Cass Gilbert
While Out Riding
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Bespoked UK 2019: Stayer Cycles’ Dirt Drop MTB
5 May 24 Cass Gilbert / bikesBasking 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…
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Bespoked UK 2019: Sven Pathfinder and Pathfinder Plus
7 May 13 Cass Gilbert / bikesAs 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…
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Bespoked UK: Ted James and his Ti MTB Tourer
5 May 10 Cass Gilbert / bikesAs 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…
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Bespoked UK 2019: Pi Manson and his Clandestine Carrier
7 May 9 Cass Gilbert / bikesFor the first of our reports from the Bespoked UK Handmade Bicycle Show, we zone in on a few makers and their bikes. To begin, we’ve dedicated a post to the all-in-one Clandestine Carrier from Bristol-based frame builder Pi Manson…
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Hexlox Review: Miniature Crime Fighters
8 Apr 17 Cass Gilbert / accessoriesDo you bikepack on the bike you ride every day? Or perhaps you worry about parts when you leave your steed locked up on tour? We try out the Hexlox system, designed to secure saddles, wheels, handlebars, and even thru axle wheels against theft…
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Over The Top: The Wayfarer Centenary Weekend
18 Apr 11 Cass Gilbert / cultureDo you consider California the spiritual home of off-road riding? Half a century earlier, cyclists were pitting themselves against rough and rutted drovers’ tracks on skinny tyred bikes. We head to North Wales to commemorate a particularly noteworthy off-road tour that took place on a snowy weekend in 1919, with the oldest off-road bike touring club in the world…
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119 mi. / 192 km3 daysThe Chama Charmer, New Mexico
72 Apr 8 Cass Gilbert USASet to a skyscape of Simpson-esque clouds, Northern New Mexico abounds with high pastures, primitive two track, and backcountry trails. Beginning on the Colorado border, this long weekend, high elevation route showcases some of the most enjoyable bikepacking in the state, making use of the Continental Divide Trail to lace in mile upon mile of remote singletrack. If hot springs are your style, round off the ride by pampering yourself in the luxurious desert resort of Ojo Caliente, where public transport will whisk you back to Española, Santa Fe, or Albuquerque. -
Surly Bridge Club Review: Versatility and Inclusivity
71 Apr 4 Cass Gilbert / bikesFor $1,200, Surly’s Bridge Club claims inclusivity as well as versatility. Cass spends a winter with one, taking it camping, dirt road touring, trail riding, commuting, grocery shopping, and everything else in between…
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Hecho en Tucson: Hubert’s Custom Bikepacking Machine
18 Mar 22 Cass Gilbert / plogWe head out for a night bivying under the skies of southern Arizona with Hubert d’Autremont, framebuilder and tortilla maker, and find out about his custom bikepacking rig…
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Transit Cycles, Arizona: Bike Art and Bikepacking
7 Mar 15 Cass Gilbert / cultureWe call in at Transit Cycles to talk to owner Duncan Benning about all things cycling in Tucson, Arizona: bikes, bottle art, great places to ride, and building a bikepacking community…
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497 mi. / 800 km10 daysThe SoCal Desert Ramble, Southern California
88 Mar 10 Cass Gilbert USAFor those seeking desert solitude tinged with a touch of the bizarre, we present the SoCal Desert Ramble. Prepare to immerse yourself amongst desert blooms and starry nights, slither your way along sandy washes, linger in counter-culture hangouts, ponder salty, decayed holiday resorts gone wrong, and marvel at the Dr. Seussian splendour of the gangly, anthropomorphic Joshua Tree… -
Tout Terrain Outback Review: Vorsprung Durch Technik
33 Mar 7 Cass Gilbert / bikesWell established within the world of traditional touring, Tout Terrain’s first foray into the bikepacking realm comes by way of the 27.5+ Outback. Like other products in this German company’s extensive range of steel bikes, the Outback is a modern hardtail that embraces the technological marvels of an internal drivetrain, in the form of the Pinion C1.12. We take one to France’s Alpes-de-Haute-Provence to find out what it’s about…
