Bikepacking doesn’t just start at the trailhead. Options also abound for lightweight bike trips planned around forest roads, shale roads, crushed rock, piste, and the pavement that connects them.
Even as modern gravel bikes continue to fit ever-larger tires, some bikes still exist within a niche of their own. As a titanium drop-bar gravel bike with clearance for plus-sized mountain bike tires, Bearclaw Bicycle Co.’s Beaux Jaxon is one of those bikes. Miles spent a few months on a top-end SRAM AXS build tackling a wide assortment of terrain around his hometown in Ontario, and as far south as Big Bend, Texas. Check out the full review here…
After attending Bombtracks’ yearly Groundwork event, Cass purloins a Bombtrack Hook EXT and takes it bikepacking in Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, England, and Wales. With a number of trips under his belt, as well as fast gravel days rides and even a few road outings in the bag, here are his thoughts on this steel and carbon adventure bike…
Salsa Cycles just announced the fully redesigned, next-level Cutthroat V2. We had a chance to put well over 1,000 miles on one prior to today’s launch for this full review. Find all the details, our ride impressions, and loads of photos here…
Located on the eastern edge of the Adirondacks in upstate New York, Solace Cycles designs bikes that are purpose built for the geography and terrain of the region. We stopped by their testing grounds at Otis Mountain for a quick look at their entire lineup, including the OM-1, OM-2P, and their most recent OM-3 prototype…
Continuing our coverage from Bombtrack’s Groundwork launch event: If you’re in the market for a bike primed for bikepacking and gravel riding, you’d be forgiven for thinking Bombtrack’s Audax range doesn’t tick the relevant boxes. But don’t be misled by the name, which suggests long distance, road-based randonneuring… because these bikes can do a whole lot more than that.
Cass Gilbert heads out to rooty, doubletrack-laced Bergisches Land to try out some of Bombtrack’s 2020 range of bikes. Here are his thoughts on the burly, gravel-chomping, bikepacking-friendly Hook EXT and EXT-C, as well as the (slightly oddball) Hook ADV…
We took three Salsa Journeyman 650B bikes on an epic trip through the wilds of Montana to see how Salsa’s budget off-road drop-bar rig would perform. After a broken derailleur in the first half mile, we were skeptical. Here’s what happened, the full review, and ride impressions from the trip…
The Cannondale Topstone Apex 1 promises “pure gravel goodness” at a price that won’t break the bank, but does it deliver? Lucas spent a few months riding one around the endless trails and roads surrounding Berlin to find out. See the full review here…
The Rocky Mountain Solo is an outlier within the brand’s mountain bike focused lineup. The 2019 Solo 70 has seen a few updates, including new drivetrain specs, a dropper post, and high volume 650B tires. Miles spent the winter seeking out gravel paths and quiet paved roads on British Columbia’s west coast, mixing up bikepacking and all-weather commuting. Find the full review below…
Basking in some well-deserved limelight at the 2019 Bespoked UK show, this sumptuous dirt drop mountain bike from London-based Stayer was quite the looker. Complete with custom porteur rack and a laser cut yoke for three-inch tires, its US-inspired aesthetic is complemented by a smattering of North American boutique parts. We find out more about the bike and the business behind it…
As gravel racing bikes and multi-day bikepacking rigs converge, the Warbird continues its evolutionary march with both niches in mind. Joe Cruz and Logan Watts had the chance to test a pair of V4 650b Warbirds during their Appalachian Gravel Growler ride and beyond. Here’s the full review…
On the surface, the 2.3″ tire capable Stinner Refugio and the wildly painted Sklar Custom All-road don’t have much in common. But these two steel gravel/all-road bikes were both created with one race in mind, and for the greater good of Northern California Trails…
