Bikepacking

[mtngirl79]

I just wanted to know if it could

[mtngirl79]

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

Funny I have some of that gear for backpacking.

Also, he used platform pedals... I was thinking I might need to get over the terror of clipping in.

[GeezerSteve]

I wouldn't want panniers for most of the singletrack bikepacking I do. Too easy to get them hung up on rocks, trees or other obstacles.

Okay, that makes sense

[wendigo]

The relatively weak pannier connections can also be a breakdown point if traveling on rough singletrack/doubletrack - hence the utility of the soft "bikepacking" attachments

[GeezerSteve]

Not all pannier attachments are weak. I usually bolted mine on. My next rack/pannier project will have threaded connections.

[GoldMember]

Funny I have some of that gear for backpacking.

Also, he used platform pedals... I was thinking I might need to get over the terror of clipping in.

Yeah, I don't think you'll want clip-ins for bikepacking. It's too easy to lose your balance at slower speeds with the extra weight plus you'll likely have walking sections so will want shoes or light boots with good traction. Pretty likely that whatever footwear you want won't be clip-in compatible.

[Groomer Gambler]

Here's my bikepacking ride:

Attachment 213531

Soma B side frame with a mix of parts on it (found used online). 27.5 wheels with clearance for 2.8 tires (I could probably squeeze a 3.0 in front). Currently, I've been riding more local trails so have a front susp fork on it that I would swap out for rigid on longer tours. Steel frame because 1) it's steel and 2) steel triangles can fit full frame bags unlike those low slung aluminum so-aero frames. Oh and get a Jones loop bar.

In the future, I'd probably take the plunge on a full on fat bike. The 650b mid fat rigid marketing is alright but I want the extra cushion of a 4"+ tire if I'm rocking rigid.

IMO the ultimate stable would be something like the above (or Surly KM/Krampus, Advocate hayduke, etc) that's in the 2.5-3" tire range and a front suspension fork, lighter, and somewhat snappy for bigger, more technical high mtn tours with a lot of steeper climbs/descents. Then a full on fat bike rigid for long bikepacking trips on gravel/dirt roads with drawn out climbs and mellower descents.

[Groomer Gambler]

Yeah, I don't think you'll want clip-ins for bikepacking. It's too easy to lose your balance at slower speeds with the extra weight plus you'll likely have walking sections so will want shoes or light boots with good traction. Pretty likely that whatever footwear you want won't be clip-in compatible.

No way in hell would I ride clipless pedals with a bikepacking load.

[mtngirl79]

What bike is it?

[alfajores]

Buddy is riding a sweet rig. Tumbleweed Prospector.




My posse and I are riding Haanjos for versatility



Mine is worthy of a quick review.

Diamondback Haanjo Carbon EXP

In original form, it was a Franken bike with stock parts and the DEORE, XT, Dura ace 3x9 with bar end shifting.

Praise for this set up is allover the internet and the hype is real. The big issue being the rigidity of the bike on scree or shale as the compliance is not as smooth as a fatter tire bike. The bike also assumes you probably want panniers, which seems to be a declining method of packing.

Current set up is a bit more purpose driven:
SRAM drive train in 2x10 with Red shifters, xx front derailleur, xo spec 2 rear derailleur, Shimano XT cassette and crankset.
Updated the bars to the KFC Thomson bars, FSA stem, and Thomson seat post for better bump compliance especially offroad. This set up is more cyclocross with the drive train supporting bikepacking in a lighter load. My trips are usually a lot shorter so saving a ton of weight and losing a few teeth of climbing power was a good trade off. I could have gone 1x and was ready to do so, but I didnt want to find a hill I had to hike a bike the last yards of with a full load. All in all, it is a really nice set up if you want to ride 27.5 at 2.1-2.2” wide. I have a set of 28” tubular that switch out quickly for bad weather road riding too!

Here is a picture. We are looking at getting Tumbleweed Prospectors when my fiancé is out of school and we have time to do some longer international bikepacking.

[jacob_dbu]

Do you have any pics of it loaded down with bags? Also what kind of weight is that thing as setup? No mud issues with front clearance?

That is a sweet sweet rig that could double duty on-road touring as well.

[evdog]

Also, he used platform pedals... I was thinking I might need to get over the terror of clipping in.

Plenty of people use platform pedals for regular riding and for bikepacking. Bikepacking is one place they make a lot of sense IMO, as you're likely to do more hike a bike on a loaded bike. Some clipless shoes are ok for hiking but a lot are not. Use what you're most comfortable with.

[bagtagley]

My posse and I are riding Haanjos for versatility

Interdasting. Looks like somebody is riding an older Comp. Any idea if that has room for the big tires like yours?

[alfajores]

Interdasting. Looks like somebody is riding an older Comp. Any idea if that has room for the big tires like yours?

