Singletrack/MTB
Gravel/All-road
Dirt-road Touring
Fat-bike
Cass Gilbert
Contributing Editor
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Big Agnes Fussell Quilt Review: Jack Frost and Snap Pops
17 Mar 31 Cass Gilbert / Bikepacking 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 / InspirationCass 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 km 3 daysMeandros de Montebello, Chiapas
26 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 / DispatchTailfin 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 / Bikepacking 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…
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Sage, Cenotes, and an Ek Balam Jungle Adventure
30 Mar 3 Cass Gilbert / InspirationPicture a pancake-flat world where $250 cargo trikes and BMX bikes with child seats rule the land. A place where a watery maze of underground rivers course below an extensive network of bike paths. Cass and Sage head out on a jungle adventure across Mexico’s version of the Netherlands, complete with Mayan ruins and magical sinkholes…
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58 mi. / 93 km 2.5 daysHebras de Ixtepeji, Oaxaca
29 Feb 25 Cass Gilbert Latin AmericaHebras de Ixtepeji is a short, testing, and fun weekend loop into the mountains behind the city of Oaxaca. It packs in a combination of low-traffic dirt roads, forest tracks, and backcountry trails - almost all of which is rideable with a lightweight bikepacking setup. Designed with mountain bikers in mind, it also includes an introduction to the Sierra Norte's La Cumbre Ixtepeji enduro and cross-country network, an impressive centre that draws riders from across Mexico and the world... -
Five Ten Trailcross Mid Pro Review: Bikepacking Meets Space Trooping
56 Feb 19 Cass Gilbert / ApparelCass slips his dusty traveler’s feet into a pair of Five Ten’s spacetrooper-style Trailcross Mid Pros. After a few months riding trails, bikepacking, hiking, and kicking around town, find out how this aesthetically divisive footwear fared…
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Santa Fe Green Chile Gravel Growler
35 Feb 11 Cass Gilbert / InspirationDespite his ever-deepening crow’s feet, Cass ponders the subtle yet persuasive appeal of New Mexico’s magical light and sacred earth. Hypnotised by its empty dirt roads, he shares photos of the as-yet-unfinished Santa Fe Green Chile Gravel Growler route…
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Outer Shell Hip Slinger Review
26 Jan 29 Cass Gilbert / Bikepacking BagsOuter Shell’s Hip Slinger is a distinctive take on the perennially popular hip pack. Think roll-top meets cinch cords, in an assortment of colours and materials. Cass (and Mildred, his pet rhinoceros beetle) try one out for day rides, campouts, and street photography alike. Find the review here…
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Low-Waste Bikepacking: Emma’s Gracious Granola
35 Jan 16 Cass Gilbert / Bikepacking FoodWinter is upon us, and for many, it’s “lockdown-season” too. Why not use this enforced downtime to hone your culinary skills for the coming spring? Tasty, nutty, fruity granola never fails to make an energy-packed start to the day. The very best is homemade, so try baking a batch of Emma’s Gracious Granola for your next local overnighter. Find the full, easy-to-follow recipe here, along with variations on a theme for bikepacking foodies…
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Inside MOOTS
21 Jan 15 Cass Gilbert / CultureThe name Moots has always conjured up a certain reverential aura amongst the cycling fraternity. Founded by MTB Hall of Famer Kent Eriksen in 1981, the company has long been fabled for its premium titanium bicycles, their clean, elegant lines, and their butter-smooth welds…
