ALL-ROAD & GRAVEL
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This post was inspired by the mismatch between perception of the gravel Stelvio route - also referred to as ‘the fourth way’ - based on a popular summer 2025 GCN video, and the actual experience of riding it. This is at once a cautionary tale and a valorization of the route. The last thing I or anyone would want is for a novice gravel rider to take on the route and fall off a cliff.
I was drawn to SQ Lab because I perceived a commitment to long-lived products and transparent communication of safety standard compliance. These products are not glamorous; my riding buddies have not said, ‘Wow, cool, you have those new SQ Lab bars!’, or anything remotely like that. The products don’t make themselves conspicuous. It’s been conversations about comfort on the bike that have raised topics like bar and saddle geometry, which implicates ‘flex’ and resilience, and thus, safety. Everything is connected.
Read, listen, or both. I sat down with Castelli to talk about getting the most from their line of cold weather clothing, which dipped into general principles, and numerous tips and tricks riders can use to steepen the learning curve and create great winter cycling experiences. The blog post elaborates on numerous threads within the podcast, and functions as a complementary resource.
There’s no one ideal solution for every ride, let alone every rider. Lake’s mission is to create something for everyone when it comes to shoes and boots, but this doesn’t mean that every model is for everyone. I hope what follows guides you toward the option/s that help you get out the door, and wind up glad you did.
If there’s something resembling a common feeling associated with flying with bikes, it has to be anxiety. Maybe it’s a ‘the more you know the more you worry’ thing; maybe not. I spent four weeks travelling in Europe with Post Carry Co.’s Transfer Case in 2022, and put the case’s multimodal transferability to the test. If you’re interested in travelling with your family AND your bike, this is going to be particularly relevant.
Vermont's 6 Gaps ride is iconic, mythic, a rite of passage. But we'd done it, and were left wondering, what if? What if there was a 6 Gaps route on dirt? What was possible?
One bike, three exploratory phases of endurance cycling progression, and numerous insights around why riding my bike long and far in 2020 wound up helping me maintain my mental health and well-being in a way that distinguishes cycling from any other endurance sport.
One weekend, two dirt races. BORCA’s Spring Chicken Enduro MTB race, and OBC’s Almonte Paris-Roubaix are the perfect pairing for weekend of racing bikes on dirt.
Riding bikes doesn’t have to be just about riding bikes. These machines are catalytic; they open and expand possibility like no other technology can. Sometimes the adventures they underpin unfold as planned, but if we’re honest, these aren’t really adventures, are they? Our day spent riding, scrambling, and hiking from Bordighera to Limone Piemonte, Italy, was a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
For decades we’ve equated protection with resistance; AirCore replaces that logic with regulation. The Gabba taught us how to dress for weather. AirCore teaches us how to stay in balance with it.