to carry a backpack or not

[matt147]

I'm thinking of using my backpack for carrying some of my lighter gear like spare clothes waterproofs and sleeping mat to save a bit of bulk on the bike I'll be keeping the heavier things on the bike. what's people experiences/ thoughts on carrying packs please

[JohnClimber]

Unless I know I won't get a clean water supply I don't take a back pack, but I've just got my first DSLR camera, so I may need to use my camera back pack on some rides.

If you need a back pack you're carrying too much gear

[Bearbonesnorm]

what's people experiences/ thoughts on carrying packs please

An old injury means that I do my best not to. When I do need to wear one, I generally use a Wingnut 2.5 which puts very little strain on shoulders / back ... but in summer never, it's just far too hot. However, many less gimpy people do use them and as long as the load's light, they don't seem to struggle overly ... or perhaps they're just riding in ignorant bliss

[whitestone]

Sometimes I do, sometimes I don't. Depends on what I'm doing really. This time of year everything is bigger and bulkier so it's more likely that I will. I don't (yet) have a bar harness so that limits me somewhat.

I'm aiming towards using a rucksack less and less, it's a case of working out what works for me kit-wise.

[ScotRoutes]

Sometimes I do, sometimes I don't. I do like having water handy to drink, so a lightweight pack with a bladder system is pretty convenient. It's also somewhere to stash any goodies that I might purchase en route.

One advantage of a backpack is that it can make hike-a-bike and any fence-crossing easier as the bike is more lightly loaded.

[matt147]

It will mainly be for light bulky items and a bladder as I have a fs bike so i have limited space for a frame bag

[barney]

If you need a back pack you're carrying too much gear

I disagree with that John, if you can afford real high quality gear then that tends to pack down small.

A lot of my kit tends to be more from the budget end of the scale, I can still bivy at this time of year but my sleeping bag is very bulky and that's just one item.

[fatbikephil]

I've used a camel back lobo on a few trips and as well as handy water its also good for carrying valuables and things like bananas or sandwiches which tend to get pulverised if you carry them on the bike over rough ground. I noticed a few folk on the Highland Trail last year went with bar roll, seat pack and rucksack as its easier to carry a bike if you can put an arm through the frame as well as the aforementioned weight distribution when carrying. I keep thinking of some kind of set up whereby you can attach a rucksack to the bike so you carry gear on your back for HAB and techy stuff and then bung it on the bike for easier bits

[ScotRoutes]

A few years ago I was visualising a pair of panniers that would convert into a rucksack*. That was mainly to get weight of he bike for any carrying. Turned out, someone was already doing it.

Here's one example; http://bicycletouringpro.com/blog/scico ... rbackpack/






* there have been single panniers options for some time.

[ianfitz]

I've used a fairly narrow terra nova rucksack both on my back and in a wildcat harness (in the same trip) it works well so long you put bulky lighter stuff in there. And don't use the pockets! Doesn't fit in the harness well with the pockets full!

[Charliecres]

I hate having any weight on my back for more than an hour or two but I do occasionally use a rucksack for very light items

[Alpinum]

Depends on terrain. As I like rough and techy stuff I mostly wear a rucksack, even if it's just for water, wallet and phone. The more I have to carry a bike, the more load goes on my back. Carrying the bike often goes in hand with very technical riding in which any additional weight on the bike makes riding more difficult. The most suspended part is your upper body, so on Alpine trips I've only got a small framebag made of Chikara and filled with tools, spare tube and a short NeoAir Xlite, rest is on back in a 22 L sack.

Carrying bike with ease:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/s9m0co4vtc3e6 ... s.jpg?dl=0

Turns so tight, I only got around by hopping on the front wheel. Not the best place for additional bulk and weight behind you saddle:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/0ql6plqvpm6sn ... 0.JPG?dl=0

Typical setup for summits on the bike: https://www.dropbox.com/s/g749odsyt443r ... 2.jpg?dl=0
On my back:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/r1tx1wt8pxrsi ... 1.jpg?dl=0

If I were to ride something like TD, I'd ride without a rucksack.

To wear a rucksack for myself solely depends on what the terrain will be like.

For hard going terrain the additional bonus is, that as most is on my back, I'll go lighter and have less with me.
All in all (w/o food and water) less than 3 kg on this trip:
http://bearbonesbikepacking.co.uk/phpBB ... =10&t=6608
Night temperature went down to -7.5 °C.
All there except the 22 L rucksack incl. worn clothes:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/x9sfnoukmquce ... 0.jpg?dl=0

Just because I use a rucksack it doesn't mean I take too much gear

edit: wrote bike instead of back in a crucial place...

[ootini]

For my bikepacking trips so far, I've been using a rucksack to carry my cook kit, sleeping mat and warmer clothes. It's not been particularly pleasant, I always end up with achey shoulders after a few hours. I've now rejigged my kit and got a couple of new bags (frame bag, stem cell) to carry what was once in the rucksack and it's much, much easier.

Personally, unless I really had to, I wouldn't carry anything on my back.

[whitestone]

I'd not really thought about it much since I used to do a lot of climbing so walking and (alpine) climbing with a rucksack was just something that was part of the day. I've got used to it over the years so the weight of a typical sack when biking is, to me, negligible. Of the three bikepacking/bivvy trips I've done so far this year, one was without a rucksack, the other two were. Those two trips were close to home so it's probably a "bung the kit in and don't worry about it" attitude.

