Our Features

DotWatcher 2024 Roundup

A roundup of some of the most exciting races in 2024, with a spread of events across the globe. Take a look at what went down at some of the biggest races of the year.

By: Beccy Waters

By: Nicky Shaw

By: Kitty Dennis

2024 DotWatcher Awards

2024 has been a busy year, the Triple Crown Challenge record has fallen, we've dotwatched over 50% more races than last year, and we've seen some exciting new talent emerge. Take a look to see the People's Choice, Best DotWatcher, Best Race Documentation and more.

By: Amanda Wishart

By: Kitty Dennis

Winter Watching 2024

A selection of race films and athlete endeavours from 2024, perfect for the longer nights in the Northern Hemisphere or on your turbo trainer.

By: Kitty Dennis

The Triple Crown Challenge

The Bikepacking Triple Crown is comprised of three routes: the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route, the Arizona Trail, and the Colorado Trail. Completing all three in a lifetime earns a rider a place on the Triple Crown Finisher list. The Challenge, does this all in one season.

By: Beccy Waters

By: Kitty Dennis

Bikes Of GranGuanche Audax Trail 2024

The fourth edition of the Granguanche Audax Trail: an unpaved route across the Canary Islands with considerable elevation gain. With a rich variety of terrain to contend with, the route calls for hardtail MTBs, or monster-cross gravel bikes with low gearing.

Bikes of Across Andes: Patagonia Verde 2024

Into the depths of Chilean Patagonia they go! The gravel roads of this forested and beautiful corner of Chile call. Riders will pass through the fjords and forests of Patagonia Verde on this 950km route.

Travelling With A Bike

A detailed guide for packing your bikepacking bike into a cardboard box for travel by aeroplane or train, and then advice on how to get it home safely at the other end.

Bikes Of Peninsular Divide 2024

The Peninsular Divide takes riders through all terrains and the hot wet weather of rainy season. A mix of challenging terrain and smooth roads means there's plenty of ways to have both the right and the wrong bike for the job.

Bikes of the Tour de Farce 2024

Welcome to the most unorthodox Bikes of feature we’ve ever released! Enjoy browsing below to see some standout drawing skills from a handful of bikepackers and an insight into the first of the quirks of the unique Tour de Farce.

By: Beccy Waters

Bikes of Two Volcano Sprint 2024

After a year hiatus, 2VS will be held as a free-route for the first time ever since its inception. A selection of the riders' chosen weapons for the roads between Italy's Mount Vesuvio and Etna; those who have successfully balanced lightweight and well-equipped will prevail.

Badlands 2024: Race Report and Winner

By: Rob Britton

By: Beccy Waters

Bikes of the Goats 2024

The Goats is a 740km gravel cycling challenge in the heart of Portugal. With the late season start and a selection of dirt roads to tackle, climbing 17,500m overall, this race has enticed gravel riders into one last challenge this season.

DotWatcher Guide to Hydration Bladder Maintenance

How to clean and maintain your hydration bladder, with solutions for a quick home fix to a pre-planned deep clean.

By: Amanda Wishart

Bikes of Istra Land 2024

Istra Land is a non-competitive adventure through Istria County. This event returns for its third year, offering riders a taste of Slovenia, Italy and Croatia’s finest riding on a 400km off-road route.

Five Minutes With...Charlie Stewart

Charlie Stewart is co-founder of Albion, a UK-based cycling apparel company. He is now also an ultra-race winner, finishing Further East 2024 with a time of 33 hours 2 mins 5 seconds. Images by [Harvey Waller ]

By: Ali Macleod

Bikes of Trans Pyrenees Race 2024

This weekend's Trans Pyrenees Race is <2,000km of tarmac, gravel and the rougher stuff traversing the Spanish and French Pyrenees from Girona to the Atantic, and back. Have a browse of the riders’ rigs and equipment to tackle this free route with a healthy dose of climbing.

Bikes of BorderLand 500 2024

A very mixed bag of bikes for the inaugural Borderland500, as some riders are heading out for a 250 or 500 mile bikepacking adventure and others are doing a 150 mile time trial, all through the beautiful roads of North Wales.

Bikes Of Le Pilgrimage 2024

Le Pilgrimage is a gravel race, taking riders through some of the Alps’ most technical terrain, hidden valleys, isolated refuges, and high-altitude mountain lakes. The word 'gravel' is used loosely here, much like the top surface for large portions of the challenging route.

Bikes of SUCH24

The Swiss Ultra Cycling Challenge is a free-route ultra where riders have to pass through all 26 cantons (states) and additional checkpoints dotted around the country. The race always starts at any train station in Switzerland and finishes at the Bundesplatz in Berne.

Bikes of Seven Serpents: Illyrian Loop 2024

Illyrian Loop is an unsupported bikepacking event of about 550 kilometres that will take place in Albania. The route will go through gravel and secondary roads in the most scenic routes of north Albania including reservoirs, forests and cultural heritage and historical sites.

Bikes of Cotswolds 200 2024

Check out the rigs for this unsupported event on the off-road tracks, singletrack, bridleways and everything inbetween along this nook of quintessential England.

Bikes of the Alps Divide 2024

Alps Divide is a mixed-terrain bikepacking route, from the Mediterranean Sea to Lake Geneva, back and forth along the national borders of France, Italy and Switzerland. A journey with high mountain passes, alpine pastures, turquoise lakes, and historic military gravel roads.

Bikes Of Sneak Peaks 2024

The inaugural Sneak Peaks is an unsupported gravel bikepacking race through the Italian Dolomites and the Triglav Mountains in Slovenia. There is some hike-a-bike on the cards for these riders, so let's hope they've got some lightweight setups...

Bikes of Supergrevet Vienna-Berlin 2024

The Supergrevet Vienna-Berlin follows the pioneering passion of those who rode the original event in 1893. While the route deviates slightly due to changes in the roads over the past 130 years, the spirit and flair remains.

Bikes of Supergrevet Munich-Milan 2024

The Munich-Milan gravel event revives a long-forgotten classic that is considered a pioneering event for crossing the Alps by bike. A ride through history, but what's the best modern-day machine?