Go on show me your bike packing bike

[jameso]

Inspire me with a pick of yours and why it is a great bikepacking bike.

On that point, because it does it all well -
Roadie-Jones with big apple slicks, one of my fave pics of my bike

A lot of loop bars on here. Bars like that are big part of making a good all-terrain bike for me.

[Mounty]

To give me a better idea of bikepacking.....what and where do you put you gear on your bike?

I have all sorts of dry bags etc and I intend on experimenting with them to see what works best....

Cheers

[Zoglug]

To give me a better idea of bikepacking.....what and where do you put you gear on your bike?

I have all sorts of dry bags etc and I intend on experimenting with them to see what works best....

Cheers

Hi Mounty,

I am sure someone more in the know will be along shortly, but there are various places you can get all manor of useful equipment to allow you to strap dry bags to your bike. Personally, i use Wildcat Gear stuff. I have a mountain lion which allows me to strap a drybag to the handle bars, which typically contains my sleeping bag and dry clothes. I also have a tiger which allows me to strap up to an 8l dry bag behind the seat.

I should add both are fantastic quality and although they havent been abused like some on here, the tiger is used on my daily commute and is still pretty much perfect 12 months on!

They also have a variety of frame bags which allow you to pack even more gear! I plan to pick up an Ocelot once pay day rolls around.

[Bearbonesnorm]

To give me a better idea of bikepacking.....what and where do you put you gear on your bike?

I reckon you might get as many answers as there are users

But for what it's worth these are my thoughts:
You've 3 main places to fit stuff, the bars and below the saddle are the easiest and the places where you can usually carry most kit, a harness of some kind will make life easier and the load much more stable but it can be done without. The third spot is the frame triangle but this will involve the purchase of a dedicated bag ... I'll include the toptube within the frame too.

A drybag strapped to the bars should be capable of holding much of your lighter bulky gear, eg sleeping bag, spare clothes, sleeping mat, etc. 13l - 20l seems to be the normal size for most.

Add a second drybag under your saddle for shelter, bivvy bag, stove, food, etc ... don't go mad, maybe 8l - 12l.

There's also the option of fork mounted cages for light(ish) stuff ... works for some, not for all.

If your frame has rack mounts a cheap/practical option is a rack but don't use panniers. Just strap your drybags to the rack.

I have all sorts of dry bags etc and I intend on experimenting with them to see what works best....

This is possibly the most important thing to do.

[jameso]

To give me a better idea of bikepacking.....what and where do you put you gear on your bike?

A good place to start could be heavier / denser items (water, tools, cooking kit etc) in the frame area, lighter bulkier items (sleeping bag, clothes etc) on the bar and under the saddle. The bike will handle best that way anyway.
Try it out and post up a pic!

[Farawayvisions]

The Ocelot from WildcatGear was a lifesaver for our (Me and MPolo) Moroccan trip. It holds a tarp, poles, Exped sleeping mat battery pack and lots more little bits. It might be an idea to get a frame bag that connects to the Ocelot, if Beth can imagine what I mean. The Ocelot leaves space for the water bottles too. The stem cell from Alpkit meant I could carry extra water.

[Cheeky Monkey]

For TT bags there's also Revelate Tangle and Alpkit Possum (?). I really like my Tangle which holds a surprising amount. Versatile as well if you have more than one bike.

[jameso]

It might be an idea to get a frame bag that connects to the Ocelot, if Beth can imagine what I mean.

A modular 2-pc frame bag? That's a good idea.

[voodoo_simon]

Salsa El M in in the practice setup. Two wildcat harnesses with sea to summit dry bags. Two bottles on the forks and the frame is now sporting an Alpkit Possum frame bag instead oft water bottle. If I need extra space, then I have a small rucksack (cables etc are now all trimmed before someone points out!)

[Backcountrybiking]

[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/backc ... .jpg[/img]
PA040217 by Backcountrybiking, on Flickr[/url]

[composite]

My On-One Lurcher.

All the sleeping gear in the handle bar roll. Some spare clothes in the saddle pack. Stove, gas canister, cooking pots, tarp, pegs, water filter, head torch, mug, some food in the frame bag. Theres a feed bag on the toher side of the stem for on the bike food. The top tube bag has GPS piggy back battery, camera and spare buff in.

