Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Torsten Frank @torstenfrank.bsky.social · 5d

That view... 🤩

... was super-hard earned, though.

Slowly also populating my Silk Road Mountain Race album on flickr:

www.flickr.com/photos/huege...

#SRMR2025
#SRMR2025cap201
#silkroadmountainrace
#bikepacking
#ultracycling
#weitradeln
#Kyrgyzstan
#Kirgisistan
#photography

Mountain

The views from the Suyek Pass, 4020 m, Kyrgyzstan. They were hard earned. You can read my recap of Day 6 of my Silk Road Moutain Race over on Instagram. After I finish them, I will also post it as a...

www.flickr.com

5

Torsten Frank @torstenfrank.bsky.social · 5d

Silk Road Mountain Race Recap Day 6:
www.instagram.com/p/DPzPnwZjCe...

Epic hike-a-bike over 4020m altitude and countless river crossings.

#SRMR2025
#SRMR2025cap201
#silkroadmountainrace
#bikepacking
#ultracycling
#weitradeln
#Kyrgyzstan
#Kirgisistan

Login • Instagram

Welcome back to Instagram. Sign in to check out what your friends, family & interests have been capturing & sharing around the world.

www.instagram.com

1

Torsten Frank @torstenfrank.bsky.social · 9d

1 3

Torsten Frank @torstenfrank.bsky.social · 10d

Heck, that last post was only 2 sentences and it only had 4 characters left to fill... I won't look at this much longer and simply omit @bsky.app from my posting and reading and just focus on Mastodon, Threads and Instagram.

1 1

Torsten Frank @torstenfrank.bsky.social · 10d

Again and again... what is a very brief post and fits nicely into one message in Mastodon or Threads with ample room to spare I have to split into two posts here on @bsky.app . Look at the previous 2 sentences and tell me how that wouldn't fit and wouldn't be better a part of a single posting...

1 1

Torsten Frank @torstenfrank.bsky.social · 10d

So I briefly pondered going there.
But since I'll be in Leuven the next weekend for a UCI Gravel race I actually will partake in, I'll skip that one, too and rather visit Mum. 😀

1

Torsten Frank @torstenfrank.bsky.social · 10d

Another recommendation for this weekend: UCI Gravel Worlds! In Zuid-Limburg, The Netherlands.

ucigravelworldseries.com/en/

And that's actually much nearer to me: only 2 hrs :)

#cycling #Gravel #UCIGravelWorlds

Home - UCI Gravel World Series

Latest news All news Upcoming events Full calendar UCI Gravel World Series Born in the US Midwest some 15-20 years ago under the name of Gravel Grinders, Gravel events are the new hype in the cycling ...

ucigravelworldseries.com

1

Torsten Frank @torstenfrank.bsky.social · 10d

On the one hand it's "only" 6 -7 hrs one way to get to for me. But then it's a friggin 6-7 hrs to get to, same back, weekend taken, money spent... caring for myself, not over-extending and just watch you guys bring us nice photos... 🙂

1

Torsten Frank @torstenfrank.bsky.social · 10d

www.bespoked.cc

Highly recommended if you are somewhere near Dresden.

I debated hard with me to visit again, not just because of the bikes but the opportunity to meet people.

#cycling #custom #bespoked #Dresden

BESPOKED | The world's biggest handmade bike show

Meet the masterminds behind the best hand-fabricated bicycles in the world in a spirited three-day celebration of bikes and brilliant design.

www.bespoked.cc

1 1

Torsten Frank @torstenfrank.bsky.social · 11d

Silk Road Mountain Race Recap Day 5:
www.instagram.com/p/DPmKKyDjLY...

#SRMR2025
#SRMR2025cap201
#silkroadmountainrace
#bikepacking
#ultracycling
#weitradeln
#Kyrgyzstan
#Kirgisistan

Login • Instagram

Welcome back to Instagram. Sign in to check out what your friends, family & interests have been capturing & sharing around the world.

www.instagram.com

3

Torsten Frank @torstenfrank.bsky.social · 12d

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)

1

Torsten Frank @torstenfrank.bsky.social · 12d

... preferences just follow me via Mastodon...

Torsten Frank @torstenfrank.bsky.social · 12d

count (see what I had to do there again, dear followers and @bsky.app ) that even to convey a super short info I have to hit the "plus" button multiple times. That's just dumb.

So here are just the screenshots and I recommend to follow me either on Instagram or if this collides with your...

1

Torsten Frank @torstenfrank.bsky.social · 12d

Instagram as stories because there are all the major players and I can address and tag most of the brands directly currently also on Mastodon, Threads and here on Bluesky.

And on Mastodon and Threads you can even read them as text in the thread. But @bsky.app has such a blatantly limited character

1

Torsten Frank @torstenfrank.bsky.social · 12d

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

1

Torsten Frank @torstenfrank.bsky.social · 15d

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! 🙈

2

Torsten Frank @torstenfrank.bsky.social · 15d

Added to my market overview article:
torstenfrank.wordpress.com/2025/03/17/b...

Breite Aero-Laufradsätze und Felgen für Gravel, Allroad und Rennrad

Am Ende dieses Artikels findet ihr eine aktuelle Marktübersicht an Aero-Felgen / -Laufradsätzen mit Außenweiten größer 34 mm (33,7 mm) und Höhen größer 35 mm. Alle sind tubeless ready und 700c Lauf…

torstenfrank.wordpress.com

2

Torsten Frank @torstenfrank.bsky.social · 15d

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

1 1

Torsten Frank @torstenfrank.bsky.social · 15d

Made a Youtube Version out of my Chung Virtual Elevation Reel from a few days ago. Of course, this is way more readable and you can see way better what's going on. Also you can pause the playback readily to read those explanations and following the content.

Torsten Frank @torstenfrank.bsky.social · 15d

How to analyze Out- and Back Test Runs for CdA and crr in the Chung Aerolab in Golden Cheetah.

youtu.be/8QW3v0vhWqY?...

#cda #crr #Chung #GoldenCheetah #ThunderBurt #Dubnital #Rollwiderstand #Reifen #Aero

Aero and crr testing with the Chung Virtual Elevation Method

YouTube video by Torsten Frank

youtu.be

1

Reposted by Torsten Frank

VeloViewer @veloviewer.com · 18d

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

1 8

Torsten Frank @torstenfrank.bsky.social · 17d

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

The View From An Original Tiler – VeloViewer

blog.veloviewer.com

3

Torsten Frank @torstenfrank.bsky.social · 22d

Bonus: got a direct comparison of my own #Supergravel Exceed on the same test laps as I rode the other bikes yesterday. Did this also the last years.

#cycling #radfahren #GravelGround #ZecheEwald #Ruhrgebiet

1

Torsten Frank @torstenfrank.bsky.social · 22d

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.

1 3

Torsten Frank @torstenfrank.bsky.social · 24d

Nice bikes :)

1