Field Trips

While many bike shops operate as beacons of community, the anecdotal truth is that they’re not all created equal. From large-scale manufacturers expanding their fleets of in-person facilities to tired sales tactics and antiquated shop culture, today’s shops are transitioning. To better understand how one of the longest-running shops in the US keeps pace with the twisting and turning of the larger bike economy, Nic Morales visited Alder Threlkeld and Max Hitch of Rodriguez Bikes in Seattle…

Ever wondered how DT Swiss makes their spokes, adds graphics, or builds their wheels? Well, you’re in luck. Neil took a field trip to their North American facility last month, where he got the inside scoop on all that and more. Find the video tour and photo gallery here…

In the first report from his most recent travels around East Africa, Evan Christenson shares a look inside World Bicycle Relief’s operations in Kenya and the on-the-ground impacts its dependable Buffalo bikes have on the everyday lives of the people who ride them. Read their powerful stories of mobility and find a captivating photoset here…

In our latest Field Trip, Sam Rice and Bec Norman go behind the scenes at Apidura in London. From its Tour Divide origins to becoming B Corp certified, Apidura has helped revolutionize sustainable bikepacking gear. Join Sam and Bec as they explore Apidura’s commitment to longevity, dive into their innovative Revive program, and uncover how they’re reshaping industry standards…

After living and route building in the north of Thailand for the better part of a year, Sam Rice ventures south to Bangkok to meet three of the city’s most prominent bikepacking brands. Read on for his impressions of Buffalo Bags, Bicycle Boy Clubhouse, and Conquer Bags, featuring immersive photo galleries and a look at what each brand brings to the Thai bikepacking scene…

Located a few minutes north of Nelson, British Columbia, Six Mile Bikes is a new framebuilder offering made-to-order bikes with a refreshingly personal approach inspired by a career as a ski guide. We stopped by the shop to get to know owner Kevin Armstrong, hear about the framebuilding course he took in Spain, and take a closer look at a handful of bikes he’s made…

For nearly two decades, Mike Varley of Black Mountain Cycles has been designing and selling functional steel bicycles fueled by a lifetime of working in the bike industry and an unshakable obsession with drop bars and big tires. We swung by his shop in Point Reyes Station, California, to get to know the Black Mountain story firsthand and take a closer look at a few of his bikes…

Founded in 2015 by Kyle Ng, Outer Shell prides itself on function-forward bag designs, minimalist style, and products that encourage customers to develop a deeper connection with their environment. We stopped by their San Francisco workshop to learn more about the Outer Shell origin story, meet the small team, and take a quick look at three staff bikes. Find it all here…

For nearly 20 years, Sam Alison of Singular Cycles in the UK has been designing forward-thinking bicycles built for adventure. We sent photographer Tom Powell to Sam’s cozy workshop just outside of London to learn more about his trendsetting steel and titanium frames and the inspiration behind them. Find a short video portrait and a look inside Singular Cycles here…

On the heels of Sklar’s 10th anniversary and relocation to California, we recently stopped by Adam Sklar’s new shop to take a deep dive into the last decade of business, explore the Oakland space, and learn more about his transition from US-made custom frames with a two-year waitlist to Taiwan-made production bikes. Find all that, a peek at a few of Adam’s bikes, and loads of photos from Miles’ visit here…

Just beyond the bustle of Victoria, British Columbia, nestled between towering Douglas firs and a flower farm, you’ll find WZRD Bikes. Miles spent two afternoons with owner Emma May to learn the story behind WZRD and the last five years of framebuilding, take a closer look at three of her personal bikes, and hear why she thinks long chainstays are never going out of style. Find that and a barrage of photos from the WZRD Bikes workshop here…

In our latest Field Trip, Sam Rice and Bec Norman take us behind the scenes at Tailfin. Since its Kickstarter launch in 2016, Tailfin has grown from a basement passion project to one of the most innovative brands in bikepacking. Read on as Sam and Bec shed light on Tailfin’s origin story, dive deep into their product design philosophy, and reveal how their innovative fusion of hardware and soft goods sets them apart…