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.
