A new bike adventure gear resource - by bikepackers, for bikepackers!

[joeydurango]

Hey there, bikepacking friends - I figured you'd all want to know about this.  This has been knocking around my head since starting the shop three years ago, but after much deliberation I decided to follow through.  Just posted the following on the shop blog.  I'd love to hear your thoughts on anything below, and also on the site itself.  Cheers, and please spread the word!

We've got something exciting to share!  After months of work, we've added a whole new, ultralight outdoor and camping gear component to our shop, complimenting our bike adventure focus.  We've also launched an online store, specializing in bikepacking, touring, and ultralight camping gear.  We're offering the national bicycle adventure community something new - that is, one place to find all the gear needed for lightweight bike adventure, without endless searching, research, and digging for sources.  Whether you're a newcomer to bikepacking and touring, or have been doing it for years, you can find useful and practical gear on our new webstore.  We've been bikepacking (and specializing in adventure gear) for years and have selected rackless bags, ultralight camping gear, racks and panniers, and dynamo lighting and power systems based on actual experience.  You can rest assured that if we stock it, it will work in the real world - and that's something REI and other giant, corporate online stores can't touch.

We're known for being strong supporters of local, brick-and-mortar businesses.  We still are - our local shop on Durango's Main Avenue is the main focus of our business, and we prefer strong, decentralized local economies.  After years of getting calls about gear from around the nation and even the globe, though, we realized that the bike travel community is underserved.  Most bike shops (there are definitely awesome exceptions!) don't understand or even care about bikepacking and touring.  What's someone in those areas to do if they want this gear?  They're piecing kits together from many sources, often without the benefit of experience.  That's where we come in.  We're not selling tires; we're not selling derailleurs.  We're specializing in things that most local bike shops don't even know about, and this is important, because we don't want to degrade other small businesses.

The other impetus for us to launch this webstore is that we've noticed over the last several months that bikepacking appears to be going "mainstream".  Lots of bike travel articles are showing up in big magazines, and so on.  We're hearing rumblings of big, corporate interest in the market, and as a small shop that's been helping people with bike adventure for years, that makes us, shall we say, less than enthused.  We figure that either we can stand up and fight for our place as originators and actual users, or let the wave of anonymous big-money mediocrity wash us away.  Of course we choose to stand up!

So that's the story.  Check out the store, if you'd like, here: www.velorutioncycles.com  We're starting with a select but comprehensive selection of products that, as mentioned, are chosen based on actual suitability for the task at hand.  We'll be adding products as we grow.  Thanks for the support over the years - we'll continue doing the best we can!

[aaron w]

The store is looking great Joey!  Looks like you've got a comprehensive one stop shop for bikepacking gear and advice. 

[ScottM]

Yes, bravo Joey.  Both the brick/mortar and online stores are looking good!

[joeydurango]

Thanks Aaron, Scott - I appreciate the compliments!

[Mista Bone]

If I'm ever out that way (in Ohio) I'd love to stop in. Local stores here give the "Huh?" look when I, a beginner, ask questions.

I'll be starting out as mostly touring on Rails2Trails, then getting into gravel roads and then trails.

[joeydurango]

Ohio's a ways (done that drive many times!), but if you do make it, come visit.  In the meantime, feel free to check this out - a little beginner's primer I put together a couple years ago:

velorutioncycles.com/bikepacking-primer

Hope that's helpful!  Cheers.

[Mista Bone]

I have read a few similar articles online, but until I get out and learn what I need and don't...well, I still need to just get out right?

I have MANY friends out west to couch surf off of, park the CRX and just go riding.

All in all, #2 (not an outdoors person) will be the hardest, LMAO!

[JRA]

I visited Joey's shop last summer on a trip to Colorado.  It's a great little shop and he definitely carries a lot bikes and gear that you won't find in most main-stream bike shops.  The shop is located in the cool historic downtown area of Durango.  Both Durango and Velorution are definitely worth a visit. 

[Area54]

Back yourself man, that is simply awesome. Just awesome.

I dream of doing something like that here at work, but Australia is a different market than you guys, still heavily entrenched in the online world and most people are yet to come back to bricks and mortar for experience, knowledge and paying a bit more for that.

Do what you love.

[joeydurango]

Thanks, everyone, for the positive support!  It means a lot to us at VC that the grassroots community we're part of supports the idea...

Area54, just keep at it.  Doing things VC-style isn't easy in the USA either, but there's a growing group of people that value knowledge, experience and plain old friendliness.  We tried to make the webstore match the feel of our shop, and from what we've been hearing it looks like that came across.

[JRA]

A nice write-up on Velorution:

http://bikepackersmagazine.com/velorution-will-not-motorized/

[Area54]

I don't want to hijack the thread, but in the theme of the thread I'd like to share what I'm slowly building here in Australia:

http://bicyclingaustralia.com.au/2014/11/fat-bikes-rule

I've pushed really to hard to get this far, but I reckon I'm about a quarter of the way to my goal. Lots of firsts though - only shop with BBD bags and Oveja Negra 'packing bags, largest range of fatbike brands and gravel stoke down under.

I'm spending someone elses money too, so I've gotta prove the market first before I can commit to product.

[JRA]

Cool Troy.  Best of of luck to you too.

[joeydurango]

Nice work Troy!  Little by little... slow and steady wins the race (unless you're Jakomait, of course  )

Rick, thanks for posting that link!