Bikepacking - a viable alternative to racks & panniers

You have a rack...

@TM and @Tomo187
good points, i'll look into swapping them for newer models....

There's an app I think it's called grvlgrndr? Great for meeting like minded people...

Not my bike, that was just a trial fit in my brother's

I hate slogan t-shirts, but that should be on a t-shirt.

But you were wearing that tshirt yesterday that said "all my other shirts are in the wash"

What bottle cages do people with small frames use when using a partial framebag, side release or drop mount. any brands people suggest?

There was a bit of discussion in this thread about side entry cages
Don't know if that helps

https://www.lfgss.com/conversations/309087

On TCR I used the cheap Lezyne side-entry cages and a dropper mount from @CarlosBI

Cheap is good, were they secure/easy to pull in and out?

Think they were £12 a set on ebay.

I never lost a bottle and easy to pull in and out is relative to your hand/arm strength + dexterity. I'm obviously in the Super Alpha Male category of humans so everything is easy... ;)

Cannondale GT-40 side load cages look like the best bet. They're what I'll be getting

Why?

15% off alpkit with code

AUGUST17

by "best bet" he means most aesthetically pleasing to him

Looks like something that fell off a Cadillac. :)

Any interest in a couple of saddlebags I have?

I have one of these: Topeak Backloader 10 Litres

Is new/unused - fitted to my bike once and not for the first time have discovered my tiny frame doesn't have the clearance for it. I bought it as the cheapo option but actually quite impressed with the quality of it - seems fairly rugged and well designed. Yours for £40.

I also have a Wildcat Tiger. It's the bigger of the two harness ones they do. I have a tapered Alpkit drybag for it - this one. This one is used but well in one piece - undamaged. Harness and drybag yours for £50

Speaking of saddlebags - seen this on the Evans website - quite an interesting idea to stop saddlebags swaying: Specialized Burra Burra

Not sure where to ask but here seems as good a place as any.

Does anyone (preferably SE London, but can travel) have a bivvy bag I could borrow for the weekend?

Maybe try the camping thread?

Doing the ridgeway this weekend. First proper outing for my new ogre. No fancy bikepacking kit so will be rear rack, carradice saddlebag and mat strapped to bars.

Leaving first thing Saturday to pewsey to start at Avebury. Hoping to be back by Sunday evening if all goes well.

I'm thinking of selling mine if you're interested?

I bought an army goretex for a bike packing trip beginning of July, used it for 2 nights, got eaten alive by midges, and will now bring a 1 person tent in future.

Bag has been washed and sealed with techwash and re-taped with new seam tape.

Also replaced the draw string with proper cord and stronger fasteners.

Also have a tarp, pegs and guylines that I bought and didn't use as we shared my mates one.

Would sell the lot for £40 if you wanted it.

You can borrow mine but I'm in NW so as uneasy as it can get :/

Anyone want to swap an apidura handlebar pack in regular for a compact? Happy to pay some cash on top.

Has anyone tried just fitting tri-bars or even draft legal tri bars and then strapping everything to them? By the time you've priced up the various handlebar harnesses and looked at the total mess they make of the front end, it just looks as though it would be an easier and similarly priced solution with the added advantage of an extra position on the bike.
I've played around with strapping stuff to the bars, but I really like being able to rest my hands on the bar tops. I used a Topeak compact handlebar bag for a while, but it's sagging badly now, and isn't waterproof which is a shame as at 8l it's the perfect size.