Detours: Bikepacking, Ultra-Cycling and Adventures by Bike

When you’re chasing big goals, it’s easy to get tunnel vision — to pour everything you have into one idea of what success should look like. What you should do next. How far you should go. The kind of person you should be.This year, artist and bikepack racer Quinda Verheul set out to take on the Triple Crown of bikepacking: the Tour Divide, Colorado Trail Race, and Arizona Trail Race. After the Tour Divide, her year took a turn in a direction she couldn't imagine. In this conversation, Quinda opens up about the pressure to keep proving yourself, the vulnerability of letting go, and the freedom that comes from redefining success on your own terms. We talk about the realities of professional ultra-cycling, the mental and financial load of chasing big races, and the courage it takes to change direction when your goals stop serving you.Follow Quinda on Instagram: @quindaverheul_ Follow Mel on Instagram: @melwwebbFollow Detours on Instagram: @detourscyclingFollow Albion on Instagram: @albion.cyclingUse code DETOURS15 to get 15% off your next order from AlbionIf you love this show please consider pledging your support to sustain producing this show: https://buymeacoffee.com/detourspodcast

There’s a certain magic in firsts — especially your first bikepacking race. They’re full of unknowns, and no matter how much you prepare, nothing ever goes exactly to plan.For Sarah Diekmeyer, a gravel racer with Enough Cycling, this year’s Badlands was her first ultra — a leap into the world of bikepacking races she once thought were only for “other people.” What followed was a crash course in everything that comes with your first ultra: the highs, the hunger, the hallucinations, and the hard lessons learned along the way.In this episode, Sarah shares the unfiltered behind the scenes of her first bikepacking race, from fuelling disasters and sleep deprivation to the small moments of magic that made it all worth it. Follow Sarah on Instagram: @sdiekie_ Follow Mel on Instagram: @melwwebbFollow Detours on Instagram: @detourscyclingFollow Albion on Instagram: @albion.cyclingUse code DETOURS15 to get 15% off your next order from AlbionIf you love this show please consider pledging your support to sustain producing this show: https://buymeacoffee.com/detourspodcast

 Marei Moldenhauer burst into 2025 with a win at the Atlas Mountain Race in February. No doubt eager to build on that early momentum and with big goals on the horizon for the remainder of the year, she was halted in her tracks after an accident skiing left her with a broken leg. The calendar wiped clear, and a long road to recovery ahead, Marei was forced to recalibrate and rebuild from ground zero.In this episode she shares the behind the scenes of building back to form, what she's learned about managing expectations and how she's looking to the future, reimagining how she sets goals.Follow Marei on Instagram: @marei.mol Follow Mel on Instagram: @melwwebbFollow Detours on Instagram: @detourscyclingFollow Albion on Instagram: @albion.cyclingUse code DETOURS15 to get 15% off your next order from AlbionIf you love this show please consider pledging your support to sustain producing this show: https://buymeacoffee.com/detourspodcast

When Roz Osborne signed up for the Silk Road Mountain Race, her motivation was simple: to prove her son wrong.Living in Cornwall with her husband and 12-year-old son, Roz had spent years pouring her energy into family and work. But when she left her job and saw applications open for the race, something inside her clicked. She wanted to do something entirely for herself — not as a mum, or a wife, or an employee, but as Roz.In this episode of Detours, Roz shares her journey from that moment of saying yes out loud, to standing on the start line in Kyrgyzstan, to crossing the finish line two weeks later. She talks about the guilt and joy of chasing a goal that’s purely your own, the challenge of preparing for an ultra as a parent, and the freedom that comes from carving out space for yourself.Before our conversation, you’ll also hear the voice note Roz recorded before the race as part of our Women of SRMR Detours Episode — a message to her future self that still rings true today.Follow Roz on Instagram: @rozosborne Follow Mel on Instagram: @melwwebbFollow Detours on Instagram: @detourscyclingFollow Albion on Instagram: @albion.cyclingUse code DETOURS15 to get 15% off your next order from AlbionIf you love this show please consider pledging your support to sustain producing this show: https://buymeacoffee.com/detourspodcast

