If you tell your grandmother that you are going 'bikepacking', she will look at you funny. You used to just call it cycling holiday. For me, it immediately conjures up an image of two elderly people in zip-off trousers cycling from junction to junction, their toes wobbling in a pair of decent Teva sandals. You won't get the average young person excited about that. Bikepacking, on the other hand, is hip and adventurous. But why and what is it? In this article, you will read everything you want to know about bikepacking.

What is the difference between cycling holidays and bikepacking?
Basically, there is not much difference between bikepacking and a cycling holiday; you need a bike, a few panniers, a route and a place to sleep. But the difference is exactly in those things. Bikepackers cycle on a gravel bike, take only the essentials with them and mostly cycle offroad right through nature. Because they do not have a luggage rack, their bikepacking bags look different from the big and heavy bags you are used to from a cycling holiday.
Read also: Is a cycling holiday for me?
How long does a bikepacking trip take?
A bikepacking trip can last a few weeks, or a few days, whatever you want. This makes it super suitable for a micro-adventure; a short and inexpensive adventure close to home. Your trip starts as soon as you step out your door and lets you experience that adventure is literally just around the corner. Bikepacking fits right in with today's trend of looking for less stimuli and more adventure.
How do you prepare for a bikepacking trip?
I will make my first bikepacking trip at the end of October (i.e. in autumn) together with my friend Thomas. We will make a two-day bike trip through Brabant, starting at my house in Breda. Via Belgium and Grenspark Kalmthoutse Heide, we cycle to the West Brabant Ossendrecht.
Planning a bikepacking trip is not difficult, but I did find that a (first) bikepacking trip takes quite some preparation time. I also ran into things I hadn't thought about beforehand.
What bags do you need for bikepacking?
All the bags we use, except one, are from SKS Germany. They are waterproof, contain reflective elements and have a sealed zip so your stuff always stays clean and dry. Some bags also have a vent valve, allowing you to compress the bag to release unnecessary air once you have packed it.
We carry these bags:
- SKS Germany Explorer exp. saddlebag, 13 litres with mudguard
- SKS Germany Explorer exp. framebag, 4 litres
- SKS Germany Explorer exp. barbag 9 litres
- SKS Germany Explorer edge, 1 litre
- Ortlieb Seat Pack Saddlebag, 16.5 litres
On my bike, we mount the 13-litre saddlebag with mudguard and the framebag of 4 litres. On Thomas' bike, we mount the 16.5-litre saddlebag, the 9-litre barbag and the explorer edge of 1 litre.
When I see the bags hanging from my bike, I think; 'This will be totally fine! We can probably even leave one bag at home'. But in practice, stuff turns out to take up more space than I expected beforehand.
What do you take with bikepacking?
To give you an idea, how minimalist bikepacking really is, I'd like to take you through my packing process. My nice warm fluffy jumper from Nike? I can put that right back in the closet. As soon as I put it in my saddlebag, it is filled halfway. And so I have to swap it with a thinner jumper. My jeans also stay at home; they take up too much space and I will probably wear them very little. Under the elastic bands at the top of the bag, I stuff another rain jacket.
In my saddlebag is:
- Sports leggings
- Shirt
- Socks
- BRA
- 2 strings
- Thin jumper
- Sports bra
- Cycling socks
- Cycling shorts
- Cycling shirt
And I also have to make concessions when packing my frame bag. My hairbrush turns out to be way too big and has to stay at home...Choices, choices, choices
In my frame bag is:
- Phone charger
- Garmin cable
- Cable Polar sports watch
- Bicycle pump
- My small saddle bag with multitool, tyre levers and spare tyre
- Nike shoes with flexible sole and thin upper
- Day cream
- Deodorant
- Mascara
- Concealer
- Eyebrow pencil
- A few cotton buds
- Mini facial cleanser
- Toothbrush
- Toothpaste
- OV card
- ID card
- Some coins
- Bottle 710 millilitres
- Cotton bag
We are lucky that this weekend is warm for the time of year and that we have no big plans in Ossendrecht. This makes it no problem to make concessions. But suppose it had been colder, bringing thicker shoes and a jacket would have been a problem. And eating out in a nice outfit? Forget it 😉 What I learnt from this packing? Buy a roll-on deodorant, a mini tube of toothpaste or toothpaste tablets and a mini hairbrush.
Tips & tricks for bikepacking
- Are you sleeping in a hotel? Then check whether there is also secure bike parking. Nothing worse than finding out the next morning that your bike has been nicked!
- Chances are your water bottles will no longer fit in the holders if you mount a framebag. So come up with an alternative way. I put one water bottle in my frame bag. Thomas also carried two water bottles from which we both drank.
- A smart girl is well prepared. And takes more than one hair elastic on a bikepacking trip. 'Pats!", said mine in the hotel room
- Bring a cotton bag so that when you arrive at the hotel, you can put your stuff in there and leave the bikepacking bags on your bike. That saves a lot of hassle.
- Tape your bike with electrical tape to prevent scratches from sliding bags.
- Plan your route so that you pass a car wash at the end. A clean bike is going to make you happy the day after!
