Cass Gilbert

Cass tries his hand at cooking with the Solo Stove Lite, an ultralight cooking system that uses twigs, leaves, and other forms of biomass to generate heat. Read on to find out how it fares in both perfectly dry Spanish conditions, and less than ideal UK drizzle…

Inspired by the Vuelta de Vasco bikepacking route, Cass and his family head off to the Basque Country to bite off a chunk of the ride, crossing Spain’s Sierra de Urbasa in western Navarre by way of high plateaux, lush forest, Vías Verdes, and druid stones. Here’s some insights into the nuts and bolts of the trip, along with six-year-old Sage’s full packlist, details of his rig, and their core family camping gear…

Introducing the new Jones Plus LWB Complete, a ready to roll version of the 29+ fully rigid all rounder, now ringing in at $2050…

Once the domain of the fully fledged bike nerd, Jones’ Plus SWB Complete has opened up a very distinctive bike to a far broader audience. After spending half a year riding one, Cass Gilbert reports on his findings…

Reducing the weight and bulk of core gear and adopting a minimal bikepacking setup can require significant investment. So, it’s always good to try ultralight gear that’s aimed towards the more affordable end of the market. Here are our thoughts on a summer pairing from Alpkit: the PipeDream 200 down sleeping bag and the Cloud Base air mattress…

The US-made Double Rainbow is Tarptent’s most popular model. Weighing in at just 1.2kg, it offers a surprising amount of living space for two riders, combined with a very minimal packsize, making it ideal for bikepackers… especially tall ones. We take a look at the newly updated 2019 model, testing it out camping in the US, the UK, and France.

We’d wager that every bicycle at a handmade bike show deserves attention and praise, be it a practical and transformative commuter, a long distance audax machine, or a lithe road racer. But we’re all about bikes created with travelling and multi-day adventures in mind, so here are five more wildly different options that caught our bikepacking-obsessed eyes at the recent Bespoked UK…

Basking in some well-deserved limelight at the 2019 Bespoked UK show, this sumptuous dirt drop mountain bike from London-based Stayer was quite the looker. Complete with custom porteur rack and a laser cut yoke for three-inch tires, its US-inspired aesthetic is complemented by a smattering of North American boutique parts. We find out more about the bike and the business behind it…

As part of our Bespoked UK coverage, here’s a look the latest incarnation of Sven Cycles’ Pathfinder. Built to a semi-custom spec from stainless steel, it’s designed with a spritely ride in mind and features generous 650B tyre clearances, making it a great option for both on- and off-road bikepacking in the UK and beyond. And for those in search of chunkier terrain, there’s its big-tyred sibling, the Pathfinder Plus…

As part of our ongoing Bespoked UK coverage, we’re taking a look at Ted James Design’s plus-tyred titanium bikepacking steed, just back from an off road tour through the Scottish Highlands, complete with quad fork, mud splatter, Crocs, and a handmade leather front bag…