After a crash just weeks before the start of the 2024 Transcontinental Race, Cynthia spent months recovering—stitches, broken teeth, and the mental weight of losing the race she’d prepared for. A year later, she returned to the start line determined to give it everything she had.In this conversation, Cynthia reflects on:The steep learning curve of self-routing and how small decisions shaped her raceRacing in one of the deepest women’s fields TCR has ever seenRecovering from a devastating crash and rebuilding confidence on the bikeThe mantras and mental tricks that carried her through the darkest momentsWhat it means to truly embrace the highs and lows, in racing and in lifeIt’s a full-circle moment to have Cynthia back on the pod. If you've been here since the beginning you'll remember her as our original co-host and this pod would not exist without her! Check out Albion's range of products, perfect for the change of season and get 15% off your order with DETOURS15Follow Cynthia on Instagram: @watt_wagon Follow Mel on Instagram: @melwwebbFollow Detours on Instagram: @detourscyclingFollow Albion on Instagram: @albion.cyclingUse code DETOURS15 to get 15% off your next order from AlbionIf you love this show please consider pledging your support to sustain producing this show: https://buymeacoffee.com/detourspodcast

Spend a few minutes with Julie von Gruenigen and you'll hear it right away, she loves riding her bike. On the surface ultra-cycling can feel like it has one recipe for success: sleep little, push past your limits and measure yourself by the podium. But of course, if you dig a little deeper, there's so much more to it.In just a few years, Julie has gone from triathlon to the front of races like Badlands, Traka Adventure, and most recently winning the women's race at the Alps Divide. But she doesn't measure success or meaning from her ranking. In this episode, she shares how she feels like a "spectator" when she's found herself at the front of races, what she's learned about balancing ambition with self-care and while listening to yourself and centering the experience around joy may be the most important skill in bike pack racing.Get your Detours stickers and support the showFollow Julie on Instagram: @julieta.bicicleta Follow Mel on Instagram: @melwwebbFollow Detours on Instagram: @detourscyclingFollow Albion on Instagram: @albion.cyclingUse code DETOURS15 to get 15% off your next order from AlbionIf you love this show please consider pledging your support to sustain producing this show: https://buymeacoffee.com/detourspodcast

Chris Burkard is no stranger to grand adventures. He’s built his career chasing light at the edges of the world, photographing athletes in their element, from the ocean to glaciers, sides of mountains, and continues to test himself on countless expeditions — including a sixteen-day finish at the Tour Divide.But the Silk Road Mountain Race remained an elusive someday ride, shadowed by imposter syndrome, questioning if he really belonged on the startline. This year he took the leap, training with new focus and deep respect for the mountains.Chock full of life lessons, Chris reflects on his time in Kyrgyzstan, the lessons he carried from his time on the Tour Divide, and how he’s learned that fear and readiness can coexist. He shares stories of crushing loneliness — the realization of how far from home and familiarity he really was — and moments of elation, from the tears of relief when the headwind finally broke to the overwhelming joy of reaching the summit of the final pass. Most of all, he reflects on the power of vulnerability, the importance of taking joy seriously, and the truth that so much of what these experiences give us, more often than not, has nothing to do with the bike.Follow Chris on Instagram: @chrisburkard Follow Mel on Instagram: @melwwebbFollow Detours on Instagram: @detourscyclingFollow Albion on Instagram: @albion.cyclingUse code DETOURS15 to get 15% off your next order from AlbionIf you love this show please consider pledging your support to sustain producing this show: https://buymeacoffee.com/detourspodcast

I am back after a month away from home! This is episode is a somewhat chaotic catchup of where I've been, what I've been up to and things I'm looking forward to this fall. Follow Mel on Instagram: @melwwebbFollow Detours on Instagram: @detourscyclingFollow Albion on Instagram: @albion.cyclingUse code DETOURS15 to get 15% off your next order from AlbionIf you love this show please consider pledging your support to sustain producing this show: https://buymeacoffee.com/detourspodcast

