Inspiration & Blog

After years of putting off participating in the storied Highland Trail 550 bikepacking race in Scotland because she thought she wasn’t capable enough, Jenny Tough finally lined up for the 2024 edition of the race this spring. Find her uplifting story of persevering through the demanding course to quiet the voices of self-doubt alongside photos by John Summerton here…

In an expansive part one documenting the 2024 Tour Divide, photographer Eddie Clark shares his experience of chasing fast riders and capturing moments in the fleeting light from the tall grass and sagebrush along the iconic and storied route. Dive into his recap and explore an excellent photo gallery here…

After spending 10 days out on the remote Hellenic Mountain Race route in Greece with a voice recorder and an old film camera, Allan Shaw takes us along for the journey of documenting the nearly 900-kilometer bikepacking race as a podcast host and photographer. Find his gritty black-and-white snapshots and field recordings from the experience here…

In our latest edition of Rider’s Lens, we share a charming and colorful collection of illustrations from Colombian artist Camilo Parra, also known as Washedog. Read about Camilo’s passion for working by hand, find his perspective on the parallels between bikepacking and drawing, and explore the pages of his sketchbooks here…

In this piece, Joe shares a trip report of making new friends and riding Bike Friday’s all-terrain All-Packa folding bicycle in Montana last autumn before forbidding weather ended the bikepacking season. The party of four—which included Willie Hatfield, the bike’s lead designer—were all on the mini-velos. Along the way, Joe offers further thoughts on the prowess of 20” wheels…

This spring, 51-year-old Katrina Hase participated in her first bikepacking race on the Grand Loop. While her ride didn’t go exactly as planned, she learned valuable lessons for when she returns for another attempt. Watch the short video she put together from her ride here…

Mick Turnbull’s latest video chronicles a solo shakedown ride around his home in Tasmania ahead of an upcoming bikepacking journey across Peru. Join him on a stunning spin around Tasmania and read his reflections on returning to filming after several months of leaving the camera behind here…

The inaugural edition of The Accursed Race followed a 1,600-kilometer off-road route along the roof of the Balkans. Josh Ibbett was among the 35 riders who showed up to the grand depart last month, and he worked with filmmaker Ryan Le Garrec to create a self-shot video documenting his experience. Watch the 20-minute video and find a written reflection with film photos Josh captured here…

It’s Tour Divide time again, and for our 2024 Tour Divide Preview, we dive into all the details you need to know to get ready for some exciting dot-watching, including weather conditions, route changes, and much more. Plus, Neil chats with veteran Tour Divide riders Alexandera Houchin, Hannah Simon, and Josh Ibbett about key riders to watch. See it all here…

One thing all riders need to sustain their trips is fuel, and the latest short piece Jacob Martin cooked up explores the topic of bikepacking food. Read about the foods he eats to keep the pedals turning, find the story of his best camp meal ever, and share your go-to snacks and recipes here…

In this story, Frances Hacker looks back on a moment during the final stretch of the 2023 Colorado Trail Race when they were forced to reckon with a dying battery and the significance of their purple dot on the map. Read about Frances’s race experience and how registering for the CTR as a non-binary rider was a monumental decision…

Meghan Cason and a group of 15 femme/trans/women/nonbinary riders from Wild Wolf Cycling Collective recently took on a version of the Owen’s Valley Ramble bikepacking route. After the ride, Meghan wrote this reflection that weaves the experience with themes of the region’s complicated history, resource mismanagement, and striking natural beauty. Read it here…