Spotted: New Vittoria Gravel Tires & Wheels

Land Run sponsor Vittoria Tires has several guest journalists racing this weekend aboard an all-new tire and carbon wheelset. The new tire will be offered in 700 and 650b sizes and clearly places a priority on speed. 

Vittoria’s new Terreno Zero has a decidedly racey design with a very round profile and smooth center section. Shown is above is the 700 x 37mm TNT (tubeless) version. Vittoria reps were tight lipped about details, but did say the Zero will be available this summer. They added that it uses a Corsa road tire inspired center tread with the same side scales found on the Terreno Dry. A 650x47mm size will also be offered. 

Scales offer surprising grip and low rolling resistance. 

The Terreno Zeros were mounted to Vittoria’s new Elusion Carbon Disc RR wheelset. Available in 30 and 42mm depths, the new hoops will be available in July. Representatives offered no specifics on pricing but said Vittoria was aiming for a price tag just over $1,000. 12mm axles front and rear, sealed bearing hubs, straight pull spokes, hooked beads, and Centerlock rotor mounting highlight the wheels. Reportedly they weigh slightly more than 1,500 grams.

There were also hints of more sizes coming in the Terreno Dry tread pattern, with 650b x 47mm, 29 x 2.1“, and 29 x 2.25” mentioned in passing. 

White graphics on carbon looks good and will match any bike. 

The rims appear to be fairly healthy in width. The overhang of the 37mm tires isn't extreme. 

Straight-pull spokes, Centerlock rotor mounting, and sealed cartridge hubs. So far so good. But only time will tell. 

External spoke nipples keep them easy to maintain. 

Aerostich Rain Gloves

Dressing in layers is not a new concept for most bikepackers. But picking the right layers is still tricky. Those choices change based on the season, the region and the person. No matter who you are or where you are though, quality rain gear is always important. Rainwear can be used for wet conditions as well as cold and windy weather. As part of a sleep system, you can use it as a vapor barrier. 

My go-to rain jacket and rain pants are from Mont Bell. They fit me well, weigh very little and deliver good bang for the buck. Figuring out how to keep your hands and feet dry is a bit tougher. For the most part I used plastic bags on my feet. They weigh nothing, are essentially free, and take up no space in my shoes. Hands are another story. 

Waterproof gloves aren't hard to find. Whether you look at winter cycling gear or at your local hardware store, you can find something that will work. Many Tour Divide racers go with dishwashing gloves. They are a great value and offer good grip. But they can be a bit fragile, tearing after repeated use. As a sometimes motorcycle rider, I looked to Aerostich, a fantastic U.S. company that makes rider apparel. I recently purchased a pair of $47 Short-Gauntlet Triple Digit Raincovers, size medium, in orange. 

Simply put, they're perfect. Not too light, certainly not heavy (76 grams for the pair) and offer a nice construction. I ordered the smallest size offered, medium, and they leave lots of room for liner gloves inside. Bear in mind that they're designed to go over padded/armored motorcycle gloves. Aerostich also offers a longer gauntlet version, but this seems like a bit of overkill for bikepacking. I added a few stripes of silicone to increase grip on the bar and brake levers. 

A bit of silicone to increase grip

I haven't had a chance to use them in sopping wet conditions, but if they're anything like other Aerostich products, they'll be fantastic. They're also handy for cold mornings. With Defeet wool long-finger gloves, I'll be able to go near freezing with few worries. I could also throw a chemical heat pack inside if the going is especially cold. I even like the bright orange color. It makes them easier to find inside a frame or other bikepacking bag. 

The weight conscious may remove this, but it's nice to keep the pair together inside your bag. Velcro at the wrists keeps them on and comfortable. 

OT Buckshot Bluetooth Speaker

Nothing helps the miles roll by quite like some upbeat tunes. And while I'm not averse to using ear buds, staying a bit more aware of one's surroundings is a good thing for all cyclists. I picked up an OT Buckshot Bluetooth speaker a few months ago after reading about it on Chris Bennett's site: triduffer.wordpress.com. I met Chris on the Tour Divide route in 2013 and really enjoy his writings. 

Anyway, the speaker is great. It weighs next to nothing, is water resistant and has a nice long battery life (OT claims 20 hours). I use a mount for a Big Air from Genuine Innovations to strap the speaker to my stem or aerobars. 

The speaker charges via a micro USB port so I can top it off using my Schmidt SON hub and K-Lite with its Sinewave charger on my bikepacking bike. Otherwise it lasts far longer than my legs on long rides and so works on any bike I may be riding.  

The sound quality consistently impresses me. So too does the little speaker's volume. For $40, it's a great piece of kit.  

Borah Gear Snowyside eVent bivy - Good things in small packages

The mail came yesterday and along with some junk mail was a U.S. Postal Service 9x12" envelope. Inside was my Christmas present (my wife is amazing) from Borah Gear. Opening it carefully, I pulled out a custom Snowyside eVent bivy with a cuben fiber bottom. Obviously, I first weighed it. 329 grams with the stuff sack and mesh bug window.  

Fantastically small shelter inside  

Inside the included stuff sack

Borah Gear Snowyside eVent cuben bivy

The cuben is a translucent green

Shown with a regular size Thermarest Neo Air pad for scale

Nice, low-key badging

April 13, 2016: I've now used the Borah Gear Snowyside bivy three times, all in the desert outside Moab. While I experienced condensation the first night, on subsequent nights including one with showers, I slept comfortably. I used a car visor as a sleeping pad that first night as an experiment, a failed one. The pad wasn't thick enough for me and I also think that it contributed to the moisture. Switching to a Thermarest NeoAir, my normal pad, I was more comfortable and experienced no moisture. I was using my Enlightened Equipment sleeping quilt rated to 30-degrees. I slept in a layer of thin wool and wore a hat. Nighttime low temperatures were in the 40's. I am exceedingly happy with my purchase. The weight is fantastically low and it packs down very well. Recommended!