Bulk

[whitestone]

No, not me!

How do folk deal with the bulk of their bikepacking kit?

At the moment I struggle not to use a backpack though that's a Camelbak but I'm using that for water as well since my frame doesn't have water cage bosses in the right place to carry both water bottles *and* use a partial frame bag. (I've posted about that before and still haven't sorted it out.) With winter approaching things are only going to get bulkier.

I'm pretty good at packing so there's no empty voids in things like the mug, etc. and I've got the minimum amount of kit as I use what I take and I'll only use what I need so it's close to optimum in that regard.

Hints, tips?

[Bearbonesnorm]

Personally, I think minimising bulk is sometimes more important than trying to obtain an outright low weight. Often the pursuit of one will reduce the other but not always ... CCF mat weighs nowt but is bulky and trying to find it a happy home not always an easy task.

The big stuff's easy to home (shelter, sleeping kit, etc) but those little bits and bobs like electronics seem to cause issues when packing and often lead to the addition of a backpack - my only tip here, is have a good think about the difference between need and want, in reality we need very little

[whitestone]

I understand the difference between need and want - I did a lot of alpine climbing when younger which has quite a few similarities in that respect. I don't take much in the way of electronic gadgets that would be packed away, usually just a phone but had one of those clam style speakers at the weekend so add the volume of a satsuma , GPS, lights and the like are on the bike rather than me.

I think my first step would be to sort out carrying water on the bike rather than on my back, that will reduce the pressure to take the Camelbak and make me think more about the rest of the stuff in there which is usually toolkit, first aid stuff and at this time of year spare clothing.

[Bearbonesnorm]

I think my first step would be to sort out carrying water on the bike rather than on my back

Good idea ... how much do you carry and perhaps more importantly, how little would you be happy carrying?

I carry 650ml on the bike, I also pack a 2L fold up bladder that I fill before I set up for the night.

[whitestone]

It does vary depending on time of year and location. Can be anything from 1 litre to 3 litres - heading over the tops of the Dales during hot weather can be thirsty work - but I suppose most of the time it will be between 1 & 1.5 litres so a couple of bottles will do.

[ootini]

It does vary depending on time of year and location. Can be anything from 1 litre to 3 litres - heading over the tops of the Dales during hot weather can be thirsty work - but I suppose most of the time it will be between 1 & 1.5 litres so a couple of bottles will do.

Fork mounted bottle cages?

[Trail-rat]

rarely carry more than one bottle these days- i just fill up along the way - either at cafes or at streams.

roadie group rides i may carry 2 just because im at the mercy of the rest of the group who may have 2.....

as for bulk i do find it boils down to want vs need.

The esentials can always be located and the non essentials can be minimised.

I always prioritise shelter/warmth over gadgets and even a stove.....

[ericrobo]

As for water I have a Travel Tap, which I carry inside a titanium mug, which is inside a stem cell on the handlebars..

I have a rucsac with a bladder, so carry about half a litre in that.

Using the Travel Tap I can fill up whenever I'm near water...

The Travel Tap will filter dirty water but that clogs the filter sooner, so try and use running water.

ps - I also got a Sawyer Mini filter thinking it would be less bulk and weight, but I find it very difficult to get water in the 16oz 'bladder', which would also be prone to damage/splitting. Using the Travel Tap is a lot quicker than filling with the Sawyer.

(with a Travel Tap you have to make sure the seal is well seated, otherwise it will drip non-filtered water out)

[Bearbonesnorm]

I also got a Sawyer Mini filter thinking it would be less bulk and weight, but I find it very difficult to get water in the 16oz 'bladder', which would also be prone to damage/splitting.

Try blowing the bladder up first, I find it makes filing much easier.


I will also behave like a camel and drink water when it's there. If I find a stream and have half a bottle, I'll drink that before re-filling.

[whitestone]

Having lived most of my life in properties with a private, unfiltered, water supply I've never bothered with any kind of filtration system when in the UK.

Trail_rat: usually in the UK you aren't far from a water supply, it does seem like the limestone tops in the Dales are one of the exceptions.

[Trail-rat]

totally agree - likewise if i was going abroad i would be looking to take a filter and iodine with me after having contracted giardia in new zealand while on tour its not pleasent - 6 weeks of turning my self inside out while various docs along route tell me its just a passing sickness bug......

