Bike-Packing

Trips, adventures, bikes, equipment, etc.
rapidfire72
Posts: 545
Joined: 18 Dec 2008, 11:43am

Bike-Packing

Post by rapidfire72 »

Guessing it's a form of mountain biking somewhat, but seems to be interesting stuff to do. I've Googled bike-packing and had a few interesting sites. Just wondering if anyone on here as done similar.
cyclingvirtual

Re: Bike-Packing

Post by cyclingvirtual »

Its called cycle-touring isnt it ;)

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andymiller
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Joined: 8 Dec 2007, 10:26am

Re: Bike-Packing

Post by andymiller »

In the Dolomites this summer I came across quite a lot of mountainbikers who seemed to be doing multi-day trips (eg Dolomiti Bike or the TransAlp or Trans Tirol). Seemed to be mainly German mountainbikers.

Yes it is cycletouring - but with a 30 litre backpack as opposed to to two or four panniers.
Italy Cycling Guide - a resource for cycle touring in Italy.
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Si
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Joined: 5 Jan 2007, 7:37pm

Re: Bike-Packing

Post by Si »

when ever I've seen the term 'bike-packing' it's just referred to taking your tent with you on a bike ride....like the cycling version of back packing. Not MTB specific, but certainly done by MTBers as well. Indeed MTBers even do a competitive version of it called Polaris.
hamish
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Joined: 5 Mar 2008, 11:29pm

Re: Bike-Packing

Post by hamish »

And I thought bike packing involves some kind of lightweight touring without panniers but using frame bags and seat packs and handlebar rolls and sometimes a backpack. I understood the idea is that a bike so loaded is better at singletrack and 'technical' trails than a bike with panniers.

I am not sure tents are always used by bike packers as they talk a lot about bivvying. Sometimes they use tarps and stuff. Mind you a tarp and a bivvying bag may be about the same weight as a lightweight tent?

I like the idea in some ways. But then I don't have much of a problem with touring. I don't like the idea of huge seatpacks or cluttered handlebars mind.
james-o
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Joined: 11 Jun 2008, 10:27am

Re: Bike-Packing

Post by james-o »

And I thought bike packing involves some kind of lightweight touring without panniers but using frame bags and seat packs and handlebar rolls and sometimes a backpack. I understood the idea is that a bike so loaded is better at singletrack and 'technical' trails than a bike with panniers.


You'd be spot-on then. I love it - lightweight touring and long MTB rides combined. Bivi-ing each night is a good way to do it - stop riding, set up a camp, sleep, carry on in the morning. I've done some Alpine B+B rides on a road bike before and that was good but nothing beats hobo-touring )

French Alps Geneva-Nice, Aug
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Spain Pyrenees-Finisterre, May
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Taiwan 3-day ride, Nov
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The only thing that changed on the bike between trips was the gearing, bag content and tyres.
rapidfire72
Posts: 545
Joined: 18 Dec 2008, 11:43am

Re: Bike-Packing

Post by rapidfire72 »

Thanks for the interesting photos there, james-o. I was only finishing plotting my coast to coast route on a mtbe for next year and likely to be bivvying. I was at York Cycle Show back in June and got a Alpkit stuffbag, which will do for the sleeping bag. I will ditch the cooking kit and use a Vaude bivvy tent. I was wondering about a frame bag.
james-o
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Joined: 11 Jun 2008, 10:27am

Re: Bike-Packing

Post by james-o »

I use an Alpkit frame bag - recommended. They do custom sized bags at a very resonable price, mine's lasted >1500 miles of use this year so far without any issues (and I do have a reputation for wrecking rucsacs and zips etc)
rapidfire72
Posts: 545
Joined: 18 Dec 2008, 11:43am

Re: Bike-Packing

Post by rapidfire72 »

Thanks james-o. I had a look at the Alpkit frame bag and look great, but I'm traversing the coast to coast by some Lakeland Passes such as Scarth Gap Pass, Greenup Edge and Grisedale Pass. I'm thinking I may have to hand-bag the bike in places, maybe not, that I'm thinking the frame bag would get in the way as such. So, probably might stick to a suitable rucksack.

I could opt for the frame bag and alter the route, avoiding the passes and stick to the C2C route as far as Scales and head to Pooley Bridge and so on to the east coast.
Andy_M
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Joined: 9 Jan 2008, 11:43pm
Location: Warrington

Re: Bike-Packing

Post by Andy_M »

james-o wrote:I use an Alpkit frame bag - recommended. They do custom sized bags at a very resonable price, mine's lasted >1500 miles of use this year so far without any issues (and I do have a reputation for wrecking rucsacs and zips etc)


Hi James,

Wondering what handlebar bag you have? The only ones I have seen are from Revelate in the states, and are pretty expensive,

Andy
james-o
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Joined: 11 Jun 2008, 10:27am

Re: Bike-Packing

Post by james-o »

Andy-M - it's just a 10-12l drybag strapped to the bar with a home-made strap that attaches to the bar so it doesn't rotate - straps are basically a 2-rung ladder shape with those lock-buckle puller things.

Rapidfire - we carried our bikes for hours up hillsides in the Alps - got pretty slick at it too ) hop off, pop the front brake on and endo the bike, kneel a little and hook the saddle nose over your shoulder / grab the front wheel and lift. Easy. I did add some foam pipe lagging we found to the saddle nose after the fist couple of days to add some comfort (can see it in top pic).

(Loads more info on the bearbones bikepacking site if interested)
rapidfire72
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Joined: 18 Dec 2008, 11:43am

Re: Bike-Packing

Post by rapidfire72 »

james-o wrote: pop the front brake on and endo the bike, kneel a little and hook the saddle nose over your shoulder / grab the front wheel and lift. Easy. I did add some foam pipe lagging we found to the saddle nose after the fist couple of days to add some comfort (can see it in top pic).

(Loads more info on the bearbones bikepacking site if interested)
Pop the front brake, does that mean, tie up the brake lever with a elastic band or similar. I've seen the Alpkit frame packs and seem that you have to send a template to them, not sure about the high price though. I did have a look at the Alpkit rucksack, which would be ideal, that I could tie it to the rear rack, but it is sold out with stock waiting to arrive.

I would be interested in bearbones bikepacking. Cheers.
james-o
Posts: 120
Joined: 11 Jun 2008, 10:27am

Re: Bike-Packing

Post by james-o »

Pop the front brake, does that mean, tie up the brake lever with a elastic band or similar


No, just pull the brake on momentarily to help tip the bike into an endo position, so you can hook the saddle over your shoulder and lift. Maybe easier to do than describe! When you're carrying the bike for a bit 10-20 times a day or more anything that helps lift a 40lb+ bike saves some energy.

The Alpkit bags need a template but it's an easy process and they follow the simple dimensions well. The price is pretty good compared to the competition. Have a look at Buggybags.co.uk for a tougher/heavier and lower-cost Cordura version - also good (I have one for more heavily loaded trip)
martinfarrent
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Joined: 18 Oct 2013, 12:36pm
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Re: Bike-Packing

Post by martinfarrent »

Here is a collection of short articles with links to further resources for bikepacking beginners: http://trails-tours.com/specials/getting-started/
ScotchEgg
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Joined: 25 Nov 2013, 1:17pm

Re: Bike-Packing

Post by ScotchEgg »

iI have an absolute weight limit of 22 kilos, just something I've come to over the years, any heavier and you REALLY feel it not just on the hills but on the flat too.
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