Some Bicycle Things I’m Stoked About On A Friday, January 16th, 2026.
It’s the third Friday in January, and, full disclosure of bias, I haven’t pedaled a multi-speed bike yet in 2026. Not even around a parking lot. That’s going to change in Februaryish when I set up my manual & friction-shifted 2×6 commuter; however, when it comes to off-road riding, I’m starting to make bold claims about no shifting in ’26.
For the record, I’m counting my fresh commuter as a new bike for ’25 even though I haven’t put it together yet. I’ve been waiting on a few bits. But with 1.5x fresh steeds already, now, planned for ’26, it would be a bit over the top to add my around-townie as well.
Speaking of fresh bikes, I have one more choice I’m agonizing over with my V3. After all my head tube issues in the last few years, I’ve been considering going with an IS-style setup. But, rigid-specific, the classic straight 1-1/8″ calls to me.
{Photos: MEATengines}
Today, Friday, was beautiful. Unseasonably sunny and warm. The limited snowpack warns of future water shortages, but in the moment, the moist dirt and dry rocks, roots, and woodwork were amazing. A far cry from a week ago, certainly. Perhaps the best conditions we’ll see in all of 2026?
Meandering up Fromme, I was thinking about life in our current times {it’s hard not to feel incredibly lucky to be Canadian}. But, wow. If you missed it, there was a stupendous shift in Canadian policy this week around electric cars as we abandoned a USA-driven 100% tariff on Chinese-made automobiles up to 49,000 units, increasing to 70,000 units by year five of the agreement.
It would be nice to see these cars being, at least, assembled in Canada {yeah, yeah, branch-plant economics} and maybe even in the now-mothballed factories once operated by automakers we taxpayers bailed out in 2009. You know, before they recently bowed to pressure to move all new investments stateside. But after decades of Canadian leaders talking about diversifying trade, it’s hard not to be stoked about seeing some genuine movement in that direction.
Yeah, so. Asides put aside. I feel fortunate to be sitting here with the energy and optimism to write about bikes and muse about our economic future. My heart goes out to all the good bicycle folks I know in the USA who aren’t enjoying the same freedom. And yes, I know a lot of Canucks who are beyond glum, but don’t go too down. I remain positive that we’re cresting the collapse of the world’s weirdest coalition, the ensuing heartfelt apologies, some quality counselling, and then the hard work of restoring 172-years of reciprocity.
{Photos: MEATengines}
Trektrager XR4 29×3″
It’s been a minute, or five, since I dumped some words about the best overall Plus-tire. Plus, the best tire naming convention. Need a more aggressive tire? Go up a number. Need a faster rolling tire? Go down a number. The XR4 sat in the middle of 2,3,4,5,6.
I don’t know if the newer Trek tires are better. I haven’t ridden any of them. But I do know that the previous naming convention was the best in the business. Now it’s the Trek Coober Pedy or the Trek Spuzzum {it’s past Hope}, and it all makes about as much sense as any other brand’s naming conventions.
Anywho, what’s in a name? And wow, was it ever a transition going from an ultra-soft, super-tacky front tire to the firm-and-fast knobs of the oversized XR4. But when it comes to balancing squish, rolling, and traction on the front of a double-hardtail, wow, am I ever happy to have a hoard of these 29×3″ beauties.
I’m running mine with a CushCore eeb insert and somewhere between 11 & 12 psi. Any softer and things roll a bit funny when I’m really riding that front wheel, but a lighter or smoother rider could certainly go down from there. It’s truly impressive how efficiently this big beauty rolls along, but also how survivable I find it to be whilst braking down steep North Shore trails.
It’s twenty-twenty-six, and I maintain that Trek owes us a weirdly cool mountain bike. All the better if said bike includes the relaunch of the XR4 29×3″. Even if they call it the Minocqua instead.
{Photos: MEATengines}
Steel Frame Mods
all terra customs is an Utrecht, NL-based custom bicycle frame fabrication shop with an alteration (repair and repurpose) bent and obvious obsessions with both classic steel GT Triple-Triangle frames and commuter & cargo cycling.
This GT Bravado 26+ conversion has been stuck in my head since I saw it on their Instagram page. It’s so damn rad. A hop, jump, leap from the typical ATB upcycling of a classic steel mountain bike through the addition of a rigid fork and a rack.
At some point, is it better just to go from scratch with a new frame? Probably. But there’s something so extra cool about updating an object that already has decades of history. Beyond nifty.
{Photos: all terra customs}
HMPL Homage Vest
Too late to pre-order, but totally worth dropping an e-mail to Matt at HMPL if you have-to-have one and are hoping another run will happen. I love cycling vests, but I was always more of a Core Rat connoisseur, rather than a Roach rider.
In either event, I love that Matt is doing these. He’s cutting and sewing them in his sweet little shop in East Vancouver, BC.
