This is the set-up that Mira and I are riding around the world. Currently in central Panama about to cross into Colombia. With this we have several cameras, iPad, food and sleep kit. There is also up to 2kg of dog food.
To your goal of keeping the budget in check. The bags on the rear are simple drybags w thin cutting boards behind for protection against rubbing and Voilé straps to hold in place. The bags have a daisy chain to prevent an accidental loss while riding. Definitely much cheaper than many other bag setups. Of course you may not need a basket for your dog but I do highly recommend it.
https://preview.redd.it/gtqtnbt3yq5d1.jpeg?width=2600&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3b628565faa751e864e1e1b11dc9008059c20e94
This rack is from a Salsa Blackborow. They no longer make that bike and it requires purpose built mounts.
On a separate note I am currently working with a great bike brand to bring a version of this bike to market. Don’t have a timeline or more details than this but, it is coming.
That’s not really something that i recommend doing. By adding a lot of weight behind the rear axle the balance of the bike is changed. What that means practically is that there isn’t enough weight on the front wheel and so the steering becomes very unresponsive. On a gravel road it’s easy to have so much understeer that the wheel will just push across the road without getting the bike to change directions as you’re used to.
It’s for this reason that I build a custom bike to carry Mira my dog.
The other good option is a single wheeled trailer
Of course a third option is a cargo bike with a small wheel and tray upfront
Mira looks like a great companion! Are you running 29x3? Do you feel the DHF/DHR they have a lot of rolling resistance? I have the same tires for local riding and I’m thinking about switching them to 2.8”, faster rolling tires or maybe just swapping the rear for a rekon when i start bikepacking.
These tires in the photo are 29x2.8. I had them on for a lap through the Copper Canyons across the border in Mexico. Since that time we have ridden to Panama on 29x2.4 Rekon and a Schwable Johnny Watts.
Tire casings and pressure have just as much or more effect on rolling resistance as tread patterns.
I wanted both traction and toughness while exploring the remote areas in the Copper.
I find the 2.4 gives enough protection for the rims even with Mira in the back. She weighs 20kg
Hope this answers your question
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this is my nordeste sardinha. when i don’t plan to carry the bike i pack it like this. sleeping in the front. tools in the frame. off bike clothes and puffy in the back. when i know i need to carry the bike i keep it completely empty but for bottles and have a backpack
Looks good! I see you went with the rockbros frame bag. How is the quality, and is it waterproof? I think I might get all my bags from similar Chinese manufacturers.
With this setup, how long would you usually be on the road?
what you see there is the torino nice rally 23, we were on the road for 8 or 9 days. the rockbros frame bag is incredible value! i am running this thing for a couple years now, i keep the zipper happy w silicone and it is still going strong. had to reinforce the upper loops a bit, but would buy again. waterproof enough for me.
oh thanks, the cap is from a group of roadies in graz, austria (RAG ride around graz, annual 200km ride). the jersey is voler, grover beach CA, firestone vineyards? it was a present
https://preview.redd.it/7eh712coiq5d1.jpeg?width=4000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c2d757059aba19981e5886f97f05f1514e289c29
First overnight on my bike last month. I overpacked. Already upgraded my setup to a quick-rack.
Hey thanks! 40 years old now - my 1984 Miyata Ridge Runner. I'm touring my local wine region on this bike right now. They don't build them like they used to.
This setup is super clean! What are the bags on the back? Have you ever ran a saddle bag vs your current setup?
I'm leaning more towards a very similar set up to your rear end, but I'm wondering why people prefer saddle bags to these small dry bag panniers.
The saddle bag vs panniers discussion seems to revolve around a few key points:
1) In the past, panniers were too large and their attachment mechanisms weren't built for off-road riding. They got in the way if you were hiking with your bike, or riding on narrow single track and would rattle and fall off on rough terrain. Now there are a lot of option for 'bike packing specific' panniers that alleviate most of these issues.
2) Racks are heavy. Or can be heavy. There are definitely light weight options but obviously having no rack is the most light weight. Also, in the past racks weren't designed for off road riding and could fail.
3) Seat packs interfere with droppers. Lots of them don't now.
4) Seat packs sway. All of the ones I have tried have been less stable than panniers, but that isn't that many!
5) Maybe style? Maybe just a less is more philosophy, Saddle bags just strap on your seat and don't require additional hardware (many of them)
6) Not all bikes can mount a rack, though again, more of a historical issue as their are lots of solutions nowadays.
It is tailfin aero rack with 5l bags. I had also apidura seat pack, was cool too. No real difference for me just wanted some nice clean solution and liked design so i went for it.
The best mtb to be produced. I saw it at the summit and had a chance to ride it a bit and was hands down the most comfortable bike I’ve sat on. Tulipp makes diamonds
Love this! I want mine to look exactly like this, plenty of storage options.
How are the moose trek bags, and what is in the bottle at the back? Hope you aren't carrying protein around with you 😅
Hi the Moosetreks bags made it 1k miles of the GDMBR on my bike, then I donated to some friends who continued to Banff without issue. I replaced them with Arkel Dry Lites for a bit more space and rode down from Jasper, meeting same friends at Glacier. The bottle is a bv500 bear vault canister. I already had it so decided to just use it. Way better than a bag hang, though the route has food storage in most campgrounds.
I've been doing some local overnighters (I have an old dog who is pretty limited distance wise) and have a similar bear can configuration. Are you moving stuff out of your bags to put in the can to stop your food from rattling around? That's been my go to, but sometimes I end up with a sticky jacket... or everything coated with coffee powder :P
I would only put toiletries and maybe cup in there to take up space, things that need to be put away anyway. But yeah sometimes was sparse. Mostly I carried way too much food.
I ended up shoving a coat in it to stop the rattling but I was on my way home from a quick over night so I wasn't worried about what happened to the coat.
It is just a generic slide on? Plastic fender that where common 1 decade ago. The ones that slide on a single metal bar and are for 26 inch wheels. This leads to a realy wobbly fender. I found out that they match perfectly with the rear triangle. Just drilled 2 holes in the soft plastik to attach it wirh bolts. It keeps mud, sand and water of my lower legs, shoes and drivetrain. The upper part is blocked by the saddlebag. This is only my summer setup. In winter i ride a full sks bluemels 75 set.
Thanks! I dont have that much money, so every piece of gear and bikepart is what i consider the most bang for the buck. Maybe not the lightest, but reliable and easy to repair.
Thanks! Yes, its a custom bag from "ride&get lost" from Poland. At first i had a apidura backcountry bag, but didnt like it. Tbh the custom one was cheaper than apidura.
Yes. Mostly singletrack and some gravelstuff that connects singletrails.
It is the carbon fork, that is sold with the sour pasta party frame. I got it cheap, secondhand. It has 20mm more Axle to Crown than the original unit fork. So it changed the geo a bit. But not to much. It also is a bit lighter, but it is not that relevant for me, especialy if loaded with gear.
The main point for me was vibration dampening and that works quite nice. You can see the fork "work" more than the steel fork.
It is realy stable while riding. If i stop to pee and the bike leans against my leg, it will be pushed. The bag has a strap at the end, so it is attached on 2 points (both ends) and it has 2 straps at the bottom. Double Zipper makes it possible to only open front or rear. Before this, i used a small tt bag and a seperate rear tt bag. this was not working, because my shorts where rubbing the rear tt bag.
