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…
I keep sharing my thoughts and considerations with you in this blog. And this time it’s about my own conservatism as well as light and power supply on the bike. And a change of perspective. My Path to the Hub Dynamo But let’s start at the beginning: On my first bike tours, electricity was not…
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…
Note: At my request, the bags were made available to me for testing by Sportsnut, the German distributor of Restrap. If you are involved in bikepacking, sooner or later you will come across the bags from Restrap. The Brits have been part of the scene for many years and now offer really good bags and…
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…
To get straight to the point: the North2Peak is a real beast. It demands physically, mentally, and also of the equipment. The North2Peak, organized by the two Hamburgers Lisa and Philipp, shows in an impressive way that you can also build a demanding bikepacking event in the North that does not need to hide. If…
Why even use a hydration vest? You often see them at ultra-events, but increasingly also in regular use during very hot weather: hydration vests. I usually ride with two bottles, often mounted on the fork. That was always enough for me. Then I started looking into nutrition and regular hydration and came across hydration vests….
Note: Decathlon provided me with the bags for testing at my request. Just over three years ago, I extensively tested the Decathlon Riverside Bikepacking bags and was impressed by their performance: waterproof, robust, cleverly designed, and with excellent value for money. And I really like the fact that behind the bags and bikes there is…
Note: I purchased the tires myself. Continental was not involved in any way. After riding over 3,000 km with the Schwalbe Rick XC, I wanted to know how the new Continental Dubnital, the successor to the Race King, would perform and whether it would provide more grip and puncture protection on tours. A few weeks…
Note: At my request, Big Agnes gave me the tent for the test. Tent or bivouac? For me it’s clear: comfort wins – especially when the tent only weighs around 1kg. Of course, I’m often travelling with a bivy sack, but a tent like this is a luxury that I like to treat myself to….
36 years ago, the Wall came down and the border between the GDR and FRG opened. For 40 years, a closely guarded border wall ran through our country, from Priwall on the Baltic Sea in the north to the border triangle with Bavaria, Saxony and the Czech Republic in the south (GDR, FRG, CSSR). And…
Note: Tout Terrain provided me with the bike for testing upon my request. Do you know that feeling when you get on a new bike, ride the first few meters, and think you’ve never gone so fast, so effortlessly, so well before? I test a lot of bikes, so I often get to experience this…
On Friday, the fourth edition of the Trans Balkan Race (TBR) started: 1,380km with around 30,000 metres of climbing await the participants. I have a bitter-sweet past with the TBR: I failed in the race itself and injured my hand nerve, which is still with me today. But I was also physically and mentally not…
Note: At my request, Big Agnes provided me with the sleeping bag and sleeping pad for the test. I have known Big Agnes for many years and I am an avowed fan of this American outdoor brand. So far, however, I have only focussed on their tents and have been using a Copper Spur UV…
About two years ago, Markus Weinberg told me that he and his team were currently working with regional tourism marketing agencies on a beautiful gravel route in East Saxony and that I should take a look at it when I got the chance. Last year it was officially presented as ‘Rockhead – Craft your Gravel…