✨ Support the Podcast ✨https://linktr.ee/theendurancestudio
Andrew and Katie Strempke have built a life around bikepacking—from racing some of the toughest routes in the world to running Dispersed Bikepacking, a handmade gear company born out of a simple need: making bags for their own bikes.
In this episode of The Endurance Studio, we sit down with Andrew and Katie to talk about the unexpected journey from van life to building a business, the evolution of their gear, and what it takes to push the limits of ultra-endurance racing.
We get into Andrew’s 2022 Bikepacking Triple Crown, completed entirely on a singlespeed, and the physical and mental toll that followed. They share why they’ve started rethinking sleep deprivation, training, and the pressure to keep chasing the next race—and how they’re rediscovering the joy of bikepacking without a finish line.
We also dig into the details that make Dispersed gear different, including the years of prototyping behind Andrew’s innovative seat bag, their approach to staying small and independent, and the lessons learned from thousands of miles on the trail. Along the way, we get into mountain lion encounters, lightning on exposed ridgelines, winter bikepacking, bike rafting, and their plans to take on the Tour Divide on a tandem in 2027.
This is a conversation about more than racing or making gear. It’s about building a life around what you love, knowing when to push harder, and recognizing when it’s time to take a different path.
----------------
https://dispersed.bike
https://www.instagram.com/dispersed.bikepacking/
https://www.instagram.com/strempke/
https://www.instagram.com/katie.strempke/
----------------
(00:00:00) - Quitting Jobs, Van Life, and Building Dispersed Bikepacking
(00:09:25) - Developing Dispersed Bags: From Idea to Business
(00:18:13) - E-Bike Growth, Business Scaling, and Trail Access
(00:29:20) - E-Bike Regulations, Lightning Risks, and Trail Use
(00:38:04) - Colorado Trail Yo-Yo Race and Single-Speed Adventures
(01:00:45) - Ultra-Endurance Racing: Fatigue, Sleep, and Recovery
(01:11:43) - Grand Loop Racing: Weather, Heat, and Health Challenges
(01:22:16) - Bikepacking in Bad Weather and Packrafting Adventures
(01:36:24) - Dispersed Seat Bag Engineering and Winter Bikepacking Gear
(01:50:23) - Lightning Round: Overrated Gear, Lighting, and Current Obsessions
(02:25:44) - Future Plans: Tandem Tour Divide and Closing Remarks
----------------
#endurance #bikepacking