We are so back... kinda! We'll be resuming normal episodes next week and want to know, what do you want to hear on Detours? Shoot us a dm @detourscycling or @melwwebb on Instagram, send us an email at thedetourspodcast@gmail.com or comment on Spotify.   Follow Mel on Instagram: @melwwebbFollow Detours on Instagram: @detourscyclingFollow Albion on Instagram: @albion.cyclingUse code DETOURS15 to get 15% off your next order from AlbionIf you love this show please consider pledging your support to sustain producing this show: https://buymeacoffee.com/detourspodcast

In ultra distance bikepack racing, women typically make up just over 10% of the starting line. In recent years, we've begun to see that number grow with a number of efforts popping up to encourage more women to take to the start line and give the sport a go. This year, 30 women will be lining up to take on the Silk Road Mountain race, which is often regarded as the pinnacle of off-road bike pack racing. They'll travel more than 1,900 kilometers across the country, into the high mountains, across rivers and valleys, and into some of the most remote and rugged destinations of Kyrgyzstan. This episode is a celebration of the women lining up this year. They come from all corners of the globe, and it's a spotlight on their individual stories.Dotwatch the 2025 Silk Road Mountain RaceListen to the race podcast Follow Mel on Instagram: @melwwebbFollow Detours on Instagram: @detourscyclingFollow Albion on Instagram: @albion.cyclingUse code DETOURS15 to get 15% off your next order from AlbionIf you love this show please consider pledging your support to sustain producing this show: https://buymeacoffee.com/detourspodcast

The Tour Divide sits on nearly every bikepack racers’ bucket lists—a someday ride. Someday, when there’s more time, more money, more fitness. Someday when it fits neatly into life. But the reality is, there never is a perfect moment to take on a ride of this magnitude. This year, for Jake, “someday” became this year.With just four months to prepare, Jake lined up in Banff for the 2024 Tour Divide, ready to see what he was capable of. Sixteen days and 4,400 kilometers later, he arrived in Antelope Wells, in 19th overall. It was wild to sit at home and watch his dot fly down the Divide, and beyond special to surprise him at the border in Antelope Wells.In this episode, Jake reflects on the reality of chasing a big dream and what it takes to see it through. He shares how he’s learned to find his own rhythm and trust his own instincts, embrace the unknown, and so much more. Plus, we talk about the dynamic of supporting each other’s ultra racing, and what it was like to be on the other side dotwatching.Topics include:The decision to finally go for it—and what training looked like with four months to prepareLearning to race his own raceGear choices, including a bikepacking bags, camping gear and morePeanut butter mud, windstorms, and post office floorsMental lows, unexpected highs, and crossing the finish line after 16 daysWhat he learned about himself out there on the DivideUp next Colorado Trail RaceP.S. If you’re a new listener, Jake is my husband :)Follow Jake on Instagram: @_jakecullen_ Follow Mel on Instagram: @melwwebbFollow Detours on Instagram: @detourscyclingFollow Albion on Instagram: @albion.cyclingUse code DETOURS15 to get 15% off your next order from AlbionIf you love this show please consider pledging your support to sustain producing this show: https://buymeacoffee.com/detourspodcast

Every year, the Flint Hills of Kansas call Rachel Wills back to Unbound XL. At 350 miles, the race is a test of endurance: relentless heat, drivetrain-clogging mud, a horizon that stretches on forever, and a thousand sharp, punchy climbs that chip away at you one by one.Rachel has lined up in five times: finished four, scratched once. And with each ride, she's uncovered a new experience. For her, Unbound XL has become so much more than a race. It’s become a ritual. A way of grounding herself in place, community, and the kind of effort that reveals something new every time.In this episode, Rachel reflects on what’s kept her coming back and how the Flint Hills have shaped her over time. She shares about the power of all women’s spaces like Velocio // Exploro, lessons from big days in the saddle, why tandem wheels are surprisingly great to follow, and the descending advice she picked up from Rebecca Rusch.Topics include:What makes Unbound XL so challenging (and so special)The emotional weight of scratching and coming backGrowth through repetition and ritualRiding with Velocio // Exploro and the power of a women’s teamLetting go of racing for results—and finding something deeperFollow Rachel on Instagram: @rachelawills Follow Mel on Instagram: @melwwebbFollow Detours on Instagram: @detourscyclingFollow Albion on Instagram: @albion.cyclingUse code DETOURS15 to get 15% off your next order from AlbionIf you love this show please consider pledging your support to sustain producing this show: https://buymeacoffee.com/detourspodcast

