Our 12 Most Popular Articles and Routes of 2023

This year was another remarkable one for BIKEPACKING.com, and we published more than 1,200 original stories, reviews, route guides, and dispatches. We take pride in achieving this feat as an independent platform with a very small and dedicated team steering the ship. Collaborating with contributors from diverse corners of the bikepacking community, we shared another wide array of topics, themes, and voices in 2023. And this total doesn’t include the many essays and stories published offline in The Bikepacking Journal or the hundreds of events featured in our bikepacking events calendar.

A heartfelt thanks to our readers for their comments, clicks, shares, and feedback throughout the year. Special appreciation goes to our Bikepacking Collective members, whose support makes our work possible on the site, YouTube, and in print. Your backing holds immense value, and this resource wouldn’t exist without you. If you’re a regular reader and not yet a member, please consider joining to help us continue to producing the best bicycle adventure resource on the web.

Without further delay, here are our 12 most popular posts of the year, based on the total number of views, followed by a dozen of the most popular new bikepacking routes published in 2023:

1. Bikepacking 101 Handbook

Published in May by Logan Watts with contributions from Eszter Horanyi, Dean Liebau, and Alex Hotchin

We were thrilled to launch a completely revised edition of the Bikepacking 101 Handbook earlier this year. When we first created this unique resource, the idea was to have a document that helped spell out what bikepacking is, what folks need to know to get started, and how best to use this website and its vast compendium of information. The second edition takes this a step further and synthesizes a decade of experience and resources into a complete and easy-to-follow guide to help newcomers plan their first trip. It arranges necessary information that’s useful for intermediate and seasoned bikepackers, too. That includes how to approach different bikepacking setups, bags and gear, what to pack, and insight for plotting a ride. The Bikepacking 101 Handbook was illustrated by talented artists Dean Liebau and Alex Hotchin, and we were stoked to see how it came out. We’re equally as moved to see that readers appreciated it as much as we did. We still have more in store for the 101 guide, so stay tuned.

2. Rear Bike Racks Gear Index

Published in February by Miles Arbour and Team

I was chatting with our Neil Beltchenko the other day, and he mentioned that 2023 was the first year in his history of bikepacking when he didn’t use a seat pack, opting for a rear rack and dry bag combo for all of his trips this year. Seat packs are still a viable option, and it’s great to have a variety of styles and options for different people and rides, but based on the popularity of the Gear Index, it’s clear that rear racks are seeing a resurgence in popularity, even among diehard minimalists. And with several good lightweight racks now on the market, there are plenty of useful options that offer stable, expandable cargo-carrying features that even work well with a dropper post. Our Rear Racks Gear Index delves into the subject and features a comprehensive list of lightweight rear bike racks and some of our favorite rack accessories. Find it here.

3. Rigs of the Tour Divide (and others)

Published throughout 2023 by Miles Arbour

The enduring popularity of our original Bikepacking Race Rigs series makes it an enduring reader favorite. This year, we published a whopping 16 “rigs of” roundups with more than 800 riders showcasing their bikes and gear used for different events, all expertly orchestrated by Miles Arbour. Several of these roundups secured spots in the top 20 most popular articles for website traffic, notably the Rigs of the 2023 Badlands and Rigs of the 2023 Silk Road Mountain Race. However, none outshone the popularity of the Rigs of the Tour Divide. If you missed it, be sure to check out part one and part two of this ever-fascinating series.

4. Best Bike Handlebar Bags

Published in July by Logan Watts and Team

Some of our editors have been bikepacking and off-road touring for 20+ years. During the process, we’ve tested a lot of gear and tried many iterations of various types of bags and components. We’ve also developed a few favorites that have stood the test of time along the way. To bridge this knowledge base, we started our Decade in Review series in 2022, delving into the extensive 10-year archive of the site (now 11+ years) and examining the gear we’ve tested to identify favorites in specific categories. In one of our latest installments, we shared what we consider the best bike handlebar bags for touring and bikepacking. Readers seemed to enjoy this one, and we’re excited to share more in the year ahead.

5. Logan and VA’s Summer Editor’s Dozen

Published in July by Logan Watts and Virginia Krabill

We’ve been building our Editor’s Dozen series since 2018 and now have quite an archive. We don’t always publish mid-year Editor’s Dozen roundups, but after a half-year of day rides and bikepacking trips in Oaxaca, Colorado, and the Eastern US, Logan and Virginia decided to highlight a few standout pieces of gear over the summer instead of waiting until the end of the year. This roundup featured a dozen new favorites, including a brilliant new stem, purple cogs, lightweight sandals, a solution for slipping seat posts, and more. Find it here, and stick around for their final Editor’s Dozen roundup of 2023 early next week.

