/r/bikepacking
Bikepacking: Off-Pavement Bicycling and camping where you would if you were to go backpacking. Bikepacking is generally in the backcountry, but you can backpack on local trails.
Lightweight off-pavement touring/racing.
Bikepacking: Bicycling and camping where you would if you were to go backpacking. Bikepacking is generally in the backcountry, but you can backpack on local trails. In any case, most riding in this category should be on dirt or gravel. Bikepacking.com describes it as the synthesis of mountain biking and minimalist camping. It evokes the freedom of multi-day backcountry hiking, but with the range and thrill of riding a mountain bike. It’s about exploring places less traveled, both near and far, via singletrack trails, gravel, and abandoned dirt roads, carrying only essential gear. Ride, eat, sleep, repeat, enjoy!
The discussion on this sub is geared towards the challenges of riding off pavement and overnighting in areas with little to no support
Bikepacking Routes: A listing of routes submitted by our members. Put your local route knowledge to use and submit your own route for inclusion here. Submitted routes should allow for at least one overnight camping, should include a link to a gpx file, and should be something you are proud of and willing to field questions about. Terrain should be a majority off pavement. Moderators will tag the route to get it included in the catalog.
Other related subs:
Bicycle Touring: Riding your bike on established roads (dirt and gravel included) and camping/sleeping however.
Ultralight People supporting each other to reduce the weight of their wilderness backpacking packs.
MYOG Make your own gear
GravelCycling Gravel riding
MTB Mountain Biking
Randonneuring The sport of long distance, unsupported marathon cycling known as randonneuring.
Other related resources:
Rules
- No Spamming
- Self promotional posts must include your relationship the item. Are you a company rep, being paid to promote or review, or is it just your personal blog? We encourage you to share your knowledge with the community, we just ask that you be part of the community. No drive-by link dumping.
- Follow Redditquite.
- No AI content.
What do you consider spam?
Links to a blog, website, or service you run, or are involved in running, are considered self-promotional; you may only post such content if you have made a variety of unrelated contributions (i.e. submissions and comments) to /r/Bikepacking over an extended period.
If the majority of your contributions to /r/Bikepacking are your own content, you may be banned with or without warning.
Message the mods if you are uncertain whether your post will be considered spammy. Exceptions can be made for certain content.
See spam? Report spam. These kinds of subs are targets for spammer so we appreciate your reports.
/r/bikepacking
151,695 Subscribers
Riverside touring 920
Hi Folks!
First of all sorry if my English is not perfect not my native language. Second I would like to ask your opinion about the Riverside touring 920bike. I am Road cycling since 2018 with my gepida bandon 810( it's a hungarian bicycle brand) so far so good and i love this bike but it's old tech and no place for upgrades sadly,nothing more than 25c tires can get in rim brakes etc. So i canceled my plan to upgrade that,maybe i keep it for indoor training. So i want get in gravel and eventually bikepacking I always used my road bike too for travel instead high speed exercise. So this will lead to my question,for financial reason I can go only for 1 bike and that's why i got my eye on the riverside touring,it has the capabality for both of my needs. Dynamo hub,lot of place to attach things ,endurance geometry 29 tires.(I also thought about triban grvl520 but there is a lot of things i would upgrade anyway,the Shimano 105would be fast but in long term that's not my goal,also i could keep my Road bike if i want go for a fast ride with friends) So here is the real question, it's only available in the size of L, i am 178cm high so i am at the bottom of L sized bikes recommendations. I fear there is a few because this modell will get discountinued. Also on Germany there is a huge discount and one of my friends can buy there for 1390€ right now and bring it home. So is everyone out there using this bike with the same height? And if yes which frame do you use? Also I am willing to read every opinion about the bike(i already searched reddit post for it but nothing about the size) I would like to read pros and cons,other bikes for the same price. And fender recommendation. Thx for the help!
