The quick gist is that Old Man Mountain & Silca have teamed up to support a collective of 5 amateur bikepacking racers from any background and anywhere around the world. Each member will get a $2000 stipend to help cover costs to get them to the races. Then, on top of that will be a whole bunch of free Old Man Mountain gear, prototypes to test, a full suite of Silca goodies to make your bike faster, more free gear & industry deals, plus help figuring out a training plan for your individual racing goals.
Loam & Gravel Society – Experimental Bikepacking Team
Call it a mix between the birth of a factory bikepacking race team and a call out for ultra-distance influencers.
Any way you look at it, OMM (they abbreviate their own name like that, and I’ve already grown tired of typing Old Man Mountain) was looking for a way they could support some of the cyclists on the bikepacking & ultra racing scene. And at the same time grow their visibility amongst more competitive bike riders, while testing and refining their next crop of products still in development.
My personal take on it is then. It seems like OMM are strongly hinting that they are also working on more race-oriented gear-hauling products. The majority of the current offerings (and their existing crop of brand ambassadors) lean more toward the heavy-duty, utilitarian way of carrying gear on your bikes, or classic loaded touring just off-road; think: burly racks & baskets. But OMM also already created some interesting things like their Axle Packs. Those provide a great way to mount gear on bikes not normally well-suited for bikepacking – like lightweight race bikes.
I wouldn’t be surprised to see more of that show up on bikes of the new Loam & Gravel Society experimental bikepacking team.
“We commit to nurturing a lively and inclusive cycling community by focusing on shared experiences and collective joy. We see bikepacking and ultra racing as a means to connect, explore, and grow together while also pushing ourselves further. Our team represents the heart of camaraderie and adventure, engaging in races, community events, supporting fellow riders, and celebrating the journey itself. We want to push what we can do on a bike and through our collaborative spirit, we hope to inspire others to embrace adventure and find joy in every mile. Go beyond the podium.”
– Loam & Gravel
Nuts & Bolts
OK, so 5 riders will get picked, get 2 grand & a bunch of gear, and will help test some next-gen prototypes, too.
OMM is looking for riders of any age, gender, or background who want to test their own limits at some of the most grueling bikepacking races out there. “Winning isn’t everything, but effort matters.” But they will be prioritizing racers that mix determination, self-sufficiency, speed, and good communication skills.
Applications are open starting today through December 2nd. Fill out the online form at: OldManMountain.com here, now.
Want to support an experimental bikepacking team, yourself?
BTW, if you work for another bikepacking or endurance-adjacent brand and the experimental bikepacking team concept sounds interesting to you, OMM’s Loam & Gravel Society is still hunting for additional sponsor support. If OMM can round up more backing, their goal is then to bring all 5 riders together for a week this winter for a training camp where everyone can get to know each other and support one another’s racing goals.
