Offline maps are a must. Most bike packing routes will have a downloadable map that doesn’t require mobile data to view. Make sure you share your route with a friend not on the ride. If things go wrong someone will know where you are.
Save your emergency contact’s information into everyone else’s phones. That way if something happens and you get taken away in a helicopter or are unable to unlock your phone, they can let someone know what’s happening.
Quick access to bike spares. The Aeroe racks and dry bags were great for loading up the majority of our gear. But it would’ve been helpful to have a small hip pack or frame bag so you can quickly access spares.
Share items amongst the group. For example, there is no need to for everyone in the group to bring a gas cooker. What worked for us was to have two cookers for our group of four.
Bring a power bank. Keep those devices that are storing maps and the ability to contact help charged up.
Bring extra ski straps (aka Versa/Voile straps). If something breaks or you want to carry an extra water bottle to your frame these straps are perfect.
Water! You’ll probably need more water than you think. Particularly if you’re planning to eat dehydrated meals that need water added. Use those ski straps to attach an extra Nalgene bottle to your downtube. Or even better get some bottle holders that attach to your fork.
Bring thongs. Having a change of shoes is a campsite luxury that won’t cost you much space or weight.
On bike kit, off bike kit. One set of riding clothes and one set of non-riding clothes is all you need. Go for merino wool if you can. It’s moisture-wicking and doesn’t stink even after multiple wears. Don’t forget to bring a small packing puffer jacket.
Lay your gear out before packing. We met in a park close to the trail head. Here we had tons of room to lay all our gear out. This meant we could easily triple check we had everything.
Get your friends stoked on it. Sometimes you need soul-searching solo missions. But we’ve found bikepacking with friends is the way to go and safer too.
'THE OSCARS OF THE BIKING INDUSTRY'
We're super excited to share that our Spider Pannier Rack has won the Design & Innovation Award 2024🏆
Known as ''The Oscars of the Biking Industry’’ the awards were held in Germany and we are super grateful to receive this prestigious awards from the international bike industry - thank you all for your support 🙏
Check out what the judges said about our Spider Pannier Rack after testing and review, as well as checking out the other winners below - so you can keep up to date with the best gear in the biking world right now!
"Aeroe have gone one step further with the Spider pannier rack: having already won the Design & Innovation Award, this rack has now been tailored for commuting thanks to the new pannier receiver. This addition makes the Spider rear rack system even more adaptable and versatile.
The base is already easy to attach to any bike with a standard suspension system, but now you can also attach your favourite panniers to almost any bike, hardtail or full suspension, carbon or metal. You can take everything with you without it shaking or wobbling when riding off-road. The pannier rack is quick to bolt on and can also be rotated and locked at an angle. All in all, a well thought out and beautifully designed addition to the Aeroe rear rack universe. Hats off, Aeroe!"
''The Design & Innovation Award is more than just an award. It’s the only award to feature comprehensive review, highlight potential and discuss the true value of innovation. The award team has once more invested countless hours to analyse the most exciting products of 2024 for you. Here we present you the products that secured the coveted Design & Innovation Award in 2024.''
Thanks for all of your support and as always, Enjoy your next adventure, from all the aeroe team.
Toby recognises the benefits and convenience of using his bike as his main form of travel, whether its locally around town, or internationally bike packing around the world!
Toby is currently in his home town in Spain, after biking from France, through the Pyrenees, and along the coast of Spain. Shortly he'll be heading over the the USA, to continue his annual international bike packing holiday.
Currently, Toby has ridden over 1800 kilometres, with 36,000m of elevation gain, and over 79 hours on the bike. This man loves a big hill, and his trip is just getting started!
To keep up with Toby's international, and local adventures, head over to his instagram page @toby_bikes_roberts to follow along!
Toby enjoys the social and community aspect of bike packing. In recent years, bikes has brought him closer to his local community, and connected him with other like minded riders, who are always up for adventures in the hills.
Toby's Go-To Gear
Day to day, Toby will keep things simple. With enough space for a few tools, clothes, and lunch for the day, he gets around with a 12L dry bag on his rear rack, and a 8L dry bag on his handle bar cradle.
Currently on his international trip, Toby has chosen to load up his rear rack with 3 seperate 8L dry bags.
Ever wanted to ride one of the worlds most epic bikepacking routes - The Old Ghost Road in New Zealand? We recently caught up aeroe ambassadors Mallika Goel and Barry O’Reilly who took on the route and shot an incredible video and write up below. Check it out!
West coast, best coast. Isn’t that what they say?
In all of my fifteen years in New Zealand, I never believed it…until now. It rains too much, I always said, it’s far too grey and bleak. How ignorant of me, because after spending 3 precious days in this rugged, magnificent terrain, I felt moved and humbled beyond belief. Shall we move here? I asked Barry (who was similarly enthralled) half-jokingly…
The challenge is as big or small as you want it to be
Some of our friends have ridden the trail in a single day and others we met during our adventure had been so enamoured by it, that they’d ridden it multiple times in all conditions, rain or snow or shine.
Originally slated to ride The Old Ghost Road over Christmas last year, Barry and I postponed our adventure to Waitangi weekend, due to my iffy wrist. I had had surgery back in August, but recovery had been longer than anticipated, with the wrist constantly flaring up in the months that followed. By December, I'd only been on my mountain bike once in four months and didn’t know if my wrist would cope with 3 days of constant riding on rough terrain.
