Hand Picked #1: Gear and Kit That Sparks Joy

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This week, I’m taking a look at a few pieces of apparel, some bike cleaner, a REALLY cool bike computer, and a neat little sleep kit – most of which I put to the test on a quick little overnighter bikepacking trip in my backyard.

I’ll probably make this a regular thing to showcase all the cool stuff I’m testing, outside of full reviews. Think of these as a roundup of the cool bike stuff that is kind of hard to do a standalone review of, or as an aggregate of first looks. This is just stuff that impresses me throughout the week and deserves a mention before we dive into the weekend.

Now, here’s some stuff that I think is pretty neat.

Stans Drivetrain & Bike Cleaner

I’m a simple man, and by that I mean I’ve mostly just used Simple Green for most of my bike cleaning. Stan’s recently sent me over some of the Bike Wash and Drivetrain Cleaner, and I was immediately impressed with it. The Drivetrain Cleaner melted away a solid week of gunk and grime at a speed that I wouldn’t expect from a bio-based cleaner. Although it is vegan, Stan’s does recommend avoiding contact with disc brake rotors and brake pads, but because it is PFAS- and PTFE-free, it’s safer than petroleum-based products for rubber, carbon, paint, and anodized bike parts. Hooray.

The Bike Wash is more of the same eco-friendly vibe and gets things sparkling, but still requires some elbow grease and scrubbing to remove some grease buildup and caked-on blood. Oops. Thanks to it also being bio-based, it’s safe on seals, anodized metals, carbon fiber, disc rotors, and brake pads, and I don’t need to be overly cautious when hosing down the bike. 

Velocio TRAIL Mesh Bib Liner

I’ve been rocking these for a while now, but not all the time. I’m kind of a weirdo and stick with shorts or no chamois at all for most rides under 30 miles, but when the mileage creeps up, a chamois with bibs is a saving grace.

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The Velocio Liner Bibs have really comfortable straps and a chamois that feels good for big days, especially when paired with a good chamois cream. I have done 100-mile days in these, but I think the true test is multiple days in the same bib (as gnarly as that can be, it’s a great test). I just did an overnighter in these and am happy to report it went over without a hitch. The straps stayed soft despite being crusted with sweat, and the chamois still felt almost as fresh as day one. 

Hammerhead Karoo (3)

I’ve got a more in-depth look coming, but in the initial testing phase of the Karoo, I’ve been super impressed. It might not have the best battery life, but it makes up for that with an absolutely delightful user experience. It’s super intuitive and packed with features out of the box, but if you want even more, you can have it. Since the Karoo 3 is running Android 12 it supports sideloading, and there is a host of third-party apps that can be downloaded right from the device – no smartphone required, just connect it to Wi-Fi.

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Navigation is a breeze on the Karoo, even with the smaller screen, which is also super bright compared to the previous version. You can customize a ton of the UI on the device and pair it with just about any sensor or drivetrain you can imagine (even Di2).

Even with less robust battery life than something like the COROS DURA, the Karoo 3 took me to and from a campsite, and it was at just 68% when I left the house and didn’t need a charge overnight. Pretty sick tbh. 

Outdoor Research Helium UL Bivy

I love a good cowboy camp on a bikepacking trip, but when there are lots of flies and mosquitoes, a bivy is the next best thing. I’ve had a REI bivy for years now, and it’s done the job, but things can get pretty stuffy since it doesn’t have a bug net or great venting. I’ve been curious about the OR Helium UL and finally got one to replace the tired REI Bivy. So far, it’s addressed all the issues I had.

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I’m 6’2”, and headroom can be an issue on some Bivys (hence the preference to cowboy camp when possible), and the Helium UL is spacious to say the least. I had room at my feet and ample room near my head, and was able to move around comfortably. The screen on the closure is also very nice, providing added airflow and a clear view of the stars.

I kind of expected some condensation in the morning, but I was stoked to see nothing pooling or clinging to the inside or outside of the tent. A+ and well worth the coin.