Stories from the Road, Independent Gear Reviews, Routes & Bikepacking Guides

Early in 2025 Roll Models was launched, a mentorship scheme helping women and gender minorities to ride adventurously. Now, a year on, with their first year’s cohort having competed the program, Athlyn reflects on their first year as Roll Models sharing what worked, what didn’t, what surprises they faced and how they plan on doing things in 2026.

For five consecutive years the Pan Celtic Race put riders shoulder to shoulder to do battle across five Celtic nations, becoming a cornerstone of the Northern European ultra calendar. For what was to be their final instalment, the Magnum Opus saw 55 hardy souls set off each to complete their most ambitious race yet.

After more than 50 days solo, riding his bike in one of the hottest and most sparsely populated countries on the planet, Lawrence Walters set a new world record for the fasted unsupported circumnavigation of Australia. In case that wasn’t enough, he did so riding a fixed gear bike.

Part emergency drill, part race, part community celebration, the Disaster Relief Trials is a cargo bike competition designed to simulate a disaster relief supply run where riders navigate a course simulating post-disaster conditions. In September 2025, the first DRT out of the US came to Bristol.

Hosted by Tailfin, mid-September 2025 saw the inaugural Detours bikepacking event kick off in the heart of Wales. In a unique format, riders would forge and navigate their own route through the Brecon Beacons to gather points before spending the evening together sharing food and stories of their individual adventures. Despite a rowdy weather forecast, PINCH FLAT compadre Michael Drummond took it upon himself to make the trip across the Severn to discover what Detours was all about.

Sisters in the Wild is a women-led cycling and adventure community that creates supportive, inclusive spaces for women, non-binary, and other marginalised gender riders to explore, upskill and connect. Now, it launches its first Bikepacking Bursary. The new initiative is designed to support women and marginalised genders to experience the freedom of bikepacking.

Set against the backdrop of his attempt at the Triple Crown, King of Chaos dives into Justinas Leveika’s motivation, home life, and infectious attitude for life as he aims to race the Tour Divide, Colorado Trail, and Arizona Trail in one calendar year.

Always at the pointy end, his smile is impossible to wipe from his face, find out what it takes to dig so deep.