Bikepacking - a viable alternative to racks & panniers

If you want a cheaper alternative check out the ‘velocharger’ (spa sell them here) I’ve got one and although I’ve not put it through the ringer, it seems well made and reliable. I spoke to the guy that designed them quite a bit before I bought it and he seemed very confident in it, he said they hadn’t had an failures at the time. I guess he’s got a vested interest but he was ‘just a guy’ as opposed to a company and seemed genuine and down to earth. As ever, YMMV.

Get a wall adapter with multiple USB’s, and maybe even a small dry bag or something so you can put your battery bank, computer and phone all in one thing and they can just plug one charger into the wall.

We stopped at camping municipals and one had free electric which did not need a commando socket and in one of the others anyone without electric on their pitch were using the shaver sockets in the shower blocks. We even saw a couple of unattended iPhones on charge. I charged my battery pack and it was there when I got back. The site was packed with a hundred or so pitches so plenty of people around.

I've lost battery packs to campsites, leaving them on charge unattended. Wouldn't recommend personally

https://www.instagram.com/p/BySCrGZoQAr/ x post from the gravel bike thread but apparently decathlon are working on some kind of uber tourer and also a set of bikepacking bags. Looks like the saddle bags will have some kind of support frame? Could be interesting. Still enjoying my stem bag from them.

Went and did a 220 km day trip with a friend during the week. Didn't have it in us to face the rain and cycle another 9 hours home the next day haha so we got the train back.

First time doing a kind of tour and we loved it. I'd definitely want a better saddlebag or luggage setup though, or one of the carradice rack holder things, because it was hitting my legs the whole time and swinging pretty hard out of the saddle. The carradice is great though, delighted to get a lend of it.

Need to take more photos though! (And save them without the Instagram story captions on them)

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Sounds like a great day out, many clicks fo the klicks!

Wildcat Gear are coming back https://www.instagram.com/p/B0_IBFnliTc/

Just saw these guys at a local market, I didn't have any cash on me to grab a sample and try them but they look like a good lightweight disposable coffee option.
https://www.twodogscoffeecompany.com/product-page/sample-set-of-one-of-each-coffee

I am debating getting either a custom full bike frame bag or half frame - what are the pros and cons other than less storage space?

I already have a 13L Alpkit Koala, and 13L handle bar bag, so the frame bag would mainly be for tent poles, sleeping bits, etc.

Any thoughts? `Kind of wish someone made a full frame bag that unzips to a half frame when you didn't need the full hog. Does this exist?

The black burn bag unzips from a half frame to full frame bag.

Fairweather do modular frame bags, as such

Rusjan has done it.

https://www.instagram.com/p/ByvFUCso2uB/?igshid=1mqsjgmk85lg

https://www.instagram.com/p/ByS7GoIIe4c/?igshid=1nsxwlo33hsep

This isn't going to end well for my hoses is it? I have an M18 I can set up, so strapping a dry bag to that probably a better idea?

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Shouldn’t cause too much issue, the bag will move with the bars / hoses so won’t be chaffing back and forth etc, a shimano brake with shorter cylinder etc might allow more clearance but I wouldn’t worry too much

It's more the verticle movement putting extra pressure on the hoses I'd be worried about. I read that these levers cause this problem before I bought them, but I think it's exacerbated by the bendy bars. This could work well:

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Is that mount rigid, or does it move?

If its rigid then it's fine, no bend looks excessive.

It would definitely rotate further round and down. This might be better, but it's still quite messy, not least because of the silly bars. Might try setting up the M18 this weekend and see how it looks.

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Why are you mounting the harness upside down?

Because I hadn't drink any coffee at that point.

Oh wait, I did it last night too. I did it correctly at first and decided it looked wrong for some reason. Still not sure it makes a real difference to fitting anyway.

I bet you and that are still lighter than just me...

Anyone got a Sinewave or Igaro they want to shift?

76 for me 11 bike 15 luggage

102

Shit, you've done it. :)

I want to ditch some stuff off my bike to help when climbing but I'm not sure what. Maybe lose the feedbags but then places like France where resupply is sketchy I'd be running low on cals.