Michal Ozogan
Mentoring

Blog, Page #4

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

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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

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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

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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 🥈

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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 🥇️

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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

A slightly tilted eye-level shot captures the front section of a red and black mountain bike, adorned with mud splatters, in an autumn forest. A black Apidura top tube bag, also mud-splattered and featuring a white bee logo and a yellow/white striped emblem, is securely strapped to the top tube and headset. The bike's handlebars, stem, and brake/gear cables are visible. The background is a blur of fallen brown leaves covering the forest floor, with several bare trees rising in the distance under an overcast sky.

Apidura Racing Top Tube Pack

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Review of Apidura Racing Top Tube Pack. The first rides made me love the bag. It is small, light and it opens very easily. But after longer usage I learned an important lesson. There is a flow in design… Read more

A gravel forest trail curves uphill, flanked by tall trees. To the right, a wooden bench holds bikepacking gear (backpacks, clothing) near a trail signpost. Sunlight filters through the trees, casting dappled shadows on the path. Likely a rest stop on a bikepacking route.

Everesting, story the of one hill

Everesting is a simple challenge. Climb a hill over and over again until you reach 8849m of elevation. You can’t push the bike and you have to ride everything. No sleeping at challenge! Sound easy? Kind of … that’s why I did it on mountain bike. Read more

A lone bikepacker, wearing a white helmet, sunglasses, a white and orange cycling jersey, black shorts, and white calf-length socks, rides a black and red mountain bike with a yellow water bottle across a grassy, slightly rutted track. A black saddlebag and a small bag near the handlebars are visible. In the background, rolling green hills covered with forests and scattered villages stretch under a light grey, overcast sky. To the left, a stack of wooden planks and fence posts sits on a higher part of the hill.

Carpatia Divide 2019

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In 2019 Carpatia Divide was my second big event of the year and my first race abroad. Poland is a neighbour country and the language is similar, but I had a difficult time understanding the locals. As always it was harder than I expected. It didn’t rain, but the route was muddy and the terrain so hard I had to walk a lot. Read more

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