Bikepacking

The Kiwi Beervet – Tony Hutcheson’s under-the-radar non-event – blends two of his passions: beer and bikes. Skirting around the Canterbury hinterland, this year’s edition included the obligatory XL days, steep tracks, dubious conditions, and not always conveniently located public houses.

Matariki sees Huw Kingstone and Laurence Mote embark on their ski-bikepacking journey down the length of Aotearoa. Prior to leaving and amidst the mayhem of last minute logistics they found time to answer a few burning questions about their epic trip that will see them bike and ski all 24 Kiwi ski fields.

Huw Kingston spends 5 days on a slice of the Munda Biddi Trail in Western Australia in preparation for the Alpine Odyssey Aotearoa, a 90 day, 4000 kilometre traverse of New Zealand on bikes towing skis. Joined by great mate Laurence Mote (one time Ground Effect staffer) they depart 25 June, plan to ski all 24 Kiwi ski fields en route and raise $75,000 for climate adaptation projects in the South Pacific.

Cati Pearson & Tysin Langridge experience the many stunning highs and lost lows of the Tour du Mont Blanc.

Cati Pearson pedals Coromandel over New Year – packing 120 km and 3000 m of climbing into two days. Nice to burn off New Year's excesses, but her top tip would be to extend the itinerary to three days.

Cati Pearson and crew head off on an old faithful bikepacking overnighter – the Waihāhā Hut Track on the western side of Lake Taupō – spiced up with an unexpectedly challenging hike-a-bike out via Waihora Lagoon.

Joe Houghton tests out the bikepacking/enduro trip combo with a 10 day summer journey from Arthur's Pass to Blenheim. A great shakedown for his 2024 plan to spend three months pedalling across Europe, racing a few Enduro World Cups and the Megavalanche along the way.

In typical understated fashion, Emma Bateup takes us along through the highs, lows and pain of her sub-six day blast down the South Island on Aotearoa’s toughest bikepacking race.

Cati Pearson and Tysin Langridge ride an extended loop from Picton taking in the Waikakaho Track and Nydia Track. Their enduring optimism surviving a Christmas gift of extreme wet weather for much of the trip.

Tony Hutcheson’s troublesome illegitimate Beervet returns to Central Otago with the usual antics and protagnists enjoying mixed weather, new-ish terrain and splendid southern hospitality.

Jimmy Ashby prepares for the 2023 edition of the Three Peaks Bike Race - an unsupported bikepacking event from Vienna to Barcelona via checkpoints in the Dolomites, Massif Central and Pyrenees.

Jimmy Ashby reconnects with the dramatic countryside and engaging culture of SE Asia on a leisurely (by Jimmy’s standards) six week pedal around Thailand, Laos and Vietnam.