Article in yesterday's Grauniad about Adventure Pedlars based in the Peaks (are you on Here, Pete?). Couple arrive and provided with Sonders ( nice local touch there ), pre-loaded gpx route, carry-your-own-sleeping-kit, etc. Ride round Peaks having nice time, reach private woods for large tent with fire, chocs, wine, hamper etc. Sounds rather nice actually . Lassie opens with: "bikepacking can be a hassle: all the kit to buy and carry, routes to plan, weather to worry about, wildcamping spots to suss out". Of course, all the things most of us Here love about it! . They admit to 'cheating' (is it?) so fair play. Closing with "planning a route like this would take time and effort". Sounds like BP for London time-poor softies then. Still, a niche is filled so good luck to you Pete. Interesting to see yet another take on BP anyway.

'Reg'

You'd want an e-bike provided for the complete package really, not one you have to put (too much) effort into...


p.s. if you think you're getting any of that in a few days time you've got another think coming!!! I didn't get where I am today letting others do the work for me...

I'm with you there Reg, good luck to them. Bikeglamping is great, a way of touring and I've done it and enjoyed it. Call me soft if you like

It's similar to what Pannier do with their organised trips I think. While I like the sort of social that involves a bivi on a hill top with no luxuries apart from maybe a hipflask, a glamping set up with some music and more supplies, campfire spot etc makes for a good evening if there's a few of you and you're not all done in by the time you get there.

Yes, certainly a niche to be filled there and I'm sure it'll be well subscribed but personally, it sounds like the stuff of nightmares. Once you remove the elements of freedom and chance, you also remove the real appeal

I’m not against the idea of a supported ride but I don’t really see the point in carrying your own sleeping kit.

jam bo wrote: ↑Sun Apr 14, 2019 9:22 am I’m not against the idea of a supported ride but I don’t really see the point in carrying your own sleeping kit.

Without seeming to have a dig at the organisers, it's this bit that makes it "bikepacking". If you don't have the right bags on your bike (preferably with dangly mug) then you're just out for a ride - and who is going to pay for that? Anyway, you need to carry something so that your photos look good on soshul meeja.

I've no objection to supported rides either btw. I've supported some myself

Bikepackglamping....
.....isn’t that touring?

I met and chatted (for a long time on the long trail north...) to Pete on the Highland Trail a couple of years a go and he was talking about this having just set it up. If its still going a couple of years later I guess there must be a demand. What the hey, if it gets a few more folk started then its got to be a good thing...

I was just musing this over while avoiding doing anything to aggravate my pulled back and I did think ...

1/ A trip like this isn't really aimed at the majority of folk who frequent this corner of the internet.

2/ There's an ever growing number of companies, groups, etc who are arranging trips and events that perhaps have the edges smoothed off in order to broaden appeal.

3/ As what I would consider to be true bikepackers, ie self-sufficient, unsupported and unaided (your ideas may differ), it's beginning to feel as though we're actually being pushed towards the fringes of what many now think of as bikepacking.

4/ Seems kind of funny really.

5/ Not knocking it - just thinking.

Then again stu you've had a really high number for WRT this year ,maybe people have tried the supported thing ( not for me due to being a antisocial cantankerous old git) and decided they want to try it in its "natural" form how many will come back after it who knows but in the end we'll be left with people who actually enjoy it and not for the old thumbs up on social media ,bit like natural selection really
Edit - forgot to add on the fringes of any society you'll tend to find the more interesting and better people

if it encourages more people to ride bikes and get out in the countryside then i am all for it.Its not for me [or many of us on here either].

I also dont understand why you would carry your own sleeping bag to a premade campsite

I tried to be even-handed in my starting post cos it is what it is. Like Stu I'm not overly keen on the media sanitisation of BP but it's a bandwagon they'll exploit ruthlessly until they move on to the next fickle one. And if someone wants to turn a coin on the back of it it's a free country (*). So what's our beef (or nutroast) about 'BP-Lite'? Do we think it's debasing the name of proper BP? Trouble is I think proper BP is sleeping in ditches and tramping around with hardly a plan and not giving a toss about distances or speeds but even some on Here would not agree with that extremity.

But I'm afraid I too laughed at the 'carried [a small part of] our sleeping kit' bit - a token gesture to BP perhaps.

Oh dear, another BP philosophy thread...

(*) this is tripe of course, we're really controlled and corralled by the corporate juggernaut.

controlled and corralled by the corporate juggernaut.

Is this how he markets WRT ?

'really high number for WRT this year' - yes I was slightly taken aback by the number. Quite obviously you don't have to explain or account for anything Stu, but I thought there was an unspoken 'max 150' figure at one time. Of course the founding fathers (and mothers!) of our merry band will probably wryly laugh about even double figures .

