Functional bikes. Not Porn not Anti

The #DBAD is strong with this one

@Heldring Yeah that’s a beauty, just needs a DBAD sticker for top points ;)

This looks fantastic. What I don't get about some of these bikepacking setups though, is how that's enough luggage. It's clearly not a stripped down TCR style racer, but it doesn't look like there's space for a sleeping bag + matt + tent + stove + pan etc, unless there are all incredibly tiny? So is it just a credit card tourer?

not at all impossible:

sleeping bag, mat, and bivvy/tarp in the rear bag
spare clothes in the rear bag
tools, food and electronics in the frame bag
maps, more food and electronics in the bar bag
water in the frame and on the forks

I actually met this bike's owner once and as far as I know he travels the world with this bike. Couch surfing, Airbnb hopping and meeting people with an empty room. So yeah, no tent or stove. He just orders pizza.

@platypus is right but I would pack slightly differently: sleeping bag and clothes (note: just enough to stay warm, I had to wear the same clothes the whole time) in the seatpack, tent strapped to the bars, cooking stuff (one pan to eat out of and cook in) and food in a frame bag and water in a rucksack with a hose thing.

Have just recently tried bivvying and you definitely save a hell of a lot of space over a tent. Unfortunately I also took an extremely bulky sleeping bag rated to -10° and if I'd been bikepacking I would have had to take the sleeping bag in a ~30l rucksack. In summer if it was dry you'd have a great time in a bivvy bag.

For a longer trip you obviously need more clothes and food in which case I'd get some fork-mounted anything-cages with drybags in them, a top tube bag and a much bigger frame bag.

I would also say you want a big a framebag as possible, it's the least annoying bikepacking component. all the heavy stuff in there, then light squishy stuff at the back and front

I agree. Mine is tiny unfortunately which is a real pain in the arse; it just barely fits a waterproof and small amount of food. I'm after a new frame though and once I get that I'll probably get a much bigger bag that will fit in both of my bikes.

I like the idea of top tube bags and stem cell type bags too for food that you can eat as you're riding along. I was going to try to bodge something out of a climbing chalk bag but not got around to it yet.

@frankenbike here's mine. revelate top and stem bag. top bag is for 250G chocolate, one malt loaf, camera, phone, toe strap, zip ties, money. stem bag is for 300G waterproof coat, and warm gloves.

Nice. Custom frame bag or just a good fit?

I have to manage with this. Not as efficient as a full frame bag but not too bad.

Edit: big dent is from the bike falling onto a cupboard in the corridor. Makes me sad.

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stock revelate XL framebag - tried the other brands but revelate stuff is always way better

you should be able to fit a M size revelate in there

Quite impressive that you're able to fit all that in such a small bag! I'm terrible at packing :>

stuff it in, and then when you're out of space, eat all the food ;~)

anyone got an Alpkit made to measure framebag? I'm tempted but concerned about width of framebags as my knees run very very narrow.

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Living the dream!

Cheers all, interesting responses. Still think I am too fond of stuff, and my stuff is too bulky, to ditch the panniers and go full bikepacking.

Might be a re-post, I’m not sure. Nice though.

^ <3

650b is silly when you already have your eyes on a frame that clears 700x42c...

Not really.

700c with 42mm tyres is very heavy, and huges, like massive which increase the trail of the bicycle and thus make it handle slower.

so 650b in 42mm make more sense in reducing weight and keeping the bike feeling lively.