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Thread: Bikepacking

  1. #26
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    Is there a settled definition of "bikepacking?" It looks alot like what we used to call bicycle touring on dirt roads, e.g., when my bud and I bicycled from Missoula MT to Anchorage AK in 1981 (those roads are mostly paved now). There's also the term "adventure bicycling." What's with the need to rename things? Marketing?

    Seems that bicycle selection would depend on the type and condition of terrain/roads/trails one expects to encounter. Whatever the bike, I suggest high spoke count wheels.

  2. #27
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    The way I classify it more or less is that bikepacking involves direct mounted bags and touring involves panniers. Not always true but that's how I tend to see it from the gear perspective.

  3. #28
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    Well, lots of road bike tourists use frame or seat mount bags and lots of dirt road/trail bike tourists use panniers.

    ETA: Per a quick Google search, I see that some define bikepacking as having lighter payloads than touring. Such bullshit. Fast tourists often have payloads of 10-15 lbs. On my first trans-USA bike trip my payload was 13 lbs. dry, including a tent (shared), sleeping bag/pad, tools, stove/pot/fuel (shared) and clothes. My payload on the trip to from MT to AK was 18 lbs. including spare tires and spare parts (although we sometimes had to carry up to 4 days of food). I've recently seen bike tourists with lightweight touring setups, e.g. road bikes with 10 lb. payloads. Most of the pics of "bikepackers" I've seen look to be carrying heavier payloads than I ever carried on my tours. AFAICT, "bikepacking" is just a new name for touring on a mountain bike, probably more marketing than anything else. Meh

  4. #29
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    I want to put frame bags and stuff on my bike and ride whatever I ride now. I would prefer mostly non car accessible places.

    That is my definition.

    I'm leaning towards a honzo and a cheap old bike for commuting...

    And a bikepack BBI would be cool, but only if flying_v comes.

    We could also rent out the dollar lot for a weekend and have a galby fest. Then people like pio who are too wimpy to pack in can go.

  5. #30
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    Just like this.

  6. #31
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    And Steve, I think touring is on roads mostly and bike packing is mostly on places cars can't go.

    That's how I define. Right or wrong

  7. #32
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    Okay, so AFAICT it's touring on a bicycle with flat bars and a suspension fork. If I had that ^ ^ ^ much stuff, I'd go with panniers for better handling. That bike looks like the truck in The Beverly Hillbillies.

  8. #33
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    This is what a friend of mine rode from the Mexican border to Banff on the Great Divide Trail.


  9. #34
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    I would be more inclined to believe that you were cooler than everyone else and that you did everything before and harder than everyone else if you weren't so aggressive and defensive about it.

    Maybe someone should make stickers that say Big Steve does it harder.

    Did you ride your road bikes and panniers on technical single track? Wait. Don't answer that. Of course you did.

  10. #35
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    Quote Originally Posted by sethschmautz View Post
    I'm just glad that rule doesn't apply to skis...

    Seth
    There are those that would argue it does. Many of them are on this board.

  11. #36
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    What bike is that, goldmember?

  12. #37
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    You are the aggressive one, J, as usual

    The bike in the pic posted by Goldmember is a more logical way to pack vs. a big bag tied to the seat. COG

  13. #38
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    Quote Originally Posted by mtngirl79 View Post
    I'm fairly certain I will like bikepacking, especially on single track. I'm also not terribly worried about climbing being too hard. When I first started mountain biking I walked practically all the climbing and I still liked it.

    I don't care.
    Solidly good attitude right there. As far as towing/hauling goes, IMO, the bigger tire the better for mixed surface/terrain riding. Stability, traction, and confidence win over speed when it comes to bikepacking. Unless it's a race.

