We’ve had a busy year over here at The Radavist. From the return to being 100% independent, launching our Group Ride subscription service, our Rad Bazaar marketplace, and adjusting to being a small business owner again, my free time has been limited. Yet, I can thank a few products for making my job and life easier this year, along with the albums that became the backdrop for my rides, so let’s check out my Favorite Products of 2023!
“found in the mountains”
Search Term – Change
Reportage
Mental Detours Part One: Bike Touring the Italy Divide(ish)
Travel is routinely romanticized. And it is romantic—how could having the privilege of “checking out” of the daily drum of work, family, bills, etc., and the attendant stress in favor of experiencing a new place not be? The word vacation is, of course, derived from the verb “to vacate,” and while going on vacation is about the act of leaving, it’s also about finding. Finding new culture, new landscapes, new experiences, but maybe just as importantly it’s about finding new perspective on what it is you’ve placed on hold.
After two weeks spent bike touring in Italy in October, Hailey Moore reflects on what she found while away and the paradox of trying to experience more than the Trip Advisor-version of a place without missing the five-star sights. Read on for part one of her Italy Divide reflections while riding from Trento to Florence.
Reportage
The New Familiar: Riding Wisconsin’s Tour de Nicolet Bikepacking Route
Located in a commonly overlooked corner of the United States, there is a place with endless gravel roads and trails. A region with an incredibly vast network that can be linked through systems of singletrack and small towns. A land where flowing water and spring-fed lakes abound. With prime fall color promised, Josh Uhl makes a last-minute trip to the lesser-known ATB paradise that is Wisconsin to ride the 360-mile Tour de Nicolet and reconnect with the place he found bikes to begin with…
Radar
2024 Metal Gravel Bikes Under and Around $2000
Finding affordable bikes that cost under and around $2000 can be challenging, so we compiled a list with a twist… We’re big fans of metal over here. Metal gravel bikes can be superior to their carbon cousins in many ways, especially if you’re planning on strapping bags to them and taking them out on longer rides, overnighters, and tours.
We get requests all day long for more affordable bikes, and following up with our 2024 Under and Around $2000 Hardtails article, we present our Metal Gravel Bikes Under and Around $2000 post, so let’s get to it!
Reportage
Kyrgyzstan Won: The (Uncompleted) Bishkek Spectacular
On their fourth trip to Kyrgyzstan, Belén Castello and Tristan Bogaard return for Tristan to ride the 2023 Silk Road Mountain Race. But with a few days on their hands before the start, they decide to blaze a new 250-mile route that circumnavigates the Ala-Too, from the capital of Bishkek. With hopeful hearts and full panniers, they start their ride by setting out over Kegeti Pass (12,401′). After surmounting the pass, tragedy strikes as Tristan falls ill. Things aren’t always sunsets and tailwinds on bike tours, so come take a journey through accepting defeat in the beautiful mountains and valleys of Kyrgyzstan.
Reportage
Santa Fe’s Independent Outdoor Store: A Look Inside Tourist
For the upcoming “Small Business Saturday,” John takes us inside one of his favorite shops in Santa Fe, Tourist, the city’s independent outdoor store, for a look inside this wonderfully-merchandized space.
Reportage
Bikepacking The Lesser Known Corners of Northern Spain
Armed with bike, camera, and plenty of curiosity Werka Szalas set out for a month on the road in Northern Spain. The main focus of her trip was to visit the Picos de Europa National Park in the province of Asturias but she couldn’t help spending time detouring through Leon and Cantabria, too. Read on and check out her gallery for a closer look at a few of the lesser-known corners of Spain.
Reportage
Reading Between the (GPS) Lines: Bikepacking Roots’ Northwoods Route
Curious about touring the Midwest? Have you ever wondered what’s so special about the largest freshwater lake (by volume) in the world? What’s up with those Yoopers? How and why would you bring a bike to an island National Park where it is illegal to ride? Check out Spencer Harding’s (kind of) review of Bikepacking Roots’ Northwoods route on the shores of Lake Superior and some musing about not following that GPS line all the time.