How ever i would be researching the local water/area first before deciding to add that bulk.

[whitestone]

Had giardia (among other things ) so know what that's like.

[benp1]

I put 2 bottles cages onto my Solaris last night, with a half frame bag (Revelate Tangle)

It's very tight, and not ideal, but it looks like it'll work OK. I'll take pics once the bike is loaded up

[Trail-rat]

remember onlyone of the bottles needs to be easily accessable when riding if your carrying 2.

you just swap them round when your stopped. My downtube bottle cage is next to useless when im riding with my ocelot in place - but i could store a bottle there if i needed the capacity.

[whitestone]

I put 2 bottles cages onto my Solaris last night, with a half frame bag (Revelate Tangle)

It's very tight, and not ideal, but it looks like it'll work OK. I'll take pics once the bike is loaded up

Be interesting to see that: a bottle cage mounted on the standard bosses on a Solaris don't work with a Wildcat Ocelot for example. I'm thinking along the lines of a custom clamp to be able to mount one or two bottles a bit lower.

[Trail-rat]

i guess it depends on your frame size also whitestone.....

i ride gates.

also ifyou need to move your bottle cage down a bit

http://www.vanillabikes.com/products/ax ... GwodjEkCDg

are a good solution if you dont want to use a di2 battery mount.

[whitestone]

It's a large but the bottle cage actually touches the base of the frame bag so the mount point would need to be quite a bit lower.

[Trail-rat]

at which point of course any bottle in the cage would be colliding with the seat tube mounted bottle :(

[whitestone]

at which point of course any bottle in the cage would be colliding with the seat tube mounted bottle :(

A second bottle would either have to be on top of the top tube or below the down tube. Advantages/disadvantages to both.

[benp1]

Mine is a large too

One is mounted to the standard bosses with a mount skidmore adaptor, the other using elite bottle cage clamps on the seat tube

You could use two sets of bottle cage clamps. I've not yet strapped all the kit to it, or in particular packed the frame bag, but I'm hoping it works ok

[whitestone]

Doing a bit of searching and came across these http://upgradebikes.co.uk/Catalogue/Cha ... ed-Clamp-2 which do look like they'll do the job Wiggle, CRC & Merlin all stock them

[HaYWiRe]

I'm in a similar situation only my bulk comes from the main big things (mat,bag,tent) but sometimes that's more to do with investment in lighter gear than anything else

Small stuff I've got dialed, 1st aid and medicals on my person, tools on the bike, ect.
I alternate now between a tiny hydration pack (bladder removed) and using a low waist bag below jersey pockets, the former for extra medicals and food

Water is carries on the stem in easy reach and away from mud, 2x 500ml mostly, or 2x 1000ml if needed, handles like a dog having the weight up high but works okay on long easy slogs, 90% of the time I just carry 1 650ml piss bottle and I'm never far from a pub. Advantages of living in the south wales valleys is easy water supply

[Richard G]

Couldn't imagine going without a camelbak now on anything over 3 hours. Lost count of the amount of times I've got dehydrated on rides and ended up getting physically wrecked for no good reason. I know the argument is that I could stop more often to refill the bottles, but I wont as once I'm in the groove I'll go for hours at a time without resting.

I do carry a single bottle, but it's more for emergencies than anything else.

[DrMekon]

I also got a Sawyer Mini filter thinking it would be less bulk and weight, but I find it very difficult to get water in the 16oz 'bladder', which would also be prone to damage/splitting.

Try blowing the bladder up first, I find it makes filing much easier.


I will also behave like a camel and drink water when it's there. If I find a stream and have half a bottle, I'll drink that before re-filling.

I'm using the fast fill adapter with my Camelbak - it's one of those hip ones (Octane LR), and without it, filling would be an arseache. With the adapter, I just unclip the mouthpiece, and pop on the thread. It would work properly with a normal sized filter, but the mini happily squirts in to the tube without spillage. Don't even have to remove the pack to fill the bladder.

[ScotRoutes]

I don't mind carrying a small, light rucksack of some description for water. I'm terrible at remembering to drink frequently enough so a water bladder with hose sort of encourages me as it's much more convenient to drink as I ride.

The alternative approach if you suffer from sweaty-back syndrome would be a bum bag/fanny pack.