08:10 UTC
What to skip on the North Island of Tour Aotearoa
Right now I’m in Paeroa, bad weather coming ahead. For different reasons I’d like to jump to the South Island and take it easy there, enjoying the landscapes and taking some detours (like going to Mt.Cook). I have a heavy mountain biking set up, not the most comfortable if I have to lift it off. I still have a few days to ride South, what would you recommend me to do? What I should or shouldn’t skip? The Timber track has also suffered a landslide. I’m quite confused as I’ve just left from Auckland and found myself in a lot of boring road kilometers. Thanks!
04:07 UTC
Best Hardtail?
Looking for a hardtail that can handle XC style trails and the occasional rowdier adventure rides that can also cover ground efficiently on a week long trip. Planning on doing the Canadian portion of the GDMBR next summer and also eying the AZT trail next fall.
Former roadie totally new to MTB and bikepacking so any and all suggestions would go a real long way.
Budget is 2500 CAD
Thanks folks!
00:48 UTC
Salsa Cutthroat w/ Front Suspension
I’m considering the Stagecoach 400 on a Cutthroat.
Has anyone tried this? If so, what range? How was your experience?
Any input on riding the SC400 with or without front suspension?
Thanks!
23:04 UTC
Cave Creek, AZ
21:08 UTC
Should I buy this and pursue my GDMBR ambitions?
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/14TnTUt5bz/?mibextid=K35XfP
It seems like a good price given the components and dynamo set up. My other option is to have my shop build a surly karate monkey from frame up. Thoughts? Still somewhat of a beginner and am happy to hear any advice. Thanks!
Oh and I already have an all city space horse for pavement and commuting. I'm looking to add one more bike to do more trail stuff, bikepacking, and hopefully the GDMBR.
19:22 UTC
Getting to Tuscani Trail (from Cologne)
Thinking of signing up for Tuscani Trail next year and was wondering how people got there in the past. Which of course will very much depend on where you live. In my case, it would be from Cologne (Germany).
Since I don't have a car I'll probably have to go with trains. Any experiences are very much appreciated since I never rode trains in Italy before (or Switzerland, which I'll probably have to cross), let alone with a bike which of course always makes things more complicated.
Also, if anyone plans to go by car, doesn't start too far off from where I live and has the space I'm also very much open for that :)
16:59 UTC
Is a hardtail the ultimate quiver-of-one bike?
I'm looking to upgrade my current frankenbike (an old Stumpjumper mtb frame that my LBS slapped some drop bars on to make a rigid all-terrain bike) for a new ride that I can use on diverse routes.
I'm like the concept of a one-bike quiver due to simplicity and already having other costly outdoor hobbies.
For similar riders, are you picking a hard tail mtb for one bike to do it all? This seems the most versatile but I could also see how a rigid bike with drop bars could fit the bill.
My Americas-centric goal list includes things like the Kodiak 250, Death Valley backroads, and biking in Oaxaca -- but also Stagecoach 400, finishing the GDMBR, and long gravel rides in VT and CO.
I'd love to hear any input on this - thanks!
16:52 UTC
Analysis of Badlands 2024 Bikes
14:27 UTC
Anyone needing ideas or tips for riding in these(see maps) area let me know👍🚵♀️🚵
Ongoing trip until now 🚵♀️🚵
12:01 UTC
Want to try a few nights on this. What are the main things to look out for on “budget” bikes during long trips?
06:27 UTC
What can I do for calling or texting out of country?
Hey I was just wondering how I would text or call someone if I was in another country say Mexico and the other person was in Canada. Is there a certain plan I need for my phone or what do I need to do. Thank u all in advance!
02:54 UTC
Surly Krampus build help
I ordered a Krampus frame (Chester Copperpot) through my LBS and planning to build it up over the winter to take it from Alaska->Baja divide. Have been bikepacking the last 5ish years and feel like I have a pretty good idea of what Im looking for, but getting hung up on some decisions with the build.
