Josh Meissner

In the second installment of our Bespoked 2023 coverage from Germany, Josh Meissner walks us through his top 10 highlights from the handmade bike show that extend beyond bikes and gear. Read on for his thoughts and photos spurred by the immense talent and collaboration on display at this year’s gathering…

The Bespoked 2023 handmade bike show was held for the first time on the European mainland in Dresden, Germany, and nobody knew quite what to expect. Over the packed weekend, writer Josh Meissner and photographer Stefan Haehnel weaved through the crowds to scope out their favorite bikes of the bunch. Read on for the backstories and superb photos of a dozen stunning rigs for bikepacking and beyond here…

The builders behind Drust Cycles and Vetra Bikes in Berlin have joined forces under the name Akinn Cycles to manufacture batches of customized bicycles, starting with the Subsun all-roader. Find a look at their handbuilt frameset, a fun set of studio and process photos, and details on pre-ordering a discounted Subsun here…

Based in Berlin and rooted in the world, Vetra Bikes manufactures eye-catching custom bicycles inspired by nature. In this field trip, Josh Meissner and multi-talented founder André Roberedo explore the many tensions that energize the collaborative project. Settle in for a photo-heavy deep dive on inspiration, process, and the many challenges of framebuilding…

Ernesto Pastor crafted his revered Montañas Vacías bikepacking route with an unusual level of care and dedication, and it now draws a steady stream of bikepackers to Spain’s remote interior. In this Rider & Rig feature, we examine his motivation behind the project, its local impact, and his trusty Rohloff-equipped Surly Ogre’s role in experiencing and documenting the landscapes he calls home…

The new Universal model of the striking Gramm Diamond Bag mounts seamlessly to popular front racks from Nitto, Velo Orange, and Rene Herse. Find photos and details of the small Berlin brand’s innovative rando bag below…

While bikepacking around Europe this spring, Joshua Meissner made a stop at Rohloff headquarters in Hesse, Germany, to tour the space where their iconic internal gear Speedhub is made. Learn more about the beloved company’s past and present and take a photographic tour of their production and repair processes here…

Last summer, Josh Meissner and friends traveled to the Italian Dolomites for a weeklong bikepacking trip without a fixed route or much of a plan, letting their curiosity and the region’s geography guide them. Find an alluring gallery of photos and his story of discovering endless possibilities by looking beyond the predefined GPX track here…

Throughout a year of long rides and overnighters, Josh Meissner got to know Kristin Heil, founder of the now well-established Gramm Tourpacking, which is rooted in Berlin. Learn about the changes involved in going from solo entrepreneur to a four-woman team and find photos from the Gramm workshop and rides around Berlin in this inside look at the handmade bag maker here…

Not every journey ends when you get back home, as Joshua Meissner discovered upon his return from a solitary tour around Scandinavia in 2021. Settle in for a thoughtful reflection on the twists and turns that followed his journey and a set of photos from the vast north here…

Building on years of experience crafting custom bags and racks, Berlin-based Gramm Tourpacking teamed up with framebuilder-owned Allygn Components to create the innovative Diamond Bag and Rack system. Inspired by classic rando bags, it’s ready for bikepacking. Find a thorough examination of the state-of-the-art bag featuring photos from six months of riding with it all across Europe here…

Apidura from the UK just launched a modular Cargo Cage and matching Cargo Cage Pack that’s designed to fit all types of bikes and mounting needs. Get a look at all the different configurations the combo can handle here…