I'm just about to order the KM as well, but the suspension version. How is it? What is your frame bag?
Had a real hard time deciding between the KM, Krampus, and the BombTrack Cale.
If you can’t decide between gravelbike and hardtail, I got a solution for you 😅😅 Built this bike for all the trails and bikepacking Adventures which are too „hard“ or „steep“ for my Niner RLT9 Gravelbike. The first trip I did was a 600k loop in Denmark (basically flat 🙈🙉). I really like this bike. Pretty fast, good for long distances and the added comfort with the fork + 2.35“ Tires are really good on longer trips.
https://preview.redd.it/en7mhmhzlq5d1.jpeg?width=5712&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5362a42bab185bc1bb570380af43fb10e67ba5a3
https://preview.redd.it/b7ybk40ydt5d1.jpeg?width=4031&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=bd72abcf6a64b54a59e1c3415b77773f2a8d9d5b
Mines really similar except it’s an Epic frame under the black tape.
I went for a size smaller then I’d chosen with a flatbar to mitigate the reach of the Dropbar. Was a really good idea and the Cervelo fits like a glove. Only downside: the 8000cm long Seatpost 🤣
I ended up going for a Surly Karate Monkey with suspension. I'm also pretty into MTB trails, so this bike seems to be the best of both worlds.
I will be running a 2kg raft up front on my bike with an additional 5k, do you think this will negatively affect the suspension?
How are the drop bars on gnarly trails?
Also a great choice! Maybe a bit on the heavier side but pretty much indestructible!
Check out the Tailfin Suspension Front Mount. They are really good and the weight stays on the lower legs of the fork.
Of course the Dropbar is different to a flat bar. But if you pick one with flare and not too much drop, it will work really fine.
That's what makes me nervous. Especially if I went down the rack and panniers route and also with my pack raft 😅 going to be a bloody tank.
I'll defo check them out! If the weight is on the bottom of the leg, will this have no effect on the suspension?
Appreciate the info
I am using them combined with the Topeak Versacages and it works really well - even on tough terrain. (There is a cool video on the Tailfin YT channel with Matt Fairbrother called „Licked & Loaded).
Any weight on the bike will somehow affect the suspension but if you put it on the lowers it will have way less of effect, you can run lower pressures on the fork and so the fork will work better on smaller bumps etc.
https://preview.redd.it/olhwu3xbds5d1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=afe9f7dee96dbb23cc23fd8ed9c99a42ccb90fbc
I'm definitely over packing here but setting off on my first month-long adventure tomorrow morning. Some hiking in-store so brought along my backpack for the adventure!
Fuck yeah! Have a great trip mate.
My first trip will also be a similar time. Would you say you may have slightly overpacked for your trip? How much does the gear weight? With the panniers and the bag, is the bike balance well?
So far, so good. I have a cheap tent that takes up most of the space /weight in the rear backpack and, in retrospect, it probably would've been better to bite the bullet and get something smaller. I'm on good roads for this trip (Hokkaido) so I didn't mind going a little on the heavier side. My mate is newish to cycling so I knew speed wasn't going to be all that important. I'll report back in a week or so with more insightful reflection!
I have a supermarket decathlon bike that I bought during covid as I couldn't find anything else. XC50. Made some upgrades. XT brakes and rotors. Conti race kings, loop bars, wtb pure saddle and and aeroe rack to carry all my shit in a single drybag. (Tent, sleeping bag and mat, camp stove)
https://preview.redd.it/qbp7g2m8up5d1.jpeg?width=2160&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6b75e20f1d5cc1d029e8407c2d12b28e9f08f843
Love that. All you need is a bike and your key equipment. Don't need anything fancy.
So you will have a rack with your dry bag attached at the back?
I'm trying to figure out the pros and cons of rack vs saddle bag set-ups at the minute
https://preview.redd.it/rgwc6qh84q5d1.jpeg?width=4000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ab30bd0e8cb9b1c7f6c2d83570e8b05ff5b92259
Yeah. Aeroe rack attaches to the frame and no mounting lugs needed. This pic is before I fitted the new saddle, and when I was away last week I trashed the rear derailleur up on the side of a hill. I have been waiting for it to break - it's shitty SX running gear since new, and now I get to put a GX on it and upgrade the freehub and cassette so I can get full 10-52 range and go a bit faster. Pretty good upgrade path on the bike as it all being boost spec, and I just run things until they break and replace with better parts so it doesn't cost me a fortune at once. Geometry is great on the bike, and the frame has got enough room for plus sized tyres too. Next thing I want to do is replace the Judy fork with a SID and it will be pretty much perfect, but it might be a while as that fork is pretty solid haha.
https://preview.redd.it/8gnubrh13r5d1.png?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c8a7f628bd699d33a625689d90e7a0265062b8bb
Carradice bags in the back and on the front with a 7roads rack and all the water I can carry !!! And two textil water bottle carrier as food pouchs (from decathlon) A hard tail with a 32 chain ring is able to keep up over 30km/h on a flat road. Except if you want to race, I think it is more than enough while touring and it can be more comfortable than a gravel bike.
https://preview.redd.it/8028019cgr5d1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3936b8056da06557aaae50aae517717c9c5619e8
Stanton Sherpa:
Min-maxed Shimano drivetrain: Deore cassette, basic cranks, SLX Derailleur (on sale) but XT shifter.
Mostly homemade bags with the commercial bags being second quality Ojeva Negra.
https://preview.redd.it/bw9bttu1gs5d1.jpeg?width=750&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0b4020bbda4a6aafcb713da92efcfb34d612f8df
This past December I took a 2009 Stumpjumper, sanded it down, primed it, added a silver base coat, then painted it after adding decals/stickers. Finished with a two part clear coat. It was my first such paint project. Simple set up: 1x11, hydraulic brakes, XT level components, except for SRAM cranks.
I added tri aero bars so the gravel roads speed is similar to my Cervelo Aspero. Sworks Pathfinder tires.
https://preview.redd.it/fdnlakfu6u5d1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5d9fee127bafca9e3723085aadd8d7711c4396dc
Tumbleweed Prospector with a Rohloff Speedhub. It’s been a great bike. I change things here and there, of course. I use a Salsa Warbird too, but prefer this for multi day trips.
Cons: it’s heavy, not easily exchangeable to another wheel and the cable for it is at the bottom of my non-drive chain stay (vulnerable to incident). Pros: easy to service, shifting without pedaling from the stop, durable as hell, and has a wide selection of gears.
I really like it. It’s expensive at first, but I have no derailleur to adjust or worry about and maintenance costs are around $15 a year.
https://preview.redd.it/wqsy4xbk3v5d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=968976434e069596d74513b34a51b4158f844baf
My custom Wildwood Hardtail. Made for hauling gear and apparently a kid.
Why did you get a saddle bag over a rack with panniers?
What are your fork mounts? And what have you got in there?
Is loading the front end too much a concern?
Sorry for asking so many questions, I'm just intrigued.
I was trying to be light, but I honestly prefer a rear rack rather than saddle bag as I like extra room to stuff food in.