The pathway into bikepacking isn’t always straightforward—and even with endless routes and resources online, it can still be hard to know where to begin or how to find your people.That’s where Bikepacking Roots comes in: a nonprofit working to make bikepacking more inclusive, accessible, and community-driven.In this episode, Noelle Battle and Danielle Parnes share what it takes to create a truly welcoming ride—from addressing common barriers like gear and confidence to building non-competitive spaces where people can learn, grow, and show up exactly as they are.Topics include: Noelle and Danielle’s very different entries into the sport—and how that shapes the work they do todayTheir BIPOC Bike Adventure Program and it's fuelling grassroots leadership and gear libraries across the U.S.Their Steward Network and how it connects ride leaders, organizers, and route developers across North AmericaTips for planning inclusive, beginner-friendly group ridesWhy their upcoming summits are about so much more than bikepackingResourcesBikepacking Roots WebsiteCommunity Events CalendarBIPOC Bike Adventure ProgramThe Bikepacker's GuideRocky Mountain Summit Sept. 12-15, 2025Get your Detours stickersFollow Bikepacking Roots on Instagram: @bikepackingroots Follow Mel on Instagram: @melwwebbFollow Detours on Instagram: @detourscyclingFollow Albion on Instagram: @albion.cyclingUse code DETOURS15 to get 15% off your next order from AlbionIf you love this show please consider pledging your support to sustain producing this show: https://buymeacoffee.com/detourspodcast

On July 6th, after 21 days, 10 hours and 48 minutes, Molly Weaver rolled into Tower Bridge in London—becoming the first woman to set a world record for circumnavigating mainland Britain by bike, breaking a time that had stood for 40 years.A former Women’s WorldTour rider, Molly stepped away from racing after a crash and burnout in 2017. She found her way into ultra-distance events, chasing big landscapes, solo efforts, and above all, fun. But she never fully committed to going all in. Because when you don’t give it everything, failure can’t quite cut as deep.Still, the feeling lingered: maybe she hadn’t yet seen what she was truly capable of. Maybe her past didn’t have to define her future. This year she decided to go all in, chasing the World Record a World Record. Riding 7,732 kilometers around the edge of Britain would take structure, discipline, and belief. And in the process, the effort itself became a form of healing.In this episode, Molly shares the story behind the ride, how she rebuilt her relationship with trying, how her crew carried her through the hardest days, and how raising money for the RNLI gave the effort meaning beyond herself.Topics include:Circumnavigating mainland Britain by bikeSetting a world record and what it really takesHealing through structure and sustained effortLetting go of fear and redefining failureThe difference between a self-supported and supported effortFundraising for the RNLI and riding with purposeAnd yes… the dot-watching catGet your Detours stickersIf you're keen to give Albion cycling clothing a go, use DETOURS15 at checkout for 15% off your order.Follow Molly's adventures on Instagram: @mollyweaver94 Follow Mel on Instagram: @melwwebbFollow Detours on Instagram: @detourscyclingFollow Albion on Instagram: @albion.cyclingUse code DETOURS15 to get 15% off your next order from AlbionIf you love this show please consider pledging your support to sustain producing this show: https://buymeacoffee.com/detourspodcast

