Note: I mention brands and models here. I have no affiliation with any of these brands. Even so, I’m flagging this as advertising, since brand names are mentioned. On this blog, I always like to let you in on my thinking and the changes I make. This time, I want to take you along on…
Note: Pelago provided me with the Thórsmörk for review at my request. In many bike reviews – including my own – the focus is often on how much faster or lighter a bike is, how much more performance you can get out of it. That is certainly the trend, but it’s not everything. Bikepacking is…
A quick note upfront: This post is a deeply personal, data-driven analysis of why my stomach regularly shuts down during solo ultra-races, even when my fitness and motivation are spot on. I am sharing my concrete body and performance metrics here, alongside the physiological connections between the nervous system, stress, and digestion. Ever struggled with…
The Silk Road Mountain Race came to an end on Saturday. And anyone who followed the race on Dotwatcher quickly realized that this year it was even more demanding and harder than ever before. The route was longer and there was also more elevation gain. That resulted in the second-highest scratch rate in the history…
At 2,050km and 35,500 meters of elevation gain, the Silk Road Mountain Race is this year’s longest edition and also has the most elevation gain. A total of 229 participants lined up at the start, which was once again in Talas this year. Talas and My SRMR And this starting location brings back a lot…
In ultra bikepacking races and events, a DNF is not the exception, it’s almost the norm. And yet hardly anyone talks honestly about what that actually means. At Bright Midnight this summer, snow, cold, and rain led to many abandonments. And at the Transcontinental Race too, well-known participants had to give up, for instance due…
This year marks the fourth edition of The Bright Midnight, a bikepacking race that covers 1,100km and 20,000m of elevation gain through the impressive landscape of Norway. Organizer Justinas aka King of Chaos is himself a very successful ultra-racer and has packed the route with a lot of love and challenge. And if you believe…
Note: Restrap and Tailfin provided both the racks and bags for this review. In my Bikeanalytics breakdown of the Trans Balkan Race 2026, I came across a number I didn’t expect: 41 percent of participants are riding with a rear rack. Of those, 23 percent alone are on a Tailfin system. The trend is even…
Since Friday, May 29, they’re on the road again: 170 participants are fighting their way through the Balkans over 1,400 km and more than 30,000 meters of elevation gain. And I use the word fighting deliberately, because for me the Trans Balkan Race is one of the hardest and most demanding bikepacking ultras in Europe….
It’s somehow surreal: just a moment ago I was in Tuscany, pedaling up a mountain, and now I’m sitting in a hospital in Leipzig with my father, caring for my mother, while my sister checks out new options for care. This is obviously not how I imagined my participation in the Italy Divide, but sometimes…
Note: Big Agnes provided me with the bivy for testing at my request. Anyone who follows my blog knows: I am constantly searching for the perfect setup between weight, weather protection, and comfort. But actually, it’s my curiosity to try out all the gear that’s out there. And actually, I used to be a convinced…
Denmark is known for its vast landscapes, the coasts of the North and Baltic Seas, the dunes and forests, the wind and the blue sky, and the “hyggeligkeit” between pølse, cinnamon rolls, and Matilde cocoa. And for its shelters, which crisscross the entire country and offer hikers and cyclists a comfortable roof over their heads…
Just over two years ago, I published my first major overview featuring 36 ultralight tents for bicycle touring and bikepacking. During this time, I have spent a lot of time on this topic and made my research available to you. Since then, a lot has changed: the “magical” 1-kilo limit for one-person tents is long…
I have been riding and testing bicycles for many years now. It is always a challenge, as it usually ends up being an individual assessment. What doesn’t suit one person is ideal for another. And vice versa. This ultimately makes a bike test always just a snapshot in time. What I have been able to…
When the Wall fell in 1989, my friend Stephan and I were standing in the basement of his apartment building, tinkering with our bicycles. We wanted to take advantage of this new freedom to explore the world by bike. And in 1991, the time had finally come: during the school holidays, we set off on…