The most fun addition to any bike? Ask Colt Fetters and the answer is unquestionably a dropper post. He’d argue that droppers are more fun than suspension, fancy wheels, and wireless shifting, because getting the saddle out of the way is key to maneuvering a mountain bike to its fullest potential. But for multi-day riding, running a dropper can present logistical challenges. In the following roundup, Colt reviews seven dropper-post compatible seat bags to ensure that you don’t have to compromise carrying capacity in exchange for confident descending on multi-day mountain biking missions.
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VIDEO: The Slow Lane
Dedicated to slowly exploring the world on two wheels, Pierre Bouchard and Janick Lemieux have covered more than 250,000 KM by bike and spent 14 years in the saddle since 1990…
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North St Bags Launches Full Touring Line
North St Bags just announced an entirely new bag catalog featuring a Handlebar Pack, rack-mounted Adventure Micro and Macro panniers, and a Roll-Top Trunk bag. All are made with recycled EcoPak sailcloth, and the five standard color options are the same across all four, so people can mix and match colors. Check out the full drop at North St Bags.
Reportage
Examining Purpose During 126 Hours Racing the 2023 Across Andes
After thirty-five days spent bikepacking from Bolivia to Peru across three sub mountain ranges of the Cordillera de los Andes, Leo Brasil finds himself with the unique opportunity to explore a completely different part of South America with a much lighter bike. Read on for his race reflections from the 2023 Across Andes
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Workpacking: When an e-Cargo Bike Becomes a Mobile Home
A longtime “velopreneur” who has worked across the cycling media industry, Gunnar Fehlau decided to take on a new experiential project in 2023: He loaded his household onto his e-cargo bike and has been living and working from the road for one year. This is his report from the first 333 days of life while workpacking.
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Bikepacking Roots’ Newest Community Route: El Lobo Lupus in Eastern Arizona
El Lobo Lupus is a 412 mile route in Eastern Arizona touts 32,360′ of elevation gain. It crosses subalpine meadows lined with conifers and aspens, through dense ponderosa pine forests. You’ll ride along trout-filled rivers and lakes, and get endless high-elevation views…
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Rogue Panda Blue Ridge Handlebar Harness
Flagstaff, Arizona’s Rogue Panda, just announced a sub 9 oz bar-mounted cradle for dry bags called the Blue Ridge Handlebar Harness ($185); let’s check it out!
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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.
Radar
As Advertised: A Flextail Zero Pump Review
Weighing less than 57 grams, the Flextail Zero Pump is the sort of bike camping luxury that’s easy to live with. It cuts the hyperventilation out of sleeping-pad inflation, though a temperamental deflation function had Travis leaving it at home on trips where every ounce counts.
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Tailfin Packing Cubes
Tailfin’s new Packing Cubes system allows you to stay even more organized when it comes to using the brand’s innovative touring collection.
Reportage
Shooting Solo: How To Document Solo Bicycle Tours
What does it mean to create and capture an authentic moment?
Laura Killingbeck is a lifelong adventure cyclist who recently pedaled the Great Divide. Below, she shares her philosophy and practice of shooting solo photography in the field.
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Alexandera Houchin’s Ultra Racing Hacks
If you follow ultra racing, then you have most likely heard of Alexandera Houchin. Today we’re sharing a few hacks she’s tried over the year, from her beginning roots bike touring all the way through bikepacking races. Read on for a bit of self-deprecating humble pie and innovation, rolled in one!
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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.
Radar
A Review and Some Tinkering with Shimano CUES 1×11 Drivetrain
With Shimano releasing CUES to replace Alivio, Acera, and Altus groupsets, is it possible we are getting something better? CUES unites all the parts under its umbrella with the same flat cable pull ratio and chain pitch across 9, 10, and 11-speed drivetrains. Spencer Harding devised his own mix of CUES parts to fit his touring demands at a low price point. Check out what he found and his thoughts on this new parts offering from Shimano below…
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Bikepacking Iceland: When Things Go Low but Spirits Remain High
After completing the Westfjords Way Challenge in 2023, Werka Szalas and friend Louise Philipovitch decide they want to see more of Iceland. In the course of a week, they attempt to explore Iceland’s rugged and beautiful countryside, but like any bike tour, they find a few challenges along the way…
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Biggie Smalls: Hands on with Tailfin’s New 16L Mini Panniers
After 2+ years worth of miles on Tailfin’s 10L mini panniers, Ryan Wilson has been putting their new 16L Mini Panniers to the test while out in the Chilean Desert. Utilizing the same attachment system as the rest of Tailfin’s range of panniers, the new 16L version brings added versatility for commuters and long-distance tourers alike. Let’s check it out below.
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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…
Reportage
The Gumbo Hauler: Jesse’s Stumpjumper Clydesdale Conversion
Everyone loves dogs and bikes so of course hauling them together just seems right. Spencer Harding recently documented Jesse’s classy vintage Stumpjumper frame, equipped with a Crust Bikes Clydesdale fork, and full cantilever brakes that’s an adept doggo transporter and so much more. Let’s dive into all the fun details and gawk at a cute pupper below!