The other Haanjos appear to have clearance for bigger tires when you drop to 650b/27.5 instead of 700c. I have read that the forks on the comps and EXP are the same in carbon for carbon and alu for alu comparisons. I have rode the aluminum bike and it is nice and comfortable. When you hop on my EXP, it immediately feels like a very mature and well laid out ride.

One thing to note, the front thru axel is 12x100. The market for these hubs is growing but when I bought this, it was slim pickings.

[alfajores]

Do you have any pics of it loaded down with bags? Also what kind of weight is that thing as setup? No mud issues with front clearance?

That is a sweet sweet rig that could double duty on-road touring as well.

Nope for pics. Ill look to see what I have but we are on the road for a month and I dont have my computer. Sorry!

Weight is not bad. For touring set up. It weighs a lot less than it did with the 3x crank and diamondback alloy bars. Diamondback says the original is 21 lbs and I would place my build at around 18-19 lbs compared to my other bikes.

Mud has not been a big issue. It has more clearance than you would guess above the tire for the integrated fender mount and for larger 700c tires, but at 2.1” tires, it is the side clearance that is really tight. If you are pulling big pebbles up in mud, this may be a concern for your paint job. Truthfully, I haven’t had this materialize in my riding.

[bagtagley]

The other Haanjos appear to have clearance for bigger tires when you drop to 650b/27.5 instead of 700c. I have read that the forks on the comps and EXP are the same in carbon for carbon and alu for alu comparisons. I have rode the aluminum bike and it is nice and comfortable. When you hop on my EXP, it immediately feels like a very mature and well laid out ride.

Nice, thanks. I've got a Comp like the one in the pic, bone stock. I've been using it for gravel rides, but have been considering using it on FS roads and mellower trails for light bikepacking trips. With some fatter 27.5 tires, lower gearing, and a set of Cowchippers, I think it would be pretty fun.It just seems like there's a limit to what's worth doing? There are some trips I'd like to do that I think would to benefit from a mountain bike.

[alfajores]

Nice, thanks. I've got a Comp like the one in the pic, bone stock. I've been using it for gravel rides, but have been considering using it on FS roads and mellower trails for light bikepacking trips. With some fatter 27.5 tires, lower gearing, and a set of Cowchippers, I think it would be pretty fun.It just seems like there's a limit to what's worth doing? There are some trips I'd like to do that I think would to benefit from a mountain bike.

Absolutely. I have mine set up for weight and climbing but not at the cost of being too slow on hard pack and single track. I also have a great mountain bike, thanks to another mag on here that allows me to get out in less favorable trails without the pains of the full hard cross bike. I will say, a passive suspension stem would feel amazing on some of the Bay Area fire service roads.

[Groomer Gambler]

Really digging this... do not need but heavily want!

[jetski]

Really digging this... do not need but heavily want!

Food, water, shelter are needs... Wants , well wants just make sleeping eating and drinking easier and more rewarding! Get that bike. Do it now and it will snow for a month straight. Take one for the team and get that bike!

[turbomike15]

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

What is everyone using for a shelter? I'd like to pull the trigger on a non-free standing shelter (ie tarp setup) but am wary of the annoyance in finding a 100% stakeable tent site in the wonderfully rocky state of CO...

[XXX-er]

Also, he used platform pedals... I was thinking I might need to get over the terror of clipping in.

its getting out in time thats more worrysome if you go with a Shimano SPD you can turn the retention way down so you can practice getting in and out ... its doesn't just happen

as a ski instructor GF remarked "its just like teaching newbies to get in and out of alpine ski bindings" and she was down with clipless pedals pretty quick

only place i wouldn't use clipless is riding skinnies and then I decided riding skinnies wasnt a good idea

[evdog]

My preference for CO or other places with frequent storms is to take a proper tent in case I have to hang out in it for a while. Tarps and tarp tents always seemed like they wouldn't seal out a bad storm as well. In Socal/AZ I normally take a bivy, or no shelter if the forecast is warm and dry. My UL tent is about 2 pounds and pretty compact.

[fmac]

What is everyone using for a shelter? I'd like to pull the trigger on a non-free standing shelter (ie tarp setup) but am wary of the annoyance in finding a 100% stakeable tent site in the wonderfully rocky state of CO...

The Black Diamond Mega Light makes for a solid setup. It's single walled, holds up well in snow. Good gateway shelter to a full cuben pyramid.

You should be able to 'stake' anything with guylines and enough cord to wrap around some rocks. Alternatively use small sacks full of rocks.

[Groomer Gambler]

Bump for 2019! Anyone have any trips planned this year? Mid winter has me thinking about summer lately!

[DolphinSki]

Got my first trip in a few weeks ago on the AZT. Hoping to do the Coconino Loop and a few day trip on the San Juans section of the CT later this year. No details on that one yet. Really the goal is to get a longer trip in, all of my bikepacking trips so far have only been overnighters. Here's a pic from my first trip of 2019.