Reportage
Not About Bikes: 2023 Bikepacking Summit and DangerBird Ride
With its mixed-surface riding through four distinct sections of the Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument that surrounds Las Cruces, New Mexico, the Monumental Loop has plenty of spice—and not just from the chile you’ll find in Hatch. Every fall, the Loop’s organizers extend an open invitation for cyclo-tourists to come experience the 250-mile desert figure eight as part of the Dangerbird group ride event. This year’s rolling extravaganza was a coupled with the Bikepacking Summit, which Daniel Zaid attended and reports on below…
Reportage
Ryan Wilson Crosses Mongolia’s Desolate Zavkhan Steppe
After getting acquainted with Mongolia during a big loop through the Altai Mountains to start his trip, Ryan Wilson was intent on riding as far east as he could, with the ultimate goal of reaching the capital city of Ulaanbaatar. A 550-kilometer track from Brigitte & Ivo over at bikepackground.com looked like a promising guide. After enjoying the luxuries of Khovd for a few days, Ryan set off into the arid expanse toward the Zavkhan province, retracing their steps through the land that connects the Gobi Desert with the Khangai Mountains.
Reportage
Updates From the CDT Part 4: Resistance and Enchantment Through the Final Miles
What does it mean to ride the 3,300-mile spine of the Continental Divide, from the Canadian to Mexican border across the United States? Very few people can say, but Kurt Refsnider can now count himself among them. In his fourth installment from the Continental Divide Trail, Kurt writes about the final miles through a geologist’s lens and how New Mexico held just as much resistance as it did enchantment.
Radar
The Ten Best Horror Films for Adventure Cyclists
Just like the rows of bagged candy at your grocery store, or the fountains of pumpkin spice latte at your coffee shop, you can’t escape Halloween once October hits. Not even here at The Radavist. Travis Engel has jumped on the spooky-season bandwagon with a list of scary movies (and one scary short film) that will strike a nerve for anyone who likes riding to the middle of nowhere…
Radar
Radar Roundup: Massacan Paula Gravel Bike, Rivendell MUSA Pants, SON Edelux USB-FL Sneak Peek, Rogue Panda Ultra 200X Bags, Quirk Titanium Seatpost, BTP Bar Tape, Good Company, and International SingleSpeed Day is Coming!
Our Radar Roundup compiles products and videos from the ‘net in an easy-to-digest format. Read on below for today’s findings…
Radar
Radar Roundup: Bombtrack 2024 Lineup, Bedrock Mountain Clogs, Revelate Pronghorn Returns, Farewell Scout Roll, Wizard Works Quick Draw Bottle Pocket, Steve Potts Bars, Bender MADE Show Bike, and Tesekkür Turkey
Our Radar Roundup compiles products and videos from the ‘net in an easy-to-digest format. Read on below for today’s findings…
Reportage
Welcome to the Neighborhood: Treehouse Cyclery Opens in Denver’s Five Points
The door is freshly painted on the corner of Downing Street and 30th in the northeast Denver, Colorado neighborhood of Five Points. Behind the new blue facade, light washes in to reveal high ceilings and smooth wooden floors—heavily polished over time by both varnish and foot traffic. The rest of the space has that just-righted tidiness of a host’s house before a dinner party: intentional, inviting and immaculate. It’s an old building with a new idea, but Treehouse Cyclery isn’t its first bike shop.
Read on for Hailey Moore‘s shop visit to Denver’s newest, community-focused, bike shop: Treehouse Cyclery.
Reportage
2023 Bespoked Handmade Bicycle Show Part 3: Avalanche, Ballern, Black Sheep, CMG, Fern, Huhn, Rheintritt, Rossman, Repete, and Timba
The 2023 Bespoked Handmade Bicycle Show just wrapped after three action-packed days of talks, parties, and drooling over the heaps of amazing craftsmanship on display. Josh was on the ground at the Dresden, Germany airport where this year’s event took place, and, below, shares his final gallery of bikes and a couple of interesting components. Let’s get right into it!
Radar
Island in the Sky: Protect Conglomerate Mesa – We Need Your Help!
Kyle Von Hoetzendorff connected with Ken Etzel, videographer and activist to discuss the current threat to the Sierra and Inyo basins as mining encroaches upon this delicate zone. Along with Friends of the Inyo, Ken helped out with Protect Conglomerate Mesa documentary. Read on below for how you can help and an interview with Ken.
Radar
Creative Exposure Pt 3: A WTF-NB Database of Photographers and Videographers
After often being the only female-identifying photographer/videographer in the proverbial room at cycling events, Natalie Starr began compiling a list of diverse professionals back in 2019. After sharing a follow-up to her initial post, Natalie is back with a third installment of folks to book for your next industry gig (looking at you marketers!). Let’s check it out below!