Rider & Rig

Last year, Andrea and Jake, a couple from El Salvador and the US, prepared to embark on a long-planned bike tour across Latin America just as a pandemic began taking hold. Discover what drove them south nonetheless and read about the issues facing those migrating north here, along with the story of their metamorphosis from bike tourers to bikepackers…

From commuting to bikepacking and now more technical trail riding, Emily retired her trusty 26+ steel Jamis Dragonfly in exchange for a more trail-friendly Kona Hei Hei. Read on for her thoughts on why the new ride has been important to her skill development and our recent move to BC’s Sunshine Coast…

In this Rider and Rig, we get to know Colorado-based ultra-endurance athlete Joe Grant and his single speed Myth Cycles Wyvern. Find a post-ride video interview, photos of his colorful rig, and a profile of Joe put together by Colt Fetters here…

The Badlands 2020, a self-supported gravel event put on by Transiberica Ultracycling, follows some of the most remote and challenging terrain Europe has to offer. With help from the participants, we’ve put together a list of over 40 riders who are tackling the event this year, including bike photos and gear highlights…

In this Rider and Rig, we chat with UK framebuilder Jonathan Thompson about his Tomo x On-One x Kona Tall Bike. We find out about the tall bike scene, bikepacking on a tall bike, and dive into an alternative world where bicycle design collides with unhindered imagination…

With help from the riders and organizers of the 2020 GBDURO, we’ve put together a detailed event recap that includes a summary of this year’s race, an interview with the winner, and rider portraits and rig details—including their nutrition details for the entire 2,000 km route. Check it all out here…

During a recent family bikepacking trip on Vancouver Island, Sarah and RJ Sauer loaded up their fatbikes for some dirt road touring, complete with their two-year-old son Oliver in tow. We met up for a quick spin to learn more about their travels, gear, and their thoughts on bikepacking with a little one…

Virginia recently got surprised with a new Why Cycles Wayward for trail riding, touring, and everything in between. The build features a 1×12 drivetrain, 29 x 2.6” tires, and a custom bolt-on frame bag. Read on for build details, a full photo gallery, and a Q and A with Virginia…

We recently stumbled upon this video of artist Dustin Klein unboxing the new Jena gravel bike he designed collaboratively with Wilier Triestina, so we reached out for some backstory. Find the video here, plus a build kit, behind the scenes photos, and a short interview with Dustin…

Yesterday, Julia Vallera shared her artwork and illustrated photography from her bikepacking trip along Mexico’s Baja Divide. Today we find out more about Big Gurl, the mud-dodging Surly Pugsley she modified for the ride, her favourite Nairo Quintana baseball cap, and how she ended up with those trippy sunglasses…

Think you need to spend a small fortune for a Baja-worthy rig? Think again! Roberto-Apolinar Martinez tells us how his dinged-up 2006 Jamis hardtail, mated to a modern 27.5+ Surly fork, saw him successfully ride a chunk of the Baja Divide… teamed with bags he made himself, good coffee, and the spirit of adventure.

We’ve spent a month scouting a new route in Colombia’s Paramos. To cap it off, Lael Wilcox rolled out on a solo mission to set a Fastest Known Time (FKT). Find the route map, her bike build, gear list, and details on her ride…