Newsletter Issue No. 1188

August 28, 2025

Product Review: Velocio Mens Ultralight Jacket

Jim’s Tech Talk

By Jim Langley

With its barely noticeable weight of only 97 grams, you might assume Velocio’s Ultralight Jacket couldn’t offer much protection from the elements. You’d be wrong. Read more.

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Bike Hater Meets His Match. Will You?

By Kevin Kolodziejski 

You’re about to read about one segment of a supercharged training ride.

It occurred on a nondescript Saturday morning on a Pennsylvania backcountry road somewhere between Lenhartsville and Kempton. Based on the way I remember we were dressed, it had to be late February or early March. Based on the bike I remember riding, it had to be either 1993 or 1994. And based on the way the story is going, you have to be wondering if you can trust the accuracy of anything that follows. Read more.

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Pedals, Panniers, and Trails: My First Bikepacking Adventure

By Sheri Rosenbaum

It’s a thrill to check bikepacking off my 2025 bucket list. The trip might have been my first, but it certainly won’t be my last!

I kept an eye on the forecast for days before leaving. Wisconsin has been experiencing a lot of rain. At times, the forecast was pristine, but then it suddenly changed with predictions of thunderstorms and hail. Finally, Thursday night, I committed to my packing list and did my best to minimize the weight. Plus, everything had to fit in the bikepacking bags I had. (A complete gear list is at the end of this article.) Read more.

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Pearl Izumi Expedition Short Sleeve Jersey

By Brandon Bilyeu

The Pearl Izumi Expedition Short Sleeve Jersey looks, feels, and performs well above its price point. The main body of the jersey is made with a super thin, lightweight fabric and the sleeves/side panels are made from a micro mesh for extra breathability. Both fabrics feel soft on the skin and the jersey cut is form fitting, though you may need to size down for a truly snug fit. Read more.

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RotaLuber Quick Review

By John Marsh

I’ve had enough conversations over the years with RBR’s tech editor, Jim Langley, to doubt that most “new” cycling products are truly new. But RotaLuber seems to fit the bill. It’s an ingenious, 3D-printed chain luber with a built-in guide and sprocket applicator that could not be simpler to use, nor more effective at applying wet lube to a bike chain at precisely where it’s needed, with little to no waste or mess. Read more.

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“What adventures seem always at hand”

By Stan Purdum 

The title above — “What adventures seem always at hand” — is in quote marks because it’s not from me. It’s from Charles T. Merriner. He has a connection to what follows here. (More about that connection in a moment.)

Not long ago, while answering a submitted question here in Road Bike Rider about what bicycle adventures are possible when a person can only get away one day at a time, I told about my friend whose goal is to ride in every county in our state (88 counties in Ohio), and my goal to plot a continuous road cycling route that follows the portion of Ohio River that borders our state. Read more.

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Other Cool Things to Read

VeloNews: My Road to the Professional Peloton: ‘I Was Constantly Getting Yelled at by Someone’
Cycling Weekly: Innovative, inspiration and eye-wateringly expensive: the future of titanium
Road.cc: Is Strava still worth paying for?

Question of the Week

How many water bottles do you carry in the summer months?

Most Clicked Last Week

Why Dropped Handlebars are Usually the Best Choice for Road Riding

End Notes