Following his first bikepacking trip abroad, a three-week ride across Japan from Tokyo to Kyoto, Riaz Moola reflects on the bike's ability to help overcome the fears of the anxious mind and offers some insights on how he learned to embrace the freewheeling joy of traveling by bike despite being a nervous person. Find his illuminating story with a gallery of film and digital photos here...The post Whee: A Bikepacking Journey Through the Japanese Alps appeared first on BIKEPACKING.com.

'E-Bike Positive' hopes to help people buy safe e-bikes, as survey shows battery safety concerns puts people off buying them

Stage 6 of the Vuelta a Espaa is a very interesting day where the GC is at play in the 3600 climbing meters over Andalucia. Wout van Aert and Lennert van Eetvelt are two of the big favourites for the day and they have given their opinion on the day before the start inside a Carrefour supermarket.W...

The Spindrift 5 AL and CF models are aimed at park, enduro and freeride usePropain Spindrift 5Propain has launched its latest Spindrift iteration the Spindrift 5. There are three models in total, one carbon fibre Continue reading

The officer has agreed to learn from this situation and be more careful when approaching and passing cyclists, the police said following the incident, which also saw an oncoming motorist fail to slow down or move aside for the officer

Stage 5 was a calm day in the Vuelta a Espaa until the final kilometers. There, two EF Education-EasyPost riders went down as they led the peloton. Owain Doull crashed hard but continued the race, but the fall of Rui Costa right behind, whilst initially not looking bad, caused him to abandon. The A...

