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Bikepacking BagsBikepacking Gear

Introducing Buckhorn Bags: A Splash of Color

By Cass Gilbert on August 16, 2021

12 Discussion

Five years after his last custom framebag, Cass Gilbert tries one of Buckhorn’s made-to-measure bags for size, adding a splash of color to his bike. He talks about the bag, the process of ordering one, and considers why going custom can be such a satisfying experience, especially when the maker is local and rides the same trails as you do…

AccessoriesBikepacking Gear

PS Bagworks: A Camera Carrying System

By Cass Gilbert on August 5, 2021

63 Discussion

How best to carry a camera on a bikepacking trip is an age-old quandary. With its wide range of options and price points, PS Bagworks’ interchangeable Rider Strap and Wrist Strap have been working out well for Cass Gilbert. In this review, he explains why…

Bikepacking BikesRider & Rig

Cjell Mone and his La Roca

By Cass Gilbert on July 19, 2021

23 Discussion

After a two-week tour through the Oaxacan mountains, Cass Gilbert gets the lowdown on Cjell Moné and his custom 5-speed La Roca, complete with an attention-grabbing Lefty fork. We ask him where he and his distinctive brand, Mone Bikes, are headed next. And we talk bread trucks, coaster brake hop-up kits, ’80s mountain bikes, and getting more people on bikes…

InspirationYour Stories

A Velodyssey to Pilat

By Cass Gilbert on July 2, 2021

24 Discussion

Cass Gilbert sets out to repeat a bicycle trip he tackled early in his touring career… a journey to the highest sand dune in Europe. More than 20 years on, he hopes his son Sage will enjoy riding to France’s towering Dune de Pilat as much as he did. Also, find Sage’s full packlist from the trip and a reflection on the Argos technical tartan rug from back in the day…

InspirationRoute ReportsYour Stories

Route Report: La Magia de Ixtepeji

By Cass Gilbert on June 24, 2021

17 Discussion

It had been a long time coming: After relocating to Oaxaca, Mexico, Cass Gilbert shares a favorite local route with visiting friends, savoring the time-honored tradition of revealing treasured trails to visitors… and sharing the best tlayudas and tortas in town. Find his route report and a vibrant selection of photos here…

InspirationYour Stories

Bikepacking and Bikepaths: The Beach is Our Destiny

By Cass Gilbert on June 4, 2021

30 Discussion

Cass Gilbert spends a near perfect holiday touring with his son Sage around France’s delightful Île de Ré, pondering the merits of traffic-free riding for family adventures, whatever the surfaces may be. If kite flying, beachcombing, oyster sampling, and ice cream eating sound like your idea of an appealing summer escape, you’ll likely enjoy yourself there as much as he and his son did, too…

InspirationRoute ReportsYour Stories

The Burrally and Spain’s Remarkable Rights of Way

By Cass Gilbert on May 26, 2021

35 Discussion

Spain is nothing less than a dirt-touring utopia, especially in Valencia, where the Burrally showcases the country’s abundant beauty, the richness of its culture, and its extensive network of gravel roads. Cass Gilbert reports in from his time along the route and celebrates Europe’s remarkable rights of way…

Bikepacking GuidesPlan

A Bikepacker’s Take on Preventative Health and Immunity Maintenance

By Cass Gilbert on August 6, 2020

16 Discussion

COVID-19 has reminded us of the importance of keeping our bodies healthy and our immune systems as robust as possible. Cass Gilbert looks at a variety of foods we can eat and simple lifestyle choices we can make to help stay healthy both at home and on the road…

Bikepacking GearComponents

First Ride: New Roval Control SL Team LTD Wheels

By Cass Gilbert on May 27, 2020

3 Discussion

Clearly of more interest to competitive, long-distance racers rather than budget bikepackers, Roval has just launched a $2650, featherweight cross country wheelset that’s claimed to be their lightest ever: the Control SL Team LTD. Not that its minimal weight – just 1248g – comes at the expense of strength, width, or pinch-flat resistance, as Cass Gilbert finds out on the dusty trails of Baja California.

Feature Stories

Slow Fare: An Edible Journey

By Cass Gilbert on December 31, 2019

16 Discussion

In this feature story, originally published in the first issue of our printed publication, The Bikepacking Journal, Cass Gilbert reflects on how slowing down and thinking about the foods he eats has given him a deeper connection to the people and places he encounters while traveling…

ApparelBikepacking Gear

Quoc Gran Tourer Review: Rocks, Gravel, Dust, and Puddles

By Cass Gilbert on October 7, 2019

27 Discussion

Adding to a range of distinctly high end road shoes, Quoc’s Grand Tourer aims to satisfy the needs of those who enjoy both mixed terrain riding and off-bike exploring… in style. A badly dressed Cass Gilbert beats up a pair in Europe and reports back.

PlanRoute Reports

Belgium’s Ardennes Arbalete with Friends

By Cass Gilbert on September 24, 2019

58 Discussion

Shirking short-haul planes for the summer, Cass Gilbert spends the time exploring his own backyard. Or at least, places that lie just a train or ferry ride away. Here are his thoughts on one of our favourite new routes from last year, Belgium’s Ardennes Arbalete, enjoyed with a group of global bikepacking friends…