Seek Travel Ride
Bella Molloy
<p>Seek Travel Ride shares the stories and experiences of people who have undertaken amazing adventures on a bicycle. From crossing state borders on a bikepacking trip, or mountain ranges during an ultra cycling race, through to traversing countries or continents on a transformative bicycle tour; through our guest interviews we seek to share that spirit of adventuring on two wheels with our listeners.</p>
- 40 minutes 44 secondsFrom Delhi to the Himalayas by Bike. Annapurna, Altitude and a Broken Collarbone |Olly Hargreaves
You are descending from the Annapurna Circuit when one pothole changes everything. A crash, a broken collarbone, and the ride comes to an abrupt halt.
In this midweek update, Olly Hargreaves shares what it was like cycling through India and Nepal. He drops us right into the chaos of riding out of Delhi before reaching the huge peaks of the Himalayas in Nepal. He talks through the aftermath of his accident, a week in hospital, and how quickly long-term bike travel plans can shift.
I also give a shout out to listeners who have been sharing their must-see places, taking us from Japan to Iceland and beyond.
You can follow Olly's journey via his instagram - @Sagas.of_Olly.Hargreaves
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- Instagram - @SeekTravelRide
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- YouTube - @SeekTravelRide
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Seek Travel Ride Music Playlist available now on both Spotify or Apple Music17 February 2026, 6:00 am - 1 hour 37 minutesBikepacking From China to Belgium | Xiao
Ever thought about bikepacking across multiple countries?
In this episode, I chat with Belgian bikepacker Xiao, known online as @Ciao_Xiao, who set off on a long journey from China back to Belgium.
Xiao first got into bike travel as a teenager, riding with his mum and later heading off with friends when time was plentiful and money was not. That curiosity eventually grew into a much bigger ride, beginning in eastern China and unfolding west through Central Asia.
In this conversation, we talk about:
- How early bike trips shaped the way Xiao travels
- What it is really like to cross China by bike, region by region
- Riding through Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan and camping high in the mountains
- Cold nights, mechanical problems, and figuring things out as you go
- His time riding through Afghanistan and how that experience shifted his perspective
- Why bikepacking often works best without a rigid plan
This episode is a grounded look at long-distance bikepacking, curiosity-led travel, and what you notice when you move slowly through the world on two wheels.
Be sure to give Xiao a follow on YouTube and also via his instagram - @Ciao__Xiao
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- Instagram - @SeekTravelRide
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Seek Travel Ride Music Playlist available now on both Spotify or Apple Music14 February 2026, 6:00 am - 32 minutes 12 secondsCycling A Thousand Places to See Before You Die | Brian Sampson
How long would it take to cycle your way through A Thousand Places to See Before You Die?
This week I am introducing you to Brian Sampson, who has been doing exactly that since 2018. Brian shares an update from his journey so far, and across the year he will be checking in with audio updates as his adventure unfolds.
Follow Brian's adventure via his instagram -@brian.sampson4 and check out his blog - https://justfeltlikebiking.blogspot.com/
Also this week:
Fergal Guihen (Rossi to Aussie) finishing ride: I attended Fergal’s arrival at the steps of the Sydney Opera House, marking the close of his almost two-year bike journey!
Bikepacking Roots gear library hub: A community-led initiative, supported by podcast sponsor Old Man Mountain, bringing together bikepacking gear libraries with a simple map showing where shared gear hubs exist.
Canberra Bikepacking Gear Library: A local gear library helping people in the Canberra region access bikepacking equipment and build skills through shared community resources.
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Old Man Mountain
Big thanks to Old Man Mountain for supporting this episode of Seek Travel Ride.
Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.
I’m an affiliate for a few brands I genuinely use and recommend including:
👉 Zorali
👉 Helinox
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- Instagram - @SeekTravelRide
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Seek Travel Ride Music Playlist available now on both Spotify or Apple Music10 February 2026, 6:00 am - 1 hour 34 minutesBuilding Inclusive Bike Adventure Communities and the Bristol Rally | Claire Sharpe
This week’s episode features a really thoughtful conversation with Claire Sharpe, a mountain bike instructor, community builder, and the founder of the Bristol Rally. It's a great listen if you’re curious about bikepacking, interested in community-led events, or if you’ve ever talked yourself out of an adventure because you thought you weren’t “ready” yet.
