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Torsten Frank @torstenfrank.bsky.social · 08/10/2025

So when I wish for aerobars developed with special consideration for ultracycling and bikepacking I should add two points: ... (see either in provided photos, on Mastodon or Threads. Or directly in my Instagram stories)

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Torsten Frank @torstenfrank.bsky.social · 08/10/2025

Aerobars tailor made for Ultracycling - a proposal. Recently learned that Swiss Side offers an Aero Cockpit solution since July. More in the following posts... nah, more only in the added Story-Screenshots themselves and respective ALT texts. See, I cross post some stuff I originally post on

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Torsten Frank @torstenfrank.bsky.social · 05/10/2025

Ponderings for 2026: New super long bikepacking event, Via Race Chapter III registration started, interesting route into and through Norway, longing for a long smooth pure gravel event (do you know such?) Read the slides for details... 😃 #bikepacking #ultracycling #weitradeln

While I'm already agonizing (read enjoying the process over what bikepacking races / events to do in 2026), this ... monster? just entered left field... 5.000 kilometers, 100.000 meters of climbing, all the Alps, Massif Central, Pyrenees all the way to Santiago de Compostela. I find this dangerously appealing... 🙈

On that note: yesterday the registration for ©via_race, chapter Ill started. And I'm already checking all this places in Norway which reveal themselves as basically the highlight reel of VisitNorway.de

I never was in Scandinavia (and thus Norway) yet and already from a nerdy map-lovers point of view I'd love to extend my connected rides (see that @veloviewer interview this week) all the way to the Atlantic Road. But will I be content with being "just" in Norway? (as opposed to cross many European countries in one go?) Do I want to "return" to the road? I love smooth tarmac and the elation of gliding effortlessly across the land. And yet I really don't like traffic anymore... Actually I'd want to do a race of something around 2.000 km, but on smooth gravel. Something to speed along, to feel the flow. Not to hike over goat paths. Really riding. But such a route would be very ncredibly hard to put together. Anywher in the world, I guess. In Europe? Nigh impossible. Do you know something along those lines?

I'm also pondering La Peripherie for Summer. And in autumn I'm really keen to join the inaugural @taurusmountainrace. But I'd also love to return to the AlpsDivide Ultra. And 2026 will be its last edition. 😞 Maybe I should do a "Julie Double" like she did with Badlands and AlpsDivide this year? Speaking of @badlandscc, l'd really want to re-visit that, too! 🙈

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Torsten Frank @torstenfrank.bsky.social · 05/10/2025

Holy Haringshappen! 37 mm internal width! And 43 mm outer, 52 mm height. It's for beach racing, but... hmmm... Weight not given but said to be lighter than their previous 4-shore which are claimed 435 g stormsports.nl/collections/... #Rim #Wheel #Gravel #Aero #BeachRacing

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Reposted by Torsten Frank

VeloViewer @veloviewer.com · 02/10/2025

When ultra distance rider @torstenfrank.bsky.social revealed he was an original VeloViewer tiler, with a rare four digit Strava user number, we were keen to speak to him to find out more about his adventures. Read the latest tiling Q&A in our our blog bit.ly/4o1Y6gS #tilehunting

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Torsten Frank @torstenfrank.bsky.social · 03/10/2025

Veloviewer did a nice interview with me on the topic of tile collecting or tile hunting. blog.veloviewer.com/the-view-fro... #cycling #radfahren #exploremore #tiles #kacheln #tilecollecting #veloviewer #strava #maps

blog.veloviewer.com

The View From An Original Tiler – VeloViewer

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Torsten Frank @torstenfrank.bsky.social · 28/09/2025

Visited the Maxxis Gravel Ground Bike-Festival at the Zeche Ewald a second time today. This time by bike from my doorstep mostly via nice gravel and cycling routes.

