hike-a-(loaded)bike

[shutupthepunx]

sorry if this has been covered before (i did search but not much came up)

i was wondering how people navigate hike a bike-ing with a loaded bike.

all pics/vids ive seemed to come across comes with the premise that the bikes got nothing on it. but frame bag, fork bags, a seatpostbag and a habdlebag bag makes things a bit awkward, not to speak of the aditional weight.

any ideas, tips, pics, videos welcome.

ive seen some frame bags with a space under the top tube close to the seatpost end, for a hand space. how useful/gimmicky is this?

[ScotRoutes]

I don't think there are any special tricks. Being able to reach across to the bars without fouling any bags is obvious. Bikepacking seatpacks are typically easier to manage than panniers.

TBH if there is going to be a high percentage of H-A-B then it makes more sense to carry some of the load in a rucksack and thus lighten the bike.

A bungee/cord/strap to tie a crank arm to the chainstay can be helpful to stop the pedals bashing your calfs.

Old school H-A-B was sometimes helped by threading a belt around the seatpost and then your waist belt. That meant you used your legs to propel the bike and hands to steer. Not sure I've heard of anyone doing that in a while.

Also - the usual premise applies.... TLS. (see my signature)

[Bearbonesnorm]

For general low level stuff that doesn't really require lifting the bike that high, I usually just have one hand on the bars and the other on the saddle ... kind of lift and shove technique.

For prolonged periods of carrying, obviously getting the thing onto your shoulder(s) is often much better and may be the only option. Frame bags, especially those that occupy the full triangle now become a PITA, although a half frame bag can provide some padding. Slinging the bike across your back is a fairly common practice but my arms tend to lock up quite quickly doing this.

As Colin says, if you know a route will have prolonged sections, consider donning a backpack and pare your kit down as far as you dare.

[Bearbonesnorm]

Ooh and here's a guide to it

Once you choose to ride your bike somewhere other than a designated cycle path or sculptured bike trail, you should accept that not every inch will be ridable. If you take things a step further and decide to ride so far off the beaten track that no track exists, then you really should prepare yourself mentally for what may lay ahead. While generally despised, 'pushing' comes in many forms and if armed with knowledge and undertaken with the correct mindset, can, alongside the misery it's often associated with, bring joy and a real sense of satisfaction ... that 100 mile view, secluded lake or hidden bothy will only avail themselves to those willing to walk.

The 'Stroll' ... probably the least challenging and easiest type of walking you can undertake with a bike. The terrain is often firm, dry and even and generally with only a minor gradient to slow you down. It's most often encountered where there's population and usually brought about by social / legal pressures, rather than an actual inability to ride what's in front of you ... usually best avoided for fear of biting your tongue off.

The 'Shove' ... due to its short nature, the Shove is best hit with some force behind it. It might seem tiring at the time but those 50 metres of steep banking, scree slope or sheep track can sometimes be the fastest way to the top and if taken enthusiastically should be over very quickly. There's lots of possible variations in ground conditions here but as a rule, your tyres will remain in contact with the terra firma and your wheels will roll reasonably well, although some people are known to carry their bikes during Shoves, which changes their status to Hike-a-bike ... something I firmly believe has no place in the world of pushing.

The 'Shunt' ... to the uninitiated, the Shunt is often mistaken for the Shove. It's an easy mistake to make but one that's sadly unforgiving. The main difference lies in the length and duration. You can think of the Shunt as a number of Shoves joined together by a series of 30 second breaks, these will often include, resting your head on your handlebars, dizzy spells and complaining that your calf's hurt. The key to successful Shunting, is pace. Although generally less than half a kilometer in length, they do tend to be fairly steep, so aim to start at a speed you feel you'll be able to maintain all the way to the finish. While the terrain is often good, it's not uncommon for there to be the occasional fallen tree or tight switchback turn ... I'd advise using these features as natural resting points to take on additional oxygen.

The 'Trudge' ... probably the most misunderstood form of pushing. It comes in numerous guises and is often associated with poor weather conditions, darkness and the inability to read a map. Their natural habitat is flat featureless ground and they're particularly fond of the rain and wind, in fact trudges are actually very rare in the warm, dry months when the days are long. Mid-ride mechanicals can also induce a Trudge, so make sure you're carrying appropriate tools and spares. Contrary to popular belief, they're usually not that demanding physically but some mental resolve (just keep thinking about dry socks) will be required to deal with them successfully. If you do feel your mental state faltering, then try singing ... I believe 'We are the self preservation society' from the Italian job is quite good.

The 'Slog' ... this can be quite tough as it usually requires prolonged periods of physical effort. Unlike the Trudge, you're more likely to encounter a Slog in summer than you are in winter. High temperatures and low supplies tend to exaggerate the effects of a Slog and can sometimes make you believe that it's much worse than it really is. Ascent often plays a major roll too, as can poor ground conditions, which invariably means a little lifting and carrying may be required to make forward progress. A sure sign that you're on a Slog or Slogging, is the uncontrollable desire to remove your shoes and dangle your feet into any body of water you pass, no matter how grim it might appear.

