Bikepacking - a viable alternative to racks & panniers

I'm getting a saddle bag made by bigxtop and am wondering whether to use it with the carradice bagman or their SQR block thing. I'm thinking the bagman could f*ck up the saddle rails over time? All the pics I could find of it are on sturdy brooks type saddles and I'll be on a flite mostly. The bag's not super large, it's about the size of their handlebar bag. Any suggestions?

I have a bagman, and although I haven't had it long I can say the attachment block that clamps to the rails is fairly broad so there's no movement or rubbing. Also it is coated and bevelled.
As long as you're not running carbon or carbon wrapped rails I think you will be fine.

Compared to the weight of a rider, I'd expect the bagman to exert negligible forces on your saddle rails.

Ok, good info - thanks. Might go for the SQR anyway as I could move the bag between bikes more easily. OTOH from a bit of utfs in this thread I understand the bagman can be used to strap drybags & stuff to. Decisions, decisions...

Edit: @Landslide that hit me as well a minute ago. I'm not saying I'm not an idiot though, just trying to recover some composure.

Ok so it turns out 2 dry bags will carry less than I thought haha. Have settled on this as final list:

Handlebar bag:
Bivvy, sleeping bag, silk liner. Sleeping mat and (maybe) tarp tied on top.

Saddle bag:
Down jacket, shorts, merino t-shirt, thermal top and bottoms for night, boxers, thermal socks, thermal gloves, microfibre towel, wool hat, spare bibs/jersey/base, phone charger and charging block, soap, head torch, camping knife. Flip flops tied on top.

I'll take 1 bottle of water and put 2 tubes, multitool, brake pads and quick link in bottle on second cage, have a frame pump.

Phone, rain cape, cycling gloves, arm and knee warmers in jersey pockets.

Hoping that will get me round the 5 days. We'll be passing through small towns so will eat along the way and pick up bags of cans to drink each night.

I would add a musette or tote bag in the saddle bag or jersey pocket. Doesn't take much space and can be really useful to carry cans or any supplies around on the bike

Cracking idea, will try to pick one up!

Looks good.
You're never too far away from civilisation so you can always buy anything along the way.
Don't forget your tooth brush ;)

Exactly my thinking too, my favourite bag of choice were the Rapha one!

Snow & Rock have 20% off some tents and sleeping gear right now:
https://www.snowandrock.com/c/camping/tents.html
https://www.snowandrock.com/c/camping/sleeping.html

Any design tips for a custom Alpkit framebag? looking to carry a hydration bladder rather than bottles. It's a big frame so should be plenty of storage space. Best to go as narrow as possible (4cm) to avoid rubbing?

I'm very much of the opinion that narrower is better on anything but Fatbikes.
The bag is still going to bulge even with a narrow spine. Central partitions help with the bulging though.
There seems to be a trend to make bikepacking luggage bigger and bigger lately, and it means people are taking more stuff than they probably need, simply because they're no longer having to think so carefully about what they take.
Just my opinion though.

And that's why you need to start making bags again....they don't even have to be the most Gucci things in the world, they would be good enough to compete with the best available.

There....I've said it.

It's definitely not a lack of desire stopping me...merely a lack of premises. :)

Just test loaded Liz's troll ready for Scotland. Everything fits and rides like a dream.

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Great looking setup!

Looking ready for adventures!

Small troll, sks guards, kiniption tyres, 27sp deore
Alpkit bars
Tubus cargo rear, surly 24pack, passport anythings
Alpkit dry bags, ortleib rear, tent.
Just need to swap seatpost for inline.

As pictured contains Liz's stuff and tent, room to spare in all luggage.

My lht is trad racks n panniers so not so suitable for this thread.

Just suggested a bikepacking hack of inflating a spare inner tube inside a bag to serve as a pillow. My companion for tonight's bivvy is now trying it out. I've told him I'm taking no responsibility or f he wakes up with a presta valve stuck in his ear...

If it's a choice between carrying an inflatable pillow that weighs almost nothing, takes about three breaths to inflate, rolls to the size of a jumbo gherkin, and is comfortable to lay on... Or unravelling your neatly packed inner tube, pumping about fifty times with a mini pump, stuffing it in a bag, then spending ages squeezing all the air out and trying to neatly and tightly re-roll it again every morning... I'll take my inflatable pillow. :)

Sleeping mats, does everyone use them?

Normally I take only a sleeping bag, no tent or mat. I sleep in the dirt like a wild dog.

Is it just more weight to carry or is it an essential for you lot?

I suppose it depends on where you sleep, the weather you're expecting and how comfortable you like to be. I carry a Klymit Inertia X-Frame, which packs down to the size of a can of coke and weighs very little. Provides good comfort and prevents the transfer of cold from the ground to your bones. There are certainly more comfortable and better thermal rated mats out there though.

I used an Exped Synmat UL at the weekend there and it was great. Takes about a minute to inflate, really comfortable and really keeps the cold out of your bones. Packs down pretty small - and there are plenty of smaller/less luxurious options too.

Both, I suppose. The weight though... something like this sea to summit mat compresses down to the size of a water bottle and is still a lot more comfortable than many types of dirt: http://www.seatosummit.co.uk/products/sleeping-mats/ultralight-mat/.

I'm with you on that one! Will proclaimed it "Better than a pair of shoes", which was what he had been intending to use.