CIMG1873_sm_crop.jpg

(75.97 KiB) Downloaded 1893 times

[Farawayvisions]

A modular 2-pc frame bag? That's a good idea.

Yes Jameso that's what I meant. Thanks.

[InspiredRamblings]

Malc/ James/ Mark

Yes, we can make some up :) (got your message James, just got distracted this evening sorting through footage from last weekends trip).

I'll speak to Beth about getting a small batch made, work out a price and get them on the website. We're putting together some gear for Aidan's Iditabike trip next month, so should have some slack just after that...

Ian, did anything happen on a Jones bar bag prototype batch...?

[Ian]

Hoping to officially launch the Jones bar bag (as yet unnamed) and the Lioness front pocket at Bespoked in April.

Ocelot and custom frame bag demand has prevented us getting anything out sooner...

[jameso]

Hoping to officially launch the Jones bar bag (as yet unnamed) and the Lioness front pocket at Bespoked in April.

Ocelot and custom frame bag demand has prevented us getting anything out sooner...

Sounds good, on both fronts. Look fwd to seeing it.

[Teetosugars]

I've just built this..



So along with this:



Or if it's on the road this:



I think I've every base covered...

Just need to get out there now.

[ctznsmith]

Mine. I need to learn to pack things better/more cleverly as the saddlebag seemed full and I realised 20 miles from home that I'd forgotten my thermarest!

[Ray Young]

I realised 20 miles from home that I'd forgotten my thermarest!

I make a list and cross it off as I pack it. Took me quite a few trips before packing started to fall into place, I now know where most things will go.

[ctznsmith]

Yes I normally also make a list but an impromptu 2 hour ride the night before and then getting out of bed late meant I was a little short on time. Strange how setting off at 1pm leaves more time to faff, it's better when you have to be prepared/up and out at the crack of dawn!

[royAB]

Mine U know... but for others;

(Only available in ChiTi. With MYOG bar harness & Bikepack.PL RePack XO when fully dressed)

[composite]

What handle bar is that roy?

[royAB]

OO Mary with Ergon 'cork' (v.nice grips I find)

[jameso]

New packing try-out. No backpack and a Possum - all fitted in ok for a weekender. Tarp, pegs, pole, pump, jacket, Mytimug/stove+fuel, tifoon and mini tool kit in the Possum. Limited on water storage tho, need more than 1.25L for food and breakfast, hot drinks etc and rare to arrive at a bivi spot with full bottles (on this route I know a few fill-up points so no probs). Nice to ride w/o a backpack. Needed the Revelate Pocket on the front for a few things that wouldn't go in the frame bag but not so keen on adding weight there, the rattles or the added straps it uses, very handy for a map though.
A mini-pocket that fits onto the bar harness would be good for maps, or the wildcat loop-bag. Or simply a strap-secured map pocket. Any ideas? Nothing found from a quick SJS-Spa Cycles trawl - they're all klickfix type.

[Gari]

How do you find those Forks James? I fancy a set and have a lead on a jones diamond but the owner suggests they may be very harsh, overly so.
Not that I can find any steel ones, and the Ti ones are well out of my budget. As for map cases, I use an Ortleib one that has the two holes on the top edge. I just have a couple of loops of shock cord that I thread through the hole, put the end around the bars and cinch the cord grip down on the cord, works fine. I could maybe get a picture up tomorrow if you can't visualise it.

[InspiredRamblings]

. Needed the Revelate Pocket on the front for a few things that wouldn't go in the frame bag but not so keen on adding weight there, the rattles or the added straps it uses, very handy for a map though.
A mini-pocket that fits onto the bar harness would be good for maps, or the wildcat loop-bag. Or simply a strap-secured map pocket. Any ideas? Nothing found from a quick SJS-Spa Cycles trawl - they're all klickfix type.

I use a Revelate pocket on the front of my drybag (in a Wildcat Mountain Lion). It is a bit of a faff if you don't use a Revelate Harness/ Sweet Roll as you have to put those extra velcro wraps on the bars in order to provide the clips for the Pocket, which take up a bit more real estate and can be a bit fiddly to attach / remove. Works ok though and doesn't bounce too much. In fact I find the pocket straps help to support / stabilise the drybag. I have then used a map case which, when folded in half got stuffed between the Pocket and the top of the drybag. Tucked in nice and deep it didn't move.