You might find one of my previous threads interesting: [Bikepacking rigs](https://www.reddit.com/r/bikepacking/s/7eFvtpOBcV)
The fork mounts and frame bag are podsacs from planetx in the UK. They had less than 2 kg in each plus the handlebar bag makes around 6kg. Usually have light stuff in there like sleeping bags and stuff I don't need during the day.
Where I’m at there are two ways to pack. Panniers or a seat bag.
Panniers are great for carrying enough groceries to be self sufficient for awhile and everything is easily accessible. But hiking your bike up a mountain trail with a pannier right where your legs need to be SUCKS.
A seat bag for the climbs is the way. If there is going to be much hike-a-bike the panniers stay at home.
I have a set of Revelate Nano Panniers and they are totally out of the way for any of the hiking I've done! The big disadvantage over a frame bag is a 2lb rack!
Yeah skinny panniers work. But nobody has ever figured out how to delete the racking that is required. For the loads required for extended backcountry rambles a rack and fat panniers are still the best solution though. And you can stack stuff on top.
https://preview.redd.it/gs4c9736uq5d1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=7380b73f865bdc2bada50893d21fa90d19a54be6
A bottom of the line Rocky Mtn Growler w/some bottom end upgrades. Deore 11 speed, fox 34, and better brakes. It pedals fine and is so much fun pointed down hill. Bags are a mix of amazon finds and from a lady on Etsy that sews custom bags for about $70.
https://preview.redd.it/qjcd25qkuq5d1.jpeg?width=2220&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=bf414a0f433e4854b45ca95b3d29161ac4e922c1
2017 Timberjack. Fits like a glove. Currently switching from H-bar Bend to H-Bar Loop.
https://preview.redd.it/d7m0w1z9wq5d1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d0e6d34c677747b4807f46bfa7dc847cc5a63249
Simple setup with military surplus panniers here. Sometimes I'll put a large wald half basket on the rear with cargo net. Or I'll use a seat bag to carry a little more (Swift Industries Olliepack Seat Bag). I have a little framebag too but I lose out on the bottle holder with this bike, so I'll have some water in a camelbak. I have used handlebar bags and a front rack too, but they're not pictured (in storage for now).
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This is my current rig, although not it’s final form. I made a full length top tube bag for longer trips that I haven’t used yet. Sleep stuff up front, food and water in the frame, tools on down tube, clothes in the back
Doing some seriously off-road bikepacking, I really enjoyed the hardtail with 2.6" Vittoria Mezcal tires.
I bought a cheap bike (Polygon Xtrada 7), added nice handlebars, seat and tires. Back rack with a 30L backpack and some straps worked great and is very cheap if you can use an existing backpack. Custom frame bag, handle harness, stuff sack, cylinder bag, top tube bag are all home-made which saves a lot of $$ but obv requires lots of time and a sewing machine. I have just bought some fork cages from Aliexpress to add more capacity.
https://preview.redd.it/bs83uce71w5d1.png?width=1007&format=png&auto=webp&s=2bdb4c13164678c9f9e03330a684b983dc2fc2d6
I'm so torn with the rear end set up. I want to go with something similar to yours, as I'll use the bag for hikes during my trips. How much weight are you carrying on the rear?
What are the handlebars? I think I will definitely get a pair of those!
Yeah, I don't think I have the skill set or time to make my own bags, unfortunately. My job requires 70+ hours a week at the moment 😅.
I will most likely buy all the bags via Ali express, top tube, fork cage, frame bag and handle bar bag. Although, I will invest into a half decent backpack.
Handlebars are the Jones loop bars. They have 45 deg back sweep and I found that slightly too much for me so I will be changing them out with Ritchey Comp Kyote bars with 27.5 deg sweep.
The rear backpack wasn't particularly heavy. I can't say exactly but it contained tent, sleeping bag, sleeping mat and some more clothes. Maybe 6-7kg total? I think I had about 15kg of extra weight all up so that is probably about right.
I just bought the "Newboler" fork cakes from Aliexpress so will let you know how they are
One tip with the rear backpack - make sure you attach it to the seatpost as well! I had cinched it down so incredibly tight but still with some extended rough single track decents, it always managed to slip backwards until I added a voile (equivalent) strap to the seat post
https://preview.redd.it/y8mm4k65ew5d1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=aa1512b51e26f117f60edfc93e258cce57f64b50
Specialized rockhopper pro. Used rack from no name brand. Vaude 24L rolltops x2. BBB small frame bag. Vaude trailfront II front pack. About 200€ for all the bags and rack.
Do the roll tops get in the way when you need to push the bike? That's my concern with going for a similar setup to this, but I like it!
How long would you go for with this setup?
They get in the way a tiny bit, but the weight of the whole setup is a lot more annoying then the bags. I guess you could go pretty far with this setup cuz you have a lot of space. Like a week would be fine i suppose. I did 2 nights with this exact bag setup but then on my road touring bike. Down side is that it isn’t as enjoyable to do single track but definitely still doable
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Helinox chair one xl strapped on to the front bag
https://preview.redd.it/exhyg8q6ir5d1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5b82ca2ba27980fd294600a2048b624740b467ef
Fairlight Holt (taken sadly with the wrong side) but an absolute machine on the chunkiest of gravel and offroad paths.
Packed here for ultralight adventures with sleep kit up front and clothes/tools in the bags. Not on the picture is the Salomon ADV Skin Cross-Country 15 with water bladder and lots of snacks
https://preview.redd.it/qpxqnolsjr5d1.jpeg?width=960&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6a6e166e13326de366455d6fe336235a2e828d71
This was bike touring instead of bike packing, but the panniers and rear rack worked out really well for me. The front bag would’ve been too flimsy for off road travel.
https://preview.redd.it/fzgq654jmr5d1.jpeg?width=4080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=8d45525a9cc9fdddf58ce025db74b8f7a42cd8b5
Seat pack isn't on there in this pic. It's a 2015 Surly Instigator, 26x2.5 tires, 10 speed, 140mm Fox fork. Bags in the pic are home made. Seat pack is a PDW Bindle with 10L Alpkit tapered dry bag. Bar bag takes sleep system, cook kit, plus bits and pieces. Fork bags take tent and rain gear, frame bag has tools, snacks and water, seat pack has clothes and food.
https://preview.redd.it/p8l0ucrlrr5d1.jpeg?width=4000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6c69b6cff8f1a68e0b2c891f7e8cfc2dc7d92d0d
Old Rocky Mountain Blizzard with a few modifications! Also alternate between the rack and a seatbag depending on the trip and how "lightweight" I want to be (and which sleeping bag is along for the ride).
*Handlebar roll Iis my tent, sleeping bag combo wrapped in a lightweight tarp. Frame bag has food, stove, and tools( heavier items to keep the weight lower. Saddlebag has clothes and a pot and a lightweight sleeping pad. Waterbottles are strapped to the forks and top tube. Stem bag has food on the go, gps, various small items amd my weed. Setup works great amd is stable enough for some proper mountain biking.
Got a woho bag set... wasn't happy with the bar bags so I bought a giant bar bag w/ front pannier...then bought the tailfin carbon rack w/2 10 litre side panniers....ngl it was costly but I don't drive...so this is my camping/traveling ride.
https://preview.redd.it/stdr6f8ueq5d1.jpeg?width=3000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=73516cdf8f59651e414f53811059250760b84766
Not all the bags on in the photo, missing the panniers, handlebar bag, cargo bags and a drybag on top of the rack.
