H-Bar

Upgraded to a BarYak Bikepack Carrying System

Like most of us, COVID-19 has me locked down from doing any serious long-distance riding. So I’ve begun fiddling with my bike to get it set up for future adventures when better days arrive. If I can’t pedal long-distance, I might as well tweak the bike and ponder journeys to come.

Enter the BarYak Expedition

Always looking to improve the comfort of my ride, I installed a BakYak bike pack carrying system on the Co-Motion Divide. Before, I’d been resting my forearms directly on top of the Jones Loop H-Bar and gripped the Gnarwal. Of the various configurations, I settled on the BarYak Expedition SL 2020 – 35 that includes Peregrine arm rests, and a carbon crossbar & bar ends.

To accommodate the extension rails for the mounting system and keep the sweepy 45° handlebars, I replaced the Jones Loop H-Bar with a Jones Bend H-Bar. I also kept the Jones Gnarwal but shortened it due to the forward mounting position. I found one center grip more comfortable than two bar-ends a then ends of the crossbar.

In addition to a pretty sweet aero riding position and comfy forearm rests, the loop carrying setup for the handlebar bag improved the ability to carry gear under and forward of the handlebar in a “hammock” fashion. For added stability, I kept the pair of ROK straps to secure the load.

New cockpit setup with the BarYak and the Jones Bend handlebar.

Solid Components

Everything about the BarYak Expedition SL is a quality build. The rails are anodized CNC machined aluminum. The Peregrine Arm rests are thick and comfortable and attach to the mounts via super secure velcro patches. The ample padding is much easier on my forearms than the bare aluminum bars I previously used. Note: If you’re running 31.8mm handlebars, you’ll need to purchase a set of shims as the BarYak is set up for 35mm handlebars.

Real Estate for Gadgets

The bracket and armrest mounting plates have plenty of room to mount digital accouterments. A Gino Light Mount bolted to an extension rail made a secure location to mount the Quad-Lock for the iPhone, which, save for the Garmin inReach GPS tracker, is the only electronic gadget I use nowadays.

Hows It Ride?

In short, the BarYak is a pretty comfortable addition to the Divide. On local rides, I find myself spending more and more time on the armrests grasping the Gnarwal and spinning away the miles. Spending long hours in the saddle day after day, a comfortable aero position is just a more relaxed way to ride.

If you’re in the market for an aero bike packing handlebar gear set up, the BarYak Expedition is worth a look. Joe Stiller and his team at BarYak have come up with a winning setup I highly recommend. See you out there. Cheers.

Kiwi Odyssey: Bike Preparation

by Johnny Isaak ·

Our Kiwi Odyssey in New Zealand is fast approaching, only three weeks away. We are busily reading ourselves and gear for what promises to be an excellent adventure.

Building on adventures to Japan last summer and fall, we’re making a few upgrades to our bikes in preparation for our Kiwi adventure. In conjunction with necessary bike inspections, routine maintenance, and tune-ups, each of us has made a couple of upgrades to our bikes.

Adventure Setup for Kyoto Japan

by Johnny Isaak ·

As Shanghai sets into late autumn and golden leaves begin to fall, adventure calls. Destination: Historic Kyoto, Japan.

Kyoto is an excellent cycling destination. Bicycles are an integral part of the residents’ personal transportation. Travel websites tout the city is one of the most bicycle-friendly in Japan. So, the cycling should be fairly relaxed and easy.

Below is a quick rundown of our base plan and the setup.

Updating the Co-Motion Divide

by Johnny Isaak ·

Tweaking my bike’s set up is almost as fun as taking long bike rides. It’s a never-ending evolutionary process of trying to build a cleaner, more reliable ride produces the purest, hassle-free travel experience. Each cycling journey provides me with a few ideas on how I can improve the Divide’s set up. Last summer’s family cycling adventure around the island of Hokkaido, Japan was no exception.

After using some of my bike’s kit to outfit my wife and daughter’s bicycles for our trek through Japan’s northern most island. I was in need of a couple of new bags and pouches for the Divide, plus some minor tweaking to sweeten the ride. Here’s a quick rundown of what I came up with.

What’s on the Bike? Setup for an Australian Bike Adventure

by Johnny Isaak ·

My bags are packed. The Divide is ready to roll. Distant horizons of the burnt red sun of the Australian Outback call.

Setting up a bike and kit for a long journey is an ongoing ever evolving process of tweaking and changing, deleting this and adding that. For me, it’s just the nature of the beast.

Setting up my rig and kit for Australia was a pretty casual affair. In the Land Down Under, I’m rolling fairly light and not over thinking the gear. Other than protection from the elements, a few items to keep the bike rolling, and a camera and notebook to document the journey, not much more is needed.

Go Your Own Way: Be Your Own Explorer

by Johnny Isaak ·

Just about wherever you go nowadays chances are someone’s already been there. You’d be challenged to find many places on this planet where humans haven’t already been. Virtually everywhere you go, someone’s been there before you. And worse yet, if it’s a really cool place, somebody’s probably put up a fence around it and is charging admission.

The world is changing. Adventure travel isn’t what it used to be a hundred, even fifty years ago. But that’s no reason you shouldn’t go. If you travel to where you never been, it will be your first time. The journey will still be a rewarding adventure if you approach it right. And in a sense, we are all explorers in our own right.

Like a Rolling Stone: Co-Motion Divide Rohloff Follow-Up Review

by Johnny Isaak ·

Check out my updated long-term review of the Co-Motion Divide at https://johnnyisaak.com/co-motion-divide-rohloff-a-long-term-review/

I’ve been rolling on my Rohloff/Gate CDX equipped Co-Motion Divide for about two months now, logging in over 2,500+ kilometers, using the bike as my primary form of transportation and daily commuter to and from work. I’ve had the bike on several short and longer distance multi-day micro-adventures ranging from 200-500 kilometers. With the saddle, handlebars and other adjustments pretty much set, I’m now settling into the bike and getting to know the subtle nuances of life on the road with an internally geared hub and carbon belt drive.