Bike Packing Cooking

[Adventurer]

Obviously TLS applies, however ........

At the moment I use an Evernew Titanium 600ml, wide pot with a Stormin stove titanium cone and alcohol stove. Good enough for boiling water. As it’s titanium it can manage wood if ever needed.

In general when I’m bikepacking I take a pre-mixed porridge/powdered milk in a zip bag and just add water. And in the evening is a just add water backpacking meal. Other times ill eat at a pub or cafe.

However after looking at a few backpacking and touring cycling vlogs I’m interested in trying a bit of ‘real food’ cooking, nothing special.

I like the idea of taking less boil in the bag food, maybe 1 just in case. Just pick up an onion, few mushroom and a couple of eggs during the day whilst riding and then just giving it a fry together when camping.

Might make the camping part a bit more of an experience and looking forward to some tasty food. It might mean a bit more weight but at other times it would mean carrying less.

What are your thoughts and have you tried this?

[ScotRoutes]

I think this highlights a couple of different approaches to bikepacking.

In the main, I enjoy riding into the evening and making the most of the day by being on the move. As a result, my food options are either indoors - before I ride somewhere to settle for the night - or outdoors once I've stopped riding as far as I can. In that case, I want something quick and easy so dried meals are just the ticket.

On a very few occasions the camping out is just a way of spending a pleasant evening outside. In those instances, I'll get to my pitch early, maybe with a pair of binoculars, sit about taking in the views, wildlife, whatever and I'm more prepared to sit about and actually cook something. Without getting into the existential arguments again, maybe the former is more Bikepacking and the latter is more Touring?

I'm also really lazy and hate the idea of having to wash pots

[Adventurer]

I think this highlights a couple of different approaches to bikepacking.

In the main, I enjoy riding into the evening and making the most of the day by being on the move. As a result, my food options are either indoors - before I ride somewhere to settle for the night - or outdoors once I've stopped riding as far as I can. In that case, I want something quick and easy so dried meals are just the ticket.

On a very few occasions the camping out is just a way of spending a pleasant evening outside. In those instances, I'll get to my pitch early, maybe with a pair of binoculars, sit about taking in the views, wildlife, whatever and I'm more prepared to sit about and actually cook something. Without getting into the existential arguments again, maybe the former is more Bikepacking and the latter is more Touring?

I'm also really lazy and hate the idea of having to wash pots

I think for touring and bikepacking I’m somewhere in the middle. I’m riding a titanium Camino with 2.0 Raceking tyres. I enjoy going a distance and stopping in a cafe on the way. I enjoy the remoteness but I like to join up off road routes with road sections too.


I’m thinking of a system that allows flexibility that enables me to choose how I feel on the day. I think all I would need to do is just take less dried backpacking food and supplement with a small frying type pan. Can always pick up eggs etc on the way when passing a small shop or farm.

Like to mix up where I camp, and last time i decided to try a camping at a YHA which was in Clun which I was quite impressed with and found most relaxing. Having a shower and being able to use their cooking facilities was a unusual change.
I went back down the road to clun and bought a couple of items from the shop took them back and cooked. enjoyed that.

[Bearbonesnorm]

If you're wanting to actually cook - say steak, fry eggs or whatever then gas or maybe (if you can be bothered) wood will be much better than meths ... although that is in part why I made the remote feed stoves.

It's surprising what you can knock up with meths but generally it's still things that require hot water or rehydrating ... which raises the subject of home dehydrating?

[summittoppler]

For me having good feed during a camp is one of the highlights. Yes I've done the old hydrated meals but you can't beat 'real' food. I'm never chasing the miles or the clock so it's a good way of killing some time during the evening.
My favourite is seasoned lamb steak with a small tin of spuds. I've also prepped nachos at home and then had them on the fire but let's not go there

[ripio]

Roasting a chicken on a Trangia?
https://youtu.be/WBQqOL7Ohyc

[MikeW]

I've just bought a gas stove for this reason. I usually eat at a pub but as I'm going for BAM this year and I work shifts my bivvies are likely to be quite local. Rather than just leaving the house to sleep in a local wood I think it will increase my motivation if I cook a bit of decent grub while I'm out. I figure that if I'll be mostly local the added weight won't be an issue.

[Bearbonesnorm]

Taylor's full Christmas dinner cooked on an ultralight meths stove

[lune ranger]

Since Mrs Ranger got a dehydrator in autumn for preserving the harvest here at The Ranch I've been experimenting with making my own meals to just add water to out on the trail.
I cut out all processed crap in my home diet a few years ago and have been making trail snacks for about 2 years. Feed Zone Portables the cookbook really changed my on trail diet.
The dehydrated meals are the last brick in the wall so to speak. Home trials are showing great promise and I'll be field testing in a couple of weeks when Project Fargo is go-go.

[RIP]

Yes Stuart that's absolutely the benchmark we all (futilely) strive to beat. Happen to have a handy photo of the accompanying smart attire? . (or was that a different, more, er, formal occasion?)

[Bearbonesnorm]

It was a different time Reg, however any excuse to post my picture of 'Two Tw@ts Cooking'. I believe the menu inc' some sort of mousse for dessert but a typo on the menu led to chocolate mouse ... they seem happy with it though.

[RIP]

[whitestone]

Was that Xmas dinner done on the one stove?

I think the main difference between home and camp cooking is that in the latter you don't really have the time to let things soak/marinade/stew in the way that you do at home - well you could but you'd use up a lot of fuel doing so. Foods that can be brought to the boil then left to cook in the hot water would work but things like potatoes that need a rolling boil are harder work, maybe a case of some pre-cooking at home so you just need to reheat. Then you've the problem of carrying them to your bivy and it would only really work for the first night due to environmental temperatures.

Chopping up an onion and putting it in a ziplock bag along with herbs or spices would be a good starter base.

[Bearbonesnorm]

A single stove Bob.

[Scud]

If it is just for a ride where weight is not crucial and is more about getting out there and having a good night, i tend to cook a chilli or a curry in the week for tea and place some in these bags:

https://www.lakeland.co.uk/10914/20-Sou ... er-Bags-1L

They seal properly and can take being in boiled water for ages, they then can stand up to.

So i usually have small gas stove and small ti mug both inside large ti mug. Heat water in the large mug, with the chilli/ curry or similar in there, til meal is hot, then either carry some wraps for the chilli, or a bag of couscous, when the meal is heated through, add some of the hot water to the couscous in the packet and any remaining into the small mug for tea/coffee.

Proper home cooked food and no washing up, plus limits water.

[thenorthwind]

My go-to meal is based on orzo pasta (pasta roughly the same size and shape as rice) which has a bit more texture than cous cous, but doesn't take too much cooking and packs small. I might add a small tin of tuna (they really don't weigh that much, and you can get no-drain tins now that weigh less and save faff) or other tinned fish, chop some chorizo in, or pick up some cheese at shop. Pesto is good for sauce and flavour - I found some pots in the supermarket that are the ideal size, but I also have some little containers like these are cheaper and less waste: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Sistema-Collec ... B00BG4DH90 Tomato puree also works. Leave some of the pasta water in for more sauce. A stock cube/pinch of boullion in with the pasta helps too.