Dylan Blanchard

Big fan of good convos, curiosities, and pizza. On one of those permanent adventures.

Cycling Resources Guide

Route Planning & Finding

  • some day I'll write a better post about how I route up, but for now these sites & apps are great places to start poking around.
  • Strava Route Builder - Can build maps on any web/mobile, but the "auto-magic" route suggestions are mobile only. But overall very useful because they've got the most data on where people ride (their heatmap feature is god)
  • Komoot - great community of created routes here. Can also build here, in theory, but I prefer Strava
  • Ride with GPS - same - route building and finding. great community.
  • Trail Map - Europe only, attempts to use official bike trails only
  • Cycle.Travel - Routes that prioritize bike lanes and paths
  • Climb Finder - All European climbs and cols listed, with route builder
  • Destinations Gravel - Routes from Gravel Kim (mainly France). Her youtube is so great, too.
  • Ahotu - Find races around the world (gravel, road, fondos)

Tech Tools

  • GoToes - Webapp for fixing activities. I've used this when I've accidentally split one ride into two, and the app was able to merge them
  • FitFileTools - Webapp for fixing activities. Does merging and a whole bunch of edits.
  • Eat My Ride 🍪 - great app for planning ride nutrition. Syncs with an app on your bike computer (head unit) to remind you to eat on race day!
  • Epic Ride Weather 🌞 - another nifty app. Choose an intended route and a start time, and it'll give you a really handy predicted weather overview for your ride

Training Apps

  • I had a list of these at one point, but this space is moving so quickly month-to-month that I don't think it's very fruitful anymore. The most important thing for fitness training is to simply enjoy time on the bike. If you're already there, find an app that can create a structured workout for on the bike. Enjoy riding!!

Gear & Equipment

Saddles

  • Get your sitbones measured so that you can buy a properly fitted saddle. You want a saddle that matches the width of your sit bones. With a saddle that fits your anatomy, plus padded shorts, gets you to comfort! Some bike shops will have pressure maps you can sit on, but it's also pretty easy to self‑measure at home with cardboard (video).
  • • Posedla Joyseat - Custom 3D printed seat, can do at home, 6-week process ($550 USD)
  • • Fizik One-to-One - Custom fitted saddle with pressure mapping (requires special tooling, mostly in big cities)
  • • This video from Everything's Been Done explores buying a 3D printed saddle from aliexpress and I'm here for it. 3D saddles claim to fame is that it allows more precision in making areas of support and areas of softness #happybum

Safety & Visibility

Helmets

Radars / Tail lights

  • I'm a big fan of riding with a radar. It's easy and convenient. It's an added gutcheck with an effective light to make you visible. Cycling tech is still in the golden age of open connections - everything is interoperable. Your garmin radar can connect to wahoo computer, or vice versa (any which way!). This is true of radars, lights, heart rate monitors, pedals, power meters, etc
  • • Garmin Varia RTL515 - Universally accepted best radar on the market until the Wahoo release, however, it's currently dead to us because it still charges with micro usb unless you get the much heavier version with camera (RCT715)
  • • Bryton Gardia R300L - USB-C radar alternative. I've ridden on this since fall 2024. It's good but not best. It'll catch a car approaching, but its tracking will "forget" a car following you at a similar speed. Which is fine as long as you don't forget 😉 (apparently garmin is a bit better at this)
  • • Wahoo Trackr Radar - Wahoo's new radar system is a match for the Varia and usb-C. This is my current recommendation. DC rainmaker approved ✅ (in Rainmaker we trust)

Lights

Tires & Tubes

  • Silca Tire Pressure Calculator - helps you dial in what the right tire pressure is for you, in your specific use cases
  • TP Tubes - Super light tire tubes (orange, white, or pink). These are great because they take up so little space. You'll find these at most local bike shops. Can usually get cheaper bundles online.
  • Dynaplug - Tubeless repair tool you can use to plug a tire. Has saved me once already. I bought the Racer Pro because it carries a lot of plugs super easily.

Power Meters ⚡

  • Power meters are fun. Message me and I'll wax poetic about how they've helped me learn how to actually cycle. Every day is a school day.
  • If you want a pedal-based option, I recommend the Favero Assioma Pro RS — a dual-sided power meter built into the pedals (about ~$1,000 CAD).
  • These are super neat because you can swap to SPD pedal bodies with the Assioma Pro MX (about ~$200 CAD for just the pedal bodies). Swapping between SPD-SL and SPD bodies is really easy. I love these because I can swap between a more gravel-focused pedal & shoe or a road-focused combo with my one bike. DC Rainmaker review

Wheelsets

  • There's so many options in the world. So many price points. So much the same and different. I'm highlighting a couple of canadian options I've come across.
  • NOBL Wheels – Carbon wheels, 🇨🇦 (BC)
  • Woven Wheels – Hand‑built performance wheels, 🇨🇦 (Ottawa)
  • Tairin Wheels – Gravity & trail‑focused wheels, 🇨🇦 (BC)
  • We Are One Composites – Carbon wheels, rider‑owned, 🇨🇦 (BC)

Repair & Maintenance 🛠️

  • Tire Monkey – Compact tire lever that's supposed to be great, Canada
  • SILCA Elettrico (Micro) I love these mini electric pumps. It's the only pump I have. I use it to top up my tires, and to fix any flats / issues. The only place where it won't shine is in seating a tubeless tire
  • CYCPLUS Electric Pumps – Mini electric pumps. ~$100 cad
  • Airshot Canister – Converts a floor pump into a tubeless seater
  • Silca Secret drip wax – I use this wax that you drip on like any other lube. I like wax because it's crazy quiet and is much nicer to touch than an oil-based lube.

Bikepacking Gear

  • Arkel - 🇨🇦 Montreal - canadian homies making really good gear (will by my next purchase)
  • Apidura - these are dope - picked up a set in korea (top tube, frame, and 14L saddle).
  • Ortlieb - Bikepacking bags, waterproof, durable
  • Topo bike bags
  • Lead Out Racelite Frame Bag
  • Aeroe Rear Frame + Bag - Clips to rear triangle with mounting stand (5 or 12L)
  • Cyclite Frame Bags
  • Evoc Road Bike Bag Pro - This is what I've been using to pack my bike into for air travel. Lots of opinions in this space, but for me, it's the right tradeoffs between disassembly of bike (little), protection (med-high), and storability (high)

Clothing Brands

Okay, clothes! this is kind of like training apps now - there are so many clothing brands out there! Which is great! There's a better chance now than ever that there's a local brand for you. My only advice here is that if you're hesitant to wearing bib shorts (the padded bum shorts!!) - stop hesitating and start living! In general, I would overspend on bibs and be willing to underspend on tops. I usually buy bibs from Red Whites and buy tops from china (temu/aliexpress).

What's missing?

Things change! Let me know!! 🤙

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