Singletrack/MTB
Gravel/All-road
Dirt-road Touring
Fat-bike
Cass Gilbert
Contributing Editor
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Low Waste Bikepacking: Full Power Vegan Cookie Dough
15 May 14 Cass Gilbert / foodOriginally developed as an efficient way of getting chocolate into her mouth during the hot summer months, Emma’s Full Power Cookie Dough offers the enjoyment of snacking in a convenient and reusable jar. Simply take a scoop at the foot of a climb and watch your legs go! It’s wrapper-free, gluten-free, and dairy-free too. Find the recipe here…
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177 mi. / 285 km5-6 daysTravesia Por Atitlan, Guatemala
31 May 6 Cass Gilbert Latin AmericaConnecting picture-perfect Antigua with artsy Quetzaltenango, Travesía Por Atitlán showcases the bountiful diversity of Guatemala's southwestern highlands. Expect agricultural singletrack, forest doubletrack, copious cups of freshly ground coffee, a Kaqchikel archeological site, and a glittering jewel: the volcano-ringed Lago de Atitlán. Be sure to tune up those extra low gears because you're in for a wild rollercoaster of a ride! -
New Mexico’s Valles Caldera Preserve Needs Your Input!
12 Apr 29 Cass Gilbert / newsNew Mexico’s beautiful Valles Caldera Preserve, as featured in our Supervolcano Explorer route, is currently seeking public comment to inform and shape future management decisions. Find details on how to have your say here…
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99 mi. / 159 km2-3 daysValles Caldera Supervolcano Explorer (V2), New Mexico
144 Apr 29 Cass Gilbert USALying within the subtle yet beautiful folds of the Jemez Mountains, New Mexico's very own supervolcano was opened to year-round bicycle access in 2016. Created shortly after, and rebooted in 2021, the Valles Caldera Supervolcano Explorer serves as a meandering introduction to the area, by way of primitive dirt roads, a hot spring, trout fishing, and trails... -
TranzX Kitsuma Dropper Post Review: Wallet-Friendly Fun
24 Apr 23 Cass Gilbert / accessoriesCass takes the wallet-friendly TranzX Kitsuma dropper post out bikepacking and trail riding on his local singletrack and dirt roads. Find out why it pairs so well with older hardtails and why it could be the perfect dropper for those who’ve yet to try one. And, learn about the easy-to-fit Jump Seat too…
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Tarptent Double Rainbow Li Review: 765g + Space to Stretch
34 Apr 16 Cass Gilbert / gearTarptent’s Double Rainbow has been a longstanding, affordable favourite amongst the hiking and bikepacking communities. We tested out the new, ultralight Dyneema version – the Double Rainbow Lithium – in a bid to find out if a tent that’s over twice the price is worth all those extra dollars…
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Alone in the Empty Mountains: An Ode to Route Building
30 Apr 9 Cass Gilbert / plogWhilst looking back on a solo trip through Spain’s Serranía Celtibérica, Cass considers the transformative power of route creation, from its ability to inspire others in the bikepacking community, to the way it can help us use bicycles as tools for connection, education, and change…
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Big Agnes Fussell Quilt Review: Jack Frost and Snap Pops
17 Mar 31 Cass Gilbert / gearHave you ever been confounded by all the straps and bungee cords on ultralight quilts? We took Big Agnes’ Fussel UL quilt bikepacking from sea level to 3200m in elevation to test its novel snap button and patch system. Find out how it fared over four months of use.
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It’s a Dog’s Life
54 Mar 26 Cass Gilbert / plogCass examines the relationship between local dogs and visiting bikepackers, and ponders the mixed feelings of fear, love, and pity that man’s best friend can incite. With street dogs on his mind, he returns from a short bikepacking trip to Guatemala with an unusual collection of portraits…
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113 mi. / 182 km3 daysMeandros de Montebello, Chiapas
22 Mar 22 Cass Gilbert Latin AmericaMeandros de Montebello is a meandering loop through Mexico’s Parque Nacional Lagunas de Montebello. Beginning and ending in the laid-back city of Comitán, Chiapas, it’s an ideal introduction to bikepacking. Distance-wise, it can be completed in two full days. But why rush? This is a route best savoured over a long weekend or more, allowing time to visit caves, hike to secluded cenotes, and swim in some of the region's 59 azure and turquoise lakes...
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Tailfin Announces Universal Thru Axle, New Mount, Triple Bosses, and More
23 Mar 12 Cass Gilbert / newsTailfin just announced several updates and new products, including the AP Mount, triple eyelets across the range of alloy arch models, matching black Voilé straps, and a new, universal thru axle that promises to future proof your AeroPack. Find details here…
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Andrea and Jake’s Surly Disc Truckers: A Story of Migration
31 Mar 11 Cass Gilbert / bikesLast year, Andrea and Jake, a couple from El Salvador and the US, prepared to embark on a long-planned bike tour across Latin America just as a pandemic began taking hold. Discover what drove them south nonetheless and read about the issues facing those migrating north here, along with the story of their metamorphosis from bike tourers to bikepackers…
