April marks the beginning of the year-long Bikepack Every Month Challenge, a community challenge created by long-time bikepacker Kurt Refsnider. After pursuing his own challenge of getting out for at least an overnighter each month in 2025, he’s extending the invitation to share our collective enthusiasm and motivation to detach ourselves from our day-to-day lives, however briefly, for the simplicity and joy of bike camping.
“I’ve been bikepacking and traveling by bike for nearly 20 years, and I can’t believe it took this whole time to finally get out twelve months in a row or how rewarding it was,” Kurt says. “I really wish I had made the effort to do this years ago. And I’m excited to do it again as part of this challenge!”
Participation is completely free, and your monthly bikepacking trips can be whatever you want them to be — pedal to a close-to-home campground for a night, stay in a cabin/motel/rifugio, disappear deep into the backcountry, or perhaps pedal to spend a night at a friend or relative’s house if it’s wintery outside. It’s all bikepacking – just pack the gear you need and get out there.
Why’s the challenge starting in April? Save those colder winter months (at least here in the Northern Hemisphere) for later to let the momentum build.
What if you miss a month? That’s fine – it happens, and you certainly won’t be kicked out of the challenge! Just hop back on your iron horse the next month and pick right back up.
There’s also a suite of prizes with drawings every month and some bigger prizes at the end for folks who get out all 12 months! These include Old Man Mountain racks and kit; Wolf Tooth Components pumps, pedals, and more; Revelate Designs bags each month; a MTB or gravel wheelset from Industry Nine; Fenix Lighting headlamps and handlebar lights, Ride with GPS Premium memberships, Western Mountaineering down booties and sleeping bag, and other goodies from Pivot Cycles and Ergon.