Josh Meissner

After a year of cowboy glamping with the Poland-made Cumulus Mosquito Bivi, Josh Meissner reviews the minimalist, non-waterproof shelter and explains why he loves bug bivy bags for bikepacking. Find his long-term review here…

With Wit Slingers in Leipzig, Germany, closing, bikepackers in Europe lost a beloved custom bag maker. While crafting a final frame bag with designer Tijmen Kervers, Josh Meissner learns all about his path to success and why he quit while on top. Settle in for a candid reflection on what small-scale manufacturing needs to truly thrive, along with photos of the now-shuttered shop…

Cumulus from Poland now offers a “Neo” line of extremely lightweight, closed-footbox quilts that maximize the warmth-to-weight ratio. The down weights on their popular zip quilts have also been refactored. Find all the details here…

In his Editor’s Dozen, Josh highlights a hodgepodge of DIY items, time-tested products, new favorites, and cycling-adjacent formats that brought him more joy in 2025 than any piece of gear could. Read on for his 12 top picks plus one big shift in perspective that defined his year…

From a midtail cargo off-roader to a flawless interpretation of a classic touring bike and a beautiful monstrosity of a 32er, there’s a little something for bike lovers of all tastes in our third roundup of custom builds from Bespoked Dresden 2025. Find fresh work from Avalanche, Drust Cycles, Ballern, La Fraise, Fern, and more here…

Continuing our in-depth coverage of Bespoked Dresden 2025, we’re showcasing another sundry mix of incredible handbuilt bikes and other unique finds from the expansive airport terminal space. Explore another gallery of bikes and find details about the folks who made them here…

The European framebuilding community has converged at the Dresden Airport in Germany for a third year running, and we’re on the scene to seek out and present the most interesting bikes, bags, and more from Bespoked Dresden 2025. Read on for an intimate look at our first batch of highlights from the bustling terminal here…

Following the sale of the popular route-planning platform Komoot to private equity, Josh Meissner examines the troubling mechanics of the community-powered service beyond its friendly brand image. Using Komoot as an example, he explores the broken relationship between corporate capital and our communities. Amid the tension, discover a way forward that’s available to all of us…

In his latest profile of cycling manufacturers in Germany, Josh Meissner takes us on a tour of Tout Terrain, which has been designing and assembling expedition-ready bicycles for world travelers since 2005. Despite no sparks flying on their lean shop floor, the extensive engineering that goes into these singularly rugged touring bikes turns out to be well worth a closer look…

What’s a sleeping bag beyond goose down in a nylon shell? A whole lot more, as Josh Meissner found out on a ride to Gdynia, Poland, where he connected with the passionate folks behind established ultralight manufacturer Cumulus Outdoor. Settle in for an exclusive tour of their factory and go-to overnighter spot, thoughts on the nuanced ethics of down, and a relational take on local production and repairability, all set against a lovely backdrop of summer on the Baltic Sea…

After a quiet year of going deeper around his home in Germany, Josh Meissner reflects on our vexed relationship with gear and rounds up his favorite products and practices that have helped shift his perspective in subtle and big ways in 2024. Find Josh’s time-tested and fresh highlights in his Editor’s Dozen here…

After a long weekend spent uncovering the most brilliant bikes and other goods from Bespoked Dresden 2024, we’re happy to present our second roundup of mind-expanding work from Europe’s largest handmade bicycle show. Find another loaded gallery and join us in meeting the gifted makers of our favorite bikes from the show here…