Thankfully though, by the time February rolled around, my wrist was behaving better and I felt ready to tackle the trail in its enormity.
We took our time, riding it over 3 days and 2 nights so we’d be able to film the entire experience (video coming out soon). Though part of me loves the thought of charging through the whole trail as a test of endurance, the other part appreciated our slower pace so we could soak in the views and even session a couple of the tricky features/corners a couple of times.
The aeroe bikepacking set-up
A huge thanks to aeroe for their bikepacking bags! We’ve been using the Aeroe Spider Handlebar Cradle and Aeroe Spider Rear Rack for over 12 months, but the dry bags were the icing on the cake. They’re durable, fully waterproof, easy to strap in and take off, and of course the 8L one is a bright orange that looks great on the trail.
We choose the 8L dry bag for the front and 12L for the back. It was also our first time tweaking the Rear Cradle so the rear dry bag would sit horizontally instead of length-ways, which (in theory) freed us up to use the dropper.
Bit of a bodge
I say in theory, because my dropper post started acting up on Day 1, even though we had checked the bikes over before we left Christchurch. With lots of climbing awaiting us, there was only one thing for it: a temporary fix. Barry used a spare bit of inner tube and a GoPro clamp to keep my seatpost from slipping down. I was reminded of GCN’s “Hack or Bodge” series. It was a worthy bodge in my opinion ;)
The Old Ghost Road isn’t just a mountain biking paradise…
…It’s a shared trail, traversed by eager multi-day hikers too. In fact, we met more hikers during our trip than we did bikers. As is the nature of multi-day tramps or bikepacking trips, if you’re breaking up the journey sequentially, chances are you’re going to be bumping into the same people along the way. At Ghost Lake hut and subsequently Stern Valley hut, we connected with some lovely people, including Brigette, a super friendly, highly capable guide from Bush and Beyond and a trio of women on their first overnighter together: Kiri, Paulette and Carol. Everyone was really genuine, open and generous, plying us with food too!
There’s a book in every hut about the story behind the trail’s inception, started by an American with a dream and love of the wild West Coast. As foreigners who’ve made New Zealand our home, this really resonated with us.
The trail is spectacular, with a few standout sections
The Old Ghost Road traverses such vast and varied terrain that it’s almost hard to pick a favourite section. Almost. A few standouts were:
Heaven’s Door to Ghost Lake Hut (Day 1)
Skyline ridge (absolutely stunning, though this section was hard) (Day 2)
The climb out of the Boneyard (Day 3)
Crossing bridge after bridge and in awe of the mighty Mōkihinui river (Day 3)
Nature therapy is a real thing
We wore the same clothes for 3 days straight, revelled in the joy of having no cell service*, enjoyed conversations with strangers, soaked up moments of quiet (punctuated every now and again by birdsong) and let ourselves be swallowed up by the magic of the mountains. Somehow the deluge stayed at bay for 3 days; our rain jackets were packed away less than a kilometre into the track and there they stayed for the duration of our ride. As we rode on towards the end of the trail, we marvelled at curtains of cloud that hung listlessly in valleys, adding to the overall ‘eeriness’ of the trail and making the name ‘Old Ghost Road’ that much more appropriate.
It’s no exaggeration to say that while my body was relieved to see the archway at the end of the trail, my mind was not. A storm of sandflies (yes, I made that collective animal noun up) descended on us as we started unpacking and soon after it was business as usual, life swallowing us up. I found myself missing the pace of the trail and the calm it brought…
But like any love story that’s just begun…we know we’ll be back.
--
Watch the Youtube video here:
This article has been re-shared from Break the Resistance's blog hereHead on over and show some support on their blog.
Click on the image above to check out this short video where we have taken a deep dive into the key features and benefits of the spider pannier receiver so you can make the most of your next adventure! Hot tips include.
The Pannier Receiver fits onto your existing Spider Rear Rack
The Receiver and Anti-Sway Finger is compatible with any brand of pannier.
Fits small and full suspension frames and works around dropper posts.
Perfect for both eMTB commuters and tough MTB terrain lovers.
Your gear is super secure and stable, no matter the ride.
Swap out the pannier receiver for aeroe cradles and pods to suit the adventure ahead.
Your MTB or eMTB still looks and functions as it should.
The base rack is also compatible with all other aeroe accessories. Swap out your pannier receiver for a Spider Rear Cradle or Quick Mount Pod for a weekend ride, or transfer the rack between bikes, and you’re ready to ride your way
The world's most user-friendly bike rack and carrier system is now commute ready
Simply add the Pannier Receiver to the top of your existing Spider Rear Rack and lower anti-sway pannier catch fingers below and you are good to go!
Take Any Brand of Pannier bag with ease on the spider pannier receiver on top of your existing Spider Rear rack
Perfect for taking laptops, lunch, jackets and other work gear on your Bike or E-Bike.
Make your Commute the best part of your day!
Stable enough to take the long way home via the trails or add some fun into your next Commute!
Click below to get setup for your next commute or adventure!
Make your Commute the best part of your day!
Stable enough to take the long way home via the trails or add some fun into your next Commute!
Click below to get setup for your next commute or adventure!
