-
No Route, No Problem: Drifting in the Dolomites
23 Apr 3 Josh Meissner / plogLast 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…
-
Inside Gramm Tourpacking: Brevets, Bikepacking, and Handmade Bags in Berlin
22 Mar 16 Josh Meissner / field-tripsThroughout 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…
-
Shaking up the Kaleidoscope: On Appreciating and Letting Go
30 Feb 1 Josh Meissner / plogNot 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…
-
Gramm Tourpacking Diamond Bag Review: Ultramodern Rando
32 Dec 8 Josh Meissner / accessoriesBuilding 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 Launches Modular Cargo Cage with Matching Cargo Cage Pack
10 Dec 6 Josh Meissner / newsApidura 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…
-
Colorful Gramm x Allygn Diamond Racks and Bags
8 Dec 3 Josh Meissner / newsIf all black is too boring for you, Berlin-based Gramm Tourpacking and Allygn Components just dropped a funky rainbow edition of their Diamond and Grill Racks, as well as matching Diamond Bags. Scroll down for an up-close look at all the neon and gloss and glitter here…
-
How to Fit 180mm Brake Rotors on Flat-Mount Frames/Forks
37 Nov 17 Josh Meissner / gearOriginally a road standard, flat-mount disc brakes have become the norm for hydraulic drop-bar groupsets. This comes with a common limit of 160mm for the brake rotors, which can be inadequate for bikepacking. Find some background on the topic and details on two aftermarket adapters designed to allow larger 180mm discs on many framesets here…
-
Inside SON: Schmidt’s Original Dynamo Hubs from Germany
58 Nov 15 Josh Meissner / field-tripsFew things are as transformational to a bicycle’s character as always-on, dynamo-powered lighting. Josh Meissner recently rode down to visit the engineers at Schmidt Maschinenbau in Tübingen, Germany, who created the legendary SON dynamo hub that kickstarted the bike lighting revolution. Find a deep dive into the past, present, and future of the small company and learn what makes SON hubs a cut above the rest here…
-
YT Industries Drops in with the new Szepter Gravel Bike
25 Nov 4 Josh Meissner / newsGermany’s YT Industries just released the all-new Szepter gravel bike, which inherits many shreddy characteristics from their mountain bike line-up. Get a first look at the brand’s first progressive drop-bar design here…
-
New Larger Apidura Backcountry Saddle Pack
1 Oct 13 Josh Meissner / newsApidura’s new dropper-friendly Backcountry Saddle Pack comes in with a greater 10L volume and a proprietary PFA-free fabric. Find photos and details of their latest waterproof saddle bag below….
-
Introducing Felt, a Digital Collaborative Map
4 Sep 28 Josh Meissner / newsFelt is a new easy-to-use mapping tool that shows great potential for sketching out bikepacking routes and planning trips with others. Find a number of bikepacking use cases we’ve found and some example maps below…
-
Pelago Stavanger Review: Finnish Understatement
37 Sep 27 Josh Meissner / bikesMade for fast gravel riding, bikepacking, and long-distance randonneuring, the updated Pelago Stavanger promises the world of versatility with none of the compromises. Josh took it across all types of roads and trails throughout Europe this summer, testing its worth as a go-anywhere, do-anything drop-bar bikepacking rig. Find his detailed review here…