Taunus Bikepacking Podcast

Taunus Bikepacking No. 9 is done. Before everyone heads home, we’re at the finisher party to celebrate. We catch up on the highs, check in with riders as they arrive, and talk about why it's so hard to pack up and leave. Here’s to the Taunus spirit.

Day 6 is a masterclass in resilience. Across the field, the theme is "breakdown": mechanical failures, flat tires, and physical exhaustion haunt the field. Riders are being forced to adapt to a brutal spectrum of conditions, from the draining, stifling intensity of extreme heat to the sudden, jarring chaos of a thunderstorm washout. Yet, the collective spirit remains astonishingly positi...

As the Taunus route reaches a fever pitch, the focus turns to the women’s front-runners. Erika’s tactical masterstroke sees her edge ahead, while Annika remains stoic under the relentless summer sun. Across the region, the rising temperatures turn the town of Limburg into a vital oasis, forcing riders to innovate their cooling strategies. Amidst the physical exhaustion, we delve into the introspec...

The Taunus Bikepacking odyssey reaches a milestone as the first riders cross the finish line. After over three days of relentless terrain, Janek secures the top spot on his third attempt, finally overcoming the technical hurdles of years past. We explore the introspective nature of this event, hearing from riders finding catharsis in the struggle, and those forced to confront the heartbreaking dec...

Day 3: the adrenaline has faded, leaving only the grinding reality of the road. While our mid-pack riders fight their own quiet battles, the race at the front has turned volatile; every mechanical tweak and hour of sleep becomes a tactical move. It's a day where resilience is tested against exhaustion, forcing our riders to find their limits.

The adrenaline of the start line is gone, and now, the real race begins. This is the day the ferry deadline dictates everything. In this episode, we follow our riders as they try to navigate the 'Ferry Factor'; that non-negotiable bottleneck that forces everyone to find out if their "perfect plan" survives reality, or if they’re scrambling to catch a ride that’s already left the dock.

As our riders roll out of the campsite, the real test begins. In this episode, we follow the field as they leave the comfort of the start line and head into the maze of the Taunus. We track the early tactical gambles, the engineering marvels of the custom bike builds, and the deceptive reality of the Rhine ferry bottleneck. As the sun dips below the horizon, the Taunus shows us both its beauty and...

As the Taunus region settles into an electric, nervous energy, the 99 riders have gathered at the Eppstein Project campsite for Registration Day. A leafy, terra-cotta landscape of meticulously prepared bikes, last-minute tire decisions, and the quiet camaraderie of a field preparing to be swallowed by the course. In this episode, Ross and Paola capture the final hours before the start line. We nav...

Welcome to the Taunus Bikepacking Adventure podcast — a daily audio dispatch from the heart of one of Europe’s most beautiful and well hidden ultra-cycling events. As 99 nervous riders gear up for the ninth edition of the event, Paola Handley and Ross Brannigan are ready to deliver a second batch of podcast episodes. In this preview episode, we talk to a whole new generation of riders lining up th...

On the final day, the road turns inward. As wheels stop spinning, something deeper begins to move. Grief, growth, and quiet revelations surface in the stillness. New friendships spark, old defences soften, and shared joy weaves through the closing hours. In this space between ending and beginning, the Taunus leaves its mark.

The third fastest woman finishes and attention shifts to the characters and stories the mid pack, where riders are ‘touring mode’ to squeeze as much as possible from the final hours of experience.

Two mothers finish in the top 10 - one driven by the chase, the other riding her own race. Behind them, a pack of women battle for the final podium place as the finish draws near. Emotions surface, reflections settle in, and one rider’s crash leads to an unexpected discovery.

The first rider of this edition has crossed the line. This episode follows his final moments and the calm resolve of the podium: three riders defined by humility as much as speed. Beyond the front of the race, we hear from those still moving — riders pushing through illness, doubt, and the parts of the course that test more than legs. One rider in particular discovers strength where she didn’t exp...

At a glance, it’s the same road—but inside the Taunus Bikepacking Adventure, two very different worlds unfold. One is a relentless solo mission: riders pushing themselves to the edge in pursuit of personal limits and checkpoint glory. The other is slower, warmer—built around shared stories, quiet laughs, and long climbs with friends. In this episode, we visit Gunther’s Place , a small café transfo...

As the Taunus Bikepacking Adventure rolls into its second day, pairs of riders are starting to form — alliances built on shared rhythm, mutual grit, and long hours on the bike. The leader has now reached Checkpoint 2, marking the halfway point of his journey. Along the way, riders have carved their way through sun-soaked vineyards and sleepy villages, but the strain is beginning to show. Bodies ar...

The Taunus Bikepacking Adventure rolls out under heavy rain, turning nervous excitement into soaked reality. But as the skies clear, riders begin to find their rhythm on the steep, winding roads of the region. In this episode, we follow the early hours of the race—through first punctures, scrapes and crashes, and the brutal gradients that define the Taunus terrain. Along the way, bonds are formed...

The adventure begins! In this pre-race episode, we drop into the buzzing atmosphere of registration day at the Taunus Bikepacking Adventure. Riders from around the world arrive, check in, and meet their fellow adventurers. We capture the nerves, excitement, and quiet confidence as bikes get prepped, dots go live, and stories start to unfold. It’s the calm before the storm—and the perfect moment to...

Welcome to the Taunus Bikepacking Adventure podcast — a daily audio dispatch from the heart of one of Europe’s most beautiful and well hidden ultra-cycling events. This is our preview episode — a chance to set the scene, meet the voices behind the ride, and understand what drives people to push themselves, alone and unsupported, across the rugged spine of Germany. Over the coming days, we’ll bring...