Bikepacking - a viable alternative to racks & panniers

What bag can I place in the little space under the bottle cages and above the bb? I'd like a small triangular one where I could fit tools and small spares, ideally one that would open from the side as to avoid removing it for accessing it (eg a top tub bag used here)

Top tube bag? Revelate's seatpost bag - Jerrycan?

Depends how big the space is, doesn't it? I used dropper mounts for my cages so that space was taken up with bottles allowing me to fit a Revelate Tangle top tube bag.

Or you could just duct tape a spare tube or similar into that space?

from: http://bikepacker.com/beginners-guide-to-packing-bikepacking-bags/

I am using a tangle as well, but no need to drop the bottle cage (although I thought about it for a while) as I am fine with 2x600 bidons. Let's say the space there is approx 10x10cm, I could fit more than just a spare tube.

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/mobile/deuter-triangle-bag/rp-prod33846

Something like this but smaller.

Attempted this a couple of weekends ago.

https://deesidetrail.co.uk/route/

Woefully unprepared and horribly unfit so altered it heavily on the but the sections we did do were really good.

I ran 2 x 1000ml bottles so needed to drop them to make the most of the Tangle.

These guys have a lower triangle bag...

http://www.ktbike.it/en/collections/kt-bikepacking-en/

people have trouble fitting a dry bag with a sleeping bag in and a sleeping mat with drop bars??

It may just be me, but most of the handlebar dry bags state not to be used with drop bars? I am a noob to all this so just laugh at me if im wrong.

Did you use side cages?

Seems to me that it's a question of how wide your sleeping bag/mat is. I've run an Alpkit 13l drybag with sleeping bag and a Numo mat on my Midge bars. I am going to rig up some sort of harness though for future trips.

Yeah, it was the only way to use Tangle + 1L bottles. Even with side cages there was a technique to getting the bottles in.

My bag easily fits in between my bars (44cm), but the mat I don't have yet so I can always buy to fit.

I think think he alpkit is my best bet

When were you thinking?

I have this that is surplus to requirements at the moment if you want it:

http://www.blacks.co.uk/activities/104985-multi-mat-trekker-compact-25-self-inflating-sleeping-mat.html

used once, yours for £15? - obviously you can try to fit it first

Also, imho, you could achieve a more efficient use of the space if you fold them to the width of the bars and them roll them together.

I've fitted bag and mat on the apidura handlebar pack before, quite easily

Which dropper mounts did you use?

utfs :P

Got them from Carlos

Being lazy.. will search later

Thanks for the offer, but I live in Birmingham! So trying would be an issue! What's the smallest you've rolled it up at?

Pretty thin, 10/12cm when folded in half.. I can send you a couple of pics later tonight.

I recently moved to an alpkit airo 120, which is a good compromise.

I've also tried the klymit inertia x-lite, but was rather uncomfortable for my 80kg of happiness

I was looking at these puppies:
https://www.ultralightoutdoorgear.co.uk/equipment-c3/sleeping-mats-c58/ultralight-airbeds-c138/neoair-xlite-small-sleeping-mat-p3614

Also:
https://backpackinglight.com/nemo_zor/

Yeah a few pictures would be awesome dude! And ah, I'm around 73/4kg so shouldn't be too bad!

That's stupid money! Damn

Compared to what? A klymit inertia x-lite?