6. Ultralight Camp Shoes

Published in September by Miles Arbour

The joy of slipping off your cycling shoes after a long day of pedaling is unmatched, especially when you have a spare comfy pair for chilling around camp. Apparently, our audience shares this sentiment, based on the popularity of this gear roundup. In our quest for the the most minimal and ultralight camp shoes, we put numerous models to the test, ranging from minimalist outdoor socks to exceptionally lightweight sandals. Find the roundup of options and mini-reviews here.

7. Ortlieb Quick Rack Review

Published in June by Logan Watts and Neil Beltchenko

Ortlieb snuck another super-compelling product into their catalog earlier this year. The lightweight Quick Rack stands out for its unique lever-release mechanism, paired with a seatpost strap that makes it easy to remove or install on nearly any bike. We were a little skeptical before trying it, but it won us over after extensive testing. The Quick Rack seamlessly accommodates dropper posts, eliminates the need for upper rack mounts, and is even compatible with full-suspension bikes. Logan and Neil thoroughly tested the Quick Rack over several months and published a comprehensive review.

8. Kona Sutra Review

Published in September by Lucas Winzenburg

The Kona Sutra stands as a timeless touring bike, having undergone various iterations over nearly two decades. To gain insight into this perennial favorite, Lucas dedicated the majority of the past year to pedaling around Colorado on this bike to compile an in-depth review. Readers clearly took notice, and the Bikepacking Collective also voted this bike into our 2023 Gear of the Year Awards.

9. 12 Stunning Bicycles from Bespoked

Published in October by Josh Meissner and Stefan Haehnel

The Bespoked handmade bike show made its debut on the European mainland in Dresden, Germany, this year, and the anticipation was palpable. Throughout the bustling weekend, writer Josh Meissner and photographer Stefan Haehnel navigated the crowds to discover the most interestng finds among the impressive array of bikes and gear. Shortly after the show ended, they presented a captivating photo gallery featuring 12 remarkable rigs designed for bikepacking and beyond. This well-received recap proved to be a favorite among our readers. Thanks for the hard work, Josh and Stefan!

10. Pinion Gearbox Review

Published in March by Logan Watts Neil Beltchenko

When it launched back in 2006, the Pinion gearbox marked a significant departure from the conventional derailleur/cassette drivetrain, as the German company boldly embraced technology akin to that found in automobile transmissions. This year, we finally wrapped our heads around this unique product for a detailed review after extensive bikepacking and trail riding with both the 12-speed and 9-speed C-line variants. Judging by the traffic numbers, it appears most people didn’t miss it, but you can still find our review here in case you did, complete with insight into how Pinion’s gearing stacks up against other drivetrains.

11. Make Your Own Seat Harness

Published in March by Rémi Quinquin

BIKEPACKING.com was founded on the concept of sharing information and the DIY spirit, so we’re always excited to see a Make Your Own Bikepacking Gear (MYOBG) guide rise to the top of this list. In this one, Rémi Quinquin provides a straightforward tutorial on transforming a worn-out tire into a upcycled saddle harness. His innovative and functional seat harness not only promotes sustainability by reducing waste but also offers a cost-effective alternative for folks looking to save money on gear. Find a step-by-step tutorial on how to make this unique seat harness here.

12. Ultralight Down Pants Roundup Review

Published in February by Logan Watts and Virginia Krabill

A couple of us discovered the magic of down pants for cold weather bikepacking a couple years ago. They’re highly compressible, super warm, and can be a game-changer for shoulder season and winter bikepacking. We put together a roundup review of the best ultralight down pants we could find early this year and it received a lot of attention. Find it here.

Top 12 Routes

As mentioned in the introduction to this post, we published 56 new bikepacking route guides this year totaling more than 18,000 kilometers (about 11,000 miles). Here are the 12 that garnered the most interest and clicks throughout 2023:

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  1. Sage and Saddles

  location Colorado, USA / 5 days / Route Guide

  Sage and Saddles is a week-long bikepacking route that travels through the incredibly diverse landscapes of Gunnison County, Colorado. The 222-mile route begins in the vibrant town of Gunnison and forms a spectacular loop by traversing the high sage desert to the south before turning north into the Sawatch Mountains. The route uses a variety of dirt roads ranging from smooth and fast gravel paralleling dreamy fly-fishing streams to chunky, high alpine doubletrack…

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  2. The Pictish Trail

  location Scotland / 9 days / Route Guide

  The 750-kilometer Pictish Trail is a new bikepacking route in the east of Scotland that traverses the ancient Pictish kingdoms as it connects the mainland’s most northerly point to the country’s capital, Edinburgh. This mixed-terrain route takes in a variety of incredible landscapes from the wild north coast to the southern Cairngorms before reaching the big city lights…

