
Before Starting the interview with Katya Gasenko, hereâs I would like to express some thoughts about her. This is no exaggeration, this is what I felt after the interview with Katya Gasenko. You should also feel free to express your thoughts after reading the whole interview. đ
Katya Gasenko is a name that resonates with the spirit of adventure and independence.
A seasoned cyclist, she has braved the toughest terrains and weather conditions, pushing herself to new limits and breaking barriers along the way.
Her passion for biking has taken her on solo cycling trips across the world, exploring new cultures and discovering the beauty of nature up close.
In this exclusive interview, we delve into her incredible journey as a solo biker and learn about her experiences, challenges, and insights that have made her the fearless adventurer she is today.
Get ready to be inspired by the remarkable story of Katya Gasenko! a true inspiration for all those who dare to dream big and pursue their passions with unwavering determination.
So, letâs startâŠ
Who is Katya Gasenko and can you tell us briefly about your life?
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Katya Gasenko: Oh! thatâs a question that is hard to answer briefly, but Iâll try. Iâm definitely a piece of character, my greatest passions are bikes, travels, and life itself.
Iâm a cyclist to the bone: road, gravel, Mtb, and enduro â the crazier, the merrier. I ride not for the sake of fitness, but for the sake of fun.
Sometimes I race and especially love MTB marathons; love backpacking, and I think itâs a way better option to see and actually feel the land youâre discovering.
Iâm a writer, marketer, and manager, I work with biciTALENT â a recruitment company in the cycling industry.
Recently I started the âMeet The Expertsâ project with the Women In Cycling organization to encourage more women to join the cycling sector and inform more men about female abilities to be as good at âbike stuffâ or better than they are.
How & where did you get started?
Katya: 5 Jan 1984 (:D) in Kyiv.
But if youâre asking about cycling⊠well I loved it since my first bike when I was 5.
As a kid, I spend a lot of time wandering around on my bike. I did my first 70-km ride spontaneously at 17 (thought Iâm gonna die).
The real attachment started in 2007 when I went on my first bike-packing trip with friends in Crimea. I hated it and loved it at the same time đ Since that time it only got worse.
One bike became 5, guys convinced me to start XC racing, and backpacking became my favorite way of spending holidays â life became unbearable đ

Why do you ride & why bicycle?
Katya: Because itâs exhausting, painful, makes me sweat, nearly die, and hurt a lot, but it gives the biggest smiles and the most incredible feeling of strength, freedom, and happiness in one package.

Cycling taught me patience, saved my sanity, helped me understand what is most important in my life, and get to know myself. Itâs the biggest love of my life.
How old were you when you start cycling trip?
Katya: At 23 I went for that first 5-day backpacking and the next year I organized the first trip on my own.
It was Montenegro with the printed 3km scale map, no mobile phones, no Garmin involved â go big or go home đ
Were you very adventurous at a young age?
Katya: Letâs say, everyone in the family used to say I shouldâve been born a boy.
Climbing trees and fences, riding with my bike into a bush, going places Iâm not supposed to be at, fighting with boys, all sorts of âvery ungirlyâ stuff; always curious about going to new places.
Have you always been a cyclist or a new thing to you?
Katya: I think I already answered this one đ
But I can share one curious thing â
I donât remember riding with training wheels too much, but I do recall the day my father took them off my bike (I was 5), and told me to go as heâll be steadying the bike from behind and just let me go from my grandparentâs driveway down â that was my first and last lesson of riding without training wheels. đ
Have you ever participated in professional cycling?
Katya: Professional â no, I was born of the âwrong genderâ, so my childhood dreams of becoming a professional sportswoman were never taken into consideration. I race for fun from time to time.
Whatâs the fastest average speed youâve attained in any race?
Katya: Hahaha, love those questions đ and the answers without knowing all the data are so incredibly irrelevant.
But if I must â my speed record just for fun on the road bike is something like 75 km/h and the only average I can recall was from one flat but windy (in the face) 120 km race â 37,3 km/h.
Whatâs your longest bike touring experience? i.e., have you participated in any cross-country rides?
Katya: My first bike for bikepacking was a hardtail Trek 4300, so the answer is yes. The longest? Hard to sayâŠ
Iâm never about the numbers because to truly understand the value of the distance you need to know all the conditions:
Terrain, type of road, wind, the weight of the bike, nutrition on the way, etc. Sometimes itâs easier to ride 100 km than 30.

What type of bike do you prefer for bikepacking?
Katya: Lately, I ride high-end gravel, but I miss the front suspension sometimes.
On the other hand, the geometry of the race gravel (letâs be honest, itâs more a road+) definitely gives you more speed than youâll ever get on the light HT.
Therefore, I think, Iâll stick with the light gravel.
Can you tell us about your bike setup?
Katya: If by setup you mean drivetrain then itâs 1Ă12 â I have 42T in the front with 10-44 cassette. For my current physical condition, 42T is too much on uphills over 10%, so I will change it to 38 or 40T oval.
If youâre asking about the packing part â for Andalusia I took a 12l saddle bag, a handlebar medium bag (I have a 380mm handlebar, so it cannot fit a lot) + a small bag on top for fast access.
I also took a top tube bag, but I wonât do it again, it wasnât too comfortable to have it rub my legs.
Itâs almost irrelevant if you go for 2 days or 2 weeks unless you plan to have a temperature amplitude of +30 to 0 or so. I always pack as little as possible.