Frame: Krampus XL
Fork: Rigid
Wheels: WTB KOM i35 or i40 (struggling to decide on wheel and tire choice)
Tires: Unsure if I want to be on 2.8s or 3.0s looking to hear personal experiences
Drive Train: Would love to run a 2x but struggling to nail down info on the ability to do this on a krampus. Surly's FAQs say that you can with their Mr Whirly or OD Cranks (offset cranks for tire clearance) but neither are in production and pretty expensive used. Anyone know if the OD BB from surly is needed or negates this issue? Otherwise I would do a 1x11 with some tweaks for desired gear ratio
Brakes: Paul Klampers or another mechanical disc brake (thinking 185 or 200mm rotors)
Handlebars- Velo orange Seine bars
Pedals- Stamp 7s most likely
Seatpost: Whatever I can find cheap, would love a dropper but think I can get by without it and save some money
Saddle: Berthoud or c17 (getting to try a c17 soon so that will make that decision)
Planning on a custom frame bag, rear rack with waterproof backpack, mini panniers, a large rolltop handle bar bag, oveja negra chuck buckets, manything cage on down tube, and a top tube bag.
Putting this out there to hopefully nerd out on bikes/get some advice from folks. Cheers!
00:36 UTC
Hydraulic Brake Guidance (complete mineral oil replacement)
Hey fam! I’m looking for some guidance on a complete hydraulic brake oil replacement after lengthening brake lines for a wider alt bar. All the info I can find is on bleeds and not a complete refresh. It seems like it should be easy enough, but I could use some help for how to best get the mineral oil in the system before doing the bleed.
21:06 UTC
Does anyone have expierience with These types of racks?
20:55 UTC
Bikepacking the EuroVelo 8
Hello everybody, in a week im going to start my Journey biking from Barcelona to Malaga along the EuroVelo 8. Im a big fan of food and have been working as a chef for quite some time and will hopefully eat at some nice restaurants. I’m also a big fan of some truly wild nature and have been hiking and camping a lot through the years.
Did anybody bike this route? What was your experience? Do you have any recommendations? Restaurants? Mind blowing nature? Anything!!!
I will be riding a gravel bike with a lightweight setup. If anybody is around and want to link up and ride just write me!!!
Anton
16:22 UTC
Looking for best route in Western Ukraine
I am leading a fundraiser for a 501(3)(c) charity that involves me cycling through Western Ukraine. I am looking for anybody with experience cycling in-country. I’ve done lots of Google maps research to find the best roads, but run into issues avoiding main roads. Does anybody know the best cycling route West to East? Thank you.
16:09 UTC
A new Bikepacking community hub! Biking West
Hey folks! I've been working on something and I'm excited to share. I'm building a new community based around bikepacking, gravel, mountain biking, and general adventure in the mountain west. It's largely community driven so I'll need your stories, your videos, and your inspiration to keep things going! I'll even be building a section for you to get amazing gear from smaller brands and those harder to find but necessary items. Would love to have you join!
13:16 UTC
Some really cheap and easy to make handlebar rack and fork cages.
Hello, a few weeks ago I did a 12 days bikepacking trip and since I didn't want to invest a lot of money in equipment, I made myself some very cheap fork cages and a handlebar rack that did the job perfectly.
The handlebag rack is made from 1m long, 6mm diameter steel rod, which costs 1.5 EUR. The construction prevents it from sagging (the rod goes under the stem), and I have tied it to the fork tube with the yellow tie to prevent bouncing in the upward direction. If the fork tube is shorter than mine, it could be tied to the fork crown. I don't remember the exact weight, but I think it was about 200g. I strapped to it a DIY cordura handlebar bag with a tent, a membrane jacket and pants, and sometimes one liter of water - so between 2.5 and 3.5 kg. It was very stable.
The fork cages are made from 1m long, 4mm diameter steel rod. Cost - 1 EUR. Weight - about 90g each one. They are mounted on the fork with electric tape - it is quite strong and don't allow easy rotation. It twists a little bit, but it exceeds my needs - I carried about 1.5 kg on each one. Sleeping mat + some other small stuff on one side, and food on the other side. I could have loaded it even more without any problem, I suppose it could handle easily more than 2 kg.
And one bottle cage, which is a bit longer than the standard ones. Again, 4mm steel. I kept there 1L: plastic water bottle (I mean those that the water is sold in).
