The catharsis of riding a bike is like nothing else. From whizzing down to the local shops to plying your way to work, even the dullest of journeys is enlivened by bike.
And yet, the freedom, the fun and the frivolity of riding a bike from A to B don’t even come close to the feeling of a leisurely ride - a short loop, a long road ride with friends or a special ride somewhere new. At the very pinnacle of this bike riding mountain, is the multi-day ride - the weekend bikepacking trip, the week-long tour, or the cross-country challenge.
Growing in popularity alongside a boom in gravel bikes and a hankering for the road less travelled, bikepacking is perhaps best summed up by the maxim: pack light, travel far, but what is bikepacking, what bags do you need and what tips can we offer?
This is Carradice’s guide to the wonderful world of bikepacking.
What is Bikepacking?
Bikepacking is often seen as distinct from traditional cycle touring. While touring typically involves sticking to paved roads, bikepacking involves rides on different surfaces. The aim? To seek solitude and serenity on two wheels.
Unlike touring cyclists who carry heavy panniers filled with gear, bikepackers opt for lightweight bags attached to their bike frames, carrying only the essentials.
What’s the history of bikepacking?
The term ‘Bikepacking’ can be traced back to the 1970s, and a publication in National Geographic. Being experts in carrying gear on bikes, we’d wager that those early bikepackers were traditional cycling tourists and the author’s coining ‘bikepacking’ was nothing more than a poetic description of a ride across Alaska, That being said a forerunner of bikepacking where those riders who went out credit card touring - carrying nothing but essential bike gear, one set of spare clothes and said credit card.
What's the difference between bikepacking and bicycle touring?
At one end of the spectrum, bikepacking is more akin to cycle touring. This type of bikepacking is about prioritising the experience rather than covering long distances at high speeds. It's about leisurely rides, frequent stops for photos, and taking in the scenery as you ride along.
At the other end of the scale is the growing world of bikepacking races. These organised events perhaps embody the spirit of bikepacking best. Riders aim to ride the route as fast as they can, carrying everything they need for the days (and nights) on the road - often in response to strict rules set by the race organisers.
Given the scale of these races, riders tend to do their utmost to stick to the pack light, travel far ethos of bikepacking. That includes being particularly cautious about the weight of their setup.
Bikepacking races such as The Transcontinental, the Silk Road Mountain Race and the Transatlantic Way have captured the imagination of many in recent years, so much so that there are now bikepacking races all over the world. From the Norfolk 360 to the Hope1000, however far you’d to ride, and on which continent, you’ll be sure to find something to scratch your bikepacking itch.
What is a Bikepacking bike?
The great thing about bikepacking is that you can likely use a bike you already own. When planning a bikepacking trip, always consider your route to avoid equipment issues. For example, you probably wouldn't use a road bike for bikepacking King Alfred’s Way, but an old rigid hardtail mountain bike should do the business!
By using bags with straps instead of panniers, you won't need to worry about rack mounts on your frame and whether you can, or can’t add a pannier rack.
You can make minor adjustments to your bike based on your planned route and how you expect your bike to perform. Consider changing your tyres, adding extra bar tape, switching to ergonomic grips, or adding frame protection. These simple and hassle-free modifications can enhance your overall biking experience.
Are you considering getting a new bike to head out bikepacking? Who isn’t?! If so, several bike types are well-suited for bikepacking adventures, but all have the following features.
First, a geometry that prioritises comfort. Their long and slack frame design promotes stability while riding and a taller head tube allows for a comfortable riding position all day long. Second, bikes suitable for bikepacking all have ample tyre clearance - in our book, that’s 42mm and above - but you’re welcome to battle it with us in the comments below! Having tyres this wide means off-road sections aren’t a challenge.
Which bikepacking bags should I choose?
Though there are a variety of bikepacking bags available, most fit into one of these four categories. Seatpack, frame bag, top tube bag and handlebar bag - let’s look at those in turn.
Seatpack
Seatpacks, or tailpacks, are arguably the most important bikepacking bag. They typically range from around 5 to 20 litres in capacity, making them ideal for carrying items with significant weight. Today, most bikepacking seatpacks, such as our very own Colorado Seatpack, are mounted parallel to the saddle making good use of the space of the bike’s rear wheel. That said, our original Saddlebags - mounted perpendicular to the saddle - were arguably the forerunners in this field. With their excellent capacity, top build quality and stable mounting they can certainly still hold their end of the bargain in a bikepacking setup.
When deciding which seatpack to purchase, It's important to consider the pendulum effect of riding. Pack it too full or with items that are too heavy and you’ll find the bag swinging around like a pendulum in a grandfather clock. Some seatpacks are designed as a complete bag, while others come in the form of a dry bag and holster, allowing for easier attachment and removal. Keep an eye out for reflective details on seatpacks or even a loop to attach a rear light. Two features which can be beneficial when riding in low-light conditions or at night.
Frame bag
The traditional two-triangle design of a bicycle frame allows for the convenient placement of a bag underneath the top tube. With a lower centre of gravity compared to a seatpack or handlebar bag, a frame bag enables you to carry smaller, heavier items without significantly affecting your bike's handling.
When choosing a frame bag, consider sizes ranging from 3 to 10 litres and ensure that it fits snugly on your bike frame to prevent any movement while riding.
Top Tube Bag
Making use of the space just behind a bicycle's steerer and stem, a top tube sits nicely on the part of the frame with the same name. Small in capacity (usually from less than a litre up to just over 2), top tube bags are usually used by bikepacking riders to store items they’d like easy access to whilst riding.
