With apologies to the old saying “Stop and smell the roses,” if you’re going to stop while riding Adventure Cycling’s Idaho Hot Springs Mountain Bike Route, it really shouldn’t be for flowers. With 40 different natural (what the name suggests) and developed (think: hotel swimming pool) hot springs along our 517.5-mile bikepacking route, you’ll find […]

From your helmet to your butt and your handlebar bag to your taillight, these 8 pieces of cycling gear have you covered. Route Werks’ Big Handlebar Bag Courtesy of Route Werks Route Werks The Big Handlebar Bag, $230 Thanks to an optional five-panel insert with easily repositioned velcro dividers ($40), The Big Handlebar Bag can […]

There are some trips that simply click. The weather lines up, the riding exceeds expectations, and every evening somehow feels better than the last. That was the story of our revamped California trip at beautiful Zaca Lake Resort. Tucked into the rolling hills of California wine country, Zaca Lake gave us the perfect setting for a […]

The Breakdown: The biggest obstacle for most people is self-doubt, not age or fitness. Bike touring is possible at almost any age: riders in their 70s and 80s regularly complete long-distance tours. Consistency and commitment matter more than speed or athleticism: being comfortable riding 3–4 hours a day is often enough to tour. Bike tours […]

Outdoor athletes have always been drawn to Duluth. The historic port city on the western tip of Lake Superior has a network of hiking, nordic skiing, and mountain biking trails within five minutes of nearly every house in the city. Twenty years ago, however, if a cyclist wanted to ride the 150 miles northeast to […]

The Breakdown: Bike advocacy is more important than ever Bike advocacy improves safety and infrastructure: Better bike lanes, road design, and traffic policies come directly from cyclist input. Cycling routes boost local economies: Bike tourism generates major spending and supports small communities. Public lands protection keeps routes open: Trails and bicycle touring networks depend on […]

Our journey began in a flurry of barely-contained madness, which is normal for me. In the span of a weekend, I had moved out of my apartment, packed for our bike trip, and finished three lingering work assignments. I ran around the house, shoving things into boxes. By Sunday the car was packed, and we […]

We asked our team what they love most about our European trips, with one rule:  No talking about rides, climbs, and routes. Only the best “off-the-bike” experiences in Europe.  Here’s what they said… Best Pasta: Tuscany, Italy It simply doesn’t get better than Mama Lia’s authentic, homemade pasta. She’s the matriarch of the family that […]

If you’ve been thinking about getting a cycling trip on the calendar this year, now’s a good time to do so! Our trips are 90% full in North America and 95% full in Europe. Check out the trips below to see where we still have a few spots left. Mallorca, Spain May 4 – 10 […]

In March, we represented Adventure Cycling at the League of American Bicyclists’ National Bike Summit in Washington, D.C. And it was nothing short of energizing. From chatting with advocates from across the country to riding the city’s bike infrastructure to meeting directly with policymakers, the event reinforced just how powerful the movement for safer, more […]

Heavy February clouds blanketed the sky as we wound through Marrakech in a taxi. Bus stops sported ugly, peeling posters, and donkey carts sat stalled on the shoulders. Diesel fumes hung heavy, and countless men on squat 100cc motorbikes wove through the sluggish traffic. We’d flown out of Kenya the night before. After exiting the […]

This summer, endurance rider and internet personality Ryan Van Duzer is celebrating Adventure Cycling’s 50th birthday with a cruise down the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route. And we do mean cruise. Unlike his previous GDMBR rides, this one isn’t a race. “I’m definitely going to enjoy the views a bit more,” he says. Still, a […]

Adventure Cycling’s nonprofit mission has always boiled down to one thing: get more people traveling by bike more often. Riding across the country, however, can be daunting — not to mention time consuming. But a bike tour doesn’t have to take weeks. Our Short Routes are a collection of beginner-friendly, 50- to 200-mile tours around […]

Dear Solo or Social, You’re spot on for calling out one of the first decision points of any long-distance bicycle trip. Who will I adventure with, how will the planning get done? There are benefits to booking a guided cycling trip and going solo! I know some cyclists who enjoy planning a bike tour as […]

Ciao a tutti! Hannah Siler here from The Cycling House. I’ve just returned to Montana after a fabulous week in Tuscany, filled with bike riding, incredible food, and spectating one of my favorite pro races – the Strade Bianche! This was our third year running a TCH camp centered around the Strade Bianche, and it […]

Adventuring by bike is inherently sustainable, so give yourself a pat on the back. But you can always do more, and often it’s the simple stuff that pays off big. Decisions like the outfitter you book, the events you attend, and even the trails you choose to tackle can all help protect the places you […]

The rainwater surrounded two lone trees in the Flycatcher Group Area parking lot like an island in a desert ocean. That was two nights before the Jubilee in the Desert kicked off at Catalina State Park near Tucson, Arizona in January, 2026. Campers who arrived early for this once in a lifetime celebration hunkered down […]

There are few other bikes that pair with a particular ride as well as Salsa’s Cutthroat pairs with Adventure Cycling’s Great Divide Mountain Bike Route. Why? Because Salsa designed the bikepacking rig — which will see its third gen model launch in March 2026 — specifically with the GDMBR in mind. Now, one lucky cyclist will win […]

When we went in search of partners for our 50th Anniversary Drop-in Rides, we knew we wanted Tout Terrain to donate a bike for our giveaway celebrating the TransAmerica Trail. But we left it up to them to choose the model they felt was perfect for the TransAm Drop-in rider who would win it. Here’s […]

For some bikepackers, dialing in their packing setup is part of the fun. For others, it’s a frustrating obstacle on the road to adventure. Love it or hate it, there’s no way around it. We all need to outfit our rigs to carry our stuff securely and sensibly before we pedal off into the great […]

Denver’s most adventurous visitors typically don’t stay in town past sunrise. To them, the city is usually just a convenient place to rest their heads and fuel up before heading to the trailheads and chairlifts in the mountains proper. But here’s a secret: Thanks to the metro area’s 850-plus-mile network of protected urban greenways, bringing […]

Spring in Girona is widely considered one of the best times of year to ride in Europe. The weather is ideal for long days in the saddle, the countryside is green and vibrant, and the roads remain relatively quiet before the peak summer season begins. April delivers cool mornings, sunny afternoons, and perfect climbing temperatures […]

Dave Malwitz from Gravelstoke takes us along for an adventure through southeastern Arizona with 7 other guests for the inaugural Chiricahua Gravel trip. The 5-day 4-night tour included four gravel routes that covered 180 miles of desert and Sky Island terrain, including the area’s National Monument. Check out his recap and photos from the adventure […]

Dear Aspiring Continent Traverser, Let me start by saying that, if one really puts their mind to it, pretty much any bike can make it across the country. While there are touring-specific models, many people can accomplish a big tour with the bike they already have. Having said that, there are good reasons why we […]

This story originally appeared in the Winter 2025 issue of Adventure Cyclist magazine. Join today to get yours. Mountain biking in the ’90s was wild. It wasn’t just the neon kits and rigid rigs. It was that nobody knew exactly what was possible on two wheels in the woods, and the bike industry was throwing […]