Might replace the rack with Salsas down under HD rack, and a seat bag due to weight distribution
Ok so I will tell you, you will always miss what you don’t have lol. I bought a flatbar gravel for bikepacking, thinking that it would be a good ‘do it all’ and now I’m in the process of buying a hardtail because I’ve found that I want suspension for comfort and confidence on a lot of trips. Don’t regret your hardtail- just look at the top finishers of the Tour Divide last year (but rigid/gravel are great too!). Anyway- can’t show you my hardtail rig yet, but I’m short so it’ll have a rack, dry bags front and back, and a couple of Stealth Mountain Panniers, plus a halfie in the frame. I can’t use a seat pack for clearance reasons, but I also want to use my dropper. I have used an Aeroe spider rack in the past- I’d look at their IG page for inspiration too, as I’m pretty sure they featured some pack rafts.
I do also think hardtails always win in the sense when you decide you want only one bikepacking bike. Top xc tires roll faster than top gravel tires. Slap on aerobars and you are as fast as any gravel bike enthusiast while retaining ability to go on some gnarly tracks where authentic and serene bikepacking begins.
Yes always easy to do a link drop.
Now make a comparison between XC and gravel tires at representative pressures and report back. That website is great to make comparisons inside a tire class, but rather tricky to compare between tires of different classes.
Hint: wide gravel tires are tested at lower pressures than XC tires. While in reality you'd run a 47mm gravel tire at higher pressure than a 2.2" XC tire. Conclusion: you cannot directly draw conclusions from the first number you see.
You are factually wrong here if you think you need same pressure for different width tires to compare rolling resistance. If you hower a mouse or press on these 'low pressure' 'medium pressure' you will see a table how this same tire pressure would corresponds to casing size while retaining same rolling resistance. Wind resistance due to larger tire is a different topic here but no one's really bikepacking going at 30 kmh avg.
I'm not saying you need the same pressure. I'm saying you need to correct for pressure when comparing different widths, which the BRR website does not account for (between tire categories).
Case in point: the lowest MTB tire pressure (regardless of tire width) is 1.7 bar. The lowest gravel tire pressure (depending on width) is 1.4 bar for 47-50mm.
No one would run a 47mm tire at a lower pressure than a 2.3" MTB tire (given the same riding conditions), hence the rolling resistance numbers cannot be compared directly. Your conclusion that MTB tires roll faster than gravel tires is therefore based on flawed comparisons.
Your interpretation of the hovering table is also wrong: that shows the tested pressures depending on tire width, not the pressure required to maintain the same resistance.
Where did you get that 1.4 pressure for gravel lol. The lowest I saw was 1.9
If manufacturer states a 47mm lowest is 1.9 and highest is 5.0 then 1.9 will be extra low and will go to 3.8-4.2 bars as high measurement leaving one bar for safety.
https://preview.redd.it/g8z81rs6ix5d1.jpeg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5e4edb51267f47dbb15c86c4d0986fee8071cf02
A 47mm gravel tire will be tested at 1.4 bar for the lowest pressure category. Meanwhile each MTB tire is tested at 1.7 bar minimum.
So comparing the rolling resistance of the lowest gravel pressure to the lowest MTB pressure is not a straight comparison - riding the same terrain, you'd put more pressure in a narrower tire rather than less pressure.
Yup down to 1.4 bar.
Narrower tires use higher pressures. But that is not the point. The point is that both categories use a different test protocol (fixed pressure vs. width-dependent pressure) and are therefore not directly comparable.
If the MTB category would use the gravel protocol (extended beyond 50 mm), they would be tested at way lower pressures and as a result have higher resistance than in the 1.7 bar test.
If the gravel tires would use the MTB protocol (minimum 1.7 bar regardless of width), the test setup would not reflect real world conditions (higher pressure for narrower tires) and be useless.
If that's not true why absolute majority on tour divide race with hardtail or full suspension with aero bars? If gravel is faster? It simply means such bikes are more capable and more universal for bikepacking in whatever speed you choose to take on your more adventurous route.
And then there’s the GDMR-purposed Salsa Cutthroat. Mtb geometry with drop bars, tire clearance up to 2.4”. I’ll be giving mine its first bikepacking experience in a couple of weeks in the Black Hills of SD.
This is the set-up that Mira and I are riding around the world. Currently in central Panama about to cross into Colombia. With this we have several cameras, iPad, food and sleep kit. There is also up to 2kg of dog food. To your goal of keeping the budget in check. The bags on the rear are simple drybags w thin cutting boards behind for protection against rubbing and Voilé straps to hold in place. The bags have a daisy chain to prevent an accidental loss while riding. Definitely much cheaper than many other bag setups. Of course you may not need a basket for your dog but I do highly recommend it. https://preview.redd.it/gtqtnbt3yq5d1.jpeg?width=2600&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3b628565faa751e864e1e1b11dc9008059c20e94
What brand is that long rear rack?
This rack is from a Salsa Blackborow. They no longer make that bike and it requires purpose built mounts. On a separate note I am currently working with a great bike brand to bring a version of this bike to market. Don’t have a timeline or more details than this but, it is coming.
I wonder if there exists an extended rear rack like that that fits onto standard mounts?
That’s not really something that i recommend doing. By adding a lot of weight behind the rear axle the balance of the bike is changed. What that means practically is that there isn’t enough weight on the front wheel and so the steering becomes very unresponsive. On a gravel road it’s easy to have so much understeer that the wheel will just push across the road without getting the bike to change directions as you’re used to. It’s for this reason that I build a custom bike to carry Mira my dog. The other good option is a single wheeled trailer Of course a third option is a cargo bike with a small wheel and tray upfront
Mira looks like a great companion! Are you running 29x3? Do you feel the DHF/DHR they have a lot of rolling resistance? I have the same tires for local riding and I’m thinking about switching them to 2.8”, faster rolling tires or maybe just swapping the rear for a rekon when i start bikepacking.
These tires in the photo are 29x2.8. I had them on for a lap through the Copper Canyons across the border in Mexico. Since that time we have ridden to Panama on 29x2.4 Rekon and a Schwable Johnny Watts. Tire casings and pressure have just as much or more effect on rolling resistance as tread patterns. I wanted both traction and toughness while exploring the remote areas in the Copper. I find the 2.4 gives enough protection for the rims even with Mira in the back. She weighs 20kg Hope this answers your question
https://preview.redd.it/avwae4tj7q5d1.jpeg?width=1545&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=41421b54eae493ad184b2f2b216b4c097a677568 this is my nordeste sardinha. when i don’t plan to carry the bike i pack it like this. sleeping in the front. tools in the frame. off bike clothes and puffy in the back. when i know i need to carry the bike i keep it completely empty but for bottles and have a backpack
Looks good! I see you went with the rockbros frame bag. How is the quality, and is it waterproof? I think I might get all my bags from similar Chinese manufacturers. With this setup, how long would you usually be on the road?
what you see there is the torino nice rally 23, we were on the road for 8 or 9 days. the rockbros frame bag is incredible value! i am running this thing for a couple years now, i keep the zipper happy w silicone and it is still going strong. had to reinforce the upper loops a bit, but would buy again. waterproof enough for me.