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Torsten Frank @torstenfrank.bsky.social · 25/09/2025

Trek unveiled their new CheckOUT today. The bike we saw as a prototype under Justinas at the Transbalkan Race this June. A full suspension gravel bike with 60 mm travel front and 55 mm in the rear. #cycling #bike #gravelbike #gravel but also #Supergravel?

On the one hand, it seems to check my boxes I long advocated for. I.e. at least 60 mm front travel and also full sus. On the other hand I must admit that the Wow factor of the lines and shapes is no instant win for me. I feel there could have done a way better job by Trek given their Checkpoints... But I will need to look further into the technical details. And maybe I'll be able to see one in the flesh already this weekend.

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Torsten Frank @torstenfrank.bsky.social · 21/09/2025

Wild mix yesterday. Explored Squadratinhos around Erndtebrück which resulted in quite a bit bushwhacking. Tried my new iPhone 17 Pro camera out and compared it to my 15 Pro and my Olympus OMD E-M5. And did some Tempo and Threshold work on the bike in-between.

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Torsten Frank @torstenfrank.bsky.social · 15/09/2025

Wrote about tile collecting a bit already last week. ... Tile collecting is a fun (in a nerdy, map lovers way) meta game motivation to explore more.   www.instagram.com/p/DOoa1NdDCv... #cycling #exploremore #explorertiles #tilehunting #Veloviewer #squadrats

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Torsten Frank @torstenfrank.bsky.social · 12/09/2025

Tadaaa - iPhone 17 Pro ordered :)

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Torsten Frank @torstenfrank.bsky.social · 07/09/2025

Uh oh - just signed up for my very first actual gravel race! Flanders Legacy Gravel on the 19th of October. It's even a qualifier already for the 2026 UCI Gravel World Championships... 🫣😎 #cycling #Gravel #Flanders #radfahren

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Torsten Frank @torstenfrank.bsky.social · 06/09/2025

On another note: Felt suspiciously amazing for a first ride after Kyrgyzstan today! Apparently l slacked so hard there that it was indeed a pure high altitude camp? 🙈😎😅 #silkroadmountainrace #SRMR2025 #cycling #backhome

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Torsten Frank @torstenfrank.bsky.social · 06/09/2025

Skinny Tires Re-Calibration Ride... 😅 Lest I forget how awful rigid bikes and <50 mm tires are off-road. And to keep the confident feel of my #Supergravel by staying acquainted to 38 mm Slicks on Gravel. That said, my @conti_bicycle GP5000 AS TR are serious (Gucci) Gravel Tires! #cycling #Gravel

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Torsten Frank @torstenfrank.bsky.social · 06/09/2025

#Bikepacking Event Tip for next Summer, No 2: Via Race, Chapter III Depends where it will lead us next year. I heard it may be Scandinavia... That would be interesting. via-race.com #ultracycling #weitradeln

via-race.com

VIA Race

Get ready for an adventure of a lifetime. Join the best ultraracers as you follow the epic journey of Germanicus across Europe.

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Torsten Frank @torstenfrank.bsky.social · 06/09/2025

#Bikepacking Event Tip for next Summer, No 1: La Peripherie Tempted myself. laperipherie.com #weitradeln #cycling

laperipherie.com

LA PERIPHERIE

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Torsten Frank @torstenfrank.bsky.social · 03/09/2025

Can you do a more typical „bikepacking bike in Kyrgyztan“ photo than one leaning against a Yurt? #BAAY (Bike against a Yurt) instead of #BAAW 😅😀 (+ a few more words on my Instagram) #BAAW #BAAY (Bike against a Yurt) #Yurt #SRMR2025 #SRMR2025cap201 #silkroadmountainrace #bikepacking

My DropbarMTB / Supergravel, my Canyon Exceed in front of a Yurt in one of the Kel-Suu Yurtcamps. CP2, SRMR 2025.