If you have any questions - get in touch at team@aeroe.com - otherwise we looking forward to seeing you out there!
Exclusive Tips + Tricks and Install Guide - Spider Rear Rack
Tips for installing or swapping between bikes in seconds! No in-built mounts or fiddly axle mounts required.
The number one rack brand designed specifically for mountain bikes and E-mountain bikes, the Spider Rear Rack is the perfect companion for any adventure. It fits both hardtails and full suspension with ease.
Thanks to a clever quick-release system, with no in-built bike mounts or axle dropouts required, you can easily move your rack from one rig to another in minutes. There’s no need to have multiple racks for multiple bikes, just swap and go.
From single-day rides to weeks on the trails, the Spider Rear Rack is ready to carry everything you need.
Tips on strapping in aeroe dry bags – or your favourite brand of dry bag, tent or sleeping bag so you can attach and go!
The Spider Rear Rack is the versatile accessory your mountain bike or E-mountain bike adventures need. It can carry aeroe dry bags or any brand’s dry bags, tents or other gear, so if you already have a tent or bag in the garage you can just strap it on and go.
The setup itself is just as versatile as the bag options. The cradle can go on the side or the top of the rack, as well as rotate 90 degrees. This means no matter your carrying preference, the Spider Rear Rack can cater to suit.
You can bring more or less gear with interchangeable cradles and pods, simply twist and lock up to three of them into place and you’re ready to go. With the ability to carry up to 16kg of gear, you’ll never be caught short.
Best tips on using the built in straps keep your gear super secure. No more swaying or rattling gear even on the toughest MTB terrain.
When you’re riding your mountain bike or E-mountain bike the last thing you want to hear is the rattle of your gear. Thanks to the secure system, there are zero annoying rattles or sway with the Spider Rear Rack or Rear Cradles no matter the conditions or load.
The built-in straps keep your gear super secure and stable, whether you’re riding over grapefruit-sized gravel or flying down singletrack. This is just one of the perks of being designed specifically for off-road adventures.
You never have to worry about having to adjust your gear along the way, or checking it a few hundred times “just in case.” Instead, you get peace of mind on your ride.
Why the rack is engineered for Full Suspension MTBs and EMTBs, the rack will handle anything you can throw at it!
Designed to be used on full-suspension mountain bikes and
E-mountain bikes, the Spider Rear Rack can handle whatever you throw at it. The quality materials are built to last, with silicon-coated nylon at all touch points to protect your bike.
Ready for any terrain from pavement to rough trails, you can configure your gear to suit the ride ahead. With the Spider your luggage will never be a barrier to adventure, you can fit and forget with the peace of mind that it’s built to handle it. Cameras, pack rafts and bakery pies are just a few of the precious cargo our customers have carried worry-free.
Best of all, you can still use your bike the way it was designed to be used - with your gear located in a way that lets you have full use of the dropper post and suspension when mountain biking.
Thanks to the rotating cradles and movable locations your gear will never get in your way of your MTB adventure. Full use of dropper post and suspension. Add 1, 2 or 3 cradles or pods and go! We cover it all.
Thanks to rotating cradles and movable locations your Spider
Rear Rack will never get in your way during your mountain bike or
E-mountain bike adventures. The rack can be located to suit the use of a dropper post and be kept out of the way on small frames, while the cradles can rotate up to 90 degrees.
We cover our superior cradle design stability and how you can Pack up and down in seconds with our in-built straps. No more checking your gear along the way or fiddly straps to worry about.
As the world’s most user-friendly bike rack and carrier system, the Spider Rear Rack is perfect for everyone from first-timers to bike nuts.
The simple design means you can pack up or down in seconds, there’s no fiddling around or confusing parts to manhandle. With such a quick system you can grab and go on a whim, making attaching your rack the easiest part of your adventure.
In-built straps make for quick access to your gear, as well as no lost pieces when you’re not using your Spider Rear Rack.
Multiple Design Award winner for a reason. Your MTB or EMTB still looks and functions as an MTB should!
Having won three design and innovation awards in the “Oscars of the Biking World’’, you know you’re onto a good thing when you choose the Spider Rear Rack for your mountain bike or E-mountain bike.
The streamlined design means your bike not only still looks and functions like a mountain bike, but there are no fiddly bits to get in your way.
The Spider Rear Rack was designed in New Zealand, being tested and proven on our array of trails and terrain, ready to be used to explore the world. High-quality, durable and damn good-looking, it’s the best carrying solution for all mountain bike adventures.
Check out a few of his images and Q+A’s and gear breakdown below : 🤘
Where is your first stop and where will you end up?
What are you most excited about along your adventure?
I’m excited to see Tasmania and NZ for the first time! I’ve heard so many good things about the people, the riding and the scenery.
Why did you pack it the way you did?
It all started when I rode by mountain bike from Bellingham to Port Angles for a DH race (140 miles) and I actually performed better AND had a much more fulfilling and memorable experience.
Also travelled abroad is expensive and not always environmentally conscious. Our bikes are built to do so much, yet we drive big vans between rounds of the World Cup/EWS. I wanted to see if maybe there is a sliver of attainability left in high level racing.
How many miles will you ride per week?
Varies a lot. This is a short stint so on touring days roughly ~100 miles a day.
What will you be staying in? Tent? Hostels? Hotels?
