Bikepacking Roots just published a new Community Route in an unlikely place, New Jersey! The Jersey Pine Barrens are an overlooked gem and are long overdue for a proper bikepacking route. This route has been thoughtfully crafted and is stewarded by Julian Bender of Philadelphia...
#bikepacking
tag
Radar
The Mason Cycles Macro Has Landed
After seemingly years of teasing, including in our Mason Cycles Shop Visit, Mason sneakily announced that the Macro has finally landed in its Instagram Stories this morning. Let’s take a closer look at this rigid or hardtail 29er mixed-terrain bicycle below!
Radar
Reroutes: In Search of the Qhapaq Ñan
Translated from Quechua, the ‘Royal Road’ once united all Andean communities from Colombia to Chile in an intricate road system of more than 30,000 km that in 2014 became an UNESCO World Heritage site. Constructed by the Incas over several centuries and partly based on pre-Inca infrastructure, this extraordinary network through one of the world’s most extreme geographical terrains linked the snow-capped peaks of the Andes – at an altitude of more than 6,000 m – to the coast, running through hot rainforests, fertile valleys and absolute deserts.
It reached its maximum expansion in the 15th century, when it spread across the length and breadth of the Andes. Leonardo Brasil (@leobrasil.photo) and Adam Pawlikiewicz Mesa (@adamonthego) traversed by bike from La Paz, Bolivia to Cusco, Peru highlighting the rich history and diverse culture of this Andean region documenting through both photo and video. Our full film will be launched later this year showcasing this wild adventure full of mishaps, reroutes due to food shortages, days where water was inaccessible, alpaca killings, a visit to the highest mining settlement in the world, and much more.
Reportage
Ozarks Odyssey Fayetteville: Riding the Rise of a New Adventure Cycling Capital
Ian Graber-Stiehl explores the current state of cycling in Northwest Arkansas, where Bikepacking Roots is working with the growing destination city of Fayetteville to establish six adventure routes that provide 750 miles of trails and pathways in the Ozarks. Does Oz live up to the marketing hype? Read on…
Reportage
Bike Hacks: Resurrecting a Trust Message Linkage Fork for Bikepacking
The Trust Performance Message linkage fork was an expensive, extravagant, and flawed attempt to change how we think about mountain bike design. The brand ceased operations in the early days of the pandemic, but Travis had high hopes for Trust. He also still has the Message fork he reviewed in 2019. A recent bikepacking trip inspired him to give it a second life with some new bolts, washers, and tiny, tiny bearings.
Reportage
Coros Dura Solar GPS Review: An Unpolished Gem
The Coros Dura GPS unit grabbed headlines this summer with its claims of a 120-hour battery life. In theory, that could even be extended indefinitely thanks to the integrated solar panel. But Travis dove deep into the drop-down menus and found the stuff below those headlines to be just as interesting.
Reportage
Paso Agua Negra: Cycling Up Chile’s Longest Climb
As Ryan Wilson makes his way from Colombia to Santiago de Chile by bike, he tackles one of the longest climbs in the world, on a road that straddles the Chile and Argentina border. Follow along as he explores the stunning desert landscapes and night skies of the region while crossing Paso Agua Negra.
Reportage
Tumbleweed Sunliner Review: A Timeless Mountain Touring Bike
The Tumbleweed Sunliner ($3775 complete) continues a long-held tradition of equipping a mountain bike with touring accoutrements. Since the mountain bike’s inception, people have been bolting racks and strapping bags to them, taking advantage of its beefy chassis and wide gearing to pedal deeper into rugged terrain than ever before. John has been riding the Sunliner all year in the Southern Rockies, both unloaded as a trail bike and loaded on camping trips. Read on for his thorough assessment of this timeless touring bike…
Radar
Reader’s Ride: Ali’s Panorama Taiga EXP and Poem
This week’s reader’s ride comes from Ali Becker as she rides across the Great Northern Bike Route. She talks about her journey from overstuffing panniers to her current svelt bikepacking setup and entertains us with a poem about packing her rig up…
Reportage
Iceland North-to-South Bikepacking Expedition with Chris Burkard and Thomas “Jabba” Gathman
Join famous thru-hiker and combat veteran Thomas “Jabba” Gathman and renowned photographer and adventurer Chris Burkard on a bikepacking trip as they navigate some of the most remote and difficult terrain that Iceland has to offer. The adventure begins below…
Radar
A+D Ointment Review: Bikepacking Comfort … Where It Counts
An important part of bike touring is self-care. And today, Travis takes that to a very intimate level with his praise for A+D Ointment, a diaper-rash remedy that isn’t just for babies.
Reportage
2024 Mid-Atlantic Bikepacking Summit: Building Momentum on the East Coast
The 2024 Mid-Atlantic Bikepacking Summit brought together 100 participants over four days in the beautiful Laurel Highlands region of Western Pennsylvania. The event celebrated riding in beautiful landscapes, inclusive community building, and shared learning among backpackers of all levels. Read on below for a captivating summit recap from Bikepacking Roots Executive Director, Noelle Battle.
Radar
Tout Terrain: Smart Solutions for Touring and Bikepacking
In an effort to keep this website free for all to enjoy, modern media has to rely on several revenue streams. One of which is sponsored content. From time to time, we’ll be offering features from brand partners that align with the core values of The Radavist.
One such sponsored post is from Tout Terrain. We encourage you to read on as your views, clicks, and engagement keep us independent and help fuel our business. Let’s check it out…
Reportage
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…
Radar
Bitesized Bikepacking: The Hub & Pisgah Tavern
For the third installment of Bitesized Bikepacking, Esker Cycles traveled to Brevard, NC, to visit its friends at The Hub & Pisgah Tavern…
Radar
Hyperlite Mountain Gear Splash Bivy Review
In her review of the Hyperlite Mountain Gear Splash Bivy, Hailey Moore writes about why she prefers bivies over tents and offers her assessment of this featherweight dyneema bikepacking, or backpacking, sleeping kit companion.
Reportage
Morocco’s Highest Peaks By Bike: A Bikepacking Traverse Through the Atlas Mountains
After crossing Spain and climbing the highest mountains in the Al-Ándalus area, the Toubkal mountain presented itself as a challenge but also as an excuse to explore a country in which Sonia and Eloi had not cycled before. They knew that the next step was to change continents, and Morocco’s Highest Peaks were just on the other side of the harbor. What they didn’t know was that they were about to cross a land that would surprise them to an extent that, at the time, they couldn’t even imagine…
Reportage
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