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Pairing a Pinion and a Derailleur: 72 Speeds with 1,445% Range!?
32 Sep 26 Neil Beltchenko / gearWhen Surly specced the Pinion-equipped Moonlander with a chain and left the derailleur hanger in place, it felt like they were daring someone to slap on a derailleur and cassette to see how it’d work with a Pinion and derailleur drivetrain together. So, we did just that. In this video, Neil shares what he found after experimenting with a few different configurations…
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Gear for Glampacking: 14 Items to Make Bikepacking More Fun and Comfy
60 Sep 22 Neil Beltchenko / accessoriesOver the years, the team here at BIKEPACKING.com has learned a thing or two about creature comforts. After all, bikepacking is meant to be fun, and if you have a little extra room, it’s never a bad idea to bring something that makes your time at camp a bit more comfortable or enjoyable. In this piece, Neil shares 14 bikepacking luxuries…
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Chris Mayfield’s Custom Colorado Trail Race Rig + Post-Ride Thoughts
10 Sep 6 Neil Beltchenko / bikesIn our latest rig breakdown, we look at Chris Mayfield’s Delicate Arch, a custom hardtail by Goodday Curiosity. Chris recently completed the Colorado Trail Race aboard this beauty in just over nine days. In this piece, he shares the inspiring story behind the bike’s name, paint job, components, and custom bags. We also caught up with Chris after the race to discuss how everything performed. Find all that plus Chris’s packing list here…
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Surly Moonlander Review: SRSLY!?
122 Sep 3 Neil Beltchenko / bikesThe Surly Moonlander 2.0 has arrived, and it pushes the limits of production fat bikes like never before with massive 6.2-inch tires, a Pinion gearbox, and 197mm front and rear spacing! Naturally, we had to take Surly’s new rock-crawling beast out on the roughest terrain around before today’s launch. Find our full Surly Moonlander review here, complete with a video, pros and cons, all the specs, and a full photo gallery…
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Camping Cook Kit on a Budget: A $50 Ultralight Bikepacking Stove Kit
20 Aug 22 Neil Beltchenko / gearUltralight bikepacking and backpacking cook setups have come a long way, but do you need to break the bank to get a reliable one? Neil explores one of the cheapest lightweight stove kits available in our latest video, offering a mini-review of each item and sharing weights and prices. Find his $50 budget camping cook kit here…
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Rigs of the 2024 Colorado Trail Race Stats Analysis
9 Aug 13 Neil Beltchenko / bikesWe compiled data from more than 40 submissions for the Rigs of the 2024 Colorado Trail Race into a spreadsheet to gain insights into the bikes and gear featured in this year’s event. In this article, we explore the data and reveal some intriguing statistics, such as the most popular tires, drivetrains, types of bags, pedals, lights, and more. Dive into our Rigs of the 2024 Colorado Trail Race stats analysis here…
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Esker Lorax Ti Review: Reimagined Zippity-Zee
24 Aug 5 Neil Beltchenko / bikesThe new Esker Lorax Ti is the brand’s interpretation of the quintessential drop-bar mountain bike. Neil has been riding one for the past month, covering over 300 miles from the North Shore of Minnesota to the high elevations of the Rocky Mountains. In this review, he compares the Lorax Ti to similar bikes and shares its unique characteristics, value, and more…
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Our 13 Favorite Drop-Bar MTBs + History and Interpretation
77 Jul 19 Neil Beltchenko / bikesDirt-specific drop-bar bikes are undoubtedly one of the most—if not the most—prolific styles of bicycle we feature on the site. In this piece, we review the history of this genre, consider where it is today, and list what we feel are the 13 best drop-bar MTBs, ranked based on votes from our team of editors here at BIKEPACKING.com. Find it all here…
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Three Bikepacking Rigs of the Straddle and Paddle
1 Jul 15 Neil Beltchenko / gear-listsAndrew, Mitch, and Neil just got back from a four-day ride on the Straddle and Paddle, a beautiful 180-mile bikepacking route in northern Minnesota that starts on the shores of Lake Superior, loops up to the Boundary Waters, and eventually meanders back down to the big lake via forest service roads, dirt doubletracks, and bike paths. In this piece, Andrew, Mitch, and Neil share the rigs and gear they used on the route…
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Things That Break on the Tour Divide: Mechanicals in the World’s Toughest Bikepacking Race
17 Jun 24 Neil Beltchenko / planOver the course of a 2700-mile bike race, things are bound to happen—like a nagging injury, running into a rainstorm, and yes, mechanical issues. While some of these things can be controlled, others sometimes happen by the luck of the draw. In this piece, Neil asks a few folks who participated in the 2023 Tour Divide to share their experiences with mechanical issues and how they handled them.
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Rigs of the 2024 Tour Divide Stats Analysis
31 Jun 21 Neil Beltchenko / bikesOver the past week, we plugged 100 submissions from the Rigs of the 2024 Tour Divide into a spreadsheet to get a clear picture of the bikes and gear used in this year’s event. In this piece, we dive into the data and uncover some interesting stats, including where people are from, and the types of bikes, tires, drivetrains, gearing choices, and cargo setups they’re using, and much more. Dig into the Rigs of the 2024 Tour Divide Stats Analysis here…
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2024 Tour Divide Preview: Conditions, Route Updates, Who to Watch
29 Jun 13 Neil Beltchenko / cultureIt’s Tour Divide time again, and for our 2024 Tour Divide Preview, we dive into all the details you need to know to get ready for some exciting dot-watching, including weather conditions, route changes, and much more. Plus, Neil chats with veteran Tour Divide riders Alexandera Houchin, Hannah Simon, and Josh Ibbett about key riders to watch. See it all here…