A mix! The nice thing about bike racing is that people are super friendly and will fit you in if they have space. But I also have the ability and expectation that I will camp. I have a sleeping bag, pad and bivy sack (OR Helium bivy) which I can camp in pretty much anywhere.
To follow Eric on his travels follow him on Instagram here https://www.instagram.com/jankyeric/ 🤘
If you have any questions on Erics setup get in touch. He is setup with a spider rear rack, extra cradle and aeroe 8L and 12L dry bags - check out the products for more information to set your Full Suspension Mountain Bike up for Bikepacking on your next trip! 🤘
|
We were stoked to follow Queenstown, New Zealand locals, Nicola and John around to do just this for the day as they ride around their local area with their E - Mountain Bikes, with the added comfort of using their aeroe rear racks.
Nicola and John were able to load up their gear onto their Moustache E - Mountain Bikes simply and quickly onto their aeroe rack system.
Perfect for those long Sunday Cafe rides, where you want to ride that little bit longer, and take that extra gear, without the hassle of a backpack.
Gear that Nicola and John take on their rides:
They also always leave a bit of room for extra things incase they hit the shops on their way home!
Nicola and John went and checked out the local Lavender Farm, and picked up a couple of pots of honey to take home with them, easily putting them in their aeroe dry bags.
Get the weight off your Back - and onto your Bike! Below are some of the products that Nicola and John used on their bike to do just this and free them from wearing a backpack all day. If you have any questions around getting your/partners/parents or even grandparents EMTB setup, get in touch at team@aeroe.com ! |
The spider rear rack, handlebar cradle, 8L and 12L dry bags and quick mount pod were all awarded winners. The ability for the rack to go onto Full suspension Mountain Bikes and E-Mountain Bikes was considered a big advantage, still being able to use dropper posts and suspension - as well as being able to strap in any dry bag, sleeping bag, spare E-Bike batteries or tent for weekend adventures or commuting.
We are super grateful to receive these prestigious awards from the international bike industry - thank you all for your support 🙏
If you want to learn more about any of these products just click the products - or get in get in touch at team@aeroe.com 👌
Otherwise enjoy your next adventure from the aeroe team!
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Aeroe ambassadors, Amy and Toby recently got their hands on some Sea to Summit gear and went on an epic overnight trip around the outskirts of Lake Wānaka, New Zealand.
At aeroe we love it when we see people carrying their favourite brand of gear on their favourite bikes.
Using Sea to Summits bikepacking Drybags and tent, along with aeroe racks and cradles, check out more about their adventure below, on their full suspension specialized mountain bikes - including a feature film.
Gear made for the elements, rain, hail or shine. Sea to Summit's range of dry bags, tents, sleeping bags, sleeping mats and accessories are the perfect add on to your aeroe racks. Shown here - Amy and Toby getting setup for their adventure.
We're stoked to work with aeroe ambassadors Toby and Amy to show case the usability and durability of Sea to Summit gear on aeroe racks.
Both Sea to Summit and aeroe were designed with similar intent. Simplicity and quality.
Sea to Summit provide high quality dry bags, with buckle loops that can work perfectly with aeroe cradles, which are designed to take dry bags directly on them.
Toby (pictured below) is running two 13 litre dry bags on his rear rack and one 13 litre dry bag on his handle bar cradle. Toby was impressed with how solid the bags were on the rack, and was able to ride like they weren't even there, jumps and all!
"Do aeroe racks effect the handling of my bike?"
Toby (above) doesn't seems to think so...
Below are some of the key bits of gear that Amy and Toby took on their adventure as well as their gear highlights:
SEA TO SUMMIT TELOS TR2 TENT
"The most user friendly bike packing tent we've ever used"
The Telos two-person freestanding tent will radically change your perception of what an ultralight bikepacking tent can be. Sea to Summit’s engineers made it their mission to design a tent that is easy to set up and filled with clever functional features. Mission accomplished.
If you'd like to know more about how you can incorporate Sea to Summit gear on your aeroe system, get in touch with us at team@aeroe.com
Happy adventuring
The aeroe team
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As more and more people from all walks of life are getting into biking, particularly with the introduction of e-bikes, parents (and grandparents) are looking for easy ways to carry gear (and their kids) on their bike for a day trip or overnight trip.
We recently teamed up with the experts in this space - the good guys at kids ride shotgun (a fellow NZ company). They are on a mission to make it easier for parents to hit the trails with their little ones.
They set up their Focus JAM2 6.7 E-Bike with their super handy Pro Seat up front (to carry kids) and an aeroe spider rear rack and handlebar cradle along with our dry bags (to carry the gear).
All of a sudden the bike has transformed into the perfect setup to take on any day or overnight trip with your little ones.
Kids and Parents. Sorted.
Here’s a few images shot on a wet day at Summerhill MTB Park in Papamoa, New Zealand.
If you have any questions around getting set up on an E-Bike, or best setup for a day or multi day trip with kids, for you or someone you know, just shout out!
No matter what your definition of adventure is, we’re here to help you and your family get sorted!
Thanks for all of your support and as always, Enjoy your next adventure, from all the aeroe team.
A bikebacking short film by aeroe
Recently, aeroe Digital Content Manager, Pete, and his good friend Jay, took on the Nydia Track. One of New Zealands most technical and beautiful overnight bike packing adventures, really putting their gear to the test!
