Mountain Bike (MTB)
Gravel Bike
All-Terrain Bike (ATB)
Fat Bike
Cass Gilbert
Contributing Editor
-
Friends Reunited
40 Sep 11 Cass Gilbert / InspirationIt’s been a long six months. As we emerge from our respective cocoons, Cass reflects on the way in which bikepacking can nurture friendships. Sometimes it’s less about the riding itself and more the space that bikepacking creates to spend time with our friends…
-
Jones SWB Titanium Review: A Dream Bike and Dream Build
127 Sep 3 Cass Gilbert / Bikepacking BikesWe take Jones’ premium, all titanium SWB—clad in a wardrobe of boutique parts—for an extended test ride. And we ask the question: if money is no object, can one frameset really provide a viable heart and soul for a bikepacking rig, a fast gravel machine, and a trail-worthy mountain bike? Read on to find out…
-
King Alfred’s Way: A New 350km Bikepacking Route in the UK
19 Aug 28 Cass Gilbert / DispatchCycling UK just launched a new off-road adventure route that takes cyclists through 10,000 years’ worth of history in the south of England, creating a loop of gravel tracks and off-road trails through the heart of Surrey, Hampshire, Wiltshire and Berkshire countryside. Find details here…
-
Jonathan and his Tomo x On-One x Kona Tall Bike
22 Aug 27 Cass Gilbert / InspirationIn this Rider and Rig, we chat with UK framebuilder Jonathan Thompson about his Tomo x On-One x Kona Tall Bike. We find out about the tall bike scene, bikepacking on a tall bike, and dive into an alternative world where bicycle design collides with unhindered imagination…
-
997 mi. / 1,605 km 32 daysPeru Great Divide
392 Aug 21 Cass Gilbert Latin AmericaAs one of South America’s premium dirt road touring routes, the Peru Great Divide is nothing short of a visual extravaganza that showcases the very best in Andean riding - think dramatic snow-capped peaks, glacial lakes, and time lost settlements home to hardy shepherds and their alpacas. Rollercoasting its way for several weeks through rugged mining country in the Central Cordillera, it hurdles a succession of 4800m+ passes via predominantly remote, low-traffic dirt roads. -
A Bikepacker’s Take on Preventative Health and Immunity Maintenance
16 Aug 6 Cass Gilbert / Bikepacking GuidesCOVID-19 has reminded us of the importance of keeping our bodies healthy and our immune systems as robust as possible. Cass Gilbert looks at a variety of foods we can eat and simple lifestyle choices we can make to help stay healthy both at home and on the road…
-
Tailfin Adds Cargo Eyelets to AeroPack Alloy S
36 Jun 22 Cass Gilbert / DispatchTailfin has added water bottle and cargo cage eyelets to the alloy version of their AeroPack S and S Series Trunk Rack, offering extra versatility and capacity to their excellent, sway-free seatpack. Find out more and read our first impressions here…
-
First Ride: New Roval Control SL Team LTD Wheels
3 May 27 Cass Gilbert / Bikepacking GearClearly of more interest to competitive, long-distance racers rather than budget bikepackers, Roval has just launched a $2650, featherweight cross country wheelset that’s claimed to be their lightest ever: the Control SL Team LTD. Not that its minimal weight – just 1248g – comes at the expense of strength, width, or pinch-flat resistance, as Cass Gilbert finds out on the dusty trails of Baja California.
-
Reader’s Rig: Yeshe’s Mone El Continente
4 Apr 3 Cass Gilbert / DispatchOur latest Reader’s Rig features artist Yeshe Parks’ beautiful singlespeed Moné El Continente, which he uses to explore the dirt roads of New Mexico. Check out more details and photos here…
-
115 mi. / 185 km 3 daysOjos de Tehuacan (TCBR, Norte)
32 Mar 26 Cass Gilbert Latin AmericaThe Tehuacán-Cuicatlán biosphere reserve is located in southeastern Mexico, set within the arid climes of the Sierra Madre del Sur mountain range. Given that this vast and little-travelled UNESCO heritage site is split between two states - Puebla and Oaxaca - we've put together two distinct loops that can be accessed from each capital, aiming to showcase both the rich biodiversity in the area and its cultural identity. The northern loop centres around the small settlement of Zapotitlán, in Puebla. At 2-3 days in length, it's especially suited to those new to bikepacking, or anyone with an interest in the beguiling world of desert flora. If coupled with the more challenging southern loop, expect to enjoy a week's riding in the reserve. -
Roberto and his Jamis x Surly Baja Rig
22 Mar 13 Cass Gilbert / Bikepacking BikesThink you need to spend a small fortune for a Baja-worthy rig? Think again! Roberto-Apolinar Martinez tells us how his dinged-up 2006 Jamis hardtail, mated to a modern 27.5+ Surly fork, saw him successfully ride a chunk of the Baja Divide… teamed with bags he made himself, good coffee, and the spirit of adventure.
-
Review: Jones Truss Fork Pack (by Revelate Designs)
18 Mar 13 Cass Gilbert / Bikepacking BagsAs bikepackers, we often seek ways of keeping our setups light, minimal, and rattle-free, whilst still increasing capacity when we need to. For those running a truss fork instead of suspension or a more conventional unicrown, Jones’ Truss Fork Pack is a clever way of making it all work, and one that will likely suit smaller riders too. Cass spent a few months testing a pair for this review…