Such has been the popularity of top tube bags that bike manufacturers are now even producing frames with dedicated mounts in this little-used part of the frame.
Handlebar bag
As bikepacking exploded in popularity handlebar bags have found favour with every bike rider - from dedicated roadie to staunch cross-country mountain bike rider. On shorter rides, handlebar bags like our Originals Zipped Roll, are ideal for storing a showerproof jacket, some snacks and other essentials like a phone and wallet.
On longer bikepacking trips, handlebar bags are perfect for storing lightweight, bulky items such as sleeping bags, roll mats, and jackets. Some handlebar bags come with additional pockets, making it convenient to access items while riding. Handlebar bags usually range from 3 right up to 20 litres.
Depending on the nature of your bikepacking trip, you may opt to use all four bags or just one. Additionally, there are various other types of bags available to accommodate different carrying needs.
A Bike Packing Kit List
So you’ve got a suitable bikepacking bike, you’ve purchased your perfect bikepacking setup - what are you going to pack from your trip? Whether you’re an over-packer or someone who cuts the handle off their toothbrush, this list is intended to be a guide - add or remove as you see fit!
The Bike
- Said bike, set up to suit the riding on said bikepacking trip
- Regular EDC (Everyday carry) multitool, tube, pump etc. Covering more miles means it’s sensible to add a chain link, a spare spoke (strap it to your bike somewhere), some zip ties and a short roll of gaffer tape.
- Lights
- GPS device
- Lock
- Regular riding kit (Helmet, top, shorts, socks, shoes)
- A base layer or thermal - ideal for cold mornings, even in summer!
- Waterproof jacket
- Warm, thermal jacket
- Casual clothes - trousers often come in handy!
- Change of shoes - sandals are a game-changer.
- Shelter - for the ultimate bikepacking experience it has to be a bivvy bag. Bikepacking with a tent requires a bit more thought and can lurch into the world of cycling touring.
- Sleeping bag
- Sleeping mat
- Inflatable pillow - luxurious, but it beats a rolled-up jacket, hands down!
- Stove
- Fuel for said stove
- Pot for cooking (and eating from)
- A utensil that can stir, prod, cut and scoop - a spork is ideal
- Large bottles that fit with your bikepacking bag setup
- Phone (Yes this might be divisive, but in an emergency, it will be worth it!)
- Charging cables (As above!)
- Power Bank (Ditto!)
- Some first aid, including suncream, toothbrush and toothpaste
What did we miss? Add it in the comments below.
Three Suggested Bikepacking Setups
Us cyclists can be a tribal bunch and it’s easy for us to become evangelical about bikepacking setups. You shouldn’t have this, you should only do that. But in our book, how does the phrase go? Different strokes for different folks. Anyhow, here are three simple setups to get your bikepacking juices flowing.
Overnight Bikepacking Setup
Seatpack: Bivvy bag
Frame Bag: Food and cooking. Other bits and bobs
Handlebar Bag: Sleeping bag and additional clothing
Multi-Day Bikepacking Setup
Seatpack: Additional clothing and other sleeping gear
Frame Bag: Food and cooking
Top Tube Bag: Other bits and bobs
Handlebar Bag: Tent
Lightweight Bikepacking Setup
Seatpack: Bivvy bag and additional clothing
Top Tube Bag: Other bits and bob s
Handlebar Bag: Sleeping Bag
6 Tips for first time Bikepackers
1. Test, test, test
Life’s busy, but if at all possible strap your bags to your bike, pack your things and ride around the block. Doing this will help you realise simple things like - is all your gear going to fit, but it’ll also force you to test ride your complete bikepacking setup.
Riding even a few hundred metres down the road is all that’s needed to ascertain whether your saddlebag is swinging around uncontrollably or your handlebar bag is preventing your gears from shifting crisply. Better to find (and fix) these problems now, than face them as you set off for that weekend you’ve been desperately looking forward to.
2. Don’t forget about your bike
All that focus on the bags attached to your bike can sometimes mean you neglect to check your actual bike over. Go over the basics moving parts of your bike from front to back. Wheels (not forgetting the tyres), cockpit brakes, chainset. Five minutes checking here is five minutes well spent!
3. Plan a get-out clause
When heading out on a bikepacking trip it can be tempting to bite off more than you can chew, so it can be a sensible idea to have a backup plan, or two. If bad weather hits, could you jump on a train home? If the lights go out, are there places along your route to refuel or even rest up for the night?
4. Never trust the weather forecast
Farmers, gardeners, bikepacking cyclists - all equally sceptical of the weather forecast. In all seriousness, if you are planning to be outside for any length of time, particularly other multiple days, it's sensible to assess (but never trust) the weather forecast. The weather is, well the weather, so it can easily change at the drop of a chain!
5. Always pack a dry bag
Like most bikepacking bags, Carradice bikepacking bags are water resistant, but we’d always recommend having an additional rolltop dry bag on hand to keep gear that has to stray dry, dry.
6. Take your time
Setting specific bikepacking races aside, bikepacking should be about pedalling for pure enjoyment. Unlike a sportive, even an Audax maybe, there’s no need to pedal hard, munching your stem as you go. Bikepacking is about shifting up, spinning your legs and taking in your surroundings as much as possible.
That wraps up our guide to bikepacking. Our complete range of bikepacking gear is available here.