About Us

Bikepacking is a fun way to mix mountain biking and minimalist camping, which became a thing back in 2003. There are many appealing things about bikepacking if you are into mountain biking, camping, and going on adventures, and you want to do that with a low budget. You can do some traveling and save money by bikepacking instead of relying on car expenses. In addition to that, you will become fit and healthy by bikepacking.

The fact that bikepacking is popular is the reason behind the establishment of Bikepackers Magazine. The resource will feature tips and tricks when it comes to bikepacking. You will gain advice from the guides and the best and highly recommended gear to use, and the right bikes to invest in based on the type of bikepacking adventure you take. Bikepackers Magazine’s contributors include an avid hiker with a hiking background, a traveler with a backpacking background, and someone with a wilderness travel background who provides outdoor education. Bikepackers Magazine’s founder is a bicycling expert who is also a bike store salesman and a chief editor.

Nicholas Mancini

Nicholas Mancini was born and raised in Sudbury, Ontario, Canada, and ever since he was young, he struggled with his weight. After watching his grandfather suffer from heart disease and diabetes, Nicholas did not want that to happen to him. In his teens, he developed an interest in hiking and knew that would help him stay in good health. He found a few friends who would go for hiking training, and in college, Nicholas joined a local Hiking Club and Trail Association.

Nicholas became a high school teacher and taught his students about the importance of the physical activity to improve health and overall well-being. During his time off, he would take the time to go hiking in different Canada, the United States, Mexico, and Europe. Not long after Nicholas entered his teaching profession, he met his wife, also an avid hiker and a backpacker. Together they go on many bikepacking trips, and they cannot get enough of them. That is why Nicholas enjoys contributing helpful content regarding hiking to Bikepackers Magazine.

Nicholas and his wife live in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, and when he is not teaching or hiking, he enjoys cooking up healthy recipes. He wants to be in tip-top health to enjoy his bikepacking and hiking experiences for a long time.

Art Russel

Art Russel was born and raised in Boston, Massachusetts, and never cared for the city life. His parents enjoyed going out to the outskirts to camp once in a while, and he loved his camping experiences from when he was a child. Art enjoys spending time in the outdoors and also expressed an interest in doing some hiking and traveling. During the summers of when he was in high school, Art and his friends traveled across the country. They did rough it as they were backpacking and loved it. Eventually, Art backpacked across Europe and South America. When he got into bikepacking, he loved it even more.

Art had a chance to do that before he went to college. During Art’s time off from working as a manager at a fishing gear shop, he does plenty of bikepacking in different parts of the country. Art enjoys the single life and currently lives in the outskirts of Albany, New York. He often visits the Catskills to go hiking and backpacking there as well. Art is also a lover of astrology, and he says he loves traveling, backpacking, and roughing it because of his ‘Aries Sun, Sagittarius Moon, and Virgo rising.’ He is a worthwhile contributor to Bikepackers Magazine as well.

Sarah Reed

Sarah Reed was born and raised in Columbus, Ohio, and developed her love for camping when she joined Girl Scouts. She learned how to handle an emergency outdoors if she needed it. And she used an opportunity to help a friend out during a camping trip during high school when an emergency popped up. Aside from camping, Sarah also loves spending time outdoors, even for a day outing. After college, a friend of hers introduced her to bikepacking, and fell in love with it quickly.

Sarah did a lot of bikepacking after college and spent much of her time outdoors. Today, Sarah lives in Erie, Pennsylvania, and manages a restaurant. She is married with two kids and two German Shepherds. When she is not working, she spends quality time with her family by the lake and goes on plenty of camping trips. She is a valuable contributor to Bikepackers Magazine.

Jessica Stephenson

Jessica Stephenson was born and raised in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. She developed a love for camping and the wildlife at a young age. She still has so many fond memories of when she was part of Girl Scouts and started going camping with her friends during high school. Jessica was also a counselor of Girl Scouts and other camps during the summertime.

She attended the Milwaukee Area Technical College to take the Lodging And Hospitality course. From that point, Jessica did plenty of camping and traveling in the wilderness on all seven continents. Jessica had the desire to become an outdoor educator, and she took courses on how to become that at a school in Colorado. Jessica speaks to kids and adults about outdoor education at schools, conservation parks, and museums. She is a worthwhile contributor to Bikepackers Magazine.

Jessica currently lives in Boulder, Colorado, and is a married mom of three boys who enjoys playing the drums.

Sean McCloud

Sean McCloud was born and raised in Salt Lake City, Utah, and his parents owned a sporting equipment business. He showed interest in the company, and his father used to take him for bike rides when he was small. During his youth, Sean also enjoyed riding his bike and learning about different bikes. He recommended the best bikes for his friends if they were interested in investing in them.

Sean went to the University of Utah and majored in marketing. That was also a time when he began entering bicycle tournaments, and even though he did not win many of them, that was the highlight of his life. Sean also had a fondness for camping and began bikepacking as well. After graduation, Sean worked as a bicycle shop manager and remained there until he found his wife. After settling in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Sean got a job as a salesman at a bike shop and is good at what he does. Sean also founded Bikepackers Magazine, is the chief editor, and found great contributors to share their camping, traveling, and outdoor expertise.

When Sean is not working, he enjoys spending time with his wife, three sons, and Golden Doodle, and they go camping often.