hey, hi.

[Kumquat]

Hi
Am new to this site.
Have been lurking for a bit.
Am essentially a year round bicycle commuter. I also like to ride my mtb, providing the trails are not knee deep in mud! Also quite like to go canoeing when I can but time and the elephants always seem to be conspiring against me......(estuary paddler)
Am not completely new to bikepacking, I did a handful of Polaris events in the 90's. I dimly remember waking up in my bivi bag on the north york moors, covered in an inch or so of snow.....

Me and the dog did a bit of very local bike camping just at the end of the summer and now we have the urge to go a bit further afield. Well, its probably just me. The dog is just impressed with my ability to conjure up sausages in the wild. Then again he is just as happy to eat poo so that's not saying much.

Have assembled a few bits of kit already but would like to know if anyone uses a synthetic bag such as a snugpack? Also, does anyone use or know if a salsa anything cage can be used within the main triangle of the frame? or is it frame bags all the way?
Am reluctant to plump for a frame bag-how would I carry water/pick up my bike?

[Bearbonesnorm]

In theory an Anything cage could be fitted in the main triangle (although you'd have to rely on 2 bolts) ... the main issue might be clearance for your legs.

[Ray Young]

Hi there and welcome. Not everyone uses a frame bag and even though I have never seen one in the flesh I don't see why you should not use a Salsa anything cage in the frame triangle. People use frame bags as it allows you to make most of the space in your frame and centralizes the weight, I have not found picking up the bike with a frame bag to be a problem either. You can get custom frame bags that allow you to keep your water bottles.There are other ways of carrying gear too like a gas tank on the top tube or as Stu has done recently on his seat tube (see reviews and ramblings). Try playing around with different set ups until you find something you like, if people didn't experiment then we would all still be using racks and panniers. Something I always try to remember is that the more space you have, the more gear you are likely to take, the less space you have the more disciplined you will be with what you regard as being essential. I have been using a bum bag lately that takes 2 water bottles and on my last trip even had water bottles mounted on some bar ends that where fitted inboard of the grips/brakes/shifters but I haven't decided if I like this set up yet but ease of use and the fact that they where out of the way of mud being thrown onto them was a bonus.
I have used a synthetic bag in the past but I think most people use down as it's lighter and packs smaller, my vango 400 Venom packs to less than half the size of my old synthetic and is approximatley half the weight. Thats not to say you shouldn't use one if it's what you've got. Don't let the idea that not having the kit other people are using put you off from going out and doing what we are about which is having self supported multi day adventures in the wild and having fun whilst were doing it :D .
Hope I haven't rambled too much and i'm sure you will get lots more sound advice from others on the forum who have lots more experience than me 8-) .

[Anthony]

I usually hook my saddle nose onto my shoulder, whilst taking some weight with the same arm by holding the front wheel or fork leg.

With a few hours of fettling you should easily be able to load up the main triangle to get a feel for how you like to distribute your kit before taking the plunge on a frame bag. You may prefer having a large seat pack for main storage, keeping both bottle cages for water and filling any voids by straping in your bivvybag and or tarp.

If you notice, most people on here are constantly refining their set-up and often trying something completely different, just to see. It's half the fun!

And Hi :)

[pushbikemike]

Hello there. I still use an old synthetic bag. Works for me just now. Got my eye on an alpkit pipedream. I have a frame bag. I carry the bike with saddle on shoulder and hand under down tube or whole bike slung over my back holding seat and handlebar. Still fine tuning my set up. And like Anthony says that is have the fun.

[Kumquat]

cool
have recently bought a wildcat tiger for starters.
will continue to use synth bag on bars for the time being.
On one finally returned my ti 456 frame but I have got really attached to the 853 altitude that I've been bashing around on all summer.................
I know that 29ers are de rigueur for bike packing but I guess I'm just old fashioned. I have never even owned a full susser!
To tell the truth I'm a bit of a wheels on the ground sort of mtber and just enjoy trundling along singletrack and having a bit of a daydream and enjoying the scenery. Not exactly gnarrcore I know.
Right,off to fiddle with my stove set up.
I wonder does any one else bother to carry those folding alu. plate wind screens or is it just me?

[Bearbonesnorm]

I wonder does any one else bother to carry those folding alu. plate wind screens or is it just me?

Foil serving platters are your friend ... and what is this 'suspension' you speak of?

[drain]

Greetings. I've used Salsa Anything cages (2) in my Fargo frame, for trips along the Ridgeway, South Downs and the WRT earlier this year.
It's a small frame so needs a bit of thought on what fits in the 2nd cage, but I'd imagine someone with a larger frame would find it even easier. Like the way my cooking kit fits into the cage! :)