This is a rack extension, made again from 1m long, 6mm steel rod. I made it because my bag was too long and was not sitting stable on the rack - it was hanging too much. Again - about 200g. On this picture you can also see the two PVC plates which I attached to the rack in order to stabilize the 5L pockets which were attached to the rack.
And here are pictures with the loaded bike. The white bags are very ugly, but also very cheap and fast to make - from tyvek. Despite that tyvek is supposed to be waterproof (or probably water resistant) the main purpose of these bags was to protect from mechanical damage the real dry bags inside. The beige ones are from cordura coated with PVC (500-250), since I did not seal the seams, I put there stuff which was not problem to be wet. But I did not have rain in the 12 days of my trip.
There are 2 cons of these racks/cages. 1 - they are semi permanently mounted and cannot be easily removed and mounted again. This is not a problem for me. 2 - they are very prone to rust. This problem could be solved by using stainless steel rods. I did not have such at hand, and it will be more expensive. They could be painted, but I don't know how well the paint will hold. Also they can be made more nicely and precise, but I did them fast, using only my hands and a vise.
I rode mostly on dirt roads, but sometimes they were very bad - with a lot of stones in sizes between pebbles and baby heads :) - everything did perfectly fine and I did not have any problems with the equipment.
I hope this will help those who want to try bikepacking, but don't want to spend hundreds of dollars/euros for racks and cages.
11:05 UTC
Some really cheap and easy to make handlebar rack and fork cages.
Hello, few weeks ago I did a bikepacking trip and since I didn't want to invest a lot of money in equipment, I made myself some very cheap fork cages and handlebar rack that did the job perfectly.
The handlebag rack is made from 1m long, 6mm diameter steel rod, which costs 1.5 EUR. The construction prevents it from sagging (the rod goes under the stem), and I have tied it to the fork tube with the yellow tie to prevent bouncing in the upward direction. If the fork tube is shorter than mine, it could be tied to the fork crown. I don't remember the exact weight, but I think it was about 200g. I strapped to it a DIY cordura handlebar bag with a tent, a membrane jacket and pants, and sometimes one liter of water - so between 2.5 and 3.5 kg. It was very stable.
The fork cages are made from 1m long, 4mm diameter steel rod. Cost - 1 EUR. Weight - about 90g each one. They are mounted on the fork with electric tape - it is quite strong and don't allow easy rotation. It twists a little bit, but it exceeds my needs - I carried about 1.5 kg on each one. Sleeping mat + some other small stuff on one side, and food on the other side. I could have loaded it even more without any problem, I suppose it could handle easily more than 2 kg.
And one bottle cage, which is a bit longer than the standard ones. Again, 4mm steel. I kept there 1L: plastic water bottle (I mean those that the water is sold in).
This is a rack extension, made again from 1m long, 6mm steel rod. I made it because my bag was too long and was not sitting stable on the rack - it was hanging too much. Again - about 200g. On this picture you can also see the two PVC plates which I attached to the rack in order to stabilize the 5L pockets which were attached to the rack.
And here are pictures with the loaded bike. The white bags are very ugly, but also very cheap and fast to make - from tyvek. Despite that tyvek is supposed to be waterproof (or probably water resistant) the main purpose of these bags was to protect from mechanical damage the real dry bags inside. The beige ones are from cordura coated with PVC (500-250), since I did not seal the seams, I put there stuff which was not problem to be wet. But I did not have rain in the 12 days of my trip.
There are 2 cons of these racks/cages. 1 - they are semi permanently mounted and cannot be easily removed and mounted again. This is not a problem for me. 2 - they are very prone to rust. This problem could be solved by using stainless steel rods. I did not have such at hand, and it will be more expensive. They could be painted, but I don't know how well the paint will hold. Also they cannot be made more nicely and precise, but I did them fast, using only my hands and a vise.
I rode mostly on dirt roads, but sometimes they were very bad - with a lot of stones in sizes between pebbles and baby heads :) - everything did perfectly fine and I did not have any problems with the equipment.
I hope this will help those who want to try bikepacking, but don't want to spend hundreds of dollars/euros for racks and cages.
11:04 UTC
Should I Sell My Bikepacking Setup in Istanbul and Buy a New One in South America?