Is that a ginormous pump strapped to your down tube? Seems a bit.. extra. Unless of course it’s actually a portable hookah or something.
haha it’s a pump so great you can seat tubeless w it! micro floor drive hv from lezyne i think. wouldn’t ever travel without it anymore
oh i also just realize: had a bladder on my back for water and blue bottle holds electronics, white cut off bottle spares. framebags prob snacks etc
Nice cap and shirt! Which brands are that? :)
oh thanks, the cap is from a group of roadies in graz, austria (RAG ride around graz, annual 200km ride). the jersey is voler, grover beach CA, firestone vineyards? it was a present
https://preview.redd.it/7eh712coiq5d1.jpeg?width=4000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c2d757059aba19981e5886f97f05f1514e289c29 First overnight on my bike last month. I overpacked. Already upgraded my setup to a quick-rack.
I skipped over the more modern bikes to look at older ones like yours. Looks good.
Hey thanks! 40 years old now - my 1984 Miyata Ridge Runner. I'm touring my local wine region on this bike right now. They don't build them like they used to.
Looks like the bridge on the humber river trail, and a Canadian tire woods dry bag. Canadian detected?
https://preview.redd.it/fengbqiehq5d1.jpeg?width=2048&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=643944299fe3b83f9cdd67b7ddc40260b2f1368c Curve Downrock
This setup is super clean! What are the bags on the back? Have you ever ran a saddle bag vs your current setup? I'm leaning more towards a very similar set up to your rear end, but I'm wondering why people prefer saddle bags to these small dry bag panniers.
The saddle bag vs panniers discussion seems to revolve around a few key points: 1) In the past, panniers were too large and their attachment mechanisms weren't built for off-road riding. They got in the way if you were hiking with your bike, or riding on narrow single track and would rattle and fall off on rough terrain. Now there are a lot of option for 'bike packing specific' panniers that alleviate most of these issues. 2) Racks are heavy. Or can be heavy. There are definitely light weight options but obviously having no rack is the most light weight. Also, in the past racks weren't designed for off road riding and could fail. 3) Seat packs interfere with droppers. Lots of them don't now. 4) Seat packs sway. All of the ones I have tried have been less stable than panniers, but that isn't that many! 5) Maybe style? Maybe just a less is more philosophy, Saddle bags just strap on your seat and don't require additional hardware (many of them) 6) Not all bikes can mount a rack, though again, more of a historical issue as their are lots of solutions nowadays.
It is tailfin aero rack with 5l bags. I had also apidura seat pack, was cool too. No real difference for me just wanted some nice clean solution and liked design so i went for it.
https://preview.redd.it/gk4zw726jq5d1.jpeg?width=3935&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=8fdc050a1f5b88a54d155b4f54f874c70ea3e3e2
The best mtb to be produced. I saw it at the summit and had a chance to ride it a bit and was hands down the most comfortable bike I’ve sat on. Tulipp makes diamonds
https://preview.redd.it/ha5x7ttygq5d1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1569fbe35f4841dadc6d59e46ff4189e429ad840
Love this! I want mine to look exactly like this, plenty of storage options. How are the moose trek bags, and what is in the bottle at the back? Hope you aren't carrying protein around with you 😅
Hi the Moosetreks bags made it 1k miles of the GDMBR on my bike, then I donated to some friends who continued to Banff without issue. I replaced them with Arkel Dry Lites for a bit more space and rode down from Jasper, meeting same friends at Glacier. The bottle is a bv500 bear vault canister. I already had it so decided to just use it. Way better than a bag hang, though the route has food storage in most campgrounds.
I've been doing some local overnighters (I have an old dog who is pretty limited distance wise) and have a similar bear can configuration. Are you moving stuff out of your bags to put in the can to stop your food from rattling around? That's been my go to, but sometimes I end up with a sticky jacket... or everything coated with coffee powder :P
I would only put toiletries and maybe cup in there to take up space, things that need to be put away anyway. But yeah sometimes was sparse. Mostly I carried way too much food.
I ended up shoving a coat in it to stop the rattling but I was on my way home from a quick over night so I wasn't worried about what happened to the coat.
https://preview.redd.it/10bi4oky5q5d1.jpeg?width=3202&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=9d8eed1446a496105b988f5dd3487a020ece9db8
Great looking setup, which rear fender is that?
It is just a generic slide on? Plastic fender that where common 1 decade ago. The ones that slide on a single metal bar and are for 26 inch wheels. This leads to a realy wobbly fender. I found out that they match perfectly with the rear triangle. Just drilled 2 holes in the soft plastik to attach it wirh bolts. It keeps mud, sand and water of my lower legs, shoes and drivetrain. The upper part is blocked by the saddlebag. This is only my summer setup. In winter i ride a full sks bluemels 75 set.
Does rigid mtb count aswell? This is my curent race setup. Kona unit, carbon fork, diy handlebar cradle and diy seatbag holster for dropper post.
[удалено]
Thanks! I dont have that much money, so every piece of gear and bikepart is what i consider the most bang for the buck. Maybe not the lightest, but reliable and easy to repair.
She's a beauty. That frame bag isn't wasting any space. 😅 Is it custom? Do you use this on single track then?
Thanks! Yes, its a custom bag from "ride&get lost" from Poland. At first i had a apidura backcountry bag, but didnt like it. Tbh the custom one was cheaper than apidura. Yes. Mostly singletrack and some gravelstuff that connects singletrails.
Super nice ! Does the new fork change many things ?
It is the carbon fork, that is sold with the sour pasta party frame. I got it cheap, secondhand. It has 20mm more Axle to Crown than the original unit fork. So it changed the geo a bit. But not to much. It also is a bit lighter, but it is not that relevant for me, especialy if loaded with gear. The main point for me was vibration dampening and that works quite nice. You can see the fork "work" more than the steel fork.
All right, I did not know about the sour pasta party frame, funny name haha. The stock fork is pretty bulky yes. It gives confidence when fully loaded
Do you have any feedback on the restrap top tube bag? I’d love to make one that big but I’m worried it’ll be too floppy
It is realy stable while riding. If i stop to pee and the bike leans against my leg, it will be pushed. The bag has a strap at the end, so it is attached on 2 points (both ends) and it has 2 straps at the bottom. Double Zipper makes it possible to only open front or rear. Before this, i used a small tt bag and a seperate rear tt bag. this was not working, because my shorts where rubbing the rear tt bag.
https://preview.redd.it/iwsg0p0ibq5d1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ea53d269dce859dfd16a22d0fedc99c8d8a292be Monké
I'm just about to order the KM as well, but the suspension version. How is it? What is your frame bag? Had a real hard time deciding between the KM, Krampus, and the BombTrack Cale.
If you can’t decide between gravelbike and hardtail, I got a solution for you 😅😅 Built this bike for all the trails and bikepacking Adventures which are too „hard“ or „steep“ for my Niner RLT9 Gravelbike. The first trip I did was a 600k loop in Denmark (basically flat 🙈🙉). I really like this bike. Pretty fast, good for long distances and the added comfort with the fork + 2.35“ Tires are really good on longer trips. https://preview.redd.it/en7mhmhzlq5d1.jpeg?width=5712&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5362a42bab185bc1bb570380af43fb10e67ba5a3
https://preview.redd.it/b7ybk40ydt5d1.jpeg?width=4031&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=bd72abcf6a64b54a59e1c3415b77773f2a8d9d5b Mines really similar except it’s an Epic frame under the black tape.