New Zealand is lucky to be the home to so many incredible multi-day mountain bike rides, through high alpine terrain, bush clad valleys, and jaw dropping coastal areas such as the Nydia Track.
Pete has done many of the New Zealand classics such as the Old Ghost Road and the Paparoa Track, but has had the Nydia Track on his list for quite some time. The Nydia Track is lesser known to bike packers in New Zealand, mostly due to it's technical riding since it's predominately a walking track that mountain bikers have been allowed to ride.
The Nydia Track
The Nydia Track is situated on the Northern tip of the South Island of New Zealand, in an area called 'the Marlborough Sounds'. WIth no shortage high terrain, native bush, and great hut network, it is an adventure heaven!
The Nydia Track is 27 kilometres, however, this is deceptive due to the technicality of the riding and is rather slow going at times, especially on the climbs with an element of 'hike-a-biking' in places! For the most part, the trail is graded at grade 4, however there are a fair few sections of good honest grade 5 descents to keep you on your toes.
With over 1200 metres of climbing, you really get your moneys worth with great views, and awesome long descents! Filled with rocky roll downs, drops, off camber roots, and the odd section of flow trail, it's pretty hard to beat!
The icing on the cake is there is a brilliant lodge at the half waypoint in Nydia Bay, which is exactly what the body needs when you've spent a good day in the hills. The lodge sleeps up to 50 people, has access to power, gas cookers, pots, pans, the works! It's a great place to get a good crew together and make a trip out of it!
Gear break down
"Both Jay and I chose to run with an 8 litre dry bag on our handlebar cradles, and a 12 litre dry bag mounted on the top of the rear rack rotated 90 degrees.
We rotated our rear cradle so we had full use of our dropper posts, which on a track like this, is in frequent use!
We were stoked with the rigidity of both the rear rack and and front cradle, we were throwing everything the trail and to offer at it. With heavy hits, big rooty sections, everything held in place, and didn't slip an inch!
With this set up, we were able to to comfortably take all the gear we needed for two days, without feeling like our bikes were too heavy. We had our sleeping bags, food for two, warm clothes, rain jackets, head torch, bike 'fix it' kit, camera gear including a drone, and a few more bits and pieces.
We also had our fair share of rain meaning there was mud and water coming from all directions. Having dry bags that are water tight and durable to being brushed up on rocks and branches is very important when you're in this kind of environment. As soon as you get a hole in your bag, it's not going to be a fun night ahead..."
- Pete Mitchell
The Nydia Track Short Film by aeroe
Click the photo below to check out an aeroe short film of Pete and Jay's Nydia Track bikepacking adventure! If you're not tempted to put the Nydia Track on your bucket list after watching this, we're not sure what will!
For other epic bike packing adventures, check out our YouTube channel for more great content!
- The aeroe team
Check out there full wrap up and what they had to say on their website!
- The aeroe team
- The aeroe team
]]>Known as ''The Oscars of the Biking Industry’’ the awards were held in Germany, we are super grateful to receive these prestigious awards from the international bike industry, and like to thank you all for your support 🙏
The Design & Innovation Award is more than just an award. It’s the only award to feature comprehensive review, highlight potential and discuss the true value of innovation. The award team has once more invested countless hours to analyse the most exciting products of 2022 for you. Here we present you the products that secured the coveted Design & Innovation Award in 2022.
Below is what the judges said about the spider rear rack and our handlebar cradles after testing and review.
We are pleased to announce that aeroe™ is from now on part of our brand portfolio and will be exclusively distributed by Traffic at Germany.
Following on from a successful worldwide launch at the Eurobike and Sea Otter Classic Trade shows, all aeroe products are now available in Germany through distributors TRAFFIC and available in good bike shops.
‘’Its great to partner with Traffic, we met them at Eurobike, have spent time with them in their headquarters in Cologne, and feel they are a great fit to help grow an innovative brand like aeroe. Our products have been extremely popular in Germany to date so to have Traffic help us grow our brand and help make our products more accessible to people in Germany is very exciting for us! We look forward to seeing more aeroe products on more German bikes!’’ Mike Maguire, Co-Founder of aeroe:
The traffic team are excited to bring aeroe to Germany and are a great fit to bring the innovative products to the worlds biking epi-centre of Germany:
“One thing I love is innovation in a brand and “aeroe” ticks that box for me. On a personal level, I admire the design and functionality of cycling gear so it’s no surprise I found a common interest with aeroe and I am constantly impressed by the high standard of quality, as well as the simplicity in each of their products. “
Harry Schmid, CEO, Cologne Bicycle Group
Retailers who are interested in stocking aeroe products can contact TRAFFIC via the details below.
Aeroe
Traffic Distribution GmbH,
Richard-Byrd-Str. 12
50829 Cologne
Phone: 0221/ 5000 57-0
Email: info@traffic-distribution.com
Web: www.traffic-distribution.com
Web: aeroe.com
TRAFFIC PRESS RELEASE – November 5th 2021
| "We've been designing, improving - and riding! - the simplest, most functional and beautiful way to carry your gear for more than twelve years," says Mike Maguire, founder of New Zealand bikepacking brand Aeroe.
