Bikepacking Culture

The inaugural edition of Fenderfest was held in rural Germany earlier this month, and we sent writer Hélène Fromenty and photographer Stefan Haehnel there to document the charming new event and gather details on a dozen spectacular classic and modern bicycles. Find their report and a rich set of images here…

Set against the backdrop of beautiful Lago di Garda in Italy, Bike Festival Riva is one of the largest bike shows in Europe. Joergen Trepp from Sour Bicycles was at the 2024 edition last week, and he wandered the show grounds to round up the most interesting new bikes, components, accessories, and more for us. Find his collection of more than a dozen highlights here…

Kona has grown an impassioned fanbase and a cult-like following throughout its nearly four decades of operation. But with the brand hanging in the balance and facing an uncertain future, we’re paying homage to a mainstay many of us have ridden and loved for years. Find our tribute to a brand we hope will endure and a gallery of our favorite Konas from across the site here…

Our second roundup of gear and more from the 2024 Sea Otter Classic includes two core-free tubeless valves, clever replacement parts to revive old SRAM derailleurs, a brilliant new titanium handlebar, a silver dropper post, the annual ride to draw, and much more. Find it all here…

On day one of the 2024 Sea Otter Classic, Logan wandered around the endless maze of brands and makers, discovering a few exciting finds along the way. Check out his photo gallery and report here, featuring several new bags from Revelate Designs, bikes and bags from Kyoot and Split, fresh grips from Wolf Tooth and Ergon, a Micro-spline singlespeed kit, new tires, and a whole lot more…

Earlier this month, BoneshakerMTB hosted the debut Vintage Mountain Bike Show in Toronto, Ontario. Over two days, more than 900 people stopped by the show to celebrate bicycle craftsmanship of the early 1980s and ’90s. Organizer Jake London put together a recap of the inaugural event for us. Find that paired with a gallery of photos from Nathan Petrie of Dismount Bike Shop here…

In this 13-minute video, Sam Rice and Bec Norman re-ride a portion of the 400-kilometer Lanna Kingdom bikepacking route a year after its launch to explore the social and ethical impact of building a bikepacking route in rural Thailand. Watch as they reconnect with local friends, meet riders, and enjoy some of the route’s boundless natural and cultural beauty here…

Born from a passion for cycling, adventure, nature, and photography, “Deriva” is a new printed magazine that chronicles bikepacking routes and adventures through seldom explored places in Colombia. Learn more about the publication and its intent here…

Ever wondered what goes into crafting a bike frame by hand? At the beginner-friendly framebuilding course at Big Forest Frameworks in Berlin, Josh Meissner built a custom 29+ ATB from scratch and documented the process from start to finish. Find his detailed report and photos from the workshop here…

Envisioned by Dan Hanebrink and released in 1991, the Hanebrink Extreme Terrain might be the most radical bike ever to land on Earth. In this piece, Josh Hicks shines some light on one of the rarest pieces in his collection and examines it through a modern lens. Discover the fascinating history of the first production fat bike here…

Genosack is a vibrant community of ATBers in the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota. In this inside look by photographer Trevor Nelson and friends, we tag along for a handful of laid-back group rides that celebrate the simple joy of pedaling and take a closer look at an eclectic mix of beautiful bikes. See it all here…

“Wheels on Ice: Stories of Cycling in Alaska” is a 320-page book that dives deep into tales of bicycles in the far north from the gold rush of the late 1800s up to Lael Wilcox’s recent ride of every major road in the state. Alaskan cyclist and writer John Messick offers an engaging review of the collection here…