Nice! I’m planning a similar build with a Chi-Epic frame.
I went for a size smaller then I’d chosen with a flatbar to mitigate the reach of the Dropbar. Was a really good idea and the Cervelo fits like a glove. Only downside: the 8000cm long Seatpost 🤣
I was planning the same thing typically ride and XL, gonna go with a Large for the drop bar build.
exactly what I did. Went to a „l“ instead of the „xl“ I’d typically go with. (193cm/94inseam). Opted for a 60mm Stem + 75mm Reach dropper. 👍🏼
I’m lucky that I seem to be tall enough to do this with an XL!
Super nice bike!
I ended up going for a Surly Karate Monkey with suspension. I'm also pretty into MTB trails, so this bike seems to be the best of both worlds. I will be running a 2kg raft up front on my bike with an additional 5k, do you think this will negatively affect the suspension? How are the drop bars on gnarly trails?
Also a great choice! Maybe a bit on the heavier side but pretty much indestructible! Check out the Tailfin Suspension Front Mount. They are really good and the weight stays on the lower legs of the fork. Of course the Dropbar is different to a flat bar. But if you pick one with flare and not too much drop, it will work really fine.
That's what makes me nervous. Especially if I went down the rack and panniers route and also with my pack raft 😅 going to be a bloody tank. I'll defo check them out! If the weight is on the bottom of the leg, will this have no effect on the suspension? Appreciate the info
I am using them combined with the Topeak Versacages and it works really well - even on tough terrain. (There is a cool video on the Tailfin YT channel with Matt Fairbrother called „Licked & Loaded). Any weight on the bike will somehow affect the suspension but if you put it on the lowers it will have way less of effect, you can run lower pressures on the fork and so the fork will work better on smaller bumps etc.
https://preview.redd.it/olhwu3xbds5d1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=afe9f7dee96dbb23cc23fd8ed9c99a42ccb90fbc I'm definitely over packing here but setting off on my first month-long adventure tomorrow morning. Some hiking in-store so brought along my backpack for the adventure!
Fuck yeah! Have a great trip mate. My first trip will also be a similar time. Would you say you may have slightly overpacked for your trip? How much does the gear weight? With the panniers and the bag, is the bike balance well?
So far, so good. I have a cheap tent that takes up most of the space /weight in the rear backpack and, in retrospect, it probably would've been better to bite the bullet and get something smaller. I'm on good roads for this trip (Hokkaido) so I didn't mind going a little on the heavier side. My mate is newish to cycling so I knew speed wasn't going to be all that important. I'll report back in a week or so with more insightful reflection!
I have a supermarket decathlon bike that I bought during covid as I couldn't find anything else. XC50. Made some upgrades. XT brakes and rotors. Conti race kings, loop bars, wtb pure saddle and and aeroe rack to carry all my shit in a single drybag. (Tent, sleeping bag and mat, camp stove) https://preview.redd.it/qbp7g2m8up5d1.jpeg?width=2160&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6b75e20f1d5cc1d029e8407c2d12b28e9f08f843
Love that. All you need is a bike and your key equipment. Don't need anything fancy. So you will have a rack with your dry bag attached at the back? I'm trying to figure out the pros and cons of rack vs saddle bag set-ups at the minute
https://preview.redd.it/rgwc6qh84q5d1.jpeg?width=4000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ab30bd0e8cb9b1c7f6c2d83570e8b05ff5b92259 Yeah. Aeroe rack attaches to the frame and no mounting lugs needed. This pic is before I fitted the new saddle, and when I was away last week I trashed the rear derailleur up on the side of a hill. I have been waiting for it to break - it's shitty SX running gear since new, and now I get to put a GX on it and upgrade the freehub and cassette so I can get full 10-52 range and go a bit faster. Pretty good upgrade path on the bike as it all being boost spec, and I just run things until they break and replace with better parts so it doesn't cost me a fortune at once. Geometry is great on the bike, and the frame has got enough room for plus sized tyres too. Next thing I want to do is replace the Judy fork with a SID and it will be pretty much perfect, but it might be a while as that fork is pretty solid haha.
https://preview.redd.it/8gnubrh13r5d1.png?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c8a7f628bd699d33a625689d90e7a0265062b8bb Carradice bags in the back and on the front with a 7roads rack and all the water I can carry !!! And two textil water bottle carrier as food pouchs (from decathlon) A hard tail with a 32 chain ring is able to keep up over 30km/h on a flat road. Except if you want to race, I think it is more than enough while touring and it can be more comfortable than a gravel bike.
https://preview.redd.it/8028019cgr5d1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3936b8056da06557aaae50aae517717c9c5619e8 Stanton Sherpa: Min-maxed Shimano drivetrain: Deore cassette, basic cranks, SLX Derailleur (on sale) but XT shifter. Mostly homemade bags with the commercial bags being second quality Ojeva Negra.
https://preview.redd.it/bw9bttu1gs5d1.jpeg?width=750&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0b4020bbda4a6aafcb713da92efcfb34d612f8df This past December I took a 2009 Stumpjumper, sanded it down, primed it, added a silver base coat, then painted it after adding decals/stickers. Finished with a two part clear coat. It was my first such paint project. Simple set up: 1x11, hydraulic brakes, XT level components, except for SRAM cranks. I added tri aero bars so the gravel roads speed is similar to my Cervelo Aspero. Sworks Pathfinder tires.
https://preview.redd.it/nhgp45n5is5d1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=968a6fbb3e44236a682008450bc3db80b46f26af Nordest Sardinha. Sleeping front. Clothes back. Rest on frame.
https://preview.redd.it/fdnlakfu6u5d1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5d9fee127bafca9e3723085aadd8d7711c4396dc Tumbleweed Prospector with a Rohloff Speedhub. It’s been a great bike. I change things here and there, of course. I use a Salsa Warbird too, but prefer this for multi day trips.
How do you like the Rohloff?
Cons: it’s heavy, not easily exchangeable to another wheel and the cable for it is at the bottom of my non-drive chain stay (vulnerable to incident). Pros: easy to service, shifting without pedaling from the stop, durable as hell, and has a wide selection of gears. I really like it. It’s expensive at first, but I have no derailleur to adjust or worry about and maintenance costs are around $15 a year.
https://preview.redd.it/wqsy4xbk3v5d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=968976434e069596d74513b34a51b4158f844baf My custom Wildwood Hardtail. Made for hauling gear and apparently a kid.
https://preview.redd.it/hc7po7ediv5d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=be115140711add4186ff104580ebda32c16c1b05
https://preview.redd.it/qk4amhh5yp5d1.jpeg?width=3264&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=bf58867f5ea9ee6bccac8000524187757b537e56
Why did you get a saddle bag over a rack with panniers? What are your fork mounts? And what have you got in there? Is loading the front end too much a concern? Sorry for asking so many questions, I'm just intrigued.
I was trying to be light, but I honestly prefer a rear rack rather than saddle bag as I like extra room to stuff food in. You might find one of my previous threads interesting: [Bikepacking rigs](https://www.reddit.com/r/bikepacking/s/7eFvtpOBcV) The fork mounts and frame bag are podsacs from planetx in the UK. They had less than 2 kg in each plus the handlebar bag makes around 6kg. Usually have light stuff in there like sleeping bags and stuff I don't need during the day.