This experience can now also be had in Germany: Aeroe will now be part of the Traffic Distribution brand portfolio and will be distributed exclusively by the Cologne-based company. The motto of the New Zealanders is: "At aeroe we're on a mission to make bike adventures easier, more enjoyable and more accessible to everybody."
Aeroe developed the first quick release bike rack, called the "Freeload Rack", now known as the "Tour Rack" by Thule. Later it became a whole luggage rack system, the easy-to-use "Spider Rack" and an innovative handlebar mounting system.
The "Spider Rack" comes with a mount with integrated straps - to attach dry bags, tents or sleeping bags. In addition, the bracket can be attached to the sides of the luggage rack; it can be rotated 180 degrees so that it can be used anywhere on the bike. Aeroe also offers a handlebar version of the luggage rack that also fits any bike and is suitable for any equipment.
Mike Maguire, Co-Founder Aeroe: "It's great to partner with Traffic, we met them at Eurobike, have spent time with them in their headquarters in Cologne, and feel they have similar values and are a great fit to help grow an innovative brand like Aeroe. Our products have been extremely popular in Germany to date so to have Traffic help us grow our brand and help make our products more accessible to people in Germany is very exciting for us!"
Harry Schmid, CEO Cologne Bicycle Group: “One thing I love is innovation in a brand and Aeroe ticks that box for me. On a personal level, I admire the design and functionality of cycling gear so it's no surprise I found a common interest with Aeroe and I am constantly impressed by the high standard of quality, as well as the simplicity in each of their products."
Paddy Maguire, Co-Founder Aeroe: "People are looking for a clean, simple and stable way to carry waterproof dry bags, their tent, or any other gear on their bike or e-bike. We have met this need with our versatile aeroe spider rear rack system, and the word is spreading among riders around the world. To see Aeroe enabling people of all abilities to use their bike for more things, more often, with their friends and family is incredibly satisfying."
Retailers who are interested in stocking aeroe products can contact TRAFFIC via the details below.
Aeroe
Traffic Distribution GmbH,
Richard-Byrd-Str. 12
50829 Cologne
Phone: 0221/ 5000 57-0
Email: info@traffic-distribution.com
Web: www.traffic-distribution.com
Web: aeroe.com
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Check out the latest video released by Kona Bicycles this month - 'Moving Mountains' - an epic bikepacking trip across the recently built Paparoa Track in New Zealand's South Island.
The Paparoa Track and the rugged West Coast of Aotearoa New Zealand seemed like the perfect fit for the Kona Unit X. Both riders and film crew were fitted our in full aeroe gear, which kept the gear in place and dry for the trip in some typically tough and wet conditions found in the area.
Sit back and enjoy the video and all the latest photos.....and of course put this trip on your bucket list!
Moving Mountains from Kona Bikes on Vimeo.
The 56.2km (32.5 mile) Paparoa Track is New Zealand’s latest mixed-use backcountry ride. It joins the already extremely popular Heaphy Track and Old Ghost Road as prime bikepacking trip destinations. Its point-to-point route is what bikepacking dreams are made of: the perfect gradients, insane views, epically-located backcountry huts, and some of the most beautiful bush New Zealand has to offer. The track crosses the Paparoa Range, taking riders through alpine peaks, limestone karst landscapes, and thriving rainforests. While it can be ridden in a day, the route is dotted with three backcountry Department of Conservation (DOC) huts to encourage people to take in an overnight or multi-day experience. Each hut provides track users with bunk beds and mattresses, running water and gas cookers. Track users need to carry all their own food, sleeping bags and clothing—especially wet weather gear. The Paparoa range is situated on New Zealand’s West Coast where it rains 195 days a year on average, with 3,000 mm (118 inches) of rainfall annually.
The Blackpool 'Hilton' as the start of the trip
Khulan and Viet all smiles at the start of the trip as they head off.
The Paparoa Track and the rugged West Coast of New Zealand.
Paparoa track ridgeline
View from the top is worth it. Much like the extreme West Coast landscape, the bikepacking-ready fully-rigid steel Unit X and aeroe gear can handle it all.
Hut for the night
Khulan and Viet enjoying some respite from the rain
Khulan and Viet off the next morning
On a roll through native NZ bush
Through the finish gates
Khulan and Viet still smiling! Good effort guys!
Featured Products
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12 years on since the aeroe team designed the innovative freeload rack which was since acquired by Swedish company Thule in 2012, aeroe have leveraged off their experience in the industry and created their most innovative and exciting range of bike accessories to date. The products were designed in 2019, and have been growing at a rapid pace, now having their products in bike shops in 6 countries around the world and also sell worldwide through their website aeroe.com.
Aeroe latest offering is a simple and secure way to carry any bag or tent on any type of bike including e-bikes. The quick release rack can be quickly mounted to the seat stays of just about any type of bike from full suspension mountain bikes to gravel and commuter bikes and e-bikes (including bikes without inbuilt eyelets). Users can then quickly take it on or off - or swap between bikes as required. The rack comes with one cradle which has in-built straps that holds the dry bag or tent in place. Additional cradles can then be added to the sides of the rack depending on how much gear you need to take. Cradles can be rotated 180 degrees to suit heel clearances or dropper post use, all to cater for the needs of carrying gear on modern bikes and e-bikes in an easy way.