If something works for you then go with that, otherwise you are just following "fashion".

[Dave Barter]

I used to until a few months back when I started having chest pains and pins and needles in hands and arms.

I took myself to the GP sharpish who was very concerned and had me hooked up to an ECG and drained of blood for tests within hours. All of my symptoms were conducive to early heart attack warnings. After days of tests he was scratching his head as my heart was clearly A1 and the blood tests only showed concern in the area of swearing. He then prodded me for about an hour until suddenly something REALLY hurt in the rib cage area, almost exactly where my camelback strap would have placed. We then worked out that over time a small ligament had become damaged, ligament pain is not always easy to pin point hence the general chest area pains. We think it happened during a mild stack and never got better due to the strap continuously aggravating it.

So I don't use backpacks any more. They give you heart attacks.

[HaYWiRe]

Considering I used to hike alot, and carrying a pack was natural, I now avoid one as much as possible on the bike. Though even then my weekend pack weight was only 5kg inc water

I've gone from an osprey 30l, to a 10l hydration pack (bladder removed) now to a 4l waist pack for small bits and meds, but prefer having to weight on my shoulders. Although the 10l btwin pack still comes in handy on rides without bike bags if I keep the weight down.


The idea of a pack/bike bag for hikesbike isn't too unreasonable, makes sense on certain terrain. In fact I once strapped a 20l gourdon to the front as a bar bag for commuting and it worked quite well. Waterproof and drybag shaped, and great for walking too

[rocklobstercat]

I find if the pack is too heavy you fatigue a lot quicker and you can get saddle sore quicker due to more weight pressing down. These days I try to keep the weight on my back to a minimum so long rides are a lot more comfortable. I use a Deuter Speedlite 15 which is around 300g and only put lighter items in it which may not fit in a bar roll or saddle pack due to their shape. Some packs can be nearly 1kg empty, so it all adds up. It works for me but I'm sure other people have different systems that work well for them.

[DoctorRad]

I've been biking for about 28 years and have nearly always worn something on my back. I often get out on the road bike now with everything I need in jersey pockets, but for non-overnight off-road riding, I'll invariably have something on my back. Latterly, I've been looking to lighten the load there, so interested to read the responses.

I believe the philosophy of the late Jenn Hill was to carry everything for her on her person, and everything for the bike on the bike. That way, if the bike were to fail and she needed to walk out, she'd be able to abandon the bike and have everything she needed on her in a way that she could carry. Interesting approach, I thought.

[benp1]

Only used a pack once, couldn't get my bar harness on and it was a quick local trip

Other than that it's either a bumbag or, more recently, nothing at all

Don't mind wearing a pack for a day trip, but prefer for the weight to be on the bike for bikepacking

[Mariner]

Pack user here both as full and waist type.
Note a lot of comments about weight and fatigue.
If you use a waist strap you can get the 'weight' off your shoulders by adjusting the shoulder straps and waist strap.
I dont notice any weight on my shoulders but then I used to carry 40lbs plus before bikepacking so small pack is insignificant.
Once I get a frame bag I may ditch the full pack but it has saved me more than once when I fell off.

[Mpolo]

Review of backpacks on bikepacking.com

[HaYWiRe]

If you use a waist strap you can get the 'weight' off your shoulders by adjusting the shoulder straps and waist strap.

This is the intended technique carrying a framed pack, having the hips and belt support the weight. I've carried like this for years and works well for me hiking, but still alot of fatigue biking.

I find leaning forwards to the bars means regardless of the hips trying to take the weight, it inevitably presses down on the whole back tiring muscles, and airbacks just push the weight (and center of gravity) too far out. This gets much worse on drop bars.

I've found waist bags better, not necessarily because the weight is lower or more supported by the hips, but the surface area and weight on the back is much less.

This could just be me, I see mountain bikers carry 30l + full of crap around bike parks all the time

[whitestone]

I can understand not carrying water in bottle cages when blasting round trail centres, they've become ever more technical in an arms race between bike manufacturers and trail builders, so bottles are likely to get bounced out and of course that would disrupt the "flow".

I've some of the Ernest Press MTB guides from the 1980s & 1990s, hardly a backback or a pair of baggies in sight.

[crewlie]

Trying to pack for my first multiday trip (4-5 days). Really don't want to carry a backpack, but i'm struggling to get everything onto the bike. I'm sure I'm taking too much of something, but I can't see what. With very variable temperatures and lack of experience sourcing food, I think I've got too much "just in case" stuff.
The backpack's going to be lightly packed, but it's still something i'm not used to carrying anymore.

[whitestone]

Multi-day (i.e. more than one overnight) trips can be hard to sort out as in this country at least you can't rely on the weather being consistent over the course of the trip.

I've mentioned on other threads that I make a list of all (and I mean all) the kit I take on a trip and afterwards go through it crossing off all those items I used. What I'm left with are those items that I thought I might need but didn't use. Bike repair kit and first aid kit can be ignored for this exercise unless you are taking a bike workshop or an A&E department with you. From this I can figure out what my "just in case" stuff is and why I took it. Sometimes you might take something, a waterproof jacket for example because the forecast was for showers but it didn't rain on you so you never used it, but equally you could have been stuck under a rain cloud for the entire trip. After a trip or two you should find that the "just in case" stuff gets less and less as you are better at using the gear you are taking.

Once you've got to that point then you can look at replacing/updating kit with lighter and/or more compact equivalents.