In this episode, we talk about:
- Coming to cycling later in life and learning by doing
- How community can be a gateway into bike adventure
- Claire’s journey into mountain bike instruction and coaching with empathy
- Why lived experience matters when helping others build confidence
- The Bristol Rally and how it’s designed to feel welcoming and accessible
- Breaking down barriers through inclusive event design
- Route planning, rights of way, and riding with confidence in the UK
- Misadventures, muddy trails, hike-a-bike moments, and why they become the best stories
- Why you don’t need to be “fit enough” before starting
All Terre (Claire’s website): https://allterre.net/
The Bristol Rally: https://allterre.net/the-bristol-rally/
Follow Claire and her bikepacking projects via the links below:
Instagram: @ClaireSharpe, her website - All Terre.
Check out her event - The Bristol Rally
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Seek Travel Ride Music Playlist available now on both Spotify or Apple Music7 February 2026, 6:00 am - 25 minutes 31 secondsThree Years of Seek Travel Ride. Bike Adventures and the Best Places to Travel by Bike
Seek Travel Ride has just turned three, and for this mid-week episode I wanted to do something a little different.
Instead of a highlights reel, I’m sharing why this podcast exists in the first place, and what three years of conversations with bike adventurers from all over the world has taught me.
In this episode we talk about
- Why Seek Travel Ride has always been about experiences, not gear
- How experience comes after you start, not before
- Why you don’t need to identify as a cyclist to travel by bike
- Choosing your own adventure and letting go of comparison
- Riding as transport and sustainability
- The bike as a connector to people and cultures
- The Seek Travel Ride community and the power of shared stories
I also share insights from a recent article by Alee Denham from CyclingAbout, which analysed years of Seek Travel Ride episodes to identify the best places in the world to travel by bike, based entirely on guest stories and lived experience. Very cool! Listen to my previous episode with Alee here.
Finally, I reflect on the community that has grown around the podcast, how it has helped people take their first adventures, and why that community is the reason Seek Travel Ride has made it to three years.
Thank you for being part of the journey!
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Seek Travel Ride Music Playlist available now on both Spotify or Apple Music3 February 2026, 6:00 am - 1 hour 31 minutesMark Beaumont on Wanderlust, Bike Travel and the Places In Between
Why does riding a bike feel like the purest way to experience the world?
In this episode, I sit down with Mark Beaumont to talk about bike travel, wanderlust, and what he's learnt after spending two decades taking human powered adventures.
Beyond his achievements as a world record holder, Mark also shares how his relationship with adventure has evolved over time. Why endurance is often more mental than physical, and how cycling reveals the gradual shifts between cultures, geography, and ways of life.
We discuss the accountability in professional adventure, and the key differences between riding for yourself and riding for work.
We also touch on how Mark’s travels have shaped his work in sustainability, using his experience and platform to connect people, ideas, and projects that can create meaningful impact.
If you’re drawn to long rides, empty roads, and travel that prioritises experience over outcomes, this conversation will resonate.
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Seek Travel Ride Music Playlist available now on both Spotify or Apple Music31 January 2026, 6:00 am - 33 minutes 19 secondsBikepacking the Tour Aotearoa on New Zealand’s North Island | Rebecca Gross
What is it really like to bikepack the Tour Aotearoa on New Zealand’s North Island? In this midweek episode, Rebecca Gross shares her experience riding the TA, including the Timber Trail, Warm Showers hospitality, lush North Island scenery, and how well the route is managed with clear detours for trickier sections.
If you are planning your own TA ride or curious about what makes this route so unique, Rebecca's update offers up great practical insight into terrain, logistics, the NZ Bike Adventure community, and what to expect when riding the trail.
Later in the episode I also share where our Seek Travel Ride listeners on Instagram are planning to ride in 2026
Also be sure to check out the Snailblazers events happening in Ireland by @SnailBlazers.cc - You can sign up for more info about them via their contact form.
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Seek Travel Ride Music Playlist available now on both Spotify or Apple Music27 January 2026, 6:00 am - 1 hour 40 minutesCycling Across Europe for Four Months | Anna Ruddiman
What would you do if you suddenly had four months free to take a bike adventure?
For London-based outdoors lover Anna Ruddiman, the answer was simple: buy a touring bike off Facebook Marketplace, catch a ferry to Spain with her girlfriend Fran, and start pedalling east across Europe.In this episode, Anna shares how that idea turned into a four-month ride through 11 countries, wild heatwaves, Balkan backroads and dreamy alpine passes. Along the way they wild camped in secluded spots, rerouted around wildfires, dodged territorial shepherd dogs, and survived on a heroic amount of pesto pasta.
