Neil Beltchenko

Announced last July, Old Man Mountain opened its FLiP cage design to several small bag makers across North America. With six distinctive sets of bags, Neil’s latest roundup put each of these FLiP cage designs to the test and examined how they use the mounting system to their advantage. Explore his findings in video and written formats below…

Neil’s latest video, “Why I Quit Racing,” explores his relationship with a high-performance lifestyle, the sacrifices it demanded, and why he ultimately decided to take a step back and pedal at a slower pace. Find the 12-minute video, a gallery of photos from throughout the years, and a written version of his story here…

The new microSHIFT Advent MX and MX Black groupsets are a redesign of the brand’s budget-focused Advent and Advent X systems. With claims of better shifting, increased durability, and a wider range, Neil put this fresh mountain bike group through its paces to see if it delivers the same affordable quality. Find his video and written reviews here…

After years of trying various techniques and packing styles, Neil shares the latest version of his layering system. For an in-depth breakdown of every element of his lightweight, all-weather-oriented kit, watch the video below…

With plenty of overlap between the backpacking and bikepacking worlds, Neil recently tested some alternative water storage solutions that have proven popular among backpackers. From compatibility with water filters to ease of use, Neil walks through the pros and cons of six bottles that stood out after months of extensive testing. Find his video and breakdown of each bottle below…

In Neil’s latest video, fresh off the Monumental Loop, he takes an extended pit stop with single-speed ultra-racer Alex Kowalski for an in-depth chat about his cycling history and future plans. For more on Neil’s latest interview, dive into all the details below…

After a couple of seasons with the Katabatic Gear Palisade Quilt, Neil shares his long-term review, including thoughts on why he prefers quilts, the features that make the Palisade the best he’s used, and everything else you need to know. Find it all here…

Concluding our 2025 Editor’s Dozen series, bundle up and dig into fall/winter favorites, featuring several cold-weather gear standouts that include a Minnesota-made Polartec hat, stealthy winter boots, smart repair tricks, camera upgrades, and a do-all fat bike. Plus, find a little reminder to take care of yourself when the temps drop and to-do lists grow…

For Collective Reward #233, we teamed up with Luxefly Basecamp, winners of our 2025 “Best in Bikepacking Kitchen” award, to give away five camp meal bundles to randomly selected members of the Bikepacking Collective. Find all the tasty details here…

From Sea Otter and MADE coverage to deep-dive reviews and more personal uploads, our YouTube channel had its biggest year yet. Read on to explore a roundup of our top-performing videos of the year, and let us know what you want to see next…

In his last video of 2025, “The Year of the Overnighter,” Neil reflects on why this short but sweet kind of bikepacking trip brought him so much joy this year. Find his latest video and a photo gallery from some of his favorite rides here…