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Torsten Frank @torstenfrank.bsky.social · 01/09/2025

Silk Road Mountain Race. Wow - what an adventure! When I applied for the race I wasn’t really sure whatfor. There was no really strong „why“. Wrote this and quite a bit more... www.instagram.com/reel/DN-nnsW... #SRMR2025 #silkroadmountainrace #bikepacking #Kyrgyzstan #Kirgisistan

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Torsten Frank @torstenfrank.bsky.social · 29/08/2025

Can't recommend. Tested on the Silk Road Mountain Race. So a few weeks back I wrote that I'll try this trutension_cycle Banana Slip Drip Lube. Reason: it tests similar to the proven @silca_velo Synergetic, is also kind of a drip wax like... #lubrification #drivetrain #chainlube

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Torsten Frank @torstenfrank.bsky.social · 02/08/2025

Love me some good dot watching. And the Transcontinental provides! Look at that massively spread out field across Europe! In the front it's also very interesting. With the [...] reporting on the TCR website itself but also enjoying the insights of dotwatcher.cc. ... #bikepacking #ultracycling

Screenshot of my Instagram-Story showing the tracker map of TCRNo11 from Aug, 2nd 2025 with a massive dot field spread across southern Europe and text by me.

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Torsten Frank @torstenfrank.bsky.social · 27/06/2025

Nice - Apidura officially released their Aero System. A set of a top tube bag and small wedge type frame bag aimed towards fast day rides like e.g. gravel races. Making your bike on average 5 watts faster than w/o these bags :) www.apidura.com/aero-system/ #Gravel #racing #bikepacking

apidura.com

Aero System | Apidura

Designed to save you watts. For years we’ve helped riders go further, now we're helping them to go faster with the Apidura Aero System.

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Torsten Frank @torstenfrank.bsky.social · 20/06/2025

Wonder how... I rate Hellenic Mountain Race, Alps Divide Ultra Challenge & El Piri in terms of technicality, overall route difficulty etc.? Which of those I would love to do again sometime? How much hiking each demanded of me? And also how you could quantify this for yourself?

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Torsten Frank @torstenfrank.bsky.social · 18/06/2025

I bet the surface treatment to make that purple Sram force chain purple will be crap for actual longevity (+ maybe efficiency) for wax based lubricants (hot and drip). I think I read somewhere that's the case for the existing rainbow effect Prolly @ ZeroFrictionCycling? #Sram #Force #chain #cycling

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Torsten Frank @torstenfrank.bsky.social · 11/06/2025

Dropbars are great, for many reasons. But I don't give up on my quest for a good flatbar / alt bar configuration! Enter: the Koga Denham Bar. I'll mount it on my full sus and report what I find. :) #mtb #flatbar #altbar

Instastory showing my just aquired Koga Denham Bar.

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Torsten Frank @torstenfrank.bsky.social · 11/06/2025

Immersive Waxing... wrote about it why it's so-so for ultracycling and actually confirmed it sort of because the wax only lasted to the first thunderstorm and not even the first 12 hours of the race... Oh well - it got waxed again as I'm now at home again and for daily riding it's fine. 😅

a screenshot of a video insta story of Torsten Frank showing a pot with molten wax and an immersed bicycle chain.

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Reposted by Torsten Frank

Jem Arnold @jemarnold.bsky.social · 20/03/2025

In our recent meta-analysis with trained athletes, did the athletes who improved their VO2max more also improve their endurance performance more?🤔 No! 😮 In this dataset, +1% improvement in VO2max was associated with a negligible +0.04% change in TT performance. But why? 1/15🧵

A one-stage linear mixed effects model meta-analysis based on our individual participant dataset (but not peer reviewed) showing individual athlete percentage change scores for both VO2max (maximal oxygen uptake) and time-trial (TT) performance, for 236 trained athletes in 6 studies. The relationship (correlation) between change in VO2max and change in performance was not significant and not meaningful. The overall change in VO2max only explained around 25% of the total variance in the change in endurance performance, across athletes.

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