Following Taipei Cycle Show, WTB employees Clayton Wangbichler (public relations) and Will Ritchie (drop bar OEM sales) are bikepacking through the Khumbu and Gaurishankar regions of Nepal. The group will fly into Lukla, Nepal where they will combine a Gokyo trek with a hopeful shot at the Rolwaling Valley over Tashi Laptsa Pass at just shy of 19,000 feet. They will connect the greater Everest region to Kathmandu in a trip to raise funds through a Dutch NGO to help rebuild Nepal from its disastrous 2015 earthquake.
The bikes will be equipped with WTB's newly launched Ranger 2.25 29” TCS Tough tires, providing a reliable multi-condition compliment to the diversity of terrain and weather the group will face. Following the trip, each Pinnacle bike will be auctioned off with funds donated to the Smart Shelter Foundation, a Dutch NGO with a 2015 earthquake rebuild program.
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Intrigued by bikepacking in Nepal? It'll likely involve a situation where the bike is bigger than the cargo area of the plan. Somehow, they make it fit.
Safety first when flying to "the world's deadliest airport" in Lukla, Nepal.
Tough, tough, tough. Everything in Nepal is tough. It only made sense for us to bring along TCS Tough tubeless tires. Especially the new Ranger 2.25.
We attracted quite the crowd of onlookers as we loaded up our bikes and headed out.
How to get in the good graces of baggage officials in Nepal: let them ride your bike.
The side of bikepacking that is rarely shown, yet makes up for a large part of the experience.
We stopped to get some momos (Tibetan dumplings) for lunch and the kids came running to our bikes.
WTB's drop bar category manager show us how to get it done while FULLY loaded. Guess how many pounds he's carrying?
Ben Mills on the descent directly outside of the Lukla airport. Mellow sections like this one were scattered between steep and uneven steps.
Everything is blooming here in the Khumbu region of Nepal!
Inspiring a future Nepalese sender. This little boy cried with laughter every time he squeezed the tires. He understands the importance of tubeless.
James Olsen, product manager for Pinnacle Bikes, brought along a Sharpie for the kids to draw all over his bike. Looking forward to what it looks like at the end of the trip!
Road block! Yak says, "You shall not pass!" Nerd alert.