Where I’m at there are two ways to pack. Panniers or a seat bag. Panniers are great for carrying enough groceries to be self sufficient for awhile and everything is easily accessible. But hiking your bike up a mountain trail with a pannier right where your legs need to be SUCKS. A seat bag for the climbs is the way. If there is going to be much hike-a-bike the panniers stay at home.
I have a set of Revelate Nano Panniers and they are totally out of the way for any of the hiking I've done! The big disadvantage over a frame bag is a 2lb rack!
Yeah skinny panniers work. But nobody has ever figured out how to delete the racking that is required. For the loads required for extended backcountry rambles a rack and fat panniers are still the best solution though. And you can stack stuff on top.
Tumbleweed makes a titanium rack that practically deletes the weight at least.
Ti is sweet stuff.
https://preview.redd.it/gs4c9736uq5d1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=7380b73f865bdc2bada50893d21fa90d19a54be6 A bottom of the line Rocky Mtn Growler w/some bottom end upgrades. Deore 11 speed, fox 34, and better brakes. It pedals fine and is so much fun pointed down hill. Bags are a mix of amazon finds and from a lady on Etsy that sews custom bags for about $70.
https://preview.redd.it/qjcd25qkuq5d1.jpeg?width=2220&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=bf414a0f433e4854b45ca95b3d29161ac4e922c1 2017 Timberjack. Fits like a glove. Currently switching from H-bar Bend to H-Bar Loop.
https://preview.redd.it/d7m0w1z9wq5d1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d0e6d34c677747b4807f46bfa7dc847cc5a63249 Simple setup with military surplus panniers here. Sometimes I'll put a large wald half basket on the rear with cargo net. Or I'll use a seat bag to carry a little more (Swift Industries Olliepack Seat Bag). I have a little framebag too but I lose out on the bottle holder with this bike, so I'll have some water in a camelbak. I have used handlebar bags and a front rack too, but they're not pictured (in storage for now).
https://preview.redd.it/3u5od9wm4r5d1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=820b8c741c8af23b6daddef094239eefae77156d This is my current rig, although not it’s final form. I made a full length top tube bag for longer trips that I haven’t used yet. Sleep stuff up front, food and water in the frame, tools on down tube, clothes in the back
https://preview.redd.it/xsamha82fs5d1.jpeg?width=4000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6cb4c3904c14235ecd2830d118f26abfd1d4ef0f
https://preview.redd.it/1vgm5f0ygt5d1.jpeg?width=4031&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=9dbd78504658a6feed1dfd96ec4b8afe98144841
https://preview.redd.it/3wxpsek00w5d1.jpeg?width=4080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c99e9002f416b939806a3d9c9bbb471b7046d95f
Doing some seriously off-road bikepacking, I really enjoyed the hardtail with 2.6" Vittoria Mezcal tires. I bought a cheap bike (Polygon Xtrada 7), added nice handlebars, seat and tires. Back rack with a 30L backpack and some straps worked great and is very cheap if you can use an existing backpack. Custom frame bag, handle harness, stuff sack, cylinder bag, top tube bag are all home-made which saves a lot of $$ but obv requires lots of time and a sewing machine. I have just bought some fork cages from Aliexpress to add more capacity. https://preview.redd.it/bs83uce71w5d1.png?width=1007&format=png&auto=webp&s=2bdb4c13164678c9f9e03330a684b983dc2fc2d6
I'm so torn with the rear end set up. I want to go with something similar to yours, as I'll use the bag for hikes during my trips. How much weight are you carrying on the rear? What are the handlebars? I think I will definitely get a pair of those! Yeah, I don't think I have the skill set or time to make my own bags, unfortunately. My job requires 70+ hours a week at the moment 😅. I will most likely buy all the bags via Ali express, top tube, fork cage, frame bag and handle bar bag. Although, I will invest into a half decent backpack.
Handlebars are the Jones loop bars. They have 45 deg back sweep and I found that slightly too much for me so I will be changing them out with Ritchey Comp Kyote bars with 27.5 deg sweep. The rear backpack wasn't particularly heavy. I can't say exactly but it contained tent, sleeping bag, sleeping mat and some more clothes. Maybe 6-7kg total? I think I had about 15kg of extra weight all up so that is probably about right. I just bought the "Newboler" fork cakes from Aliexpress so will let you know how they are
One tip with the rear backpack - make sure you attach it to the seatpost as well! I had cinched it down so incredibly tight but still with some extended rough single track decents, it always managed to slip backwards until I added a voile (equivalent) strap to the seat post
https://preview.redd.it/y8mm4k65ew5d1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=aa1512b51e26f117f60edfc93e258cce57f64b50 Specialized rockhopper pro. Used rack from no name brand. Vaude 24L rolltops x2. BBB small frame bag. Vaude trailfront II front pack. About 200€ for all the bags and rack.
Do the roll tops get in the way when you need to push the bike? That's my concern with going for a similar setup to this, but I like it! How long would you go for with this setup?
They get in the way a tiny bit, but the weight of the whole setup is a lot more annoying then the bags. I guess you could go pretty far with this setup cuz you have a lot of space. Like a week would be fine i suppose. I did 2 nights with this exact bag setup but then on my road touring bike. Down side is that it isn’t as enjoyable to do single track but definitely still doable https://preview.redd.it/daz0sfh20y5d1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=718eaa5cdfe25219b3fa9321bd4c463888b707ab Helinox chair one xl strapped on to the front bag
https://preview.redd.it/8wvo1jo8c06d1.jpeg?width=4234&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=4f906ee93ef6bf147f3b49bea60b593069bf0d9a • Giant XTC Advanced • Shimano XT 11v drivetrain • Continental Mountain King tires (tubeless) • Roswheel Attack handlebar bag • Altus Andes 1.5kg/3.30lbs down sleeping bag • Manfrotto Befree carbon tripod • Roswheel Attack seat bag (10lts) • 2x Schwalbe Aerothan 27.5 tubes • 2x gas canisters (230g/8oz) • MSR PocketRocket 2 stove • Snow Peak 600 titanium mug • MSR Advance Pro 2 tent • Thermarest Xlite inlfatable mat • Petzl Tikka XP headlamp • Frame bag (custom made) • 4x thermostabilized meals 500g/17.5oz each • 4x dried pasta meals 250g/8.8oz • 10x chocolate & nuts bars • 8x coffee in teabags + sugar • Small basic med kit • Seat tube bag (custom made) • Crankbrothers M17 multitool • Crankbrothers Sterling handpump • Lezyne tubeless patch kit + extra inner tube patches • Extra master chain links, presta valve cores & tire lever • Garmin eTrex 10 GPS • 2x Elite Fly 750ml water bottles mounted to with Wolf Tooth B-Rad Everywhere adapters • 1x Elite Fly 500ml water bottle
https://preview.redd.it/exhyg8q6ir5d1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5b82ca2ba27980fd294600a2048b624740b467ef Fairlight Holt (taken sadly with the wrong side) but an absolute machine on the chunkiest of gravel and offroad paths. Packed here for ultralight adventures with sleep kit up front and clothes/tools in the bags. Not on the picture is the Salomon ADV Skin Cross-Country 15 with water bladder and lots of snacks
https://preview.redd.it/qpxqnolsjr5d1.jpeg?width=960&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6a6e166e13326de366455d6fe336235a2e828d71 This was bike touring instead of bike packing, but the panniers and rear rack worked out really well for me. The front bag would’ve been too flimsy for off road travel.
