The Perfect Bike Packing Bike

[jaminb]

Since reading Stu's very positive reports on the Pinnacle Ramin and having to blow my fork upto 150 psi for winter bivvy trips (to stop them bottoming out on the handle bar bag) it has got me thinking n+1 and a dedicated bike packer.

Any suggestions for the perfect bike packing bike? I know the standard answer is the one you have but surely we can reach a consensus on the perfect all round bikepacker !

I was thinking a rigid 29 er like the Charge Cooker 1 midi but I haven't ridden a 29 er or a midi or seen any reviews in the context of BP so may be completely unsuitable.

Looking forward to hearing what you have.

[Lawmanmx]

anything that puts a smile on yer face

[ianfitz]

I think you are right in both your answers.

If you are getting one bike for bikepacking duties then a rigid 29er with wide(ish) rims and 2.4 tyres would be my choice.

[magicw]

I really really like the look of the Sonder Frontier. Aluminium Rigid MTB ( Although obviously you can fit a 100mm travel fork ) with Boost Wheel ( 141mm) hub spacing front and back , which will take 29 er / 650 b wheelset with Boost tyres.

Can be had from Alpkit for £299 frameset only , or with their Love Mud Wheelset and SRAM NX 1x 11 Groupset for £879 looks a lot of bike with a lot of applications.

I m new to this and currently own A Kinesis Racelite Grand Fondo Ti disc and A Giant Anthem X29. I sometimes feel like I brought the wrong bike twice.

Should have gone for the Kinesis Tripster ATR , Think in the long term I will get shut of the Giant X29er MTB and go for the frontier. I just want to try one out from Alp kit , which can be done over a weekend for £39 refundable against purchase. And see if it can do 90% of the Trail riding stuff, (I think ) I do on the Giant.

So my quick answer would be ( For me ) Sonder Frontier ( if more rough stuff orientated ) or Kinesis Tripster ATR if more a combination of Road and Rough Stuff.

Both my Current bikes are Highly capable at what they are designed for, but not Ideal under load.

[Moder-dye]

Mine's a 2014 charge cooker 3 xx with rigid forks and 2.4 tyres. Does me, though I do wonder about drop bars sometimes but the hassle doesn't seem worth it.

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[Bearbonesnorm]

I would say a rigid 29er that can take B+ wheels or a rigid B+ bike than can accept 29" wheels.

There's a surprising amount of choice out there that fits the above once you start to look. Perhaps a good starting point would be to decide what frame material you'd prefer then work from there.

The Frontier does look interesting but the Boost spacing puts me off as a frame only - with some luck, they're may be a review forthcoming in the not too distant.

[Kumquat]

Any bike you can comfortably ride for a few hours that doesnt break.
Being able to lift it over locked gates is also good.

[voodoo_simon]

Looking at the American sites, you need a front basket.

Anyone else notice that 'trend'*


*Or maybe I've just noticed it

[Alpinum]

Four bikes is the perfect bike packing bike.

Different types of trips, different bikes to get most out of it, sometimes the wrong bike on purpose, 'cause

anything that puts a smile on yer face

That said, if I would have to go with one:

29x2.6 which also takes proper 27.5x3.25 but has a regular bb.
Tapered head tube for rigid or 100-120 mm fork. sliding dropouts with options for 12 mm axle but also QR. Steel or Ti.
Head angle 68°
Chain stay 435-440
longish top tube, short stem.
760 mm bars with 9° back and 5° upsweep
steep seat angle
50 mm bb drop with 29x2.4"
Really like what Kona has made of the 2017 Unit. Stanton sherpa looks interesting too

My rigid steel bike with 29x2.6 (mostly 2.4") is ssp and sees everyday use, get's 131 layers of dirt until it's cleaned. It should be that kind of bike for me.

blow my fork upto 150 psi for winter bivvy trips

Already tried tokens for more progression?:
https://www.sram.com/de/rockshox/techno ... ess-tokens

[fatbikephil]

ECR or Jones plus would be my choice or a Karate Monkey if you want to stay skinny, but its really up to you. Try before you buy etc

[johnnystorm]

but surely we can reach a consensus on the perfect all round bikepacker !

You must be new to the internet!

[HaYWiRe]

I dont think it could ever be possible to find one perfect bikepacking bike, its like trying to find one perfect bike in general.
A fat bike will ride nearly everything but suck for more than 10 yards of tarmac, a roadbike will kill you if ridden down a rocky decent and a DH will make you want to kill yourself if ridden back up it!

