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The Moor, the Forest and the Sea:
Two Days Bikepacking Yorkshire’s YC Adventure Route

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The Moor, the Forest and the Sea:
Two Days Bikepacking Yorkshire’s YC Adventure Route

In the North East of England, between vast swathes of exposed moorland and the storm-battered cliffs of the North Sea, a sprinkling of Victorian seaside resorts and ancient fishing villages line the coast. Designed off the back of the already famous road trip, complete with twelve variations, Route YC is the latest addition to journeys by bike in England. It explores some of the best of the Yorkshire Coast.

Starting and finishing in Scarborough, the Adventure Weekender takes in Roman-built upland roads, winding forest singletrack and the sands of wide open beaches. At the tail end of January, in the thick of one of the wettest winters of recent years, Chris Hunt joined the inaugural group ride of the 150-kilometer loop, with the hope of filling-in the blanks for what could only be described as a blind-spot in his geography of the motherland.

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VIDEO: Bike Sports Goes Gravel in Oaxaca

Oaxaca, Mexico, and its surrounding mountains, the Sierra Norte, have gained popularity in mountain biking and bike touring due to the efforts of the TranSierra Norte enduro race, and route development by a handful of local cyclists, but traditional gravel riding has gone relatively unreported and untapped in the region. But, in part thanks to the mountaintop Zapotec communities and local farming, the region is interlaced with hundreds of kilometers of high-quality gravel roads and trails, ready for rides of any length.

Highs and Lows in Ecuador’s Volcanic Corridor

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Highs and Lows in Ecuador’s Volcanic Corridor

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.

From Madrid to Tucson: The 2023 Komoot Women’s Arizona Rally

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From Madrid to Tucson: The 2023 Komoot Women’s Arizona Rally

Last fall Cristina Maristany joined 70 other riders from all over the world in the Sonoran Desert for the Komoot Women’s Arizona Rally designed and hosted by Lael Wilcox and Rue Kaladyte. Over eight days, the self-supported group camped under the stars and overcame the challenge of traveling through remote zones with limited food and water. The total route was over 400 miles (650km) and 25,000ft (7,600m) of elevation through breathtaking Southern Arizona landscapes.

Below, Cristina recaps this spectacular ride with her own wonderful photos, in addition to a gallery from event photographer Ashley Gruber, and a video she produced about the rally….

Cobbles and Comedores: An Introduction to the Trans Ecuador Mountain Bike Route

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Cobbles and Comedores: An Introduction to the 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…

Bike Touring Cork in Ireland: Hardtails, Hills, and Horses

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Bike Touring Cork in Ireland: Hardtails, Hills, and Horses

Nick McIntyre takes us on a mosey through Ireland’s southernmost county on some choice cuts from the Golden Age of 26-inch MTBs. Sharing company with a small group of friends, Nick writes about rolling past stashed-off coves, winding back roads, and an unexpected day making petty bets at the Ballabuidhe Horse Fair after one of the wettest Irish summers on record. It was a given that there would be some downpours to deal with along the way, but these only made the odd break in the clouds all the sweeter. Read on for Nick’s retelling of bike touring in Cork and don’t miss his 35 mm gallery. 

Pedaling in Páramos: A Ride Along Colombia’s “Oh Boyacá!” Route

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Pedaling in Páramos: A Ride Along Colombia’s “Oh Boyacá!” Route

When Ryan Wilson made his first trip to Colombia in 2022, there was one region of the country that was high on his list to ride, but after getting distracted by the abundant opportunities for exploration, he somehow found his visa days dwindling. Naturally, when he was able to return for a lengthier trip the following year, heading to Boyacá—birthplace of Colombian road cycling legends like Nairo Quintana—was a top priority…

Mental Detours Part One: Bike Touring the Italy Divide(ish)

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Mental Detours Part One: Bike Touring the Italy Divide(ish)

Travel is routinely romanticized. And it is romantic—how could having the privilege of “checking out” of the daily drum of work, family, bills, etc., and the attendant stress in favor of experiencing a new place not be? The word vacation is, of course, derived from the verb “to vacate,” and while going on vacation is about the act of leaving, it’s also about finding. Finding new culture, new landscapes, new experiences, but maybe just as importantly it’s about finding new perspective on what it is you’ve placed on hold.

After two weeks spent bike touring in Italy in October, Hailey Moore reflects on what she found while away and the paradox of trying to experience more than the Trip Advisor-version of a place without missing the five-star sights. Read on for part one of her Italy Divide reflections while riding from Trento to Florence.

The New Familiar: Riding Wisconsin’s Tour de Nicolet Bikepacking Route

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The New Familiar: Riding Wisconsin’s Tour de Nicolet Bikepacking Route

Located in a commonly overlooked corner of the United States, there is a place with endless gravel roads and trails. A region with an incredibly vast network that can be linked through systems of singletrack and small towns. A land where flowing water and spring-fed lakes abound. With prime fall color promised, Josh Uhl makes a last-minute trip to the lesser-known ATB paradise that is Wisconsin to ride the 360-mile Tour de Nicolet and reconnect with the place he found bikes to begin with…

Kyrgyzstan Won: The (Uncompleted) Bishkek Spectacular

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Kyrgyzstan Won: The (Uncompleted) Bishkek Spectacular

On their fourth trip to Kyrgyzstan, Belén Castello and Tristan Bogaard return for Tristan to ride the 2023 Silk Road Mountain Race. But with a few days on their hands before the start, they decide to blaze a new 250-mile route that circumnavigates the Ala-Too, from the capital of Bishkek. With hopeful hearts and full panniers, they start their ride by setting out over Kegeti Pass (12,401′). After surmounting the pass, tragedy strikes as Tristan falls ill. Things aren’t always sunsets and tailwinds on bike tours, so come take a journey through accepting defeat in the beautiful mountains and valleys of Kyrgyzstan.