Bikepacking has recently become very popular, but it is not a new sport. Our fathers and grandfathers also toured the world on two wheels, and the oldest recorded cycle touring journey was first attempted by a British man John Frasier and his friends who rode just under 20,000 miles across several countries in 1896.
Since then, "cycle touring" evolved to mean cycling on the roads and using side panniers to store your gear, whereas the term "bikepacking", a term first used in 1970s by National Geographic, describes the more rugged variant of travel, using a mountain or a gravel bike to travel off-road, with different bags designed to suit the terrain and challenges better. Bikepacking is an exhilarating way to see the world, although it can sometimes also be described as type II fun. It is akin to backpacking, and allows total freedom as you will carry everything that you need for the journey (including your tent, sleeping bag and cook set) on your bike.
Here's our short guide to what you may need as a budding bikepacker:
The bike
Bikepacking allows you to boldly go where no bike has gone before. In order to do so, you need a bike with a little bit of suspension (although some purists travel on rigid mountain bikes to save weight) and tread. Gravel bikes often come with a suspension stem that allows about 30mm of travel, saving your wrists and shoulders on the bumpy gravel rides. If you plan to use a gravel bike, make sure you fit it with wider tires for the off-road adventures. A full suspension bike can also be used (these are not rules, just suggestions), however, on a full suspension bike even with a locked rear suspension quite a bit of pedalling power is lost when riding uphill. Because of the drop seat these bikes often take much smaller seat post bags as well. The bikes most commonly used for travel in the rugged Scottish terrain are the hard tail mountain bikes, as they have enough suspension to make long distance travel comfortable but are not too heavy, and have plenty of room for luggage. Hard tail mountain bikes come in different geometries, depending on what the bike is used for (short aggressive rides, cross country riding, racing etc). The cross country racing geometry seems most suitable to bikepacking, as it allows a comfortable and not too hunched position that is not tiring on a long day, and enough room to store your belongings. If you would like to know more about the different bike geometries including some measurements that may be useful to fit your bike better, wheel sized, types of handlebars and saddles, please read this blog post next.
Bikepacking bags
Your bike is your steed, and the main means to carry all your gear. This is done using bikepacking bags, and, as with anything to do with bikepacking, there are no set rules, just some advice. The best way to go about it is to practice several different set ups and find what works best for you. Bikepacking bags are fully waterproof bags that attach to your bike frame, forks and seat post, and can be purchased from many outdoor shops. Regular dry bags (the type used by hikers) can also be used and several shops sell cradles that help adapt these to bikepacking. The different types of bikepacking bags are shown on the image below.
The handlebar bags come in sizes varying from 7 to 20 litres. For bigger bags you may need more straps or a cradle, as they will otherwise bounce a little. Frame bags are a brilliant piece of kit that works best if they are made to measure. There are several shops that offer this option. Top tube bags are brilliant easy-access bags to store snacks and things you may need on the go. Accessory bags are an optional extra to store more gear. Alternatively, you can fit your forks with water bottle cradles if you don't like riding with a hydration pack on your back. Bear in mind that if these are bulky they may snag on the single track rides! The saddle/seat post bags very from 8 to 20 litres in size and come with different set ups and configurations. If you are going for a larger bag, consider pairing it with a small support frame such as the Alpkit Exorail to reduce sway. The important thing to bear in mind with the saddle bag is to leave enough clearance to the rear tire, otherwise the bag will drop on the tire which will ruin both the tire and the bag itself. The minimum clearance needed is usually given by the bag manufacturer. For smaller frames where there is less clearance, several manufacturers have devised a minimalist pannier set-up (for example the Aeroe Spider Rear Rack) that keeps the bags safely off the wheel.
Bike kit list
When travelling in the outback, it is essential to bring everything that you may need to fix your bike. Many parts are bike type specific and it is good to have a few of those with you just in case.
In your essential bike kit you should have:
Spare tubes (if you're riding with tubes, and for emergencies if you're riding tubeless)
Compact pump or CO2 inflator with cartridges (especially if you're riding tubeless)
Tire sealant (if you're riding tubeless)
Patch kit
Bacon strips (for tubeless tires)
Curved needle and nylon tread (helps seal gashes on tubeless tires)
Tire levers
Spare break pads
Spare cleats (if using)
Cycling multi-tool
Replacement chain links for your chain type (master links)
Chain tool
Chain lubricant (dry and wet)
Seatpost clamp
Spare spokes
Spoke wrench
Mech hanger (these are bike specific)
Brake cables and derailleur cables
6” adjustable wrench
Assorted nuts and bolts
Duct tape
Zip ties
Superglue
Comentários