Bespoked X SRAM Inclusivity Scholarship 2024: King Fabrications

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Bespoked X SRAM Inclusivity Scholarship 2024: King Fabrications

Our European correspondent Petor Georgallou recently visited four North American framebuilders who have been awarded SRAM’s Inclusivity Scholarship to attend Bespoked in Dresden, Germany, on October 18–20. In the fourth chapter of this series, Petor joins Li King of Berkeley, Ca of King Fabrications. Petor chats with Li about their lifetime dream to become a welder and NorCal’s specific style as they prepare to head to Germany.

Obscura: Erik Mathy’s Handmade 4 x 5″ Film Camera Review

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Obscura: Erik Mathy’s Handmade 4 x 5″ Film Camera Review

Photographer Erik Mathy has a problem: he has a hard time doing the same thing twice. For every project he takes on, he wants to use some new combination of camera, lens and film. When Bobby Wintle announced the Mega Mid South ultra endurance race, Erik decided to build his own camera to bring with him to Stillwater, OK. In this latest edition of Obscura, Erik shows us his latest handbuilt large format camera and explains how he went about putting it together.

Ride with GPS and Sarah Swallow Update Baja Divide Route

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Ride with GPS and Sarah Swallow Update Baja Divide Route

Since its publication in 2016, the Baja Divide route has beckoned mid-winter adventurers to ramble south through its alluring shrub-steppe mountains and vast stretches of undeveloped coastline. Thanks to the vision, time and immense resources dedicated by route creators Nicholas Carman and Lael Wilcox, the Baja Divide has steadily earned its reputation as the venerable winter touring standard. This sprawling 1736-mile bikepacking route connects the Pacific Ocean with the Sea of Cortez, traversing every major Baja California mountain range along the way. The Baja Divide links historic Spanish mission sites rich in water and shade with remote ranchos, rural fishing villages and bustling highway towns via miles and miles of beautifully rugged backcountry desert tracks.

A Visit to the Mason Cycles Barn: Celebrating 10 Years of Progress

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A Visit to the Mason Cycles Barn: Celebrating 10 Years of Progress

It’s been 10 years since Mason Cycles first caused a splash in the UK cycling market with the release of their original Definition and Resolution road bikes. They have since built a reputation for blending progressive riding technologies with classically beautiful aesthetics, now offering a full range of bikes designed for the whole spectrum of on- and off-road terrain. Joe Sasada sat down with founder and designer Dom Mason to discuss the journey so far, design philosophy, and what’s coming next for the brand. Read on for an extended interview and a photo gallery from Mason HQ. 

Rodeo Adventure Labs Shop Visit: Ride. Explore. Create. Better.

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Rodeo Adventure Labs Shop Visit: Ride. Explore. Create. Better.

Rodeo Adventure Labs was founded as an open-to-anyone team a decade ago by Stephen Fitzgerald and a group of friends in search of less rules and more fun on bikes. Since becoming a production bike company with an emphasis on versatility, customization, and—always—refined design, Rodeo has retained a culture of questioning the norm. Today, Hailey Moore shares a long-form profile of the high points and headwinds Rodeo has navigated over the past ten years, and exciting insights into how the company is thinking about its future. To accompany this Shop Visit, we’re also sharing people-and-bike portraits of the folks behind Rodeo Adventure Labs in a separate Radar.

High and Dry in the Atacama Desert

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High and Dry in the Atacama Desert

Continuing his journey down the Andes from Colombia to Santiago de Chile, Ryan Wilson travels across the surreal landscape of the Salar de Uyuni and traverses a rarely visited part of the driest desert in the world, the Chilean Atacama.  Read on to follow his final days in Bolivia and his route through one of Chile’s most remote corners…

A Conversation with Austin Killips About Her Record-Setting Tour Divide Ride and Upcoming Colorado Trail Attempt

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A Conversation with Austin Killips About Her Record-Setting Tour Divide Ride and Upcoming Colorado Trail Attempt

Today, we have a conversation with the one and only Austin Killips. This year, she set a new overall record for the Arizona Trail and now a new women’s record for the Tour Divide. Spencer got the chance to ask Austin some questions as she prepared for the Colorado Trail to round out her Triple Crown. See what Austin had to reflect on and look forward to below…

Far from Alone: Meaghan Hackinen’s Invisible Support Network Behind her Solo Tour Divide Finish

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Far from Alone: Meaghan Hackinen’s Invisible Support Network Behind her Solo Tour Divide Finish

This June, Meaghan Hackinen set out to compete in the Tour Divide. While no stranger to big rides or bikepacking races, this would be Meaghan’s longest off-pavement adventure yet. After a neck-and-neck race with Ana Jager, Meaghan reached Antelope Wells in a time of 15 days and 23 hours, winning the 2024 women’s division (7th overall) and setting the fastest women’s time for a grand depart.

In this reflective essay, Meaghan weaves together snapshots from her experience while exploring the invaluable but less visible support network that helped her achieve this Tour Divide win. 

Supporting photographs from Seth DuBois, Alexandera Houchin, and Megan Dunn

Fine Bikes, Charles Thomas, and My Enamel Road Bike

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Fine Bikes, Charles Thomas, and My Enamel Road Bike

Over the past few years, Mitchell Connell has fallen in love with road riding with his friends – but he never felt at home on his Scott Addict road bike. He turned to Charles Thompson of Fine Bikes to design a dedicated road bike from the perspective of a fellow commuter, bike mechanic, and racer. Read more about their design process, visiting Charles’ shop, and how his bike turned out.