Between gravel and river: an introduction to bikerafting

Three years ago, Karel Toch and Jana Raman took their first steps into bikepacking. Today, they are seasoned adventurers, always searching for new thrills. In their constant quest for fresh challenges, they recently discovered bikerafting. But how does one even come across that? Jana smiles: “We’re both seasonal workers and love taking on adventurous guiding jobs. Two years ago, I filled in as a guide for a two-week packraft trip. The combination of hiking and rafting really appealed to me, especially because the experience on the water is so different from that on land.” Not long after, Jana convinced her partner Karel, and together they embarked on their first joint packrafting adventure as guides for Packrafttravel. This summer, they ventured into something new: bikerafting, the surprising blend of cycling and rafting.

Three weekends were marked on the calendar. The first two were entirely dedicated to bikepacking, with the Eddy Merckx Strasbourg as their faithful companion. “Thanks to its suspension fork and wide handlebars, it offered exceptional comfort, perfect for long days in the saddle,” says Karel. Each day, they rode about 100 kilometers, leaving enough room for relaxation. Their destination was Kleinwalsertal in Germany, a place full of childhood memories for Karel, which he was eager to share with Jana. During the second weekend, they headed to the Zugspitze Arena, at the foot of Germany’s highest mountain. The perfect setting to fine-tune their bikepacking skills one last time and prepare for their very first bikerafting adventure.

They experienced that adventure during the third weekend on the River Lech. “It seemed perfect to us,” Karel explains. “There were beautiful gravel routes leading to the rafting launch point. We just had to remove the front wheel of the bike, place it on the raft, and we were ready to go. The Strasbourg proved to be the ideal partner.” Still, there was some nervousness beforehand. “We were afraid it would be hard to keep our balance with the bike on the raft, and that we’d end up in the icy water,” laughs Jana. “The Lech is a whitewater river rated class 1 to 2, so not extremely dangerous, but thrilling enough for a first experience,” Karel adds. After rafting, they cycled back to their starting point: first bikerafting adventure, mission accomplished.

For Karel and Jana, adventure is all about spontaneity. “What kind of adventure is it if you just sleep in a hotel at night?” says Karel. “We rarely plan where we’ll sleep. Often, we look for a nice spot just before sunset or pick something interesting we noticed earlier. Sometimes we sleep in a tent, other times under a tarp, using our Strasbourgs as anchor points. It doesn’t get any cozier than that.” Jana adds: “And it’s even more practical with the Eddy Merckx Strasbourg, since the tent can be easily and compactly stored between the wide handlebars.”

For Karel and Jana, bikerafting and bikepacking are more than just sports. They’re a way of working, traveling, and living. “The real art lies in planning your route in such a way that it leaves room for spontaneous discoveries,” says Karel. Jana nods in agreement: “In daily life, everything moves so fast, with so many obligations, that we sometimes forget to pause and appreciate the small, unexpected moments that end up being the most valuable.”