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Bikepacking Through the North Dakotan Badlands
Plus, a 77 year-old mountain biker and Stats for the Nerds
Sam Westby
October 24, 2025
Welcome to the Bike Bulletin, sending you into the weekend in a better mood than when your boss lets you out early.
On Tuesday, I got back from a whirlwind trip to Utah where I was watching Red Bull Rampage. It’s the gnarliest freeride mountain bike event. 1/3 of runs ended in crashes and two competitors had to be airlifted to a hospital. That all seems par for the course while they’re hitting blind 50 foot drops and front flipping canyon jumps.
Here are some highlight videos for the Men’s Competition and Women’s Competition.
—Sam Westby @samcwestby
This is a weekly newsletter about bike trips, urban cycling, and a love for two-wheeled transit. The more time you spend on a bike, the better.
Here’s what we have today.
🌍 RIDE: The Maah Daah Hey Trail
💡 TIP: Tube Size Doesn’t Matter
🎥 WATCH: A 77 Year-Old Mountain Biker
📰 NEWS: Millions of Euros saved and new ridership records
ROUTE ON MY RADAR
The Maah Daah Hey Trail
Here’s what you’d be getting yourself into.
144 miles (232 kilometers) through the Badlands of North Dakota
Singletrack — hardtail mountain bike is your best bet
“Maah Daah Hey” is a phrase in a local tribe’s Mandan language. It loosely translates to “an area that has been or will be around for a long time”.
No motors allowed on this route, just walking, biking, and horseback riding.
Designated campsites every 20 miles with potable water at some.
Official Website: https://mdhta.com
BIKE TIP
Tube Size Doesn’t Matter
I’ve put a 27.5 inch tube in a 29 inch tire. I’ve put 23 mm tubes in 40 mm tires. They’re rubber, so don’t stress the stretchy stuff.
Is it preferred to have the right size tube? Yes. (Although it’s my preference to be tubeless). When you’re stranded hundred of miles into the Maah Daah Hey Trail and a kind stranger offers you the wrong size tube, you’ll probably be fine.
WHAT I’M WATCHING
Shredding with a 77 Year Old Mountain Biker
If you love something, keep doing it. Don’t let age convince you to stop. When you’re 90, you’ll think 70 is young. North Shore Betty started mountain biking in her 40s and is a centerpiece to the U.S.’s Pacific Northwest mountain bike community
Watch the 26-minute video on YouTube.
21,817. The number of bicycle trips in a single day on a new route in Paris. It’s a new record. (Momentum Mag)
€305 Million. The estimated annual economic boost attributed to bike-share in Europe. (Cities Today)
$481 Million. The estimated annual amount saved in Austin, Texas, attributed to Vision Zero projects. Fewer accidents means lower costs. What a concept. (Community Impact)
$375,505. The estimated cost of 1 mile of highway in South Carolina. For context, 1 mile of protected bike lane only costs around $50,000. (Bloomberg)
Cargo Bikes. North County Public Radio put together a piece about parents switching from minivans to cargo bikes. Kids love the ride. Parents love the convenience. No more waiting school drop off lines. (NCPR)
Sweeping Beauty. The name of a new bike lane cleaner in Los Angeles. They will use it to clean Hollywood Boulevard bike lanes twice per month. (The Eastsider)
Bullying. Denver business owners who oppose local bike lanes are claiming that they are being threatened by bike advocate boycotts. I think it’s a good idea to spend my money at places that align with my values. (Denver Gazette)
A Note From Sam
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