If you tell your grandmother that you are going to ‘pack a bike’, she will probably look at you strangely. In the past, we used to call that a cycling holiday. In my case, it immediately conjures up an image of two elderly men in jeans cycling from junction to junction, while their toes dangle in a pair of sturdy Teva sandals. The average younger person will probably not be very enthusiastic about that. Bikepacking, on the other hand, is hip and adventurous. But why and what is it? In this article, you will find out everything you want to know about bikepacking.
What is the difference between a cycling holiday and bikepacking?
Basically, there isn’t much difference between bikepacking and a cycling vacation; you need a bike, a few bike bags, a route, and a place to sleep. But the difference lies exactly in those things. Bikepackers ride on a gravel bike, only taking what is absolutely necessary with them, and often cycle off-road through nature. Because they don’t have a luggage carrier, their bikepacking bags look different from the large and heavy bags you’re used to from a cycling vacation.
Read also: Is a cycling holiday something for me?
How long does a bikepacking trip last?
A bikepacking trip can last a few weeks, or a few days, whatever you want. That makes it super suitable for a microadventure; a short and cheap adventure close to home. Your journey begins as soon as you step out the door and you experience that adventure literally around the corner. Bikepacking fits perfectly into the current trend, where we are looking for less stimuli and more adventure.
How do you prepare for a bikepacking trip?
My first bikepacking trip will take place at the end of October (in the autumn) together with my friend Thomas. We will make a cycling tour through Brabant that will last two days and will start at my house in Breda. Via Belgium and Grenspark Kalmthoutse Heide we will cycle to West Brabant. Ossendrecht.
Planning a bikepacking trip isn’t difficult, but I’ve experienced that a (first) bikepacking trip takes quite some preparation time. I also encountered things I hadn’t thought about in advance.
What bags do you need for biking?
All the bags we use, except one, are from SKS Germany. They are waterproof, contain reflective elements and have a sealed zipper so your belongings always stay clean and dry. Some of the bags also have an air vent, allowing you to compress the bag to let any excess air escape when you pack it.
We have these bags with us:
- SKS Germany Explorer exp. saddlebag, 13 liters with mudguard
- SKS Germany Explorer exp. framebag, 4 liters
- SKS Germany Explorer exp. barbag 9 liters
- SKS Germany Explorer edge, 1 liter
- Ortlieb Seat Pack Saddle Bag, 16.5 liters
On my bike we mount the 13-liter saddlebag with skid plate and 4-liter framebag. On Thomas' bike, we mount the 16.5-liter saddle bag, the barbag of 9 liters and explorer edge of 1 liter.
When I see the bags hanging on my bike, I think: ‘Everything will be fine! We might even be able to leave one bag at home.’ But in practice, things end up taking up more space than I expected beforehand.
What do you take with you when biking?
To give you an idea of how minimalist bikepacking really is, I would like to take you along in my packing process. My nice warm fluffy Nike sweater? I can put it right back in the closet. As soon as I put it in my saddlebag, it is filled to about halfway. And so I have to exchange it for a thinner sweater. My jeans stay at home too, they take up too much space and I probably won’t be wearing them much. Under the elastic bands on the top of the bag, I put on a rain jacket.
In my saddlebag I have:
- Sport leggings
- Hemdje
- Socks
- BH
- 2 strings
- Thin sweater
- Sports bra
- Cycling socks
- Cycling pants
- Cycling jersey
And when it comes to packing my frame bag, I have to make concessions as well. My hair brush turns out to be much too big and has to stay at home… Choices, choices, choices
My framebag contains:
- Phone charger
- Garmin cable
- Polar cable sports watch
- Bike pump
- My little saddle bag with a multitool, tire inflators and spare tires
- Nike shoes with flexible soles and thin upper
- Day cream
- Deodorant
- Mascara
- Concealer
- Eyebrow pencil
- A few cotton swabs
- Mini facial cleansing
- Toothbrush
- Toothpaste
- OV card
- ID card
- What is currency
- 710-milliliter bottle
- Cotton bag
We are lucky that it is warm this weekend for this time of year and that we don’t have any big plans in Ossendrecht. That makes it no problem to make concessions. But suppose it had been colder, then it would have been a problem to bring thicker shoes and a jacket. And eating out in a nice outfit? Forget it 😉 What I learned from this packing? Buy one roll-on deodorant, a mini tube toothpaste of toothpaste tablets and one mini hair brush.
Tips & tricks for bikepacking
- Do you sleep in a hotel? Then check if there is also a secure bike storage area. Nothing worse than finding out the next morning that your bike has been stolen!
- There’s a good chance that the water bottles won’t fit in the holders anymore once you mount a framebag. So think of an alternative way. I put one water bottle in my framebag. Thomas also had two water bottles with him, from which we both drank.
- A smart girl is well prepared. And she takes more than one hair tie on her bikepacking trip. ‘Pats!’ said mine in the hotel room…
- Bring a cotton bag with you so that when you arrive at the hotel you can put your belongings in it and leave the bikepacking bags on your bike. That saves a lot of hassle.
- Tape your bike with electrical tape to prevent scratches caused by sliding bags.
- Plan your route so that you end up passing a car wash. A clean bike will make you happy the day after!
- It takes quite a bit of time to get your frame mounted, to assemble the bikepacking bags for the first time, and to figure out how to pack it conveniently. Don’t worry about it.
- Take a plastic bag with you to put dirty clothes in.
Questions & tips
Do you have any questions about this route, or have you been there yourself? Share them here. We read everything and usually respond within a few days.