  14. #39
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    Quote Originally Posted by GoldMember View Post
    There are those that would argue it does. Many of them are on this board.
    Yeah... Sarcasm doesn't come through a post sometimes. I figured that the majority that are on this board probably feel this way. I'll do a smiley next time. :-)

    Seth

  15. #40
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    Quote Originally Posted by mtngirl79 View Post
    What bike is that, goldmember?
    Salsa Mukluk

    Here's his list of what he had on the bike:

    2012 Salsa Mukluk 2 (large frame)
    Upgrades:
    Surly OD 175mm crank and bottom bracket (38/22)
    45NRTH Husker Du tires
    Jones Loop Touring Handlebars
    2 Salsa Anything cages
    Salsa Alternator rack
    Custom upper and lower frame, handlebar and seat bags
    Ergon GX1 Grips
    Crank Brothers 5050 platform Pedals
    Garmin Edge 500 computer

  16. #41
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    Quote Originally Posted by sethschmautz View Post
    Yeah... Sarcasm doesn't come through a post sometimes. I figured that the majority that are on this board probably feel this way. I'll do a smiley next time. :-)

    Seth
    No worries. I assumed you were one of those I referenced.

  17. #42
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    This might be helpful, too. This is his equipment list of what he took on that trip. He rode for about 10 weeks when he did this trip.

    Tarptent Double Rainbow
    Tyvek footprint
    ZPack 850 fill 20 degree bag
    4 Cuben Fiber stuff sacks
    2 pair cycling shorts
    3 Mountain Hardware Wicked Lite shirts (2 long sleeve, 1 short sleeve)
    Garmont hiking shoes
    Fox Flux Helmet
    iPhone 5S
    Sony HDR AS100 action camera
    Monster isport earbuds
    Garmin Edge 500
    Bushnell Power Sync Solar Wrap Mini
    Stoic Vaporshell jacket and pants
    Jetboil sol w/small fuel canister
    Smartwool 150 base layer top and bottom
    Swiss Army knife
    Topeak Alien 2 bike tool
    Camelbak Hawg Pack w/3Liter bladder
    Rock N Roll Gold chain lube
    Thermarest Neoair Xlite sleeping pad
    Platypus 2 liter Gravity Works water filter
    MSR Dromedary 6 liter water bladder
    Camelbak 3 liter water bladder
    Surly tube (spare)
    Zpack Bear Bag
    Zpack toothbrush
    Snow peak Titanium Spork
    First aid kit
    Zip ties
    Duct tape
    Smart wool socks, 2 pair cycling anklets, 1 pair mid weight hikers
    Patagonia nano puff jacket
    Timberland convertible pants
    Petzl Tikka XP 2 headlamp
    Cocoon ultralight air core pillow
    Camps Suds
    Camp towel
    ACA mapset
    North Face Windstopper gloves
    Giro DND mt bikng gloves
    Gore Windstopper skull cap
    Baby wipes
    Outdoor Research water bottle parka
    Chamois butter
    Jack Black 45 SPF sun screen
    Tifosi Slip sun glasses
    Lezyne micro floor HV tire pump
    Spot Tracker Gen 3

  18. #43
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    Quote Originally Posted by MrMan View Post
    Solidly good attitude right there. As far as towing/hauling goes, IMO, the bigger tire the better for mixed surface/terrain riding. Stability, traction, and confidence win over speed when it comes to bikepacking. Unless it's a race.
    See, I don't care about "fast". On the other hand I'm pretty good with technical terrain, my weakness is that I weigh more than is ideal, and probably alway will. I can power up some short steep techincal section better than most of my riding buddies but I can't keep up on the fireroad.

    That's kindof what makes me reluctant to go with fat.

  19. #44
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    I think with a bunch of gear, fat is the way to go. My buddy weighed about 215 at the beginning of that ride and didn't have any issues with climbing. With the terrain, mud, some snow, etc. with all the gear, he felt that he was better off with the fatter tires.

  20. #45
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    Here's another bike that same guy took on a trip this year. He rode the Baja Peninsula from the CA border to Cabo San Lucas. This bike has a 3" rear and 3.25" front tire and is a 27.5" frame.


  21. #46
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    I think most of the fat bikes can run 29+, right?

  22. #47
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    I really don't know. I think they're mostly, if not all, 26" but I'm not an expert.

  23. #48
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    Quote Originally Posted by mtngirl79 View Post
    I think most of the fat bikes can run 29+, right?
    Plenty can. 29+ is a brilliant way to go for what you aim to do.

  24. #49
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    The surly Wednesday is pretty reasonably priced and I think it can.

  25. #50
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    Quote Originally Posted by MrMan View Post
    Plenty can. 29+ is a brilliant way to go for what you aim to do.
    Can you get a 4" wide fat tire in 29"? I only see them in 26". For 29", it appears 3" wide is about the fattest you can get.

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