What do you do when your bike gets swept down a flooded Scottish river, you're soaked to the bone, and miles from the nearest village? Well... you'll have to listen to find out! Kerry is a blazing-fast Scottish ultra racer with deep roots in mountain biking. After racing the Highland Trail 550 for the first time in 2024, finishing just under three hours off the women’s record, she came back in 2025 with her eyes set on it. What followed was an absolutely nail-biting race between her and eventual women's winner Emma Bateup (our last guest), with both women pushing the pace through torrential rain, flash floods, and highland bog. In this conversation, Kerry breaks down what really happened out there: from stormy river crossings to the moment her bike got pulled away by the current, and the long, cold walk that followed. We talk about how she's built an off-road racing life while juggling three jobs, her past as an elite mountain biker and triathlete, and how she's navigating what it means to race fast, chase joy, and tell stories that bring others along for the ride.Topics include:Highland Trail 550Racing with joy vs. racing to win, and why it’s not either/orFueling, body image, and strength in endurance sportSharing the dots and building community through storytellingWorking three jobs while riding at the top level of bikepackingGet your Detours stickersIf you're keen to give Albion cycling clothing a go, use DETOURS15 at checkout for 15% off your order.Follow Kerry's adventures on Instagram: @kerrymacphee Follow Mel on Instagram: @melwwebbFollow Detours on Instagram: @detourscyclingFollow Albion on Instagram: @albion.cyclingUse code DETOURS15 to get 15% off your next order from AlbionIf you love this show please consider pledging your support to sustain producing this show: https://buymeacoffee.com/detourspodcast

The summer racing season in the world of ultra and bikepacking is in full swing! In this episode, I’m catching you up on what’s been happening and what's ahead. From surprising Jake at the finish of the Tour Divide (yes, I cried... so much crying!) to managing media at Hellenic, it’s been a full few weeks. I share women's racing highlights from this season so far, including Tour Divide, Highland Trail 550, Hellenic Mountain Race, Kromvojoj, El Piri, and the Trans Balkans Race. I also look ahead to what’s coming next: Bright Midnight, Transcontinental Race where nearly 100 women(!!!) will be lining up this year. and of course, the Silk Road Mountain Race. Even though I won’t be racing this year, I’m excited to return to Kyrgyzstan for a third time and be back in the ultra bubble with the media crew. And inevitably, I’ve missed some races—so if there’s a standout story you think should be featured, I’m all ears.Plus, I want to hear from you. If you’ve been on an overnighter, a big summer ride, or a bikepacking trip you’re proud of, send me a voice note to thedetourspodcast@gmail.com I’d love to feature your stories on the show and celebrate adventures big and small.Follow Mel on Instagram: @melwwebbFollow Detours on Instagram: @detourscyclingFollow Albion on Instagram: @albion.cyclingIf you love this show please consider pledging your support to sustain producing this show: https://buymeacoffee.com/detourspodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Follow Mel on Instagram: @melwwebbFollow Detours on Instagram: @detourscyclingFollow Albion on Instagram: @albion.cyclingUse code DETOURS15 to get 15% off your next order from AlbionIf you love this show please consider pledging your support to sustain producing this show: https://buymeacoffee.com/detourspodcast

Emma Bateup is no stranger to going full send into the deep end. Whether it's tossing her bike across a flooded river or screaming into the Scottish mountains during a low moment, she’s all in. Just a couple of years into ultra racing, Emma already has a resume that includes wins in the women's race at Tour te Waipounamu, a fourth overall at the Great Southern Brevet, and now a breakout performance at the 2025 Highland Trail 550—where she won the women’s race and placed 7th overall.In this episode, Emma shares the story behind that ride, from chasing records to losing her multi-tool in a creek and navigating Scotland’s notorious river crossings. We talk about fuelling mistakes (pro tip: never skip a resupply), what happened when her chafing hit code red, and how close competition can unlock your best performance, even if your rival’s rain jacket is way too easy to spot.We also get into her journey into bikepacking, how ultra racing compares to enduro and XC racing, and why she thinks crying is a superpower. Emma’s energy is contagious, and this conversation is full of laughs, honest reflections, and the kind of type-two stories that make you want to grab your bike and go.Topics include:Emma’s 2025 Highland Trail 550 win (and the chaos along the way)Racing head-to-head with Kerry MacPheeRiver crossings, hail storms, and a tragic lost multi-toolHer first ultra at Tour Te Waipounamu and what she’s learned sinceThe trade-offs of ambition, joy, and full-time racingCoaching kids, racing XC, and what’s next Follow Emma's adventures on Instagram: @em_b8upFollow Mel on Instagram: @melwwebbFollow Detours on Instagram: @detourscyclingFollow Albion on Instagram: @albion.cyclingHosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Follow Mel on Instagram: @melwwebbFollow Detours on Instagram: @detourscyclingFollow Albion on Instagram: @albion.cyclingUse code DETOURS15 to get 15% off your next order from AlbionIf you love this show please consider pledging your support to sustain producing this show: https://buymeacoffee.com/detourspodcast

