Cass Gilbert

Have you always wanted a Big Bro? Brother Cycles’ do-it-all, 27+ complete bikes and framesets are currently being offered with a very generous 30% discount…

Have you bikepacked with a sibling? There are few finer ways to share experiences and create new memories with your family. After some last-minute purchases – including both a brand new bike and an Opinel pocket knife – Cass is joined by his brother Nick in the south of France for a bikepacking initiation, in the form of a perfect segment of the GR4…

Hot on the heels – or should we say, the tire tracks – of posting our Grande Traversée L’Alpes-Provence route guide, Cass Gilbert and amigo Mike Howarth head out to the south of France, before the season comes to an end. Check out the gallery, and if you’re planning on riding the route, read on for extra hints and tips on deciphering the logistics of the ride…

With just six years of business under its belt, Germany-based Bombtrack Bikes has grown quickly. It now offers a wide and exciting range of adventure-ready bikes, many of them designed with bikepackers in mind. Cass Gilbert takes a Bombtrack Beyond+ 2 up and over the European Alps, and reports back on the ride…

$305 dollars for a pair of non-clipless riding shoes? After spending a European summer in a pair of PEdALED’s Mido Boots – subjecting them to a prolonged soaking on the Trans Alp bikepacking route in the process – Cass Gilbert wonders whether it’s a price worth paying for such undeniably handsome riding shoes…

As the writer and photographer behind Tales on Tyres, Franzi Wernsing has spent the last few years wandering the world on two wheels. After following her popular Instagram feed, Cass Gilbert finally got the chance to catch up with her in person on the Trans Alp bikepacking route, to get the full lowdown on her Bombtrack Beyond+, dig deeper into her passion for photography, and find out how she and her partner Jona juggle life on the road…

For those seeking a brief escape from the city – a microadventure, as UK adventurer Al Humphries calls it – the humble bivy bag is one of the most simple, discreet, and affordable ways of spending a night in the wilds. We check out two budget camping offerings from British manufacturer Alpkit, and consider both the joys and tribulations of bivvying in Europe…

In this edition of Rider and Rig, we chat with Mike Hayes from Cornwall, UK. As a former road racer and seasoned long-distance bikepacker, Mike talks us through his distinct Brother Cycles Big Bro build, and shares some insight into his experiences with cycling as a form of therapy for depression…

Firepot dehydrated meals promise tasty, wholesome, locally sourced, and ultralight meals to bookend your days in the saddle. We try out a couple of their meals in the woodlands of Dorset…

Thanks to their inbuilt GPS, intuitive operating systems, and power navigation apps, smartphones make increasingly capable navigation tools. We try out the Quad Lock Bike Mount and see if it’s strong and secure enough to trust your hallowed smartphone for bikepacking…

Hailing from New Mexico, USA, Tribulus’ Endover is a front rolltop bag that promises minimal weight and maximum functionality. After a few months of use, we share our thoughts on how it has fared…

The best clothes are those you can ride in, wear to your local coffee shop, and maybe even use as a pillow, reckons Cass Gilbert. Adding a sense of style to his bikepacking wardrobe, he comes to the conclusion that the technically cut, Kitsbow Icon V2 flannel shirt is here to stay, patches and all…