Category: Equipment
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Oxford Bike Works Expedition: New Upgrades For 2023
Before my recent Australia tour, I took Tom’s Expedition Bike back to its birthplace in the UK for a tune-up and a few experimental upgrades. This post details what’s changed, explores the thinking behind the upgrades, and goes deep into the specifics of why they were made. (Warning: it’s a 5,000-word long read, so maybe put […] Continue reading →
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3 Critical Questions To Ask Before You Choose A New Touring Bike
When you’re in the market for a new touring bike, it’s important not to dive too deep until you’re clear about what kind of cycle tour you actually want to go on. Especially with the current trends towards ultralight bikepacking, gravel bikes, touring e‑bikes, etc, manufacturers will work extremely hard to sell you something you never […] Continue reading →
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27 Cycle Touring & Bikepacking Apps For Every Imaginable Purpose
While I’m a big advocate of low-tech bike tours, almost every long-distance rider today is bringing along their smartphone for the ride. But what exactly are the best apps for cycle touring and bikepacking? It’s a tricky question. To my knowledge, there is no single app that does everything an cycle tourer or bikepacker wants […] Continue reading →
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Do I Really Need Ortliebs? A Buyer’s Guide To Panniers For Cycle Touring
One day in 1884, Thomas Stevens left California on a bicycle, carrying a bag of gold and a pistol rolled up in a blanket, and became the first person in recorded history to cycle round the world. Today’s cycle tourists, of course, pack much more gear than that. That’s because we want to enjoy seeing the world, […] Continue reading →
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What’s The Best Cycle Touring & Bikepacking Tent? (2024 Edition)
Welcome to my introduction to tent choice for the touring cyclist or bikepacker. I’ll explain the key qualities you’re looking for in a tent specifically for cycle touring or bikepacking, and introduce a range of currently available tents across the budget spectrum. Also, know that this post is written and updated by a real person […] Continue reading →
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What’s The Best Camping Cookware For Cycle Touring & Bikepacking?
This is a detailed introduction to choosing cooksets for cycle touring and bikepacking trips. From individual pots, pans, and mugs to full kits, I’ll cover the options for all budgets and requirements. But first, some good news: when it comes to cycle touring cookware, ‘best’ does not necessarily mean ‘most expensive’. Yes, a high quality […] Continue reading →
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What’s The Best Camping Mattress Or Sleeping Pad For Cycle Touring & Bikepacking?
Welcome! It’s time to deep-dive into another thorny topic (no pun intended): how to choose a camping mattress – or, as my North American friends call it, a sleeping pad – to fit the specific needs of cycle tourers and bikepackers. We’ll be looking at the various types of camping mattresses and sleeping pads, which types […] Continue reading →
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12 Crucial Qualities Of A Bicycle Traveller’s Perfect Tent
Interested in why bicycle travellers tend to prefer certain types of tent? Let’s explore in detail a few of the key criteria – I’ve identified twelve, to be precise – that might cause a cycle tourer or bikepacker to choose one tent over another in this overly crowded market. The perfect tent, of course, does […] Continue reading →
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What’s The Best Camping Stove For Cycle Touring Or Bikepacking?
Fact: every cycle tourer and bikepacker loves to eat. In fact, one of the pleasures of bicycle travel is being able to eat whatever you want, and as much as you like. Ride a bike for a living and your body becomes a calorie-burning machine – one that needs regular fuelling! While a camping stove and […] Continue reading →
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The Hennessy Deep Jungle Camping Hammock: Long-Term Review & Photos
I love hammock camping on bike trips. It’s convenient, comfortable, and a lot easier to find a pitch than people tend to think. Rather than hammock camping in general, which I’ve written about in the past along with other alternative sleeping systems, in this piece I will be taking a closer look at my own camping […] Continue reading →