Hey everyone, I could use some advice on whether I should sell my current bikepacking setup in Istanbul and buy a new one when I get to South America (most likely in Medellín).
My current bike needs some upgrades, including switching from 700c to 650b wheels for better tire clearance, going tubeless, buying new tires, adjusting my gear ratio (currently 1:1, which isn't ideal), getting a new chainring and cassette, a different saddle, and a few other small services. Altogether, these changes would cost me around €600+. Factoring in plane fees to transport my bike, the total would likely reach €800+.
This has made me wonder if it would be better to sell my current setup and use that money, plus what I would save on upgrades, to buy a new bike in South America. A new bike could potentially be better suited for the terrain and would also make it easier to choose flexible flight options, travel lighter, and simplify the transatlantic journey.
My questions are:
- How easy is it to find a quality bike with wide tires and a suitable gear ratio for mountainous terrain in South America? Are there chances of finding good second-hand options from fellow bikepackers?
- Which countries or cities would be the most convenient places to search for a bike?
- How do bike prices and availability in South America compare to Europe?
- Does this plan make sense, or am I overlooking any major downsides?
Any input or personal experiences would be greatly appreciated!
10:23 UTC
Specialized Diverge e5 Comp/ Beginner Gravel Advice
I have been mostly road cycling and so a beginner for gravel looking at some gravel bikes for a bike packing holiday in Oman and looking for some advice for the dry gravel there! I’m limited with size being XS so not much choice with bikes
is there much difference in function with a 1by and 2by drivetrain. The one I’m thinking has 1by which the bike store people seem to think is sufficient and better easier to fix and change gears but I’m worried it won’t be enough gears..
is it worth going tubeless to minimise the pinch flats or Would sealant in tubed tyres work similarly?
is carbon necessary? Price for diverge comp e5 2023 is $2500 whereas the carbon is $4300 AUD
These are the bikes I’m looking at, probably leaning more towards the Diverge e5 Comp (alum). Any suggestions would be much appreciated! Thank you
- Merida Silex 400
https://www.99bikes.com.au/merida25-merida-silex-400-black-grey-titan-xs
- Specialized Diverge Comp Carbon
https://www.specialized.com/au/en/diverge-comp-carbon/p/216973
- Specialized Diverge e5 Comp
https://www.epiccycles.com.au/specialized-diverge-comp-e5-23.html
- Giant Revolt 1
https://www.giant-bicycles.com/au/revolt-1-2025
- Marin/Polygon
Much cheaper online but not heard much about the brands! I suppose without instore services
10:22 UTC
Storage help not technically bike packing but I have a lot of crap and need ideas
So I’ve fully committed to bike commuting to work since my commute is only about 5 miles one way. But I’m struggling to find a good solution for storage options for everything i need for my commute.
For context I don’t work a regular 9-5 I work 48-72 hours at a time. (obviously sleeping at work) But I don’t leave work for atleast 2 days typically I bring enough uniforms and about 3 times as many pairs of socks and undershirts/underwear than I need with me as well as enough meal prep for while I’m there.
Current set up is a cheap Amazon rack trunk that has sides that fold down into saddlebags that claims to be about 27L but with how compact each storage space is it’s only big enough to really fit my meal prep and my rain suit for rainy days ( I live in a semi tropical area so rain is a given) so then the rest of my stuff goes into a large backpack.
My main issue isn’t having to carry a backpack as I am using an e bike but just attempting to limit the bulk or make the backpack my lighter option as it’s filled to the max and makes the ride fairly uncomfortable and routine stops to or from work feel impossible
I do have the ability to do laundry at work but with limited machines bringing everything to and from work and doing a load at home is a more reliable option and I don’t have to meal prep as meals are served at work for a fair cost but can be either unhealthy in a make you feel bloated way or in a raw chicken/ reheated items from a week ago kind of way so meal prep is the preferred way.
I’ve seen some products that could definitely make for an easy solution but are on the pricier side and was hoping if anybody has any DIY options or has been in a familiar situation and could offer insight as to how they packed or prepared.
05:07 UTC