There is no better adventure than one on two wheels. Bike packing is wonderful way to explore; from local weekend trips to circumnavigating a whole new country. However, if it’s not something you’ve done before, it can appear a little daunting. What kit do I need? Where do I go?
Luckily at OTE we have some serious in-house bike packing knowledge. With no less than 15 years experience, if our very own Mike doesn’t know it, then it’s not worth knowing. From countless UK trips to heading overseas to taking on the circumference of Iceland and the length of Europe, Mike has plenty of top tips to share when it comes to packing up your bike and heading off on an adventure.
The Bike Set Up
Mike rides a Sonder Camino Ti, with 42mm Specialized Pathfinder tyres. Opting for cable discs, because these are easier to fix should anyting go wrong.
It’s ridged carbon folk but with a suspension seat post to help with comfort.
When fully packed for a long weekend, it’s weighing in at 25kg.
This set up would be great for a long weekend or at a push a week. Anything longer and he’d look to add panniers.
Secure Bar Bag
Up front we have this waterproof detachable bar bag. Here I keep all the precious stuff like power bank, cables, passport, key, etc. Anything I need to keep secure goes in there. I can then take that off if I go in a shop or in the tent at night, so I know everything is in one safe place.
Sleeping Bag
Under the bar bag I keep my sleeping bag. It’s very lightweight and compact, so fit for purpose. Then I carry dry bags either side of folk, one side has my stove, the other side I store spare shoes.
Two Pod Bags
I have two pod bags up top; one has essential food in like teabag, coffee, salted nuts, emergency meal (I got for cous cous, never used it in 4 years) and then the other side I store a selection of energy products like Anytime Bars, Energy Gels and Hydro Tabs.
Top Tube Bag
In my top frame bag, I have my toothbrush, toilet roll, mosquito net, spare hat, gloves; anything that you might want to change for the weather. It’s in a great place for getting to stuff on the move should you need to.
Frame Bags
In my custom frame bags, I store clothes to change into straight away, jacket, waterproofs, puffer coat. Also spare parts, like a chain, brake pads, mech hanger. Multitool, spare tubes and pump. How much you carry in terms of spares definitely depends on your route and how easily you can access a bike shop if anything goes wrong.
Bivvy Bag
At the back I have the bivy bag with one single pole, and I have a mat rolled up inside it. I always carry a first aid kit, and in that it’s worth having water purification tablets too.
And also I managed to carry 4 x 750ml bottles and have an extra water bladder on the back too.
How Do You Choose Where To Go?
These days you can access so much information online about different routes, it’s pretty easy to find a route that fits your needs. But working out your end destination is always the best starting point, and planning backwards from there.
If your not using camp sites, finding somewhere decent to sleep is often luck of the draw, and depends a lot where you are. I’d set yourself a distance target for the day, so whatever you’ve got in you that you think you can do consistently day after day.
For me I aim for around 75 miles, which may seem far, but remember you’ve got all day to chip away at it. In terms of finding a spot so sleep, I’d always leave 10 miles in your tank at the end of the day to find somewhere to sleep. Sometimes you find it relatively quickly, other times it can take forever, especially if the weather’s bad. So giving yourself time and energy to find a suitable spot for the night is wise.
I don’t use a head unit for plotting my routes or anything like that, I just use my phone. I’m never really on a strict time limit so I tend to freestyle it from day to day. I generally pick where I want to end up at the end of the day, and I’ll figure out my route during the day. Obviously some stuff you need to research, there might a be river where’s there’s no bridge for miles or a huge mountain pass that needs considering. But I do find enjoyment in the unknown and not being overly planned. You can obviously do it completely differently and plan absolutely everything; that’s fine too.
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Top Tips For Those New To Bike Packing
1. Start small, just one night. Get a campsite so you know exactly where you’re heading, there’s nothing wrong with that. Look online, there’s a lot of places that offer free camping for bike packers or really cheap.
2. Get yourself a packable rucksack, that folds up small to fit in the frame bags. This is so when you get to a shop and you can buy loads of food, and fill the rucksack. Then it’ simple to put it on your back without having to rearrange your bikebag set up and ride off to find a nice spot to eat. Then once you’re done, just roll it up and stash it away again. Beats a carrier bag.
3. An old material face mask can come in for multiple uses. Great if you’re on dusty trails, or for keeping face warmer if it’s a chilly start. Also doubles up as an eye mask if you’re grabbing a nap in the middle of the day or have long daylight hours in summer.
4. With a straight bar and wide set up, finding some way to mix up your position will help over the long back-to-back days. Being able to get in a tuck position can really help sometime. So I add this little bar ends to the middle of my bars to lean on. Comfort is really important when you’re racking up the miles on back to back days.
– Time To Check Out
Mike’s Bike Packing Picks
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Mike’s Three Must Haves For Bike Packing Trips
There are a few things that I would always take bike packing, that maybe you wouldn’t initially think of, but end up being a really luxury on longer bike packing trips:
1. Shoes with a wide toe box: You know the type, a bit like Crocs. Trust me, after a day in cycling shoes, having an alternative shoe to chill in and let your feet fully relax is a must.
2. Waterproof Wooly Hat: The weather isn’t always on your side when it comes to bike packing, and after a hard or soggy day in the saddle being able to put a dry, warm hat on for the evening is that little luxury you probably didn’t know you needed.
3. Down Time Activity: Bike packing can be mentally tiring as well as physically tiring. So having something to do on your back-to-back evenings under the stars can help you relax, decompress and eventually get a good nights sleep. Stuff like a book, sudoku or a sketchbook are all lightweight and good options.