Bikepacking - a viable alternative to racks & panniers

That is interesting. Thank you.

My small restrap framebag is spot on for nearly everything, and it fits all bar one of my bikes. I have tools, pump, chain lube, little bottle of Stan's, battery for front light, extra layer, phone (in Rapha essentials case) and e-fag in there.... still room left. I carry a tiny big x-top hip pouch with my dosh in.

Yes please just so I can gauge what size frame bag will fit.

Cheers

James

I've been using the apidura bar bag for audaxing. Whilst you can't get into it on the move, it is lightweight and can compress down quite nicely leaving space for your hands in all the bar positions.
With the frame bags and saddle bags I've had bad experience with them rubbing the paint quite poorly. I'd hate that to happen to my Isen. So perhaps heli tape might be a solution to the tubes facing the bag if you decide to go for the frame option.

As others have said, a lot of the bikepacking saddle bags aren't really designed for everday commuting. It's still hard to beat a Carradice, either one of the classic ones or there are smaller, cheaper ones.

Something like this would hold everything you need http://www.carradice.co.uk/bags/saddle-packs-sqr-bags/carradura-maxi-saddlepack or possibly even the size down from it.

I'm off to Exmoor and the Quantocks for three days of off road wild camp fun tomorrow. Can not wait. Glad the heat will have departed. Just hope it stays relatively dry over in the South West.

Can anyone recommend any pubs we shouldn't miss?

Will try and grab some snaps and do a little write up after.

Any reason I can't use an SKS anywhere bottle mount on the top side of my toptube?

You got routes planned? I'd like to do a jaunt in that direction from Bristol at some point.

These women got by without panniers before it was cool..
Also - that dangle!

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I've had to shelve it this time unfortunately. Mate has got some serious dramas occuring so we're staying more local in the end (tour of the north and south downs starting from my front door tomorrow...

As for Exmoor and Quantocks, there is a cool looking loop on bikepacking.com.
http://www.bikepacking.com/routes/bikepacking-exmoor-quantock/

They also have a Dartmoor Exmoor transverse. I also grabbed the route of the branuton 150 and just shoved all the gpx files on one big map.
http://www.braunton150.org

This was going to form the guide by which we meadnered about.
If i were you I'd look into the route of the England, Wales, England mammoth mountain bike route. It will take you nicely from Bristol to Cornwall i think....
http://www.aidanharding.com/ewe/

Anyone experienced some leg rub (Back of thighs) when using the Restrap saddle bag holster? Got about 10L in it at the moment.

I have quite a lot of set back and my saddle (SMP Forma) is setup as far back as it goes.

Any ideas / help will be much appreciated

you want another forma? or dynamic?

ears prick up

selling a dynamic are we?

It can affect those won (ahem) "sprinter's thighs", I had the same with an Archie's grobags saddle pack. I think taping something to the back of your Seatpost (bit of broomstick/Seatpost offcut/part of a lock bracket) could help space it back a bit. Get creative.

Yes please

Cool, cheers for the links and info! I'm pretty spoiled, living in Bristol, it seems. Lots of nice cunryside all around me!

This could be a problem for me

My fat thighs rub on normal saddle bags and lights mounted to my seatpost

So I'm going on my first ever bike packing excursion with a good friend from home that's prepping for tcr.

I fly home (ireland) with bike Friday night, get battered at a stag Saturday night, then hit the road with my mate on Monday morning.

We're getting the first train from Dublin to Sligo to spend 5 days riding as much of the wild Atlantic way we can fit in.

Touring experts, what am I missing for a 5 day adventure:

Sleeping:
Tent, mat, sleeping bag

Off bike:
Merino t-shirt, down jacket, shorts, underwear x2, shoes, wooly hat

On bike:
Jersey x2, bibs x2, arm warmers, knee warmers, gloves, rain cape, base layers x2, socks x2, shoes, helmet, bike tools, tubes, quick links, lights

Other stuff:
First aid kit, knife, powerbank, baby wipes, microfibre towel, chamois creme, sun creme, bug repellent, toilet paper, soap, head torch, deodorant

Bear in mind space is very much at a premium right now. I've got a restrap bar and saddle bag which are already well packed. All sleeping stuff in saddle bag and maybe a few other bits, everything else in the front. Will likely just bring a single large water bottle and a tool bottle with tubes and tools.

It's a bit of a far cry from track racing...

If you want proper TCR prep, take way less than that.

Sleeping kit seems fine.

Offbike - just the down jacket and hat.

On bike - bibs x2 is fine but just one set of everything else will do.

Otherstuff, seems fine.

If you want to tour, do a tour but you should be aiming to spend your time only cycling/sleeping/eating, unless you're planning on a leisurely attempt at the TCR.

It's his mate that's prepping for TcR.

@Colm89 seems like a well thought out packing list

Anyone fancies a Restrap saddle bag that has been used once only?

Sorry, misread that bit. Point stands for his pal!

In any othercase, agreed, seems a good list.

Cheers lads. Mate is planning to travel much lighter than I am (bivvy vs tent, quilt vs sleeping bag etc.), but I'm not hard-core enough for that yet

How much are you asking for?

Love that Sunday doesn't even register as a day, post stag touring sounds great, packing list looks good, do you have a small trowel for number 2's, I see you have bog roll. One thing I bought on a trip was a small tarp, didn't weigh much and was good for a quick shelter when it pissed it down or covered the bikes at night, probably more of a luxury, but if your mate is biviying he may already have such a thing!