The Origins of Arctic Exploration
Photos and words by Bjørn Olson

March 1998 – Behind me, a strong and gusty north wind stung my legs. On a rock-hard snow trail, I bombed over the frozen sea ice of Norton Sound, effortlessly. My modified mountain bike with Snow Cat rims and two and a half inch wide tires was shifted into the highest gear. With each gust, the fine crystalline snow swirled around the trail in hypnotic patterns, blowing past me and over the polished glass surface of the exposed sea ice. In front of me and to the right sat a lonely and distant mountain cape. To my left was the shallow arc beach of the Norton Bay coastline, several miles away. (more…)

Looking for an all-road or touring bike for under $2k? Check out the newly re-issued xSOGN from Rawland, which comes packaged 98% assembled for $1,699 including FedEx shipping to anywhere in the contiguous US. These bikes feature seamless chromoly butted tubing with a low-trail geometry, with 60mm tire clearance (47mm with fenders) and all the braze-ons you could want. The complete build spec includes SRAM Apex 1, WTB Byway tires, Alex tubeless rims and in a variety of sizes (rack not included.)

Visit rawlandcycles.com and @RawlandCycles for details and updates.

These robust, made in the USA touring frames are now in stock at FBM. Complete with a segmented fork, thru-axles, rack and fender mounts, 435mm chainstays, clearance for 27.5×2.25mm tires, low-mounted bottle bosses, and FBM’s solid construction, made famous by their BMX frames. Right now you can call FBM to order or swoop up the XL size that’s in stock. These framesets go for $1,200.

International Kook Exchange Program: Full Power, No Shower
Words by Jorja Creighton, photos by Jorja Creighton and Mar-Del

It was Independence Day, July 4th. In the trailer park town of Eagle Point in Oregon four of us took refuge and slept on the steps of the local church – intimidated by the general hoo-ha of the patriotic celebrations. On the concrete under the watchful eye of JC while fireworks exploded and smoke settled. My first Independence Day. (more…)

Projects like this are an amazing by-product of the cycling industry’s outstanding women. Check out the WTF Bikexplorers!

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12 Pieces Of Gear I Wouldn’t Go Without In The Andes
Photos and words by Ryan Wilson

In a little over a year’s worth of time on the road in the Andes, I’ve had the chance to really put my gear through some serious torture. Luckily, the vast majority of it has stood the test of time, but there are some pieces that have really stood out as items I’ll have in my setup for a long time to come. Obviously, some of this comes down to personal preference and the type of riding you’re doing, so it’s not one-size-fits-all, but the majority of these would work well with just about any type of bikepacking/touring… (more…)

How a “maker” builds their personal bike says a lot about how their mind works. For Kyle from Outer Shell, a bag manufacturer in the San Francisco Bay Area, that means go with time-proven staples and splurge on the important places. Kyle’s Mikkelsen is unique, to say the least, but every moment, every bolt, every component has been thought out, down to the cantilever arm, machined to hold his Sinewave Beacon light and Hite Rite dropper. (more…)

Jake’s Pacific Northwest Do-All Trek 970
Photos and words by Morgan Taylor

While we can easily find ourselves lost in things shiny and new, there’s no denying the allure of a carefully curated classic being put to good use. Jake’s Trek 970 is just one of those bikes, with a build that takes advantage of classic mountain bike practicality to create a versatile and stylish bike for days long and short.

Jake’s no stranger to well-thought-out steel bikes, already having a number of sweet builds in the quiver before his 970 came together. He leans toward time-tested components, durability over flashiness, and comfort over outright speed. The 970 is Jake’s Pacific Northwest do-all bike, with wide tires, loads of carrying capacity, and inspiration taken from its home in Seattle. (more…)

Sometimes you don’t have to speak the native tongue to appreciate the scenes from a bicycle tour abroad…

So, you might have noticed this already but our server accidentally deleted our 2015 image bucket, including many of my favorite Ride Reportage entries. When possible, I’ll be re-upping these stories and linking it here to the Radar to encourage everyone to revisit the entry. We’ve got a lot of incredible rides back-logged here on the Radavist, so expect some prime throwback entries being brought back to life. Got one you’d like to request? Drop it in the comments.

This week’s entry is Death in the Valley, by team AWOL. I wonder how much these guys have learned since their last attempt?