The Highland Trail has very quickly secured itself a seat at the top table of bikepacking ITT. It’s not the longest test of bike and rider but its wild and often unforgiving nature can provoke both fear and awe in equal measure. As the Highland Trial’s notoriety has spread, the number of riders from further […]
There’s something wrong with me. I’m not referring to the extra rib I possess or my inability to recognise colours. I’m not talking about the unidentified lump on my left leg or the fact that all my finger nails are split following a childhood infection. No, what’s wrong with me is something a little less […]
I’m not a fan of carrying any more than I have to. Packing for a trip usually involves removing things rather than adding them, continually balancing on the edge of just enough and too little. Some people will question this approach and I really don’t blame them. It certainly appears geeky, maybe foolhardy and on […]
I firmly believe that cycling off-road is safer than cycling on road. There may be trees, rocks and numerous other trail obstacles to contend with but unlike cars, they generally aren’t travelling towards you at 50mph. As a bikepacker, I try and find the quiet places, the one’s where most people don’t go. I weave […]
Although highly prized, Cuben, carbon and titanium won’t be featuring here. Instead, we’re going to concentrate on gear with a price tag that doesn’t induce a sharp intake of breath through pursed lips and clenched teeth. While we won’t be looking at handmade ultralight exotica, we also won’t be looking at items some may describe […]
Track, downhill, enduro, xc, dirt jump, fat, road and gravel. All recognisable genres in the bubbling, melting pot of cycling. Simply add the word ‘bike’ at the end of every one and your brain will instantly generate an image of what each looks like … but it can’t do that with the word bikepacking. Aside […]
If cycling is the new golf, then I reckon bikepacking is the new cycling. Judging by the amount of publicity and hype surrounding it, you’d imagine that all the trails across our glorious island would be overrun with people heading for bikepack nirvana … but strangely, they’re not. The sight of a loaded bike might […]
Some things in life hit you head-on, smack, straight in the face. No warning, their full force coming to bear in an instant. Other things in life are sneakier. They creep up on you slowly, gradually and by the time you’re aware of their presence, it’s too late, they’ve taken hold and the damage is […]
I’ve been fortunate enough to have met many bikepackers and general two wheeled vagrants over the years. Some I’ve ridden with, others I’ve simply chatted to while plying them with tea. In that time, I’ve begun to notice that aside from the obvious personal hygiene issues, there’s two things that 70% have in common … […]
For some, riding a bike in the dark is simply a necessity that they could happily live without and for others, it’s an accepted part of year-round cycling in UK. Love or loath the dark nights it matters not, because one thing you’ll need to both endure or enjoy the hours of darkness, is a […]