Neil Beltchenko

Neil spent the last couple of months testing the Significant Other Ded Reckin, a 120/130 full-suspension titanium bike fabricated in Denver, Colorado. Featuring incredible craftsmanship, an interesting linkage design, and the easy-on-the-eyes aesthetics we’ve come to associate with builder Ashley King, Neil’s time with her first production model yielded some unexpected outcomes. Dig into his full video and written reviews below…

With the onset of hotter, drier, more unstable conditions across the globe, Neil’s latest video explores how wildfires are affecting bikepacking. Drawing on his experience from a recent trip on the Colorado Trail, Neil shares tips and resources to help you stay better informed in an emergency. Dive into his latest insight-packed piece below…

After a busy six months of riding this spring and summer, Neil has had ample time with all kinds of gear. Featuring some surprising selections, his latest Editor’s Dozen runs the gamut from small, inexpensive items to higher-priced picks that emphasize a “buy once, buy right” ethos. It highlights an array of helpful, unique, and interesting stuff. Browse his full list here…

Neil’s latest video is a thoughtful look back at a recent journey along the picturesque Colorado Trail. Reflecting on how his outlook on life, bikepacking, and more has changed as he’s gotten older, it’s an insightful personal story with lessons for everyone. Watch it and find a written version with photos here…

Neil’s latest video features an in-depth breakdown of the bike and gear he brought on the Colorado Trail this year. Walking through every part of his system, it’s a comprehensive guide to how he packed a full-suspension rig for big days of aggressive, loaded riding. Watch the video below for all his insights…

Neil’s latest review takes an incisive look at the new Sklar Bikes Lightweight Rear Rack. With built in bottle-carrying provisions, a sturdy upper platform, and a lightweight construction, this rack is a solid first effort from the small, Bay Area builder. Find the full Sklar Bikes Lightweight Rear Rack review here…

Neil’s latest video takes another data-driven look at the rigs of this year’s Tour Divide. As a follow-up to his overall analysis, he dives into this year’s returning riders to identify trends and see how those repeating this daunting race are doing so. Watch it here…

Neil dug into the Rigs of the 2026 Tour Divide submissions, uncovering trends that reveal a clearer picture of the bikes and gear used in this year’s event. In this piece, he breaks down the data and highlights some interesting findings, including where folks are from, the bikes, tires, drivetrains, gearing, and cargo setups they’re running, and much more. Find it all below…

Revel has once again updated their full-suspension, cross-country platform, the Ranger. Now in its third iteration, Neil spent time with V3 and compared it to his experience with the prior model and with other XC-style bikes. For more on how this fun, fast, full-suspension bike fared both on trail and as a bikepacking machine, find his Revel Ranger V3 review below…

Neil’s latest review highlights the new Old Man Mountain Manzanita Cradle. Based on Salsa’s Anything Cradle, the Manzanita is a modular system with two bag options, designed to hold a bag just off the front of drop or flat handlebars for quick and easy cargo storage. Check out his full video and written reviews below…

In our latest video, Neil sits down with Paul Talley, the Colorado Trail Foundation’s executive director. Paul has been in the role for two years, but his history with the Colorado Trail goes back to 2018, when he bikepacked the entire route. They talk through everything you need to know about the Colorado Trail in 2026, including what the foundation does, trail work, how it actually gets done, what’s new this year, and more…

Neil’s latest video from Sea Otter poses another big-picture question to the bike industry. To get a better sense of how AI is being used by companies big and small, he asked 27 representatives about their use of the technology. Watch the full video for all the answers on how AI is affecting the bike industry…