I think doing what bikepacking.com has done and separate bikepacking into different catagories helps. Not a niche withing a niche but simply defining terrain. After all a bike for 3 days in wales will look very different to one for a month in Mexico.

A cross country bike for most of the uk, balancing distance, with comfort with weight.

A gravel bike for speed, smooth fireroads, tarmac and hipsters.

A fatbike for snow, sand, grip everything and growing beards.

And a full suss for Endurbros, multiday trail centers and people that enjoy wearing backpacks.


These 4 should cover all options and feed the need for N+1

[Ray Young]

2017 Genesis Longitude, £999. Full cromo frame/rigid fork, full shimano deore groupset with 2/10 chainset. 27.5/35mm wheelset with 2.8 tyres, will take 29er wheelset. 3 sets bottle bosses, anything cage mounts, mudguard/rack eyelets, 2 gorilla cages.

[Sarah]

We tried a Charge Cooker last week for Mark. Unimpressed. Brakes were shocking (and I use mechanical discs) he is looking at a Genisis tmw. I can tell you at length how much I love my Ogre, rigid 29, she is just brill.

[Artie Fufkin]

Stooge?

[techno]

2017 Genesis Longitude, £999. Full cromo frame/rigid fork, full shimano deore groupset with 2/10 chainset. 27.5/35mm wheelset with 2.8 tyres, will take 29er wheelset. 3 sets bottle bosses, anything cage mounts, mudguard/rack eyelets, 2 gorilla cages.

Seconded, I love my 2016 Longitude. Rides well laden and unencumbered it's great fun.
Tons of options for gearing and load carrying.

[ianfitz]

I think you are right in both your answers.

If you are getting one bike for bikepacking duties then a rigid 29er with wide(ish) rims and 2.4 tyres would be my choice.

But as others have said there is no perfect bike.

More than a day long off-road ITT? (And by that I mean 30/40hours of riding) please do ride a short travel 29er. Salsa spearfish is ideal for this. It'll be quicker overall than a rigid bike or even a hard tail.

[In Reverse]

I was thinking a rigid 29 er like the Charge Cooker 1 midi but I haven't ridden a 29 er or a midi or seen any reviews in the context of BP so may be completely unsuitable.

I bought a Charge Cooker hi frame off ebay for £100. Chucked a Deore groupo and a pair of Duallys on it and it's served me very well for pretty much everything. Haven't run it rigid though. Yet.



Anything with a steel frame, decent wheel clearance and the "right" geometry will do just fine. Another shout for the Surly Ogre (or Karate Monkey) from me.

[DoctorRad]

Depends on the terrain. For a degree of Gnarr while carrying camping gear, I'm thinking of restoring a '95 FSR and adding disc brakes. 60mm rear travel, up to 100mm forks and pretty light.

[slarge]

Carbon hardtail and 100mm forks. Flat bars and 2.3 tyres. Probably not the trendiest as its my race bike, ITT bike, fun bike etc etc, but it's light fast comfortable and fun. Perfect for me.

Or 26 inch single speed hardtail built up quite light. Also perfect.

[journeyman]

I fit right into my Ogre with its 100mm suspension on duallys and 2.4in tyres; short steep stem on jones loop bars and a Brooks Cambium to plonk my butt on. Unloaded its the ugliest bike going - a right ogre - but loaded up its a thing of beauty and a super dependable iron horse for long hours. If I had the cash at the end of the month I'd work out how to spend it on a Spearfish. Does anyone import them?

[cycleofaddiction]

The Chinese carbon hardtail with the 27+29&29+ wheel size options like what Shand are doing or the Salsa one with the huge frame space for a big framebag or just any decent carbon,ti or steel 29er hardtail really.

[ianfitz]

I fit right into my Ogre with its 100mm suspension on duallys and 2.4in tyres; short steep stem on jones loop bars and a Brooks Cambium to plonk my butt on. Unloaded its the ugliest bike going - a right ogre - but loaded up its a thing of beauty and a super dependable iron horse for long hours. If I had the cash at the end of the month I'd work out how to spend it on a Spearfish. Does anyone import them?

Raleigh uk distribute salsa now. But looking at the prices of them check eBay. Even if you buy a bike and strip it for the frame.

I ride an original V1 non spilt pivot version. It's great and frames/bikes are v cheap compared to the later split pivot version.

It got me round the ht550 in a decent time in 2016 and will do this year (unless a very unexpected sponsor pop's up out of Leftfield)

[whitestone]

Ian, are the older Spearfish frames threaded bottom bracket? The press fit bobbins on the current models is what puts me off.

[Nick]

Giant Trance 27.5, based on the 2015 WRT experience!