Maxwell Johnston, an Austin-based photographer, blends his love for cycling and photography to capture stunning scenery and vibrant local events. He is a dedicated advocate for mental health, sharing his journey of recovery and the positive impact of outdoor pursuits. In this article, he draws parallels between maintaining sobriety and sustaining a passion for cycling, emphasizing the importance of community involvement.
Reportage
Weedsac 2024: Homegrown New Mexico Fun
Veteran Radavist contributor and professional kickstand enthusiast Cjell Monē is back with reportage on a homegrown event in beautiful New Mexico. Buy the ticket, take the ride, and enjoy the heady aroma of the WeedSac.
Radar
Spencer Interviewed on Live Like the World is Dying Podcast
One of our contributors, Spencer Harding, was recently interviewed for a two-part podcast series on Live Like the World is Dying. He discusses how to go about preparing for a bike tour, shares some fun stories, and discusses how bike travel can fit into preparedness for serving a crisis.
Reportage
Offroad to Unbound: What if We Rode There?
Pedaling 1,400 miles from the highlands of Arizona to the plains of Kansas for a gravel race might not seem like the ideal lead-up to a long event, but ultra-endurance bikepacker and regular Radavist contributor Kurt Refsnider was convinced that taking the long way to Unbound was a journey worth pursuing. Join Kurt and Kait Boyle on an off-road ride to the world’s premier gravel event in Emporia.
Reportage
Connecticut is a Rough Refuge: First Hand Experience of Not Riding the Nutmeg Spring Fling
While Arya from Rons Bikes missed being able to ride amongst the flowers of this year’s Nutmeg Spring Fling, that did not keep her from reflecting. Waxing poetic about ancient river ferries, French Randonneur bikes, and East Haddam Land Trust alike, make sure you don’t miss this recap of Nutmeg Spring Fling.
Reportage
DT Swiss GRC 1100 DICUT 30 and 50 Wheelsets and US Factory Visit
DT Swiss recently invited Travis and Spencer to their US headquarters in Grand Junction, Colorado, to take a spin on the new GRC 1100 DICUT 30 and 50 carbon wheelsets. While at the facility, the pair were treated to a tour of the Swiss brand’s US operations, offering more than expected. Below, let’s take a look behind DT Swiss’ Colorado curtain, check out some eclectic employee bikes, and ogle their new top-end gravel wheelsets….
Radar
San Util Designs Covert V3 Hip Pack Review
The San Util Designs Covert hip pack caught Spencer’s eye during his visit to their shop in Winter Park, CO, last summer, and he picked one up to test. Below, Spencer digs into all of the details with this third iteration of the brand’s hip pack design in a long-term review. So, let’s get right to it!
Radar
Austin Killips Establishes New Overall Record for the AZT 800 Route
This past Saturday morning, Austin Killips reached the Arizona/Utah border, setting a new overall record for the Arizona Trail 800. Her time was an astonishing 8 days 23 hours 27 minutes, besting Alex Schultz’s previous record of 9 days, 5 hours, and 43 minutes!
Reportage
A Custom Bike Journey with Caletti Cycles: Crafting the Ultimate Ride
In the heart of Santa Cruz, California, John Caletti has spent over two decades honing his craft as a master frame builder at Caletti Cycles. From his early days of building steel frames to his current reputation for creating exceptional custom titanium bicycles, John’s journey is a testament to his dedication to the art and science of frame building.
A visit to Caletti Cycles reveals not just a workshop, but also a place where passion and precision intersect, where each bike reflects John’s commitment to quality and innovation. Join us below as we explore the inception of a unique builder/photographer relationship between John Caletti and Chris Corona, delving into John’s background, his perspectives on the cycling industry, and the vibrant community of makers that defines Caletti Cycles.
Reportage
Mock Orange Bikes: 20 Years in Winston-Salem, NC
The last 20 years have seen seismic changes to brick-and-mortar businesses of all kinds, especially bike shops, yet Mock Orange Bikes endures. Mock Orange and its owner, Charles Van Isenburg, have remained a pillar of Winston-Salem, NC’s bike community for two decades with a relationship-driven, neighborhood-oriented, very much offline, and old-school way of conducting retail business.
On one of his frequent swings through his native North Carolina, Andy Karr stopped by his favorite hometown bike shop to chat with Charles about what’s changed in 20 years of owning a shop and what hasn’t.
Radar
Wolf Tooth GeoShift Angleset Headset Review: The Future is Now
Is your bike getting old? Are you having trouble keeping up with yearly geometry inflation? Has your bike’s lack of low and slack geometry got you down? Well, if so, Wolf Tooth’s engineers have just the product you need: a 2º GeoShift Performance Angleset Headset.
Spencer decided to install a GeoShift Angleset in his 2021 Ibis Ripley AF, hoping to catapult it into the future. Will his tinkering in this review portent the arrival of an updated Ripley AF? Or is he barking up the wrong tree? Read on to find out…
Reportage
Riding Han Film: A GDMBR Journey of Healing
In 2021, Pak Eugene set out with his younger brother and childhood friend to ride the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route. Frustrated by a lack of storytelling and content he could resonate with, he decided to make his own film. Below, he shares the film Riding Han, along with a full image gallery and narrative about the trip…
Reportage
Rez Gravel 2024: Beautiful Dirt, No Dogs, A Lot of History
The inaugural Rez Gravel was held in February of 2024. Founded by tribal member Elisha Bishop, the event consisted of 68, 26, and 13-mile courses through O’Odham tribal land near Casa Grande, Arizona. The event weekend also included a pre-ride dinner, campfire, and sharing of culture and history by Akimel O’Odham leader, singer, artist, farmer, and teacher Robert “Bobby” Stone. Don’t miss Erik Mathy’s unique photos and background on this new event below…
Reportage
Fyxo’s “Trail Breaker” Surly Krampus For Melburn Roobaix
Seeds of inspiration come from many places, people, and times in your life. Fyxo’s latest project was a trinity of such influences fused into one. Combining inspiration from Speedvagen, an old Shogun MTB, and MAD MAX to create his custom rusty Surly Krampus for Melburn Roobaix.
Radar
Granite Designs Stash RT and RCX Multi-Tool Review
Granite Designs has some pretty slick options for stashing a multi-tool inside your bike’s steerer. The Stash System comes in a few flavors depending on how the tool housing clings to the inside of your steerer. Spencer has been using both the Stash Ratchet Tool and the Stash RCX and, below, reviews the tools along with the Stash system…
Reportage
Riding Every Street in the London Postal Code: First Impressions and a Ride with a Local Legend
Photographer Conor Courtney recently moved to the UK and decided to set off on an unusual two-wheeled adventure: riding every street in London. This led to him meeting up with explorer Jonathan France. Read on for Conor’s account of what unfolded next…
Reportage
Sour Bicycles SRD Steel Full Suspension Review: A Rolling Prototype
Peter Georgallou might be the last person ’round these parts you’d expect to test an all-mountain/enduro full-suspension mountain bike like the steel single-pivot SRD prototype from Sour Bicycles but that’s what makes his review so interesting. Continue reading below as Petor dives head-first and in-depth into a new-to-him world of riding in addition to a preview of some exciting things to come from our friends at Sour…
Reportage
Veronica’s Custom Painted Specialized Aethos
Down in Tucson, AZ Spencer met up with local artist and mechanic John “Cookie” Sands to photograph the bike he custom-painted for his partner Veronica. It started as a Specialized Aethos but after it got a few paint chips, Cookie decided to give the bike a truly one-of-a-kind custom paint job. Make sure to check out the gallery of all the hand-painted details…