Last week we posted the most commented posts of 2017. And now the most liked/shared. See a pattern developing here? The fact is we owe a lot to the loyal readers who interact and participate. Hell, we might not even exist if it weren’t for those of you who like and share our articles, routes, news, and events on Facebook, Twitter and other popular social streams. Through these actions the word is spread, introductions are made, and bikepackers are inspired.

For us, it’s always interesting to see which posts pique your interest and encourage such reactions. So we thought we’d share that list. Here’s are the top dozen (numbers generated by Facebook only) followed by our five most visited articles that were written in 2017.

Introducing the Trek 1120

(3000+ shares/likes)

Oddly enough, it wasn’t a guide or route that took countless hours to plan and write, it was a simple press release that got the top number of shares. This PR announced the 2018 Trek 1120, a 29+ dirt-tourer complete with a proprietary and thoughtfully designed rack and harness system. Stay tuned for the full review.

Remembering Mike Hall

(2949 shares/likes)

We were incredibly sad to announce that Mike Hall, a legend amongst the bikepacking community, was killed during the inaugural running of the Indian Pacific Wheel Race back in March. We created this post with the help of several people who knew and loved Mike…

Niner SIR 9 Review

(2284 shares/likes)

While the 2017 Niner SIR 9 isn’t the first steel hardtail built for bikepacking and adventure, it was certainly a popular bike amongst our readers. Cass tested it on the technically demanding and physically challenging Colorado Trail for this review.

Baja Divide Film

(1936 shares/likes)

A stunning film documenting Franzi and Jona’s experience while bikepacking the Baja Divide. Plus the route in their words alongside a beautiful collection of photos (including the main photo above).

Lee Craigie’s TEDx Talk

(1792 shares/likes)

Lee Craigie gave an inspiring talk at TEDxGlasgow that tells the tale of her ride on the Highland Trail 550 and ultimately makes the point that “maybe there’s a different way to win the race.”

Route, Riders, and Rigs of the 1st American Trail Race

(1436 shares/likes)

Back in June, 13 valiant bikepackers set out on the first annual American Trail Race, a 5,000 mile self-supported bikepacking race crossing the USA along the off-road Trans-America Trail (TAT). This was our rundown of the riders, rigs and route.

2017 Bikepacking Awards: Film, Photography, and Art

(1323 shares/likes)

In celebration of another great year for the bikepacking community, part one of three of our 2017 bikepacking awards honored the creative arts, showcasing talented bikepackers with 24 awards in 6 categories.

The Monumental Loop

(1267 shares/likes)

A repeat from our ‘Most Commented’ list, the Monumental Loop stitches together a network of rarely ridden singletrack, backcountry dirt roads, and sandy washes into an expansive Figure 8. Matt Mason’s Monumental Loop maximises time spent exploring the Organ Mountains and the surrounding Chihuahuan Desert… It’s a tough one though!

Bikepacking Gear That Lasts

(1105 shares/likes)

Another repeat from ‘Most Commented’, this post has been extremely popular since we published just over a month ago. For good reason, all the gear is tested to no end and highly recommended.

Dogpacking: A Guide

(1027 shares/likes)

Who doesn’t enjoy the idea of bikepacking with their dog? John Freeman had been bikepacking with Melan for a couple of years when he created this guide on how to plan such trips. Unfortunately, just a couple months ago, we were very sad to hear about the untimely passing of our favorite dogpacker. Ride in peace, Melan.

Tramontana

(1026 shares/likes)

Also an award winner in our 2017 Bikepacking Awards, the fellas at Montanus captured a lot of attention for their interesting and genre bending bikepacking film, Tramontana. If you missed it, make sure to check it out.

Josh Ibbett’s Around The World Bikepacking Packlist

(1016 shares/likes)

Ever wonder what goes in an around-the-world bikepacking kit? In this video, Josh Ibbett goes over every item in his 12-month gear list, bag by bag…

Top 5 Most Visited Posts of 2017

There were a couple repeats from the list above, so here is a list of the 5 most visited posts created in 2017 (excluding a couple already mentioned):

2017 Surly Ogre Review

Also one of the Most Commented, the review of the Ogre also was the most visited post in 2017. Like the Troll, Surly’s 29er all-rounder, the Ogre, underwent a similar transformation. In this piece Cass dug into the details of its 2017 incarnation and thoughts on its frameset, set up with 27.5+ wheels..

Salsa Warbird Review

Logan and Joe borrowed a pair of Salsa Warbirds to ride the Green Mountain Gravel Growler in Vermont – an amalgam of gravel, dirt tracks, plenty of singletrack, Vermont’s infamous Class 4 roads, and plenty of craft beer… this is the bike review that followed.

Search for the Best Bike Bell

Who would’ve guess that an article about bike bells would not only be one of the most commented, but also one of the most visited posts on a bikepacking website?

Tour Divide 2017 (Event)

The 2017 Tour Divide took place on Friday, June 9. This was our event entry in our bikepacking calendar. And speaking of, here’s the link to the 2018 Tour Divide event. stay tuned, we’ll make sure to add a tracker and more information as it comes.

Ortlieb Gravel Packs, First Look

Ironically, a post about a new pannier took a top spot for most visited of the year…