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…
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…
Since 2020, you can find a deep analysis of the bikes and equipment of the major ultra-bikepacking races like the Atlas or Silk Road Mountain Race in my Bikeanalytics. The basis for these evaluations are the “Rigs of…” posts by Bikepacking.com. At this point, many thanks for your work on this and the careful gathering…
While the world outside was counting down to New Year’s Eve, stocking up on champagne, and philosophizing about “new beginnings,” I was sitting in a shelter in the forest. It was December 30th, it was dark, and the thermometer continued to crawl further into the cellar. Strictly speaking, one could book this overnighter as a…
For several years now, I have been presenting interesting and inspiring bicycles at the end of the year. Of course, I am continuing this tradition and have found eight bikes for bikepacking and cycling trips that I would like to share with you. This time, these are bikes you wouldn’t necessarily come across when looking…
Why it was time for a new bike For more than a year, I had been searching for a bicycle for myself that would succeed the Salsa Fargo. The Salsa Fargo is a wonderful bike, absolutely designed for long distances. As a result, its geometry is more upright, and I often refer to it as…
Note: Basic Bikes provided me with the bike for this test at my request. I used to be a real fan of the Rally Dakar, that famous race from Paris to Dakar in Senegal. I followed the stories of the riders and watched the TV footage whenever I could. This race was one of the…
TL;DR – Summary The new gravel bikes from Trek, Rose, and Canyon show how strongly the segment is evolving toward adventure and bikepacking. More suspension, greater tire clearance, integrated power supply, and specialized geometries are making gravel bikes technically more complex—and bringing them closer to mountain bikes. The Trek CheckOUT introduces full suspension and luggage…
Note: Rose provided me with the test bike at my request. Thanks again! With the Hobo, Rose has an interesting bike concept to offer that is somewhat overshadowed by the gravel trend. The Hobo is actually intended as an everyday & leisure bike. It comes with a flat bar and a variable front wheel carrier,…
I don’t often go to bike shows, but this year I decided to finally visit Cyclingworld in Düsseldorf. Mainly because I wanted to meet some people again, or at all, who I’ve only known digitally or haven’t seen for a long time. In addition, Cyclingworld has quickly gained a reputation for being a worthwhile trade…
It’s always good to start the new year with positive things. With nice bikes, for example. And as I do every year, I have found a few bikes that I think are very interesting and beautiful for bikepacking and cycle touring that I would like to introduce to you. Veloheld Iron Last year, I was…
While the first part of the evaluation covered the type questions, type of bike, wheel sizes, tyres and brakes, we are now delving deeper. Because now we are looking at gears, drivetrain, bearings, saddle and bags. And once again, please note: due to the multiple answer options for some questions, the total is more than…
First of all, I would like to thank you for your active participation, without which this survey would not have turned out so well. 518 people took part, providing some very interesting insights and information. Thank you also for the many motivating comments! It makes me very happy to provide inspiration and support with my…
I’m sure many of you have seen pictures of Bespoked in Dresden in your Instagram timelines over the last few days. And that these may also have generated Fomo (Fear of Missing Out). Let me tell you: rightly so! I’m a rather sceptical person when it comes to bike fairs. There are usually too few…
Note: At my request, Schwalbe provided me with the tyres for testing via the German ‘Pressedienst Fahrrad’. Tyres are always an individual thing: where one person is not at all satisfied, another has no problems at all and is delighted. That’s why test reports like this one should always be seen through an individual lens….