I've been getting loads of questions as this year's Tour Divide is underway – who is Nathalie Baillon? After leading for the first 4 days of the race, she suffered a major mechanical just after Fleecer Ridge, forcing her to return to Butte and get a new wheel. Back on the road, she's chasing hard to catch Lael Wilcox. Both women are ahead of Lael's record pace, and gunning to be the first woman to reach Antelope Wells. Originally released in March 2024, in this episode Nathalie shares about her entry into the world of ultra-racing and offers a deep dive on her mindset as a racer. She has quite an impressive resume, including joint first woman at Silk Road Mountain Race in August 2023, the fastest woman to ride across Europe, second woman at Atlas Mountain Race 2024 and more. I hope you'll join me in cheering her (and the rest of the Tour Divide racers) on. Watch the dots hereFollow Nathalie's on Instagram: @nathalie_baillonFollow Mel on Instagram: @melwwebbFollow Detours on Instagram: @detourscyclingFollow Albion on Instagram: @albion.cycling Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Follow Mel on Instagram: @melwwebbFollow Detours on Instagram: @detourscyclingFollow Albion on Instagram: @albion.cyclingUse code DETOURS15 to get 15% off your next order from AlbionIf you love this show please consider pledging your support to sustain producing this show: https://buymeacoffee.com/detourspodcast

Each year, on the second Friday in June, hundreds of riders gather outside the YMCA in Banff, Alberta, to begin what’s widely considered bikepacking’s most iconic ultra-endurance race: the Tour Divide. Riders follow the Continental Divide across 4,400 kilometers, tackling rugged dirt roads, remote wilderness, high mountain passes, and variable weather on their way to Antelope Wells, New Mexico.While more women take to the start year after year, they still only make up ~10% of participants. In 2025, 29 of the 238 riders registered on Trackleaders are women. This episode of Detours is dedicated to those women.In an effort to celebrate the women of this year’s Tour Divide, and to inspire more to line up in the future, I collected voice notes from riders across the globe—sharing who they are, why they’re racing, and what brought them to this start line. Inevitably, I wasn't able to capture everyone's voices despite my best efforts and internet sleuthing.You’ll hear from first-timers, returning riders, dot-watching converts, and those chasing the Tour Divide women’s record. Their stories speak to why representation matters, why adventure is worth the risk, and why more women belong at the start line.I hope you'll join me in cheering them on and watching their dots as they make their way from Banff to Antelope Wells.Follow the dots here Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Follow Mel on Instagram: @melwwebbFollow Detours on Instagram: @detourscyclingFollow Albion on Instagram: @albion.cyclingUse code DETOURS15 to get 15% off your next order from AlbionIf you love this show please consider pledging your support to sustain producing this show: https://buymeacoffee.com/detourspodcast

I'm out in the field reporting from the Hellenic Mountain Race and dropping daily episodes through June 1st! If you're after your bikepacking, ultracycling, and adventure fix, head over to the Mountain Races podcast and subscribe so you don’t miss a thing.Detours will be back with regularly scheduled programming the first week of June!Listen to the Mountain Races Podcast on Spotify, Apple and wherever you get your podcasts. Follow @hellenicmountainrace on Instagram for daily visual updates throughout the race. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Follow Mel on Instagram: @melwwebbFollow Detours on Instagram: @detourscyclingFollow Albion on Instagram: @albion.cyclingUse code DETOURS15 to get 15% off your next order from AlbionIf you love this show please consider pledging your support to sustain producing this show: https://buymeacoffee.com/detourspodcast