We cover:
• The serendipity of both losing work & suddenly having time
• Buying second-hand touring bikes for the trip
• Why rigid planning doesn’t work for long bike travel
• Ferry crossings, river valleys & heatwaves
• The wild camping learning curve (and mysterious eyes in the dark…)
• Mechanical drama & flat tyres in Albania
• The shepherd dogs outside Athens that forced a 60 km detour
• Finishing the trip in Turkey and what comes next
• Why comparison steals the joy from adventureRoute Highlights:
UK → Spain → France → Italy → Slovenia → Croatia → Bosnia → Montenegro → Albania → Greece → TurkeyFollow Anna on Instagram - @annaruddiman
Music Pick:
Anna adds “Oysters In My Pocket” by Royal Otis to the Seek Travel Ride playlist.EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/STR Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee
Check out Old Man Mountain for the perfect way to carry gear on your bike.
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- Instagram - @SeekTravelRide
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Seek Travel Ride Music Playlist available now on both Spotify or Apple Music24 January 2026, 6:00 am - 34 minutes 8 secondsYour Bike Adventure Gear Hacks & What Cycling Through Africa is Like | Giacomo Turco
This week I'm sharing some awesome bike adventure gear hacks from those of you in the community.
I also have an update from Giacomo Turco, who is currently on a huge ride from Cape Town to Italy. Giacomo is updating us from Benin and sharing how the journey has been so far on his bikepacking adventure. He talks about the intensity of the trip, how each day comes with new experiences, and also challenges.
He describes the challenges of getting visas for countries, a crazy experience of being invited as a guest to a wedding, and also the scary moment of being assaulted while in Cameroon, and how it nearly made him stop the journey.
Giacomo also candidly discusses how despite the finish of his trip being almost a year away, he is already finding himself concerned with thoughts of dealing with post adventure blues.
You can follow Giacomo's journey via his instagram page - @cycling.beyond and also find out more about his work on the Water Cycle.
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Seek Travel Ride Music Playlist available now on both Spotify or Apple Music20 January 2026, 6:00 am - 1 hour 17 minutesHow Do You Finish a 9-Year Bike Journey? Tomas Mac An T-Saoir (Part 2)
In Part 2 of my conversation with Irish cyclist Tomas Mac An T-Saoir, we continue his nine-year journey around the world by bicycle. We begin in Syria and Afghanistan, where Tomas shares what it was like to travel through regions affected by conflict and have frank, human conversations with the people who live there. One powerful story includes an Afghan woman who was permitted by local authorities to guide him through her city, offering him a rare window into daily life under restrictive laws.
From the Middle East, our conversation shifts right back to New Zealand, where this chapter of Tomas’s journey actually began, and where Covid lockdowns meant he ended up staying far longer than he ever expected. His time in New Zealand eventually led to Australia, and onward to Timor Leste and Indonesia, where he dealt with blistering heat, remote roads and even a major earthquake on the Indonesian side of Timor.
We also explore something many long-term travellers quietly struggle with: finishing. After nine years of life on the road, how do you return home? What happens to your identity when the bike stops moving? And how do you make sense of everything you have seen and experienced along the way?
If you are interested in bikepacking, long-term travel, culture, human stories and round-the-world cycling, this episode offers an honest look at both the extraordinary and the everyday parts of life on the road.
Follow Tomas on Instagram - @anbotharfada
📍 Listen to Part 1:
Meet the Irishman who Cycled Around the World — Tomas Mac An T-Saoir (Part 1)
Episodes mentioned during this conversation:Peter Gostelow - Part 1 and Part 2
Heinz Stucke - Part 1 and
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Check out Old Man Mountain for the perfect way to carry gear on your bike.
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👉 Helinox
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Follow us on Social Media!
- Instagram - @SeekTravelRide
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Seek Travel Ride Music Playlist available now on both Spotify or Apple Music17 January 2026, 6:00 am - 29 minutes 8 secondsStories from People Who've Cycled All Over The World | Melbourne Live Show Highlights
This week I'm sharing a recap from our recent live shows which were held in Melbourne with guests Emily Hulbert, Fergal Guihen, and David McCourt. We discuss tips on facing fears head on, wild camping, and the importance of leaning into adventure during these long kind of travel journeys. The kindness of strangers shines throughout our panelists stories and Em Hulbert also shares her perspective of travel as a solo female.
Want to hear my full length episodes with these guests? check them out below:
Fergal Guihen - Part 1 and Part 2
David McCourt - Part 1 and Part 2
You can also follow them on their social media channels below
Emily Hulbert -@emhulbert
Fergal Guihen - @Rossie_to_Aussie
David McCourt - @longwayhome__2022
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- Instagram - @SeekTravelRide
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Seek Travel Ride Music Playlist available now on both Spotify or Apple Music13 January 2026, 6:00 am - More Episodes? Get the App