetic closures I have seen on bags, these have matching pockets to land in which are molded/held in place by the bag fabric. When the magnets land in these plastic pockets the resulting 'snap' heard is satisfyingly loud enough that I think you won't wonder if the bag is closed or not while riding. I have had instances with other magnetic closures where I thought the bag was closed but the wind had actually lifted the top up and everything inside was in danger of being lost. I don't see this as an issue with either of these two bags, but we will see. 

 Ortlieb says there is an "external mesh pocket" here on the Fuel-Pack, but it isn't really external. It is essentially between the flap on its "hinged side" and the reinforced inner space. There is also another inner pocket inside. Interestingly, Ortlieb cautions against putting a bank card in this bag unless it is in that "outer" mesh pocket, furthest away from the magnets. This is due to the detrimental effects that a magnet can have on a chip card or a magnetic strip card. The interior is a plush, fleeced type of fabric that should keep noise to a minimum but could prove to be an issue with gooey gel packets and melted chocolate covered energy bars. 

The Ortlieb Top-Tube Bag

The Top-Tube Bag is similar in design, but obviously larger. It also has a unique rail attachment that allows you to quick-release this bag from your bike. You don't have to use this feature, but it could be a handy way to turn your Top-Tube bag into a convenient carry-in bag for safe-keeping of valuables or just so you don't buy so much stuff that it won't fit in the bag!

A look at the interior of the Toptube-Bag

 I decided to go with the Fuel-Pack on my Honeman Flyer while the Noble GX5 is getting the Toptube-Bag. The Honeman Flyer is a steel framed bike with relatively small diameter tubing compared to most bikes seen today for gravel. Think "classic road bike" steel tubes and this bike is closer to that sort of tube diameter than not. Meanwhile the Noble has standard, for today, larger cross-section carbon fiber frame design. This is important to remember here as it pertains to the fit of these Ortlieb bags. 

Overall, the set up was easy using the included instructions. It's kind of "Ikea-like", but there are clear images and instructions to follow, so give it some patience and I think most folks can do this assembly with no problem. That said, a traditional hook and loop strapped-on top tube bag is pretty easy to mount. Much easier than these bags were to mount, so as far as installation goes, the Ortlieb's score low on the scale compared to the competition.

The Ortlieb Fuel-Pack

Note how the straps are forced into a very sharp angle over the buckle on this narrow steel tubing.

Fuel-Pack: I was a bit disappointed in the results I saw with the combination of the steel frame and the Fuel-Pack. The straps were forced into a sharper bend onto the hook which secures the bag to the bike because of the narrow steel tubing. This, in turn, allowed the strap to pop off easily if you touched the straps. So, a slight brush from a leg, let's say, while standing and pedaling could cause this. That was unacceptable. 

Furthermore; due to the narrow stance of the plastic standoffs for the attachment of the bag, it was most difficult to find the hook to attach the silicone rubber strap. I managed to do it, but a wider stance in regard to the mounts would have alleviated this frustration to a great degree. 

I think what I need to do next is to mount this bag to one of my bikes that has a wider cross-section top tube to see how it will go there. The way the Toptube-Bag mounted to the Noble bike gives me hope in that regard. But as for my steel framed gravel bikes? I am afraid this Fuel-Pack is no good as a match for them. 

The Ortlieb Toptube-Bag

Toptube Bag: This was a complete 180° experience. The removable Toptube-Bag mount is separate from the bag, so strapping it on was super-easy. Plus the bag is far more stable on a wider top tubed bike as well as being a good foundation for the base plate. This allows super-easy removal and replacement of the bag using the release on the base plate. 

The Toptube-Bag, while dimensionally only slightly bigger according to Ortlieb's specs, is far larger in reality than the Fuel-Pack. The Fuel-Pack tapers to the rear of the bike, is slimmer in the rear, and it also slopes to the rear in profile. The Toptube-Bag, in contrast, is much more a "box" and has copious amounts of room inside the bag. 

So Far... I am reserving any judgement on the Fuel-Pack until I try it on a different bike. Meanwhile, I am very impressed with the Toptube-Bag with its removable feature. However; there is also the function of its flap-style, magnetic closure top that is superior to the Fuel-Pack's, despite the similarities. The Fuel-Pack's lid has a weird fold in the front which sometimes does not allow the lid to fully close. A slight tap on the lid usually does the trick, but still.... 

Stay tuned for an update coming soon.