I sometimes wrestle with this idea that 'encouraging people to try BP [and indeed anything else] is a good thing'. Personally I'd rather it was just something that a few nutters did and newcomers could read about it, get a measure of the 'difficulty', then make their own minds up. They'd try a local overnighter then build up from there. But who am I to make rules up?

No it's no good, I've tried to be generous and 'inclusive' but sod it, really, Proper BP is smelly, bonkers, just let it happen, anti-corporate, nothing laid on whatsoever, punk bike tramping and dossing. So stop calling anything else 'bikepacking' please. By all means crack on and enjoy whatever you do but it's not BP. I suppose we'll have to let the 'Race BP' crowd into the room as well but it's only under sufferance guys

RIP wrote: ↑Sun Apr 14, 2019 11:25 am Proper BP is smelly, bonkers, just let it happen, anti-corporate, nothing laid on whatsoever...

Woah, woah, woah!!! I was assured there would be cake at the finish!

'really high number for WRT this year' - yes I was slightly taken aback by the number. Quite obviously you don't have to explain or account for anything Stu, but I thought there was an unspoken 'max 150' figure at one time. Of course the founding fathers (and mothers!) of our merry band will probably wryly laugh about even double figures

The figure of 150 was never a decision, 'twas simply the maximum number that seemed to enter over the last few years ... a natural capacity if you will

While I'm all for encouraging people, I like to think it can be done in a way that increases peoples skills and boosts confidence rather than simply lowering the bar to pander to peoples desire for instant results or a tick on a 'bucket list'. By all means, smooth the corners of the arrowhead a little but realise that there will reach a point when your sharp point will become no more than a pebble.

Just noticed the last paragraph says they left feeling inspired and liberated. It's nice to be inspired but I'm not sure if she means 'liberation' from the trappings of 'normal' life, or liberation from having to do the trip logistics herself and indeed any of the 'packing' part! It would seem to be the latter

RIP wrote: ↑Sun Apr 14, 2019 11:25 am No it's no good, I've tried to be generous and 'inclusive' but sod it, really, Proper BP is smelly, bonkers, just let it happen, anti-corporate, nothing laid on whatsoever, punk bike tramping and dossing. So stop calling anything else 'bikepacking' please. I suppose we'll have to let the 'Race BP' crowd into the room as well but it's only under sufferance guys

So, proper bikepacking you say.

Imagine some would think of you as not a proper bikepacker.

We all have our own and different definitions, like to see ourselves as those who do it properly.

It's about time to let it go.

Here, a little prezzie for you:
#properbikepacking

.... and of course you're right, it can be a fine line between personal opinion and statement of fact, and often a blurred one, and my quoted phrase is probably as tongue in cheek as ever. In fact I know it is. Then again, there's nothing wrong with having a bit of fun philosophising and joshing around what it is or isn't all about. I'm happy to 'leave it there' and talk about gear ratios or whatever if that is preferable .

To accompany the cracking photo (possibly one for BrownDog as another Bonzos afficionado): https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=9PycvJqUyEs . (amazingly the guitar solo is by Eric Clapton!)

Bikepacking could be defined as packing my bike in a bag to take in on train / plane couldn't it?

My wife wouldn't want to do what most of us here do (though we don't all do the same remember) but a bike ride followed by comfortable accommodation, I be she'd go for that.

I'll caveat with the fact the Pete is very good friend of mine but I think what he is offering in this case is really good. A hassle free way of cycling in the peak district with comfortable accommodation in a known location. Sounds like a nice little trip out regardless of how the word bikepacking used.

I once met a chap, sorry cant recall a name, whilst we both attempted the cairngorm loop. He wasn't carrying any sleeping kit except a down jacket and a super light waterproof bivi bag (if I recall). His plan was to sleep in a hotel (not prebooked), if he couldn't find one he planned to ride all night. Is he backpacker? he was faster than me and was racing a bikepacking ITT route, so I think so?

How about the american who raced the highland trail race but only carried kit to sleep in bothys?

I think we should all relax a little bit and allow the bikepacking word to go free, we all do things differently, some in tents, some in bivys some in ditches, some in bothy's. To me, bikepacking is travelling by bike carrying what you need to survive / enjoy your overnight in your chosen style, be it a credit card or a bin bag.

Panda's ?

Panda's ?

Aye

As mentioned at the start, it is what it is and good luck to Pete, he's putting some effort in and some people are having a nice time so that's good . DIgressed into a bit of tongue in cheek navel gazing so we can let a panda loose on that certainly .