Logan Watts

We’re at Bespoked in Dresden this weekend with plenty of back issues of the Bikepacking Journal! Be sure to stop by our booth, say hi, thumb through past volumes, and grab a copy. Learn more here.

Dropper posts might get all the glory, but the tiny lever under your thumb makes—or breaks—them. Over the years, Logan has tested dozens of remotes, and he recently pulled together his top five standouts that nail ergonomics, feel, and compatibility. Find his roundup of the best dropper post levers available here…

For our latest giveaway, we’ve teamed up with the UK’s Stooge Cycles for a little something special. Collective Reward #228 will set up one randomly selected Bikepacking Collective member with a brand new Dirt Tracker frameset. Find the details here, and learn how to join and support us by October 17 for a chance to win…

Nearly a decade after first riding the Tilton Traverse, Neil went back this July for a fresh look. As part of his ongoing route maintenance, he wanted to see how it’s holding up, what’s changed, and whether it’s still as tough as riders claim in the comments. To find out, he and his riding partner Eric set out to relive—and re-test—the overnighter he pieced together years ago…

The Stayer Cycles Trailmate Rack is a lightweight steel rear rack hand-built in East London with their rugged rAwrAw raw-look powder coat. It’s versatile, adjustable for fit, and has dual strap bars and an integrated light mount. Find all the details here.

Our 227th Collective Reward giveaway comes from Paul Component Engineering in California, a fabricator of some of our favorite high-quality, 100% American-made bicycle components. One randomly selected Bikepacking Collective member will take home a pair of Paul Klamper brakes and matching Love or Canti Levers. Learn more and sign up to support our work for a chance to win here…

Ride with GPS just dropped a free MTB Trail Ratings layer allowing users to see singletrack on the map with difficulty labels. Zoom in to find techy blacks or mellow greens, mix them into your route, and even help fill in the gaps with the ability to contribute to and edit the OSM map singletrack data. Find details on the Ride with GPS MTB Trail Ratings map layer here…

In their latest video, Norita solves small-frame packing woes with a sleek rear rack built from carbon tubes and 3D-printed metal joints—coming in around 350g and load-tested with ~5kg on gravel. A smart proof-of-concept that shows what’s possible when 3D printing meets garage ingenuity…

After three years of real-world use, Logan weighs in on the Restrap Race Saddle Bag, a holster-and-drybag setup that’s genuinely waterproof and dropper-friendly. Dive into the review to hear why it’s become one of his go-to seat packs for packing light, plus the full verdict and pros/cons…

Every day is a good day to ditch your car and do everything by bike, but today is World Car Free Day. Do you have any plans or is your city making special provisions to promote it?

The Neuhaus Hummingbird upends the “more progressive or bust” bike bias, serving up a lively, comfortable ride that still delivers when the trail gets spicy. After bikepacking, big day rides, and plenty of laps on Pisgah’s heavy-hitters, it proved playful, confidence-inspiring, and far more versatile than its numbers suggest. Read the review to see why this “new normal” steel hardtail comes highly recommended…

“INVISIBLE” is a forthcoming feature documentary in post-production about Alexandera Houchin’s 2023 season completing the Bikepacking Triple Crown Challenge on a singlespeed. The filmmakers are seeking finishing funds and distribution partners to bring this under-told story from our little niche world of bikepacking to a wider audience. Learn more here…