‘’To be recognized on the world stage as one of the best bike accessories on the world is huge for us, our latest innovation was designed in response to seeing the shift in what people were wanting to carry on their bike for the day - or for multi day trips such as the heaphy track, old ghost road or the timber trail here in NZ and to cater for the different types of modern bikes people were now using for these trips. People are looking for simple ways to carry waterproof dry bags or their favorite tent, on their bike in an easy way.
We feel we have achieved this with our aeroe spider rear rack system, and the word is starting to spread among cyclists around the world which is great to see” The Maguire Brothers.
Bikepacking is growing rapidly throughout New Zealand and around the world. With many of the great trails in New Zealand now opening for multi day bike trips, and with the addition of e-bikes, this has opened up the ability to go on these trails to more people.
‘’The amount of people going on multi days trips on a bike or ebike is growing rapidly , both here in NZ and around the world which is great, as it’s a great way to see the country and spend time with your friends and family….to play a part of making this easier and more enjoyable for people no matter their technical ability is very rewarding. ‘’ The Maguire Brothers.
Retailers who are interested in stocking aeroe products can contact aeroe via the email team@aeroe.com or the details below. Consumers interested in viewing or purchasing product with free shipping worldwide can do so via www.aeroe.com
]]>Tucked away in a sparsely populated region of Northern California, at the northern terminus of the Sierra Nevada range lies a land of dense, rolling forests, deep canyons, cold clear streams, and jagged peaks that tower over teal, post-glacial lakes. And weaving their way through this serenely beautiful landscape is a network of ever-growing trails, the vast majority of which can be traversed by bike.
Almost everyone’s first encounter with the Lost Sierra is through the charming historic mining town-turned mountain bike mecca, of Downieville. The town’s fabled Downieville Classic hosts thousands of people and their bikes for a long weekend wrought with bikes and bike-related shenanigans – the event has become a longstanding staple of ever-evolving mountain bike culture, partly for the allure of its location, but primarily because of the quality of the region’s trails. It was the Downieville Classic that first drew me into the area years ago, and each visit back has had me yearning to see more.
A standard visit to Downieville consists of two or three days of hammering out shuttle laps on the quintessential downhill trails. Big Boulder, Pauly Creek, Butcher Ranch, and Third Divide all have you fully engaged, flying through and over chunk, between trees, laying your bike over into loose corners, and scanning ahead for any undulation in the trail or feature that you could use to send you up and over as many roots and/or rocks as possible. But what always gathered my attention most was what I saw when the trails reached the bottom of their natal canyons – deep, turquoise pools of swirling cold water could be seen dancing between walls of rock and falling its way toward Downieville far below. Wherever a good vantage was to be had, you could find me, pausing the shred to stare into those hypnotic streams, looking for the fish I knew were there.
After staring into those streams for the last few years I decided it was finally time to do something about it. I found a like-minded accomplice in Colton Jacobs – a seasoned snowboarder and fly angler who also happened to grow up riding motos and BMX (yeah, one of those bastards that’s naturally good at everything). Colton’s always up for some good, solid fun in the mountains so I knew he’d be game for a bit of a blind adventure. Fun descents, fish, and whiskey were promised, and he was in. Easy peasy.
The plan was this; load up the bikes and packs with fly rods and enough gear to float us for 3 days of wandering through the Lost Sierra, and then head out. Intentionally, we’d keep our itinerary loose so that we could camp and fish wherever we damn well pleased, and take full advantage of whatever we found. All we knew is that we’d be starting from the Lakes Basin area, working our way up toward Mount Elwell at some point, then determine a route back down to Downieville, stopping to catch fish and spend the night somewhere along the way. The goal was to draw things out – to stretch a one-day, masochistic mega ride into a three day, semi-casual expedition.
We pulled into Downieville around 5pm on a Friday and grabbed a quick dinner and a beer. As promised, we picked up a bottle of whiskey and then headed up toward Packer Saddle for the night. Just as the last light of the evening was bouncing off of the Sierra Buttes we settled into one of the better primitive spots I’ve come across up there. With the Buttes looming above us, and a sprawling view of the valley below, we christened the whiskey and began setting up our bikes for tomorrow’s early morning departure.
With little to impede it the sun rose quickly the following morning. Seeming eager to get the day started, it filtered through the few pines that stood around our camp, casting long shadows and blanketing everything it touched with a warm, golden haze. Basking in its warmth, we finished readying our bikes and loaded them up on the car to depart for the starting point of our trip.
Parked and loaded up, we set off into the Lakes Basin, each carrying an extra 30-35 pounds above and beyond our normal ride weight. From the car things trended immediately upward; first up and over roots and clusters of small boulders – each effort raising the heart rate and sending us gasping for the air we’re both used to at sea level. Before long we had both dismounted, carrying our bikes up 3 foot ledges and steep, loose climbs riddled with scree. Short, rolling sections of trail punctuated each effort, giving us just enough time to recover before the next punchy climb, dismount, gasp, and walk scenario played out. The great thing about having to stop and gasp for air though (once all of the swirling black dots dissolved…), was that we gained the opportunity to pause and look around. At one point, one such effort left us winded atop a ridgeline, and the time offered by our labored breaths revealed a series of shimmering blue lakes dotting the landscape below us on either side.
