Bike carrying with a frame bag

[slarge]

Just thinking ahead to a few events, and am interested in the collective opinions on bike pushing vs carrying.

I would like to be able to put my bike on my shoulder to carry it over tussocky ground rather than push/pull/carry, but when a frame bag is fitted it makes it a real pain.

What's the most efficient way of getting a loaded bike across rough ground? Is it the dreaded push or a special way of carrying?

[Zonc]

It depends on how far you want to 'portage'. Carrying a machine with a frame bag is not impossible. Just needs some careful thinking. The other thing that needs to be established is the type if frame... Hardtail or suspended? If Hardtail I use the seat tube to carry it. On the hike-a-bike section of the Lomond north east side of WHW this was the option. I do not have a full sussed so not sure how this would be done. I have also carried my bike across my upper back/shoulders on very rough landscapes (baby head ground). Sometimes the way forward is just to push. The best thing is to try for yourself and adapt any way that suits you.

[Richpips]

I would like to be able to put my bike on my shoulder to carry it over tussocky ground rather than push/pull/carry, but when a frame bag is fitted it makes it a real pain.

Even without a frame bag I wouldn't fancy carrying my bikepacking MTB far, as all my gear is on the bike. I'm definitely a pusher, unless I am doing the three peaks on my cross bike.

[Ray Young]

Not a great fan of carrying as it is often painful in my experience but two methods that work for me. Sling the bike across your back, hold onto the seat post and loop the other arm under the down tube/headtube junction, works but not comfortable over distance. Or loop the saddle over one shoulder and grab hold of the front wheel with the same arm, this doesn't always work in long tussocks as the front wheel is quite close to the ground.
I tend to push and lift the front wheel over obstacles, spread the weight of your gear around the bike as not having too much weight on the front helps with this method (a lot of weight on the front leads to aching shoulders/arms from all the lifting).

[jameso]

As Ray says .. Padding under the saddle, saddle hooked over shoulder, reach down to grab front rim to support it? A technique perfected over a few too many hours of alpine HAB ..

[composite]

Before I bikepacked I carried the bike with down tube across my shoulders, so your head was between the wheels. Tough with a loaded bike though. Been thinking of just practicing that as part of a lifting routine. Stand in the garden and do reps of it up and down. Like a squat I guess.

[Gari]

Third for the Ray/Jameso method. Though often if the bike is loaded it is no more effort to push etc than lift and carry the thing, even on really rough ground IME.

[Gari]

@Jameso, I am currently playing mental tennis as to getting a Diamond frame with a steel Truss fork in the spring. That picture is not helping the nay cause at all

[Bearbonesnorm]

I keep thinking about making a strap (think duffle bag) that can be quickly fastened to the bike (maybe headtube / bars and saddle) that you can put over your shoulder.

[jameso]

That picture is not helping the nay cause at all

It should, it's hardly looking pretty there is it?! : )

[jameso]

I keep thinking about making a strap (think duffle bag) that can be quickly fastened to the bike (maybe headtube / bars and saddle) that you can put over your shoulder.

Ricky brought something like that along to the GR5 ride that the pic of my bike above was from. He attached a fairly taut webbing strap with clips to the steerer and seat tube extension of the frame, after threading it through the top strap / carry handle of his camelback. Then put the camelback on in a crouch and stood up. Only fell over backwards once unfortunately
The saddle-pad method was quicker (hop off bike, front brake on, endo to get bike into position, crouch to hook saddle on shoulder and stand up) but his system seemed comfier for 1hr+ hikes and was better out of the way on steeper rocky stuff. Although potentially risky from experience of being tired / off balance when hiking with a heavy bag on.

[Alpinum]

As someone who asked A. Goldsmith if he could no include more single tracks, I prefer a framebag with no velcro at the rear end of the top tube so I can grab my bike easily. If the steps are really high, the path blocked by boulders and stuff, I carry the bike with it's downtube on my shoulders and one pedal in my hand. If you let the bike hang down a bit, it's not too bad and you can grip a steel chain or rocks with the free hand if the going get's really steep.

Problem I mostly have if I don't load the bike completely on my back is the front wheel catching stuff and making it dangerous as it can push you off balance. Even more so, when you're tired.

The big issue for me is: why should you pack all your gear onto the bike in technical terrain anyway? If I go out for multiday technical trail riding, I carry a bubblewrap (pad for feet), spaceblanket (groundcloth), spare tube and some first aid stuff in the framebag. Everything else in in the rucksack where it's stable on rough descends and easier to carry on steep climbs. The bike's handling stays agile and nimble. As the terrain eases I start to load more onto the bike. We all know what a difference 6 lbs on a bike or back can make, therefore i declare to distribute the weight according to purpose (exchange with route or terrain).

[Richpips]

I keep thinking about making a strap (think duffle bag) that can be quickly fastened to the bike (maybe headtube / bars and saddle) that you can put over your shoulder.

Years back when I used a rucksack, I added two QR straps, one at the top of each rucksack shoulder strap so that the bike could be mounted by the top tube. It lifted the bike high enough, that the wheels wouldn't catch on anything. I only used it once, but it worked OK.

As has been mentioned already, carrying all that extra unwieldy weight over technical ground can be tricky.

In the UK, short of wanting to traverse the Aonach Egach ridge on a bike I can't see many places where pushing wouldn't do.

NSFW - http://youtu.be/t-M9dkL2yJ8

[mountainbaker]

Shame they didn't ride much of that. Need to take a leaf out of the germans book: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oGxe2oAupw4

[Mart]

@Jameso, I am currently playing mental tennis as to getting a Diamond frame with a steel Truss fork in the spring. That picture is not helping the nay cause at all

Gari I know what you mean - I loved my test ride when I was last up at Bothy Bikes

[slarge]

I think the padded saddle idea is my favourite so far. Up to now the actual carrying is ok, but I get stabbed in the head by the bars as they swing round, so I tend to use one hand to stabilise the frame and one to hold the bars or front wheel, but I really want 1 hand free. Problems problems.......

[fatbikephil]

I use the saddle nose over the shoulder method but i grab hold of the down tube just below the crud catcher. Holds the bike securely to your body and the dropped front wheel keeps the bars out of the way. Low front wheel catches on things (this used to be a nightmare when I had a 6" travel fork up front but not too bad with rigids) so you have to swap sides if you are zig zagging up a slope. I'll push if its smooth and carry if its rough