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…
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….
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…
In December 2024, Schwalbe introduced the G-One RX Pro, a new gravel tire that replaces the two predecessors, the Bite and the Ultrabite, and is positioned as a kind of all-rounder for rough terrain. I rode the Bite and Ultrabite (in 50mm) at the Bohemian Border Bash and found both to be very good. However,…
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…
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: 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…