We continued on like this for a few more hours, riding, pushing, and passing by lake after lake, making a jerrymander-ed route through the basin in a masochistic attempt to see as many lakes as we could. Eventually we made our way up and beyond the ridge below Mount Elwell and found a lake to call home for the night. Granite spires jutted up from the east side of the lake, shading deep, blue water, and the far end of the lake rose up to the lip of a glacial moraine, with merely a few feet worth of land and rock there to keep the clear cold water from spilling over and down into oblivion below. As a few wary fish pock-marked the glassy water’s surface, we set up our tents and readied our rods, smiling ear to ear at the thought of having an alpine infinity pool all to ourselves for the evening.
A smattering of casts left us empty handed, but the quiet serenity of the empty alpine lake more than made up for it. We retreated back to camp tired and happy after a long first day. We filtered some water, boiled up some ramen, and sipped some whiskey. As night fell the stars sprung to life, and we laid down with our heads outside our tents for an unobstructed view of the show, and dozed off. Not long after I had fallen asleep I awoke, startled to hear the sound of a large twig snapping about 50 feet from the door of my tent. A nearly full moon had risen now, and in its diffuse light I made out the fuzzy silhouette of a large black bear pacing the perimeter of our camp. Back and forth it went through the moonlight, likely figuring out whether or not our camp was worth investigating any closer. I sat up in the door of my tent and watched it for a matter of minutes before it decided we were better off left alone and scrambled up a draw above our camp. In the morning I woke up to find Colton asleep, still halfway out of his tent and completely unaware of our midnight visitor. He was energetic and eager, fresh off a solid night’s sleep. I couldn’t say the same for myself.
Before we sent off on our next leg, we figured this morning would be a great day to ditch the bags and get some laps in first without the extra weight, and that we did. With camp broken and the bags stashed off the side of the trail, we set out to see a couple more lakes and get some climbs and descents in. After only one day of riding with the bags and packs, it was amazing how light and effortless it felt with them off. We flew up climbs with weightless abandon, and threw ourselves into corners and off of rocks on the way down. It was as if every ounce of input to either maneuver or propel the bike resulted in three times the outcome of what we had recently become used to.
It was tough putting all the weight back on, but we really needed to get moving and get some fish in hand. Up to Packer Saddle we went, then across to Pauly Creek, descending from the open, subalpine environment into denser and denser forest. We continued on Pauly all the way down to its confluence with Butcher Creek then maintained course downstream of there. Plunge pool after plunge pool teased our periphery, pulling our gaze away from the trail just long enough to find us nearly getting into some serious shit-eating scenarios on a few different occasions. After several miles of dusty, weaving high-speed single track, we eventually spotted camp for the night. It was an old mining claim along the edge of Pauly Creek. It was flat and nestled between two gorgeous pools, one upstream and another just below. We hurriedly threw up the tents in the fading light and rigged up our rods. Colton’s second cast got him into a fish; a small but feisty native rainbow trout. He quickly removed the hook and released the fish, and as quickly as he let it go it vanished into the water without a trace, disappearing amongst the rocky substrate and clear, teal water.
We fished until night fell, and night fell quickly. Pauly Creek Canyon’s walls are steep and tall, and the diffuse light of dusk makes hard work of getting down to the bottom of the canyon where we set up shop for the night. More ramen was scarfed, whiskey was sipped, and we sat in the darkness chatting and fighting off sleep until the stars revealed themselves. And that they did – traversing the small sliver of sky we could see between the canyon walls was a bright and glowing Milky Way, running nearly the length of our view.
We had no visitors that night. We both woke up refreshed after being lulled into a deep and steady sleep by the sound of the creek (which probably masked the sounds of any locals that dropped in to say hi…). We worked our way upstream in the morning and were lured a little farther than we had planned by each tempting pool we encountered around every bend. We brought several more fish to hand, getting our fill before setting off on our last leg of the trip.
Today was our last day, and with only an hour or so of downhill to get down to Downieville we figured we would take our time to fish or swim anywhere that caught our fancy. Little did we know how much fun we’d have letting go of the brakes on Third Divide, and once the speeds got up, we had a hard time forcing ourselves to reel them in. Before we knew it we were only a couple of miles from Downieville, perched on a bench cut section of trail staring down and the jade-colored pools of Lavezolla Creek. It was getting hot, and we wanted to get into some more fish, so we carefully made our way down the steep an shaly slope toward the water. The creek was gorgeous, careening between dark, polished boulders and plunging into seemingly bottomless pools of churning, bubbly water. And there were fish, lots of them. On his third or fourth cast Colton got into the fish of the trip; a 13” native rainbow with coloring fit to compliment the beauty of its home stream.
Satiated, we took a quick dip to cool off and got back on the bikes to head to some cold beers and burgers. Within the hour, said beers and said burgers were dusted, and we were hopping into the chilly waters of Downie Creek to celebrate a long weekend done right. It felt refreshing to slow things down, to draw out every mile of trail and let it fill the span of a few days rather than a few hours. We saw and experienced so much more than a short, fast-paced ride has to offer. Going fast is fun as hell, and while I won’t be giving that up entirely, I will surely be slowing my pace more often.
Much thanks to the Sierra Buttes Trail Stewardship, whose steadfast dedication to the development and enhancement of mountain bike trails in the Lost Sierra made trips like ours a possibility. To support their endeavors, head to www.sierratrails.org to see how you can get involved or contribute.
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