How do you plan for the cycling route?
Katya: I used to plan it using actual maps â they are way more informative than online ones, but technology makes us lazy.
So I started using GPSies route planner and when it was bought and spoiled by AllTrails I switched to Strava combined with Google Maps.
I look for nice places online, put them on the map, and build my routes in a way that will allow me to see them.
I check the data carefully to minimize the risk of carrying my bike, but it still happens sometimes because I ride in places Iâve never seen before. But thatâs the risk Iâm willing to take.
How long do you prepare for the trip?
When my mind is set on a destination it takes one evening to plan the trip, including bookings, and usually, destinations just wait there in a long line for their turn. Then thereâs the packing day before leaving.
Katya

How many countries have you traveled to?
Katya: If weâre talking backpacking then 11 or 12 I think, but with my bikes more and some countries are large, so Iâve been to different parts each time, like in Italy: Lombardia, Toscana, Sicily, etc.
What is the best route for you for cycling now?
Katya: Doesnât exist, all the routes are different and splendid in their own way.

Which countries/places do you recommend for adventurous biking?
Katya: Each one Iâve visited. Adventures are everywhere, it is only up to you if youâre willing to take the risk.
Whatâs the best bike ride â most memorable â that youâve done?
Katya: Lately? The one, when I had to carry my Loca for 12 km while drowning ankle-deep in the sticky mud.
If you could go backpacking with one famous person, who would it be?
One time you were scared on the bike?
Katya: It sure happens when you go down the technical rocky descent, but I only feel a healthy amount of preservation, fear is something that does not exist on the bike or in a critical situation.
In my case, itâs only a higher level of adrenaline, which is just a normal physical reaction.
Whatâs the dumbest way you got injured?
Katya: Went dropping on a brand new full. That was one of the most memorable birthdays ever, cannot recall it without laughing to tears đ
Whatâs the most underrated piece of gear for cycling?
Me đ Iâm very demanding. <3
Katarzyna Gasenko
The longest distance you cycled in one day?
Katya: 200 km, mustâve been 300, but after 150 we got drunk and after another 50 I decided Iâll take a bus.
How to stay safe as a solo female traveler or as a cyclist?
Katya: Grow a pair. đ
But for real it starts with understanding that you are not some kind of bumb weak chick. If you understand this and avoid stupid decisions like cycling through the slums in Cape Town, you should be fine.
I thrive in critical situations and I like âimpossibleâ tasks.

Do you carry any safety products? How do you secure yourself when you are alone?
Katya: Yeah, the gun would be nice to end some unnecessary discussions from time to time, but I donât have a license yet.
I secure myself with my brains â I think about what I do, where I go, what are the traditions, etc. Not doing thoughtless things is the best safety measure ever. Risky â yes, stupid â no.
Do you keep cycling during menstruation?
Katya: Of course, itâs a day like any other. I pop up a painkiller and go. Some of my best mountain bike marathons took place during my menstruation.
How do you secure your bags and bicycle when you go to the toilet on a ride?
Katya: I go to the bushes unless Iâm in a nice restaurant. I never leave my bike unattended in places that do not feel trustworthy.
I never carry any chains or locks, unless I stay in the tent, but then I do not travel alone.
Whatâs your advice for wild camping on a bike tour?
- Before you do it, learn how to.
- Pitch your tent far from towns and villages.
- Remember that the loudest animal in the woods is the hedgehog.
- If youâre in a country with a big population of bears, hide your food far from the tent for the night.
- Never leave trash or burning fire.

How many bicycles have you used for cycling around?
Katya: At the same time?
đ I can manage only one. Currently, I own 4.
What do you do when your bicycle is broken during a ride or travel?
Katya: Fix it, if it can be fixed, or find a solution. I never give up.
Do you know how to fix a bicycle? What can you fix by yourself?
Katya: All the basic things I can do on my own.
How do you prepare for the visa/entering another country?
Katya: According to the law of that country.
Is there something you wish to prepare before the trip?
Katya: Me, myself and ma bike.
Do you miss home?
Katya: Never
How to cope with loneliness during a long trip?
What is loneliness? Iâm always alone and I love it.
What is the good thing about cycling alone?
Katya: No whining.
What makes you keep traveling?
Katya: Hate not traveling.
Any advice to people dreaming of cycling around the world? Especially female?
Katya: Stop dreaming, start doing.
How long will you cycle?
Katya: Till I die.

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Steven is a professional cyclist and his passion is cycling. He has been cycling for the last 6 years and he loves using bikes while outing as well. Based on his experiences with the different types of bikes; he is sharing his opinions about various bikes so that a beginner can start right away. Find him on Twitter @thecyclistguy Happy Biking.