- It takes quite some time to tape up your frame, assemble bikepacking bags for the first time and figure out how to pack conveniently. Don't overlook that.
- Bring a plastic bag to put dirty clothes in.
27 responses
I've been browsing on-line more than three hours nowadays, but I by no means discovered any interesting article like yours. It's beautiful value sufficient for me. Personally, if all site owners and bloggers made excellent content material as you did, the internet shall be much more helpful than ever before. "Learn to see in another's calamity the ills which you should avoid." by Publilius Syrus.
Thanks for this post, I am a big fan of this web site would like to proceed updated.
I love your blog... very nice colours & theme. Did you create this website yourself? Plz reply back as I'm looking to create my own blog and would like to know wheere u got this from. thanks
I love your blog... very nice colours & theme. Did you create this website yourself? Plz reply back as I'm looking to create my own blog and would like to know wheere u got this from. thanks
obviously like your web-site but you need to check the spelling on several of your posts. A number of them are rife with spelling issues and I to find it very troublesome to inform the truth then again I'll certainly come again.
Rattling good visual appeal on this website , I'd rate it 10 10.
With havin so much content do you ever run into any problems of plagorism or copyright infringement? My blog has a lot of unique content I've either written myself or outsourced but it looks like a lot of it is popping it up all over the internet without my permission. Do you know any solutions to help prevent content from being stolen? I'd really appreciate it.
I have been exploring for a bit for any high quality articles or weblog posts in this kind of space . Exploring in Yahoo I at last stumbled upon this web site. Reading this info So i am satisfied to show that I've a very good uncanny feeling I found out exactly what I needed. I such a lot certainly will make certain to don¦t put out of your mind this website and give it a look regularly.
We're a group of volunteers and starting a new scheme in our community. Your web site provided us with valuable information to work on. You have done a formidable job and our whole community will be thankful to you.
Can I just say what a relief to find someone who actually knows what theyre talking about on the internet. You definitely know how to bring an issue to light and make it important. More people need to read this and understand this side of the story. I cant believe youre not more popular because you definitely have the gift.
As a Newbie, I am always browsing online for articles that can aid me. Thank you
hey there and thank you on your info - I've certainly picked up something new from right here. I did then again experience several technical issues using this web site, as I experienced to reload the website lots of times previous to I may get it to load correctly. I had been considering in case your web hosting is OK? No longer that I'm complaining, however sluggish loading circumstances occasions will often have an effect on your placement in google and could harm your quality rating if ads and ***********|advertising|advertising|advertising and *********** with Adwords. Well I'm including this RSS to my email and can look out for a lot extra of your respective fascinating content. Make sure you update this again very soon....
Have you ever thought about writing an e-book or guest authoring on other sites? I have a blog centered on the same information you discuss and would love to have you share some stories/information. I know my viewers would enjoy your work. If you're even remotely interested, feel free to shoot me an email.
I think you have noted some very interesting details, regards for the post.
Sweet site, super pattern, rattling clean and utilise genial.
hello there and thanks to your info - I've definitely picked up anything new from right here. I did alternatively experience some technical issues the usage of this web site, since I experienced to reload the web site lots of occasions prior to I could get it to load properly. I have been brooding about in case your web host is OK? No longer that I'm complaining, but slow loading instances occasions will sometimes have an effect on your placement in google and could harm your high-quality score if advertising and ***********|advertising|advertising|advertising and *********** with Adwords. Anyway I am adding this RSS to my email and can glance out for a lot more of your respective fascinating content. Make sure you replace this again soon.
As soon as I observed this website I went on reddit to share some of the love with them.
The Pink Salt Trick is a minimalist but effective morning routine: Just drink a glass of lukewarm water mixed with a pinch of Himalayan pink salt as soon as you wake up.
Hi my family member! I wish to say that this post is awesome, great written and come with approximately all significant infos. I'd like to see additional posts like this.
I?¦ve recently started a web site, the information you provide on this website has helped me greatly. Thanks for all of your time & work.
I believe this web site holds very great indited content material articles.
Usually I don't read article on blogs, however I would like to say that this write-up very compelled me to try and do it! Your writing style has been surprising me. Thank you, very great article.
Hi there, i read your blog from time to time and i own a similar one and i was just curious if you get a lot of spam remarks? If so how do you protect against it, any plugin or anything you can advise? I get so much lately it's driving me crazy so any support is very much appreciated.
I do agree with all the ideas you've presented in your post. They are really convincing and will certainly work. Still, the posts are too short for newbies. Could you please extend them a little from next time? Thanks for the post.
Hiya, I'm really glad I've found this info. Today bloggers publish just about gossips and web and this is really irritating. A good web site with interesting content, that is what I need. Thanks for keeping this web site, I will be visiting it. Do you do newsletters? Can not find it.
Can I simply say what an aid to find someone who is actually aware of what theyre talking about on the internet. You positively know the right way to carry an issue to mild and make it important. More people have to learn this and understand this side of the story. I cant imagine youre no more common because you definitely have the gift.
Thanx for the effort, keep up the good work Great work, I am going to start a small Blog Engine course work using your site I hope you enjoy blogging with the popular BlogEngine.net.Thethoughts you express are really awesome. Hope you will right some more posts.