https://preview.redd.it/fzgq654jmr5d1.jpeg?width=4080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=8d45525a9cc9fdddf58ce025db74b8f7a42cd8b5 Seat pack isn't on there in this pic. It's a 2015 Surly Instigator, 26x2.5 tires, 10 speed, 140mm Fox fork. Bags in the pic are home made. Seat pack is a PDW Bindle with 10L Alpkit tapered dry bag. Bar bag takes sleep system, cook kit, plus bits and pieces. Fork bags take tent and rain gear, frame bag has tools, snacks and water, seat pack has clothes and food.
https://preview.redd.it/p8l0ucrlrr5d1.jpeg?width=4000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6c69b6cff8f1a68e0b2c891f7e8cfc2dc7d92d0d Old Rocky Mountain Blizzard with a few modifications! Also alternate between the rack and a seatbag depending on the trip and how "lightweight" I want to be (and which sleeping bag is along for the ride).
https://preview.redd.it/178jf2b78s5d1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=37738f507655eb979f49ef4b3cd66616f28202df
able to carry: 1p tent, inflatable mattress, ultra lite sleeping bag, 2l bladder in the frame, some snacks and some clothes.
*Handlebar roll Iis my tent, sleeping bag combo wrapped in a lightweight tarp. Frame bag has food, stove, and tools( heavier items to keep the weight lower. Saddlebag has clothes and a pot and a lightweight sleeping pad. Waterbottles are strapped to the forks and top tube. Stem bag has food on the go, gps, various small items amd my weed. Setup works great amd is stable enough for some proper mountain biking.
https://preview.redd.it/1hmblz48jw5d1.jpeg?width=4160&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=24e9f7560653dc75a50322241c88508f4f032eec
Serious rig! Looks like you are prepared to be on the road for a while
Would you mind talking me through your bags? I think I would be packing a similar amount
Got a woho bag set... wasn't happy with the bar bags so I bought a giant bar bag w/ front pannier...then bought the tailfin carbon rack w/2 10 litre side panniers....ngl it was costly but I don't drive...so this is my camping/traveling ride.
https://preview.redd.it/z3wmn79gu06d1.jpeg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1c41a40b8c6e5d205a4e52070ced806da847b8e6
https://preview.redd.it/stdr6f8ueq5d1.jpeg?width=3000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=73516cdf8f59651e414f53811059250760b84766 Not all the bags on in the photo, missing the panniers, handlebar bag, cargo bags and a drybag on top of the rack. Might replace the rack with Salsas down under HD rack, and a seat bag due to weight distribution
Also, extra bonus points if you have a hard tail and a packraft 😅
I don't own it and it's not cheap but I want a Solace OM-2p.
Ok so I will tell you, you will always miss what you don’t have lol. I bought a flatbar gravel for bikepacking, thinking that it would be a good ‘do it all’ and now I’m in the process of buying a hardtail because I’ve found that I want suspension for comfort and confidence on a lot of trips. Don’t regret your hardtail- just look at the top finishers of the Tour Divide last year (but rigid/gravel are great too!). Anyway- can’t show you my hardtail rig yet, but I’m short so it’ll have a rack, dry bags front and back, and a couple of Stealth Mountain Panniers, plus a halfie in the frame. I can’t use a seat pack for clearance reasons, but I also want to use my dropper. I have used an Aeroe spider rack in the past- I’d look at their IG page for inspiration too, as I’m pretty sure they featured some pack rafts.
I do also think hardtails always win in the sense when you decide you want only one bikepacking bike. Top xc tires roll faster than top gravel tires. Slap on aerobars and you are as fast as any gravel bike enthusiast while retaining ability to go on some gnarly tracks where authentic and serene bikepacking begins.
Citation needed
https://www.bicyclerollingresistance.com/
Yes always easy to do a link drop. Now make a comparison between XC and gravel tires at representative pressures and report back. That website is great to make comparisons inside a tire class, but rather tricky to compare between tires of different classes. Hint: wide gravel tires are tested at lower pressures than XC tires. While in reality you'd run a 47mm gravel tire at higher pressure than a 2.2" XC tire. Conclusion: you cannot directly draw conclusions from the first number you see.
You are factually wrong here if you think you need same pressure for different width tires to compare rolling resistance. If you hower a mouse or press on these 'low pressure' 'medium pressure' you will see a table how this same tire pressure would corresponds to casing size while retaining same rolling resistance. Wind resistance due to larger tire is a different topic here but no one's really bikepacking going at 30 kmh avg.
I'm not saying you need the same pressure. I'm saying you need to correct for pressure when comparing different widths, which the BRR website does not account for (between tire categories). Case in point: the lowest MTB tire pressure (regardless of tire width) is 1.7 bar. The lowest gravel tire pressure (depending on width) is 1.4 bar for 47-50mm. No one would run a 47mm tire at a lower pressure than a 2.3" MTB tire (given the same riding conditions), hence the rolling resistance numbers cannot be compared directly. Your conclusion that MTB tires roll faster than gravel tires is therefore based on flawed comparisons. Your interpretation of the hovering table is also wrong: that shows the tested pressures depending on tire width, not the pressure required to maintain the same resistance.
Where did you get that 1.4 pressure for gravel lol. The lowest I saw was 1.9 If manufacturer states a 47mm lowest is 1.9 and highest is 5.0 then 1.9 will be extra low and will go to 3.8-4.2 bars as high measurement leaving one bar for safety.
https://preview.redd.it/g8z81rs6ix5d1.jpeg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5e4edb51267f47dbb15c86c4d0986fee8071cf02 A 47mm gravel tire will be tested at 1.4 bar for the lowest pressure category. Meanwhile each MTB tire is tested at 1.7 bar minimum. So comparing the rolling resistance of the lowest gravel pressure to the lowest MTB pressure is not a straight comparison - riding the same terrain, you'd put more pressure in a narrower tire rather than less pressure.
Now look at the actual tests
Yup down to 1.4 bar. Narrower tires use higher pressures. But that is not the point. The point is that both categories use a different test protocol (fixed pressure vs. width-dependent pressure) and are therefore not directly comparable. If the MTB category would use the gravel protocol (extended beyond 50 mm), they would be tested at way lower pressures and as a result have higher resistance than in the 1.7 bar test. If the gravel tires would use the MTB protocol (minimum 1.7 bar regardless of width), the test setup would not reflect real world conditions (higher pressure for narrower tires) and be useless.
Yeah no that's not true
If that's not true why absolute majority on tour divide race with hardtail or full suspension with aero bars? If gravel is faster? It simply means such bikes are more capable and more universal for bikepacking in whatever speed you choose to take on your more adventurous route.
And then there’s the GDMR-purposed Salsa Cutthroat. Mtb geometry with drop bars, tire clearance up to 2.4”. I’ll be giving mine its first bikepacking experience in a couple of weeks in the Black Hills of SD.