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  3. Zillertal Trail

  location Austria/Italy / 3-4 days / Route Guide

  Featuring three breathtaking passes, the Zillertal Trail connects the Italian and Austrian sides of the Zillertal Alps in a challenging and rewarding loop. Riders will pedal a diverse mix of trails, enjoy Austrian and Italian cuisine, experience the rugged natural environment, and see two distinct sides of the range, each with its unique history and people…

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  4. Little Switzerland Loop

  location Iowa, USA / 2 days / View Route Guide

  The Little Switzerland Loop is an overnight bikepacking route that travels through rural Iowa among rolling hills and flowing rivers, centering around a relaxing primitive camping area. The loop is long enough to feel the relief of everyday stress slip away but short enough to complete when time is short…

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  5. Woods Rat Run

  location England / 3 days / View Route Guide

  The Woods Rat Run is a long-weekend route that links a National Park, a World Heritage Coastline, and an Area of Outstanding National Beauty in South West England. Primarily off-road and some 160 miles in length, it knits together all flavours of gravel roads, bridleways, and woodland singletrack, taking in the New Forest, the Isle of Purbeck, and Cranborne Chase in one fell swoop…

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  6. Ten Peaks Trail

  location Scotland / 7 days / View Route Guide

  The Ten Peaks Trail takes you to some of the highest rideable locations in Scotland and through several of its spectacular glens. It starts in Glasgow in Scotland’s western Lowlands and ends on a beach in Lossiemouth on the Moray Firth coast, passing through the eastern part of the Highlands and Cairngorms National Park. As the name suggests, you’ll be scaling some peaks and reaching the top of ten hills, including five Munros…

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  7. Pennsylvania Grand Canyon Loop

  location Pennsylvania, USA / 2-3 days / View Route Guide

  Nestled within the Allegheny Plateau, Pine Creek Gorge stands as a testament to the forces of nature. Carved over millennia by the relentless flow of Pine Creek, this massive canyon stretches across the landscape and has rightfully earned the nickname “The Grand Canyon of Pennsylvania.” The Pennsylvania Grand Canyon Loop is a 2-3 day beginner-friendly bikepacking route that traverses this area using the Pine Creek Rail Trail and a mix of gravel and backroads…

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  8. Bosnian Highline

  location Bosnia and Herzegovina / 7 days / View Route Guide

  The Bosnian Highline is a 400-kilometer bikepacking route through a remote corner of Europe. Deep woods, rugged mountaintops, and welcoming people make the riding incredibly rewarding. Twisty tracks, wolves, and remnants of war keep the riding equally engaging. Despite its checkered history, today’s Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina is a land where bikepacking dreams are made…

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  9. Of Milk and Navvies

  location Norway / 5-7 days / View Route Guide

  Of Milk and Navvies links two established gravel cycling routes through the heart of Norway, the Mjølkevegen (the Milk Road) and the Rallarvegen (the Navvies Road). Both routes are regularly touted as “Norway’s most beautiful cycling route,” and it’s clear to see why. Together, they travel from mountain passes to the majestic fjords via gravel roads that wind through summer cattle pastures and entwine themselves with the history of the Bergen to Oslo railway…

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  10. Bikepacking Trans Germany

  location Germany / 14 days / View Route Guide

  Rereleased this year after being closed due to property issues, the 1,000-mile Bikepacking Trans Germany (BTG) runs southwest to northeast and was designed to take in the most beautiful and unknown parts of the German backcountry. The BTG follows fast rolling gravel roads with quite a few technical trails in between to explore the wild and remote parts of Germany with plenty of history along the trail if you take time for it.

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  11. Cattle Calle and Canyon Walls

  location Wyoming, USA / 3-5 days / View Route Guide

  Cattle Calls and Canyon Walls is a 223-mile bikepacking route that encapsulates the picturesque countryside of northeast Utah and southwest Wyoming. Offering surprising contrasts in terrain and scenery, from red rock canyons to open prairies grazed by wild horses, it takes riders on a dynamic three-to-five-day tour of an often overlooked slice of the American West…

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  12. Iceland Fjallabak Track

  location Iceland / 5 days / View Route Guide

  Get your feet wet in dozens of water crossings and be rewarded with the rugged beauty of Iceland: moss-draped peaks, vast volcanic plains, rhyolite mountains, and far-flung hot springs. The Iceland Fjallabak Track is an otherworldly tour of the Icelandic Highlands that strikes a balance for riders seeking wilderness paired with just the right amount of support from the mountain huts along the route…

What were your favorite posts and routes of 2023? Drop a note in the conversation below!

Further Reading

Make sure to dig into these related articles for more info...