My Favorite Bike Photos of 2019

As most of you know—and probably the reason why many of you are here—we take a lot of photos of bikes for the site. There are a lot of quality photos, but only one in every 100 is really good, in my opinion. Getting “the shot” isn’t always easy, but a few shine extra bright. That makes shooting bikes kind of an art form all of its own. The bike itself is the work of art to some, but there are a lot of other factors that come in to play to make a really good bike photo. Whether it’s perfectly blending the bike into its environment, marrying the rider with their bike, freezing the magical and fleeting light of a day, or simply capturing a good composition, there’s always something special that sets some of them apart.

With that, I decided to look back on 2019 and choose 15 of my favorite bike photos that have been featured on these pages. Here they are, in no particular order…

Chameleon in Cleator

This was shot during Singlespeed Arizona. We happened upon the race and caught up with friends in the tiny, eclectic roadside town of Cleator, just off the Black Canyon Trail.

The Tumbleweed Prospector in Ethiopia

I stopped to grab this shot as the others kept riding. I don’t know what it is about this photo, but it brings back a happy memory within that crazy trip. Find it in my review of the Prospector.

Surly Bridge Club

I’m not quite sure what’s going on in the mural behind it, but the perfect mix of color and light makes the ideal atmosphere for the Surly Bridge Club. Find it and more in Cass Gilbert’s review.

Jon Yazzie in Kayenta

Miles Arbour caught up with Navajo Nation local Jon Yazzie of Dzil Ta’ah Adventures for a quick ride and to learn about his bikepacking guide plans. I thought this was a great bike portrait painted by that magical desert light. Find the full article here.

New Salsa Rustler in Arizona

This is another one where the high Arizona desert light is what makes the photo special. That slight haze of morning on the Black Canyon Trail made the warm colors of the Rustler pop. Find that first ride report here.

Ronnie’s Crust Romanceur

Ultraromance standing stoic and semi-dingy in old Tucson. Find the full Rider and Rig here.

Conan at the Silk Road Mountain Race

The fact that Conan finished the Silk Road Mountain Race on a 1989 Bridgestone 26er is pretty awesome in its own right. This was one of my favorite bike portraits from Rugile Kaladyte’s complete end of the race collection on the Silk Road Mountain Race. Find the full gallery here and learn about Conan’s OB-1 here.

All-City Gorilla Monsoon in Tucson

It’s hard to beat a bike next to a good mural. And Tucson is certainly the place to capture such a photo. Find this in my Gorilla Monsoon build post.

Salsa Cutthroat at Wolf Ford

I’ll admit that I haven’t really cared much for white bikes in the past. But I do like the slightly off white of the new Cutthroat, and it made for some nice photos against forested backgrounds from which darker color bikes might not stand out. Find the Cutthroat review here.

Madrean, Hecho en Tucson

A blend of soft light, desert gravel, and snowy mountains in the background made for some great shots in Cass Gilbert’s profile of Hubert’s Madrean bikepacking rig.

Dirty Ibis Ripley

It’s pretty hard to wrangle a good shot of a black bike in the dappled light of Pisgah National Forest in the summertime, so I was pretty excited when all the modeled light played well in this one from the Ibis Ripley review.

Frankie, Adam, and Betsy the Tandem

In this Rider and Rig, Frankie and Adam Foss set out with photographer Ben Johnson on a bikepacking trip to Haida Gwaii, an archipelago just off British Columbia’s west coast. Their fully loaded tandem is a head-turner and Ben captured it and them quite well.

Ted James and his Plus Bike

Believe it or not, this is a photo from a trade show. As part of Cass Gilbert’s Bespoked UK coverage, he captured Ted James Design’s titanium bikepacking steed, just back from an off-road tour through the Scottish Highlands, complete with quad fork, mud splatter, Crocs, and a handmade leather front bag. This was one of several photos in a good set.

Paul Crenson’s Soma Wolverine

In this Reader’s Rig Miles Arbour showed off Paul’s Soma Wolverine equipped for the Transcontinental Race across Europe. I thought this was another one of those photos where light, color, and background all came together quite well.

Journeyman on Praie Breaks

What’s a bike photo round up without a good ol’ bike laydown. This was my personal favorite from our Prairie Breaks trip back in June.