“NO, this vest is not made with the latest/lightest/breathable/technical fabrics. It’s built for a purpose, and that purpose is to wear the living heck out of it. It’s made from materials that are tried, tested, and true, designed with the intent to provide you with not just warmth and comfort but also protection when you hit the dirt! Seriously, unlike your other riding vest, this one will be just fine after a wipeout, and your body will be grateful you were wearing it.” – HMPL
{Photo: HMPL}
Rootdown Voyager {Let’s Start A Rumour}
For all the Stooge, Honzo, Unit, Krampus, BLE, and custom talk in the MEATengines media-space, I don’t think readers are hungrier for any rig than the, not yet in existence, factory Chromag Rootdown Voyager. I’m certainly part of ‘the problem’ because I think it would be an instant hit. One of the nicer production steel frames on the market, the sweetest sliders going, great every-ride geometry.
Here in my echo chamber, do I overestimate the demand for slider-equipped aggressive-geo hardtail frames? Probably. But like Vik always says, offer a presale with a minimum commitment to do the order and see what happens. Maybe?
I love Chromag’s Voyager sliders. Combined with the longer, 29+ friendly, rear center of my Arcturian, they’re part of one of my all-time favourite bicycles. Yes, even if it is more Crash-Test-Kevin-sized than Drew-Bob sized.
Will we see the FU60 -16° {FU50 -15°? FU40 -14°?} alt-handlebars of the Rootdown Voyager first? Talk about the perfect dual release.
{Photos: MEATengines}
Honzo!
Single-speeding ruins everything, at least temporarily, and, while I wait to sort out a small repair on my Arctuhawk Voyager, I’ll be putting together an angleset & over-fork equipped Honzo ST frame using the parts of my Arcturian. Just saying “Honzo” always makes me smile. I think back to 2011 when Model-T returned from his first ride on mine, a frame-up 2012 Bluezo build, and we spent a full hour commiserating on how stoked we were about the bike.
On that note, I haven’t updated it for ages, but if you have a one-speeded Honzo {ST, ESD, DL, whatever} fire me a photo and I’ll add it to the MEATengines one-speeded Honzo roll-call when I jump on updating it. Hopefully next week.
{Photo: Larry Talker AKA Model-T}
{Photo: Jake Dean}
{Photo: Nick Dills}
“I Think Fenders Look Great.“
As a giant bike nerd, witnessing my grom develop and articulate her own opinions about kit & components has been delightful. When she’s riding a multi-speed drivetrain, she prefers single-click “e-bike” shifters over multi-shift and multi-release setups. She’d rather single-speed a DHRII rear tire than a more XC option. She prefers the close-to-the-bar paddle location of a OneUp V3 dropper remote compared to anything else she’s pushed on.
She also loves fenders almost as much as Vik loves fenders. As much? We’ll know for sure when the trails dry out, and I ask about taking the rear one off.
The Clairebarian and I dropped in on our friends at Obsession: Bikes to buy a chainring they had in stock. An XT M8100/SM-CRM85, if you’re curious. I like the steel teeth.
Anywho, we were chatting about the relative prevalence of full-fendering this year, and Claire cut in on my positing that they are both ugly and practical, especially when riding to my ride. Without a moment’s hesitation and in a sure voice audible throughout the shop, she declared, “I think fenders look great.”
And, while I disagree with all my applicable senses, I do love that she how she sticks to her strong opinion on the subject.
{Photos: MEATengines}
Larry Talker Tunes: By Model-T*
Where does it go, already halfway through January 2026.
This week’s recommendation is thanks in part to Dave Tolnai, aka Uncle Dave, from his Remembering 2025 NSMB article on January 8, 2026. I fired up his recommended tune Spike Island from the band Pulp, and their recent 2025 album, More.
Wendy** was sitting in the room reading, and after a minute, looked over and inquired what song it was. I said it’s the band Pulp, with a 2025 album. No hesitation from Wendy, “Wow, one of my favourite bands from way back!”
On play often this past week, it was more than a suggestion (INSISTED, in fact) that the album be Larry Talker Tunes’ choice for this week’s SBTISAOAF.
Check out More Pulp.
*{Drewitors notes: 1) Model-T, how do you write about Pulp and not mention Common People‽ 2) This is an awesome album, Terry Walker! ‘Got To Have Love‘ is worth an active listen.}
**{Happy Birthday Wendy! You’re a badass!}
{Photo: Pulp}
In Conclusion
I need a better name for the outro than ‘outro’ and I’m open to suggestions. Claire likes ‘in conclusion,’ so that’s what I’m calling it this week, but I’m cold to it, and I’m not becoming any warmer.
Content in this coming week includes a piece about how single-speeding ruins everything that was the original intro for this week’s SBTISAOAF, but didn’t fit the theme {ha} as well as the overdue Bicycle Valentine, looking at CTK’s aluminum GG Smash. Plus, maybe, a Honzo update.
The weather is supposed to hold out for Monday, with Claire and me putting in a proper ride, so I might manage to drag an overdue edition out of her as well.
Happy Trails,
Andrew
Blurb
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