I felt the mist as goosebumps gathering on my arms before I could make it out visually in the moonless darkness. I glanced at my Garmin to recognize mile 155.5; start of the infamous Little Egypt Rd. The spot where, earlier that week, a chance encounter with filmmaker John Mathews had saved me from attempting to ford a turbulent sea of mud slowly baking in … Continue reading Dexter’s Unbound XL Recap
Words and Photos by Justin McKinley The 2025 Tour Divide was memorable for all sorts of reasons. It was my third attempt in as many years. My first two ended before reaching Antelope Wells so when I showed up in Banff this year I knew there was 2700 miles of rugged terrain ahead of me. Every year on the Divide is different with its own … Continue reading JJJJustin’s Tour Divide Recap
Words and Photos by Sam Lewandowski “The acreage of our federal public lands is equivalent to the entire country of Germany seven times over. These lands provide space for hunting, fishing, and leisure activities; wildlife habitats; clean-water protection; sustainable industry; and much more. All for the public. It’s about as profoundly American an idea as you can find: the democratization of land and resources and … Continue reading Bears Ears: In Defense of Public Lands
We have a handful of super rad Otso Ambassadors taking on the Tour Divide this year and we had to take the opportunity to share a bit of each of their stories here. Below you will find bike photo galleries and answers to the questions we all want to ask these types of folks. We hope you enjoy the photos and the reading as much … Continue reading Tour Divide Bike Checks
Words by Stephanie Hall, Photos by Derek Ludwig Let’s first start with some definitions. Definitions: Big Dumb Ride [BDR]:Type 2 fun, a bad idea, usually long, dumb in all the right ways. Vermont Filthy: Friday ride crew, sendy, gnarly rides, kind people. Fat Filthy, 189 miles 27,000ft climbing. Voytek 2: Exactly the right tool for the job. A fast fat bike with ample geometry options … Continue reading Stephanie’s BIG DUMB RIDE (BDR)
Words by Dexter KopasPhotos by Aaron Hardin Howdy, y’all! Stoked to be welcomed into the Otso club. I am 28 years old, live in Tucson, AZ, and I am drawn to Otso for three reasons, which together encapsulate what I love about bikes. The structured component of my biking life is around competition. Over the last three years, I have gone from never racing to … Continue reading Meet Otso Ambassador Dexter Kopas
Otso Ambassador Justin McKinley has been sharing some rad updates on his YouTube channel about his upcoming adventure: The Tour Divide. This will be Justin’s third attempt at the route. This year, he’s chosen to race The Divide on his new Otso Fenrir Ti. Justin recently shared that he got his Fenrir Ti all built up and we couldn’t be more excited about the result. … Continue reading Tour Divide: Ride It with Style
Golden sunlight filtered through the morning fog as 166 racers gathered at the foot of the Andes in the small Chilean town of Coyhaique. This is Across Andes – a 1,000 km (595 mile) self-supported gravel race that weaves through Chile’s diverse landscapes. The 2024 route spotlighted the fjords, rainforests and dry high altitude grasslands of Northern Patagonia. A small group of locals and supporters … Continue reading Winning Across Andes – Becca’s Race Recap
Words and Photos by Sarah Swallow Bicycle travel is an incredible way to explore new places and immerse yourself in cultures around the world. Unlike traditional travel, cycling allows you to bypass crowded tourist hotspots and engage more deeply with a place’s natural landscapes, cultural heritage, and daily rhythms—all at a human-powered pace. Traveling by bicycle is not just about reaching the final destination; it’s … Continue reading A Guide to Bicycle Travel
Words and images by Mark Watson Figuring Out the ‘Packing’ in Bikepacking Bikepacking can encompass rides from overnighters right through to multi-month tours, and consequently a lot of variation in the gear and supplies you carry. I like to adapt my setup to suit the type of trip as well as the length of my packing list. Following are a few tips for streamlining your … Continue reading Pack for the Ride
