173 Articles Matched
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Tailfin 5L and 10L Mini Pannier Review
By Cass Gilbert on August 19, 2021
Designed to work with their own baggage system and racks from other brands, Tailfin’s 5L and 10L Mini Panniers are the latest addition to an ever-expanding range. Cass Gilbert tried out a sample set for a few months before their official launch. Read on for full details on how they performed and some longterm feedback on the AeroPack itself…
Introducing Buckhorn Bags: A Splash of Color
By Cass Gilbert on August 16, 2021
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…
PS Bagworks: A Camera Carrying System
By Cass Gilbert on August 5, 2021
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…
Cjell Mone and his La Roca
By Cass Gilbert on July 19, 2021
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…
A Velodyssey to Pilat
By Cass Gilbert on July 2, 2021
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…
Route Report: La Magia de Ixtepeji
By Cass Gilbert on June 24, 2021
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…
Bikepacking and Bikepaths: The Beach is Our Destiny
By Cass Gilbert on June 4, 2021
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…
The Burrally and Spain’s Remarkable Rights of Way
By Cass Gilbert on May 26, 2021
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…
A Bikepacker’s Take on Preventative Health and Immunity Maintenance
By Cass Gilbert on August 6, 2020
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…
First Ride: New Roval Control SL Team LTD Wheels
By Cass Gilbert on May 27, 2020
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.
Slow Fare: An Edible Journey
By Cass Gilbert on December 31, 2019
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…
Quoc Gran Tourer Review: Rocks, Gravel, Dust, and Puddles
By Cass Gilbert on October 7, 2019
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.