Bikepacking, page 2

A close-up shot of a grinning, dirty male cyclist, with a beard and dark, disheveled hair, wearing a red cycling jersey. In the background, out of focus, is the front wheel and part of the frame of a mountain bike with a water bottle attached. Red text overlays the image: "HELLENIC MOUNTAIN RACE" across the top, and "DOGS WANTED TO BITE MY ASS" at the bottom.

Hellenic Mountain Race 2025

A race where you don’t count kilometres, but vertical metres. With 27,000 meters of climbing, it is one of the vertical kings of bikepacking races. Not only did I have to deal with aggressive dogs, but I rode through rain, mud and storms. It was so warm in places that I could barely ride, but at night I couldn’t avoid freezing temperatures. Read more

Four power banks of varying sizes and designs are laid out on a weathered wooden tree stump with green grass visible in the blurred background. A red and white text overlay on the image reads "HOW TO CHOOSE POWERBANK FOR BIKEPACKING?".

From left to right:
1.  A light gray power bank with a black top. It has "5000 FASTCHARGE" and "cellularline" written on it.
2.  A larger, slightly lighter gray power bank, also with a black top. The text "alza4power" is visible towards the bottom.
3.  A black power bank with a carbon fiber pattern.
4.  Another black power bank with a carbon fiber pattern, similar to the third one but slightly taller.

How to choose powerbank for bikepacking

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There are many half-truths and myths surrounding powerbanks, which we will now explain and dispel. I’ll show you which parameters to look for when choosing a suitable device, and which ones you may not be interested in. At the very end, I’ll share some of my own tips on powerbanks that I use… Read more

Promotional image for the Atlas Mountain Race bikepacking event. A cyclist wearing a helmet and red backpack rides a dirt road through an arid desert landscape with rocky mountains under a clear blue sky. Red banner at top reads “ATLAS MOUNTAIN RACE”; bold red text at bottom states “ENDLESS DESERTS AND MOUTH ON FIRE”.

Atlas Mountain Race 2025

It was my first time on the African continent, and I wanted to celebrate it with a competition. The Atlas Mountain Race is a prestigious, international bikepacking race that traverses remote Berber settlements of the Anti-Atlas. As the sun burned through the day, I cycled across the rocky roads trying to catch up to the top 10. Despite bitter crises, I never thought of quitting. Read more

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