The 'Death-March' ... the biggy, the one you might never make it through, the undisputed king of pushing. In reality, not that much is known about the Death-March because there's not many survivors willing to share their story and re-live the experience. However, it's clear that they're a cocktail of all the bad bits from the other forms of pushing, taken and shaken into something you really don't want to taste. With that in mind, it's quite easy to imagine what might await those attempting to take one on ... 3 miles plus, poor weather, possibly quite wintry, physical exertion, mental fatigue, wet feet and a strange inability to smile are all classic signs of a full blown Death-March. Another element of a top level Death-March is the unfulfilled promise or lie as it's sometimes called ... "it gets ridable in a minute", "the bothy's just over that hill" and "the forecast says it'll stop later". Don't allow yourself to fall for these mental mirages ... keep strong, keep going and just mind you don't trip up over your bottom lip.

[sean_iow]

I think this constitutes a Slog based on the description



Head down partially in despair, partially due to the physical effort but mainly looking at my empty water bottles. Mike took this on the HT550 but I cant remember where, Bealach Horn maybe.

It is possible to carry a loaded bike provided you've followed TLS



That's the bike packed for the 2019 HT550, I had taken it all to work so I could walk up that hill on the way home, it's the steepest we have locally but still small compared to Scotland. The rucksack helps in 2 ways, it reduces the weight of kit on the bike and also the bike is partially padded by it across my shoulders.

[shutupthepunx]

thanks folks

[mfezela]

And then there's 'The Single Step' aka 'Mental Anguish' reserved for the steepest and loosest terrain.

Stand next to bike adjacent to the saddle. Left or right, it's your choice.
Hands on bars.
Push bike forward without moving your feet. (That will move the bike 30cm or so depending on underwheel conditions and/or gradient.)
Take one small step forward. (On steep and loose ground, that may necessitate activating the brakes to prevent the bike coming to meet you instead of the desired you to bike result.)
Resume the position.
Push.
Step.
Repeat.

Reciting mantras, Screaming, Cursing, Crying are all optional extras. None will really help, but by that point who cares.

[Dean]

On steep grassy slopes when the calves are burning there is "the drag of despair" to use different muscles: one hand on handlebar, one hand on saddle and start stumbling backwards.

[fatbikephil]

Reciting mantras, Screaming, Cursing, Crying are all optional extras. None will really help, but by that point who cares.

"FOR ****S SAKE" is my fav. Its particularly nice when you get an echo of it from surrounding hills...

Wheres Ray Young, he is a connoisseur of bike pushing

[Mariner]

And don't forget the added joy for flattey users of having your ankles savaged.

[ScotRoutes]

And don't forget the added joy for flattey users of having your ankles savaged.

See my tip above to help reduce the problem.

[PaulB2]

I know that the first time I did that I'd forget that I'd tied the cranks up and it would end badly when I jumped back on the bike.

[whitestone]

And don't forget the added joy for flattey users of having your ankles savaged.

You used to be able to get detachable pedals, as in rapid detach/reattach. There were SPD variants but not sure there were/are any quality flat pedals that do it.

I was reading one of Mike Curiac's pieces about one of his Alaskan epics where he mentioned that the only member of the party without them was a little cut up! The route did have a large amount of sea washed bouldery stumblef***ery though

[sean_iow]

And don't forget the added joy for flattey users of having your ankles savaged.

Shimano XT SPDs had a pointy shaped outside face to them, I used to file it to a curve to help reduce this. Pushing the bike through a boulder field there are enough pedal strikes to sharpen up the edges though so I would still get smacked in the back of the leg with a sharp/burred edge.

I've now switched to Look Xtrack pedals which are composite and much kinder on the leg.

[RichinNW]

For short sections over boulders and up stepped ground this works for me:
Standing next to the bike reach over the top tube and grab the down tube just up from the bottom bracket. Lift and You’ll find a balance point. You’re arms straight so you’re not having to lock off and use muscles in your arm unnecessarily (climbers amongst you will recognise doing this helps reduce fatigue). The bike’s now clamped against your side and its weight / force directed down in line with your legs and spine. Grab the end of the handle bar just to stabilise things. Your arm and hand will ache a bit after 50 double paces, but slow and steady wins the day

[Tonto]

Similar to that straight arm technique, but with two modifications. Firstly use a bumbag/hip pack as a sling over shoulder and top tube. A quick release buckle helps with this. Secondly face the bike backwards. Makes everything balance better, the front wheel will hang straight as you are climbing up.
I have used this method when the climbing is sustained, it's a bit of a faff for just a five minute scramble.

[Single Speed George]

this has still got seat bag, bar bag and frame bag attached.... just get it balanced nicely on your camel back look at the floor and trudge ..... if it worked at altitude here it works everywhere in the UK haha... but generally i try to push rather than carry!