When I started riding MTB, it seemed like most riders would never consider wearing pants instead of shorts. Even in the winter, Id see photos of riders in shorts slashing through the snow! Nowadays, riding pants have become commonplace and we have a lot of high-quality options to choose from.I got the chance to try out 7meshs updated Glidepath pants this year, and they proved to be a versatile pair. They remain comfortable through a vast temperature range, offer room for kneepads, and are non-restrictive as you pedal.Along with the pants, I was able to test Arcades new A2 belt. The A2 is a stretchy belt with a slim, lightweight plastic buckle. The belt held my pants in place perfectly, but stretched enough to remain comfortable on the trails.7mesh Glidepath Pants:After covering the updated Glidepath pants earlier this year, Ive been riding them since Spring. Initially, I got to ride them in cooler weather and really enjoyed wearing them on chilly Spring days. The Glidepaths are a thin, lightweight warm weather pant, but they still hold heat in more than shorts so Id ride them in anything down to near-freezing temperatures. A little mud and splash resistance is also nice for your legs on those cooler days.Since they are intended for warm weather riding, I tested the Glidepaths in summer temperatures too. I cant say theyre as cool as shorts, but they are the coolest pair of pants Ive ridden in yet. Ive done a few three-hour rides in temperatures from the mid-teens to the low 20s (Celsius) and remained perfectly comfortable. Im sure they would be quite tolerable up to higher temperatures, so the Glidepaths would be a good choice for racers who are required to cover up.These pants have no vents so they rely on their thin fabric to keep you from overheating. Some venting could be a nice addition for really hot rides, but the Glidepaths do stay comfortable in a wide temperature range without them. At no point during my summer rides did I ever stop and think My legs are too hot!.The Glidepaths have a relaxed fit to help ensure free motion, and they did fantastic in this regard. There is no restriction whatsoever to leg motion with the Glidepaths, and they dont fit tight around the waist area either. The lower legs do taper down, and they never once got caught in my chain. The bottom hems are snug enough that they pop over my heels when I pull the pants on, but a small stretch panel makes that easy to do.One thing 7mesh nailed with the Glidepaths was leaving generous room for kneepads. I was able to wear my POC Oseus VPD knees under these pants without them feeling crammed inside, and with no annoying hang-ups as I rode. Opting for a good level of knee protection is possible with these pants.7mesh gave the Glidepaths a great set of waist adjusters. The clips are small and lightweight, but they are easy to use and they dont slip. If somehow these adjusters dont work for you, the Glidepath pants do include belt loops. I didnt need to, but I used the loops to test out Arcades new A2 belt more on that below. The Glidepaths two-button waist closure ensures a secure fit, and I like the traditional zippered fly. As for fit, I am 510 and the medium Glidepaths fit me very well. The waist easily cinched down enough for my slightly under 32 waist, and the legs are long enough that they look a bit bunchy near the bottoms, but that ensures full ankle coverage in any riding position.One thing that didnt impress me about the Glidepaths was their level of water resistance. On an early misty ride, water was beading up on the DWR-coated pants nicely but in direct rain, they didnt last long before getting soaked. I should note that the Glidepaths are not advertised as a waterproof pant, but I had to see how they fended off rain anyway.In light rain, it only took about 20 minutes for water to start soaking through the tops of my knees. Areas of the pants that didnt get directly hit by rain stayed dry, so they do protect from puddle splashes and light mud splatter. In any kind of actual rain, however, these pants will get saturated fairly quickly. I tried one ride in steady rain for 30-40 minutes and came home with my thighs soaked.Another thing I like about the Glidepaths is their pocket layout. You get a fair amount of storage between two hand pockets, which are quite deep, and two zippered side pockets. The zippered pockets will carry a phone or wallet without excessive bouncing or movement, theyre easy to access, and they keep items away from your saddle.I havent taken any nasty spills in the Glidepath pants, but mine arent showing any kind of damage or wear and tearthe Glidepath pants retail for $180. Mens and womens models are available in sizes XS-XXL. Mens color options are Black, Midnight Blue, or Shale. Womens color choices are Black or Shale.Arcade A2 Belt:Conveniently, right after I agreed to test the Glidepath pants I got the offer to try Arcades new A2 belt. If youre not familiar with Arcade they make stretchy belts with lightweight plastic buckles, ideal for active people like hikers and bikers. Ill tell you now, I formerly would have said Id never ride with a belt, but Arcades A2 belt was comfortable enough to forget about completely while riding.Arcade offers the A2 belts in a wide range of color and graphic options. The style I tried out is called the Out of Range, and it features an embroidered mountain landscape.The A2 belts feature a redesigned buckle thats easier to slip through belt loops versus Arcades previous design. I have two of Arcades Ranger Slim belts with the old buckles, and they are prone to catching on belt loops. The new buckle is far easier to work with.The A2 belts buckle is also slightly curved to sit flush against your body. Another nice feature is how the tail of the belt runs along the inside, and is held securely with an elasticized loop so theres nothing left dangling.On the trails, I quickly realized the A2 belt was indeed perfectly comfortable to ride with. Theres enough stretch in the fabric that you never feel any significant tightening, let alone that lock-up point around your waist that normal belts allow.The standard width A2 belt (1.5 wide) has a good amount of holding power, and can easily keep a lightweight pair of riding pants in place. I noticed it did better at holding up a heavier, looser-fitting pair of casual jeans I own. The slim belts I have (1.25 wide) struggled with these pants a bit, but the wider belt held them up just fine. The A2 belt is available in both widths, and if youre buying one for riding shorts Im sure the slim style would do the job.On my first ride with the Glidepath pants, I actually forgot I was wearing the A2 belt. Through all my test rides the buckle always worked easily and reliably, Ive had no problems with the belt stretching out, and without wearing it too tightly it keeps my pants perfectly in place at my waist.If you have a pair of shorts or pants that have belt loops and fit a bit loose, or have waist adjusters you dont like, Arcades A2 belt will keep them up with no discomfort or restriction.The A2 belts retail for $34.95 $37.95. The Standard belt fits up to 40 waists, and some models are available in a Long model that fits up to 50. The post A Spring And Summer With 7meshs Glidepath Pants And Arcades A2 Belt appeared first on Bikerumor.

Lennert van Eetvelt has had a season with injuries but also with an incredible breakthrough. After winning the UAE Tour and finishing third at the Clsica San Sebastin, the Lotto Dstny was close to beating Primoz Roglic on the first mountain stage of the Vuelta a Espaa. However, an early celebrati...

Buckle up because the sixth stage of Vuelta a Espana could become an all-out battle with expected fights to break out for red jersey, stage win and possibly also between GC favourites. Primoz Roglic starts the stage as the overall leader.Follow our Live Blog below:

Ultralight bikepacking and backpacking cook setups have come a long way, but do you need to break the bank to get a reliable one? Neil explores one of the cheapest lightweight stove kits available in our latest video, offering a mini-review of each item and sharing weights and prices. Find his $50 budget camping cook kit here... The post Camping Cook Kit on a Budget: A $50 Ultralight Bikepacking Stove Kit appeared first on BIKEPACKING.com.