The Radavist

Last year, Ryan Wilson met up with fellow bike traveler Joe Sasada to tackle the dirt road version of the Trans Ecuador Mountain Bike Route.  In Part one, they got their feet wet on this classic route, but in this chapter, Ryan and Joe visit the heart of Ecuador’s iconic volcano corridor and run into the trials and tribulations that come with any good bike tour.  Read on for a slice of the highlights and lowlights of their ride across the Andes.

Calling in Sick Magazine are planning a Calling in Sick group ride (comin up in March) so the Bay Area riders decided to pre-ride the route to make sure it is chill for human consumption. It is bumpy as hell but we still gonna do it. If you want to join, the date and meetup location will be announced this week on their Instagram.

Issues 09 and 10 of Calling in Sick Mag are also available now!

On Wednesday, February 28 the gang from Rivendell went on a ride to catch the good trail conditions before the next rain and take some fresh photos. They rode 10 minutes to get on the trail then about 10 miles in 4 hours. Talk about a leisurely pace!

Not only is he super talented on a mountain bike, but he actually studies mountain biking at college. Yep – that’s actually a thing you can do now! Joe joined the Starling Cycles team a few years back and went on to enroll into BASE College in Scotland, studying mountain biking full-time.

BASE is the Borders Academy of Sporting Excellence (BASE) Mountain Biking Performance course, based out of the Borders College in Peebles, Scotland. Joe’s time at BASE is spent learning how to be a better rider and racer, but also sports science, psychology, coaching skills and everything you need to be an all-round expert two-wheel athlete. Because Starling thinks Joe is rad and the brand thinks his story is rad, it decided it was time to tell his story.

The Indian Valley Loop Project proposes 70 miles of new trail construction, linking the towns of Taylorsville, Greenville, Round Valley Lake and Crescent Mills with a mix of motorized and non-motorized singletrack. It will also connect into the existing Mount Hough trail system in Quincy, as part of the larger Connected Communities project, which aims to link 15 mountain towns with a shared trail network, using outdoor recreation as an economic driver. The IVL project is a big part of the recovery for this region in northern California, much of which is still rebuilding following the devastating 2021 Dixie Fire. Planning for the Indian Valley Loop project was jumpstarted through a $50,000 grant from the Friesen Foundation. Read more at SBTS.

In Fairlight‘s second short film in this series, Mark Bentley (aka Bentley Components), reflects on his connection with the Yorkshire Moors, how he fell into making machined parts for bikes and how ‘following his nose’ on a mountain bike is still where his riding passion lies.

Mark is a proper engineer, a trained tool-maker; he knows his craft! Deep knowledge of process and materials, helping turn our ideas into physical objects that are functional, light and elegant. We are really proud to have the Bentley logo on our frames. Thank you Mark. Filmed by Chris McClean.

John and Cari have spent countless hours in the Mojave Desert and cataloged desert tortoises, Gopherus agassizii, on a few trips, for the Mojave National Preserve. These unique desert reptiles were officially listed as a threatened species in 1990. While the herpetological organizations studying them have made great progress in educating the public about their presence and role in the Mojave Desert, there is still a way to go.

What if, to protect one species, you had to slightly annoy another? Watch this exciting documentary project from The New Yorker.

*Editorial note: picking up a desert tortoise is highly illegal. In doing so, the animal will often release its urine and water stores and will often times die afterward due to dehydration. Many desert animals get their water from eating plants in the form of terrestrial cacti and flowers, which can take weeks to gather after leaving their winter burrows. If you encounter a desert tortoise crossing a road, be it a dirt road or highway, please give it space and allow it to make the journey by itself…

After her first solo overnighter in Kyrgyzstan, Belén Castelló decided it was time to push herself once again but this time in a winter camping environment. Watch as she rides in the forests of Teruel in Spain, where she also shares her thoughts and realizations during this adventure…

Danny MacAskill is happiest when his friends are having fun. Which is why he invited Steve Peat up to the Isle of Skye, Danny’s homeland, to show him the fun that can be had on a ridgeline rollick. The Trotternish Ridge is an epic route that links together multiple summits starting at the Quiraing and finishing at the Old Man of Storr, two stunning geographical landmarks that bookend the plateau…

A network of twelve new cycling routes ranging from 9 to 260 miles (15 – 415 km) in length on Route YC has been launched on the Yorkshire Coast with a new film by Edinburgh filmmaker Markus Stitz. ‘Edge of Heaven’ features world record holders Mark Beaumont and Jenny Graham and takes viewers on a journey through some of the region’s best coast and countryside scenery and local attractions. Check out the Route YC Adventure Route.

Check out this recap video from the 11th edition of The Rock Cobbler gravel event. Despite looming mud threats, riders experienced near-perfect conditions for one of the toughest editions yet. Check out what it’s like, along the Pebbler route, spanning 60 miles with over 5,000 feet of climbs through Bakersfield’s rolling hills…

We’ve been attending and documenting the Philly Bike Expo since 2010, and we’ll be back this year! If you’re curious what makes this event worth the trip out, check out this promo video. If you want to see some of our coverage, check it out in the related archives below!

Ronnie walks us through a recent “budget build” Rivendell Roadini in one of his classic bike check videos.

MckenzieBarney‘s Cycling the World video is online, allowing viewers to watch the trailer for free or pay for early access, which you can do right here…

If you have a YouTube account, can you help us out by liking and subscribing to our channel? 

This video coincides with today’s Reportage, Cobbles and Comedores: Trans Ecuador Mountain Bike Route.

After extensive touring through Colombia, Peru, Chile, and Argentina, the only remaining “missing link” in Ryan Wilson‘s Andean traverse was Ecuador. Last year, he met up with fellow cyclo-tourist Joe Sasada to share miles on the dirt-road variation of the Trans Ecuador Mountain Bike Route, an 850-mile mountainous traverse through the country’s volcanic corridor. Read on for Ryan’s introduction to Ecuador…

In Tailfin‘s most interesting bike check video to date, you can take a closer look at Tailfin R&D Division rider Quinda Verheul’s prototype Sour Bicycles full suspension mountain bike and kit setup for taking on the 2024 Atlas Mountain Race…

Chris Burkard‘s feature-length, The Forgotten Coast, is already ready to premier at a series of screenings ranging from Iceland to New York City, Denver and more. The film’s trailer is embedded here and you can see the closest screening to you at The Forgotten Coast…