Michal Ozogan

Blog, Page #3

An eye-level shot captures a serene mountain lake with dark green water, surrounded by a dense forest of tall, dark green pine trees. Patches of snow cling to the hillside and the ground beside a dirt road that winds along the lakeshore to the right. The sky above is overcast with light gray clouds. A red banner in the upper left corner reads "TOUR DIVIDE," while text at the bottom in a bold, red font with a white outline declares "FREEZING RAIN IN MOUNTAINS THE UNSUCCESSFUL STORY."

Tour Divide 2024

Tour Divide is the grand-grandfather of all bikepacking races. I have heard a lot of stories about what can happen on the route. I came to Canada with a great sense of humility. Riding trough vast and remote areas will be a big challenge. But before the race started I found myself in much bigger trouble. Read more

A low-angle shot shows a red mountain bike with knobby tires, likely muddy from a ride, positioned against a brightly spray-painted wall. The rear wheel, chain, and chainring are visible on the left, while the front wheel with a "ROCKET RON" tire and fender is partially visible on the right. A black, roll-top dry bag is secured to the bike's frame near the bottom bracket.

Tailfin Downtube Pack 3 Litres

Finally, a frame bag that you can ride with even when it’s empty. Tailfin came up with an interesting concept, especially suitable for smaller but heavier items. However, you need to be mindful of the space between the frame and the tire—especially when the fork is fully compressed. Read more

A close-up shot of a black bicycle saddle and a grey bikepacking seat bag with orange straps, set against a vibrant, multi-colored graffiti wall. The seat bag, which is branded "ORTLIEB Waterproof," appears to be packed full. A portion of the rear tire is visible at the bottom of the frame.

Ortlieb Seat-Pack 11 litres

Since I’ve owned this Ortlieb bag for five years, I can describe my experience with truly long-term use. And I must say that the test of time has kept it waterproof. It has decent capacity of 11 litres and excellent craftsmanship. Read more

A light-colored bikepacking saddle bag with the word "CYCLITE" printed on it is attached to the seat post of a red bicycle, set against a vibrant, multi-colored graffiti wall featuring pink, blue, yellow, and green geometric shapes. The bike has a black saddle and a "SCHWALBE" tire with brown sidewalls.

Cyclite Saddle Bag Small

Cyclite is not yet as well-known among bikepacking bag manufacturers, but their Saddle Bag stands out with its high-quality craftsmanship and unique features. For example, a plastic loop for a cup 🙂 I was testing this stuff on Tour Divide. Read more

A bicycle is parked in front of a vibrant graffiti-covered wall. The bike features a black saddle bag strapped to the seat post, with the white "Apidura" logo and a bee graphic visible. The bike's frame is a dark red, and a brown-walled Schwalbe tire is visible at the bottom. The graffiti behind the bike is a mix of bright colors, including pink, light blue, yellow, orange, and green, forming abstract shapes and lines.

Apidura Racing Saddle Pack

A review of a set of two saddle bags from Apidura in the racing variant. These are intended primarily for minimalists and racers. However, they may also interest anyone who rides more off-road and needs to carry just a few extra items. Read more

A snow-dusted forest floor with scattered autumn leaves, leading to a path through tall, bare trees. In the background, a house with a yellow wall is partially visible.

Preparation for Tour Divide 2024, The Why

Let’s make this official. If nothing goes wrong I will be standing at 2024 in Banff to start this epic journey—Tour Divide. But one just not simply race through the entire US without training. My attempt will need a lot of preparations because my goals aren’t prudent. Read more

A cyclist wearing a white helmet, orange vest, black long-sleeve top, olive green shorts, and cycling shoes stands on a dirt path with a fully loaded red bikepacking bike. The bike has large tires, pink and silver water bottles, and gear bags. Behind them, a white sign reading “BohemiaDivide” with a bird logo is visible among green trees and grass, indicating a bikepacking trip stop.

Bohemia Divide 2023 🥈

Bohemia Divide is a race with a tradition that ends the bikepacking season in the Czech Republic. Not that you couldn’t ride your bike anytime you want, but this is the last time that a large group of bikers will ride through the country day and night in pursuit of finding every bit of mental power in their head. It stretches from south to north of Bohemia and riders will traverse distance of 800 kilometres. Read more

A man stands with a loaded bikepacking bicycle in a sunny urban plaza. Behind him is a tall statue of a figure holding a sword, with modern buildings and trees in the background. Text overlays read “HOPE 1000” (top left, red banner) and “GHOSTS TRIED TO STOP ME THEY FAILED” (bold red letters at the bottom).

Hope 1000

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Hope 1000 is a 1000km long event in Switzerland. Every participant must climb 30′000 metres of elevation. I took part in the 8th edition, which was influenced by a massive heatwave, which pinned me down at massive uphills. It was really hard to embrace the struggle and find the “why” am I doing this. Read more

A male bikepacker in a red shirt, black shorts, and white socks rides a dark red mountain bike with bikepacking bags on a dirt road. He wears a white helmet with a camera mounted on it and sunglasses. He is gesturing with his left hand. The scene is set in a mountainous landscape with rolling green hills, fields, and dense forests under a clear blue sky.

West Carpathian Challenge 2022 🥇️

Slovakia is great. I fell in love with a country at the 1000 Miles race, and that’s why I’d like to experience all unsupported races that are held there. It’s necessary to bear in mind that forests here are a bear territory, and there are no movement restrictions at night to prevent encounters. Read more

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