Detours: Bikepacking, Ultra-Cycling and Adventures by Bike

Jan 30 2025 41 ep. 78 mins 60
Detours: Bikepacking, Ultra-Cycling and Adventures by Bike Podcast artwork

Hosted by ultra endurance and adventure cyclist Mel Webb, Detours brings you stories from inside the world of bikepacking and ultra cycling, featuring racers, community members, race directors and more. This show is about celebrating the journey, and the detours along the way, as much as the destination. We're especially passionate about providing space for folks that identify as women to share their stories and hope to inspire more people to ride bikes.

Presented by Albion Cycling

Have a topic you'd like us to cover? A guest you think we should interview? We'd love to hear from you! Please shoot us an email at [email protected]

If you love the show and want us to keep making it, consider becoming a supporter at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/detourspodcast

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Racing Free: Mascha Wahlig on Confidence & Mental Strength

Jan 30 2025 66 mins  
"I want to finish with a big smile on my face."That’s Mascha Wahlig’s goal for the 2025 Atlas Mountain Race. Last year, Mascha lined up at Atlas Mountain Race, her second-ever ultra-endurance bikepacking event. She was fast, pushing herself to the limit, but she was also overwhelmed. The intensity of the race, the sheer number of riders, and the pressure she put on herself—it

Riding in the Moment with Marei Moldenhauer

Jan 22 2025 69 mins  
In this episode, I chat with Marei Moldenhauer—a rising star in ultra-cycling and bikepacking. Marei balances a demanding career as a doctor while excelling in the world of endurance racing. Her recent accomplishments include winning the women’s race at Bright Midnight in Norway (where she also finished fourth overall!!!) and finishing second just two and a half hours behind th

BIG NEWS! Mel's reflections on 2024 and what's in for 2025

Jan 10 2025 43 mins  
We’ve got some big news! I am so so stoked to share that Detours is now presented by Albion Cycling. They’ve been fans of the show since day one and to have their support feels pretty darn cool.In this solo episode, I reflect on a transformative 2024—a year defined by big goals, unexpected detours and a ton of personal grown.Through listener questions, I share more about the

Alexandera Houchin on racing with heart and 10 years of bikepacking

Dec 12 2024 91 mins  
When I think of women in bikepacking, Alexandera Houchin is one of the first people that comes to mind. She’s raced the Tour Divide countless time and been a steadfast figure in encouraging more women to take on these big challenges. As an Indigenous woman and member of the Fond du Lac tribe, becoming a sponsored athlete, heck an athlete at all, was not necessarily a pathway she

Theo Kelsey-Verdecchia on creating the Golden Horseshoe bikepacking route

Dec 05 2024 83 mins  
In this episode, Mel chats with Theo Kelsey-Verdecchia, ultra-endurance cyclist and creator of the Golden Horseshoe bikepacking route in Ontario. Theo shares how he designed this epic 1,600 km route to showcase Ontario’s hidden gems—from rugged singletrack to remote backcountry trails. He talks about racing vs. touring mindsets, balancing challenge with accessibility, and the j

Leanne Bentley: Alps Divide 2024 women's winner and bag maker at Carrie Gere

Nov 27 2024 75 mins  
In this episode, we chat with Leanne Bentley, an ultra-distance cyclist and creative living in the Netherlands. She is also the maker behind the bikepacking bags of Carrie Gere. Originally from the UK, Leanne shares her path from childhood cycling clubs to taking on the world of ultra-racing. She gives us a peek into her early cycling days with fun stories from car parks and grass

Justinas Leveika on racing the Triple Crown Challenge: Tour Divide, Colorado Trail & Arizona Trail

Nov 19 2024 91 mins  
Justinas is back on Detours sharing all about his wild 2024 season where he set a new record on the Triple Crown of bikepacking: The Tour Divide, Colorado Trail Race and Arizona Trail Race. Justinas completed all three of these races in a cumulative time of 25 days, 5 hours, and 30 minutes (2d:13h:3m ahead of Jay Petervary’s record from 2015). We caught up while he was recovering

Emma Missale, bike messenger World Champion, on her first year bikepack racing

Oct 24 2024 75 mins  
This past year Emma Missale has burst onto the bikepack racing scene, landing herself second on the podium at both the Hellenic and Silk Road Mountain Races. By day, Emma is a bike messenger in Copenhagen and is a three time bike messenger world champion! In this episode she shares all about life as a bike messenger, how she found bikepacking and everything she's learned in her fir

Jade Simpson-Field on a life of big adventures & the Silk Road Mountain Race

Oct 16 2024 79 mins  
Jade Simpson-Field is an adventurer and bikepacker from Leeds who’s made a habit of squeezing in massive adventures around her "normal boring life." Jade’s love for riding her bike is infectious and she’s no stranger to tackling some of the toughest endurance races out there (all while wearing sandals!)—even when imposter syndrome tries to creep in.We talk about her journey

Stephen Shelesky on photographing the Silk Road Mountain Race

Oct 03 2024 99 mins  
Stephen Shelesky is commercial outdoors photographer who has shot for some of the biggest brands in the space and some of the world's best skiiers. He's also an ultra racer. Just one week before he was meant to race the Silk Road Mountain Race for the second time, he was asked to join the media team and photograph the race instead. This would be his first time shooting a bikepackin