Mountain Bike (MTB)
Gravel Bike
All-Terrain Bike (ATB)
Fat Bike
Cass Gilbert
Contributing Editor
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127 mi. / 204 km 4-5 daysLakeland 200, UK
57 Dec 6 Cass Gilbert EuropeThe Lake District National Park promises some of the most dramatic mountainscapes in England… and perhaps the very best in old school mountain biking too. The Lakeland 200 is a multi-day loop that offers a broad overview of the whole area, taking in such classics as High Street, Walna Scar Road, and Black Sail Pass. Just be sure you don’t have an aversion to hike-a-bikes… -
Bombtrack Hook EXT Review: More Than Just Good Looks
44 Dec 3 Cass Gilbert / Bikepacking BikesAfter attending Bombtracks’ yearly Groundwork event, Cass purloins a Bombtrack Hook EXT and takes it bikepacking in Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, England, and Wales. With a number of trips under his belt, as well as fast gravel days rides and even a few road outings in the bag, here are his thoughts on this steel and carbon adventure bike…
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Los Perros Locos de Pecos: A Farewell Ride
22 Nov 22 Cass Gilbert / InspirationWhat’s your excuse for getting a group of friends together and enjoying a couple of nights out bikepacking? A birthday? The longest day of the year? Or a friend leaving town? Back in the Land of Enchantment, Cass heads out with his New Mexican compadres for a farewell ride amongst the piñons, junipers, red dirt… and sunset dust.
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Tailfin AeroPack Review: A premium, rigid seatpack
43 Nov 15 Cass Gilbert / Bikepacking BagsCass gives the premium-priced AeroPack – Tailfin’s cross between a racktop bag and a modern seatpack – a thorough thrashing. After a few months bouncing across the roughest trails and dirt roads he can find in the UK, here are his deep dive findings…
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Reader’s Rig: Bas’s Surly Ogre
17 Nov 1 Cass Gilbert / DispatchThis week on Reader’s Rig, we peek at Bas Overbeek’s Surly Ogre, which features a full suite of custom Detour Studio bags, sewn by Bas himself. Find build details, photos, and his bike’s backstory here…
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73 mi. / 117 km 2 daysBlack Mountain Crossing, South Wales
40 Oct 31 Cass Gilbert EuropeEasily accessed with public transport from Bath, Bristol, and Cardiff, the Black Mountain lies to the west of the Brecons Beacons National Park, in South Wales. This 73 mile, largely un-trafficked and hilly route can be completed in two days, crossing the range twice to form a loop in and out of Aberdare, in the Cynon Valley. Wending through an area pocked with burial mounds, druid stones, caves, and old forts, expect singletrack, drovers' roads, forest roads, and the usual helping of Welsh bogs... -
145 mi. / 233 km 3-4 daysBear Bones Bash, Mid Wales
51 Oct 24 Cass Gilbert EuropeThe Bear Bones Bash is a 230km loop through remote and sparsely populated Mid Wales. It promises a true gamut of riding conditions - from steep and winding back lanes, old drovers' tracks, and graded forest tracks, to tufty singletrack, hike-a-bikes and extended bog trots - across the crumpled folds of the beautiful Cambrian Mountains. The route also includes the potential of a night in a candle-lit bothy and a resupply in quirky Machynlleth, home to the world-renowned Centre of Alternative Technology. -
Reader’s Rig: Chris’s Salsa Fargo
14 Oct 18 Cass Gilbert / DispatchThis week on Reader’s Rig, we check out Chris Campbell’s Salsa Fargo, a bike that’s quickly becoming a classic in our weekly series. Find details on his Fargo build and some thoughts about taking the plunge into an extended bikepacking trip here…
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Wizard Works’ Re-Use Re-Purpose Voila! Snack Bag and Tool Roll
8 Oct 17 Cass Gilbert / Bikepacking BagsA stem bag is a stem bag is a stem bag, right? Not if it’s made from an upcycled Thomson stem bag! We check out London-based Wizard Work’s Re-Use Re-Purpose Voila Snack Bag and matching tool roll, and find out about the business’ upcycling future…
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122 mi. / 196 km 3-4 daysDark + White Peak Peek, UK
48 Oct 9 Cass Gilbert EuropeDespite its proximity to Manchester and Sheffield, the Peak District National Park offers a surprisingly wild and remote bikepacker's playground, peppered as it is with rocky bridleways, slabby descents, and boggy moorland crossings. In short, it's a wonderful way of escaping either city for a long weekend of honest-to-goodness, old fashioned, multi-day mountain biking... -
Quoc Gran Tourer Review: Rocks, Gravel, Dust, and Puddles
23 Oct 7 Cass Gilbert / ApparelAdding to a range of distinctly high end road shoes, Quoc’s Grand Tourer aims to satisfy the needs of those who enjoy both mixed terrain riding and off-bike exploring… in style. A badly dressed Cass Gilbert beats up a pair in Europe and reports back.
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Outdoor Provisions: All Natural Energy in Compostable Packaging
3 Sep 27 Cass Gilbert / Bikepacking FoodLove chomping on energy bars when you bikepack but hate the single-use packaging they come in? Hailing from the UK and inspired by its rugged National Parks, Outdoor Provisions have just launched two delicious bars wrapped in compostable packaging, with more to follow…
