Cass Gilbert

Documenting a bikepacking trip through photography can be a creative and rewarding experience. For some, it’s almost as enjoyable as the riding itself! But what’s the best way to carry a camera on a multi-day adventure, so it’s protected from dust, water, and vibrations but still easy to grab and use? Find our guide to the subject here, including our team’s preferred options and input from some of our camera-toting contributors…

Can there be a more poetic swansong for your favourite old mountain bike – the one you could never bring yourself to part with – than transforming it into something completely wondrous and magical? Cass remembers touring on his On One Inbred of yesteryear, and after painfully witnessing its dismemberment, rejoices in its imaginative reanimation…

Designed to work with their own baggage system and racks from other brands, Tailfin’s 5L and 10L Mini Panniers are the latest addition to an ever-expanding range. Cass Gilbert tried out a sample set for a few months before their official launch. Read on for full details on how they performed and some longterm feedback on the AeroPack itself…

Five years after his last custom framebag, Cass Gilbert tries one of Buckhorn’s made-to-measure bags for size, adding a splash of color to his bike. He talks about the bag, the process of ordering one, and considers why going custom can be such a satisfying experience, especially when the maker is local and rides the same trails as you do…

Jones’ SWB and LWB Completes feature significantly improved build kits… but the price has gone up too. Find all the details here, along with an analysis of the changes…

How best to carry a camera on a bikepacking trip is an age-old quandary. With its wide range of options and price points, PS Bagworks’ interchangeable Rider Strap and Wrist Strap have been working out well for Cass Gilbert. In this review, he explains why…

After a two-week tour through the Oaxacan mountains, Cass Gilbert gets the lowdown on Cjell Moné and his custom 5-speed La Roca, complete with an attention-grabbing Lefty fork. We ask him where he and his distinctive brand, Mone Bikes, are headed next. And we talk bread trucks, coaster brake hop-up kits, ’80s mountain bikes, and getting more people on bikes…

Cass Gilbert gives us a rundown of the only bike he’s ridden for the last 18 months, a dreamy Jones SWB. Find out what parts have worn out and what he’d do differently next time. Also, check out his complete lightweight gear list for relaxing weekend trips into the nearby mountains and exploring his new home. Read on for more…

Cass Gilbert sets out to repeat a bicycle trip he tackled early in his touring career… a journey to the highest sand dune in Europe. More than 20 years on, he hopes his son Sage will enjoy riding to France’s towering Dune de Pilat as much as he did. Also, find Sage’s full packlist from the trip and a reflection on the Argos technical tartan rug from back in the day…

It had been a long time coming: After relocating to Oaxaca, Mexico, Cass Gilbert shares a favorite local route with visiting friends, savoring the time-honored tradition of revealing treasured trails to visitors… and sharing the best tlayudas and tortas in town. Find his route report and a vibrant selection of photos here…

Cass Gilbert spends a near perfect holiday touring with his son Sage around France’s delightful Île de Ré, pondering the merits of traffic-free riding for family adventures, whatever the surfaces may be. If kite flying, beachcombing, oyster sampling, and ice cream eating sound like your idea of an appealing summer escape, you’ll likely enjoy yourself there as much as he and his son did, too…