Plan & Prepare

Lael Wilcox set off on the rugged and beautiful Silk Road Mountain Race early this morning. Following our race rigs coverage from earlier this week, here’s an in depth look at the bike Lael’s riding, her complete gear list, and answers to a few questions we had about what she packed and the choices she made…

Inspired by the Vuelta de Vasco bikepacking route, Cass and his family head off to the Basque Country to bite off a chunk of the ride, crossing Spain’s Sierra de Urbasa in western Navarre by way of high plateaux, lush forest, Vías Verdes, and druid stones. Here’s some insights into the nuts and bolts of the trip, along with six-year-old Sage’s full packlist, details of his rig, and their core family camping gear…

Within our global Bikepacking Route Network, we have over 25,000 miles of bikepacking routes in the USA. 98% of these routes utilize federally protected public lands. Whether you’re planning a route or just exploring, here’s what you need to know. Plus, apps and maps to find public lands…

With the 2019 Tour Divide underway, we thought we’d share this recipe for homemade Great Divide Endurance Bars, dreamed up to support a 10-day ride along the route from Banff to Yellowstone. They’re organic, gluten-free, and designed to provide sustained energy. Find the ingredients, recipe, and a step-by-step video here…

Interested in what Lael Wilcox is riding and carrying on her 2019 Tour Divide attempt? Here’s the full gear list, bike build, a video about her kit, and a Q&A exploring a few of the gear choices we found particularly interesting…

In this guide, we take a deep look at ultralight water filters and purification methods, review several products, identify the essential factors to consider when planning your hydration and water treatment system for bikepacking, and reveal our editors’ choices.

Liz Sampey just crushed the Arizona Trail 750 race and set a new women’s record by completing the journey from Mexico to Utah in just under 9.5 days. We asked Liz a few questions about her experience, her kit, and her Revel Rascal 29er she rode to the finish line. Find an inspiring Q&A, as well as her full gear list here…

Thinking about taking on your first ultra-endurance bikepacking event? This guide by Colt Fetters will walk you through how he approached ultra racing, including training, dialing in the kit, nutrition, strategy, and more. Read the full primer here…

In our latest installment of One Question, Five Voices, we ask a group of bikepackers to share their stories of failure, and to reflect on what those experiences taught them. Read on for five stories of broken bones, navigation meltdowns, parasites, and more…

Last February, the Clark family set out to ride the 1,700-mile Baja Divide route, and something extraordinary happened along the way. They watched as their kids made the transition from passengers to partners, growing up and growing into their own as riders. In this story, Dan Clark reflects on the impact the journey had on his family, and what he hopes his kids will take away from their time on the road…

Lee Vilinsky and Cherry Fitzsimmons traveled to the Republic of Georgia to ride our Caucasus Crossing route last summer, and they put together this thorough post-ride route report. Read on for their thoughts on the highlights, challenges, logistics, and amazing Georgian food…

No matter how close to home it may be, a local campout brings a disproportionate amount of high vibes to your week and helps build a local bikepacking community. Cass heads out with eight friends for a quick winter campout and returns home feeling especially happy with the world, along with hints and tips to share…