Bikepacking - a viable alternative to racks & panniers

Also 8l upfront.

44cm

that's a great shot! thanks.

are you using the Kanga too? does it make a huge difference?

It's the Revelate harness. I used a DIY version a few times and that worked well but the hand-room on the tops was limited. The spacers on the Revelate keep it off the bar pretty much everywhere I'd put my hands and doesn't interfere with any cables on that or the Karate Monkey which is a bonus, even if it is a bit heavier...

Revelate are the best

making one of those slings/harnesses as we speak. Not spending £££ on some webbing. I already used just webbing and a 12l drybag (swept bars), and surprisingly it worked, so I'm confident about it.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/301443696790?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

might build one of those into the front, because I dont use a framebag and need to get to stuff.

nice reads...

http://bunyanvelo.com/issues/

great !

^

Homemade little frame bag.
Preparing for summer touring.

1 Attachment

^ ace!

This bike tells me you're in Melbourne.

Hai.

Interested in how you go with making a dry bag harness. Might be a great project for the sewing thread? It will be interesting to see how the clearance goes, as Andy mentions about the spacers keeping it away from your hands.

Similar pouch here to the link you posted http://www.bogear.com.au/cellblock-m

Also thinking of getting a load of these:
http://www.decathlon.co.uk/apb-300-cycling-bottle-cage-bracket-id_4766980.html

I have a 48cm Focus Mares ax 1.0 with a small triangle so going water bottles on the forks, maybe under down tube. Reckon they'll hold?

Need to kit this out

But the mrs has a Giant Defy with rectangular forks.

I would not advise using that mount on the fork, they're strong, but may not be sufficient on the fork.

My recommendation is to get a framebag and put a hydration pack in it, a small hydration pack can hold around 2.5 litres, compared to 800ml from both of your current bottles (give or take assuming they're 400ml).

Budget wise, it look like you got enough room for at least an 800ml bottle on the downtube, or is it already tricky taking off the current bottle?

BTW, awesome bike with awesome brakes.

Why not sufficient? Mine or on the Giant?
I'm on a super budget so looking for cheap options. I might make a frame bag though so a bladder could work. Nice idea Ed. I have insulated bottles though because it flipping hot over here. There's room for bigger.
I need to carry a tent as well actually, so was thinking of strapping it to the TT, hence bidons on the forks.
This bike is amazing and my brakes were put to the test today when I forgot you have to give way to passengers getting off trams in Melbourne.

That decathlon mount may not sufficent on fork, especially the risk of hitting it and turning into the wheel.

I reckon you can make a full frame bag, and put the tent pole near the bottom of the downtube as it's long enough for that, bladder as cheap as chip, worse come to worse, you should be able to plop a big 1.5 bottled waters inside it.

You can get seatpost rail mounted bottle holders, I got one for about £10 ages ago. If you don't want to be looking at it all the time swap the bolts out for longer ones as the ones that come with it are just long enough and so after a few rides one came loose for me.

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/minoura-sbh-300-dual-bottle-cage-bracket/

After that frame bag, bar bag.

Zefal make similar but smaller:

http://www.zefal.com/en/bottle-cages/51-gizmo-universal.html

Cheers, rhb. Citygent reckons they're not great however.
I'll have a BRP saddle bag so nowt on the seat.
Could get handle bar bag, then keep bidons where they are.

Would you go frame bag over bar bag?

Frame bag makes for better handling. The less you have on the steering axis, the better (more normal) the bike will handle.

the minouras are good!

This.

It's nigh on impossible to feel the extra weight inside the frame triangle.

Framebag ftw.

That's settled that then. Nice one guys.

Just need to find a codura and liner outlet in Melbourne, and get sewing...

Exciting times.