For some time now they have been appearing more and more often: touring cyclists with very little luggage, which they carry in frame bags on mountain bikes, cyling routes where you would normally go trekking.
Bikepacking... what is it all about? Simply a new trend?
The cycle touring scene is certainly not known for being particularly innovative with new trends every year. In contrast to mountain biking, for example.
That's actually a good thing. Certain things have proven themselves over the years. A touring bike is primarily about longevity and definitely not about short-lived trends. In the last few years I have built several almost identical bicycles for my long journeys, which have changed little over the years. I was very satisfied with them in every respect and would rebuild them almost identically today.
For a while now, the term bikepacking has been appearing more and more frequently. What's that all about? Also one of these temporary trends and what's the point?
What is Bikepacking
Bikepacking arose from the need to go on multi-day tours with a mountain bike where you have everything (accommodation, food, clothes) with you. That means that the routes you ride are often mountain bike trails. It was therefore necessary to look for a way to transport luggage with the mountain bike without its handling deteriorating too much.
Of course there are different possibilities for this, but in the meantime a kind of 'standard' has developed which works and is called Bikepacking.
Bikepacking differs mainly by the following two things from general cycle touring:
- Luggage: The luggage is probably the biggest difference. Generally we try to have less luggage and this is not carried in classic panniers (2 front, 2 rear) but in different frame bags.
- The bike is designed for gravel roads and similar to a mountain bike. Typically, for example, wide tyres, suspension fork and disc brakes.
Of course, there are also mixed styles that combine road bikes with bikepacking bags.
What is Bikepacking suitable for? Bikepacking for long term cycle touring?
Bikepacking will not replace the classic bicycle trips, but rather it has become a kind of independent discipline. Bikepacking opens up completely new possibilities. Technically demanding tracks where you reach the limits with a classic touring bike, simply are more fun with bikepacking.
In my opinion, Bikepacking is especially suitable for shorter tours (weeks - months). Here you can choose your destination in such a way that you are on such remote routes where bikepacking really makes sense. Being on the move with less luggage (e. g. a smaller tent or just a bivouac bag) is certainly better suitable for shorter tours.
The bike itself is not as easy to maintain as a touring bike because of its equipment (e. g. suspension fork, tyres). But no problem on short trips.
For really long journeys (multi-year) where you cross continents it is still the case that the sections which correspond to the above terrain (distant mountain bike trails) are unfortunately in the minority. There are hardly any continents that can be crossed completely on such routes. On such journeys you will still mostly be on asphalted roads where the classic touring bike is superior to bikepacking.
Nevertheless, there are also people who do long tours in bikepacking style. Here, everyone has to decide for himself whether to optimize his bike for off-road or road sections.
What I think about it
On my travels I have always been looking for the remotest possible routes and was on gravel roads as much as possible.
I have travelled with my touring bike on many mountain bike routes all over the world and have often reached its limits. That was actually quite good, but I have often wished to have another bike with me.
In 2016 I went on tour for the first time in bikepacking style. I have to say, I was thrilled. The possibilities that open up are great and of course they are exactly my kind of thing. The handling of the much lighter bike almost comes close to that of a mountain bike. When riding downhill, I can really let it go without worrying about my luggage, thanks to the suspension fork and disc brakes. No panniers fall off, everything sits tights. It's quite simply fun.
What a bike I will take on a future trip is difficult to say, both have their justification. This will depend primarily on the destination.